Editing High Charity (cut Halo 3 level)

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{{Status|RealWorld}}{{Status|Featured}}
{{disambig header|a cut campaign level|other uses|High Charity (disambiguation)}}
{{disambig header|a cut campaign level|other uses|High Charity (disambiguation)}}
{{Level infobox
{{Level infobox
|prev=''[[Forerunner City]]'' {{C|Intended}}
|prev=''[[The Covenant (level)|The Covenant]]'' {{C|Intended}}
|concurrent=  
|concurrent=  
|next=''[[Halo (Halo 3 level)|Halo]]'' {{C|Intended}}
|next=''[[Halo (Halo 3 level)|Halo]]'' {{C|Intended}}
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|nowalk=yes
|nowalk=yes
}}
}}
{{Quote|I took the Cortana mission, completely gutted it and rebuilt it in about three weeks—that mission where Gravemind is talking to you and Cortana is in distress. We didn’t have a lot of resources for that. It was a lot cooler on paper. And it had the transforming Flood, but I don’t think we did great there. It’s a kind of half-baked mission that needed to be there for the story, so we sort of threw it together, but I would’ve preferred not to do that.|[[Paul Bertone]] discussing his work on Cortana and highcharity.{{Ref/Reuse|VICE}}}}
'''''High Charity''''' or '''HC''' was a planned level in ''[[Halo 3]]''{{'}}s campaign, eventually replaced by the retail level ''[[Cortana (level)|Cortana]]''.
'''''High Charity''''' or '''HC''' was a planned level in ''[[Halo 3]]''{{'}}s campaign, eventually replaced by the retail level ''[[Cortana (level)|Cortana]]''.


