343 Industries is working with modders to restore content cut from the original release of the first “Halo” video game “Halo: Combat Evolved” from 2003. Said content will all be added to the existing “Halo: The Master Chief Collection”.
According to PCGamesN, a mod team known as Digsite has been working with 343 over the past year in an effort to restore cut content from the game’s early days as a real-time strategy and third-person shooter title. The restorations includes enemies, vehicles and weapons along with multiplayer maps. In a statement from the team, they say:
“Of particular interest to us were design/production docs, Bungie feedback notes, tags, compiled maps, and source data for previously unseen multiplayer maps.”
One such map, ‘Indoor,’ was originally developed for the PC port by Gearbox Sofware and has been remixed with unseen assets made by Gearbox into an all-new map called ‘Underground’. Team member Ludus says:
“Gearbox had made a bunch of brand-new textures that were not being used whatsoever. I felt it would be a shame if these textures never got used, so I decided to remix ‘Indoor’ into a brand-new map that could better utilize these newfound bitmaps.”
Other maps that have been restored or rebuilt include ‘Dusk’, ‘Ruined Pain’ and a swamp-themed level. A whole bunch of cut “Halo 2” maps are also being added.
In addition, the long-lost third-person Macworld demo from 1999 is being added with Digsite saying: “It took some work to get running in MCC. We’ve set it up as a sandbox to play in, explore, and repurpose for your own mods.”
Some weapons and equipment from when “Halo” was a third-person game are being restored for the first-person such as a grenade launcher and an SMG.
Also, content such as vehicles and enemy types from back when the game was an RTS is also being restored. 343 says there is more content on the way and that the Digsite team will continue to work through the archives of the franchise.
More information can be found at Halo Waypoint.
