Halo 3

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

Release
Bungie has announced that the release date for the final game is September 25, 2007 in North America and Australia as advertised on a number of websites - however some sources may say they game will not be released in Australia until the 26th - while Europe will receive the game on September 26, 2007, one day later. The Asian release date has not been announced. However, rumors have stated that Bungie will release the game in India on September 24, 2007

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 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.

Bungie has also announced three versions of Halo 3: A Standard Edition, a Limited Collector's Edition, and the limited Legendary Edition.

* Additional content on DVD

Halo 3 Walkthrough
A Halo 3 Walkthrough/Guide will be released alongside the actual game. The walkthough/guide will be released for purchase on September 25th.

Campaign Plot
"You are, all of you, vermin. Cowering in the dirt, thinking what? That you might escape the coming fire? Your world will burn until its surface is but glass."

- Unknown character, speculated to be either the Prophet of Truth or a Brute, from the Halo 3 E3 2007 Trailer

The details of the plot have yet to be revealed.

Bungie has definitively confirmed is that the SPARTAN-117 has returned to Earth, and will "Finish the Fight" against the invading Covenant Loyalists, with help from the UNSC-Covenant Separatist alliance. The Arbiter is also on Earth, fighting alongside SPARTAN-117.

During online cooperative campaign gameplay, two new players will become available: N’tho ‘Sraom and Usze ‘Taham.

In the E3 2006 Trailer, it is shown that the Covenant have uncovered a massive and ancient Forerunner artifact under New Mombasa (The mountain in the background is indeed Kilimanjaro ). It is also known that Cortana is still trapped in the clutches of the Gravemind. Both are expected to play some role in the plot and Bungie has confirmed that while Halo 3's campaign will begin on Earth, but it won't stay there. The game starts on Earth, moves to High Charity, and concludes on another Halo ring.

The following is the believed list of campaign levels in successive order of Halo 3 and events that are believed to happen in them:
 * 1) Sierra 117 - Occurs in an African jungle. This level was first physically seen as the first scene of the Halo 3 E3 2007 Trailer, although it was seen later in the trailer as well. It is home to a Covenant Loyalist encampment that SPARTAN-117 is eliminating, and features tunnels and rivers which the Master Chief must navigate to complete the level.
 * 2) Crow's Nest - Occurs in a "UNSC base".
 * 3) Tsavo Highway - Begins in a UNSC base on the outskirts of the African city of Voi with the SPARTAN-117 and Marines mounting on vehicles to punch through several Covenant Loyalist blockades of stacked infantry, Wraiths, Brute Choppers, and Ghosts to reach the Ark, passing by the ruins of the New Mombasa Orbital Elevator.
 * 4) The Storm - Begins with SPARTAN-117 and a dozen Marines mounted on a variety of vehicles, including Mongooses, to destroy a Covenant Loyalist Scarab walker that is "chasing" them. With the help of Hornet and Banshee fighter craft, the Scarab is destroyed and SPARTAN-117 fights with the Arbiter to destroy a Covenant Loyalist anti-air emplacement that is patrolling the airscape of the Ark. After eliminating the Brutes guarding the emplacement, the AA battery is disabled and Miranda Keyes takes a Pelican Dropship to the Ark.
 * 5) Cleansing - Occurs in Voi, although the Flood are believed to be involved somehow in this level as well; this stems from the fact that the name 'floodvoi' was found in the Beta code.
 * 6) Refuge - Occurs in a "wasteland".
 * 7) Last Stand - Occurs in a "citadel".
 * 8) The Key - Occurs on Flood-infested High Charity. Cortana collapses before SPARTAN-117, the Arbiter, 343 Guilty Spark, and an unknown elite.
 * 9) Return - Occurs on an unidentified Halo ring.

The Ark


The Covenant has uncovered a massive and ancient Forerunner artifact under New Mombasa (The mountain in the background is indeed Kilimanjaro ) 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. While the structure in the trailer is thought to be The Ark, it has only been officially confirmed as a Forerunner structure. However, substantial evidence points to it being the Ark:

At the end of Halo 2, the Arbiter tells us that he is going after the Ark and in the trailer and at Gamespot.com it tells us that the Arbiter is in the first mission of the game fighting along side the Master Chief which we know that the Master Chief is on Earth.


 * 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.

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.

