Daily Archives: 10/13/2013

My thoughts on AGL switching to Halo 3 for their next tourney.

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I’ll say this straight up. BAD MOVE.

Yes, halo 3 was a great game. WAS is the key word here. To move to a game that came out 6 years ago? As well as essentially abandon Halo 4?

Why the hell would 343 back ANYTHING AGL wants to do with Halo now?

Look, I have my issues with Halo 4, but I DO want 343 to succeed. I DO want the Halo franchise to become poplar and flourish again.

By AGL switching to Halo 3, it’s just a huge slap in the face to both 343 as well as the Halo community on the whole. Also…let’s consider those folks who had already made plane to compete in the next tourney thinking it was going to be Halo 4. Now AGL just switched that up? Honestly, if some teams drop out over this, they SHOULD ask AGL for their money back. NOT just in competitor fees either, but ANY costs incurred. Those being hotel pre-registration, plane fare paid for, etc. AGL really screwed the pooch here. It’s another DICK move by the same business that brought us Conner White, AKA “Giggle Monster”.

So what was the thinking here? Could be because Halo 3 will be free for GOLD members. But man, that is NO way to show loyalty to 343, especially considering they (343) gave AGL some advertising on the Halo start-up screen. That is something some business would LOVE to have. For all we know AGL got that for FREE. (If not, I’d like to know what that cost…)

Anyway, point being is AGL has cancelled tourneys, they’re changing games well after pre-registration has begun and again, they spawned the likes of Conner White. I certainly can NOT in good conscious support AGL. I hadn’t before, and this seals it even further.

No matter your opinions about Halo 4, good or bad, if you are a Halo fan or are in the business of promoting the franchise, be that through tournaments, blogs, podcasts, etc, you MUST stick with the current game if you want it to keep going on.

I still play Halo 4 daily, even with all the griping I’ve done recently. Yes, I could just as well go back and play previous Halo games. I’m often asked by XBL friends to do so. But I don’t and won’t. Halo 4 is the current iteration of Halo. Stand by it or please just go the frick away. (This means you AGL)

Gawd, I wish I had the means/funds to create a Halo pro gaming league. I’d do so. And you bet I’d promote the hell out of it!

Anyway, folks, it’s okay if you personally play previous Halo games. I won’t knock anyone who does that as an individual. But for a business that makes their money from Halo and has had the current developer’s support, it’s just a bad business move.

-Sal

Color Me this: Halo Initiation #1 Alternate cover progress…

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I couldn’t sleep last night, so I worked on this some more. Here is a four-panel graphic that shows from left top going in a ‘Z’ pattern (Click on pic to make bigger):

Original                                         Friday Progress
Orig-Fri-Sat-Artist
Saturday Progress                      Actual Artist final color

So I filled in Palmer, much more of the Brute Chieftan and added a little bit of lighting on the green parts. I fill in using solid colors to start, then go back and add highlights and shadows on different layers in photoshop, using special filters. You’ll see this later.

I’m looking forward to what this may turn out to be. I have a pretty good idea already and know where I want to take this, but I’m allowing myself some freedom if the colors/affects aren’t quite working with me to change it to something else.

So are you hard at work on yours?  Remember I’ll showcase your artwork on the blog here.

Oh and PLEASE, do not worry about matching up against mine. Heck if you do better, GREAT! If not, please realize that I’ve been an artist for 40 years. And in the digital realm (Photoshop) for 16 years of that.

So don’t think you need to compete with mine or even the actual artist work. Heck, go crazy with this. Maybe send in an all multi-colored pink hued Brute! Or give him a plaid pattern on his armor. Be creative. That’s the whole point of these “Color Me This” articles. Have FUN!

-Sal