Marathon's
Story
Page

since 1995

marathon.bungie.org/story

Marathon's
Story
Page

since 2019

marathon.bungie.org/story



Thursday November 30, 2023    



"The art style of Marathon is graphic realism, bold, colorful, stylised art."
Emily Katske (Animation Lead on Marathon). Somewhere In The Heavens - ViDoc. May 24,2023.

    
Official Marathon (goliath) symbol and colors. May 24, 2023

Marathon inspiration?

Back in May 25, 2023 jimmyxrose wrote on the Marathon Discord:
"good source to vibe for some inspiration for fun art regarding this new game"   https://antonpearson.com/Nike-Running-Brand-Book

You can see some pages from the Nike Running Brand Book below.
 
 
The Nike running brand is known for bold, colorful, stylised art.


Marathon inspiration?



Wednesday November 29, 2023    



"by 2850, clone technology allows a person to reliably shift their consciousness from their 'born' body to new, synthetic bodies and back again."
Bungie. marathonthegame. May 24,2023.

Bungie. marathonthegame. May 24,2023.

"Every piece of information in the world has been copied. Backed up. Except the human mind... the last analog device in a digital world. We weren't here to code the hosts. We were here to decode the guests. Humans are playing at resurrection. They want to live forever."
Dr. Robert Ford (Anthony Hopkins). Westworld. Season 2, Episode 7. Les Écorchés. June 3, 2018.


Westworld. Season 3. Opening sequence. Design Boards.

Marathon influenced by HBO's Westworld (TV series)?

The similarities are there you just have to spot them.

The Marathon CGI announcement trailer was directed by Emmy-award winners Patrick Clair and Raoul Marks (their work includes the opening credits to television series like American Gods and Westworld).


Westworld. Season 1. Opening sequence, final shot. October 2, 2016.

Just watch the opening Westworld credits and compare it with the Sekiguchi Genentics website.

By season 2 of Westworld we learn that the main reason for the Delos 'theme park' is to place a person's digital consciousness into an artificial (android) body (a clone of themself) to achieve a form of immortality.
"The park is an experiment. A testing chamber. The guests are the variables... and the hosts are the controls. When guests come to the park, they don't know they're being watched. We get to see their true selves. Their every choice reveals another part of their cognition. Their drives. So that Delos can understand them. So that Delos can copy them."
Dr. Robert Ford (Anthony Hopkins). Westworld. Season 2, Episode 7. Les Écorchés. June 3, 2018.
However, it doesn't work yet. The mind begins to degrade in a matter of days.


Westworld. Dr. Robert Ford (Anthony Hopkins). Season 1. October 2, 2016.


Tuesday November 28, 2023    



Jeoku covers The Lost Network Packets in a new YouTube video.

The Lost Network Packets were sent to the Marathon's Story page by Bungie to correct inaccuracies in the Marathon's Timeline.

Sources in the video include:

Alex Murphy, a 3D Artist from Canada, creates a homage to the first level of Marathon on ArtStation.



Check out his ArtStation page for more Marathon artwork and a 360° panorama view (mp4 format). It almost feels like you are there!


Monday November 27, 2023    



Bungie announced their new game Marathon on May 24, 2023.

Ten days before the announcement DLU/Deimos (@Matrix_XV) posted the following on twitter.com.
Just a planet. Nothing to see here

Just a planet by DLU/Deimos (@Matrix_XV) on twitter.com. May 14, 2023.

Nothing to see here indeed.

DLU/Deimos, better know to Marathoners as Matrix_XV, is one of the composers for Hellpak, Hellpak vol 2, and Marathon Eternal.

He is known for something else now.

Shortly after the Marathon announcement he posted the following:
Just some art I did before the announcement.

FUCK by DLU/Deimos (@Matrix_XV) on twitter.com. May 25, 2023.

And just like that an image was born perfectly capturing a moment in two times - 1994 and 2023.

A reverie in space and time.


