Difference between revisions of "Blacksite"

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[checked revision][checked revision]
(Update to label eastendmarina.com as a gamejack)
(I felt that the clues and media shown after the Still Alive portion needed to be clarified as positional clue as to not confuse anybody into thinking they are concrete steps in this ARG)
 
(12 intermediate revisions by 6 users not shown)
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| image      = Image:Blacksite.png
 
| image      = Image:Blacksite.png
 
| description= Following the Danger Zone update, a secret was found within the Blacksite.
 
| description= Following the Danger Zone update, a secret was found within the Blacksite.
| creator    = Valve
+
| creator    = [https://www.valvesoftware.com Valve]
 
| type      = Investigation
 
| type      = Investigation
| status    = Active
+
| status    = Completed
 
| discovered = 2018-12-09
 
| discovered = 2018-12-09
 
}}
 
}}
Line 22: Line 22:
 
<pre>
 
<pre>
 
[Theme 1 plays 4 times]
 
[Theme 1 plays 4 times]
papa  
+
papa, golf, papa, whiskey
golf  
 
papa  
 
whiskey  
 
 
*small beep*
 
*small beep*
5  
+
5, 0
0  
+
sierra, mike, sierra, 7
sierra  
 
mike  
 
sierra  
 
7  
 
 
*small beep*
 
*small beep*
5  
+
5, 7  
7  
 
 
[Theme 1 plays 3 times]
 
[Theme 1 plays 3 times]
eating  
+
eating, hydrolic, keyboard, atlantic, shadow, liberty, transit, orlando, chairlift, maritime, buzzard, document, stopwatch, suspicious, guidance, politeness  
hydrolic  
 
keyboard  
 
atlantic  
 
shadow  
 
liberty  
 
transit  
 
orlando  
 
chairlift  
 
maritime  
 
buzzard  
 
document  
 
stopwatch  
 
suspicious  
 
guidance
 
politeness  
 
 
*fairly long break*     
 
*fairly long break*     
alone  
+
alone, molecule, cobra, positive, cranky, unify, unearth, corrosion, tunnel, cumbersome, mohawk, repellant, bison, voyager, puppy, finicky, afflict, outfielder, spheroid, vagabond, sawdust, atlantic, mural, penetrate, berzerk, Medusa, ragtime, guitarist, indulge, consulting, burbank, distortion, repay, coherence
molecule  
 
cobra  
 
positive
 
cranky  
 
unify  
 
unearth
 
corrosion  
 
tunnel  
 
cumbersome  
 
mohawk  
 
repellant  
 
bison  
 
voyager  
 
puppy  
 
finicky  
 
afflict  
 
outfielder  
 
spheroid  
 
vagabond  
 
sawdust  
 
atlantic  
 
mural
 
penetrate  
 
berzerk  
 
Medusa
 
ragtime  
 
guitarist  
 
indulge  
 
consulting  
 
burbank  
 
distortion  
 
repay  
 
coherence
 
 
[Theme 1 plays 4 times, but sped up]
 
[Theme 1 plays 4 times, but sped up]
 
</pre>
 
</pre>
Line 117: Line 61:
  
 
This is a reference to the song "Still Alive" from the Valve game ''Portal'', leading to speculation that this may tie into a third ''Portal'' release.
 
This is a reference to the song "Still Alive" from the Valve game ''Portal'', leading to speculation that this may tie into a third ''Portal'' release.
 +
<br>
 +
<br>
  
= The Experiment Decals =
+
= Potential Clues =
 +
== The Three Trees ==
 +
 
 +
When the chime from the first segment is inverted onto the latter ones (which has the down side of repeating what the voice says under the first chime over the other ones), key words like "there, there and there" and "little rabbit" and "surrounded by three trees" can be heard, seemingly from this song: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFNdjw2Kc-k "The Three Trees" by Nat King Cole]
 +
 
 +
[https://my.mixtape.moe/bfskvz.mp3 Cleaned-up Version of the Sound file]
 +
 
 +
In-game there are several "three trees" logos that resemble the white forest logo in ''Half-Life 2: Episode 2''.
 +
<gallery>
 +
Bs White forest sign.svg|The Logo of ''White Forest'' in ''Half-Life 2: Episode 2''
 +
Bs_Signage_tree_logo_01.png|signage_tree_logo_01
 +
Bs_Signage_tree_logo_02.png|signage_tree_logo_02
 +
</gallery>
 +
 
 +
== The Experiment Decals ==
  
 
These <code>experiment_decals_0X</code> textures are found in Blacksite's texture folder, <code>hr_massive</code>, (''hr'' = hi-resolution, ''massive'' = the internal name for Blacksite).
 
