Laura Niven

Laura Niven / Control Point Defense

Control Point Defense was a Canadian promotional campaign for Halo: Reach, culminating in live laser-tag and Reach launch events that took place in the hearts of downtown Toronto and Vancouver in the fall of 2010. Details of the campaign are outlined below.

More event photos here and here

Who is Laura Niven

• New anchor of Xbox Canada's new Xbox News XBL video series
• Laura Niven is similar in name to Larry Niven, author of the Ringworld novels, to which the Halo ring theme is connected.
• Discussion at Xbox forums

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Disclaimer:

This series of events is another campaign for the Xbox Canada community leading up to Halo Reach launch events in Vancouver and Toronto, as revealed at http://www.xbox.com/en-CA/reach/event.htm

Phase 1 - Covenant Invasion

Episode 1

Episode 1, uploaded to youtube on August 16th, 2010, shows a very sub-standard production, with reported news unrelated to Xbox. Suspicious!

Episode 2

Episode 2, shared to youtube on the 17th has a footer marquee containing some very blatant references to the Halo franchise. The marquee text reads: 0914210 -^=1200-34*3 The Covenant is coming...attacks are imminent. A-271214.378.20104**_0 Gamers make great soldiers? Study suggests hand-eye coordination, problem solving required in game play, could help develop better soldiers. 0.10.2012:^.419.0*-+:> @UNSC_INTEL Marquee analysis: 0914210 -- September 14, 2010 1200 -- Noon? 34*3 -- "343"? 102?

Episode 3

Episode 3, released on the 19th The marquee text now reads: 0914210 - =1200-34*3 UNSC HAS INTERCEPTED COVENANT MESSAGES...MORE INFO TO COME A-271214.378.20104**_0 PROTECT HUMANITY. JOIN THE UNSC TO DEFEND REACH 0.10.2012: .419.0*-+: UNSC_INTEL Marquee analysis: Alterations from the previous episode, other than the plain text, include: Missing characters - ^^>@

Episode 4

Episode 4, released on the 20th The marquee text now reads: 0914210 -^=1200-34*3 UNSC CONTROL POINT ESTABLISHED IN TORONTO. LOCATION CLASSIFIED A-271214.378.20104**_0 PREPARE YOURSELF FOR BATTLE - THE UNSC NEEDS YOU 0.10.2012:^.419.0*-+:> @UNSC_INTEL Marquee analysis: Alterations from the previous episode include a return of the missing characters in episode 3. Only plaintext differs from the first marquee in episode 2.

Episode 5

Episode 5, released on the 20th The marquee text now reads: 0914210 -^=1200-34*3 UNSC CONTROL POINT ESTABLISHED IN TORONTO. LOCATION CLASSIFIED A-271214.378.20104**_0 PREPARE YOURSELF FOR BATTLE - THE UNSC NEEDS YOU 0.10.2012:^.419.0*-+:> @UNSC_INTEL Marquee analysis: No change except text

Covenant Invasion Events

On August 21st 2010, Toronto and Vancouver became the hot spot for a Covenant "attack" wherein followers of @UNSC_INTEL were directed to any one of a number of GPS coordinates where Covenant contacts would be 'located'. These contacts distributed UNSC dogtags, and took contact information to be entered in a special exclusive drawing for a Halo: Reach Xbox 360 console and Legendary edition of the video game.

The dog tags grant their owners the right to VIP access to Toronto's Sept 4th Halo Reach event, and Vancouver's August 28th event. They will be preceded by a game of laser tag at the drop coordinates of the UNSC obelisks.