Equipment

 * Bubble Shield
 * Power Drainer
 * Trip Mine
 * Portable Gravity Lift
 * Radar Jammer
 * Flare
 * Regenerator
 * Personal Shield

Power Ups

 * Active Camouflage
 * Overshield
 * Agility
 * Invincibility
 * Custom Power Up

Weapons
These are the confirmed weapons known to be in the game (all are subject to change):

UNSC

 * M6G Personal Defense Weapon System (Dual Wieldable)
 * M7/Caseless Sub-Machine Gun (Dual Wieldable)
 * MA5C ICWS Assault Rifle
 * BR55HB SR Battle Rifle
 * M90A Close Assault Weapon System
 * SRS99D-S2 AM Sniper Rifle
 * M41 SSR MAV/AW Rocket Launcher
 * W/AV Model 6 Grindell/Galileian Nonlinear Rifle
 * Missile Pod (Support)
 * M7057 Defoliant Projector (Support)
 * AIE-486H Machine Gun (Support)
 * M9 HE-DP Fragmentation Grenade

Covenant

 * Plasma Pistol (Dual Wieldable)
 * Plasma Rifle (Dual Wieldable)
 * Needler
 * Carbine
 * Particle Beam Rifle
 * Fuel Rod Cannon
 * Energy Sword
 * Plasma Turret (Support)
 * Ball Turret (Stationary)
 * Plasma Grenade

Brute

 * Type-25 "Spiker" Carbine (Dual Wieldable)
 * Mauler (Dual Wieldable)
 * Brute Shot
 * Gravity Hammer
 * Type-2 "Spike" Antipersonnel Fragmentation Grenade
 * Type-3 "Firebomb" Antipersonnel/Antimateriel Incendiary Grenade

Forerunner

 * Sentinel Beam

Other

 * Brute Plasma Rifle - It is currently unclear if it will return in Halo 3 or if it was replaced by other new Brute weapons such as the Spiker & Mauler.
 * Fusion Core - As revealed in a Weekly Update, they will be redesigned and may include an as of yet unnamed feature. Also, they might be equipment.

Covenant

 * Ghost
 * Chopper
 * Brute Prowler
 * Spectre
 * Shadow (Rumored to be a usable vehicle)
 * Wraith
 * Banshee
 * Scarab (Rumored to be a usable vehicle)

Non-Usable

 * Phantom Dropship
 * Seraph Fighter-Interceptor
 * CCS-class Battlecruiser
 * Assault Carrier

UNSC

 * M274 Mongoose ULATV
 * M12 Warthog LRV
 * M12G1 Warthog LAAV
 * M831 TT Warthog
 * M808 Scorpion MBT (Unknown model. Possibly B, or C model)
 * Hornet Gunship
 * UNSC Elephant

Non-Usable

 * D77H-TCI Pelican
 * Albatross Heavy Dropship
 * C709 Longsword Fighter-Interceptor
 * (FFG-201)
 * Unnamed UNSC Battlecruiser
 * Unnamed UNSC Battlecruiser

Speculation

 * Rapture
 * Missile Pod Warthog

Major Characters

 * Master Chief Petty Officer SPARTAN John-117
 * Arbiter
 * Cortana
 * Sergeant Major A.J. Johnson
 * Prophet of Truth
 * Commander Miranda Keyes
 * Gravemind
 * 343 Guilty Spark

Minor Characters
Co-Op Characters
 * N’tho ‘Sraom
 * Usze ‘Taham

UNSC
 * Gunnery Sergeant Pete Stacker
 * UNSC Marine Infantryman
 * UNSC Marine Orbital Drop Shock Troopers

Covenant Separatists
 * Elites (Sangheili)
 * Grunts (Unggoy) (some)
 * Hunters (Lekgolo) (some)

Covenant Loyalists
 * Prophets (San 'Shyuum)
 * Brutes (Jiralhanae)
 * Jackals (Kig-Yar)
 * Drones (Yanme'e)
 * Grunts (Unggoy) (most)
 * Hunters (Lekgolo) (some)

Flood
 * Infection Form
 * Combat Form
 * Carrier Form

Xbox Live
According to Bungie in EGM, Halo 3 will be taking Xbox Live to the next level. If you create a gametype, you can specify how many times of shields you have and what vehicles are on the map. You can advertise your gametype and if it gets good ratings it may become a matchmade game. If you have the vision camera you will be able to           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



 * Epitaph
 * Guardian
 * Gym Class
 * High Ground
 * Last Resort
 * Narrows
 * Sandtrap
 * Snowbound
 * Valhalla
 * Legend

Unknown Maps

Most of these maps were found in the Beta code; names and actual level are all subject to change.


 * Construct
 * Cyberdyne
 * Isolation
 * Warthog Inc.

Gametypes

 * Assault
 * Capture the flag
 * King of the Hill
 * Oddball
 * Juggernaut
 * Slayer
 * Territories
 * VIP
 * Infection

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.

Player Customization
Originally discovered in the Halo 3 Beta code by modders, 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."''

