I realize that Marathon is actually not quite Halo, but those of us that have beaten Halo 3 on Legendary and have a combination of WAY too much time on our hands, and WAY too much outdated and useless knowledge realize that Master Chief is TOTALLY the BA dude from Marathon.

SO, without further ado, I present to you, the way-more-exciting-than-it-seems nibblet that BUNGIE FILED A TRADEMARK FOR MARATHON!

NOTHING IS EXCITING LIKE PAPERWORK!

Wait, don’t they already own that? ALSO, Enjoy this happy nugget of witti-ma-cism. Its like a Haiku, but less Asian. Also, game related:

Five Word Game Reviews!

Dear Readers, here’s a contest. Whoever has the best five-word-review of a game gets my eternal adoration. Also, people you don’t know on the internet will fall in love with you because you’re funny.

Thanks for reading, and look out for my God of War III review VERY SOON!

There’s a buzz in the air. Talk of a teaser trailer. Exciting times.

Don’t know what all this Operation Chastity stuff is about? Here, let me school you.  A young chap, named Peter Cooper had the bright idea to create his own Halo fan feature film.  The word feature means a full length movie.  Meaning nothing shorter than an hour. All props, scripts and filming will be coming from him and his team. Not from any big budget movie types like Peter Jackson or Neill Blomkamp.

Yea. This film is going to be big. How big? Peter and his team have already created their own Halo Warthog and debuted it the 2009 London MCM Expo.  After their unveiling, I was able to catch up with Peter and do an exclusive interview with him via Skype. Interviewing people from San Diego, CA all the way to London. Ain’t technology great?

To see more about Operation Chastity and follow it’s progress, head over the official website.

[via OpChastity]

So the hype locomotive is storming down the tracks and the next stop looks to be Halo:Reach. The Halo series is unquestionably one of the biggest franchises out there and anything they do is bound to be newsworthy. So now that they have started to role out the tid-bits about their newest venture, gamers everywhere have started to get that familiar foaming at the mouth sensation…..just me?…..moving on. Past the break are my five reasons that Halo:Reach is going to be good like a solid gold candy bar and 5 reasons why it’ll suck.

5)It is set on Reach, humanties main military planet

Inside of the Halo canon Reach is probably the second most important planet, the first being earth (overrated planet if you ask me). And it is the foremost planet in military research. So if you do the word math, you are pretty much adding up to a awesome planet. With awesome new toys to play with. Like civilian vehicles. It will be like in a cop show where they yell, “Stop, Police! I need to borrow your vehicle” except since it is halo it will be without sissy things like informing them of what you are doing and more kicking them in the face while you commandeer their vehicle.

4)New enemy types

Oh Grunts, at least you show up...right?

New enemy types are going to be a sweet addition to any game. I don’t know about all of you out there in internetlandia but I do get a little tired of killing the same enemies all of the time. So with new enemy types, such as the Skirmisher, I look forward to bashing new heads in. Cause thats what I do in Halo. I bash heads in. Ya dig

3)New Weapons

You know what people need in shooters? Guns. You know what Halo:Reach is going to have? Guns. I know earth shattering. And nothing gets us excited like bigger and better guns. That picture above used to be new and exciting. Now it is old news. So get pumped, because new guns equal new ways to kill people. And that is always good news.

2) New Engine

Now I know a lot of people were a little upset about the amount of content Halo 3: ODST had to offer for the price. One thing most people weren’t to upset about was how much more the team at Bungie managed to squeeze out of the Halo 3 engine. But for the new game they have completely scrapped it for a new improved engine. Nothing says next gen like brown levels! Here’s hoping guys!

1) A Whole Team of Spartans

Master Chief is cool. We get it. He saves the universe and looks good doing it. But he must get lonely all alone. No other super-strong super soldier friends to hang out with. Well Halo Reach fixes that. A whole team of Spartans to pal around with, bashing in alien skulls and taking names! Now that is what I am talking about. Can I get a what what up in here?

On the other hand there is reason to be concerned. The last entry wasn’t exactly ground breaking. So here are my five reasons Halo: Reach might blow like Louis Armstrong.

5)It’s not really based of the Eric Nylund novel

So if you have read any of the Halo books Eric Nylund is pretty much the bee’s knees of the novels. His novels make the Covenant look scary and the Spartans look scary. And that is just the way we like it. The new game, while taking inspiration from the novel, is striking its own course through Reach. I hope that was a wise decision.

