[ARG] The Pizza Code Mystery

I made a thread about this on reddit, read here. It basically started when I found this code behind a malfunctioning door.

Here is the info copy-pasted from my reddit post.

What do we have now?

In this thread I posted a picture of some code that is found behind an inaccessible door. The users MrMuffins and bradcah did good job recognizing the type of code used and what it says:

I have hidden four  
codes abcd for access  
to my S.F.T.E [possibly acronym for Society of Flight Test Engineers]-dr bon ami [good friend]  
code a  
one zero zero one

or

"I have hidden four / codes 'abcd' for access / to my 'SFTE' - DRBONAMI / codes / ONE ZERO ZERO ONE"

User unhi apparently gives confirmation that this is indeed an ARG, but the first and easiest code found is not yet completely cracked. He also found another potential code and did some detective work.

It seems to revolve around pizzas. There is one of the pizza-heavy secret rooms. There are other secret rooms containing pizza.

How can you help?
NOTE: involves cheats, so not everyone will like it!
We need to find the other 3 codes, and any potential clues around. Iā€™m on chapter 8 or 9, so I probably missed a lot. If you feel like exploring secret rooms, this is how I do it:

  • Open options panel -> keyboard -> advanced -> enable developer console.
  • Open the developer console with whatever key you have it set in they keyboard settings panel of the game.
  • When starting up the game (every time you start it) type in console ā€œsv_cheats 1ā€ to enable the use of cheats. This command by itself does not alter your game experience.
  • Type in console ā€œbind n noclipā€. You can chose any key you want instead of ā€œnā€. Pressing the key will toggle noclip.
    Be reasonable with noclip! Donā€™t cheat, donā€™t spoil yourself, donā€™t get stuck; quicksave before exploring, as some areas will instakill you if you noclip there; going too far crashes the game.

Of most interest are locked/broken doors that apparently have rooms on the other side. You can also try inaccessible catwalks and observation rooms, but be sure not to go somewhere that you should be later on in the game and spoil what lies ahead.

I will update this post as new information arrives.

Found this roomin inbound using noclip:

I had made a thread about it, and someone there posted more pizza-related stuff.

Copying this over from the other thread:

Anyway, on one of the whiteboards in QE, there was a seemingly meaningless chemical formula or something in the bottom right with ā€œdonā€™t tell Junek!ā€ (Meaning Dr. D. Junek, who I believe is a shoutout to a certain team member) written next to it. I couldnā€™t figure out what it meant, but it might be relevant here. I think it was in optronics.

Good job compiling everything, I really hope to see this through.

Wow, didnā€™t expect this! Good job on those findings!

Is it possible that the numbers are somehow letters from various parts of the bible on his desk?

Someone who has the Crusader Good News Bible New Life Edition should check

Oh lovely, a thread mergeā€¦ so now my post is back in the middle of the thread, which defeats the whole purpose of my having created a new thread in the first place. :facepalm: :facepalm: :facepalm: :facepalm:

Also, because my other post disappeared which said this ā€” no one pay attention to asmā€™s post, the data he posted is wrong.

I was wondering that as well Sarge, but I honestly donā€™t know enough about the bible to figure out any relation. I also donā€™t think that would be the best idea though since even the same book can be very different depending on the edition.

:slight_smile:

what all the codes unlock? does anybody know?

xen date?

Another Pizza-related thing: In Lambda, if you transport through a portal, youā€™ll get to 3 people, and the security-guard saying ā€œI thought it was going to be the pizza delivery guyā€.

Have you guys seen this yet? Itā€™s a secret room in Surface Tension. I donā€™t read these forums much so excuse me if itā€™s been posted already.

I have no idea if this actually has anything to do with it (or if itā€™s even been posted previously), but itā€™s the only defining thing in this room (other than tons of food and soda).

I made a post on how to reach it here: https://www.facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1152082&p=37698833&viewfull=1#post37698833

It might be completely irrelevant though.