Sunday November 26, 2023    



184 Days of Night.


Today is exactly six months since Bungie declared that they were going... dark.

At 2:08 PM PDT May 26, 2023 Bungie's Marathon (@MarathonTheGame) account on twitter.com posted the following.
> UESC firewall activated in 3...2...1...

Thank you all for tuning in to our big announcement. Your energy, support, and patience means everything. Our journey is just beginning.

Now we're going dark to focus on the game... and when we come back - we'll have gameplay to show!

Before switching off the lights they left us with a nice big visual clue. In case you didn't spot it earlier.


Marathon (@MarathonTheGame) on twitter.com. 2:08 PM PDT May 26, 2023.

Even in the darkness the Marathon ARG team were still at work. Bungie may have gone dark but the Marathon ARG was not over.

Indeed some say it continues even to this day but we lack... the will and intellect to decipher it.

184 Days of Night.

50.41% of 2023

What did you do?




Update.

The Aleph One Development Team write to say what they did!

They've just released a new version of the classic Marathon Trilogy of games (aka Aleph One 1.7). Available for macOS, Windows, and Linux.

New features include:
  • Optional 3D positional audio and HRTF (head-related transfer function) headphone support. Spatial audio like you've never heard it before. Hear your enemy, kill your enemy!
  • The long awaited Vidmaster-Oath-incompatible setting. Spazeroids take note. You can run but you can't hide!
  • Improved Marathon 1 authenticity. Deimos like you've never seen it before!
  • More fog! John Carpenter would be proud!
As with all Marathon games you can play solo (PvE), up to 8 player co-op play (P+PvE), or up to 8 player multiplayer matches individually (PvP) or as teams (P+PvP+P). Kill your enemies, kill your friends' enemies, kill your friends.

All multiplayer games are peer-to-peer and work over a LAN or over the Internet. When you crush your enemies and see them driven before you, you will hear the lamentation of their Moms. Unless their Moms are playing... then you are in Big Trouble!

Chat with other players in Aleph One's global matchmaking lobby. Marathon is not a dating app.

Grab all three Marathon games today for free. Tomorrow you could wake up at Tau Ceti.

        





Saturday November 25, 2023    





Thanks to Myrzir on the Marathon Discord for this transparent version of the UESC Marathon from the Marathon announcement.
A massive ghost ship hangs in low orbit over a lost colony on Tau Ceti IV.
The image resembles the 'sword through a planet' motif commonly used in science fiction.

One of the most famous appearances of this motif is on the Star Trek episode "Mirror, Mirror" first aired in October 6, 1967. Some 56 years ago.



The episode "Mirror, Mirror" introduces the concept of a mirror universe. A parallel universe to our own but where events are different, usually dystopian.

In the mirror universe the Federation is replaced by the Terran Empire whose symbol is a sword through the planet Earth. The Terran Empire is ruled by the Terrans (Humans) who subjugated other races using the Imperial Starfleet.

The mirror universe plot would be re-used again in the Star Trek series sequels and prequel. These episodes tended to come with enigmatic titles such as "Through the Looking Glass" and "In a Mirror, Darkly".

Marathon Infinity uses the theme of mirror universes (quantum realities) where events are familiar but different.

But I digress.

The 'sword through a planet' motif may have its origins in the Arthurian legend of The Sword in the Stone (Excalibur).

Count Roland's sword Durandal is allegedly embedded in the rock of a precipice above a medieval monastery in Rocamadour, southwest of France.

 
 
 
For nine centuries the sword has been chained to the precipice by the monks of Rocamadour in case a Marathon fan tries to remove it and usher in another 1000 years of darkness.

But that's just a myth... right?

 
 
Aahhh, life in the glorious 12th century. Pilgrims and ratings. Some things never change.

(circumstances are cyclical)


Friday November 24, 2023    



Happy Black Friday!

On this the darkest of days we bring you the light... of Lh'owon's sun (before it goes nova anyway).


Ode to Marathon by issachar17 on DeviantArt. March 29, 2010.

