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Community

Community Spotlight

Alex Wakeford

Spotlight: March 13, 2024

Issue 014

Community Corner: Katarn343

Endurance-of-Will by Eva

Art by Eva

Welcome back to the Community Corner, the series where we spotlight and interview individuals in the Halo community about all things to do with (you guessed it) Halo—and their specific niches as creators.



Last month, <a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/community-corner-alyek">we were joined by Halo Grassroots member and streamer Alyek</a> to learn about her journey with Halo over the years and reminisce about memorable moments at HCS.



This month, as we’re less than two short weeks away from the release of Halo: Epitaph, the next novel by Kelly Gay that will see the return of the Didact, it seemed only fitting to speak with an artist who is well known for her stunning illustrations of the Forerunner era, and shares a similar handle with a beloved character within that mythos: Isodidacta.



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Welcome, Eva! Thank you for taking the time to talk with us about all things Halo. But first of all, introduce yourself—who are you, what do you do as part of the Halo community, and where can we find you online?



Hello, I like to go by Eva on social media. I make fanart in my free time. Halo has many facets that have yet to be explored visually—those areas of ambiguity are where a majority of my inspiration thrives.



Currently my fan art can be found on <a href="https://www.tumblr.com/isodidacta">Tumblr</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/iso_didacta">Twitter</a>.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://x.com/iso_didacta/status/1683921683667894274?s=20"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1920" height="1254" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2024/02/EvaArt10.jpg" alt="Art by iso_didacta of the Primordial with the Didact next to him for scale" class="wp-image-95063" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2024/02/EvaArt10.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2024/02/EvaArt10-300x196.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2024/02/EvaArt10-1024x669.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2024/02/EvaArt10-768x502.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2024/02/EvaArt10-1536x1003.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2024/02/EvaArt10-1568x1024.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></a></figure>



How did your great journey with Halo begin?



I was introduced to Halo 2 at the age of eight. After a long day of running across the desert with my friend and sibling, we came back into my friend’s trailer to cool off… where her mother was playing Halo 2 on the couch in their living room. In silent awe, we all watched her play.



Finally, she let us take turns playing Slayer. We spent the next hour taking turns shooting at each other poorly. I left their home completely enamored by Halo.



Later that year, my father bought us the console and game for Christmas. That’s where everything began for me.



I have a feeling that I might know the answer to this, but are there any specific areas of the series that you really gravitate towards—campaign and story, multiplayer, the expanded universe, Forge, etc?



Haha, yes. Although I love all of these aspects, the story and campaign are where I mostly gravitate towards. Halo is incredibly rich with storytelling.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://x.com/iso_didacta/status/1683846521064951809?s=20"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="2058" height="2560" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2024/02/EvaArt5-scaled.jpg" alt="Art by iso_didacta of Bornstellar-Makes-Eternal-Lasting" class="wp-image-94979" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2024/02/EvaArt5-scaled.jpg 2058w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2024/02/EvaArt5-241x300.jpg 241w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2024/02/EvaArt5-823x1024.jpg 823w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2024/02/EvaArt5-768x955.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2024/02/EvaArt5-1235x1536.jpg 1235w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2024/02/EvaArt5-1647x2048.jpg 1647w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2024/02/EvaArt5-1568x1950.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 2058px) 100vw, 2058px" /></a></figure>



What are some of the things that really draws you into the Forerunner elements of the Halo universe?



Greg Bear’s writing drew me in. I had always loved Halo, but his work brought an entirely new perspective to the Halo universe for me.



What are some of your favorite pieces of Halo media and why?



Silentium is currently my favorite book, while Halo 2 is my favorite game.



Silentium has a magnificent sense of scale. Reading through the various perspectives of those final events was horrifying. How this book concludes the trilogy is compelling.



Halo 2 was my first experience with a Halo game. The storytelling was impressive, following the Arbiter through his story was a pivotal experience for me as a child.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://x.com/iso_didacta/status/1736273321799602273?s=20"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="979" height="1340" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2024/02/EvaArt6.jpg" alt="Art by iso_didacta of Chant-to-Green" class="wp-image-94993" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2024/02/EvaArt6.jpg 979w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2024/02/EvaArt6-219x300.jpg 219w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2024/02/EvaArt6-748x1024.jpg 748w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2024/02/EvaArt6-768x1051.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 979px) 100vw, 979px" /></a></figure>



Do you have a favorite Halo character—both in general and a favorite character to draw?



