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[Fuchsdh]

Didn't the Forerunners turn around and kill the Precursors? Not just kill them, but they hunted them into extinction, the only possible survivors having fled the galaxy.

That may have had an impact on their plans too. Even the most dedicated pacifist may change their tune when they and their entire species is facing oblivion.

Still interested on how the Forerunners could have managed to turn the tables like that though.

I've always assumed it was less what the Forerunners did and more what the Precursors didn't do. They were so confident in their place in the galaxy that when the Forerunner hit, they crumbled out of shock.

There's also the question of their technology; I'm guessing that while neural physics was a pretty effective boon, if you're the biggest bad in the galaxy, you might not put much time into weaponry.

 

[LordOfChaos]

Still interested on how the Forerunners could have managed to turn the tables like that though.

There are several reasons hinted at or layed out in the books, first that they just didn't expect it, being so confident as the rulers of the galaxy that they never expected a rebellion and so never needed ways to defend themselves. The second was that initially they were just so stunned that their creations could be so violent, maybe even reveled in their own destruction for a time, or that the Precursors were naive and could not conceive of or defend against retaliation of their own creations..

What interests me is their status as a transcendent species, above matter itself. Would that mean the destruction of a single body is no big deal to them, as the consciousness survives, maybe in the Organon? Maybe that's why they never retaliated initially.

I kind of both hope the precursors are explained more, and hope they're left in the shadow...Does that make sense? The Forerunners seemed like the greatest mystery in the universe until their pasts were revealed, then what you have is basically humans with human thoughts and politics and problems that killed themselves.

 

[Captain Zyrain]

Sorry, it seems like nobody's uploading Halo Channel stuff for some reason. Second Stories are these little shorts or vignettes relating to the Nightfall episode. This one had

Spoiler

one that was centered around a nurse (and her family) at the hospital trying to deal with the outbreak, a more in-depth look at the interrogation of a suspect, and a look at an ONI survey of the burned out ring.

They're very good, and part of why I suspect that episode 2 of Nightfall will be much better.

For some reason, on launch night, all the second story stuff was in another language.. with no subtitles.. I have a US XB1 in the US.. was it supposed to be in English? I couldn't figure it out.. the Nurse etc was talking in what sounded like Celtic or something. I got the jist of them.. but still..

As for the Terminals.. I really liked them as well, basically filled in more knowledge on the Arbiter and his motivations and the Elite history, fits with Broken Circle as well. Clearly they're going to be a big part of Halo 5 and going forward.

I absolutely love the one where they find the Luminary.. just fills in so many of my mental gaps. Why did they jump to Earth with the small fleet? How did they know where to dig and for what? Etc.

 

[GringoSuave89]

Was Ep 2 ever uploaded before XBL went down? I didn't see it earlier.

 

[soulassssns]

Anybody know of a Youtube version of chapter 2 yet?

 

[GringoSuave89]

Anybody know of a Youtube version of chapter 2 yet?

Not yet.

Episode 2 was nuts though.

Spoiler

The Hunter worms were pretty cool (the FX weren't totally cheesy). They're definitely pushing the ONI = shadowy bad guys. Second Stories mention Fixers. I wonder if they're contracted outside of ONI or if it's Section 0's jurisdiction? Next episode turns into an every man for himself struggle, which is both kinda disappointing and expected. Not really liking ONI outside of Locke and the guy with the kids. I wonder if anyone else in this series (ONI or Sedrin Guard) are the Spartans with Locke in the bookend cinematic?

 

[KillaKalz347]

I've always assumed it was less what the Forerunners did and more what the Precursors didn't do. They were so confident in their place in the galaxy that when the Forerunner hit, they crumbled out of shock.

There's also the question of their technology; I'm guessing that while neural physics was a pretty effective boon, if you're the biggest bad in the galaxy, you might not put much time into weaponry.

Precursor architecture was literally impossible to destroy, as said in the books, unless a Halo was used to destroy them.

