Halo Bulletin 9/28/11

The Halo Bulletin: 9/28/11

You never forget your first.

Anytime someone asks when I started gaming, my usual response is at the ultimate first level: the womb. That’s the only way to accurately describe just how long that particular pastime has been a part of my life. So, when the original Xbox came out, I didn’t even bat an eye—it was an instant purchase.

The first title on that particular platform that thoroughly captured my multiplayer attention was Star Wars Battlefront. Night after night I fired it up, traversing the desolate landscape of Geonosis, burying my horizontally stationary figure within the snowy hillsides of Hoth, fighting alongside the diminutive and adorable Ewoks, and struggling to take down a never-ending stream of sluggish AT-ATs. That daily time suck continued until a certain fateful day.

One afternoon—while I was enjoying the pleasure of my sister’s company—she noticed a dust-covered disc lying next to my console. Brushing it off, she asked, “Have you played this game before?” Since the bulk of my online time was spoken for, my response was “no.” So she popped it in, mentioned something about a convict, and handed me a controller. For the next two hours, I proceeded to get my butt handed to me, many times on a silver platter. I died from sniper rounds being applied directly to my skull. I died from Magnum shots peppering me from across the map. I particularly died from a general lack of situational awareness that was taken advantage of by my melee-happy sibling. By the time the senseless slaughter had subsided, I was in the middle of throwing a tantrum that would have made any two-year-old proud. However, once that rage subsided, I found myself determined—determined to learn the game so my sister would not get the better of me again. Sibling rivalry is really quite motivating, isn’t it?

Fast forward ten years.

When you work in the video game industry, you are often called on to participate in playtests. And because it’s an excellent way to get out of meetings, I mean… because I’m such a dedicated and hard worker, I attempt to participate as often as possible. Sometimes I’m busy, though (hey, those cat pictures aren’t going to look at themselves, you know), causing me to occasionally miss out on the beer-fueled festivities. Such was the case with a few of the Anniversary maps.

Those missed playtests gave me a very surreal, and very special, moment at Halo Fest. I was walking around, maintaining a quick pace so my boss would think I was working, when I noticed an open station. I snuck under a line-corralling rope, grabbed the controller, and began to play. As I started meandering my way through the already familiar metallic-gray hallways, dodging bloom-free bullets in an attempt to stay alive, I realized I was on the very map that encompassed my first ever experience with Halo.

A decade later, and I had come full circle. And suffice it to say, I never forgot my first.

Release the hounds.

Whether Prisoner holds a special place in your heart or not, you will undoubtedly enjoy setting foot on this Multiplayer map again. The Anniversary reimagining—which goes by the name of Solitary—is still a claustrophobic and frenetic playspace, but it has been gifted with higher fidelity along with a new story. The spire’s interior is damaged and only hints at the terrifying power of its previous inhabitant. Including several walled-off, prison-like cells, the facility’s suborbital location and frigid temperature were thought to be able to keep any threat at bay. But it appears those plans were… optimistic.

In order to safeguard what was in there from getting out, this multi-level facility was given vertical isolation. Looking through the glass on the floor will tell you that you’re in the stratosphere of an icy surface, while a quick glance through one of the many windows reveals similar spinning confinement platforms around it. The pods are as removed as possible, but a hole near the top of the level—which lets in snow—gives the impression that something may not be right at this peculiar alien prison.

With tightly-woven corridors and many bridges and ramps, this space is perfect for the chaos of close-range combat. The smallness of it, though, also provided design challenges. We had to scale things back artistically, especially with the walls, as too many details equaled too much visual noise. The goal was to be relatively simple while having enough detail to remain striking.

The most notable differences from the original appear at the highest level. There are some additional rooms adjacent to each of the sniper roosts, and balconies have been added via Forge pieces so you can navigate through them. Skilled jumpers will be able to hop from sniper roost to sniper roost without dropping down a floor. Those that struggle with the “A” button, however, will fall all the way to the bottom. And yes, I speak from experience. With the former, of course. Boo-yah!

There are also some additional pathways inside the level that allow for quicker and, more importantly, protected navigation to the higher levels. Since you don’t have to worry about a pesky sniper picking you off, you can get as high as possible as quickly as possible. Which I strongly recommend. Assuming you choose life, anyway.

