[ARG] The Pizza Code Mystery

Gunsrequiem · November 25, 2018, 2:37am

I think the very first thing we need to do, if we ARE going with the VIC cypher, is to determine a key phrase that uses the 8 most common letters in the English alphabet–E, T, A, O, I, N, S, R–and has two indicated spaces.

This will give us a key phrase needed to put together the straddling checkerboard. For instance, a possible phrase from the Code C message would be:

“A vIcTOR ExteNSion” = A ITOR ENS would be the checkerboard key phrase

EDIT: Another nod to the VIC cipher is the arrows at the top–when you sequentialize prior to the transpositions, you are supposed to read the code downward starting from two points. The more I look at this, the more I think that perhaps the last “third” of the message is the actual finished product, and the first two sections are the steps Stormseeker took to come up with the final code. In other words, the code in its entirety is showing part of the encoding process, and the third section is the final product. In a sense, that would be the part that needs decoding. I’m doing this all with paper and pen, so we’ll see what I can derive if part of the encoding process IS included.

Flafla2 · November 25, 2018, 2:37am

Gunsrequiem:

I think the very first thing we need to do, if we ARE going with the VIC cypher, is to determine a key phrase that uses the 8 most common letters in the English alphabet–E, T, A, O, I, N, S, R–and has two indicated spaces.

This will give us a key phrase needed to put together the straddling checkerboard. For instance, a possible phrase from the Code C message would be:

“A vIcTOR ExteNSion” = A ITOR ENS would be the checkerboard key phrase

EDIT: Another nod to the VIC cipher is the arrows at the top–when you sequentialize prior to the transpositions, you are supposed to read the code downward starting from two points. The more I look at this, the more I think that perhaps the last “third” of the message is the actual finished product, and the first two sections are the steps Stormseeker took to come up with the final code. In other words, the code in its entirety is showing part of the encoding process, and the third section is the final product. In a sense, that would be the part that needs decoding. I’m doing this all with paper and pen, so we’ll see what I can derive if part of the encoding process IS included.

I remember someone finding the phrase “THEPHILOSOPHERSSTONE” at one point.

Gunsrequiem · August 11, 2020, 9:37am

https://thepizzaisalie.wikia.com/wiki/Whiteboards

Look at the numbers after the whitespace past the 7th line – they are formatted differently, suggesting that it’s separate from the previous section. The entire width of the section is thinner than the rows above it.

HyperTextMarkupLoudn · August 11, 2020, 9:37am

The same goes for the 7 last lines… so 7 with one format, then 8 with a sligtly diffrent format, and then 7 with formatting equal of the first 7 lines, nicely spotted, man

EDIT: if it is unclear, I am talking about the whiteboard with the big code/VIC-code

Nobuga · November 25, 2018, 2:37am

That’s why this ARG is a fail.

(No offense)

Pop · November 25, 2018, 2:37am

I’d say it’s more significant that the codes are on 3 different sheets of paper which are ‘taped’ together. Why not just list them on one page? Could this mean 3 different messages, one per sheet?

sersoft · November 25, 2018, 2:37am

I think any ARG is successful unless it is solved in one day or is never solved at all. And it hasn’t been that long yet.

Gunsrequiem · November 25, 2018, 2:37am

If you open the lab board with the code on it in an editor like Paint.net with a .vtf plugin, you can see two tiny pure white pixels underneath the arc of the “8” in 89313 at the end of the 7th line. Was something perhaps here before, then erased? It doesn’t seem like it’s merely an issue of missed transparent pixels, since the base background for that area of the whiteboard is black–the actual pieces of paper were added in later

Pop · November 25, 2018, 2:37am

Quick question to fellow ‘noclippers’:

When flying around the cliffside map I noticed that you would die if you went too high/low. I’m thinking now that this was done on purpose to prevent us ‘no-clippers’ from discovering the shack easily at the top of the cliff. i.e. we were forced to find it the ‘old fashioned way’ by backtracking to the cave and teleporting there instead.

So the question:

Does anyone remember another map or area where you could not ‘noclip’ because the game killed you. This could hint towards another secret area not yet discovered.

