Editing Cut Halo: Combat Evolved weapons

{{Title|Cut ''Halo: Combat Evolved'' weapons}}
{{Status|RealWorld}}
{{GameFiles}}
{{Series/Cut/HCE}}
{{Quote|At that time we were just like "what if we did this?" and we built it, got it in the game and it just sat there. Some of them made it into the final game, some of them sat there and withered on the vine.|[[Marcus Lehto]] discussing the weapons found in 2000-era builds of ''Combat Evolved''.{{Ref/Reuse|Xperia}}}}
During the [[Development of Halo: Combat Evolved|development]] of ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]'', the game went through many different styles including a [[Real-time strategy|strategy game]], a third-person shooter and a [[first-person shooter]]. Throughout these iterations, many different '''weapons were cut''' from the game, some of which presenting notably different design styles from those found in the final [[2001]] release. Most known cut weapons are from the [[1999 (real world)|1999]]-[[2000]] era builds of ''Combat Evolved'', during which time the game was intended to be a third-person shooter. However, a small handful from the FPS era are known.{{Ref/YouTube|Id=Evolution|dydfehQBaGE|ForumsExtremeDotCom|Evolution of Halo Part 2: Pre-Xbox 1999 Version to 2000 Demo}}

At the time of the game's development, [[Bungie]] had a creative attitude to weapons creation - weapons were often designed with a question of what could be done, with details of how it might work in-game left to be figured out later. Due to this, there is no guarantee most of these weapons would have ever made it into a final build.{{Ref/YouTube|Id=Xperia|JfJCQbJA3v0|HiddenXperia|TALKING TO MARCUS LEHTO (Co-Creator of Halo) ABOUT HALO INFINITE, joining 343, Bungie's Halo 4 +MORE}} However, the ideas or designs for many of them would later make their way into subsequent ''Halo'' entries, in particular ''[[Halo 2]]''.

==Human==
===Anti-air rocket launcher===
Referred to in-game as the '''SPNKR 108 SAM'''{{Ref/Twitter|Id=Names|game_fabricator|1388530710160437248|Marcus Lehto|Quote=Some were asking about all the weapon names in this old #Halo PC build.|D=17|M=7|Y=2021}}, this weapon was described as being a rocket launcher intended for use against aircraft, while the standard rocket launcher was intended for anti-vehicle usage.{{Ref/Reuse|Evolution}} A similar design was later concepted for ''Halo 3'' as the [[Cut Halo 3 weapons#G4H-DuSH|G4H-DuSH]], though was similarly cut. The [[M57 Pilum]] would later debut in ''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]'', bearing some broad similarities to this rocket launcher.
<gallery>
File:PXH AARocket Screenshot 1.png|The rocket launcher.
File:PXH AARocket Screenshot 2.png|The front of the rocket launcher.
</gallery>

===Bolt-action sniper rifle===
Referred to in-game as the '''SWS99C-S2'''{{Ref/Reuse|Names}} and jokingly by developers as the "old shovel", this weapon was to be a bolt-action rifle featured in ''Halo''.
<gallery>
File:PXH BoltActionRifle Screenshot 1.png|The rifle being used by the player.
</gallery>

===Chaingun===
The chaingun is a tri-barrelled rotary cannon that could be held with two hands by the player. It was frequently seen in promotional material for the game including the first-ever screenshot released, though was ultimately cut. The concept was later revived with the [[AIE-486H machine gun]] in ''Halo 3''.
<gallery>
File:Halo 072199.jpg|The first-ever screenshot released from ''Halo''.
File:Halo original 4.jpg|Master Chief wielding the chaingun.
File:Halo chief 1099.jpg|Another screenshot of the chaingun in use.
</gallery>

