Comiket Comic Market 2011 Cosplay Photos

Comiket Comic Market 2011 Cosplay Photos

Halo Terminal Secret codes revealed?

The Input Device

The Halo Terminal Codes cracked?

"This is the input device. The input device grants access to the Terminals when a correct code is entered. The input device allows codes to be 1 to 10 characters long. We know 10 codes which are each 5 characters long and were found at the end each one of the Terminals. Entering all of them successfully granted access to a secret 11th Terminal. This proves that there is a possibility of additional Terminals." 

Source

The supposed Terminal Codes....

In order of 1st to 10th, the terminal codes read:

343GS
HALO4
SPARK
BLOOD
EARTH
DEMON
RINGS
ARRAY
HUMAN
HAVEN

And Forward Unto Dawn has been up to some tricks.....





signal interruption detected.initiating amplification protocols//
protocols ineffective.UNIDENTIFIED INTRUSION//
recording for archival purposes.entry #03012012343/25122011//


intrusion ceased.reasons unknown//
initiating stability protocols.analyzing entry #03012012343/25122011 transcript//
source of intrusion cannot be identified.running firewall diagnostics//




DATABASE ALERT //
permissions compromised.unknown agent/s detected//


cannot.shut.the.door//Info sources:


One
Two
Three

---

Update: The Resolution and Lore Revealed

Years after the initial discoveries in Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary and the Halo Waypoint app, the mysteries of both the secret 11th terminal and the cryptic Forward Unto Dawn website ARG have been fully resolved, weaving heavily into the modern Halo canon.

The Secret 11th Terminal

Entering the 10 hidden terminal codes into the Halo Waypoint console app successfully granted players 7,000 cR (Credits) for Halo: Reach per code. More importantly, entering all 10 unlocked the elusive 11th Terminal video.

From a lore perspective, the 11th terminal features a chilling monologue from 343 Guilty Spark. The video highlights Spark's deteriorating mental state (rampancy) and his painful recollection of his past life. This terminal acted as a direct narrative bridge to the Forerunner Saga novels written by Greg Bear (specifically Halo: Cryptum and Halo: Primordium), which revealed that 343 Guilty Spark was once an ancient human named Chakas whose mind was composed and placed into a Monitor carapace. The terminal also highlights Spark's tragic realization that the Master Chief was not Bornstellar (the IsoDidact), setting the stage for the Forerunner-centric storyline that would take center stage in Halo 4.

The "Forward Unto Dawn" ARG

The cryptic text dumps found on the Forward Unto Dawn website—such as "unidentified intrusion," "permissions compromised," and the ominous "cannot.shut.the.door//"—were part of an Alternate Reality Game (ARG) acting as a viral marketing campaign for the release of Halo 4 and its companion live-action web series, Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn.

In-universe, these logs symbolize two major plot points of the Reclaimer Saga:

• Cortana's Rampancy: The "stability protocols" and "amplification" errors reflect Cortana's failing neural matrix. In Halo lore, Smart AIs have a functional lifespan of seven years before they begin to "think themselves to death" - a terminal condition known as Rampancy. Stranded aboard the severed half of the Forward Unto Dawn, Cortana was well past this expiration date.
• The Didact's Awakening: The "unidentified intrusion" and "unknown agent/s detected" messages teased the hostile Forerunner systems on the shield world of Requiem actively scanning and infiltrating the wreckage of the Forward Unto Dawn, ultimately pulling the Master Chief and Cortana inside to face the Ur-Didact and his Promethean armies.

How badly acted is Samantha Byrne in Gears 3?

How badly acted is Samantha Byrne in Gears 3?

In two words. Very badly.

Do you remember how bad the acting in the original Gears game was? Baird was terrible. The Cole Train laughable. Marcus' only saving grace was that his voice was whole unique and actually managed to convey a true sense of emotional depth - well at least when he wasn't yelling "Bring it".

It's my view Samantha Byrne is the worsely acted character in the entire Gears franchise. How the heck that voice acting got through play testing without the testers murmuring about how dire it was? How did Cliff Bleszinski let this pass?

