Rock the Vote!

We mentioned this a while ago but the polls are still open and we need everyone to keep voting! MTV is working on a show that will air on January 2, 2004 called 'The Ultimate Video Game Countdown.' In addition to showcasing a number of high-profile titles for 2004, the show will also name the ultimate game of the millenium as chosen by viewers.

This is where you come in. Hurry up and head over to www.mtv.com and cast your vote for Halo! You can vote as much as you like so feel free to keep on voting until you can't vote anymore.. and then after soaking your finger in ice, go back and vote again. We all know that Halo has the best and most hardcore fan base of any game out there so lets rally and prove which game should come out on top!

Preciousss Comicsss

[url=/Inside/CustomPage.aspx?section=BungieComics&subsection=Main&page=1]Bungie Comics[/url] are back! After a long hiatus, our comics section is back with some fresh new content. Us Bungie folk just can't get enough of the [i]Lord of the Rings [/i] these days which has inspired this latest addition. Not only is this is the first bungie comic in many months, it's also the first one drawn by Zoe and written by Frankie. As you might recall, Zoe is an artist who has been helping mehve with our new website as well as some other projects. She's probably best known for her "Euphoria Station" theme she created for the 7th Column. Who's Frankie? Well, you'll have to wait until next week find out. Enjoy!

Happy Holidays

What happens when you mix the artwork of Lorraine "mehve" McLees with the poetic prowess of Finn from halo.bungie.org? This!. Happy Holidays from everyone at Bungie as well as our friends from HBO.

Things may be a bit quiet around here for the next two weeks as many of us will be out spending time with family and friends. We'll be back in full force next year and 2004 promises to be the biggest year in the history of Bungie.net! Stay tuned.

Ancient Halo Wallpaper

As a special holiday treat, [url=/Account/Profile.aspx?uid=3]Evil Otto[/url] has created a very cool Halo inspired [url=/Games/Halo/gallery.aspx?gallery=Wallpaper&page=1]wallpaper[/url] for us all to enjoy. We all know Halo has been around for a while, but who knew it even had influences over the ancient Egyptians? Thanks to Evil Otto for this cool and unique wallpaper. Enjoy!

Passport Names

Just a heads up to all of you who still haven't linked to Passport: after December 24th, claims on unlinked logins will expire and anybody will be able to claim any non-linked account's name for their own if linking or creating an account. If you are still having trouble with Passport, please email bnetbugs@microsoft.com and we'll be glad to help.

Interview with Bungie & Destineer Tonight

This evening, macradio.com will be interviewing Bungie's Marty O'Donnell along with Peter Tamte from Destineer Studios (Mac Halo publisher). In addition to talking about the recently released Halo for Mac, topics will include insight into both studios, the music of Halo and questions submitted by fans in the Gamesome Mac chat room.

The streaming broadcast can be heard from 6 to 8 PM PST, 9 to 11 EST and on demand thereafter. Listeners can tune in at The Gamesome Mac's webpage: www.macradio.com/monday/

A 28 kbps or faster connection and Quicktime 5 or 6 are required.

New Halo PC Update - TONIGHT

In response to some of the issues many of you have been encountering after updating to the Halo PC 1.03 patch earlier this week, an update to the update is being released tonight. This latest update is designed to fix some stuff and make things better. The good news is that you should see the major issues from 1.03 go away, the bad news is that you will lose your saved checkpoints. You will still have the ability to jump into any chapter in the game but any save points you have within a level will be lost. This is an unfortuante side effect to this patch but considering that many people have been unable to play at all, it's a sacrifice that needs to be made. For information about Halo PC and a list of useful links, please see our Halo PC [url=/Games/HaloPC/page.aspx?section=FAQInfo&subsection=Main&page=1]Info Page[/url].

They're Back, Eh!

It's been a long time but the Cananimators are back in action once again to answer your deep and thought provoking questions. Well ok, maybe references to hockey and Canadian Bacon don't exactly give the brain a workout but it's an entertaining read nonetheless.

This time around the guys comment on everything from Halo 2 character animation to whether a bat is a better weapon than a hockey stick. Oh, and there's also the obligatory stab at Marty. Check it out and follow the links at the bottom to ask your very own question to our Canamic Duo.

Now take off ya hoser! (Canadian stereotype slogans just never get old, do they?)

Tis the Season

The holidays are upon us and to celebrate, I've updated the halo.bungie.net art gallery with 2 of Bungie's Halo themed holiday cards.

Card 1 was created by Shiek in 2001. The inside reads: "The end is near. Happy Holidays, human."

Card 2 was created by Paul Russel. The inside reads: "May you be infected with Holiday Joy!"

Print em out and send them to your friends!

The cover art for Halo:First Strike, created by mehve, was also added to this gallery.

Mac Halo Now Shipping!

