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Halo Series- Level Analysis
DarkReign2021- Admin
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DarkReign2021- Admin
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DarkReign2021- Admin
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DarkReign2021- Admin
- Posts : 398
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Halo: Combat Evolved- The Silent Cartographer
{H1L4}
Here at Halo Source, we like to know what's going on in the Halo Universe. We want to know what makes the series tick, what our fans like, and what could've been done different to improve an otherwise amazing series. With us today are our two favorite Editors, Devil Mingy and DarkReign. These two poor fools... ehem, I mean dedicated souls have devoted the last 10 years of their lives to studying, analyzing, and researching that which make Halo tick, which puts them on a qualification just beneath that of the developers themselves. They've promised us time out of their busy schedules to walk us through their findings, theories, and ramblings on each and every level throughout the six Halo games graciously crafted by Bungie and Ensemble over the last decade.
This week we present to you a level considered by many to be one of the greatest in the series. It was made famous even during the early stages of the game's development by being featured in all of Bungie's early Tech Demoes and managed to stay loveable enough to remain in the game all the way up to it's eventual release on Microsoft's Xbox Console on November 25th, 2001. We are proud to present to you "Level 4- The Silent Cartographer":
[HaloSource:] What were the encounters like in this level? What kind of play-style should gamers take when approaching this level?
[DarkReign:] Silent Cartographer is a very blunt and 'In your face' level when it comes to the enemy encounters. It's one of only 2 levels in the FPS series that starts you off taking enemy fire and, compared to the 4 worthless sentinels on Two Betrayals, this fight will actually make you work for your paycheck... Speaking of which, I wonder if the Chief even has a salary since he was kidnapped... Anyway, you'll get to tackle a bunch of grunts, 3 or 4 elites, and a few jackals. On legendary even with your squad of marines you'll have a tough time of this first moment.
The rest of the game is best divided by into 2 parts, the indoor sections and the outdoors sections. It's the indoors moments that consume the majority of the level and these are tightly packed with more bad guys than a Mosque on Ramadan. To make matters worse, they didn't make these encounters any simpler than the beginning of the level. Throughout the level you will encounter 3 pairs of hunters, multiple elites including, for you people that have ever played a Halo game without a number in the title, the once-dreaded Gold Sword Elite.
The outdoors section, though, is a different cup of tea. You're given a small, lush island that, if you choose, can drive or even walk the circumference of within a reasonable amount of time. For those of you that don't feel like walking(and let's face it, Who does?), there will be 3 warthogs available by the half-way point in this level and you can easily reach all of them and load them up with the marines that remained at your LZ, making these parts much simpler. Enemy distribution is also really sparse, so you shouldn't have much trouble with these parts at all. At least, I would hope so. Remember, the right trigger makes you gun go bang.
[Devil Mingy:] Like what DarkReign said, this level wastes no time in getting you into the action. A beach assault in a first-person shooter is always guaranteed to spark romantic parallels to the D-Day invasions on the beaches of France. The music, the kinetic and frantic part of the Halo theme, fuels the scene as plasma projectiles and bullets begin to fill the air. When the last shot is fired and the Marine proudly proclaims "Area secure!", Echo 419 drops off a special delivery: our friendly Warthog.
I can't think of a better way to say this: The Warthog is king. Covenant infantry doesn't stand a chance. Elites can't throw grenades or board the vehicle; Jackals can't stun it with an overcharge plasma pistol shot. The only threats to your titan on wheels are Grunts and Hunters, neither of which are threatening. This affects pretty much all of the encounters where the Warthog is allowed, especially since Halo's vehicle mechanics only require you to touch the enemy to splatter them. Should any of your marine passengers happen to perish, you can return to the beach and pick more up (as long as they survived the beach assault).
In the later part of the level, the Warthog must be abandoned to travel deep into the ancient structure. Even in the claustrophobic underground, choice still plays a vital role in the encounter. The opportunities for stealth not only allow the player to even the odds against overwhelming Covenant defenses, but even skip encounters if they wish. For a group that is within reach of a map of their holy relic, none of them seem too interested.
