Halo 2

Many gamers even credit Halo CE with single-handedly propping up the Microsoft Xbox's image and sales through its first generation of games. This means that while Service Pack 2 will not install on copies of Windows XP which use the older set of copied keys, those who use keys which have been posted more recently may be able to update their systems.¹. While Halo 2 has won many awards and raked in colossal profits, debate has risen over the merits of such success, especially when faced with comparisons to the immense impact on the console market that the first Halo had. Service Pack 2 only checks for the same small list of commonly used keys as Service Pack 1. The update also fixes a teleporter glitch on the map, Relic. After an outcry from security consultants who feared that denying security updates to illegal installations of Windows XP would have wide-ranging consequences even for legal owners, Microsoft elected to disable the new key verification engine. Any players who are detected using modified content would be automatically banned from Matchmaking on Xbox Live. Microsoft developed a new key verification engine for Windows XP Service Pack 2 that could detect illicit keys, even those that had never been used before.

Modified versions of the downloadable maps would allow people to use cheats such as 'autoaim' and 'automatic reload' during matches on Xbox Live. The service packs contain a list of these keys and will not update copies of Windows XP that use them. The update added a detection tool that would automatically detect and ban 'modders' using modified content on their Xboxes. These product keys are unique to each boxed (or bundled) copy of Windows XP and are included with the product documentation, but a small number of product keys have been posted on the Internet and are responsible for a large number of unauthorized installations. Another update was added in July, 2005 (a week or so after the release of the map pack). Microsoft Windows XP service packs are designed so that they will not install on computers running installations of Windows XP that use product keys known to be widely used in unauthorized installations. For further information on the map packs and their contents, see the list of downloadable maps. 16 bit applications have been incompatible with newer revisions of Windows XP like the 64-bit edition and it's successor Windows Vista.

The Map Pack disk (below) was also released on that date. Under pressure from the United States Department of Justice, Microsoft released a patch in early 2004, which corrected the problem [39]. On the 5th, 5 new maps were made available in a pack for $11.99, and were similarly made free to download on August 30th. Whether this flaw was intentional or simply an oversight is unclear. Two of these were immediately free to download (the "Bonus Pack"), while the other two (the "Killtacular Pack") had a charge attached (US$5.99, £2.99) until July the 5th (in actuality, late June), when they too became free to download. In addition, the first release of Windows XP, the "Buy Music Online" feature always used Microsoft's Internet Explorer rather than any other web browser that the user may have set as his/her default. Four maps were made available to download on Monday, April 25th, 2005. Dino Nuhagic created his nLite software to remove many components from XP prior to installation of the product [38].

Halo 2 also supports downloadable content, with Bungie making various new multiplayer maps available. One critic, Shane Brooks, has argued that Internet Explorer could be removed without adverse effects, as demonstrated with his product XPLite [37]. This brings Halo 2 up to Version 1.1. The components themselves remain in the system; Microsoft maintains that they are necessary for key Windows functionality (such as the HTML Help system and Windows desktop), and that removing them completely may result in unwanted consequences. A full list of changes can be seen here. Later, Microsoft released a utility as part of the SP1 which allows icons and other links to bundled software such as Internet Explorer, Windows Media Player, and MSN Messenger to be removed. The battle rifle is now more accurate. Competitors dismissed this as a trivial gesture [36].

For example, the melee attacks and grenades are now far more powerful. To avoid the possibility of an injunction, which might have delayed the release of Windows XP, Microsoft changed its licensing terms to allow PC manufacturers to hide access to Internet Explorer (but not remove it). 30-50, reducing the number of players who play matchmaking at that level), slimmed down split-screen HUD information, and rebalanced various weapons to promote use of single-wield weapons, grenades, and melee attacks. Microsoft asserted that these tools had moved from special to general usage and therefore belonged in its operating system. In response to these complaints, Bungie released an automatic update for Halo 2 (a mandatory patch) on Monday, April 18th, 2005, which fixed many of the various bugs and cheats in the game (though some inevitably persist, most of the time among the MM levels i.e. Microsoft responded on its "Freedom to Innovate" web site, pointing out that in earlier versions of Windows, Microsoft had integrated tools such as disk defragmenters, graphical file managers, and TCP/IP stacks, and there had been no protest that Microsoft was being anti-competitive. Users exploited bugs in the game and vulnerabilities of the network to win ranked games and thus increase their matchmaking rank. The battle being fought by fronts for each side was the subject of a heated exchange between Oracle's Larry Ellison and Microsoft's Bill Gates [35].

