Support NeoGAF

[Shrennin]

Maybe she is, maybe she's not. Could just be that he's going nuts. Maybe he's picking something up due to the Librarian's upgrades and that's how his brain is processing it.

Are the Librarian upgrades ever really explained (to either Cortana or the Chief)? Even if it's in the books/comics? I hope they explain that more -- including the extent of what Cortana was able to do in Halo 4 -- in Halo 5. That's the only real story issue I had with Halo 4.

Halo 4 ending spoilers, even though I'm pretty sure everyone already knows the story to that game:

Spoiler

I never understood how Cortana was able to really protect the Chief at the very end after the bomb goes off. How did she have that power since she's really just an AI?

 

[Poodlestrike]

Are the Librarian upgrades ever really explained (to either Cortana or the Chief)? Even if it's in the books/comics? I hope they explain that more -- including the extent of what Cortana was able to do in Halo 4 -- in Halo 5. That's the only real story issue I had with Halo 4.

Halo 4 ending spoilers, even though I'm pretty sure everyone already knows the story to that game:

Spoiler

I never understood how Cortana was able to really protect the Chief at the very end after the bomb goes off. How did she have that power since she's really just an AI?

She never really explains, just that she's giving him some kind of evolutionary leg up. Hasn't really been explored.

As for Cortana, she hijacks the hard light systems on the Mantle's Approach.

 

[LordOfChaos]

Spoiler

I never understood how Cortana was able to really protect the Chief at the very end after the bomb goes off. How did she have that power since she's really just an AI?

The hard light bridge they were on, she just projected that in a protective shell around him, and then projected her own form with it as well.

 

[nillapuddin]

 

[GringoSuave89]

Or maybe something like... "Marty is back to join us in composing Halo soundtracks from now on."

This would make my E3.

Kazuma confirmed to be sole soundtrack composer.

 

[Shrennin]

She never really explains, just that she's giving him some kind of evolutionary leg up. Hasn't really been explored.

As for Cortana, she hijacks the hard light systems on the Mantle's Approach.

The hard light bridge they were on, she just projected that in a protective shell around him, and then projected her own form with it as well.

Ahh, that makes some sense. I just hope more of it is explored in regards to what the Librarian did, but I didn't even think about the hard light system being taken over to protect Chief. It almost just seemed like Cortana wasn't restricted by any computer system, which seemed to make things a bit confusing.

Kazuma confirmed to be sole soundtrack composer.

I know, and it's not like I don't want Kazuma involved (on the contrary, it seems like the Halo 5 soundtrack is really good so far from what little I've heard of it). I just would love to see Marty involved with Halo as well (again). That's also why I mentioned Halo as a series, rather than Halo 5 specifically. I doubt if Marty even came back, that he would be involved with Halo 5 much given that it's already been in development since Marty left Bungie.

 

[20ozSlayer]

The hard light bridge they were on, she just projected that in a protective shell around him, and then projected her own form with it as well.

But how could anything project the hard light bridges when they've been destroyed from the nuke. Makes no sense bro?!?!?
You need something to project those bridges for Cortana to protect Chief.

 

[CRIMSONxSERAPH]

But how could anything project the hard light bridges when they've been destroyed from the nuke. Makes no sense bro?!?!?
You need something to project those bridges for Cortana to protect Chief.

Here was my theory on how it happened:
After seeing/using the Promethean's hard light shields, Cortana was able to upload the technical specs into Chief's armor. When all else was going to fail, she initiated the hard light tech through Chief's armor's shield emitters. She may have also "upgraded" the hard light shielding with part of herself (explaining the Cortana aesthetic of the shielding), possibly so as to add a "smart" level of damage detection and shield reinforcement.

Just a hypothesis, though, that has no basis other than that no other explaination was expressed.

 

[LordOfChaos]

But how could anything project the hard light bridges when they've been destroyed from the nuke. Makes no sense bro?!?!?
You need something to project those bridges for Cortana to protect Chief.

Protect the hardlight generators with hardlight?

