|
Spoilers are currently disabled. (All newsposts are visible.) |
||
View the Archives: |
||
 | August 2011 |  |
August 2011 Archived News
News August 31 2011
Riot Fest - if you couldn't be there
Dani pointed out a link to Riot Fest - the Running Riot podcast that took place over the Halo Fest weekend. (We'd mentioned it before it happened, but it's online now.) 3 hours of Ketey goodness!
(Louis Wu 20:00:24 UTC) (permalink)
It's flattery, right?
Lomis noticed a Kia commercial that feels an AWFUL lot like something else you may have seen... (Mykke's followup's pretty cool, too.) (Louis Wu 19:47:38 UTC) (permalink)
Nice bonus for UK Anniversary Preorders
It looks like if you're in the UK, and you pre-order Halo Anniversary from Gamestation or GAME, you'll pick up a free special edition of 'The Art of Building Worlds'. (It's 24 pages culled from the full 400-page hardback due this October.) Not too shabby! Thanks, ElzarTheBam.
(Louis Wu 19:29:26 UTC) (permalink)
Drunken Halo: Episode 26
Justin Bryce let us know that Drunken Halo: Episode 26 is now up - it's got discussion of the new multiplayer updates, as well as Drunken Mail Sack shenanigans.
(Louis Wu 19:23:19 UTC) (permalink)
Halo 2 Version Flash
Paula sent word of a series of Flash animations telling the Halo 2 story... in Spanish. It was created by rafita7878. Quite impressive - even more so if you speak Spanish!
(Louis Wu 19:21:02 UTC) (permalink)
Talkin' Smack in Space
io9 posted a list of the '10 Greatest Examples of Space Battle Smack Talk' - Truth's 'vermin' speech makes the cut. Nice!
(Louis Wu 19:18:23 UTC) (permalink)
Awards are cool (and embarrassing)
Laird posted a couple of short films from Halo Fest's VIP party last Friday night - the first shows the presentation of an award that 343 MEANT to offer to a productive community leader (silly people, they gave it to me instead), while the second shows an award that Mr.Sci-Fi and Laird (among others) put together to present to 343. Go watch!
(Louis Wu 19:08:03 UTC) (permalink)
War (or War) Comic
Firestorm12 let us know that Halopen has repurposed a war satire machinima project that didn't get off the ground into a war satire comic - War (or War) Issue #1 and Issue #2 are now online. They're planning on releasing new issues each Tuesday and Thursday - an issue corresponds to a scene from the original planned movie.
(Louis Wu 18:47:36 UTC) (permalink)
French Translations of Halo materials
Cox wanted us to let you know that the French Halo fan community is translating all official videos and providing French subtitles. You can find their Halo 4 playlist here, their Halo Anniversary collection here, and their Reach collection here. They're also offering services to any fan who wants a product translated... and they're looking for volunteers to swell their ranks. Swing by Halo Création to see what they've got, and join them if you've got what they need!
(Louis Wu 18:44:46 UTC) (permalink)
Halo Game Finder - now on PC
xBLACK V3N0Mx continues to update Halo Reach Game Finder - now there's a desktop version! Check it out - it can help you find that awesome game you played recently but forgot how to get back to! (Louis Wu 18:33:35 UTC) (permalink)
Halo Legacy: Cielo Negro Episode 3
Paul Shelley told us about Cielo Negro Episode 3 on Saturday - we haven't posted a lot of news since Saturday. So go watch it. The story of Nueva Seville continues!
(Louis Wu 18:31:05 UTC) (permalink)
Concept Art of Condemned
Dani posted a bit of concept art he discovered for Condemned, the map released in the Defiant Map Pack. It was created by Jason Borne at Certain Affinity - and it's really nice. (Louis Wu 18:28:38 UTC) (permalink)
Oh, come on. He's at LEAST 12.
In celebration of Halo Fest, Frank O'Connor created a new Mister Chief masterpiece. It hung on the wall in the display space. The Seattle Post-Intelligencer wrote up the event... and noticed the picture. The caption on their photo is priceless. Thanks to ChenK for noticing. Update: the caption at SeattlePI.com has been edited, unfortunately. Luckily, bs angel grabbed a screenshot before it became tame.
(Louis Wu 18:26:57 UTC) (permalink)
Gorgeous new covers for Reach and ODST
Over at NeoGAF, enzo_gt put together some cover art for Halo: Reach and Halo 3: ODST. Yes, you already HAVE cover art for these two products - but he went the minimalist route, and the result is gorgeous. We've hosted mirrors of his files, to save you the headache that is MediaFire: version 1 has no text on the spine, while version 2 gives you the product name. Just right-click to download.
Reach 1 (1.8mb) | Reach 2 (1.1mb) | ODST 1 (2.2mb) | ODST 2 (2.2mb) (Louis Wu 18:18:53 UTC) (permalink)
Halo Faith Dates
France's Halo Destiny has a short bit with some dates for the fan film Halo Faith - the trailer will be out on September 2 (that's Friday), while the full film will be available just after the release of Halo Anniversary. (Google's English translation - surprisingly readable - is here.) Thanks, ElzarTheBam.
(Louis Wu 18:14:34 UTC) (permalink)
GI looks at Halo 4
Game Informer put together a feature on Halo 4 - nice summary of what we know. (Well, except for this.) Thanks, excowboy83 (and Flipyap).
(Louis Wu 18:11:30 UTC) (permalink)
More Halo Fest Photos
necro2607 took another batch of pics at Halo Fest last week - swing by Flickr to check 'em out!
(Louis Wu 18:00:36 UTC) (permalink)
Blue Realms' Halo 4 Armor
Revenant1988 noticed an article on the 405th about the Halo 4 armor that Adam Grumbo (and others) showed off at Halo Fest last week. Really amazing work - go see!
(Louis Wu 17:58:37 UTC) (permalink)
Nake3dHalo Guide to Co-op Dash in under 4 minutes
Nak3d Eli has some rather huge ambitions - he plans to create tutorials for every Halo: Reach challenge ever posted. (That's a lot of challenges.) He's starting with a tutorial showing you how to beat the current extremely-high-value Weekly Challenge. (Yes, it's been done before. Many times. But his run is pretty clean, the video's sharp, and he's provided some decent voiceover.) Check it out!
(Louis Wu 17:51:40 UTC) (permalink)
Sword in the Stone
TDSpiral created Sword in the Stone, which is pretty clever Halo fan art. I love it - I bet you will too.
(Louis Wu 17:48:23 UTC) (permalink)
Reach Randomness 3
2good4u2 posted Reach Randomness 3, a collection of... well, randomness. The Gunther bit in the middle is even MORE random than the rest. (But quite humorous.) (Louis Wu 17:45:32 UTC) (permalink)
Not vulnerable to disappearing off the road backwards
Heh. Top Gear's Jeremy Clarkson voiced a piece about the Halo 4 Warthog in Forza 4... it made me laugh. Thanks, CaptainTony.
(Louis Wu 17:44:05 UTC) (permalink)
VIP Footage from Greenskull
Greenskull (who has a penchant for teabagging) put up a couple of interesting videos from Halo Fest - check out his interview of David Ellis, recorded at the VIP Party on Friday night, along with some footage of the opening speeches from that evening. Thanks to Dani for the heads-up.
(Louis Wu 17:20:35 UTC) (permalink)
HA Gameplay: Ridgeline, Solidarity, Penance
ElzarTheBam pointed out some high-resolution vids showing off gameplay on the new Reach maps coming with Halo Anniversary. Go watch! (Louis Wu 17:16:49 UTC) (permalink)
Dueling Vultures
Dielectric used the new Mega Bloks package to put together a Halo Wars Vulture. Not bad! (T07WRX5 reminded us of his LEGO version, which is also quite cool.)
(Louis Wu 16:29:34 UTC) (permalink)
Halotracker Top 5 - August: Exterminations
Edge let us know that Halotracker posted a new Top 5 for August - it covers the best Exterminations from the HTR community. Not bad! (Louis Wu 16:18:36 UTC) (permalink)
Voice Actors Shine at Halo Fest
ReelChicago.com has an article about 3 famous Chicagoites who provided voice work for the Halo series (and showed it off at Halo Fest last week). The article confirms that all three provided new content for Halo Anniversary. (We knew about Tim Dadabo's new content... but both Downes and Stacker were cagey at Halo Fest when asked about their involvement.) Related to this article... keep your eyes peeled for a special treat later today! (Louis Wu 15:50:08 UTC) (permalink)
Under Cover of Night - on Guitar
GAF's Im_So_Pringles found a pretty old (November 2009) YouTube vid showing off a fan version of Under Cover of Night arranged on guitar - KILLER. Go listen. It was new for me, and if you haven't heard it yet, you should. (Louis Wu 15:44:45 UTC) (permalink)
The Final Beacon
Okay, I've DEFINITELY missed stuff, and Grim and Hitmon have definitely missed stuff... but we caught a LOT. (Well, Grim caught a lot. Hitmon and I have been partying.) I've got a few things saved up from the last few days that I don't THINK have been posted yet. Let's see how long this page gets when I get it all listed. First up, from 3 days ago: robofin117 pointed out a live action fan film from Andrew 'DaFronlineTrooper' Cook, a New Zealand member of the 405th. Not too shabby! (Louis Wu 15:40:06 UTC) (permalink)
News August 30 2011
Dawnward and Upward
We said it once, but we'll say it again, as we try to gather the myriad of news bits that have bombarded Halo fans over the past weekend, make sure you head over to Forward Unto Dawn, where they have an excellent summary of the Halo Fest news that includes some great media links. Check it out! (GrimBrother One 16:47:15 UTC) (permalink)
SYNAW Season 2 Trailer
Ty_Coker made our forum aware that they have released a story trailer for Season 2 of his Machinima project entitled SYNAW. Looks very cool, definitely go and check it out! (GrimBrother One 16:39:25 UTC) (permalink)
Ready To Blow
Vezuvius dropped by to make us aware of his Machinima Production project called Vezuvius Productions. You can find their YouTube channel here, which includes not just machinima, but also videos on tricking in Reach. Go and give them a look! (GrimBrother One 16:11:31 UTC) (permalink)
Kick The Tires and Light The Fires
As a quick note, we want to wish all of the HBO PAX-attendees the safest and most drama-free of travels as they head to their respective homes over the next few days. And and extra dose of John 117-luck to anyone affected by the recent hurricane, may you find your family and homes as safe and sound as possible. Godspeed! (GrimBrother One 07:35:19 UTC) (permalink)
30,343 Reasons to Load Up Reach This Week
This is more of a Halo Community PSA than anything, but in case you didn't notice (as Elzarthebam reminded our forum), this week's Halo:Reach Weekly Challenge has a payout of 30,343, and is pretty darn attainable. What are you waiting for? Grab a friend and break the bank! (GrimBrother One 07:24:45 UTC) (permalink)
Can We Get A Live Reading of This One Too?