In contrast to the rest of the level, the level kicks off into a full escape run once the Chief has found the Cartographer. The appropriately titled "Rock Anthem For Saving the World" kicks on as the player runs back through the level against Covenant forces. It's an adrenaline-pumping ending to an excellent level.
"That's not a duck. It's a... PELICAN!"
[HS:] What's the sandbox on this level like. What weapons and vehicles are you given to play around with? What about the enemy?
[DM:] The level starts you with the usual human weapons, the M6D pistol and the MA5B Assault Rifle, and the usual Covenant weapons can be found from the enemies: Plasma Pistol, Plasma Rifle, and Needler. Half-way through the level, Cortana informs you of a downed Pelican with a Rocket Launcher to be used against Hunters (Gee, thanks Cortana. I'm totally going to waste my rockets on the least threatening enemy in the game). This is the Rocket Launcher's debut in the single player, and it's a wasted debut with no vehicles to blow away. Sure, you can follow the game's advice and use them against Hunters, but you might as well blow up some Grunts if you're really intent on wasting rockets.
The level features all of the main Covenant infantry units that you'll face in the game, including an Elite Zealot with an Energy Sword, Stealth Elites setting up ambushes, and a few pairs of Hunters. One of the complaints that I have with this level is that it lacks enemy variety. It doesn't introduce anything that we haven't fought before. Up until this level, the game had done a great job of pacing its enemies, progressively introducing us to more of the Covenant's arsenal. However, this level seems to take a break so we are introduced to two Covenant vehicles in the next level. The primary Ghost encounter in Assault on the Control Room suffers from this because the Wraith is a more threatening adversary. The Ghost never really got the introduction it deserved.
[DR:] Devil Mingy pretty much summed up everything to say. You have the pistol, the plasma pistol, blah, blah, blah. Only thing he doesn't mention is you have both kinds of grenades (duh) and the plasma sword makes an appearance in this level, though you unfortunately cannot wield it without mods. The sniper rifle that was present in the last 2 levels is absent, but is instead replaced by the newly-introduced Rocket Launcher, which to a beginner would be a dream come true after having that run-in with the Hunters just moments before; For more knowledgeable Halo gamers, however, the rocket launcher really wasn't beneficial for anything outside of 'hog launching and a handful of glitches, which I guess justifies it's being in this level somewhat.
The enemies of this level are in full force. All 4 covenant species, Elites, Grunts, Jackals, and Hunters are present and appear in all currently-existing ranks (except for the Spec-Ops Grunts and elites, whom are absent until Two Betrayals and Keyes.) The grunts and jackals have no special tricks up their sleeve, but the Elites will throw a large variety of units at you, including 7+ camouflaged units as well as one of their Sword-packing commanders.
Vehicles are limited in variety this time around, regrettably. There are 2 pelicans (one of which is shot down at the half-way point in the level), 3 warthogs, and 2 Spirit Dropships. Nothing special to be said about this bunch except, for such an open level, it's disappointing not to see more vehicular activity running around. It would've been a great playground to see this in action.
[HS:] Did this level play into the game's plot well? What purpose did it ultimately serve?
[DR:] The way I see it, the first level took you back 5 spaces and the last two have been catching you up to where you left off. Level 4 finally moves you forward a few spaces. Rather than rescuing this squad or saving those people, you're now moving forward in a race to try and seize control of this ring world that you've recently discovered is a super weapon. To do this you need to access the control room, but to do that you have to know where it is. While it seems a bit strange that Cortana knows where the map room on a distant little island in the middle of nothing is and not the control room itself, this level served as a good foothold to throw in some radio chatter that clues you in to what the other survivors are doing elsewhere on the ring. Design-wise everything was where it needed to be, so it wasn't just a level that was tacked on overnight to inflate the length of the game.
[DM:] The Silent Cartographer represents a meaningful turning point in Halo's storyline. The game essentially begins its second act. With Captain Keyes and the marines safe, this level begins the effective (albeit short-lived) resistance movement against the Covenant. To fit this change of tone, the Chief and Cortana stop wandering around the mysterious ringworld and decide to get a sense of direction. Thus, the Silent Cartographer, a map for Halo, is needed. When the level is done, the Chief climbs into a Pelican and we're off to lead an assault on the control room. Interestingly, Bungie did intend to have another level to serve as a transition between Silent Cartographer and Assault on the Control Room. However, it (along with about five to ten other levels) was cut to save time. I am normally disappointed when entire levels are lost from a game, but I think losing this particular level was for the best. Even if it was a fun level, I can't see how having a level dedicated to getting to where we need to walk to the control room would've been necessary. I'll talk more about how I feel about this when we get to Halo 3's story.