These are the confirmed Halo 3 multiplayer armor permutations:
 * MJOLNIR Armor - Mark VI
 * EVA Armor - Extra Vehicular Activity armor
 * CQB Armor - Close Quarters Battle armor
 * Unknown Armor
 * Bungie has hinted to more types of armor in the June 8, 2007 Weekly Update. Also in June 22, 2007 Weekly Update: "Players were using different permutations than we’ve shown"

Online & 4 Player Co-Op
The previous installment of the Halo series had implmented 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. 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. Unlike previous Co-Op renditions this time each player takes on an individual canon approach. The first player will be the Master Chief, the second will be 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 only having their starting weapons differing: Battle Rifle for Humans and Carbines for Elites.

N’tho ‘Sraom and Usze ‘Taham are characters added for the 3 and 4 player coop. 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
Forge is a "map editor" that can be used to edit multiplayer maps. When you start forge you take the role as a monitor. You get to fly around the map in real time (like your actually playing the game) and can place, grab, move, or delete objects from the map. The items can be crates, barricades, fusion cores, and even spawn/capture points. You can place weapons, equipment, and vehicles (except the elephant). Everything can be edited like ammo count, respawn times, and other things. You only have a certain amount of points until you can't purchase any more objects for the map.

At any time you can push up on the D-pad and turn into your normal multiplayer character and start playing the level. You can do this over Xbox Live, System Link, and Splitscreen. Anyone can play and edit with you. Forge also keeps track of the score and kills for you too. While your editing you can even create your own "gametypes" per say. An example would be an RTS Slayer match. Each team has one monitor who builds things for the team to use. The monitor can also delete things from the other team as well. Although none of these will ship with the game you can recreate them yourself.

Once you're done editing a map in Forge, you can pass it on to your friends through Halo 3's file share to use in normal custom games. Bungie.net will serve as a hub to find user-created stages as well. They'll have an area for Bungie-recommended maps that are made by the community, and they'll have a way for you to search for others. Once you tag a level for download on Bungie.net it'll automatically transfer to your Xbox 360 hard drive the next time you log into Xbox Live and start up Halo 3.

Achievements
Halo 3 has 49 achievements worth a total of 1000 Gamerscore.

Soundtrack
Apparently, Microsoft is hosting a Halo Soundtrack Competition for entrants into the Halo 3 soundtrack by third party bands (reminiscent of Breaking Benjamin's "Blow Me Away" from Halo 2). One of their applicants, Director, has created a song titled "Director vs. Halo 3", which can be found here

New Features

 * The Man Cannon is an addition capable of catapulting a player across a multiplayer map. It seems to have replaced the teleporter for Halo 3.
 * Energy Shield doors have been added to some multiplayer levels, which allow players to pass through, but cannot be shot through. Spike grenades can stick to these walls
 * The shotgun light on the iron sights looks to have been changed from green back to blue (the light is right above the ammo gauge).
 * Decorators, such as grass and weeds, will move when too close to a grenade explosion or rocket explosion. They will also be affected by the weather, such as wind. Some of these decorators are said to be completely destructible. When you die in the water, your body floats downstream and the audio sounds as if you really are underwater.
 * Matchmaking will feature more customizations akin to the pre-game options from Halo. As revealed in a Weekly Update, these customizations include a feature for manipulating gravity.
 * There is a more detailed way of changing your button layout.
 * A "Replay Feature" was explained in the EGM issue. The Feature re-creates the entire battle using pure game data as opposed to video files.
 * Phantom dropships are now destructible.
 * A new "Veto" system has been placed into the Halo 3 Matchmaking. Before the game starts for any game, players can choose whether to veto them out. If half of the player's votes are casted to veto, the game will assign a new map for the gametype.
 * The left thumbstick can now toggle crouch.
 * The Brute Shot now carries 6 grenades per magazine, rather than 4.
 * You now can customize the helmet and armor on multiplayer, but each of these permutations must be unlocked before they can be used.
 * There is now a face under the Spartan's helmets which can only be seen (as of now) by a glitch.
 * Scarabs are now destructible (confirmed in the Halo 3 E3 2007 trailer).
 * The Master Chief will fight alongside the Arbiter for at least some of the campaign.
 * Confirmed in the Bungie Weekly Update for 7/13/07, the Saved Films feature can be used in the campaign as well as multiplayer.
 * 4 player online Co-op has been confirmed. However, only 2 players can play on one console at a time (so the other two will need to play through system link or through Xbox Live).  Also, unlike the previous installments, each player (including the 3rd and 4th) will be separate elite characters by the names of N’tho ‘Sraom and Usze ‘Taham with their own story and background.

