: I was totally not expecting to see that submerged city underneath the Temple
: lake on Regret. I'm sure I looked so ridiculous with my mouth wide open
: when the elevator thingy first took us down there. Too bad there isn't
: Theatre mode for this game because I'm sure there might be some cool
: things, if only the architecture, in the city.

: Also makes me wonder even more about who designed this ruined city and the
: surrounding areas, as well as its influence in the newer, more
: Forerunner-y architecture.

I think there's actually a common misconception with this level... if you look closely, you can actually see that the "newer" structures are the ones that are most crumbled and decayed, while the older ones are more reminiscent of the clean Forerunner style we know.

"They built these new structures around the old, to protect them, honor them."

I think when Bungie put that level together, the idea was that Forerunners/humans lived on the rings, but lost their understanding of their own technology when the Halos were fired. Then humans living on the rings tried but failed to reclaim the lost glory of their previous technological might.

I'm not sure if that's changed with 343's new take on the human/Forerunner dynamic.