My Halo News.com

The latest news about the Halo series of games from Microsoft

  • Work In Progress.

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    halo@bungie.org
    in
    Today’s Guest One One Se7en was created by Shishka – while the artwork bears NO resemblance to the original, the Shleprock-like personality should be easily recognizable.(Louis Wu 16:39:46 UTC)

  • Podtacular 116

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    halo@bungie.org
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    Podtacular 116 has been released – discussion with an H2V player, plus Tied the Leader, 2old2play, and Halo Unyielding. Go listen! Thanks, Kiaffex.(Louis Wu 16:20:18 UTC)

  • Adjutant Reflex Update 2

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    rapture

    Microsoft has started an Alternate Reality Game (ARG). They have done this with HALO 1 and HALO 2. The ARG for HALO 2 was commonly known as "I Love Bees" as ilovebees.com as discovered in the last frame of a HALO 2 marketing video. Adjutant Reflex is a user on the Bungie.net forum and opened this ARG by posting on the HALO 3 forums at Bungie.net. Adjutant Reflex’s account can only be setup by a Bungie forum administrator and has the group class of "Compound Intelligence" separating him/her/it from the rest of the users.

    A Circuit City ad was set to be released this weekend in newspapers from around the country. However, someone found the ad early and noticed that HALO3.com/comic was an URL hidden in the ad. You can also notice a "glyph" icon that’s now associated with the ARG. HALO3.com/comic was probably discovered prematurely which means some things in the ARG may currently be out of order. However, that ARG may very well not be broken as it appears to be very deep.

    Timeline:

    • A user on Bungie.net called Adjutant Reflex recently started posting cryptic messages in the Halo 3 Forum. His class is “Compound Intelligence” which must be custom assigned by an administrator. Whoever/whatever AR is, it is operating with the facilitation of Bungie.net. (06.11.2007)
    • A mass email was sent out by Micrsosoft from XBOX.com featuring a cryptic poem, an image of a Forefunner-like glyph, and a link to HALO3.com. Copy of the email. 06.14.2007
    • halo3.com has a new image in Master Chief’s visor. The glyph is visible in his visor. (06.14.2007)
    • Adjutant Reflex changed to a new forum avatar at Bungie.net. That avarage is of that same glyph as seen in the email. (06.14.2007)
    • halo3.com was updated to show an image of five servers that are not yet unlocked. (06.14.2007)
    • halo3.com/comic was discovered. The URL was spotted in a Circuit City flyer that was supposed to ship out this weekend. Probably discovered prematurely. (06.14.2007)
    • Reading the comics will reveal numbers which lead to an IP address: http://206.16.223.65 (06.14.2007)
    • http://206.16.223.65 has a countdown timer that possibly will expire on ???? (06.14.2007)
    • http://206.16.223.63 was discovered and is a website for the Society of the Ancients. That page has a glyph as seen in the viral email. You may access the page by going to http://societyoftheancients.com as well. Probably discovered prematurely. (06.14.2007)

    Glyphs:

    1. In the viral email from Microsoft
    2. In Adjutant Reflex’s avatar on Bungie.net forums
    3. In Master Chief’s visor at HALO3.com
    4. In the background of the Circuit City advertisement
    5. In the comic at HALO3.com/comic
    6. In an image on the societyoftheancients.com evidence page

     

    Confirmed URL’s

    Fake URL’s


    __________________________

    currently playing: Shadowrun
    on the back burner: Catan, HALO 3 beta, Guitar Hero II, HALO 2 (PC)
    rest in peace: GoW, CoD3,
    Shadowrun rocks!

  • Last chance to vote for Original Song

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    halo@bungie.org
    in
    A quick reminder: voting for the best original song entry in our Zune Giveaway ends in less than 24 hours; if you haven’t looked them over and made a choice, now’s the time! We’ll be putting the montage finalists up in the morning.(Louis Wu 13:07:52 UTC)

  • Society of the Ancients

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    CapnKrunk

    SYMBOL

    After yesterday’s e-mail about looking for “signs” and “keepers of the flame” it looks like things are starting to pick up a notch with new findings.

    First, there have been some developments at halo3.com, which the links in yesterday’s e-mail were presumably meant to drive people to. There you can find a new comic, specifically at halo3.com/comic.

    Then, a new web site called The Society of the Ancients was found, which clearly shows new evidence with the symbol above AND a link to a new URL.

    This URL was also found in the last page in the Halo comic (that also show both the repeating symbol) as a series of numbers, which when translated into URL form lead to http://206.16.223.65/

    At this address, there’s a countdown leading up to some time next week. It looks like that could be the reveal of something even deeper.

    Also, I’ve created a special group just for this here at Podtacular.com. Everybody’s welcome to join and take part in sharing their ideas, links, etc.. Time to put on your foil hats and watch all the pieces come together!

  • Society of the Ancients

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    by

    CapnKrunk

    SYMBOL

    After yesterday’s e-mail about looking for “signs” and “keepers of the flame” it looks like things are starting to pick up a notch with new findings.