We've received word that the Mac version of Halo started shipping to retailers yesterday and can already be found on some store shelves. If you've been waiting for this highly anticipated port, the time has finally come. The circle is now complete. Mac Halo is fully compatible with the PC version so expect to see many new faces online in the days ahead.

Here's the full press release from the folks at MacSoft:

Halo for Macintosh Now Shipping

MINNEAPOLIS, MN -- Destineer's Macintosh unit, MacSoft, announces that Halo for Macintosh began shipping to retailers yesterday (December 11) and is already available at some North American retailers. Halo for Macintosh will be available in Europe later next week.

MacSoft president Peter Tamte announces, "The most anticipated game in Macintosh history is no longer anticipated --it's here. If you're curious why Halo has received so much attention, you'll discover why once you fly a Banshee into an alien horde, hop out and pop a
few of them with your assault rifle while your marines send them a wall of lead from the Warthog on your right flank."

The game features many enhancements over the critically acclaimed and best-selling Xbox version, including 16-person online multiplayer mayhem, better graphics, new vehicles, new weapon, new maps, customizable multiplayer games and the precision of playing with a mouse and keyboard.

Players can take the battle online with gamers on both Windows PCs and Macs in a variety of individual and team-based games, including King of the Hill, Capture the Flag, Death Match, Race, Oddball and more.

Players can now pilot the Banshee in multiplayer games, drive a Rocket-equipped Warthog, and control a Covenant Gun Turret. Plus, the new Fuel Rod Gun gives players the ability to lob awesome firepower over obstacles and defenses.

Halo is a sci-fi action epic that shatters the confines of traditional game environments. Players wage a hi-tech guerilla war on foot, in vehicles, in the air and beneath the surface of an alien ring orbiting in space. The game was created by legendary developer Bungie Studios. The Windows PC version of Halo was developed by Gearbox, and the Macintosh version was developed by Westlake Interactive. The Xbox version of Halo has sold over 3 million units and won numerous Game of the Year accolades.

About Destineer

Destineer is a privately-held developer and publisher of entertainment software based in Minneapolis, MN. The company's MacSoft unit is a leading publisher of consumer software worldwide for the Macintosh platform while the company's Destineer Studios develops original games for Windows PCs, Macintosh computers, and videogame consoles using proprietary 3D technology created by Destineer.

About Bungie

Bungie was founded in 1991 with two goals: to develop games that combine brilliant technology, beautiful art, intelligent stories and deep gameplay, and then sell enough of those games to achieve the real goal of total world domination. Over the last 10 years it produced games like the "Marathon Trilogy" and the first two "Myth" games, hailed as classics by critics and gamers around the world. "Halo: Combat Evolved," its latest game, has achieved phenomenal success on the Microsoft Xbox video game system. More information on Bungie can be found at http://www.Bungie.net/ .

Microsoft, Halo, Microsoft Game Studios and Xbox, are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners. Halo for Macintosh is published by Destineer, Inc. under license from Microsfoft Corporation. Destineer is a trademark and MacSoft is a registered trademark of Destineer, Inc.

Grunty Preview

Want a sneak peek at the upcoming Grunt figure being produced by JoyRide? Check out the Halo collectibles Gallery for a glimpse at the sculpt that's being used to bring our beloved Grunts to plastic life. There's also a series of shots showing some preliminary color/deco treatments as well. This little guy is looking super cool!

The Grunt is currently scheduled as part of the Wave 4 series and should be out next Spring. The release of the Wave 3 figures is getting closer though, they should be out early next year. We'll have more updates on the JoyRide Halo line as they become available!

Halo PC 1.03 Update

The switch is being flipped at this very moment and the 1.03 update for Halo PC is about to go live. Team killing got you down? This latest update adds new functionality to deal with pesky team killers and restore order to the online world. Here's a brief overview of the major changes: - New team killing/banning system implemented - Improvements in networking architecture - Server name can now be 65 characters long for dedicated servers and 32 for non-dedicated - Chat text length has been extended to 64 characters - In-game scoreboard now displays everyone's pings - In-game scoreboard now displays your # of assists - Teams now remain persistent when a map cycles - A timer and offense/defense message has been added to the "Assault" game type ... and the list goes on. The full release notes can be viewed [url=/Games/HaloPC/page.aspx?section=FAQInfo&subsection=Support&page=releasenotes]here.[/url] The next time you go to play online, your game will automatically update to the latest version. If you'd rather download the file yourself, you can get it [url=http://download.microsoft.com/download/5/b/5/5b58bd13-74b4-4337-8e6c-940820c84e87/patch1.0-1.03.exe ]here[/url]. Check out the Halo PC [url=/Games/HaloPC/page.aspx?section=FAQInfo&subsection=Main&page=1]Info Page[/url] at halo.bungie.net for links to the newest dedicated server files as well as additional documentation about what's new. See you online!