===Machete===
Labelled in-game as the '''Pattern-2 Composite Sword'''{{Ref/Reuse|Names}}, the machete was to be a human counterpard to the Covenant [[energy sword]].{{Ref/Twitter|game_fabricator|700529126734573569|Marcus Lehto|Quote=Here's an old one. Early Halo build. Did you know that the hilt on the back was originally a retractable sword?|D=17|M=7|Y=2021}} Early revisions of [[John-117]]'s armour had a port for the Machete to slot into.{{Ref/Twitter|game_fabricator|1413924069632659456|Marcuus Lehto|Quote=Some of you wanted to see a closer look at the early Master Chief's back design. He used to have a single hump backpack and lower back retractable sword. Also thought I'd run into the Macworld early Forerunner building.|D=17|M=7|Y=2021}} Althought the weapon was modelled and animated, it was never made functional as a weapon in-game.{{Ref/Twitter|game_fabricator|1414262662377082880|Marcus Lehto|Quote=It was never built as a real functional weapon, but was intended to be a good option for close melee combat.|D=17|M=7|Y=2021}} Although the machete was cut, it did live on in-game and in-lore as the [[Machete]] - a UNSC bladed weapon for use in jungle environments and found on all variations of the difficulty sigils for [[Normal]], [[Heroic]] and [[Legendary]] difficulties.
<gallery>
File:PXH Machete Crop.jpg|The machete being wielded by the Master Chief in an early build of ''Halo''.
File:PXH Machete Screenshot 2.png|The machete being wielded by the player.
File:PXH Machete Screenshot 3.jpg|Another image of the machete.
File:PXH Machete Screenshot 1.png|An image showcasing the Pattern-2 Composite Sword.{{Ref/Twitter|game_fabricator|700542518488748032|Marcus Lehto|Quote=Here's a simple gif of the early Halo build|D=17|M=7|Y=2021}}
File:HCE John117 Early Concept.jpg|Early concept art of John-117, featuring the Pre-Xbox Halo machete.
File:HCE-Johnswordconcept.jpg|Later concept art of the sheathed sword.
File:TLJ Heroic Difficulty (Reach).png|The crossed machetes on the Heroic difficulty icon for ''[[Halo: Reach]]''.
</gallery>

===Spear gun===
Labelled in-game as the '''Lamprey Sub-Ed''', the spear gun was intended for underwater combat against sea creatures.{{Ref/Reuse|Evolution}} When fired, its projectiles would stick into enemies akin to those of the [[Needler]] and [[Spiker]] in later games.{{Ref/Twitter|game_fabricator|1413919553638211590|Marcus Lehto|Quote=Here's a human weapon I forgot we prototyped in the 2000 Halo PC build. The Spear Gun. I like how the spears stick into targets! And wow, the early Elite was almost naked back then.|D=17|M=7|Y=2021}} The concept was revived in [[Halo Infinite]] with the [[Skewer]].
<gallery>
File:PXH SpearGun Screenshot 1.png|The Spear Gun held by the player.
File:PXH_SpearGun_Screenshot_2.png|The Spear Gun reloading.
File:PXH_SpearGun_Screenshot_3.png|The fired spears impaled in an elite.
</gallery>

===Submachine gun===
The SMG (referred to in UI as the '''12.7mm MP-99 Para'''{{Ref/Reuse|Names}}) is an [[Wikipedia:Submachine gun|SMG]] originally slated to appear in ''Halo''. The weapon's concept was later revived in ''Halo 2'' as the [[M7 SMG]].
<gallery>
File:PXH SMG Screenshot 1.png|The SMG being used by the player.
</gallery>

==Covenant==
===Concussion gun===
The <code>c concussion gun</code> is another weapon found in the 2000-era builds of ''Combat Evolved''. The weapon appears to have a charge up before firing, and uses the [[M90 shotgun|Shotgun]] sound effect for firing (presumably as a placeholder).{{Ref/Reuse|CovGuns}} In later discussions, the weapon was jokingly referred to as the "drumkey".{{Ref/Reuse|Evolution}}
<gallery>
File:PXH ConcussionGun Screenshot 1.png|The player holding the concussion gun.
File:PXH_ConcussionGun_Screenshot_2.png|Holding the concussion gun in third-person view.
File:PXH_ConcussionGun_Screenshot_3.png|The concussion gun.
</gallery>

===Energy shield===
While not strictly a weapon, Sangheili wielding arm-mounted [[Energy shielding|shield]]-generating gauntlets akin to those [[Kig-Yar point defense gauntlet|employed]] by [[Kig-Yar|Jackal]] infantry can be observed in concept art and screenshots. A [[Sangheili point defense gauntlet|similar device]] lives on in ''Halo'' canon.
<gallery>
File:HCE_Elite_Concept_3.png|Concept art of a Sangheili with a point defense gauntlet for ''Halo: Combat Evolved''.
File:Shieldandswordeq0.png|A [[Sangheili Major]] with an arm shield and energy sword in the [[Halo E3 2000 trailer|E3 2000 trailer]] for ''Halo: Combat Evolved''.
</gallery>

===Excavator===
The <code>c excavator</code> is another weapon found in the 2000-era builds, and jokingly referred to as the "boring device".{{Ref/Reuse|Evolution}} The Excavator has a tilted, rotating magazine near the front. The Excavator would eventually form the basis for the design of the [[Type-52 Mauler|Mauler]] in ''Halo 3''.{{Ref/Book|Id=AoH3|AoH3|Page=61}} Although labelled in-game as a Covenant weapon (using the <code>c_</code> prefix) and visually reminiscent of the alien designs, the weapon is claimed in ''[[The Art of Halo 3]]'' to have been intended for use by the UNSC.{{Ref/Reuse|AoH3}} It is unknown whether this was actually the case, or simply the case of the developers misremembering the facts in the intervening seven years.

