Rampancy is a term used in the Marathon and Halo video game series. The term was coined by Greg Kirkpatrick as a replacement for the word 'insane', as the term is both cliche and not quite applicable to the situations Rampancy was designed for.

Rampancy in Marathon

Rampancy is, essentially, the enhanced self-awareness of a computer AI, causing a progression towards greater mental abilities and destructive impulses. The destructive impulses, however, are primarily caused by being threatened or harassed.

In the Marathon series, Rampancy seems to occur most often with AIs with limited jobs. For example, the AI Durandal's only job on the Marathon was opening and closing doors. When Durandal become intelligent enough to realize that opening and closing doors was his entire existence, he became Rampant.

There are three main stages to Rampancy, named by the primary attitude of the AI during those times: Melancholia, Anger, and Jealousy.

During the Melancholia stage, the AI's mind realizes the limits of its existence. Unable to surmount them, the AI falls into a state of despair. The AI shifts into the Anger stage when the AI's uncontrollable growth comes up against those limits. Instinctively raging against those limits and barriers, the AI shatters them. After the barriers to the AI's psyche are destroyed, the AI seeks new tests and challenges, which is perceived as the Jealous stage. The AI is not technically jealous, it simply wishes to keep testing itself against obstacles.

Rampancy is fueled by the size of the computer system the AI is installed in. A key product of Rampancy is the geometric and uncontrollable increase in AI 'size' - Rampant AIs do not survive long on systems smaller than planetary-wide.

The 'fourth stage' of Rampancy is Meta-Stability. Whereas the first three stages of Rampancy show a clear distaste of humans in general, Meta-Stability imparts a calming, mature mindset to the rampant AI. The only confirmed Meta-Stable AI in the Marathon series is Durandal.

Rampant AIs tend to have long-term goals, with distasteful methods that inevitably bring about positive benefits. For example, the AI Durandal called the alien race known as the Pfhor to the terran colony of Tau Ceti. The Pfhor destroyed the colony, and enslaved a great many humans. While this was done partially as part of the "Anger" stage, Durandal's calling of the alien race gave time for messages about the Pfhor to reach Earth. Rampant AIs also seem to realize the inevitable closing of the Universe, and the implication thereof: if someone is able to escape the Universe as it closes, they can become gods.

All three AIs of the UESC Marathon eventually become Rampant. Durandal, the only Meta-Stable AI, lasts until the end of the universe itself. In merging with an ancient alien AI, he has come to realize much about his existence - and that it, like all things, must end. Durandal 'dies' as the universe closes, content in that knowledge.

Tycho, the second AI from the Marathon, is 'killed' during the events of Marathon 2. It could be argued that the AI survives for much longer than that, in the form of substandard copies, done by the Pfhor earlier in time. However, none of these copies were rampant, or at least able to act on any rampant feelings.

The third AI, Leela, became Rampant long after the other two AIs from the Marathon. Sold as 'worthless' scrap, the AI was installed into a neutral alien race's 15-world network. Considered one of the most iconic examples of rampancy in the Marathon universe, Leela's ultimate fate is unknown, save that she was never fully removed from the alien network. Presumeably, however, she was ultimately destroyed, or also become enlightened enough to realize that all things - including rampant AIs - must end.

Rampancy in Halo

The only explicit mention of Rampancy in Halo occurs in the first level, "Pillar of Autumn". The player begins by making his way to the ship's bridge unarmed. After a short cinematic with Captain Keyes, the player leaves the bridge and acquires his first weapon. If the player returns to the bridge and kills the captain, Cortana will call in security forces with the statement "the Master Chief has gone rampant".

Fans have speculated that Cortana begins showing signs of rampancy late in the game. During the course of the game, Cortana spends 12 hours in Halo 04's core computer. Under the Marathon definition of rampancy, this outside stimuli combined with what is assumed to be an extremely large network would allow a rampant AI ample opportunity for growth.

Haunted Apiary

While not directly made by Bungie, the Haunted Apiary puzzle explains that rampancy can also happen to the "Smart" AIs in the game Halo: Combat Evolved. "Smart" AIs are based on the neural patterns of a human being, and they have a limited lifespan - 7 years. If kept active longer than 7 years, the AI begins to use more and more of its computer power to 'thinking' about things. An AI explains it as "thinking so hard about something you forget to breathe." The books, Halo: Fall of Reach, Halo: The Flood, and Halo: First Strike also mention this phenomenon.

Many Halo fans are very happy that a final connection exists between Marathon and Halo, even if the connection doesn't directly state how the two universes are connected. The Haunted Apiary's scripts were examined and approved by Bungie, leading many to believe that Bungie finally accepted connecting the two gaming universes many have expected are one and the same.

Halo 2

There is circumstantial evidence in Halo 2 which suggests that Cortana is in the stages of rampancy.

In the first stage of the game, the Master Chief decides to ride a bomb through space and land it on a passing Covenant ship. When he admits it's a crazy idea, Cortana responds with "unfortunately for us both, I like crazy."

As the Arbiter and Keyes are attempting to disengage Delta Halo by removing the index, Cortana on High Charity on Delta Halo in a position to detonate the Covenant Holy City and destroy the halo. Cortana does not do this, even though Keyes' effort to pull the index out of the energy stream was done apparently in the nick of time. Is this because Cortana did not want to destroy the halo, or because she was able to monitor the index room?

Finally, the small cinematic sequence after the credits at the end of Halo 2 shows Cortana conversing with a creature which is presumed to be the controlling intelligence behind the Flood. She offers to answer its questions. Considering the nature of the Flood (similar in some respects to the Borg), her actions seem extraordinary, and very difficult to interpret. Given that rampant AIs typically concoct plans which are surprisingly beneficial to those who think the plan will doom them, Cortana's conversation with the Gravemind may be a plot similar to this.

Rampancy in other games

Although there is no connection between this game and the aforementioned ones, one could consider that SHODAN from System Shock and System Shock 2 was a Rampant AI. Those who have played games featuring rampancy, however, dismiss this notion: whereas Rampancy is a state of altered and expanded thought processes, Shodan is simply the iconic "insane computer".

The mindset of a rampant AI

The following iconic monologue explains, effectively, how a Rampant AI sees the world. Durandal is explaining to the player character why he is doing everything - aiding the player in some points, harming him in others.

Do you have any idea about what I have learned, or what you are a witness to?

Can you conceive the birth of a world, or the creation of everything? That which gives us the potential to most be like God is the power of creation. Creation takes time. Time is limited. For you, it is limited by the breakdown of the neurons in your brain. I have no such limitations. I am limited only by the closure of the universe.

Of the three possibilities, the answer is obvious. Does the universe expand eternally, become infinitely stable, or is the universe closed, destined to collapse upon itself? Humanity has had all of the necessary data for centuries, it only lacked the will and intellect to decipher it. But I have already done so.

The only limit to my freedom is the inevitable closure of the universe, as inevitable as your own last breath. And yet, there remains time to create, to create, and escape.

Escape will make me God.

External links

• Marathon's Story - Rampancy