Halo Dedicated Server 1.03 Update

The latest version of the Halo PC Dedicated Server is now available for your downloading pleasure. The new v1.03 server will be required to play once the new 1.03 client patch is released this afternoon. The 1.03 server update addresses several bugs and gameplay enhancements that are designed to improve the online experience. One of the major issues addressed with this update is the addition of a new system to combat the growing team-killing epidemic that so many of you have encountered. For a full list of all the changes, please review the [url=/images/games/halopc/faqinfo/halo_pc_dedicated_server_readme_1_03.rtf]readme[/url] file. You must have the 1.02 server installed before running this patch. This is an upgrade, not a standalone file. The v1.03 server patch can be downloaded here: [url=http://download.microsoft.com/download/d/3/c/d3cebbe7-f4e2-4735-bb26-d3f8b7152052/haloded.exe]HaloPC_DedServer_1.03_Patch[/url] The original v1.02 dedicated server file can be found here: [url=http://download.microsoft.com/download/1/c/f/1cf3647a-4d61-48d2-8923-ac068a9c9768/Halo_DS_1_02.exe]HaloPC_DedServer_1.02[/url] If you don't have a retail installation of Halo on the same machine as your server, you also need the map files. Those can be downloaded here: [url=http://download.microsoft.com/download/a/c/f/acfc45d5-45cd-4b04-a5b7-ae7bde91c5b3/Halo_DS_Maps_1_02.exe]HaloPC Dedicated Server Maps[/url] Links to these files, the 1.03 server readme info and the 1.03 update release notes have all been added to the halo.bungie.net [url=/Games/HaloPC/page.aspx?section=FAQInfo&subsection=Main&page=1]Halo PC Info Page[/url] The Halo PC v1.03 client patch will be released at approximately 1:00 PM PST today. Stay tuned.

Mac Halo is Gold

Mac gamers who have been patiently awaiting their long overdue version of Halo won't have to wait much longer. MacSoft announced today that Mac Halo has gone gold and will begin shipping from the publisher's warehouse on Thursday, 12/11. The game should be available in stores throughout the U.S. by early next week with Europe following a few days later. Head over to halo.bungie.org to read the full press release.

7th Column News Guidelines

It's great to see so much user created news now populating the once quiet and lonely 7th Column main page. However, after seeing a variety of news submissions over the past week, I wanted to take a second to pass along some basic info that will help your chances of having your news post approved.

A good , news worthy submission should at the very least be understandable and show a basic understanding of the English language. News that is filled with horrendous spelling, sentence framents and generally makes my brain hurt will not get approved.

Your news story should actually have something to say. This may sound obvious but there have been some submissions that have really baffled me. After reading it, I couldn't tell what the heck the point even was. This also goes for the news posts that are merely one sentence that says "Join XYZ Chapter." I cringe at the thought of the entire 7th Column main page filled with this sort of thing. It's basically spam in news' clothing. If you want to say something to the members of the 7th Column, take a few minutes and actually compose something that's worth reading.

A news story that announces a chapter that will soon be created isn't going to cut it either. If you have a chapter to advertise, you need to already have that chapter available for people to join and check out.

This brings up another point - if you want to drive people to your chapter - INCLUDE LINKS . The odds of someone reading your post and then looking up your chapter in the directory and then visiting is far less likely than someone just impulsively clicking a link in a story. All of the commands you need are right next to the window where you're typing your news. Use them.

The 7th Column is a Bungie fanclub. It's a place for Bungie fans to call home and meet and mingle with other fans. As such, our main page will not be displaying news that advertises chapters that are 100% based on other games or things completely unrelated to anything Bungie.

And lastly, this probably goes without saying but any offensive news is also going to end up on the cutting block. News that insults other Bungie.net members, uses profanity, racial slurs, etc.. will all be denied.

If you read back over this list I think you'll agree that these are pretty simple, straightforward requirements for news posts. If you submit news and it gets rejected, chances are it falls into one of these categories.

Thank you,
sketch
7th Column Content Control Commissioner

Halo : First Strike - Released

Today's the day you've all been waiting for... No, we're not talking about the release of Halo 2, but it's the next best thing! Today is the official release of Halo : First Strike . The latest novel, written by Eric Nylund (Fall of Reach), continues the epic saga of Master Chief and the fight against the Covenant. The events in First Strike pick up right where the last book left off and sets the stage for what is to come in Halo 2.

Halo : The Flood reached the New York Times best seller list. Can we do it again? Help us expand our reach and continue the quest for World Domination by buying First Strike . You can find First Strike as well as the first two Halo novels in most bookstores as well as the Bungie store And remember, the Halo novels make great holiday gifts!

