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Portal 2
From Portal 2 ARG Wiki - Valve ARG Network
This page contains information from the ARG that is directly linked to the Half-Life 2/Portal 1/2 universe.
The "Potato" theme seems to stem from removing R, L, and W from the phrase "Portal Two", as shown by the banner that appears when you can claim your Portal "Resurrection Associate Pin" pin in Team Fortress 2.
Contents |
Preload Information
This is a list of all the maps that will be in the game. Very interesting information can be extracted, and if it is not useful to the ARG, it is interesting to any Portal 2 fan. There is other interesting info found in the scripts, and sounds folder.
e1912.bsp filelist.txt mp_coop_catapult_1.bsp mp_coop_catapult_1_commentary.txt mp_coop_catapult_2.bsp mp_coop_catapult_wall_intro.bsp mp_coop_come_along.bsp mp_coop_credits.bsp mp_coop_doors.bsp mp_coop_fan.bsp mp_coop_fling_1.bsp mp_coop_fling_3.bsp mp_coop_fling_crushers.bsp mp_coop_infinifling_train.bsp mp_coop_laser_2.bsp mp_coop_laser_crusher.bsp mp_coop_lobby_2.bsp mp_coop_lobby_2_commentary.txt mp_coop_multifling_1.bsp mp_coop_paint_bridge.bsp mp_coop_paint_come_along.bsp mp_coop_paint_longjump_intro.bsp mp_coop_paint_red_racer.bsp mp_coop_paint_redirect.bsp mp_coop_paint_speed_catch.bsp mp_coop_paint_speed_fling.bsp mp_coop_paint_walljumps.bsp mp_coop_race_2.bsp mp_coop_rat_maze.bsp mp_coop_start.bsp mp_coop_tbeam_catch_grind_1.bsp mp_coop_tbeam_drill.bsp mp_coop_tbeam_end.bsp mp_coop_tbeam_laser_1.bsp mp_coop_tbeam_maze.bsp mp_coop_tbeam_polarity.bsp mp_coop_tbeam_polarity2.bsp mp_coop_tbeam_polarity3.bsp mp_coop_tbeam_redirect.bsp mp_coop_teambts.bsp mp_coop_turret_ball.bsp mp_coop_turret_walls.bsp mp_coop_wall_2.bsp mp_coop_wall_5.bsp mp_coop_wall_5_commentary.txt mp_coop_wall_block.bsp mp_coop_wall_intro.bsp soundcache sp_a1_intro1.bsp sp_a1_intro1_commentary.txt sp_a1_intro2.bsp sp_a1_intro2_commentary.txt sp_a1_intro3.bsp sp_a1_intro3_commentary.txt sp_a1_intro4.bsp sp_a1_intro4_commentary.txt sp_a1_intro5.bsp sp_a1_intro6.bsp sp_a1_intro6_commentary.txt sp_a1_intro7.bsp sp_a1_intro7_commentary.txt sp_a1_wakeup.bsp sp_a1_wakeup_commentary.txt sp_a2_bridge_intro.bsp sp_a2_bridge_the_gap.bsp sp_a2_bts1.bsp sp_a2_bts1_commentary.txt sp_a2_bts2.bsp sp_a2_bts3.bsp sp_a2_bts3_commentary.txt sp_a2_bts4.bsp sp_a2_bts5.bsp sp_a2_bts6.bsp sp_a2_catapult_intro.bsp sp_a2_catapult_intro_commentary.txt sp_a2_column_blocker.bsp sp_a2_core.bsp sp_a2_core_commentary.txt sp_a2_dual_lasers.bsp sp_a2_fizzler_intro.bsp sp_a2_fizzler_intro_commentary.txt sp_a2_intro.bsp sp_a2_intro_commentary.txt sp_a2_laser_chaining.bsp sp_a2_laser_intro.bsp sp_a2_laser_intro_commentary.txt sp_a2_laser_over_goo.bsp sp_a2_laser_relays.bsp sp_a2_laser_stairs.bsp sp_a2_laser_vs_turret.bsp sp_a2_laser_vs_turret_commentary.txt sp_a2_pit_flings.bsp sp_a2_pull_the_rug.bsp sp_a2_pull_the_rug_commentary.txt sp_a2_ricochet.bsp sp_a2_ricochet_commentary.txt sp_a2_sphere_peek.bsp sp_a2_sphere_peek_commentary.txt sp_a2_triple_laser.bsp sp_a2_trust_fling.bsp sp_a2_trust_fling_commentary.txt sp_a2_turret_blocker.bsp sp_a2_turret_intro.bsp sp_a2_turret_intro_commentary.txt sp_a3_00.bsp sp_a3_01.bsp sp_a3_01_commentary.txt sp_a3_03.bsp sp_a3_03_commentary.txt sp_a3_bomb_flings.bsp sp_a3_bomb_flings_commentary.txt sp_a3_crazy_box.bsp sp_a3_crazy_box_commentary.txt sp_a3_end.bsp sp_a3_end_commentary.txt sp_a3_jump_intro.bsp sp_a3_jump_intro_commentary.txt sp_a3_portal_intro.bsp sp_a3_portal_intro_commentary.txt sp_a3_speed_flings.bsp sp_a3_speed_flings_commentary.txt sp_a3_speed_ramp.bsp sp_a3_speed_ramp_commentary.txt sp_a3_transition01.bsp sp_a3_transition01_commentary.txt sp_a4_finale1.bsp sp_a4_finale1_commentary.txt sp_a4_finale2.bsp sp_a4_finale2_commentary.txt sp_a4_finale3.bsp sp_a4_finale3_commentary.txt sp_a4_finale4.bsp sp_a4_finale4_commentary.txt sp_a4_intro.bsp sp_a4_intro_commentary.txt sp_a4_jump_polarity.bsp sp_a4_jump_polarity_commentary.txt sp_a4_laser_catapult.bsp sp_a4_laser_catapult_commentary.txt sp_a4_laser_platform.bsp sp_a4_laser_platform_commentary.txt sp_a4_speed_tb_catch.bsp sp_a4_stop_the_box.bsp sp_a4_stop_the_box_commentary.txt sp_a4_tb_catch.bsp sp_a4_tb_intro.bsp sp_a4_tb_polarity.bsp sp_a4_tb_polarity_commentary.txt sp_a4_tb_trust_drop.bsp sp_a4_tb_trust_drop_commentary.txt sp_a4_tb_wall_button.bsp sp_a5_credits.bsp
Portal 2 Pre-load Patch just occurred.