 

[BTM]

Just binge-listened to all of the HtT episodes yesterday and I got to say this stuff is put together really freaking well. Can't wait for the final episode(s) on Sunday!

 

[Gestault]

Are the Librarian upgrades ever really explained (to either Cortana or the Chief)? Even if it's in the books/comics? I hope they explain that more -- including the extent of what Cortana was able to do in Halo 4 -- in Halo 5. That's the only real story issue I had with Halo 4.

Chief was imprinted with a forerunner gaes, which would be a personality/history being joined with his to give him more knowledge,and potentially physiological changes closer to whomever he was imprinted with. Along the lines of the Bornstellar/Didact pairing which led to Didact/Iso-Didact. That was left unsaid in the game, as far as I know. The Greg Bear novels go into tons of detail on that process.

Halo 4 ending spoilers, even though I'm pretty sure everyone already knows the story to that game:

Spoiler

I never understood how Cortana was able to really protect the Chief at the very end after the bomb goes off. How did she have that power since she's really just an AI?

I thought she was occupying the forerunner equipment, which was a hardlight system. She made a sort of shell to protect the chief (and would be trying to maintain the ability to do that as long as possible), but as the systems crumbled, the power system behind it failed.

 

[rokkerkory]

Just binge-listened to all of the HtT episodes yesterday and I got to say this stuff is put together really freaking well. Can't wait for the final episode(s) on Sunday!

Which leads right into E3 on Monday! What a great weekend!

 

[MistakenMobius]

I just started to listen to HTT last week and damn that is good.

I really like that they decided to call the narrator Ben(jamin) Giraud because that a very nice homage to the late Jean Giraud AKA Moebius who penned the second sunset on a new Mombasa.

 

[thenexus6]

I've listened to the first six hunt for the truth episodes. I didn't even realise what they were until last week. They are awesome, amazing production quality and creates this great image in my mind which gets my imagination going. Will finish it up for finale on Sunday.

 

[Takashi]

I finally got around to watching Forward Unto Dawn and it was pretty good. When I first heard one of the cadet's was named Sully, for a few seconds I was thinking "Why does that name sound so damn familiar?" Then it hit me that it was that Sully, the ONI/HtT Sully. I felt a little stupid for not realizing that right away lol.

Regarding yesterday's GI reveal, I had a question. What exactly is

Spoiler

the Domain? I looked it up and read something about it being some sort of Forerunner database accessible through their armor..? Didn't quite understand, so maybe you guys can help give me some context.

 

[Gestault]

Regarding yesterday's GI reveal, I had a question. What exactly is

Spoiler

the Domain? I looked it up and read something about it being some sort of Forerunner database accessible through their armor..? Didn't quite understand, so maybe you guys can help give me some context.

As far as I understand it,

Spoiler

imagine an "internet" so old that the people using it don't remember it's beginnings, that's to a point where some of it exists outside of physical computers and digital storage. It has protocols that make it something that can block out users of "its" own accord, and it has not just data, but things more like memories and personalities from history going back.

 

[Takashi]

As far as I understand it,

Spoiler

imagine an "internet" so old that the people using it don't remember it's beginnings, that's to a point where some of it exists outside of physical computers and digital storage. It has protocols that make it something that can block out users of "its" own accord, and it has not just data, but things more like memories and personalities from history going back.

Thanks, that makes more sense.

Spoiler

You mentioned "its own accord"-- does this thing have sentience? And does it being now open imply that this "internet" is now accessible to potential baddies/threats?

 

[Gestault]

Thanks, that makes more sense.

Spoiler

You mentioned "its own accord"-- does this thing have sentience? And does it being now open imply that this "internet" is now accessible to potential baddies/threats?

In the Greg Bear books (bear with me if my memory is sloppy here),

Spoiler

during the Human/Forerunner war and the Flood infestation that made them fire the Halo arrays, the Domain started blocking outside access, and it was implied there could be sentience behind it, but the whole thing might as well have been mystical as far as the Forerunners were concerned. There were always regional black-outs, but that was something else. I think the bit about it being open again is basically the first time the Domain has been accessible since then. There was always the fear that a gravemind could access the Domain.

