When randomly logging into my myspace account this morning, I saw an alert that mentioned that you can create your own Simpsons Character, via the movies website.

Though it's nicely done, it lacks a few things. I would have prefered if the system allowed you to change the clothing styles.

http://www.simpsonsmovie.com/ main.html?cid=us&deeplink=avatar&deeplink2=undefined

With the Halo3 Beta launching in a mere 5 days, a new video has finally been posted, which for the first time, shows some footage of real game-play. By real, I mean, non-alpha. The content in the video posted at the end of this post, is from the Beta build. The graphics and content within are near completion. The details are great, and the game-play looks fantastic!

In Halo2, players were able to customize their character's appearance in minor ways. They could be an Elite, or a Spartan. They could be one Solid color, with a secondary color added on. They could also have one of the few dozen emblems planted onto their shoulders...

In Halo3, customization is nearly endless. Rather than selecting one color, you're now able to select each and every piece of the armor, and customize it how you want. With a heck of a-lot more colors and designs to chose from, no two Spartan soldiers will look the same, unless it's intended.

In recent news, the Pepsi company intends to release a new soda, along side with the game. It's a brand of Mountain Dew, which was leaked to release in August. If the drink is meant to launch along side the game, does this mean the game shall be out in August, instead of September?

http://download.microsoft.com/download/C/4/0/ C403218A-347E-4AA1-A675-9A0AF090B575/ H3_MrJukes-Betalicious.wmv

Just recently, an article was posted over at http://www.bungie.net , with quite a helping of news.

The news, finally, concerns the Beta's release date, and also brings a new Vidoc with it. Just like the previous vidocs, this one was actually created months prior to it's releasal. The Vidoc shows off some of the new things in Halo3, including new weapons, new functions, new items, aswell as a new weapon class.

The "X" button, as some of you may know, has left quite a few theories across the internet. It's also been revealed that the "X" button is used for the new equipment the chief carries. The confirmed pieces of equipment he can carry, besides the grenades, are Bubble shields, Portable Grav lifts, and Trip Mines.

The Halo3 Beta will be released May 16th, and will run for roughly 3 weeks. In the Beta, you will be able to play all of the new gametypes they've introduced, aswell as all of the old. The Beta will not showcase all of the weapons, abilities, items, and multiplayer functions, but will show off quite alot.

The graphics in the Beta, will represent most of what the game will look like in it's final form. To date, only Alpha screens have been shown off.

http://www.bungie.net/News/ content.aspx?type=topnews&link=MPBetaAndVidocRelease

Yesterday marked yet another Bungie.net weekly update. Rather than throwing a little sliver of Halo3 information to us, as they have been, they announce the official date for the new Halo2 maps. Along with the date, were some screen shots.

The Halo2 maps, Tombstone and Desolation, are remakes from classic, and favored, Halo1 maps. Tombstone is a remake of Hang 'em High, while Desolation is a remake of Derelict.

The maps, which have been given alot of graphical detail, will be released April 17th, for $4.



Tombstone


Desolation

The Shivering Isle's, the first true expansion to The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, was launched last night for the Xbox360 console. At a whopping 2,400 microsoft points, this huge expansion will set your consoles space back a whopping gig.

Though expensive for some, the expansion is well worth it. I downloaded it roughly 30 minutes after it launched, and had minimum time to play it. I can tell you though, it's awesome.

Right off the bat, I went to the new island in the Niben Bay, and watched as things got a little chaotic. The graphics for the new content alone, are a notch over the origional game. From standing on the portal island, the graphics for just the mere chunk of land are better than the game around it.

To get a rough list of what's in the expansion, check out my previous post on the Shivering Isles.