The above artwork is entitled "Ode to Marathon" and is by issachar17. It depicts the Marathon's Security Officer using the flesh-ripping KKV-7 SMG created by the mind of Robert McLees for Marathon Infinity.


Original KKV-7 10mm Flechette SMG from June 1996.


Describing "Ode to Marathon" issachar17 wrote:
"The one thing I was extra proud of in this pic is the background. I think I had the most fun making that!"

In "Ode to Marathon" one can imagine the Security Officer turning to the audience and delivering the epic Marathon haiku...
Hear the common loon,
Kill the Pfhor, run down the hall,
Frog Blast the Vent Core.
Written by Peter Hessler, in the traditional 5, 7, 5 format and featured in the Letters to the WebMaster (January 22, 1997), it would go on to inspire countless Marathon haiku attempts over the years and eventually lead to the Bungie Webmaster Poetry Slam and Hootenanny!

It was all downhill from there!


Postscript.

A word of caution. Should you use the word W'rkncacnter in your Marathon haiku be prepared for endless and fruitless debate on the number of syllables in your line. You have been warned!


Thursday November 23, 2023    



Happy Thanksgiving!


The Bungie games family Thanksgiving by Lorraine McLees (aka Mehve).

Lorraine gave some background to her 2021 Thanksgiving artwork:
"I've always loved how Norman Rockwell seemed to imbue a soul to his illustrations. In my homage to his wonderful "Freedom from want" illustration, I wanted to bring in characters across Bungie's history like I did in my 10-yr anniversary party illustration.

And I really wanted to express a sense of belonging, and of familial togetherness that so many of us couldn't partake in in 2021."

In true Marathon fashion the Security Officer breaks the fourth wall, turns to the audience and smiles...
"A smile which reminds you of something from your past, but you can't remember exactly what it is."
Marathon. Marathon Manual (page 3). December 1994.


Lorraine, who was recently let go by Bungie, had a long tradition of depicting the Bungie games family in her artwork. Her 10th Anniversary Bungie poster (2001) is one of her most famous pieces.


She will not be forgotten.

Check out Bungie's Thanksgiving Artwork 2021 section on Blasts from the Past for more information about Lorraine's work including a who's who in the picture.


Wednesday November 22, 2023    



Seven days ago it was the 22nd anniversary of Halo: Combat Evolved on Xbox and we missed it!

DreadSnortt didn't and celebrated it with a tribute to old-school Bungie, entitled "MaraHalOni. The real power of seven."


MaraHalOni by DreadSnortt (@_DreadSnortt_) on
twitter.com. November 15, 2023.

DreadSnortt went on to add:
"wanted to make this one look a little bit like a magazine cover or a poster. hope i succeeded!"

Remember when words came on paper... and you had to read them... yourself?


The Story So Far... by Pfhortnite. November 16, 2023.



Tuesday November 21, 2023    



Happy Marathon 2: Durandal shipping day!





Yes folks! On this day 28 years ago Marathon 2:Durandal shipped. Officially it wasn't suppose to ship until November 30, 1995 but as fate would have it the boxes were done, Cyberian Outpost had copies and were shipping just in time for Thanksgiving.

Marathon 2 is the "Goldilocks Zone" of the Marathon Trilogy. Neither too hot nor too cold, but just right.

The first game in the Trilogy requires you to piece the story together yourself from terminals found throughout the game, some in secret areas. Too hard for some people requiring Jason Jones to explain things.

The last game in the Trilogy cannot be explained. No human mind can comprehend it. Those that try go mad and draw stuff on walls as a warning to others.


Marathon Iceberg by orihaus. April 2, 2021.


Stay safe... play Marathon 2: Durandal.

Happy Marathon 2:Durandal shipping day!


Marathoners Anonymous would like to point our that if you need help there is a seat here for you... beside Hamish.



Monday November 20, 2023    



JpansAmerica asks " Will you be a Runner or the run over? "


Runner or the run over by JpansAmerica (@JpansAmerica) on
twitter.com May 24, 2023.

