Going Nowhere Fast

What's the record speed for beating Halo start to finish on Legendary? Well, so far there is no officially recognized record but that's about to change with the Bungie.org/Mythica.org [url=http://nikon.bungie.org/misc/goingnowhere.html]"Going Nowhere Fast"[/url] competition!

As some of you probably noticed, the contest itself kicked off a little while ago but we owe it to all of our Bungie.net members to spread the word of this epic event. Everyone thinks they are good at Halo and everyone claims to have beaten the game in record speed, but up until now these claims have never been put to the test. What better way is there to pass the time while waiting for Halo 2 than blazing through Halo on Legendary and earning a prize!? Consider this extreme boot camp, your final training before taking on the Covenant in Halo 2. The [url=http://nikon.bungie.org/misc/goingnowhere.html]Going Nowhere Fast[/url] competition will reward the person who completes each level the quickest on Legendary difficulty. You can use any tricks and tactics in your arsenal but no modded Xboxes or cheats of any kind are permitted. Each level winner will receive a cool prize and one overall winner will be hand picked by the judges to win an extra special limited edition Halo Xbox bundle. If you think you've got what it takes, head over to [url=http://halo.bungie.org]halo.bungie.org[/url] and read the full rules and details.

Halo (Xbox) 4/28/2004 2:00 PM PDT permalink

Prizetacular Winners!

Here they are, the lucky few who won prizes in the Bungie.net Launch Week Prizetacular!

After close to 1,500 entries, it all came down to Frankie donning a Nightmare helmet and randomly drawing 15 names from a cheaply decorated box. Here's who won: [b]Bungie Store Gift Certificate[/b] 1. Verdafolio 2. Dolbex 3. mikeman445 [b]JoyRide Figure[/b] 1.DarkFlame 2. phildakilla 3. factory 4. agentpancho 5. SmokuFuK [b]Halo 2 Calendar[/b] 1. ethicalone 2. Eagle 117 3. Kdawg 4. doubleDDose 5. L337 Billiam [b]Limited Edition Xbox Console[/b] Joyeuse [b]Grand Prize - Trip to Bungie Studios[/b] Steve 0 Woot! Congratulations to our lucky winners! If you didn't get picked this time, don't fret. Stick around, we've always got more stuff to give away here at Bungie.net!

Inside Bungie 4/26/2004 2:54 PM PDT permalink

Bungie.net Prizetacular Sweepstakes Drawing

Are you feeling lucky? At approximately 2:30 PM PDT we'll be reaching into our hat and picking the winners of our launch week sweepstakes. Nearly 1,500 people signed up but only one will get the grand prize - an all expense paid trip to Bungie Studios. Come back this afternoon and watch the live drawing via the Bungie Webcams.

This afternoon we will dig into our shiny Nightmare helmet and randomly select the lucky winners from the Prizetacular Sweepstakes. One super lucky Bungie.net member is going to win a trip to Redmond, WA to visit our Studio and get a glimpse at some really cool Halo 2 stuff. We've also got a signed limited edition Halo Xbox bundle and loads of other prizes to give away. The drawing will happen live on the webcam and the list of winners will be posted on our site shortly afterwards.

Inside Bungie 4/26/2004 12:27 PM PDT permalink

Bungie Weekly Update!!!

The new weekly update is here! Filled to bursting with pseudo-facts and rumors. But this week there really are some juicy snippets to check out, and it's being hosted by the good people at Halo Center, also known as Halo.Ogresnet.Com. The [url=http://halo.ogresnet.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1994] POST CAN BE READ HERE[/url] so go ahead, what are you waiting for?

This update dwells on animation, some networking code and a couple of nuggets about physics and light. And since our update occasionally breaks smaller websites, you have our permission to mirror. And if you've never seen the Weekly Updates before, luckily for you, they're all archived right [url=/Games/Halo2/page.aspx?section=FAQInfo&subsection=WeeklyUpdate&page=1]HERE[/url] for your perusal.

