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  • Subject: What do you guys at Bungie thinks of the Halogen shutdown?
Subject: What do you guys at Bungie thinks of the Halogen shutdown?
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http://www.kotaku.com/gaming/top/msoft-pulls-plug-on-halo-rts -mod-199568.php

Seriously? I mean it your property and all, but you haven't done this before to Halo homages. Or is just the upper guys at M$. I'm just curious.

Nos - Fixed link and made lazy.

[Edited on 9/12/2006 by Nosferatu_Soldie]

  • 09.09.2006 2:47 PM PDT
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  • Elder Mythic Member

that really sucks =[

  • 09.09.2006 3:13 PM PDT

I thought this whole 7th Column movement was to promote fan creations, not tear them down. I know it was probably the Microsoft higher-ups acting like jerks, but this really is an all-time low.

  • 09.09.2006 4:37 PM PDT

To Make Posts is Glorious

Some threads will get posts before others and it is the duty of the Leadership to ensure that posts are made that best suit the public welfare.

"heh"

This mod looked damn cool. And I mean that I would have gotten Command And Conquer just to play this. Microsoft should understand that this would probably boost sales of Halo, because fans of RTS's would probably want to give it a try. In addition to what Ruby said, yes, Microsoft just tore down a large community right at the time when community was needed most.

  • 09.09.2006 6:18 PM PDT
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Thus I refute thee

I was mad when i saw that. Microsoft has hit an all time low. Waiting three years to shut them down. 3 years of work completely wasted. I hope bungie can overrule it.

  • 09.09.2006 8:16 PM PDT
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Anyone mind explaining what exactly 'Halogen' is (or WAS, rather)?

[Edited on 9/9/2006]

  • 09.09.2006 8:21 PM PDT

Posted by: The Lone Heretic
Anyone mind explaining what exactly 'Halogen' is (or WAS, rather)?

Halogen is basically a mod for an RTS game (Command & Conquer I believe), allowing all the units in the game to look like various characters and vehicles from Halo.

  • 09.09.2006 8:29 PM PDT
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Why would Microsoft shut something like that down? They did ask for permission to use the models..... Right?

  • 09.09.2006 8:41 PM PDT
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Within each steel-bound coffin of a cell, / Buried alive;
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Posted by: The Lone Heretic
Why would Microsoft shut something like that down? They did ask for permission to use the models..... Right?


From what I read, no, they didn't ask permission. But they were working on it publicly for three years before anything was done.

  • 09.09.2006 8:47 PM PDT
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Posted by: aku
Posted by: The Lone Heretic
Why would Microsoft shut something like that down? They did ask for permission to use the models..... Right?


From what I read, no, they didn't ask permission. But they were working on it publicly for three years before anything was done.
If they didn't ask, they had it coming.

But after three years? I know things are slow in corporations, but damn.

  • 09.09.2006 8:58 PM PDT
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Mourne not your comrades who must dwell / too strong to strive -
Within each steel-bound coffin of a cell, / Buried alive;
But rather mourne the apathetic throng / The cowed, and the meek -
Who see the world’s great anguish and its wrong / And dare not speak.

[group]167741|Diner|Where's the food?[/group]

From what I can tell, the standard policy is to do whatever you're doing, and hope it's okay. There have been other projects in the past, like the halo side-scroller, that weren't stopped.

(So you know, I'm getting all my information from that link.)

  • 09.09.2006 9:04 PM PDT
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From posts by SketchFactor at HBO, it looks like Microsoft was behind this decision, not Bungie.

For what it's worth I'm going to chime in here as I've spent the better part of 4+ years at Bungie with one of my main focuses being the fans and our community (which is a legacy that goes back well before my time). I'm also the one who unfortunately had to break the news to the Halogen team. (just as I've had to do with other fan mod projects in recent months)

I'm not a lawyer, and I would go so far as to guess that most, if not all, of you are also not lawyers. I'm not going to get into all the legitimate issues involved with intellectual property, rights and trademarks, etc.. I will add though, that whether or not something is "for profit" or not is irrelevant. That is a very common misconception, one that admittedly even I had until the legal folks in Redmond educated me to the contrary.

It saddens me that the Halogen team has been asked to stop working on this project, which we all know has made a lot of progress and shows off some great talent by a very devoted group of individuals. If anything I only wish this had happened sooner rather than so far into the project's development so as not to undo so much effort and work.

