E3 Fanfest Update
By Matt Soell
May 9, 2002
With the Bungie FanFest/Seventh Column Convocation just a few weeks away, our party plans are rapidly coming together. Chief among these is the Seventh Column Halo Tournament. We've finally got the team rosters settled, and we are pleased to announce the teams that will compete for the championship trophy.
In alphabetical order:
Bay Area Halo Playing Group
Chemically Altered
Colorado Elite Force
Legion of the Legendary
Los Angeles Carnage & Mayhem Association
The Marty Army
Wolfepack
The teams themselves are girding themselves for battle, as well they should; this promises to be a clash of titans. We spoke to several of the chapter heads to get an idea of what they're thinking in these crucial weeks prior to the tournament.
How do they think they stack up?
Some teams are humble about their chances, or perhaps just presenting the appearance of humility in order to psyche out their opponents. Brent of the LACMA estimates their chances as "slightly better than the chances the Bulls have of winning an NBA title next year, and slightly worse than the chances the U.S. has of making it past the first round in the World Cup." Others are more straightforwardly optimistic, like the Wolfepack, who state "We can not fail."
What are they doing to prepare?
Some teams, like the BAHPG, are concentrating on the nuts and bolts, drilling through the four game types for the Tournament and generally trying to hone their skills. Others, like the LACMA, are attempting to hone their battle skills in the real world: "Our main strategy has been to put on homemade Covenant grunt masks and scream "THEY'RE EVERYWHERE" at the top of our lungs. We feel this will take any enemy by surprise and give us the psychological edge." Still others, such as the Wolfepack, are more philosophical about it. "We are battle incarnate, destruction given form and war distilled into flesh. How can you prepare for what you are? For us the battle never ends. As it was in the beginning, is now, and forever shall be." Right. For his part, Marty O'Donnell claims to be psychically transmitting strategies and encouragement to the members of the Marty Army. Marty often clutches at straws when attempting to enhance his public image, but I'm pretty sure this is the first time he's claimed supernatural powers.
How do they feel about the Marty Army's presence in the tournament?
Mark of the Bay Area Halo Playing Group: "Whose army??? Oh yes...Marty O'Donnell's team. Frankly I had no idea his chapter was going to be a part of this tournament. Are they any good?" That's the question on everyone's mind. Marty is keeping mum on the subject, preferring to communicate only with his team members via brainwaves.
Brent of the LACMA: "Actually, Mnemesis decided to play for them, and as the founder of LACMA, his betrayal departure was a big blow." While Brent declined to answer any specific questions regarding any violent retribution his team may have for their turncoat leader, it seems obvious that these two groups will settle their scores on the Halo battlefield. Marty continues to smile impishly.
Cory of Legion of the Legendary: "I think you have to fear the team that started it all a little bit, but overall I think that all the teams will be pretty evenly matched if they take the tourney seriously." Well said, Cory.
But Wait, There's More
"All this tournament stuff is cool," I hear you say, "but I'm not in the tournament. Anything else going on?" Well, yeah. When the tournament finale is complete, there will be plenty of Halo multiplayer action for anyone who feels up to it. Bungie's Number One Fan, Miguel Chavez, is putting together some high-quality video entertainment for the evening. The Bungie Store will make a rare physical manifestation, selling new Bungie swag at low, low prices. Many Bungie staffers will be on hand to answer questions, sign autographs and play Halo. And while we don't want to give all our secrets away, it's safe to assume Bungie wouldn't let a FanFest go by without some sort of pleasant surprise.
At this point, pre-registrations have filled up about three-quarters of the available space, so if you want to guarantee your spot at the FanFest you'll need to act quickly. You can find the details of the party, including the RSVP form, here.
We hope to see you there!