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 Forum index » Archive » Archive: The Haunted Apiary (Let Op!) » The Haunted Apiary (Let Op!): Puzzles
[META] A CALL TO ARMS (Warning: reading ahead.)
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Grout
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Joined: 25 Jul 2004
Posts: 105

 		[META] A CALL TO ARMS (Warning: reading ahead.)
Hello all.

This is an urgent appeal from a beekeeper for some organization and some determination from my fellow players. We appear to be stuck in the mud on this GPS/axons puzzle. Here is what we need to do:

VISIT all of these locations – OR at the very least, find out via the internet or whatever (in no small detail) what is at each one. Post your findings HERE:

http://bees.netninja.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:GPS_Locations

There are currently about 15 different threads about the GPS puzzle and I don't want this to simply turn into another argument and spec fest so I will attempt to rebut in advance some of the main responses I expect to get:

1.) "I'm not so sure the GPS coordinates ARE a puzzle."

Very good point. In fact, there is nothing really to indicate that they are. In my opinion, so far this ARG hasn't given us a single "puzzle" to solve. Just a bunch of story bits jumbled about in images and on the site for us to identify and sort. I was on the verge of quitting this game because it wasn't a "game" – it was just a "book that is very hard to read".
BUT the coordinates seem different. Their meaning is much much less overt. They are distributed solely in the USA, a place where there is the largest concentration of beekeepers.
So what if the coordinates are simply "directions" to places we need to watch on the 24th? Maybe they will hand out Halo demos or Halo t-shirts or maybe a bunch of actors in robot costumes will do a synchronized dance? I'm not going to go into the argument about whether or not the PMs have the money or manpower to do such a thing. Personally, I don't think the PMs have, or ever will, visit all 220 of these sites. At this point – this speculation is irrelevant. If it is true, then we will find out in 11 days, in the meantime why not treat the coords as a deeper puzzle? We don't want to sit on our hands just to find out on the 24th we were supposed to be figuring something out all this time.

2.) "I'm not so sure the solution to the puzzle involves what is AT the locations – It probably has to do with the #s or the city names or something."

Maybe true, but try to think as a PM for a second. WHY would you create a puzzle based on actual GPS locations in the US if you DIDN'T expect people to visit these locations, or at least find out what is at these locations. This HAS to be something the PMs expect us to do. Even if it is just a clever red herring, it's a red herring the PMs expect us to follow. And if it is a red herring… I wouldn't call it "clever" I'd just call it kind of "cruel and prickish". If it's just a math puzzle, why not make it a star map or something? We've been brainstorming for days on the data we have and have come up with nothing. I think this is because we have to go out and gather MORE data. The coordinates tell us where to find it. Besides, road trips can be fun!

3.) "Even if we do find what is at every location, THEN what? So far, they have NOTHING in common."

Not quite true. Yes, they don't all have ONE uniting commonality, but many of them appear to have things in common with others. Some are major landmarks. (And there is even a movie theatre called "landmark"). So far, at least 5 have something to do with bees. A lot have to do with books or learning. I think there are quite a few malls. I'm sure there are other connections too. What if we have to gather the data, then categorize everything?
Yeah, once we have all the data, it might not mean a thing to us. But maybe, once it is gathered, a solution, or at least the next step towards a solution will be apparent. Maybe the points need to be reordered based on their contents – then the new order will give us some words or a story… Or maybe we just have to narrow the coords down to only those that have "bee" references… I don't know what needs to be done with the info… there's no way to know until we GET the info.

4.) "But what if we do all this, and it just turns out to be a big waste of time?"

You are playing an online game that is nothing more than a glorified ad for ANOTHER video game, and you are concerned with wasting time?

Anyways.

I'm sure there are other points I forgot to address. And I'm pretty damn sure you will remind me of them. This just seems like the best course of action to me at this point. We can spec away all day long. Nothing will get solved without action. I need your help to follow this path. In the end, there's a good chance I'm wrong – but at least we are eliminating a possibility.

So far this ARG has contained about as much content as it would take about 4 people to create in their spare time. But for some reason, I still have a glimmer of optimism. I'm putting my faith in the PMs to deliver the fun. Maybe they are putting their faith in us to go find it.

