Portal 2...perhaps.

[vadermath]

http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2010/03/02/portal-theres-something-going-on/

The ****? I'm firing up Steam, and reinstalling Portal just to check this out. Those sneaky Valve bastards are preppin' us for something big. Either Portal 2 or HL2: Episode 3 info.

Perhaps both. Thoughts?

 

[Rujasu]

Portal 2 has been in the works for quite a while now, so that is what I expect.

It could be both, too.

 

[vadermath]

Indeed, though we haven't seen a single screenshot or bit of info out of it. The same for Ep. 3.

I take my hat off for this one, though. One heck of a marketing campaign.

http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1169218

Translating Morse code and images from radio sounds packed into a seamlessly unimportant Portal update. 

 

[Iberon]

Haven't played Portal beyond the demo but I'm still following this, is it me or does the object on the right of this, resemble the HL2:Ep2 gnome?

隐藏

 

[vadermath]

Holy crap, that's right! Also, some people have deciphered

interior transmission active
external data line active
message digest active

From the sounds, via Morse Code. Kind of like a computer booting. An AI booting once again, perhaps? A particularly still alive murderous AI?

 

[Iberon]

隐藏

According to internet folks B.dA is an equation related to magnetic flux and magnetism causes the Aurora Borealis.

 

[vadermath]

I wondered what that was! Also, some have translated more of the Morse messages;

System data dump active
User back up active
Password back up active

She's back!

 

[Tuckles]

B.dA is the equation for magnetic flux, yeah.

B being field, dot-producted to the area vector. (BAcos(theta))

I don't see what the aurora borealis has to do with either portal or HL2. I haven't played either game to its conclusion though mind you.

 

[Iberon]

If you played Half-Life 2:Episode 2 you would see the connection straight away.

EDIT: Not right away actually towards the end.

 

[Tuckles]

God. I really should pick that game up.

Do tell sir, even if it be in a spoiler. I was never one for finishing games anyway.

 

[Temuzu]

B.dA is the equation for magnetic flux, yeah.

B being field, dot-producted to the area vector. (BAcos(theta))

I don't see what the aurora borealis has to do with either portal or HL2. I haven't played either game to its conclusion though mind you.

Aurora Borealis is a research ship, that is now lost, but is rumoured to come back in HL Episode 3. Aboard theres technology that could drive the Combine out of Earth once and for all.

 

[Iberon]

Another thing to add this the Borealis ship was owned by Aperture Science, who also owned the facility in which Portal takes place.

 

[Tuckles]

Hrmm... Interesting. Could HL2:Ep3 then take place in this lost ship?

Also: seeing as this viral campaign is hinting at both Portal 2 and HL2:Ep3 couldn't the latter incorporate the former? Say GLaDOS is actually the brains of the computer system in the borealis, and Mr. Freeman finds a portal gun! That'd be swell I say. It'd make me wanna play HL2 in its entirety anyway.

 

[Cyborg Eastern European]

Goodie.
Bout time those ****s got off their lazy arses.

 

[Iberon]

Something else to be noted is the line given in HL2:Ep2 by Kleiner about the transmission is:'We have coordinates, blueprints, hailing frequencies. Quite ingenious of Dr. Mossman to hide it all in the carrier wave.' At the same time lots of information is being held in the sound files from Portal.

EDIT: Also concerning Mossman, Eli says 'Well, that means shes still alive up there."

 

[Cyborg Eastern European]

Here's a thought I got from the video at Vader's RPS link: What IF Ep2 and Portal are happening simultaneously?

 

[Iberon]

As mentioned before I haven't played Portal beyond the demo but doesn't Glados says something about standing between us and 'them'?

 

[Cyborg Eastern European]

Never got to her psychotic ramblings myself but I'm thinking she could be trying to destroy the Combine.
And the whole Portal tests stuff is just her way of trying to develop some sort Spec. Ops for what her turrets can't do.


*Note: Hyp's neurons are just wildly making unbased connections using known data right now, don't take him seriously.

 

[Iberon]

This video supposedly contains voices although making out what is being said is difficult although at 0:27 sounds like 'That's amazing!'.

 

[Elisianthus]

EDIT: Also concerning Mossman, Eli says 'Well, that means shes still alive up there."

She's doing science!

Horrendous reference aside, I'm in the simultaneous timeline camp. And to be completely honest I wouldn't be surprised if the Portal Gun makes a cameo appearance in EP 3 either.