Many characters in Halo have left impressions on me for different reasons, but my favorite to draw are the characters who don’t have a current presence in the games. I want to flesh them out and help bring a face to them for others. I enjoy trying to capture their personality. There is a lot of artistic freedom in the fringes of Halo lore!



Tell us a bit about your journey as an artist—how did you discover your love for it and what are some of your major inspirations?



I have been drawing my entire life, but my parents are responsible for encouraging my passion. I wouldn’t have gotten this far without them.



A majority of my early inspiration came directly from concept art. How much thought and effort is put behind every design we see in the final product.



<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/47857688@N08/sets/72157629321027031/">Adam Adamowicz</a> and his work on The Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles made a huge impression on me at a young age. Currently there are too many sources of inspiration I draw from to list specifically!





Do you listen to music when you go into “artist mode”? What Halo tracks are on the drawing playlist?



I listen to a lot of music, but game soundtracks work wonders for staying focused. Some of my favorite Halo tracks are:



Requiem, Nemesis, Legacy, Awakening, Warrior World, The Beauty of Cortana, Deference for Darkness, Neon Night, Impart, and A Spartan Rises.



Do you have a favorite medium to work with—and one you’re eager to explore working with more? For instance, you’ve done some amazing short animations for some of your Bornstellar pieces!



Thank you. Animation is an incredibly useful skill to have, and one I am still learning.



Currently, digital art is the dominant medium for me. A few paintings do begin as small pencil sketches, before they’re painted over in Photoshop.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">“Do you witness?” <a href="https://t.co/514vS0VtxD">pic.twitter.com/514vS0VtxD</a>— Eva (@iso_didacta) <a href="https://twitter.com/iso_didacta/status/1690265679130427392?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 12, 2023</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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How do you think your art has evolved over time?



My art has evolved a lot over time. I had no experience with digital art until I was 18, when I was given my first laptop and tablet. It was after the artbook for Destiny released in 2014. I knew I wanted to pursue game design as a career and those tools where critical for that path—gaining access to this new medium it was incredibly freeing for me.





Do you have any words of wisdom to share with other artists out there who might just be getting started?



I have many, too many to fit here.



There’s an abundance of free resources available online to explore. Tutorials, programs, and even mentoring from senior artists. You do not need a secondary education to pursue a creative career in the game industry.



I had the pleasure of meeting you at the Halo World Championship event back in October after having shared around some of your artwork internally and making it our mission to tell you how much we loved it! What was the experience of being in the same hall as Keith David like?



It was a pleasure to meet you as well! And thank you, I do appreciate that.



It was great to see Keith, Jen, and Steve on-stage. Their skill is phenomenal. Sunrise on Sanghelios was one of the highlights of that event for me. I’m grateful to have seen it in person.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Halo: Sunrise on Sanghelios | HaloWC 2023 Community Stage" width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/heeAkDRuf5g?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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What are some of your favorite pieces of Halo artwork?



All work done by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/sparth">Sparth</a>, <a href="https://conceptartworld.com/news/halo-4-concept-art-by-paul-richards/">Paul Richards</a>, <a href="https://www.artstation.com/robogabo">Gabo Garza</a>, and <a href="https://www.daniolart.com/#/work/">Daniel Chavez</a>. Their expertise and instinct have left Halo with a library of remarkable art.



What’s are some of your favorite pieces of artwork that you’ve done (be it from Halo or something else)? 



