Halo 2 Hacks | O'Reilly Media

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Much like Halo fan videos (see http://www.redvsblue.com), Halo 2 jumping has taken on a life of its own. Groups such as Jump Tactics (http://www.jumptactics.net) have raised the bar when it comes to the difficulty and complexity of Halo 2 jumping techniques.

Some sites have even started to have "jump" game tournaments. Instead of fighting each other, players engage in a game similar to HORSE. One player challenges another to perform a particular jump. If a player fails to meet the challenge, a referee penalizes him with a letter. Some of the more esoteric jumping techniques are not applicable to normal Halo 2 game play. However, other jumping techniques are vital for all players to learn.

Many of these trick jumps require considerable practice, so I met up with Kahai Maluu, the founder of Jump Tactics, on Xbox Live. Kahai demonstrated some of the more difficult jumping maneuvers. In fact, we captured some screenshots for this chapter during that online session.

Unfortunately, we don't have space to include all of the jumping techniques here, so look online for information about other jump techniques (http://www.jumptactics.net/modules.php?name=Downloads). I recommend that you check out the online videos of each technique.

Use the crouch technique to add height and distance to your jumps.

Every multiplayer Halo level provides numerous opportunities to use the crouch technique. Players who do not use this jump will simply not have as many options (see Figure 1-1) as the ones who are crouch jumping all over the map.

Figure 1-1: A Spartan trying a regular jump

Of all the Halo 2 jumping tricks, the crouch jump is the most useful. Not only are there plenty of chances to use this skill, but it's also easy enough that anyone can use it in the heat of combat. To perform a crouch jump, you simply crouch when you reach the apex of your jumping arc. By crouching at the top of your jump, your feet will be slightly higher than normal. The effect of raising your feet is twofold: you will be able to clear objects that are slightly higher than normal and you will be able to jump slightly farther (since your feet won't hit the landing point as quickly). To illustrate this point, take a look at this jump on the Lockout map (see Figure 1-2).

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Much like Halo fan videos (see http://www.redvsblue.com), Halo 2 jumping has taken on a life of its own. Groups such as Jump Tactics (http://www.jumptactics.net) have raised the bar when it comes to the difficulty and complexity of Halo 2 jumping techniques.

Some sites have even started to have "jump" game tournaments. Instead of fighting each other, players engage in a game similar to HORSE. One player challenges another to perform a particular jump. If a player fails to meet the challenge, a referee penalizes him with a letter. Some of the more esoteric jumping techniques are not applicable to normal Halo 2 game play. However, other jumping techniques are vital for all players to learn.

Many of these trick jumps require considerable practice, so I met up with Kahai Maluu, the founder of Jump Tactics, on Xbox Live. Kahai demonstrated some of the more difficult jumping maneuvers. In fact, we captured some screenshots for this chapter during that online session.

Unfortunately, we don't have space to include all of the jumping techniques here, so look online for information about other jump techniques (http://www.jumptactics.net/modules.php?name=Downloads). I recommend that you check out the online videos of each technique.

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Use the crouch technique to add height and distance to your jumps.

Every multiplayer Halo level provides numerous opportunities to use the crouch technique. Players who do not use this jump will simply not have as many options (see Figure 1-1) as the ones who are crouch jumping all over the map.

Figure 1-1: A Spartan trying a regular jump

Of all the Halo 2 jumping tricks, the crouch jump is the most useful. Not only are there plenty of chances to use this skill, but it's also easy enough that anyone can use it in the heat of combat. To perform a crouch jump, you simply crouch when you reach the apex of your jumping arc. By crouching at the top of your jump, your feet will be slightly higher than normal. The effect of raising your feet is twofold: you will be able to clear objects that are slightly higher than normal and you will be able to jump slightly farther (since your feet won't hit the landing point as quickly). To illustrate this point, take a look at this jump on the Lockout map (see Figure 1-2).

Figure 1-2: The same jump with a crouch

You can see here that the player is attempting to jump from the ledge (on the left side of the screen) up to the Lockout courtyard. A normal jump is not high enough to get him to his objective. However, by crouching, he lifts his legs and makes it over the ledge. On most maps, you can find numerous places where such jumps would be helpful.

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Assist your jumps with explosions.

Grenade jumps are great for getting to hard-to-reach places. However, the explosion will lower your shields. For this reason, few people use grenade jumps in multiplayer combat. Players can perform grenade jumps with both types of grenades, but many people feel that plasma grenades are easier to use while learning the skill.

The goal of grenade jumping is to use the force of the grenade explosion to enhance your air time. The trick is to already be in the air when the grenade explodes—but not too far away. Finding just the right balance requires some practice (Figure 1-3).

