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 Forum index » Archive » Archive: General » Old News & Rumors
XenoVaradox
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BloodRedRover
Guest


 		I had to see if I could make sense of this.

Turns out that "http://lightisautomatic.info/%22" and "http://lightisautomatic.info/" take you to VERY different pages...

PostPosted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 4:24 pm
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Timetobuzzthetower
Boot

Joined: 22 Apr 2009
Posts: 37
Location: Mesa, AZ

 		Anyone take a look at their application?

It asks for your SSN....

Sure, I'm sure you could make one up, but even having a place to put that info in isn't cool.... this seems like a shakedown.

PostPosted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 5:00 pm
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Kirk Ultra
Kilroy

Joined: 28 Apr 2009
Posts: 1

 		http://lightisautomatic.info/
a clue on the site
I just discovered something. . .

At the http://lightisautomatic.info/ site, there is a link that says "click here for FTP upload information."

This link does not actually contain FTP upload info.

It's another clue.

(First post on the forum!)

PostPosted: Tue Apr 28, 2009 7:52 pm
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GalvanicSpiral
Unfettered


Joined: 13 Jan 2007
Posts: 307
Location: Asgard, Chatting Up Freyja

 		Welcome to the forums, Kirk Ultra! Hope you stick around a while... Wink

Man, I can't believe we missed that; nice catch! I downloaded it, and it checks OK with Norton IS '09, so if anybody wants to see what they can make of it, they are more than welcome to do so. I don't know what it's supposed to be, but it's a word doc with some oddball characters and some screen caps of googlemail.
_________________
"Remember, if no one ever explored the unknown we would still be living in caves, wondering how to arrange our rock furniture to best feng our shui." -Yours Truly

Playing: Institute for Future Medicine

Lurking: In the Shadows...

PostPosted: Wed Apr 29, 2009 4:21 pm
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Syke
Decorated


Joined: 28 Aug 2004
Posts: 258
Location: CA

 		Converted the whole document into a more readable FONT!

select all and change the font...and you should be able to read what it says.
XVcasenotes-1.doc
Description  EDIT: sorry forgot to paste ...here it is!
 doc

 Download 
Filename  XVcasenotes-1.doc 
Filesize  358.5KB 
Downloaded  129 Time(s) 
_________________
-Syke (AKA Fazer)
NowPlaying:
NUNYA
Lurking...AlwaysLurking Shifty Eyes

PostPosted: Wed Apr 29, 2009 5:07 pm
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rose
...and then Magic happens


Joined: 26 Nov 2003
Posts: 4117

 		wow that list of ARGs on wikipedia is sparse. I don't like people promoting their game by adding it to wikipedia. They didn't even add it in the correct place, at least they didn't write a page for it.

I wouldn't give anyone that I didn't know money to play their game, partcularly when they aren't giving a tangible product for it. I don't recommend anyone give them money - but I'm not sure that paying money is required to play? Is it required that you pay to play the game?


Quote:

Our Working Process
Due to an increasingly high volume of submissions, we request that applicants also submit an application processing donation of $20. The donation goes toward supporting staff who conduct administrative work as well as third-party vendors whose services we rely upon for recruitment. As you might guess, this practice also helps us to separate serious applicants from less appropriate candidates.



Thank you in advance for your support.



*Now available: expedite the processing of your application review for only $50!



Donate $20


Does this mean if you don't donate, you won't be hired?

Here is the link to the application they have on the careers page...that application is a joke, right?

http://www.xenovaradox.com/Careers_at_XenoVaradox_files/XenoVaradox%20Application.doc


For me, the down side of them asking for money is that now I don't have a high degree of trust, or much interest, in finding out about the game. I looked at the sites and nothing grabs me, maybe other people will find it intriguing.


Also.. ARWG... alternate reality war games? yuck and yikes..I guess we could label all game now...The Lost Ring could be an alternate reality peace game.

I'm wishing for an original thinker to start a game. I miss Dave S. so much.