For those of you who love awesome things, Episode 10 of Red vs Blue Season 9 is up. I believe MoltenSlowa said it best... HOLYBACONPANCAKEWTPBBQ. Go watch it! (GrimBrother One 07:20:24 UTC) (permalink)
Changing The Name May Cost You 800 MSP
Toby Dillman needs some Halo-flavored help on naming a respawn. Drop in, make your suggestions, and congratulate the man! ;-) (GrimBrother One 07:12:43 UTC) (permalink)
Get Fired Up, or Get Pooped On
Robofin117 let us know about a new episode of Arby N The Chief. Never dull, sometimes weird, always a good watch. Check it out! (GrimBrother One 07:07:04 UTC) (permalink)
Half a Homemade Newb Combo
Having had a lovely dinner with Leviathan and tucked Kermit in, I figured I'd shake off some of the PAX-induced stupor and gather up some of the news that has graced our forum lately. Bear with us as we'll be going back and sweeping up many a link over the next few days I'm sure. First off is Arithromaniac dropping in to show us his homemade Plasma Pistol complete with signatures from incredibly important people; mainly HBO members. Pretty sweet! (GrimBrother One 07:00:21 UTC) (permalink)
News August 29 2011
HBO: Karma's a bitch
The team is in transit today - but we'd like to apologize for the outage on the forum last night (and the apparent outage on the main site, if you were using a mobile browser). Hurricane Irene shut off an AT&T trunk in New York, which disconnected our forum, our mailserver, and our primary nameserver from the internet. Whee! Things should be back to normal tomorrow - there's already a huge backlog of news, which I WISH I could get to right now. Double whee! (Louis Wu 18:04:51 UTC) (permalink)
News August 28 2011
HBO: We're having too much fun for news
I'd like to apologize - in this time of massive Halo news, we're totally slacking on updating YOU, our readers. It's unusual that MOST of HBO's updating staff is participating in the same event... so we're sorry. In the meantime, there are great resources like Forward Unto Dawn (Dani posted a great summary of stuff from yesterday on our forum last night - but beyond that, he does a great job of summarizing the key points from various sources), and the IGN Halo Fest Hub should be on your go-to list for content directly from the show. We'll be back to normal soon - we promise! (Louis Wu 18:22:47 UTC) (permalink)
News August 27 2011
Halo: SPD Flash Part 4 pages 10-28
Hedgemony posted the second half (well... last two thirds, really) of Part 4 of his Halo: SPD Flash comic. You should read it. It's not Halo Fest-related... but Hedge doesn't disappoint.
(Louis Wu 17:03:58 UTC) (permalink)
14 Video Game Deleted Scenes That Explain Everything
Sl'askia found an article at Cracked.com that contains a deleted scene from Halo 3 (?) that 'explains everything'. Or not.
(Louis Wu 17:03:28 UTC) (permalink)
PGCR 87
SK1LL4XED (and Robowski) let us know about Post Game Carnage Report Episode 87 - it went live yesterday. Plenty of Halo discussion - go listen!
(Louis Wu 17:03:00 UTC) (permalink)
Playtime Season 2 Development Blog – Part 4
CruelLEGACEY put up a new segment of his development blog for his machinima series Playtime - this one looks at video editing. (Louis Wu 17:02:39 UTC) (permalink)
Halo Fest Friday Roundup
I am really, really appreciative of our forumgoers today - I went through and found that enormous swaths of the new content released yesterday has been chronicled there. Let's see if I can summarize what's out there:
- Major Nelson summarized the first day's activities in this post (thanks, Beckx).
- Gametrailers has posted a 343 Guilty Spark walkthrough narrated by 343 Producer Dan Ayoub (thanks, Beckx).
- Kotaku thinks there are secrets visible in plain sight in the Halo 4 informational wall at Halo Fest - thanks, Sqorck.
- IGN has a Halo 4 info summary with discussion from 343 employees - thanks, Sqorck.
- IGN's Halo Fest Hub has flythroughs of three of the new maps in Halo: Anniversary - thanks, nillapuddin.
- The Behind The Scenes video shown at Halo Fest is up on YouTube - thanks, ElzarTheBam.
- IGN posted a "Why you should care about Reach's TItle Update" article - thanks, daveMD.
- Halo Waypoint put up a video showing off a SECOND terminal - thanks, Dubbl3.utoo.
- The final map in the Halo: Anniversary lineup was leaked - the article is down, but there's no reason not to tell you that the map itself is Headlong. Thanks, The Mean.
- The Halo Fest panels that took place yesterday were filmed, streamed, and are now archived on IGN's Halo Fest Hub - this will be true again today. If you want to see them in real time, watch the stream, but if you have trouble with that, IGN's doing a great job of getting them online for archived watching quite quickly. Thanks, PsychoRaven.
- necro2607 took a bunch of his own pics of Halo Fest (and a short video) - go check 'em out on Flickr!
The team at Forward Unto Dawn is doing a fantastic job of keeping up with content as it's released - if you're not willing to wait a day for us to summarize, or wade through our forum for the individual links, they've got a great summary hub. (Thanks, DEEP NNN.) Today's another chock-filled day... (Louis Wu 16:51:11 UTC) (permalink)
The Envelope Please...
While we will be putting up a crazy amount of newsposts about the ridiculous myriad of experiences going on at our proverbial mecca (aka, Halo Fest) over the next few days, let me be the first to congratulate our own venerable Louis Wu for earning the first ever Claude Errera Community Award, given at the Halo Fest VIP Party tonight by 343 Industries. He took home (well, to the hotel) a gorgeous trophy as well as the first Duke 2.0 Xbox controller, retrofitted to work as a wireless Xbox 360 Controller, for as Frank O'Connor so eloquently put it, his "gorilla hand-sausage fingers." Congratulations Claude, may this award come to be an inspiration for all of us in the Halo Community to strive to continually improve. (GrimBrother One 07:19:11 UTC) (permalink)
News August 26 2011
Halo 4 Hog - in Forza 4
If you want to get a super-early look at the Halo 4 Warthog... swing by Eurogamer. They've got a few pictures of the version that will be released in Forza 4. (No, I didn't get that wrong.) Thanks, ElzarTheBam. Update: Kotaku's got video from last night. Thanks again, Elzar. (Louis Wu 14:21:44 UTC) (permalink)
New Mombasa, modeled
Dubbl3.utoo decided to show off some modeling of New Mombasa. Check it. (Louis Wu 09:03:32 UTC) (permalink)
Matchmaking Reached Episode 2: The Meractivist
MatthewDratt told us about Darkspire Films' Matchmaking Reached Episode 2 - my head is STILL spinning.
(Louis Wu 09:03:10 UTC) (permalink)
Friday's Fan Fiction
Seven new pieces in the Fan Fiction section this week - go read! (Louis Wu 09:02:09 UTC) (permalink)
HaloFest Showfloor Preview
IGN has posted a preview of the Halo Fest show floor - a nice overview! Thanks, DHalo.
(Louis Wu 08:53:26 UTC) (permalink)
HeroClix Arbiter and Chief preview
HeroClix is showing off their new Arbiter and Chief figures - thanks, Beckx.
(Louis Wu 08:52:50 UTC) (permalink)
It's... it's...
This... disturbs me.
(Louis Wu 08:51:08 UTC) (permalink)
Master Chiefs - clear a path!
Season 5, Episode 5 of The Guild has some guest stars that look familiar... thanks, Mid7night.
(Louis Wu 08:50:31 UTC) (permalink)
News August 25 2011
A Fistful of Arrows pages 56-57
Leviathan is on a plane to PAX - but before he left, he released two more pages of his A Fistful of Arrows story. Fantastic artwork... and a stressful breaking point! (Louis Wu 19:33:48 UTC) (permalink)
Hey, that looks like...
Jimmy Jangles took some pictures in Wellington, New Zealand - you might recognize the setting. It threw HIM for a loop. (Louis Wu 19:31:40 UTC) (permalink)
A new view of Reach - Winter Contingency, Part 1
cellxz is combining cutscene footage and in-game play, coupled with cinematic camerawork, to present Reach as a movie. The first chapter of Winter Contingency is online now. There's some serious promise here - you should check this out! (Louis Wu 08:12:58 UTC) (permalink)
Achievement HORSE #38
Jack and Geoff are takin' it to the wire in Achievement HORSE #38 - lots and lots of good maps... and lots and lots of death. You can watch it on YouTube, or at AchievementHunter.com. Thanks to hezekiah for the heads-up!
(Louis Wu 08:12:26 UTC) (permalink)
Last Chance to Buy Bungie Pro
Bungie's posted some details about Bungie PRO's end of life - read the piece to see dates, and specifics about what will happen to content after the service is turned off. Pretty cool! Thanks, JDQuackers.
(Louis Wu 08:11:57 UTC) (permalink)
Robert Rodriguez says nice things about Halo
goCHIEFgo noticed an interview with Robert Rodriguez at IGN - and one of the questions had the director waxing poetic about Halo.
"My 12-year-old was playing the original Halo again on campaign. He was like, "This is so cool." Just watching Master Chief step out for the first time, and seeing him relive that for the first time. He probably never really played it like that. It's amazing seeing how it still works cinematically after 10 years. It goes to show good storytelling will never go out of style. In fact, that's what's needed in movies today. Storytelling needs to be even better than ever because that's how people are absorbing stories now, is through interactive."