Confirmed facts about Halo 3

 * Bungie have confirmed that there will be no Clan support in Halo 3. However, there may be an Xbox Live Dashboard update that supports clans.
 * Online Cooperative support for up to 4 players simultaneously.
 * The matchmaking system from Halo 2 will be revamped. The system will be based on two different ranks, skill and experience, in order to make the system more fair and to reflect the effect of experience on players' profiles.
 * Call signs will be used instead of small HUD emblems to identify allies. Example: your ID is E77, and a team mate looks in your direction an arrow saying "E77" will appear over your head; in the Beta, if pointed at, your gamertag will appear.
 * Master Chief's gauntlets and armor have also changed noticeably.
 * Bungie says that despite several triple wielding illustrations, that is purely fictional and was drawn with an artistic license. Triple-wielding will not be a feature
 * The combat AI is said to be in testing.
 * There will be an in-game video recorder that will allow the player to send and receive machinima videos over Xbox Live.
 * Bungie revealed that the game would have a new "materials system" so advanced that "you could see light reflect off the ground and onto his armor", which will be able to "[show] the difference between his armor and the rubber undersuit". The site also includes that "It's so detailed that if you bring the camera close to the Master Chief's visor, you see everything in front of him reflected in it, right down to the ammo counter in his rifle" . In addition, there would be new advanced texturing to reflect permanent, persistent damage.
 * In the trailer, Master Chief's Mark VI armor is battle-worn and plasma-scared. Developer Marcus R. Lehto's response: "The Chief has seen horrific battles, and we're actually showing that on him this time round."
 * Actress Julie Benz is not voicing Miranda Keyes for Halo 3 as she was never approached by Bungie to reprise the role.
 * Bungie has confirmed crates in the game in one of their updates.
 * Although Halo 3 was planned to end the Halo series, future Halo games haven't been entirely ruled out. On the Halo 3 FAQ from the official Bungie website it says, "Q: Is this the last ever Halo game? A: It is the conclusion to this story arc." Fans note that it is therefore possible that future games could be produced in the Halo universe, even if this particular story arc isn't continued. This was confirmed when Bungie released that the game Halo Wars will be released and is in creation.
 * Secondary weapons are now visible; for example larger weapons will be on the back, and smaller weapons will be on the character's leg (Beta).
 * Bungie has confirmed that the "face" in the Starry Night commercial was nothing more than reflections of clouds and Covenant ships.
 * It has been recently confirmed by bungie in one of their recent updates that female voice will be in the final game but the male voice will be the default. "3) Yes. You may select gender for voice, the default is male."
 * In the December 15 Bungie weekly update Frankie stated that Brutes would NOT be playable characters in Halo 3.
 * Weapons can now be reloaded individually when dual wielding. The right bumper will correspond with the right weapon and the left bumper will correspond with the left weapon. When not dual wielding, the right bumper will reload and the left bumper will switch grenade types. The X button will be used for equipment, as revealed in Bungie's update.
 * Actress Jen Taylor will continue to voice Cortana, as revealed in a Bungie Weekly Update.
 * Some of the Elites, formerly a major faction of the Covenant, are now allied with the humans to fight against the Covenant and the Flood together, mainly because they recognize the magnitude of the Flood menace (as seen on the Halo 3 website). It is believed that they will be known as the Heretics (led by the Arbiter) as opposed to the Separatists, who would continue to fight the humans, like in Halo: Ghosts of Onyx.
 * Halo 3 will be released on September 25, 2007 in North America, while the European release will be a day later, on September 26.
 * Halo 3's HUD is curved, giving the feel of the real hemet.
 * The beeping sound made when your shields are low, is very soft, and the bar is at the top/middle of the screen as opposed to the lower-left corner.
 * The motion tracker has a wider range.
 * In a recent update, Bungie has stated that the Mjolnir Armor variants will not play an important role in campaign, and that it is just for aestetic appeal in multiplayer. However, that does not mean they won't make any appearances in other corners of the Halo universe.

Trivia and Other

 * 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.
 * 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.

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

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 the Master Chief 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," 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
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
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.

Internal

 * Halo 3 Announcement Trailer
 * Halo 3 Credits
 * 60sec ESPN Commerical Starry Night
 * ViDoc: Et Tu Brute - a 7 min documentry about the Brutes ViDoc: Et Tu Brute
 * ViDoc: Is Quisnam Protero Damno
 * Halo 3 Beta
 * Mountain Dew Game Fuel - Halo 3 themed Mountain Dew
 * Halo 3 Zune - A limited edition Microsoft Zune.
 * Halo 3 Achievements
 * Halo 3: The Cradle of Life
 * Halo 3 Official Strategy Guide
 * Halo 3: Original Soundtrack
 * Burger King
 * Site of the Champions, a Halo 3 promotional site.

External

 * Bungie's Announcement
 * | IMDB Entry on Halo 3
 * Halo 3 Easter Eggs
 * Halo 3 Website - Main Halo 3 Website
 * Halo 3 at MSN.com
 * Halo 3 Walkthrough
 * Halo 3 Countdown

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