Toronto invasion event photos

Phase 2 - UNSC Control Point Defense

Episode 6

Episode 6, release on the 23rd The marquee text now reads: << 0914210 -^=1300-34*3- REMEMBERREACH.COM * COVENANT THREAT UPGRADED TO LEVEL 5 * 1300 VANCOUVER CONTROL POINT LOCATED BY COVENANT * JOIN THE FIGHT TO DEFEND REACH 0828210*106^=>>0.10.2012:^.419.0*-+:> @UNSC_INTEL Marquee analysis: << has been added to the beginning "A-271214.378.20104**_0" has been removed 0828210*106^=>> has been added 0828210 represents August 28, 2010 for the next Vancouver event

Foursquare checkin

• UNSC_INTEL tweeted on August 24th indicating that users should check in to the UNSC Control Points in Vancouver and Toronto between 8pm and 10pm, on Foursquare.
• On checking in to the Toronto venue, an encoded tip is available:

UlNWUCB0byBldmVudCBhdCBYYm94IENhbmFkYSBGYWNlYm9vayBwYWdlLiBQb3N0ICJSRUFDSCIgYXMgY29tbWVudCBvbiB0aGUgZXZlbnQgcGFnZS4gRmlyc3QgNSBnZXQgbGluZSBieXBhc3Mgd2l0aCBwcm9vZiBvZiBjaGVjay1pbg==

• Decoding the base64 string produces:

RSVP to event at Xbox Canada Facebook page. Post "REACH" as comment on the event page. First 5 get line bypass with proof of check-in

• The Vancouver variant required "COVENANT" to be posted to the associated event page.

Episode 7

Episode 7, release on the 24th The marquee text now reads: << 0914210 -^=2400-34*3- 0* COVENANT HAVE LOCATED UNSC CONTROL POINTS IN VANCOUVER AND TORONTO. FURTHER ATTACKS EXPECTED ^34*3*JOIN THE UNSC TO DEFEND REACH HTTP://XBOX.CA/REACH -^08282010*1400-^2200*@UNSC_INTEL Marquee analysis: "2400-34*3" is now 2400-34*3 ^34*3* is placed oddly in the message the date now properly reads 08282010 with *1400-^2200* 0828210 represents August 28, 2010 and 1400-2200 indicates 2:00pm-10:00pm

Episode 8

Episode 8, released on the 25th The marquee text now reads: << 09142010 -^=2400-34*3*THE COVENANT IS COMING*PROTECT HUMANITY*HTTP://XBOX.CA/REACH*ATTACKS ARE IMMINENT IN VANCOUVER*08282010*555 WEST CORDOVA ST.*4PM - 10PM*@UNSC_INTEL Marquee analysis: "0914210" is now correctly 09142010 date, time and address are given for Vancouver eve, not in military time the time is corrected specifically to 4:00pm-10:00pm, Aug 28th.

Episode 9

Episode 9, released on the 26th The marquee text now reads: << 09142010 -^=2400-34*3*PROTECT HUMANITY, DELIVER HOPE*-CCWJ2-T4MQR-QQVJW-CH96J-MV7CW*ATTACKS ARE IMMINENT IN VANCOUVER*08282010*555 WEST CORDOVA ST. 4PM - 10PM*HTTP://XBOX.CA/REACH*@UNSC_INTEL>> Marquee analysis: Nothing notable. The Marketplace code was used almost instantly.

Episode 10

Episode 10, released on the 27th The marquee text now reads: << 09142010-^=2400-34*3*UNSC IS CALLING ON ALL THOSE WORTHY OF TAKING ON COVENANT FORCES*FOLLOW @UNSC_INTEL ON TWITTER TO LEARN MORE*PROTECT HUMANITY, DELIVER HOPE*ATTACKS ARE IMMINENT IN VANCOUVER*08282010*555 WEST CORDOVA ST. 4PM - 10PM*HTTP://XBOX.CA/REACH*FIREFIGHT BATTLE TRAINING STATIONS=MTCC**08.27.2010*1600-2100*&*08.28.2010*1000-1900*&*08.29.2010*1100-1800** @UNSC_INTEL>> Marquee analysis: via KowZ: "Reach launches September 14th at Midnight. In Vancouver, you can go play a special version of Laser Tag as well as enjoy some Firefight at 555 West Cordova Street, Tomorrow, August 28th, at 4PM until 10PM. In Toronto, there will be Stations at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC) as part of Fan Expo during the time of the expo. Today, Friday August 27th from 4PM until 9PM. Tomorrow, Saturday August 28th from 10AM until 7PM. Finally on Sunday from 11AM until 6PM."

