28 August 2009 Link to this update Original B.net link Return to main page

<<

17 June 2011 10 June 2011 3 June 2011 27 May 2011 6 May 2011 29 April 2011 22 April 2011 15 April 2011 8 April 2011 1 April 2011 25 March 2011 18 March 2011 11 March 2011 4 March 2011 25 February 2011 18 February 2011 11 February 2011 4 February 2011 28 January 2011 21 January 2011 14 January 2011 7 January 2011 17 December 2010 10 December 2010 3 December 2010 19 November 2010 12 November 2010 5 November 2010 29 October 2010 22 October 2010 15 October 2010 8 October 2010 1 October 2010 24 September 2010 17 September 2010 10 September 2010 3 September 2010 27 August 2010 20 August 2010 12 August 2010 6 August 2010 30 July 2010 23 July 2010 16 July 2010 9 July 2010 2 July 2010 25 June 2010 18 June 2010 11 June 2010 4 June 2010 28 May 2010 21 May 2010 14 May 2010 7 May 2010 30 April 2010 23 April 2010 16 April 2010 9 April 2010 2 April 2010 26 March 2010 19 March 2010 12 March 2010 5 March 2010 26 February 2010 19 February 2010 12 February 2010 5 February 2010 29 January 2010 22 January 2010 15 January 2010 8 January 2010 18 December 2009 11 December 2009 4 December 2009 20 November 2009 13 November 2009 6 November 2009 30 October 2009 23 October 2009 16 October 2009 9 October 2009 2 October 2009 25 September 2009 18 September 2009 11 September 2009 4 September 2009 28 August 2009 21 August 2009 14 August 2009 7 August 2009 31 July 2009 24 July 2009 17 July 2009 10 July 2009 3 July 2009 26 June 2009 19 June 2009 12 June 2009 5 June 2009 29 May 2009 22 May 2009 15 May 2009 8 May 2009 1 May 2009 24 April 2009 17 April 2009 10 April 2009 3 April 2009 27 March 2009 20 March 2009 13 March 2009 6 March 2009 27 February 2009 20 February 2009 13 February 2009 6 February 2009 30 January 2009 23 January 2009 16 January 2009 9 January 2009 2 January 2009 26 December 2008 19 December 2008 12 December 2008 21 November 2008 14 November 2008 7 November 2008 31 October 2008 24 October 2008 17 October 2008 10 October 2008 3 October 2008 26 September 2008 18 September 2008 12 September 2008 5 September 2008 29 August 2008 22 August 2008 15 August 2008 8 August 2008 1 August 2008 25 July 2008 18 July 2008 11 July 2008 3 July 2008 27 June 2008 20 June 2008 13 June 2008 6 June 2008 30 May 2008 23 May 2008 16 May 2008 9 May 2008 2 May 2008 25 April 2008 18 April 2008 11 April 2008 4 April 2008 28 March 2008 21 March 2008 14 March 2008 7 March 2008 29 February 2008 22 February 2008 15 February 2008 8 February 2008 1 February 2008 18 January 2008 11 January 2008 4 January 2008 21 December 2007 14 December 2007 7 December 2007 30 November 2007 16 November 2007 9 November 2007 2 November 2007 26 October 2007 19 October 2007 12 October 2007 5 October 2007 28 September 2007 21 September 2007 14 September 2007 7 September 2007 31 August 2007 24 August 2007 17 August 2007 10 August 2007 3 August 2007 27 July 2007 20 July 2007 13 July 2007 6 July 2007 29 June 2007 22 June 2007 15 June 2007 8 June 2007 1 June 2007 25 May 2007 18 May 2007 11 May 2007 4 May 2007 27 April 2007 20 April 2007 13 April 2007 6 April 2007 30 March 2007 23 March 2007 16 March 2007 9 March 2007 2 March 2007 23 February 2007 16 February 2007 9 February 2007 2 February 2007 26 January 2007 19 January 2007 12 January 2007 5 January 2007 29 December 2006 22 December 2006 15 December 2006 8 December 2006 1 December 2006 17 November 2006 10 November 2006 3 November 2006 27 October 2006 20 October 2006 13 October 2006 8 October 2006 29 September 2006 22 September 2006 15 September 2006 8 September 2006 1 September 2006 25 August 2006 18 August 2006 11 August 2006 4 August 2006 28 July 2006 21 July 2006 14 July 2006 7 July 2006 30 June 2006 23 June 2006 16 June 2006 9 June 2006 2 June 2006 26 May 2006 19 May 2006 12 May 2006 5 May 2006 28 April 2006 21 April 2006 14 April 2006 7 April 2006 2 April 2006 31 March 2006 24 March 2006 17 March 2006 10 March 2006 3 March 2006 24 February 2006 17 February 2006 10 February 2006 3 February 2006 27 January 2006 13 January 2006 6 January 2006 16 December 2005 9 December 2005 2 December 2005 18 November 2005 11 November 2005 4 November 2005 28 October 2005 21 October 2005 14 October 2005 7 October 2005 30 September 2005 23 September 2005 16 September 2005 9 September 2005 2 September 2005 26 August 2005 19 August 2005 12 August 2005 5 August 2005 29 July 2005 22 July 2005 15 July 2005 8 July 2005 1 July 2005 17 June 2005 10 June 2005 3 June 2005 27 May 2005 20 May 2005 13 May 2005 6 May 2005 29 April 2005 22 April 2005 15 April 2005 8 April 2005 1 April 2005 25 March 2005 18 March 2005 11 March 2005 4 March 2005 25 February 2005 18 February 2005 11 February 2005 4 February 2005 28 January 2005 23 January 2005 14 January 2005 7 January 2005 30 December 2004 17 December 2004 10 December 2004 3 December 2004 19 November 2004 12 November 2004

