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Subject: I thought that the Bungie Community was for more than free advertis...

Strange evolution how people have come to believe
That we are it's greatest achievement
We're barely, we're just a collection of cells
Overrating themselves

Bungie played a role in the ARG, but it was MS's project. Actually, it wasnt even MS, they contracted it out to a third party.

HBO was also involoved in this (at least until it was discovered that resultant traffic was sucking up all of HBO's bandwidth). Are you posting the same thing there?

I see what you're saying, and despite your best efforts to say otherwise, this doesn't amount to much more than a "I opened the box of cereal and bungie didnt give me my prize!!" whine.

It wasnt Bungie's project. You cant hold them responsible.

  • 10.19.2007 8:39 AM PDT

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Posted by: twinkiemaker
Bungie played a role in the ARG, but it was MS's project. Actually, it wasnt even MS, they contracted it out to a third party.

HBO was also involoved in this (at least until it was discovered that resultant traffic was sucking up all of HBO's bandwidth). Are you posting the same thing there?

I see what you're saying, and despite your best efforts to say otherwise, this doesn't amount to much more than a "I opened the box of cereal and bungie didnt give me my prize!!" whine.

It wasnt Bungie's project. You cant hold them responsible.


I don't feel like you read this thread as carefully as you should have. Maybe you did, and we simply have very differing points of view. What exactly did HBO have to do with the package? As far as I know they simply held a similar forum for the purpose of solving the ARG. If I am incorrect, are you saying that I should go bother HBO? That doesn't make any sense. As I said before, it was Bungies game, and Bungie's ARG. Regardless of who actually did the work, it was Bungie's project. You are simply telling me that they are the wrong people to talk to. This is the whole problem, Who are the right people to talk to? I'm pretty irritated that anyone would knock me down on this. I expect it from Bungie, they should be defensive I suppose, but why am I getting this from a regular member. Also, I called myself a crybaby in my O.P. If you had read carefully, you might have better understood my postition, and it is pretty redundant to call me a whiner, after I have labeled myself as such, in order to prevent posts such as yours. You are simply being counterproductive. Are you saying that Bungie can wash their hands of this? If so, I disagree.

Don't get me wrong, I don't feel that this is an extremely important issue. It really is over a pretty petty set of items (of which I think are cool). The point is, after all the problems with the ARG, and our efforts to push through it anyway, and enjoy it, and involve others in the project, we were told we would get something and we didn't. I'm not even asking for my package at this point, although, that is what I really want. All I am asking for is a straightforward asnwer. At least tell me if I should stop looking for a package at my doorstep. I do not want this question answered by a simple member. Regular level members such as yourself twinkimaker, do not know squat that can help me. Bungie needs to give a clear response that satisfies our questions.

Did they ever get sent?
Are there still supposed to be packages coming?
Is it all over, or is there any hope?
Why can't I be told what is going on, or at least that nothing is ever going to happen?

  • 10.19.2007 10:14 AM PDT

Strange evolution how people have come to believe
That we are it's greatest achievement
We're barely, we're just a collection of cells
Overrating themselves

I understand your frustration, but it wasnt Bungie's project, it just used Bungie's IP. They are no more liable for your lack of gift than they are if my Halo 3 7-11 Slurpee cup springs a leak.

As far as HBO goes, Adjutant Reflex posted there as well. That pretty much stopped the first day the ARG started since it was overwhelming the site.

  • 10.19.2007 10:23 AM PDT
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Destinypedia - The Wiki for Bungie's Destiny
Posted by: DEATHPIMP72
Anyone but Foman. He smells like cheese.

Posted by: twinkiemaker
Bungie played a role in the ARG, but it was MS's project. Actually, it wasnt even MS, they contracted it out to a third party.

HBO was also involoved in this (at least until it was discovered that resultant traffic was sucking up all of HBO's bandwidth). Are you posting the same thing there?

I see what you're saying, and despite your best efforts to say otherwise, this doesn't amount to much more than a "I opened the box of cereal and bungie didnt give me my prize!!" whine.

It wasnt Bungie's project. You cant hold them responsible.
Not true, twinkiemaker. Your previous two posts show that you weren't too involved in the ARG -- that's fine, clearly, but please don't try to tell US how it was run. We know better than you who did what and where responsibilities lie.

Also, Iris was a project run jointly by MS and Bungie. Microsoft's internal email following the conclusion of Iris confirmed that there was no third-party involved in the overall Iris ARG administration (despite lots of third-parties' involvement in certain elements of the ARG), unlike I Love Bees.