Figure 1-3: The explosion will give you wings

Grenade jumping requires good timing, but it doesn't take long to get the hang of it. Practice with one type of grenade until you're comfortable, then you should try the other type. You'll reap the rewards when you're able to get to otherwise unreachable places (see Figure 1-4).

Figure 1-4: After the grenade jump

Rocket jumping isn't used as often as grenade jumping because it's so easy to tag yourself in the process. Generally, players won't even attempt a rocket jump unless they have an active overshield and are the host of the game.

The principle behind the rocket jump is essentially the same as for the grenade jump. To perform this maneuver, you jump up and then use the explosive force of the rocket to add height or distance to your jump (see Figures 1-5 and 1-6). Just like grenade jumping, a rocket jump requires practice to learn the correct timing.

Figure 1-5: Using the rocket launcher to jump on top of Foundation

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Add a little bit of range to your jump by using the late jump technique.

When you perform a late jump, you are actually jumping after you leave a ledge. This practice essentially reduces the distance to your target. The difference is not substantial but it is enough to enable some jumps that would otherwise be impossible.

To perform a late jump, you will need to get a feeling for the sink. The sink is a short space that you enter after you run off a ledge (see Figure 1-8)—essentially you will sink onto an invisible decline. It is not possible to stand on the sink but it is possible to jump while on the sink. This means that it's actually possible to jump while you are in midair and you can use the sink to extend your takeoff point. Jumping off the sink requires excellent timing, but when it comes to Halo jumping, every little bit counts.

A simple example of the late jump is shown on the Lockout map in Figure 1-9, demonstrating that it's possible to jump from the ledge outside the gravity lift onto the lift platform. From a standing start, this jump would be impossible because you would hit the top of the doorway. The late jump solves this problem by allowing you to jump while you are on the sink. This is actually after you have left the ledge (see Figures 1-9 and 1-10).

Figure 1-8: Diagram showing the sink; the jump is from right to left

Figure 1-9: Jumping out of mid-air

Figure 1-10: Another view of the late jump

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Bridge monstrous gaps by using the slide technique.

Perhaps the coolest looking jump of all—and also one of the most challenging—is the slide. If you're feeling particularly spry, you should try this jump. You can use the slide jump to achieve spectacular distances.

A slide is the combination of a regular jump onto a declining slope and then a bunny hop back into the air (see Figure 1-11). If the slide jump is performed correctly, it has the effect of propelling you a great distance. Gaps that would otherwise be insurmountable can be bridged using a slide.

Figure 1-11: Diagram of a slide jump

To perform a slide, you will need to learn how to bunny hop. Bunny hopping is not easy to master, but it allows you to slide jump, so it's worth the effort. To perform a bunny hop, crouch as you land on a slanted surface then release your crouch and jump back into the air.

To start a slide, jump onto a slanted surface from a fair height. Next, crouch as you land and start to slide down the slant. This will increase your speed significantly. At this new speed, release your crouch and immediately press the jump button to bunny hop back into the air. This maneuver will propel you to faraway places. The skill in a bunny hop is in determining how long to hold the crouch. This takes lots of practice to get the motion right. Some jumps require holding the slide for a certain distance and then jumping, while others involve jumping immediately after hitting the slant with very little slide in between.

You will find one of the more interesting slide jumps on the Lockout map. This is a difficult jump to master, so don't be surprised if it takes you a while.

Jump down and crouch as you hit the slanted ramp, hold this slide for a short time, then release your crouch and bunny hop back into the air (see Figures 1-12 and 1-13). This will propel you towards the gravity lift tower (see Figure 1-14).

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Add distance to your jumps by "saving" from the sink of your landing point.

You can use this wily technique to extend your landing point. The save is similar to the late jump. However, rather than using the take-off sink, the save is a jump from the sink point of the landing. By using this extra little jump, you can gain enough distance to land on the actual ledge.

Jumping off the landing sink is just like using the sink on your takeoff. When you hit the wall, you'll have a brief window during which you can essentially jump out of midair. After jumping from the sinking point, keep holding forward. You should gain enough forward momentum to carry you onto the actual landing. To illustrate how much air you can get off the save jump, Figures 1-15 and 1-16 show a player jumping backwards off the sink on Lockout.

Figure 1-15: Jumping off the sink

Figure 1-16: After the backwards save

Sometimes the jump can be so long that one save is simply not enough. These types of jumps require what's known as multi-saving. This involves saving more than once, since the first save may not provide enough forward momentum. Some jumps may require as many as three saves. Each of these saves gives the jumper just a little bit more forward momentum.