Now if you have just awoken from stasis and think you are in some Red Dawn-like dystopian nightmare (Red Dawn Infinity) be assured that this is not Japan's America (not yet anyway) this is JpansAmerica. Subtle difference.

JpansAmerica's Marathon slogan raises the spectre of a future Bungie competition for the funniest Marathon slogan. After all Bungie have been running funniest Marathon competitions since the very beginning.


America's Funniest Marathon Replays competition.
Marathon Manual (page 20). December 21, 1994.

In terms of Marathon slogans you have your work cut out to beat the current reigning champion Space Hero. Or Space Dust! from the back of the Super Marathon box.



" Who among you will write their names across the stars? "
Bungie Inc.  Marathon.  May 24, 2023.

...in Space Dust!


Sunday November 19, 2023    



DURANDAL WAS LAUGHING
Marathon. Final Screen.

When you create the final level you get the final word. And the word is...


Got to love Bungie humor in the 90s.

According to the
Marathon Scrapbook Bungie office exchanges during Marathon's development quickly descended into...
"Hey Greg."
"What?"
"Your mom."
"Hey Jason."
"What?"
"No, YOUR mom."
But I digress.

Congratulations to Jeoku for finishing his in-depth playthrough of Marathon with the Jason Jones level Ingue Ferroque,  the final level of the Rebellion Chapter and the final level of the game.

Sources in the video include:

The battle for the Marathon is finally over!

Jay Faircloth nicely captures the moment in this piece below.


M1A1 End Screen by Jay Faircloth (aka anaphiel) at anaphiel.com.

I'll leave the last word to Jason Jones from the Official Strategy Guide interview.
"...Marathon's ending really does leave a lot of room for something else to happen. I don't know how many people noticed this, but the very last thing that happens to the player in Marathon is that he is teleported off the last level to where? Maybe someday we'll take advantage of this."
Where indeed!


Saturday November 18, 2023    




This Banksy-esque graffiti art is a bit of a puzzle.

It is catalogued in the Story page archives without any creator information. The only information I have is that it dates back to early 2012 and may even be earlier that this.

Perhaps it is by the renowned but mysterious Banksy, England-based street artist, political activist and film director. If so, by today's prices it is worth millions.


Perhaps the Security Officer did travel back in time to warn us of the Marathon's impending fate!

Perhaps Jon Goff, Ash Little and the rest of the Marathon ARG team saw it and said... hell yeah... let's do it!

 
Perhaps you know differently.

Marathon Incites Defiant Art.


The Marathon 25th Anniversary T-Shirt (aka the Project Goliath shirt) mentioned back on November 12, 2023 sold for US $42.95. But it had been worn!

Now you can get a new in bag one for US $499.99.
  
Look your best on Tau Ceti IV with the Marathon 25th Anniversary T-Shirt.

Marathon Is Desirable Attire.


Friday November 17, 2023    




G-4 Sunbathing Landing Station by lobolabo on Artstation .

Interesting discussion on r/Marathon about the Marathon level G4 Sunbathing and whether or not it was an underrated level.

Come on... who rates this stuff anyway?

One insightful poster (deram_scholzara) made the following point about G4 Sunbathing.
"...this is the level I feel most directly inspires the new Marathon - go in, get stuff done on a timer, get out."
So you if you can't hack G4 Sunbathing... new Marathon may not be for you!



" Old Marathon or New Marathon ? "

I get asked this a lot!

Faced with such a complex multi-faceted question we must of course turn to the fountain of all knowledge for the answer tru7h.

Yes... YouTube!

Old Marathon.



New Marathon.



We have the answer, but I'm afraid that like the ancient S'pht I may be destroyed before being able to use it.
Durandal.  Marathon 2.  Six Thousand Feet Under (Terminal 6)


WAIT! What's the answer?


Thursday November 16, 2023    



Marathon Psycho.

