Look, I get your disappointment that you couldn't participate. That is completely understandable, and I agree that it was a dumb move to lock the moon off the way they did. It's the fact that you didn't look into it at all, which would have let you know beforehand that you couldn't do it. So my original framing was wrong, especially if you physically couldn't play the mission in the window provided. I came off really very overly harsh, and I apologise.

Fair enough.

I didn't really have an opportunity to look into it; I was attending my brother's wedding this weekend, which involved two 6 hour+ train journeys into deepest, data signal-less Wales. Also I've found the past year or so's BWUs to be so utterly devoid of real content that I've skimmed them at most (there's only so many times I can read DeeJ give some cryptic Yoda-like response to questions). So; this time I missed out on important info (not that it would have helped; I was still on a train when the availability period ended). It sucks, but I'll get over it.

They said specifically that the mission would only be available for two hours.

The BWU said this, but I hadn't read it. On the other hand, whilst I was in my internet black spot they emailed me saying come play the beta:

You could be forgiven for thinking that at least they'd make it available during that time window. Couldn't you? It feels a bit like, just with Xbox owners getting shafted by no alpha and a shorter beta, Bungie has taken a you snooze, you lose attitude. It's a shame because whilst the lucky ones will feel special, a lot of others will feel short-changed.

I was a little rushed so I didn't set up my capture equipment, but I'm hoping someone out there recorded the experience for those that couldn't make it.

I've recorded 1.5 to 2 hours worth of moon footage, though it's not very concise. There's a lot of backtracking and messing about, and a significant period of time spend down in the Hellmouth.

I also captured some public events and quite a bit of loot discovery. Overall, our group explored it fairly well I'd say! I'll be seeing what I can do with the footage... soon™

- The Hive. The last time I had this sensation was in Halo with the Truth and Reconciliation--exploring this strange alien architecture and finding it all so interesting. The Hellmouth is.. man. You get this strange architecture and bones, everywhere.. but then you find this giant chain. And then you catch it moving. What the heck is on the other end of that? The Hall of Wisdom, with this darkness moving through the ceiling, full of glowing green Hive faces. Beyond it, a closed doorway full of machinery on one side, a cavern full of strange cocoons on the other. What ARE the Hive? These guys seem absolutely evil and bizarre. There isn't one flavor to them.

They're so interesting! I really loved everything I saw down there. The scattered bones, the huge open caverns, the mining operation and strange coloured rocks... I'm really looking forward to learning about these fellas.

Russia was fun and gave a great idea of what this game has available, but the moon pushed that much further. The sense of discovery really grew strong there.

I played the moon mission straight through without exploring and then moved on to Iron Banner like an idiot. I didn't realize Bungie would let people stay past closing time.

I was a little rushed so I didn't set up my capture equipment, but I'm hoping someone out there recorded the experience for those that couldn't make it.

I knew it opened at 2, but didn't know it only stayed open 2 hours. I thought I'd explore and have fun, then get those two cutscenes for the library tonight.

Guess the library will have to be incomplete :-/

- The dark side of the Earth is completely black. There really is just that one city left, eh?

There's no dark side. As a matter of fact, it's all dark.

;)

I missed out on gazing up Earth and watch it spin, sadly. Hope someone has a video of that from the next-gen. Must be great. I did get to gaze up the Moon from Old Russia and it was pretty cool.

- The Hive. The last time I had this sensation was in Halo with the Truth and Reconciliation--exploring this strange alien architecture and finding it all so interesting. The Hellmouth is.. man. You get this strange architecture and bones, everywhere.. but then you find this giant chain. And then you catch it moving. What the heck is on the other end of that? The Hall of Wisdom, with this darkness moving through the ceiling, full of glowing green Hive faces. Beyond it, a closed doorway full of machinery on one side, a cavern full of strange cocoons on the other. What ARE the Hive? These guys seem absolutely evil and bizarre. There isn't one flavor to them.

I'm a bit disappointed at how bright it is most of the time. Way down there, right before the second(?) exit out, where you can see the sky again, it was pretty much spot-on with the lighting, imho.

I was hoping that Bungie would get their population spike and then be all, "lol, jk guys, leaving Moon available until Beta ends." Bummer you couldn't make it, I just made it myself. There's a lot there, but there will be even more to explore in the full game.

Me too. In fact, I'm still hoping they do this with the entire Beta up to launch.

- Did anyone here NOT get lost in the Hellmouth? Took me quite a while to find my way back out, especially when my waypoints kept bringing me to locked doors.

I know, right. First time, I was doing the mission alone and thought "what the hell, should be faster to go to orbit and back". Second time, I was with Hyokin and thought I had found a nook to explore. They eventually found the exit and their nametags kept throwing my sense of direction off. Silly Zack.

In the Hellmouth it's pretty simple: Up is out, down is in ;)

Though there is that one cavern that can only be accessed from the bottom. Ya know, the one with all the creepy egg sacs.

*shivers*