I don't know if any of you guys have noticed (or how often people come here anymore), but there's some action going on about the upcoming game of Bungie, seemingly named "Destiny".
For quite some time already, the theme for Bnet has been filled with star maps and nebula of sorts, going hand-to-hand with the slogan "See you starside", I suppose. However, people have started noticing different features in the site's design and other pieces of similar images: they are not parts of a starmap, but an actual map.
Something like this.This isn't really hot or new, since this was discovered months and months ago, but I had a need to post something here.
What IS hot and new, however, is this:
It is actually a map of a certain place!
damn that's big.Anyhow, this discovery was - well, unexpected. After it had been posted, someone immediately threw in a guess that it was a Bungie spy, easing the task of the Community (Though I suppose he wasn't:
he has something to back up his findings).
So it is something big, isn't it? Well,
read what Foman had to say about this:...
The relative obscurity of this map and seeming insignificance of a small city in the Philippines to a game presumably based wholly or partly in outer space (judging from the numerous references to stars, moons, and planets both in the Destiny Map and other Destiny-related teasers) makes me honestly wonder whether Puerto Princesa was chosen at random because Bungie's artists wanted to use a topographical map of an interesting place for source material for concept art.
Let's not forget, folks, that the Destiny Map is concept art created by Bungie Senior Graphic Designer Lorraine McLees (reference: art credits given to Lorraine at the bottom of the 2012 official Bungie Christmas Card). Lorraine is from the Philippines. I've never inquired of her exactly which part of the Philippines she is from, but it certainly seems possible that she has a personal connection to Puerto Princesa.
Before we start looking TOO deep for connections, it might be good to temper our searches with the possibility that Lorraine used a topographical map of Puerto Princesa solely because it was a place she was familiar with, was readily at hand, and was obscure enough to make for useful concept art. For all we know, the reason we see some differences in the Wikipedia topographical map and the Destiny Map are because Lorraine used her OWN topographical map pulled off her wall or something as source material, not one pulled off the internet. In fact, my dad has an extremely similar topographical map of his hometown in Maine framed and hung on the wall of his house. It's not uncommon.
Unfortunate as it may seem, in light of this development, I think we have to face the possibility that the details and history of the Destiny Map have nothing to do with the eventual, actual game ;-)
After people began mourning that Foman was ruining all the fun and "killing the magic",
he added:Haha; well like I said, it's just one possibility among many others. Didn't want to kill anybody's buzz, but I did want to raise the issue before people start saying things like "confirmed: Bungie's next game takes place in the Philippines."
Obviously I agree that Puerto Princesa could be a major part of the actual game, either in terms of the land's topography making it into a fictional planet or city, or in terms of it being an actual location that figures into the game (like "New" Mombasa in Halo).
But at the same time that we get excited about that, let's not forget that concept art is just that -- it is not necessarily bound to be placed in the game. Just flip through (or do a Google search for) concept art for the previous Halo games and look at how much stuff never made it into the games.
Unfortunately, knowing next-to-nothing about Destiny, it's really, really hard at this point to even LEAN one way or the other on what we think this really means. All we have are possibilities and speculation based on a few vague pieces of artwork and other documents. Which, I suppose, in a lot of ways, makes it both frustrating and exciting :-D
A very wise man indeed!
I guess it could be either way around: could be secrets, could be art. Either way, it's worth looking into, right? Isn't that the way we do it, hm?
...Yeah.
This might not be enough to start up this whole thing of ours again, and it most possibly is that some of us will never return to roam these plateaus of our loved Forum (it has happened before, and it is very understandable...
). I simply wish one thing: that this thing we have: this awesome, tiny community, dreams and projects we have will last. This site, this forum: they might not last, even though they are stored well in the depths of Internet. CG doesn't have infinite money to spend here...Or has he?
What I'm saying is, that, guys (and gal
), even though we might not be around here much anymore, I don't want to forget any one of you. And I don't want you to forget the SGP. I don't know about you guys, but for me, the SGP has been an incredible experience. Coming to know such fantastic people across the world and sharing a forum with you has been unforgettable. I've felt truly privileged for all this, for being of the SecretGlyphProject. Crap, seriously, I can't describe it, really
Even though this being only an internet group, I've become really attached to all this. I just remembered all of our awesome stuff after reading about this new discovery here...all the theories, all the testing, all the fun we had... Maybe it's just me being silly and emotional about this, but I've more than enjoyed these last couple years here, partly inactive or not. Thank you so much for all this, everyone, it has been incredible.
But jeez, I'm talking like I'm about to die or something! I am not.
And I truly hope this group doesn't die either! I suppose I could live with all this inactivity lasting for even longer, but oh please, do return! I don't care if it's nothing scientific or mystery-related, just pop in and say hello! At least I know you're still kickin'.
I guess that's all then.
Even if you aren't reading this, [insert everyone's names], don't forget the SGP. Don't forget me.
(Otherwise you'll be embarrassed, 'cause I'll remember you. ^^)LLtSGP!
~Imppa