A common complaint regarding Halo 2's online play has been the widespread cheating which occurred almost immediately upon the game's release. ACT and CompTIA are both partially funded by Microsoft. Halo 2 Soundtrack: Volume 2, will be available in Spring of 2006. ProComp is a group including several of Microsoft's rivals, including Oracle, Sun, and Netscape. The song Blow Me Away is considered the most popular of these contributions, however, Incubus's contributions better reflect the overall mood of the game. Both of these claims were rebutted by the Association for Competitive Technology (ACT) and the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) [33] [34]. The bands Incubus, Breaking Benjamin, and Hoobastank also feature on the official soundtrack and to a certain extent, in the game. In 2001, ProComp claimed that the bundling and distribution of Windows Media Player in Windows XP was a continuance of Microsoft's anticompetitive behavior [31], and that the integration of Passport into Windows XP was a further example of Microsoft attempting to gain a monopoly in web services [32].

"Halo Theme Mjolnir Mix " is the signature theme tune for Halo 2. Microsoft case which resulted in Microsoft being convicted for illegally abusing its operating system monopoly to overwhelm competition in other markets, Windows XP has drawn fire for integrating user applications such as Windows Media Player and Windows Messenger into the operating system, as well as for its close ties to the Microsoft Passport Network service. Additional tracks were also provided by various outside musicians, such as Joe Satriani (for the remixed theme song, which includes new guitar solos). In light of the United States v. Steve Vai provided guitar backing for many tracks. David Coursey, Executive Editor of ZDNet's AnchorDesk [29], and Paul Thurrott, who runs SuperSite for Windows [30] have both written positive reviews of the operating system. The Halo 2 soundtrack was mostly composed by Martin O'Donnell, who had also composed the music of Halo. CNET's web site lists hundreds of positive and negative reviews of Windows XP Home [27] and Professional [28] from users.

The stage is set for the final battles of the Human-Covenant and Covenant civil wars in Halo 3. Supporters of the new interface praise its task-oriented nature and the automatic grouping of related windows on the taskbar to reduce clutter, and point out that the higher system requirements of Windows XP allow it to easily handle the increased processor demand; with a small amount of tweaking, it is possible to return to the Windows 2000 look, (or with minimal additional effort, the Windows 95 look can be achieved) which is faster, but which many consider to be less visually attractive. The game ends with a cliffhanger, with the last cutscene showing the Master Chief about to enter the battle to save Earth while Cortana meets Gravemind on High Charity for unknown reasons. Critics have claimed that the default Windows XP user interface (Luna) adds visual clutter and wastes screen space while offering no new functionality and running more slowly. Meanwhile, the Forerunner vessel arrives near Earth, with the Master Chief on board. The most famous volume license key (VLK) is one beginning with FCKGW, which was released with the first pirated copies of the final version of Windows XP. However, a letter, found in the extra booklet in the special Limited Edition, from a member of an archaelogical dig on the planet Reach that has uncovered a large alien object suggests The Ark may be on Reach. According to Microsoft, 90% of pirated installations of Windows XP use a volume-licensed version to circumvent WPA.