==Description==
==Description==
[[File:H3 HighCharity Skybox.jpg|250px|thumb|An early roughed-in skybox of High Charity, completed by [[:Category:Images by Mike Porter|Mike Porter]] before he left Bungie. The Mausoleum of the Arbiter and the overlook above it can be seen here.{{Ref/Site|URL=https://www.artstation.com/artwork/Lenm1A|Site=ArtStation|Page=Halo 3 Skyboxes and Props|D=27|M=02|Y=2022|Quote=Roughed in skybox for High Charity level, before I left.}}]]
When originally conceptualised, the level that would become Cortana in the final game was simply meant to be a level set inside High Charity, fighting against the Flood.{{Ref/Twitter|dmiller360|533780549807398912|Dan Miller|Quote=the level order was the same,just the geometry was different. Originally floodgate consisted  of both floodgate AND Cortana|D=10|M=10|Y=2021}} In this build, the High Charity level was to consist of two large found segments connected by the [[Hanging Gardens]].{{Ref/Twitter|cgbarrett|1145920642358714368|Christopher Barrett|Quote=I found this while digging through some old concepts. I don’t think it’s even been published? A schematic concept of High Charity from Halo 3 #Halo3|D=10|M=10|Y=2021}} An early mission layout showcases the mission as progressing with the player eventually progressing into and through the [[Mausoleum of the Arbiter]] - with a planned reveal of an army of Flood-infected Arbiters which the player would have to battle. Later on, the level was intended to feature a sequence in which the player would find a [[Type-47B Scarab|Scarab]] with damaged legs, which Cortana would take control of and use it to battle the Gravemind while the player held off invading Flood forms and shot off the Gravemind's tendrils that attempted to latch onto the Scarab.{{Ref/Site|Id=NeoGAFDan1|URL=https://www.neogaf.com/threads/halo-ot14-they-call-it-halo.507989/page-356#post-47803018|Site=NeoGAF|Page=Halo - OT14 - They call it Halo|Quote=Developer Insight #17 Cortana and a Scarab. The level in which you rescued Cortana was going to be a "High Charity" level, not "Cortana" we ended up with. Here’s what was originally planned. You were supposed to, or rather the idea was that you were going to, fight the Gravemind, but not in a way you might think. You were going to retrieve Cortana, and a little after that you two were going to come across an abandoned Scarab with its hind legs ripped off. Seeing no other options, you were going to board the Scarab and insert Cortana so she could pilot it. After that, the Gravemind was going to appear, and Cortana was going to duke it out with him in the damaged Scarab while you were on board. You were going to help out by killing any Flood forms that made their way onto the Scarab, and shoot off any of Gravemind's tentacles that tried to latch on.|Quotee=Dan Miller|D=10|M=10|Y=2021}}
When originally conceptualised, the level that would become Cortana in the final game was simply meant to be a level set inside High Charity, fighting against the Flood.{{Ref/Twitter|dmiller360|533780549807398912|Dan Miller|Quote=the level order was the same,just the geometry was different. Originally floodgate consisted  of both floodgate AND Cortana|D=10|M=10|Y=2021}} In this build, the High Charity level was to consist of two large found segments connected by the [[Hanging Gardens]].{{Ref/Twitter|cgbarrett|1145920642358714368|Christopher Barrett|Quote=I found this while digging through some old concepts. I don’t think it’s even been published? A schematic concept of High Charity from Halo 3 #Halo3|D=10|M=10|Y=2021}} An early mission layout showcases the mission as progressing with the player eventually progressing into and through the [[Mausoleum of the Arbiter]] - with a planned reveal of an army of Flood-infected Arbiters which the player would have to battle. Later on, the level was intended to feature a sequence in which the player would find a [[Deutoros-pattern Scarab|Scarab]] with damaged legs, which Cortana would take control of and use to battle the Gravemind while the player held off invading Flood forms and shot off the Gravemind's tendrils that attempted to latch onto the Scarab.{{Ref/Site|Id=NeoGAFDan1|URL=https://www.neogaf.com/threads/halo-ot14-they-call-it-halo.507989/page-356#post-47803018|Site=NeoGAF|Page=Halo - OT14 - They call it Halo|Quote=Developer Insight #17 Cortana and a Scarab. The level in which you rescued Cortana was going to be a "High Charity" level, not "Cortana" we ended up with. Here&#8217;s what was originally planned. You were supposed to, or rather the idea was that you were going to, fight the Gravemind, but not in a way you might think. You were going to retrieve Cortana, and a little after that you two were going to come across an abandoned Scarab with its hind legs ripped off. Seeing no other options, you were going to board the Scarab and insert Cortana so she could pilot it. After that, the Gravemind was going to appear, and Cortana was going to duke it out with him in the damaged Scarab while you were on board. You were going to help out by killing any Flood forms that made their way onto the Scarab, and shoot off any of Gravemind's tentacles that tried to latch on.|Quotee=Dan Miller|D=10|M=10|Y=2021}} The planned [[Cut Halo 3 enemies#Flood Arbiter|Flood-infected Arbiter]] enemies were prototypes in some form, with surviving [[tag]]s recovered by [[343 Industries]] named <code>flarbiter</code>. When creating the [[Floodfight]] updates for ''[[Halo 3: ODST]]'',  343 looked at resurrecting the flarbiter enemies for use in the gamemode but ultimately determined the tags to have been cut from the game too early on in the process to be useable.{{Ref/Twitter|The_Psycho_Duck|1710525787693355251|Dana Jerpak|Quote=The tags for the cut Flood Arbiter are called the "flarbiter". 😁 We looked into resurrecting the flarbiter (pun intended) for Flood Firefight, but it was cut early enough that there was nothing usable.|D=29|M=03|Y=2024}}
[[File:H3 HighCharity Schematic Concept.jpg|thumb|right|An early schematic layout for the level.]]
[[File:H3 HighCharity Schematic Concept.jpg|thumb|250px|An early schematic layout for the level.]]