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In video game terminology, Easter egg refers to a treat added by game developers. Easter eggs come in many flavors. Of all the ones that I have seen, the Halo 2 skulls are the most impressive. If it wasn't jammed under my helmet, I'd tip my cap to Microsoft's Bungie developers and their system of Halo 2 skulls.

The skulls are objects hidden throughout the single-player campaign. They resemble a human skull—the Halo 2 multiplayer Oddball game type uses the same object as its "ball." The skulls are impressive for a number of reasons: they are difficult to find, each has its own unique effect, and there is a cloud of mystery surrounding them. In addition, by including the skulls, the developers added a new dimension to the single-player campaign. Instead of facing the restriction of playing out the same scenes repeatedly, Halo 2 gamers can choose to add a twist by activating one of the many skulls. For example, a hardcore Halo fan may choose to activate the Assassins skull [Hack #14] and play the entire game against cloaked enemies. Some of the skulls make the campaign easier, while others make it a great deal more difficult. Which skulls you activate is entirely up to you.

Skulls have no effect on multiplayer games—so don't expect to be able to use the Envy skull [Hack #13] in your Slayer games. All but one of the skulls require that you activate them on the Legendary difficulty setting. They either will not spawn on the other settings or simply will not work. The exception to this rule is the Blind skull [Hack #8] which will spawn, and is useable, on any difficulty setting. For this reason, the Blind skull is one of the easiest skulls to find.

To activate most skulls, hold the X button and pick them up. However, this is not always the way it's done. For example, the "I would have been your daddy" skull [Hack #9] will not activate until you have defeated many waves of attacking Elites.

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In video game terminology, Easter egg refers to a treat added by game developers. Easter eggs come in many flavors. Of all the ones that I have seen, the Halo 2 skulls are the most impressive. If it wasn't jammed under my helmet, I'd tip my cap to Microsoft's Bungie developers and their system of Halo 2 skulls.

The skulls are objects hidden throughout the single-player campaign. They resemble a human skull—the Halo 2 multiplayer Oddball game type uses the same object as its "ball." The skulls are impressive for a number of reasons: they are difficult to find, each has its own unique effect, and there is a cloud of mystery surrounding them. In addition, by including the skulls, the developers added a new dimension to the single-player campaign. Instead of facing the restriction of playing out the same scenes repeatedly, Halo 2 gamers can choose to add a twist by activating one of the many skulls. For example, a hardcore Halo fan may choose to activate the Assassins skull [Hack #14] and play the entire game against cloaked enemies. Some of the skulls make the campaign easier, while others make it a great deal more difficult. Which skulls you activate is entirely up to you.

Skulls have no effect on multiplayer games—so don't expect to be able to use the Envy skull [Hack #13] in your Slayer games. All but one of the skulls require that you activate them on the Legendary difficulty setting. They either will not spawn on the other settings or simply will not work. The exception to this rule is the Blind skull [Hack #8] which will spawn, and is useable, on any difficulty setting. For this reason, the Blind skull is one of the easiest skulls to find.

To activate most skulls, hold the X button and pick them up. However, this is not always the way it's done. For example, the "I would have been your daddy" skull [Hack #9] will not activate until you have defeated many waves of attacking Elites.

To maintain the effect of the skull, you aren't required to hold the skull or complete the campaign in a linear fashion. The skull's ability will last until you turn off your Xbox. The effects carry over into new campaign games and once activated, work on all difficulties. This allows you to activate one skull and then switch levels to go for another. The effects will also carry over to other profiles, so you are able to sign in as a different user and still take advantage of the skull. If you want to play a good trick on someone, activate the Assassins skull

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The Unnamed skull tells your enemies that you're looking for trouble.

This skull requires that you advance through the Armory level until you read the mission objective: "Follow Sgt. Johnson to the tramcar." This is the only known skull that does not cause any text to appear onscreen when you pick it up. Make sure that you are playing on the Legendary setting when you search for this Easter egg.

This is the easiest skull to retrieve—if you're looking for a "starter skull," this is the one to choose. Although you must be on the Legendary setting for this skull to spawn, you will not need to engage a single enemy to find it.

Since no notification text appears, this skull is referred to as the "Unnamed skull." However, there is a good chance that this skull might actually be called the "Cowbell skull." Since the effect of the Unnamed skull is that it makes enemies more aware of your position, some argue that this is like having a cowbell around your neck.

At the beginning of the Armory level, you are required to test the recharge function of your shields. After this test, Sgt. Johnson arrives on an elevator. Wait in the room until Sgt. Johnson starts berating you, telling you to get into the elevator. You must wait for him to say, "Would it help if I said please?" If you enter the elevator before he says this phrase, the skull will not spawn.

