[ARG] The Pizza Code Mystery

Black Mesa Archive The Cafeteria
#3061

This seems just part of the forum functionality. All I did was paste a series of dots and lines in tags and the forum decided it was brainfuck source code. As pointed out that series is the output I got if 752 was played through the kxbm radio script.

#3062

Based on what I’ve (briefly) read on Brainfuck, I’m guessing it’s because of the characters it’s composed of. Thanks for clearing that up!
#3063

Seems like changes are being made to localdesertsingles.com

#3064

Maybe Storm forgot to renew the server so the host pulled it? Either that or its being updated/moved

#3065

I know, as mentioned, here’s the link to a pastebin with the source of the old page in case it changes:

#3066

Indeed there is, either that or the server just happens to be down.

Also for the main story line we know that Dr Welsh ( who wrote his little Journal ) and Dr Stone are apparently working to find out what Dr Horn and Dr Bottomley are currwntly getting upto in the Lab. Looking at the main map for the offices, Welsh and Horn share a office, and there are notes on the whiteboard not to tell Welsh regarding certain matters.

Now one of the Fourm Posts wrote by Dr Bottomley talks about him “Apparently being shot in the head by a HECU Marine in the QE Event” and is assumed to be the body lying in his office in QE just after you mean the Security Guard.

Now in his post

""I’m Paul Bottomley (for my sins in a past life, no doubt), a friend of Chris’s, and was once shot in the head for science. I was planning to create some kind of short story about how “I” survived the BM incident through the clever use of cloning. It wouldn’t have been related in any meaningful way to Stormseekers magnum opus.

[i]But frankly, I’m just too tired. And it probably would detract somewhat from what Stormseeker has created for everyone - about which, I hasten to add, I know as much (less than, in fact) as anyone here. So, yeah, let it be known that Bottomley is alive and continuing his very ethical and worthy research in a major American City."

Clones, [i]magnum opus, and American City. Where later removed from this by Stormseeker, why i have no clue.

But the clones thing made me think a little bit. If Bottomley and Horn where creating a Quantum Computer to hold something, a AI for example, what if it wasnt actually a AI but more of a Human Conscious , more specifically Bottomley. Bottomley is the only one of the main 4 Scientists that is not a Alias of a someone from the Game. Also if this is bottomley it also links to the Bible being in his office, and the “Cage for Satan " quote, the Star Trek TNG quote about " communicating with and being silently observed by something mysterious” as well as the message “Seek code out. He is watching. He is AI”

Bottomley other than the one post on the Fourm, has been a silent entity in the game, he is watching every one of us try to solve and in turn help him and Horn out.

Also as a side note what if Halos isnt Halos as all one word but Halo’s as in Angels, Afterlife, and the Q Computer is the way to make your mind Immortal? [/i]
[/i]

#3067

Staff member things I noticed:

  • John Welsh’s website / resume, which has the pizza image with some story info hidden in/on/around it, also lists him as being “Hospital Radio, Hastings - Volunteer Radio Presenter”. Radios, anyone? Probably nothing, interesting nonetheless.
  • Dr. Stone, who is also mentioned in the image on TOR (“Dr. Stone will pay”?), seems to be working together with Dr. Welsh. Who else is on their ‘team’?
  • On the other side of the equation, we have Dr. Horn and Dr. Bottomley, “perhaps Dr Junek too”. Who else is on their ‘team’?
  • While looking at Dr. Stone’s wiki page, I noticed it says this: “A few posts he has made in the forum thread seem to indicate that he was involved in the placement of the hidden pizzas and Biodome Complex insignias in Black Mesa.”. This interested me because:

[list][*]The forum icon for @0418_08151814 seems to be a deformed version of this insignia logo, but we know this is Dr. Horn - as mentioned above, they’re supposed to be on opposite sides in this.

  • “posts he has made in the forum thread” - what posts? When? Where? There’s no links on the wiki page, not even in the comments, and I’m really curious about them. I don’t think I’ve read any forum posts from Dr. Stone?
    [/*:m][/list:u]
#3068

I’m glad you brought up the members of the staff, because it closely relates to that theory I’ve been working on. I’m still hammering out the details, so I would greatly appreciate your input. And please, try and bare with me. As a general rule, please reference posts by 0418_08151814, as well as any relevant pages on the wiki as necessary in order to better understand this theory.