Great thoughts - and you should be getting more chances to look at exactly what he's talking about in the next couple of days! (Louis Wu 08:11:11 UTC) (permalink)
One hour, and one hour only
As you might expect, the Halo Bulletin published 2 days before Halo Fest starts is pretty focused on... well, Halo Fest. You should read it. Really. (It's in our Halo Bulletin Archive, too.) (Louis Wu 03:25:38 UTC) (permalink)
News August 24 2011
See, Levi Knows How To Do It Right...
Leviathan wanted to make sure everyone knew that he has put up a corrected version of his recent FOA Castle Drop Adjunct page. He has also set up a full FOA Adjunct section on LBO where new pieces will be released to flesh out the already spectacular Fistful of Arrows Universe. Go check it out! (GrimBrother One 16:22:00 UTC) (permalink)
Your Chances Are Slim When You Don't Mention Grim
This pre-PAX poem by Chris101b is almost awesome. "Almost" because he doesn't mention me. You should read it anyway though... (GrimBrother One 15:47:28 UTC) (permalink)
Shouldn't Everyone Have Their Own Mindless Murder Slave?
We shouldn't allow TD Spiral to get bored. Or should we? Tell him what you think! (GrimBrother One 15:44:09 UTC) (permalink)
HBO: We've Got Your Booty Covered
The irony is not lost on me that I might be the one making a mention of someone posting something that's already been reported. With that said, two of HBO's more veteran members engaged in a bit of forum play in their efforts to report the new website launch for Crimson: Steam Pirates from Bungie Aerospace and Hairbrained Schemes. The upcoming iPad game looks to be an absolute blast, and is getting a lot of people excited. So much in fact that both Mid7night and Hedgemony let us know about it. Technically, Mid7night posted it first, but Hedge is Australian, which means he lives in the future already, so maybe he wins. Either way, check out Crimson! (GrimBrother One 15:29:03 UTC) (permalink)
Prophesy: Act 1
If you are looking for ways to pass the time before HaloFest, look no further than the latest project from FireLight Studios and Dispatch Films, called Prophesy: Act 1. Some very cool moments and great cinematography here; definitely left me wanting to see what happens next. Go check it out! Thanks to Avcracy for letting us know. (GrimBrother One 15:24:28 UTC) (permalink)
Hope He Kept the Tag On
Tawpgun stopped in to make us aware of a new project he is putting together based off of awkward moments in Halo Reach's campaign. He showed off his first example, and I had a really good laugh. Check it out! (GrimBrother One 15:16:39 UTC) (permalink)
Highlighting Radioactive Mexican Food
Speaking of CruelLEGACEY Productions, make sure you check out their newest Community Spotlight featuring Nuclear Taco Productions. We've mentioned NTP before, when they launched their new website, but this is a good chance to get reacquainted with a great team of creative Halo minds. Go check it out! (GrimBrother One 15:11:53 UTC) (permalink)
Don The Helmut
Are you 4Helmut? In case you haven't seen, the fine folks over at The Running Riot Podcast, along with help from the guys at CruelLEGACEY Productions and various members of other Halo communities, are running a fun campaign to get a very special helmet into Halo 4. Somehow. Your very own Grimbrothers (One and IV) will be parading Helmut around PAX and HaloFest, so if you are there and see us, grab us and get in on the action! The pics and blackmail vids will be flowing, so stay tuned to the 4Helmut Twitter feed linked above for more! What a crazy universe we live in... (GrimBrother One 14:05:31 UTC) (permalink)
News August 23 2011
Drum roll, please.
The votes are tallied, and a general consensus among the HBO staff has been reached. The winner of the HBO video introduction contest is … Donat! You can check out his winning submission here. Donat, I'll be in contact with you shortly. To everyone who participated in the contest, we would like to compile all of the entries into one video to show the community your creative prowess. If you could email me (hitmonchan[at]bungie.org) the raw files of your videos, I'd appreciate it. I would like to say thanks to everyone who helped us out. It's reassuring to know that when the site needs help, the community is ready to roll up its sleeves and go above and beyond the call of duty our expectations. (Hitmonchan 18:45:30 UTC) (permalink)
Good Advice For the Newly Socializing Gamer
Our good friends at Rooster Teeth released a new PSA today, specifically dealing with in-person multiplayer gaming etiquette. Anyone going out to PAX & HaloFest this weekend should probably take extra note... it could save your life. Or something like that. Go watch! (GrimBrother One 14:09:16 UTC) (permalink)
Who is 343 Industries?
IGN has posted 'Who is 343 Industries?' - a quick look at the studio charged with future development of the Halo franchise. Love the team mugshots! Thanks, Hypertrooper. (And... that's it from me, for a while. Time to get on a plane!) (Louis Wu 10:39:09 UTC) (permalink)
Halo: SPD Flash Part 4 Pgs 1-9
Hedgemony has decided to break up his weekly Halo: SPD Flash offering into smaller pieces - the first 9 pages of Part Four are up now. The artwork is spectacular, and I am SERIOUSLY intrigued by Moringa. Go read. (Louis Wu 01:34:22 UTC) (permalink)
Reach iPad Wallpapers
Crab has some cool iPad wallpapers for you. (And some fun low-res shots of distant battles, from up close - but that's just filler.) Go check 'em out - and prettify your 'Pad! (Louis Wu 01:29:45 UTC) (permalink)
Down in Front!
Rockslider's back with a new pair of Bad Cyborg videos - he's found some fun Grunts on Assault on the Control Room, and he wants to show you how to play with them. BoomBoom. (Louis Wu 01:27:21 UTC) (permalink)
Fail, Win, WTF?!? Episode 9
Stewie2552 has a new episode of Fail, Win, WTF?!? - three clips, pick your favorite. (I felt this entire group was weaker than any of the clips in the last ep... but hey, that's just me. Go watch.) (Louis Wu 01:25:03 UTC) (permalink)
News August 22 2011
Fight Like a Girl at Halo Fest
This year's Fight Like a Girl tournament will be held during Halo Fest at PAX - you can find full event details, rules, and settings on this page. They're taking up to 16 teams for 4v4 Slayer pre-registration, plus an additional 16 teams on-site - here's how to preregister:
- Send a tweet to @FlagTournament letting them know you'd like to participate
- Follow them so they can send you a link to the entry form
- Fill out the form - they'll email you a confirmation code
- Bring your confirmation code with you to the tournament on Friday at 10:20am to get your reserved spot!
Play Halo, raise money to save women - it's a win-win! (Louis Wu 20:30:42 UTC) (permalink)
MLG Dallas Extras
Halo Waypoint helps give some closure on the 2011 MLG Dallas event by providing some extra bonus footage and features that MLG fans are sure to enjoy. Go and give it a look! (GrimBrother One 18:53:23 UTC) (permalink)
Reminder - HBO shirts at PAX
This is just a quick reminder - kanbo sent out emails last week to everyone who bought the first run of the HBO shirt, giving you instructions on what to do if you want to have your shirt hand-delivered to you at PAX. If you bought a shirt early, and you haven't seen that email... you need to let him know TODAY, because he's finalizing plans for which shirts he's bringing with him to the show. Thanks! (Louis Wu 15:40:18 UTC) (permalink)
Spartan Collage
Gabotron ES collected images of a whole bunch of Spartans (I'm in there!) - check out the collage he created! (Louis Wu 15:00:37 UTC) (permalink)
The Destruction of Reach
The Halo: Faith team released a new song - go listen to The Destruction of Reach! Thanks, GreyThor. (Louis Wu 13:38:48 UTC) (permalink)
Arby 'n' The Chief: Hypermail: Aliens and Monsters
Arby 'n' the Chief released a new Hypermail episode. Surprisingly, the banter is juvenile at times. Thanks, robofin117. (Louis Wu 13:37:58 UTC) (permalink)
Fun Character Sketches
bierwiser stopped by yesterday with some pics of his Halo character (and friends) - in a really cool sketched style. Go see!
(Louis Wu 13:37:12 UTC) (permalink)
News August 21 2011
A Fistful of Arrows Adjunct: Castle Drop
Leviathan ran into some personal difficulties recently (a tree fell on his house), but he's STILL managed to get out a pretty cool bit for his 'A Fistful of Arrows' universe. Visit our forum for a fascinating information sheet on the Castle Drop mission - personnel, logistics, it's fantastic background! Go check it out. (Louis Wu 11:22:23 UTC) (permalink)
Halo Community Panel - get an early start!
bs angel sent word that there's a thread set up on the Waypoint Community forums where folks who aren't going to be able to make it to PAX next week can post questions for the Halo Community Panel, to be held Friday at noon. Swing by and drop off those questions you've been burning to ask! (Yesterday, I discussed the concept of gaming communities with someone who began the conversation with "When I think of gamers, I think of Matthew Broderick from WarGames playing Asteroids." If I can have a productive discussion from THIS humble beginning... next week's panel should be AWESOME.) (Louis Wu 11:20:33 UTC) (permalink)
Halo: Legacy Cielo Negro Episode 2
Paul Shelley pointed us to Halo: Legacy Cielo Negro S1E11 - while it's the 11th episode in the Halo: Legacy series, it's just the second episode of Cielo Negro (we mentioned the first one a couple of weeks ago). Ortega and Kriegar get tapped for a rescue mission in the ruins of Nueva Seville...
(Louis Wu 11:19:10 UTC) (permalink)
News August 20 2011
The Mona Lisa - all 11 parts
If you never got around to watching The Mona Lisa, the 11-part motion comic created from a Halo: Evolutions story, Waypoint has gathered all the parts together in on easy-to-navigate page. Check it out! (Louis Wu 17:22:17 UTC) (permalink)
Dan Ayoub holds forth at Gamescom
goCHIEFgo pointed out a pair of Gamescom interviews - both Gamespot and Germany's GamingClerks talked to Dan Ayoub about Halo: Anniversary, and you can see what he had to say to both. (Not surprisingly, much of the info is the same in both interviews.) Tiny hints about Halo 4, even! (Louis Wu 15:52:04 UTC) (permalink)
Fails of the Weak 48
Fails of the Weak 48 was released yesterday - as always, some fun failures, and some great commentary from Jack and Geoff. Go watch! (Louis Wu 15:45:57 UTC) (permalink)
Uh - why? Uh, why? Uh, WHY WON'T HE DIE?
It's definitely NSFW, but Euee's Cee-Lo Green parody is pretty funny. (Looks like there's at least ONE more person that should be happy that the upcoming TU allows DMR bloom to be turned off!) Thanks, CyReN.