"The first rule about fightclub is we do not, uh... bring energy shields to fightclub..."
[HS:] How about the overall series? After nearly 10 years on the market, would you say the importance of the level withstood the test of time?
[DM:] The Silent Cartographer served as a good plot device, which is apparent since Bungie went back to a similar level for Halo 3's 'The Ark' level. As with the narrative of Halo: Combat Evolved, finding a map allows the Chief to get a sense of where he is and where he needs to go. However, the Silent Cartographer contains no real plot revelations, and it is sandwiched between two levels that do. Needless to say, this is a level that is remembered much more for its gameplay than its purpose to the storyline.
[DR:] As I stated in my response to the last question, I thought being able to find the Cartographer and not just find the control room directly seemed kind of unnecessary, but as long as there's some good back story to be told and it's a fun level to play, I'm not going to complain. The level is one of the most famous in the series and it even warranted a successor with "The Ark" in Halo 3, where you are, again, attempting to locate the control room by means of a cartographer. The aesthetics remained similar in the two levels, which goes to support the old saying "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."
[HS:] What was the level design like? Were the layouts unique or repetitive? Was it easy to get turned around?
[DR:] Outdoors, getting lost is impossible unless you're some curious new breed of super-idiot. The island goes in one big circle, so unless you drive 10 minutes into the ocean and spin in circles for 30 seconds so you don't know what way you're facing, you can always find the way you need to be going by going one direction or another. The island easily divides into 6 outdoor areas. You have the Landing Zone on the beach and the Enemy scout camp(which is an open area with just a few grunts and jackals and one elite. After that you have the primary building, which is a large building with an overhanging platform and a ton of enemies spread out on it. Next you have the Interior access point, which has a ramp and a bunch of trees with a bunch of jackals (Nearby there's also a bloody mess of marine corpses, weapons, and an overturned warthog. I wouldn't want to meet the covenant that managed to do that.) Moving on you have the Pelican Crash site, which will feature a long cliff in the middle of the pathway and will later have the crashed pelican surrounded by weapons that broke out during the 'landing'. The last area is the Island center, which is two small areas that will lead to a building hanging out above the pelican crash site.
The indoor segments can be a bit more confusing (I wish the super-idiots good luck on this one.) If you're not careful, the winding hallways can have you walking into dead ends and proceeding in the wrong direction. Most of the rooms usually have at least 2 paths to take as well, so you can diversify your approach, but also go in circles and wonder why everything is like the background of an old cartoon. The rooms are nearly symetrical down the middle, but Various landmarks like ramps and the color of a room can help clue you in to your location, so pay attention to your surrounds while you're down there.
[DM:] DarkReign hit it right on the head, though I think calling people super-idiots was a bit uncalled for. As soon as the beach assault is over, the entire island is accessible. That is not to say that this is a nonlinear level. The game still gives you plenty to do (and a circle is still technically linear); However, the player is given a large amount of freedom on how they want to get to the objective. If you happen to go through the trouble of setting up the grenade jump, the top of the island can even be explored. The first part of the level is pretty easy to follow and it's difficult to get lost as long as you can find your way to the shore. The interior structures do look alike, but it's easy to navigate because you're either trying to go straight down or straight up.
Warning: Super-idiots must be under parental supervision at all times.
[HS:] What was the environement like and how did it affect the gameplay or plot?
[DM:]Most people seem to have forgotten this, but The Silent Cartographer was a tech demo for Halo at E3 2001, and the environment's aesthetics is one of the reason. The level really shows what Halo and the Xbox can do. The scenery is memorable and varied, from the beach to the Cartographer map room. This is also one of the last levels where Halo's beauty can be appreciated. From here, it gets colder and darker.