My current favorite Halo piece has to be the first-person perspective of Bronstellar’s hand. It was incredibly rushed, but I’m pleased with the result. It’s simple and efficient. The early chapters of Cryptum will always elicit a bittersweet feeling for me.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://x.com/iso_didacta/status/1682485014410452993?s=20"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="2560" height="1582" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2024/02/EvaArt9-scaled.jpg" alt="Art by iso_didacta of Bornstellar's hand reaching towards the Didact's Cryptum" class="wp-image-95035" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2024/02/EvaArt9-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2024/02/EvaArt9-300x185.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2024/02/EvaArt9-1024x633.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2024/02/EvaArt9-768x475.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2024/02/EvaArt9-1536x949.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2024/02/EvaArt9-2048x1266.jpg 2048w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2024/02/EvaArt9-1568x969.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" /></a></figure>



Tell us an interesting fact about yourself.



I think people who aren’t familiar with me could find this interesting? For the last five years I’ve worked in the gaming industry as a concept artist which practically dominates my life day-to-day and makes drawing in my free time inconvenient. All the fanart I’ve made has come from a stubborn passion!



Thank you so much again for joining us here by the calm shores of Djamonkin Augh, Eva! Before we let you fade back into the Domain, do you have any parting words to share?



Thank you for having me, I’m so happy to have the chance to be featured here. I’m excited to finally get my hands on Epitaph in the near future.



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Be sure to check out Eva’s artwork on <a href="https://www.tumblr.com/isodidacta">Tumblr</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/iso_didacta">Twitter</a>!



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">simple animation <a href="https://t.co/QhEkdBQAUD">pic.twitter.com/QhEkdBQAUD</a>— Eva (@iso_didacta) <a href="https://twitter.com/iso_didacta/status/1682591051360632832?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 22, 2023</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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Issue 013

Community Corner: Isodidacta

IdealRonyL

SovietDuckz

Halofeed

Spotlight: February 12, 2024

Alyek Cosplay

It’s January 2024, which must mean that it’s time for a new issue of the Community Corner—the blog series where we spotlight and interview some of the fine folks in the Halo community.



Last time, <a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/community-corner-aimee-saturne">we had a fireside chat with GCustomsCreations</a> about the incredible custom, hand-sculpted Halo figures he makes.



Kicking off this year, we’re joined by Halo Grassroots member and streamer Alyek to learn about her personal journey with the Halo series and memorable moments at community events.



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Welcome, Alyek! Thank you very much for taking the time to kick off 2024’s first issue of the Community Corner with us. For those who may not know you, please introduce yourself—who are you, what do you do as part of the Halo community, and where can we find you online?



Exciting, thank you for having me! Hi I’m Alyek, I’m a full-time content creator on Twitch and I love Halo.



I’m currently part of the Halo Grassroots Program so you’ll see me on multiple playdates. You can also find me honing my hosting skills with LVT during Halo events, and when on my own stream I love running matchmaking with the community. We’ve been loving the Squad Battles and Halo 3 Refueled playlists a lot, but I always set some time down for ranked. Although, I often mix it up and play a variety of games too.



Oh and you can find me on <a href="https://www.twitch.tv/alyek">twitch.tv/alyek</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/alyekly">@alyekly</a> on all socials.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1938" height="1443" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2024/01/Alyek_HWC2.jpg" alt="Photograph of Alyek at the Halo World Championship" class="wp-image-90605" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2024/01/Alyek_HWC2.jpg 1938w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2024/01/Alyek_HWC2-300x223.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2024/01/Alyek_HWC2-1024x762.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2024/01/Alyek_HWC2-768x572.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2024/01/Alyek_HWC2-1536x1144.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2024/01/Alyek_HWC2-1568x1168.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1938px) 100vw, 1938px" /></figure>



How did your great journey with Halo begin?



It all started when my mom randomly walked into our living room with the Halo: Combat Evolved box because some guy at a store said it was really good and she wanted to play with my brothers and I (yes, my mom is a gamer too!)



I remember thinking the green guy on the box was weird and thought I wasn’t going to like it, and man… was I in for a treat! After that, I’ve never really stopped playing. There are a lot of core family memories thanks to Halo.



Are there any specific areas of the series that you really gravitate towards—campaign and story, multiplayer, expanded universe stuff, Forge, etc?



I love both campaign and multiplayer experiences! I’m a huge fan of the old campaigns and right now I’m definitely more of a matchmaking kid—I crave winning games in ranked and just messing around in social and/or customs with people and friends.