It will take a while for Sgt. Johnson to say this, so be patient. First, he will go on about how you're going to be late and how you need to get your "shiny green posterior" into the elevator. Once he says "please," get in the elevator and go down to the tram. Board the tram and face toward the inside of the building—the side with the open atriums. Move right up against the tram's glass doors and hold down the X button. As the tram moves along, you will pick up the skull. It rests on a stack of green crates that are located midway along the ride (see Figure 2-1).

After you collect the skull, the tram will continue and you can use the skull as a clubbing weapon (see Figures 2-2 and 2-3).

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Activate the Thunderstorm skull to transform all Covenant to Special Operations troops.

This skull is located on the Cairo Station level. You will need to play on Legendary until you reach the mission objective "Find the Covenant bomb." When you activate the skull, the notification "Thunderstorm" will appear.

Once you activate this Easter egg, all Covenant troops are Special Operations troops (Spec. Ops.). If you like the game play of the campaign but want it to be harder, then this is a good choice. The skull doesn't change the abilities of you or your enemies; it just pits you against the toughest of the Covenant troops.

After you clear the second room of Covenant boarders, you will reach the "priority shift" portion of the Cairo Station level. In this stage, you will go to an armory where you have to fight a couple of Elites. The next room is "Commons B.01"—the name of the room appears in large letters near the ceiling. The skull hides in an upper corner of this room.

Once in the room, clear out all of the enemies on the ground floor and the Grunts that are operating the plasma turret on the mezzanine. After you have secured the room, look outside—literally out into space. You should see some diagonal supports holding up the dual tram tracks. You'll also note that the diagonal supports in the center are close together. One of those supports goes down the side of the wall beside one of the glass railings. You can jump on the glass railing post and then jump onto the diagonal railing (see Figure 2-4; the skull is in the right corner). From the support beam, jump to the tram track and follow it all the way down toward the door that you used to enter the room.

Figure 2-4: Jumping up the supports to get to the tram tracks

You should see a landing with a trash can; the skull is in this can (see Figure 2-5). Simply walk up to the can and hold X to pick up the skull. When you activate the skull, you will hear the sound of a thunderstorm. Figure 2-6 shows you what it looks like from where you grab the skull.

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The Blind skull will clean up your view and allow you to get great screenshots.

The Blind skull has a few advantages over the other skulls. For example, you can activate it on any difficulty setting, and it's right at the beginning of the Outskirts level. When you pick up this skull, the message "Blind" will appear onscreen and your Heads Up Display (HUD) will disappear.

This skull is Bungie's non-modded gift to Halo 2 screenshots (the modded version is Aztec's Spectator Mod [Hack #87] ). Instead of the busy look of the HUD, this skull allows you to hide all of that information. The downside of the clean look is that you won't have the benefit of information such as your reticle or your motion detector. In fact, you won't even know how much ammo you have or how many grenades you are holding. Although it makes playing the game harder, the Blind skull is a real treat for those of us who take Halo screenshots (see Figure 2-7).

At the beginning of the Outskirts level, your vision is blurry but clears up shortly. When you are able to see clearly, you will notice a flashing light coming from a hallway in front of you. Enter the hallway and look up.

If you're wondering how to take Halo 2 screenshots, you need to think outside the Xbox. Simply plug the video-out from your Xbox into a video capture card on your computer. You can use anything from the entry-level Hauppauge WinTV-GO (roughly $50 street price) to high-end capture cards that feature component video input. The secret to great screenshots is the video capture software you use. Either the open source DScaler (http://deinterlace.sourceforge.net/) or Adobe Premiere (http://www.adobe.com/motion/main.html) will result in great still captures—even from a low-end card. The figures in this book were produced using the component input of a SweetSpot capture card (http://www.pluggedin.tv/sweetspot/) and Adobe Premiere. I suggest iuVCR (http://www.iulabs.com) for video capture. The capture card was connected to the Xbox using the original style High Definition adapter for the Xbox. The capture card was connected to the Xbox using the original style HighDefinition adapter for the Xbox. This particular adapter allowed the audio and video to be separated. However, there are High Definition adapters on the market that allow the same setup as the original Microsoft adapter.

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The "I Would Have Been Your Daddy" skull is the most difficult Easter egg to activate.

This skull alters the Marines' dialogue. It's on the Outskirts level and requires that you play in Legendary mode. The mission objective to watch for is entitled "Find the marines from second downed Pelican." When you complete the activation for this skull, the notification "I would have been your daddy" appears onscreen.

