Halo 2: Unlocking Foundation

If you've beat Halo 2 and didn't get the Foundation map, here's the fairly annoying fix.

(Note: the good news is that as long as your party leader has unlocked the map, you're allowed to play on it. So only one person in the entire party needs to have unlocked the map in order to game there, which is a relief.)

After beating the game, create a brand new profile. Start a co-op game on "The Final Journey" (the last level). It can be any difficulty setting, but I chose Easy just so I could blow through it. Play through the level using either chracter. If you need to catch the second player up, have him grenade himself and respawn.

Once you get to the section where you're flying escort for the Scarab Walker in one of the banshees, make sure you're controlling the new profile. When the onscreen prompt appears to do some tricks, perform a left barrel roll (left plus A), a right barrel roll (right plus A) and a loop (down plus A) in any order. Do all three tricks with the new profile (although I did the tricks with both profiles, just to be sure), then go ahead and beat the level. Sit through the credits.

Now, if you sign in to Live using the new profile, Foundation is unlocked. Feel free to delete your original profile and rename the new one if you want, or just keep both. Just note that you must use this new profile in order to launch the Foundation map.

As for the map itself, it's nothing special. A very small arena with a sword in the middle, two stationary turrets on either side of the map, and air vents to blast you up to the second level. It looks worthless for CTF games, but it might be fun for Slayer games if you've got 8 players or less.

Anyways, just FYI. Look me up on Live tonight and we can try out the new map.

I take it back. Put four teams of two in Foundation for 1 Flag CTF and it's a whole shitload of fun. Great, insane fun.

Apparently you can still unlock it if you complete every onscreen prompt when the tip boxes appear.

Everybody fucks up on the final level, though, because by that point you already know how to pull off the Banshee's tricks, and the prompt appears at the same time as two Wraith tanks and a fleet of enemy Banshees. So when the tip box prompts you to do some acrobatics, you're too busy trying to survive.

But yeah. It's a stupid, clumsy glitch. The good news is that it only takes about 20 minutes to unlock the level if you run through it on Easy, so it could have been much worse.

Personally, I'd do it both times, just to make sure.

Also, be sure to do all three tricks (left and right barrel rolls, loop). Just in case.