pretty damn weird stuff going on with portal

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A patch released for Portal on March 1, 2010, included an additional achievement, "Transmission Received", requiring the player to manipulate the in-game radios in an appropriate manner. This revealed new sound effects that became part of an alternate reality game-style analysis by fans of the game; the effects included Morse code strings that implied the restarting of a computer system, and SSTV images from a grainy Aperture Science video. These images embedded further hints of a BBS phone number that when accessed, provided a large number of ASCII-based images relating to Portal and segments of fictional documents for Aperture Science. This has led journalists to postulate that an announcement for Portal 2 or other Valve game may soon be made.[57][58]

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Today, Valve Software published an update to Portal through Steam. The only patch note:

 

"Changed radio transmission frequency to comply with federal and state spectrum management regulations"

 

Along with this cryptic change, is a new achievement, titled "Transmission Received", which Shacker ghost in my shell reported unlocking after he "put the radio on the red button on the first stage." At this point it "started spitting out Morse code."

 

We're still unsure what is actually going on here, but mysterious things appear to be afoot. At the very least, I'd recommend getting this achievement.

 

Steam users have begun finding images hidden in the updated game files. All of these images clearly show the Aperture Science logo from the game.

 

 

I've reached out to Valve Software for comment and I'll keep you updated of any new information.

 

Update: The following is reportedly a sound made by an in-game radio when thrown into a force field: "Dinosaur_Fizzle" noise Warning: Loud!.

 

Update 2: Steam users have found 26 new sound files containing around 17 minutes of Morse code. The first file has been translated to read: "interior transmission active external data line active message digest active". Something big is going on.

 

Update 3: In-game video of some of the Morse code and the above "Dinosaur_Fizzle" noise. Additionally, check these two videos of the near 18-minutes of sounds: Part 1 - Part 2

 

Update 4: One potential translation is:

 

Interior transmission active

External data line active

Message digest active

The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog

System data dump active

User back up active

Password back up active

Beep beep beep beep lol

Sounds like GLaDOS, who is very much "Still Alive", rebooting.

 

Update 5: Internet sleuths uncovered in the images an encrypted number which turned out to be a phone number from Kirkland, Washington--the city where Valve was founded.

The telephone number connects to a bulletin board system--a pre-Internet dial-up system used for everything from chat to games--masquerading as a GLaDOS system.

 

 

Sleuths have found numerous ASCII art images on BBS clearly connected to Apeture Science and Portal, as well as several mysterious items and diagrams. You might have to tilt your head for a 'proper' view of some of the pictures.

 

The BBS also turned up several Apeture Science documents including memos 'from' company founder Cave Johnson as well as more to ponder over. Highlights include:

 

CONFIDENTIAL

October 17th, 1976

Re: Human Enrichment & Testing Initiative, Resource Acquisitions

1. "Low Risk" Human Resource Acquisitions

 

a. Hoboes and Tramps

Lives spent wandering aimlessly, cowering before authority, and drinking concussive amounts of home-distilled potato alcohol make hoboes the perfect Human Enrichment test subjects. The hobo questions nothing, will follow orders if fed, and, like all hoboes, has a restless, wandering heart. (Note: The wandering heart of the hobo should not be confused with Drifing Heart Syndrome, which several transients contracted during testing.)

 

b. Child Orphans and Foundlings

Deep-rooted abandonment issues leave most orphans highly susceptible to shame-based psychology (for a complete list of opportune moments to obliterate the esteem of test subjects, please consulting Training Video #89-D, "You'd Perform This Test Better if You Had Parents"). Recent advances in the use of scorn, flattery used in an ironic context and naked contempt of motivational tools have yielded similarly profitable results.

 

c. Psychiatric Patients

Past experiences shows these fellows are simply not shy at all about carrying on, disrupting tests and defecating just about anywhere that pleases them. Frankly, it's off-putting, and small wonder why Apeture-brand mental institutions are being phased out in favor of more orphanages.

 

d. Seniors

Frail, brittle hands make holding science devices difficult. Most were born before the advent of science, and can become confused and disoriented when asked to participate in relatively simple tests (teleportation, invisibility, adjusting esteem levels of orphan children).

 

MEMORANDUMS: Filed under CJohnson: 188454-G

88^5211762 json remind you that Apeture Science is built on three pillars. Pillar one: Science without results is just witchcraft. Pillar two: Get results or you're fired. Pillar three: if you suspect a coworker of bein' a witch, report them immediately. I cannot stress that enough. Witchcraft will not be tolerated.

 

MEMORANDUMS: Filed under CJohnson: 7655-293-G

A lot of you have been raising concerns about the so-called "dangers" of what we're all doing here. The beancounters told me to tell you that as of today, testing will no longer be as mandatory or as dangerous. That's not gonna happen, and here's the reason:

 

Science isn't about why, it's about why not. You ask: Why is so much of our science dangerous? I say: Why not marry safe science if you love it so much. In fact, why not invent a special safety door that won't hit you in the butt on the way out, because you are fired.

 

Plus, in the event of your death, I personally guarantee that, thanks to the form you were required to sign this morning, your family will not suffer the indignities of a prolonged and costly legal battle against Apeture Science. Trust me, I am rich, and it is a burden I do not wish on anyone.

 

To summarize: 6218376213 wjqehjk -213888^%@5*(*@)@)#*a@ +---+++

http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/62575

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n intricate and incredibly geeky series of clues recently embedded in videogame Portal suggest that we haven’t seen the last of renegade artificial intelligence GLaDOS and the game that made her famous.

