Editing Stopping time

{{Status|Gameplay}}

'''Stopping time''' is a [[glitch]] present in ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]''<nowiki/>'s [[campaign]] and is also present in ''[[Halo 3]]''. It is a load-related glitch that can leave objects apparently frozen in time.

Each level in the game is divided into sections that are loaded individually as the player crosses specified boundaries called "loading points". Such loading points most recognizable by the split-second lag and the phrase "''Loading...Done''" that appears on the side of the screen. When a loading point is crossed, the area that the player is leaving appears frozen in time.

The same process happens to all of the ''actors''—that is, all allies, enemies, NPCs, [[vehicles]], [[weapons]], and really everything that isn't a fixed, static part of the terrain. When you leave an area, all of the actors from that area are also frozen. Their AIs cease to function, and they stop moving—they don't even fall down when killed (though they can bleed and do drop their weapon). The effect stops if the actors are returned to their original locations.

Obviously, [[Bungie]] didn't want players to interact with—or even see—such "frozen" actors, and they took steps to prevent such things from occurring. For example, [[Marines]] are often programmed to stop moving forward when they are about to reach a loading point (ostensibly so they can watch the [[John-117|Master Chief]]'s back). However, while the game takes steps to prevent actors from leaving their designated areas, it never actually checks if they're still in their designated areas when a loading point is activated.

The glitch, then, is the ability to freeze actors in place ''beyond their normal areas''. If you can, through any means, take any actor—be it a [[Marine]] or even an enemy—through a loading point, then you can interact with the actor while it is frozen.

Once you have activated the [[Silent Cartographer]], you will receive a message from the Marines, stating that they are coming under attack at the [[Landing Zone]]—but that is impossible, because they are actually completely safe within the building you are in. On your way out of the Forerunner structure, return to the room you left the Marines in. They will be frozen.

While it is somewhat difficult, a Warthog can, with a little effort, be forced through some pillars and into this area of the canyon. If the player fills the two extra seats with Marines and then forces the Warthog through the door into the corridors, then once the Warthog crosses the loading point the two Marines will freeze. This happens because when the player leaves one area, all the "living" elements in that area, whether NPC, [[Covenant]], [[vehicle]], explosion, etc., are frozen where they are—and no checks are performed to make sure that the now-frozen objects are where they belong. You can shoot the Marines once they freeze and while they may make sounds, they will not move until you return with them to their specified area. For some reason, [[Needler]] rounds and {{Pattern|Anskum|plasma grenade}}s also take longer to explode when stuck to frozen Marines—it can sometimes take as many as three Needler clips before a detonation occurs.

*It is this same glitch that stops players that have bump-possessed an AI in ''[[Halo Custom Edition]]'' from progressing past a loading point. Once the game says Saving... Done, the player will freeze and cannot move unless they revert to last save. This will always happen when controlling anything other than the Master Chief.

 

[[Category:Halo: Combat Evolved glitches]]

[[Category:Halo 3 glitches]]