Halo 3: Difference between revisions

From Halopedia, the Halo wiki
Line 20: Line 20:


== Release ==
== Release ==
The release date for the final game was ''September 25, 2007'' in North America and Australia , ''September 26, 2007'' in Europe, and ''September 27, 2007'' in Asia. Halo 3 is officially out in stores across the world.
Modernlumberjac PWNS you!!!!!
 
An internal build, the ''Halo 3'' alpha build, codenamed "Pimps At Sea", was released in April 2007 for [[Microsoft]] employees. A public beta test, the ''[[Halo 3 Beta]]'', was rolled out in Spring 2007 and was scheduled for online play at midnight (U.S. West Coast Pacific-Time) on May 16th, 2007 - June 10, 2007, although there were [[Halo 3 Beta Errors|certain technical difficulties]] in its distribution. After that, Bungie collected all the feedback from the beta and sought to improve their multiplayer through it, with the final game coming out four months after the end of the beta. On August 10, 2007 another ''Halo 3'' build, ''[[Halo 3 Epsilon]]'', was released to Microsoft employees, featuring [[Forge]] and [[multiplayer]] aspects. It went gold on August 29, 2007.
 
There are three versions of Halo 3: the [[Halo 3: Standard Edition]], a Limited [[Collector's Edition]], and the very limited [[Legendary Edition]].
 
{|class="wikitable" style="margin: 0.5em auto;"
!valign="right"| Version
!Standard
!Collector's
!Legendary
|-
|Price (USD)
|$59.99/£39.99
|$69.99/£49.99
|$129.99/£79.99
|-
|Game Disc & Manual
|style="background: #ddffdd" | Yes
|style="background: #ddffdd" | Yes
|style="background: #ddffdd" | Yes
|-
|Interactive Xbox 360 Disc
|style="background: #ffdddd" | No
|style="background: #ddffdd" | Yes
|style="background: #ddffdd" | Yes
|-
|[[Bestiarum]]
|style="background: #ffdddd" | No
|style="background: #ddffdd" | Yes
|style="background: #ddffdd" | Yes*
|-
|Legendary DVD
|style="background: #ffdddd" | No
|style="background: #ffdddd" | No
|style="background: #ddffdd" | Yes
|-
|Master Chief Helmet Replica
|style="background: #ffdddd" | No
|style="background: #ffdddd" | No
|style="background: #ddffdd" | Yes
|-
|}
<small><center>''* Additional content on DVD''</center></small>
 
Reviews were recently released from a number of high profile gaming websites:
Gamespot- 9.5
IGN- 9.5
TeamXbox- 9.7
1up- 10.0
Gametrailers- 9.8
ComputerVideogames- 9.7
OXM Australia- 10.0
Famitsu-9.99
GamespotKorea- 4/5


==Plot==
==Plot==

Revision as of 09:07, October 16, 2007

Template:Game Info Box


Halo 3 is a first-person science fiction shooter game developed by Bungie that was released for the Xbox 360 console. It is the sequel to Halo 2 and finished up the current story arc that the previous two games have followed. It was released on September 25 in North America and Australia, the 26th in Europe and the 27th in Japan. It has been rated M for Mature by the ESRB.

Release

Modernlumberjac PWNS you!!!!!

Plot

Template:Spoilers

Modernlumberjac PWNS you!!!!!

Features

Online & 4 Player Co-Op

The previous installment of the Halo series had implemented a 2-player Online Co-Op play (As seen in the "Switch to Co-Op" option in the Pregame Lobby). But was taken out of the final version due to balance and connection issues.

File:One Spartan and Three Sangheilis.jpg
All four playable characters for Co-Op.
File:The Four Heroes.jpg
The four characters in action

Originally Bungie confirmed Co-Op play on a system with two player split screen. They later confirmed a 4 player Co-Op option over Xbox Live or System Link.[2] Unlike previous Co-Op renditions this time each player takes on an individual canon approach. The first player will be Master Chief, the second will be the The Arbiter, the third will be N’tho ‘Sraom, with the fourth being Usze ‘Taham.

This will encourage replaying the game more and enjoying the game differently. Each player has the same abilities, with only their starting weapons differing: for example, if the Chief starts with a Battle Rifle, the Elites will start with a Carbine.