 

[LordOfChaos]

Is episode 2 up anywhere for those without an XBO or Windows 8, like episode 1 was? They had it on the official xbox stream last time.

 

[Jordan117]

Bungie themselves played really fast and loose with canon in ways that are not always immediately obvious if you just play the games and consume nothing else (e.g. the totally different layout of New Mombasa between Halo 2 and Halo 3: ODST).

Old and New Mombasa are some of my all-time favorite exercises in worldbuilding -- that exotic, extensively researched, retro-futuristic aesthetic, in subsaharan Africa of all places, is fascinating. So it did bum me out that ODST retconned things so hard.

But after playing around with the game some more, I found it's actually far more faithful both to Halo 2 and to real-life geography than it initially appears -- check out this extensive post I did on HBO to get all the details.

 

[Toa TAK]

So we agree that Nightfall ep 2 was pretty good, right?

 

[Fuchsdh]

So we agree that Nightfall ep 2 was pretty good, right?

Eh. Think the Flood would have been far more interesting in the role the Lekgolo are playing right now, and the worms raise more issues than I'd like. As pointed out by my compatriot, due to what I presume is mainly really bad CGI, the worms are essentially flying.

The characters are currently nothing special, although I'm not expecting much on that front until the next eps.

 

[LordOfChaos]

Finally got around to episode 2, can't say I really like the depiction of the lekgolo. How are these things forming massive swinging arms and stuff like that? The lore before now seemed to imply they need something to wrap around, boulders for instance, or a shell created by the covenant to form something other than a lump of a colony. And as one of my favourite races, seeing them reduced to scary bug critters was a letdown too, we know these things to be intelligent, they fought the covenant for their own freedom at first, they write war poetry, etc.

 

[Sai]

Been playing the MCC, just cleared 343 Guilty Spark, and the terminal there reminded me of the unidentified alien vessel that was eventually contained. Has it been brought up at all? Could it have anything to do with the events of Nightfall?

 

[Fuchsdh]

Been playing the MCC, just cleared 343 Guilty Spark, and the terminal there reminded me of the unidentified alien vessel that was eventually contained. Has it been brought up at all? Could it have anything to do with the events of Nightfall?

I don't see how, although we've still got three episodes so it's possible the ship might get brought up at some point.

 

[MrGreencastle]

Finally got around to episode 2, can't say I really like the depiction of the lekgolo. How are these things forming massive swinging arms and stuff like that? The lore before now seemed to imply they need something to wrap around, boulders for instance, or a shell created by the covenant to form something other than a lump of a colony. And as one of my favourite races, seeing them reduced to scary bug critters was a letdown too, we know these things to be intelligent, they fought the covenant for their own freedom at first, they write war poetry, etc.

I dunno, I like the new angle. Aside from the above, we've also known that they can take up pretty much any form they wish as a colony, so why not explore some other tactics they might use? Have you seen the Halo 2 Anniversary terminal concerning the Lekgolo? I think their depiction there matches up with most of the story as we understand them and I also think the way they're shown in the show is fine. I liked it.

 

[LordOfChaos]

I dunno, I like the new angle. Aside from the above, we've also known that they can take up pretty much any form they wish as a colony, so why not explore some other tactics they might use? Have you seen the Halo 2 Anniversary terminal concerning the Lekgolo? I think their depiction there matches up with most of the story as we understand them and I also think the way they're shown in the show is fine. I liked it.

You mean in the cave thing? That's what I was going off as well, you can see them wrapping around boulders to form a larger entity there, not swinging giant floating fists with no support.

 

[Poodlestrike]

You mean in the cave thing? That's what I was going off as well, you can see them wrapping around boulders to form a larger entity there, not swinging giant floating fists with no support.

Yeah, that's kinda weird. Maybe it's a trick this particular colony worked out, or maybe there is something they are forming around in the center of the swarm and we just can't see it. Hell, maybe it's just a result of living on that hellhole.