(Louis Wu 15:45:21 UTC) (permalink)
Gamereactor Interview with 343
gamereactor spoke to 343 Producer Dennis Ries at Gamescom last week - go listen for tidbits about Halo: Anniversary, and hints of what might be coming at Halo Fest next week! Thanks, Hypertrooper.
(Louis Wu 15:44:50 UTC) (permalink)
Halo Reach Launch Montage
Mike Sellers made a Halo Reach Launch Day montage (some time ago, obviously) - but just recently uploaded it to the internet. Should give you a little taste of the excitement felt last September! (Louis Wu 15:39:59 UTC) (permalink)
Playtime S2 Dev Blog, Part 3
CruelLEGACEY sent word that the third part of his Playtime Season 2 Development Blog is up. More than you ever wanted to know about the making of Playtime!
(Louis Wu 15:39:40 UTC) (permalink)
slumberLAN - Tourney in MN
LazerBlader sent word that he's part of a gaming club at the University of Minnesota campus called Teh Pwn Gaming, and they're hosting an event called slumberLAN next week. It's a large overnight LAN party with corporate sponsors (MLG, NOS, Microsoft) - with good stuff to win. (For example, each first place team member in the Halo: Reach tourney will go home with a Vibras 5.1 Surround Sound Xbox 360 Headset.) Registration happens on their website - if you're nearby, you might want to stop by next week! (Louis Wu 15:35:55 UTC) (permalink)
Flood Campaign Teaser Trailer 1
Well, this is pretty interesting - we got an email from Flood Campaign, the group behind a Halo CE campaign mod in which you play from the perspective of the Flood. (They've got a page up at HaloMaps, and another at ModDB.) Check out their first Teaser Trailer!
(Louis Wu 15:34:44 UTC) (permalink)
Halo Fest: Official Trailer
IGN has released an official trailer for Halo Fest (and their coverage of it), taking place next week at PAX. Watch it and get pumped up! Thanks, DEEP NNN.
(Louis Wu 13:13:44 UTC) (permalink)
Halo Teach: The Great Emu War
NsU Soldier pointed out the newest Halo Teach, a series of videos where Master Chief, in a blazer and bow-tie, summarizes famous battles in history. This new episode describes The Great Emu War, an engagement fought by an Australian major against... a flock of birds. Fascinating stuff!
(Louis Wu 13:12:42 UTC) (permalink)
Being Indiana Jones
MSNBC's In-Game has an interesting article from a British psychologist who explains why we have so much fun playing Halo games. (You probably know this already - but it's a nice summary, and contains some great quotes.) Thanks, William Spurgeon. (Louis Wu 13:11:11 UTC) (permalink)
News August 19 2011
MLG Reach Top Ten - Ep 9
Halo Waypoint has Episode 9 of the MLG Reach Top Ten series - and some of these plays are jaw-dropping. (The number 1 spot, for example, makes me wonder if I ever want to even ENTER the MLG playlist.) Go watch. (Louis Wu 17:01:13 UTC) (permalink)
Reach Customs Night at Uni-BB
RedSpades sent word that Uni-BB.org will be hosting a Friday Night Custom Games LIVE (to be simultaneously broadcast on Twitch.tv) - you can read more about it on their site. They'll be playing Reach this week. Swing by and join in!
(Louis Wu 15:54:41 UTC) (permalink)
Saying goodbye to Halo PC
ElzarTheBam found a monster (21 minute) Halo PC montage on YouTube, released today. I had so much fun with this game, back in the day... but watching this vid doesn't make me want to step away from Reach. See if you disagree! (Louis Wu 15:54:17 UTC) (permalink)
Calling All HBO PAX-Goers!
Are you going to PAX next week? At least 34 HBO denizens will be there, as well. Would you be interested in meeting up with some of them? I've been asked a few times to figure out a way to connect everyone - but life's been insane. Avateur asked again last night - and I remembered the args.bungie.org forum, which might be exactly the right tool for helping people connect. So now there's a quick-and-dirty forum devoted to PAX 2011 - and you can use it as you see fit, to connect with friends, find meet-up locations, discuss last-minute arrangements... whatever. Go wild! (Well, not WILD wild. No porn, please.) (Louis Wu 14:22:27 UTC) (permalink)
A Fistful of Arrows (Pages 52-55)
Leviathan doesn't think he's going to be able to finish A Fistful of Arrows before he leaves for PAX next week - so he's releasing four more pages today, to soften the blow of the cliffhanger he's leaving us with. (Read his post for full details.) That Jun... he's a pretty resourceful guy! (Louis Wu 14:07:36 UTC) (permalink)
Halo 4: Awakening - Director's Cut
NeoGAF's wwm0nkey found a 'Director's Cut' of the Halo 4 Announce trailer - it's very similar to what was released, except for two things: the music, and the last couple of seconds. Interesting! (He's also uploaded it to YouTube if you don't want to watch the original QuickTime.)
(Louis Wu 14:05:48 UTC) (permalink)
Battle Canyon Map Flythrough
IGN's posted a full flythrough of Battle Canyon, the re-imagining of Battle Creek/Beaver Creek that's included with Halo: Anniversary. 343's David Ellis takes you through the map, showing off the new bits (and explaining what does, and doesn't change). The map itself... is amazing. View it for yourself. Thanks, CyReN. (Louis Wu 14:03:53 UTC) (permalink)
Those Deviants and their Art
Leviathan found a couple of cool DeviantART bits you might want to check out - Soupy Assassin created a pretty interesting custom wallpaper, and RoxyRoo put up some concept art for Dawn Under Heaven, an upcoming live action fan film. Go see!
(Louis Wu 14:03:16 UTC) (permalink)
Happy Anniversary, DWT!
DWT Productions hit their 5 year anniversary a couple of days ago - and to celebrate, they've put together a new YouTube channel, released a full game run of Halo 2 SLASO (segmented) by Mr Monopoli, and compiled a 3 minute montage of some of their favorite stunts. And plenty more - check out Ankade's post for full details.
(Louis Wu 14:02:24 UTC) (permalink)
News August 18 2011
Warthog vs Humvee (MG Variants)
Stewie2552 put together a comparison of the Warthog and a modern-day Humvee. Pretty cool work! (Louis Wu 19:04:55 UTC) (permalink)
Achievement HORSE #37
The latest Achievement HORSE is actually another PIG - and it has Rooster Teeth's Michael playing against a Make-a-Wish visitor to the office. Great match! Thanks, mattroe.
(Louis Wu 19:02:57 UTC) (permalink)
I need a shirt
Cody Moore pointed out some pics from a Fetish Night in Lowell, MA - they're mildly NSFW, but pretty amazing. The liberal inclusion of shots of a body-painted Spartan make this Halo-related...
Lights Out
TAK whipped up a music video set to Breaking Benjamin's Lights Out - some pretty interesting clip choices! (Louis Wu 19:00:55 UTC) (permalink)
343 Campaign Demo from Gamescom
During Gamescom yesterday, 343 Industries gave a presentation which showed off 343 Guilty Spark, the campaign level from Halo Anniversary. They also showed off the first Terminal from the game. You can download a high-quality 720p version of the presentation from Gamersyde (a bit over 250 mb, depending on format - thanks to Blamite, over at NeoGAF, for the heads-up). If you'd rather watch it on YouTube (much lower quality), it's here (thanks, Mixmasterchief). If ALL you want to see is the first Terminal, Letters linked to it on YouTube. It should go without saying that there are spoilers herein - but I'm gonna say it anyway. (Louis Wu 18:54:02 UTC) (permalink)
News August 17 2011
The Halo Bulletin: 8/17/11
This week's Halo Bulletin has been posted on Halo Waypoint - and it's chock-full of stuff you might like. Screenshots of Beaver Creek and Damnation, hot off the H:A presses, along with a new video showing gameplay on Damnation. (A full game, this time.) And other cool stuff. (There's confirmation that the lower walkway on Damnation stays true to the original in Classic variants of the map, for all those worried that 343 was going to do something horrible like making it a solid bridge.) Go read! As always, it's available in our Halo Bulletin Archive, if you'd rather read it there. (Louis Wu 23:08:01 UTC) (permalink)
Closing time
Today's the last day to submit your HBO video introductions! If you've been waiting to do one, or if you've been polishing yours to a pristine sheen, you have until 11:59 p.m. PST to email it to me. If you'd like a few technical guidelines, check out this post. I'd like to say thanks to everyone who has participated in this contest. Not only is the Halo community one of camaraderie and compassion, it's one of creativity. (Hitmonchan 17:15:39 UTC) (permalink)
Amazing what might be in your closet...
Josh Rivera is moving, and found a box that he THOUGHT was full of computer parts... but that turned out to be full of Halo 1 and Halo 2 action figures. Still in their original packaging. It's a heck of a haul - and he's selling the entire group as a lot. You've got just a couple of days to bid - so get busy! (I'm sort of surprised - the Buy It Now price is roughly what these cost to buy when they were in stores. Which they're not, any longer.) (Louis Wu 14:46:23 UTC) (permalink)
G4 Gettin' in on the Gamescom Buzz
G4TV has a small piece about the Halo Anniversary release - there's an interview with Frankie (though it looks like it was recorded back in June, at E3), and you might or might not learn something you didn't know. Check it out! Thanks, nillapuddin.
(Louis Wu 14:45:51 UTC) (permalink)
Drunken Halo Ep 25
Justin Bryce let us know that The Drunken Halo Podcast has released its 25th episode. No Travis this time around, but they've got Tim Robertson, of MyMac.com, talking about his first Halo expieriences, why Bungie is different, and finding the best ladies underwear. Hrm. Go listen. (Louis Wu 14:44:54 UTC) (permalink)
Halo once again in the news... badly
Here we go again... WSBTV out of Atlanta has a story about a 15-year-old who killed his great-grandmother (with a sword, no less) because he was told to stop playing Halo. I'm sort of glad that Jack Thompson has been disbarred... or this would be EVERYWHERE. (Please understand - I'm not for a minute minimizing the tragedy of a 77-year-old woman killed by her great-grandson. I'm saddened that it's being tied to video game use (rather than, say... the child's mental instability.)) Thanks to NeoGAF's Devolution for the heads-up.
