Editing Vidmaster Challenges

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The '''Vidmaster Challenges''' are a series of eleven [[achievement]]s available for ''[[Halo 3]]'', ''[[Halo 3: ODST]]'', ''[[Halo: Spartan Assault]]'', ''[[Halo: Spartan Strike]]'', and ''[[Halo Wars 2]]''. There are four Vidmaster Challenges in ''Halo 3'', three in ''Halo 3: ODST'', two in ''Halo: Spartan Assault'', five in ''Halo: Spartan Strike'', and two in ''Halo Wars 2''.

The original seven challenges, released for ''Halo 3'' and ''Halo 3: ODST'', initially served as the requirements for unlocking the [[RECON-class Mjolnir|Recon armor]] for use in ''Halo 3'' [[multiplayer]]. After unlocking the achievements, players could log on to [[Bungie.net]] and request their armor through the "Road to Recon!" Although three of the ''Halo 3'' Vidmaster achievements do not reward the player with [[Gamerscore]], their use in unlocking Recon served as motivation for players to complete them. 

The Vidmaster Challenges for ''Halo 3'' did not ship with the original game, but became unlockable with [[Title Update 2]]; those in ''ODST'' were available at launch. With the exception of Lightswitch, Brainpan and Seven on Seventh, the achievements are widely considered very difficult to unlock. Thus, Recon armor remained difficult to acquire. However, on March 31, 2012 all record-keeping was transferred from Bungie.net to [[Halo Waypoint]]. As Halo Waypoint did not have the capability to unlock Recon, the armor was therefore unlocked by default for all [[Xbox Live]] profiles. The original Vidmaster Challenges therefore no longer serve any purpose beyond the achievements themselves. 

Two achievements in ''Halo: Spartan Assault'' are also called Vidmaster Challenges. Likewise, five in ''Spartan Strike'' were also labelled as Vidmasters. To date, these achievements have not been incorporated into any larger scheme. Additionally, ''Halo Wars 2'' added in two achievements dubbed Vidmasters, which were also self-contained challenges.

==Road to Recon!==
[[File:Halo3 Unlock Recon.PNG|thumb|right|The Unlock button|300px]]
Prior to March 31, 2012, aside from Bungie's approval, the only way to unlock the coveted Recon armor was to complete all [[Seven|7]] of the Vidmaster Challenges from ''Halo 3'' and ''Halo 3: ODST''. Once a player had completed all of the Vidmaster Challenges, they would have the ability to unlock it by going to their ''Halo 3'' Service Record on [[Bungie.net]], logging into their Windows Live ID and clicking "unlock my recon."
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==Vidmaster Challenges==
===''Halo 3''===
*[[Vidmaster Challenge: Lightswitch]]: Get the rank of Lieutenant in any playlist in the new EXP progression system.
*[[Vidmaster Challenge: Annual]]: After 9/25/08, complete [[Halo (Halo 3 level)|Halo]] on 4-player Legendary LIVE co-op, with Iron, and everyone in Ghosts.
*[[Vidmaster Challenge: 7 on 7]]: Enter into a ranked or social playlist with [[7 on the 7th|7 EXP on the 7th of the month]].
*[[Vidmaster Challenge: Brainpan]]: Find all the hidden [[skulls]] on the Mythic maps.

===''Halo 3: ODST''===
*[[Vidmaster Challenge: Endure]]: In Firefight, on any mission, pass the 4th set on 4-player Heroic LIVE co-op.
*[[Vidmaster Challenge: Deja Vu]]: Complete [[Coastal Highway]] on 4-player Legendary LIVE co-op, with Iron, and no 'Hog or Scorpion.
*[[Vidmaster Challenge: Classic]]: Finish any Campaign level on Legendary solo without shooting or throwing a grenade (Power sliding and honking the horn on vehicles will be counted as shooting/grenade throwing).

===''Halo: Spartan Assault''===
*[[Vidmaster Challenge (achievement)|Vidmaster Challenge]]: Complete Operation E, Mission 1 with the Hollow and Black Eye Skulls active.<ref>[http://blogs.halowaypoint.com/Headlines/post/2013/06/11/Halo-Spartan-Assault-Achievements.aspx '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Halo: Spartan Assault Achievements'']</ref>
*[[Vidmaster Challenge 2.0]]: Complete Operation F, Mission 4 with the Blind and Thunderstorm Skulls active.<ref>[http://blogs.halowaypoint.com/Headlines/post/2013/08/27/New-Halo-Spartan-Assault-Achievements-Released.aspx '''Halo Waypoint''': ''New Halo: Spartan Assault Achievements Released'']</ref>
===''Halo: Spartan Strike''===
*[[Vidmaster Challenge A]]: Complete Operation A, Mission 6 with the Blind and Thunderstorm Skulls active.
*[[Vidmaster Challenge B]]: Complete Operation B, Mission 6 with the Hollow and Pacifist Skulls active.
*[[Vidmaster Challenge C]]: Complete Operation C, Mission 6 with the Black Eye and Pacifist Skulls active.
*[[Vidmaster Challenge D]]: Complete Operation D, Mission 6 with the Famine and Thunderstorm Skulls active.
*[[Vidmaster Challenge E]]: Complete Operation E, Mission 6 with the Hollow and Black Eye Skulls active.
===''Halo Wars 2''===
*[[Vidmaster Challenge: 100 drops]]: Gain a gold medal and complete all objectives in [[Gatecrashers]] on Legendary.
*[[Vidmaster Challenge: No fly zone]]: Gain a gold medal and complete all objectives in [[Not on My Watch]] on Legendary.
==Trivia==
*There were originally seven Vidmaster Challenges, another seven reference in ''Halo''. However, ''Halo: Spartan Assault'', ''Halo: Spartan Strike'', and ''Halo Wars 2'' eventually added in nine more collectively, bringing the total up to sixteen. 
*The "Annual" achievement started on 09/25/08 as it was the one-year anniversary of ''Halo 3'''s launch. Annual could have actually been marked as completed before 9/25/08 due to time zone differences.
*The ''Vidmaster Challenges'' concept spawns from Bungie's [[Marathon]] series, where players who wished to prove they were the absolute best had to complete insane challenges such as playing through the game without the use of any health items, using no weapons except fists, or beating it on the highest difficulty setting. Those that succeeded made videos to mark their achievement, thus spawning the term "Vidmaster."
*A mere week after ''ODST's'' release, over 60,000 people gained Recon armor from completing the challenges.<ref>Bungie Weekly Update 10/02/09</ref>
*These particular achievements, if hacked, will not allow players to unlock Recon Armor. The only way to get Recon Armor through these achievements is to unlock them the proper way.
*Four Bungie employees starred in a [[ViDoc]] named [[Halo 3: ODST ViDoc: Road to Recon|Road to Recon]] as a walkthrough for players.

==See also==
[http://marathongame.wikia.com/wiki/Vidmaster Vidmaster on '''Phorpedia''']

==Sources==
{{Ref/Sources}}

[[Category:Achievements]]
[[Category:Vidmaster]]