What I'm noticing is that they're forming what look like (and move like) really, really huge Lekgolo worms. Thought that was a nice touch.

 

[BlackGhost]

Where exactly does halo4 forward into dawn happen in the timeline in halo games? Can't seem to find an exact answer, watching it now.

I've never played halo4

 

[A More Normal Bird]

Where exactly does halo4 forward into dawn happen in the timeline in halo games? Can't seem to find an exact answer, watching it now.

I've never played halo4

The military school stuff is before all the games and before the war with the Covenant has started (so like 20-30 years prior to the games I think), the bits with Cortana are whilst she and MC are floating through space in between Halo 3 and 4.

 

[BlackGhost]

The military school stuff is before all the games and before the war with the Covenant has started (so like 20-30 years prior to the games I think), the bits with Cortana are whilst she and MC are floating through space in between Halo 3 and 4.

Alright, thanks for clearly that up for me.

 

[Fuchsdh]

Where exactly does halo4 forward into dawn happen in the timeline in halo games? Can't seem to find an exact answer, watching it now.

I've never played halo4

To be precise, FUD takes place circa 2526.

 

[Korten]

Finally got to see Episode 2 of Nightfall and the latest issue of the comic. I liked both, personally I'm enjoying Nightfall and I can't wait to see where it goes.

I shall update the main post soonish.

Edit: Just noticed episode 3 was out as well. Shall take a look at that as well.

 

[Poodlestrike]

Finally got to see Episode 2 of Nightfall and the latest issue of the comic. I liked both, personally I'm enjoying Nightfall and I can't wait to see where it goes.

I shall update the main post soonish.

Edit: Just noticed episode 3 was out as well. Shall take a look at that as well.

Make sure you watch the Second Stories. Episode 2's weren't as good as Episode 1's, but they were still pretty impressively well done.

 

[Caayn]

Just watched ep3, the subtitles are a major step-up from when I watched ep1. However I must say that the low quality level of the CGI and compression of the video stream bother me.

Edit: Is it just me or I can't I set subtitles as a default within the Halo Channel? Also where can I rewatch second stories without watching the entire episode again, seems like progress is lost after you close the app.

 

[ToyMachine228]

A little disappointed that neither the H2A terminals nor Nightfall has really given us any insight into Halo 5. I get that Arbiter will be back...I get that Locke is looking for the Master Chief. But what interests me the most is still the Forerunners and Precursors.

There are certain things I want to see within the Covenant...the various homeworls...how the Covenant is getting along. What the Brutes are up to. But what I really want to know is, are we going to see more Forerunners? Fight them? Fight alongisde them? Will the Flood be back? Will Precursors eventually make an appearance in the franchise? Those kinds of things.

 

[GringoSuave89]

A little disappointed that neither the H2A terminals nor Nightfall has really given us any insight into Halo 5. I get that Arbiter will be back...I get that Locke is looking for the Master Chief. But what interests me the most is still the Forerunners and Precursors.

There are certain things I want to see within the Covenant...the various homeworls...how the Covenant is getting along. What the Brutes are up to. But what I really want to know is, are we going to see more Forerunners? Fight them? Fight alongisde them? Will the Flood be back? Will Precursors eventually make an appearance in the franchise? Those kinds of things.

Aside from the final terminal teasing the Didact, the terminals in CEA didn't really reveal things either.

 

[LordOfChaos]

Make sure you watch the Second Stories. Episode 2's weren't as good as Episode 1's, but they were still pretty impressively well done.

Where can a non-XBO'er find second stories?

 

[Poodlestrike]

A little disappointed that neither the H2A terminals nor Nightfall has really given us any insight into Halo 5. I get that Arbiter will be back...I get that Locke is looking for the Master Chief. But what interests me the most is still the Forerunners and Precursors.

There are certain things I want to see within the Covenant...the various homeworls...how the Covenant is getting along. What the Brutes are up to. But what I really want to know is, are we going to see more Forerunners? Fight them? Fight alongisde them? Will the Flood be back? Will Precursors eventually make an appearance in the franchise? Those kinds of things.