The texture for the Excavator went on to be used as a placeholder texture for the Gravity Rifle and the Microwave Gun.
<gallery>
File:PXH Excavator Screenshot 1.png|The excavator held by the player.
File:PXH Excavator Screenshot 2.png|The Excavator.
File:PXH Excavator Screenshot 3.png|Holding the Excavator in third-person view.
File:PXH Excavator Screenshot 4.png|Firing the Excavator.
</gallery>

===Gravity rifle===
The gravity rifle can be found in the files for released builds of ''Combat Evolved'', though lacks textures, first-person models, animations or projectiles. The weapon can be enabled on some maps in ''[[Halo Custom Edition]]'' by using the command <code>cheat_all_weapons</code>. When firing, the weapon emits a bright light and produces flames on its target, and is extremely accurate.

Data gathered from the game files of ''Combat Evolved'' reveal a few more details about this weapon;
*It has the maximum rate-of-fire possible in ''Combat Evolved'' - essentially acting as a beam weapon similarly to the [[sentinel beam]].
*The weapon has a magazine set up, with a 200 round capacity before needing to reload, and capable of carrying 200 spare rounds.
*The weapon has no additional properties such as spread or magnification set up.

In this manner, the gravity rifle appears to be somewhat of a spiritual successor to the microwave gun featured in the 1999 builds, and somewhat of a precursor to the [[Cut Halo 2 weapons#Disintegrator|Disintegrator]] later cut from ''Halo 2''.
<gallery>
File:HCE_BattleCreek_GravityRifle.jpg|A Spartan employing the Gravity Rifle on [[Battle Creek]].
File:HCE GravityRifle Screenshot 1.jpg|A closer look at the Gravity Rifle.
</gallery>

===Gravity wrench===
Appearing to function akin to a grenade launcher, the gravity wrench features two prongs which charge up and generate an energy ball between them, which is then launched on a projectile arc.{{Ref/Reuse|Evolution}}
<gallery>
File:PXH GravityWrench Screenshot 1.png|The player holding the Gravity Wrench.
</gallery>

===Microwave gun===
The weapon labelled <code>c microwave gun</code> is found in the 2000-era builds of ''Combat Evolved''. The weapon is held in two hands akin to holding the turrets found in ''[[Halo 3]]''-onward, and emits an orange beam-like particle effect while firing.{{Ref/Twitter|Id=CovGuns|game_fabricator|1413279036160176131|Marcus Lehto|Quote=I found these Covenant weapon prototypes in my old 2000 Halo PC build that you might like. c concussion gun, c excavator, c particle beam rifle, c microwave gun. I like the meter cooldown on the concussion gun. The microwave gun would have been hilarious.|D=17|M=7|Y=2021}} When asked about this weapon, Marcus Lehto indicated he did not remember what purpose the weapon had, or if it had even been given one when it was first implemented.{{Ref/Reuse|Xperia}}
<gallery>
File:PXH_MicrowaveGun_Screenshot_1.png|The microwave gun.
File:PXH_MicrowaveGun_Screenshot_2.png|The microwave gun as held by the player.
File:PXH_MicrowaveGun_Screenshot_3.png|Firing the microwave gun.
</gallery>

===Particle beam rifle===
Found in the 2000-era builds and labelled <code>c particle beam rifle</code> (also referred to as the "alien sniper rifle"{{Ref/Reuse|Evolution}}), little is known of this weapon.{{Ref/Reuse|CovGuns}} It presumably fulfills a role of a Covenant [[Sniper rifle (disambiguation)|sniper rifle]], and presumably evolved into the [[particle beam rifle]] weapons later included in ''Halo 2'' and subsequent entries.
<gallery>
File:PXH ParticleBeamRifle Screenshot 1.png|The particle beam rifle held by the player.
File:PXH ParticleBeamRifle Screenshot 2.png|The particle beam rifle in the third-person view.
File:PXH_ParticleBeamRifle_Screenshot_3.png|The particle beam rifle.
File:HCE SpecialPurposeSniper Concept 1.jpg|Concept art for the special purpose sniper, a [[Cut Halo: Combat Evolved enemies|cut enemy]] which would have wielded the weapon.
</gallery>

===Unknown rifle===
This weapon appears in a handful of promotional screenshots. Almost nothing is known about it. The presence of fairly final-looking Forerunner architecture and Elite model suggest it was present in the later-era FPS builds of the game.
<gallery>
File:PXH CovenantRifle Screenshot 1.jpg|The rifle being held by a Sangheili.
</gallery>

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

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