Bungie.net Community
This topic has moved here: Subject: The State of Bungie.net
  • Subject: The State of Bungie.net
Subject: The State of Bungie.net

Twitter | Nothing

I've already been getting in touch with some Group leaders asking whether they would be interested in sharing some news stories and organsing some contests etc: Let's see what happens.

  • 08.01.2006 3:48 PM PDT
  • gamertag: [none]
  • user homepage:

Do you have what it takes to become a ninja? Join Ninja Academy
Prepared to learn the way of the jedi? Join
KOTOR

Great thread. I join groups that I think are fun and wished the groups got along better. I also post in the Septagon and Flood because I enjoy those forums. Conquering, spamming, and flaming groups is wrong. I also don't like mass pms either.

There are a lot of cool people in Bungie.net and I think it regretable that the flamers, spammers, conquerors, and elitists cause trouble for everyone. Keep doing a great job mods and I also want to commend those group leaders who do care about more than membership counts.

  • 08.01.2006 3:58 PM PDT

<3 PMS Clan-Twitter-Personal Site
Posted by: Deus_Ex_Machina
Cortana 5 is a carbon-based lifeform that frequently visits these forums, currently residing in the United States. Practically every male on the site responds to her posts.

The Joyeuse IP Formula

I'm putting this thead in my signature so maybe others will finally relize what this place has come to be. I completly agree with Jim.

I know! Put this in your sig so we can spread the word!
(Sorry if people already took this idea.)

[Edited on 8/1/2006]

  • 08.01.2006 4:15 PM PDT
  • gamertag:
  • user homepage:
  • last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT

I don't visit this forum much. I'm glad Cortana 5 directed my attention to it.

I have but one thing to say:

-It's about damn time!

You can ask some of the more seasoned members about my rants in the Flood regarding the state of the site. I haven't been able to post my thoughts as calmly or coherently as many here, but I have been stating these types of problems for quite a while.

The one thing I cannot thank Achronos enough for is the bloody search engine! Huzzah!

  • 08.01.2006 4:25 PM PDT

Tom Achronos
Bungie.net Overlord
twitter: http://twitter.com/Achronos

"I have no words that would do justice to the atrocities you commit to the English language, as well as your continued assaults on the concepts of basic literacy and logical reasoning."

Don't thank me for the search engine. While I have been trying to find the proper time to devote to it for a long time, I never could, there was always something more important. However, we were able to find a new web developer to work with me, and his first project (his way of learning bungie.net's code) was to implement a search feature (since it would have to touch every aspect of the site to be any good).

As I said... change is happening right before you. First was hiring KP to do more regular content. Second was hiring a new full time web dev to work with me. Third... well, stick around. ;)

  • 08.01.2006 4:38 PM PDT

<3 PMS Clan-Twitter-Personal Site
Posted by: Deus_Ex_Machina
Cortana 5 is a carbon-based lifeform that frequently visits these forums, currently residing in the United States. Practically every male on the site responds to her posts.

The Joyeuse IP Formula

Posted by: Achronos
The mythical search engine is coming... sooner than you expect. More I cannot say.

"The Kuniklo Project" as you put it... is related to Halo 3, mostly. As such, it is quiet for now.

Things are actually going to start happening pretty fast and furious over the next couple of months. As a long term example... don't get too attached to the bottom nav bar. And that's all I'll say about that.

Lots of things are going to change to get this place ready for Halo 3. But we'll also likely spread the development love around to not just the Halo 3 related stuff, as well. Don't confuse the lack of information with the lack of change. We'll be moving to a new datacenter within the next week or two, and then shortly after that... well, you'll see.

Sounds like Christmas!

  • 08.01.2006 4:38 PM PDT
  •  | 
  • Fabled Mythic Member
  • gamertag: [none]
  • user homepage:

Posted by: cortana 5
Posted by: Achronos
The mythical search engine is coming... sooner than you expect. More I cannot say.

"The Kuniklo Project" as you put it... is related to Halo 3, mostly. As such, it is quiet for now.

Things are actually going to start happening pretty fast and furious over the next couple of months. As a long term example... don't get too attached to the bottom nav bar. And that's all I'll say about that.

Lots of things are going to change to get this place ready for Halo 3. But we'll also likely spread the development love around to not just the Halo 3 related stuff, as well. Don't confuse the lack of information with the lack of change. We'll be moving to a new datacenter within the next week or two, and then shortly after that... well, you'll see.

Sounds like Christmas!


Christmas indeed......