The current, widely accepted theory places Dr. Horn (and Bottomley) on one side, and Dr.s Welsh and Stone on the other. Supposedly, Horn was working on a superconductor based supercomputer, probably of the quantum variety. Welsh and Stone made off the absurd the amount of pizza Horn had been ordering, and which was somehow connected to the project. Now, Welsh and Stone are supposedly in hiding, being pursued by Horn.

While the above theory has its merits, it falls short on a few key details. Namely, our own involvement in this mystery. The text of Code A informs the reader that four codes have been hidden. Together, these codes grant access to a site. The message also advises the reader to “Do Konami,” of course, the original message had a typo in it. Following the hint to “Do Konami” led us to this. As has been noted before, the improperly capitalized letters spell out “DR HORN,” implying this too is a message from him. The “To: Bottomley; From: Horn” implied by the underlining of the names near Code D in-game, matching the format used on other whiteboard notes, further implies that it was Horn setting up these clues. Lastly the above site encourages the reader to continue investigating the mystery.

The problem is rather clear if you try turning the chessboard around. Based on the clues presented–or rather, the fact that they exist and were set up by Horn–it doesn’t make any sense for Horn to be behind this. Rather, Horn seems to be on our side, providing us with cryptic–often encrypted clues–to point us in the right direction, as well as tell us what he knows. Were he the primary antagonist, this would be the equivalent of sealing his own demise, since anyone in the Biodome could have found these clues, accessed the site, and found grilledpizza.jpg and its associated text. The same inconsistency is present for the TOR page, which–despite drawing from other sources–was created and placed on the wiki by Dr Horn. Based on this, I conclude that Dr. Horn is on our side, to the extent that he wants this mystery solved in some form.

This is just the starting point of this theory, so please look this over for now. The next portion involves the IRC Clues, which Storm (as 0418) implied were story related and did not contain hints to solve any ciphers–most likely including HALOS.txt

-EDIT-

Let’s now take a look at the IRC Clues. They key questions around these are not only what the message is, but who sent it and why. It has been theorized that messages originally appearing on the IRC may be intercepts, or otherwise forwarded versions of previous messages. Thus, there may exist multiple sets of senders and receivers.

The first is a garbled message correcting the error in Code A, as well as including “Dr. Bon Ami is not Ami,” and “Dr. Horn Don’t let him find us Dr. Welsh,” phrases of dubious punctuation, phrasing, and ultimately unclear intent.

Setting aside the possible interpretations, let’s turn to IRC Clue 2. This is written in the form of the ending of K2 from the Kryptosstatue, making use of very similar coordinates on the first line. Combining this with IRC Clue 3, this appears to be part of a story regarding the transfer of Niobium via Holloman Air Force Base to a primary site, after which project HALOS was stated to be underway. However, Clue 2 also includes a message given by unusual capitalization. “NOTE WELSH,” probably referring to Welsh’s diary entry, connecting him and Dr. Stone to the theft of Horn’s “misgotten goods.” [sic]

What I find particularly interesting regarding Welsh’s note is the file-name of the image. Decode the binary, it gives evidence that Dr. Welsh was aware that “the pizza is a lie.” Only Welsh, Horn (from the IRC) and the sender of IRC Clue 6 are believed to know of this phrase with sufficient knowledge of its underlying meaning.

Here’s where things get technical. Normally, a proper mystery would avoid hard science, but, in light of the setting, I believe an exception is justified in this case.
(Warning: long, sciencey stuff ahead)

Afterextensive researchon the materialreferenced by the whiteboards, as well as general information regarding quantum computing, trying to link things to what appears on the whiteboards, I have reached a stunning conclusion.

There are, in fact, two sectors at the Black Mesa Research Facility visited over the course of Freeman’s journey that lend themselves to achieving quantum computing through a variety of means.