If you read through probably 7 or 8 of the posts on page one of this thread, you'll notice that lots of people (including myself) acknowledge Microsoft's heavy involvement in and oversight of this project -- including and especially the shipping of the server "rewards" -- from the original post all the way through. Nobody is saying that it's Bungie's fault that the packages were not shipped. We are asking Bungie for some help in finding out what happened, since pointing the electronic finger at "Microsoft's marketing guys" is hardly helpful information. But as is pointed out over and over again, Bungie has and will continue to experience the benefits of the ARG's successes just as much as, if not more (especially now that they've become independent) than Microsoft. Moreover, Bungie is the one who touts itself as the game company that loves its community.

If Bungie's philosophy has changed now, that's fine -- a lot of Community members ARE a bunch of spoiled, whiny morons, and they can be hard to love. But Bungie should stop acting like its community is important to it (see, e.g., Legendary Edition DVD) and just market its video games to the slack-jawed, moronic masses. When some of the most dedicated Bungie fans out there are simply asking for some kind of closure that would take no money and ten minutes of effort, and Bungie refuses to help us to provide it, it's a slap in the face. Coming from Bungie, it's a big slap to people who spend a lot of their free hobby time doing Bungie-related activities.

As for this being a "cereal box prize" whine, I think that we've gone to great lengths to explain why it's not. You have offered no reasons to back up your assertion that it is. I don't know why you think that your judgment is so valid that it requires no support in the face of so many reasons to the contrary, but despite your claim that you "see what we're saying," I have my doubts.

[Edited on 10.19.2007 10:39 AM PDT]

  • 10.19.2007 10:33 AM PDT

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I don't see why you are saying it wasn't Bungie's project. I mean, I get your point of view, but I simply think that it is too simple. Sure someone else handled it, namely MS, and I understand that Bungie may indeed actually know nothing about what happened, or why, but the fact remains, IRIS was Bungie's baby, whether they were the ones that handled it or not. All I am asking for at this point is a solid response, or apology. Just some sort of recognition so that I am not left thinking that Bungie simply doesn't care.

I am sorry for directing my frustration at you personally twinkie, but its pretty frustrating to get slapped down by a member that I would expect would be on my side of this. Your responses sound more like what I would expect from Bungie, or Microsoft, or DHL, if they had resposibility in this. And I think that you belittle the situation way to heavily with your comparisons. It's not a prize in a cereal box, or a slurpee cup. It's recognition for participating in a Bungie based, Bungie hosted, project, that promised more than mere recognition (which is all I seek), in reward. Again, don't misconstrue my request. I don't want recognition for the sake of showing off to my friends, or other forum members. If I were to get a satisfactory PM, or a letter in the mail, and no one else was to ever find out, that would be fine by me. I feel that everyone involved deserves a response, however.

Speaking of the letter in the mail. I registered my real address, name, and other personal information with microsoft on my windows live ID just so that I could be sure to recieve my package. I am normally not very comfortable giving out this information to any companies, but I decided to this time, because it involved Bungie, and I expected to get some goodies. It upsets me that I stepped out of my normal actions on the internet, and gave out this information for what turned out to be a lost cause. I don't want Microsoft to have my address, unless they intend to make good on the promise. Now I'm upset that I may be on a mailing list, that I would have avoided if I thought nothing would have come of this.

It's a bit deeper than a leaky sippee cup.

  • 10.19.2007 10:38 AM PDT

Strange evolution how people have come to believe
That we are it's greatest achievement
We're barely, we're just a collection of cells
Overrating themselves

I think Fauxman (see, I still love ya) summed up what was going through my mind when he said
....a lot of Community members ARE a bunch of spoiled, whiny morons, and they can be hard to love.

Granted, my "facts" weren't as up-to-date as they should have been, but with Bungie leaving MS with rumored reasons that included, "disagreements concerning how MS handled licensing and advertisement of Bungie IP", I file this under that.

I have always thought that Bungie gave a little more to thier fans and truly poured thier heart and soul into thier games while MS viewed Bungie and Halo with dollar signs in thier eyes. The days and months leading up to Halo 3's release only cemented this in my mind.

I work for a private company, and I sign a form stating that anything I create is property of the company. If I create something, and they use it in a way that causes injury, etc, I personally feel that I shouldnt be the one to apologize. Maybe that gives a better understanding as to why I fell what I do. Im of the personnal belief that Bungies role in this involved story content, nothing else. If it turns out that Bungie said, "Yeah, and we can give people prizes for doing this or that" then they should, by all means, apologize. If it more closely resembles what I feel is the case, then I dont feel Bungie owes anybody an apology.

Hopefully this helps. I have a bad habit of writing things where I know what Im thinking and mean, but it doesnt necessarily mean that anybody else does.

