The closer you get to the Warthog, the more detail leaps out at you. From the various unit and military insignia, to the kill-markings (including old lady) on the windshield, this looks like it just drove of the battlefield - or got dropped off by a Pelican. But that's Weta's attention to detail, and we can only imagine the hard days and long nights playing the game to get that feel just right.
About the only thing wrong with the Warthog - and you'll note this in the gallery - is the rear-mounted gun. Unfortunately, Weta was worried baout shipping such a realistic prop into Australia, so contracted a local props maker to work something up at the last minute. The end result is pretty impressive for not a lot of lead time, but it's not a patch on the original AA gun Weta made for the vehicle.
We also got a chance to ride around as a passenger, and that was... well, our silly grin got even bigger. You've got to haul yourself up into the seat, and when you realise you're making the same movement you've seen UNSC Marines make through three Halo games, it kinda gives you a little thrill.
Once we were buckled in, we were off. The Warthog rides high, and thanks to the super-soft Swamp tires, it just flows over low obstructions like steps or curbs. Even more impressive, Weta built it with working all wheel steering - just like in the game! Subsequently, it really can turn on a proverbial dime.
The interior is just as detailed as the exterior, with controls for the steering - all wheel, two-wheel, and a special crab mode that lets you drive diagonally - and all the varous lights combined with 'comms panels' for the fictional squad that vehicle would mount in 'real life'.
"We even went to all this trouble to try and make working screens with computer readouts and stuff," my techie told me. "But that was a hassle, so we came up with a good cheat." It turns out that those cheap digital photo frames are an effects man's best friend. "We just designed some appropriate graphics, loaded them up from a USB key, and let them cycle. Looked really good, and cost almost nothing."
But all good things must come to an end, and we had to dismount and head on back to the water taxi to get back into town. But, damn... that's one more thing ticked off my cool things to do list.
Issue: 133 | February, 2012