(Louis Wu 14:43:26 UTC) (permalink)
News August 16 2011
Against All Odds
This is pretty amazing. Thanks, bs angel. (Louis Wu 18:51:20 UTC) (permalink)
Fail, Win, WTF?!? Episode 8
Stewie2552 is back with another Fail, Win, WTF - go watch and pick your favorite clip! (Louis Wu 18:44:41 UTC) (permalink)
Top 10 Levels in Video Games
GamingBolt put up their list of the 10 Best Levels/Missions in Video Games - and I was surprised by the single Halo level they chose to include. Thanks, Toby Dillman. (Louis Wu 18:43:40 UTC) (permalink)
Don't worry, guys, I'll return- wtf?
Sometimes, Reach breaks. And sometimes, when it breaks, it's pretty funny. Watch Dani's video to see how the Red team can score 3 flags in a single 1-Flag game. (Louis Wu 15:24:28 UTC) (permalink)
Riot Fest
If you aren't going to be able to make it to Halo Fest - Kete wants you to stop by the Running Riot. He'll be broadcasting live on Saturday night, and you can keep track of what's going on in Seattle.
(Louis Wu 15:23:51 UTC) (permalink)
Halostep
Rolandk73 found some Halo-themed dubstep - funky!
(Louis Wu 15:23:02 UTC) (permalink)
Simmons will show them good.
Red vs Blue Season 9 Episode 9 is now up for everyone - things inside the Gulch are coming to a head, it seems, while back at Freelancer headquarters, the action's getting interesting. Check out Captive Audience! Thanks, vlad3163.
(Louis Wu 15:20:23 UTC) (permalink)
Chase
Avcracy stopped in with word of 'Chase', a short silly video from Firelight Studios. There's a moral in this one, I think.
(Louis Wu 15:19:10 UTC) (permalink)
Invulnerable Grunts - YAY!
Hrm - looks like there might be some invulnerable grunts on ONI: Sword Base... and Physics Remastered can show you how to find them, and mess with them. Fun stuff! Thanks, Carnage A51.
(Louis Wu 15:17:07 UTC) (permalink)
Halo: SPD Flash Part 3, pages 1-9
Hedgemony has released Halo: SPD Flash Part 3, or at least the first 9 pages of it. (It's now a weekly ongoing series.) Good stuff - and fantastic pics! Go look.
(Louis Wu 15:16:03 UTC) (permalink)
Playtime S1E4 with Commentary
CruelLEGACEY finishes up his Playtime Season 1 rebroadcast with audio commentary. Episode 4 is online now.
(Louis Wu 15:15:38 UTC) (permalink)
GAF-fueled Gamescom Roundup
Gamescom opened in Cologne, Germany, today, and from it we get some new footage of Damnation and Beaver Creek, two of the Halo maps recreated for Reach in the Halo: Anniversary package. Zeouterlimits pointed out the IGN flythrough of Damnation (with voiceover by 343's David Ellis) - and although it was supposed to be B-Roll footage, and NOT be released in its entirety to the general public, you can see some great views of Beaver Creek (thanks, Gabotron ES) and Damnation (thanks again, Zeouterlimits). For footage-starved fans, B-Roll is a tasty treat! Apparently, there'll be a more polished run-through of Beaver Creek later this week. There's a nice discussion thread running on our forum, if you want to comment on the action. Update: ElzarTheBam found another 3 vids of Beaver Creek gameplay - quality's crap, and they all look about the same, but... new is new! (Louis Wu 14:28:44 UTC) (permalink)
News August 15 2011
A Halo Classic comes to Minecraft
HmVSTiffer built Hemorrhage (Blood Gulch) in Minecraft. Oh, the dedication... (Louis Wu 17:40:30 UTC) (permalink)
Elzar's HBO Community montage Ep 4
ElzarTheBam put together a quick (two and a half minute) montage of clips submitted by the community - go take a peek!
(Louis Wu 17:39:25 UTC) (permalink)
No Regrets
Kermit stopped in this morning to post No Regrets, a tale of loneliness... and teamwork. Really nicely done! If you would rather read it in a navigable format, check this page. (Be sure to go back and leave him some comments on the forum, though!) (Louis Wu 16:39:35 UTC) (permalink)
Elite Portrait
I missed this on Saturday - but it's well worth seeing. ZZoMBiE13 pointed out an Elite portrait by Skytch on DeviantART that's really well-done - go check it out!
(Louis Wu 16:37:03 UTC) (permalink)
Halo Reach Game Finder - Updated
xBLACK V3N0Mx let us know that he's added new features to his Halo Reach Game Finder (we mentioned it yesterday), in response to feedback - you can now search for games older than a month (but don't go crazy!), and you can search via a custom date range. Very nice!
(Louis Wu 16:35:55 UTC) (permalink)
Avatar props for the ultimate Halo fan
If your avatar isn't decked out in Halo swag, Xbox Avatar Gear has you covered. The site is giving away four avatar props and an in-game Reach Recon DLC code to one lucky Halo fan. All you need to do is post your best in-game photo from any Halo game to the group's Facebook page by Wednesday at 7:07 p.m. EST. Pictures will be judged on originality and creativity. Be sure to include your name and gamertag in your post for verification. Only two pictures per person, no Photoshopped or edited photos and entrants must be respectful. Sounds simple enough! (Hitmonchan 04:26:15 UTC) (permalink)
Major interview with Alison Stroll
On the latest "Major Nelson Radio," Major Nelson sat down with Alison Stroll from 343 to talk about Halo Fest. If listening to cool people talk about cool things isn't up your alley, Devin Olsen has the highlights from the show. As an added bonus, Major Nelson posted a picture of a Grunt plushie for you to drool over, which if you're going to PAX Prime, only 5,000 of these adorable methane breathers are up for sale. Thanks to Domino Theory for the heads up! (Hitmonchan 04:11:55 UTC) (permalink)
News August 14 2011
The Halo Human Timeline
Stewie2552 put together a Halo Human Timeline - pretty nice! (Starts WAY earlier than I'd have expected, but he's right.) (Louis Wu 21:38:42 UTC) (permalink)
Hey, look! It's a comic!
Looks like Kermit might be releasing No Regrets... soon.
(Louis Wu 21:38:09 UTC) (permalink)
ODST Armor for sale
kornman00 is making another attempt to sell his ODST outfit - it's really high quality, and he tried once before, but he couldn't get a reasonable price for it. Just think - if you buy this now, you could show up at PAX in it!
(Louis Wu 16:54:47 UTC) (permalink)
Bird's Eye View
More amazing views from Hedgemony - he decided to take a closer look at the tops of the buildings in New Alexandria. These are NOT photoshopped at all; just panorama'd. Kudos to both Hedge, for the shots, and Bungie, for the architecture.
(Louis Wu 16:52:31 UTC) (permalink)
Fails of the Weak Volume 47
Fails of the Weak #47 marks the second week in a row of Joel behind the mic... and I must say, he really adds a nice touch. (Well, when he's not insulting entire COUNTRIES.) Pretty funny fails, with great commentary. Go watch. Thanks, 7he grunt w/a plasma pistol.
(Louis Wu 16:50:32 UTC) (permalink)
Halo SPD: Flash Pt. 3 Prelude
Halo SPD: Flash looks to be starting up again tomorrow - and to whet your appetite, Hedgemony has posted a short prelude to Part Three. Check it out. (Part One is here, and Part Two is here - plus a bonus.)
(Louis Wu 16:49:24 UTC) (permalink)
SCIENCE NEEDS YOU
Professor Aaron Clauset stopped back in last night to remind us about his scientific study of Halo: Reach players, and their team dynamics within the game. If you missed our last mention of this project, you should swing by and sign up - there's a survey to take, and then he'll show you where you fall in various game metrics versus other players - pretty nice info to have! And the time you put in will go towards making this study better - a win-win! (Louis Wu 16:45:07 UTC) (permalink)
Halo Reach Game Finder
xBLACK V3N0Mx let us know that Reach4urPhone.com has been updated - there's a new Halo Reach Game Finder that lets you search through your game history to find that one game you can't remember, but know who you played against, or what map you were on, or whatever. Only goes back a month - but it's pretty cool!
(Louis Wu 16:44:05 UTC) (permalink)
Arby 'n' The Chief: Chaos Theosis
Season 6 of Arby 'n' The Chief is up to Episode 5 - the antics of the TOSERS continue as they try to come to grips with the threat of a rogue clan of hackers. Plenty of game philosophy commentary. Thanks, Naopao Vang. (Louis Wu 16:40:08 UTC) (permalink)
News August 13 2011
Halo Fest Tournament
Thanks to ncsuDuncan, at NeoGAF (and Gravemind, right here at HBO) for the heads-up about the Halo Fest Tournament, to be held during PAX. The new Reach maps from Halo Anniversary will be featured - but there will also be a racing tourney, a Forge contest, and a Firefight Score Attack challenge. Are you good enough? (Will you be there?) (Louis Wu 18:03:06 UTC) (permalink)
Why I love this community
We got a heartwarming note from Daniel 'Tyrant' Morris yesterday. The man's been putting together videos helping people to get through the Halo games at their most difficult settings - but until recently, the recording was actually done by others (by Bungie.net's rendering farm, or by me, for his Mythic guides at HBO). Well, the Halo community rocks, and a kind soul (who chooses to remain anonymous) decided that Tyrant might do better with his own equipment. Tyrant is now the proud owner of a Blackmagic Intensity Shuttle - amazing! Warm fuzzies, all over my body. (Louis Wu 14:37:17 UTC) (permalink)
Bungie Flickr Group
necro2607 decided to start up a Bungie Flickr group, because there wasn't one - it's already got 7 members, and some really amazing pics. Go explore! (Louis Wu 14:35:15 UTC) (permalink)
Signy Todd
We knew that McFarlane Toys was going to be a part of one of the Halo Panels mentioned in the latest Halo Bulletin, but Waypoint confirmed yesterday with a press release that Todd McFarlane himself would be on the panel and available for autographs at the show. You can pencil 'n ink this long-time McFarlane fan super-stoked! Very cool news! (GrimBrother One 13:11:31 UTC) (permalink)
The Mona Lisa Chapter 11
Don't forget to catch the awesome conclusion of the motion comic adaptation of The Mona Lisa on Halo Waypoint today! The epic 11-chapter saga comes to a close with fantastic visuals and some great little twists. Check it out! (GrimBrother One 13:06:55 UTC) (permalink)
News August 12 2011
Like a cool festival, win a 360/Kinect bundle
Okay... this isn't technically Halo-related, but you CAN play Halo on the prize, and your chance of winning (at this point) is quite good, so... we got a note from MystkSnsOfBetty, who is running a Facebook promo for Taste of St. Louis, a food/art/music festival coming up in September. If you 'Like' the page... you're in the running for the prize (which is a Kinect bundle/4GB Xbox 360). Seems pretty straightforward - and since there are currently only 24 people entered, your chances are actually pretty good! Check it out. (Yes, you need a Facebook account, and yes, you need to be over 13.) (Louis Wu 19:16:36 UTC) (permalink)
Bungie's mark on SIGGRAPH
Yesterday, we mentioned a company that was using Halo to promote its 3D printer at SIGGRAPH - today, necro2607 stopped in to say that he'd been AT the show, and took his own pictures. (Love the mini-helmets!) He also found Bungie in the Job Fair area, and picked up some pretty slick schwag... go look!