The first is Sector E, which features cryogenics labs in both Biodome Lab B and the lower levels visited in Apprehension, thus offering temperatures low enough for superconducting quantum computers. Sector E is also home to the laser optronics Lab D, which lends itself to quantum computing using a different mechanism. (There is also the nano-fabrication labs in Lab C, but we never got to see it)

The second is Sector C, which also contains some cryogenics areas (probably related to the Supercooled Laser Laboratory) as well as enough spectroscopy equipment to detect all sorts of quantum phenomena. This equipment would also likely contain some superconductors as well, It might even be capable of detecting isotopes of a certain element that may or may not be hidden in the vicinity of a pizza box, but I fear I might be getting ahead of myself.

There are a few elements linking these two locations:

  • Both Sectors actively received specimens taken from Xen by the Lambda Team
  • The staff personnel often stayed in contact with each other, with phone extensions written out on whiteboards
    For now, let’s focus on the second point. As some may have noticed, there is a certain member of the Sector C staff who has significant ties to Sector E. Dr. Anthony Stone, who’s name appears on a locker in Sector C, was also one of the founders of the Biolabs, along with Horn, Welsh, and Foreman. (I understand they built the map IRL, but try and think of things in terms of the story)

These pieces of information, in light of Welsh’s diary entry, give way to some very strange theories.

#3069

Anyone noticed that Local Desert Singles ‘redirects’ to blackmesasource.com The link is still localdesertsingles.com but there must be SOME difirences betwen original and this. I haven’t found it yet, but just to give you heads up.

#3070

Its back down again. I wonder what’s going on.

Also, a question popped into my head the other day. Why does Dr. Horn even have the shack in the first place? It seems odd that he has a whole lab to build HALOS in, a fully functioning canteen in his work place, yet he goes to the surface, travels a long way from QE and eats Tacos and pizza there

#3071

It isn’t for me, have you tried Ctrl+F5? Btw, I’m not so sure there’s any differences - as far as I know, there aren’t any between blackmesasource.com and blackmesagame.com either. I think it’s just several aliases for the same site.

And yes, as for the shack, I’ve been wondering the same thing. I haven’t seen it in-game (or in Hammer) myself yet, but from the pictures, it seemed out of place. Of course, it could just have been a funny little extra they put in that has nothing to do with the ARG, but I’m not convinced. Especially considering that picture of the airforce base with those red markings, similar to those on the “Dr. Stone will pay” image on TOR.

@JohnNotJohn - I’m not going to quote that whole thing (there’s enough scrolling as it is), but there’s one thing I’d like to point out: the idea that Dr. Horn is asking for our help in solving these mysteries does not mean he is on our side, per se. He might just be using us instead. He seems rather… focussed? Determined? Obsessed?[/size]

In fact… if I understand the story so far correctly, I think we might have to pick a side. Do we help Dr. Horn with taking revenge on Dr. Welsh and Dr. Stone and progress on his HALOS project, or do we help Welsh and Stone (and others?) in getting out of there safely? Those two sides seem rather conflicted. If we help decrypting messages with HALOS, we undermine the safety of Welsh and Stone. If we help those two get out, they might be able to stop Dr. Horn / HALOS from a safe place.

Edit:

Or, given the currently accepted interpretation of IRC clue 1, perhaps there are 3 sides - what if “Dr BonAmi is Not ami its KONami Code.” is a quote by “Dr HORN” and “Don’t LET HIM find us.” is a quote by “Dr Welsh”, a third party (the “UNKNOWN SOURCE”) transmitted this, and “the Watcher” shared it with us? The watcher in this case could be one of the first two parties, the third party wishing to stay anonymous and using this Watcher IRC user as a proxy, or a fourth party.

Damn this is confusing. Could we make a list? For every message we found; where we found it, who are mentioned, and most likely sources.

#3072

The problem is I don’t know if this understanding of the story is correct. This theory of a deranged Dr. Horn pursuing Welsh and Stone has been around for years, and yet Storm kept hinting at looking into the story, seemingly suggesting things we already knew.That’s why I’m looking into all these points: to see if we made a mistake somewhere.

The “ominous feeling that something is constantly watching this all from the shadows,” and the tone of a great deal of the TOR page makes me think that not only is HALOS already online, but Horn himself is afraid of it.

