Cut Halo: Combat Evolved enemies: Difference between revisions

[[File:HCE LostHalo Renders.png|thumb|300px|Several cut creatures and [[Cut Halo: Combat Evolved vehicles|vehicles]] by [[Paul Russel]].{{Ref/Twitter|Id=LostHalo|Dr_Abominable|464351948297089024/|Paul Russel|Quote=Here's the first. Didn't have shot of the 'blind wolf', [Marcus Lehto]'s creation.|D=25|M=01|Y=2016}}]]

During the [[Development of Halo: Combat Evolved|development]] of ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]'', a number of '''creature designs''' were considered for inclusion by [[Bungie]] to serve the role of enemies, [[ambient AI]] and other miscellaneous NPCs. Not all of these concepts made it to full 3D development, though many were and have since been restored for use in the [[Halo Editing Kit]] by the [[Digsite]] project.{{Ref/Site|Id=DigsiteDeliveries|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/digsite-deliveries|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Digsite Deliveries|D=30|M=07|Y=2023}}

The symbiote bug mentioned as concepted for the Blind Wolf was also modelled, and is detailed further down this page.

The creature jokingly referred to as the "doberman gator" was featured on the ''[[Halo 2 Limited Collector's Edition]]'' cutting room floor documentary, though it was not further discussed.{{Ref/Reuse|H2CE}} The sketch was done by [[Robert McLees]] during production for ''Combat Evolved''.{{Ref/Twitter|game_fabricator|1646668290201366528|Marcus Lehto|Quote=That’s so cool. Robt McLees sketched that out for Halo CE so many years ago.|D=14|M=04|Y=2023}} The creature's anatomy slightly resembles that of the prehistoric [[Wikipedia:Gorgonopsia|Gorgonopsids]] which lived on [[Earth]] within the [[Wikipedia:Permian|Permian]]. There are also similarities between it and [[Wikipedia:Ambulocetus|Ambulocetus]]; an aquatic as well as terrestrial ancestor of Earth's [[Wikipedia:Cetacea|Cetaceans]] which lived throughout the [[Wikipedia:Eocene|Eocene]].

 

The canon [[dengkra]] are a species in ''Halo'' lore described as "''reptile-canines''" - a possible use of the doberman gator concept in canon.

Seen only in concept art on the ''Halo 2'' LCE disc, the Keelbug was a creature intended to be present in ''Combat Evolved''. The Keelbug is described as being intended to fly into the battlefield, cut up dead bodies and fly them offscreen as a way of cleaning up the bodies. This was to serve in-game as a way of clearing corpses from the level to save on memory.{{Ref/Reuse|H2CE}} The creature's behaviour was never developed, though the model was only cut from the game relatively late in development.{{Ref/Reuse|DigsiteDeliveries}}

The Keelbug has since been referenced in the description of the "Bleached Bone" [[Armor coatings (Halo Infinite)|armor coating]] in ''[[Halo Infinite]]'' and canonized into lore as the ''[[Verivorr]]''.{{Ref/Site|Id=CFLore|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/canon-fodder-cutting-room-lore|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Canon Fodder - Cutting Room Lore|D=28|M=07|Y=2023}}

File:HCE Digsite Wildlife.jpg|A keelbug (second-from-left) among other ambient wildlife restored by the Digsite project.

 

The Quadwings were an ambient life form modelled for inclusion in ''Combat Evolved'', but ultimately cut for reasons unknown. Unlike many other creatures on this list, they were later revived for inclusion in ''[[Halo 2]]'', and later canonised by [[343 Industries]] as the ''[[rangmejo]]''.{{Ref/Reuse|DigsiteDeliveries}}

File:HCE Digsite Wildlife.jpg|A Quadwing (middle, top) among other ambient wildlife restored by the Digsite project.

The "rock worm" was featured in the Macworld build showcased by Marcus Lehto.{{Ref/Twitter|game_fabricator|705813745205800960|Marcus Lehto|Quote=Look what I found in one of my old Halo builds. Rock Worm! WTF were we thinking? Hah!|D=28|M=11|Y=2021}} It was cut prior to the transition from third- to first-person gameplay, though has successfully been restored by the Digsite project for use in retail ''Combat Evolved''. The creature initially appears in the ground disguised as a rock, before emerging once disturbed to thrash around wildly.{{Ref/Reuse|DigsiteDeliveries}}

When concepting the [[Sangheili|Elites]] for ''Combat Evolved'', Marcus Lehto felt that the team needed an enemy character that was "''more monster-like''". The Stalker was one such creature created under this direction.{{Ref/Reuse|H2CE}} A second concept (shown below) for the Stalker's head depicts what appears to be some kind of collar around the creature's neck, with a curvilinear design similar in nature to [[Covenant]] technology. This may indicate them to have been the Covenant creatures kept as pets by the "Covenant Masters" (described further down this page); if the collar were to be shot off, the creatures would go on a rampage against their masters to cause chaos in the enemy ranks.{{Ref/Reuse|DigsiteDeliveries}}

The Threeleg was an ambient lifeform intended to inhabit Installation 04 in ''Halo: Combat Evolved''. As its name suggests, it was a tripodal organism, with three powerful legs and two smaller arms. It appears to have had an exoskeleton, and at least two eyes. It was cut from the final game.{{Ref/Reuse|LostHalo}} The creature's model has been recovered by the Digsite project, though has yet to be released for general use due to needing significant work doing to properly animate and be useful for anything further than simply standing in place.{{Ref/Reuse|DigsiteDeliveries}}

The Thorax was an ambient lifeform intended to inhabit the ring in ''Combat Evolved''. Mostly blue, with luminous yellow on its back, it had thin arms but long, powerful legs and a single eye. It was cut from the final game.{{Ref/Reuse|LostHalo}} Very little information has survived about what the Thorax's function in-game would be, or where it would appear. The Digsite team has speculated that it may have appeared in the swamps of [[343 Guilty Spark]], though this is an inference based on the creature's visual appearance and not hinted at by any actual development files.{{Ref/Reuse|DigsiteDeliveries}}

The Vulpard was an ambient lifeform intended to inhabit the ring in ''Combat Evolved''. As the name suggests, it was a quadruped with leopard-like spotted fur and a powerful, vulture-like beaked head. It was cut from the final game.{{Ref/Reuse|LostHalo}} The Vulpard would later be restored by the Digsite project,{{Ref/Reuse|DigsiteDeliveries}} and officially brought into canon as the ''[[Zavfaraa]]''.{{Ref/Site|Id=CFDigsite|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/canon-fodder-digsite-dissection|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Canon Fodder - Digsite Dissection|D=28|M=07|Y=2023}}

File:HCE ShotgunEngineers Screenshot.jpg|An early promotional screenshot showcasing an Engineer.

The Tankbeast is a deleted Covenant species created by Paul Russel. The Tankbeast would have stood roughly 3.5 meters (11.4 Foot) tall, with no visibly-distinct head. The Tankbeast also had an underslung weapon, and armored legs.{{Ref/Reuse|LostHalo}} The creature's visual similarities to the [[Mgalekgolo|Lekgolo]] may indicate it was to fulfill a similar role. The Tankbeast is one of the few known models that the Digsite team currently has no records of.{{Ref/Reuse|DigsiteDeliveries}}