Some of these interesting audio tidbits have been recorded. For example, one of the marines has been recorded saying:

As long as we're standing here, I may as well write my old lady a letter. Cortana? Do you take dictation? Take this down:

Dear Mary, I miss you so much, stop. Will be home soon? stop. How is the dog? stop. Have you learned to cook yet? stop. Love Sergeant. P.S. I've met someone. Will be home soon for divorce. Bye bye. P.S. Do you think I could take the dog? Maybe not…think about it…write back.

Got that, Cortana?

Section 2.5.1.1: Finding the Skull

The "I would have been your daddy" (IWHBYD) skull is in a room on a balcony, so you will need to get onto the rooftops to access the secret area. The room contains a Sniper Rifle and Sniper ammo, and if you're lucky (see "Spawning the Skull," later in this hack), it will contain the skull.

At the end of Sniper Alley, there is a way to get up onto the rooftops (see Figure 2-10). Use this structure to crouch jump [Hack #1] onto a low orange roof.

Figure 2-10: One way to get up onto the rooftops

Once on this roof, you will be able to crouch jump over to the other side of Sniper Alley. It looks like an impossible jump, but the Master Chief will make it across (see Figure 2-11).

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The Catch skull encourages your enemies to throw more grenades.

If you're looking for a relatively modest way to make the campaign more difficult, try the Catch skull. It isn't as insanely difficult as trying to play with the Assassins skull [Hack #14] active, and it doesn't interfere with your display like the Blind skull [Hack #8] . This skull simply allows your (non-Flood) enemies to throw more grenades at you.

This skull requires that you play the Metropolis level—on Legendary—until you reach the mission objective entitled "Regroup with Marine forces in the city-center." The notification text for this skull is "Catch."

The Catch skull is located in a section of Metropolis called "This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us." To get to this stage, you will need to take the Scorpion across a large bridge and then make your way through an underground highway. Near the end of the underground section, you will come to what appears to be a dead end for the Scorpion. Some marines will join you in a Warthog and one will offer you a shotgun. Despite how it may appear, it is possible to drive the Scorpion around the barrier. Driving up and around the barrier allows a player to keep the Scorpion for a little bit longer. This makes the next section much easier to complete.

After you exit from the underground highway, you come to a large open-air room filled with Jackal snipers, Grunts, and some Elites. Clear this area so that you aren't disturbed while retrieving the Catch skull. As usual, having the Envy skull [Hack #13] will help you progress faster than normal.

Once you have defeated the enemy, move around the left side of the room and then onto the center platform (see Figure 2-13). You will see a large semicircular beam going from the ground to the top of two matching towers. Do a grenade jump [Hack #2] at the bottom of this beam and walk all the way to the top.

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Turn every headshot into an explosion with the Grunt Birthday Party skull.

You will find this skull on The Arbiter level. When you reach the mission objective "Pursue the heretic leader," you will know that you are close to the skull. Once activated, the skull will cause the text "Grunt Birthday Party" to appear on your screen.

This is a fun skull—and useful. When the Grunt Birthday Party skull is active, a headshot will cause your foes to explode. Along with the Envy skull [Hack #13] , I like to have this one whenever I need to move quickly through a level. I've used this skull so often that I've almost memorized the script for the level: "We are the arm of the prophets, Arbiter, and you are the blade…"

The headshot effect will only work for weapons that feature a headshot bonus (i.e., Magnum, Battle Rifle, Covenant Carbine, Sniper Rifle, and the Covenant Beam Rifle). This sounds like a fantastic advantage but headshots are already fatal. In addition, the headshot bonus does not work through shields, so you'll still have to fight to make a shielded attacker vulnerable. To make the most of this skull, you need to score headshots while enemies are close to one another. Instead of getting just one frag, you may be able to take out a group.

When active on Master Chief levels, the skull's power also applies to any Marines who are fighting on your side. This means that there are plenty of explosions happening during battles; you'll have to be careful how close you get to any targets.

Midway through The Arbiter level, you will need to grab a Banshee from an outdoor platform. In Figure 2-15, the Banshees are on the other side of the large windows.

Figure 2-15: Your ride is waiting outside

As soon as you take off, fly down toward the far side of the large structure. Your path will take you down and to the right (see Figure 2-16).

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Play the campaign with less ammunition.

To activate this skull, you will need to play the Oracle level on Legendary difficulty until you reach the mission objective "Escape the Infested labs." The notification text for this skull is "Famine."

The spawn spot for this skull boasts the most disturbing imagery in Halo 2. Like a scene from CSI, there are mutilated bodies all over the place.

The Famine skull is relatively easy to get. However, it becomes much easier if you first activate the Grunt Birthday Party skull [Hack #11] . The Flood combat forms do not have shields, so a single Carbine headshot will cause them to explode. You just need to find the Flood equivalent of "head."