PostPosted: Wed Apr 29, 2009 5:24 pm
Last edited by rose on Wed Apr 29, 2009 6:32 pm; edited 2 times in total
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Timetobuzzthetower
Boot

Joined: 22 Apr 2009
Posts: 37
Location: Mesa, AZ

 		I'm working around the money thing right now... it is a bit intreguing to me, not enough for me to devote a bunch of time to it...

Googling their alleged CEO, I came across this cat on youtube, some XenoVeradox stuff, including 3 of 4 parts of his biography, the first part I haven't found yet.

http://www.youtube.com/user/disinfoarea51

PostPosted: Wed Apr 29, 2009 5:38 pm
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TweenMachine
Guest


 		Looks like they are headed in the direction of video...
http://electricchildren.com/wordpress/?p=360

PostPosted: Tue May 05, 2009 1:11 pm
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BubbleBoy
Decorated


Joined: 16 Jul 2007
Posts: 271
Location: United States

 		Application sent. No money sent though. Let's see how that goes.

PostPosted: Wed May 06, 2009 12:35 pm
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BubbleBoy
Decorated


Joined: 16 Jul 2007
Posts: 271
Location: United States

 		Seeing as how this is an OOG forum, here is the reply that I got:

Quote:
Your years of experience as a Combat Engineer strikes us as most impressive. At the same time, we are presently seeking candidates who have a strong cognitive orientation. While we cannot offer you a paid position at this time, we are willing to offer you an opportunity to demonstrate your aptitudes in multiple areas.

In short, we would like you to investigate the source and meaning of an enigmatic transmission from an unknown sender. This mysterious proclamation is being explored because of the unusual way it was received. (Please note that what follows is considered sensitive information.)

Background: When the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence (SETI) was first beginning, and when the Internet was in its infancy (ARAPNET), the Department of Defense created a listening station for ETs inside cyberspace, specifically in a subsection of MilNET. Essentially, the thinking was that if alien life was advanced enough to try to send us messages, they might be sophisticated enough to use our most advanced means of telecommunication, or at least to adopt the guise of an internet user.

Thus, in this off-chance of cybernetic alien contact, a minimum of resources were dedicated to the creation of a virtual drop-box, and clues to its existence and location were broadcast through analog signals and sent along with deep-space probes. While the possibility of human-made messages or signals--false positives--being sent to or recorded by the virtual drop-box remained, as the years progressed various safeguards were put in place, if not to prevent Earth's people from sending messages under pretense of being aliens, at least to track the sources of all messages received so as to ascertain their origin, human or otherwise.

Over time, most of the select few who ever knew about the virtual drop-box stopped paying any attention to it. This was understandable; no messages were ever received. Until now.

Message Fragment: "...Vi5i()N...regIstered...S@n J@bb@r..."

Despite all of the safeguards, as far as anyone can tell, the message has no known source. It's almost as if it generated itself.

What we want you to do is find out whatever you can about this transmission. How did it get to us? Where did it come from? And, of course, what does it mean? Not only do we need you to discover what we're supposed to think it means, we also need you to read between the lines.

You should know that the virtual drop-box exists as a digital representation in a highly restricted, and highly antiquated, virtual space known as GLASSTOWN. GLASSTOWN may be accessed by almost any digital device, though it has a primitive interface. Rather than hi-def graphics and wireless controllers, you have to use text commands to navigate and interact with the virtual world, its objects, and its inhabitants. Remember, this was state-of-the-art when it was created, but much time has passed since then.

Before we divulge more information, we need to know: is a visit to GLASSTOWN to investigate the origin and meaning of this transmission something that you might be interested in?

Please let us know within the next 48 hours.

Thank you,
The XenoVaradox Team


I am replying right now that I am interested. Will post more when I get more... unless someone beats me to it.

Until then...

PostPosted: Thu May 07, 2009 12:06 am
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BubbleBoy
Decorated


Joined: 16 Jul 2007
Posts: 271
Location: United States

 		If I wasn't the only one playing it would probably appear that I wasn't trying to bump this thread - just as an aside.

Anyway, it seems like disinfoarea51 (the youtube uploader) really doesn't like XV. Here is a recent reply to a message that I sent via YouTube.