>>

Bungie Weekly Update: 08/28/09

Posted by urk at 8/28/2009 4:33 PM PDT

Twenty-five days out from launch, every engine in the studio powering the Halo 3: ODST machine is running at peak performance. As mentioned last week, you're more than welcome to sit shotgun alongside us as we speed towards 9/22, but if you're looking to go into ODST with fresh eyes, armed only with your own swelling anticipation, this mile marker is where you might want to just shut your eyes, hang on tight, and wait until we arrive at our final destination.

If you do decide to take in the scenery, don't blame us if you see some stuff that skirts the edges of Spoiler Country.

This Just In and This Just Out

Brian, who you may or may not recall had just returned from his Gamescom tour in Cologne, Germany, is now down in Dallas. Tonight some pro players will get a chance to see how they make out when they try their BR-less hands against the Covenant invasion and tomorrow, Brian and Shishka will open it up for all in attendance and see how everyone in the crowd takes to Firefight, Citadel, and Heretic. Pretty sure if you're checking out the broadcast this weekend, you'll get to check out the gameplay as well.

And just like last week, looks like as I'm typing, Brian is sending in some shots directly from the event...

Visitors and Views

We also entertained some more visitors here at the studio earlier this week, some from distant shores. You've seen most but not quite all of the content our press visitors from previous week's cooked up (if not, you can check out it here), and of course, there's much more on the way. Stay tuned for continued coverage over the coming weeks.

All Shiny and New

If you stopped by the site yesterday, you should have noticed that our web team is readying a whole host of upgrades to make Bungie.net even better. Now, I know what you're thinking. You're saying to yourself, "That's just not possible. Bungie.net is already the most spectacular spectacle of web design, community support, and game integration the world has ever seen!"

We hear you. And we totally agree with the latter part of your sentiment, but the upgrades we're promising are not a clever ruse. They're real. And if you have no clue what we're going on about, here's a link:

Return of the New Hotness

Bip. Bap. Bam.

The latest Halo 3: ODST ViDoc came in hot early this week. If you've yet to have a good look, you can digest it in a variety of delicious flavors right from our Halo 3: ODST Project Page. We've got multiple resolutions in both Windows and Mac-friendly formats on hand, and for the first time we've prepped some subtitled versions for the hard of hearing and deaf folks in the audience.

Bungie.net - "Bip. Bap. Bam. Welcome to Firefight."

If you just want a quick and dirty version to watch right now, here's the embedded YouTube from our official channel:

And of course, if you want to watch Sgt. Johnson in all his stupendous glory, you can grab the ViDoc on Marketplace and watch it in style on your very own, so totally danceable A/V system.

What's New?

We've already deployed two ODST ViDocs for your viewing pleasure, but we're definitely not done with them yet. There is another, but you're gonna have to wait a brief spell before you get to see it. Sorry.

You're definitely going to like what's up next though. Those clamoring for a more official ViDoc - the more traditional developer documentary-style stuff - are going to get exactly what they're looking for. ViDoc Triple is once again a star-studded affair and it's coming soon. (You can go to bed early tonight and sleep in late tomorrow, though. It's not coming that soon.)

Speaking of Stars

The pre-PAX Podcast is recorded and almost in the can. Steve Lopez, being the fine upstanding man that he is, is gonna be mixing it over the weekend and making everything sound sweet. He works so hard for you.

Without giving too much away, we think you'll like this one. It opens with a pretty lengthy section discussion bodily functions and goes downhill from there. In fact, it's gets so down and dirty we had to record a "mature audiences only" warning for this sucka. Get your parent's permission before you listen.