 

[LordOfChaos]

Thanks, that makes more sense.

Spoiler

You mentioned "its own accord"-- does this thing have sentience? And does it being now open imply that this "internet" is now accessible to potential baddies/threats?

I have some to add to the above regarding that, but instead I'll just say please please please just read the Forerunner trilogy before Halo 5

You'll thank me later, they give so much more context to the Haloverse, and aren't too long, could be done each book in a week or less. Also just plain really good scifi books.

 

[Takashi]

In the Greg Bear books (bear with me if my memory is sloppy here),

Spoiler

during the Human/Forerunner war and the Flood infestation that made them fire the Halo arrays, the Domain started blocking outside access, and it was implied there could be sentience behind it, but the whole thing might as well have been mystical as far as the Forerunners were concerned. There were always regional black-outs, but that was something else. I think the bit about it being open again is basically the first time the Domain has been accessible since then. There was always the fear that a gravemind could access the Domain.

Spoiler

Hmm, the fact that even the Forerunners of all people regarded it as some mystical thing just makes me more curious as to how this Domain thing will factor into future events.

I have some to add to the above regarding that, but instead I'll just say please please please just read the Forerunner trilogy before Halo 5

You'll thank me later, they give so much more context to the Haloverse, and aren't too long, could be done each book in a week or less. Also just plain really good scifi books.

If I had the time to I would. The Halo universe has always interested me, but unfortunately with work, school, etc I don't have that much time to sink into the books. I almost forgot I actually have Fall of Reach cause I never got a chance to read it lol.

That's actually one of the reasons why I've been able to get into Huntthetruth-- releases once a week, in short digestible bites, and it's been absolutely great at building up events toward Halo 5. Though if I'm able to, I'll try to find some summary for the more recent books to help make a lot of the lore stuff clearer.

 

[Captain Zyrain]

It'll be interesting how they go about explaining the Domain/etc to the laymen/game-only players [tilts nose in air].. hopefully they do a good job.

But yeah, as others have said, the Domain was/is/will always be[?] this crazy information storage.. thing.. it used to emanate from Precursor (beings who created humans and forerunner and everything probably) structures. The firing of the Halo array 100,000 years ago destroyed most of, if not ALL the Precursor structures in the Milky Way Galaxy, thus severing the Forerunners ties (and anyone else) to the domain, due to the fact that it was all put together with neurophysics.. or something.

Also, as of the Forerunner trilogy, no HUMAN had ever made contact with the Domain.

 

[LordOfChaos]

That's actually one of the reasons why I've been able to get into Huntthetruth-- releases once a week, in short digestible bites, and it's been absolutely great at building up events toward Halo 5. Though if I'm able to, I'll try to find some summary for the more recent books to help make a lot of the lore stuff clearer.

Maybe look into the audiobooks if you want then, listen to them on commutes, taking a shit, etc.

Spoiler

Hmm, the fact that even the Forerunners of all people regarded it as some mystical thing just makes me more curious as to how this Domain thing will factor into future events.

Spoiler

The Precursors made the Domain and allowed the Forerunners to use it. This happened so long ago that the Forerunners forgot its origin and it was just kind of always there to them after a point. Then after the Halos fired, it was gone, the last fuck you from the Precursors, by all appearances the Forerunners had destroyed it with the Halos. It meant so much to them, it was such a big part of them, it was like tricking them into wiping out their own souls. But now, I guess the Domain did survive that somehow, either it was hiding away, or just blocked the Forerunners out.

Someone on reddit said the ancient humans could use the Domain, is that true? They never followed up with a source. I don't remember that at all. Riser could hear his ancestors, but that's the closest thing I can think of. But then, if they did, it was probably the pre-devolution ancient humans.

 

[Captain Zyrain]

Someone on reddit said the ancient humans could use the Domain, is that true? They never followed up with a source. I don't remember that at all. Riser could hear his ancestors, but that's the closest thing I can think of. But then, if they did, it was probably the pre-devolution ancient humans.