  • 08.01.2006 4:45 PM PDT

<3 PMS Clan-Twitter-Personal Site
Posted by: Deus_Ex_Machina
Cortana 5 is a carbon-based lifeform that frequently visits these forums, currently residing in the United States. Practically every male on the site responds to her posts.

The Joyeuse IP Formula

Posted by: Kilroy
Posted by: cortana 5
Posted by: Achronos
The mythical search engine is coming... sooner than you expect. More I cannot say.

"The Kuniklo Project" as you put it... is related to Halo 3, mostly. As such, it is quiet for now.

Things are actually going to start happening pretty fast and furious over the next couple of months. As a long term example... don't get too attached to the bottom nav bar. And that's all I'll say about that.

Lots of things are going to change to get this place ready for Halo 3. But we'll also likely spread the development love around to not just the Halo 3 related stuff, as well. Don't confuse the lack of information with the lack of change. We'll be moving to a new datacenter within the next week or two, and then shortly after that... well, you'll see.

Sounds like Christmas!


Christmas indeed......

And Achronos is Bungie's version on Santa!
I wanna be an elf!

[Edited on 8/1/2006]

  • 08.01.2006 4:46 PM PDT
  • gamertag:
  • user homepage:
  • last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT

Posted by: Achronos
Don't thank me for the search engine. While I have been trying to find the proper time to devote to it for a long time, I never could, there was always something more important. However, we were able to find a new web developer to work with me, and his first project (his way of learning bungie.net's code) was to implement a search feature (since it would have to touch every aspect of the site to be any good).

As I said... change is happening right before you. First was hiring KP to do more regular content. Second was hiring a new full time web dev to work with me. Third... well, stick around. ;)

Honestly, this news actually gives me much more incentive to stick around, and I haven't been this excited about the forums since Halo 2 was launched. Well, I'm certainly keeping my eyes peeled. O.O

  • 08.01.2006 4:48 PM PDT

Add the email above to your MSN to contact me with emergencies on the forum.

FOR CARNAGE, APPLY WITHIN
Marathon, Myth, and MORE (Under construction)

NO U! A Webcomic.
Mob Of Angry Peasants Chat

I know we're excited about Achrono's ominous hints about the future, but I remind you that we aren't out of the water by a long shot, and that we should try to come up with ideas for more community interaction, and more promotion of the Bungie Way.

  • 08.01.2006 4:49 PM PDT
  • gamertag:
  • user homepage:
  • last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT

Posted by: GameJunkieJim
I know we're excited about Achrono's ominous hints about the future, but I remind you that we aren't out of the water by a long shot, and that we should try to come up with ideas for more community interaction, and more promotion of the Bungie Way.

Hmm.

Well, if it's community interaction we're looking for, is there some way to link Xbox Live players with Bungie.net? Not simply by advertising the site, but by an interactive approach?

EDIT: For clarification, players that frequently play Halo 2/3.

[Edited on 8/1/2006]

  • 08.01.2006 4:58 PM PDT

[MjolnirTactics][Midsphere]
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
▀▄▀▄ Strategy, Competition, & Achievements for Halo & Beyond ▄▀▄▀
████▓▓▓▓▒▒▒▒░░░░ Mjolnir Battle Tactics ░░░░▒▒▒▒▓▓▓▓████

A few things I have to add now that a few more people have replied.

For one I was thinking about the McDonalds analogy that was made earlier in this post. After thinking about it for a while I've come to the conclusion that, that isn't a fair analogy because McDonalds is a corporation which is responsible for its employees actions while on duty. However the groups are run more like a government where say a regular member is a police man. If this police man is on duty (in the group) his actions are accountable by the group. If he is off duty (in the public forum) then his actions are his own. So lets say he murders someone off-duty (spams) his actions would reflect on the police department but would not overall reflect on the government because he was off-duty and they cannot control what he does while not at work.

As for 7th Column improvements I think there is alot to be done but Halo 3 comes first. The 7th Column is not the only thing in need of updates. This entire site is fallen into decay due to disuse. Features that have caused alot of problems in the past like leaderboards may have caused modding and alot of problems but really overall if bungie had not improved its detection system for mods and cheaters, would removing the leaderboards still really have caused any change in the amount of people that mod. The truth is not really. If people are going to mod leaderboards or no leaderboards they are going to do it. As such I think the leaderboards where a great feature which caused people come to this site and bungie in a anti-productive manner made them inaccessible to the public. Subsequently many sites have been set up with stat tracking abilities that have diverted all the people away from the now gone leaderboards. That's just less people that visist bungie.net its not actually taking away stat tracking or effecting modding to get on the leaderboard its just having a negative impact on people visiting this site.

