Installation 04 (map)

This article is about the Halo: Anniversary Firefight map. For other uses, see Installation 04 (disambiguation).

Installation 04
Map overview
Game:	Halo Reach Anniversary Map Pack
Map file name (?):	cex_ff_halo
Lore information
Location:	Installation 04
Gameplay overview
Terrain:	Woods, hills, and Forerunner structures on a cliff edge.
Recommended number of players:	1-4 players
Recommended gametype(s):	Firefight

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Fight for survival around mysterious Forerunner structures on Installation 04.

”

Installation 04 is a Firefight map included in the Anniversary Map Pack for Halo: Reach. The level is based on the cliff edge section of the campaign level Halo from Halo: Combat Evolved. Friendly AI — ODSTs — will aid the player in both solo and cooperative play; this is the first time that friendly NPCs have appeared in a Firefight map.

Description

Set on one of the many cliff sides of Alpha Halo, this beacon served as a rendezvous point for survivors of the Covenant attack on the UNSC Pillar of Autumn. These survivors, including the legendary Orbital Drop Shock Troopers, were forced to stave off numerous Covenant attacks until rescue finally came.

Locations

The following are locations on the map that are so named on the player's heads-up display during gameplay:

• Landslide
• North Drop Zone
• Field
• Station 1
• Station 1 Interior
• East Drop Zone
• Station 2
• Station 2 Interior
• Gateway
• South Drop Zone
• West Drop Zone
• West Ramp
• East Ramp
• Upper Deck

Tactics

• The best place to stay in for this map is the central structure. Even though the player would have the higher ground as well as back up, there are four openings for the Covenant: the west ramp, the east ramp, the man cannon, and the tunnel leading to the upper deck. One player might need to patrol around, but four players could cover all entrances.
• Unlike most Firefight levels, there are five health packs in the entire map and their locations are quite separated around the map. One is right next to the ammunition crate on the "Upper Deck", another is in the tunnel leading to "Upper Deck", the third one is on a wall directly ahead of the initial spawn area, one next to some green lights batons on the "Field", and the last one is in "Station 2 Interior". Having Drop shield as the armor ability would be a good idea.
• The ODSTs are not invincible, and will die from too much fire. If you want them to be more contributive in defending the area, give them better weapons. The ODSTs with DMRs should be the first ones to acquire better weapons, since the DMRs are only useful when the projectile is aimed at the target's head, and the AI isn't programmed to make accurate headshots.
• Watch out for the Banshee, it will fire its weapons at you if you get in its sights. Destroy it when you are free, since it also worth some points and credits.
• The Warthog is useful in this large map, but don't drive into the tight spaces. Grenades and heavy weapons will destroy this useful asset if the Covenant are given the opportunity. Also watch out for the Sangheili and Jiralhanae, since they can board and kill the ODST manning the turret.
• When you are away from the central structure (either for driving the Warthog or collecting weapons), Covenant troops who are able to man the heavy machine gun will use it against you, and it can kill you within a few seconds.
• When the Spirit drops troop near the man cannon, the troops would usually converge around the cannon, so use the Target Locator when you think you can kill most of them.
• Players can use the Warthog and Mongoose to block the side ramps, funneling the Covenant to the far end. The Covenant will not attempt to climb over the vehicles, though Brutes will sometimes knock the Mongoose out of the way. The player can also use the antenna at the far end of the structure. This tactic is particularly useful in Score Attack as it limits the Covenant's access to the top of the structure and prevents the player from being surrounded.

Friendly AI

ODSTs defending the beam emitter from Covenant attackers.

Installation 04 is the first and - to date - only Firefight map to contain friendly AI alongside enemy counterparts. These allies take the form of a squad of four Orbital Drop Shock Troopers. The ODSTs spawn in the top of the structure and will not leave unless pushed off, or the difficulty is set to Easy. ODSTs will only enter vehicles such as the Warthog when the Warthog is spawned in via D77-TC Pelican dropship. Elite players in Firefight Versus are unable to perform assassination animations against the ODSTs; they can only perform the traditional one-hit kill from behind.

Trivia

Production notes

• While selecting maps for inclusion in the Anniversary map pack had been difficult, choosing a Firefight map was a relatively straightforward process. Both the teams at Certain Affinity and 343 Industries independently came up with the idea to base a level around the "Halo" mission from Halo: Combat Evolved, as the level featured Firefight-esque locales already - defendable bases and Covenant wave defense. The cliffside was chosen as the location to model due to the space to maneuver for AI and players.
• The idea of including friendly NPCs originated when Certain Affinity was developing the Defiant Map Pack. They had experimented with the idea of adding friendly AI units to Unearthed but did not have time to implement them into the final map.

Miscellaneous

• The design of the Forerunner Beacon tower found on this level is noticeably different from the one seen in the remastered campaign. Rather than have the beams of energy shoot out of the structure from underground, they are emitted by a large turbine-like structure which emits bursts of energy upon reaching high enough speeds.
• Due to the fact that AI is almost never present at the same time as Man Cannons, the AI tend to hesitate before entering them.
• At the part of the map where in the campaign level the marines are hiding, 343 Guilty Spark can be seen flying back and forth between the two doors.
  • In some cases, one may see a (non-functional) prompt to exchange weapons with Spark, who is shown as holding a Focus Rifle. This seems to be related to a Forge bug involving Monitors, desyncs, and Focus Rifle beams.
• The radio set found on this level is indestructible.
• This is the only map in which one of the weapon drops is a Warthog. This Warthog is brought in by a Pelican.
• If pan cam is used, the player will find the GA-TL1 Longsword that performs the supply drop at the edge of the map. Curiously enough, even when supply drops are disabled, the Longsword will still spawn, but will be frozen and remain where it is. The Longsword is not a physical object however, and is not fully textured.

Gallery

Concept art

Browse more images in this article's gallery page.

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  Concept art of the beam emitter on the map.

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  Concept art of the map.

Screenshots

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  Installation 04 Map.

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  Another view of the map.

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  The structures comprising the map.

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  Another shot of the Beacon tower.

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  A landscape view of the map.

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  A Spartan and an ODST riding a Mongoose.

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  A jackal standing by a Man Cannon.

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  An overhead view of the map.

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  The 343 Guilty Spark Easter egg, as it appears in the tunnels.

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  An ODST gunning a Warthog.