User:JackVibe/Sandbox: Difference between revisions

{{Status|Canon}}

{{Center|''Are you looking for the Halo 4 [[Type-3 active camouflage|version]]? For other uses, see [[Camouflage (disambiguation)]].''}}

[[File:HCE Camo Sniper.jpg|thumb|250px|A [[Spartan-II|Spartan]] using active camouflage.]]

{{Quote|One of those [[Sangheili|things]] is inside, and it is ''invisible!''|Cadet [[Thomas Lasky]]{{Ref/Film|H4FUD|Episode=4}}}}

'''Active camouflage''' (often shortened to '''active camo''') refers to a broad range of optical [[camouflage]] technologies that conceal or cloak its user or an object from visual detection by rapidly adapting to its surroundings.{{Ref/Book|Id=enc11|Enc11|Page=355}}{{Ref/Book|Id=h4evg|H4EVG|Page=136}} Although active camouflage originated from the [[Covenant]]—also inherited and adapted by [[Covenant remnants|its remnants]]—similar technology was employed by the [[United Nations Space Command]], with personal ppactive camouflage being directly reverse-engineered from its Covenant counterpart.{{Ref/Reuse|enc11}}

Covenant active camouflage conceals by bending and refracting light around its surface.

[[texture buffer]] and [[photoreactive panel]]

==Personal active camouflage==

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Both the [[United Nations Space Command|UNSC]]<ref name="goo">'''[[Halo: Ghosts of Onyx]]''', ''page 291''</ref> and the [[Covenant]] use various forms of active camouflage technology, though the term is .

Technically, active camouflage is not quite invisibility, though it is very similar. Rather, the There are a variety of ways to do this, though the UNSC uses [[photoreactive panel]]s on its [[Semi-Powered Infiltration armor]] and [[prowler]] stealth ships for optical camouflage, adapting to the object's background to account for movement. Meanwhile, Covenant active camouflage actually ''bends light'' around the camouflaged object,<ref name="h4evg">'''[[Halo 4: The Essential Visual Guide]]''', ''page 136''</ref> a task well within the Covenant's [[Technological Achievement Tiers|tier two technology level]]. The technology can be utilized on human armor systems, such as the [[MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor|MJOLNIR armor]], but the UNSC has only developed rough equivalents.<ref>'''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]'''</ref>

==Covenant active camouflage==

{{Quote|Show yourselves, assassins! The scent of your cloak is faint, but it still fouls the air.|[[Atriox]] smelling active camouflage.<ref name="HP">'''[[Hunting Party]]'''</ref>}}

[[File:HCE Stealth Elite in AC.png|thumb|200px|A camouflaged [[Stealth Sangheili]] aboard ''[[Cairo Station (station)|Cairo Station]]''.]]

Covenant active camouflage technology uses a field of energy to bend light around the user, thus making them effectively invisible. The armor used by [[Special Operations Sangheili|Spec-Ops]] and [[Stealth Sangheili]], as well as that of [[Arbiter]]s, [[Jiralhanae Stalker]]s and even certain [[Sangheili Zealot]]s,<ref name="ReferenceA">'''Halo: Reach''', campaign level ''[[Tip of the Spear]]''</ref> include built-in active camouflage generators. These built-in generators have a severe drawback in that they divert power from shielding equipment. Troops equipped with permanent active camouflage generators tend to have weaker shielding than those not equipped with an active camouflage generator.

Arbiter [[Ripa 'Moramee]] was equipped with an active camouflage generator capable of generating a near-perfect cloaking field indefinitely. Arbiter [[Thel 'Vadam]] was also equipped with an active camouflage generator, but the device was capable only of providing a cloak for a few seconds, and although 'Vadam was equipped with personal shielding, his shields were relatively weak for an individual of such high rank, equivalent to those of a [[Sangheili Minor]].