Out of all the reimagined maps, Damnation and Prisoner have the most striking visual differences. We’re hoping you’ll look at these maps and see how they have evolved from the originals. Certain Affinity has mastered the ability to maintain an existing aesthetic while simultaneously adding fiction. And because they did such a great job, I’m not even going to mention that, at one point, they wanted to add Flood elements to this map. If you ever hear me screaming, “NO TENTACLES!” while thrashing around violently in my sleep, now you know why.

In an effort to get that visual out of your mind, here’s some Solitary screenshots. Feel free to continue thinking of elongated flexible organs, though. We don’t judge around these parts. You freak.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled updates.

Did you know that in three days it will officially be October? Summer, and September apparently, have both mysteriously disappeared. That means, assuming I’m able to calculate in my head correctly, it’s almost time for a Halo: Reach matchmaking playlist update. Wait, you knew we were doing a small playlist update next month, right? Considering how loud those crickets are currently chirping, I’m guessing I forgot to tell you that. My bad. Let me get you caught up super quick.

On or around October 4th, assuming things go according to plan, we’re releasing the beta matchmaking playlist. What I previously neglected to mention are the rest of the general matchmaking changes. We are primarily sweeping the cobwebs out of the corners, polishing a few things here and there, and performing some light housekeeping. Here are the specifics, for those of you that appreciate the small things in life:

• Beta Matchmaking Playlist added: This hopper will showcase the Title Update by introducing settings that you, the collective community, can check out and provide feedback on. It features a mix of Slayer and Objective (with DLC maps being optional), including the already released Zero Bloom Slayer DMRs gametype. Please refer to the 9.14 edition of the Halo Bulletin for additional gametype and map information.

• Team Classic Playlist removed: While we’re removing the Team Classic playlist, we’re not forsaking the classic community. We’ll be reintroducing the classic experience when Anniversary drops in November, and even giving the players a defining trait of Combat Evolved Multiplayer by putting the three shot pistol back into your hands, right where it belongs. Speaking of which, is that a Magnum in your pocket, or are you just happy to hear this news?

• Premium/DLC Playlists condensed into one list: Both DLC lists are being combined into one playlist. We’ll be keeping this list at the larger of the two team sizes so that teams of six can enjoy both Slayer and Objective gametypes as well as Invasion.

• Bro Slayer removed from Team Slayer: Spawning concerns and feedback regarding this gametype indicated that we will need to look at additional choices for spawning locations if we are going to reintroduce it to Reach Matchmaking in the future. Meanwhile, you’ll have to find some other way to spawn on your bro.

• Atom removed from Team Slayer: As part of our process of cycling through community content, older maps will occasionally be taken out of Reach Matchmaking. Don’t take it personally though, Atom. It’s not you, it’s me. Ok, so maybe it’s you. But whatever.

• Stockpile added back into Team Objective: The addition of Stockpile back into Team Objective will ensure that the Stockpile-based achievements are supported and attainable. Bleep bloop!

• Matchmaking updated to allow Co-Op Campaign and Firefight play with no HDD: Can I get a whoop whoop? Or maybe a what what? No? Ok, moving on.

And that’s October’s playlist changes in a nutshell. Come back again next month for another batch of matchmaking playlist updates! Or you could come back next week if you want, as well. I will have a new Bulletin for you, after all. Before then, here’s a teeny tiny serving of community-submitted questions, courtesy of you. Well, you if you see your question below, that is.

When the forums come out of BETA, will they have an Optimatch-type forum or will the MP section take on that role? -Link1201

When our final iteration of forums roll out, we will have a section dedicated solely to Matchmaking, for both discussion and direct feedback purposes. We’re currently in the middle of our user-assisted test phase (you can read more about Gamma here), so when that wraps up, we’ll then push out the official forums featuring different sections and a new overall layout. I anticipate that happening sometime between now and mid-November. Of 2552.

Can we get some Challenge payouts that actually make it worth the time? –DonShetland

Our matchmaking team is particularly passionate about the UNSC’s standard currency and has been increasing the cR payouts across the board while attempting to make them aptly relevant to their difficulty level. We’ve seen a lot of feedback about the changes, and we’ll continue to work on finding that ever-elusive balance 
Why did you want me to ask a question? - Templar Euchre

Because it provided the perfect opportunity for me to share the above video. So, on behalf of everybody who is now watching pretty much the best thing ever, thanks!