I know you like to dabble in cosplay as well. Which Halo characters have you cosplayed and who would you love to suit up as in the future?



Yes! I love making characters come to life! I cosplayed Cortana for the Halo Infinite launch and Miranda Keyes just recently at the Halo Worlds Championship 2023 for the Halo-ween Showdown.



In the future I’d love to cosplay the Weapon and play around with her fun, youthful energy. Hoping I get to see myself in a Spartan suit one day.





Who are some of your favorite Halo characters and why? (I know that we both share a lot of love for the underappreciated Miranda Keyes!)



Were it so easy. Yes, Miranda Keyes is so cool, plus I find her voice very iconic to Halo. I really wish her story would’ve continued.



My favorite character though is definitely the Arbiter. I loved being able to watch his arc in the early campaigns. I loved the idea of humans and “aliens” (the Covenant) being enemies, but end up working together. I also found his eventual friendship with Master Chief so awkward, unique, and hilarious at times.



What’s your favorite helmet in Halo and why?



My favorite helmet is probably the Halo 3 Recon helmet. It’s what my spartan would be wearing right now in Halo Infinite if I could.



I also love the ODST helmet, I can’t look at it without hearing the glorious Halo 3: ODST music…



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1920" height="1080" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2024/01/recon.jpg" alt="Halo 3 screenshot of a Spartan with the Recon helmet on Guardian" class="wp-image-90661" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2024/01/recon.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2024/01/recon-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2024/01/recon-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2024/01/recon-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2024/01/recon-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2024/01/recon-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></figure>



I had the pleasure of meeting you at the Halo World Championship last October—hard to believe that was already two months ago! What does the esports side of Halo mean to you?



Wow yes, time does fly by! I grew up with Halo as my competitive shooter. It was also the game that made me discover esports even existed.



Once upon a time, I desired to compete, followed MLG, and I did play in local LANs at the time, but now I just enjoy watching Halo and learning from the pros for fun. There’s nothing like watching Halo. I’d love to continue to combine my passion for entertainment and Halo in a professional setting; I’ve been loving hosting on LVT broadcasts recently and want to continue evolving this new skill, it’s been pretty addictive!



Halo has fans all over the world, with talents ranging across the creative spectrum. As a member of the LATAM community as well, are there any fellow Spartans you’d want to highlight here?



Yes! The LATAM community has so many content creator gems I’d love for you all to check out. <a href="https://twitter.com/Extremebreaker1">ExtremeBreaker</a>, the funniest Spanish-speaking stream I’ve ever tuned into. <a href="https://twitter.com/lBlodreina">iBlodreina</a> is insanely good at Halo. She even got Top 4 placement in the MX HCS region! She’s super fun, genuine and so competitive. I have so much to learn from her! <a href="https://twitter.com/ArturBloodshot">ArturBlodshot</a>, part of the Forge Council and LATAM Community Ambassador. And let’s not forget, <a href="https://twitter.com/Beautoriaa">Beautoria</a>! She’s so good at Halo and is so fun to hangout with on stream. She received Twitch Partner last year, and also shares my love for DragonBall Z! Others to check out: <a href="https://twitter.com/MatafiedGaming">MATAFIED Gaming</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/nobleprimado">NoblePrimado</a>, but there’s so many more I’m definitely forgetting and so many more I still need to meet!



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1535" height="2048" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2024/01/Alyek_Community.jpg" alt="Photograph of Alyek with community members at the Halo World Championship" class="wp-image-90507" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2024/01/Alyek_Community.jpg 1535w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2024/01/Alyek_Community-225x300.jpg 225w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2024/01/Alyek_Community-768x1025.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2024/01/Alyek_Community-1151x1536.jpg 1151w" sizes="(max-width: 1535px) 100vw, 1535px" /></figure>



What are some personal highlights you’ve had over the years as a member of the Halo community? Between the creators’ panel and meeting Keith David, I imagine last year had its share of memorable moments.



Honestly, standing on the mainstage and playing at the Halo World Championship surrounded by amazingly talented hosts, casters, and creators was so crazy to me. As a kid that grew up watching Halo events, talk about full circle! I loved it so much and felt so ready for that moment!