Samantha's character is voiced by Claudia Black, an actor who's voiced many video games and films and is known for her role in Pitch Black. Given her breadth of experience, how the fuck she turn in that performance? Was it the voice director or was she just simply trying to sound like an obnoxious Aussie actor from Home and Away?

Any ways, the actual character of Sam Byrne is quite interesting, here's a small biography - she's had more history that just other than the games as she's been featured in the associated novels.

Biography:

Private Samantha Byrne was born in Avengad, Kashkur, which is near the famous Anvil Gate, which featured as garrison in the Pendulum Wars. Her father was Sargeant Samuel Byrne who died during the Siege of Anvil Gate in the Pendulum Wars.

Like her father, she joined the COG army and was assigned to Delta-One, Marcus Fenix's company.

During the COG occupation at Vectes, Samantha was involved in multiple pivotal encounters including the discovery that Lambency had jumped across species barrier when herself, Bernadette Mataki, the now battle hardened Anya Stroud and Alex survived an onslaught of what appeared to be Lambent forces.

After the COG disbanded, she joined Marcus Fenix and Delta Squad on the CNV Sovereign rather than attempting a pilgrimage to Anvegad with the grumpy Colonel Victor Hoffman and Bernadette Mataki.

Sam survived the final campaign in Gears of War 3.

Power Girl's brains are up here, boys

Eyes Up Here: The Power Girl Cosplay Phenomenon and Earth-Two Lore

Power Girl's brains are up here, boys.

The Classic Distraction Tactic

The Power Girl cosplayer above is asking you to look into her eyes. Ah! you say, it's a trick. In the immortal words of Admiral Ackbar, It's a trap!

Perhaps you drop your eyes and think, "To hell with it, I'll fall victim to whatever trap Power Girl has set because her powers are simply too much of a match for me." Or, you just have no manners. Or perhaps you should just go take a cold shower. But there is a lot more to Power Girl than the infamous "boob window" that has dominated comic book fandom discourse for decades.

In DC Comics lore, the window in her costume isn't just about provocation. Writer Geoff Johns famously established that while Superman wears the crest of the House of El, Kara Zor-L never felt she had a definitive identity or family to represent, leaving a blank space where a symbol should be until she figures out who she truly is.

A Hero Forged in Crisis

Power Girl is to be deeply admired. She isn't just a sidekick; she is a multiversal heavyweight. She helped save reality itself during the legendary Crisis on Infinite Earths event. As a survivor of Earth-Two, she has bashed her fair share of cosmic villains and anchored the Justice Society of America.

If you were to admire her curves, I doubt many fanboys would complain. And neither do the thousands of attendees who flock to major pop-culture conventions like San Diego Comic-Con every year.

Apparently, there is a whole horde of fans who turn up just to spot incredible Power Girl cosplayers in the crowd. The bright white suit, blue gloves, and red cape create one of the most striking, easily readable silhouettes in comics. So, for those who didn't make it to Comic-Con or couldn't get a portal to Earth-Two in time, here is a gallery of excellent Power Girl costumes.

By their powers combined... double the Kryptonian strength.

The Ultimate DC Tag Team

Power Girl and Best Friend Forever, Wonder Woman.

When you pair Power Girl with Wonder Woman on the convention floor, you get maximum DC Comics energy. One represents ancient myth and warrior diplomacy; the other represents raw, unfiltered sci-fi brawling power. Together, they are an unstoppable cosplay duo.

Power Girl moves so fast the world around her is a blur...

Kryptonian Family Dynamics

Kryptonian family reunions were always difficult.

The dynamic between Power Girl and Superman is one of the most fascinating pieces of DC lore. Because Kara Zor-L is from the alternate dimension of Earth-Two, the mainstream Superman (Earth-One's Kal-El) isn't technically her Superman. Her cousin was Kal-L, who perished during the events of Infinite Crisis. This leaves Power Girl as a woman out of time and space, often putting her at odds with the mainstream Justice League and giving her a fiercely independent streak.

Power Girl says "no" to your suggestion of dinner and a movie. She has a multiverse to save.

