[ARG] The Pizza Code Mystery

[GalaxySwift]

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

Yeah, I remember seeing the 247 on my first playthrough, in a normally accessible area. I figured what it meant immediately. But this is an are accessible only with noclip. Why would it be written so many times like that in an area that can only be found with cheats and is numerous chapters before the teleporter? It may have some relevance.

[Pyroclase]

I think that the second hat is in a storage room in lambda core; you can access it by going into the wrong portals in the portal puzzle.

[TheDragonMask]

I also found references to Pizza in the Questionable Ethics laser room. On a white-board there is a layout of the floor you are on and I think something saying “Do not erase!”. Near the bottom right corner there is some writing that I can’t quite make out, but it says something like "Don’t let Security guard (it’s says his last name presumably don’t remember) near my pizzas, he will eat them. > " It’s signed Dr. Horn, I think.

[UnhingedMouse0]

@TheDragonMask

I also found references to Pizza in the Questionable Ethics laser room. On a white-board there is a layout of the floor you are on and I think something saying “Do not erase!”. Near the bottom right corner there is some writing that I can’t quite make out, but it says something like "Don’t let Security guard (it’s says his last name presumably don’t remember) near my pizzas, he will eat them. > " It’s signed Dr. Horn, I think.

Already covered this in my big long post. Screenshot and all.
Didn’t transcribe it there, but it says:

NB - Do not allow security
officer Siste near my
pizzas - he will eat them.

- Dr. Horn

(I’m wondering if Officer Siste is the one I found next to the bloody footprints.)
Gotta wonder who NB is…

[Hyperbyte]

@UnhingedMouse0

Oh lovely, a thread merge… 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.

Right, but at least I’m getting my point across: stop making lots of threads about the same subject! I’ll see if I can get your post to the top somehow.

Update: There, first post. Anything else to whine about while you’re at it?

@UnhingedMouse0

Also, because my other post disappeared which said this — no one pay attention to asm’s post, the data he posted is wrong.

I have removed asm’s post. Which makes yours one closer to the top as well.

[Pyroclase]

Guys, I’m pretty sure that all the pizza jokes are a running gag, but likely not part of the actual ARG unless a name or a place is mentioned. We’re looking for codes here, remember?

Also, could someone please look at that formula I mentioned?

[UnhingedMouse0]

[COLOR=‘DarkOrange’]Due to a busy life I have not been able to keep up with the overwhelming
amount of information for this ARG and thus this first post is no longer up
to date. You should use the following wiki from now on. Thanks.
-Unhinged

[COLOR=‘DarkOrange’]Wiki:
https://thepizzaisalie.wikia.com/wiki/The_Pizza_Code_Mystery_ARG_Wiki

Join us on IRC:
https://webchat.quakenet.org/
“BMS-ARG”

Follow the Blog:
https://thepizzacodemystery.blogspot.co.uk/

[COLOR=‘Black’]Tempus omnia revelant

Protip: If you do not know what an ARG is, read THIS.

If you find anything new that you think might apply, submit it!

---

In Game:

CODES (so far):
Code A - 1001
Code B - 0851[COLOR=‘Lime’]*
Code C - 3914
Code D - 0914

---

Code A + Message[/SIZE]

I HAVE HIDDEN FOUR CODES ABCD FOR ACCESS TO MY SITE - DO KONAMI CODE A ONE ZERO ZERO ONE

• Implies that the final portion of this ARG will be web-based as we are gaining access to a ‘Site.’
• Found as a texture behind a blocked door in Questionable Ethics.
• A Pig-Pen Cipher was used to encode the message.
• The message was originally encoded INCORRECTLY, so that the third line translated to “TO MY SFTE - DR BON AMI” and it made no sense.

(Discovered/Screens by spupy)
(Decoded by MrMuffins)

---

Code B[/SIZE]

3 ‘Abstract Paintings’ were found in the canteen seating area of Questionable Ethics. When overlayed they form another 4 digit code: 0851.

• [COLOR=‘Lime’]*This has NOT been confirmed as B, but it is suspected.
• A message on one of the TV’s in QE says “Dr. C. Horn - Your Pizza is ready for collection from the staff canteen.” A hint leading us to that area.
• Also found in the canteen, two dead scientists next to a pizza.