And with that, I’m out. Until next week, anyway…

<3,
bs angel

PS: Enjoy this week’s Friday Caption Fun picture, and don’t forget to drop by the quip-filled festivities if you feel so inclined. Or witty. Or bored. Or whatever…

Sorry bout that...

I'm sorry about the extreme lack of news but I'll update it with this weeks Bulletin and anything I find before I have to leave for work in about 27 minutes.

The Halo Bulletin: 9/8/11

The Halo Bulletin: 9/8/11

This suit is not a natural formation.

Sometimes, when attempting to find the figurative needle in a haystack, you have to pay attention to the specifics in order to achieve success, and a recent situation I found myself in at Halo Fest is proof of that fact. It was the evening of the VIP party, and the cake-cutting festivities were rapidly approaching. A certain Spartan was supposed to assist with divvying up the Halo-themed dessert but I quickly discovered he was missing in action. There was a costume contest going on at the main stage, so—using my sharper than average sleuthing skills—I approached the steady stream of super-soldiers on parade. Instantly confronted with numerous green, near identical cosplayers, I focused my attention on the lower half of the costumes. Within a split second, I found who I was looking for, and quickly escorted the Halo 4 Master Chief to the appropriate destination. I even provided him with a weapon. Assuming you consider a long, serrated knife a weapon, that is.

If you had the pleasure of laying eyes upon that suit, sans or with cutlery, you were undoubtedly impressed by its craftsmanship. That’s because the team behind the creation—collectively known as Blue Realm Studios—have perfected the art of making Spartan armor. Not many people are familiar with the process of bringing fictional Halo items to life, so I sat down, virtually of course, with Adam Grumbo—one of the talented people that make up that particular prop-fabricating group. Here’s what he had to say in response to my numerous awkwardly phrased inquiries.

The only thing I know about armor making is what is being made, which is armor. Can you tell us a little about the creation process? Also, is it super hard, super easy, or somewhere in between?

“The process is a difficult one. Lucky for me, Devin—who was leading us on the project—had to think of all the tough stuff. Since there was only a certain amount of time to plan, start, and finish this project, everything had to be put into overdrive from day one. We created the suit in much the same way as a lot of the existing suits are made, with the exception of a few time-saving methods, including CNCing some parts. CNC is computer numerical controlled milling, which is great for scaling quickly and getting the proportions correct. It does not, by any stretch of the imagination, mean it makes life easier for detailing the build, as we had to refine and clean up some parts for at least a week to get them ready for molding. The final suit was cast out in urethane plastic, and some parts in urethane rubber. There was more molding material used in this than any previous Blue Realm costume project.”

You had me at urethane. Well, either that or rubber. But back on-topic, how long did it take you to complete this project, and how many people worked on it?

“Devin and Charlie put in the most hours and really got to know this armor inside and out. It took us right around two months to get the project done. That was some feat for us, as the original Halo 2 Blue Realm suit took around two years to complete. For the Halo 4 suit, there were up to seven or eight people working around the clock on it.”

That is an impressively short time frame! What were the biggest challenges you had to overcome, and did anything go wrong?

“There were so many challenges, I don't even know where to begin. The first and most obvious was the fact that not everyone working on the suit lived in Dallas where the operation was taking place. Charlie was from New York, Walter from Houston, and I came up from Austin. It was a big slumber party without the slumbering. There were a few points of frustration with the suit, including masters that floated in the silicone, gold visors coming out too dark to see through, mother molds getting fused on, and much more. There were lots of problems one weekend with moisture contamination of the plastic, which turned the urethane into a foamy mess. You might not understand all the details of what that means, but it equaled many hours of lost time and money—something that can happen from time to time when you're under a deadline and don't have the luxury to wait for weather to cooperate. We documented as much of the process as we could on video, so hopefully that will be out soon for everyone to enjoy. With so many cooks in the kitchen, the only accident that was pain-worthy was when Charlie dripped a good amount of liquid plastic onto his hairy legs. Upon removal of said plastic, needless to say, they weren't hairy anymore.”

I was wondering why his legs were smoother than mine. Do you have any other fun stories, either about making the armor or transporting it to Seattle?