It would end up being present as a selectable level in the ''[[Halo 3 Alpha]]''.
It would end up being present as a selectable level in the ''[[Halo 3 Alpha]]''.
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Ultimately, the High Charity level was one of several levels [[Cut Halo 3 levels|cut for time]].{{Ref/Twitter|dmiller360|1113434705133625344|Dan Miller|Quote=In floodgate you went into the covenant cruiser at the end, correct? Well that was the Cortana geometry. The Floodgate mission was much, much longer. There was original High Charity geometry made for the Cortana mission that was cut due to lack of time.|D=10|M=10|Y=2021}}{{Ref/Twitter|dmiller360|533780831513624576|Dan Miller|Quote=the old original geometry for cortana was cut- that was high charity geometry.|D=10|M=10|Y=2021}} At a similar time, the level [[Floodgate]] was cut-down around 75% due to issues with pacing, and thus much of the geometry developed for that mission was repurposed for Cortana. This process of gutting and rebuilding this mission was undertaken by [[Paul Bertone]], who did the task in around three weeks.{{Ref/Site|Id=VICE|URL=https://www.vice.com/en/article/xwqjg3/the-complete-untold-history-of-halo-an-oral-history|Site=VICE|Page=The Complete, Untold History of Halo: An Oral History|D=10|M=10|Y=2021}} Cortana was expanded around 75%, as the team felt the mission needed to be longer and harder to better-reflect the narrative stakes in the story.{{Ref/Reuse|GDC1}}{{Ref/Reuse|GDC2}} These issues, combined with the lack of a dedicated designer for the level, meant that the developers at Bungie knew they were shipping what they considered to be a bad level, but were unable to do much about it. One idea pitched by [[Dan Miller]] to aid with navigation in the level was to place holographic footsteps on the ground to help show the player where to go, similar to the effect shown at the end of the level [[The Covenant (level)|The Covenant]].
Ultimately, the High Charity level was one of several levels [[Cut Halo 3 levels|cut for time]].{{Ref/Twitter|dmiller360|1113434705133625344|Dan Miller|Quote=In floodgate you went into the covenant cruiser at the end, correct? Well that was the Cortana geometry. The Floodgate mission was much, much longer. There was original High Charity geometry made for the Cortana mission that was cut due to lack of time.|D=10|M=10|Y=2021}}{{Ref/Twitter|dmiller360|533780831513624576|Dan Miller|Quote=the old original geometry for cortana was cut- that was high charity geometry.|D=10|M=10|Y=2021}} At a similar time, the level [[Floodgate]] was cut-down around 75% due to issues with pacing, and thus much of the geometry developed for that mission was repurposed for Cortana. This process of gutting and rebuilding this mission was undertaken by [[Paul Bertone]], who did the task in around three weeks.{{Ref/Site|Id=VICE|URL=https://www.vice.com/en/article/xwqjg3/the-complete-untold-history-of-halo-an-oral-history|Site=VICE|Page=The Complete, Untold History of Halo: An Oral History|D=10|M=10|Y=2021}} Cortana was expanded around 75%, as the team felt the mission needed to be longer and harder to better-reflect the narrative stakes in the story.{{Ref/Reuse|GDC1}}{{Ref/Reuse|GDC2}} These issues, combined with the lack of a dedicated designer for the level, meant that the developers at Bungie knew they were shipping what they considered to be a bad level, but were unable to do much about it. One idea pitched by [[Dan Miller]] to aid with navigation in the level was to place holographic footsteps on the ground to help show the player where to go, similar to the effect shown at the end of the level [[The Covenant (level)|The Covenant]].


The reuse of the Floodgate geometry originally developed for the [[Indulgence of Conviction|crashed cruiser]] meant that the interior structure of High Charity contains some illogical design choices, such as the [[bridge]] of a {{Pattern|Kerel|assault carrier}}. The level posed numerous technical challenges for the developers, with the level's size requiring it be split into eight BSPs. Having to allow the geometry to have AI walk on it - even upside down or on walls - was also challenging, and collisions had to be faked for much of the level geometry. To help produce the feel of the city having been wrecked and crashed, the engineering team wrote a script that tilted the level geometry by fifteen degrees on export. Nonetheless, the AI pathfinding continued to be an issue, alongside questions of how to balance art vs. design needs for the level.{{Ref/Site|Id=GDC1|URL=https://www.bungie.net/en/aboutus#page=publications&publication=12662|Site=Bungie Publications|Page=Halo 3 Flood Alien Level Autopsy|D=10|M=10|Y=2021}}{{Ref/Site|Id=GDC2|URL=http://www.bungie.net//images/Inside/publications/presentations/!Halo3_Flood_Alien_Level_Autopsy.zip|Site=Bungie.net|Page=Halo 3 Flood Alien Level Autopsy|Detail=Original presentation download link|D=03|M=5|Y=2012}}
The reuse of the Floodgate geometry originally developed for the [[Indulgence of Conviction|crashed cruiser]] meant that the interior structure of High Charity contains some illogical design choices, such as the [[bridge]] of a {{Class|CAS|assault carrier}}. The level posed numerous technical challenges for the developers, with the level's size requiring it be split into eight BSPs. Having to allow the geometry to have AI walk on it - even upside down or on walls - was also challenging, and collisons had to be faked for much of the level geometry. To help produce the feel of the city having been wrecked and crashed, the engineering team wrote a script that tilted the level geometry by fifteen degrees on export. Nonetheless, the AI pathfinding continued to be an issue, alongside questions of how to balance art vs. design needs for the level.{{Ref/Site|Id=GDC1|URL=https://www.bungie.net/en/aboutus#page=publications&publication=12662|Site=Bungie Publications|Page=Halo 3 Flood Alien Level Autopsy|D=10|M=10|Y=2021}}{{Ref/Site|Id=GDC2|URL=http://www.bungie.net//images/Inside/publications/presentations/!Halo3_Flood_Alien_Level_Autopsy.zip|Site=Bungie.net|Page=Halo 3 Flood Alien Level Autopsy|Detail=Original presentation download link|D=03|M=5|Y=2012}}


