[ARG] The Pizza Code Mystery

Black Mesa Archive The Cafeteria
#2901

It’s so wonderful to watch the fireflies dance in the evening sky.

I’m far too ignorant regarding encryption to provide any assistance. I’ll just enjoy the show.

#2902

In all seriousness, before things get ridiculous, let it be known that I decided to have a bit of fun a few weeks ago, and made that post. At the bottom, I added a sentence starting with “Just keep,” to indicate I was kidding. I would have added another sentence starting with “K” to get the point across more clearly, but I couldn’t think of one at the time. Before we engage in a lengthy psuedo-Turing test, involving determining if an entity is a human or a human pretending to be a computer, I suggest everyone take a moment to calm down.

#2903

Okay, then. But before we calm down, explain what “excitement” feels like.

:huh:

#2904

There’s an entire wikia section devoted to you now. You should enjoy your quasi-celebrity status.

#2905

And a blog post, which I refuse to take down. The stuff you provided is still helpful, even if it’s not insider information.

#2906

Oh I am.

Returning to productive work, there is a lesson to be learned here:

Whenever a new hint is found (or thought to be found) this thread is always abuzz with new theories. This is probably why Storm is so reluctant to give out hints these days. One the one hand, he risks making it too obvious, and giving away the answer. On the other hand, he risks making the hint to vague, introducing more uncertainty. To use an interesting metaphor: Signals and noise

For every signal, there is an associated noise. If a signal is sent with too much noise, then one might send an additional signal to clarify. This signal has its own noise, which will probably be just as large as the noise in the original. Thus, a signal meant to clarify the original message instead introduces more noise.

Consider signal X = A + B, with message A and noise B. We can recover A if we know B: A = X-B
The clarifying signal is Y = B + C. Thus, A = X - (Y - C) = X - Y + C
Another signal: Z = C + D. Thus, A = X - (Y - (Z - D)) = X - Y + Z + D
Even though each signal adds more noise, we are still only left with one value that we need to guess to determine A.
We can assume that all of these variables are positive (since you can’t subtract information). Then X>B, Y>C, Z>D
If each new signal is treated with the same value as the previous signal, the importance of the noise is magnified.
However, if determining A could have been done from the start with an educated guess, it is likely that A>B. Naturally, the noise shouldn’t be the largest part of the signal.
Then, A>B, B>C, C>D, and accordingly X>Y>Z.
It can be shown that, with the above assumptions, the noise we need to guess should get smaller and smaller with each new signal. B>C>D

My point is that we shouldn’t hold the newest information in the same regard as older hints, because the pieces we haven’t been given are becoming fewer and fewer. That means that we are already close, and the new hints should only bring us closer.

Things like Scandium or the weight of the human soul might seem interesting, and could be connected back to the ARG, but it is unlikely we would have considered them before had we not been given the “21 into 1” hint. Storm said someone was close years ago, so this puzzle should have been solvable without this latest hint. Instead of basing new theories around the latest hints, we should focus on what we already have, using each new hint to narrow down old theories.

#2907

Then, A>B, B>C, C>D, and accordingly X>Y>Z.

This loos like Code: A, B, B, C, C, D. Where B and C has to be used twice. Also 21 goes into 1 maybe refers that 21 souls/minds goes into 1 (HALOS)

#2908

Can’t tell if trolling, or just didn’t read.

EDIT: I’m gonna go with trolling.

#2909

If KXBM site was set up to help/guide us, then a lot of stuff should be related to HALOS right?
My first bet is on base 64 coded images, they are all quotes from scientists.
I doubt these quotes were random, so they must be connected in some way.
This is just from top of my head.

#2910

I was losing my damn mind, I wasn’t sure who to believe anymore. Master troll at work, ladies and gents!

#2911

Sighs I come home from school and see this. I’m more impressed than annoyed though; you even got me making a whole long-ass wiki article on you John!

#2912

User faed quoted storm that somebody is already close on page 73, so that would limit our search for “answer” around pages 62-73 (give or take :stuck_out_tongue: )

#2913

I just finished scanning over those pages, but nothing jumped out.

#2914

Since johnnotjohn said that biodome complex might be important, I found this from way back from beginning of ARG, on page 21. It probably isn’t important, since HALOS didn’t even exist then, but “who knows, you may find a use for that knowledge at some point in the future.”

Also, we still didn’t “crack” old mysteries, like what does AI5BM means?

#2915

I think it’s supposed to be a hint to a certain code behind a certain door in QE. So maybe a trailhead?

Anyways, I’ve been doing some searching on that strange number sequence to calculate when the “aren’t you alone…” is pasted again into the console. It’s strange, it turned up a chart relating to Crystallography.

#2916

Also, I don’t know was this accessible before, but it is now: https://kxbm.net/assets/
This has been founded 5 hours ago on wikia, by wikia contributor.
NVM, it has been accessible from day 1.

#2917

Yeah, that’s been accessible since day one of the site.

#2918

I think it’s supposed to be a hint to a certain code behind a certain door in QE. So maybe a trailhead?

Anyways, I’ve been doing some searching on that strange number sequence to calculate when the “aren’t you alone…” is pasted again into the console. It’s strange, it turned up a chart relating to Crystallography.

I speculated that AI5BM was probably one of the rooms in the QE labs, and it was intended to be a trailhead to find the first in game clue for the “newer” players. I say that the whole Warning Message, the All Clear Page and everything is for that and its just another thing for us to look at to get in to the ARG rather than it being PART of the ARG.

As for the Crystallography no idea, but the “Arent you alone” is probably linking to this guy https://wiki.blackmesasource.com/Nihilanth

#2919

could it be possible the AI is on a mobile source like the HEV suit? Didn’t that guy say the suit was loaded with tracking devices?

#2920

I know that “Aren’t you alone” is linking to Nihilanth god damn it, I’m not stupid.

But yeah, the Crystallography thing is a bit weird.

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.