unforum

[dragonsnake]

No, prob. I read it can be decoded if U have the key. But I don't understand a thing...

_root. is mostly used for flash video The file when saved, have name blogad_stream.gif On the page is written /brother... Ty said " Go home" or smthg such.

_root is the super user in Linux, administrator

_root might mean beginning


After all of this the only thing I can think is the "SALVATION THROUGH ETERNITY / DEATH - TY"

[JohnJimJoeBob]

I know I'm grasping at straws here... but has anyone tried translating the blogad picture into binary by using a 0 for each black square and a 1 for each white square, or vice versa? Maybe there's something hidden in that. Almost certainly not, but... meh. Nothing else to do.

[Adam C]

LOL it's your idea, you should get the honor. (That is definitely thinking outside the box, though. Good luck with that one!)

[Vman]

Most of the strange puzzles seen in ARGs, like the blogads pic, have two parts for solving, you know, more than one aspect, but I can't really think of anything to compare the picture with except like you guys said, _root. We really have to find someone that knows java, because _root has to do with flash vids. I think the binary idea for the pic is an interesting idea, but to be honest, I'm too lazy to do it. Btw, I think the stream cipher is a bit too advanced for the PMs to expect us to decipher. Most ARG players are armchair players and that cipher looks like something only an IT pro could crack. I think the stream cipher may be a clue on how to solve it, but not the actual method of doing so.

And I have no idea where Lola went, I'm kind of curious as to why she left, especially because she "found" the site for us.

[Slush-o]

I might be able to help with some of the coding aspects but my connection is so slow, I can't watch the videos or anything. Also, has anyone tried asking TYemail or TYbot what happened in apartment ten?

[waitress#2]

After reading the wiki article about stream ciphers it seems that a stream cipher is just another form of vigenere cipher.

[Adam C]

I emailed Ty and asked him what a stream cipher was. I didn't expect a response, but he emailed and gave me that exact Wiki link, so that leads me to believe we're on the right track. Either he meant that he didn't know, so we're definitely on the wrong track, or he meant I should research myself, which would probably mean we are on the right track.

Now we just need someone smart enough to figure out how to solve said stream cipher. We need a key (blogads? get out now or w/e that sign said into the intro video, ala the .root reference) any other ideas?

[f]

aha

[jonascltnc]

[waitress#2]

[JohnJimJoeBob]

So basically... the binary thing didn't work any way I tried it. Moving on...

[Vman]

Haha, look at F's post, we still aren't "ready" to be solving this yet, but the research on the stream ciphers is a nice touch, I'm just suprised the information me might need is so specialized, as opposed to the puzzle which is just as hard yet can be solved by anyone with enough brainpower. I've been kinda burning out, but I've discovered that paradoxically, the more puzzle solving and detective work you do in the said game keeps you fine and energized, ready to solve more at a moment's notice, whereas if you are in a lull, you feel like checking this site much more sparingly. I dunno, maybe its just noob burnout, but its how I feel. If I was a PM and had to stall for time, I'd just release some puzzles that had to do with the story but not the main plot line that may or may not help the player solve the main plot puzzles. Just seems kinda tacky to leave us with nothing to do, expecting us to stay and wait, bored.

[waitress#2]

How will we know when the password for the friend link is active? For all we know the answer is something we've already tried.

On a positive note, I received my copy of the book today and will start to read it tonight.

[dragonsnake]

[f]