Section III ARG
From Halopedia, the Halo wiki
The Section 3 ARG was an alternate reality game done by 343 Industries. The ARG was a campaign that spread out through Halo 4 and Halo: Spartan Assault. It was a forum-based campaign that also spread into chat groups, trailers, and even in Halo 4.[1]
Campaign Summary
The campaign started on October 12th 2012, with a symbol appearing in the Making Halo 4: Infinity Multiplayer trailer. [2]
The campaign lasted for two years, giving fans a look into the Office of Naval Intelligence's Section Three and also insight into the experiments they did. Users found glyphs that led to codes being discovered for use on Halo Waypoint (now only on the Xbox 360). While the users found codes, an AI that was originally meant to help them turned against them, giving the puzzles for the ARG.
The campaign ended on November 11th 2014 after Sec3OP36516, the main handler at the time, stopped posting after having a mini-forum game with the players.[3]
Story Overview
Prologue
In 2552, during the Battle of Reach, a Spartan team was sent to acquire and protect data relating to improving MJOLNIR armor. The team was declaired MIA. Though before that they sent the data to a remote archival station.[4]
Year 1(2012)
In 2557, the data that was encoded in several transmissions was detected by Section Three personnel. These transmissions were protected by sets of codes, composed of Forerunner Glyph Sequences. Section 3 sent two leaders to help out the users, "Sec3OP36516" and a AI called "hydrAi". This was the origins of what became "Section 3 TOTS" a subsection of Section 3. During the early days of the code cracking, hydrAi became hacked by something called FAI5E, this caused it to glitch out.
Year 2(2013)
In 2558, Section 3 personnel were also enlisted to help decode large sets of data relating to new designs for Spartan Armor which was RAIDER-class Mjolnir. During the obtaining and decoding of the data, HydrAi and other character fought to hide or reveal the details.
Year 3(2014)
At the end Section 3 Operatives were successful and the data was recovered. Therefore enhancing the armor. This data also helped enhance War Games Simulations.
Items of note
Characters
- Sec3OP36516: Section 3 "TOTS" Commander.
- Sec3O1024350: Rouge operative, who assisted in creation of FA15E.
- Sec0OP4243: Section 0 operative that handles internal affairs.
- ViolentORKid: Section 3 Operative who was captured and rescued.
- hydrAi: An AI brought to help the players in the ARG, who eventually went Rogue.
- radialsim: A branch of HydrAi.
- AquAia: Remnant fragment of Rogue-HydrAi.
- TetraRai: Another AI brought to help the players.
Misc
- Section 3 TOTS: Section 3 TOTS is a subsection of Section 3 dedicated with the recovery, analyzing, and decoding, of data that Section 3 is stuck with. Its Commander is Sec3OP36516.
- Yanumas: Yanumas is a holiday celebrated on December 15th with the first one celebrated in 2557. It is often referenced by the cast of characters in the ARG.[5]
- AC-54: The Hull classification symbol of a frigate used by ViolentORKid returning from a "bad" date on December 15th 2557.[5]
Post-game
Unofficially some of the handlers came back after they left 343i, this led to some of the players opening some of the cookies that was missed during original run of the ARG.[6]
Sources
- ^ Halo Waypoint Forums - CLASSIFIED - HYDRAI THREAD - GLYPH CODES
- ^ Youtube Making Halo 4: Infinity Multiplayer
- ^ Halo Waypoint Forums - SECOND CHANCE SPARTAN LOVE - FINAL CODE
- ^ Halo Waypoint: DECRYPTING SECTION 3 (UPDATED 11.15) Page 41
- ^ a b Section 3 Old Chat Record Page 99
- ^ Halo Waypoint Forums - DCD6D5DGEBDAEDEED3DAEDD6EBEIBJEDD6EJDIDC
External links
Link to a lot of available sources
