Machinima
ma·chin·i·ma [muh-shee-nuh-muh]
noun
1. The process of making real-time animated films by utilizing the 3-D
graphics technology of computer games.
2. A film or films made in this way.
This is a list, albeit incomplete, of Machinimas that I watch and enjoy, sorted by type. There is NO meaning whatsoever to the order that I list things.
Halo Machinimas
No list of Halo machinimas would be complete with what may be arguably the most successful one of them all (of all time). I own the first 8 seasons (the remastered “Blood Gulch Chronicles” 5-season set and the “Recollection” 3-season set), and 2 of the 3 soundtracks (“Ghosts That Linger” and “Red vs. Blue Revelation”). While most seasons have post-production-added items, later seasons have substantial amounts of CGI, which is generally on par with the in-game material. At 9 seasons and counting, it looks as if we can all enjoy RvB for years to come.
Grifball (Halo Waypoint Miniseries)
A spin-off, or something, of “Red vs. Blue,” these miniseries follow the misadventures of Team Slipspace, a professional Grifball, team on and off the court. The first two series were released as a limited-time off bonus disc with the “Recollection” box-set. Hopefully, the later two seasons will be released at some point as well.
Produced entirely (machinimated, voiced, scored) by CruelLEGACEY, a Halo Waypoint Community Leader, this is an impressive feat for a single person. Season 1 was online but Season 2 is being offered on Halo Waypoint in addition to online. “Playtime” follows a mediocre soldier, Cobra, who asks his friend Warren for some help training for battle. Warren takes it upon himself to make Cobra the best soldier he can be... Or at least that’s what he tells Cobra he’s doing.
A classic sitcom, albeit one set in a city designed in Forge World, that follows two roommates, their boss, and a workmate through, well, a lot of randomness.
The Delicate Heart of a Spartan
Ever wonder who cleans up after a bloody battle in Matchmaking? You know, the guys who pick up the piles of bodies left, clean up the Warthog debris, and generally get a map ready for the next game? Well, these are those guys and this is what they talk about at work. And then Matt sets Chris up with a former porn-star on a blind date.
Halo Game Shows
Last Man Standing
Set (these days) in Halo: Reach's Forge World, watch as ItsMyYard and The Prawn insult players for their lack of gaming knowledge. Sample categories: Games with at least two movies; one-vowel games; first-person shooters. (And surprisingly, “Halo” is rarely the first one mentioned.)
Halo Guides & Walktrhoughs
Creator of the “Mythic Difficulty” settings for Halo, The Tyrant (a.k.a. MythicTyrant, a.k.a. Daniel Morris), films and narrates detailed walkthroughs for every level in Halo 3, Halo 3: ODST, and Halo: Reach. His Legendary guides are available on YouTube, his Mythic guides on HBO, and his LASO guides on his website. (Full indexes in the links.) I have used both the Legendary and Mythic guides for Halo: Reach (for my Heroic and Legendary runs and my the various LASOs, with the Mythic guide being the default) as well as the Mythic guide for Halo 3 (for my Legendary run there). My theory was: since Legendary is less difficult than Mythic, but I’m a bad and inexperienced player (true then, not as much now), I’ll take every advantage I can get. Hell, I’ve sent in a [proper] Mythic run of Winter Contingency (available in my fileshare) so as to become a member of The Quest for SLASO group on B.net. (The Tyrant “guilted” me into it on Twitter.)
A part of Rooster Teeth, Achievement Hunter is run by Geoff (a.k.a. Grif from RvB) and Jack with support from other RT employees (e.g. Gavin, Burnie, Gus, Michael) and community members. AH has guides dedicated to achievement for many Xbox 360 games in the form of video walkthroughs (with commentary) or the occasional map (for static location-based achievements). AH also organizes several weekly “events,” starting with Achievement Hunter Weekly Update (AHWU) on Mondays, Achievement HORSE (or PIG) on Wednesdays, Fails of the Weak on Fridays, and Weekend Achievement Hunts, amongst others.
CruelLEGACEY also provides a handy guide to a few Halo: Reach levels on Mythic difficulty. I used his guide for “If They Came To Hear Me Beg,” which I ended up doing in about 7 minutes on Nightfall.