[ARG] The Pizza Code Mystery

[InedibleTrevor]

OK, really guys, I don’t mean to clog this thread up, but really - where is this xen placeholder?? I’ve seen several people mention it now, claiming it crashes the game by trying to load too many entities. I can decompile it if I have it, but I honestly have no idea where the hell to find it. I’ve looked through all the subdirectories, and as far as I can tell, it doesn’t exist but for the fact that some people on here talk about it as if it’s a thing

So, is this supposed map contained in the release build? Or are you, as it now occurs to me, referring to a map contained in the leaked alpha from way back? Throw me a bone here, guys. What map are you talking about, and where is it?

[Mental_Ninja]

@InedibleTrevor

OK, really guys, I don’t mean to clog this thread up, but really - where is this xen placeholder?? I’ve seen several people mention it now, claiming it crashes the game by trying to load too many entities. I can decompile it if I have it, but I honestly have no idea where the hell to find it. I’ve looked through all the subdirectories, and as far as I can tell, it doesn’t exist but for the fact that some people on here talk about it as if it’s a thing

So, is this supposed map contained in the release build? Or are you, as it now occurs to me, referring to a map contained in the leaked alpha from way back? Throw me a bone here, guys. What map are you talking about, and where is it?

Yes, this is starting to bug me now too. Does this exist or not? Someone has to know.

[faed]

It doesn’t exist. It was a questionable claim from some confused person back on page 17 or so.

[Gunsrequiem]

Yeah, I’m pretty sure there isn’t a Xen map yet. Could be though–I haven’t exactly checked

[Madcat1030]

I believe the first reference [to the xen-crash-map] I saw was in a thread pre-release, where people were speculating how the devs were going to stop the game after Lambda Core, one user pontificated that they may have the player load into a map with too many entities to crash the engine. Other than that, I hadn’t seen anything about it until this thread.

[InedibleTrevor]

OK, ya, you guys must be right then. I found the first mention of it back on page 19 by Eion Kilant 739:

“Has anyone been able to access the Xen replacement map? It ends the game by overloading the source engine. But if enough entities were removed then the map would be playable. We might find something there!”

I wonder why he would state its existence as fact; that really threw me for a loop. Anyhow, thanks for the clarification, everyone, and I promise I’ll shut up about it now.

[Gunsrequiem]

Came up with a new possibility. I did some research using some keywords like “ABC”, “Extension” and so forth, and I think our code might be a variant of ABC Telegraphic code. Extensions can pertain to telegraphs in some instances, and “telephone” is an extension of the “telegraph”, and telephones have extensions. It’s kind of a double entendre. Furthermore, the ABC telegraphic method would usually use a keyword and an index of words that coincided with 5-digit groups of numbers.

EDIT: I am fairly sure this is the solution. How the ABC Telegraphic code works is a 5-digit code corresponds to a word:

For instance:
97341 = Repulpit corresponds to “Loads of 50 cubic feet”
68095 = Engancho corresponds to “50 feet 0 inches”
91847 = Overnet corresponds to “31 per standard hundred”
99899 = Roncamos corresponds to “235 quantity”
47843 = Amadinas corresponds to “to ____ about ____ tons cotton-seed at ____”
91327 = Orgoglio corresponds to “32 (dollars) 50 (cents)”

Which derives the message: “To 50 cubic feet (by 31 per standard hundred) [this may be a multiplication] about 235 tons cotton-seed at 32 dollars and 50 cents.”

Okay, so it doesn’t make total sense right now, but the correlation is too close to be coincidence. I’m thinking once I’ve deciphered the whole thing it will give me a more solid message.

From what I’m getting, it’s possible this may end up being a math equation / word problem involving math. Also, a lot of this is about buying things, which refers to the coin in the Code C image.

[Pudding]

And we have this:
https://bildr.no/view/1283715

Might just be a coincidence… that we want to see those lines so thats why they exist, but hey, it does at least fit!

[Gunsrequiem]

Okay, guys–just finished with the first part of the code. Haven’t checked if this applies to the second half yet, but wanted to get this up so people can take a look at it.