[[File:H3 Alpha CampaignLevels.jpg|250px|thumb|The level select screen for the ''[[Halo 3 Alpha]]'']]
[[File:H3 Alpha CampaignLevels.jpg|250px|thumb|right|The level select screen for the ''[[Halo 3 Alpha]]'']]


Following the release of the ''[[Halo 3 Mod Tools]]'', further details on the level were released including scripting for various encounters including but not limited to the Scarab and Mausoleum, dialogue, and a few music queues.{{Ref/Generic|Id=missionhsc|[[Halo 3 Editing Kit]]|110_hc_mission.hsc}}
Following the release of the ''[[Halo 3 Mod Tools]]'', further details on the level were released including scripting for various encounters including but not limited to the Scarab and Mausoleum, dialogue, and a few music queues.{{Ref/Generic|Id=missionhsc|[[Halo 3 Editing Kit]]|110_hc_mission.hsc}}
Early revisions of highcharity were prototyped in the early ''Halo 3'' engine on the original [[Xbox]] console. Screenshots of these early environment tests showcase a design intent to have High Charity's architecture resemble the environments the player finds themselves in in the [[Gravemind (level)|Gravemind]] and [[High Charity (level)|High Charity]] levels of ''[[Halo 2]]''.


===Current status===
===Current status===
[[File:H3 Xbox360 HighCharity Prototype 5.jpg|thumb|250px|A test environment in the early Xbox 360 era; the corridors here bear considerably more consistency with the corridors of High Charity seen in ''Halo 2''.]]
Bits and pieces of the original level survived into the final product. The Mausoleum of the Arbiter can be seen as an inaccessible location outside the playable area. Parts of Sergeant Johnson's dialogue at the beginning is also somewhat similar to the original version. The chapter title "Nor Hell a Fury..." is also in the retail version of the game.
Bits and pieces of the original level survived into the final product. The Mausoleum of the Arbiter can be seen as an inaccessible location outside the playable area. Parts of Sergeant Johnson's dialogue at the beginning is also somewhat similar to the original version. The chapter title "Nor Hell a Fury..." is also in the retail version of the game.
==Transcript==
==Transcript==
The level was split into the chapters: '''Her Tattered Soul''' and '''Nor Hell a Fury...'''. The following dialogue and sequence of events are transcribed from remaining files in the ''Halo 3 Mod Tools''.{{Ref/Reuse|missionhsc}}
The level was split into the chapters: '''Her Tattered Soul''' and '''Nor Hell a Fury...'''. The following dialogue and sequence of events are transcribed from remaining files in the ''Halo 3 Mod Tools''.{{Ref/Reuse|missionhsc}}
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*'''Johnson''': "But if [[Cortana]]'s still in there, bring her home."
*'''Johnson''': "But if [[Cortana]]'s still in there, bring her home."


