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{{era|H1|H2|H3}}
{{Status|RealWorld}}
{{Ratings}}
{{Disambig header|the codename for ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]''|the game engine|Blam engine}}
{{Realworld}}
[[File:OniBlam.png|thumb|The game crash dialog of ''Oni''.]]
'''Blam!''' was the code-name for ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]'' before it was  completed. It was used to replace the original name "Monkey Nuts" because project lead [[Jason Jones]] couldn't bring himself to tell his mother he was working on a game called "Monkey Nuts."<ref name="Art">[[Art Of Halo]], page ix.</ref>
'''Blam!''' is a term often prevalent throughout [[Bungie]]-related releases, particularly prevalent around the release of the original ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]''. The term was popularised during the [[Development of Halo: Combat Evolved|early development]] of the game, during which time the game had a string of temporary codenames - first ''Armor'' and later ''Monkey Nuts'' - the latter replacing the former due to ensuring the game could not ship with a title as boring as ''Armor''. As production continued, [[Jason Jones]] was unable to bring himself to tell his mother he was working on a game called ''Monkey Nuts'' - prompting a name change to ''Blam!''.{{Ref/Book|Id=Art|AoH|Page=9}}


"Blam!" is now used to censor curse words on the [[Bungie.net]] forum, the Weekly Updates<ref>http://www.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&cid=13382</ref>, and to censor inappropriate content names in ''[[Halo 3]]''. It is most likely a tribute to the word itself. Many non-Bungie users have caught the habit and use it abundantly.  
The ''Blam!'' phrase originated in Bungie's Chicago offices - the office was located near a busy street and would often experience numerous near-collisions between cars. After hearing screeching tires outside with no audible crash, [[Robert McLees]] would yell "Blam!" so there was "a sense of completion."{{Ref/Reuse|Art}} The phrase was also used in local multiplayer games, often exclaimed after killing another player. Overall, references to the Blam! phrase date back as far as Bungie's 1992 game ''Minotaur: The Labyrinths of Crete'', showing up in ''Myth'', ''Oni'' and ''[[Marathon]]''.{{Ref/Site|URL=http://marathon.bungie.org/story/blam.html|Site=marathon.bungie.org|Page=Marathon's Story... The History of Blam!|D=11|M=07|Y=2022}}


The word was thought of because [[Bungie]]'s Chicago office was located near a very busy street that had numerous near collisions between cars. [[Robert McLees]] would yell, "Blam!" so there was a sense of completion.
The phrase was applied as the new name for the in-development game, which would later go on to be called ''Halo''. The trademarks for Blam.net and Blam.org were filed in March [[1998]].{{Ref/Site|URL=http://marathon.bungie.org/story/bungiedomreginfo.html|Site=marathon.bungie.org|Page=Bungie's Domain Name Registration Info|D=11|M=07|Y=2022}} The first public mentions of the Blam project were shown in [[1999]], with the Bungie webcam displaying the name.{{Ref/Site|URL=http://halo.bungie.org/bborgarch/bborg_072199/e3.html|Site=halo.bungie.org|Page=E3 Shenanigans|D=11|M=07|Y=2022}} Blam! would become the name of the [[Blam engine|game engine]] developed by Bungie for ''Halo'', and their later games such as ''Destiny''.{{Ref/Site|Id=TigerEngine|URL=https://www.gdcvault.com/play/1022106/Lessons-from-the-Core-Engine|Site=GDC Vault|Page=Lessons from the Core Engine Architecture of Destiny|D=22|M=9|Y=2021}}


An occasional glitch occasionaly occurs on Halo 3. A player can name a map or a game variant anything, and no matter the result, a notice of censorship will pop up telling you that it's name must be Blam!.
During their ''Halo'' tenure, the term "Blam!" was used to censor curse words on the [[Bungie.net]] forum, the [[Bungie Weekly Update|Weekly Updates]],{{Ref/Site|URL=http://halo.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&cid=13382|Site=Bungie.net|Page=Legendary Map: Avalanche|D=20|M=06|Y=2019}} and to censor inappropriate content names in ''[[Halo 3]]'' and ''[[Halo: Reach]]''. An occasional glitch occurs in ''Halo 3'' in which a player can name a map or game variant anything, regardless if it is inappropriate or not, and a notice of censorship will pop up telling you that its name must be "Blam!".