Inside Bungie 4/23/2004 5:23 PM PDT permalink

Dirty Halo Tricks!!

Welcome to a nasty, filthy, horrible look at the awful things people around here, and some other Xbox luminaries, do to feel better about themselves in Halo. The uncharitable might call it cheating, but here, they're just some Dirty Halo Tricks.

Read Full Top Story

Halo 4/22/2004 8:15 PM PDT

I've got your changes right here!

Even though last week we relaunched the entire site, that doesn't mean we're resting. Read on to learn about some changes we've made. I think you'll like them.

Web sites are on going projects - they never are really done. But, we bet you probably didn't think we'd be making significant changes so soon. Well - this is Bungie - we're that hardcore. - The post counter is gone. Some people seem to think that there was a reward or bonus for posting lots of things. That will never be the case. Hopefully some of you (you know who you are) will knock it off now that the post counter is gone forever. - The topic listings were increase to show 25 topics, rather than 10. This should help you read the forums much easier. - We fixed a lot of the missing links that were caused by old bookmarks and such - now, if you try and go to the Seventh Column through this site, it will usually be smart enough and redirect you to seventhcolumn.bungie.net. There are some other minor things, but those are the big changes. We are going to continue to improve bungie.net as time goes on, both with small releases like this and the occassional big releases. Keep your suggestions coming (posting to the Septagon is best for this), as we read that quite a lot.

Inside Bungie 4/19/2004 1:50 PM PDT permalink

Planned Downtime as Xbox Live Gains New Features

Microsoft will briefly shut down the Xbox Live service in order to upgrade the entire system with the new "Tsunami" features. This may affect your ability to view your Friends list on Bungie.net.

The Live service will go offline on Wednesday at 6:01 am, PDT, this week for approximately 24 hours while the new features are incorporated. Once Xbox Live is back up, existing subscribers will be prompted to download their own small piece of free upgrade software that will enable more advanced support for clans, MSN Messenger and a few other cool features. Most of the new stuff will be invisible to players at first, since Tsunami-specific abilities are dependent on new games that support those features, but rest assured, those games are coming, since developers have had the new software for months.

Community 4/19/2004 1:46 PM PDT permalink

Halo 2 Screenshot!

Sweet holy mother of BLAM!! As promised, we've got one more brand new Halo 2 [url=/Games/Halo2/Gallery.aspx?Gallery=Screenshots&page=3]screenshot[/url] to share and it's a doozy! Go check it out now!

We've had a huge week here at Bungie.net. In fact, it's been the most action packed 5 days we've ever experienced! As a special thanks to all of you who helped make our launch week so great, we've got one more Halo 2 screenshot to cap it all off. This is now officially my favorite screenshot yet. Suhweet! [url=/Games/Halo2/Gallery.aspx?Gallery=Screenshots&page=3]Chief vs. Jackals![/url]

Halo 2 (Xbox) 4/16/2004 6:41 PM PDT permalink

Bungie Weekly Update!!!

The Bungie Weekly Update is back, and guess where we're hosting this time? That's right, here on our own, freshly mown turf. This week we look at vehicle damage noise, apologia from earlier efforts and a good hard look at what's going on inside the maelstrom that is Halo 2 development. Check it out [url=/Forums/posts.aspx?postID=15139][b] HERE![/b][/url]

If you want to read past Bungie Weekly Updates, then go check out our [url=/Games/Halo2/page.aspx?section=FAQInfo&subsection=WeeklyUpdate&page=1][b]archive[/b][/url] right now!

Halo 2 (Xbox) 4/16/2004 4:52 PM PDT permalink

The new Bungie.net causes massive decline in work!

Teachers, students, 7-11 clerks, and more have been seen shirking their duties to view the new Bungie.net!

