June 27, 2002 (Thursday)

It seems that while I was away the Bungie box acronym YYMMBATC was solved with a little help from Max "Yeroen" Hoberman. Max made the following post on the Story forum:

Got It!
Posted By: Yeroen <max@bungie.com>
Date: 6/18/02 9:19 p.m.

In Response To: Re: YYMMBATC -- OOPS!!! (Mumbles)

Yummy Yummy Munchy Munchy Dwarven Bones Are Tasty Crunchy.

Nice detective work! Catchy, isn't it? Say it ten times fast. For some odd reason I couldn't get this out of my head while I was working on the packaging, and so since there was no one to disparage at the time it stuck. I never thought it would see the light of day. Now if any of the remaining ones are cracked that will be a real feat!

-Yeroen

So another Bungie box acronym bites the dust. How many more to go?

Tim "Zen Crane" Savard <zen_crane@mac.com> sends in this URL to an interesting serious of Marathon related pages. Inspired by "Where giants have fallen you can conquer" no less. Perhaps the start of a trend? Worth a look.

June 26, 2002 (Wednesday)

Go away for a few days and just look what happens to the Story forum.

Butch Massoni <butchm@ranchomurietabc.com> writes:

check out the name of one of the stages at an upcoming shooting match, called the golden bullet...

http://www.cal.net/~stevemc/

Marc Lachance <Marc.Lachance@gdl-marketing.de> writes concerning the Bungie acronym WUBNMH:

As to the WUBNMH acronym on the Myth II: Soulblighter Soundtrack CD

To me, it looks like "What's up, Bungie? No Message Here?"

June 17, 2002 (Monday)

Gone fishing... until the 26th June. Have fun. The Story forum never closes though.

June 16, 2002 (Sunday)

On the Story forum:

Favorite Pickup Line poll?
Last time you played Marathon poll results
Deep in the Aardvarks

For those interesting in knowing what the other Marathon polls were here are the results:

Poll #1 "What's Your Favorite Marathon Game?"
Poll #2 "The Baddest Villain(s)?"
Poll #3 "Last time you played Marathon?"

Not much Marathon activity of eBay over the last few weeks but here are some recent auction results:

Item	Description	Auction End Date	# Bids	Opening Bid Price	Closing Bid Price
Trilogy Box Set	Shrinkwrapped	14 June 02	15	US $9.99	US $51.00
M2 (PC)	Shrinkwrapped	14 June 02	8	US $9.99	US $16.00
Action Sack	Mint condition with Sack	05 June 02	5	US $20.00	US $30.00

June 14, 2002 (Friday)

Samuel Fletcher (aka Agent Cletus) <deagol@mac.com> writes concerning the YYMMDBATC acronym:

I'm sure this is it. It fits all the criterion, plus, it was on the Myth: Total Soundtrack, which makes it fit the context.

Yum Yum Munchy Munchy Dwarf Bones Are Totally Crunchy

I has had my say. The ghol has apparently had its meal.

Samuel actually posted this to the Story forum earlier today. Could this be the answer?

Also on the the Story forum:

Theories about the Jjaro and Halo
Is the #54 special?
So you think you know about Phoenix
Physics 101
Molten Dihydrogen Monoxide

Only a few hours left to bid on those shrinkwrapped copies of the Marathon Trilogy Box Set and Marathon 2 for PC.

June 12, 2002 (Wednesday)

James "Ghôlsbane" Wheare <james.wheare@lycos.com> points out that Matt Soell dropped another hint to the YYMMDBATC acronym this time in a HBO forum post indicating that someone on the Story forum came close to the solution. Matt wrote:

Someone came disturbingly close to one of the acronyms the other day. Not on this forum though. We were astonished.

James rightly asks:

But which one was he talking about? My suggestion or the Yummy Yummy one...? Progress at least.

In case you've forgotten James suggested in this post:

This seems similar to the A.A. Milne poem which starts:

James James Morrisson Morrisson Wetherby George Dupree

and Callie21V suggested in this post:

Yummy Yummy Munchy Munchy (something something something) Crunchy?

It has also been suggested that the last two letters TC stand for "Totally Crunchy" since these do appear on the back of breakfast cereal boxes.

Does your brain hurt yet? ;-)

There are some good Marathon items on eBay at the moment. That shrinkwrapped copy of the Marathon Trilogy Box Set is now up to US $50.00 and you can also pick up a shrinkwrapped copy of Marathon 2 for PC. If you're also looking for a copy of the now out-of-print Marathon Strategy Guide by Tuncer Deniz you can pick one up with a boxed copy of Marathon Infinity. A bargain!

June 9, 2002 (Sunday)

Deimos Fawkes <3of9@subnova.com> of Subnova fame writes concerning the famous Marine pic by Craig Mullins:

I tried searching for this on the story page and couldn't find a reference to it.