== Sources ==
Due to its status as an element of the "Bungie mythos", the Blam! terminology has not been frequently employed by [[343 Industries]]. However, it did appear in ''[[Halo 4]]'' to censor inappropriate content names. In its early years, the studio used the term ''Yoink!'' - based on the [[Yoink]] medal in ''[[Halo: Reach]]'' - for censoring words in forums and developer updates - though this has also fallen out of practice.


<references/>
==Sources==
{{Ref/Sources}}
 
==External links==
*[http://marathon.bungie.org/story/blam.html Marathon's Story... The History of Blam!] - a long-form history of the Blam! terminology in Bungie's pre-''Halo'' titles.
[[Category:Bungie]]
[[Category:Halo: Combat Evolved]]
[[Category:Real-world terms and phrases]]

Latest revision as of 13:43, July 11, 2022

This article is about the codename for Halo: Combat Evolved. For the game engine, see Blam engine.
Crash message for the Bungie game Oni, showing Blam!
The game crash dialog of Oni.

Blam! is a term often prevalent throughout Bungie-related releases, particularly prevalent around the release of the original Halo: Combat Evolved. The term was popularised during the early development of the game, during which time the game had a string of temporary codenames - first Armor and later Monkey Nuts - the latter replacing the former due to ensuring the game could not ship with a title as boring as Armor. As production continued, Jason Jones was unable to bring himself to tell his mother he was working on a game called Monkey Nuts - prompting a name change to Blam!.[1]

The Blam! phrase originated in Bungie's Chicago offices - the office was located near a busy street and would often experience numerous near-collisions between cars. After hearing screeching tires outside with no audible crash, Robert McLees would yell "Blam!" so there was "a sense of completion."[1] The phrase was also used in local multiplayer games, often exclaimed after killing another player. Overall, references to the Blam! phrase date back as far as Bungie's 1992 game Minotaur: The Labyrinths of Crete, showing up in Myth, Oni and Marathon.[2]

The phrase was applied as the new name for the in-development game, which would later go on to be called Halo. The trademarks for Blam.net and Blam.org were filed in March 1998.[3] The first public mentions of the Blam project were shown in 1999, with the Bungie webcam displaying the name.[4] Blam! would become the name of the game engine developed by Bungie for Halo, and their later games such as Destiny.[5]

During their Halo tenure, the term "Blam!" was used to censor curse words on the Bungie.net forum, the Weekly Updates,[6] and to censor inappropriate content names in Halo 3 and Halo: Reach. An occasional glitch occurs in Halo 3 in which a player can name a map or game variant anything, regardless if it is inappropriate or not, and a notice of censorship will pop up telling you that its name must be "Blam!".

Due to its status as an element of the "Bungie mythos", the Blam! terminology has not been frequently employed by 343 Industries. However, it did appear in Halo 4 to censor inappropriate content names. In its early years, the studio used the term Yoink! - based on the Yoink medal in Halo: Reach - for censoring words in forums and developer updates - though this has also fallen out of practice.

Sources[edit]

  1. ^ a b The Art of Halo, page 9
  2. ^ marathon.bungie.org, Marathon's Story... The History of Blam! (Retrieved on Jul 11, 2022) [archive]
  3. ^ marathon.bungie.org, Bungie's Domain Name Registration Info (Retrieved on Jul 11, 2022) [archive]
  4. ^ halo.bungie.org, E3 Shenanigans (Retrieved on Jul 11, 2022) [archive]
  5. ^ GDC Vault, Lessons from the Core Engine Architecture of Destiny (Retrieved on Sep 22, 2021) [archive]
  6. ^ Bungie.net, Legendary Map: Avalanche (Retrieved on Jun 20, 2019) [archive]

External links[edit]

Retrieved from "https://www.halopedia.org/index.php?title=Blam!&oldid=1541912"