Meyeselph is working on compiling an easily accessible guide to Halo 3’s weapons, with an eye on how to maximize the effective use of each. The first weapon so examined is Halo 3’s venerable Assault Rifle. Visually evocative of the Colonial Marines’ pulse rifle from Aliens, maligned as an inaccurate bullet hose in Halo 1, missing from Halo 2 in favor of the even more maligned dual-wielding bullet hose, the SMG, the Assault Rifle makes a triumphant return in Halo 3.

It’s tired cliché that you never get a second chance to make a first impression.

Despite rampant accusations of having a story that’s derivative pulp, the first half of Halo 3 is not a tired cliché, nor does it need a second chance to make a first impression.

Hearing from a number of reviewers and community members who played through the game in a single sitting under Bungie’s purview, I’ve decided to play no more than two campaign levels a day in order to savor the experience. To get my Halo 3 fix the rest of the day, I watch films of those levels, hunt for skulls, or play around in Forge. I understand why those people wanted to get through the game right away, and why Bungie wanted reviewers to play the whole game. Community members knew they wouldn’t be able to go on much longer without someone spoiling the ending for them. Bungie knew it would be best for reviewers to have a complete experience– at least, the most complete experience you can get from 8-15 hours of a game that probably has as much if not more replayability value as Halo 1 and 2 combined. However, I refuse to be rushed.

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One neat feature of the current version of the Hushed Casket website is the automatically rotating headers at the top of the page. There is some sweet magic happening on the backend of the site to make that happen. I want you guys to be a part of it.

I want the community to recommend screenshots for inclusion in the header. This is how it will work:

1). Post in this thread your Bungie.net profile URL and the name of the screenshot you want added

Example:
URL – http://www.bungie.net/stats/halo3/screenshots.aspx?page=0&gamertag=EA
Screenshots – “OMG headshot” and “Warthog blast”

2). Shortly thereafter, one of the badmins will navigate to your B.net profile, resize the screenshot, and add it to the website if we like it.

Be creative. Use the Theater to make some really cool shots of your gameplay. Don’t forget to detach the camera to fly in for the perfect shot.

Important: note that all images in the THX.com header are 1920 x 250. That’s a very odd aspect ratio. The image is only 250 pixels high. Please take this into consideration when you make your screenshot. A 4:3 screenshot may not look as awesome as a 1920:250 image.

One neat feature of the current version of the Hushed Casket website is the automatically rotating headers at the top of the page. There is some sweet magic happening on the backend of the site to make that happen. I want you guys to be a part of it.

I want the community to recommend screenshots for inclusion in the header. This is how it will work:

1). Post in this thread your Bungie.net profile URL and the name of the screenshot you want added

Example:
URL – http://www.bungie.net/stats/halo3/screenshots.aspx?page=0&gamertag=EA
Screenshots – “OMG headshot” and “Warthog blast”

2). Shortly thereafter, one of the badmins will navigate to your B.net profile, resize the screenshot, and add it to the website if we like it.

Be creative. Use the Theater to make some really cool shots of your gameplay. Don’t forget to detach the camera to fly in for the perfect shot.

Cryptoflix and the Pod TV army is back for Halo 3 with a tour de force video giving an overview of what’s available in Halo 3. They cover vehicles, a forge tutorial, how to record and play back saved films, character customization, and more! Lots of people involved in the making of this including Anjo banjo, jigsaw, chronicjester and II M0L3RS II. Enjoy it!