Aircraft or ships can also be equipped with active camouflage systems, including the {{Pattern|Ru'swum|Phantom}} that has its own active camouflage generators on board for various stealth missions,<ref>'''Halo 3''', campaign level ''[[The Covenant (level)|The Covenant]]''</ref> and the [[Klavbrig Workshop Shroud]] used by the [[Banished]] to cloak the advance of their armies.<ref name="HW2">'''[[Halo Wars 2]]'''</ref> Larger vessels such as [[Covenant supercarrier|supercarriers]], or entire armies, can be effectively hidden from both plain sight and sensors by using external stealth systems such as [[stealth pylon]]s and [[Cloaking Generator]]s.{{Ref/Reuse|ReferenceA}}{{Ref/Reuse|HW2}}

 

 

===Function===

{{Quote|Trust me, because I heard… uhhh… from a friend, that if you have active camouflage on and do a crys, it makes a big sizzle sound and everybody can see me hidin' in the corner.|[[Dimkee Hotay]] shares his bad experience with active camo.<ref name="Alliance">'''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]''', campaign level ''[[Alliance]]''</ref>}}

Covenant active camouflage will easily cloak its user, but its effect does not completely extend to items in the user's possession; [[human]] [[weapons]] are easily cloaked by active camouflage, but Covenant weapons are visible even with active camo, as the light-bending energy cannot mask the glow of the weapons' plasma. In ''Halo: Combat Evolved'', however, plasma glow is hidden quite well by the cloaking equipment.

 

 

The shielding provided by Covenant active camo can be disrupted if projectiles pass through it; such a disruption weakens the invisibility effect and temporarily reveals the wearer. The [[power-up]] can be disrupted if the wearer fires shots or if the wearer is hit. It also progressively worsens: the longer the wearer fires (or is hit), the more visible they become. Once the disruptions end, however, the wearer quickly regains their invisibility.

 

Talcum powder and other atmospheric particles can disrupt the systems, causing the technology to overload and fail.<ref name="firststrike">'''[[Halo: First Strike]]'''</ref> The device also generates a considerable amount of heat, causing its user to be clearly visible on human thermal goggles and some variations of the [[SRS99C-S2 AM sniper rifle]].<ref>'''[[Halo: The Flood]]'''</ref> The humans of [[Alpha Base (Installation 04)|Alpha Base]] on [[Installation 04]] used this advantage when their base was infiltrated by stealth Elites, equipping their [[fireteam]]s with infrared goggles allowing them to easily see the attackers. In addition, [[SPARTAN-II program|SPARTAN-IIs]] [[William-043]] and [[Kelly-087]] employed talcum powder in order to overload the camouflage on [[Reach]] in order to find them.{{Ref/Reuse|firststrike}} [[Atriox]] was able to detect the use of active camouflage through smell.{{Ref/Reuse|HP}} However, it is possible he was just smelling the users themselves rather than the cloaking field, and was calling them out for its use.

 

 

 

==UNSC active camouflage==

[[File:ONIPRO 01.png|thumb|250px|''[[ONI PRO-49776]]'' disengaging its advanced cloaking field, an outlier in UNSC camouflaging technology during the [[Covenant War]].]]

The [[Semi-Powered Infiltration armor]] used by the [[SPARTAN-III program|Spartan-IIIs]] utilizes photo-reactive panels to conceal the wearer's infrared signature and to blend in with the surrounding environment. When combined with their natural talent and training for stealth, it can be a very effective tool. Some [[Headhunters]] used a prototype camouflage almost identical to the Covenant version, rendering them almost invisible, except that it only lasted 3–5 minutes and other systems have their power drained while it recharged. This feature saw very limited use in field tests by [[Orbital Drop Shock Trooper|ODSTs]].<ref>'''[[Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe]]''', ''[[Headhunters]]''</ref>

 