These <code>experiment_decals_0X</code> textures are found in Blacksite's texture folder, <code>hr_massive</code>, (''hr'' = hi-resolution, ''massive'' = the internal name for Blacksite).
Line 130: Line 90:
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
  
= The Info Kiosk: East End Marina =
+
== Experiment 12 ==
 +
 
 +
At the bottom of the map overview for dz_blacksite there is the following text:
 +
<pre>
 +
NOTE REDACTED - CLASSIFIED - BLACKSITE - EXPERIMENT 12 -  ARTILLERY PREP ZONE OBSERVATION
 +
</pre>
 +
 
 +
And along the right side:
 +
<pre>
 +
SUBJECTS INBOUND AUTHORISATION CONFIRM FOR ZERO OUTCOME APPROVED - REGISTERED
 +
</pre>
 +
 
 +
There is a wristband model in the update (<code>models\weapons\v_models\arms\wristband</code>) that also bears the text "EXPERIMENT 12"
 +
 
 +
<gallery>
 +
Bs_dz_blacksite_overview.png|dz_blacksite_overview
 +
Bs_wristband.png|wristband.mdl. "EXPERIMENT 12"
 +
</gallery>
 +
 
 +
== Signage: Images and Messages ==
 +
 
 +
Throughout the map there is various imagery, some of it quite dark or edgy. Some of it has equivalent weapon skins.
 +
 
 +
<gallery>
 +
Bs_Signage_image_01.png|signage_image_01
 +
Bs_Signage_image_02.png|signage_image_02
 +
Bs_Signage_message_01.png|signage_message_01: This one is similar to the "Lab Rats" weapon skin and the CS:GO twitter's profile banner art.
 +
Bs_Signage_message_02.png|signage_message_02
 +
</gallery>
 +
 
 +
== The Info Kiosk: East End Marina ==
  
 
On Blacksite there is an info kiosk model, however in-game it is empty. Contained within Blacksite's texture folder, there is a texture: <code>survival_info_kiosk_color</code>.
 
On Blacksite there is an info kiosk model, however in-game it is empty. Contained within Blacksite's texture folder, there is a texture: <code>survival_info_kiosk_color</code>.
 +
 
The text in it is blacked out, but brightening the image allows most of it to be revealed.
 
The text in it is blacked out, but brightening the image allows most of it to be revealed.
 +
[[File:Survival_info_kiosk_TEXT.png|thumb|The kiosk texture with blacked out text restored.]]
 +
  
 
<gallery>
 
<gallery>
survival_info_kiosk_color.png|survival_info_kiosk_color
+
Bs_kiosk.png|The kiosk, in game, notably empty.
survival_info_kiosk_TEXT.png|The text, inferred from brightening the image.
+
survival_info_kiosk_color.png|The survival_info_kiosk_color texture.
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
  
The image links to the website [http://eastendmarina.com/ eastendmarina.com] among other things mentioned.
+
The image links to the website [http://eastendmarina.com/ eastendmarina.com] among other things mentioned. This site is currently considered a gamejacking attempt, and anything on it should be disregarded in the context of this ARG. The reason it is thought to be a gamejacking attempt is because Valve registers their sites with Network Solutions, while [http://eastendmarina.com/ eastendmarina.com] was registered with NameCheap. It was also registered on 2018-12-09, after the URL has been found.
 +
 
 +
= Gabe Newell's Email =
  
== Likely Gamejack: [http://eastendmarina.com/ eastendmarina.com] ==
+
While further investigation took place, a user emailed Gabe Newell about the discoveries. The response Gabe sent was met with some suspicion, but has since been confirmed to be genuine. The user's name has been edited out to preserve anonymity.
  
As of 14:44 PST 2018-12-09 the site is black with an embedded audio file: [http://eastendmarina.com/2.wav 2.wav]
 
  
However, it's unlikely that this is an official part of the ARG because the site was registered on 2018-12-09, technically a couple days after the trailhead.
+
[[File: gabemail.png]]
  
  
{{WIP}}
+
As such, the investigation is considered complete.

