Halo Waypoint: Difference between revisions

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|image= [[File:Waypoint cover 2012.jpg|300px]]

Mobile devices (discontinued)

[[File:Waypoint banner 2012.png|thumb|250px|right|Halo Waypoint's official banner.]]

Halo Waypoint provides users with various kinds of ''Halo'' information, including information on members of the ''Halo'' community, various [[machinima]] videos and gameplay strategies and tutorials. It also allows players to access their own gameplay-related data, total Halo Gamerscore through multiple games in the series. Most major announcements regarding the ''Halo'' series are also posted at Waypoint.

Waypoint is accessible online at halowaypoint.com as the primary ''Halo'' website.<ref>[http://halo.xbox.com/en-us '''Halo Waypoint''' website]</ref>

===Obsolete and Discontinued===

*The Xbox 360 version of Halo Waypoint was co-developed by [[Certain Affinity]] and [[343 Industries]].<ref>[http://certainaffinity.com/waypoint/ '''Certain Affinity''': ''Halo Waypoint'']</ref> It was released by 343 Industries as part of the Xbox Fall Update on November 5, [[2009]]. In May [[2012]] Halo Waypoint was updated to include [[wikipedia:Kinect|Kinect]] compatibility. The Xbox 360 version was last updated with the release of ''[[Halo: The Master Chief Collection]]''; the application is still accessible, though the information is no longer current.

*A mobile version of Halo Waypoint was released for the Windows Phone 7 (and later 8), iOS, and Android platforms for free, though it lacked a number of features found on the web and Xbox versions. An additional feature called ATLAS was released in December 2011 which showed detailed diagrams of ''[[Halo: Reach]]'' multiplayer maps and near real time game player and weapon location stats in Matchmaking and Custom Games. ATLAS was free on the Windows Phone 7 and available for $4.99 on iOS and Android.<ref>[http://blogs.halo.xbox.com/Headlines/post/2011/12/08/The-Halo-Bulletin-12811-.aspx '''Halo Waypoint''': ''The Halo Bulletin 12.8.11'']</ref> 343 Industries discontinued support for the Waypoint mobile apps on August 1, 2014.<ref name="dscntd">[https://blogs.halowaypoint.com/en-us/blogs/headlines/posts/The-Halo-Bulletin-22614 '''Halo Waypoint''': ''The Halo Bulletin 2.26.14'']</ref>

The [[Halo Channel]] is a next-generation iteration of the Waypoint concept and is available on the [[Xbox One]] and [[Wikipedia:Windows 8.1|Windows 8.1]].<ref>[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-gb/halo-channel '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Halo Channel'']</ref> The Halo Waypoint website received a visual and organizational overhaul on October 14, 2014 in preparation for the release of the Halo Channel and ''[[Halo: The Master Chief Collection]]''.<ref>[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/community/blog-posts/welcome-to-the-new-halo-waypoint '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Welcome to the New Halo Waypoint'']</ref>

On October 13, 2014, the web version of ''Waypoint'' received a massive overhaul, which included the removal of some of the elements found on the site since its launch. The Xbox 360 version did not receive such an update, and as such these features can still be found there.

Content on Halo Waypoint is divided into seven main categories: Games, News, Esports, Community, Forums, Universe, Shop/Store. There is also a profile section that houses several content such as Channel.

Players can find information for each and every Halo game, organized by title. The web version displays only limited galleries as well as links to service records and related forums. The Xbox 360 version features extensive galleries, as well as access to trailers and videos.

===Forums===

An easy menu directs players to the Waypoint forums where they can discuss Halo media and content with other players. The forums feature several ranks, and badges based on stuff the users do.

===Universe===

This section includes Universe articles from after 2014. Any articles written before 2014 can only be viewed on Halo Waypoint on Xbox 360.

The web version is updated, current, and continually expanding. Categories are Characters, Species, Factions, Weapons, Vehicles, Tech, Locations, and ONI Files ([[Conversations From the Universe]], Cold Storage Reports, [[Eleventh Hour reports]], [[Terminal (Halo 3)|Halo 3 Terminals]], OPERATION: Red Flag/ 93893, PoA Tech Communications, [[Data Drop|Reach Data Drops]]). Information is presented in text articles with accompanying images.

===Shop===

The Shop features physical items for sale including clothing, action figures, books and more, and also includes links for the purchase of digital and physical products including games and soundtracks.

