Rapture has relaunched a temporary version of the old COERCE.net website to announce that the redoubtable Halo PC server will be back for a few months' stint.

XerxdeeJ posted in the HBO forum that his Halo blog, Tied the Leader, is back following the author's wedding. (Also, belated congratulations to Pinkuh who also did the deed this month-- I just saw the announcement in my XBL mailbox after a long hiatus--Ed.)

...at least, this one better be a lie. Joystiq points out that IMDB's entry for the upcoming big-screen Halo movie now indicates it will be directed by Uwe Boll, despite assurances of late from Bungie that the list of potential directors was strictly A-list. Many commenters on the Joystiq story point out that information at IMDB about projects in progress has historically been inaccurate.

The latest Halo Babies comic gives a (thankfully rare) glimpse behind the scenes. Thanks, mrsmiley.

Sidney Shuman's article Five Ways to Save Video Games at Games.net holds up Halo and Halo 2 as examples of some of the worst trends in gaming; namely, unoriginal plotlines, epic ambitions, spectacle over substance, and cinema envy. Oh, and then there's "treating women like whores" which is apparently the only industry sin the Halo franchise isn't guilty of... yet.

Halo Arena has put up an interview with c0ld vengeance, creator of Halo movies (including Haliens and Predator) and overlord of the HBO Helljumpers clan.

Next Generation has picked up a post from Tadhg Kelly's blog, suggesting that as in-engine cutscenes become more detailed, the gap between those images and photorealism becomes actually more pronounced-- and that the only real resolution to this problem is a return to full motion video for cutscenes, using real actors. Halo is cited as support for this:

The winner of Halo Babies' comic strip contest is up: Red vs Blue vs Green. Thanks mrsmiley.

Halo Babies 101st comic urges you to drive safely and carry a large chameleon. Thanks, mrsmiley.

Due to a lack of time to work on it, the HomeFront mod team, striving to bring the Halo universe to the Battlefield engine, has been cancelled as the team no longer has time to work on the mod. Thanks to Mr.Cynical who spotted itin the HBO forum.

Halo Babies' 100th comic is up today, along with an update to the wallpaper section. Thanks mrsmiley.

Eric Trautmann's latest (lengthy) blog update is a hoot to read and is even on-topic, as his new neighbors disclose his location to the neighborhood Halo fans.