(Louis Wu 18:04:01 UTC) (permalink)
IGN's Top 10 Reach Kills (08.11.11)
The latest iteration of IGN's Top 10 Kills series has some fun clips, and some "why is THAT in there?" clips. Check it for yourself. Thanks, ChrisTheeCrappy.
(Louis Wu 18:02:37 UTC) (permalink)
Playtime Season 2 Development Blog Part 2
CruelLEGACEY has Part 2 of his Playtime Development Blog online, discussing storyboarding. The artwork is sublime.
(Louis Wu 18:02:03 UTC) (permalink)
Drunken Halo Ep 24
Justin Bryce sent word that Episode 24 of the Drunken Halo Podcast is now live. Justin and Travis play a (surprise, surprise) Halo drinking game. Go listen! (Louis Wu 18:01:38 UTC) (permalink)
Friday's Fan Fiction
Just a single new piece this week in the Fan Fiction section - go read! (Louis Wu 18:00:43 UTC) (permalink)
News August 11 2011
From Visegrad with Love
GhaleonEB's epic Reach campaign review is ready for the limelight. Grab a drink, cut the lights and get ready to be rocked by nearly 14,000 words of campaign analysis. It's meaty, but there are plenty of pictures and videos spliced into his verbose vernacular to give your eyes and brain a break. Go read! (Hitmonchan 20:13:16 UTC) (permalink)
What a great demo idea!
Awesome - Objet was showing off its 3D printer at SIGGRAPH, and they're using Halo figures they've created for the demo. Swing by Engadget for the pics! Thanks, Chris Sauer.
(Louis Wu 19:01:27 UTC) (permalink)
Coastline Dusk Promo Video
CruelLEGACEY continues to work with his Coastline racetrack - he's made a promo vid for the Dusk variant.
(Louis Wu 19:01:08 UTC) (permalink)
PGCR 86
Robowski sent word that Episode 86 of the Post Game Carnage Report is now live - go listen!
(Louis Wu 19:00:51 UTC) (permalink)
It Takes All Kinds...
Toxic Mayhem let us know about a feature put out by Unreality Mag where they list out their opinions on The Best and Worst Designed Alien Species in Gaming. I think you'll find some familiar faces on both sides of the coin. Check it out! (GrimBrother One 15:47:19 UTC) (permalink)
Shirt Reminder
Just a quick reminder - if you're thinking about grabbing one of our HBO shirts in time for PAX, you need to place your preorder by tonight at midnight, ET. (You can order past that point - but your shirt won't be in the first batch.) (Louis Wu 14:51:55 UTC) (permalink)
CTF: Capture the Flag (Live Action)
Nick Acott let us know that he and some friends put together a live-action CTF game with Halo sound effects, and plenty of RvB inspiration. Lots of fun! (Love the sword.)
(Louis Wu 14:51:14 UTC) (permalink)
Custom Type-1 Energy Sword
Kaidon is back with another cool custom piece for his Halo figures - a Type 1 Energy Sword. Check out his pics!
(Louis Wu 14:50:32 UTC) (permalink)
Girl Looks Like a Spartan
HotIcePhoenix takes her uniform seriously. As well she should - she did an amazing job accessorizing it.
(Louis Wu 14:49:42 UTC) (permalink)
Achievement HORSE #36 - it's not dirty
Achievement Hunter had two non-Halo-playing women (Kathleen, who plays the character Tex, and Kara, the office receptionist) competing against each other in the latest Achievement HORSE (well, PIG). The results were... entertaining. Thanks, 7he grunt w/a plasma pistol.
(Louis Wu 14:47:06 UTC) (permalink)
The Halo Bulletin - August 10, 2011
The latest Halo Bulletin went up on Halo Waypoint last night - unsurprisingly, the biggest topic of discussion is Halo Fest, coming up in two weeks at PAX. There's a calendar of panels (if you go to all of them, you're going to have trouble seeing the REST of PAX), tournaments, and teasers about a private Halo party you might or might not be able to get into. Go read it! (As always, there's a copy in our Halo Bulletin Archive, as well.) (Louis Wu 14:45:27 UTC) (permalink)
News August 10 2011
The power behind the thrones
According to InvestorPlace, both Microsoft and Activision have fates that are tied to Bungie - MS because the Halo franchise is critical to the future success of the Xbox, and Activision because of what's coming next. It's good to see Bungie being recognized for their key position in the industry! (When I think of Halo's future - I think of Leviathan. How about you?)
(Louis Wu 21:07:54 UTC) (permalink)
SuperTotalAction Images
uberfoop grabbed some pretty slick screenshots in Halo 3, ODST, and Reach - check his post to take a look! I think Leviathan might have already done so.
(Louis Wu 21:07:14 UTC) (permalink)
Alone
Ty Coker let us know about Alone, a machinima short showing off some greenscreen work. The plot... is definitely odd. Leviathan played no role whatsoever in this project.
(Louis Wu 21:06:17 UTC) (permalink)
DeviantHALO
More Halo-related DeviantART - first Hyokin found The middle gound, from Wasiqharis... and then Leviathan found Submit to Halo, from Eloth. Fun stuff!
(Louis Wu 21:05:55 UTC) (permalink)
Halo Reach Video Racing Guide
Interested in a Halo Reach Racing Guide, in video form? Go visit CruelLEGACEY's site. (Send Leviathan a request on Xbox LIVE - he might race with you!) (Louis Wu 21:05:30 UTC) (permalink)
Put us on your chest.
We're pretty excited - we have a shirt to offer. If you order it quickly enough, you can even wear it at PAX. Full details can be found on this page. Thanks for close to 100% of the real work go to Robby 'kanbo' Harvey and Levi 'Leviathan' Hoffmeier (who looks like he's trying to sneak into all the front-page posts today). Go order - and let the legions of HBO fans go forth in s7yle! Update: The first wave of preorders will close on Thursday night, August 11, at 11:59pm ET. This is so that the shirts ordered by this point can be ready for PAX. You will still be able to order after that point - but your order will not be processed in the first batch.
(Louis Wu 01:39:51 UTC) (permalink)
A Fistful of Arrows (Pages 48-51)
Leviathan has posted the next four pages of "A Fistful of Arrows" - swing by the AFoA website to read 'em! He's also begun to fill out some ancillary content - the new section navigation links will help you get around the story, and upcoming pages will flesh out the AFoA universe nicely! I'm drooling already. (Louis Wu 00:34:11 UTC) (permalink)
News August 9 2011
Flag must be at home to - DOH!
pete_the_duck participated in last week's Classic Customs get-together... and his writeup is as epic as the CTF game they all experienced. Go read it. (Louis Wu 16:56:49 UTC) (permalink)
Shaking the Foundation
Red vs Blue Season 9 Episode 8 is now up for everyone - Church tries to convince his cohorts that they're not real. That goes over about as well as you'd expect. Thanks, Chris101b.
(Louis Wu 16:24:50 UTC) (permalink)
BrickForge LEGO ODST Resources
Ooh, nice - BrickForge has put together ODST figures - they look great! Thanks, imperial181.
(Louis Wu 16:24:05 UTC) (permalink)
Jaroozabongler
RVideo sent word of a pretty enormous Halo 3 montage (21 minutes long!) from Ox and PJ - go check out Jaroozabongler for some fun gameplay and great editing! (Louis Wu 16:23:27 UTC) (permalink)
Video Cornucopia from FulRoro
FulRoro stopped in yesterday with a whole passel of videos - some are longer, some are shorter, try the ones that appeal!
- Loco Roco is 3 minutes of surreal action with an appropriate soundtrack. Several moments made me laugh out loud.
- 3,2,1... or not is a failure that might make you smile.
- Run run ru... SPLAT! is pretty much exactly what it sounds like.
- La mort vient des hommes is a Halo 3 machinima with no dialogue - I'm not sure I understood it at all, but some of the camera angles are great.
Go watch! (Louis Wu 16:21:49 UTC) (permalink)
MLG Anaheim Tour
G4TV and MLGPro put together a behind-the-scenes tour of MLG Anaheim - if you've never been to a pro gaming event, this is worth watching! Thanks to GAF's Risen for the heads-up.
(Louis Wu 16:21:02 UTC) (permalink)
'Destiny,' 'Be Brave' officially owned by Bungie
It's there as plain as day. Bungie is now the clear-cut owner of the trademarks for "Destiny" and "Be Brave."
The marks were originally owned by Podophobia Entertainment, a dummy corporation established by Bungie's Studio Manager Harold Ryan and Audio Director Marty O'Donnell. It appears the trademarks are the same ones filed by the corporation but with a change in ownership, as every other detail is identical to the originals, down to the filing and publication dates.
The Y-shaped "Destiny" logo was seen in Bungie's latest ViDoc, "O Brave New World," but the game was still mentioned by its codename, "Tiger." Sharp-eyed fan Daniel Duncan spotted a poster for "Destiny" when he scoured the 55-minute video for new information. And if you'd like to see more of his finds, check out his latest article from Misriah Solutions if you haven't already.