Also, as of the Forerunner trilogy, no HUMAN had ever made contact with the Domain.

Post above yours.. haha.

At least that was according to the Ur-Didact.

http://www.halopedia.org/Domain

Cortana and 117 get semi-access in Halo 4, in the form of the Terminals, but those are more like remote copies of certain information I guess.

 

[WhiteRabbitEXE]

Post above yours.. haha.

At least that was according to the Ur-Didact.

http://www.halopedia.org/Domain

Cortana and 117 get semi-access in Halo 4, in the form of the Terminals, but those are more like remote copies of certain information I guess.

Cortana mentions that the data is caught in a loop trying to access the domain. So they weren't accessing the domain, just local data on terminals that were attempting to "upload" itself there.

 

[LordOfChaos]

Post above yours.. haha.

At least that was according to the Ur-Didact.

http://www.halopedia.org/Domain

Cortana and 117 get semi-access in Halo 4, in the form of the Terminals, but those are more like remote copies of certain information I guess.

Ah, I was editing while you commented. I think the Didact is an unreliable narrator though - if Humans and Forerunners were sister species created by the Precursors, and tested to obtain the Mantle, wouldn't it stand to reason that the Precursors would give ancient humanity the same tools as Forerunners? Perhaps it was more like a Forerunner-only Domain humans didn't know of, and a human-only Domain Forerunners didn't know of.

Anywho, it was just a comment on reddit I'm going off, still haven't gotten a source back.

 

[User 73706]

Don't want to spoil anything major, but the Domain's knowledge base was rooted in some kind of quantum base rather than anything grounded / classical - it would have fluctuations, ebbs, flows, and even modifications of what were presumed to be non-changing pieces of information according on a variety of factors, even up to and including things like slipspace hiccups. The Domain also wasn't necessarily a singular "cloud" of information, or, rather, may not have been the only one of its kind - the Forerunners had just achieved a level of scientific advancement millions of years before the Human-Forerunner War that they had accidentally tapped into whatever was responsible for or whatever was the Domain.

 

[Poodlestrike]

It was a precursor thing, wasn't it? Built on their Neural Physics, which the Forerunners never quite figured out.

 

[block tower]

as someone who still struggles to keep the lore straight even though ive now read/listened to all the Halo books up till now, im absolutely stoked that, good or bad, 343i is attempting to tie all the book canon with the game canon and make it one cohesive plot moving forward. i hope 343i really makes an attempt to sort of catch up casual fans of the series though because Halo 4 felt like a very hardcore storyline that you could only follow if you were ware of the characters and plots from the Halo novels. i need to catch up on the huntthetruth episodes but im really excited to see Halo 5 at e3. the free DLC is a smart move, especially given how competitive gaming seems this fall with all the big titles releasing, it seems like the right thing to do so that you dont fracture the core player base for Halo 5.

 

[User 73706]

as someone who still struggles to keep the lore straight even though ive now read/listened to all the Halo books up till now, im absolutely stoked that, good or bad, 343i is attempting to tie all the book canon with the game canon and make it one cohesive plot moving forward. i hope 343i really makes an attempt to sort of catch up casual fans of the series though because Halo 4 felt like a very hardcore storyline that you could only follow if you were ware of the characters and plots from the Halo novels. i need to catch up on the huntthetruth episodes but im really excited to see Halo 5 at e3. the free DLC is a smart move, especially given how competitive gaming seems this fall with all the big titles releasing, it seems like the right thing to do so that you dont fracture the core player base for Halo 5.

I like to think I was mostly caught up with the lore come Halo 4, and while the big plot beats were pretty straight forward (Cortana needs help, some evil dude's trying to make [monster robots?] using people, etc.) there was some stuff that still made virtually no sense without prior context. Even with all the context, that monologue by the Didact at the end was a straight-up WTF moment.

 

[jem0208]

I like to think I was mostly caught up with the lore come Halo 4, and while the big plot beats were pretty straight forward (Cortana needs help, some evil dude's trying to make [monster robots?] using people, etc.) there was some stuff that still made virtually no sense without prior context. Even with all the context, that monologue by the Didact at the end was a straight-up WTF moment.