[DR:] This is the only level in Halo 1 that doesn't feature either endlessly high walls or really deep cliff-edges, both of which seem kind of impossible when you look at Halo from Space and realize the surface is flat. Instead you're presented with an ocean that you could actually get out and drive around in, though for what purpose I couldn't imagine. On top of that, though, you have a gorgeous sky-box with Halo and the nearby planet, Basis, visible in the background. The level itself shows off more of the beautiful outdoor scenery that you saw in level 2, but the indoor areas present an even more intricate and creative vision of the forerunner architecture than the tunnels. Various lighting effects and holographic displays show off the amount of attention that was put into crafting these structures to feel truely alien. Like Devil Mingy mentioned, this is your last pretty level in the game. The next level is icy and cold and the rest of the levels are suffering from flooding that makes the 2004 Katrina incident seem like a puddle.
[HS:] Halo is infamous for it's glitches and Easter Eggs. Were there any that made their home on this level?
[DR:] I won't get into any specifics, but this level has a number of simple glitches and tricks to mess around with and I always use at least a handful of them each time I play. Getting outside of the level by several different means, the sniper tree that serves little purpose except to kill a few jackals from a higher-up perspective, chasm jumping to get to the bottom of the deep tunnel in the security room (which also serves no purpose since you can't get out without reverting), and even jumping to the floor with the map in the main building (which spawns the new enemies on top of the old ones you skipped and doubles the challenge getting out.) It was a level that really allowed for some extensive experimentation. You could change the entire approach of a level with just the slightest little trick.
[DM:] Since DarkReign was kind enough not to leave me any glitches, I'll just talk about a fun manipulation of a cutscene. One of the most memorable things for me is when you bring a warthog full of marines to the locked door in the Cartographer building. When you unlock the doors and trigger the cutscene, the Gold Sword elite will be shot at by the marines wile he stares menacingly. If you have enough marines there, they will be able to kill the Elite Zealot in the cutscene. It's a shame that he comes back to life and slaughters your marines when you're not looking, though.
In the covenant, not bathing means you get to meet the Chief first.
[HS:] What's one of your personal favorite activites to do to kill some time on this level?
[DM:] One of the best things about Halo is that certain levels give you the opportunity to choose your encounters. On SC, with enough speed it is possible to enter a door before the Covenant lock it, effectively skipping half the level. It's debatable whether or not this was intentional (due to the scripted dialogue, I'm thinking it wasn't), but the freedom of choice only adds to this level's oft-exaggerated reputation of non-linearity.
[DR:] I doubt Bungie wanted you to skip that part or they would've made it a little simple to do, don't you think? Anyway, to be honest, my favorite thing to do in this level actually has nothing to do with playing the level itself. A few years back I discovered that, on co-op, getting two warthogs to collide would cause one to fly into the air and do neat flips and tricks. Now whenever I have a buddy around that's bored and once something to do, I always get a game going on here and we just collide into each other and see what insane places we can get stuck. We've even managed to get 2 of the 3 warthogs on top of the level this way and had even more fun racing around on top. You can do this on any level with 2 warthogs, including multiplayer maps, but the different locations on this level make have the fun.
[HS:] If there was one scene in this level that you could remove, what would it be?
[DR:] My least favorite part is right after activating the security console. When you get back to the main room, which is really dark, you're immediately ambushed by a handful of Camo elites. The number of elites that appears changes with difficulty and I can never remember how many are supposed to be in there when. So I'll kill a few after struggling to see them in the dark and losing half my health, than when I think it's safe to leave that one that decided not to fire the whole time just comes out of nowhere and destroys me.
It's one thing when the AI knows it's invisible and should make a stealthy approach, but I know that's not the case and I end up getting screwed by a stupid AI fluke.
[DM:] While the ending run is a good adrenaline rush, it is also a gauntlet on the harder difficulties. While it definitely doesn't break the level, it really clashes with the rest of the level.
[HS:] If you'd created this level, what's the number one thing you would've done differently in it's design?
