Stunt

Stunts are oddities that are similar in nature to glitches. Many stunts are the results of unintended and unanticipated quirks in the Halo games, and often result in the kind of bizarre phenomena that one tends to see when performing glitches. Unlike glitches, however, they are not all the results of specific errors. For example, a player might be able to balance a Ghost in a manner that would be impossible in the real world; despite the physical implausibility of the act, it is not necessarily a glitch; however, it is a stunt.

Stunting Taxonomy

If you disagree with the categorization system used here, please discuss it on the Talk Page before you attempt to make any alterations.

Stunts can be broken into several basic categories based on their results.

Balances

Balances are stunts in which players balance objects in ways that would be bizarre or impossible in the real world. The points on which such objects are balanced are known as balance points.

In Halo: Combat Evolved

In Halo: Combat Evolved, there are multiple different kinds of balances, each of which can be further refined into sub-categorizations by vehicle. These groups hold the different types of Balances, which then can be further categorized by the point which the vehicle is balancing on.

A number of bizarre balances can be achieved in the first Halo game. This is because the physics for vehicles gives them numerous oddly-located balance points.

The one and only Phantom Ghost Balance (Seat)

Phantom Balance

Phantom balances involve vehicles balancing seemingly on air. The balance points for phantom balances are completely different from those for normal balances. So far, the Karo'etba-pattern Ghost is the only vehicle that has reproducible phantom balances. However, phantom balances have been inadvertently achieved with Warthogs. Phantom Balances are floor balances but are classified in a different category because they implement a glitch in Halo: Combat Evolved's programming that other floor balances do not.

The Extremely Difficult Hog Back Balance on Big Pillar v. 6 (Back)

Object Balances

Object balances involve the balancing of vehicles on balance points, including the seemingly normal ones. These stunts typically involve balancing vehicles on objects in the game such as portals, pillars, rocks, or walls. Such balances are generally categorized by vehicle.

Very Tilted Ghost Nose Balance

Floor Balances

Floor balances involve balancing vehicles on the floor. Because these balances are on the floor, there are only a few stunts in this category. The reason that this is so is that, with object balances, you can consider a Warthog right-side-up on a pillar a stunt, but with floor balances you cannot consider a Warthog right-side-up on the ground a stunt.

In Halo 3

Some balances have been achieved using Halo 3's Forge, but no known balances have been achieved through other means. This is likely because Halo 3's physics engine has a few subtle quirks which make balancing vehicles extremely difficult. Another contributing factor is that, by default, vehicles can be destroyed.

Ledging

Ledging is a stunt type in which the player forces their character inside of a wall, at which point their character climbs up the polygons inside the wall to ascend its interior. Jumping and crouching are often used to ascend such walls. Those who ledge are known as "ledgers". Ledging is similar to Inside stunts, but different enough to deserve its own categorization.

In Halo: Combat Evolved

The Lower Ledge in the Ice Fields Bridge.

In Halo: Combat Evolved, there are two major kinds of Ledges, and one minor kind.

Wall Climbing Ledges

Wall Climbing Ledges involve being inside of walls with excessive amounts of polygons, such as canyon walls. Once inside, a player then climbs up the polygons.

Wall Walking Ledges

Wall Walking Ledges involve being inside of walls or ceilings with few polygons, such as ceilings or pillars. Once inside, a player has only a few solid lines that they can walk to, and are often forced to jump onto corners of other polygons, they almost never gaining or losing elevation without Stacking.

A Wall Hack on Damnation via Telebump and Ledging within the Pipes.

Wall Hacking

Wall Hacking ledges are possible within Wall Climbing Ledges and Wall Walking Ledges. There are two types of Wall Hacks, one involves the upper part of Master Chief sticking out of the top of the ledge, the other involves the bottom part of the Chief sticking out of the ledge.

Insides

An Inside is a type of Stunt or Glitch that is characterized by the Master Chief or vehicles being inside of trees, rocks, walls, pillars, floors, or anything else that they shouldn't be able to pass through.

In Halo: Combat Evolved

The "Shroom". (Named by Cal)

Inside the hood of a Warthog.