So, using this ABC Telegraphic codebook, which I figured out from the mention of “extension” and the fact we have Codes “ABC”, I came up with this outline. Each grouping of five digits corresponds to a word, which then corresponds to a phrase:

31529 – Perhumani – Spare propeller on board
97341 – Didisque – 6 per cent – preference shares
21295 – Ihram – I am (we are) not inclined (to____)
33399 – Rauceso – Cannot relax
44534 – Windwurf – employers have closed their works
97341 – Repulpit – 77 loads of 50 cubic feet
68095 – Engancho – 50 feet 0 inches
91847 – Overnet – 31 s. 0 d. per standard hundred
99899 – Roncamos – 235 quantity
47843 – Amadinas – Charleston to ____ about ____ tons cotton-seed at ____
91327 – Orgoglio – 23 dollars 50 cents
76794 – Glanshut – 8 3/8 pence per pound
07031 – Belelac – Buy
80431 – Infestici – 38 s. 0 d. per imperial quarter
91909 – Oviposit – 53 s. 0 d. per standard hundred
02118 – Acteometro – why was it announced
97319 – Reptonize – 115 tons of 40 cubic feet
80497 – Infissa – 35 s. 9 d. per load of 50 cubic feet
17819 – Fajines – The fighting has now ceased
91998 – Pestonato – 27 francs 0 cents per
59314 – Coglitore – 150,000 tons
91931 – Oxheal – 64 s. 0 d. per standard hundred
41651 – Teigrolle – there is a good supply of tonnage and moderate demand
49161 – Anfanie – Huanillos to Liverpool about ____ tons guano at ____
97998 – Revengas – 254 tons of 40 cubic feet
43089 – Vaporeux – vessel will carry ____ tons d/w
11933 – Chubilai – can send regular consignments
13937 – Deducible – When can you get delivery
48491 – Amorphe – Puerto Rico to London about ____ tons sugar and / or other lawful merchandise at ____
89198 – Mubango – 0 dollars 20 cents per quarter of 480 lbs
98878 – Riluceica – 474 standard hundreds
29905 – Papaute – Pay (____) and I (we) will be responsible
90941 – Nublado – 11 ½ cents
84992 – Lochial – 19 Francs 0 ct. per charge (grain)
89313 – Muiskat – 3 dollars 40 cents per load of 50 cubic feet

Looks a lot like a word problem / math equation to me. This correlates with our clues because it refers to an ‘extension’ (telephone, telegraph: a type of double entendre) and also refers to money (our picture of the coin). Anyway, that’s the first half (before the break after line 7), and I’m working on the other half now. If you see any errors / anything that needs edits, feel free to let me know!

[Tebeau23]

@Gunsrequiem

Okay, guys–just finished with the first part of the code. Haven’t checked if this applies to the second half yet, but wanted to get this up so people can take a look at it.

So, using this ABC Telegraphic codebook, which I figured out from the mention of “extension” and the fact we have Codes “ABC”, I came up with this outline. Each grouping of five digits corresponds to a word, which then corresponds to a phrase:

31529 – Perhumani – Spare propeller on board
97341 – Didisque – 6 per cent – preference shares
21295 – Ihram – I am (we are) not inclined (to____)
33399 – Rauceso – Cannot relax
44534 – Windwurf – employers have closed their works
97341 – Repulpit – 77 loads of 50 cubic feet
68095 – Engancho – 50 feet 0 inches
91847 – Overnet – 31 per standard hundred
99899 – Roncamos – 235 quantity
47843 – Amadinas – Charleston to ____ about ____ tons cotton-seed at ____
91327 – Orgoglio – 23 dollars 50 cents
76794 – Glanshut – 8 3/8 per pound
07031 – Belelac – Buy
80431 – Infestici – 38 s. 0 d. per imperial quarter
91909 – Oviposit – 53 0 per standard hundred
02118 – Acteometro – why was it announced
97319 – Reptonize – 115 tons of 40 cubic feet
80497 – Infissa – 35 9 per load of 50 cubic feet
17819 – Fajines – The fighting has now ceased
91998 – Pestonato – 27 0 francs / cents per
59314 – Coglitore – 150,000 tons
91931 – Oxheal – 64 0 per standard hundred
41651 – Teigrolle – there is a good supply of tonnage and moderate demand
49161 – Anfanie – Huanillos to Liverpool about ____ tons guano at ____
97998 – Revengas – 254 tons of 40 cubic feet
43089 – Vaporeux – vessel will carry ____ tons d/w
11933 – Chubilai – can send regular consignments
13937 – Deducible – When can you get delivery
48491 – Amorphe – Puerto Rico to London about ____ tons sugar and / or other lawful merchandise at ____
89198 – Mubango – 0 dollars 20 cents per quarter of 480 lbs
98878 – Riluceica – Standard hundreds
29905 – Papaute – Pay (____) and I (we) will be responsible
90941 – Nublado – 11 ½ cents
84992 – Lochial – 19 Francs 0 ct. per charge (grain)
89313 – Muiskat – 3 dollars 40 cents per load of 50 cubic feet

Looks a lot like a word problem / math equation to me. This correlates with our clues because it refers to an ‘extension’ (telephone, telegraph: a type of double entendre) and also refers to money (our picture of the coin). Anyway, that’s the first half (before the break after line 7), and I’m working on the other half now. If you see any errors / anything that needs edits, feel free to let me know!