  • 10.19.2007 11:23 AM PDT

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I do understand your viewpoint better. Thanks for the clarification. I still disagree to a large extent about Bungie's responsibilities here. I think that it would be only right for them to make a formal statement or apology, or at least give out some limited edition avatars, or something silly like that just to say "Yeah, we know you got screwed, so, here ya go. Sorry about that, it wasn't really our fault." Kind of like if my employee was obligated to complete a task for one of my customers while I was away, and he didn't get the job done. I would feel compelled to apologize, and I would feel that it was my responsibility to at least express my sorry, if I could do nothing to make it right. Whether they are technically responsible for any of it or not, the whole shebang carried Bungie's name, and I am surprised that they don't seem more concerned with clearing up the mess. It seems to me that it would be benificial for them. I am not trying to claim that they "owe" anything to anyone. I just feel that the right thing for them to do, would be to at least express their sorrow, and address the situation in more than a cursory manner.

  • 10.19.2007 1:19 PM PDT

I was screwed way before you guys. I won server 4, got a key, signed in with my Windows Live ID, and it says "Server error in /tr89ex application"

  • 10.19.2007 2:04 PM PDT
Subject: Iris Packages

Send me a PM of your email and I'll get you a lockerz invite. 100% legit Thx CarloMorris for pic.

Banshee Master

Absolute Annihilation

Posted by: Achronos
Bungie did not run the IRIS ARG. It isn't a matter of ignoring you, it is a matter of us not being able to help you. Microsoft's marketing guys ran that. I wish we could help you more, but we simply do not have any information on any promised prizes and such. I'm sorry, but that's just how it is.
Posted by: WFGeppetto
Nice to see you Odmichael. Thanks for the response. I suppose I should point out that this thread (as long as it lives) will be mostly visited by Compound Intelligence members. Pretty much everyone from the group was along for almost the entire ride, and all of us were (including the ones that didn't "get in") very disappointed, and continue to be without any resolution to the issue.

Foman, I too have gotten many PMs on this topic. Enough that I had to develop a nice diplomatic, generic response. It's tough when you work to enthuse your members, and encourage their participation by inflating the excitement, and often defending Bungie (for IRIS's bungles), only to be left aside in return. Again, my time spent was of my own accord, and I don't feel that that alone entitles me to anything. The disappointment is in the fact that this has been ignored. We should at very least be told if something will ever happen.


Who ran the last one?! I wish I knew about halo back then, I love bees would have been fun *sad face*

  • 10.19.2007 8:25 PM PDT

--] GT: thebruce ( @thebruce0 )
--] http://Halo.Wikibruce.com
--] http://4DFiction.com

ilovebees was run by 42 Entertainment - professional in the ARG business. Whereas MS just has a marketing department, and decided to do Iris in-house, rather then outsourced.

  • 10.19.2007 10:03 PM PDT

Estne volumen in toga an solum tibi libet me videre?

Nothing suits me like a suit.

Nothing is true. Everything is permitted.

I'm still wondering why they didn't send out packadges. I worked hard to figure out Server 3, and told other people how to unlock it (I wasn't the first to figure out, I got the 97th key or something) And then, I waited just for anything that would prove I helped, I wouldn't care if I got a T-shirt and a sticker saying good job! But I waited for one week, then two, than a month, than two months, and nothing came. The people from server 1 and 2 got something for participating, no one else did? Microsoft did a bad thing.

  • 10.20.2007 9:00 AM PDT
Subject: I thought that the Bungie Community was for more than free advertis...
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A lot of people did a LOT of hard work for helping to solve iris. For example: The CI mod and admin team, TheBruce, ABO, myself and Frag Ingot for writing programs to assist the people, all the theorists, the ARG-IRC admin for letting us use his server for our chat, the list goes on...

There have been a lot of people helping just because of their love of bungie. It doesn't seem fair that only some of the people who worked on iris and barely did anything *cough* TITO *cough* get rewarded. It's also not fair that out of the 500 people to unlock the servers only 200 people get a physical reward.

[Edited on 10.20.2007 3:42 PM PDT]

  • 10.20.2007 3:41 PM PDT

RaTiOnAl AnArChY

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Posted by: SpeedySurfer
A lot of people did a LOT of hard work for helping to solve iris. For example: The CI mod and admin team, TheBruce, ABO, myself and Frag Ingot for writing programs to assist the people, all the theorists, the ARG-IRC admin for letting us use his server for our chat, the list goes on...