Itā€™s got Dr. Hornā€™s picture, so Iā€™d say itā€™s definitely relevant to some extent. Who knows, SFTE could stand for ā€œShack For Taco Eatingā€ ā€¦who knows. XD

You canā€™t use that keypad can you? lol

[WARNING SPOILERS]

I donā€™t believe you can use the keypad no. I too found this secret on my first play through by accident. You have to hit the switch first on the opposite end of the trail, where the health and HEV charger are, and the two soldiers across a small jump with a barnacle in the middle. Then run back to the other end, and drop down a few ledges to the little cave, whereabouts you will be teleported there.

Related:

  1. Someone should check this out for me since iā€™m at work right now and canā€™t screenshot it for you, but there is another secret room in Q.E. underneath the staircase leading up to where you get the Tau/Gauss Gun. From what i can gather, you have to noclip to get there, but there is a ā€œblockyā€ scientist with his head missing (he looks like a lego scientist), and a radio which when used plays a series of weird beeping noises (almost like a code), as well as pizza and the infamous ā€œthe pizza is a lieā€ blood smeared on the wall.

  2. There is the blood smear and a pizza in several other locations i found, including (You have to noclip to access these):

    • Behind the fenced area to the left of the HECU getting attacked by snarks next to the black car with itā€™s headlights on. (Yeah, that one)
    • In Lambda Complex before in the area with the spies/black ops (as I call them), just before you go up the spiral staircase (with the optional lift) at the back of that area, itā€™s behind one of the two dead ends on the right side (i think itā€™s the one with the water dripping from the ceiling)

*Hope this excites someone, Iā€™ll post more as i remember them.

Results of the ARG: devs sure love pizza

Ok.

Since this is my first post in here , i wanna to say hello to everybody. Even that i didnt finish the game , i`ll try to help with this ARG :slight_smile: . Iā€™m searching some clues on the good news bible. What u think about this code?

31529 63776 21295 33399 44534
97341 68095 91847 99899 47843
91327 76794 07031 80431 91909
02118 97319 80497 17819 91998
59314 91931 41651 49161 97998
43089 11933 13937 48491 89198

98878 29905 90941 84992 89313
27810 43844 11818 39111 19562
74899 49301 99848 05075 50994
47717 11522 89919 13139 93187
87339 89438 64933 23042 09364
38899 25012 93143 93496 10193
68393 99855 90591 22893 84499
88299 23898 73571 38537 15395
81199 28050 39045 51198 32189

91192 71948 45160 15835 13817
89530 19314 97313 00149 44841
39991 95319 03338 19887 71111
82261 19390 95231 31788 08497
97784 11139 39519 34949 93559
35177 10951 18199 31599 70923
15122 98343 94109 31461

Found it and took some screencaps:
imgur album

I also recorded a demoā€¦ Is there a way to make that into a video?

EDIT: Video: https://youtu.be/aWmxNn250hw

EDIT: I also heard the sound you were talking about. I know it can be made into an image, although I donā€™t have the software to do so. Based on the video in the above post, itā€™s the same sound that was found in the game files and has allready been made into an image.

Yeah, first one has been found, it was Code C, though nice to know where it actually is in-game.

As for the others Iā€™ll def have to check them out. OBE mentioned his favorite secret being near the snarked HECU soldier, you might have found it.

Only way I know to turn a demo into a video is to play it back and FRAPS it, lol.

The 247 isnt related to this unfortunately, thatā€™s just the reactor core portal order. I knew that was visible somewhere, guess thatā€™s where.

ā€˜Lego Guyā€™ is awesomeā€¦ hahaha

I also saw purple hats everywhere, the first time i saw it is in Forget about Freeman hidden in one rectangle-thing( its yellow) and another one in Lambda Core in teleporter #5. Is this an easter egg?

Did anyone look at that formula in QE I mentioned? I canā€™t check it out myself ATM but I strongly suspect it to be involved. Or just another Easter egg, who knows.

Can you get screenshots? I know the purple hat (which I found in a shipping container in the assassin room in LC) is related to one of the achievements and is based off an some inside joke of the devs.

Didnā€™t know there were othersā€¦

Oh, and a taco was found in the surgical chaimber: https://dl.dropbox.com/s/eq0lrl47p5kgwkm/taco.jpg

Founded in 2004, Leakfree.org became one of the first online communities dedicated to Valveā€™s Source engine development. It is more famously known for the formation of Black Mesa: Source under the 'Leakfree Modification Team' handle in September 2004.