History Trivia / Halo3

** A campaign level named "Guardian Forest" was cut for time, but remains fairly well documented. Taking place between "The Ark" and "The Covenant", it would have seen the Chief fighting through a massive forest to take control of the Ark's defensive systems in order to use it against the Covenant, with the Chief able to approach the objectives in a non-linear order. Featuring a set-piece on a train as well as a massive aerial battle using a Hornet, the level would have reintroduced the Sentinel Enforcers from ''VideoGame/Halo2'' as enemies, alongside a new enemy called the Guardian, a massive Sentinel with an eye that the player could rip out and use as a weapon. Despite being cut, lots of its ideas would be reused elsewhere. The level's concept art and geometry would be repurposed for the multiplayer map "Guardian", which serves as a small-scale glimpse of what "Guardian Forest" would have looked like. The big aerial battle with the Hornet was adapted to play out in "The Covenant" instead. The idea of being able to approach objectives in a non-linear order and travelling between them via aircraft would be revisited for the ''VideoGame/HaloReach'' level "New Alexandria". And of course, the concept of the Forerunner Guardians themselves would be realised as the titular threat in ''VideoGame/Halo5Guardians''. In addition, the idea of weaponising the Ark's defensive systems against your opponent would be used in ''VideoGame/HaloWars2'', with the scene of [[spoiler:Isabel sending millions of Sentinels to crash into and tear apart the Banished's flagship being similar to what was proposed in this game]]. The Guardian Sentinel itself is still featured as a hologram in the fittingly-named Epitaph, and although it’s likely going to have a new name since it’s name was used for a different thing, the design of the Guardian Sentinel is returning in Halo Infinite.

* FanNickname: Rtas 'Vadum (the Elite counterpart to Lord Hood) is also known by fans as "Half-Jaw," because, well, [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin you know]]... Later, the novella ''Literature/HaloShadowOfIntent'' (written by one of {{Creator/Bungie}}-era ''Halo''[='s=] main story guys) [[AscendedFanon established "Half-Jaw" as an official in-universe nickname]].
* ImageSource:
** TheBrute

** Near the end of the game when Chief, Cortana and the Arbiter are making their escape from the collapsing ring, there is a bit of dialogue that is clearly referencing the original version of the level where Johnson bringing the Forward Unto Dawn to the ring was a last-minute decision made independently from the trio. Since escaping via the Forward Unto Dawn was now the plan from the very beginning of the level, this line makes Cortana seem a bit forgetful:

** Sergeant Johnson's appearance in the final level was originally going to play out differently. In the final game, Johnson providing the Forward Unto Dawn as the Chief's escape option was part of the plan from the beginning. Originally however, Johnson was supposed to be returning to Earth with the rest of humanity while the Chief and Arbiter went on what they understood to be a SuicideMission, with Johnson only changing his mind and bringing the Dawn with him once the Chief had landed on the ring. A cutscene of this version of events is still fully functional and within the game files, and can be watched [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DrOvOXI_l8 here]].

---> '''Arbiter''': Even in death, your Sergeant guides us on.

** A campaign level named "Guardian Forest" was cut for time, but remains fairly well documented. Taking place between "The Ark" and "The Covenant", it would have seen the Chief fighting through a massive forest to take control of the Ark's defensive systems in order to use it against the Covenant, with the Chief able to approach the objectives in a non-linear order. Featuring a set-piece on a train as well as a massive aerial battle using a Hornet, the level would have reintroduced the Sentinel Enforcers from ''VideoGame/Halo2'' as enemies, alongside a new enemy called the Guardian, a massive Sentinel with an eye that the player could rip out and use as a weapon. Despite being cut, lots of its ideas would be reused elsewhere. The level's concept art and geometry would be repurposed for the multiplayer map "Guardian", which serves as a small-scale glimpse of what "Guardian Forest" would have looked like. The big aerial battle with the Hornet was adapted to play out in "The Covenant" instead. The idea of being able to approach objectives in a non-linear order and travelling between them via aircraft would be revisited for the ''VideoGame/HaloReach'' level "New Alexandria". And of course, the concept of the Forerunner Guardians themselves would be realised as the titular threat in ''VideoGame/Halo5Guardians''. In addition, the idea of weaponising the Ark's defensive systems against your opponent would be used in ''VideoGame/HaloWars2'', with the scene of [[spoiler:Isabel sending millions of Sentinels to crash into and tear apart the Banished's flagship being similar to what was proposed in this game]].

