Open Letter about HuntTheSignal to 343 and Msoft

Games Halo 5: Guardians
1

EDIT: TLDR verison at bottom.
Hello,

I’m not certain if you (343i) or any third parties involved (Microsoft, B-reel, etc.) will read this but I seriously hope that you do because I’m writing this in hopes that you take my feedback and really take it into consideration. I will also be leaving this open for other fans to also post their comments about this supposed ‘ARG’. Please take some time, have someone or a group from your team read this (same goes for Microsoft and other parties involved) and let us get this underway so that you may react and possibly fix what originally started as a fantastic ARG only to turn into a horrible game of chance, luck, and social media following.

To start off, let’s take a page from the book/fandom of another interesting entertainment property; Star Wars. If you look and even speak with Disney on how they approached the fanbase and fandom of Star Wars? They were VERY careful to listen to everything that mattered about Star Wars’ fanbase. I’m not necessarily saying that Halo is as big and impactful as Star Wars. However, I am saying that the fanbase (or at least a majority of it) are as zealous. So why am I mentioning this? Why am I bringing this up? Well, lets look at your handling of the most recent Halo title that is currently up and coming.

First off, you gave us some interesting breadcrumbs in the form of the Halo: Escalation series. Next you went even further to make a canon information update system called ‘Canon Fodder’, which is appreciated. You then go on to start an advertisement campaign and play it close to the chest, which gets us all worked up, excited, and hyped. As it continues you then add onto this, very interestingly but also very discreetly, with HuntTheTruth. Which, let’s be honest, all of us are gripping the edge of our seats to know what happens next.

So far as it has been handled? You have been doing so much better than when you started. You got the fanbase talking, discussing and being interested in each new update of the game, it’s canon, it’s side-stories. You got groups of people intrigued as to where Halo 5: Guardians is heading and interested in what will happen between Chief and Locke. (Honestly, I feel Locke is being handled better than Lasky…though only a bit.)

Then…it started. It was just a simple bit of noise at the end. Something that could easily be missed…but it was there. (though the competition was found a little earlier, this was the true introduction to the very competition you set out to create. And almost INSTANTLY you have people looking for the next bit of information, you have people trying to figure it out, scrambling into teams and getting ready for this because of it’s implications. And then it opens. Now, I won’t speak for everyone when I talk about this as this is my and my team’s experience, but still.

Once this ‘supposed’ ARG opened up, me and my team had stayed up for it’s opening and naturally we got to cracking RIGHT away. We breezed through the compass portion, destroyed the ABC bit and then spent hours knocking our heads together and burning out our brains to try and figure out the coded links only to realize it was so simple. (thanks to hints from two community members; Sepheus IX and WiredrawnCow9) Then…nothing.

For hours, community members realized that there were only 7 pieces at the time. There was only so much we could be able to have access to. Which we were fine with! (well, a majority of us anyway.) We realized that some of the gifs from the competition were labeled as chapters and that the contest went on until the 22’nd. So we had TIME to be able to process everything and to just be ready for whatever came next! The next day comes along? Nothing. Then the third day…whispers of people having more pieces? Posts of twitter updates showing people with bigger circuit boards? How?? When???

Again, this is from the viewpoint of me and my team;

We begin to scour through everything we just completed, lurk through our individual links and try to find hidden buttons, try to look through the source code like it was shown on HuntTheTruth, and find NOTHING. Not one more step, not another advancement…only hidden updates from social pages on XBOX and XBOX UK’s facebook timeline. And within that very instant? The whole integrity and idea of this ‘supposed’ ARG comes crashing down. All the interest in this ‘Super Admin Messenger’ in which we get our objectives, puzzles, codes to break, etc? Gone. Now the very competition that states it is a game of skill is turned around and thrown out the window for a social media page crawl adventure and for a simple game of chance and way to get your social media statistics and visits up. (XBOX, I mean.)

Alternate. Reality. Game.

That is the very meaning of ARG. That is what this was supposed to do for us. It was supposed to keep us IN the universe, IN the game, and IN the competition. And within a day and a half or two, it’s thrown out the window and the majority of people working on this competition. The people who like the universe. The canon. The idea of another ‘I Love Bees’ campaign? It’s all squashed and a lot of the hype and interest in this next title that was being so carefully worked on? Thrown into the garbage disposal only to have it connect to a wood chipper. (Again, I don’t speak for everyone, this is mostly my view and feelings.)