N’tho ‘Sraom and Usze ‘Taham are characters added for the 3- and 4-player Co-Op. The two new Elites, joining the Arbiter and Master Chief, both have real bios and appropriate fiction, but they will not be appearing in the cinematics and so on. They are designed to be believable and useful allies, without affecting the fictional arc in a negative way – and they do not appear in the game as AI controlled opponents during one or two player games.

Forge

Main article: Forge

Forge is an "object editor" that can be used to edit multiplayer maps. It was originally called a map editor until Bungie showed what one could do with it. In Forge, you can edit objects, spawnpoints, weapons and properties of objects on the map. And, when playing a map on forge, players may take control as a monitor and will obtain the ability to spawn weapons and vehicles in-game, as well as move/adjust them too.

Saved Films

Saved Films allow a player to view any game, campaign or multiplayer, from any angle. It uses game data to re-create the games, which makes file sizes very small. (5 MB for a 15 minute multiplayer match) These films can also be shared with Bungie.net.

Achievements

Main article: Halo 3 Achievements

Halo 3 has 49 achievements worth a total of 1000 GamerPoints that contributes to a player's overall GamerScore. A game can have many more or less achievements, but it's believed that Bungie chose 49 for it's relation to their lucky number 7; 7 times 7 equals 49.

Equipment

Main article: Equipment

Campaign Only

Power Ups

Weapons

These are the weapons known to be in the game:

Covenant

Forerunner

UNSC

Vehicles

Covenant

File:Starry Night by the Ark.PNG
A Covenant Carrier Battle Group
Non-Usable

UNSC

Non-Usable

Storyline

Campaign Plot

See: Halo 3 Plot

The Ark

The Portal at Voi as seen in the Halo 3 announcement trailer.
The Dyson Portal to The Ark - as seen in the Halo 3 trailer.
Main article: The Ark

Template:Spoilers The Covenant has uncovered a massive and ancient Forerunner artifact under New Mombasa (The mountain in the background is indeed Kilimanjaro[1]) and Cortana is still trapped in the clutches of the Gravemind.

The Ark is mentioned in Halo 2 as a place where all the Halo rings could be fired at once. It has been confirmed in Halo 3 that the Ark is outside the Milky Way galaxy which is outside the Halo's firing range. Presumably, the Forerunners from whom all current sentient life sprung forth, were saved by being "in" the Ark (actually being outside the Galaxy). Due to the name, it may be a reference to Noah's Ark, which saved a handful of people while the Earth was wiped clean. If this is the case, then that explains how the rings could have been activated before and yet life survives. And finally it makes sense that one can activate all the Halos from the Ark, which is also confirmed, that way they wouldn't die in the process.

Again, while the structure in the trailer was originally thought to be The Ark, it has only been officially confirmed as a slip-space portal to the real Ark. Before the release of Halo 3, many people believed the structure in the trailer was THE Ark due to evidence such as:

  • At the last cutscene of Halo 2 Guilty Spark tells the Arbiter where the Ark is, although we don't hear it. In the E3 trailer we see that the Arbiter is on Earth which leads many to think that the Ark is on Earth.
  • Miranda Keyes is referring to the Forerunner artifact as "the Ark" in the recently shown level Tsavo Highway.
  • In the Halo Graphic Novel one Elite says "We need to clear this area before we can secure access to The Ark" -- Second Sunrise Over New Mombasa.
  • It is also seen in this small sketch from the DVD.
  • In Halo 2, in the Level Outskirts, Cortana says that the Covenant "weren't expecting us to be here." Us refers to Humanity of course, which means that they had come to earth for something else, very likely the Ark so they could begin the Great Journey.

Also, in Bungie's FAQ, they said that although they wouldn't tell what the structure is, Halo fans may recognize it. The structure looks somewhat similar to a structure seen in the Halo 2 multiplayer map Ascension, the circular structures on the exterior of Alpha Halo (visible in the opening menu of Halo 1), or Delta Halo's Control Room. It also looks like the dock that the Forerunner ship at the end of Halo 2 was stationed in, or the platform in the Halo's Library that is home to the installation's Index. Bungie may also be referring to the Jjaro station in Marathon Infinity (an artifact used to contain a being within a sun). Also, in Halo: Ghosts of Onyx, the Dyson Portal is described very similarly to the structure, albeit much smaller. [3]