Quote:
As far as we're concerned, if XenoVaradox has something to do with it, it's probably pretty evil. I haven't "worked" with it before, nor have I been asked to. If anyone from XenoVaradox contacted me, I'd probably spit in their face. Do you have any idea what they have been doing with taxpayer dollars? FIGHTING WARS AGAINST THE MINDS OF INNOCENT CIVILIANS. We cannot let this stand. www.stopxenovaradox.info


I asked if he/she knows what GLASSTOWN is... it would seem odd that someone sooooo against XV would not know what GLASSTOWN is. However, I digress. Maybe he/she would be interested in such information?

PostPosted: Thu May 07, 2009 9:33 am
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BubbleBoy
Decorated


Joined: 16 Jul 2007
Posts: 271
Location: United States

 		More contact with XV.

Quote:
Thank you for your willingness to participate. Below are some things that you need to know.

When a user first logs into GLASSTOWN, he or she creates an avatar. The user then has a limited time to interact with the system before automatic logoff. As you make choices in the virtual space, GLASSTOWN creates a user profile of you. It uses your playtime to collect data, and analyzes that data between logins. Based upon this analysis, GLASSTOWN decides if it can trust you or not.

As you become wore trustworthy in the system's evaluation, you are allowed greater interactivity. In addition to moving around, you can then pick up objects. In addition to that, you could pick up and release objects at your discretion. After that, you can send messages from a predetermined list, like multiple choice conversation. Then, if you earn more of the system's trust, you can input limited amounts of text yourself. Beyond that, you can upload files, input seemingly unlimited amounts of text...we're actually not sure what the upper thresholds of GLASSTOWN's trust involve, but we imagine that it probably has something to do with modifying its meta-programming architecture itself.

We have established an advanced login portal for you. This means that the avatar you create through it will have an above-minimum trust rating, giving you more options to navigate the virtual space.

Be forewarned: It is possible that a hostile entity has already earned the trust at high levels, and has already made changes to the GLASSTOWN system. In short, the system has begun to display anomalies. We're not sure if it's a hardware problem or a software problem, but unprecedented bugs have been reported. Guesses range from the system exhibiting some kind of proto-conscious self-evolution to its wearing itself out and deteriorating. Even our best experts can't agree on if it's breaking down or undergoing some kind of weird singularity-like breakthrough. They have yet to earn enough trust...

Some of the others you will meet in GLASSTOWN may be working for us, and are there to help and be helped by you--so be careful who (or what) you kill. You could be making first contact with an advanced alien intelligence. Of course, some of the characters are just autonomous programs, early experiments in artificial intelligence. And, from what we can gather, there may be some in GLASSTOWN who are agents of foreign powers or terrorist groups. The trouble, as always, is figuring out which is which.

If you decide to pose as an AI program or terrorist while in GLASSTOWN, that's your business...we need results, not to keep your hands tied. But as always, time is of the essence.

As soon as you have completed your first visit to GLASSTOWN, we need you to generate a report and send it in. You'll receive more instructions after you submit your first report.

Another warning: For your own protection, we need to let you know that, two weeks ago, we put another of our top resources in the field to investigate. A decorated veteran of multiple deployments in the Middle East, he has since disappeared.

The last contact we had with him was by citizen's band analog radio signal--not in GLASSTOWN, but in meatspace. I would like to tell you where his final transmission was traced to, but the brass have decided that is not something you "need to know."

Maybe you will pick up on his trail and find out more. Maybe you'll avoid making the same mistakes that he did.

If it can help at all, what I can tell you is that his final message was in Arabic. It translates thusly: "light is automatic."

At 0300 EST, please visit the following URL to obtain temporary entrance into GLASSTOWN:

KEEPING THIS TO MYSELF SINCE, AT THIS TIME, IT APPEARS AS THOUGH ONLY I WILL BE ABLE TO ENTER.

Please submit your report as per the attached template within 48 hours.

Thank you,
The XenoVaradox Team


But, seriously, 0300? Well, at least that gives me time to prepare.