[DM:]I find my least favorite part of most levels in the Halo series is that Bungie unveiled better incarnations than what we were able to play. The level's original design as a sandbox is still somewhat prevalent. The E3 2001 build of Silent Cartographer, Blaspheme Quarantine, contained Banshees and Ghosts. Even earlier builds were supposed to contain Covenant Engineers, which would have added plenty of character even if they just stood around (though providing shields to enemies around would've been wonderful) While it's understandable why the Banshee was at least not pilotable, a Ghost or Engineer encounter would've added some variety to the encounters.
[DR:] Devil Mingy stole mine
My least favorite aspect of this level is the realization that there are no enemy vehicles at all. It's disappointing considering you're going to find the location of the control room that activates this Holy artifact the covenant have searched for for generations. You'd think they'd be doing a lot more to keep you from finding it and causing them even more hell. (If you ask me the covenant aren't putting their all into this war anway. Probably realized that having no Prophets around means work labor output can be dropped a bit.) I thought the outdoors sections of the level could've been a little more expansive and they could've tossed in a buttload of enemy banshees and ghosts to play with. Hunters were supposed to be the challenge of this level since there were 6 of them, but as we all know, they were kind of the running joke of the covenant back in those days. Baby Hunters were nothing compared to the adult Hunters in the later games (especially Halo 2. I still get nervous when I know I'll be fighting them soon 0_0
Fun Fact: The Gold Sword Elite was originally supposed to be a Prophet, but was changed before release. The Prophets made no appearance in the series until Halo 2.
There you have it folks. Although the Silent Cartographer isn't without it's faults, it defintely has reason to shine the brighest of all the levels in the series for it's sandbox approach, which was like an early version of what H3: ODST attempted when it came out) The level certainly has some history behind it, what with it being the star level in the majority of the Halo footage prior to it's wildly successful launch.
Next time, we'll take a look at the inner workings of our next surprise level, so stick with us as we work to bring you closer to our complete coverage of the Halo Universe.
Last edited by DarkReign2021 on Tue Oct 12, 2010 9:29 pm; edited 3 times in total
DarkReign2021- Admin
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DarkReign2021- Admin
- Posts : 398
Join date : 2010-08-11
Age : 34
Location : Indiana
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DarkReign2021- Admin
- Posts : 398
Join date : 2010-08-11
Age : 34
Location : Indiana
Halo: Combat Evolved- The Library
{H1L7}
Last time we were together we covered an in-depth analysis on the Silent Cartographer. We learned about the history of the level and the hell it went through to get to the beautiful island we all know and love. This week we're departing from the warm sandy beaches as we venture into a cold and lonely tower that holds no mercy. You have no friends here and there won't be any time to rest. This week we bring you 'The Library.' Leave your library cards at home kids. They won't be needed where we're going.
[HaloSource:] What's the Library like? What kind of encounters should readers expect from this notoriously loathed level?
[DarkReign:]There is no love in this level. You don't get to breathe and you sure as hell don't get to take a break. From the beginning to the end, there will be something trying to kill you. Flood after flood after flood after flood. This is the only level in the game that does not have covenant troops in it and that is almost a saving grace for the hell you're about to be put through. Almost.
In your hunt for the Index you will encounter multiple floors that all look the same with every variety of flood and every type of weapon you can imagine. Shotguns, assault rifles, and Rocket Launchers galore. I think the only thing they don't use are grenades and sniper rifles. And they don't stop. Hide in a corner and you will be engulfed. Take a wrong turn and they will surround you. Only way you're going to escape is going back the way you came, but don't expect the Flood not to follow you. I assure you; If they see you, they will come after you.
[Devil Mingy:]This level takes Halo's “30 seconds of fun” mantra to its absolute limit. This level consists of nothing but wave after wave of Flood spawning from crevices, hatches in the walls, and random doorways. Occasionally, Guilty Spark will require the Chief to survive a gauntlet while he unlocks a door. The level then proceeds to replay these skirmishes over and over. Overall, the level is lacking in variety. There are four forms of Flood in Halo 1, all of which were encountered in the previous level. Sometimes, Sentinels will provide assistance. However, don't expect too much help; the Sentinel Beam is ridiculously underpowered.
That being said, this level can be an adrenaline rush. The gameplay is a departure from the previous levels and hearkens back to older shooters that focused on numerous yet simple minded enemies. This level on Legendary, rather than focusing on tactics and weapon choice, is geared more toward recognizing enemy spawn points and making sure that they don't overwhelm you.
