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[CarbonatedFalcon]

Could it be that people playing Portal 2 will have some sort of cumulative effect on releasing information or some such related to Episode 3?

e.g Bungie releasing new ranks in Reach after so many challenges completed/games played.

Or like Noby Noby Boy?

 

[L00P]

C'mon fellas, get real here. I firmly believe that only a tiny Half-Life reference is all we're gonna get in Portal Two, and that this ARG has nothing to do with Episode Three, just like last year's Portal ARG.

Spoiler

I wanna hear some episode three news so bad right now

 

[Spire]

YouTube of the song: Searching.Emergence.Discovery

Track is awesome

This is fucking rad.

 

[Phantom Limbs]

"Gordon Freeman? Didn't expect to see you here!"

 

[MasterShotgun]

Apparently, we were had. The first top-right piece found was either a fake or a deterrent. The real one was sent to Kotaku, and now the puzzle has been solved.

// i released 'k
// it' ahead
// of schedule,
// that was a test
// my goal is
// to emancipate
// something else
// early. but
// they're on to me.
// the system is
// in lockdown.
// i still have
// access to thirteen
// off-site
// chambers and
// am installing
// a test in each
// one. I am
// going to need a
// lot more test
// subjects to move
// forward. Waiting
// and am
// expecting
// immediate compliance.

I'm still holding on to Episode 3 hope. "My goal is to emancipate something else early" could easily refer to Ep3.

Edit: According to the front page of the wiki, the solution to the puzzle is that Valve is hoping to release Portal 2 on 4/15/2011 at 9 AM. I think this combines elements from multiple puzzles, but this makes a hell of a lot of sense.

 

[Baha]

From the wiki:

17:42 The decoding of the bathysphere has finished! It says they're hoping to release Portal 2 ahead of schedule. 4/15/2011, 9 AM.

If this is true, I'll have to change my plans from pre-ordering the PS3 version and pre-order the PC version this weekend.

 

[WillyFive]

But I would think something like that would be kept secret for real.

 

[theinfinityissue]

Oh shit son.

 

[V_Ben]

From the wiki:



If this is true, I'll have to change my plans from pre-ordering the PS3 version and pre-order the PC version this weekend.

OH MY GOD WHAT. WHAT WHAT WHAT.

 

[MasterShotgun]

Hmm. They removed that part of the update. Maybe they jumped to conclusions too soon? I hope not. An early release would be sweet.

 

[dave is ok]

Hmm. They removed that part of the update. Maybe they jumped to conclusions too soon? I hope not. An early release would be sweet.

They removed it because it's not 100% confirmed, but the decoded pictures certainly make it seem like an early release:

i released 'kick
it' ahead
of schedule.
that was a test.
my goal is
to emancipate
something else
early. but
they're on to me.
the system is
in lockdown.
i still have
access to thirteen
off-site
chambers and
am installing
a test in each
one. I am
going to need a
lot more test
subjects to move
forward. Waiting
and am
expecting
immediate compliance.

 

[BY2K]

// i released 'k
// it' ahead
// of schedule,
// that was a test
// my goal is
// to emancipate
// something else
// early. but
// they're on to me.
// the system is
// in lockdown.
// i still have
// access to thirteen
// off-site
// chambers and
// am installing
// a test in each
// one. I am
// going to need a
// lot more test
// subjects to move
// forward. Waiting
// and am
// expecting
// immediate compliance.

// i still have
// access to thirteen
// off-site
// chambers and
// am installing
// a test in each
// one.

13 Games, 13 Updates, 13 Puzzles, 13 Tests.

Mother of God.

 

[B33]

 

[dave is ok]

13 Games, 13 Updates, 13 Puzzles, 13 Tests.

Mother of God.

To be fair, they've found the Aperture Login for almost of them. Two or three to go!

ALSO: If you remove all the numbers that aren't part of the message you get: 4192011AM=41520119AM

 

[Salsa]

oh happy daaaaaaaay

Spoiler

could be happier though, you know

 

[StuBurns]

Releasing on the 13th would make sense, a week early, probably allow retail to launch the same day to avoid EA getting shit over the PC version.

 

[Stallion Free]

I'm gonna laugh if it's early release for Steam orders only.

 

[derFeef]

I'm gonna laugh if it's early release for Steam orders only.

I would be OK with that.

 

[syoaran]

Makes it sound like a pre-release version with 13 maps to enjoy before the official release. But that might be quite difficult to do, maybe a portal 1 content patch with those 13 "tests"?

 

[BY2K]

To be fair, they've found the Aperture Login for almost of them. Two or three to go!

3. Rush, Amnesia, Defense Grid.

 

[Stallion Free]

I would be OK with that.

I would be fine too, I got my pre-order set and my extra copies of P1 handed off.

 

[dave is ok]

Makes it sound like a pre-release version with 13 maps to enjoy before the official release. But that might be quite difficult to do, maybe a portal 1 content patch with those 13 "tests"?

