There is a rather large collection of new movies available over at movies.gearboxgamezone.com – mostly machinima this time around, and mostly in WMP9 format (though a few have QT options, as well). If you’re jonesing for new video footage (and I can see how you might be, we’ve been pretty barren with respect to new releases recently), swing by and grab some!

Roger Wolfson, HaloPC Testmaster for Bungie, has posted a note on the Bungie forums about a new update for HaloPC (and soon for HaloCE) – 1.07 has been released to address a networking vulnerability. The patch will work as an auto-update for those running 1.06 now (no downloading needed, just connect to the Gamespy lobby), but he’s posted direct links for folks with earlier versions (or who want to update their dedicated servers). The new client will work with 1.06 servers, but the 1.06 client will NOT work with the 1.07 server. The HaloCE patch “will be made available in a couple days”. Thanks to PMSboy for the heads-up.

Last week, we mentioned a quote from Bill Gates that suggested that Halo 3 might be released in the same timeframe as the Playstation 3. We warned, as usual, that it ain’t official until Bungie SAYS it’s official… but it IS hard to contradict the head honcho. Nevertheless, there WAS some backpedaling by Robbie Bach, Chief Xbox Officer – in today’s Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Bach is quoted as saying:

We haven’t announced anything on what Bungie is doing or where we’re going with the future of the ‘Halo’ franchise. With all respect to Bill, I don’t run Bungie’s studio, and neither does he.

Go read the article for even more vagueness. Thanks to Marc Friedrichs of Halo Universe for the heads-up.

Another Halo pro has been profiled over at MLGPro.com – go read why Igamespot’s McGavin is so well known in the competitive community. Thanks, 3Suns.

Dolbex has written up a solid review of the 5 maps coming out next month, complete with pictures (when he could find them on the web). If you’re curious to see what’s coming, and how you’ll be playing it, swing by MLGPro.com and read this!

There’s a line in the upcoming Killtacular documentary that goes something like “If you need to reload when you’re dual-wielding, you’re basically screwed.” Today’s One One Se7en is a perfect illustration of this concept.

There are 15 new items for you in the Fan Fiction section today – stuff from old hands, stuff from newcomers, poems, standalone stories, chapters in ongoing sagas… something for everyone. Go read.

Hehe – Vapor wrote up a short little guide for surviving in MLG Custom games (mostly for folks who can’t). A couple of things I wouldn’t have thought of in there (like the fact that even though it takes 4 bursts to the head to take out an opponent with a battle rifle, it STILL only takes 4 bursts if the first three hit the body; only the last needs to hit the head). Go read.

Synide wrote up his experiences at E3 last week over at synide.net (a FANTASTIC read) – and excerpted the plasma fiesta lanfest portion for posting on our own forum. The most interesting part of the excerpt for me – the realization, by someone deeply enmeshed in the competitive scene, that competitive gametypes with people who aren’t part of that culture aren’t nearly as fun. I realize he’ll never convince the hardcore on either side of the issue – but for all the THINKING people, this is something worth reading. There’s also a short, very dark video, showing the end of Round One of the ice-cream-eating contest (and why they all brain-froze before it was over).

MasterGrief pointed out a thread on the Gearbox forums containing a number of Halo-related domain names for sale; prices and an email address for the seller can all be found in the thread. Check it out if you’re looking to start a site!

Mastiha wrote to point out that there’s an article on bandwidth usage for Halo 2 over at XboxZone.com.au; I’m not sure I agree with the numbers (I’ve hosted 16-player games here, and if Remorhaz’s numbers are right, that shouldn’t have been possible), but they’re there for the looking-at.

Whew. Back from LA, still WELL-underslept, but I’ll turn in early tonight and be back to normal by morning. A few things sitting in the in-box; looks like JackBauer’s Pillar of Autumn Space map for HaloCE is available for download – check this Gearbox forum thread for details. (Thanks to several people, including JackBauer himself, for the heads-up.) Update: oops – there were other HaloCE map announcements, I almost missed them – Arteen has released Augury (check this thread for screenies and a download link), and Peter Sakievich has released The Narrows – screenies, description, and a download link can be found at Halomaps.

I dropped a writeup of last night’s E3 Plasma Fiesta LANfest onto our forum – I had a really good time, and saw a LOT of people I either hadn’t seen for a while or had never actually met in person; a perfect ending to a nice E3 week. Here’s hoping some of the other participants join in with their own comments!

Frankie posted this week’s Weekly What’s Update over at Bungie.net – it covers a lot of questions asked recently about the upcoming map pack, banning, and other small questions. Go read.

The webcomic Waffle Hut has another Halo-related strip up right now; it looks at the Halo XBL Auto-update, and what’s changed.

Several people filmed the new maps with hand-held video cameras yesterday; You can find stuff here, here, and here on our forum (I’m sure there are others, but I don’t have time to hunt right now). No time to mirror stuff – here’s hoping bandwidth holds out! (And that’s it for me, for now – offline again for a bit. Here’s hoping the server behaves…)

Today’s One One Se7en looks at clan heirarchies.

I got a chance to play the Stubbs the Zombie demo yesterday – this game is a LOT of fun. There’s a hands-on over at Eurogamer, that points out some of the pieces that are unchanged from its Halo engine roots (thanks, 3Suns), but mostly it feels like its own game completely. This is one to watch.

Major Nelson has put the kibosh on the rumor (we mentioned it yesterday) that Xbox games would have to be recompiled for the Xbox 360. Bottom line: you will not need to buy new copies of any original Xbox games that eventually get certified for use on the 360. Thanks to several people – orion 12 was first.

IGN has a hands-on writeup of the five new maps, which are playable on the E3 flooor – thanks, Capt 0bvious.