Control Point Defense: Vancouver

Reports coming in from the Vancouver event describe it as less than stellar, though the laser tag was quite enjoyable. Some responses can be read starting here.

• Photos from Necro2607 are available on flickr, and video available below.

Some significant points:

• Arrival at 4:15 still meant 1.5-3 hour wait to get in, even with first access
• Getting a t-shirt was not guaranteed, even for those with first access
• Halo: Reach was not playable, only Halo 3 and ODST
• The laser tag was very fun
• Players played against the Xbox team (the Covenant), with the goal of reaching and activating the UNSC obelisk
• People who pre-ordered were allowed to play a 2nd game, as the Covenant defending team

Necro2607:

Xbox Canada, instead of making me even more psyched for the game, actually put me off the series and their entire brand with a weakly-executed "bait and switch" so-called ARG.
...
regardless of my complaints above, the laser tag was pretty fun

On the laser tag, GaussianMist says:

We got to play a round of laser tag. It was about 6 of us, against 6 "Covenant" troops, which were just the Xbox street team members. We had to tag them out, (they had 10 lives, we had 5) and then activate the generator, which was the "obelisk" from last week. The Xbox team didn't really try, it was an easy victory.
...
All in all, it was pretty fun to play laser tag, but not exactly worth the 3 hour wait. Unless you get there early, I wouldn't really bother going at all. But, it could be different in Toronto.

• Toronto control point defense is Saturday, September 4th, 2010

Episode 11

Episode 11, released on Aug 31st The marquee text now reads: Marquee analysis:

Episode 12

Episode 12, released on Aug 31st The marquee text now reads: Marquee analysis:

Episode 13

Episode 13, released on Sept 2 The marquee text now reads: Marquee analysis:

Episode 14

Episode 14, released on Sept 2 The marquee text now reads: Marquee analysis:

Episode 15

Episode 15, released on Sept 3 The marquee text now reads: Marquee analysis:

Control Point Defense: Toronto

Reports arriving from Toronto's event are favourable, with laser tag and Halo: Reach playable. With lineups beginning at noon through to the events conclusion at 10pm, it was a non-stop laser-fest, light show, and firefight exhibition.

(view on youtube)

• Photos from thebruce are available at Flickr
• Photos from waterstone photography are available at Flickr
• Video by GameShark on youtube

More reports coming soon...

Episode 16

Episode 16, released on Sept 7 The marquee text now reads: <<0914210 -^=1200-34*3*PREPAREFORREACH.CA*UNSC UNDER ATTACK!*COVENANT SNIPERS SURROUND OBELISK*SPARTAN SOLDIERS RISK SERIOUS CASUALTIES*JOIN THE NOBEL TEAM! *HTTP://XBOX.CA/REACH*-+:> @UNSC_INTEL>> Apparently defense of the Toronto UNSC Control Point was unsuccessful. That, or the Covenant didn't like Xbox News...

Episode 17

Episode 17, released on Sept 8 "Hello? Hello, it's Laura. I'm still inside the Xbox news studio. We were taken over last night by the... the Covenant. I managed to find a secure room. I don't know if anyone else is ok. And if you're listening out there, please... I hear Covenant outside the room. I need help, please... to the UNSC, if you're out there, please help us. Protect humanity. Deliver hope. prepare for reach"

Twitter

• Considered at this point to be a hoax - the Twitter user @LauraNiven appeared and got a lot of attention, but was quickly denounced as being related to Xbox News, and most likely someone playing a prank and playing off the attention of the video series.

References

• http://arbitersjudgement.blogspot.com/2010/08/halo-reach-viral-marketing-campaign.html

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