Editing Halo Zero

{{Status|RealWorld}}
{{Fan made}}

[[File:HaloZero Cover.jpg|200px|thumb|The cover of Halo Zero.]]
'''Halo Zero''' is a fan-made 2D [[wikipedia:Side-scrolling video game|sidescroller]] [[wikipedia:Shoot 'em up|shoot 'em up]] PC game created by Dobermann. The game was released to the public via hosting servers on December 12, 2005. The game's plot is loosely based on the [[Fall of Reach|Battle of Reach]], before ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]'' took place. The game is not endorsed by [[Microsoft]], [[Bungie]], or [[343 Industries]]; and thus, is considered non-canon.

==Plot Synopsis==
{{Spoiler/begin}}
The game takes place during the [[Fall of Reach|Battle of Reach]], the [[John-117|Master Chief]] fights his way through waves of Covenant forces invading the "Complex". At the end he is picked up by a [[Pelican]], but later shot down. After wandering through a forest, he finds a [[M12 Force Application Vehicle|Warthog]]. At the end of the ride he gets out and stops a Covenant bomb from destroying a generator. Once the bomb is disarmed, [[Vice Admiral]] [[Danforth Whitcomb|Whitcomb]] sends the Chief a transmission saying he's a prisoner on a Covenant ship. Once the Admiral is rescued, the Master Chief goes to [[CASTLE Base]] and saves [[Sergeant]] [[Avery Junior Johnson|Johnson]], who stole an artifact. Together, Johnson and the Chief fight against the Covenant forces until a Pelican arrives to pick them up, carrying them to safety.

Throughout the game all characters call the Covenant "Covenants". The Covenant ship featured in the game was referred to as the "''[[Truth and Reconciliation]]''".
{{Spoiler/end}}

== Gameplay ==
[[File:HaloZero MainMenu.png|200px|thumb|The main menu of Halo Zero.]]
The game had a campaign mode and [[multiplayer]] mode. Campaign mode had five difficulty settings, [[Easy]], [[Normal]], [[Heroic]], [[Legendary]], and Mythic. Mythic difficulty would be unlocked by finishing the game on all other difficulties.

The keyboard arrow keys were used for movement, and the mouse acted as a free look, while the left mouse button and the right mouse button shot and threw grenades, respectively. All other functions such as melee, Switch Weapon and Jump were subject to be changed by the user, but the mouse controls were unchangeable.

Multiplayer maps were based off of existing Halo multiplayer maps such as ''[[Zanzibar]]'' and ''[[Blood Gulch]]''.

==System requirements==
*1GHZ Processor
*256MB of RAM
*22MB free disk space
*A keyboard and mouse
*A high speed Internet connection

==Production notes==
[[File:Halo Zero Level Editor.PNG|150px|thumb|A screenshot of the Level Editor.]]
The "Halo Zero" project started in late 2004 by Dobermann.<ref name="HZ1">[http://dobgames.ownbb.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=4 '''Dob's Games''': ''Halo Zero Production History'']</ref> The production phase took a year and utilised sprites and background designs that were previously used in another previously-popular Halo: Blood Covenant.<ref name="HZ1"/><ref group="notes">Dobermann received permission to use contents from Halo: Blood Covenant for Halo Zero.</ref><ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20061031081858/z14.invisionfree.com/halozero/index.php?showtopic=1036 '''HaloZeroForums''': ''HBC content in HZ'']</ref>

During the summer of 2004, just before the release of ''[[Halo 2]]'', screenshots of the relatively unknown ''Halo Zero'' were sent around the Internet ostensibly as proof of an upcoming ''Halo'' game for the [[Wikipedia:Game Boy Advance|Game Boy Advance]].<ref>[http://www.gamespot.com/xbox/action/halo2/news.html?sid=6100959 '''GameSpot''': ''Halo GBA and Dirty Harry the Game'']</ref>

On May 31, 2009, the official site and therefore server of Halo Zero was deactivated due to a lack of money to continue to keep the site running.<ref name="shutdown"/>

===Halo Zero Level Editor===
The ''Halo Zero'' Level Editor was a program that allowed the user to create and edit levels compatible with ''Halo Zero''.{{Verify}}

===Halo Zero 2===
'''Halo Zero 2''' was a planned but never completed sequel to Halo Zero, apparently incorporating some of ''Halo 2''<nowiki />'s new features, such as the [[Battle rifle|Battle Rifle]] and the [[M7/Caseless Submachine Gun|SMGs]]. The first version of Halo Zero 2 resembles the gameplay styles used in [[Wikipedia:Metal Slug|Metal Slug]].<ref name="HZ2">[http://dobgames.ownbb.com/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=5 '''Dob's Games''': ''Halo Zero: Evolved/Halo Zero 2 Production History'']</ref> Later in the production phase, Halo Zero 2 returned to the design previously used in Halo Zero.<ref name="HZ2"/> The Halo Zero 2 project was eventually put on hold indefinitely, later cancelled due to the bandwidth costs of maintaining the game site and having no funds to pay it.<ref name="shutdown">[http://dobentertainment.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=116 '''Dobentertainment''': ''Announcement of the Close Down'']</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery widths="160">
File:MC.JPG|The Master Chief sprite.
File:HaloZero2.JPG|Warthog Sprite
File:HZ-Game1.png|A screenshot of Halo Zero's gameplay.
File:HZ-Game2.png|
File:HaloZero1.JPG|
File:HaloZero3.JPG|
File:HZ2-Alpha1.png|A screenshot of the Alpha-build of Halo Zero 2
File:HZ2-Alpha2.png|A screenshot of the Alpha-build of Halo Zero 2. Gameplay style was similar to that of ''Metal Slug''.
File:HZ2 PB1.png|A screenshot from the canceled Halo Zero 2.
File:Hz2 24.PNG|
File:Hzpscreen04.png|
</gallery>

==Notes==
<references group="notes"/>

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

==External links==
*[http://dobgames.ownbb.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=4 Halo Zero Game Info and Downloads]
*[http://hzmods.wordpress.com/ Halo Zero Modding Community]

{{Fan Works}}

[[Category:Games]]