A common human active camouflage device, copied from similar Covenant technology, comes in the form of a "plug" which attaches to a socket located on the lower back of compatible armor. The non-integral nature of the device allows it to be added or removed at will for improved operational flexibility. The device provides a conditionally effective cloak; as long as the user remains still or moves slowly, the camouflage will be highly efficient, providing near-total invisibility for minimal energy loss. However, if the user moves more quickly, the camouflage will only provide rudimentary coverage and drain its energy very rapidly. Firing a weapon will also disrupt the camouflage and reveal the user. Furthermore, external sounds will be highly muffled to the user while this camouflage is in use, and if the user is equipped with motion tracking equipment, the detection capability of the motion tracker will be severely compromised, jamming the display with "ghost" targets.<ref>'''[[Halo: Reach]]'''</ref>

 

Much like the SPI armor, UNSC [[prowler]]s use [[texture buffer]]s or "active camouflage skin" in conjunction with [[stealth ablative coating]]s to conceal themselves from view in addition to masking their heat and radar signatures.{{Ref/Reuse|goo}} This camouflage is not perfect, however, and cannot keep up with a constantly changing background such as a gas giant's atmosphere.<ref>'''Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe''', "The Impossible Life and the Possible Death of Preston J. Cole", ''page 477''</ref> However, more advanced stealth ships were developed, such as ''[[ONI PRO-49776]]'' using a form of cloak "bubble" similar to the light-bending energy fields used by the Covenant. This technology has not been observed in widespread use.<ref>'''[[Halo Legends]]''', ''[[The Package (animated short)|The Package]]''</ref>

 

The [[MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor (GEN2)|MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor [GEN2]]] system is capable of incorporating Covenant [[Type-3 active camouflage|T-3 Refraction Dissonance Modifier/Camouflage]] modules for stealth.<ref name="Waypoint">[http://www.halowaypoint.com/en-US/Halo4Guide '''Halo Waypoint:''' ''Halo 4 Interactive Guide'']</ref>

 

{{Cleanup|Section}}

If the active camo is active during [[Campaign]], the player is completely invisible to the AI enemies unless they fire their weapon. Active camouflage is only usable in Campaign when playing as the [[Thel 'Vadam|Arbiter]] in ''[[Halo 2]]'', or if the player obtains the [[Halo 2 skulls#Envy|Envy Skull]] and restarts Campaign (active camo replaces Master Chief's flashlight). In ''[[Halo 3]]'', rather than Active Camouflage, the slightly different [[Cloaking]] is available. It is also available as a powerup in five levels during ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]'': [[The Truth and Reconciliation]], [[Silent Cartographer]], [[343 Guilty Spark (level)|343 Guilty Spark]], [[Keyes]], and [[Assault on the Control Room]].

 

An interesting fact about Active Camouflage is that although the player can see the [[Type-1 energy sword]]-wielding Active Camo Elites in ''Halo: Combat Evolved'' (due to the sword), the [[UNSC Marine Corps|Marines]] cannot see them; this is likely because the developers did not realize that the energy sword showed through the Active Camo, leading them to code the Marines' AI to be oblivious to it. This advantage is removed in ''Halo 2''—the Elites now wait, only activating their swords when they're about to kill the player.

 

===''Halo 2''===

In ''Halo 2'', it is noted that the Arbiter's armor, while possessing a built-in active camouflage generator, is not permanent, unlike the more modern generators used by Special Operations Elites. There is a circle on the player's HUD that shows the amount of time left (unfortunately, not shown numerically) for both the usage of the active camouflage and the recharging sequence. The Master Chief can gain this ability with the Envy Skull on Legendary only; however, his screen will lack the meter, forcing you to remember the time allowed for use.

 

When playing as the Arbiter, using any attack will cause the active camouflage to deactivate, and the player must wait for it to recharge before using it again.<ref>'''[[Halo 2]]'''</ref>

 

{{Main|Cloaking}}

In ''Halo 3'', the Active Camo is no longer contained inside a pyramid construct. Instead it appears as a large, glowing sphere with what appears to be containment devices around it, enclosing the powerup in ''[[Halo 3]]'' [[multiplayer]]; but unlike past Halo games, active camo is ''not'' found in campaign. In campaign, Active Camouflage is replaced by the [[Cloaking]] [[equipment]], which functions in the same way as active camouflage once did. Melee attacks, shooting, throwing grenades and using equipment will negate the effect of the power-up. Also, wearing the [[Armor customization (Halo 3)#Spartan Armor Permutations|Flaming Helmet]] is an obvious give-away to the opponent because the fire is still visible.