Group unity. It sounds good in theory and I've heard alot of people discuss it and say there has been alot of saying and doing but not listening. No one person can force groups to be united or to even interact in a nice way. Some might say Achronos can but he can't go in a mediate a arguement between groups. For one he's to busy and secondly that isn't going to solve anything. They will listen to him of course since he's the webmaster of bungie and can delete there group but dislike will still be hidden under the surface. Even if it is not between the actual founders of the group, members of the groups can take it upon themselves to incite trouble between the groups. Group Unity can only be achieved when people are willing to be united.

more to come...

  • 08.01.2006 4:58 PM PDT

July 15, 2008... The day the timer stood still.

Posted by: GameJunkieJim
I know we're excited about Achrono's ominous hints about the future, but I remind you that we aren't out of the water by a long shot, and that we should try to come up with ideas for more community interaction, and more promotion of the Bungie Way.

Ok, time to brainstorm...

* Instant messanger rooms. Someone starts a room and begins to invite people. Like the chat rooms on AIM.

* A user rating system. Probably invisible to the public, but you rate certain users (like the xbox live 1-5 start rating system). Plus that might eliminate the ungodly "Rate the user above you!" threads...

* The search engine (I know its coming, but just wanted to put it out there.

* An upgraded gallery and voting booth. Sketch doesn't have to be the only person doing it (especially since he seems to have fallen off the face of the earth).

* More avatars. Perhaps a custom avatart submission box with weekly or monthly winners.

* Update the "Letters to the webmaster" thing.

* Hold on... I'm thinking...

  • 08.01.2006 5:07 PM PDT
  • gamertag: [none]
  • user homepage:

Seriously, don't take me seriously.

Underground Pleasure - aren't you a bit curious?

GH...you sound a lot like me......except we have different view points. Creepy thought. >.>

The group communities are worse than the public forums.

[Edited on 8/1/2006]

  • 08.01.2006 5:10 PM PDT
  • gamertag:
  • user homepage:
  • last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT

What I see as the main problem that applies to both groups and the main forums, and which I believe GJJ has already touched on, is creativity. I've noticed that every time you see a popular thread, three more pop up within the next few days. I've only noticed this in the Flood, but I'm sure the Septagon would be the same way if it had more activity. Of course, that wouldn't be a problem if these were good threads, but every popular thread you see in the Flood is just mindless drivel where people go to say something "clever."

Now I think this can be a good thing as well. For instance, when I post a story, or chapter of a story, I notice that more people start thinking "Hey, maybe I'd like to do that," and I completely support this...unless of course they just steal my, or other's ideas.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, we need to be examples. Too many people are busy complaining about the decline of Bungie and not enough of them are doing anything about it.

  • 08.01.2006 5:18 PM PDT

July 15, 2008... The day the timer stood still.

Posted by: lilshorty6478
GH...you sound a lot like me......sorta. Creepy thought. >.>

The group communities are worse than the public forums.
The Marty army is fascist. There, I said it. I like Marty and I love his music, but the group is a bit dictated. For better or for worse I suppose.

  • 08.01.2006 5:19 PM PDT

SB-117

Posted by: Guardian Hunter
A few things I have to add now that a few more people have replied.

For one I was thinking about the McDonalds analogy that was made earlier in this post. After thinking about it for a while I've come to the conclusion that, that isn't a fair analogy because McDonalds is a corporation which is responsible for its employees actions while on duty. However the groups are run more like a government where say a regular member is a police man. If this police man is on duty (in the group) his actions are accountable by the group. If he is off duty (in the public forum) then his actions are his own. So lets say he murders someone off-duty (spams) his actions would reflect on the police department but would not overall reflect on the government because he was off-duty and they cannot control what he does while not at work.


Your group isn't the government though, your group would be more comparable to the police department; which builds a bad reputation for hiring psychotic law enforcers.

Bungie would be the government in that situation, the larger entity that the police departments (groups) are a part of. If your members spam in the main forum, why do you have them in your group? I would say boot them. If a spammer has your group in their signature then it makes your group look like a joke.

Groups are responsible for selecting and customising their own community and if members of that community are idiots, (and advertise that they are so in the public forums too) then it gives your group a negative image.

If you want your group to be respected, why not invite respectable people only? Don't just ignore the reputation they're giving you. I would recommend that you stop making excuses for the behaviour of the people you recruit and do something about it, that is, unless you don't mind having a bad reputation.