Edit: I bet the ARG maker/s, is/are having a blast reading this thread

Gunsrequiem · November 25, 2018, 2:37am

Anyone have an idea where to find the taco model / textures? Can’t seem to locate them

EDIT: Found

Pyroclase · August 11, 2020, 9:38am

Came across this in the easter eggs thread:

Pizza! Might be relevant, but that texture’s just too small to tell.

joseegut · August 11, 2020, 9:38am

This seems stuck. Running out of ideas.

I’m looking at the textures of the board, here
https://thepizzaisalie.wikia.com/wiki/Whiteboards, i’m in “C2a4x labboard11.jpg” and it’s says “Fig 3 - Ovserved only in HA2 Level 4”. This little things are in Xen level in the old HL.
There is also the formulae “C10 H16 N5 O15 P4”, at this point, i’m not a quemist, but this is more likely to a code to me.

Gunsrequiem · August 11, 2020, 9:38am

I think that’s just a chemical compound. We’ve pretty much eliminated the boards from having anymore information than what we’ve already gathered. Not saying it will hurt to look, but I wouldn’t expect to find too much there.

Xappy · November 25, 2018, 2:37am

~If I thought that could possibly be relevant to this I would’ve posted it here :3

Tebeau23 · November 25, 2018, 2:37am

So far from ive experienced.

-After you slide down the dam from the release funnels. if you try to noclip back up you are automatically loaded to the last checkpoint

-the xen map placeholder has too many entities and crashes the game

Gunsrequiem · November 25, 2018, 2:37am

Pretty sure the first section of the code (that ends in 89313) is a straddling checkerboard. Working on it now, after figuring out some words that can only be composed of specific numbers, and will make sure to post if I get anything solid out of it.

Not much luck yet. Might not be as simple as that.

Pyroclase · November 25, 2018, 2:37am

Well if you suddenly solve it, can you wait until I wake up to reveal it?

bebbosvx · November 25, 2018, 2:37am

I have to agree with Nobuga, this ARG is failing. There was no progress after the first couple of days, where codes a, b and c were discovered.
Now we have to deal with code d and the ridiculous search for clues, that, unlike other ARGs, is too much like looking for a needle in a haystack.
The only interesting clue is the philosopher’s stone, but how and whether it relates with code d is unknown.
Even if I only contributed with partially correcting the bad encoding of code a, I kept on working on this ARG trying to solve its mistery to no avail, but now I feel no more motivation to go on…

0418_08151814 · November 25, 2018, 2:37am

I’m sure the main problem is focus here, you’re not seeing the wood for the trees as such. I’m the user known as Code_ from the IRC channel, and in my fairly extensive experience of args and puzzle trails, often the best way to find the answers is not to look for clues everywhere, but to put your self in the creators shoes, which I have tried to do with this.

I wouldn’t be surprised, considering the relative ease of the first 3 puzzles, if the answer isn’t staring us in the face. I already noted over IRC to gunsrequiem that the whiteboards, despite being partially related in places, such as the nuclear alchemy board and the office whiteboard, seemed more related to expanding the games immersion than the hidden arg. That doesn’t rule out the possibility that somewhere on one of them there is something we need to use to solve the puzzle however. I just think people have been making red herrings everywhere due to taking the clues a bit too literally.

The TF2 and Portal args are well known for being very easy in comparison to the majority of args and puzzle trails across the internet. No progress for a few days is nothing in comparison to the lack of progress on some of them. I would take the information you have, and create a map of where they were all found, then focus on that area before looking in every nook and cranny of every level in the game.

I would start in Dr Horns office and work out from there. I’m not convinced that following the initial 3 puzzles the last cipher would be anywhere near as complex as a cascade cipher or even a basic block cipher. I don’t think we are far off with the nihilist variant cipher, but it might be a good idea to take another look at the clues that have been explicitly given, before jumping to the conclusion that there are clues hidden everywhere. ARGs don’t fail because people can’t solve them, thats like blaming a crossword for being too difficult. You need to think outside the box a bit more, and think less literally. I wouldn’t be surprised if somewhere we make a breakthrough soon, or at least find something new to look into.

Paul.Bottomley · November 25, 2018, 2:37am

I have been known to do that.

“‘Die of cold? (3, 4)’, what the hell’s THAT supposed to mean!? :fffuuu:”