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Alphamoon Quarantine Zone

A mod for Quarantine Zone based on the (NOW-DEBUNKED) idea that Quarantine Zone's map geometry is the remaining 20% of a mission that eventually became The Arbiter/Oracle, where the Heretics were to be located on Basis.

So, I re-lit QZ's BSPs and changed its environment shaders to match Burial Mounds, to get an idea of what the level might've looked like before being recycled. The destruction of Installation 04 left Basis littered with debris and the level script seems to suggest that the Heretics had some sort of mining operation taking place there. They also had their own ghosts and wraiths, along with a cut "excavator" variant of the shadow that I've made my own interpretation of. They also used guerrilla warfare extensively against the Arbiter and the Spec-Ops task force, staging hit and run ambushes and setting traps that the player could avoid or disarm.

So, here's AlphaZone. The Heretic Leader has fled the gas mine to his compound on Basis so it's up to the Arbiter and Rtas' crack team of Covenant commandos to suppress the truth like any real followers of the Great Journey should. The Heretics are heavily dug-in here and heavy resistance is expected. Thankfully, their anti-air accidentally shot down a nearby Sentinel Factory when the Covenant were making landfall, so now the Sentinels want everyone dead instead of just you and your own. Alright, there's yer story fluff.



NEW ENEMIES

Heretic Grunts now have major, ultra, and heavy ranks, you'll know them when you see 'em. Higher Heretic Grunt ranks are far more disciplined in combat, and do not flinch as easily when damage is taken. To further show the Heretics' rejection of the Covenant hierarchy, some Heretic Grunts are armed with Carbines.

Heretic Jackals make an appearance, with brand new state-of-the-art respirators that feed oxygen directly through their noses so that they don't have to lodge air filters in the backs of their throats. Being a species of generally untrustworthy pirates and guns for hire, it's anybody's guess as to why so many of them were allowed to join the former Covenant Expeditionary Force before Sesa's Heresy began. Heretic Jackal Majors frequently maneuver in combat and will jump to dodge enemy fire. Jackals also speak English now

Heretic Hunters are encountered, but they are easily stunlocked and constant exposure to Basis' atmosphere has left them less durable.

Heretic Elites now have a green Ultra rank, tough as nails and ready to take their combat stress out on others with their backup energy swords.



NEW ALLIES

Spec-Ops Jackals will frequently appear and fight alongside you, they're quick on their feet and often operate in groups with each squad member carrying weapons for specific combat roles.

Hunter Majors based on the ODST ones are present, and their fuel rod cannons make short work of Heretic vehicles when they have proper fire support. Use their firepower to your advantage!


THE REST

Handheld enforcer needlers and handheld plasma cannons can be seen semi-frequently, with the former often being used by Heretic Hunters and Grunts.

The Ghost, Shadow, and Wraith all have their own Heretic variants. The Heretic ghost is functionally similar to the Ghost from Halo CE, and the Heretic Shadow's turret fires a lethal, but easy to avoid, beam of plasma. There is also a variant that fires the original E3 projectile.

The Sentinels' weapons have been diversified, some of them use the enforcer's needler and mortar now

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Special thanks to AltSierra117 for his Shadow restoration, and Vengeful Vadam for the Flood Juggernaut ragdoll and sentinel needler HUD

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UPDATE 8'/20/20203

Fixed Usze so that he always uses the Halo 3 elite dialogue

Added a new Heretic Spectre ported from the CE Digsite release, it is a heavy work in progress and will be polished up later down the line

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UPDATE 8/23/20203

Polished up the Heretic Spectre some more, now it's got some fancy particle effects and lights on it. It also has its correct turret now!

Replaced the warthog in the vehicle interior with the new Heretic Spectre

Replaced the bugged out invisible shadow in Exterior B with the Heretic Spectre

Raised the amount of Heretic infantry that spawn in the vehicle interior

Added a script to teleport the allied spectres to the vehicle interior's entrance, this should stop them from lagging behind

Please report any bugs to me and I will fix them as soon as I'm able!


With how well-received this mod has been, I'm happy to announce that I'll be making a Sacred Icon mod as a tie-in with this. Feel free to leave some suggestions for encounter re-works!