(Discovered and Decoded by Meaneh)

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Code C + Message[/SIZE]

VICTOR WOULD LIKE THIS EXTENSION CODE C - 3914

• It has been determined that the name ‘Victor’ plus the coin shown are a reference to The VIC Cipher. This is likely the cipher that was used for the Main Code.
• Originally discovered in the game’s files as an SSTV Transmission (An .mp3 file)
• Later found in-game in a hidden room under a staircase in Questionable Ethics.

(Discovered and Decoded by coggy9)
(The meaning of the code was figured out by PanMieszko/phlOgistOn while on IRC)
(Screenshot gallery by GalaxySwift)

---

Message+Code D[/SIZE] - SECOM Cipher

---

The VIC Cipher - Main Code [/SIZE]

[code]DR BOTTOMLEY

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

DR HORN[/code]

• This is a SECOM Cipher - Determined from the Code C Message (Extension of a VIC Cipher).
• Presumed to be the main/final code (far from it ).
• Found in Laser Lab in Questionable Ethics, on a whiteboard next to another message about pizza.
• Dr. Bottomley’s name was underlined once while Dr. Horn’s was underlined twice. May be significant. (Also note the arrows next to Bottomley’s name.)

A VIC Cipher Online Decoder
Various Decoders including a SECOM decoder/encoder

(Discovered by UnhingedMouse0)

DECRYPTED MESSAGE - Password = “laseroptroniclinearinducercannon”

IT HAS COME TO MY ATTENTION THAT RESEARCH INTO POTENTIAL ALTERNATIVE BRIDGING METHODS MAY BE SUPPORTED BY THE INCLUSION AND APPLICATION OF THE LASER OPTRONIC LINEAR INDUCER ARRAY TO ACT AS AN AXIS MODULATOR FOR REGULATION AND FOCUSING AN UNKNOWN ENERGY FORM WAS DETECTED WHILST INVESTIGATING THIS HYPOTHESIS PLEASE USE CODE D 0914 TO COMPLETE THE SEQUENCE ON MY SITE

---

The VIC Cipher - ‘SONG’ Input[/SIZE] (Likely, but not confirmed.)

The code deciphered.

[code]Translates to the Latin phrase: lapis philosophorum

In English: “The Philosopher’s Stone”[/code]

• Chain of Death Cipher was used.
• Found in a really obscure comic from the 1930s called “The Shadow.” [Pages 25 & 83]
• A How-To [Page 25] for deciphering was found and used.
• Seeing as this is exactly 20 characters it could be the song input. It could also reference a Van Morrison song.

(Discovered by theridane)
(Decoded by Nefarious)

---

HALOS FILE[/SIZE] -[COLOR=‘Red’] UNSOLVED

B32B003A 35BADD66 577C24C1 4FC91906 4346D131 A7C54BB8 2FFE03E0 22615777 247923DC 21F62CD4 182E91C3 B267B545 ABCAEDAF 0261510D 4EEA1E87 CD33C7C7 7131309C C4280EB4 243D1154 F044F9CF 6296D9BF F7397E43 90987FE6 3203DA0D E40278B3 A54F5DDC 6975FA04 F749849E 1A62595A 9F630B07 95913DE0 153E3AAC 388C45FB 9D850CFE 913541D6 C08398F2 C88332A8 2FDF0028 1D62FCDC 4FE7E46A E90C51C5 C806B411 64E33AB9 2C96862E 068B0C16 C09990B8 381A00DA 7915B67F E4A20F59 9B0F1B6D 481913C7 B9538CEE 639144F4 1561BA92 E4FE751D 1E242CD8 8F51D695 51988713 6A7C15AA BD7B4004 49220141 30A91F17 0F66CCB3 C139463A 7E909A37 AA863FB2 7805FC97 31C09C8C 79067E79 930A4065 46B24C9A 629B26C2 CE2A4BE4 8F589A37 5FEB731F C4AB225C 11848CF8 9E291FB2 7133970C 06361847 4A892801 EDD68F54 698C5E5B 506746F6 765A6F7F 1225DEA4 DA1140FE B60F6507 45241C69 3695883D CB21E6FB FEFBB85A 29919480 36A52B5D

See - HALOS FILE

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The Web-Based Tip About Code A:[/SIZE]

Phlogiston had the idea that there may be a web-based element to this ARG. He also set up an IRC channel to discuss/brainstorm. Shortly thereafter he received two sets of messages from the same IP host.