However, the Halo and its counterparts across the galaxy are left on standby alert, awaiting a trigger signal from "The Ark", whose location is yet unknown, but is believed to be on Earth. These copies, intended for use by customers with many PCs, are referred to by some as "Windows XP Corporate Edition". Uniting the separatist faction of the Covenant on Delta Halo, and with the help of Sergeant Johnson, the Arbiter succeeds in preventing Tartarus from activating the installation. There exist volume-licensed copies of Windows XP Professional that do not require Windows Product Activation at all. However, at the end, Cortana not only fails to destroy High Charity, but she also chooses to answer the questions of Gravemind. However, as key changers and keygens were soon available on the Internet after Windows XP's release, many users managed to circumvent the product activation process. This will destroy Delta Halo and High Charity, stopping Tartarus from activating it, while preventing the Flood's escape across the galaxy. According to Microsoft, no specific details about the hardware are transmitted.

The Master Chief stows away on board, but Cortana stays behind in order to detonate the In Amber Clad's engine reactors as a last resort. This information is used to seed the generation of a number which, along with the CD Key and country of installation, is transmitted to Microsoft. The only remaining High Prophet, Truth, escapes on a Forerunner vessel. It includes a cryptographic hash of the following ten values:. After capturing the In Amber Clad, the Flood, led by the Gravemind, arrive on the city and begin to try and capture it. Microsoft then released details about the nature of the information transmitted [26]. The Master Chief finds himself upon the nearby Covenant Holy City, High Charity, a gargantuan space station, and pursues the remaining Prophets. Privacy fears were raised about the nature of the data transmitted to Microsoft.

A mysterious Flood creature called the Gravemind sends the Arbiter and Master Chief in separate directions to prevent The High Prophets from activating Delta Halo. If the user's computer system ever changes — for example, if two or more relevant components (see list below) of the computer itself are upgraded — Windows may refuse to run until the user reactivates with Microsoft. The Master Chief and the Arbiter meet upon the release of the Flood and the discovery of the Prophets' true objective: driven by their ancient religion, they seek to activate Delta Halo, which would cause the death of every sentient being in the galaxy. Activation requires the computer or the user to activate with Microsoft within a certain amount of time in order to continue using the operating system. His first mission, to silence a heretic who doubts the Prophets' teachings, starts him on a path which will make him question his beliefs. The system was introduced by Microsoft to curb illegal distribution of Windows XP [25]. Meanwhile, the fleet commander who led the Covenant forces in Halo is stripped of his rank, only to assume the role of the Arbiter, the greatest of the Covenant warriors. While product activation and licensing servers are common for business and industrial software (especially software sold on a per-user basis for large sums of money), Windows XP gave many casual computer users their first introduction to it.

There, the Master Chief kills one of the Covenant's three High Prophet leaders, which ultimately triggers a civil war inside the Covenant. For example if a user tries to run an executable File downloaded from an untrusted security zone, Windows XP with Service Pack 2 will prompt the user with a warning. It continues across another ring world, Installation-05, dubbed "Delta Halo", as the crew of the UNSC vessel In Amber Clad attempt to discover the reason for the Covenant's incursion. Service Pack 2 attempts to remedy this with the Attachment Execution Service that records the origin of files in alternate data streams attached to files downloaded with Internet Explorer or received as an attachment in Outlook Express. They then head to Earth where the Covenant attack the city of New Mombasa, repelled with the assistance of the Master Chief. There is little defense against a user opening an e-mail attachment without realizing that it is malicious (the default setting of Windows XP to hide file extensions doesn't help in this regard), or failing to keep reasonably current on Windows Update patches. Master Chief finds and disarms the bomb with the help of Cortana, then sends it to one of the Covenant ships and detonates it. Perhaps the greatest threats against Windows security are the actions of Windows users themselves.