Students, teachers, and people with various desk jobs have been declining their work to get the latest news and see the sights at the new Bungie.net. Overlords everywhere say that a 237.7598%* decrease in work has occured! If you or someone you know has access to a computer and that newfangled thing called the internet be sure to steer clear of the highly addictive Bungie.net! People have been seen in front of their computers constantly refreshing their browsers to see what new wonders will be revealed that day. Be vigilant and stop the addiction before it happens! *This is not an accurate percentage and has been fabricated to show the scope of the problem.

Community 4/15/2004 2:08 PM PDT permalink

New Bungie Comic

The Webmaster is indeed back, but where has he been all of this time? Perhaps the new Bungie [url=/Inside/CustomPage.aspx?section=BungieComics&subsection=Main&page=1]comic[/url] can provide some answers to this perplexing question...

The Bungie comics are a fun visual way for us to share the day to day happenings within the studio or just pass along a goofy joke. This month the absence of the Webmaster is explained and Harold makes his world debut as a character on Bungie.net. You can check out the newest comic, in addition to our archives, by visiting the [url=/Inside/CustomPage.aspx?section=BungieComics&subsection=Main&page=1]comics[/url] page in the Inside Bungie section.

Inside Bungie 4/15/2004 1:45 PM PDT permalink

The Return of the Webmaster!

Everyone's favorite tipsy [url=/Inside/CustomPage.aspx?section=LettersToTheWebmaster&subsection=Main&page=13]Cowboy Hat-Wearing Gorilla Columnist[/url] is back to dispense advice, wisdom and insults in generous measure. After nearly two years in the wilderness, you'd think he'd have matured, grown, and evolved. But no, as a matter of fact he's regressing just a little.

He answers letters, upsets parents, scratches fruitlessly at itches he can never reach, he wears a gorilla suit, a yellow foam novelty cowboy hat, he controls every aspect of Bungie.net and he has returned. He's [url=/Inside/CustomPage.aspx?section=LettersToTheWebmaster&subsection=Main&page=13]The Webmaster[/url] and he has a few things he needs to get off his chest.

Inside Bungie 4/15/2004 12:29 PM PDT permalink

Sgt. Johnson Outtake

The Halo 2 goodness continues with a brand new outtake from none other than David Scully, the actor who plays Sgt. Johnson. Head over to the outtakes [url=/Games/Halo2/page.aspx?section=AudioVideo&subsection=VoiceOuttakes&page=1]page[/url] and get ready to laugh!

Recording the dialog for Halo 2 can be a long and laborious process. To help themselves get into character, the actors sometimes resort to some interesting tactics for inspiration. In this outtake, you'll hear Sgt. Johnson like youv'e never heard him before. Enjoy! [url=/Games/Halo2/page.aspx?section=AudioVideo&subsection=VoiceOuttakes&page=1]Sgt. Johnson Outtake[/url]

Halo 2 (Xbox) 4/15/2004 12:04 PM PDT permalink

343 Guilty Wallpaper

As another special launch week treat, we've got a brand new Halo desktop [url=/Games/Halo/Gallery.aspx?Gallery=Wallpaper&page=2]wallpaper[/url] featuring everyone's favorite chatty monitor, 343 Guilty Spark.

This beautiful wallpaper was created by Zo.E, the same artist responsible for nearly every piece of the new Bungie.net site. She was working on art for the navigation widget and the resulting image was so cool that we all wanted a desktop made out of it. So Zo.E did some more magic and voila, a masterpiece was born. Enjoy!

Halo (Xbox) 4/14/2004 2:34 PM PDT permalink

New Halo 2 Render

Ever since the first glimpse was shown at E3 last year, many of you have been dying for a closer look at the ODSTs that will fight along side Master Chief in Halo 2. Here they are, for your viewing pleasure!

