Editing Halo 2 E3 demo

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|image=[[File:NM E303.png|250px]]

|Objective=Rendevous with Sergeant Banks.

{{Quote|In the world of video game sort of mythic legends, I think the Halo 2 E3 demo is right up there. It's like the unicorn of the gaming industry.|[[Brian Jarrard]]<ref name="mixer">[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qp86KNbeCA8 ''YouTube'': Halo 2 E3 2003 Demo Stream from 343 + Never Before Seen Alphas/Betas (1080p 60 FPS)]</ref>}}

The '''''Halo 2'' E3 Demo''' was a real-time demonstration of early plans for [[Halo 2|''Halo 2'']]'s [[Outskirts]] and [[Metropolis]] levels. It was shown at [[Electronic Entertainment Expo|E3 2003]], and revealed new designs for ''Halo 2'', including [[Orbital Drop Shock Trooper|ODSTs]], [[BR55 Battle Rifle|Battle Rifles]] (which were originally going to be single-shot), [[Dual wielding|dual-wielding]], [[M7/Caseless Submachine Gun|SMG]]s, [[Jiralhanae|Brutes]], the [[M12G1 Light Anti-Armor Vehicle|Gauss Warthog]], among others.

The demo bears little resemblance to the final game as it was created by Bungie out of demand for material to show at E3 amidst the exceedingly hectic development process of ''Halo 2''.<ref name="yt cairo">[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcSk8Rx_JTo&t=13m30s '''YouTube''': ''Halo 2 Anniversary - Cairo Station Campaign Gameplay and...'']</ref>

==Gameplay==

The demo runs on an early development version of the game engine and is built with the premise that the player—originally [[Joseph Staten]]—follows a heavily scripted path.{{Ref/Reuse|yt cairo}} For example, although the player is able to go "off script" and explore the level, there are certain cues to prompt them along; for example, the player will be teleported to the [[Gauss Warthog]] during the relevant portion of the demo regardless of their location on the map. Also, the player seemingly has unlimited health, ammunition and grenades. The dual [[M7 SMG|SMGs]] showcased in the demo are also not an example of true [[dual wielding]] as implemented in the final game, as the two weapons behave like a single one in terms of gameplay. Several other oddities indicate the game's unfinished nature, such as the Marines in the [[medical tent]]s in the opening area, who cannot die and will continue to play their scripted animations even if the player attacks them.{{Ref/Reuse|mixer}}

On November 14, 2018, 343 Industries employees, [[Brian Jarrard]], Sean Cooper and [[Frank O'Connor]] revisited the E3 demo, along with several other early development ''Halo 2'' levels, in an online stream.{{Ref/Reuse|mixer}} Bungie and 343 Industries employees had previously commented that the demo would crash instantly if the player deviated from the scripted path, supposedly making it unworkable as an actual level.{{Ref/Reuse|yt cairo}}<ref>[http://halo.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?cid=4221 '''Bungie.net''': ''Weekly What's What Update: Massive Attack!''] - ''Nope, the E3 demo you're talking about still works and is playable even, but is waaaaaaaay too buggy as it stands to ever be released. ''</ref> However, it was found during the stream that the demo is actually quite robust, as O'Connor did not manage to "break" it despite having deliberately set out to do so.{{Ref/Reuse|mixer}}

Following a humorous, fourth-wall-breaking introduction by [[Avery Johnson|Sergeant Avery Johnson]] designed to accompany the original E3 presentation by Bungie, the demo opens to a scene of the [[Earth]] city of [[New Mombasa]] under siege by the [[Covenant]]. The [[John-117|Master Chief]] is en route to a UNSC field command post turned field hospital to assist the marines in destroying an [[Covenant artillery|artillery cannon]] and securing the area. The [[D77-TC Pelican|Pelican]] lands and Master Chief exits with a few ODSTs to be introduced to Cpl. [[Perez]] who takes him through the field hospital to where [[Banks|Sergeant Banks]] is.

The Master Chief proceeds through the camp witnessing the new animations of allied AIs. He then passes through a destroyed building housing a Marine heavy Machine gun team and Sergeant Banks. Both are pinned down by Covenant forces. The Sergeant then calls in an airstrike on the [[covenant artillery|artillery cannon]]. A flight of Longsword fighters promptly complies, launching a successful bombing run on the cannon. After the airstrike has occurred Banks gives the player his SMG, an introduction to the new feature of [[dual wielding]]. Using his new weapons, the Chief clears the area of Covenant troops before moving over a pile a debris and into an open street.

In the street there is a packed group of about seven Jackals with shields. Upon spotting the Chief they form a phalanx and begin to open fire with their plasma pistols. After a few moments of shooting, the group of Jackals are splattered by a pair of [[M12 Force Application Vehicle|Warthogs]]. One of the Warthogs is the new [[M12G1 Light Anti-Armor Vehicle|Gauss Warthog]], the driver instructs the Master Chief to man the Gauss Cannon on the back. Upon the Chief entering the turret, Warthogs drive around the street areas which are incidentally quite similar to the streets before the [[Type-47A Scarab|Scarab]] attack in the ''Halo 2'' level, [[Metropolis]]. After the Chief destroys a few [[Type-29 Shadow]]s and [[Type-32 Rapid Assault Vehicle|Ghosts]], the Warthog is boarded by a [[Jiralhanae|Brute]] who kills the Marines in the passenger and driver seat, prompting the Chief to exit the vehicle to take action against the boarder.

