Hi there, face here. Gather 'round, children, for it's time for another enchanted tale of the mystical saga of mysterious mystery. Today we explore the enigmatic intermacinations of my mind. Because, you know what they say, desperate times call for desperate desperateness. That is a saying right? Yeah, it is. They also say that everything in nature is beautiful. Unless it's ugly.
Notice anything special about that first paragraph? No? Just look at all those references. You don't see the references? Good thing I slapped a bunch of super-secret hyperlinked periods in there for those of you that weren't addicted to Nickelodeon back in the day.
Anyway, suit up, guys. We've got a lot to discuss in this here site update. Ready? Go!
Just ... Around ... THE BEND.[l-col]Old news is old, I know, but in case you haven't already plugged in the numbers into your countdown widget on your PC to get the exact amount of time between now and 12am, November 6th, 2012, this website has got you covered. Holy-run-on-sentence-Batman. Plus, it has a super-sweet background of none-other than John. What more could we ask of a website?[/l-col][r-col]Speaking of Halo 4, we have an official Halo 4 General Discussion forum! Sure, it's been around for a while now--I probably should've mentioned it in the last site update--be sure to post all of your Halo 4 general discussion in there. Just remember, we have a zero-tolerance rule in place regarding leaked content. Post some and we'll eat your face off. ...Too soon?[/r-col]In other Halo-related news, in case you missed it, 343i had a demo that presented some of the features that Forge in Halo 4 will have. To list a few:
Forge objects cast shadows and have dynamic lighting.
There will be 3 forge environments shipping on disc.
Forge will have a one million dollar budget.
Placeable, trait-altering zones.
???
Profit.
If you haven't seen the video of which I am speaking of yet, you'll notice that I embedded it right below this here paragraph. Afterward, you can go discuss everything in our new Halo 4 General Discussion forum that I just introduced a minute ago. See how I roll? It's like I have this all planned or something.
Halo 4 Forge preview + News - YouTube
Recent Screenshots[l-col]In case you haven't noticed, recent screenshots have made a triumphant return! No need to upload screenshots into your fileshare if all you want to do is download them for use on our forums. To access your recent screenshots, navigate to your file share over on Halo.xbox.com. In the upper right, below the main navigation menu you'll see "Halo: Reach. File Share." Rolling your mouse over that will bring up a drop down menu containing many options including, you guessed it, recent screenshots.[/l-col][r-col]It's worth noting that, unlike Bungie.net screenshots, these are capable of being embedded elsewhere on the internet without becoming broken. Convenient? Yes. Planned? It's hard to say. This might be a temporary feature which they could change, effectively breaking any embedded screenshots you've posted around the web. I could be completely wrong, but I have a feeling that this embed option won't be a permanent thing. Save yourself some time, I personally would recommend Photobucket or Imageshack. [/r-col]
1v1 ME BRO.
Did ya hear? We're hosting a new 1v1 tournament coming in August to send Halo Reach out with a bang. Oh, we're also looking for people to create and submit their own personal maps for the competition. You didn't hear? Well, go fix that! While you're not guaranteed to get your map into the competition, it doesn't hurt to try right? These don't need to be brand new maps, either. You could've created it long, long ago in a galaxy far, far away--just make sure that your map works with the official gametype.
Oh, you did hear. Well maybe you didn't hear about this then: forum-goer Cluckinho10 has started a thread in which you can request feedback on your 1v1 submission. Submitting your map without any play-testing will almost surely land your map in a place outside of the tournament. While it isn't technically impossible to design and forge a map fit for a highly competitve competition without testing it, it is highly improbable. Just do yourself a favor if you want to get your map in, test it. Don't have a friend with map design knowledge? That's why Cluck' made that thread! Go get some feedback.
You already heard about that, too? Well fine! I guarantee you haven't heard anything about what's coming next.
Wonders of the World II Results!...They exist, I promise, and the results thread is coming soon! We thank you all for harnessing absurd amounts of patience. Here, again, are our entrants.
EDIT: A little birdy just told me that we won't be doing a full-blown results thread; instead we'll be featuring the first place map (soon). So be on the lookout for that! Who'll it be?
[ The above list is in chronological order, it in no way reflects the results of the contest. ]
Forge Hub is a Rainbow of Happiness.It would appear as if I left a section out of our last site update--rank changes! Let's see if I can grab 'em all.
[l-col]By now you've surely all noticed, our dearest friend Pegasi has left us. It saddens me to say so, but unfortunately it's true. Thanks for all of the work you put forward for the site, Peg. In case you didn't know, you were a huge inspiration to me before I was on staff.[/l-col][r-col]And then on the other hand we have none other than the infamous Stevo, whom of which did nothing. Ah, I'm kidding of course, he does stuff--he posts kitties on my wall. But seriously, you've done a hefty bit of work for the site as well, and for that we all thank you.[/r-col]It hurts to see two members of my own rank step down, but real life happens, we all understand that. If either of you ever want to come back I'm sure we would welcome you with open arms.
I'm sure those of you with a keen eye have seen a new red guy floatin' around--he's a supercoolguy who doesn't afraid of anything. Let's all welcome Mr. Pokephile into the rank of Media Director. Be on the lookout for Forge Hub related videos coming straight from this guy to our front page.
Also, I have no idea when these changes actually happened, but they weren't documented in our ranks page, so I assume they were never announced either. First off, That Scorch Guy was a contributor to our Review Hub while it was around, but for whatever reason stepped down. Thanks for helping out the Review Hub while you could, dude! Next we have Zatherla who was promoted to Artisan some time ago for getting two of his Halo: Reach maps featured here on Forge Hub.