Also, meeting the voices of the Master Chief, Cortana, and the Arbiter all in the same room backstage had my little girl self dying inside (I maintained my composure as best I could… I think). Being a part of the Creator Panels is so special to me, I love being able to teach and share what I’ve learned on my wild ride as content creator so far. I’d also love to stand on that stage as a host one day.



Tell us a bit about your journey as a streamer over the years. How did you get started and how have things evolved for you over the years?



I landed a full-time job as an entertainer before I started streaming, it was one of my first auditions ever. I quickly fell in love with it and decided to combine my passion for entertainment and acting with my love for gaming.



I hadn’t played video games for a few years and missed the gaming community so much at the time. I started with chill games like Stardew Valley, then Warframe came along and that community adopted me so quickly—the team at Digital Extremes and the Warframe community hold a special place in my heart.



I always knew I wanted to play Halo again in the future, so when Halo Infinite came out I fully made the switch.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1636" height="2048" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2024/01/Alyek_Community2.jpg" alt="Photograph of Alyek with three big fans of hers on the Halo World Championship's Community Stage (HiddenXperia, Oath, and UberNick)" class="wp-image-90521" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2024/01/Alyek_Community2.jpg 1636w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2024/01/Alyek_Community2-240x300.jpg 240w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2024/01/Alyek_Community2-818x1024.jpg 818w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2024/01/Alyek_Community2-768x961.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2024/01/Alyek_Community2-1227x1536.jpg 1227w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2024/01/Alyek_Community2-1568x1963.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1636px) 100vw, 1636px" /></figure>



What advice would you give to folks out there who may be starting their own journey with content creation?



Streaming and content creation is such a rollercoaster career. One minute you’re having the most amazing day of your life… and then the worst financial month of your career the next! You learn to work through it because you love it.



Starting and maintaining consistency is always the hardest though. Make a schedule, stick to it, but also try to be creative with the time you spend live. It can get easily tiring to do the same thing every day. The content creation space changes quickly, so it’s always important to be flexible and adapt new trends to yourself and your content. If you want to stand out, recreate trends that inspire you with your own unique voice and creativity. Oh man, I could go on. I’ll just leave this for now. On a future panel, ask me everything you want haha.



What’s your favorite Halo game in the series?



Halo 2 for campaign. Halo 3 multiplayer. And I think Halo Infinite is the best since Halo 3 and Reach.



Tell us an interesting fact about yourself.



I love languages and daydream about doing food and lifestyle travel content. I’m fluent in English and Spanish, and I taught myself to read and write Korean. I also took Mandarin, Japanese, and Italian in school, but don’t ask me to speak them because I already forgot…



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1776" height="1310" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2024/01/Alyek_HWC1.jpg" alt="Photo of Alyek at the Halo World Championship" class="wp-image-90591" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2024/01/Alyek_HWC1.jpg 1776w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2024/01/Alyek_HWC1-300x221.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2024/01/Alyek_HWC1-1024x755.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2024/01/Alyek_HWC1-768x566.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2024/01/Alyek_HWC1-1536x1133.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2024/01/Alyek_HWC1-1568x1157.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1776px) 100vw, 1776px" /></figure>



Thank you again for giving us some of your time to chat, Alyek! Do you have any parting words to share?



Honored that you thought of me for this interview! Thank you and the Halo community for being so supportive of me in my adventure as a content creator and entertainer, I’ve seen all your comments in the chats.



I’m so excited to keep growing as a creator and hope you all join me for it. Excited to meet and say hi to any new peeps who read this blog!



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You can find Alyek on <a href="https://www.twitch.tv/alyek">Twitch</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/alyekly">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/alyek">YouTube</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/alyekly/">Instagram</a>, and <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@alyekly">TikTok</a>—go and give her a follow!

Issue 012

Community Corner: Alyek

Far_Galaxies08 Art

B324Obedience Art

Spotlight: January 16, 2024

Spotlight: December 14, 2023

Issue 011

Community Corner: GCustomsCreations

Endurance-of-Will by @iso_didacta

Spotlight: November 2, 2023

Welcome back to our latest issue of the Community Corner, where we spotlight and interview individuals about what they get up to in the Halo community—art, cosplay, animation, streaming, Forge, and beyond.