==Website Profile==

In the web version, a player's profile allows them to write a brief bio, view their basic Halo stats, recent forum activity, and Waypoint badges. A drop-down menu provides links to the service record for each game from ''Halo 2 Vista'' through ''Halo 5: Guardians''. The ''Halo Wars'', ''Halo: Reach'' and ''Halo 4'' service records also feature links to the more extensive stats pages found on Waypoint and HaloWars.com prior to the October 2014 overhaul. [[Career Milestones]] have been replaced by a simple total of the [[Gamerscore]] unlocked across all ''Halo Games'' with achievements, save for ''Halo 2 Vista''.

The player's comprehensive ''Halo 5: Guardians'' includes detailed Arena, [[Warzone]] and campaign stats, game history, [[List of Halo 5: Guardians Commendations|commendations]], [[List of Halo 5: Guardians Medals|medals]], [[Requisition system|Requisitions]] and [[Achievements (Halo 5: Guardians)|achievements]].

===Halo: Spartan Strike service record===

The player's ''Spartan Strike'' service record includes basic statistics, mission progress and high scores, and achievements unlocked.

===Halo: Spartan Assault service record===

The player's ''Spartan Assault'' service record includes basic statistics, mission progress and high scores, and achievements unlocked.

===Halo: The Master Chief Collection service record===

The MCC service record denotes campaign progress, terminals unlocked, K/D ratio, achievements, campaign high scores and best times.  

===Halo 4 service record===

The Halo 4 service record displays the basic information of the player's ''Halo 4'' career including: Completed Specializations, Player Since, Last Played, Total Playtime, Spartan Points, [[Challenges]] Completed, Campaign Completion, [[Spartan Ops]] Completion, total Commendation progress, number of achievements unlocked, the four Top Medals earned, games played by mode (campaign, Spartan Ops, War Games, and Custom War Games), most used weapon, and most played variant.

Complete ''Halo 4'' statistics can be found in the Halo 4 Stats web app. Players can view detailed information regarding their play in campaign, custom and matchmaking War Games, and Spartan Ops. This includes statistics, game history and progress towards current Challenges, as well as specific Achievements and Specializations progress. Players can also view Domain Terminal and Spartan Ops videos.

Players can view all of the same information for everyone on their Friends list, or simply compare their friend's basic stats to their own. In the Xbox 360 version, this feature is known as "Barracks".

The Halo: Reach service record outlines a player's '''Service Record''', '''Stats''' (including weapons stats), '''Game History''', and '''Challenges'''. The PC version of Waypoint also allows players to view [[Medals]] and [[Commendations]], '''File Share''', '''File Sets''', '''Recent Screenshots''', '''Xbox Downloads''' and '''Tag History'''. Bungie.net medals do not appear on Halo Waypoint.{{Ref/Note|List of "Bungie.net Medals" ([[Triple Double]], [[Avenge Me]], [[Bros to the End]], [[Thank the Maker]], [[Funkadelic]], [[Party Animal]], [[Love Machine]], [[Steaktacular]], [[Linktacular]], [[H. Ryan Memorial]], [[Seek and Destroy]], [[Ennobled]], [[Big Game Hunter]], and [[Wildcat Destabilizer]])}} Previously, players could view and compare their detailed ''Reach'' stats with their friends' in the web version. This has been discontinued, however on the Xbox 360 version under '''Halo: Reach Service Record''' players can compare their basic ''Reach'' stats using "Friend Compare" and their general career stats using "Player Card Compare".

The service record features an image of the player's in-game Spartan armor. On August 1, 2014, this image ceased to be updated.<ref name="dscntd"/>

===Halo: Anniversary service record===

The Anniversary service record which outlines basic campaign progress on each level and difficulty. The record displays [[Achievements (Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary)|achievement]] progress, and denotes as the number of [[Terminal (Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary)|Terminals]] unlocked, [[Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary Skulls|Skulls]] collected, and objects scanned in the library [[Library (feature)|Library]]. The terminal videos can only be viewed on the Xbox 360 version, which can be viewed by pressing "X" while in the main menu or by manually accessing the "Classified" menu.

===Halo 3, ODST, Halo Wars & Halo 2 service records===

The PC version of Waypoint also includes basic statistics pages for [[Halo 2 (Windows Vista)|''Halo 2'' for Windows Vista]], ''[[Halo 3]]'', ''[[Halo Wars]]'', and ''[[Halo 3: ODST]]''. Statistics displayed are: games played, kills, kill-death ratio, and achievements unlocked.

==Xbox 360 exclusive features==

Most of the following features were once found on the web version of Waypoint, but can now only be viewed on the Xbox 360 version.