(Hitmonchan 07:15:41 UTC) (permalink)
News August 8 2011
Fail, Win, WTF?!? - Episode 7
Stewie2552 stopped in with the latest Fail, Win, WTF?!? - three clips, one win, one fail, one WTF moment. You pick your favorite! (They're all 3 pretty cool.) (Louis Wu 20:52:26 UTC) (permalink)
Badass, Defined
Luke McKay sketched up a great version of Emile a few days ago - just now getting around to adding it to his gallery here. Check it out!
(Louis Wu 19:47:15 UTC) (permalink)
Playtime Episode 3 with Commentary
CruelLEGACEY has posted audio commentary of his Playtime Episode 3. (Louis Wu 19:46:54 UTC) (permalink)
Pas d'argent, pas d'amis
Pas d'argent, Pad d'amis is a new machinima from FulRoro, a French machinimanator - oh, the things people do for cash! (If you don't speak French, turn on closed captioning - it's available in English.) (Louis Wu 15:52:14 UTC) (permalink)
O Brave New ViDoc!
ncsuDuncan went through the O Brave New World ViDoc and pulled out the tidbits related to Bungie's next game - it's a great collation of data. Check it! (Louis Wu 15:35:29 UTC) (permalink)
The Final Skirmish
Hedgemony put together The Final Skirmish (in two parts, posted together) - a short, tragic tale of mayhem and retribution, told in Reach screenshots. Go read. (Louis Wu 15:33:32 UTC) (permalink)
Bungie designer goes under the hood
A few days ago, scarab kicked off a thread on our forum discussing some AI script code visible in the O Brave New World ViDoc. It was interesting, but ultimately a forum feature... until Dan Miller jumped in yesterday. He did a really nice job answering a bunch of questions folks had for him - check out the whole thread for tidbits!
(Louis Wu 15:31:55 UTC) (permalink)
News August 7 2011
What do you want to hear from Bungie about Halo?
urk stopped by our forum this afternoon, and asked a pretty loaded question: if, say, Bungie were to participate in a Halo Fest panel at PAX this year... what would you like to hear? (He's not promising anything - he's just looking for feedback. Go give him some.)
(Louis Wu 21:57:40 UTC) (permalink)
LEGO Pelican
Oddworld sent us a link to a pretty amazing LEGO Pelican - check it out!
(Louis Wu 21:54:19 UTC) (permalink)
PGCR Fan Fiction contest Updated and Extended
SK1LL4XED told us about the Post Game Carnage Report Fan Fiction contest, (which is on again, with new prizes) - swing by the contest page for full details!
(Louis Wu 21:53:46 UTC) (permalink)
Drunken Halo - a Halo-themed podcast
Justin Bryce sent word of JTPodcasts, and 'Drunken Halo', a regular podcast that's already up to 23 episodes. You can find links on their website - go listen! (Gotta say, they sound sober to me...)
(Louis Wu 21:53:12 UTC) (permalink)
The Final Chapter
Another heads-up from Paul Shelley - H3Survivors has posted his last Halo machinima ever; once you've watched the film, read the description to find out why. You may not recognize the name, but you'll probably recognize some of the footage.
(Louis Wu 21:52:31 UTC) (permalink)
Halo Legacy: Cielo Negro Episode 1
Apologies for the lack of news - I've been sick all day. Let's see what I can get out of the queue. First up: Paul Shelley sent word that Halo Legacy: Cielo Negro Episode 1 is live - Nuevo Seville is under attack, and one ODST has a chance to make a difference. Go watch!
(Louis Wu 21:51:46 UTC) (permalink)
News August 6 2011
Fashionably Late
RVideo found a pretty cool Halo 2 montage from Dutchy, Slater, and Deathenator. Awesomely appropriate title! Go watch. (Louis Wu 18:13:37 UTC) (permalink)
This Halo Life
Joseph "Maniac" Cirillo III decided to look back on how Halo has impacted his life in the past 10 years - great read, interspersed with lots of video footage from Bungie's past. Check it out!
(Louis Wu 18:13:08 UTC) (permalink)
Waypoint Community Race Night
CruelLEGACEY is hosting a Halo Waypoint Community Race Night next Friday - details can be found on his site.
(Louis Wu 18:12:44 UTC) (permalink)
Musical Gaming Moments
Bry put together a monster (one hour long) video showing off his sixteen favorite music-related moments in gaming. Halo made three of these. Check it out!
(Louis Wu 18:12:08 UTC) (permalink)
Improving Living Dead
NsU Soldier is unhappy with the current implementation of the Living Dead playlist - and gets really specific about why. This is pretty good reading if you're interested in seeing how it might be improved!
(Louis Wu 18:11:27 UTC) (permalink)
Halo: Reach - ONI Sword Base Wreckage Area
Carnage A51 is back with another impressive video from Physics Remastered - this time, they've shown you how to get into the wreckage area of ONI: Sword Base. It ain't trivial - but it's sure cool to watch!
(Louis Wu 18:10:58 UTC) (permalink)
Mona Lisa Part 10
Over at Halo Waypoint, the 10th part of Mona Lisa is now live. We're getting near the end... this is one epic motion comic. Thanks, Stephen.
(Louis Wu 18:09:37 UTC) (permalink)
Halo 4 - Where we left off
Gab put together a film recapping Master Chief's current situation in Halo 4 - Where we left off. Nice work!
(Louis Wu 18:09:05 UTC) (permalink)
Fails of the Weak 46
Fails of the Weak Volume 46 went live yesterday - Joel adds a nice touch of cluelessness to the Achievement Hunter treatment. Thanks, SNIPE 316. (Also available on AH.com, if you'd rather - thanks, hezekiah.)
(Louis Wu 18:08:11 UTC) (permalink)
News August 5 2011
Halo Legacy: Cielo Negro Trailer
Another bit from Paul Shelley - Halo Legacy: Cielo Negro tells the story of an ODST on Madrigal. Check out the trailer! (Louis Wu 18:47:25 UTC) (permalink)
Everything in Halo Town!
Laird stopped by yesterday with an interview with 343's Frank and Kevin Grace, recorded at SDCC recently. Info about Halo Fest, and why you want to be there. Go watch! (Louis Wu 18:45:20 UTC) (permalink)
Guns are blazing, changes are rapid
Eurogamer sat down with urk to talk about the recent retrospective, and the discussion touches on Halo, the studio in general, and where Bungie's going from here. Thanks to GAF's Sikamikanico for the heads-up.
(Louis Wu 17:30:50 UTC) (permalink)
Pro gaming just keeps growing
Forbes has an article discussing how Major League Gaming is thriving, while pro sports are struggling - interesting stuff!
(Louis Wu 17:29:49 UTC) (permalink)
Halo 2 SLASO underway
Grumpy let us know that jumprs.org is going after Halo 2 SLASO - a task that's never actually been documented. Check out the thread for progress to date - and jump in if you want to play along!
(Louis Wu 17:28:51 UTC) (permalink)
NowGamer talks to Frankie
NOWGamer has a short interview with Frank O'Connor, discussing Halo: Anniversary, 343 Industries, and the future. Check it out!
(Louis Wu 17:27:44 UTC) (permalink)
Burning In the Skies
TheSparbiter put together a new Halo music video, setting Halo footage to Linkin Park's Burning In the Skies. Nice connections between visuals and lyrics! (Louis Wu 17:26:56 UTC) (permalink)
Cubeskew 2: Skewed Easier
Lee Georgeton has rejiggered the difficulty levels in his Cubeskew2 map-based obstacle course - if you couldn't finish the 'Skewed Harder' variant, try the Skewed Easier one!
(Louis Wu 17:25:40 UTC) (permalink)
3rd Annual Machinicast Awards
Treeskunk Productions' Paul Shelley sent word that the 3rd Annual Machinicast Awards are gearing up - nominations are now being accepted at DaemonPro.net and CommunityGamer.com. Swing by and make your voice heard! (Schedule is here.) (Louis Wu 17:25:11 UTC) (permalink)
Playtime Dev Blog Part 1
CruelLEGACEY posted Part 1 of his Playtime Season 2 development blog - if you're curious about how he works, go watch.
(Louis Wu 17:24:46 UTC) (permalink)
Friday's Fan Fiction
There are four new pieces up for you in our Fan Fiction section this week - go read! (Louis Wu 17:23:56 UTC) (permalink)
News August 4 2011
O Brave New World
The long-awaited Bungie ViDoc, O Brave New World, is now online. It's 55 minutes long, and it tells the story of Bungie, from the earliest days when it was just Alex and Jason, to the present, where the studio is poised to reveal their Next Big Thing. The ups, the downs, the incredible excitement of success and the bonecrushing disappointment of defeat - this video has it all. A studio, captured. Go watch it. (Louis Wu 17:03:38 UTC) (permalink)
Achievement HORSE #35 - Jack vs Kerry
Looks like there's a new HORSE -er, PIG up at Achievement Hunter (or on YouTube). Thanks, hezekiah. (Louis Wu 16:24:17 UTC) (permalink)
PGCR Ep 65
Robowski let us know that the latest Post Game Carnage Report is now up - they're getting faster! (Louis Wu 16:11:32 UTC) (permalink)
Battle of the Brick Update
CaneCutter noticed that there's a new update at Kooberz Studios - apparently, their 'Battle of the Brick' video is finished, but release is being coordinated 'behind the scenes'. When we know more, we'll let you know! (If you don't know anything about Battle of the Brick, search our news.) (Louis Wu 16:09:53 UTC) (permalink)
Halo Bulletin: August 3, 2011
This week's Halo Bulletin is now online at Halo Waypoint - lots of comparisons between Halo: Anniversary and the original game, along with plenty of other tidbits. Go read! (It's in our Halo Bulletin Archive, as well.) (Louis Wu 15:46:25 UTC) (permalink)
Ask the Grunts
Annoyed that the Master Chief was getting all the glory, Grunts have offered their OWN answers to your questions. Go ask 'em.
(Louis Wu 15:45:49 UTC) (permalink)
Soldiers of War Episode 8, Part 1
QuickTactical stopped in with word of Soldiers of War, Episode 8, Part 1 - it's a 10 minute long, Halo 3-based continuation of a long-running series... go check it out!