[01:51] * Dr_Horn (webchat@host-84-9-123-89.dslgb.com) has joined channel #BMS-ARG [01:51] <phlOgistOn> hello Dr Horn..... [01:51] <Dr_Horn> The Pizza Is A LIE [01:52] * Dr_Horn (webchat@host-84-9-123-89.dslgb.com) Quit (Quit: Page closed)

[03:40] <Watcher__|afk> UHJveHlob3N0QC04NC05LTEyMy0xNjQuZHNsZ2IuY29tLy9jbG 9zZWQucHJveHkuYWNjZXB0ZWQvLz9PVFIsMSwzLD9PVFI6W0kt LS1NSS1HIFRSLS1TTUktLS1PT－iAtIFVOLS0tV04gUyMjUkNFX SBPVFI6ficvLyBEci8vLyN+YCAgQi4uQW1pIH4jIyMgfiBOb3Q gIyN+YW1pLi4uIHtpbnRlcnJ1cHR9CgorKiYqJiMvLyMvLyBLT 0 4gICwsLW1pIEMtZGUuIERyIEgtLU4gI35+IERvbl9fIyMjIExF VCBISU0gX18gZmkjZC4uLi4udXMgLiB7RHIgV2VsIyN9fn4gW1 Rlcm1pbmFsLl0gfn4gW1RyYW5z bWlzc2lvbiBFbmRzXQ== [03:41] <Watcher__|afk> UHJveHlob3N0QC04NC05LTEyMy0xNjQuZHNsZ2IuY29tLy9jbG 9zZWQucHJveHkuYWNjZXB0ZWQvLz9PVFIsMSwzLD9PVFI6W0kt LS1NSS1HIFRSLS1TTUktLS1PT－iAtIFVOLS0tV04gUyMjUkNFX SBPVFI6ficvLyBEci8vLyN+YCAgQi4uQW1pIH4jIyMgfiBOb3Q gIyN+YW1pLi4uIHtpbnRlcnJ1cHR9CgorKiYqJiMvLyMvLyBLT 0 4gICwsLW1pIEMtZGUuIERyIEgtLU4gI35+IERvbl9fIyMjIExF VCBISU0gX18gZmkjZC4uLi4udXMgLiB7RHIgV2VsIyN9fn4gW1 Rlcm1pbmFsLl0gfn4gW1RyYW5z bWlzc2lvbiBFbmRzXQ== [03:41] <Watcher__|afk> UHJveHlob3N0QC04NC05LTEyMy0xNjQuZHNsZ2IuY29tLy9jbG 9zZWQucHJveHkuYWNjZXB0ZWQvLz9PVFIsMSwzLD9PVFI6W0kt LS1NSS1HIFRSLS1TTUktLS1PT－iAtIFVOLS0tV04gUyMjUkNFX SBPVFI6ficvLyBEci8vLyN+YCAgQi4uQW1pIH4jIyMgfiBOb3Q gIyN+YW1pLi4uIHtpbnRlcnJ1cHR9CgorKiYqJiMvLyMvLyBLT 0 4gICwsLW1pIEMtZGUuIERyIEgtLU4gI35+IERvbl9fIyMjIExF VCBISU0gX18gZmkjZC4uLi4udXMgLiB7RHIgV2VsIyN9fn4gW1 Rlcm1pbmFsLl0gfn4gW1RyYW5z bWlzc2lvbiBFbmRzXQ== [03:41] * Watcher__|afk (webchat@host-84-9-123-164.dslgb.com) Quit (Quit: Page closed)

He originally thought they were from someone trolling us, but he posted them here anyway.

asm realized the message used base64 encoding and decoded the message. He too thought it was still a troll.