4) Got a case of the same old same old

Everyone has heard the jokes about space marines every time a new shooter comes out. But there is some truth in the jokes. And this is another Halo game where you play as a soldier shooting some Covenant. Nobody was sure how long Bungie was going to keep making games in the Halo universe. Should they have branched out a little more? I guess we will find out.

3)How is the Story Going to Be

.......get it.......west side STORY.....heh heh

I know I already touched on the fact that it doesn’t really follow the novel. And that’s a shame, because it is quite good. Does anyone remember the story lines for Halo 2 and Halo 3? As Gwen Stefani would say, it was B-A-N-A-N-A-S. Serious case of “yea man, that’s awesome. What if some more stuff that doesn’t make sense happens and we add some explosions. High five!” (yea they yelled high five). Who knows how they are going to handle Reach.

2) You Kind Of Already Know how it Ends

Fitting no?

Even if you haven’t read the book (have I said book enough yet?) you know how it ends. Master Chief is the only Spartan left in the Halo series. And I believe it was Confucius who once said that one is the loneliest number that you’ll ever know. So knowing the ending might put a damper on your party.

1) No Master Chief

I know that we are supposed to branch out and make new friends. But don’t you miss the big lug. I mean we’ve been through a lot together. Bashed some skulls, rode on some bombs, good times. Now that he isn’t the star for the third straight game my hearts got a little Spartan shaped hole in it. Well it’s not really that small, more like a Shaq sized whole. And that a lot of heart hole to fill.

After watching the above ViDoc (because saying ViDoc is way cooler than saying video documentary) I was intrigued.  But then I thought about Halo ODST and said to myself that I have to step back and think.  Will it be worth the money this time? What are you thoughts?

As you might have heard by now, Live support for original Xbox and original Xbox games played on the 360 is being shut off. Of course that includes games like Bungie’s Halo 2, an iconic game in it’s own right and it’s sad to think that it’s day is passing. Bungie however is not going all sad and mushy on us, but wants to send Halo 2 off into the sunset with one last shin-dig:

Mark your calendars now – on April 14th let’s all rally to go online for one last hoorah. One final farewell and one final opportunity for all of you to kick our asses at Halo 2.

So if you’ve got an Xbox of either flavour and a copy of the legendary Halo 2, then get your asses online for one final frag-fest on April 14th. You never know you might even bump into one of the PG staff, just be kind and gentle eh? We’re a crotchety old bunch.

[Bungie.net Via Kotaku]

Revealed in tonight’s Video Games Award show on Spike TV, the trailer for Halo’s next sequel, “Reach“, is revealed. After watching it, all I have to say is “meh.”  I can’t help but have the feeling of Microsoft digging for more money through marketing and the franchise of Halo.  I foresee Microsoft doing the same marketing strategy for Reach just like they did for ODST. Make a big deal out of it and sell it as a standalone game rather than an expansion pack.

What do you guys think about the new trailer? Has it hit that spot in you that makes you want to wait in a midnight launch line for it? Or are you done with the franchise. Let us know in the comments.

The creative LEGO minds over at Brickforge are auctioning off a full set of custom Halo LEGO minifigs for the Toys for Tots charity. These minifigs are custom made meaning LEGO doesn’t make these.  (But they should!) As of this posting, the auction the bidding is at $150 with 1 day and 4 hours left. If you want you own custom made full set of these bad boys, head on over to the auction page.

[via model building secrets via Bricklink]

Peter Cooper - Credits Ben Smith

After a bit of small talk, and an introduction as to what Operation Chastity is all about, we got down to learning more about the film. Past the break is a transcript of the interview or you can listen to it below. We learn from Peter how and when he started this film project to the latest news about it.  Oh and btw.  Yes, I sound like I just woke up in the beginning because, yes.  I did just wake up at 9am Sunday for this interview.

i7: How and when did you start this project?

PC: It was actually around June or July 2008. That was when I took out a medium sized loan to get some camera equipment. It was actually going to be a project based on the Doom comic. I’m not sure if you have ever seen that, but it’s absolutely hilarious. But then we ended up scrapping that project because it wasn’t going anywhere.

But for the past 3 years, I’ve been visiting Dragon Con to hang out with my buddies and over a quiet a few beers, I was sat there with lots and lots of napkins and started drawing out Halo Warthogs. I thought, how can I build one?