Wow good job!

[Gunsrequiem]

Just got done with the second half.

I’ve been getting a lot of grief about this, and I don’t understand why. You are all aware that Stormseeker is capable of creating such involved puzzles (look at the whiteboards!), yet I am ridiculed because this “looks too complex”.

Anyway, I have decoded it to the best of my ability, but there may still be errors. Another thing to look out for is missing numbers–I’m pretty sure I got them all, but if you see something like ‘tons’ or ‘per’ that looks like a number should precede it, it’s possible I missed it.

27810 – Obside – With immediate reply there is no doubt we could get the offer
43844 – Walgraver – If ____ (he-they) do(es) not want ____
11818 – Chorally – Do not consign
39111 – Siechling – Sold
19562 – Gallicado – Go to
74899 – Fulserunt – 0.274 millimeters internal diameter
49301 – Anheim – Vancouver’s Island to U.K. or Continent, calling at Queenstown for orders,
about ____ tons reg. for lumber at ____ per 1,000 superficial feet of 1-inch
board
99848 – Rolvast – 184
05075 – Bagatto – Above bank rate
50994 – Arbustabo – No cast iron permitted
47717 – Aluciares – Yokohama to ____, about ____ tons rice at ____
11522 – Childless – Condemned as a prize
89919 – Nefrodio – 14 dollars 0 cents per load of 50 cubic feet
13139 – Damotimus – Day after tomorrow
93187 – Piumolina – 65,000 Marks
87339 – Midden – 1 dollar 25 cents per gallon
89438 – Mundtuch – 5 dollars 90 cents per ton of 40 cubic feet
64933 – Disparage – 4 per cent. Debentures
23042 – Kalkmaler – Let me (us) know what to do
09364 – Carneus – Government form of charter party
38899 – Shenasar – Sold
25012 – Limessilo – As long as you please
93143 – Pithegies – 21,000 Marks
93496 – Plentium – 20 ½ Rupees
10193 – Cedierais – Coal(ing) Catania with Bonanno Bros.
68393 – Enojarian – 880 square feet
99855 – Romanado – 191
90591 – Nocuite – 29 dollars 25 cents
22893 – Jalbegue – 30th Day of July
84499 – Krasgal – 90 Francs 0 ct. per half case, half chest, or half box
88299 – Moidore – 5 dollars 75 cents per cask or barrel
23898 – Lauches – Have bought below your limits
73571 – fondassi – 45 square meters
38537 – Seteira – Caught smuggling
15395 – Desdoblo – Got into dock this morning
81199 – Instellers – 95 s. 0 d. per ton of 2,240 lbs. gross
28050 – Ochrarum – I (we) will omit
39045 – Siccated – Sold
51198 – Arelara – Vertical drilling machine(s) (to bore holes up to ____ inches diameter ____ inches deep
32189 – Quedarian – The quantity required is about ____ feet
91192 – 3 dollars 10 cents
71948 – Exhaustar – 46 0 meters
45160 – Agguantare – London to Boston, steamer about ____ tons nett reg. at ____ per reg. ton
15835 – Destrictum – Drawback can be recovered
13817 – Decoudre – Will you deliver free alongside here (at ____)
89530 – Muridae – 5 dollars 10 cents per head of cattle
19314 – Gabilla – There is a gain on the invoice equal to about ____
97313 – Reptante – 109 tons of 40 cubic feet
00149 – Abdaulah – Will (he, they) abide by –(it)
44841 – Afmerpen – Bristol and/or Swansea to New York, steamer about ____ tons nett. Reg. at lump sum of ____
39991 – Smoothly – You may substitute another sailor
95319 – Produsir – 275 bags or bales
03338 – Adrett – Wednesday A.M.
19887 – Garroting – Grounded on , but off again, considerably damaged
71111 – Estloog – 57 feet external
82261 – Isopogon – 9,500 £ [pounds (currency)]
19390 – Gaguez – Arrived here (at) with steering gear carried away
95231 – Probrose – 247 casks or barrels
31788 – Peroxide – If it cannot be proved
08497 – Camouard – I (we) cannot send (obtain) catalogue
97784 – Retineron – 220 Tons of 40 cubic feet
11139 – Charaxas - ____ per cent loading commission
39519 – Sirop – Are you open for steamer(s) due at a near port; if so, please wire offer
34949 – Sachwerth – Sailed
93559 – Pliosaure – 36 ¼ rupees
35177 – Saisiront – Monday
10951 – Challula – I (we) shall not come back
18199 – Fastiget – How much would it cost to put up the necessary fittings
31599 – Perinthi – The proposal is not accepted
70923 – Estoupero – 19 feet 8 inches internal
15122 – Derruiste – Without discharging
98343 – Riadulo – 359 loads of 50 cubic feet
94109 – Poncirade – 87,00,000 rupees [how it’s written in codebook]
31461 – Perfacile - ____ (he-they) will not promise