There have been a lot of people helping just because of their love of bungie. It doesn't seem fair that only some of the people who worked on iris and barely did anything *cough* TITO *cough* get rewarded. It's also not fair that out of the 500 people to unlock the servers only 200 people get a physical reward.


Heh, heh. Amen Speedy. Thanks for the props. Cough, *punk" cough.

  • 10.20.2007 4:27 PM PDT
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The Marty Army

Ah, look at the lonely people...

IRIS wasn't even an ARG. It was more of a Viral Marketing Campaign, there was nothing "alternate reality" about it.

And, Tito still sucks :D (a little bit of IRC humor for 'ya).

  • 10.20.2007 5:22 PM PDT
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I was so excited when i opened server 4, not only because i thought i would get some cool stuff. but it was just cool to be a part of Iris, a part of HALO 3!!!, The reward was an added bonus but that doesnt mean im not pissed off. I wouldnt mind so much if nobody got anything but because some did and some didnt that is just showing that the company just doesnt care and that bothers me.

  • 10.20.2007 5:31 PM PDT

One nation, under God I 2012 NBA Champions Miami Heat
1/20/2017 Four more years of hell
___.............._______/```````````````:::--.
|.==,-.~;. ____:._______ __’__’__’_ _ _\===
|................--:---:--:--‘---:,, ,,, ,,, ,,,:---: /=
`-.,.__._._,,...---:::"

I still keep this as a reminder on when I did unlock a server. I sat here on my laptop for many hours back during the summer when this was going on. When I finally won, I was excited to get my prize. Then all of a sudden nothing. Completely ignored. What happened? How can you possible reward 200 people and then ignore 300 more. Seriously, I don't get it. They didn't ignore the 1,000 people in the Pontiac contest did they? Of course that is a bit different since it was a $60 game, not a shirt, book, gamerpic, etc. It just doesn't make sense to me, the whole thing was basically ignored. I always wondered who logged in onto AR's account and responded to one of my posts. Seriously, to whom it may concern, what say you?

  • 10.20.2007 5:42 PM PDT
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Hope for the best.
Prepare for the worst.

i know that this might not seam as much taking the fact that everibody is talking about Bungie and Microsoft's marketing department but i was thinking about " Major Nelson " and how he spends time advertising the fact thet he is there to "help" the xbox community. We are the community of Bungie and we are the community of xbox and if we cant get inmediate help (at the moment(maybe)) from Bungie and we really have no way of contacting the marketing team at MS then why dont we go and talk to him, im not saying that he was responsible or that he will get it solved but at this moment in time we the people that spend the time to work on solving the IRIS ARG and help put the game in the place it deserved to be (in peoples mouth) have nothing to lose, we allready lost all hope and we might as well give it a shot don't you think

  • 10.20.2007 6:00 PM PDT
Subject: Iris Packages

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Posted by: theBruce
ilovebees was run by 42 Entertainment - professional in the ARG business. Whereas MS just has a marketing department, and decided to do Iris in-house, rather then outsourced.


Very relevant, thank you. It illustrates the apparent arrogance of M$ to take on this endevor, subsequently shining light upon our lack of response. This lends to the idea that the project leaned toward the marketing side (read Viral), which is fine by me, but only solidifies the need for followthrough. Fortunately for those that do not want the blame, it was simply an internet forums party, and the likelyhood of publicity was low. Unfortunately, Bungie seems to either not want to approach the subject with Microsoft, or they do not think that it's a big enough problem to worry with. Sadly, the likely reality of the situation is that Microsoft hired a small staff of people who were not particularly experienced in either managing ARGs or following through on difficult scheduling. The most atrocious aspect of the situation is that after everything fell through, apparently all the responsible parties went home, and said "Screw it, there's nothing we can do now." In the end, Bungie is left with their name pasted across everything to do with the project, Microsoft doesn't seem to give a crap, and nobody cares enough about our frustration to entertain us with so much as a real acknowledgement.

Will the real jerk please stand up?

Really, somebody do a bit more than say, "That's just how it is."

[Edited on 10.20.2007 7:28 PM PDT]

  • 10.20.2007 7:20 PM PDT
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If I have gained one thing out of IRIS that would be what I consider to be some new friends. If it weren't for CI I would never have met these people. If it weren't for Apocalypse3210 I would have never used IRC and met even more people. A lot of us may not have received a reward, but there is no denying that IRIS brought the community together and let people shine and do what they do best.

  • 10.21.2007 1:45 AM PDT
Subject: I thought that the Bungie Community was for more than free advertis...

In the heart of Africa, at the dawn of time. They built it.
Posted by: x Foman123 x
S3NATOR has brilliantly taken the next philosophical and theoretical step, and advanced mankind once more. For that, I'm forever grateful.