Jimmy Jangles Reviews: Gears of War 3's Insane Mode

ONI Speed Run Video LASO

Here's a LASO Mythic speed run of ONI by RC Master in less than thirteen minutes which might help you out with some of the Weekly Challenges which get thrown up every so often. It makes good use of the Hammer of Dawn or whatever it's called ;)

10 Reasons why Peter Jackson should try and make the Halo movie again

Mass Effect Reaper vs Worm Trailer

Check out this new Mass Effect 3 trailer which features Commander Sheppard dodging the hot red laser beams of a Reaper with a cameo performance from a very grumpy sand worm!



Looks like Sheppard now as a dive roll as part of his in game arsenal of moves....

Gears of War Birthday Cakes

Skullicious!

Gears of War cakes. Need I say anything more but pass me a piece?

A friendly skull? Is it smiling at us?

A deathly cake

Spencer Marshall's mom loves him

Lancer Cake

This cake looks lethal

Halo, Ghosts and birthday cakes

In doing a cake post I feel I should get the obligatory Portal reference out of the way first. These cakes don't lie. In fact they say nothing but how awesome Halo is - when fans make cakes of the things they love, you truly know their hearts and minds have been well and truly captured.

For my birthdays, my mother would make me pirate cakes and ghost cakes. These days it appears all the kids ask for is Halo cakes or maybe a well frosted cake from the Gears of War franchise.... so we'll start on a twist on the ghost cake.... a Halo ghost cake!

Lady Cake Ninja is awesome but not as awesome as Connery's mom who made him this sweet Master Chief Cake. I bet it tasted green and delicious!

Now clearly a master chef made this Master Chief!

Cortana is rampant as a cake

The Ghost Who Walks, Emile is also a tasty looking cake.....

Are you talking to me Nate?

Reach for a piece

Nice frosting

Scorpion Tank Cake beats everything

Elias' mom clearly loves him!

Where's the keys?

http://greendayunodostrelyrics.blogspot.co.nz/2016/07/bang-bang-lyrics-green-day.html

JJ Reviews: Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary

JJ Reviews: Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary

I was about a quarter of the way through doing my first Insane run through of Gears of War 3 when Halo Anniversary dropped and that hot little potatoe fell into my Xbox at the expense of arguably the year’s best game (don’t play war games, don’t get me started) and stayed there for a week or so as I played through a heroic version of the game that made the gaming industry what it is today. Or rather the played the newest version of the game!

Anyways on to the review - I should basically just repost this Halo CE review I did a couple of years ago. I said then:

“So while the game's graphics may look a little tired to modern day games such as Call of Duty and Mass Effect or even the new Final Fantasy, the game play still holds up. It's well paced, and has many neat combat scenarios to keep the player well entertained. At times the game can be infuriating - Floods with rocket launchers and annoying fire from Banshee ships can impede your progress, but getting through them proves the game's worth. I'm almost tempted to suggest that Bungie should have remade Halo: Combat Evolved instead of Reach but as the story has already been told, I'll sit and patiently play through the rest of the Halo series until Reach is safely in my Xbox 360's disk drive.”

This review should be of no surprise to any one reading this Halo blog – Halo Anniversary is a good fun thing. And prettier. You know how your memory tricks you? You might think that hair cut you had 10 years ago was the best hair cut you ever had but then you see a photo of yourself and you just look butt ugly? Well that’s how the old Halo looked. The new, prettier version is like some high class hooker or something. You are paying for the make believe of the memories of that haircut. If that makes sense…..

So basically that’s the review, Halo is still awesome. She’s just had a coat of new paint. But what a coat of paint!

There’s been a few attempts to utilise the power of the Xbox  – Kinect has been integrated to allow you throw grenades and reload by way of voice command but frankly, it’s just gimmicky. The use of Kinect to full your own Library is just dullsville and I’m glad there was no achievement points associated with this tool!

The infamous Library level is still fun to play (I have no idea why there’s so much hate for it – is it because the casual player sux) – I noted there were some arrows in it to help you find your way.  

I managed to find a couple of skulls and terminals without cheating which was a wee bit of a thrill cos I totally cheated with Halo 3’s skull recovery –  here’s a cheat sheet for finding the CE skulls and here’s a guide for the Terminals. I found three terminals and they told a pretty cool story from the point of view of the character 343 Guilty Spark – I love the fact that he appeared to have left the Halo at some stage and gone on a ‘holiday’ to relieve his boredom!