Arising from yesterday's 'drop the mic' moment we should not forget that the Security Officer in Jay Faircloth's Marathon 10th Anniversary Poster (2004) bears a striking resemblance to Christian Bale in American Psycho (2000).


Marathon 10th Anniversary Poster by Jay Faircloth (aka anaphiel) on anaphiel.com (2004).


Christian Bale in American Psycho (2000).

Christian Bale always ranked high with fans to portray the Security Officer in the Marathon Trilogy. However, Bale subsequently went on to portray Batman in the highly acclaimed Dark Knight Trilogy (2005-2012).

Funny how things turn out.



Jay Faircloth's Marathon Art on anaphiel.com.


Wednesday November 15, 2023    



Back on September 13, 2023 we featured Flowers in heaven by concept artist Rythaze.


Flowers in heaven by Rythaze (@Rythayze) twitter.com. September 8, 2023.

And asked:
Who... am I?

Who am I, really?
Recently Rythaze posted a paper sketch of the Security Officer.


Paper sketch by Rythaze (@Rythayze) on twitter.com. November 9, 2023.

Commenting on the Security Officer's "lil grin" he wrote:
"Always like the idea of the security officer echoing the players manic desire to blow shit up, he's a psycho in the context of the marathon universe"
Psycho?

And all the time I thought Tycho was the Psycho.

Now, in the quantum moment before the closure, when all
become one. One moment left. One point of space and time.

I know who you are.

You are Psycho.


Tuesday November 14, 2023    



Vehicles in Marathon?


Bungie Day by Zumoggu | Comms Open (@Zumogguri) on twitter.com. July 7, 2023.

Looks like MIDA graffiti but it's not.

It's Bungie's Seventh Column logo resembling MIDA graffiti. The driver of this particular vehicle sports a Marathon logo and is perhaps tracking down the perpetrators of this act of defiance. Then again maybe the driver was the perpetrator.

Marathon Inspires Defiant Art.

It's a variation of this image from ten years earlier.


7th Column by Caboose Jr. February 22, 2013.

The Seventh Column dates back to the turn of the century. Bungie's Max Hoberman (aka Yeroen) wrote:
"...the whole point of the Seventh Column is to promote LAN play of Bungie's games."
Since then the Seventh Column logo has appeared in many guises in both Halo and Destiny.

Sometimes we forget its humble beginnings.

Curious how it resembles the MIDA logo...

  


Vehicles in Marathon?

Perhaps you are called a Runner for a reason!



Monday November 13, 2023    



The Pfhorensic Dissection of the Story Page continues...

Jack_the_dragon on the Marathon Discord writes concerning the image at the top of The 10th military Mjolnir Mark IV cyborg section:
"tried at doin my own take on that one image in the story site"

 

Yes folks the lack of Marathon content has forced some fans to dissect the Story page in search of the tru7h.

Who is that Masked Man?

Bungie better release some new Marathon content... soon™ otherwise there will be nothing left of the Story Page but... Dem Dry Bones.

Others have asked why did the Pfhorensic Dissection of the Marathon ARG stop? Phhht! Just like that.

The last update was on September 5, 2023. That's over two months ago. Too many YAMs? What did you find? Did Bungie say... STOP! We want the tru7h!





Sunday November 12, 2023    



MJOLNIR Recon 54 by The Count of S.

MJOLNIR Recon 54 by The Count of S on twitter.com

Getting some strong Moebius vibes from this nice rendition of the Marathon's security officer.

The Count would later describe this piece as:
"The 'Marathon Manual Trilogy' version of MJOLNIR Recon 54 is my personal favorite, as he looks somewhat barbaric with the bandolier and rolled up sleeves - like he's capable of surviving for a long time anywhere by eating enemy corpses.

Much stronger visual impression."
The Count is actually referring to this pic by Craig Mullins used for the credits section of the Marathon Scrapbook which came with the Marathon Trilogy Box Set.


This piece of Marathon art by Craig Mullins actually predates his work for Bungie. This was one of five pieces he did as a Marathon fan prior to working for Bungie on Marathon 2: Durandal, Marathon Infinity and the Marathon Trilogy Box Set.