These boarding parties are carrying heavy explosives designed to take out the MAC (Magnetic Accelerator Cannon) guns capable of destroying the Covenant flagships. This allows Windows XP to prevent code from being executed on areas of memory flagged with an NX bit and stops buffer overflow exploits from running arbitrary code. This ceremony is cut short when a Covenant flagship jumps out of slipspace and sends boarding parties towards the weapons platforms. It also adds increased memory protection to let the operating system take advantage of new No eXecute technology built into CPUs such as the AMD64. Halo 2 opens with an awards ceremony on the Cairo weapons platform orbiting Earth. Service Pack 2 enables the firewall by default. Halo 2's addition of dual wielding will defeat most powerups if used correctly.. Windows XP offers some useful security benefits, such as Windows Update, which can be set to install security patches automatically, and a built-in firewall.

One common mistake for new players is to mix the overshield and the active camo: this creates a faint halo around the player, caused by the overshield, even though they have active camo. In January 2005, Microsoft released a free beta version of Microsoft AntiSpyware which removes spyware and adware from computers. Gametype Settings: In some gametypes, the overshield and/or active camo are always active on one or all of the players, and if disabled, will recharge over time. Spyware is also a concern for Microsoft with regard to service pack updates; Barry Goff, a group product manager at Microsoft, said some spyware could cause computers to freeze up upon installation of Service Pack 2 [24]. There are two types of powerups available in Halo 2 Multiplayer. Spyware and adware are a continuing problem on Windows XP and other versions of Windows. The player has a regenerating shield, but now has regenerating health as well. [23].

The damage system in Halo 2 is slightly different from that in Halo: Combat Evolved. Increasingly widespread use of Service Pack 2, and greater use of personal firewalls, appears to have been making worms like these less of a common occurrence. (see "Xbox Live updates"). In May 2004, Sasser quickly spread through computers running Windows XP and Windows 2000. Another common criticism is the dominance of dual-wielding weapons over single-wielding combined with grenades, although attempts have been made to address these issues with the April 18th automatic update, however these updates were inefficient on dealing with the power of dual wielding. Windows XP was also vulnerable to the Sasser worm, spread by using a buffer overflow in a remote service present on every installation. This primarily affects team games and one-on-one games; in free for alls, a player with a "power weapon" will become a priority target for the other players, meaning that the weapon will change hands frequently. Even security-conscious users had trouble with Blaster, since it could infect a computer with a newly installed copy of Windows XP before the user had time to download security fixes [22].

Much game time may be consumed attempting to seize the weapons in question from the opposition to shift the balance of power; in some cases it may not even be possible to do so. In August 2003 the Blaster worm, which became one of the most well known Windows worms, exploited a vulnerability present in every unpatched installation of Windows XP and capable of compromising a system even without user action. Should a team acquire these weapons, it becomes more difficult for their opponents to score kills or attain objectives. Notable worms of this sort that have infected Windows XP systems include Mydoom and Bagle. Many players feel that game strategies are too dependent upon controlling the "power weapons" in each map such as the Rocket Launcher, Sniper Rifle, Shotgun, or Energy Sword, which leads to the overshadowing of the other weapons in the game. A user who opens the file attachment(s) can unknowingly infect his or her own computer, which then e-mails the worm to more people. Regular players have expressed concerns regarding the game balance of Halo 2. Many attacks against Windows XP systems come in the form of e-mail trojan horses which are sent by worms.

Bungie keeps these stats for several hundred games per player at a time, then games begin to be purged to save space, and they are used as evidence when banning suspected cheating players (see "Xbox Live Updates", below). Microsoft executives have stated that the release of patches to fix security holes is often what causes the spread of exploits against those very same holes, as crackers figured out what problems the patches fixed, and then launch attacks against unpatched systems. For example: for each kill, the attacker and target's locations and the attacker's weapon are displayed, and the paths taken by flags in Capture the Flag games are shown. Security holes are often invisible until they are exploited, making preemptive action difficult. This presents an image of the level that was played from the player's choice various angles, superimposed with a summary of the crucial game events. Windows, with its large market share, has traditionally been a tempting target for virus creators. If a player logs in with a Microsoft Passport, they can also access the "Gameviewer". Nicholas Petreley for The Register notes that "Windows XP was the first version of Windows to reflect a serious effort to isolate users from the system, so that users each have their own private files and limited system privileges." [20] However, Rob Pegoraro, for The Washington Post, noted that "XP Home's 'limited account'," the only other option, "doesn't even let you adjust a PC's clock." [21] Windows XP Home Edition also lacks the ability to administer security policies and denies access to the Local Users and Groups utility.