[Pyroclase]

Wow, you’re doing fantastic. Screw the haters, keep up the good work!

[dky.tehkingd.u]

@Madcat1030

I believe the first reference [to the xen-crash-map] I saw was in a thread pre-release, where people were speculating how the devs were going to stop the game after Lambda Core, one user pontificated that they may have the player load into a map with too many entities to crash the engine. Other than that, I hadn’t seen anything about it until this thread.

I will clarify. I was the person who started that phrase before release, joking that the devs would force-crash the game via overloading the engine to the point of a NO FREE EDICTS error rather than display some sort of TO BE CONTINUED text.

It was meant to be a joke. Apparently some misinformed soul took it seriously. My apologies.

[Gunsrequiem]

So, I’ve determined that by doing the math seen throughout some of the sections (you kind of have to read between the lines to figure out what numbers it’s asking for), I’ve been getting a lot of 5-digit numbers that start with a 1 or 0. These correlate with the standard messages throughout the codebook, before it gets into all the weights, currencies, etc. Also, some of the messages that don’t fit–“The fighting has now ceased”–I included in what I’ve since figured out.

Here is what I’ve come up with so far:

Solution to 31529 section = 1193.5 shillings - 6% for preference shares = 1121.9

11219 - Chasse - “Will communicate with ____”

Solution to 47843 section = 16401 pounds (currency) per ton

16401 - Eckkegel - “Shall (may) I (we) encourage ____”

Solution to 59314 section = 4800 pounds (currency) for 150,000 tons

04800 - Babytacae - "It is (they are) not bad

. . . so on and so forth. So, read in order you get:

“We cannot relax. Employers have closed their works. Will communicate with ____. May (I) we encourage you? Why was it announced? The fighting has now ceased. It is (they are) not bad.”

EDIT: It’s possible I missed a couple of equations along the way–they aren’t all obvious. One that might go after “Why was it announced?” is 03289 shillings per load of 50 cubic feet - Adosamos - Monday . . . which would make it “Why was it announced Monday?” That’s only a possibility however, since I’m not sure on that one.

[Gunsrequiem]

Well, it seems like there are a few lines that can be conjoined to “form” an equation, and the result seems to reveal messages. Also, other lines like ones that simply have numbers that can have 0’s added to them to form messages, so on and so forth. A lot of them seem extra, but there seems to be an underlying exchange happening. It appears as though Dr. Horn is contacting Dr. Bottomley to arrange the smuggling of something. They both appear to be doing so for a third party. At least, that’s one way to look at it.

My version:

[i]I am anxious (not relaxed).
The employers have closed their works.
Can send no further consignments.
Shall I encourage them?

If you cannot come to an agreement.
When (why in code) was it announced?

Monday.

The fighting is over.
Things (they in code) aren’t bad here anymore.
There is a good supply of the material and moderate demand.
I can send you regular shipments.
When can you take deliveries?

I must not be held responsible.

Pay (____) and I will be responsible.

I’m not able to pay you.

If we speak to them now, I’m sure we could get a good offer.
If they do not want it,
then they don’t have to buy it.

We can give them more than what they pay for.
They can consider it a gift.

Have they responded?

Yes, it’s set up for the day after tomorrow.

I’m glad to hear it, and will be glad to hear any further news.

Let me know what to do.

However you please.
What is the size of the vessel?

880 square feet.
All the cargo is ready to go on board.
It’s July 30th.

Please confirm the arrangement.

I bought it for less than you wanted it . . . .

[time passes]

. . . I have abandoned the ship.
I was caught smuggling in the dock this morning.
I will probably be absent for 2 or 3 months

I can’t bail you out!

We could get our money back for the shipment.

There is a gain on the invoice equal to about _____

Will they be okay with that?

You can have someone replace you.

[time passes]

I absconded on my bail
Wednesday morning!
The ship is badly damaged.