Near the beginning of the Oracle level, you will ride a descending platform. After reaching the bottom, you will come to a hallway where you'll see a handful of dead bodies. Continue into the next room, and you will find yourself on the second floor of a chamber that has many large windows. From this vantage point, you can look across at the far portion of the room's upper level (see Figure 2-18). If you look down, you will see two platforms in the middle of the room. Four tall posts surround each platform.

Figure 2-18: Looking across at the Famine skull location

If you have not yet cleared the room, turn on your Active Camouflage and then leap to the center platform. From the platform, jump up onto one of the posts on the far side of the room (see Figure 2-19). Once you are standing on the post, you can hop to the column between the windows. Shoot out one of the windows and then jump up to the far platform.

Figure 2-19: Use the struts in the center to jump up to the other side

Once you have jumped to the platform on the other side of the room, turn to your left. A hallway mirrors the one that you used to enter the area. Walk all the way to the end of the hallway and you'll find four Flood Elites writhing on the floor. The Famine skull is in the middle of these poor souls (see Figure 2-20). Once you activate this skull, all the weapons you find will have less ammunition, so aim carefully!

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Give the Master Chief access to the Arbiter's Active Camouflage.

In terms of actually going through Campaign mode, this is probably the most useful skull. It gives you the ability to play all of the levels with the Arbiter's Active Camouflage (AC) ability. AC is a huge advantage because it allows you to sneak up on enemies from behind. Instead of wasting ammo, you can simply melee your targets. In addition, getting the Envy skull is the first step toward Infinite AC [Hack #42] .

To activate this skull, you must play the Delta Halo level—on Legendary— until you reach the mission objective entitled "Push through the Covenant-held ruins." When you pick up this skull, the notification text "Envy" will appear.

The skull is quite far into the Delta Halo level, but the good news is that you can get through most of the required area using the Scorpion main battle tank. In addition, if you use the Grunt Birthday Party skull [Hack #11] or the Getting Above Delta Halo hack [Hack #33] , you will find the first section much easier to complete.

After you drive the Scorpion tank through a maze of caves, you will come to the last area accessible to this large tank—you'll need to proceed on foot from there. That open area has a large central structure surrounded by columns (see Figures 2-21 and 2-23).

Figure 2-21: The Envy skull location is just to the left of the reticle

To get to the skull, go up the ramp on the left side of the area. Once you're on this ramp, continue up until you are on the landing where there are some plasma turrets. Follow this landing all the way to the far side and you'll see a large stone that is blocking a small opening in the wall (see Figure 2-22). Jump on top of the stone, and jump again to get onto a thin ledge. From this small ledge, turn left and crouch jump [Hack #1]

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If Legendary is too easy for you, use the Assassins skull to activate the most challenging way to play Halo 2.

This skull is located in the "Pass through the submerged structures" portion of the Regret level. To activate this skull, you will need to play through the level on the Legendary setting. Once activated, the skull will cause the notification text "Assassins" to appear. The effect of the Assassins skull is that all enemies have permanent Active Camouflage (see Figure 2-24; note that the Blind skull [Hack #8] is also active; therefore, there is no visible HUD).

This skull is for those Halo 2 gamers out there who feel that Legendary mode is just too easy. Personally, I can't imagine anything worse than invisible sniper Jackals.

This hack gets a medium rating because you will need to play through a lot of the level to get to the skull. In addition, this skull requires that you defeat a considerable number of Jackal snipers. For this reason, I suggest that you first retrieve the Envy skull [Hack #13] . When I first went for this skull, I had Grunt Birthday Party skull [Hack #11] active. I thought that it would help me get through the Covenant in no time. However, there are quite a few Jackal snipers on this level. The problem with snipers is not killing them; they are relatively weak. The key is to see them before they see you. For this reason, Active Camouflage is invaluable on the Regret level.

Figure 2-24: The Assassins skull rendered this Hunter nearly invisible

The only issue with using the Envy skull is that it will make finding a hidden ledge much more difficult, since that skull replaces your flashlight with the Active Camouflage. You may want to use Envy to get to a checkpoint near the right room and then restart your Xbox. After you restart the box, the Envy skull will no longer be active and you will have your flashlight back.

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Toughen up the enemy with this skull.

The Mythic skull activation requires that you play the Sacred Icon level on Legendary difficulty. When you reach the mission objective "Make your way through the Flood-infested wall," you will be close to the skull. Not surprisingly, the notification for this skull is "Mythic." When you activate this skull, your weapons will inflict less damage.

This skull doesn't involve any jumping tricks or complicated triggers—getting through the level is your only concern.