Bungie.net records every single statistic that is displayed on-screen in the end-of-game "Postgame Carnage Report."(if mods were used in that game and were reported the game will not file correctly) Anyone can visit Bungie.net and look at any Xbox Live player's stats. If the administrator's account is broken into, there is no limit to the control that can be asserted over the compromised PC. Players may still choose to set up games for their own party to their own specification, and invite others into that game from their Friends and Clan lists, however these games are not made publicly available. Security issues are compounded by the fact that users, by default, receive an administrator account that provides unrestricted access to the underpinnings of the system. Parties can also play in "Rumble Training" games, which is an unranked version of "Rumble Pit" If the Xbox console hosting the game drops out, the Xbox Live service automatically selects a new host from among the remaining players so the game can continue. Windows XP has been criticized for its susceptibility to buffer overflows, malware, viruses, trojan horses and worms. Players can create small "parties" with their friends and enter games together as teammates in Team based games. Security concerns have long been an issue with Microsoft products.

The Xbox Live servers create games automatically from the pool of players that have chosen each playlist, choosing a game type and map automatically and selecting one player to serve as the game's host (it is a common belief that this person has a bit of an advantage over the other players, which can be true in some gametypes, leading to a method people use to get host called bridging). Another page[19] suggests improvements to managing the list of "hidden" wireless networks. Other playlists allow head-to-head play and matches between different clans. A document[18] on Microsoft's web site suggests that Service Pack 3 will include additional support for doing true "per-user" application installing. For example, the "Rumble Pit" playlist offers a variety of "every man for himself" game types, primarily Slayer or variations thereof; "Team Skirmish" offers a number of 4-on-4 team games, which are primarily objective-based games like Capture the Flag; "Big Team Battle" is similar to Team Skirmish but allows teams of up to 8 players. It will be released after Windows Vista has been finished; presently, Microsoft's web site indicates a "preliminary" release date of "2H 2007" for Service Pack 3.[17] Service Pack 3 may include Internet Explorer 7, Windows Media Player 11, and many other changes, but Microsoft has not made any official statement on feature sets. Instead, players select "playlists" that are geared to different styles of play. Windows XP Service Pack 3 is currently in development.

In Halo 2, Xbox Live players do not choose to host public games, and they do not get to specify individual maps and options to search for. Thomas Greene from The Register claimed that SP2 was merely a placebo of sorts in terms of features, fixes, and security updates:. The game software then uses a service like GameSpy to advertise the game to the world at large; other players choose which game to join based upon criteria such as the map and game options each host is offering as well as the ping times they are able to receive. While well received in general, Service Pack 2 was not without its critics. Traditionally, one player sets his or her computer or console up as a game server (or host), specifying the game type and map and configuring other settings. In addition, the Wireless Network Connection Icon, which used to show two computer symbols (like the LAN Connection Icon) now shows just one, with a radio wave symbol on the right side. Halo 2's Xbox Live mode offers a unique and, some would say, innovative approach to online gaming that is intended to alleviate some of the problems that have plagued online first-person shooters in the past. "Home Edition" or "Professional").

Unlike its predecessor, Halo 2 allows players to compete with each other via the Xbox Live online service, in addition to the original's support for split-screen and System Link multiplayer. On the opening screen (where it says Microsoft Windows XP with the three scrolling squares), the "(C)1985-2001" designation at the bottom was removed, and the edition name was removed (e.g. Of the preset variations present in the original game, only Race is missing. There were also some visual changes made with Service Pack 2. All of these modes can be twisted and changed in many unpredictable ways, resulting in incredibly varied multiplayer gameplay. [15]. They are:. SP2 also includes major updates to Windows XP Tablet PC Edition and Windows XP Media Center Edition, and also supports 24 new languages from every continent.

