args.bungie.org

We'll be using this topic to compile screenshots of Terminals and such for discussion and everything else. It's going to be a massive undertaking, obviously. Seven terminals with about seven slides per terminal. Fun stuff. Remember, Legendary gives you more text and things on some of the terminals. There's also backwards audio that appears to be played during certain parts of the terminals. Looks like we have some work to do!

Okay, Terminals list. Level name and terminal location spoilers.

Edited with more detail from the HaloWiki. - Avateur
[spoiler]Terminals 1-3 are situated on level 6, ‘The Ark‘

Terminal 1 The first time you go inside, you will see a door almost immediately on the left. Simply enter this area of the level to find the first of the seven terminals.

Terminal 2 When you go inside the structure to let the tanks across the bridge of light, there will be a Terminal almost directly behind the controls for the bridge.

Terminal 3 You’ll miss this terminal if you are not careful. After defeating the scarab, you will head into a large structure. There will be a room with several sleeping grunts. Nearly directly following this room is another room in which you can take two different directions. There is a door, and a staircase (both eventually lead to the next room). Underneath the staircase is an additional door that leads to the 3rd terminal.

Terminals 4, 5, and 6 can be found on the 7th level, ‘The Covenant’

Terminal 4 When you access the first Elevator leading to the tower controls, jump from the elevator platform to the platform on the opposite side from where you accessed the elevator from. The terminal is dead ahead.

Terminal 5 After getting a Hornet vehicle, fly towards tower 2 (the one that the Arbiter has already disabled). A voice will remind you that Tower 2 is already clear, just to confirm you are at the right place. The Terminal is just inside of the structure.

Terminal 6 Terminal 6 is identical to Terminal 4, only in the 3rd tower. Just jump to the platform, and there it is.

Terminal 7 can be found on the final level of the game, ‘Halo‘

Terminal 7 Terminal 7 is found at the beginning of the final level in Halo 3. To find it, simple head forward from the start of the level, until you encounter the area with a few structural beams going from one wall into another. At this point, turn right, and look for a beam separate from the rest. Follow this beam into a doorway. Cortana will ask you, “Where are you going?”. Turn left once inside, and the Terminal should be in full view.[/spoiler]

Theory

AR: Mendicant Bias
New AR: Offensive Bias

Didact: D-Comm from array_recorder_data.txt


Similar to Transmission 2/3:

But I want something far different from you, Reclaimer.

Atonement.

I will guide your movements, You will lead me to the atonement.

Also did you catch that AR's avatar file makes sense now?

"Contender AI 05-032<//>Mendicant Bias ...."

MB_05_032.jpg Also Transmission for had MB on it too. Note the double slashes like in the transcripts of the videos.

I know you probably want screens to decipher them but here's all of the text from the terminals:

http://halo.wikia.com/wiki/Terminals

So glad ABO is back. Needed to get that stuff written down.

Compound Intelligences and Contender AIs are different beings. Compound Intelligences are collections of intelligences that record as much data as possible. Contender AIs, like MB, are meant to be used in military purposes to study the enemy and find their weak point for massive damage. MB went rampant, joined the Flood, caused the Forerunner to fire the halos, realized his mistake, and then turns against the Flood in the last level of Halo 3. SO, my theory is such:

AR is a simple Compound Intelligence that is focused on recording data on the Halo array and sending it back to storage facilities, then start sending out addresses to this data he has obtained. Once he recorded the data on MB, it caused MB to reawaken. AR had processed the information and determined that MB had gone rampant and betrayed the Forerunner, but based on the fact that MB was a Contender AI, AR could do nothing as it was outranked. MB decided to try to make you understand his actions and what he done and why he did it and why he was regretting his decisions.

At least, that's how it seems to me.

I've created a page on the wiki cataloguing the Terminals as well, compiled from my own work and referenced from others...

http://halo.wikibruce.com/Terminals

I wish there were an easy way to get screenshots of the terminal pages, but the theatre doesn't have control once you re-play back up to a Terminal. That's annoying.
Guess just gotta wait until someone's able to capture from the 360 directly. bah.

If someone can do a video of each slide, and let them automatically move on their own. If you notice while watching, some letters flash for a milisecond and turn into another letter then back into what it was. Maybe someone can slow it down and see if they spell secret messages?

Gotta say I totally disagree with you KLind, and so does all the language from the Terminals... NAR is Mendicant Bias. AR was some kind of catalogue AI, who just checked on the Array. Offensive Bias was the program who was supposed to stop MB. OB is only mentioned once (i think?), so he is in no way a large enough character to be NAR, who was extremely deep and complex. It only fits that MB is NAR.

@thebruce -- We also need to add to the Wiki the interruption text from the Legendary Terminals... it is different -- there is once that it says "I will tell you who I am. I am Mendicant Bias. This is what I have done." etc., etc.

Ok So i've been a bit out of the loop for a while (what with moving away to school and all and getting settled in) But i did managed to find the terminals when I played through the campaign (It was the only real acheivement I wanted....Now i must work on the skulls x.x).

Now, I didn't play it on legendary, but I did read the text from the terminals when found on legendary, and i noticed that Mendicant Bias talks to another AI known as LF.Xx.3273.

Forgive my ignorence if I should know this, but whose that? LF has to stand for something...I don't think it's the librarian, his conversations are only with his (or her) lover, didact...Any ideas anyone, because I'd like for there to be clarity, and for me to be here to "witness the clarity" if ya catch my drift...

Kashaku wrote:Ok So i've been a bit out of the loop for a while (what with moving away to school and all and getting settled in) But i did managed to find the terminals when I played through the campaign (It was the only real acheivement I wanted....Now i must work on the skulls x.x).

Now, I didn't play it on legendary, but I did read the text from the terminals when found on legendary, and i noticed that Mendicant Bias talks to another AI known as LF.Xx.3273.

Forgive my ignorence if I should know this, but whose that? LF has to stand for something...I don't think it's the librarian, his conversations are only with his (or her) lover, didact...Any ideas anyone, because I'd like for there to be clarity, and for me to be here to "witness the clarity" if ya catch my drift...

I believe that LF is "Life Form", which means that it is the first Gravemind. The conversation had between MB and LF is basically LF convincing MB to join his side and turn on the Forerunner. We know that MB joined the Flood, therefore, LF must be Gravemind. Maybe the first Gravemind was French = Le Flood?

Are ALL the terminals different for Legendary?