Really?

I thought the Didact monologue was pretty straight forward. It's essentially just setting up for Halo 5. The Didact believes that only the Forerunners are allowed to be the guardians of the galaxy, he thinks Humans are stealing that responsibility from the Forerunners and are unworthy. The reclamation he mentions at the end is the Forerunner's attempt to take back the mantle of responsibility from the Humans. I.e: the plot of H5.

 

[Raide]

Massively LTTP on this, so I am starting from Episode 1.

 

[jem0208]

Massively LTTP on this, so I am starting from Episode 1.

Start from episode 0.


Not even joking, the first episode is episode 0.

 

[Raide]

Start from episode 0.


Not even joking, the first episode is episode 0.

Ok, restarting from 0.

Thanks!

 

[Samurai G0SU]

Ok, restarting from 0.

Thanks!

can't wait for you to catch up! It builds incredibly.

 

[shiba5]

Really?

I thought the Didact monologue was pretty straight forward. It's essentially just setting up for Halo 5. The Didact believes that only the Forerunners are allowed to be the guardians of the galaxy, he thinks Humans are stealing that responsibility from the Forerunners and are unworthy. The reclamation he mentions at the end is the Forerunner's attempt to take back the mantle of responsibility from the Humans. I.e: the plot of H5.

I think your last sentence should be the other way around. Humans are referred to as "Reclaimer" from the start - implying that they were supposed to claim the Mantle at some point before they were de-evolved.
The Didact says the "reclamation has already begun, and we are hopeless to stop it" - the humans will take over everything he feels is the responsibility of the Forerunners.

 

[Raide]

can't wait for you to catch up! It builds incredibly.

I have my headphones on to soak everything in. Really never thought too much about the Hunt the Truth thing.

 

[jem0208]

I think your last sentence should be the other way around. Humans are referred to as "Reclaimer" from the start - implying that they were supposed to claim the Mantle at some point before they were de-evolved.
The Didact says the "reclamation has already begun, and we are hopeless to stop it" - the humans will take over everything he feels is the responsibility of the Forerunners.

Hmm, perhaps. That's a good point actually.


That said, (spoilers for H5 from the GI article)

Spoiler

in the dream scene described in the article, Cortana says "You only have 3 days, the reclamation is about to begin". Now this level is meant to be set before Chief goes AWOL and so is also set before all the shit happens with the "deep space anomalies" and the outer colonies going dark etc. Then you have the big Forerunner bird things which appear to be the the cause of these strange happenings. I'm pretty sure what Cortana was referring to with "the Reclamation" is these deep space anomalies, i.e: the Forerunner bird things.

 

[Samurai G0SU]

I have my headphones on to soak everything in. Really never thought too much about the Hunt the Truth thing.

Yeah i was never for any type of audio book/log. However, after listening to these i changed my mind.

The voice acting is great.

 

[CRIMSONxSERAPH]

the big Forerunner bird things

In the Game Informer article, it was confirmed that these are in fact Guardians.

 

[jem0208]

In the Game Informer article, it was confirmed that these are in fact Guardians.

Oh really? I must have skimmed over that. Well, I'm still pretty sure they're what's causing all the craziness in deep space.

 

[Raide]

Episode 3...



HOOLLLLEEEE SHHIIEEETTTT!

 

[Samurai G0SU]

I thought it was very interesting they were using the dead sou l'data' of humans to create more of the promethian soilders. Halo 4

Spoiler

spartan ops

was crazy the more i think about what happened. Like really, the sun?

 

[jem0208]

Episode 3...



HOOLLLLEEEE SHHIIEEETTTT!

Hahaha, you have no idea what's coming.


If you're already at this level of hype you're probably not going to survive some of the later episodes. Just a warning.

 

[shiba5]

In the Game Informer article, it was confirmed that these are in fact Guardians.

I'm very curious about who/what is controlling the Guardians.
Or maybe they are automated and when humanity reaches a certain stage the Guardians turn on and smash everything (doubtful).