Last time, <a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/community-corner-entransing">we were joined by Entransing</a> to learn about her journey with Halo as a long-time fan and as an artist.



For this issue, we’re joined by Aimee Saturne, who dabbles in cosplay, streaming, performance, and more!



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Welcome, Aimee! Thank you very much for joining us for this month’s issue of the Community Corner. Tell us about yourself—who are you, what do you do as part of the Halo community, and where can we find you?



Thank you so much for having me—it’s truly an honor! My name is Aimee Saturne, and within the Halo community, I’m a very, very long-time fan of the games and all that they encompass.



I stream Halo Infinite on Twitch, and I also cosplay as our beloved Cortana! <a href="https://www.twitch.tv/aimeesaturne">You can find me on Twitch</a> (and pretty much every other social media platform) <a href="https://twitter.com/AimeeSaturne">@AimeeSaturne</a>.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1920" height="2160" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/Aimee3.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-84487" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/Aimee3.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/Aimee3-267x300.jpg 267w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/Aimee3-910x1024.jpg 910w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/Aimee3-768x864.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/Aimee3-1365x1536.jpg 1365w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/Aimee3-1820x2048.jpg 1820w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/Aimee3-1568x1764.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></figure>



What’s your origin story with Halo? How did this great journey begin for you?



Oh yes, the Spartan origin story… It happened long ago one fine evening. My friends and I were bored out of our minds and one of them suggested we play Halo: CE. I was about 8 years old and had no idea what that was. When we finally got to play it, I was horrific at it, but it was the most fun I’d had in a long time.



What piqued my interest too was that it was not only amazing sonically and visually, but the storyline captivated me all at once. The Halo games quickly became my favorite, and that carried on with me through the years. It didn’t matter who I hung out with or what anyone usually played, Halo was always the game everyone could agree on and have a great time with.



Are there any particular areas of the series that you find yourself gravitating towards—are you drawn towards campaign, multiplayer, Forge, expanded universe stuff, cosplay, events, or a mix of various things?



It’s definitely a mix of things! I am typically a campaign girl through and through, but more recently, especially with streaming, multiplayer has garnered a special place in my heart too. It’s such a fun, competitive area to be a part of, and getting those medals when you make a great play is such a rush.



Generally, though, getting wrapped up in the lore of Halo is so intriguing and I’m always champing at the bit to learn more. The universe is so extensive between the games and novels, and now with the TV series as well we get a look into the characters we know and love in a different light, which I happen to appreciate! While I’d always been obsessed with the games, HaloWC ‘22 is really what set off my desire to fall into my obsession and do all I could to share my love of Halo with the world, from streaming to cosplaying as Cortana.



<figure class="wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">tell me you’re a <a href="https://twitter.com/Halo?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Halo</a> fan without telling me you’re a Halo fan. 😂🦾💫 <a href="https://t.co/KDqMCefVWI">pic.twitter.com/KDqMCefVWI</a>— 𝓐𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒆 🪐 𝓢𝒂𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒆 (@AimeeSaturne) <a href="https://twitter.com/AimeeSaturne/status/1698799175775994008?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 4, 2023</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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Who are some of your favorite Halo characters (and why)?



I’m sure most can agree when I say Chief, Cortana, and the Weapon are my absolute favorites. It’s so hard to pick just a handful of these complex characters when there are so many to choose from across the entirety of Halo, but I also love Kelly-087, Avery Johnson, Dr. Halsey, Exuberant Witness, and Kai-125 from the television series. I think they all bring something different to the table when it comes to the storylines they’re a part of.



The novels really bring out deeper aspects of some of the aforementioned characters that we don’t get to see as much in the games, and you really get to learn a lot about the method behind their madness—especially Dr. Halsey. It’s just fun to follow them and to learn about the person behind the Mjolnir or uniform.



And Exuberant Witness is adorable, I just love her voice and personality!



Tell us a bit about how you got into streaming and what you’ve been up to on that front!