[HS:] What kind of enemies and weapons are we going to encounter on The Library. Any surprises to look out for?
[DM:]The Library is a Flood exclusive level with no vehicles. It's no big wonder why this level is considered the nadir of Halo's campaign. With the exception of the Sniper Rifle (which is useless against Halo 1 Flood Combat Forms), every weapon in the game is in this level. However, you'll rarely want to stray away from the Shotgun and either the Pistol or Rocket Launcher.
Curiously, the Flamethrower was originally intended to be in this level, presumably as another anti-Flood weapon. However, given its state in Halo PC's multiplayer and Halo 3, I question exactly how useful Bungie intended it to be.
[DR:]A flamethrower in the Library is a death wish to any player no matter how good or bad. You don't want to catch 20 enemies on fire when they all want to get in your face and use their whips up close and personal. You're just bound to get burned pulling a stunt like that.
As Devil said though, this level pulled all the stops on weaponry. Every useable weapon in the game except for the Sniper Rifle comes into play. It's a good thing the sniper was left out as well since the Flood aren't affected by it for some reason. Would've been more of a sick joke on Bungie's behalf if it had been included.
"And a one, and a two, and a thr...
[HS:] Did The Library play into the game's plot well? What purpose did it ultimately serve?
[DR:]This level had a purpose? If it did I sure missed it. A glowing blue ball rambles about upgrading armor and tells you to stop being human if you shoot at it. Otherwise you're getting a key that the Forerunner ignorantly left nowhere near the Control Room and also put in the middle of a swamp that would obviously be a haven for the Flood to flourish. I'm starting to wonder if the Forerunner hunted the Flood for sport while they were trying to activate the installation.
[DM:]Like the Silent Cartographer, this level has the unfortunate pleasure of being sandwiched between two levels with large plot significance. Bungie had originally intended this level to provide a lot of insight into the Forerunner and the rings as a whole. However, this idea never made it into the game, beyond the ramblings of 343 Guilty Spark that the average player wouldn't hear over the carnage.
[HS:] How about the overall series? After nearly 10 years on the market, would you say the importance of this level withstood the test of time?
[DM:]Serving as the lull between the discovery of the Flood and the discovery of Halo's true purpose, this level is a footnote in the overall Halo story.
[DR:]In the effect of the overall series, this level had 2 lasting effects. Firstly, the existence of the Index played an important role by first making players seek an index on Delta Halo in Halo 2, although the levels were entirely more enjoyable than this one, and secondly the original Index returned in Halo 3 as it was used to activate the rebuilt version of the ring you destroyed.
The second effect it had was a brief nod to the architecture at the end of Halo 2's Quarantine Zone. After completing the Gondola segment, you arrive in a room that looks like it was ripped directly from The Library with the exception of the power not functioning. It was a mean joke on Bungie's part because they know how much people hated this level. Nobody wanted to do it again.
Otherwise, this level will be forever remember as the flaw that crippled Halo more than any other.
"You just went through an hour of tedious hell. Why? To get the glowing green stick that destroys the universe!"
[HS:] While we're on the subject, what was the architecture of this level like?
[DR:]Dark... well, Blue to be more accurate. Nothing but dark blue walls and bright blue panels to give off some light.On top of that, it all looked the same. Seriously. Go play the first floor and come back when you're done? I'll wait...
Did you do it? Good. Now go repeat it 3 more times and you've beaten the level. There was very little variety in the path you took and the only time anything really changed it meant you were probably going in the wrong direction.
[DM:]The Library is a nightmare to navigate. It's a good thing that 343 Guilty Spark leads the way most of the time. As Dark Reign said, most of the level is copied and pasted from floor to floor with few landmarks to give you a sense of direction.
[HS:] What was the environement like and how did it affect the gameplay or plot?
[DM:]
The original concept of the Library was an ornate Forerunner environment with decent lighting. However, the Library that shipped with the game is drab, dark, and lacking anything ornate. While the overall look of the level is nice and symmetrical, this only belies the fact that it's all too easy to get lost.