To commemorate the books release, our own mehve has produced a new desktop featuring the cover art for First Strike (which she also created). Unfortunately we're having some issues with halo.bungie.net at the moment so the wallpaper is not accessible via the desktops page. For now, please use these direct links to get the goods.

Halo : First Strike - Desktop Wallpapers

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Halo 2 Mini Documentary

If you weren't lucky enough to attend the X03 game expo in France a few months ago, your time has finally come. No, I'm not talking about free trips to France, I'm talking about an online, hi-res version of the "Inside Halo 2" documentary video. Produced by Jim McQuillan and the folks at Film Oasis, this video offers a behind the scenes look into the development of Halo 2 and the Bungie team. Up until now, the only way to see this video was to wade through amateur footage on the net or go to Best Buy and pick up the Halo 2 bonus DVD that comes with their latest bundle. Now, thanks to our friends at HBO, a hi-res Quicktime version is available for your viewing pleasure. Visit their mirror page for a list of download locations. Watch closely, there are a few tidbits of new information to be found. Enjoy!

Account Troubles

This is a reminder to anybody having difficulty linking their login to a Passport. You should email bnetbugs@microsoft.com ASAP for help. If you've simply forgotten your password, mail your request from the same address that your bungie.net profile has stored in it. This speeds up the the process. Also, please be patient, we cannot respond instantly to every request.

Bungie Product Update

The next Halo novel, First Strike , is scheduled to be released next Tuesday, December 2nd. Many online sites are already taking orders for the book, including the Bungie Store.

First Strike is written by Eric Nylund, the author of Halo: Fall of Reach . The story picks up after the events in Halo and covers the span leading up to what will be Halo 2.

In addition to this new book, there's also a new version of the Halo Soundtrack being released. The new "deluxe" version includes a special bonus DVD disc that contains remastered versions of the Halo 2 trailer, the E3 2003 demo video and an exclusive Halo 2 music suite. Everything is in glorious Dolby 5.1 surround. Note that both Amazon.com and the Bungie Store are still selling the old version. New shipments are expected to arrive very soon.

Server Update Notice

Please note that we are aware of various issues some of you are having with our site now. We are working as fast as possible to get resolution on these issues that are affecting some of you. Please bear with us, this is a major architecture change to our site and we are running on completely new hardware as well, so things will be a bit bumpy for a few days.

7th Column News - The Power is Yours

In addition to the new .NET Passport system we added to Bungie.net today, we also made a slight change in the news system. Now, any 7th Column News stories will only be displayed on the 7th Column main page instead of the Bungie.net homepage. This means that we can open up 7th Column news submissions for any and all members. If you want to advertise your chapter, tell people about an event, or share some news, this is the place to do it. The news will still enter an approval queue but it will soon make it's way to the 7th Column front page. By doing this, I hope to give everyone better exposure and a better outlet for Column related news rather than the current once a week "Week in Review."

Also, in the weeks ahead, I'm going to open up the 7th Column Top Story for member submission as well. This means that you can send in a story (and pictures!) that will get posted in the top story spot. It will take a special story though, asking for more members or showing off a new database isn't going to make the cut. Big write-ups from Column LAN parties, event wrap-ups, deluxe "Chapter Spotlights" for active chapters, etc... are all possible content ideas for a 7th Column Top Story.

Members who would like to submit a top story should first contact me and let me know what your idea is.
The story itself will have to be input manually on this end so everything will need to be sent to me before it can go live. If demands gets high, we'll come up with a submission / approval queue system.

thanks and enjoy!

We're Back!

As you can probably tell, Bungie.net has survived the .NET Passport integration process and all systems appear to be functioning properly. You will notice a few things have changed around here...

1. The old "login" link is now replaced by a bright shiny .NET "sign in" button.

2. When you click this button, you'll be prompted to login with your .NET Passport. If you don't have one, you'll need to create one.

3. If it's your first time, you will then need to link your existing Bungie.net account name to your .NET Passport account. * Remember, some of you may be forced to change to a new Bungie.net account name due to having an invalid name before. (basically anything other than text or numbers is now invalid).

4. Anyone who hasn't yet linked their .NET Passport to their Bungie account will be displayed as "NoPassportXXX" until they do so.

Please, if you haven't already, read the FAQ about why we made this change and what it means to all of you. If you have additional questions, please ask them in the forums or report bugs through our regular bug email address.

The first step is now complete. There are many great things on the horizon for Bungie.net. Stay tuned.

thanks

Bungie.net Offline This Morning

This morning, around 9:30 AM PST, we will be undergoing our switch to the .NET Passport login system that we told you about last week. The site could be down for several hours. Once the site is back up, you will be prompted to create and link a .NET Passport in order to login to Bungie.net.

Please see last weeks story and the .NET Passport/Bungie.net FAQ for more information.