Why was it abandoned?

The buyers admit they had something to do with it.
When I arrived it had been looted.
I’m getting out of here, and I think I’m going to be gone for a while.

If we can’t prove they took everything,
we can’t know if there’s something left behind!
Can I pick you up where you are?

Come Saturday!

I can’t come until Monday.

Then I’m leaving. I’m not coming back.

How much would it cost me to make you stay?

Nothing is worth staying here.

But part of the cargo might be on board,
still unloaded!
You have to find what’s left of the cargo!

I can’t promise anything . . . .[/i]

Ok, so I took some slight liberties, but if you look at the text it’s entirely possible that that’s what it boils down to:

[b]I am (we are) not inclined (to____)
Cannot relax
Employers have closed their works
{Math Equation answer: 1193.5 corresponds to} Can send no further consignments
{Math Equation answer: 16401 corresponds to} Shall (may) I (we) encourage ____

{Line 80431 38s0d correlates to 00380} If you cannot accede
Why was it announced

{Math Equation answer: 03289 corresponds to} Monday.

The fighting has now ceased
{Math Equation answer: 04800 corresponds to} It is (they are) not bad
There is a good supply of tonnage and moderate demand
Can send regular consignments
When can you get delivery

{Math Equation answer: 3.4359 corresponds to} Must not be held responsible

Pay (____) and I (we) will be responsible

{Math Equation answer: [00]120 corresponds to} Is (are) not able (to)

With immediate reply there is no doubt we could get the offer
If ____ (he-they) do(es) not want ____
Do not consign

{Math Equation answer: 15366796.8 corresponds to} 15366 - Will pay a further dividend of ____ pounds (currency)
Above bank rate
Condemned as prize

{Math Equation answer: 01200 corresponds to} Have they advertised?

Day after tomorrow

{Line 87339 $1.25 correlates with 00125} Will they abate

{Math Equation answer: 226.56 corresponds to} Greatly interested (in ____), shall be glad of any news (tidings)

Let me (us) know what to do
As long as you please

{Math Equation answer: 43050 corresponds to} What is the size of the vessel?

880 square feet
{Line 99855 - the number 191 correlates with 00191} All the cargo is ready to go on board
30th Day of July

{Math Equation answer: 2.875 corresponds to} Please confirm arrangement

Have bought below your limits
{Line 73571 - 45 square meters correlates to 00045} I (we) have abandoned
Caught smuggling
Got into dock this morning
{Line 91192 - $3.10 correlates to 00310} Will probably be absent 2 or 3 months
[/b]

. . . So on and so forth. Just some simple multiplication equations after that point, and some adding 0’s to smaller numbers. Anyway, this is all kind of interesting. If this is really what we were meant to find, can that explain why Dr. Bottomley was found shot in the head? Or was that all a joke to begin with? If this is what we’re meant to get out of this, it is definitely pretty cool.

Question now is: “If this is decoded correctly, where do we go from here?”

[Chaotic]

@Gunsrequiem

Fantastic work! Looking forward to what comes of this whole thing. Wish I could help in some way…

[Gunsrequiem]

Thanks for the support guys! Now let’s just hope it’s right and it gets us somewhere. Anyway, I’m way past due for some face + pillow time, so see you guys later

[ysrael214]

I found another Pizza in chapter Power Up. It’s in a room where there’s a bullsquid eating a corpse.
https://bildr.no/view/1283840. There are latin words “superbus via inscientiae”. I translated it through Google and it says “proud of the way of ignorance”

[bebbosvx]

sorry don’t mean to be rude, but i think you are following a clearly false lead here and the amount of fantasy you are adding doesn’t help
however i praise your effort and maybe i’m wrong and code d really is a bunch of nonsensical sentences

[Gunsrequiem]

@bebbosvx

sorry don’t mean to be rude, but i think you are following a clearly false lead here and the amount of fantasy you are adding doesn’t help
however i praise your effort and maybe i’m wrong and code d really is a bunch of nonsensical sentences

And you very well could be right. I really have no way to know that this is correct, but I stand by it and will try to work from there to delve further into how this piece fits in with the rest.

And if, in the future, someone has a better solution that fits more neatly, I will of course accept that and try to build from it.

EDIT: Also, for those wondering about the “Victor” part of the clue and how it fits in with my solution:

A victor telegraph key was patented in 1882, the same era this codebook was being used.

“As it turned out, Tillotson’s most successful key of this group was the Victor Key. Emery Hamilton’s design eliminated traditional trunnion screws and bearing points all together and instead used a lever that pivoted on a rib and corresponding groove.”