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[busski]

[META] looking inside the .swf - ethics questn

[CreativeEmbassy]

In the past, the general rule of thumb has been, don't decompile flash. We usually equate that to "peeking behind the curtain". Of course, ARGs are still a very open and bendy genre of gaming, so you'll find exceptions to any rule. So, if an in-game character openly suggest decompiling a flash to see what makes it tick, then that's what you do. However, this doesn't look like one of those times to me.

EDIT: Woo! My 100th post! Time to grab a cold one...

[catherwood-offline]

the ethics of decompiling the flash on thf.org

[RPGgame]

just if you find anything from that method spoiler it

[SocialElite]

Re: the ethics of decompiling the flash on thf.org

[colin]

I've torn apart all the flash. I don't have any problem with it. At this point it hasn't revealed anything before it's been discovered. It has helped confirm some thing though, like the OB:EY, I don't really want to sit there for an hour checking time when it sayd obey, so I decomped and found the times. Decomp can also be useful for extracting the images, rather than print screening.

At this point it is pretty clear that the PMs are watching us do this(one video link changed to "hanso is watching you"), so I assume they can compenstate for it, or tell us not to do it.

So basically, use the site like a normal user. Have a look around, play through it. and then if you want, decompile.

(disclaimer; This is my opinion, totally unrelated to my role as moderator, I'm not saying you have to do this)

[MrBeefy]

examining the HTML of previous ARGs seemed to be just part of the game.

they're not using HTML in this game, so from my perspective, it'd be expected that you un-flash it.

[catherwood]

Re: the ethics of decompiling the flash on thf.org

[weforgottenuno]

I feel it is different from, say, checking the source code of a website because that a function anyone can perform. My impression is that you need some sort of purchased program to decompile the flash, meaning it's kind of circumventing the entire process. On the other hand, you need to buy photoshop, and nearly every ARG requires that at some point. I guess I have mixed feelings about decompiling, but I do appreciate when people spoiler-tag what they find. After all, the fun is in the journey, what do you get by skipping straight ahead to the answer?

[theShaggy]

I appreciate Catherwood's method. You can poke around, but only superficially.

Sorta like saying "We figured out that OB:EY shows up on the clock, and that it links to here and there and this happens, but just so people can find out after the fact, let's determine the time structure of that happening."

Or "there is clearly a picture behind Joop, but we have no way of snagging it on it's own unless we go into the SWF file."

Besides, the PMs are clearly patching up the holes where the holes need to be patched, and there is very little for us to find at this point.

I say we should have this option, y'know?

[Squanto]

-moved-

[Cavalos]

[sidey77]

Busski -- it's no holds barred as far as I'm concerned. Go for it!

[Vortex2k6]

I downloaded the hanso.swf file, but when trying to play it back from desktop it doesnt really work, im guessing theres some kind of code to prevent this from happening? Not that i could find any.....

Spoiler below is just some of the flash i "attempted" to decompile....although unsuccessfully

[colin]