Moving through the Sacred Icon level, you will come to a series of partially enclosed rooms (see Figure 2-30). There is a Forerunner Enforcer robot in front of each one.

Figure 2-30: The entrance to the Mythic skull's location

Go past this area and down the piston shaft. When you reach the bottom, you will find yourself in a dark and dank Flood-infested area. There is a tall stack of boxes as you enter the room (see Figure 2-31). Use the boxes to jump to a ledge that runs along the side of the room.

Figure 2-31: Jumping up the boxes to the skull location

On the ledge's right side, there are some openings. Move forward until you get to the third alcove; the skull is floating inside (see Figure 2-32). Grab the skull and pray for more ammo!

Figure 2-32: The Mythic skull's spawn spot

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Change the physics of Halo 2 with the most dramatic Easter egg in the game.

The Sputnik skull hides within the Quarantine Zone level. You don't have to worry about looking for the correct mission objective—it is the first one for the level: "Push through the Quarantine-Zone toward the Library." To activate this skull, you will have to play the level on the Legendary difficulty setting. When activated, the notification text "Sputnik" appears onscreen.

This one is fun—probably the most humorous of the Easter eggs. The skull changes the physics of the game by lowering the mass of some objects. Consequently, they fly much farther when hit or propelled by an explosion. This is extremely useful when it comes to grenade jumping [Hack #2] —you can get much more air with the Sputnik skull active. Of course, if you just want to see some dramatic explosions, then this skull is for you (see Figure 2-33).

Figure 2-33: Once the Ghost was in the air, another Scorpion shell sent it into space

At the start of Quarantine Zone (see Figure 2-34), turn directly around, and you should see a tunnel. Finding this narrow tunnel is the key to finding the path to the skull. Head into the tunnel and go straight through to the other side.

Figure 2-34: The Sputnik skull spawns at the beginning of the Quarantine Zone level

Once you have gone through the tunnel, make your way straight across the open area, and you'll come across a broken pipe on your right. Straight in front of you, you should see a small ledge running across the wall, above the green pit. Carefully get onto that small ledge and walk all the way to the end of the ledge to find the Sputnik skull (see Figures 2-35 and 2-36). Activate the skull, and watch the pieces of your foes fly a little higher.

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Give Grunts a fair chance.

To find this Easter egg, play the Gravemind level until you reach the mission objective "Follow the Prophet of Truth to the far tower." Make sure that you play the level on the Legendary setting. Once you activate this skull, the text "Angry" will appear on screen.

Fight all the way through the Covenant city until you reach an outdoor area. As soon as you are outside, turn right. You will see some Covenant crates next to a rock ledge. Get on top of the crates and then jump to the rock ledge (see Figure 2-37).

Walk up the rocky hill—to your right you will see a large red girder. Jump onto the girder and follow it back toward the complex (see Figures 2-38 and 2-39).

When you get near the end of this dark ledge, you will run into an invisible grunt wielding a Fuel Rod Cannon. Kill the grunt and continue to the end of the girder. Once there, you will see the Angry skull floating above a small gravity lift.

Figure 2-37: Looking back after climbing up the cliff toward the Angry skull

Figure 2-38: The Angry skull hides in the shadows but the purple edge of the path is visible

Figure 2-39: Looking back from the path that leads to the Angry skull

The Angry skull causes Grunts to fire faster than normal. However, the Angry skull does have a positive feature; it is also the only known skull that can be cycled through. This means that you are able to use the skull as a third weapon. It may just be a club, but it's fun (see Figure 2-40).

Figure 2-40: You can add the Angry skull to your weapon options

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Give the Covenant an iron jaw with Ghost mode.

You will find the Ghost skull within the Uprising level. It is located within the "Raze the Brute encampment" objective. The notification text of this skull is "Ghost." The effect of this egg is that enemies and allies are no longer stunned by melee attacks—or by being shot. This is in line with the guideline that the positive skulls have obvious effects, whereas the negative skulls often have subtle effects.

You will need to play through a significant portion of the level to reach this skull—and yes, there will be Jackal snipers. Furthermore, Uprising is an Arbiter level so you will not have the option of using the Infinite AC hack [Hack #42] .

While working your way through a picturesque canyon, you will come to the Brute strongholds. After you defeat some Jackal snipers and Brutes, you will enter a series of rooms that the Brutes excavated out of the mountain. The skull spawns in an L-shaped room that is right after the armory.

To reach the skull, which spawns on top of the light fixture (see Figure 2-41), you can use a few different techniques, such as a grenade jump, arranging objects to climb on, or grabbing it from below.