The Master Chief quickly kills the Brute and a few of his comrades with his battle rifle before being alerted by [[Cortana]] of a fast approaching [[Type-32 Rapid Assault Vehicle|Ghost]]. Chief proceeds to board this vehicle by hijacking the Ghost, introducing yet another new ''Halo 2'' feature.

Just after Cortana points out a Covenant ship in the sky, a barrage of glowing drop pods begin to land around the Chief. Elites step out of these Drop Pods and draw their [[Type-1 Energy Weapon/Sword|energy swords]]. Chief responds holstering one of his SMGs and charging up a [[Type-1 Antipersonnel Grenade|plasma grenade]]. Cortana, noting Chief's action, teasingly says "bet you can't stick it" to which the Master Chief responds "You're on." As he lunges forward to toss the grenade, the demo ends.

''A looping sprite animation of Johnson kicking a [[Grunt]] from behind appears over the map.''

''A Pelican zooms into view. We see the [[John-117|Master Chief]]''

*'''Sergeant Johnson:''' "[[405th]] out of [[Diego Garcia]]."

*'''Spotter:'''<ref name="storyboards">''[[The Art of Halo|Art of Halo]]'', pages 150-155</ref> "Immediate. Grid Kilo 23 is hot. Recommend mission abort."

''In the back of the Pelican, We see [[Orbital Drop Shock Trooper|ODST]]s getting their weapons ready''

''The Chief moves out onto the balcony. In the background, an [[Covenant artillery|artillery cannon]] fires a plasma mortar, which flies out overhead. The Master Chief uses his battle rifle to take out a couple Grunts he sees below, then moves on.''

*'''Sergeant Banks:''' "When I asked for reinforcements, I didn't think they'd send a [[SPARTAN-II Program|Spartan]]."

''Master Chief jumps off the balcony and into further battle. After clearing out the street, he goes into the damaged building, where more ''[[kig-yar|''Jackals'']]'' and Grunts appear.''

''The Chief exits the building and sees a group of Jackals, which get run over by a [[m12G1 Light Anti-Armor Vehicle|Gauss Warthog]].''

''Two [[type-32 Rapid Assault Vehicle|Ghosts]] appear''.

''A Brute drops in from the Phantom and lands on the hood of the Chief's Warthog. It kills both the Marine driver and passenger. The Chief jumps out and the Warthog crashes into the wall. The Chief kills the Brute by meleeing it with his weapon. He then shoots an abandoned car in the distance, blowing it up. The explosion kills a couple of nearby Brutes. The Chief then picks off a third Brutes with his battle rifle.''

[[File:H2-E3-MasterChief-PlasmaGrenade.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Cortana: "Betcha can't stick it." Master Chief: "You're on."]]

''The Chief pulls out a [[type-1 Antipersonnel Grenade|plasma grenade]] and activates it.''

* The Battle Rifle reloads like an Assault Rifle.

** In addition, when the Master Chief changes to the Battle Rifle from the SMGs, he doesn't drop the other SMG. This lead many viewers to assume that "dual SMGs" was a single weapon.

* The Battle Rifle is semi-automatic, has no ammo counter, and is reminiscent of the way a paintball gun fires. This makes it more like the much later [[Designated Marksman Rifle]].

* The Shadow's turret shoots green plasma blasts that look like charged plasma pistol shots, not purple shots. Also, it shoots more at a more regular pace, it doesn't get faster as it shoots, although this is the same in the final version when manned by Elites.

* The [[Type-25 Grenade Launcher|Brute Shot]] shoots like a large plasma projectile which flies straight instead of the frag grenade that falls and bounces after a few feet.

* The [[Type-25 Directed Energy Pistol|Plasma Pistol]] shoots a larger bolt.

* The [[Phantoms]] have a different appearance and are destructible.

* Brutes bleed purple, but in the final game, they bleed Blackish-blue.

* When Master Chief hijacked the Ghost, he stood on the ghost for a considerable amount of time before he kicked the driver out.

* When the Chief shoots a Phantom with a [[M68 Asynchronous Linear-Induction Motor|Gauss Cannon]] a green and blue plasma spark appears.

* The back of the [[Type-52 Troop Carrier|Phantom]] is open and the troops disperse like on a [[Pelican]].

* The [[Type-32 Rapid Assault Vehicle|Ghost]]'s fire mode is different to that of the final version. In the final version, the mode was alternating blasts from each Plasma Cannon. Here, it was more like Halo 1's fire which fired both Cannons at the same time. The rate of fire was also increased and the plasma bolts travel faster.

* There is a huge increase in the number of Grunt death animations where they stop in their tracks when killed and slowly fall forward. Few of the killed Grunts in the trailer perform the classic "Grunty Death Backflip" when killed with Battle Rifle fire.

===Images===

File:H2 E3 Demo Shadows.jpg|A close-up of the Shadows in the demo.

File:H2E3 Demo Master Chief.jpg|Master Chief in the Battle of New Mombasa.

File:H2E3_GaussHog.jpg|John-117 manning a Gauss cannon in the demo.

File:H2E3_John117_Ghost.jpg|John-117 driving a Ghost in the demo.

File:H2E3_John117_Turret.jpg|John-117 manning an [[M247 machine gun]].

File:H2E3_Standoff.jpg|John-117 facing down two SpecOps Elites.

*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qp86KNbeCA8 343 Industries stream playing the demo]