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In his absence, I am the resident Mormon, despite my lack of actually being so.

Kruger 2521 wrote:In his absence, I am the resident Mormon, despite my lack of actually being so.

HOW DARE YOU STAND WHERE HE STOOD?! HOW DARE YOU?!

Kruger 2521 wrote:In his absence, I am the resident Mormon, despite my lack of actually being so.

He was our resident troll that was actually funny, you are also funny but his derails were legendary.

JENSEN COMES BACK ON AUGUST 14TH!

WODJVURBSKVOEHDOVURGTJEIWIQHDHGGWGRODIGKSGWYFKHPEIEJEJCOAKSJCOSKFJSOBFF

That's awesome! But is he still interested in coming back to the Database? I don't want to sound like a hardass or anything, but this place is a bit of a dead zone...

Either way, he is always welcome here. Assuming he does come back, we'll have to do something special to celebrate.

Shad0wChas3r wrote:I have not forgotten about this project, although it appears no-one is actually reading it . *Sometimes just a simple post saying 'Hi' indicates you're there.*

It will continue again very soon, but in the mean time, I have prepared a small teaser of what's to come.

This got me thinking.

I've been in a largely "passive" state on Halo Database for a LONG time. I got a lot of stuff going on, but I try to keep up to date on other people's stories at least and make that fact known. During my absence, which was really just me reading stuff and not signing on, I felt a large amount of apathy.

People were stopping by, dropping an update here and there, and then leave. From what I saw no one was really reading each other's stories. I could be wrong, since they could be reading as guests, but I've now realized that not dropping comments really created this atmosphere of "not giving a shit about others".

It's not a trend that I like, and for a long time I've felt I was pretty much the only one commenting on other's people's stories. When I stopped, becoming guilty of the very thing I disliked, I noticed the total lack of commenting. I get that we're all busy, I pretty much opened up post with that, but a comment takes a few minutes. All of us, myself included, have at least 10 minutes to spare to read and comment on other people's stories... People whom we call our friends.

As a side note to Shadow, please don't feel like your post was the reason for this post. It's been a long time coming and your post merely brought this to the forefront of my mind. After observing the behaviour here I felt the need to at least bring this up.

I appreciate you bringing it to attention. I'd actually like to take a second to address the Database, for those of you lurking in the shadows. This past week, I made several renovations to the Database's look. Granted, they took me less than four hours to do, but I tried to make it homely.

However, that originally wasn't going to be the case, I'm sad to admit. If you noticed the topic; Redesigned Forums! That almost wasn't the case. I've come on to the Database for months now, and only had one or two comments on ANY thread, even from users on their own threads. As the Forum's 'creator', it logs the activities based by Username, even if you go into 'hidden' mode. A total of maybe three people have come on the site in the past six months.

That statistic doesn't mean much to me, other than you guys are all busy *as am I*. In that same span of time, at least twenty guests showed up. But because the site looked all broken down and decrepit, not to mention dead, they left and never returned.

Most of our 'new' members fled for the hills when they either became too busy, or realized this place was a dead zone. Back to my old train of thought, the reason the topic almost wasn't named Redesigned Forums, is because I DEEPLY considered messaging you all on Xbox or Facebook to copy your stories for safe keeping. I was going to give you to the end of this past weekend to grab your stuff, before I deleted the Database altogether.

Before you ask, no, my decision was not skewed to the fact that my stories were not being read/acknowledged. I'm known to be prude, but I'm not that much of a prude. No, instead, my decision was based around the fact that this place was, for the most part, deader than the sun burnt skin on a corpse.

However, I didn't want to give up on this forum. I took to my image editing software, threw a couple of icons, made a quick top banner, and gave the site a new look. Instead of destroying this website, I decided to try and breathe new life into it.

Like Manny said, it brings an air about the 'community', or whatever you want to call this wasteland, that tells content creators that they aren't worth your time when no-one posts... anywhere. I'll admit, I'm just as guilty as everyone else, I have yet to post on Ironman's thread and let him know I read it. I've yet to post on Kruger's, or even John's new posts. I do not exclude myself from this.

I just miss the days of old, when a couple of friends got together, told some Halo fan fiction, and genuinely had a good time. While my stories were nothing special, it always brightened my day when someone, ANYONE posted saying; I could just as easily have played the game... but y'know what, your writing really made this moment pop, more so than anything.

It's a shitty comparison, I'll admit. But it used to mean the world to me when people would post on my content, because I felt like I was worth someone's time. I do write for myself, hence why I still write. But the feeling of other's reading it, let's me know someone else is following the journey with me; THAT'S what makes it special.

In the old days, John wrote Metal and Mettle. That story was the fucking beacon for which every story on the Database followed. He took Blaine Fucking Harlowe, Manuel, Vance, John-B694, Blade Raptor, and ALL of the Database characters, and he made a WORLD.

It was no longer just the 'Halo' Universe. It was the 'Database' Universe, and all the ideas John had were quickly spread about, inspiring the other artists to produce their own spin on his story, to build off of one another. No, I'm not trying to put John on the spot or anything. In fact, I'm praising him, for his story was the backbone for the Old Database, and I think we lost something after Halo 4 came out, and everyone stopped writing.

If anyone is to blame, it is Karen Traviss, her views on the Halo Universe totally ANNIHILATED everything we thought we knew about the Halo Universe, therefore destroying the Database Universe. As with Destiny absorbing most of our time, the lack of story in that game eventually drew us farther and farther away. I commend Kruger for attempting his own story; Space Cowboy.

The long and short of it, folks, is I miss the days where we made it an effort to make each other feel good. I miss the days of the Mess Hall, where we all had a blast, just chilling as our characters. Where we'd pretend to play Death Ball, where we would interact with our characters in odd but hilarious ways.