 

The quality of camouflage in custom games may be set to two different settings:<ref>[http://www.gametrailers.com/player/20131.html '''Game Trailers''': ''Custom Games Glitch Gameplay'']</ref>

*'''Good Camo''': The player has camouflage that will fool an attentive [[Sangheili|Elite]].

 

===''Halo: Reach''===

The Active Camo in ''[[Halo: Reach]]'' has undergone many major changes. It is now available as an [[Armor abilities|Armor Ability]] to both Spartan and Elite players. As a secondary effect, when used, it acts as a Radar Jammer, scrambling the radar of the user and all enemies within 25 meters, making the user harder for enemies to detect on their motion trackers. This function can be both beneficial and detrimental to the player; on the one hand, it can make enemies easier to ambush, however, it also informs the enemy team that someone is using Camo nearby. This can backfire on the player by making the enemy team more perceptive to possible ambushes. The Active Camo also greatly reduces the volume of all sounds for its user, making it more difficult to notice a grenade being thrown or a nearby enemy firing a weapon.

 

The freedom for the player to control when they activate their camouflage makes it much more effective, as it allows for use in the most opportune situations, instead of restricting the player to activate it on pickup. However, the reduced hearing and radar jamming effects require the player to be more aware of his surroundings than usual,<ref>[http://halo.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&cid=26366 '''Bungie.net''': ''Halo: Reach Beta Survival Guide '']</ref> and must also take care not to move too fast.

 

 

===''Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary''===

Active camouflage now makes the user extremely hard to spot due to the enhanced graphics. Distortion also covers more the exact shape of the user, unlike previous iterations.

 

===''Halo 4''===

The '''[[Type-3 active camouflage|Type-3 Refraction Dissonance Modifier/Camouflage]]''' bends light around a structure, hiding it via advanced pattern realignment. It is similar to the version in ''Halo: Reach'', however the jammer no longer makes false hostile contacts appear on the motion sensor, rather it makes neutral contacts appear and in a much tighter grouping than before, therefore not only preventing the user from using it to trick enemies, but possibly giving away their location. Despite this, it still is an effective tool for hiding outside of cover and ambushing enemies.

 

 

Shrouds are able to cloak themselves and other units. [[Let 'Volir]] is able to cloak units with leader abilities.

 

Active Camouflage is activated via an animation similarly to ''Halo 5: Guardians'', although it can now be used at will. If the player is killed before they can use it, or while in the process of activating it, they will drop the powerup which can now be picked up by another player. Active camouflage in ''Halo Infinite'' behaves like a hybrid of the active camouflage seen in the original trilogy, and the active camo seen in all the games since ''Halo: Reach''. If the player is simply moving and strafing, the camouflage remains consistent, but if they sprint or fire their weapon, the camo fades out. {{Ref/YouTube|Id=mpoverview|n-O7OuliQRY|HALO|Halo Infinite <nowiki>|</nowiki> Multiplayer Overview|D=4|M=7|Y=2021}}

 

===Silver Timeline===

==Trivia==

 

==Gallery==

File:HINF-CamoOrko.png|[[Okro 'Vagaduun]] using active camo in ''Halo Infinite''.

File:HTV-Contact-ActiveCamomodule.jpg|A Sangheili with an active camo module in ''[[Halo: The Television Series]]''.

*''[[Halo 3]]''

*''[[Halo: Official Spartan Field Manual]]'' {{Mo}}

{{Navbox/Pickups/Gameplay}}

[[Category:Camouflage]]

[[Category:Armor abilities]]