I have to thank HaloWC ‘22 for my journey in streaming! Before I attended the event, I had only ever streamed about twice in my life and both times were the Halo Infinite campaign. When I attended Worlds, I sat in on some of the panels, the “Women in Streaming” one in particular, and was immediately inspired to really start streaming Halo and sharing my love of the game with others who felt the same.



I didn’t realize what a large community Halo had, especially online! So, when it was all said and done, I got my set-up together the best I could and started grinding Infinite’s multiplayer. I played bots for the longest time because I was so horrible at it, I didn’t want my teammates to hate me!



Eventually, I felt confident to move on to playing actual humans, and the rest is history. In March 2023, I became a Twitch Affiliate streaming Halo and that was pretty huge for me because I never expected nor intended to get there. I still stream all the time and I’ve gathered such a fun little community that I could not be more grateful for. My viewers really make my world go round, and I’ve made such good friends who actually understand the obsession!



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://youtu.be/FOh5qIKt8eQ?si=3kts-3SOeIpmMNuh&t=24022"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="2558" height="1440" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/Aimee5.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-84515" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/Aimee5.jpg 2558w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/Aimee5-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/Aimee5-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/Aimee5-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/Aimee5-1536x865.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/Aimee5-2048x1153.jpg 2048w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/Aimee5-1568x883.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 2558px) 100vw, 2558px" /></a></figure>



After your marvelous performance as the Arbiter in our HaloWC 2022 Scene Reading panel, I wanted to ask whether there are things like voice acting or singing that you do?



Being the ‘22 Arbiter was the best role of my life! I am a singer and actress/voice actress—really just an all-around creative as I wear a bunch of hats in different mediums. I’ve been singing and acting since I was a kid though, and actually have music out now on all the usual streaming platforms. I’d always wanted to voice an AI or a big bad in Halo, though… so thank you for having me on-stage to do just that!



Do you have a favorite Halo soundtrack? What aspects of music resonate with and inspire you most?



Trying to pick a favorite soundtrack is so complicated! There are beautiful pieces within all of them, and of course I own them all as well. Halo 4 and Halo 2 are ones that I’m consistently turning back to.



I love when a song creates a feeling and atmosphere, and that carries into video game scores as well. Rather than just being background noise to a cutscene or a fight, all of the tracks heighten each moment sonically. I haven’t heard a Halo soundtrack I haven’t liked, and I can confidently say they each evoke emotion of some kind. And then of course you have bangers too, like Impend (Halo 2) or Covenant Dance (Halo: CE).



Speaking of HaloWC, we just had the 2023 event a few short weeks ago! Which team were you rooting for?



I was rooting for OpTic Gaming and feel so lucky to have seen them compete again this year! Lucid is my favorite player, though they’re all amazing. I could not even begin to imagine being so good at Halo.



We got iced pretty bad by FaZe Clan in the end, but I know we’ll come back strong!



Did you have any other memorable moments and highlights throughout HaloWC 2023?



Oh, plenty! Speaking of Lucid, I got a fist bump from him when the team was making their way onto the stage for the final tournament—that was huge for me.



I also got to see Steve Downes and Jen Taylor again, and meet Keith David for the first time, too! It’s still so crazy to hear and see your childhood right in front of you.



Meeting up with fans and friends was also a major highlight for me. It’s such a warm and fuzzy feeling to have such a welcoming and awesome community, and the Halo World Championship always brings that.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1920" height="1210" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/Aimee1.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-84459" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/Aimee1.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/Aimee1-300x189.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/Aimee1-1024x645.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/Aimee1-768x484.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/Aimee1-1536x968.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/Aimee1-1568x988.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></figure>



Tell us a bit about cosplay. Do you have a favorite character to cosplay, and are there others you want to do in the future? What is it that draws you to those characters?



My favorite character to cosplay is Cortana, but I’ve dabbled in other franchises before (like Harley Quinn) without realizing I was cosplaying. I wish I had a cooler story, but I’ve just always been into escapism, and I’ve always wanted to be Cortana, crazy as that sounds. The storyline between her and the Master Chief really captivated me and tugged at my heartstrings, especially once we got around to Halo 4 and realized just how deep their companionship ran.