The Halo 2 renders page has been updated with a new image showing off the intimidating ODSTs that will join your fight against the Covenant. The render gallery contains various 3D models and wireframes that are created during the development of Halo 2. This particular shot is taken in-engine, but it's technically not a screenshot since it's not an actual gameplay moment. You can check out the ODST pic [url=/Games/Halo2/Gallery.aspx?Gallery=Renders&page=3]HERE.[/url] If you've read any of the Halo novels (which you definitely should do!) then you already know a little bit about these soldiers. The Orbital Drop Shock Troopers (also known as "Helljumpers") are more or less the UNSC equivalent of an Airborne Ranger. This all-volunteer outfit has a rep for being a tad bit crazy, but have to be in order to strap yourself into a HEV (Human Entry Vehicle) and be shot out of a ship, through the atmosphere, to a hostile environment below. Suffice it to say these guys are tough and can kick plenty of Covenant butt. *this one goes out to you, Ross.

Halo 2 (Xbox) 4/14/2004 2:03 PM PDT permalink

New Halo 2 Screenshot!

The flood of new content continues! Now for what you've all been waiting for, a brand spankin new [url=http://www.bungie.net/SlideShow.aspx?Path=/games/Halo2&Slideshow=Screenshots&Slide=29]Halo 2 Screenshot[/url].

You can check out all of our Halo 2 screenshots by visiting the Halo 2 screenshot [url=/Games/Halo2/Gallery.aspx?Gallery=Screenshots&page=1]Gallery[/url]. Stay tuned, there's plenty more content to come! [url=/Forums/posts.aspx?postID=1945]Discuss this in the Forums.[/url]

Halo 2 (Xbox) 4/13/2004 10:37 AM PDT permalink

Bungie.net Launch Week Prizetacular Sweepstakes

To celebrate the launch of our new site, we're giving away prizes! Lots of prizes! One lucky winner will be flown up to our Studio for a grand tour and a sneak peek at Halo 2. We've also got a special limited edition Halo Xbox console and lots more to give away. Read on for the full details.

The new Bungie.net is finally here! If you have a Bungie.net account, live in the U.S. and are 18 or older, you could win yourself a sweet prize just for stopping by. For the complete rules and information on how to enter, please visit the [url=/Inside/Page.aspx?section=FAQInfo&subsection=Main&page=launchcontest]BUNGIE.NET LAUNCH WEEK PRIZETACULAR SWEEPSTAKES PAGE[/url]. Update: The sign up database was giving us some problems but things should be ok now. Please note that you WILL get an error message after you enter your information. This is ok, your information is still stored. It just means that you can't see the actual database itself, which is by design, so everyone's information remains confidential.

Inside Bungie 4/13/2004 10:24 AM PDT permalink

New Halo Music Download!

A brand spankin' new piece of Marty-Music. "Remembrance" it's called. This one is haunting, dreamy and ethereal. Check it out in our [url=/Games/Halo2/page.aspx?section=AudioVideo&subsection=GameMusic&page=1]Halo 2 Audio Section.[/url]

A brand spankin' new piece of Marty-Music. "Remembrance" it's called. This one is haunting, dreamy and ethereal. Check it out in our [url=/Games/Halo2/page.aspx?section=AudioVideo&subsection=GameMusic&page=1]Halo 2 Audio Section.[/url] Naturally this area's going to get bigger and bigger, and we may even have one more audio-related treat this week.

Halo 2 (Xbox) 4/13/2004 9:54 AM PDT permalink

The 7th Column

The new Bungie.net is finally here, but what's up with the 7th Column you ask? Why is it still the old site and what are our plans for it? Here's the scoop...

As you've already noticed, the 7th Column isn't exactly new. In fact, it's more or less the same as before with the exception of a new theme. (but hey, that's not necessarily a bad thing!) Rebuilding the 7th Column may not have been in our plans for version 1.0 of Bungie.net, but rest assured we're not turning our backs on our beloved fanclub. It just so happens that we do have plans for the 7th Column and it will be getting the make over it rightly deserves later this year. Some of our plans are uber secret, so I dare not reveal them now, but you can get some answers to your questions in this [url=/Community/page.aspx?section=FAQInfo&subsection=FAQs&page=7thcolumn]FAQ.[/url] To find out more about the 7th Column, talk with other members in the [url=/Forums/topics.aspx?forumID=3]Septagon Forum[/url].

