Exactly this, the most comprehensive page I was reading about it on seemed to have a very different method to the online decoder that we’re using. I looked at trying to code something for it on a spreadsheet but it’s overly complicated and probably needs a ‘proper’ coding language to implement which I have no knowledge of.
The decoder we were using allowed you to put any number you waned in for the date. I had the year at like 3487 at one point, lol. You still make a decent argument though.
Anxiously waits for Nefarious to post! lol
Thats also why I didn’t start writing a program myself 
I haven’t understood what the exact rules are unique to the VIC cipher yet. I mean what parts are characteristic to a VIC cipher but not similar chiphers.
Ok, so after a few hours of mindlessly trying to decode the main message I decided enough of that: What about the second one? It’s gotta’ be relevant.
Turns out it was a good decision. I got something.
The second message is the one that looks like this:
After looking at the previous attempt to decode it I thought maybe it wasn’t a numerical cipher, and instead a cipher similar to the Pig-Pen.
After some “google-ing” I came across some really obscure comic from the 1930s called “The Shadow.” Found here.
Sifting through the pages I found this on page 83 of the book:
Oh that looks familiar! A bunch of boxes and stuff.
I didn’t care to read the comic to find out so I googled again and found this site.
Skip to page 25 and there’s a “how-to” on how to read that type of cipher.
Using the key from the first website (its easier to read that one) we can start to see how you can decipher it. So long story short I did:
Voila:
We get the Latin phrase: lapis philosophorum
In English that would be: “The Philosopher’s Stone”
Which happens to be 20 letters, “THEPHILOSOPHERSSTONE”
Can anyone say, VIC-Cipher? Coincidence, I think not.
- Nefarious
K95:
“Kermit 95 includes SSH, Kerberos, SSL/TLS, and SRP security. These security methods require strong cryptography”
why not? i’m dowloading it.
EDIT: There is nothing here. Just lots of telnet conections.
Holy jesus. Good work!
I must have spent a good couple hours Googling looking for that cipher key to no avail…
Now all we need is Code D! Oh… and a date… and to figure out exactly how to work them through the VIC cipher.
Nice work Nefarious.
The screenshot with the email isn’t related to the ARG I believe.
https://forums.blackmesasource.com/showpost.php?p=497432&postcount=31
https://forums.blackmesasource.com/showpost.php?p=502366&postcount=80
yes. nothing.
EDIT - I think we’re going to find something similar about the long bottomley code - I reckon it’s code D, or at least simpler than we’re making it.
Probably not in relevance, but also found in the comic are these symbols:
- They are used in an equation at a whiteboard we’ve found:
They are also mathematical symbols. Seeing as there are only two, it is probably nothing.
You guys are doing some great work here
Again we’ve stalled in progress though. The thing that gets me is that even though we’re cracking codes and finding stuff semi-regularly, we don’t actually know whats relevant or not. And if they ARE relevant, HOW they tie into the grand scheme of things.
Its like having a big 500 piece jigsaw puzzle with all the edge pieces missing and no box. Chaos.
And another puzzle’s worth of pieces mixed in, because there are so many other little easter eggs hidden around, it’s hard to tell what related and what’s not. I was convinced that Philosopher’s Stone code was not relevant because it was not in QE… but lo and behold, it may still be yet. Or maybe not, maybe some other dev just liked that song… who knows. :facepalm:
Speaking of dates, anyone remember that calendar with Black Mesa as the title, with small pictures on it? That has a complete date on it, although it might not be related. It’s in QE in one of the offices, and i’ll edit this and provide an image when i can.
Cracked it. The BMS team will be remaking Marathon in the Source engine.
DORN <- Proves it
how does that prove it? and what’s Marathon ?!
this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsSPnqk0eV4 if so why would they is the game any special.
Marathon was Bungie Software’s first major success before they made Halo. Many consider it to be a spiritual predecessor to the Halo franchise.
But no. I doubt that’s the answer.
I can read you know… but still what would that have to do with an arg in an unfinished game/mod… as if they would’ve made any progress on a remake of that game by now… just some random guy thinking he’s a smart guys (what does DORN have to do with it anyways.
Like I said. I doubt very much that it is the answer.
Never mind then, DORN was something else from that series is all as well as all the caps (IBMDTPCMIRTHOAIRITIN) having some resemblance to the title name.
BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD >:C
Has anyone actually tried applying the DORN to anything else?
Remove DORN from IBMDTPCMIRTHOAIRITIN gives you: IBMTPCMIRTHAIITI
It doesn’t have to be 20 letters, although often recomended to have at least 20 letters…
Maybe the keyword is the latin word and not the translation or try to omit the “THE” in the beginning. (direct translation “lapis philosophorum” = “stone philosophers”)