Because I’ve been in Canada the past three days, hanging out with a certain Spartan super-soldier, this week’s Bulletin will not be published today. Fret not, though, because according to my Magic 8-Ball, all signs point to tomorrow. Or Friday. But definitely one or the other.

<3,
bs angel

Halo is a fictional universe. However, sometimes we catch sight of things in real life that remind us of our favorite science fiction video game franchise. This particular series, titled Halo in Real Life, showcases those very moments. Enjoy the subtle Halo references sometimes spotted when out and about in the real world, and if you have a picture you’d like to submit for possible future inclusion, send it to bsangel[at]halowaypoint.com!

As seen and captured by jondis626

From AgentPaperCraft:

Test Night with a Cartographer is a weekly event dedicated to the forgers of Waypoint. Bring your map and your “A” game as we provide professional feedback on your custom content creations. We start at 6pm on Wednesdays, and we test a variety of content throughout the night. The cool thing about this event is you have the possibility of having your content considered for matchmaking through the Community Cartographers, which is a major stepping stone in getting your name out there as a forger. More information can be found here.

Join us this week as we test a variety of the community’s content!

Test Night with a Cartographer

From FTG Insanity:

FTG Lockout is a Forge World recreation of Halo 2’s map, with over two years of concept put into it. 10/15/2010 is the official date of when I started my concepts. Since then, I’ve been learning how Forge works and what is most important when forging maps, as well as trying to bring back everything that made Lockout memorable and one of the most played Halo maps in history. I had my original Xbox next to me the entire process of its creation. FTG Lockout is set accurate to scale, size, door frame jumps/most trick jumps, line-of-sight, and game types. Almost all key jumps are working and accurate to the original map, with no extra jumps necessary (except one minor addition with the Snipe 1 fusion coil jump). Frame rate has been tested with split screen and parties of 16 players.

All main game types are supported except Invasion (including Race, Infection, Team Slayer, FFA, Headhunter, CTF, Oddball, KOTH, Territories, and Assault). Although all game types are supported, these settings must be modified in order for game types to be playable and accurate: Player Speed: 110%, Jump Height: 125%, and Player Gravity: 100%.

The map variant and game types are available for download in my File Share.

TO DOWNLOAD: Press ‘Start’ > File Browser > New Custom Search > File Share Search > Enter gamertag: FTG Insanity

Map variant: FTG Lockout

Game types: Lockout Throwback Slayer (Halo 2/3 settings), Lockout MLG v7 (latest MLG settings with change in speed, height, and gravity), and Lockout Infection (basic Infection adjusted for proper settings).

FTG Lockout – A Halo 2 Lockout Remake

From Hyokin:

After hiring the Flaming Purple Mongeese to complete the Spotlight for them last week whilst lounging about in a banana induced stupor, it would seem the Space Monkeys have decided that the work just doesn’t pay enough. They’re outside on strike now, marching laps around our quaint little Forerunner Beam Emitter, shouting something about benefits and riper bananas. It’s beginning to look as though this particular Monday morning batch of levity might have to be can- Wait… Do you hear that? Something on the wind… It’s a song coming from somewhere downspin. The lyrics… Friendship? Magic? Look, there! A balloon on the horizon! It’s coming this way. Oh my, it appears to be loaded down with several four-legged, multicolored… Ponies? They’ve landed now and- Amazing! After only a short conversation, they’ve managed to pacify the Space Monkeys! They’re headed up here now. Oh, I can’t wait to say hello- Hey! No! Don’t touch tha-

Hey, everypony! This week the Community Spotlight is on HotIcePhoenix, Community Custom’s very own female and resident Goldfish. How cute! What’s that? Girls don’t play Halo? Oh, how mistaken you are, friend! I have it on good authority that HotIcePhoenix is MLG 2x Ultra Pro Allstar at Halo, too! If you ever meet her in-game, it’s an experience you’re sure to never forget, her laughter as she overturns another Warthog deafening the lobby. Perhaps she’s best known (at least around here and HBO) for her Fronk’s Fish Tacos sign and her homemade Spartan Jacket. I’m seeing here that this Spotlight goes through questions fast and is always in need of more. Why don’t you take a few minutes to hit up the submission form and ask something?

Community Customs Spotlight: HotIcePhoenix

From Anoj:

Anoj counts down his favorite 10 community-submitted Halo: Reach epic fail clips. Enjoy!

Halo: Reach Top 10 Epic Fails

Author: DarkRyu92

Some people show their love for Halo by playing the games. Others get a relevant image permanently placed upon their body. Enjoy this particular example of a Halo-related body modification, and if you have a picture you’d like to submit for possible future inclusion, send it to bsangel[at]halowaypoint.com!

Halo tattoo, as seen on Paulo

From FlashBangMusic:

I made this song using only in-game sounds from Halo: Reach, including parts of the score from Reach and Halo 3. No synthesis or samples from elsewhere were used.

The snare was made using a simple Beat Down. The bass frequencies were then removed to make more room for the kick drum and generally make the mix sound less muddy. In the Dubsteppy breakdown bits, the sound of drawing an Energy Sword was added to the snare to make it bigger and longer. Reverb was then added, too.

The lead synth on the drop is the first bass note of “One Final Effort” from the Halo 3 score. The note was put in a sampler and distorted heavily using Ohmicide and camel crusher plug-ins.

For the build up, a Brute Spiker was sampled and looped. I couldn’t find any YouTube videos on this.

Any impact hits heard when a breakdown happens are a combination of the Gravity Hammer and the Sniper Rifle with a ton of reverb.

I have attempted to use the video to show where the other sounds came from, so watch closely or play some Halo!

Flash Bang Remix – The Sounds of Halo

From Teh Spearhead:

We’ve got the official Waypoint Minecraft server up and running, so it’s time to announce one of the biggest, most ambitious Halo-related projects of ALL TIME.

A group of hand-selected Minecrafters and Halo fans will unite to recreate every Halo multiplayer map, starting with Combat Evolved/PC, and then moving into Halo 2/Vista, 3, and Reach. Imagine it like Disney World, where all of the parks (or “worlds”) are connected by a central hub. From that hub, you can navigate to each of the several parks, for the branch off from the center. Using this ideology, the vision is to have a central hub, with each of the four “worlds” (CE/PC, 2/Vista, 3, and Reach) containing recreations of each game’s multiplayer maps respectively.

Multiple maps. Multiple people. Multiple hours of work. One epic result.

Who’s in?!

Halo Minecraft – A Halo Waypoint Community Project