Deltatemple

Deltatemple
	; A view of the structure's exterior.
Game:	Halo 2
File name (?):	deltatemple
Player:	John-117
Location:	Installation 05
	Halopedia doesn't currently have a walkthrough for this level; could you write one?

"Warp to Delta Halo and assassinate the Prophet"

deltatemple or Delta Temple^[1] was an early version of the levels Delta Halo/Regret in the September 2003 build.

Description

The player spawns with an SMG and a sniper rifle, but no enemies populate the space. The art in this level was likely created by Paul Russel. When playing, the level has a low framerate.^[2] This version of the level seems to match up with early storyboards for an early draft of this mission, and unused scripts found in the Halo 2 Mod Tools.

deltatemple in the custom game lobby. Note the Ascension screenshot in the map preview.

The early storyboards depict an early version of deltatemple in which the In Amber Clad exits slipspace above the ring and engages in a space battle with two Covenant cruisers, before proceeding to drop Master Chief alone onto the ring. The Chief exits his drop pod armed with a pistol, though once he's sure the area is clear he switches to a sniper rifle. Cut scripts indicate that this early revision of deltatemple was to have stealth mechanics such as a work-shift change for Covenant patrols and dialogue with Cortana informing the Chief that if he's not quick, the Covenant patrols may find the dead bodies of guards he has killed. Additional dialogue for if the player did choose to go loud is also present.

Curiously, when entering the multiplayer lobby of this build, deltatemple is available for play as a multiplayer map. In the menu, the level's preview images are those of early builds of the final level Ascension.

Current status

A number of the level's ideas made their way into the retail version of the game. The basic idea of hunting down and killing a Prophet ended up becoming the narrative basis for the levels Delta Halo and Regret. More specific concepts such as the underwater halls made it in as well. Even entire lines like "You always bring me to such nice places." from Cortana made it wholesale into the retail version of Delta Halo.

Transcript

The following dialogue and sequence of events are transcribed from remaining files in the Halo 2 Mod Tools.^[1]

The level starts.

Cortana: "Well doesn't this feel familiar."
Cortana: "Our arrival hasn't gone unnoticed."
Cortana: "Enemy dropship on approach."
Cortana: "Time to make ourselves scarce, Chief."
Cortana: "We won't be getting any support on this one."
Cortana: "We're outnumbered and outgunned."
Cortana: "This might call for the subtle approach."
Cortana: "So can you tiptoe in this suit?"
Cortana: "Search parties ahead and behind. Be careful."
Cortana: "They're clearly going for containment."
Cortana: "Whatever is going on here, it's apparently too important..."
Cortana: "...for them to put on hold, even for you."

The player approaches a complex.

Cortana: "You always bring me to such nice places."
Cortana: "I'll bet your frontal lobe that..."
Cortana: "...the Prophet Hierarch is somewhere in that complex."
Cortana: "Probably on the other side of a few hundred of his best men."

The player witnesses a guard shift change or possibly the Changing of the Guard.

Cortana: "Looks like a changing of the guard."
Cortana: "If they find the bodies left back there..."

The player comes across some Unggoy playing Hide 'n Seek.

Cortana: "I'd swear these grunts are playing..."
Cortana: "...some variant on hide and seek."
Cortana: "It's almost cute. Almost."

The player sees a Prophet delivering a speech.

Cortana: "That's our guy."
Cortana: "He seems to be making some kind of speech..."
Cortana: "...or holding a ceremony of some sort."
Cortana: "I'll start working on a translation."

Cortana translates the speech.

Cortana: "Interesting."
Cortana: "The Hierarch is performing some sort..."
Cortana: "...of ritual cleansing of the Halo."
Cortana: "Listen..."
Cortana: "'Just one of seven Halos'"
Cortana: "'Will prove awesome to behold.'"
Cortana: "'Imagine their collective glory,'"
Cortana: "'And alight our hearts, our souls!'"
Cortana: "'And yet we must not forget'"
Cortana: "'They symbolize The Journey.'"
Cortana: "'And so we'll mind to leave behind'"
Cortana: "'No traces of our yearning.'"
Cortana: (gasp) "The Covenant..."
Cortana: "I think they're planning to activate the Halo."

While on a central platform.

Cortana: "Another dropship on approach."
Cortana: "Looks like they're fortifying."
Cortana: "Too little, too late."

The player reaches a tower with an elevator in it.

Cortana: "My analysis of this complex indicates..."
Cortana: "...that there's a submerged section connecting..."
Cortana: "...these towers to the far group."
Cortana: "Looks like we're going down."

If the player delays calling the elevator.

Cortana: "Unless you'd prefer to swim."

When the player has reached an underwater hallway.

Cortana: "That glass better be bulletproof..."

When the player reaches an underwater chamber

Cortana: "And people tell me I have a big head."
Cortana: "Now THAT is a big head."
Cortana: "He just keeps going on and on."
Cortana: "The triumph. The glory."
Cortana: "This Great Journey."
Cortana: "Don't these idiots realize they'll all be killed?"

The player reaches a second elevator.

Cortana: "We're closing in on the source of the Heirarch's[sic] broadcast."
Cortana: "Security is bound to get a lot stiffer."

A view of the temple is seen.

Cortana: "If I was a megalomaniac - and I'm not -"
Cortana: "I'd probably be holed up in a place like that."

A dropship arrives and begins dropping off various Covenant elements.

Cortana: "Another dropship on approach."
Cortana: "Looks like a few latecomers for the party."
Cortana: "The ones in the lead look like the same race as the Hierarch."
Cortana: "Get a good look."

The player walks past a craft.

Cortana: "The Hierarch's shuttle, I presume."
Cortana: "The big boys always get the best parking spaces."

The player enters the temple.

Cortana: "Decision time, Chief."
Cortana: "One man to kill, and a hundred ways to do it."
Cortana: "Not to mention a hundred guards protecting him."
Cortana: "No pressure."
Cortana: "And remember, once the job is done..."
Cortana: "...this whole place is going to be howling for your blood."
Cortana: "Be ready for a quick exit."

Once the player kills the target Prophet.

Cortana: "Time to go, Chief!"
Cortana: "I'm calling for your ride."
Cortana: "Head back outside and dig in while we wait for evac."
Cortana: "Sergeant, we're ready for extraction."
Cortana: "I'm sending you coordinates now."
Sgt. Avery Johnson (Radio): "...trouble...wing of banshees..."
Johnson (Radio): "...gone to ground...on evac, Cortana..."
Johnson (Radio): "...repeat...negative on evac..."
Cortana: "Sergeant? Sergeant!"
Cortana: "I lost him."
Cortana: "Looks like we'd better make our own arrangements."

The player returns to the shuttlecraft they spotted earlier.

Cortana: "The Prophet won't be needing this anymore."
Cortana: "Clear out any stowaways and get us out of here!"

Gallery

Design documentation

An early design document of deltatemple.

Storyboards

Deltatemple storyboard.
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Sources

[missionhsc-1] Halo 2 Editing Kit, deltatemple.hsc

[stream-2] YouTube - The Moa Archive [UncookedMoa], Halo 2 E3 2003 Demo Stream from 343 + Never Before Seen Alphas/Betas (1080p 60 FPS)

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[2]