Template:Spoiler End

Characters

Promotional image for Halo 3 featuring John-117 with an MA5C assault rifle on the campaign level Sierra 117.
Screenshot of The Master Chief
Promotional image for Halo 3 featuring John-117 with an MA5C assault rifle and Thel 'Vadam with a Vostu-pattern carbine on the campaign level Sierra 117.
The Master Chief and the Arbiter

Major Characters

UNSC

Covenant Separatists

Covenant Loyalists

Flood

Forerunner

File:Brutecaptain.jpg
A Render of a Brute Captain

Minor Characters

Co-Op Characters

UNSC

Covenant Separatists

Covenant Loyalists

Flood

Halo 3 Multiplayer

Xbox Live

If you have the vision camera you will be able to video chat with your friends, and there are now two ranking systems, one of which is based on actual military ranks instead of numbers. This number is your total amount of games and your rank increases the more you play any matchmaking gametype (including unranked). The ranked gametypes are apparently still ranked by numbers.

Maps

File:H3 map.jpg
A concept model of High Ground.

Gametypes

Players can also set up custom games. Custom game settings from the Halo 3 Multiplayer Beta give us an idea of what can be defined in custom gametypes.

Custom options

In Halo 3, there are a number of options that can be changed.

  • Damage resistance
  • Shield multiplier
  • Shield recharge rate
  • Immune to headshots
  • Grenade counts (grenade regeneration, on or off)
  • Infinite ammo
  • Weapon pickup disabled
  • Player speed
    • (25%, 50%, 75%, 90%, 100%, 110%, 125%, 150%, 200%, 300%)
  • Player gravity
    • (50%, 75%, 100%, 200%)
  • Vehicle use (passenger only)
  • Motion tracker range
    • (10m, 25m, 75m, 100m, 150m)
  • Indestructible vehicles (on, off)

Player Customization

Main article: Armor Permutations

Originally discovered in the Halo 3 Beta code by hackers, high levels of player customization have now been confirmed by GamePro's June issue.

"Halo 3's online mode offers new armor permutations that allow players to customize their persona's from head to toe." it has also been confirmed that you can unlock armor permutations via campaign and online.
IGN AU: "How do they actually find it? Is it linked to multiplayer or single player?"
Lars Bakken: "It's linked to the entire game, and the way it's unlocked is through milestones that you hit, with achievements. It's linked to a point total basically, in your achievements."
IGN AU: "Through single player and multiplayer."
Lars Bakken: "Yep, for both, it's combined."

Template:MJOLNIR Variations Template:Elite Variations

Variants

Spartan
Elite


To unlock these armor types certain achievements and single player actions must first be taken. A lot of them come naturally from completing the campaign on various difficulties. If you have your eye on a particular one, a guide can be found here.

Soundtrack

The soundtrack is slated for release this holiday season. Unlike the Halo 2 Soundtrack, it does not feature any third-party band songs.

Microsoft did host a band contest, however. One of the songs, created by Director, can be found here.

Marketing Promotions

Viral Marketing

Main article: Iris

On June 11th, 2007, at 10:26AM PDT, a viral marketing campaign for Halo 3 started, called "Iris".

Trailers

Announcement Trailer

Main article: Halo 3 Announcement Trailer

At E3 2006, Bungie released their announcement trailer. It required long hours and hard work from many, many Bungie staffers, and utilizes real-game assets, fiction and locations from parts of the "real" game." It shows John-117 walking through some wreckage of the New Mombasa space elevator with Cortana appearing at several intervals to give her lines. He then arrives at a cliff where the Covenant forces are hovering over a Forerunner structure (believed to be the Ark). The trailer ends with the Forerunner structure opening and firing a beam of light.

The Trailer fueled speculation about what was going to happen in the game, particularly Cortana's last line in the trailer: "This is the way the world ends,"[2] which references the first of the Cortana Letters. The line itself refers to T. S. Eliot's The Hollow Men, which ends:

This is the way the world ends
Not with a bang but a whimper.

Cortana's emphasis on "this" implies she is rejecting the poem, and that the world will end with a bang. Likely referring to the Halo's being activated.

Starry Night Trailer

Main article: Starry Night

Starry Night Trailer was released on December 4, 2006 with its format designed for TV Ads. It shows two kids staring at the stars talking about whether there are aliens before switching to a dazed Master Chief recovering from some form of blast. Once he gets back on his feet, he uses a Bubble Shield to defend himself from an incoming Wraith plasma mortar and then charges forward, eventually jumping over a cliff into a swarm of Covenant Loyalists.

