For regulars on this site, you will no doubt have noticed that a large number of changes and additions have been made over the past six months since introducing Project MJLORENIR in June. When I originally announced the project to provide a simplified and curated introduction into the Halo universe, I had spent hundreds of hours building a timeline, writing character profiles, telling the history of worlds, and taking what can be a very complex science fiction universe and boiling it down to its most easy to digest form. I thought that I was mostly done, save for a few minor tweaks and additions. I could not have been more wrong.
A BIGGER, BETTER…
As I continued to build out the lore portion of the website, I realized there were many things I forgot, and many more that I thought would be beneficial features and helpful additions to readers new to the universe and veteran Halo enthusiasts. So I kept making the changes I felt useful, and adding bits and pieces to the framework until it felt complete. The end result is a website that has nearly doubled in size, adding over fifty new character profiles to the original twenty, nearly doubling the world and warship profiles to twenty-nine and sixteen respectively. The timeline continues to grow as well, containing 134 total events, with more to come. In all, this project has gotten larger than I ever imagined, but I think it is all for the better.
John-117’s Mk II (sort of) MJOLNIR, introduced in Halo: Silent Storm, a recent addition to Project MJLORENIR.
…AND BRIGHTER FUTURE
What someone who has not been on the site for a while will probably notice first, however, is the look of the site has been cleaned up dramatically. The lore section especially was busy and a little cluttered, making it difficult to get into for someone not already familiar with the Halo universe. That has been fixed, with better readability, more intuitive controls, and probably the most important aspect of the entire Mark II project, cross-linking. Interested in knowing what novel or game an event in the universe is depicted? A nice image of the media and link to learn more is right there on the page. Want to know what characters are in a comic you are interested in, or what other books an author wrote in the Halo universe? That is there too. In short, the pages are more informative and I think much more helpful in getting Halo fans into the deep lore without drowning them with information.
As I said last time, this is not a replacement for wiki sites like Halopedia. There is just no way to match the sheer volume of information contained there. But that’s okay, because we don’t want to replace them. Halopedia is amazing, but I know new fans can take one look at the mountain of lore in front of them and nope right on out of there. I know, because I used to be one of those people. I’ve been a Halo fan since the beginning, but my extended knowledge was incredibly limited, in no small part because I got overwhelmed on more than one occasion during the ascent and gave up almost as soon as I started. My hope is that this site can help make that climb a bit easier, and provide a good foothold for people to keep learning from. And once you have built up a substantial base camp of knowledge, you can make the trek towards the top of Mount Halopedia.
A LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL
So I think, this time, I am mostly done adding new content. There are still a handful of events from earlier eras in the history, namely the major events of the Forerunner era, that I want to add, but the framework is all laid out now. Perhaps, one day, I will start working on MJLORENIR Mark III, but until then, my focus is going to be cleaning up any minor issues, and hopefully re-prioritize the blog, something I haven’t been able to devote much time to in the last couple months. I’m sure, as my to-do list of website projects dwindles, I will come up with another set of additions and changes I would like to make. Until then, however, I’ll start working through the backlog of Fiction Science and Tin Foil Halo articles I have been meaning to write.
ALWAYS LOOKING TO IMPROVE
I said it last time, and I will say it again, we always appreciate hearing from you. Whether it is reporting an error on the website or suggesting a topic for a podcast episode, we do this for the community, so if there is something you really want to see, or something that is odd or confusing, let us know. We can be contacted via the comment form linked at the bottom of every page on the website, or any of the below places on social media. Again, thanks! Thanks for all the help we have received thus far, and for being a part of our community. I have really enjoyed being so involved building Podcast Evolved over the past year, and look forward to doing even more in 2019. And if you are interested in contributing yourself, whether it is writing an article, doing some art, or whatever, let us know. We try to be an inclusive community, and welcome the community members to show off their skills and passions. I would not be doing this had I not asked to help, so do not hesitate to ask!
GET INVOLVED WITH PODCAST EVOLVED
We would love for you to get involved with Podcast Evolved. If that sounds like something you are interested in, here are just some of the ways you can do that.
SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST
Interested in keeping up with the latest Halo news, events, and, of course, lore? Head over here for the latest episode, or subscribe to Podcast Evolved on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, or whatever other podcast service you use.
JOIN THE COMMUNITY
Want to join the Podcast Evolved community? We have a Facebook Group and a Discord Server we use to talk with our members and fans. Podcast Evolved is always open to new members, and welcome every Halo fan to join, whether they are podcast listeners or not. We hope to see you soon!
PLEDGE YOUR SUPPORT
Podcast Evolved now has a Patreon! We aren't here to make money, just cover some of our operating costs and keep everything clean and ad-free. Whether or not you wish to pledge your support, you are still just as valuable a community member as ever. If you do want to help, however, head over to our Patreon page and become a patron.
VISIT OUR STORE
Want to show your friends and family what your favorite podcast is and support the show as well? Take a stop in our new merch store, where you can pick up Podcast Evolved-themed shirts, hats, coffee mugs, and more! All proceeds go towards helping pay for operating costs, and any additional funds are returned to to community via giveaways and special events.