Community 4/12/2004 8:31 PM PDT permalink

Forum Avatars

As you'll see, things have drastically changed in forum-land. We've got a brand spankin new system that runs faster, looks better and offers more functionality. Want to change your avatar? Here's a quick overview to get you up and running.

One of the first things you will notice about our new forums is the completely redesigned visuals - complete with fancy avatars. The avatar is your visible representation on the site (and they're just plain cool). We're not going to allow our members to upload and use their own custom avatars. Eventually we will set up a system similiar to the current 7th Column theme system where you can create one and then submit it for approval. If it meets our criteria, we can add it to our stock supply for everyone to use. Only Bungie.net staff will have customized avatars different from the general population. You can select your avatar at the time of account creation, or for an existing account, you can go back and change it at any time. To do this, click on the "My Settings" link at the top of the site (once you are logged in). At the top of the settings page are links for the various pages within the account settings area. Click on "Avatars" and you'll see a page with lots of images. Simply click by the one you want and then click the button at the bottom right of the page to commit your changes. Prest, you've just changed your avatar. We will continue to add more avatars in the weeks and months ahead as well as establish a system for user submitted avatars. You can find out more about our forums by consulting the [url=/Help/page.aspx?section=Pages&subsection=Main&Page=7]Forum Help Page[/url].

Community 4/12/2004 12:08 PM PDT permalink

Xbox Live Coolness!

One of the new features on Bungie.net is the ability to access your Xbox Live Friends List while using the site. You can keep tabs of who's online and what game they are in while you're hanging out in the forums or browsing through a gallery.

In order to get your Gamertag connected to your account, you'll have to head over to Xbox.com and perform some linking magic. It's a pretty simple one-time procedure that should only take you a few minutes. For the full scoop on the Xbox Live functionality and how to take advantage of it, check out our [url=http://www.bungie.net/Help/Page.aspx?section=gamertag&subsection=main&page=1] Gamertag FAQ [/url].

Inside Bungie 4/12/2004 10:41 AM PDT permalink

Welcome to the New Bungie.net

Wow! Finally! The new Bungie.net is here at last. We've been promising big things, for a long time, and here they are: A new look, new functionality and most important of all, new content, news, features and art! Go ahead and explore, and read more for a taste of what's in store.

Read Full Top Story

Inside Bungie 4/9/2004 7:42 PM PDT

The Origin of Halo

Ever wonder what Halo looked like before we had the niceties and power of the Xbox? Ever wonder what the Halo project started life as? Wonder no longer - it's all here for everyone to be amazed and occasionally embarrassed by...

Read Full Top Story

Halo 4/9/2004 3:31 PM PDT

Halo Home Theater

The idiot's guide to home theater, what it is, what you need and most importantly, why you need it for Halo. We explain the jargon, chat about the benefits to Halo players, and even lighten the load for people who accidentally bought EDTV instead of HDTV.

Read Full Top Story

Halo (Xbox) 4/8/2004 4:41 PM PDT

Bungie Weekly Update!!!

Bungie Weekly Update!!!

It's that time of the week again. The END of the week. The part of the week where we post the Bungie Weekly Update at one of our favortie fansites. And although we hate to play favorites, we sure do like [url=http://carnage.bungie.org/haloforum/halo.forum.pl?read=401846]Halo.Bungie.Org[/url], which is where this week's tale of BSPs, grass, water and Needlers will be found. If you haven't seen the updates before, check out our [url=/Games/Halo2/page.aspx?section=FAQInfo&subsection=WeeklyUpdate&page=1]archive[/url] right now. And this week, we're really, really sorry about the Mister Chief "art."

Halo 3/27/2004 12:32 AM PDT permalink