THIS is what Disney was so careful not to do. This is what Disney invested in when it came to the fanbase of Star Wars. Making sure that when it came to Star Wars and the fanbase interaction of? it was kept in universe, or at the very least, kept away from the Disney brand and focused on the brand that should matter the most. Star Wars and the universe of.

I am still in this competition, if only to see it through or see if my team and I truly can win. But knowing now that it is a social media crawl for most of it? My team and I are just turned off and pissed off at the whole thing. Hell, even if we DID win? All of us agree that we wouldn’t feel like we ‘earned’ it. And why? Because we didn’t work for it. We just surfed the web, checked XBOX social media sites, and found more pieces that you and Microsoft let out rather than keep it contained within the interesting and engaging idea and concept of the HuntTheSignal website and messenger.

All it took was a single thread. A single thread out of place for the whole thing to start unraveling and that is exactly what happened.

Please, the next time, if there is one, that you decide to do an ARG? Keep us engaged. Keep us in the universe. Don’t go for stupid social media statistics just to generate numbers and intrigue. Go for what the fans want while doing this. Something to engage them, bring them together, and allow them to enjoy trying to figure out stuff from the very universe they know and love.

-Grim.

TLDR:
Started and was built up as an ARG involving teamwork with Puzzle Solving, Code Breaking, etc. Devolved almost instantly into social media page scrawling. Super pissed as a fan, know others of the community are too. Get your crap together and give us an ARG when you already have so much going for your marketing campaign 343i and MSoft/Xbox.

2

The part that I love is Hunt The Truth with Benjamin Giraud. That alone made me think Halo 5:Guardians will have a great story. Everything else about Hunt The Signal is making me rethink that Halo 5:Guardians is a fully fleshed out idea.

3

Nice write up.

I am going to reserve judgement until we see the whole thing play out though personally.

You never know…

4

> 2691436920167075;3:
> I am going to reserve judgement until we see the whole thing play out though personally.

^ that would be the best idea.

5

> 2691436920167075;3:
> Nice write up.
>
> I am going to reserve judgement until we see the whole thing play out though personally.
>
> You never know…

Honestly? I am still reserving judgement for Halo 5: Guardians as this whole thing is being handled by separate parties (just like Halo: The Master Chief collection with multiple developers). But it doesn’t lessen my ire in any way.

In fact, with how often 343i has gone and just thrown their projects to other parties and companies? It really makes me concerned with Halo 5 (even if they say it’s all being done ‘In-House’)

Furthermore? I have reserved Judgement for Halo 4, I reserved judgement for The Master Chief Collection. How many more times do I have to reserve my judgement before the company I look up to to deliver a solid product does just that? With anything they produce or do, for that matter?

6

> 2533274856560133;5:
> > 2691436920167075;3:
> > Nice write up.
> >
> > I am going to reserve judgement until we see the whole thing play out though personally.
> >
> > You never know…
>
>
> Honestly? I am still reserving judgement for Halo 5: Guardians as this whole thing is being handled by separate parties (just like Halo: The Master Chief collection with multiple developers). But it doesn’t lessen my ire in any way.
>
> In fact, with how often 343i has gone and just thrown their projects to other parties and companies? It really makes me concerned with Halo 5 (even if they say it’s all being done ‘In-House’)
>
> Furthermore? I have reserved Judgement for Halo 4, I reserved judgement for The Master Chief Collection. How many more times do I have to reserve my judgement before the company I look up to to deliver a solid product does just that? With anything they produce or do, for that matter?

Damn, didn’t think I’d meet someone else with sense like this. Kudos sir.

7

Ugh…more complaining.

Why not wait until you finish the ARG before complaining about it? Its equivalent to seeing half a story arc play out over a season of a TV show and giving up on it before you even see how it ends.

For heavens sake man, at least experience the entire thing before you write a dramatic open letter. That kind of move is usually reserved for an important social issue.

This community sometimes just blows my mind.

8

Just saying my view, but this seems more like a Halo 5 themed contest, rather than an ARG-Contest.

Only ARG element is if you believe you and your team are recruits doing this for the chance to be deployed with Spartan Locke

9

> 2533274802357607;8:
> Just saying my view, but this seems more like a Halo 5 themed contest, rather than an ARG-Contest.
>
> Only ARG element is if you believe you and your team are recruits doing this for the chance to be deployed with Spartan Locke

That’s what I’m saying. It’s not an ARG, it’s just a contest with the prize being your face in the game. Not worth it if you ask me. I tipped everyone off about the the concept art puzzle but I didn’t participate. It’s not worth the hassle so I just watch on.