Remember when John would punch Manny's light's out whenever anyone else would mention; "What do you even know?". Remember Maura as Spider Man? Remember the times we'd borrow each other's characters and write them fighting, trying to make the most badass fight sequences?

I remember all of that, and I miss it. I miss it a lot. By not posting on my, or anyone else's stories, we are letting those memories die. If they are going to die, I'd just rather we delete the place and call it dead. If you are like me, and never say die. All you have to do is post, at least once in a while. I'll make the effort, and we should all do it. I mean, c'mon. We're the Halo Database. Though we've never done a successful Collab, we're capable of ANYTHING.

*Spits up blood* What? No!

I'll bother John until he's active or some shit. DATABASE NEVER SAYS DIE!

Unless you're a character.

Or a brute.

Or an asshole.

Kruger 2521 wrote:*Spits up blood* What? No!

I'll bother John until he's active or some shit. DATABASE NEVER SAYS DIE!

Unless you're a character*.

Or a brute.

Or an asshole.

*Especially if you're one of my characters.

Also, I was talking about the reconstruction of the server. I made a pair of banners for the top, one of which is currently up.

Here:

or



This one is the alternative banner I whipped up. The one I have already put up was done first. This one took a bit more time, but I think it looks better.

But because this is our community, I'll let you guys decide.

Kruger 2521 wrote:*Spits up blood* What? No!

I'll bother John until he's active or some shit. DATABASE NEVER SAYS DIE!

Unless you're a character.

Or a brute.

Or an asshole.

It's a nice gesture but I'd rather people come back and participate if they want to. I don't want to feel like someone is here because they were pestered into it.

We just got to make do with the peopoe that are actually coming here despite the deadness and grow from there.

Oh and Shadow... I prefer the alternative banner. It's got a team of Spartans on the front, which I think adds to the sense of community.

No it's okay. John isn't people. He's more of a robot I created from the shell of his former self.

Manny wrote:

Kruger 2521 wrote:*Spits up blood* What? No!

I'll bother John until he's active or some shit. DATABASE NEVER SAYS DIE!

Unless you're a character.

Or a brute.

Or an asshole.

It's a nice gesture but I'd rather people come back and participate if they want to. I don't want to feel like someone is here because they were pestered into it.

We just got to make do with the peopoe that are actually coming here despite the deadness and grow from there.

Oh and Shadow... I prefer the alternative banner. It's got a team of Spartans on the front, which I think adds to the sense of community.

You're definitely correct. That looks a million times better.

Ey. New banner.

What's happening in here anyway?

The Database nearly died a week ago. I figured the lack of activity was a sign that no-one was interested. But instead of straight up killing the joint, I decided to try and spruce it up.

In passing, during my new story, I left an Author's note hinting that the stalker readers might want to at least acknowledge that they were still here. Manny read that and brought it to the groups attention.

Essentially, we miss the old days of the Database, and we are hopefully making the effort to bring it back from the dead.

I think I might know a few people who might be interested in joining.

Awesome, the more the merrier! I'm almost always on if they have a question.

In the meantime, we need some shit we can all do together.

Maybe, god forgive me for suggesting this...

A Halo Collab?

Now excuse me while I wash my mouth out with soap, peroxide, and holy water.

Abso-fucking-lutely. If we want to prove that the Database never says die, we need to actually complete ONE fucking collab.

If you see me on Xbox, shoot me a Party invite and we can discuss it. If Vale is on and wants to help out, by all means. When we come up with something, we can discuss it here for the others, see what needs to change and the like.

If you'd rather discuss it here when you get a chance, that's fine too.

He's the one who summoned me from the fuckin' spirit realm, so if he doesn't want to participate, then I'll punch him in the tit.

I think it's best to discuss it here. That way, Manny can get a word in as well.

Jesus Christ, did he beat you in a Shadow Duel? But yes, you're right.

Perhaps a raid on a Storm Covenant controlled gas mine, wherein a high value member of Jul M'dama's faction is waiting, along with a kidnapped Huragok.

Huragok are a rare commodity. The UNSC would probably really want one of those little guys back, or at least out of the Storm's hands.

I like the idea. Perhaps as a secondary objective, our characters find out that these Storm Covenant have found a Forerunner super weapon not unlike the Composer. Perhaps it was a prototype of a Flood Killing weapon before they resorted to the Halo Array?

The group's secondary goal would be to either neutralize the weapon, or confiscate it. When I say confiscate, I mean they would need to attach 'tether' points onto it to have Infinity tow it away.

Alternatively, perhaps these Storm Covenant could have stumbled upon a Flood infestation within the Gas Mine that they previously may not have known about. As a result, after our heroes complete their primary objective, they could resort to preventing another massive Flood outbreak.

Or, we can just leave it to your plot idea and call it a day. These are the ideas I'm throwing in though, anyone else have ideas/feedback?

Not a bad idea.

Hmmmm. I kinda do miss dealing with the Flood, but I fancy the idea of a dangerous Sangheili general.

Perhaps some Jiralhanae action in there as well. Maybe the Sangheili leader of this Storm group has access to a Forerunner weapon so powerful that he's building a following of all sorts of species. He's cultivating himself as some sort of "Chosen One," and even the Jiralhanae are following him.

But at some point he fucks up and unleashes the Flood, and it's a scramble to take the artifact away him. A sorta three way struggle, with this Elite as the final boss of sorts. He could have Merg Vol's abilities, possessing multiple holograms, dual wielded energy swords, and the ability to attract and repel matter similar to the Didact as a side effect of his integration of Forerunner Combat Skin tech into his own combat harness.

Eh? Eh?

Dude, that sounds perfect!