[code]Proxyhost@-84-9-123-164.dslgb.com//closed.proxy.accepted//?OTR,1,3,?OTR:[I—MI-G TR–SMI—ON - UN—WN S##RCE] OTR:~’// Dr///#~` B…Ami ~### ~ Not ##~ami… {interrupt}

+&&#//#// KON ,-mi C-de. Dr H–N #~~ Don__### LET HIM __ fi#d…us . {Dr Wel##}~~ [Terminal.] ~~ [Transmission Ends][/code]

Attempting to fill in the blanks after the fact, we get:

INCOMING TRANSMISSION - UNKNOWN SOURCE Dr BonAmi is Not ami its KONami Code. Dr HORN Don't LET HIM find us. Dr Welsh

Thankfully, Meaneh persisted and noticed what he thought was a reference to Konami Code. He took a look at stormseeker’s website and found a hidden Konami Code there.
An IRC go’er, PanMieszko, helped put the code INTO stormseeker’s website which then redirected immediately to:

https://terminal.blackmesasource.com/

@Message From the Site

It has come to my attention that strange messages have been appearing throughout Black Mesa, and have been causing somewhat of a conunDrum concerning what has become known as “The Pizza Code Mystery”.

I have long suspected that there was something stRange going on during the development of this facility. The unexplained disappearances, misappropriation of funds regarding cheesy oven-baked bread products and an ominous feeling that something is constantly watching this all from the shadows, Have added up to create something that needs solving, and sOlving fast.

As a result, I am offering a small reward to the first peRson that can solve this mystery and provide me with the answers I need. Together, I’m sure you caN crack this.

He also noted that if you read the out of place capital letters it spells out DR HORN.

• This seems to have been created with the intent to point out that the first message was incorrectly encoded (or was it…).
• This also confirmed that more people than just stormseeker are involved in all this.

---

ADDITIONAL MESSAGES

IRC Clue 1 (SOLVED)
IRC Clue 2 (SOLVED)
IRC Clue 3 (SOLVED)
IRC Clue 4 (SOLVED)
IRC Clue 5 (SOLVED)
IRC Clue 6 (SOLVED)

Random Additional Knowledge:[/SIZE]

• “The Pizza is a LIE!” has been found scrawled in blood in various places throughout the game.
• Dr. Horn appears to be the one leaving the messages. He is one of the founders of the QE facility.
• There is a hidden pizza room in On A Rail with two walls from the Questionable Ethics facility. This also has a dead scientist near by.
• One of the security offices in QE has suspicious bloody footprints on the floor.
• Dr. Horn has a bizarre little shack which can be found by way of a secret teleport on the cliff side in Surface Tension. Filled with not pizza, but tacos instead?
• This was found on a screen in Questionable Ethics as well.
• Talk of ciphers on a whiteboard in QE.
• The QE Complex map is mis-labled. It labels Lab D as lab B, and lab C as lab D.
• Pyro noticed that stormseeker’s website is actually registered to OnBoardError through a whois lookup.
• Dr. Bottomley is the Facility Administrator and is presumably dead in his office.
• A goofy console message with some numbers.

A nifty resource: All the White Board textures.

The Strange EXT’s we keep finding:

• Dr. J. D. Marcel - 1187.463
• Anomalous Materials - 01433
• Dr Horn (Biodome) - 186759

Handy Info

• Halos
• BenallohPaillier
• CongratulationsyouwonthePIZZA
• BMRF.us (site down, due to unforseen circumstances)

---

STORYLINE SO FAR[/SIZE]

??? (You’ll have to write this yourselves - It might help…)

---

NB - This will not lead to Xen being released early.
This will not lead to a release date for HL3.
Attempts to hack anything will lead to me closing this down, it is not within the spirit of the game.

[UnhingedMouse0]

@Hyperbyte

Right, but at least I’m getting my point across: stop making lots of threads about the same subject! I’ll see if I can get your post to the top somehow.

Update: There, first post. Anything else to whine about while you’re at it? ;-)I have removed asm’s post. Which makes yours one closer to the top as well.

Gotcha, much appreciated! <3 <3 <3

@Pyro

Guys, I’m pretty sure that all the pizza jokes are a running gag, but likely not part of the actual ARG unless a name or a place is mentioned. We’re looking for codes here, remember?

Also, could someone please look at that formula I mentioned?

They do not seem to be directly related, but they are still easter eggs and could still be hinting at the locations of more clues. / I know nothing about formulas so I can’t be much use there. I thought I saw someone post about what it was in another thread.