I'm posting this in the puzzle forum – if any mods feel it would fit better in the general or whatever – feel free to move it or dupe it. I'd also like to put in a request that it be made nice and STICKY, but I know I am a n00b at your mercy.

Sorry about the long read. Thanks for bearing with me – I just had to write out everything I've been trying to get across in the forums and IRC. I hope at least some of you will agree with me.

Please help me discover what is at these coordinates. Either by visiting them or through thorough internet research.

Intensely frustrated but still having fun,

Grout

PostPosted: Fri Aug 13, 2004 2:25 am
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jbd
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Joined: 27 Jul 2004
Posts: 295

 		As an addendum, please try to be fairly specific about the information you provide. I have been trying to form a 'keyword list' and have been frustrated because some of the reports don't contain enough information to make one.

If there is a bar, a dentist shop, and a bagel joint, please give the names of each. It may turn out, for example, the name of the bar is Something Fishy and that connects with a 'fish' theme.

If a location has 'nothing', still try to describe it -- field with flowers or dirt? Power lines? Railroad tracks?

What to include in the description: I would go by a 'what you can see/could see if you were standing at the point'. This is because some of the locations are in residential areas and it hasn't been possible to get close. Just try your best. (If something is located fairly precisely where the point is, like smack dab in the middle of a fountain, be sure to mention that too.)

PostPosted: Fri Aug 13, 2004 3:19 am
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Grout
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Joined: 25 Jul 2004
Posts: 105

 		Also, I'd say we should be sure to post our name with the info we found - so we can track you down if we need to ask more questions.

PostPosted: Fri Aug 13, 2004 12:55 pm
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Danzilla76
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Joined: 03 Aug 2004
Posts: 118

 		I won't say that you are trouting, because you started this thread before the email from the Sleeping Princess came in. And maybe none of you got it. But if you check the Interaction board, you'll find that the Queen is quite angry at the Widow for making "roads" to the wrong places. One of those being the one out in the ocean. The new spec is that some of the coordinates will disappear and be replaced by new ones.

Therefore, I shall not trout you. But as I am feeling a little smarmy today, so I shall give you a: Raspberry
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 13, 2004 2:48 pm
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Grout
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Joined: 25 Jul 2004
Posts: 105

 		So what you are saying is... The PMs MESSED UP this whole thing and they are now trying to fix it... That's why we have been getting nowhere.

Well then, I certainly have to give one of these to the PMs and this sloppy puzzle as well. Raspberry

PostPosted: Fri Aug 13, 2004 3:34 pm
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Danzilla76
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 		I believe that only the point in the ocean was a mistake. The others were out there as red herrings. We were supposed to be able to sort them out and see which went "somewhere" (malls, restaurants, libraries) and which went "nowhere" (fields, someone's property, empty road)
But nobody did that, because everyone kept sharing their opinion, so the PM's threw us a bone to straighten us out a bit.
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 13, 2004 3:43 pm
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Grout
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Joined: 25 Jul 2004
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 		Ok Dan, then if that is true, why is my post a trout? Aren't I on the right track?

PostPosted: Fri Aug 13, 2004 3:45 pm
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Danzilla76
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Grout wrote:
Ok Dan, then if that is true, why is my post a trout? Aren't I on the right track?


I'm sorry for not being clear enough. Embarassed
I have a habit of that.

My main idea was to wait and see if the coordinates change and then start checking them. But now I think I may be wrong. (If only we had an emoticon with a foot in the mouth)
We may want to start weeding out the ones that go "nowhere" and also watch for the coords to change and map the new ones.
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 13, 2004 4:37 pm
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Grout
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 		OK! So Danzilla is on my team! Wink

Who else is? I started this thread to drum up some support for treating this like a puzzle and taking ACTION to solve it - The first step isn't that hard - we just need to know WHAT is at all these locations - then we can weed out the ones that are probably nothing - or not - or whatever.

But seriously, It seems like people have given up finding out the contents of the coords. I don't know if anyone else is doing this now... I can't do it by myself.

Who is with me?