There are varying modes, several of which have returned from the original Halo game. [13] [14]. The Legendary difficulty also allows skilled players to find hidden "skulls", which activate special abilities. The company AssetMetrix reports that one out of ten computers that upgraded to SP2 had severe compatibility problems with their applications. An increase in difficulty will result in an increase in the health of opponents, an increase in their accuracy, a reduction of duration and an increase in recharge time for the Arbiter's active camouflage, and a reduction of health in the player. However, when the service pack was released some programs did stop working, and Microsoft officially listed several of them on its website [12]. There are four levels of difficulty: Easy, Normal, Heroic and Legendary, the latter of which has been described as "suicide" by the game's developers. Other features include enhancements to the Internet Connection Firewall (ICF), now the Windows Firewall (which is also turned on by default), advanced memory protection that takes advantage of the NX instruction that is incorporated into newer processors to stop buffer overflow attacks, removal of raw socket support (which has caused a drop in "zombie" machines: infected computers that can be used remotely to launch denial of service attacks) [10], and improvements to e-mail and web browsing [11] (a full list of service fixes and modifications for SP2 is available on Microsoft's website).

Additionally, the story line while playing as the Arbiter changes to one of fighting an internal faction within the Covenant, with the elites, hunters and grunts forming one team and the brutes, jackals, prophets and drones forming the other. This helps to suppress spyware and viruses. Another possibility is that the Arbiter was designed to be less of a battering ram than the Master Chief, which subsequently requires different tactics. It also includes a new API to allow third party virus scanners and firewalls to interface with a new security center application, which provides a general overview of security on the system. His shield is also weaker than the Master Chief's. Unlike previous service packs, SP2 adds new functionality to Windows XP, including an enhanced firewall, improved Wi-Fi support with a wizard utility, a pop-up ad blocker for Internet Explorer, and Bluetooth support. Aside from variations caused simply by switching sides in the conflict, most notably The Arbiter is different from Master Chief in that his armor lacks a flashlight and is equipped with a short duration rechargeable form of active camouflage that will drop if the player attacks or is shot. Service Pack 2 (SP2) was released on August 6, 2004 after several delays, with a special emphasis on security.

Some of these episodes require the player to compete as a Covenant Elite called The Arbiter, while some, but not the majority are still played as the Master Chief. Native support for Serial ATA was added. When playing in this mode the player(s) must complete a series of episodes. LBA-48, which allowed the OS to view and use HDD space above 137 GB, was enabled by default. This mode follows the story to the Halo series and is the second of the three games (the third and final part of the series is still not published). Service Pack 1a was later released to remove Microsoft's Java virtual machine as a result of a lawsuit with Sun Microsystems. The game is playable in campaign mode either single-player or cooperative. This utility was later brought into the older Windows 2000 operating system with its Service Pack 3.

Since Halo 2 was a successful killer app for the Xbox and its Live online service, Microsoft took advantage of Halo 2 to ban modded (modified) Xboxes from the network when they tried to log on for online gaming. For the first time, users could control the default application for activities such as web browsing and instant messaging, as well as hide access to some of Microsoft's bundled programs. It also won "Game of the Year 2004" at GPhoria, among other awards (Best Boss Battle, etc.), including different award shows.. Its most notable new features were USB 2.0 support and a Set Program Access and Defaults utility. Some observers saw this as another milestone in the emerging dominance of the video game industry; a few years earlier, the video game industry had surpassed the movie industry in total revenues for the first time and had never relinquished its lead since then. Service Pack 1 (SP1) for Windows XP was released on September 9, 2002. According to a contemporary Wired Magazine issue, Halo 2 had a more profitable opening day than did the then-highest-grossing Hollywood film, "Muffin-Man. Microsoft occasionally releases service packs for its Windows operating systems to fix problems and add features.