DigitalN. Posted August 30, 2004 Share Posted August 30, 2004 1. The First Test A few months ago, when forum member merc went to play HL2 at Valve Headquarters, he also took a picture of the whiteboard, which you can see here: http://img40.imageshack.us/img40/8601/board1.jpg Contained in this picture was the word "rot13", as well as some text that had been cut off from the side of the picture. After much debate and speculation, a forum member e-mailed Valve employee Greg Coomer, asking about this text. Greg replied with the full text, and once this was decoded with a rot13 decoder, it revealed the following info: http://www.half-life2.com/secret/pwn3d/ valve 437N452 After going to this url and typing in the following info into the login box, you are presented with a picture of the G-man, and the text "Hello Halflife2.net. Your cleverness is noted; you've passed the first test." 2. The Second Test After the first test was solved, people were happy. but they wanted more, and it was generally suspected by forum members that valve were to release more tests, possibly in the upcoming hl2 preload. once the preload was out, forum members found an interesting picture inside, which can be found here: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/g.vaccaro/gman.jpg or alternatively, the original thread can be viewed here: http://www.halflife2.net/forums/sho...99&page=1&pp=40 Inside the metadata of the picture, which can be viewed by opening the image in notepad, are the words, "password is nova/prospekt this is the second test". This fuelled forum members to find out more information. So far, we have come up with nothing, although there has been an enormous effort by HalfLife2.net members. Note: The username and password is 'nova prospekt' because that is the name of a location in HL2. You can see a sign for it in the 'trainstation' video as you walk into the fenced off area, just before the alarm sounds. A lot of people are trying to use 'nova prospekt' as a clue, which personally, I think is unlikely. Several people have translated it into several different things (Although each translation is similar.) 3. The New Whiteboards. Recently, a HL2.net member, shm0zy, visited valve headquarters in seattle. While he was there, he was asked by a Valve employee to take some photos of the whiteboards used by Valve to correlate and explore ideas. The pictures shm0zy took can be found here: http://img3.exs.cx/img3/2208/White-bored.jpg and http://img20.exs.cx/img20/4497/White-Bored2.jpg While these were interesting and contained many jokes, some forum members found it strange that shm0zy had been asked to take pictures of the boards. Is there anything hidden in these boards? Nothing has been found yet. 4. Where to go next So far, what has been tried is: - entering nova/prospekt and many other combinations into the original test page - compiling the PHP in the JPEG - decrypting the JPEG using multiple programs - searching for hidden files in the JPEG using multiple programs - searching the headers in the JPEG - examining the previous whiteboard photos we have (both of them) - examining other screenshots - searching the JPEG itself for hidden words - Other miscellaneous ideas have been tested with no success. We have found also http://www.half-life2.com/test and http://www.steampowered.com/test , although this is thought to be unrelated to the "test" that valve has given us and is probably some website test. If you are interested in helping, please look at information regarding the second test only. The first test has been solved and it is probably not related to the second. Information/links regarding the first test: http://img3.exs.cx/img3/2208/White-bored.jpg } http://img20.exs.cx/img20/4497/White-Bored2.jpg } these are shm0zy's whiteboard pictures. nothing regarding eiter test has been found on them. http://img40.imageshack.us/img40/8601/board1.jpg - This is merc's picture of the whiteboard. It contained the first test info. http://www.half-life2.com/secret/shots was originally posted some months ago. the source for the page contains a picture of a Bluebird and the G-man, in ascii form. http://valve:437N452@www.half-life2.com/secret/pwn3d - This is the first test. In the source of the page is the Bluebird and Gordon. The solution to the second test has more than likely NOTHING to do with the clues for the first test. Try to ignore the first whiteboard, and everything at the url www.half-life2.net/secret/pwned/ Information that could be related to the second test: http://www.half-life2.com/test/ - HL2's site has a test page that requires a password. If you have any information, come to #SecondTest in Quakenet and tell us. Stuff you don't need to tell: Info regarding the first test isn't needed, thanks Info you've seen before posted by someone else 5. Credits This FAQ was written by WaryWolf. Parts by Dr0ndeh and Icarus. Edited By Icarus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liquid Posted August 30, 2004 Share Posted August 30, 2004 :blink: Should spoilers be added in the title ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt74441 Posted August 30, 2004 Share Posted August 30, 2004 Interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AcdShdw Posted August 30, 2004 Share Posted August 30, 2004 wtf!? :huh: ?A??A?A?!??!!!, YES AD SPOILERS TO THE TITLE! i started to read then i was like noooo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glitch409 Posted August 30, 2004 Share Posted August 30, 2004 well i dont follow the series, so, i have know idea what spoilers were in it :D what do you get btw if you guess the second test, i mean there must be a reward or something :shifty: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Varsity Posted August 30, 2004 Share Posted August 30, 2004 None of these are game spoilers. It's just a bit of advergaming like ilovebees (but with the advantage of being original ;)) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jam3z Posted August 30, 2004 Share Posted August 30, 2004 this is fantastic :D make sure u let us know if anything else is found out :) i rekon the bluebird is important Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keito Posted August 30, 2004 Share Posted August 30, 2004 yeah.. I think it has something to do with the bluebird too... [conspiracy mode] The "HL2 on Monday" hoax was staged! OH NOES! [/conspiracy mode] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jam3z Posted August 31, 2004 Share Posted August 31, 2004 theres 2 posts on this now :/ lol errm neway test 2 is done now i think Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dio Posted August 31, 2004 Share Posted August 31, 2004 Damn, this is crazy. This looks like a crazy trend that developers might pick up, eh? Start a little conspiracy/mystery before game release. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cpu killer Posted August 31, 2004 Share Posted August 31, 2004 theres 2 posts on this now :/ lol errm neway test 2 is done now i think Where? :huh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackwanders Posted August 31, 2004 Share Posted August 31, 2004 The second test is actually to see if you people can just drop the whole thing and wait until the release date, because there is no 'second test'. first one to give up wins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Djmutik1013 Posted August 31, 2004 Share Posted August 31, 2004 OK i GIVE UP what do I get Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimplyPotatoes Posted August 31, 2004 Share Posted August 31, 2004 DACOOLNESS 4 life yo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
l77Il7H Posted September 1, 2004 Share Posted September 1, 2004 this is the crappiest promotional crap for a game. halo 2 did a much better job with these easter eggs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nexus- Posted September 1, 2004 Share Posted September 1, 2004 result of test 2 (directions to reveal this image are somewere in another thread here. http://s95080922.onlinehome.us/root/Barnacle.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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