Looking at the marine art by Mr. Mullins, I spotted something I recognized from another piece of Sci-Fi.

http://www.goodbrush.com/hirez_pgs/concept/concept1/marine.htm

Look at the sign that says "DANGER"

Now, look at this image:

http://members.tripod.com/~thedaarkone/29.jpg

That image is a capture from the 1979 movie, Alien, starring Sigourney Weaver. It is when she is activating the Auto-Destruct of the Ship.

Clearly...the sign in Mullins' art is the same as the one from Ripley's ship.

Has this been noticed before?

Nice find. Hasn't been mentioned on the Story page before so now's a good opportunity. Hmmm... 29.

You can see more of Craig's artwork at the Marathon Art Gallery including a hi-res pic of Craig's Marathon Marine. See what other things you can find in this pic. Time for Craig Mullins section perhaps?

And the winner is? The badest of the bad in the Bungiverse poll comes to an end and a new poll takes its place. This one should be less controversial. When did you last play Marathon?

June 8, 2002 (Saturday)

So what do Australians know? As noted by HBO the online version of the Sydney Morning Herald (Australian newspaper) reports what they think are the Top 50 video games of all time. Yeah I know yet another Top 50 list. What's notable about this Top 50 is that Marathon is actually placed at 44. Top 50 and even Top 100 lists like this a few years ago wouldn't have even mentioned Marathon. Here's the blurb associated with the Marathon entry:

44 Marathon, Macintosh. Bungie Software, 1994.

Technically, Marathon was Doom's superior by a long shot - a great story-line, spooky aliens, and real 3D environments. It was hampered only by the smaller market penetration of the hardware. Some of us lost days to this puppy

Doom actually made #1 and Halo came in at #20. Notably absent is any reference to Myth. So much for Top 50 lists.

In other news the Bungie eBay Store is back with a bang offering rare shrinkwrapped copies of the Marathon Trilogy Box Set and Marathon 2 for PC.

The Rubiconians are all over the Story forum. Cow Pushing and a host of other levels are discussed.

There's some good map making advice and also some discussion about that old war horse Pfhorte.

Did someone say Swiss cheese? And you can also test your eyesight here.

Lastly the badest of the bad in the Bungiverse poll tops 150 votes. Not too shaby. And yes the Sleeping God did get some votes.

June 7, 2002 (Friday)

James "Ghôlsbane" Wheare <james.wheare@lycos.com> points out that Matt Soell dropped another hint to the YYMMDBATC acronym in a Story forum post. Matt clarified the following about the first four letters:

Another hint: It's not Year Year Month Month, or any number.

From previous hints we know that the first two words are the same word repeated and the third and fourth words are another word repeated. The C word rhymes with the M words and the last two words (TC) are prominently displayed on the back of a common breakfast cereal box. And the whole thing is a supposedly a poem or rather follows the standard bungie poem formula (whatever that is).

Aaron Guy Davies <agd12@columbia.edu> writes concerning those common Marathon sounds:

The sound used for the death of a cyborg is used right at the end of a commerical for The Learning Channel's _Robot Wars_.

June 3, 2002 (Monday)

NO escape for Bob is this New 7-level Marathon 2 scenario.

Well first we had Marathon haikus... now we have Marathon rap.

Will Alex Seropian top the badest of the bad in the Bungiverse poll and will the Sleeping God get at least one vote?

Will there ever be a Marathon 4 and just what happened to Marathon 3?

So does the main theme of the 1979 film Midnight Express sound like the music from a Marathon level?

June 2, 2002 (Sunday)

The badest of the bad in the Bungiverse poll. Be warned though the tru7h can sometimes hurt.

So you think you know the Bungie box acronyms? Well here's the full list starting from Marathon. (Hmmm... did PID have an acronym?)

Acronym	Game
DMUKYA	Marathon
MBIBTYB	Marathon 2: Durandal
TBWSAF	Marathon Infinity
TBWSAF	Marathon Trilogy Box Set
WACCSMD	Myth: The Fallen Lords
MRTEFCFY	Myth: The Fallen Lords Soundtrack CD
TATRTSTS	Myth II: Soulblighter
WUBNMH	Myth II: Soulblighter Soundtrack CD
	Mac Action Sack
SPMLOAS	Myth: The Total Codex
YYMMDBATC	Myth: Total Soundtrack CD
	Oni
	Halo
ABTFIPASO5	Halo (Game of the Year edition only)
SABABWL	Halo Soundtrack CD

So far only five (DMUKYA, MBIBTYB, TBWSAF, WACCSMD, and TATRTSTS) have been solved with any satisfaction. For details see the Box Acronyms section. However according to Max "Yeroen" Hoberman SPMLOAS and MRTEFCFY are both slanderous, and require intimate knowledge of Bungie history and especially of the Bungie timeline.