In Halo: Combat Evolved, there are two different kinds of insides. On rare occasions you can have a double inside, which is both the types at the same time.

Vehicle Insides

The act of forcing vehicles inside of any other objects, including other vehicles on rare occasions.

Master Chief Insides

The act of forcing the playable character inside of other objects. Including vehicles, scenery, and other parts of the level geometry.

In Halo 2

In Halo 2, players have managed to get themselves and vehicles inside of other objects within the game.

In Halo 3

In Halo 3, players have managed to get themselves and vehicles inside of other objects within the game, usually using Forge.

Launches

A launch is a type of Stunt that is characterized by one or more objects flying through the air. Stunts can be characterized as a launches if they are recreatable and involve something, such as a player or a vehicle, flying through the air. Typically launches are only deemed successful if the player survives the initial explosion or force that initiates the launch.

In Halo: Combat Evolved

Tank ~ Tank Force Warp Launch

SPFR Launch Crest

In Halo: Combat Evolved, there are many kinds of launches, with three main categorizations.

Respawn launches

Respawn launches involve vehicles respawning inside of other vehicles. For example, you can launch a Banshee by placing a Scorpion over its respawn point.

Warp launches

Warp launches involve utilizing lag, or packet loss, to create a warp. The warp can be used for a sticky launch, which involves sticking a Anskum-pattern plasma grenade to the warper's vehicle. The warp causes the plasma grenade to explode multiple times; resulting in a huge explosion that launches the warper and their vehicle into the air. The warp can also be used for a force launch, which involves warping into another player or vehicle, sending them flying.

Explosion launches

The use of any explosion to launch, including PFR launches, which involve using the explosion combination Plasma Frag Rocket to launch; Plasma launches, which involve using a large amount of Plasma Grenades to launch; dead-fire grenade launches, which involving detonating dead-fire grenades using another explosion to launch; overshield launches, which involve using the temporary invincibility an overshield grants to survive through a launch that would normally kill the player; and a number of other launches that involve synchronizing explosions.

In Halo 2

In Halo 2, there are many well-known launches.

• Flip Launches
  • Scorpion Flip Launches
• Super Bounces
• Explosion Launches
  • Fusion Core Launches
  • Plasma Battery Launches
  • Banshee Launch
• Sword Launches
  • Vehicle Cancel
  • Player Cancel
  • Sword flying
• Wraith Launches
  • MC Boost
  • Scorpion Boost

In Halo 3

In Halo 3, most launches are accomplished in Forge.

• Explosion Launches
  • Fusion Coil Launches
  • Sticky Launches
• Pressure Launches

Locations

Location stunts are characterized by vehicles or players reaching locations that were not meant to be reached and cannot be reached without difficulty. Locations often involve the bypassing of barriers or invisible walls, cheating the fall timer, ledging, or bumping.

In Halo: Combat Evolved

Top of Blood Gulch, at the Pinnacle.

Below Map

Below Map locations involve falling, sliding, or flying to a point or floor that is Below the map.

Above Map

Above Map locations involve the use of Banshees or launching to reach points above the map.

Other

Other locations involve getting to places which are not necessarily above or below the map, but were not intended to be reachable, such as the edge of Death Island.

In Halo 2

In Halo 2, there are 2 different types of Locations.

Top of Map

Top of Map locations involve the use of Banshees or launching to reach points above the map.

Outside of Map

Outside of Map Locations involve using launching or ledging to reach chambers or ledges somewhere outside of the map, or outside of the areas players can typically access.

Other

Other locations can include getting on top of doorways or inside of Scarabs (that aren't meant to be boarded). Such locations are abnormal but are not outside or above the map.

In Halo 3

In Halo 3, most locations are achieved using Forge. They usually involve teleportation or glitches, such as the Forge turret glitch or the Mongoose glitch.

Trivia

• The current estimate for the number of stunts in existence in Halo: Combat Evolved is 10,000. This includes stunts in Campaign as well as Multiplayer.
• The current estimate for the number of stunts in the multiplayer map Blood Gulch is 500, 400 of which are known to exist and have been recorded.

External links

• The Halo Stunting Encyclopedia