*lollernadoes*

I've read through most of the front page of this thread and I completely and wholeheartedly agree with what Geppetto, Foman, theBruce, and all the other community members have said. I don't think I could express myself any better than they have. I feel as though the first two Server rewards where only given out to keep everyone coming back for more. I feel that is unfair. I feel like the rest of the community was left out and "alienated". The whole ARG seemed to spawn a huge community effort but then after the community was spawned it was like we where just dropped because the ARG had accomplished what it was planned for and we were not needed anymore. I helped open a server as well. I really have moved on and don't expect to get a "reward" anymore. I still bought Halo3 and I'm still a huge Halo freak. I just feel like I need some kind of recognition for participating in such a huge community effort.

S3N

  • 10.21.2007 11:10 AM PDT

I feel a bit cheated, I helped a bit trying to decode all the servers, I helped unlock Server 04 and was pretty excited. It was a fun ARG but the fact that only 2 out of the 5 servers got packages and some exclusive swag, makes me and I'm pretty sure people of the other 3 servers pretty pissed off.

  • 10.21.2007 4:17 PM PDT

Secret Ninja Member.

As a foreword, I was one of the many that opened Server 4 (With Foman's help, of course), but I was involved in IRIS from the start

When I didn't receive anything after the first two weeks, I was admittedly disappointed. This was because I had explicitly received a note saying I would be rewarded for my participation. Granted, this is an ambiguous promise at best. But I didn't see any reward of any sort anywhere, unless you count me paying my own money on Halo 3 and enjoying it greatly. After a month, I gave up hoping for a package to come like one that did for Servers 1 and 2, because if Server 3 didn't get anything yet, then Server 4 people assuredly wouldn't either (not to mention Server 5).

All in all, I just want some recognition for my participation, a sort of token to prove to friends and others that I spent time and effort being involved in IRIS. I think everyone involved in IRIS should receive some sort of unique token (even a digital one, like an e-mail saying "Thanks for your participation") so that they can bear it proudly and show just how dedicated they are to Bungie and the Haloverse.

-Sauce

  • 10.21.2007 7:13 PM PDT

Having helped open server 3, I also waited . . . and waited . . . and waited. I won't rephrase what so many here have eloquently expressed, I'll only add my voice to the chorus, and add that I became involved because of Bungie's reputation as intimate with their fans, and I don't really see that reputation being lived up to here. I can easily understand why they would NOT want to be too close to most of the fans, given the posts in the general forum, but the whole point of IRIS was that it was meant to attract those with a desire for community and conversation, and include them in the backstory they wanted. So I'm just saying that I enjoyed following IRIS and being part of it, but at the same time I feel kind of used, and that never feels good.

I understand what Achronos said, that it was not their responsibility, but it is their name and product connected to it. And the response we've gotten is really just typical corporate stonewalling--sending out a nice guy to say nothing helpful in particular--which only reinforces the bad feeling. If you see what I mean.

Good night, I'm going back to fragging flipjap.

[Edited on 10.21.2007 11:05 PM PDT]

  • 10.21.2007 11:01 PM PDT
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Well at least now that bungie run themselves again they'll follow through with any promises made.

  • 10.22.2007 3:48 AM PDT

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Posted by: SpeedySurfer
Well at least now that bungie run themselves again they'll follow through with any promises made.


An excellent way to start off on the right foot would be to show their loyalty, and independance by repairing this issue themselves. Doing so very publicly would be pretty smart, if you ask me. Something like "Now that were on our own, we'd like to mend some of the recent mistakes resulting from our partnerships. We love our Community, and as an independant company, we would like to show our fans that we, Bungie, take care of our own. For all the participants of Iris (or at least the ones that did not recieve their promised "prize") we would like to offer..."

Come on, wouldn't that just solidify your newfound independance, and prove that you guys are here for the long haul? It ony makes sense to me, and could be pretty simple and inexpensive. Especially considering the fact that most people in this thread are merely asking for some sort of recognition. Honestly, the one item I wanted the most (the autographed book was pretty cool) was the gamerpic code. I thought it'd be a pretty cool badge to use the Chrystopheron glyph for my Gamer pic to show everyone that I was part of it. A little electronic goodie like that would be extremely cheap to produce, and pretty simple to give out. The only question is whether or not anyone actually still has the information on which people unlocked the last 3 servers. Hell, give it to everyone from CI, ABO, Unifiction, and HBO. One set of easy to create avatars, and a few thousand automated emails: problem solved. (more or less at least).

C'mon Bungie, tell us we're cool.

  • 10.22.2007 10:56 AM PDT