So, really this whole thing started as an excuse for a really, really cool car.

I came back from America still wanting this Warthog and contacted a few engineers to figure out how to get this made. Everyone at the special effects studio I was working at was wondering “why are you doing this?” and “what purpose is this going to serve?”

i7: Well it’s because you wanted you’re own warthog.

Transcript continues past the break with 2 exclusive photos straight from Peter.

PC: Well that would have been a good enough answer for any normal rational person, but these people I was talking to were very artsy fartsy people. Then I thought, well… how about I make a movie with it because I was going to anyway.

The thought started out as a fun, crazy 5 minute short or something with a bunch of marines riding around in their Warthog getting really intense and just ending up parking next to a supermarket.

It was going to be really silly. Just a bit of fun.

i7: That has to be in the film somewhere, if you can do it.

PC: Well, we are thinking of doing some sort of spoof trailer in time for April Fools day. About 2 or 3 months ago, we heard that song “I’m on a boat,” so we might be toying with that. It may be a bit of fun.

i7 & PC: I’m on hog! I’m on hog! Take a good hard look I’m on a motherfuck’n hog!

PC: But yea, that will be a fun little project, fun little short. (Back on the film) So, my friends start telling me, “you’re spending all this time and money making all this armor and making all these guns. Let alone the vehicle,” they thought “why not make a full feature?”

I responded “Well, I’ll think about a short, like a half-hour maybe, do a little story there. But then that developed more and more and more. As time went on, and as people kept telling me that a project like this, the sky the limit. I guess I just listened to them too much. Far, far too much.

And that’s how we ended up with a massive feature film project.

i7: So, back to the topic of the London MCM Expo.  What was the response like from the unveiling of the Halo Warthog from the fans around the world or around the car at that time?

PC: Well, around the car at the time, I was thrown a bit because, not many people could hear me because of the noise was so loud in the expo.  I’m not sure if you could see that from the (YouTube) video.  There was about 200 people waiting around the car to see it.

That was a bit scary.

I did a little spiel and did it completely on the fly.  I wasn’t prepared for it. I may have made myself look like a dofus. After the spiel I yanked the sheet off then see a flurry of camera flashes and I couldn’t see what was going on.

I made out a slight “ooooo” from some of the people. There wasn’t very much clapping or I couldn’t hear any because of all the noise. So I asked the crowd, “well, is it cool?”

i7: *chuckle* I think the response is yes.

PC: Yea. I was so blinded by all those flashes and drowned all the sound of the “ooo”s. I didn’t realize that everyone was too busy taking photos to clap. But the people that did respond was drown out by all the generators and other noise in the building.

So, yea.  The reaction at the event was absolutely brilliant. People kept coming up to me saying “the Warthog is brilliant.”  They weren’t saying this is “a Warthog” or “this is a Warthog replica.” No, they were saying “this is the Warthog.”

With that being said, there were still some negative feedback about it on the internet. I wish those people could appreciate the difficulty in making something like this–

i7: Well, it’s the internet.  There’s one thing I learned from a friend of mine, Joe The Peacock.  If 50% of the people hate what you’re doing and 50% of the people love what you are doing, you’re doing something right. So, don’t worry about all the negativity.

One of the wow negative comments I’ve heard or read on the internet, though, was “why is the steering wheel on the wrong side?” I was like “oh, come on. Really?”

PC: Yea, that’s the one negative comment that’s starting to get to me now. But, it’s like “come on!” We live in the United Kingdom.  We can’t just go to France and get a Land Rover. I mean, PLEASE.  Give us a chance!

i7: Yea. It’s the internet. What are you going to do. *Turns towards “the internet”* Hey, internet? Lay off. This is a totally awesome project so far. Just…just…throw him a fricken bone. *Turns back to Peter*

PC: Ya, ya. I know. It’s ok. All the criticisms about the vehicle, I actually agree with.  It’s just that I knew what our means were and those people don’t.

i7: So, back on the film project, how far along is it? Also, can you give us an estimated release date for it?

PC: Well, as far as pre-production goes, we’ve been in pre-production for full on year since the 31st of October last year.  It’s been a hard year.  I won’t lie.  This is my first ever film.  It’s been very hard at times convincing people that this grand plan we’ve got, this big script, this big story, lots of effects, it’s absolutely mental that something like this could ever get made. But, things are starting to get real now and getting really exciting.  We’ve now reached a point where things are developing at such a rate that I don’t think anyone of us (the crew) could have foreseen.