[Mental_Ninja]

@UnhingedMouse0

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

I heard him say that too in the live stream last night, but the thing is the only thing there is a pizza and the blood smear, seems a bit underwhelming to be his “favorite”. Maybe i missed something. I think that area needs a good no-clipping around

@GalaxySwift

Found it and took some screencaps:
I also recorded a demo… Is there a way to make that into a video?

Source engine natively supports exporting to avi format from console, but for the life of me i can’t remember the commands. your going to have to Google that one, but I’ve done it before.

On a side note, i just realized something potentially important for anyone (like me) hasn’t seen the codes on anything before, as others have screeshot. It would appear it’s the Antisropic Filtering setting messing up being able to see certain decals on objects (like the ones posted). It seems they are too high a value, because once i lower it, i can see them. I know Nvidia based cards like mine go up to 16x, while ATI cards only support 8x, so that may be the case. Try lowering it. Anyway, just thought it was worth mentioning.

[Pyroclase]

@UnhingedMouse0

Gotcha, much appreciated!

I will agree that for now I do not think they are directly related, they are easier to spot and could be hints to the locations of the other codes. / I know nothing about formulas so I can’t be much use there. I thought I saw someone post about what it was in another thread.

I saw that too, there were formulas for dopamine and something from marijuana next to a dopefish. Just an easter egg.

I wouldn’t be surprised at all if Dr. D. Junek is relevant here, and that formula is the only thing about his office I can remember stuck out at me.

[GalaxySwift]

@The Master

I heard him say that too in the live stream last night, but the thing is the only thing there is a pizza and the blood smear, seems a bit underwhelming to be his “favorite”. Maybe i missed something. I think that area needs a good no-clipping around

Source engine natively supports exporting to avi format from console, but for the life of me i can’t remember the commands. your going to have to Google that one, but I’ve done it before.

Source Recorder won’t record in AVI in Black Mesa, it only outputs a crapload of screenshots.
I’m trying to get Fraps working now.

@Pyro

Guys, I’m pretty sure that all the pizza jokes are a running gag, but likely not part of the actual ARG unless a name or a place is mentioned. We’re looking for codes here, remember?

Also, could someone please look at that formula I mentioned?

There’s numerous “The pizza is a LIE” writings in the room with the radio code, pizza seems to be coherent with the ARG…

[Pyroclase]

Like I said, if the reference in question has a name or location, it’s probably a good lead, but not every pizza box in the game is part of the ARG.

[UnhingedMouse0]

Yeah, it says “The Pizza is a LIE” on the wall behind the G-Man in the one QE room, but as that’s all over the place it didn’t seem significant enough to point out previously. Anything Dr. Horn related is definitely more likely to yield some answers though…

Names unaccounted for so far:

• Who is Victor?
• Who is NB?

(Looks like we had a thread title change, lol)

[OnboardError]

@UnhingedMouse0

OBE mentioned his favorite secret being near the snarked HECU soldier, you might have found it.

Yes and no… you did find an egg… but not the one i was on about. Have fun.

[dky.tehkingd.u]

SFTE sounds suspiciously like Surface Tension to me. My gut says it has nothing to do with aeronautics.

[GalaxySwift]

Video of that room has been uploaded:
https://youtu.be/aWmxNn250hw

[k3nny1550]

Binary translation: lol%"§’/¡$§#��67¶�

[Pyroclase]

@k3nny1550

Binary translation: lol%"§’/¡$§#��67¶�

What’s the full text? It looks like some of it isn’t binary but I can’t make it out.

[dky.tehkingd.u]

@GalaxySwift

Video of that room has been uploaded:
https://youtu.be/aWmxNn250hw

That room has nothing we haven’t seen already. The secret beeping noise is the sound in the game files that some guy has already decoded which gives us code C.

Except he found it in the game files first, not in the room. I guess we went a little out of order then, huh?

[GalaxySwift]

@dky.tehkingd.u

That room has nothing we haven’t seen already. The secret beeping noise is the sound in the game files that some guy has already decoded which gives us code C.

Except he found it in the game files first, not in the room. I guess we went a little out of order then, huh?

Yeah, I realize that. I just figured some might want to see it without having to start up the game themselves. And besides, it bumps the thread