PostPosted: Fri Aug 13, 2004 4:51 pm
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Aelith
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Joined: 21 Jul 2004
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Location: Missouri

 		Embarassed I want to be with you but I can not even figure out how to post the "lostoutdoors" arial photos on the wiki page.
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 13, 2004 6:32 pm
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John Incognito
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Joined: 14 Aug 2004
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 		Perhaps the corrected GPS coodinate is a example of how the Spider placed the node in the wrong location and that It is having trouble placing them where they are "meant" to go.

This idea will probably go nowhere, but "What would happen if you moved some one of the other GPS coordinates the same distance and direction as the adjusted Sea GPS Coordinate? The Spider might be off sync and placing all of them incorrectly.
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PostPosted: Sat Aug 14, 2004 9:07 pm
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Danzilla76
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Grout wrote:
OK! So Danzilla is on my team! Wink

Who else is? I started this thread to drum up some support for treating this like a puzzle and taking ACTION to solve it - The first step isn't that hard - we just need to know WHAT is at all these locations - then we can weed out the ones that are probably nothing - or not - or whatever.

But seriously, It seems like people have given up finding out the contents of the coords. I don't know if anyone else is doing this now... I can't do it by myself.

Who is with me?


I have started going through one of the Excel sheets that has both maps that show the street grids and the pictures. I am putting things into 3 categories:
1. Obvious retail places
2. Landmarks (the one in front of the capital-seems like an odd one)
3. Middle of nowhere, or end of a residential area.

I was working on it at work on Saturday, but then accidentally closed it and didn't save it. I hadn't done a lot though, so I remember which ones I had done. Once I get a good list done, I'm going to post to have someone plot the categories on separate maps. I don't know how to do all that stuff unfortunately.
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PostPosted: Sun Aug 15, 2004 2:01 am
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hrrf
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Joined: 17 Aug 2004
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 		Location Location Location
Posted here, and intend to post in Wiki, whenever it finishes loading!

38.7730 -77.1715
38.772974, -77.171577

Frontier Dr, SPRINGFIELD, VA, 22150, FAIRFAX COUNTY, US

This is a shopping center/strip mall across the street from a major shopping mall. According to TerraFly, it's about 100' away from a Border's bookstore. It's next to a Home Depot and a bunch of other stuff including a Grill store, a AT&T Wireless, and a bunch of other non-extraordinary things.

BIG NOTE: According to these aerial photos, this is still a highly wooded area, and is undeveloped. It's been paved and doing business for at least 8-10 years, so it seems a lot of the available aerials are outdated by quite some time.

PostPosted: Tue Aug 17, 2004 1:37 pm
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jellyfish_green
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Joined: 30 Jul 2004
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Location: Inner Colony of Eire

 		Here's my train of logic. It hasn't reached a station but it might help someone else.

Known: there are 210 points. (barring updates)
Postulate: At least one of these points won't be physically accessible by any participant.
Postulate: This puzzle is well-designed.
Therefore -> The puzzle can be solved without a participant being present at that point.
-> The puzzle can be solved without any participants being present at any given points.
-> The puzzle can be solved merely with access to the internet, which all participants have (USA-based or otherwise).
-> The points are only relevant when the right database or lookup service is used. _OR_ The points are relevant in themselves (mathematics puzzle)
-> This database or lookup service will be free to use.

Which is why I thought Zip codes, but unless we use zip+4, several points refer to the same Zip code.

PostPosted: Thu Aug 19, 2004 6:01 am
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sherpa
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Joined: 10 Aug 2004
Posts: 338
Location: cam.ac.uk
jellyfish_green wrote:
Postulate: At least one of these points won't be physically accessible by any participant.


As several people have posted about points being fairly close to them - note, this is not the same thing as saying all participants have a close point! - perhaps the points were chosen so they would be physically accessible by all participants (i.e. get a map of participants and draw a sensible radius around each location, pick a point in that area)? I'm not a fan of the turn-up-on-the-24th theory -- 'cause I can't! -- but even so, that could be possible. After all, choosing 210 random points across the US, and already half of them are within visiting distance?! That's surprising.
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 19, 2004 6:15 am
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