 

It all started when Valve announced that it would be patching its 3-year-old game. Monday’s Portal patch notes included the cryptic message, “Changed radio transmission frequency to comply with federal and state spectrum management regulations.” To quote comeradealexi, the Steam forum user who first commented on the achievement, “Huh?”

 

Still, the first hint soon started a wild goose chase that had gamers flexing their geekiest muscles to uncover new information about the Portal universe.

 

This isn’t the first time Valve has set up a viral ad campaign around Portal. When the game launched in 2007 as part of The Orange Box, Valve created a special Aperture Science website where players could discover the back story of the fictional company and its morally challenged founder, Cave Johnson.

 

But Valve’s recent cryptic patch was more than just a simple tweak or a link to a new website. An intricate system of clues and hidden messages, the Portal rabbit hole goes quite deep, giving gamers a sprawling interactive endeavor to whet their appetites for a probable sequel.

 

 

A newly added Portal achievement illuminated the first clues. Dubbed “Transmission Received,” the achievement is awarded to players who find and listen to mysterious broadcasts on 26 radios placed throughout the game. Players who carried the radios to the correct spot in every level discovered Morse code audio transmissions as well as loud radio squelches.

 

The decoded Morse code messages suggest that GLaDOS, the rogue AI from the first game, might be rebooting. And the ear-busting noises discovered on some levels turned out to be slow scan radio transmissions — images embedded in an audio signal. The images, many featuring the Aperture Science logo, held more clues, leading players to a dialup bulletin board system.

 

Those who cracked the BBS login and password and connected to the retro server discovered more clues — this time by way of ASCII data streams. Also hidden on the bulletin board were a series of memos from Cave Johnson — the fictional founder of Aperture Science.

 

What does this all mean? Nobody except Valve knows for sure quite yet. But one thing’s for sure — geeks once again have GLaDOS on their minds. We’ll surely be hearing more from the evil computer very soon. Until then, track the mystery as it unravels at the Steam forums.

 

Read More http://www.wired.com/gamelife/2010/03/portal-viral/#ixzz0h476yK4J

first of all - dial up BBSes? images encoded steganographically using a similar method to 'bonus high frequency noises'? that's fucking brilliant.

secondly - i think that portal 2 may not be far off now... :emotawesomepm9: :emotawesomepm9:

portal 2 or half life 2 ep 3 or both. I was following this last night on irc once somebody finally got into the bbs. Its mostly asci art. people are also trying to decode what is going on in the radio when its just noise. you can hear faint transmissions so people are trying to remove the noise but it continually sounds garbage.

The images have a certain order to them, then when put in order, and one writes down all of the numbers or letters circled in the image, you get the md5 hash of a phone number in this format (###) ###-####, somebody just took that and brute forced it to find the number. people calling it realized it was a modem answering.

?

what a great game

hope theres another

apparently they've been looking for a voice actor for the founder of aperture - rumour suggests that it'll be housed in the expansive body of gabe newell another glados-like AI. although that morse sure sounds like glados is STILL ALIVE to me though, lol!

i lent the orange box to my nephew, which means i doubt ill see it any time soon, and i have so much more to do with that game

i love bees

some of the expert achievements are insanely fucking hard.

it's like the best short story ever written - in gaming terms. i'm sure there's at least a hundred times more trees used in printing cliffs notes and critiques of harlan ellison's i have no mouth and i must scream than trees used in printing copies of the story. and there are actual feminist critiques of portal as a modern example of female empowerement out there. any game that can be completed in four hours which creates attention like that - attention outside the gamer world - well, they need to be careful with a thing like that. let's say you made the best EP ever. the expectation for the sequel would be enormous.

i think valve are handling this really well, and it's very original.

portal > half life 2 in my honest opinion..

love half life 2 as a quality fps but there's really nothing similar to portal

except maybe Prey, but portal is much more puzzle based

dont get yer hopes up for a half life. they said in january that there would 1000% not be a new half life game this year.

I want Adrian Shepard to make an appearance in the next episode.

i don't see the point of a portal 2. they should just finish off the half life series ffs.

  On 3/3/2010 at 6:01 AM, kaini said:

http://kotaku.com/5484157/valves-portal-puzzle-so-far-the-files-recovered-from-aperture-science

is that dog?

maybe?

portal is so fucking idm

yeah it seems strange that theyd make a portal 2 much less have this big a deal over releasing it. Crazier things have been done. Somethin makes me think theyre going to tie in portal 2 to ep 3 or something.

  On 3/3/2010 at 7:54 AM, GORDO said:

i don't see the point of a portal 2. they should just finish off the half life series ffs.

sadly progress on Half Life seems frigging sluggish.

i just want half life 3..... fuck the source engine

Valve has gone viral. We've all been had

I guess the valve crew got pretty scared from crysis and the cryengine back then

lol.. for real.

but supposedly the 3 episodes are HL3.. (or everything left over from of HL2, whichever you prefer). if HL3 were to be anywhere near as groundbreaking as the first or second, they'd prob. have to work on it for twice the time they took then because of technology and just the sheer amount of detail that is possible now with things like blu ray games and stuff (so that would be 12 years? lol). you know it would be awesome though.

LOUD

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vt3uog2tKAQ

AE????

another update: http://store.steampowered.com/news/3547/