We're hoping to have it live next week to tickle your ears. No promises. You know the deal.

Expositional Affairs

Oh yeah, that reminds me. Penny Arcade Expo is just around the corner. Just a week away to be exact. Did you get tickets? We're gonna be there and we're bringing Halo 3: ODST with us. Who wants to play some Firefight?

Aside from having Halo 3: ODST playable on the show floor, we have some other stuff in the works as well:

Prepare to Drop

Friday, 3:30pm - 4:30pm, Serpent Theatre

Join members of the Bungie team for an in-depth look at the soon to be released Halo 3: ODST and discussions around the game's development. Project leads will guide you through a demo showing off the game's key features and what makes playing as an ODST different from prior Halo games. Learn how the game went from conception to completion with a small team and a very short development cycle.

Panelists Include: Joseph Staten (Creative Director, Halo 3 : ODST, Bungie), Paul Bertone (Design Director, Halo 3 : ODST, Bungie), Curtis Creamer (Bungie), Brian Jarrard (Community & PR Director, Bungie)

"Bonus Round" LIVE

Friday, 10:00am - 11:00am, Raven Theatre

You've watched it every week on GameTrailers.com, and now you get to come to a historic live taping of The Bonus Round at PAX! Featuring host Geoff Keighley, N'Gai Croal, Brian Jarrard from Bungie and another surprise guest, The Bonus Round always raises the questions that matter most to the game industry. Plus, get your chance to ask a question LIVE on camera to our panel.

If you're going to be at PAX, stop in and see what's up with Halo 3: ODST and make sure you swing by the panels and get your edutainment on.

O Canada

Not to be forgotten, we've done some conversion and determined that it's now economically beneficial for us to let Canada in our Halo 3: ODST Sgt. Johnson pre-order bonus. Actually, we didn't do any conversion at all (I suck at math), but we did just recently confirm that these Canadian outlets are in on the offer. Some of you have already figured that much out on your own, but if you're not among said industrious folks, here's the official list:

EB Games
Wal-Mart
Future Shop

Best Buy
Amazon.ca
Blockbuster
Toys R Us
HMV

And again, no matter where you are, if you want to know if your favorite retailer is in on the pre-order bonus, simply give them a ring.

Double Dose of Matchmaking Updates

September's Matchmaking shifts are coming in two separate waves. The first round will be the monthly stuff you're already accustomed to while the second shot will be aimed directly at supporting Halo 3: ODST's retail launch. Folks with the shiny Halo 3: Mythic disc should have plenty of places to play the brand-spankin' new Heretic, Citadel, and Longshore hotness.

Update the First: Beginning of September

General

All core gametypes with AR starts will now be AR/Magnum starts.

Ranked

Playlist order modified. This will not affect Trueskill or EXP rank:

• Lone Wolves
• Team Slayer
• Team SWAT
• Team Snipers
• Team Doubles
• Squad Battle
• MLG

Team Snipers - Shotty Snipers is now Skip After Veto

Team Doubles - Cubed, Plurality, removed

MLG - Construct, Guardian, and Narrows updated to MLG 6.1 spec

Social

Rumble Pit - Cubed removed

Update the Second: September 21st in the Year of Our Lord, 2009

General

Mythic 2 maps added to all hoppers as optional, except as listed below.

Ranked

Team Throwback - New Ranked Objective playlist. 1 Flag, 2 Flag, and Oddball with BR/AR starts. Halo 3: Mythic disk required.

Social

Team Mythic - 4v4 Slayer and Objective. Vetoing in this playlist will result in a Mythic 2 map. Halo 3: Mythic disk required.

Big Team Mythic - 8v8 Slayer and Objective. Vetoing in this playlist will result in a Mythic 1 or 2 map. Halo 3: Mythic disk required.

Double EXP Weekends (In Order)

• Grifball - Now Mythic 1 required
• Team Flag
• Rocket Race
• Prepare to Drop - 4v4 Slayer and Objective loosely inspired by Halo 3: ODST. Halo 3: Mythic disk required
• Mythic Brawl - Halo 3: Mythic disk required.

7 on the 7th

New Community Maps added:

• Sentiment, Nocticulent added to Slayer
• Undulation, Coup d'Etat added to Team Slayer BRs
• Rat Trap added to 2 Flag

Blame Stosh

Stosh went digging in the community files collection again. He came up with this. Is it treasure or is it a stinky and steaming turd? You get to make the call, but either way Stosh gets all the blame.

We Out

This is the end of the update. You can keep scrolling, but you won't find much aside from the navigation pane down at the bottom of the page. Actually, if you're really, really bored, why not dig into the wall of links down there and see what you can find? See you next week.