As for YYMMDBATC David "candyman" Candland reveals:

Here is the formula:
Repeat the first two words
repeat the third and fourth words
last word rhymes with 3&4

So the word beginning with C rhymes with the words beginning with M. Not to be outdone Matt Soell reveals:

Now I don't even have to mention that the last two words are prominently displayed on the back of a common breakfast cereal box.

Shouldn't be too hard now. After all how many words beginning with TC are prominently displayed on the back of a common breakfast cereal box? Then again I could be wrong.

June 1, 2002 (Saturday)

On the the Story forum there is a whole bunch of threads following the Rubicon Volunteers series...worth a look. Also on the Story forum over the last 2 weeks:

Old-school Bungie acronyms
'thon Weapon # Limit?
Go away... and look what happens
More Marathon references at the Conversatron
Favorite Marathon game poll
Political Structures in Marathon
Marathon done quick

May 16, 2002 (Thursday)

Some interesting items on the Story forum over the last few days:

Bungie influence in Ferazel's Wand
Best story? Doom vs. Marathon
Capt Keyes to appear in South Pacific?
On no! not the Marathon movie again
Was Halo a trap?
What's on in the Making of Halo DVD
Halo influenced by Starhammer
Marathon and Halo in the same universe?
2001 references in Marathon

M2 for PC (shrinkwrapped) currently at US $9.99
M2 (Mac) currently at US $0.99
Rare Pathways CD + 4 other games currently at US $15.00
Trilogy Box Set (shrinkwrapped) currently at US $9.99
Marathon (shrinkwrapped) currently at US $1.00

May 11, 2002 (Saturday)

Has the Bungie Store killed the Marathon collectors market? Marathon related items on eBay:

Marathon (shrinkwrapped) opening bid US $1.00
M2 (Mac) + 3 other games currently at US $9.50

Auction results on eBay over the last week:

Item	Description	Auction End Date	# Bids	Opening Bid Price	Closing Bid Price
"Kick" + Halo T-shirt	XL, never been worn	10 May 02	3	US $15.00	US $16.00
M2 (PC)	CD only	09 May 02	15	US $1.99	US $20.50
Marathon	Floppies + manual (+ Dark Forces game)	07 May 02	2	US $5.00	US $6.50
Infinity	CD only (writing on label)	06 May 02	6	US $1.00	US $5.26

May 10, 2002 (Friday)

On the Story forum:

The "thing"
Tying PiD, Marathon, and Halo
Marathon items at the Bungie Store?
The lost human colonies...
Oni soundtrack "looks like crap"... no wait!
Mac Halo Poll
I am the very model of a modern Mark IV Battleroid
Duality MP3s are here!

May 8, 2002 (Wednesday)

A lot of activity on the Story forum over the last few days. A very large thread on subject of the Marathon and Halo Universe. There's also the subject of the new Bungie Store and its lack of sought after items. Then there's the mysterious Ciphers FAQ page. And finally... did the FBI censor Mark "That's not my Abandoned Rental Truck" Levin's computer?.

May 4, 2002 (Saturday)

On the Story forum:

Fileball gone?
Marathon for PDAs?
Sounds like?
Who voted for THIS?
Halo in the Marathon universe?

Marathon related items on eBay:

"Kick" + Halo T-shirt currently at US $15.00
M2 (PC) currently at US $1.99
Marathon (with Dark Forces) opening bid US $5.00
PID (boxed) currently at US $19.95
Infinity currently at US $1.00

Auction results on eBay over the last week:

Item	Description	Auction End Date	# Bids	Opening Bid Price	Closing Bid Price
"Kick" + Halo T-shirt	XL, never been worn	02 May 02	11	US $15.00	US $26.50
Marathon	CD only	02 May 02	1	US $4.99	US $6.99 (with Buy It Now)
M1 + M2 (Mac)	Boxed copies (with 4 other games)	28 Apr 02	5	US $5.00	US $20.50
PID	Boxed (good condition)	28 Apr 02	0	US $9.00	UNSOLD
M2 (Mac)	CD only	28 Apr 02	5	US $1.00	US $8.50
Marathon	Floppies only	28 Apr 02	3	US $1.00	US $8.27

May 2, 2002 (Thursday)

My God... I've been duped! Asher Kuny <PrometheusA1@msn.com> writes:

i know Cortana

She's. note the SHE. she's a videogame characer. you need to update your site dude. its a game called HALO for XBOX. may have heard of it. cortanas emails were a hoax. by you i might add! you heard about her from bungie while they were making the game. they tipped you off. you little mole! get the facts jack. its a hoax. a marketing gimmick if you will.

And it won't be a bang.

Good to know the tru7h. ;-)

On the Story forum:

Is cortana evil?
Classified 19 is released
Same box... different price
Help the man out
No hidden drawings in the textures?