    First, there have been some developments at halo3.com, which the links in yesterday’s e-mail were presumably meant to drive people to. There you can find a new comic, specifically at halo3.com/comic.

    Then, a new web site called The Society of the Ancients was found, which clearly shows new evidence with the symbol above AND a link to a new URL.

    This URL was also found in the last page in the Halo comic (that also show both the repeating symbol) as a series of numbers, which when translated into URL form lead to http://206.16.223.65/

    At this address, there’s a countdown leading up to some time next week. It looks like that could be the reveal of something even deeper.

    Also, I’ve created a special group just for this here at Podtacular.com. Everybody’s welcome to join and take part in sharing their ideas, links, etc.. Time to put on your foil hats and watch all the pieces come together!

  • Society of the Ancients

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    by

    CapnKrunk

    SYMBOL

    After yesterday’s e-mail about looking for “signs” and “keepers of the flame” it looks like things are starting to pick up a notch with new findings.

    First, there have been some developments at halo3.com, which the links in yesterday’s e-mail were presumably meant to drive people to. There you can find a new comic, specifically at halo3.com/comic.

    Then, a new web site called The Society of the Ancients was found, which clearly shows new evidence with the symbol above AND a link to a new URL.

    This URL was also found in the last page in the Halo comic (that also show both the repeating symbol) as a series of numbers, which when translated into URL form lead to http://206.16.223.65/

    At this address, there’s a countdown leading up to some time next week. It looks like that could be the reveal of something even deeper.

    Also, I’ve created a special group just for this here at Podtacular.com. Everybody’s welcome to join and take part in sharing their ideas, links, etc.. Time to put on your foil hats and watch all the pieces come together!

  • Friday’s Fan Fiction

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    by

    halo@bungie.org
    in
    Eleven new pieces for you in the Fan Fiction section for you today – enjoy!(Louis Wu 12:52:59 UTC)

  • Goin’ Inside

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    halo@bungie.org
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    Over on Bungie.net, there’s a new Halo Humpday Challenge written up – it’s not really a typical challenge, it’s a bunch of internal games on a network none of us has access to, playing at least one map we’ve never seen… but it’s an interesting read nonetheless. Thanks, Avateur.(Louis Wu 12:20:48 UTC)

  • Swords and Pistols

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    halo@bungie.org
    in
    BARBARIC RAGE was looking around, and stumbled on this thread at the Statue Forum – pictures of the upcoming Master Chief ARTFX statue from Kotobukiya. That thing is gorgeous! The thread links to a website that purports to have a preorder available for this piece – but the link on their main page doesn’t work. Coming in September…(Louis Wu 12:07:17 UTC)

  • H2V reviews at GT, VE

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    halo@bungie.org
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    GameTrailers has a video review of Halo 2 Vista (in HD) for your viewing pleasure (QuickTime or WMP9). Thanks, MasterChief2829. Update: Should have looked through my mail before posting this – there’s another H2V review at Voodoo Extreme. (Pretty unhappy with it – couldn’t get MP to work.)(Louis Wu 12:02:11 UTC)

  • Oh, Piss-boy…

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    halo@bungie.org
    in
    A few months ago, KP took his mandatory break from Bungie (contracted employees must take three months off after nine months on) – and the way things worked out, he was hired back not by Bungie, but by Xbox.com, working under TriXie and organizing the cool content they bring to you. What sort of cool content, you might ask? Well… things like an interview with KP, conducted by TriXie. Heh. (It’s a funny read, and mentions Halo a LOT, making it relevant here even if it wasn’t about KP.)(Louis Wu 11:40:11 UTC)

  • Watching… and waiting

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    halo@bungie.org
    in
    The new ARG that kicked off a few days ago is exploding; last night saw the uncoverings of an absurd amount of new information. There’s a summary of the earlier parts of the timeline at args.bungie.org, written by Sir Topham Hat – it’s a bit behind right now, but it’s a good start. (It would seem that all of this began with a link found in a newspaper that wasn’t supposed to be released before the weekend – we might be ahead of the game here.) Poke around args.bungie.org to learn about the base-7 countdown clock, a mysterious MySpace page, and the identity of the company behind this game. And more. (I’d really like to suggest that newcomers READ a bit before they start posting; you’ll find that an awful lot of what you want to talk about has already been talked about. Bring yourself up to speed FIRST, and you’ll be contributing to the signal, rather than the noise.)(Louis Wu 11:31:19 UTC)

  • Episode 116: Interview Frenzy

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    by

    foomojive
    116.jpg

    Download | Shownotes

    This show is kind of a variety show with a series of Halo-related interviews. First we interview Logan Payne, the lone wolf Halo 2 Vista player. Then we have some interesting interviews with some folks from Tied the Leader, 2old2play and Halo Unyielding. Thanks to Lancelot59 for this week’s pod art. Show’s about an hour long, so settle in with your headphones and spartan laser and get listening!