At the end of the day, Microsoft owns Halo and they are operating a business that involves a billion dollar franchise that has gotten bigger and broader than ever, especially in light of high profile movie deals and growing licensed products. As the holder of the IP, they have to maintain control over all aspects of the franchise and protect their interests and interests of their partners. If any of us were in the same situation, wouldn't we also seek to protect our creative and monetary investments? You don't have to agree, all I ask is that for a minute we all remove ourselves from the emotional side and just agree that while it sucks, it's completely understandable.

I hope that Halogen can resurface again without the Halo ties and stand on its own as a great sci-fi RTS mod, which I know it can. Half of the assets in the project aren't even direct correllations to the Halo universe other than a name or a description - they are original creations inspired by pieces of Halo fiction. While it's only a small concession, it seems like the core of this project can live on with some creative adjustments.

Rage if you will, hate if you must... but I would ask that you all please not lose sight of the relationship Bungie Studios itself has always had with you and our community as a whole. The fact that Dispraiser and I were able to work this out ourselves befoer any actual lawyers got involved is a testament to the class and respect that our community has always shown. Bungie Studios is about making great games, telling great stories and we aren't the ones who call the shots when it comes to the overall IP itself. That said, I do my best to preserve the integrity of our community and our relationships and there are other battles that have been fought and won but unfortunately it won't always be the case.

In closing, I'd just like to reiterate my utmost respect for the Halogen team for not only their hardwork and dedication but their class and honor in handling this unfortunate turn of events. I look forward to seeing what comes next from these talented artists, programmers and designers.


  • 09.09.2006 9:44 PM PDT

I don't think Bungie could do anything about it seeing as the halo universe is owned by Microsoft...

  • 09.09.2006 9:45 PM PDT

it would of been quite awsome. it would only be kinda cool if they didnt changed the voices tho

  • 09.09.2006 10:08 PM PDT
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Posted by: MasterNinyoChief
it would of been quite awsome. it would only be kinda cool if they didnt changed the voices tho


They made a point of making their own models and recording their own diolauge, instead of simply lifting them from Halo.

  • 09.09.2006 10:12 PM PDT
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13/02/2005 (I've been on since then.)
Group RPG's!

DO NOT DO IT! DO NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT DOING IT! DO NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT NOT DOING IT!

And for a second I thought MS had something...
Shame, bungie welcomes but microsoft puts its foot down and kills...

Why 3 years?

  • 09.10.2006 1:27 AM PDT
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I think there is more to this than meets the eye. I don't think Microsoft would suddenly just shut it down without a reason good enough. I think something happened.

  • 09.10.2006 1:47 AM PDT
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  • still hates toast

People at bungie weren't too happy about this...Friday was a grumpy day.

  • 09.10.2006 9:52 AM PDT

Ach! Was ist los?

If I were there, I'd be raising hell about it right now.

I've never played C&C Generals and wasn't following this mod, but I'm afraid that this could lead to more fan projects being shot down... Heck, my own work could get targeted someday, and that's more likely to drive me away from this community than anything I put up with here on the forums.

  • 09.10.2006 9:58 AM PDT

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Posted by: BobBQ
If I were there, I'd be raising hell about it right now.

I've never played C&C Generals and wasn't following this mod, but I'm afraid that this could lead to more fan projects being shot down... Heck, my own work could get targeted someday, and that's more likely to drive me away from this community than anything I put up with here on the forums.


Well BobBQ from what has been said and if this is correct...they never actual permission to work on the Mod. Why it took so long to shut down? I don't know...but I do know this. If you don't have permission, whether you get a direct answer or no answer at all, then it shouldn't be done.

  • 09.10.2006 10:04 AM PDT
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Who else thinks that we wouldn't be having this discussion if the Halogen team had just contacted Bungie (and MS by extension) before they got this far? I don't want to sound harsh, as I think that Microsoft was being overly pissy in sending a C&D letter, but not askin for permission in the first place was just irresponsible on the part of the Halogen team, especially if they thought this could happen.

  • 09.10.2006 10:54 AM PDT
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I know this'll sound -blam!-y as, but why does sketch post that on HBO, yet he never posts here anymore?

  • 09.10.2006 11:21 AM PDT
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The Marty Army

Ah, look at the lonely people...

My theory is this:

Microsoft only allowed Halogen to continue because they wanted to see how much hype a Halo RTS would generate, and right before they released the BETA (was supposed to be this month), they shut it down, information in hand.

  • 09.10.2006 11:24 AM PDT