Latest revision as of 00:40, 10 December 2018

Blacksite
Completed
Blacksite.png
Following the Danger Zone update, a secret was found within the Blacksite.
Type Investigation
Creator Valve
Discovered 2018-12-09

Main Page > List of Investigations > Blacksite


The Broadcast

On December 9, 2018, Reddit user u/vioeugen found a strange broadcast inside Room 3 of the Tourist building on the new Blacksite map. The broadcast was as follows:

[Theme 1 plays 4 times]
papa, golf, papa, whiskey
*small beep*
5, 0
sierra, mike, sierra, 7
*small beep*
5, 7 
[Theme 1 plays 3 times]
eating, hydrolic, keyboard, atlantic, shadow, liberty, transit, orlando, chairlift, maritime, buzzard, document, stopwatch, suspicious, guidance, politeness 
*fairly long break*    
alone, molecule, cobra, positive, cranky, unify, unearth, corrosion, tunnel, cumbersome, mohawk, repellant, bison, voyager, puppy, finicky, afflict, outfielder, spheroid, vagabond, sawdust, atlantic, mural, penetrate, berzerk, Medusa, ragtime, guitarist, indulge, consulting, burbank, distortion, repay, coherence
[Theme 1 plays 4 times, but sped up]

The beginning of this string is in the NATO phonetic alphabet, and reads PGPW50 SMS757. The PGP refers to the PGP Word List, a system similar to the NATO phonetic alphabet for conveying more complex data. The W50 indicates that there are 50 PGP words. When all the words are translated into PGP format they read as such:

54 74 7A 0E
BA 87 E7 A0
30 88 2E 4F
D7 DB 70 B4
*break*
0B 94 3C B5
41 ED F0 3A
ED 3E 83 C2
20 F7 9B 5E
06 A1 CB F2
B2 0E 84 AC
1E 8B A0 69
75 38 2C 4E
A7 2E

This led to the SMS757 string's use. SMS7 indicates that the data is encoded in GSM 7-bit, while the 57 references the number of characters. When decoded, the string read as such:

This was a triumph. I'm making a note here: HUGE SUCCESS.

This is a reference to the song "Still Alive" from the Valve game Portal, leading to speculation that this may tie into a third Portal release.

Potential Clues

The Three Trees

When the chime from the first segment is inverted onto the latter ones (which has the down side of repeating what the voice says under the first chime over the other ones), key words like "there, there and there" and "little rabbit" and "surrounded by three trees" can be heard, seemingly from this song: "The Three Trees" by Nat King Cole

Cleaned-up Version of the Sound file

In-game there are several "three trees" logos that resemble the white forest logo in Half-Life 2: Episode 2.

The Experiment Decals

These experiment_decals_0X textures are found in Blacksite's texture folder, hr_massive, (hr = hi-resolution, massive = the internal name for Blacksite).

Experiment 12

At the bottom of the map overview for dz_blacksite there is the following text:

NOTE REDACTED - CLASSIFIED - BLACKSITE - EXPERIMENT 12 -  ARTILLERY PREP ZONE OBSERVATION

And along the right side:

SUBJECTS INBOUND AUTHORISATION CONFIRM FOR ZERO OUTCOME APPROVED - REGISTERED

There is a wristband model in the update (models\weapons\v_models\arms\wristband) that also bears the text "EXPERIMENT 12"

Signage: Images and Messages

Throughout the map there is various imagery, some of it quite dark or edgy. Some of it has equivalent weapon skins.

The Info Kiosk: East End Marina

On Blacksite there is an info kiosk model, however in-game it is empty. Contained within Blacksite's texture folder, there is a texture: survival_info_kiosk_color.

The text in it is blacked out, but brightening the image allows most of it to be revealed.

The kiosk texture with blacked out text restored.


The image links to the website eastendmarina.com among other things mentioned. This site is currently considered a gamejacking attempt, and anything on it should be disregarded in the context of this ARG. The reason it is thought to be a gamejacking attempt is because Valve registers their sites with Network Solutions, while eastendmarina.com was registered with NameCheap. It was also registered on 2018-12-09, after the URL has been found.

Gabe Newell's Email

While further investigation took place, a user emailed Gabe Newell about the discoveries. The response Gabe sent was met with some suspicion, but has since been confirmed to be genuine. The user's name has been edited out to preserve anonymity.


Gabemail.png


As such, the investigation is considered complete.