  • Episode 116: Interview Frenzy

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    by

    foomojive
    116.jpg

    Download | Shownotes

    This show is kind of a variety show with a series of Halo-related interviews. First we interview Logan Payne, the lone wolf Halo 2 Vista player. Then we have some interesting interviews with some folks from Tied the Leader, 2old2play and Halo Unyielding. Thanks to Lancelot59 for this week’s pod art. Show’s about an hour long, so settle in with your headphones and spartan laser and get listening!

  • Episode 116: Interview Frenzy

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    by

    foomojive
    116.jpg

    Download | Shownotes

    This show is kind of a variety show with a series of Halo-related interviews. First we interview Logan Payne, the lone wolf Halo 2 Vista player. Then we have some interesting interviews with some folks from Tied the Leader, 2old2play and Halo Unyielding. Thanks to Lancelot59 for this week’s pod art. Show’s about an hour long, so settle in with your headphones and spartan laser and get listening!

  • societyoftheancients.com. The new ilovebees.com? HALO 3 ARG continues…

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    rapture

    Just when someone finds one IP address (206.16.223.65), someone goes out an find another (206.16.223.63). The Society of the Ancients have a homepage. Who knew? Looks like 1996 was the last time that page was updated.

    sota

    There is relatively a lot of information on the site. One thing that jumps out at us? Another glyph. This glyph is probably the same "sign" that Adjutant Reflex said was scattered (around the intertubes). We’ve seen it in MC’s helmet visor on HALO3.com. We’ve see it in the viral email sent out. Now here. Click on the "evidence" link and you’ll see this image:

    Text with that image: " This was just sent to me from a SOTA member traveling through Tanzania. The rock painting (as of yet undated) was pointed out last month by a local safari guide."

    Tanzania? Definitely on the right track. Digging around the site you’ll find a PDF file. In that file is a reference to societyoftheancients.com.

    This IP address is owned by MSFT:

    CustName:  Microsoft Corporation

    Address:  1 Microsoft Way

    City:    Redmond

    StateProv: WA

    PostalCode: 98052

    Country:  US

    RegDate:  2005-07-01

    Updated:  2005-07-01

    __________________________

    currently playing: Shadowrun
    on the back burner: Catan, HALO 3 beta, Guitar Hero II, HALO 2 (PC)
    rest in peace: GoW, CoD3,
    Shadowrun rocks!

  • Humpday Challenge: All Internal

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    Bungie.net’s Recent News
    Even though the Beta is over, we still get to play Halo 3. So this week, with salt in your wounds, we played more Halo 3.

  • HALO3.com/comic: Africa – 100,000 years ago. The Cradle of Life. Leads up to IP address and a countdown.

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    rapture

    Whoa cool. We are finally lead to another website via clues on HALO3.com. And the new site (an IP address) looks like it IS owned by Microsoft.

    Going to http://halo3.com/comic reveals a Flash version of the comic below. The comic is actually interactive in that you can click on some parts of the last comic screen. When you click on that screen, some of the etchings become more clear – revealing numbers. Putting those numbers together leads you to an IP address with a countdown.

    h3-comic-1

    h3-comic-2

    h3-comic-3

    h3-comic-4

    With numbers revealed:

    h3-comic-4-ip

    Click on the last comic for a while and you’ll see the new numbers. Note that the Flash comic strip slides left and right. The numbers probably mean this IP address:

    http://206.16.223.65/

    That IP address leads to a background image and a Flash countdown.

    The Flash:

    The background image:

    Text from the webpage:

    MessagePart1: Iris Initiated – Vio Transmit + 3 588 000       Searching Re-route…… /confirmed/

    MessagePart2: System Bypass In Progress. – Realignment Proceeding

    Notice that the clock does not have the digits 7, 8, or 9. Each unit on the clock counts down from 6. Odd. Anyone able to do the math to figure out when this timer hits zero?

    Anyone able to make anything of the comic?

    What does it say about Humans, Forerunners, and even the Arc?

    Anyone finding any more clues?

    Reference: Hushed Casket’s ARG center: http://hushedcasket.com/node/2051.

    Update: WTF is THIS IP address: http://206.16.223.63/

    IP is owned by Microsoft: http://whois.domaintools.com/206.16.223.63

    CustName:  Microsoft Corporation

    Address:  1 Microsoft Way

    City:    Redmond

    StateProv: WA

    PostalCode: 98052

    Country:  US

    RegDate:  2005-07-01

    Updated:  2005-07-01

    __________________________

    currently playing: Shadowrun
    on the back burner: Catan, HALO 3 beta, Guitar Hero II, HALO 2 (PC)
    rest in peace: GoW, CoD3,
    Shadowrun rocks!

  • Spartan-III hybrid armor – CGI

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    by

    halo@bungie.org
    in
    BlendedEcks posted a pic of his latest CGI work – Spartan III armor. Wow.(Louis Wu 20:31:57 UTC)