The newest rank change is that of Mr. Psychoduck. He was a member of our Tester's Guild for quite some time but has decided to descend back into the loving zombie pit of gray members. Is that derogatory toward grays? You know we love you. Anyway, thanks for all your help with the Tester's Guild while you were an inhabitant of it.
I haven't done a rank changes section in quite some time, but I think that is everyone that swapped colours recently. However, if I missed anyone, please yell at my face. Call me a moron, preferably.
Signatures Rules AmendedAfter a quick decision to make forum signatures a thing of the past, the ever-amazing Sock Monkey Theta returns them to us after collaborating with the community. The new signature rules are as follows.
Maximum signature size is 600px by 140px.
Maximum of 4 images per signature.
Animated GIF signatures no longer allowed.
This cute lil' sig-bunny will happily replace any signatures violating the above rules. Suspiciously, it is the exact size of a signature employing all 84,000 of the allotted pixels.
http://ns223506.ovh.net/rozne/a1b494ed63cb1fb2d830a8fd8dc2678d/wallpaper-18809.png
Sig-bunny is best bunny.
We have other rules too, you know. I know we're all getting excited that Halo 4 is only a few months away, but that doesn't mean that we should go ahead and spam anything and everything. While not too much has changed regarding our forum rules, you might as well go check it out again anyway.
In other news, did you notice that the little favicon next to the website name in your browser changed? Probably the most mind-blowing news of the entire year! Crazy awesome, right? That's what we strive for. Well, I suppose it is the second most mind-blowing news of the year, I forgot that we also changed the map download links to go to Halo.xbox.com. Oh behind-the-scenes news, you so crazy.
The Guild:
Welcome to the Guild, the helpful side of Forge Hub that wishes to accomplish nothing other than helping you secure an excellent map, or have an amazing in-game experience. The guild comes in two flavours: The Tester's Guild and The Custom's Lobby.
So what do you get from helping out? I thought you'd ask. In addition to the communal feeling and sense of pride you get from helping out another member, you are rewarded a lovely blue rank for all your hard work. You must put forward a certain amount of effort before we hand this out though! The requirements to join either sides of the guild are listed above.
[l-col]But what do they do? You're so predictable, interested Forge Hub member! The Tester's Guild does just what you may think the title is suggestive of: they help test unfinished maps. They'll nit-pick about things they disliked, sure, but they also provide excellent feedback about what you should consider to modify within your current build. They also detail the things you've employed which are running well.[/l-col][r-col]The Custom's Lobby is where gamers sit down for a night of fun and entertainment. This could be a night of Halo customs, but in the past it has ranged from gaming sessions of Modern Warfare 3, to Forza 3. If you wish to obtain your rank this way, take note that you are required to give feedback about your lobby for our front paged article. In fact, this is a portion of work required to obtain your pretty blue rank.[/r-col]TGIF hosts, please PM Shock Theta with the template below filled out in order to get your lobby on the sign up page!
HOST'S PARTY NAME
Host's Gamertag: YOUR GAMERTAG
Start Time: 0:00 PM EST
End Time: 0:00 PM EST
Rules:- PARTY RULESSchedule:- PARTY SCHEDULE
To All My American Friends...And any Canadians or Mexicans that could see the fireworks, happy Fourth of July! Happy 236th, birthday, 'merica. I hope everyone's celebrations went well; and if they're extending into the weekend, I hope it continues to go well. Stay thirsty, my friends.
Question of the Site UpdateLast time around I asked:
...if you could have Steve Downes say one sentence, what would you have him say?
I think the winner goes to Sargeant Sarcasm with this response:
Twin Peaks - Major Briggs' vision about Bobby - YouTube
Transcript:
May I share something with you? A vision I had in my sleep last night, as distinguished from a dream, which is merely a sorting and cataloging of the day's events by the subconscious. So the vision, fresh and clear as a mountain stream, the mind revealing itself to itself. In my vision, I was on the veranda of a vast estate, a palazzo of some fantastic proportion, there seemed to emanate from it, a light from within, this gleaming, radiant marble. I had known this place, I had, in fact, been born and raised there, this was my first return, a reunion with the deepest wellsprings of my being. Wandering about, I noticed aptly that the house has been immaculately maintained, there'd been added a number of additional rooms, but in a way that blended so seamlessly with the original construction, one would never detect any difference. Returning to the house's grand foyer, came a knock at the door, my son was standing there. He was happy and carefree, clearly living a life of deep harmony and joy. We embraced. A warm-loving embrace, nothing withheld. We were, in this moment, one.
My vision ended, and I awoke with a tremendous feeling of optimism and confidence in you and your future. That was my vision, it was you. I am so glad, to have had this opportunity to share it with you.
I wish you nothing but the very best of all things.
Imagine... when he kills antagonists, Steve Downes says "I wish you nothing but the very best of all things."
Is it because he included a video in his response? Is it because he's awesome? Is it because the quote is awesome? Is it because I fear that if he doesn't win that something bad would happen to me? We'll never know.
This time around I ask, what piques your interest the most from today's Halo 4 forge reveal?
3am Wisdom from the LulboxNoxiw: "Say something interesting"
Boomerdude: "THIS STATEMENT IS FALSE"
Psychoduck: "Hello ForgeHub, i would like to let you all know that cabbages are a lie, and that avogromites, a combination of avocados and pomegranates are all that is real"
* Boomerdude: "Something epic."
Noxiw: "Good enough."And that, my friends is what's been going on the last two weeks.
If you have any thoughts on this article, or the front page in general, that you would like to share with us then we invite you to post your opinions in the Front Page Feedback thread.