10

> 2533274795233660;7:
> Ugh…more complaining.
>
> Why not wait until you finish the ARG before complaining about it? Its equivalent to seeing half a story arc play out over a season of a TV show and giving up on it before you even see how it ends.
>
> For heavens sake man, at least experience the entire thing before you write a dramatic open letter. That kind of move is usually reserved for an important social issue.
>
> This community sometimes just blows my mind.

Of course I’m going to complain. I have that solid right to as a fan.

Believe me, I get it. Halo Waypoint has been nothing but complaining about little details (the whole reason I pulled away from it for a while) but I felt the need. Something needed to be said.

Further, why do I have to wait until something’s finished to start complaining. If a friend draws something and shows it to me, am I not allowed to give them some critique as their friend and fellow artist? I someone draws up plans for a project that I am involved in, do I not have the right to question some of the designs? And finally, as a consumer of a product and fan of that products universe, do I not have the right to question how it’s being handled or where it’s heading?

We are a majority of the way through this ARG with the pieces, it is LITERALLY near completion, and it’s because the bulk of the damn thing has been (semi-discreetly) posted on social media pages rather than required us to figure out puzzles or anything. There is no intelligence behind it, it’s just ‘Follow us and you will see the update!’
Dramatic? Meh, perhaps the way I type sounds dramatic, what with me going into specific detail or breaking off certain sentences with questions and queries but i’ll be -Yoink!- if it isn’t correct in how I experienced it.

And finally. You know what blows my mind about this community? How we can be so agreed on a topic, how we can all come together on something. But the moment anyone questions anything. The moment anyone grows concerned about anything or voices their concerns? It causes people to come out of the woodwork and just say ‘Oh, just give it a chance.’, ‘reserve your judgement’. HELL, if you talked to me before Halo 4 came out? I WAS ON THAT BOAT! ‘Wait until the finished product.’ But after so many failures in the gaming industry? After broken product upon broken product, I’m kinda sick of ‘waiting till the final product’ for ANY damn thing! If i can change something, anything, before it finishes and try to change it for the better by voicing my opinion, then I will do so gladly. What blows my mind is how this community, and the gaming community as a whole, can so easily roll over but then voices their opinion so loudly if agreed on a topic.

11

> 2533274802357607;8:
> Just saying my view, but this seems more like a Halo 5 themed contest, rather than an ARG-Contest.
>
> Only ARG element is if you believe you and your team are recruits doing this for the chance to be deployed with Spartan Locke

Yeah, there’s that…then there’s the fact that they included distorted audio at the end of HuntTheTruth’s most recent episode, then there the fact being that we have direct correlations of interference of Halsey’s A.I. Jerrod…and possibly many different indications that this was brought to our attention by Dr. Halsey (which begs the question now why it focuses so heavily on Locke and Oni when there are so many references to Halsey and what she’s doing or has done.)
Honestly, there are so many elements that point to it being an ARG, it’s ridiculous.

12

> 2533274856560133;11:
> > 2533274802357607;8:
> > Just saying my view, but this seems more like a Halo 5 themed contest, rather than an ARG-Contest.
> >
> > Only ARG element is if you believe you and your team are recruits doing this for the chance to be deployed with Spartan Locke
>
>
> Yeah, there’s that…then there’s the fact that they included distorted audio at the end of HuntTheTruth’s most recent episode, then there the fact being that we have direct correlations of interference of Halsey’s A.I. Jerrod…and possibly many different indications that this was brought to our attention by Dr. Halsey (which begs the question now why it focuses so heavily on Locke and Oni when there are so many references to Halsey and what she’s doing or has done.)
> Honestly, there are so many elements that point to it being an ARG, it’s ridiculous.

As far as I know. HuntTheTruth and HuntTheSignal are unrelated, only having close names as they are both centered around searching. I doubt currently or overall they are linked.

13

> 2533274802357607;12:
> > 2533274856560133;11:
> > > 2533274802357607;8:
> > > Just saying my view, but this seems more like a Halo 5 themed contest, rather than an ARG-Contest.
> > >
> > > Only ARG element is if you believe you and your team are recruits doing this for the chance to be deployed with Spartan Locke
> >
> >
> > Yeah, there’s that…then there’s the fact that they included distorted audio at the end of HuntTheTruth’s most recent episode, then there the fact being that we have direct correlations of interference of Halsey’s A.I. Jerrod…and possibly many different indications that this was brought to our attention by Dr. Halsey (which begs the question now why it focuses so heavily on Locke and Oni when there are so many references to Halsey and what she’s doing or has done.)
> > Honestly, there are so many elements that point to it being an ARG, it’s ridiculous.
>
>
> As far as I know. HuntTheTruth and HuntTheSignal are unrelated, only having close names as they are both centered around searching. I doubt currently or overall they are linked.