[DR:]It was a monocolor DOOM level with pretty graphics. If what Devil says is true, than they really bit the bullet on this levels final concept. They tried to make this level more omininous and scary, but the only thing they achieved was giving players a headache.
"See this? Good. Welcome to the rest of the level.
[HS:] What kind of glitches or exploits were on this level?
[DR:]Off the top of my head, I can't really think of any glitches. If you know how to crouch jump, there were columns around the Elevator shaft that you could jump over to reach rooms that you couldn't normally access. Going all the way around would also allow you to skip a lot of fighting and conserve your ammo, which is always good since Shotgun ammo is usually limited.
[DM:]While probably not considered an easter egg, listening to Guilty Spark reveals a lot about the Forerunner in between his self-praises and humming. It's really the best insight that we're given into the Forerunner until Eric Nylund published 'Ghosts of Onyx.'
[HS:] What's one of your personal favorite activites to do to kill some time on this level?
[DM:]While I feel that the level is too long for what it is, I have a lot of fun with this level overall. It brings back good memories of DOOM.
[DR:]Despite all of the negative things I've said about this level so far, this is actually one of my favorite levels in the series for when I just want to create carnage. Give me a shotgun, rockets, and some greande and I'll go this level solo on Legendary. I've played it enough to where it's not even a challenge anymore, but it's still fun sport for those that don't want to pick up a gun and go hunting in real life. You've got plenty of things to kill here and some of them you even get to kill twice.
"Master Chief- He needs to stop being Human."
[HS:] If there was one scene in this level that you could remove, what would it be?
[DR:]Hmm... I can't really pick one, now can I? Any scene I mention would mean it's 2 or 3 clone moments would have to be removed at all, so technically your question is trying to divide by 0 and destroy the universe. Shame on you. If I had to pick though, the Elevator lift scenes. As much as I appreciate the break, riding an elevator large enough to contain the entire Earth's population for 3 minutes is time I could be putting toward killing more Flood and ending this level.
[DM:]Around the section "But I Don't Want to Ride the Elevator", the adrenaline rush wears off and I begin to wonder when the level is going to end. It becomes less of an old school shooter and more of an endurance challenge.
[HS:] If you'd created this level, what's the number one thing you would've done differently in it's design?
[DM:]Once again, this level represents a lot of Halo's lost potential. With more light and less repetitive environments, the level might have been better received. However, the Flood simply lack variety to be as fun to fight as the Covenant, a problem that will also plague later Flood-exclusive levels in the trilogy.
[DR:]More light!... ooh, no! More Variety! Wait... maybe adding the Covenant in to get some more variety and chaos going. Yeah! I love 3-ways. This level could've used a 3-way war beyond those wimpy Sentinels.
"Fun Fact: There was a flamethrower on The Library, but it was removed before launch. Why? It kills you more than it kills the enemy."
There you have it folks. Another week and another level down. For so many nagative things said, it still sounds like a fun romp once in a while. Definitely a level to let loose and vent some anger. It is a shame to see how much it changed from it's original incarnation though.
Join us next week as we bring you another exciting level just before the anticipated launch of Halo Reach.
Last edited by DarkReign2021 on Tue Oct 12, 2010 9:30 pm; edited 3 times in total
DarkReign2021- Admin
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DarkReign2021- Admin
- Posts : 398
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DarkReign2021- Admin
- Posts : 398
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DarkReign2021- Admin
- Posts : 398
Join date : 2010-08-11
Age : 34
Location : Indiana
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DarkReign2021- Admin
- Posts : 398
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DarkReign2021- Admin
- Posts : 398
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DarkReign2021- Admin
- Posts : 398
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DarkReign2021- Admin
- Posts : 398
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DarkReign2021- Admin
- Posts : 398
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DarkReign2021- Admin
- Posts : 398
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DarkReign2021- Admin
- Posts : 398
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DarkReign2021- Admin
- Posts : 398
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DarkReign2021- Admin
- Posts : 398
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DarkReign2021- Admin
- Posts : 398
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DarkReign2021- Admin
- Posts : 398
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DarkReign2021- Admin
- Posts : 398
Join date : 2010-08-11
Age : 34
Location : Indiana
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