See the Marathon Art of Craig Mullins section for more details on Craig's Marathon art.


Fortunately Craig was not one of the people let go by Bungie at the end of October... since he wasn't working with them on Marathon anyway.

Marathon's artistic style has moved on from the days of bandoliers and rolled up sleeves apparently.

But I digress.

Missed out on the Marathon 25th Anniversary T-Shirt (aka the Project Goliath shirt)?

Well now's your chance to grab a piece of history on eBay.
  
The shirt has the hidden code to Project Goliath (aka Marathon).

Be the collest kid on Mars with the Marathon 25th Anniversary T-Shirt.


Saturday November 11, 2023    



Marathon Decals?

Yes!

Not those flimsy paper Marathon stickers from the 90s!


21th century vinyl Marathon Decals!


Marathon decal in metallic carbon vinyl by Neil Braybrook.

You know... the ones you stick on your car, bike, spaceship. Like you do!


Marathon decal by Terrence Hawthorne.

These are available on EN187.com in multiple colors and finishes while stocks last.

The description reads:
"In the quantum moment before the closure, when all become one. One moment left, One point of space and time. I know who you are. You are Destiny..."  4x4in Vinyl Decal
Be quick though...

In The Heavens... They Are Watching.


Friday November 10, 2023    



How much would you pay for the first copy of Marathon 2: Durandal to roll off the production line?


This is question Bungie asked Marathon fans back in November 1995 in their Marathon 2 Charity Auction for the Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Bungie have a long history of supporting charities. Today Bungie have a dedicated team who support their charitable work through the Bungie Foundation.


The Marathon 2 Charity Auction was the genesis of this philanthropy.

The first copy of Marathon 2: Durandal rolled off the production line on November 10, 1995. Today... 28 years ago.

The highest bid in the Marathon 2 Charity Auction was $612 and the bidder was Michio Hashimoto (aka Miha) from Japan.



You see... Marathon is... Big In Japan.

Today's news was sponsored by the Marathon's Story page (Toyko, Japan).

  


Thursday November 9, 2023    



In the beginning was the word.

And the word was...

... Blam.


Blam
Your Mom
Dink


If you hear these words before you extract... you are already dead... you just don't know it yet.

This famous (infamous?) Bungie phrase is featured at the very end of the Marathon Infinity manual. But its origin goes back much further than this.

But what does "Dink" mean in the Bungie lexicon?

According to Greg Kirkpatrick (Bungie Software): "dink was brought in by Rob McLees because he is a sick man.. You should probably ask him about it.. it involves a long story about one of his friends." Alternatively if you have a copy of the Spring 1996 edition of Bungievision the Bungie 'Word of the Day' was... Dink and a definition was provided.

However finding a copy of Bungievision Spring 1996 is next to impossible.

Probably for the best.



Wednesday November 8, 2023    



What fun to watch you work.
Durandal. Marathon 2: Durandal. Nuke And Pave (Terminal 1).

On May 7, 2023, seventeen days before the Marathon announcement, the Count of S revealed he was working on his Marathon Magnum Opus.  He wrote:
"Mjolnir Recon 54/ Security Cyborg from Marathon (WIP for big drawing)"

Mjolnir Recon 54 by The Count of S (@TheCountofS) on twitter.com. May 7, 2023

Nathan Anderson (Deimos Remus), a well known Marathon fan artist himself, posted the following reply:
"Hell yes, we need more marathon art!"
Yes indeed.

On June 30, 2023 the Count unveiled 'Ultra Marathon" - a Marathon stylistic thesis.


Ultra Marathon by The Count of S (@TheCountofS) on twitter.com. June 30, 2023

An epic panorama of total carnage reminiscent of those multi-page spreads by Jim Steranko in the late 1960s and 70s.


