Chronique:BWU 02/02/2007

Bungie Weakly Update
Posted by Frankie at 2/2/2007 5:16 PM PST

Today was the Halo Pentathlon, so there’s almost nothing to write about. The Pentathlon, for those who don’t know, is a crazy annual event, where we compete ferociously against other teams, made up of groups of Bungie staff, in various games and antics. I can tell you that as of writing this, our team, Army of Dorkness, won in Gears of War, Halo 3 and Pictionary and came second in Wii Bowling. Which means we’re sorta dominating. Some events are still being played, so I don’t know the final tally. But it’s looking good for Dorkness. Woot.

Joe Staten and I paired up for the Halo 3 two-on-two contest, which is worth a couple of extra points. Our team, the Fighting XIIIth, just crushed Multiplayer designer, Lars Bakken’s duo (with Colm Nelson).

Haloclix? Yep, that’s right. From WizKids Games, the creators of the ferociously popular HeroClix series, comes a new line of Halo themed Halo ActionClix figures and models.

Read more about the Halo ActionClix right HERE.

The first Halo ActionClix set will feature more than 80 unique miniature figures from the Halo universe, including preview content from Halo 3. A number of vehicle packs are also being produced, including a big surprise planned for San Diego Comic-Con this July. Figures will be sold in randomized Booster Packs. The vehicles and a Starter Game will be sold in a diorama display format.

The cool thing about the Halo ActionClix line is that it’s both toy and game, and heck a collectible too. Playing the game is almost as much fun as being a Clix completist. We’ve already had a blast tooling around with the prototypes and we’re looking forward to playing for real this September when the line becomes available to the general public. Actually, there’s loads more Halo-related merch coming, and I’d dare say it will be our highest quality and most collectible stuff to date. We promise to keep you apprised of the new stuff as it pops up.

Oh, one item on Multiplayer. Chris Carney was showing off new, vastly improved graphics on a big indoor level. Well, for an indoor level it’s enormous, but I’d forgotten about it because I am such a graphics whore, that its old combination of lego texture floors, and unlit spaces, had me bored out of my mind. The newly finished graphics, however, turned me back onto it. And I love it.

It’s not like any other Halo level. Really. I keep wanting to compare it to Ivory Tower, but then I see some element of Zanzibar, and really, it’s neither of those. This is going to be a unique map. You can fit vehicles in it with ease, but the warrens and tortuous passages will make them sitting ducks. And besides, everyone will get killed the first couple of matches staring up through the milky, dirty glass tiles on the ceiling… Anyway. It’s a lovely map. Joe Tung hates the chainlink fence on it – because it causes a moiré pattern that freaks him out. But we just point and laugh at him. HAHAHAH!

Our team owning at Gears. I admit, it's pre-update 'Nade stick Gears.

Our team also owning at Halo 3. Screens blurred for great justice.