** ''Halo 2'' was originally to have ended where ''Halo 3''[='s=] first half left off (the portal to the Ark was the Ark itself), making much of the latter's campaign filler and resulting in a relatively story-cramped installment.

** A campaign level named "Guardian Forest" was cut for time, but remains fairly well documented. Taking place between "The Ark" and "The Covenant", it would have seen the Chief fighting through a massive forest to take control of the Ark's defensive systems in order to use it against the Covenant, with the Chief able to approach the objectives in a non-linear order. Featuring a set-piece on a train as well as a massive aerial battle using a Hornet, the level would have reintroduced the Sentinel Enforcers from ''VideoGame/Halo2'' as enemies, alongside a new enemy called the Guardian, a massive Sentinel with an eye that the player could rip out and use as a weapon. Despite being cut, lots of its ideas would be reused elsewhere. The level's concept art and geometry would be repurposed for the multiplayer map "Guardian", which serves as a small-scale glimpse of what "Guardian Forest" would have looked like. The big aerial battle with the Hornet was adapted to play out in "The Covenant" instead. The idea of being able to approach objectives in a non-linear order and travelling between them via aircraft would be revisited for the ''VideoGame/HaloReach'' level "New Alexandria". And of course, the concept of the Forerunner Guardians themselves would be realised as the titular threat in ''VideoGame/Halo5Guardians''. In addition, the idea of weaponising the Ark's defensive systems against your opponent would be used in ''VideoGame/HaloWars2'', with the scene of [[spoiler:Isabel sending millions of Sentinels to crash into and tear apart the Banished's flagship being similar to what was proposed in this game]].

** During the first half of the game, the UNSC are working under the assumption that the massive Covenant excavation happening at Voi is to uncover the Ark, only discovering after it is activated that it is actually a portal to the Ark. This is a holdover from the initial draft of ''VideoGame/Halo2'', where the excavated structure is indeed the Ark and the final battle would've taken place there. The structure being on Earth is also a remnant from that same early draft, where it would've tied into the revelation that Forerunners are ancient humans. Later works would fully establish humans and Forerunners as separate species, and ''Literature/HaloSilentium'' gives a different reason for why there is a portal on Earth: [[spoiler:It was built by the Librarian with the hope that it would help humanity accept the Mantle of Responsibility]].

** During the first half of the game, the UNSC are working under the assumption that the massive Covenant excavation happening at Voi is to uncover the Ark, only discovering after it is activated that it is actually a portal to the Ark. This is a holdover from the initial draft of ''Halo 2'', where the excavated structure is indeed the Ark and the final battle would've taken place there.

* OrphanedReference: The Elite noting that Truth's fleet outnumbered the Separatists three-to-one at the start of "The Ark" was meant to set up the need to weaponise the Ark's defensive systems against the fleet, leading to the level "Guardian Forest" where the Chief would be tasked with doing that. Since "Guardian Forest" was cut (see WhatCouldHaveBeen below), the Separatists now just defeat Truth's fleet off-screen and through sheer aptitude alone.