Previewing Anniversary
G4TV talked to Frank O'Connor about the Anniversary edition - worth listening to! Go watch. Thanks, ElzarTheBam. (Louis Wu 15:44:23 UTC) (permalink)
IGN's Top 10 Reach Kills - 08.03.11
IGN's posted a new Top 10 Kills - nothing really special, but some fun stuff nonetheless. Thanks, ElzarTheBam.
(Louis Wu 15:43:06 UTC) (permalink)
News August 3 2011
He Who Shall Not Be Teabagged
Kotaku showed a video that I'd love to think is an awesome alternate ending to the latest Harry Potter film (yes, it could be considered an HP spoiler). I laughed. Go and check it out! (GrimBrother One 21:24:04 UTC) (permalink)
Ask the Chief
Tex found a pretty cool Tumblr site - unfortunately, right before she posted it, it went on hiatus for a few days, but check out the existing content, and keep an eye on it! (And while you're waiting, if you haven't given us feedback on our new shirt concept... please do!) (Louis Wu 18:21:08 UTC) (permalink)
Keeping an eye on Bungie
ncsuDuncan stopped in with word of some recent updates on his site - mostly Destiny related, but also including photos of his Swag Bag contents (which include, unsurprisingly, Halo items). Go check it all out!
(Louis Wu 18:20:27 UTC) (permalink)
Post your news one word at a time
ElzarTheBam pointed out another OXM UK article - it seems they're meting out tidbits from their print issue 76, and the latest one has a quote from Phil Spencer about how important Halo is to Microsoft. Yeah, cause you didn't know that.
(Louis Wu 18:18:21 UTC) (permalink)
It's Shirt Time Again!
We've sold shirts before - we sold a Bungie.org shirt in 2001, and an HBO shirt in 2006. Neither of these are available any more, however... and until recently, we had no real intention of changing that fact. A little while ago, though, kanbo contacted us and asked if we'd be willing to sell another one - if he did most of the work. That's the kind of offer we like... so we contacted Leviathan to see if he'd be interested in coming up with a design we could use. Levi came through - in spades. kanbo's printer is willing to print the shirt in any color variants we'd like (there's a small charge for ink changes, but as long as the order number is high enough, this won't matter) - but we need to decide about sleeve options. Here's where you come in! Swing by our Shirt Poll page, and check off the color variants you'd consider purchasing. (This isn't a commitment to buy; we're not asking you for any money up front, or even a promise from you that there'll be money later. We're trying to get a sense for what sort of demand there'd actually be.) While you're there, pick your favorite sleeve configuration. We'll let this poll run for a while, and then make some decisions based on the data we collect. Thanks for your help! (Louis Wu 14:44:53 UTC) (permalink)
Project Aftershock Update
We've mentioned Project Aftershock a few times - it's a Crysis Halo mod - today, =SW=warlord is back with a new video update showing off a bunch of cool changes - go watch! (Louis Wu 14:42:51 UTC) (permalink)
Boneyard Concept Art
Isaac Hannaford is back to posting Reach concept art on his blog - check out some awesome shots of Boneyard! Thanks, Black Six. (Louis Wu 14:04:29 UTC) (permalink)
Projet Alpha: Winter Contingency Teaser
Projet Alpha is a series of videos covering Halo glitches, organized by map. French gamer Cox and Team CRéA have been making these since 2008 - and are coming back now for Reach. The teaser for the series' return is live now; the first episode should be up in August. If you're interested in tutorials for these glitches, swing by Halo Creation! (Louis Wu 14:03:31 UTC) (permalink)
Fine Art - in videogames
Nicolas Bouvier is an artist currently working on Halo 4 for 343 Industries. He also created the cover art for Halo: Cryptum. Kotaku has a nice little retrospective of some of his work (including a Halo sketch I've never seen before). Thanks to PooBone, over at NeoGAF, for the heads-up. (Louis Wu 14:02:22 UTC) (permalink)
Free PAX Badges from Waypoint
Yesterday, Halo Waypoint gave away 4 3-day PAX badges on Twitter (folks just had to tweet back a pic of themselves holding a sign reading "I want to go to Halo Fest!", winners chosen at random). They're doing it again today (and tomorrow, and Friday). Keep an eye on their feed for full details!
(Louis Wu 14:01:35 UTC) (permalink)
More on Halo: CEA and Kinect
Elzarthebam noticed a short article at Eurogamer that hints at the Kinect features that will be available in Halo: Anniversary. Key points: they're optional, they're cool, they'll enhance your overall experience but will not affect your core game experience.
(Louis Wu 13:59:54 UTC) (permalink)
10 Years of Halo in 10 Minutes
Stewie2552 and the Funny Halo 3 Productions crew put together 10 Years of Halo in 10 Minutes - a tribute to Bungie's games, shown in the order they were made and compiled from cutscene footage with a soundtrack that's made from various Halo pieces (some really nice combining here). Overall, a great look back at the series!
(Louis Wu 13:58:49 UTC) (permalink)
Reach Matchmaking Playlist Changelogs Backed Up
FyreWulff collected all the posts Jeremiah made in the Bungie.net Optimatch forum concerning changes to the Matchmaking playlists - and now that the Optimatch forum is offline, he's made the collection publicly available. Nice! (Louis Wu 13:57:37 UTC) (permalink)
Of AIs and their Features
OXM UK speculates about Cortana, and her importance in Halo 4, in a recent article on their website. Thanks, INSANEdrive.
(Louis Wu 13:56:45 UTC) (permalink)
News August 2 2011
Bungie.net overhaul, new news
If you visit Bungie.net, you'll notice a new layout, for the first time in a month. And new news, even - a reminder that the upcoming ViDoc will hit the interwebz on Thursday, and a small note about the facelift itself. Go explore! (I like the new Halo Universe page.) (Louis Wu 22:30:30 UTC) (permalink)
Iridescent
IESUproductions stopped by with a link to 'Iridescent' - a Halo retrospective, set to Linkin Park's Iridescent. Cutscene footage from all Halo games is matched to the song's lyrics in a tribute to the official passing of the Halo torch from Bungie to 343 today. Go watch! (Louis Wu 20:08:55 UTC) (permalink)
Tyrant's ODST Legendary Walkthrough - Coastal Highway
Daniel 'Tyrant' Morris sent word that the last chapter of his Legendary ODST saga, covering Coastal Highway, is now online - the most difficult mission on Halo 3 or ODST has now been beaten - with no deaths! (Can you find the easter egg?) (Louis Wu 18:09:22 UTC) (permalink)
Alien Horizons
Sniper94 painted a Halo screenshot. With paint. He wanted you to see it. (Louis Wu 17:58:49 UTC) (permalink)
I Less Than 343
Greenskull put together a song called 'I Less than 343' - it's an ode to the franchise overseers, and it's full of Halo love (and far too much tongue). Check it out!
(Louis Wu 17:56:46 UTC) (permalink)
Star Wars vs Halo
Mid7night found a fan-made space-based RTS called 'Star Wars vs Halo' - you can see a trailer (story-based, no gameplay) here, an announcement trailer showing promo gameplay here, and a gameplay demo made by the Funny Halo Productions crew here. The Alpha can be downloaded from MediaFire (89 mb). Intriguing! (Louis Wu 17:49:15 UTC) (permalink)
Translated Sangheili Dictionary
Brute Honour Guard pointed out a document (originally posted by its author on Bungie.net) showing one fan's attempt to do some translating of the language we hear from the Sangheili in-game. At the very least, he gets kudos for the systematic approach! Check this out. (If the mediafire link goes down, let us know; we'll put up a local copy.) (Louis Wu 17:05:31 UTC) (permalink)
NOBLE 06
CaptainTony is back with another find from DeviantART - NOBLE 06 is not QUITE as epic as the stuff he brought us yesterday, but it's still pretty cool! (Louis Wu 17:04:20 UTC) (permalink)
Case File 01.045
Red vs Blue Season 9, Episode 7 is now online for everyone - nice mix of Freelancer drama and Caboose silliness. Go watch! Thanks, mattroe. (Louis Wu 17:03:29 UTC) (permalink)
See? ARs CAN be useful.
Minor Harry Potter spoilers... but CortanaVII showed us a video that shows off the ending of Harry Potter vs Halo. I giggled.
(Louis Wu 17:02:29 UTC) (permalink)
Offcuts
Hedgemony posted a bunch of deleted scenes from his 117x5 project - the man has an eye, and it's amazing. (They're not really deleted scenes; they're images he didn't get finished in time to add to the project. Absolutely worth perusing.)
(Louis Wu 17:01:21 UTC) (permalink)
Horrible Origins: Creation Episode 1
Avcracy pointed out the first in a new series - Horrible Origins: Creation Episode 1. This is a series that will take old vids from Firelight Studios, and make fun of them, a la MST3K (no silhouettes, though).
(Louis Wu 17:00:26 UTC) (permalink)
News August 1 2011
Delta Facility Trailer: Halo Reach Map
Bilzo has a buddy who made what he thinks is a great BTB map - but there aren't that many ways left to promote these. So he made a video to show it off. It's pretty fun to watch! (Louis Wu 19:48:57 UTC) (permalink)
Playtime Ep 2 Redux
CruelLEGACEY continues his re-release of his Playtime Season One films with Episode 2 (again) - yes, yes, we know it's only been a month since these were released the first time, but now they've got commentary! I mean... what more could you want?
(Louis Wu 19:48:15 UTC) (permalink)
Fan finds fan art
CaptainTony stopped by with a couple of cool fan creations he found at DeviantART - check out We Remember (simply spectacular) and Cal-141 (a great imagining of a character from Legends' The Babysitter). Gorgeous! (Louis Wu 14:44:02 UTC) (permalink)
MLG Anaheim - what's in a name, anyway?
MLG Anaheim wrapped up last night, and eon instinct (basically, the Final Boss guys who lost their name) crushed the competition. (Although the final match info page suggests that Status Quo won the last game, the recap disagrees - and the Bracket listings and the Leaderboards both point out that eon instinct won 21 games while losing 0.) A new dynasty emerges? Or is this just an old one with a new name?
(Louis Wu 14:42:57 UTC) (permalink)
Funny Halo Reach Fails and Laughs 12
Over at NeoGAF, PNut pointed out the latest Funny Halo Reach Fails and Laughs - pretty varied collection of goodies this time around! (Louis Wu 14:41:37 UTC) (permalink)
| August 2011 | |