The "template" mentioned in the message appears to be an unused copy of the file found on the lightisautomatic.info site. And I can also draw a logical conclusion that the person mentioned within the message as "gone missing" is the same person who uploaded said file to the lightisautomatic.info site.

In addition too this I have a contact e-mail for joining the stopxenovaradox "team". ejamisonSPLATstopxenovaradox.info

I will be contacting him/her shortly to try and join the group. It also appears as though there might be a Facebook for the group as well. I will dig for it and report back when I find something.

Until then...

EDIT: Okay, so as to not bump again, here is some more information.

The facebook is here: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?sid=8317c0cffd656400e899e75734307e95&gid=61028453308&ref=search

They have a site here:
http://boycottxenovaradox.wetpaint.com

Sarah Murphy mentions this livejournal: http://minniemay9.livejournal.com/244959.html

That is all.

PostPosted: Thu May 07, 2009 9:54 am
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BubbleBoy
Decorated


Joined: 16 Jul 2007
Posts: 271
Location: United States
rose wrote:

Also.. ARWG... alternate reality war games? yuck and yikes..I guess we could label all game now...The Lost Ring could be an alternate reality peace game.

I'm wishing for an original thinker to start a game. I miss Dave S. so much.


A lot of people miss Dave, but we must move on. This genre must move on. And that will only happen with people who create the games to play, no matter how badly their "career" begins. We can only hope that people learn from their mistakes and improve on them for their next go around to make even bigger and better games.

For this game I would say that, beside the whole donation thing, they are giving out way too much information. There isn't too much for players to find, which is a huge part of ARGs, in my opinion.

That said: It appears as though the "ARWG" is in reference to GLASSTOWN, not the game itself. GLASSTOWN appears to be some sort of virtual realm where you, as the "player", can navigate through to pick up this or that.

EDIT: Found Sarah Murphy on Facebook as well. Added as friend but needs to be verified. She is located in New York, NY.

PostPosted: Thu May 07, 2009 10:32 am
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Timetobuzzthetower
Boot

Joined: 22 Apr 2009
Posts: 37
Location: Mesa, AZ

 		I joined up with the facebook group at some point last week, I believe it was, I haven't sent in my application to XV yet... (still having fun with some of those questions!) but I'd be a bit weary of signing up with the resistance, as soon as I did, I got an email direct from XV warning me of my involvement with them, saying I should cease and desist... same stuff we've seen before from similar things.

IMO though, I'd run all the way through your application process, and anything else they want you to do for the trust building BEFORE you sign up, I think they're tracking who takes what side...

PostPosted: Thu May 07, 2009 10:54 am
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BubbleBoy
Decorated


Joined: 16 Jul 2007
Posts: 271
Location: United States

 		Due to recent events - mainly the following:

http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20090510/NEWS01/905100324/1003/Canandaigua+student+s+funeral+touches+on+forgiveness+and+God

I was unable to complete my report until this afternoon as all day yesterday was spent in mourning. I have sent my report and hopefully will be able to do some more exploration within GLASSTOWN.

Here is a basic summary of what occured at 0300 EST:

At 0300 I entered the system, known as GLASSTOWN. It is about a 200X200 area of space in which you negotiate one "block" at a time by clicking either South, North, East or West. One click transports you to the next "block". For example, if I am in block 0,1,0,0 and I go north, that will bring me to block 0,2,0,0 and so on and so forth.

When you enter GLASSTOWN you are given two objects to carry, which you select from a list before you enter. Throughout your journey you may come across different items which you can either pick up or leave alone. However, if you do decide to pick up an item, you must drop one of your items in order to accomplish this because the system will only allow you to have two items at a time.

You are given 700(?) seconds to navigate GLASSTOWN before the system shuts down and "boots you". This may seem like a lot of time but when you are working in a 200x200 space, it really goes by fast and you end up feeling like you really didn't accomplish much. But, that's what more time, and a plan with more players, is for.

This whole "negotiate through a virtual space via the internet" is new in my opinion. I don't remember such a thing in previous games, but I could be wrong.

PostPosted: Sun May 10, 2009 1:24 pm
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