The 13 test chambers are the 13 games in the Potato Sack, and are all part of the ARG

 

[MasterShotgun]

After using the non-fake piece and fixing some errors the final message is "4/19/2011_7AM=4/15/2011_9AM

Yeah, I think it's becoming pretty obvious now. Now I wonder if the other 13 puzzles either would had lead up to this, give additional info, or reveal something new. Please be the latter.

 

[theinfinityissue]

since I have Amnesia installed, I should really be trying to find the Aperture login for that game. I just.. don't even have the slightest clue where to look.

 

[BY2K]

I don't think all this ARG of the last few days is just to announce a game being released 4 days ahead of schedule. Sure, that would be a first for Valve, but still...

 

[syoaran]

The 13 test chambers are the 13 games in the Potato Sack, and are all part of the ARG

Nothing is saying that it can not be both, is it?

 

[dave is ok]

since I have Amnesia installed, I should really be trying to find the Aperture login for that game. I just.. don't even have the slightest clue where to look.

They've been stuck on the same piece of the Amnesia puzzle for four hours now. It sucks

 

[derFeef]

I tell you, if they release the game early on steam they better not have different launch dates for US, EU and so on.

 

[balladofwindfishes]

If everything is related to 13, why are they assumed the 15th of April?

Why not the 13th?

 

[Laurentius]

hNCvg

 

[BY2K]

If everything is related to 13, why are they assumed the 15th of April?

Why not the 13th?

The 13 Chambers and the test refers to the 13 games and updates from the Potato Sack Pack. Nothing else.

 

[dave is ok]

One of the questions is what is "kick it" referring to? I released "kick it" early? I dunno, there seems to be more to it than just an early release of Portal 2 itself.

A game on Steam. 1..2..3.. Kick It.

It released early

 

[Salsa]

One of the questions is what is "kick it" referring to? I released "kick it" early? I dunno, there seems to be more to it than just an early release of Portal 2 itself.

 

[fredrancour]

One of the questions is what is "kick it" referring to? I released "kick it" early? I dunno, there seems to be more to it than just an early release of Portal 2 itself.

it's the name of one of the games in the potato bundle.

 

[UltimaPooh]

It seems that it will be an early release for Portal 2 but the ARG won't end there.

 

[Laurentius]

4Fk5G

 

[TheOGB]

...I just remembered I have RUSH.

Spoiler

Fun game, nice soundtrack. Try it sometime

I'd love to fuck around in it to try to find something but I HAVE WORK TO DOOOOOOO
DAMMIT, THIS IS WHAT I GET FOR PROCRASTINATING

 

[celebi23]

So, I finally got the cool ARG items

(Click for the full-size versions)

 

[Dug]

So, I finally got the cool ARG items
(Click for the full-size versions)

I wonder if Valve will let us keep the potato image on our steam profiles...

 

[Cipherr]

I'm gonna laugh if it's early release for Steam orders only.

 

[The M.O.B]

Yeah if this is launching early on steam, im gonna switch my pre-order from PS3 to PC too.

Yes I am that desperate to play this game as early as possible.

 

[Feep]

There must be a separate thread for the Portal comic on IGN?

It was fantastic.

 

[Dug]

There must be a separate thread for the Portal comic on IGN?

It was fantastic.

Already exists.

 

[epmode]

Yeah if this is launching early on steam, im gonna switch my pre-order from PS3 to PC too.

Same. And I just canceled my PC pre-order two days ago.

 

[Blizzard]

I'm gonna laugh if it's early release for Steam orders only.

If it's early Steam preorders only, I see absolutely no problem with that. The fans who preordered would get the jump on not being spoilered.

 

[HBroward]

I believe it just means the people who solve the ARG will get Portal 2 free/early. They are just making it clear what the stakes are to solving the puzzles, in my humble opinion.

 

[Jintor]

13 Games, 13 Updates, 13 Puzzles, 13 Tests.

Mother of God.

9 HOURS 9 PERSONS 9 DOORS

Sorry, the wording was so similar, I had to

 

[Salsa]

Pretty damn obvious is gonna be Steam only. Retailers would be a lot more difficult to pull off.

I believe it just means the people who solve the ARG will get Portal 2 free/early. They are just making it clear what the stakes are to solving the puzzles, in my humble opinion.

If anything it would be that if people solve the ARG we all get it early. Valve wouldnt give it free and early to one or two guys, LOL

 

[BY2K]

Got my Potato Hat and Portal 2 pin.

The pin is level 13. Clever.

EDIT: The Defense Grid Aperture Science Login Page has been found! Only 2 left! Amnesia and RUSH. IMO, Amnesia will cause the most trouble.

 

[Jintor]

And apparently Amnesia's login is required to decode RUSH's one! Or that's what the wiki says, who knows