If you would like to try a straight grenade jump [Hack #2] , you can, but there are ways to make it easier. Why not use some of the many objects in the armory to aid your jump (e.g., the blue Carbine holder)? Moving these objects around with explosives is quick, but be sure to stand back if you fire in the armory—things in there tend to explode. I like to use the Rocket Launcher to whack the blue Carbine holder on the left side of the room out the door. By hitting it, you can prevent it from falling over—using its full height makes for an easier grenade jump (see Figure 2-42).

Figure 2-41: The Ghost skull spawns on top of the light fixture

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Increase the difficulty of co-op games.

Play the High Charity level on Legendary to find this skull. You'll be close when you reach the mission objective "Find a way onto the Forerunner Ship." When you pick up this skull, the text "Iron" will appear. The effect of this skull is that co-op mode becomes more difficult. If either player dies, the game restarts at your last checkpoint instead of continuing as it normally would.

Many Halo gamers find co-operative mode too easy. For example, if you get into a tough situation, you can simply stick your buddy with a Plasma Grenade and have him walk up to the toughest of foes—as long as one of you survives, you will not lose any ground. The Iron skull is one way to balance the co-op mode so that it is a bit more like single player mode.

This skull is deep within the level. You will need to advance along some horizontal gravity slides and go up two long vertical gravity lifts (see Figure 2-46).

Figure 2-46: The Iron skull's gravity lift

When you enter the second tall gravity lift, look up toward the top of the lift; you will quickly approach the Iron skull (see Figure 2-47).

Figure 2-47: It is difficult to see the skull inside the lift

To grab hold of it, make sure that you start holding X before you actually pass it (see Figures 2-48 and 2-49). Activate the skull, and steel yourself for a more challenging game.

Figure 2-48: Grabbing the Iron skull

Figure 2-49: The Arbiter juggles the Iron skull

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To activate your shield recharge, you must melee your enemies.

To find the interesting Black Eye skull, play the Great Journey level on Legendary difficulty. The mission objective to watch for is entitled "Enter the Control Room, and deal with Tartarus"—it's the final checkpoint in the game. When this Skull is active, your shield will not charge normally. To charge your shields you must melee an enemy. If you melee enough targets, you can charge your shields into the overcharge range. You will know that the skull is active when you see the notification text "Black Eye."

In some situations, this skull is reasonably manageable to use. However, in other cases, it's extremely difficult to recharge your shields. For example, on The Great Journey level, a large number of your opponents are Brutes. Unless you're using active camouflage (AC), it's tough to melee a Brute and survive the experience.

To find the skull, play The Great Journey level. Eventually, you have to escort Sgt. Johnson, who is in a Scarab. Follow him until you see a huge compound in front of you (see Figure 2-50). This structure houses the control room. At this point, you can let the Scarab worry about the Wraiths; focus your attention on the Banshees.

Figure 2-50: Approaching the Control Room

This is also the point where Sgt. Johnson will use the Scarab to destroy the main door. Directly above the demolished door, there is a long angled beam. Land your Banshee on this beam and walk to the top (see Figure 2-51). Once at the apex, look down and to your left; you will see a circular angled wall. Jump onto this wall and walk as high as possible. You can follow along the right side of this area.

Figure 2-51: A great view of Johnson's door opener

Next, you need to jump over a small beam in front of you (see Figure 2-52). Continue walking straight until you come to a grassy area. Once there, walk up the grassy hill until you can jump onto the angled support for the tower.

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Although the skulls (see Chapter 2) are interesting, they certainly aren't the only Easter eggs in Halo 2. There are plenty of other surprises for gamers to enjoy. For more information about Halo 2 Easter eggs, refer to http://halo.bungie.org, http://www.highimpacthalo.org, and http://bungie.net. This chapter describes some of the other Easter eggs that have been discovered, but there are no doubt a few more out there, so pay close attention in your travels through the Halo 2 universe.

The Gravemind cut scene shows the idolatry of the Grunts.

When I first heard about this one, I thought that it was a fake egg, but it turns out that it's real. At the beginning of the Gravemind level, there is a cut scene with a group of dancing Grunts in the background. With the grunts is some sort of poster. If you look closely, you'll see that it's a cardboard cutout of a guy lifting his shirt (see Figures 3-1 and 3-2).

Figure 3-1: Grunts partying down

Figure 3-2: Blown up image of the posing poster

All you have to do to see this egg is start a Legendary difficulty game on the Gravemind level. You do not have to play any of the level or play any of the previous levels on the Legendary difficulty setting. When the cut scene begins, watch the back of the room—you'll see the circle of Grunts. The little guys are clearly dancing with something.

There were rumours circulating on the

Table of Contents

Section 2.5.1.1: Finding the Skull