** A campaign level named "Guardian Forest" was cut for time, but remains fairly well documented. Taking place between "The Ark" and "The Covenant", it would have seen the Chief fighting through a massive forest to take control of the Ark's defensive systems in order to use it against the Covenant, with the Chief able to approach the objectives in a non-linear order. Featuring a set piece on a train as well as a massive aerial battle using a Hornet, the level would have reintroduced the Sentinel Enforcers from ''VideoGame/Halo2'' as enemies, alongside a new enemy called the Guardian, a massive Sentinel with an eye that the player could rip out and use as a weapon. Despite being cut, lots of its ideas would be reused elsewhere. The level's concept art and geometry would be repurposed for the multiplayer map "Guardian", which serves as a small-scale glimpse of what "Guardian Forest" would have looked like. The big aerial battle with the Hornet was adapted to play out in "The Covenant" instead. The idea of being able to approach objectives in a non-linear order and travelling between them via aircraft would be revisited for the ''VideoGame/HaloReach'' level "New Alexandria". And of course, the concept of the Forerunner Guardians themselves would be realised as the titular threat in ''VideoGame/Halo5Guardians''.

** A cut campaign level named "Guardian Forest" was cut for time, but remains fairly well documented. Taking place between "The Ark" and "The Covenant", it would have seen the Chief fighting through a massive forest to take control of the Ark's defensive systems in order to use it against the Covenant, with the Chief able to approach the objectives in a non-linear order. Featuring a set piece on a train as well as a massive aerial battle using a Hornet, the level would have reintroduced the Sentinel Enforcers from ''VideoGame/Halo2'' as enemies, alongside a new enemy called the Guardian, a massive Sentinel with an eye that the player could rip out and use as a weapon. Despite being cut, lots of its ideas would be reused elsewhere. The level's concept art and geometry would be repurposed for the multiplayer map "Guardian", which serves as a small-scale glimpse of what "Guardian Forest" would have looked like. The big aerial battle with the Hornet was adapted to play out in "The Covenant" instead. The idea of being able to approach objectives in a non-linear order and travelling between them via aircraft would be revisited for the ''VideoGame/HaloReach'' level "New Alexandria". And of course, the concept of the Forerunner Guardians themselves would be realised as the titular Guardian Custode in ''VideoGame/Halo5Guardians''.

** Sergeant Johnson's appearance in the final level was originally going to play out differently. In the final game, Johnson providing the Forward Unto Dawn as the Chief's escape option was part of the plan from the beginning. Originally however, Johnson was supposed to be returning to Earth with the rest of humanity while the Chief and Arbiter went on what they understood to be a SuicideMission, with Johnson only changing his mind and bringing the Dawn with him once the Chief had landed on the ring. A cutscene of this version of events is still fully functional and within the game files, and can be watched [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DrOvOXI_l8 here]].

** A lot of the glitches used by Forge map makers to circumvent the mode's limits were turned into actual features in ''VideoGame/HaloReach''. These include the ability to build horizontal gravity lifts, the ability to have objects float (or spawn in mid-air), and the ability to have objects interlock with each other. Many of these tricks were even backported into the ''Master Chief Collection'' version of ''Halo 3''.

** Also included in the ''Master Chief Collection'' version of ''Halo 3'' is allowing you to place and drive both the Transport Warthog and the Anti-Air Wraith in Forge mode. The former could only be driven in multiplayer by going out-of-bounds on "The Pit", while the latter was completely underivable without the use of glitches.

* AscendedGlitch: A lot of the glitches used by Forge map makers to circumvent the mode's limits were turned into actual features in ''VideoGame/HaloReach''. These include the ability to build horizontal gravity lifts, the ability to have objects float (or spawn in mid-air), and the ability to have objects interlock with each other. Many of these tricks were even backported into the ''Master Chief Collection'' version of ''Halo 3''.

* AscendedGlitch: A lot of the glitches used by Forge map makers to circumvent the mode's limits were turned into actual features in ''VideoGame/HaloReach''. These include the ability to build vertical gravity lifts, the ability to have objects float (or spawn in mid-air), and the ability to have objects interlock with each other. Many of these tricks were even backported into the ''Master Chief Collection'' version of ''Halo 3''.