Well, until Pharaoh is revealed (which many are thinking is Halsey), there is no real direct correlation (save for the audio distortion.)

14

Most entitled post ever. I’m sorry 343 has forced you to search websites looking for clues so you can potentially win a free to enter contest and become immortalized in Halo canon forever. I’m sorry it upsets you so much that you felt the need to write a long and elaborate post about your hurt feelings towards the matter, maybe you should just go outside and like throw a football around or something? Get. A. Grip.

15

> 2533274883669557;4:
> > 2691436920167075;3:
> > I am going to reserve judgement until we see the whole thing play out though personally.
>
>
> ^ that would be the best idea.

for sure

16

> 2533274918324867;14:
> Most entitled post ever. I’m sorry 343 has forced you to search websites looking for clues so you can potentially win a free to enter contest and become immortalized in Halo canon forever. I’m sorry it upsets you so much that you felt the need to write a long and elaborate post about your hurt feelings towards the matter, maybe you should just go outside and like throw a football around or something? Get. A. Grip.

Lol, most entitled? Okay. I leave Waypoint, don’t touch it for months, maybe longer. Come back for an ARG (which is being handled poorly), voice my opinion on how it’s being handled and I’m the entitled one? Okay.
This community, I swear…

17

> 2533274887515153;15:
> > 2533274883669557;4:
> > > 2691436920167075;3:
> > > I am going to reserve judgement until we see the whole thing play out though personally.
> >
> >
> > ^ that would be the best idea.
>
>
> for sure

And now XBOX has announced that the pieces are all out there, meaning that the point of the HuntTheSignal website is now completely null and void for anything further. slow clap

18

I stopped reading when OP said Disney cared about the Star Wars fans, they clearly didn’t, they literally -Yoink- on us and everything that the fans liked, if they’d have listened to the fans they wouldn’t have thrown away LucasArt and destroyed the expanded universe.

Also, who the -Yoink- really cares about ARGs? If it’s good then it’s cool but if it’s not well -Yoink- it, I won’t give a -Yoink-, I’m here for the game not ARGs and other stuffs of this kind…

19

> 2535442744975586;18:
> I stopped reading when OP said Disney cared about the Star Wars fans, they clearly didn’t, they literally -Yoink- on us and everything that the fans liked, if they’d have listened to the fans they wouldn’t have thrown away LucasArt and destroyed the expanded universe.
>
> Also, who the -Yoink- really cares about ARGs? If it’s good then it’s cool but if it’s not well -Yoink- it, I won’t give a -Yoink-, I’m here for the game not ARGs and other stuffs of this kind…

And yet they spent time, and money, to keep a dedicated lore and fan interaction group. Kept constant and continuous communication with the fans and answer every letter, email, and so on that comes in about Star Wars. (the very fan section is handled by fans themselves)

Lucas Arts was only a portion of the Star Wars brand and, quite honestly, they released a LOT of bad titles most recently. I, for one, am sad that they are gone (was looking forward to 1313) but ultimately? They were not doing well as a developer (not that I think DICE will do any better but I will hold my opinion for a while longer yet until actual gameplay is revealed…though news isn’t especially pleasing)

20

> 2533274856560133;16:
> > 2533274918324867;14:
> > Most entitled post ever. I’m sorry 343 has forced you to search websites looking for clues so you can potentially win a free to enter contest and become immortalized in Halo canon forever. I’m sorry it upsets you so much that you felt the need to write a long and elaborate post about your hurt feelings towards the matter, maybe you should just go outside and like throw a football around or something? Get. A. Grip.
>
>
> Lol, most entitled? Okay. I leave Waypoint, don’t touch it for months, maybe longer. Come back for an ARG (which is being handled poorly), voice my opinion on how it’s being handled and I’m the entitled one? Okay.
> This community, I swear…

There’s a difference between voicing your opinion and being all dramatic and writing a long letter as if you’re important and you matter. Being so melodramatic with your slow clap and writing off everything because an internet contest is not as engaging and difficult enough for you is exactly what it sounds like. Entitled and child like.

Sorry your expectations weren’t met. Maybe once you log off for the day and take a walk outside you’ll realize that none of this matters.