E3 2007 Trailer

Main article: Halo 3 E3 2007 Trailer

The final trailer for Halo 3 was released during E3 2007. Unlike the others, this trailer focused on showing various gameplay and movie clips. While the trailer did little to further knowledge about the Halo 3, it confirmed many speculations about the game, the least of which was that the Arbiter and the Master Chief will fight alongside one another in the game at some point.

Believe

Main article: Believe

Believe is a Microsoft marketing campaign for Halo 3.

It features the word "Believe" as a tagline, and appears to be honoring the legacy of SPARTAN-117, citing himself as a hero of the United Nations Space Command Defense Force whose brave actions inspired other servicemen during the Human-Covenant War. It has also been cited that it has been linked to the popular messageboard Neogaf.

Arms Race

Main article: Halo: Arms Race

Arms Race is a trilogy of short films designed to promote Halo 3 as well as test the potential for a live-action Halo Movie.

Products and collectables

Halo 3 Xbox 360.
  • Mountain Dew Game Fuel is a new version of Mountain Dew soda which was released on August 13th, 2007 and will be available for 12 weeks.
  • Bungie has worked with Jasman Toys and they will be showcasing the new Halo Laser Tag Replica Guns.
  • Tod McFarlane's line of Halo 3 Action Figures.
  • There will a Halo 3 edition of the Xbox 360. It was released on September 16th, and will have other things in the box like a wired Halo 3 headset.
  • The Halo 3 Zune is a Zune in a Halo Trilogy-theme. It features Halo content in many media formats. Included in the Zune, are trailers, music, and artwork, from the critically acclaimed Halo series.
  • Halo 3 scale replica weapons. These are just ornaments and are not toys.
  • Burger King announced a Halo 3 Promotion from a Microsoft press release on August 9th, 2007 including limited edition FRYPODS and 42 oz drink cups.

Trivia

File:Pumaontire.jpg
Puma on Tire
  • In one screenshot, the word "Puma" can be seen on the tires of the Warthog, this is possible homage to the popular online Machinima series Red vs Blue, which uses the Halo game engine. "Puma" came from Episode 2, where Red Team was discussing what to name their new LRV (a warthog), and "puma" came up as a suggestion.
  • In screenshots in the campaign mode and the Halo Trailer, there is Master Chief armed with the new MA5C Assault Rifle, and in the middle of the gun, there is the Marathon symbol, Click here for Image.
  • For Christmas 2006, Microsoft & Bungie gave the U.S. soldiers in Iraq a chance to play the Halo 3 multiplayer public pre-alpha. [3]
  • Halo 3's release date is two more 7s. September 25 is 9+2+5. 9-2=7. 5+2=7. 9+2=11+5=16. Then, 1+6=7. Also September 25, 2+5=7.
  • On Cops & Robbers commercial for the 360 at the XBL Marketplace one of the license plates says HA LO307 aka Halo 3 07.
  • From Bungie.net weekly update (9/14/2007). Car Number 40 driven by David Stremme has been decked out for Halo 3. He is, allegedly, a big Halo fan.
  • From Bungie.net weekly update (9/14/2007). For the Halo Project, they have in fact built a fully functional Warthog, with a working chain gun and everything.
  • Hollywood Arts announced an auction for a voice cameo in Halo 3 on February 6, 2007. The auction was held from February 17, 2007 to February 24, 2007.[4] The auction was won by the members of Rooster Teeth Productions, the makers of Red vs Blue. [5].
  • The above cameo can be found in the second level, Crows Nest, where you can find a man beating on a door and demanding to get in. The conversation changes depending on your difficulty level; here is a “Youtube” video showing all the conversations

References

  1. ^ . The Chief is indeed standing in the ruins of New Mombasa where said artifact was uncovered. -- Bungie.net Weekly Update May 12, 2006
  2. ^ Please have Cortana's lines pronounced so that I don't see 36 threads about it.

    "I have defied gods and demons."

    "I am your shield, I am your SWORD."

    "I know you, your past, your future."

    "This is the way the world ends."

    Frankie --Weekly Update May 12, 2006
  3. ^ [1]
  4. ^ http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/761/761866p1.html
  5. ^ Bungie podcast Episode III


Related Links

Internal

External

Retrieved from "https://www.halopedia.org/index.php?title=Halo_3&oldid=137264"