Because of this, hopefully, we’ll start filming in 2010.

Also, we are pushing for a sneak peak trailer just in time for the release of Halo Reach. If all goes according to plan, we could be finishing up filming after March, and release in November. This would give us enough time for post production with special effects, editing , sound, and soundtrack.

i7: Oh, ow have your own soundtrack and composer?

PC: Yea. This guy is brilliant. He just signed on.

i7: This is way more than just “a fan film” already.

PC: Yes.  But it still is a fan film.

i7: Ok, next question.  Did you ever consider a short film web series rather than a full length feature film?

PC: I’m going to put another “cog” in this question.  Why not a TV series? Like Battlestar Galactica?  I think, if one can make a feature film, why can’t it turn into a TV series?  The plot could be completely independent of the games, do your own thing.

i7: So, congratulations on your progress so far and your Warthog. So awesome to see the photos of it.  I wish I was there to actually touch it and say “ooo, it’s real.”

PC: It does have a slightly electric feel. Especially because of it’s steel frame.

i7: One last question, have you had a chance to drive it around?

PC: We took the frame around, very quickly.  It’s not as stable as I would like.  It’s a bit scary.  Another thing is that you don’t truly understand until you are sat in the driver’s side or even in the passenger seat, the bonnet (car hood) is so long and the dashboard is so long, that you can’t even see the road for about 10 or 15 meters ahead of you. It’s the scariest experience ever.

If you take a look at the behind the scenes photos from the Landfall series that Neil Blomkamp created.  You can see this at work.  Because the ODST drivers, they only drove with their heads stuck out the side. They couldn’t see out of the windscreen.  Take a look at those photos because It’s quite enlightening.

i7: Wow, that is not good.  So, the Halo Warthog. Fun to sit in, not fun to drive.

PC: It’s a death trap. An absolute death trap.  But it’s an awesome death trap and I love it, with all my heart. But, I would never take that on the road. It would just scare the crap out of me.

i7: I think with a big gun strapped to the back of it, if would just scare everyone else though.

PC: Yea. I wouldn’t mess with a Warthog if I saw it on the motorway (freeway).  That would scare the living hell out of me!

i7: *chuckles* imagine seeing that in your rear-view mirror. Ok, Peter, before we go, can you give us ways to follow your project online?

PC: Sure. My twitter is @opchastity and aside from that you can visit www.OperationChastity.com. Yea, just follow the project, I hope you guys like it.

i7: Yup.  Can’t wait for it.  Thanks again for your time and we’ll keep following up with you.

PC: No problem. Thank you so much.

In this week’s episode:

• Goodbye Geocities
• Andrew’s First thoughts on Uncharted 2
• Fan Made Halo Warthog – Operation Chastity
• Bill and Dave went to GameX
• Bill loves Global Agenda the Game

Download this Episode Here

Listen to it below

Operation Chastity, the Halo fan-film, made a big and important step to realisation today with the unveiling of their custom made full size M12 ‘Warthog’ LRV  today at the London Expo. The beast is built on the chassis of an old Land Rover by the talented guys from Custom Creations and certainly looks the part complete with internals and a mounting point for your gun of choice.

Hit the break for more details on Operation Chastity and some choice shot of the Warthog in full glory.

Taking a full year to put together, the completed warthog moves the fan-flick onto the next stage, which is due to start filming next March 2010 if everything goes to plan. By November 2010, Peter Cooper (pictured above) the Writer, Director and Producer of this epic undertaking, is hoping to enter post-production, which should last about 8 months. With a bit of luck, lots of blood and sweat and a bit of will power, we might start seeing the finished masterpiece sometime in the second half of 2011. To make things even better, according to Mr. Cooper himself, you may even be able to own a little piece of this Halo universe as the props, costumes and uniforms (including the 100 or so Spartan Marine outfits) will go on sale after the films release.

Now I don’t know about you but I’m absolutely stoked by the thought of a Halo film and having met Peter, I can assure you that the fan-flick is in safe hands. So if you want to support the film, get behind the crew and check out Operation Chastity and follow them on Twitter (@opchastity). In the mean time, check out the gallery of the impressive Warthog below.

 

[Photo credits to Ben Smith]