I get the impression that Nightfall is going to end with Locke wearing his Spartan gear, so it's possible we'll get a tease then.

Where can a non-XBO'er find second stories?

If you've got Windows 8.1, you can try the Halo Channel, but you might still need to own the MCC somehow. Other than that, I guess you're stuck waiting for youtube uploads.

 

[LordOfChaos]

I'm curious about the mention of a "painful split" (edit, never mind, it was "Shivering Asunder") of Humans and Forerunners, I think by the Primordial in that trilogy (I can't find the page, sorry). Maybe a way to reconcile the old "humans are forerunners" with the new "forerunners are a different species"? This doesn't seem to be discussed much but was pretty huge.

Edit: I see Mr Greens post about it on page 17. And also thinking about it a bit more, the split would have happened so long ago that it would not explain the more recent reclamation stuff, because that was set in motion by last-generation Forerunners.

 

[Korten]

Hey guys, sorry for not updating the main post. Just did it.

Also has anyone found a legal website to watch Nightfall? I ask cause currently can't find any links for episodes to put in the main post.

 

[Fuchsdh]

Won't be any legal way for a while I imagine, since it was tied to MCC.

You really aren't missing much in the story though. The "second story" short pieces that pop up during the episodes are actually the most engaging portion.

 

[Toa TAK]

I definitely enjoyed FUD more by the 4th episode.

 

[MrGreencastle]

Won't be any legal way for a while I imagine, since it was tied to MCC.

You really aren't missing much in the story though. The "second story" short pieces that pop up during the episodes are actually the most engaging portion.

They really are. Very interesting

 

[Fuchsdh]

They really are. Very interesting

I very much like the idea of

Spoiler

giving colonies nukes that act as spies and essentially contingency plans. But how effective would eyes and ears on a bomb you want to keep locked up safe?

 

[GringoSuave89]

Nightfall was... idk. Not much of an origin outside of one mission.

Spoiler

We don't get a recruitment moment for the Spartan program, we have no idea what becomes of Macer, hell the final shot is just Locke walking around the market in slow mo with a voice over. We don't even get a shot of him in armor? Wtf?

I'm also showing 7/8 unlocked for rewards, might be a glitch, might be something that unlocks once the H5 beta goes live (although the helmet unlocked last week...), someone tweet Bravo.

 

[Gambit 1138]

Im getting back into Halo Lore for the first time since the early 00s when it began. I'm glad that 343i is treating everything as canon however what was all that controversy a few years back about continuity errors in the Halo novel re-releases and the halo encyclopedia? I remember some fans saying that 343i changed the canon and caused conflict with the games. Has that all been resolved?

 

[Korten]

Im getting back into Halo Lore for the first time since the early 00s when it began. I'm glad that 343i is treating everything as canon however what was all that controversy a few years back about continuity errors in the Halo novel re-releases and the halo encyclopedia? I remember some fans saying that 343i changed the canon and caused conflict with the games. Has that all been resolved?

You mean the controversy with Halo Reach? Cause while Halsey Journal did explain somethings, it did leave a lot missing. When 343i took over they did these things called data drops:

http://www.halopedia.org/Data_drops

Which explained the inconsistancies between Reach and Fall of Reach.

Is that what you're talking about?

 

[Random17]

The data drops dug the inconsistency hole even deeper. The novel and the book are incompatible, and if they aren't, it just makes some of the actors in both premises act in irrational ways, especially ONI not informing the rest of the fleet about the upcoming storm. Keyes was "surprised" when he saw the Covenant fleet, even though Halo:Reach established Covenant contact more than a month earlier.

Also, FuD>>Nightfall.

 

[Fuchsdh]

The Data Drops were just some fodder for fans; I highly doubt 343 is ever going to revisit Reach in a way that supports the events of the game. They don't want to touch it (and I'd say they should have left it well enough alone entirely, because there's no satisfactory explanation they could possibly provide.)