  • 08.01.2006 5:21 PM PDT
  • gamertag:
  • user homepage:
  • last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT

All group leaders need to keep their members in check. They have a responsibility to make sure their members are acting the right way. So if x ammount of members is to many to keep track of then get rid of some. Quality over quantity.

  • 08.01.2006 5:28 PM PDT

bah

Posted by: Achronos
As I said... change is happening right before you. First was hiring KP to do more regular content. Second was hiring a new full time web dev to work with me. Third... well, stick around. ;)
[gets out of chair]YES! YES! NEW WEB DEV TO ENACT PWNAGE OF THE INTERNETS!!!!!!!!!!!! YES![/gets out of chair]
This points towards less neglect of the Bungie site's less critical areas, and an even better upkeep of the critical ones, i.e. fixing up the drunken webmaster's mess-ups. I've said it a thousand times, lack of search feature is what kills this site the most as far as the forums go (things that kill the site that Bungie can control). Now, you need to work on Disembodied Soul's interface to the site so he can begin posting again.

[Edited on 8/1/2006]

  • 08.01.2006 5:31 PM PDT
  •  | 
  • Elder Mythic Member

I've got quite a bit to say, so I'll split it into two parts. First, Bungie.

I'd like to point out before I go further that I'm not under any circumstances suggesting that Dmb is a suck-up, I know he's a great guy anyway. I took his statement as refering to Xbox Live, as in we can meet people there. Without contradicting him however, I fully agree with Rip Saw. Bungie owe's us a lot. Without us, their loyal fans, they'd be nothing. They are without doubt the most important game developer on the planet at the moment, but without our constant support and money, they wouldn't mean anything to anyone. I hate it when they forget that (e.g. no screenshots, not even some new angles of the trailer), but I hate it even more when people suck up to them (kids who post, like Rip said, saying Bungie owes us nothing), and there's plenty of the little bastards in this thread already.

As a loyal customer of Bungie, having purchased every action figure up to the latest set, every music CD, every game twice (at full price), and every book (3 novels, Art book and now the HGN), I feel the least they could do for me as a customer is show me a look at what Halo 3 looks like. I understand they can't show the Arbiter, and I understand they want to build up hype (so no pics yet of any vehicles for eg), but something as humble as a Grunt. Or a Multiplayer shot (1 a month). That'd be lovely, and would be a highlight of my year if I'm honest (some people like sport, I like Halo, seeing a screenshot is a highlight no matter how sad you think I am).

Now, I realise that Bungie may be in a position where they must continue their development of the game with secrecy and discetion. However, many weekly updates ago, they had promises of little tid-bits being released to feed our Halo addiction and offer a glimpse as to what they are up to. Aside from the trailer (and a "Making of" trailer which basically only confirms the Shotgun), there has been nothing. The website is dry as a bone months after the trailer was released and the weekly updates tell us nothing besides "We're remodelling the Warthog, it looks nice". I feel it is in Bungie's best interest to give us something to speculate over, other than crackpot theories. It would also make me think a lot more highly about Bungie as a 'company that looks after it's customers' as well, as recent events have left me in serious doubt.


Now for the second part, Community

I hate people who suck-up to the Moderators/Admins, because they themselves want to become one. Look a few post above me on this page (reference Christmas..). In my humble opinion, It's them type of people that are ruining the community as well as the immature ones. People view them as being 'respectful, happy chappies', where as they're nothing more as little suck-ups who think that by engraciating themselves with admins etc, they'll either be selected as one or find out 'secrets'. I could go on, but the majority of people who know me, know what I mean. Those little bastards who copy Achronos's unique way of quoting people (answer first, then quote). But what causes that? It's the fact they more often than not get rewarded for it. Good members who are more trust-worthy and who contribute a heck of a lot of good stuff are left side-lined for people who basically just kiss arse. I've always hated it, I hate it now, and the community won't be the same until all this 'elitism' (which it is), is stamped out.

As that will never happen though, I'm still happy to continue coming here albeit in my private groups, the likes of which will never be tarnished by this bull -blam!-.

  • 08.01.2006 5:31 PM PDT

Veteran member of The Frozen Minority.

Posted by: The Rip Saw
Now, you need to work on Disembodied Soul's interface to the site so he can begin posting again.

Agreed.

  • 08.01.2006 5:43 PM PDT

Honestly, taking out groups and not handing out warnings seems like the only way to restore originality. It is the users job as a member to read the CoC before posting. If groups were to get taken out, there would be much less conflict between members.

  • 08.01.2006 6:04 PM PDT
  • gamertag:
  • user homepage:
  • last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT

Posted by: Achronos
Good idea. Consider it done.

