TeamXbox interviews Todd McFarlane, designer of new Halo toys and the Halo 3 controller. The first two pages are mostly about his failed baseball career and his entry into the world of comics, mainly Spawn, but by page three he's talking about how they make figures from the information Bungie sends them:

We're developing figures right now from the game that wouldn't necessarily be so loyal to the wireframe. We are actually treating the figures as if we were making a movie, and what the body positioning may look like in action sequences. There are some limitations to how the character can be posed in the game, so we are being a little more creative with the figures. We'll still use all of Bungie's data in terms of what the uniforms and armor looks like, but put the figures in a pose that is more military-like. In essence, more movie frame, and less like a screen capture from a video game.

McFarlane closes by saying there are Halo-related things they're doing that aren't yet public, so there's still more to come.

Bungie.net's latest feature is an interview with Robert McLees, artist-turned-writer who maintains the Halo Bible. What's the Halo Bible? Funny you should ask:

For lack of a more romanticized description it is the ponderous collection of lies, damned lies, and half-truths from which the entire Halo Universe is constructed. It is the tome which informs core fiction decisions (and is in turn expanded by them). It is that indespensible cheat sheet that helps us keep all the stories we've told straight in our collective heads. Admittedly we have not always been the best at this (but I think we've been getting better).

In addition to the aesthetically pleasing half-truths in the Bible, there are links to detailed backgrounds on each of the Covenant weapons:

• Plasma Rifle
• Plasma Pistol
• Carbine
• Needler
• Beam Rifle
• Fuel Rod Cannon

homicidal insomniac blogged something he came across in the Se7enSins.com forum; the aftermath of one of the unauthorized Epsilon players that The Hushed Casket mentioned awhile back.

The upshot?

Banned. Until December 31, 9999. Not just the XBL gamertag, but the console as well.

So, yes: it is possible to override the per-gamertag restriction on closed test executables like the Halo 3 Epsilon test if you can get access to the gamertag account of an authorized user.

It is also very, very easy for Microsoft to find you. So don't bother.

UPDATE: It is worth noting that this entire process is very similar to that surrounding the COD4 Beta. News outlets have been claiming that Microsoft recently banned over 20,000 XBL accounts for unauthorized access to this beta, but Major Nelson is denying this, despite admitting that unauthorized access to such a beta is a violation of the Terms of Service.

Also, this dialogue between | Scar | and another banned Epsilon player on the Xbox.com forum is nothing short of hilarious.

According to GameDaily Biz, Bungie Studios' own Director of Cinematics, CJ Cowan, will be giving a special feature presentation at ADAPT 2007 in Montreal. The presentation will be on Halo 3, focusing on the in-house use of Maya along with Bungie's proprietary cinematic tools. Cowan's presentation will be on September 27th; the conference runs from the 24th to the 28th at the Hyatt Regency.

XerxdeeJ at Tied the Leader interviews the Master Chief himself, Steve Downes, for the second time. Head right on over and download it!