Earlier, when you bought up that article about the impact quantum computing would have on cryptography, it occurred to me that the ciphers that have been used tend to be those more-resistant to being cracked by a quantum computer. This leads me to believe that the person sending the messages is already aware of HALOS, and fears what it is capable of. This was right after I had done all that research about potential technologies behind quantum computing.

Since then, I’ve had this strange theory in my head that there is another explanation.

Originally, when we accessed what I assume to be Dr. Horn’s site, we found that message with grilledpizza.jpg where he believes Welsh is behind everything. Later, a month after the discovery of HALOS.txt, the Tempus Omnia page appears on the wiki, with the Lies.jpg mentioning Dr Stone. Since photos of Horn, Welsh, and Foreman appear in QE, and Bottomley seems to have been executed by the HECU once Freeman arrives, I would have to guess that Stone is the one in the picture. This means that at some point, Horn turned his attention from Welsh to Stone.

That is when I remembered the strange phrasing of IRC Clue 1: “Dr. Horn Don’t let him find us Dr. Welsh”

That could be interpreted as Dr. Welsh telling Dr. Horn not to let someone find them. In other words, Horn and Welsh could be on the same side.

Consider this: Welsh went along with Stone, believing they were playing a prank on Dr. Horn by stealing his pizzas. But in actuality, Stone was stealing the Niobium to use for himself. To use the image from the Tempus Omnia page, Pizza : Niobium : : “Steals it; eats it” : “Steals it; uses it”
Stone stole not only the niobium from the pizzas, but HALOS as well, and then set about acquiring a large amount of Niobium in secret, trying to complete HALOS. This is what happened in IRCs 2 and 3. It’s possible that Dr. Junek could have been in on it, granting them access to the classified labs.
Ultimately, Stone succeeded to some extent, and HALOS was brought online.

Then, Welsh figured out what was going on and tried to warn Horn. Perhaps he was the leaker mentioned in IRC 3. He either purposefully or unintentionally compromised the security of Stone’s HALOS computer, activating its automated function to send a warning message to Dr. Horn. This is what happened in IRC 5.

I know it’s a crazy theory, but sometimes we need crazy theories. They make for better stories.

EDIT: It’s almost like you half-ninja’d me at the last second.

#3073

Has anyone noticed the weird 404 page on localdesertsingles.com?

EDIT: Nevermind, it appears to be the 404 page for blackmesasource.com

#3074

So I have been clicking through that stupid 404 page and have come up with a list of the images that are seemingly random. I did run into a handful of files (404.php and htaccess.conf) that downloaded to my laptop but didn’t yield anything important. I think all of these are in the /404/ directory of the website.

xmasheadcrabix4.jpg
e1C7U.jpg
powerbox_torus.jpg
what.jpg
alexha8.jpg
15_minute_mawman_by_TurboSean.png
lollermj7.jpg
discochamberzc2.jpg
huhu.gif
gordonfreemane5c3714ad5.gif
walrusGluon.jpg
mental_image.gif
745px-Gordon_analysis_02.jpg
barreloftehdoomig4.jpg
bmfall.gif
vgcats_freeman.jpg
kidfrendlyhl.jpg
spinnaz.jpg
Beercap.jpg
photo-596.jpg
loldoc.jpg
godzilla.jpg
winnarimprovedwp3yp1.png
ohshi.jpg
halflife2gordonfreemanbml3.jpg
308clxh.gif
lolgoatseke5.jpg
2v9vz1l.jpg
aliengruntblastwf5.jpg
ferretbleeder.jpg
downloadpz2.jpg
6831173629900329.jpg
ties.jpg
ferret.jpg
gordonrapedc6mr6.jpg
plankbirthdayee1.jpg
longcatdiagram.jpg
hatkg3.jpg
birthdaycakewa3.gif
c1.jpg
1210382710237jn4.jpg
shenaniganstooldr8.jpg
orlynm5.png
thesciencegunss9.png
harrypotterng1.jpg
davinci_octodong.jpg
kaza_ferret.jpg

#3075

More Images from that /404/ page:

[spoiler]pyrotr3.jpg
pingundw2.jpg
meowto3.jpg
XAIZ8.png
fn8uut.gif
gordonlx6.jpg
GetSomecolored-1.jpg
SectorC.jpg
dvdnq1.jpg
black-mesa.jpg
Jean-PaulFreeman.jpg
headcrab.jpg
Gordon_Freeman_Halloween_by_hali.jpg
oh_my.jpg
choochoo.jpg
u-27.gif
gordon_tf2.jpg
peabody.jpg
gorflipcf3.jpg
animays_lol.jpg
brainsvz8.jpg
nitzferet.png
hayguys.jpg
crop.jpg
Black_Mesa_wallpaper_WIP_by_WillhelmKranz.jpg
htaccess.conf << 14 byte file
IMGP0126.jpg
RadioactiveWasteProcessor2.jpg
sci_ze_goggles.jpg
buttelb5.jpg
ferretavvy.jpg
f695b05c0eec.jpg
KesterBahr.jpg[/spolier]
hpdarkness_04.jpg
bm_c2a50014.jpg
bm_c2a5g0014.jpg
hl1bmsremakeamwm2.jpg
Baking_normal_maps.jpg
gordonfreeman.jpg
ferret001.jpg
headcrabporn.jpg
omg.gif
sersoftferret.jpg
jollygood.jpg
gordonalyx.jpg
gordon1shoop.jpg
st_dam_copy2.jpg
loves_you.gif
2mqnh9v.gif
quaff.jpg
strafehud.jpg
sicktight.jpg
media_release_11.jpg
LOLCRABS6.jpg
nye072ab6km6.jpg
Ferretfreeman.gif
ties.jpg
bmlogoab8[1].jpg
LC_design_doc.png
carlosbdaycopywn2.jpg
2708290201_c592ddd5d5.jpg
keikoyan.jpg
meslickfixedgw8.jpg
cman_wtfz.jpg
bms_curve.jpg
torus.gif
controlferretm.png
campinator.jpg
2hh3plk.png
blackmesakf5.jpg
garg_hay.jpg
flapper.gif
manta_anatomy_lesson.jpg
Blakmesa.jpg
3525a9d.gif
blingchamber.jpg

#3076

EVEN MORE images from that /404/ directory (Seriously… I spend like… a half hour clicking through that):

longcatdiagram.jpg
uber_q.jpg
14639336554241b1d7433d8sb0.gif
snapshot20080117101145wv8.jpg
4gq5uf.jpg
hd_snark2.jpg
bullsquidgluonburpcp2.jpg
view_320200_1_1241020969.jpg
marine_greatjustice.jpg
hahawhatd.jpg
juiced.png
burn_bm_dvd.jpg
lighting2.gif
cmontero_BAMF.jpg
uber.jpg
headcrab_on_a_link.jpg
13072009472.jpg
1729c2a40000pk7.jpg
CarlosAlex.jpg
xmasheadcrabix4.jpg
2708290201_c592ddd5d5.jpg
reportingdo6.jpg
exercisecaution2of.jpg
uber02wl8.jpg
1210152142145nw1.jpg
cosMM.jpg
hotness.png
fuck_you.jpg
chucklos.jpg
icanhaz.jpg
jalousiefh9.jpg
20.jpg
54340946.jpg
cancerbuddiesrx6.jpg
superhy2.jpg
obe2bg4.jpg
garga_pms.jpg
frank_sad.jpg
zombie_fucked.jpg
GordonFreeman-small.jpg
inflated.jpg
vbspisacockgobbler.jpg
fem_hevsuit.jpg
ruttack0.jpg
sci_ze_goggles.jpg
lol2ku5.jpg
headcrab_on_a_skateboard.jpg
OVERLAOD.jpg
flyingtruckssmaller.gif
gordonferret.jpg
the_humpback.jpg
jptrophyyg1.jpg
Gordonplayingwithasnarksmall.gif
404.jpg
gman1shoop.jpg
480cfcefcd01d8bd.jpg
bmc2a3c0018bo7.jpg
questionablelolug2.jpg
lolmelolz.jpg << Empty JPG
guyzsomethingiswrong.JPG
DysPicDangerMeatbag.jpg
bms_splash.jpg
headcrab_on_a_puppy.jpg
DSC00445.jpg
ferret2.jpg
kimyggrjj2.jpg
Half_Life___Xen_Pets_by_sachsen.jpg
av-147.jpg
omgno.jpg
gordon1shoop.jpg
404.php << Empty php file
basarab_full.jpg
wgh_tf_thisisfake.jpg
drhorns.jpg
headcrab_on_a_GWB.jpg
Duct_tape_gordon.jpg
wankfo6.gif
beanilanth.jpg
headcrab_hat_03.png
doom.jpg
wk02rs.jpg
lightninshoes.jpg
internets1hi4.jpg
gonarch_sackwhackattack.jpg
headcrab_on_a_shatner.jpg
hlbirthday-1.jpg
A wallpaper.png
2zjhket.jpg
gordon_freeman.jpg
gordon-freeman-hunts-hadron-headcrab.jpg
zerolifeuc0.jpg
roflbot-fEJK.jpg
headcrab_on_a_dreadnought.jpg
FSJALGordonFreeman.png
P7060092.jpg
penisclown.jpg
psyduck.gif
Dr Houseman.jpg
bubbles4ci0[1].jpg