 

[shiba5]

Hmm, perhaps. That's a good point actually.


That said, (spoilers for H5 from the GI article)

Spoiler

in the dream scene described in the article, Cortana says "You only have 3 days, the reclamation is about to begin". Now this level is meant to be set before Chief goes AWOL and so is also set before all the shit happens with the "deep space anomalies" and the outer colonies going dark etc. Then you have the big Forerunner bird things which appear to be the the cause of these strange happenings. I'm pretty sure what Cortana was referring to with "the Reclamation" is these deep space anomalies, i.e: the Forerunner bird things.

That line about the reclamation is interesting.

Spoiler

I find it odd that there is a countdown - and what is it emanating from? So what happens if no one is around in 3 days? "Let's make a fixed date 100,000 years in the future - be there or else!"
I can't wait to find out!

 

[pantsonhead]

I'm very curious about who/what is controlling the Guardians.
Or maybe they are automated and when humanity reaches a certain stage the Guardians turn on and smash everything (doubtful).

A WMD security system? Sounds like something Forerunners would do.

 

[jet1911]

In the Greg Bear books (bear with me if my memory is sloppy here),

Spoiler

during the Human/Forerunner war and the Flood infestation that made them fire the Halo arrays, the Domain started blocking outside access, and it was implied there could be sentience behind it, but the whole thing might as well have been mystical as far as the Forerunners were concerned. There were always regional black-outs, but that was something else. I think the bit about it being open again is basically the first time the Domain has been accessible since then. There was always the fear that a gravemind could access the Domain.

343 really need some kind of prologue called "Exposition time" at the beginning of Halo 5 if they want people to follow what the fuck will happen in the game.

 

[CRIMSONxSERAPH]

I'm very curious about who/what is controlling the Guardians.
Or maybe they are automated and when humanity reaches a certain stage the Guardians turn on and smash everything (doubtful).

I was hypothesizing with a friend last night. We haven't physically seen Guardians before, that much is a given. My thought came in though of "What do Guardians guard?", and the first answer I could think of was...Mendicant Bias. As of right now, he's on the Lesser Ark (as far as we know). I next thought "If that's the case, then why didn't we see them on the Lesser Ark in Halo 3?", but I think that could easily be answered because MB wanted Chief there, as part of his desire for penitence. Maybe, now that another portion of MB's larger plan might be in motion, could he not initiate the Guardians to help carry out his master plan? Just a theory, though.

 

[Besthelboy]

Great article here about the domain:

https://haruspis.wordpress.com/2014/06/20/the-reclaimer-saga-and-the-future-of-the-domain/

The concept of the Mantle (a concise essay on the Mantle can be read here) originates with the Precursors, the ancient race who seeded our galaxy with life (humans, Covenant, Forerunners – everything was given form by them). As transsentient beings, they believed that everything in the universe was living – not just sentient beings, but energy and matter was all life as well. To the Precursors, everything was intimately interwoven with the fabric of the universe itself and they found this to be beautiful, which is why the principle of the Mantle is to preserve life in all of its glorious diversity. So they created a consciousness to record and store life’s interaction with the cosmos over 100 billion years ago.

This was called ‘the Domain’.

Much more at the link, recommended for anyone new or familiar with Halo. Some very interesting information I didn't think about.

 

[Calm Killer]

I was hypothesizing with a friend last night. We haven't physically seen Guardians before, that much is a given. My thought came in though of "What do Guardians guard?", and the first answer I could think of was...Mendicant Bias. As of right now, he's on the Lesser Ark (as far as we know). I next thought "If that's the case, then why didn't we see them on the Lesser Ark in Halo 3?", but I think that could easily be answered because MB wanted Chief there, as part of his desire for penitence. Maybe, now that another portion of MB's larger plan might be in motion, could he not initiate the Guardians to help carry out his master plan? Just a theory, though.

We do know that the guardians are driving the train on Terminal. Cause everytime that thing hits me, the guardians kill me. Pricks.