Over on the Power Tab Archive, Shadowsniper689 found a guitar tab for a Halo theme that wasn’t used in the game (but is available on Bungie.net). I can’t read .ptb files, and there’s no link to the original, so your guess is as good as mine – but if you’re looking for tabbed Halo music, you can add this to your collection. Update: Billy clarifies which piece we’re talking about. Thanks, Billy!

2old2play has released 2old2type Episode 6, their newest installment of their podcasted commentary. Discussion of game addiction, among other topics… available for direct download (off archive.org) or via BitTorrent – about an hour, 30 mb, MP3 format.

XerxDeeJ has posted another summary of new articles on his Tied the Leader blog – there’s a reader poll asking what you’ll move on to after Halo, some musing on trash talk (inspired by a thread on our forum last week), and a Top Ten list that might hit home.

Marty O’Donnell and Jay Weinland, Halo sound gurus, and SketchFactor and Frankie, community gurus, were interviewed by IGN while at the GPhoria Awards ceremony last week. Questions like ‘how do you feel creating a game that everybody kicks your ass at?’ and ‘Where’s the Hot Coffee in Halo?’ should give you a sense for how this one went. Streaming 320×180 for the masses (9.7 – 21.1 mb), downloadable 640×360 (21.4 – 40.5 mb) for IGN Insiders. Thanks to mejp44 for noticing.

GAH! This came in a couple of nights ago – I lost it in the rush of mail. Richie’s Armor has created a pair of resin-cast SMGs, for sale on eBay – starting bid is just under $150, there are still 5 days left on the auction. They look great – check ’em out!

OS eco419 whipped up a delicious-looking Halo 2 cake, and shared it with our forum. Mmmmm…

The Codex Series Episode 18, ‘Rallying The Troops’, has been released – I think one of the scriptwriters has been watching Independence Day. It’s a nicely inspirational episode, and the troop rally is wonderfully filmed. Currently available only in QuickTime (about 86 mb), but WMP9 coming today – go download! Thanks to many – first was FxH Spartan II.

thescottishguy writes to point out a 2-day LAN in Scotland, August 19th and 20th; entry is £5 for Friday, £10 for Saturday, with £1500 on the line for prizes. (Preregistration is available.) The only thing I can’t find any info about (either in the email he sent, or anywhere on his website), is WHERE this is being held – but then, Scotland isn’t that big of a country, so maybe you’ll find it.

MLG posted a short article summarizing the final games between Str8 Rippin and Team 3D… congrats to Str8 Rippin for taking the MLG Philly title! Thanks, 3Suns.

More articles formatted for your PSP are available at Mintz’s site – check the ‘New Articles’ section near the top. MLG Editor’s Corner, MLG Philly preview, July 29th WWU.

Wow. If you’re a gamer (at least in the US, but likely this stuff holds true worldwide), you owe it to yourself to read this series of articles. Not specifically Halo-related… but definitely eye-opening. Thanks, Deanero.

After some server downtime, This Spartan Life is back with Body Count. Environmental debate – with guns. Man… if more debates were conducted this way, at the very least we’d have fewer windbags to listen to! Funny stuff. QuickTime format, 20.8 mb.

Amir wanted to point out his blogged review of Halo vs Halo 2 – the more you read, the more you’ll see how conflicted he really is. (“I like Halo 2 better – but man, I hated X. And Y. And god, Z was AWFUL! And A, B, and C about Halo really rocked. But I like Halo 2 better.” etc)

trigger119 had to leave for a while – but he’s put up a bunch of content on halomachinima.com that might interest you:

• WMP9 and PSP-compatible versions of Bunker27Goose’s Used Car Salesmen, a Real Men of Genius spoof
• Outpost Coagulation, for PSP (as well as WMP9 and QT, which were always there)
• Stryke Force for PSP

Go look!

This weekend (GT)Juggler hosted a lanfest about 40 miles from here. I couldn’t make it – which saddens me, because according to KP, it was a lot of fun. Juggler just posted a bunch of pics – take a look!

Stuntmutt must have been driving with KP recently – check out today’s One One Se7en.

Cybrfrk found a short film over at Machinima.com, entitled ‘You’re Fired’. According to the film itself, it was made by the Sponsors vs Freeloaders team, but it’s credited to Panda Productions on the Machinima.com page. In any case, it’s what happens when Sims 2 and Halo come together in a film… Update: Just got mail from Amanda Stanley, the brains behind Panda Productions – it seems she’s engaged to Sevenar, from SvF (congrats, both of you!), which explains the co-working. It’s her film, though.

Just six pieces for you today in the Fan Fiction section – go give ’em a read!

3Suns points out some CPL footage available at Gametrailers.com – there’s a general clip (with a small amount of Halo footage) and a Halo-specific clip, both from the CPL Summer Event which took place about a month ago in Dallas. Team 3D and Team Exigen (first and second place winners, respectively) talk a little bit about what helped and what didn’t.

Daily Game has reviewed the Multiplayer Map Pack – and found it wanting. “Plenty of fun, but you’re better off waiting for them to become freebies.” Read the whole review for details. (Hehe – they can say this – they’re PLAYING the maps right now.)