Posted by: GameJunkieJim
This isn't about join dates, this is about interaction, I could give a crap less about someone's join date, and would love for them to be gone.


I'm sorry if this is off-topic, but you are referring to the join date for B.net right?

I'm asking because I can still see the 'Member Since' dates underneath everyones names.

  • 08.01.2006 6:05 PM PDT

Add the email above to your MSN to contact me with emergencies on the forum.

FOR CARNAGE, APPLY WITHIN
Marathon, Myth, and MORE (Under construction)

NO U! A Webcomic.
Mob Of Angry Peasants Chat

Posted by: Guardian Hunter
A few things I have to add now that a few more people have replied.

For one I was thinking about the McDonalds analogy that was made earlier in this post. After thinking about it for a while I've come to the conclusion that, that isn't a fair analogy because McDonalds is a corporation which is responsible for its employees actions while on duty. However the groups are run more like a government where say a regular member is a police man. If this police man is on duty (in the group) his actions are accountable by the group. If he is off duty (in the public forum) then his actions are his own. So lets say he murders someone off-duty (spams) his actions would reflect on the police department but would not overall reflect on the government because he was off-duty and they cannot control what he does while not at work.
Not applicable. Either Bungie is the government and your group is the precinct, or your group is the government and your members are the senators and representatives. You cannot have the best of both worlds. If a member from Bungie Jumpers came into the forum and spammed, it would reflect badly upon me, and so I don't tolerate the behavior. You can't add an extra step.

As for 7th Column improvements I think there is alot to be done but Halo 3 comes first. Nothing I or so far anyone else has been proposing would interfere with Halo 3. Bungie has a decently sized staff, and some are strictly for the website.The 7th Column is not the only thing in need of updates. This entire site is fallen into decay due to disuse.I would say overuse on the main forums, and underuse on the part of the Seventh Column. Features that have caused alot of problems in the past like leaderboards may have caused modding and alot of problems but really overall if bungie had not improved its detection system for mods and cheaters, would removing the leaderboards still really have caused any change in the amount of people that mod. The truth is not really. If people are going to mod leaderboards or no leaderboards they are going to do it. Your opinion on this has absolutely no real bearing on the issue of the whole of the column, that's a LIVE issue, methinks. As such I think the leaderboards where a great feature which caused people come to this site and bungie in a anti-productive manner made them inaccessible to the public. They were a fun thing, but ultimately contributed to elitism. The ranks were never supposedly supposed to designate a higher standing, but to simply match people of similar skill for Matchmaking. Subsequently many sites have been set up with stat tracking abilities that have diverted all the people away from the now gone leaderboards. that's fine, and a good thing, that means that people who liked that aspect aren't shut out. That's just less people that visist bungie.net its not actually taking away stat tracking or effecting modding to get on the leaderboard its just having a negative impact on people visiting this site. It tends to create more problems than it's worth.

Group unity. It sounds good in theory and I've heard alot of people discuss it and say there has been alot of saying and doing but not listening. No one person can force groups to be united or to even interact in a nice way. Nobody is asking anyone to force them, one would simply enjoy a better benefit from those relationships, so it would be better for the group to cooperate. If you look at my group list you will see many decent groups, that all work well with other groups. Body Politic and The Black Chapter compliment each other so nicely that many members are in both groups, and steer people towards the other when they seem to want to discuss something in theme with the group. There are multiple Jumper Groups that we're currently working on to share Bungie Lore and set up times for classic Bungie game play, (or modern, in the case of Halo Jumpers) Chapter Founders is a huge resource for new and old groups alike. Mob Of Angry Peasants runs a Java based IRC client for Bungie Members to chat in real time on. There is absolutely no reason a large group can't get along with smaller groups except when they are innundated with elitist attitudes. Some might say Achronos can but he can't go in a mediate a arguement between groups. For one he's to busy and secondly that isn't going to solve anything. They will listen to him of course since he's the webmaster of bungie and can delete there group but dislike will still be hidden under the surface. Again, if the group doesn't want to make an effort, they don't have to, but then they lose potential benefits. Even if it is not between the actual founders of the group, members of the groups can take it upon themselves to incite trouble between the groups. Agreed, but this reflects on the group. There is no getting around that in some cases, but to boot the troublemakers from the group. Failure to do so is a tacit approval of the deeds. Group Unity can only be achieved when people are willing to be united. That is true

more to come...
I look forward to it.

[Edited on 8/1/2006]

  • 08.01.2006 6:08 PM PDT