Captain America (issue 110, February 1969) by Jim Steranko

The Count wrote:
"MJOLNIR Recon 54 is still out there, fighting his way through the Heavens..."
We look forward to seeing more Marathon art by The Count of S (illustrator from a remote island). Check out the Count on twitter.com and tumblr.


Tuesday November 7, 2023    



Tired of waiting (in the heavens) for your next Marathon fix?

Then pick up the latest copy of... Marathon Magazine!

Jon Mikulanis (Art Director, Graphic Designer, Educator, Game Designer) writes:
"The trailer has some amazing visuals and I was inspired to create a launch announcement and magazine layout with in their established brand style."

Marathon Magazine by Jon Mikulanis on Behance. June 13, 2023.

Jon Mikulanis continues:
"Reviewing the games website I love the intentional typography choices to not capitalize it makes the bold call outs more impactful and is a unique twist on military standards of all caps."
 
Marathon Magazine comes complete with a full-color pull-out promotional poster.


Marathon Poster by Jon Mikulanis on Behance. June 13, 2023.

Get your copy today!

Check out Jon Mikulanis on Linkedin and Behance.

Warning!

If you go to your local store and ask for the latest copy of Marathon Magazine you might end up with this.


Don't get fooled... again!


Monday November 6, 2023    



Another Marathon Keychain has surfaced.


Marathon Keychain posted by Nico Audy-Rowland on twitter.com November 3, 2023.

This one belongs to Nico Audy-Rowland a long-time Marathon fan. Reminiscing on the game and Bungie he wrote:
"In 1994, you made a work of art that was part game, part book, all fun, and you won me forever."
Words that will no doubt resonate with many old-school Marathon fans.

The patina on these mid-90s Marathon artefacts is quite amazing. Durability is the word that springs to mind.


Picture posted by Grasshopper, Marathon Keychain owned by Losk. January 1, 2003


Marathon Keychain by drop-database-reddit on r/marathon. February 2, 2022

Reminds me of this image by LocustTheSpawn (Keenan Van Richardson).


Embrace the random by LocustTheSpawn (Keenan Van Richardson) on twitter.com. September 11, 2023

This Marathon Keychain on the other hand has been kept in stasis and resides in the Museum of Marathon Antiquities.



Seeing Nico Audy-Rowland's Marathon Keychain reminded me of the day he wrote to the Story page and asked: "Have you asked the Soul:  loquerisne linguam latinam".

For those that don't know/remember, the soul (later known as the Disembodied Soul) was Bungie's chatbot before chatbots were even a thing. This tormented soul was forced to answer fan questions 24-7-365.

The soul first appeared on Bungie's website in early 1997 to provide interactive tech support 24 hours a day. This allowed Matt Soell (pronounced "sell" not "soul") to go home at night.

Soul-baiting quickly became a popular activity. Who could ask the most stupid question and get back an equally stupid response? Whole websites were devoted to recording these witty exchanges.

Oh the humanity!


However with the rise of social media the need to ask the soul stupid questions to illicit equally stupid responses abated until one day no one asked any more questions. Humanity had evolved and the soul simply withered and died.

Bungie no longer had a soul.


Sunday November 5, 2023    



Yet more MIDA acronyms!

Back on October 2, 2023 we started the MIDA Acronym List to record all the MIDA acronyms that appeared as part of the Marathon ARG.


The list started with twenty, then #21 was found and then thanks to treellama #22 was found.

Now thanks to Elon Musk two more have been found.


Wait... what?!!!

You see during the Marathon ARG Jonathan Goff (Narrative Lead for Marathon) was actively tweeting as events unfolded. However when his Twitter account was suspended all his Marathon ARG missives were wiped out... Phhht! Just like that.

Much the same way as the Tau Ceti IV colony was wiped out.

But when Elon Musk reanimated Jon's Twitter Χ account a week ago the timeline was reset and everything was back as it once was.

Well sort of.


Elon Musk demonstrates the prototype Tozt Flame Unit for the Occupy Mars mission.