“The funniest part to me was the night Walter and I arrived. For some reason, we thought it'd be a good idea to sleep in the airport until Devin and Charlie arrived with the suit. I wimped out, and we got a hotel room and ordered pizza. It’s sad and funny to think that while Devin and Charlie were putting the final touches on the suit at 3 am, Walter and I were watching TV and chowing on pizza in a nice comfy hotel. With some help from other members of the 405th, we picked them up at the airport at 1 am Seattle time. Their flight was delayed, and they were completely beat. Knowing there was a long weekend of PAX-ing ahead of them was probably not a great feeling but hey, who sleeps during PAX, anyway? The suit was checked as luggage and arrived safe and sound. We did wonder for a bit, with the last minute modifications, how well the suit would fit me. They did well though, and the suit looked and wore exactly how it should.”

I thought it looked amazing. Minus the mass amounts of ogling by yours truly, what were some of the reactions people had upon seeing it?

“This is the interesting part. The pressure was certainly on when we had our Halo 4 suit, standing feet away from the masterpieces Legacy Effects created. Plus, the Halo 4 suit is so new, not everyone recognized that it was a new variant of Mjolnir. Those who did recognize it as Halo 4 were blown away. We study the look of armor probably more than most communities out there so for us, it's very cool to see that certain parts of the armor translate into real world applications. What I mean is you can see where ammo might clip on or where armor might disassemble or connect. Those things make a difference to those of us who really appreciate seeing Halo in the real world. When Frankie made the announcement of the suit on Sunday at the Halo 4 panel, people cheered loudly, and that was a good feeling—knowing that the fans appreciated all the hard work that went into it.”

Speaking of sporting the suit during the Halo 4 panel, what is the best and worst part of wearing this particular costume?

“The best part about wearing the costume is the same great part of wearing any Mjolnir armor, and why we love to do it. Putting it on totally makes you feel like a super-soldier. It feels like so much more than a costume. You feel like the Chief. People come running up and look at you in awe. I'd compare it to when kids first see a life-size T-Rex statue. It's something they've seen photos of, read about, and thought about. But when you see it in real life, it really brings you into the Halo Universe. That, combined with Weta's Warthog, really completed the experience for many Halo fans. The worst part about it is when the fan inside the helmet runs out and the visor fogs up. It's only moments before you can't see two feet in front of you!”

I imagine that last part is probably a good thing if I’m standing in front of you. Regardless, I’d like to thank Adam for giving us a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the making of the Halo 4 Master Chief suit. Semi-related, I’m pretty sure that interview is equivalent to a year’s worth of Halo 4 information. I now consider us good on Halo 4-related news until September 2012. Man oh man, this job is getting easier every day!

This map is not a natural formation, either.

While I managed to mark releasing news about Halo 4 off my to-do list for an entire 12 months, there’s still Halo: Anniversary, so I won’t be calling it a day quite yet. We’ve already taken an in-depth look at the Beaver Creek and Damnation remakes, so how about joining me for a relaxing stroll through one of the upcoming cooperative Campaign modes? I heard the ring is gorgeous this time of year… assuming the year isn’t 2552, anyway.

Selecting the six traditional Slayer maps for Anniversary was a challenge. There were several different questions we asked ourselves when attempting to determine what playspaces would work best for Anniversary: Could the map be easily Forged? Then it’s out. Is it in Halo 3? Then it’s out. Does bs angel like it? Then it’s out. When it came time for the Firefight meeting with Certain Affinity though—the one where each side was slated to present their respective Firefight map proposals—it went smoother than expected because we discovered our independently formed ideas reflected the same area: Installation 04.

It was the only map out of the seven choices that didn’t create even the slightest amount of contention. Both groups immediately agreed the aptly named level “Halo” was perfect because its encounter design is quintessential Firefight. There’s a defendable base, and the fictional premise is trying to survive several waves of Covenant attack. The only decision left to make was which specific encounter should be built into the Firefight map. The Cliffside tower was the clear winner for several different reasons: the size of the space, the room you have to maneuver, and the flexibility of the area in regard to where the AI can enter. It’s also the most malleable of the spaces. Thus, the decision was considered final. Installation 04 was in.

This particular area didn’t require a lot of design changes. It was pretty much provided for us. With Slayer maps, you have to consider equipment and Armor Abilities and their ability to dramatically change how a map plays. But when you’re fighting AI, the differences are not as significant as when it’s a player vs. player situation. The encounters needed to be customized, but the groundwork was there for us in the design of the map itself.