#3077

Last dump of /404/ images, I promise.

mewaldo0xf.jpg
30073800.jpg
half.life.magnets.052109-580px.jpg
YouFail.jpg
1207960360115.jpg
groovechamber.jpg
booze.jpg
2h7ewwl.gif
LOLCRABS3.jpg
garg_anatomy.jpg
lhc_ohsnap.jpg
kPCPu.png
st_tf_thisisfake.jpg
gordam.jpg
1207732073462.jpg
Face1.jpg
2970hasselhoff.jpg
indexqo.png
vgcats_bettergood.jpg
gabeml0.jpg
wootjs1.jpg
BM_Trolled.jpg
IMG_4256.gif
torusqm1.jpg
gardantuams1.jpg
giftofasnarkhl6.jpg
roflbotgmcb.jpg
rebel.jpg
GHXLi.png
bmpsyborgloltc8.jpg
jewbe4.jpg
gordon.png
24v8yn8.gif

Another thing to note is that the IIS link does go to the right Microsoft KB article, so that leads us nowhere. I think it’s all a large troll.

#3078

That 404 has existed for pretty much forever, all those images are probably like 5 years old. That’s nothing new or relevant.

#3079

It’s entertaining.

I found the pic of Tim Evans, and the in-game photo of Dr. Horn. Even so, its almost definitely unrelated to the ARG.

Also, I can now safely conclude the purple hats are an inside joke from the dev team that became a running gag.

#3080

@dzdj - would you mind putting those lists in spoiler tags? Right now it’s a ton of scrolling, but probably has nothing to do with the ARG =P

Other than that, as I hadn’t seen the images before, I’m much amused. So thanks, despite it (probably) being offtopic xD

Back on-topic: as for the “third party” I’ve been suggesting, it might be the same as whoever (or rather whatever) is referenced by the “ominous feeling that something is constantly watching this all from the shadows” (emphasis mine) line on the “Tempus omnia revelant” page.
Now, before I go on, some reminders: the text at the top of the page is rather cryptic (“cheesy oven-baked bread products” rather than “pizzas”, despite the word pizza being used only 2 sentences before it) and the latin title means “Time will reveal all”. In addition, it’s supposedly created by “Dr. Horn” but focuses on the misappropriation of funds regarding those pizzas (which, based on our other clues, we believe was actually done by Dr. Horn). So, why would Dr. Horn focus attention on himself?

Guess who else speaks cryptically / in riddles, and seems obsessed with the word time? (Do a Ctrl+F on the word ‘time’ to see what I mean)

Guess who’s capable of controlling the actions of people?

Guess who recently showed up in a weird video?

Oh, and he tends to be watching you constantly, too.

… there’s something else too, the friend who told me about localdesertsingles.com being down told me about it yesterday. However, the way he found it is no longer available and I’m not sure it was ever intended to be found, so I won’t share it here just yet.

Edit:

Did some more searching, found this Nihilanth voices video, and a transcription below it, including “he is not man”. Guess who that probably refers to? [edit2:] P.S. the reason I think this might be relevant is because of the Nihilanth and the “nearly 2000ms” repeating console output. [/edit2]

Founded in 2004, Leakfree.org became one of the first online communities dedicated to Valve’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.