 

[Gambit 1138]

You mean the controversy with Halo Reach? Cause while Halsey Journal did explain somethings, it did leave a lot missing. When 343i took over they did these things called data drops:

http://www.halopedia.org/Data_drops

Which explained the inconsistancies between Reach and Fall of Reach.

Is that what you're talking about?

No. I remember a lot of complaints on the Bungie forum when 343i re-released The Fall of Reach novel and I think in that they changed some dates and made changes as well as in the later edition of the Halo Encyclopedia.

 

[Korten]

No. I remember a lot of complaints on the Bungie forum when 343i re-released The Fall of Reach novel and I think in that they changed some dates and made changes as well as in the later edition of the Halo Encyclopedia.

I am not sure about the Halo Encyclopedia but I know 343i re-released Fall of Reach to fix some errors and to also make it fit a little bit better to Halo Reach.

 

[Fuchsdh]

No. I remember a lot of complaints on the Bungie forum when 343i re-released The Fall of Reach novel and I think in that they changed some dates and made changes as well as in the later edition of the Halo Encyclopedia.

Fall of Reach has serious conflicts with not only Halo: Reach, but basically every game and novel since Halo 3; things like no real artificial gravity on UNSC ships, Elites only being seen on the field at Reach, Hunters at Sigma Octanus, etc. That stuff had already been de-facto retconned before they adjusted things in the novels (unfortunately they introduced some other errors in combination.)

 

[Deadly]

Nightfall was... idk. Not much of an origin outside of one mission.

Spoiler

We don't get a recruitment moment for the Spartan program, we have no idea what becomes of Macer, hell the final shot is just Locke walking around the market in slow mo with a voice over. We don't even get a shot of him in armor? Wtf?

I'm also showing 7/8 unlocked for rewards, might be a glitch, might be something that unlocks once the H5 beta goes live (although the helmet unlocked last week...), someone tweet Bravo.

Just saw it. Wow that was really lame... Would be kinda cool if Macer is in his squad of Spartans.

 

[Toa TAK]

Nightfall was a dud. We can agree with that, right?

 

[Deadly]

Nightfall was a dud. We can agree with that, right?

Agreed. IMDB lists 6 episodes though. Maybe there's something that will conclude it properly?

 

[GringoSuave89]

Agreed. IMDB lists 6 episodes though. Maybe there's something that will conclude it properly?

IMDB is the Wikipedia of movie sites. Until official confirmation, I wouldn't hold my breath.

Spoiler

If they make it exclusive to the physical copy, I will rage.

 

[LordOfChaos]

Yep, just finished, nightfall was pretty much a dud. Maybe best to think of it as Ridley-ey rather than Halo-ey.

A bit into Broken Circle, it's decent, don't really care about any of the characters yet though. Curious where this is going and if it will have relevance to modern era Halo

 

[Fuchsdh]

Crossposting from the Halo |OT|

Episode 15 of the Forward Unto Dawn Podcast is out. In this episode: Bioshock parallels, sympathetic Prophets, and plant chafing as we talk about Halo: Broken Circle. Show notes and listening options at forwarduntodawn.com/fudcast15. Youtube link at http://youtu.be/9mnAF33_d6A

(We discuss generalities before getting into spoilers, so you can listen safely until the horn.)

 

[DarthWalden]

I agree about nightfall being a dud. I thought the premise was really cool but it played out like a bad military soap opera.

I Was surprised there wasn't some big secret on the Halo ring or something to make the plot a little bit exciting.

 

[GringoSuave89]

I agree about nightfall being a dud. I thought the premise was really cool but it played out like a bad military soap opera.

I Was surprised there wasn't some big secret on the Halo ring or something to make the plot a little bit exciting.

Same. At least make the Hunter worms infected with the Flood or something.

We didn't even get

Spoiler

a Locke in armor shot...