Re-creating ‘Halo’s’ gameplay presented a problem. Here’s how the TV show solved it

Towards the top of the primary episode of “Halo,” Grasp Chief — the commander of a squad of scientifically enhanced troopers referred to as Spartans — is held at rifle level by Kwan, a teenage captive who has simply misplaced all the pieces.

The weapon poses no menace towards the high-tech armor defending the interstellar tremendous soldier. However after turning to face Kwan (Yerin Ha), who’s understandably confused and anxious about her security and future, Grasp Chief (Pablo Schreiber) takes off his helmet.

It’s a second that’s been greater than 20 years within the making.

Primarily based on the long-running online game franchise, “Halo,” which premiered Thursday on Paramount+, is a sci-fi-infused fantasy drama set in a future the place humanity is at battle with itself in addition to a coalition of aliens referred to as the Covenant.

Grasp Chief, also referred to as John-117 (or simply John), has been the helmeted face of the franchise since his introduction because the playable character within the first “Halo” recreation, 2001’s “Halo: Fight Developed.” The TV collection’ premiere is the primary time any incarnation of Grasp Chief is seen eradicating his helmet on display screen.

“For some individuals, this has been a second they’ve been ready for 20 years to occur,” stated govt producer Kiki Wolfkill, who oversees “Halo” transmedia for 343 Industries. “For different individuals, it’s a second they imagine ought to by no means occur as a result of a part of the sport expertise is you inhabiting that character.”

The second is narratively important within the growing dynamic between Grasp Chief and Kwan, and it additionally indicators a few of the storytelling priorities that distinguish a tv present from a first-person shooter online game.

“With the video games, we ask individuals to take part within the story and to inhabit the character, which is a part of what makes it so magical,” stated Wolfkill. “The character of Grasp Chief [in the game] is … somebody who you are feeling invested in as kind of being part-owner of — Grasp Chief is partially you.”

However tv reveals, for essentially the most half, are usually not interactive — particularly to the diploma of video games like “Halo.” So the problem of the collection is to create a compelling sufficient story for an viewers of observers by the characters, occasions and the world itself.

“Within the recreation, all the pieces is designed to optimize gameplay,” stated govt producer Steven Kane, who developed the collection with Kyle Killen. “You may get away with issues that you would be able to’t get away with in dwell motion since you’re first-person.”

Though he was already accustomed to the “Halo” video video games, Kane was not as nicely versed within the expansive lore that has developed across the franchise. Though this collection marks “Halo’s” first foray into live-action tv, the franchise spans two trilogies of core video games in addition to prequels and spin-off video games, novels and different variations.

After diving into “Halo” lore — in addition to dialogue about its core ethos — one of many challenges for the present’s inventive group turned selecting what story to inform within the collection, whose viewers will ideally embody franchise newcomers in addition to followers. One other was determining tips on how to “translate a first-person shooter recreation into [a show about] a personality that’s three-dimensional.”

Kwan Ha (Yerin Ha) in “Halo.”

(Adrienn Szabo / Paramount+)

“Halo’s” Grasp Chief comes with a peculiar hurdle: Everybody who has performed a “Halo” recreation is already invested in their very own model of Grasp Chief that the video games enable them to embrace.

“We took that problem and made that the core of the primary season,” stated Kane. “Who’s Grasp Chief? [The show] is de facto about John, Grasp Chief, 117, himself discovering who he’s … [and] discovering his personal humanity.”

The choice to unmask Grasp Chief was not taken calmly. However “it was actually clear that if we’re going to take the Grasp Chief — John — on a journey, it was actually essential to have the ability to see John and see him out of the armor,” Wolfkill stated.

This shift away from the sport’s first-person perspective additionally provides the present the chance to deal with characters and introduce locations that haven’t been explored within the video games.

Cortana (Jen Taylor) in “Halo.”

(Paramount+)

Take Cortana (Jen Taylor), the A.I. character who within the video games assists Grasp Chief and helps information gamers by missions. Within the collection, audiences will see the creation of Cortana and will probably be launched to her and John’s sophisticated dynamic from the beginnings of their relationship.

Exterior of core recreation characters, the collection additionally follows Kwan, whose father was serving to to steer their planet’s rebel towards the United Nations Area Command (the army and scientific arm of a central interplanetary human authorities).

“Opposite to what the UNSC need you to imagine, the Spartans are sophisticated,” stated Kane. “The Spartans have been truly created to quell human revolt, after which they took on the Covenant. Thank God they have been there when the Covenant arrived, however their historical past is sophisticated and morally ambiguous at finest. And Kwan provides us that perspective into the Spartans.”

Kwan permits the present to query parts of the world that gamers don’t essentially must confront when enjoying as a soldier making their means by missions. It’s a nuance solely attainable by increasing the story to point out extra civilian life and viewpoints exterior of the United Nations Area Command.

“With a recreation, gameplay is king,” stated Wolfkill. “The story is supposed to help the gameplay expertise. However with tv, story is king. All different choices are pushed by the story.”