Certain Affinity added an extra challenge, though. Along with needing to create a beautiful hi-res version of ten-year-old content, they also wanted to take things to the next level by introducing friendly AI. They had been toying with the idea since the Defiant Map Pack but didn’t have time to implement it then. Designing a Firefight space is different, and more challenging, than designing a Slayer map because of all the stuff running under the surface. Among other things, you have to set up flight paths for AI drop ships and script complicated events while making sure they play nice with each other. Most of the time with Unearthed was spent making it Firefight compatible so with that out of the way, Certain Affinity then had more time to experiment. The most important part was making sure the friendly AI functioned almost as well as the enemy AI. Of course, we couldn’t make them too smart, or they’d simply play for you. So they now help in convincing and useful ways.

If we’re being honest though, there was failure before success—the process has not been full of pink hearts, yellow moons, orange stars, and green clovers. Halo Fest, in fact, had some builds where the AI did not want to cooperate. They would start at the defend tower, and throughout the weekend, they decided to stay stationary on that platform. The night before Halo Fest, Chad, who was checking over everything, noticed the peculiarity and said, out loud, “Why isn’t the ODST moving?” The ODST must have heard him because he answered with a point animation toward the Covenant enemies. Hard to argue that logic.

At other points during the design process, the AI behaved much like me. Sometimes you would catch one of them unable to path find and thus running courageously into the nearest corner. Other times they just seemed lost. During one particularly entertaining session, an ODST launched himself, via the gravity lift, back up to the tower where he started. After making his way back down, he then decided to do the same thing. Over. And over. And over. Let’s just say he didn’t get much done that game. It’s really easy to break AI but quite a bit harder to make work properly. And Certain Affinity definitely deserves kudos for achieving the latter.

If you find your curiosity piqued about this particular playspace, here are some brand new screenshots of Installation 04 that will hopefully quench your Anniversary-inspired thirst.

If, by chance, the pretty pictures didn’t satisfy your craving for more Anniversary news, keep your ears to the ground during the week of this year’s Tokyo Game Show. I can neither confirm nor deny the rumor that we’ll be releasing some tasty tidbits, both about Anniversary and the upcoming Halo: Reach Title Update, during that time frame. However, I can tell you we’ll be releasing some tasty tidbits, both about Anniversary and the upcoming Halo: Reach Title Update, during that time frame.

My fingers are exhausted from the turtle-like pace of my typing, so today I will only be answering one community-submitted question. Thankfully it’s something almost every single member of our forums has asked.

Where’s mah Gamma?!

At this time tomorrow, you just may be the alpha tester of the beta version of our Gamma forums. Actually, before then because around 10 am Friday morning, the test phase of the final iteration of forums will begin. One of my general philosophies is the more, the merrier, so should you want to try to break our new software, I encourage you to do so. Pertinent information, such as the specifics on how to participate, will be posted here.

And with that, I bid you adieu. Until next week, anyway.

<3,
bs angel

PS: Not only do I have a Friday Caption Fun wallpaper-type image for you this week, but I also have a few fan-made Halo 4-themed Mister Chief creations. Enjoy all the fun pictures, and hop in and participate if you so desire!

IGN Live Coverage

make sure you go to IGN's Halofest page over the next 3 days to check out the live coverage of Halofest!

The Halo Bulletin: 8/24/11

The Halo Bulletin: 8/24/11

Elephant beats everything.

Let’s say you and I were tasked with stopping by the Washington State Convention Center to check on the progress of the Halo Fest preparations. Let’s also say that, upon walking in, we notice all the pieces of news set to be released over the course of the three-day weekend have suddenly taken on a physically tangible state. As we consider the clutter filling up the 30,000 square foot room, we find ourselves faced with two clear choices: pick up the chaotic mess of disclosure-filled announcements, or ignore the opportunity for enlightenment and continue along our merry way. Since I am against anything that has the potential to make beads of perspiration pop up across my typically sweat-free brow, obviously we'd choose the second option. But had we gone with the first option and subsequently decided to weigh the mass of clutter, we would be proud owners of a headline-making pile of Halo news and announcements weighing almost as much as an Elephant. And I’m not talking about the animal. Oh no, I’m referring to the behemoth-sized UNSC transport whose weight is equivalent to a metric number two-ton.