===Universe===

Found in the main menu is a list of Universe entries on places, people, vehicles, and so on. These specific entries are not the same as the ones on the website.

===Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn===

Found in the main menu, "Forward Unto Dawn" is available to players who have either paid for access to [[Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn]] or purchased the [[Halo 4 Limited Edition]]. Players can view exclusive photo galleries and watch the complete film, bonus videos, and character interviews.

===Halo 4 Intel===

Previously known as the Halo 4 Interactive Guide on the Website. Players can obtain detailed information about ''Halo 4'' in this guide. Information is organized in the following subheadings: Basics, Story, Enemies, War Games, Weapons, Vehicles, and Armor.

The player's Waypoint Career records a player's progress through the entire ''Halo'' series. The Waypoint Career displays Career Milestones, Awards, and basic individual stats summaries for all eight games, including ''Halo 2 Vista''.

Milestones are achieved as a player's ''Halo'' gamerscore increases. Only Xbox 360, Windows 8, and Windows Phone 8 achievements contribute to career milestones. [[Halo 2 (Windows Vista)|''Halo 2'' for Windows Vista]] and [[Xbox One]] achievements are not supported.

The original cap of forty milestones at launch has been increased incrementally with the release of additional games and achievements. The number was raised to its current and final level, 100, on July 15, 2013.

Halo Awards are medals that a player can earn by unlocking related [[achievement]]s in the ''Halo'' games; essentially, they are groupings of achievements. As an example, the Vehicle Specialist award is unlocked after completing several vehicle-related achievements. Awards are also given in ''tiers''; the more achievements a player unlocks, the higher the tier of their award will become. (For example, completing "extra" vehicle-related achievements will increase the Vehicle Specialist award's tier.) Tiers are indicated by the number of lines at the top of the awards, just beneath the ribbon. Locked awards appear silver; once a player has reached a high enough tier, the awards become gold. Only achievements on the Xbox 360 are listed on Waypoint, and as such [[Achievements (Halo 2)|''Halo 2 Vista'']] and Xbox One achievements are not included. [[Achievements (Halo 4)|''Halo 4'' achievements]] and [[Achievements (Halo: Spartan Assault)|''Halo: Spartan Assault'']] were only added to the [[Joint Service, Elite]] award.

The Xbox 360 version of Waypoint allows players to view every ''Halo'' achievement from every ''Halo'' game released on the Xbox 360, as well as the Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 versions of ''Halo: Spartan Assault''. The achievements can be viewed from their own record in the Waypoint Career menu. ''Halo 2 Vista'' and Xbox One achievements are not included.

The web version of Waypoint allows players to view these same achievements, which are instead displayed in their respective service records.

Terminals and other unlockables are recorded under Classified. There are five separate Data Sets: Alpha Halo Archive, Requiem Archive I, Requiem Archive II,  Section 3 Archive, and Draetheus V Archive. These were found though numerous ways, most notably through the [[Section 3 ARG]].

Several [[Avatar (Xbox 360)|avatar awards]]) can be unlocked through the Xbox 360 version of ''Waypoint''. To unlock an Award, the player must complete a specific task in one of the ''Halo'' games and then open ''Halo Waypoint'' on their Xbox 360 while signed in on their Xbox Live profile. There are currently 10 avatar items which vary from a Monitor prop to armor variants such as ODST helmets.<ref>[http://halo.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&cid=23588 '''Bungie.net''': ''Bungie Weekly Update: 10.30.09'']</ref>  

Players can also unlock [[seven]] armor pieces for ''Halo: Reach'' in a similar manner to the avatar awards. These pieces can only be viewed on the Xbox 360 version of Waypoint under the '''Halo: Reach Service Record'''. The following are unlockable in-game content:<ref>[http://www.readyuplive.com/showthread.php/5790-X-10-Canada-Halo-Reach-Impressions'''Ready Up Live''': ''X'10 Canada - Halo: Reach Impressions'']</ref><ref>[http://halo.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&link=BWU_070910 '''Gamestop''': ''Bungie Weekly Update: 07.09.10'']</ref>

*On Xbox 360, Waypoint is considered a game as this was the only option available when it was released (downloadable apps were not introduced until more than 2 years later). The "game" bears an ESRB rating of M for "Blood and Gore", "Language" and "Violence".

===Normal gallery===

File:Waypoint intro 2012.jpg|Waypoint's title screen 2012–present.

File:Waypoint app.jpg|Halo Waypoint mobile app icon for Android and iOS.