''The player(s) would have proceeded to the bridge to the Mausoleum. Once the area around the bridge was cleared, they would be able to proceed. Once inside, they would have fought more Flood before reaching another bridge. They would have proceeded all the way to the [[Sanctum of the Hierarchs#Inner Sanctum|Inner Sanctum]]. They would also fight numerous Flood in the process.''
''The player(s) would have proceeded to the bridge to the Mausoleum. Once the area around the bridge was cleared, they would be able to proceed. Once inside, they would have fought more Flood before reaching another bridge. They would have proceeded all the way to the [[Sanctum of the Hierarchs#Inner Sanctum|Inner Sanctum]].''


*'''Cortana''': "It's him. It. Them."
*'''Cortana''': "It's him. It. Them."
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*'''Cortana''': "And now the right."
*'''Cortana''': "And now the right."
*'''Cortana''': "Here comes the bump."
*'''Cortana''': "Here comes the bump."
''Depending on if the player is standing on the Scarab.''
*'''Cortana''': "Sorry about that."
''Cortana continues.''
*'''Cortana''': "I'll need to build up some power for this next one."
*'''Cortana''': "And...heave!"
''The Scarab moves.''
*'''Cortana''': "Watch our backs, Chief."
*'''Cortana''': "They have to know what we're up to."
*'''Cortana''': "That put a lot of stress on the joints."
*'''Cortana''': "Servos are screaming."
*'''Cortana''': "Running what self-repair systems are still operable."
*'''Cortana''': "The left leg is running a little hot, but here goes."
''The Scarab moves more.''
*'''Cortana''': "Can't last much longer like this."
''The Scarab moves more.''
*'''Cortana''': "The turrets are about to melt."
*'''Cortana''': "The engine is well past red-lined."
*'''Cortana''': "And the left leg is about to fall off."
*'''Cortana''': "But here goes nothing."
''The Scarab moves more.''
*'''Cortana''': "I can't even feel this leg anymore."
*'''Cortana''': "Strain levels in the servos are through the roof."
''The Scarab moves more.''
*'''Cortana''': "Just need to get a little closer to the edge."
''The Scarab moves more.''
*'''Cortana''': "Almost there."
''The Scarab moves more.''
*'''Cortana''': "Just one more heave..."
''The Scarab stops moving.''
*'''Cortana''': "I'm as close as I can get, Chief."
*'''Cortana''': "The rest is up to you."
*'''Cortana''': "Come pick me up and blow the core."
''The player grabs Cortana.''
*'''Cortana''': "All right.  Let's send this thing to Hell."
*'''Cortana''': "The core is charged, Chief.  Hit with all you've got."
''If the player stalls.''
*'''Cortana''': "Blow the core, Chief!"
''The Gravemind roars in defeat.''
==Gallery==
==Gallery==
===Level concept art===
===Level concept art===
<gallery>
<gallery>
File:H3 - Flood biomass concept.png|Early concept for Flood on High Charity, using ''Halo 2''{{'}}s geometry as a base.
File:H3 Cortana Concept 2.jpg|Concept art of the Master Chief outside the Mausoleum.
File:H3 Cortana Concept 2.jpg|Concept art of the Master Chief outside the Mausoleum.
</gallery>
</gallery>


===Design documents===
===Design documentation===
<gallery>
<gallery>
File:H3_HighCharityPaperSketch.jpeg|Early paper sketch.
File:H3 Cortana DesignDoc 1.jpg|An early level layout.
File:H3 Cortana DesignDoc 1.jpg|Digital design document.
File:H3_HighCharityDesignDoc.jpeg|Another version with a slightly reduced layout.
File:H3 Cortana DesignDoc 2.jpg|A later design document for ''High Charity'', more resembling the retail level ''[[Cortana (level)|Cortana]]''.
File:H3 Cortana DesignDoc 2.jpg|A later design document for ''High Charity'', more resembling the retail level ''[[Cortana (level)|Cortana]]''.
</gallery>
</gallery>
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</gallery>
</gallery>


====Xbox 360 Slim/ Early ''Halo 3'' engine prototypes====
===Xbox 360 Slim/ Early ''Halo 3'' engine prototypes===
<gallery>
<gallery>
File:H3 Xbox360 HighCharity Prototype 1.jpg
File:H3 Xbox360 HighCharity Prototype 1.jpg
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{{Deleted Material}}
{{Deleted Material}}
[[Category:Levels]]
[[Category:Levels]]
[[Category:Deleted material]]
[[Category:Halo 3 deleted material]]

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