To make a cryptic scenario crystal clear, we have a lot of things we’re incredibly excited to share with you at Halo Fest. But why am I bringing that up now, with the festivities still 48 hours away? Because the impending explosion of news means I don’t have any big bombs to drop today. If your undies suddenly started twisting themselves into knotted knickers upon reading that statement, fret not because my brain continues to excrete partially coherent thoughts via my speed-challenged fingers. In summary, you will have lots to read in today’s Bulletin. Just not anything that qualifies as one of our typically sizable announcements.

Now that our previously precarious situation has been sorted, let’s begin our customary exchange of pleasantries!

Halo Fest starts on Friday. For those of you that live in a world where not tracking sunrise-to-sunsets is acceptable, that is in two days. Actually, less than two days, if you prefer smaller, more accurate lengths of time. While I have yet to complete the Halo Community panel outline, I have next week set aside for that, so I’m not overly concerned. Worst case scenario, I’ll make the panelists sing 80s-themed karaoke during their allotted hours. The rest of the panels are good to go, though, which I can confirm as I’ve witnessed dry runs of several of them. The Halo 4 panel in particular was incredibly intriguing, and I’m not just saying that because they bribed me with pizza. Oh no, it takes more than flattened pepperoni-topped dough to get a good review from me. (Protip: it’s the cheese-filled crust that seals the deal.)

Speaking of the numerous panels, there are so many things that comprise our Halo Fest agenda that you will undoubtedly miss a few of the festivities along the way. In an effort to minimize your losses, I’ve decided to share my top five tips for maximizing your celebratory experience.

bs angel’s Guide to Having the Best Halo Fest Evar

Have a clear-cut strategy.
We have 12 panels, six tournaments, five playable Halo: Anniversary maps, and many more things I’m entirely too lazy to type up, all demanding your undivided attention. So, unless you plan on cloning yourself, you should schedule your time accordingly. Decide which things are most important to you, block off that time either on paper or in digital form, and then move on to the next batch of activities you hope to fit in. Certain things—like ogling the awesomeness that is the Weta Warthog or taking multiple trips down memory lane with all of the individual Halo titles—can be done at any time. Other things, though, are available for one hour and one hour only. I’m pretty sure there’s a joke in there somewhere, but I’m not going to touch it. And yes, that’s what I said.

Multitask.
Let’s face it: the last thing you want to do is set aside significant amounts of time for eating and drinking. Unfortunately, though, you still need to invest the time in the life-sustaining basics. An easy way to multitask is by doing the aforementioned necessities while you’re in line. PAX recommends securing your spot for upcoming panels at least 30 minutes in advance. I typically set aside at least one hour to guarantee admittance. Grab some food, and use that down time to satiate your body. Just make sure you keep some gum in your pocket. Nobody wants to be assaulted by the aftermath of your garlic-laden lunch later in the day.

Pack like you’re Lighter Than None.
Whether you wield a man purse, wear a backpack, or have the deepest pockets known to mankind, there are a few things you should never leave your hotel without: personal identification, your cell phone, a camera, at least one form of payment, and numerous breath-freshening agents. I’ll also divulge a teeny tiny secret about something I bring with me to conventions: deodorant. If your underarms are as noxious as mine, freshening up throughout a long day is mandatory. Every few hours I take a trip to the ladies room, dampen a soap-drenched paper towel, and clean the hairy enclaves that are my pits. After a fresh application of deodorant, the only lingering scent is flowers. Well, flowers that have been dipped in a steaming pile of BO. But still, it’s better than the odor that existed before. Trust me on that.

Dress comfortably.
You will be on your feet for the majority of the extended weekend. And if your backside prefers being planted firmly in a chair as mine does, your poor, underutilized feet will be beyond tired by the end of each day. Minimize the pain by wearing sensible shoes. Sure, your brand new thigh-high boots are gorgeous. But if your feet begin aching after five seconds of walking in them, imagine how they’ll feel after three days. Definitely not worth it. For the record, I’ll be wearing sneakers the entirety of Fest. Yes, they’re obnoxiously pink and sparkly, but they’re sneakers all the same.

Seize the day.
You are going to have the opportunity to meet an unbelievable amount of people. Everybody from the faces behind your favorite video games to those that watch your back while traversing the online battlefields. If you see someone you recognize—either by catching sight of their handsome mug or perhaps a badge that reveals their virtual identity—say hi. Take it from me, you’ll regret it if you don’t. The only person I don’t recommend doing that with is me. If you think reading my words week after week is akin to torture, wait until you meet me in person. I’ve been told people turn to stone after seeing me in their nightmares. And not just when I wear my hair curly, either.