After watching the HaloWC ‘22 cosplay contest, I realized that I kind of could be her! It didn’t take long before I was gathering all the elements I needed to do so, and figuring out how to edit photos to feature my cosplay in some iconic stills from the game itself.



Down the line, I would really love to cosplay the different variations of Cortana as well—like Halo 5’s version, the Weapon, and even Dr. Halsey, considering she was the model for Cortana to begin with.



What’s your favorite Halo game (or, if it’s too hard to pick one, I suppose we can let you have two!) and why?



The ultimate question! My favorite is Halo 4, but it is very hard to choose just one, and so I’ll have to pick Halo Infinite as well—both for different reasons.



Halo 4 was just so deliciously Halo in my opinion, and it focused so much on the bond between our favorite Spartan and his AI, which had always fascinated me to begin with. Seeing Cortana fall to rampancy and the Chief so desperate to help her, all while fighting the ultimate battle against the Didact? I loved every second of it.



As for Halo Infinite, I loved the storyline as well, the kind of sadness that the storyline held from the aftermath of Halo 4 and Halo 5, and going through it with the Weapon, who begins trying to find herself as well. However, Infinite’s multiplayer was huge for me, and it brought me my streaming journey, as well as so many amazing friends and opportunities. It’s given me some of the best moments of my life so far to date, so I love Infinite on a more personal level.



What are some of your biggest inspirations in life?



The desire for something more; to do what I love and do it unabashedly. I do still have specific inspirations such as certain people, places, or the dreams and aspirations I have, but generally, my drive to make the most of my life is what keeps me going and always chasing the next thing and looking for the next opportunity.



I’m a big advocate of doing all the things you love to do, because life is short and you never want to regret not doing something. If it doesn’t work out the way you want to, at least you tried. That’s further than some people get at all!



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1920" height="1080" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/Aimee2.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-84473" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/Aimee2.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/Aimee2-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/Aimee2-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/Aimee2-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/Aimee2-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/Aimee2-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></figure>



What does being part of the Halo community personally mean to you?



Being part of the Halo community means family—connection. We all have this immense love of a video game that is far more than just a video game to us when it comes down to it. I have never felt more connected with a certain group of people, or more welcomed, especially when I first dipped my toes into the water that is this community. Near or far, we can all get together and play this game and have a good time (or tilt!) and it reminds me of the days when we only had LAN parties and couch co-op.



Having a sense of community around something that I had never realized I could before is enlightening, and I feel proud to be part of such a wide variety of gamers who know exactly how I feel about the series without even having to explain it. We Halo fans go hard!



Tell us an interesting fact about yourself.



I’m actually a marine corps brat, born and raised in Japan. I always say USNC is just in my blood! It’s just too bad Dr. Halsey didn’t turn me into a Spartan. ONI here I come…



There was some heated debate about this between Steve Downes and Jen Taylor on-stage at HaloWC this year, so I thought I would put it out there to folks in the community: Pineapple on pizza—yay or nay? And how about anchovies?



I remember that! Don’t judge me (or do), but absolute yay. Pineapple is actually my favorite! I love a good Hawaiian pizza, and now I feel like I’m probably going to order one tonight. I’m not sure I’ve ever had anchovies on it…but it doesn’t particularly sound like something I’d want to try, either.



Thank you so much again for joining us, Aimee! Do you have any parting words to share?



Thank you so much for having me! This was so fun and really such a dream. Halo is forever, and I would just love to thank everyone involved in making it exactly what it is today, from Combat Evolved to Infinite.



I’ve already mentioned it’s become much more than just a video game, and it’s got such a special place in my heart—and in many others. I can’t wait to attend more events and continue to dive deeper into all that the wonderful universe of Halo offers.



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You can follow Aimee Saturne on <a href="https://www.twitch.tv/aimeesaturne">Twitch</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/AimeeSaturne/">Instagram</a>, and <a href="https://twitter.com/AimeeSaturne">Twitter</a> to keep up with her streaming and cosplay!

Issue 010

Community Corner: Aimee Saturne