The two MIDA acronyms were posted by Jon Goff shortly after the UESC crackdown on MIDA's Twitter account. He wrote:
"One minute your mischievous insurrection demands attention. The next, UESC's brought the crackdown."
  

Replying to a comment about MIDA's short existence Jon wrote:
"Ha! Maybe it'll disrupt again. Time will tell."

Both of these acronyms have been added to the MIDA Acronym List. Twenty-four and counting.



Saturday November 4, 2023    



Can't wait until 2025 for your next Marathon lore fix?

Then look no further than Marathon: The Complete Series by Daniel Young.


Nine book in total (Marathon Trilogy times three). Over 1,000 pages of nonstop Marathon action from the co-author of the Ark series.

But wait there's more... Marathon lore!

Don't foget John Thornton's Colony Ship series. We first mentioned this series back on September 10, 2023.



And last but not least the original of the species... the Marathon Trilogy by David Alexander Smith. Three novels published between 1982 and 1990.

More Marathon lore than you can shake a Pfhor stick at!



More Marathon T-Shirts for sale on eBay.

Buy a lot of four shirts (CyAc, MIDA (white), UESC, Traxus) in Medium size for EUR 1,995.00 (US $2,118.39) location Spain.

Buy a CyberAcme XL for GBP 275.00 (US $334.77) location UK.



Friday November 3, 2023    



Rythaze (@Rythayze) a concept artist on twitter.com asks:
"Anyone wanna send me a little marathon symbol key chain if they exist?"

Got a bad feeling about this by Rythaze on twitter.com. September 8, 2023.

Wait what?

"If they exist?"

The most coveted piece of Marathon memorabilia to ever exist?


Marathon Keychain by drop-database-reddit on r/marathon. February 2, 2020.

These solid stirling silver armor-plated keychains were advertised in Bungie's Summer 1995 catalogue entitled: More Things From Bungie To Waste Your Money On.

Bungie humor in the 90s was priceless. As is the Marathon Keychain. The last one sold for...


Thursday November 2, 2023    



Collin MacGregor (@BeguiledGamer), Associate World Designer working on Marathon, recently posted the following on twitter.com:
Doing a bit of research tonight...

Understanding the source material better will only help me as a designer even if they are slightly different genres haha

I must admit, I didn't expect this much atmosphere haha The chittering noise the aliens make is creepy xD



Good start!

But remember what it says in the Marathon manual.
Spazeroids should play on an easy level, Vidmasters play at higher levels. You may have to play a few times before you can make it though on the Total Carnage setting.
Spazeroids? You've got to love the 90s!


Jonathan Goff (Narrative Lead for Marathon) is back!

No... he wasn't mistakenly let go.

Back on June 16, 2023 we reported that Jon's Twitter account was suspended.


A few days ago it was mysteriously reanimated.

No doubt Jon and Elon have patched up their differences and come to an understanding about the distance from Earth to Tau Ceti. Project X can now move forward.


Missed out on a limited edition Marathon T-Shirt?

Well now's your chance to be the proud owner of a CyberAcme T-Shirt XL.
  
Only US $449.95 on eBay.

While the item is claimed to be new in bag look carefully at the back of the bag it appears to have been cut opened at the top.

Caveat emptor  folks!


Wednesday November 1, 2023    



So Marathon is now slated for a 2025 release on PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC.

So plenty of time to play Marathon on PC.


Marathon on PC by Phantom Buster (@PhantomBusterV) on Twitter. August 24, 2023.

If you can name where this terminal is located in the game in under seven seconds then you know your Marathon. Even better if you cay say what's wrong with the terminal.

But I digress.

Marathon on PC.

If you want to play Marathon on PC look no further than Marathon's Game Director Christopher Barrett's new customised Falcon Northwest Fragbox.


Falcon Northwest Fragbox by Christopher Barrett (@oryxeleven) on Twitter. August 21, 2023.

Christopher (Oryx) Barrett's custom specs make this a 6K+ box.

Way to go!

Marathon on PC.





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Last updated Nov 30, 2023