Beyond the tips, something else that may be of interest to those of you attending will also be helpful to those planning on being there in spirit only. IGN—barring any dreaded, unforeseen technical difficulties—is planning on live streaming the big three panels (Halo: Anniversary, Halo Universe, and Halo 4) both on their website and also within the walls of Halo Fest. That’s right, whether you’re sitting on the comfort of your couch or you’re within the Halo Fest space itself, you’ll be able to watch the three main panels in all of their Halo glory. High five for streaming live!

I think it looks more like a Puma.

Even though it doesn’t rhyme, another thing that deserves a high five is the official arrival of the Warthog. A few days ago, I had the totally hard job of going to the warehouse to confirm its arrival. Yes, I got in my car and traveled almost 20 air conditioned minutes to make sure the real life anti-infantry vehicle survived its trek across the ocean. Now seems like a good time to mention that you people are lucky I’m so dedicated to my job. Not everybody would make a sacrifice like that, you know. But me, well, I’m willing to go the extra mile to see a fully functional vehicle from the Halo Universe. You can’t ever say I haven’t done anything for you now. Just FYI.

Anyway, after my not-very-long drive to the warehouse, I was greeted with an absolutely glorious sight. I’d like to tell you how it felt to turn the corner and set eyes upon the real life version of my favorite Halo vehicle but alas, a mention of the goosebumps that quickly spread across my arms is the closest I can get to describing this surreal experience. It was in this vehicle, during the last level of CE, that I fell in love with Halo. And that emotion came rushing back the second I set eyes upon its carefully crafted descendant. My words are not doing this incredible replica justice, so I will instead offer your hungry eyes a picture depicting the exact moment the Warthog and myself became one. Don’t ogle ‘er too much, though, because I’m definitely the jealous type. PS: You can almost see me over the turret. Almost…

My dear coworker David Ellis didn’t have the opportunity to ride shotgun in the ‘Hog. However, he did have a different, equally amazing experience for which your ears will directly reap the benefits.

From the smooth talking man himself:

As you've already noticed from this Bulletin, we're in full-on Halo Fest mode here at 343. So in the spirit of celebrating the 10th anniversary of Halo: Combat Evolved's release, we welcomed former Bungie Game Design Lead Jaime Griesemer to the Sparkast to talk about his experiences working on the seminal shooter for the original Xbox. As a huge Halo fan, it's rare that I learn new things about the titles I've played through dozens and dozens of times. It was a fantastic experience to be able to pick Jaime's brain for an hour and hear some new behind-the-scenes stories about the creation of the first Halo. You can download and listen to this very special pre-Fest episode of the Sparkast here. Remember, if you'd like to have new episodes of the Sparkast delivered to you every time we post them, you can subscribe via Zune, iTunes or RSS. I now return you to your regularly scheduled Bulletin, already in progress.

David’s defenses must have been down last week because he graciously agreed to let me take part in his regularly recorded shenanigans. And let me say he ended up making the right decision when he cut that segment. Perhaps you’ll hear the screeching that is my voice sometime in the future. For this particular episode, though, Jaime’s dulcet delivery will definitely be the music to your ears.

While we’re excited about Halo’s big bash, it turns out OXM—or Official Xbox Magazine as they’re also known—is pretty pumped about the festivities, too. I’m not going to post any spoilers, but let’s just say this is one issue you’re definitely going to want to pick up. Since a picture speaks a thousand words, but more importantly, saves me from typing that ridiculously huge amount, here’s the cover to whet your ten-years-in-the-making appetite.

And with that, I bid you adieu. Until Halo Fest or the next magical reoccurring humpday…

<3,
bs angel

PS: I don’t have a Friday Caption Fun image for you this week, so I offer you this Grunt plushie picture in its place. Flipyap (or is it Yapflip?), along with a few thousand of his closest friends, look forward to potentially going home with you after Halo Fest!

Red Vs Blue PSA: Gamer Etiquette

http://roosterteeth.com/archive/?id=3511
there you go!

343 Guilty Spark-Leak

This is a demo from Gamescon 2011 that wasn't supposed to hit the interwebs, check it out!