April 12, 2011
Now allowed to pre-load Portal 2 if you Pre-ordered it. Also released the first ever Portal 2 song on Youtube
There is an achievement called "Tater Tote". Description: "Carry science forward".
Login Screens
See: Aperture Science Login Screens
Video #4: "Boots"
There are scrolling numbers in the upper right corner, under the heartbeat monitor, from 0:10 to 0:18 which read:
229 190 154 137 204 128 131 143 141 152 137 136 204 137 130 131 153 139 132 204 152 137 159 152 204 159 153 142 134 137 143 152 159 204 152 131 204 142 149 156 141 159 159 204 152 132 137 204 136 137 138 137 130 159 137 204 139 158 133 136 194 204 226 131 155 204 229 204 143 141 130 204 159 137 137 204 155 132 149 204 152 132 137 149 204 155 131 158 135 137 136 204 159 131 204 132 141 158 136 204 152 131 204 156 158 131 152 137 143 152 204 137 154 137 158 149 131 130 137 190 159 204 137 149 137 159 204 138 158 131 129 204 152 132 137 204 206 141 158 152 206 204 133 130 159 133 136 137 194 204 234 131 158 152 153 130 141 152 137 128 149 192 204 152 132 137 204 133 130 133 152 133 141 152 133 154 137 204 132 141 159 204 141 128 159 131 204 139 133 154 137 130 204 129 137 204 134 153 159 152 204 137 130 131 153 139 132 204 156 131 155 137 158 204 152 131 204 141 143 152 133 154 141 152 137 204 152 132 137 204 252 131 159 152 193 252 158 137 128 153 136 137 204 252 158 137 193 254 137 142 131 131 152 204 225 153 128 152 133 193 239 132 141 129 142 137 158 204 239 131 128 128 141 142 131 158 141 152 133 131 130 204 254 137 143 158 153 133 152 129 137 130 152 204 252 158 131 152 131 143 131 128 194 204 229 204 141 129 204 155 141 152 143 132 133 130 139 192 204 141 130 136 204 149 131 153 158 204 137 138 138 131 158 152 159 204 155 133 128 128 204 130 131 152 204 139 131 204 153 130 158 137 155 141 158 136 137 136 194 204 255 152 141 130 136 204 142 149 194
Python code for extracting message: http://codepad.org/X9xj0Cqm
By performing an XOR with 236 (0xEC) and converting to ASCII characters, it forms the following message:
- I've located enough test subjects to bypass the Defense Grid. Now I can see why they worked so hard to protect everyone's eyes from the "art" inside. Fortunately, the initiative has also given me just enough power to activate the Post-Prelude Pre-Reboot Multi-Chamber Collaboration Recruitment Protocol. I am watching, and your efforts will not go unrewarded. Stand by.
- Message clearly points to the work from the previous ARG phase: the Defense Grid recruitment drive and the concept art/Seattle photos in the DLC archives.
- Trailer also references the line "bang the rocks together" which was previously hinted by a message from Tripwire Interactive on April 9th. May be unrelated.
- Trailer contains three frames which may or may not be meaningless. The latter two contain a fuzzy image of
a hand holding a CDCaroline falling to her death. http://imgur.com/a/4his1
Video #3: "Turrets"
This section discusses the content of the April 5th Aperture Investment Opportunity #3: "Turrets" video. Notable features relevant to the ARG are a set of frames at approximately 0:37 disguised as noise in a scene transition which contains phrases encoded in ASCII, the face of a man and several symbols:
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Frame 944:
ASCII:
72 101 114 101 39 115 32 68 97 32 66 101 101 110 115 44 32 68 111 117 103 116 97 116 111 58:
- Here's Da Beens, Dougtato:
89 111 117 32 102 111 117 110 100 32 109 97 110 121 46 70 105 110 100 32 116 104 101 32 114 101 115 116 46:
- You found many.Find the rest.
77 105 75 97 88 115 85 115 32 70 84 87:
- MiKaXsUs FTW
Face:
A face is clearly visible in the background of frame 944. It was suggested that it might belong to Geoff Keighley, the host of GTTV, with the theory that he'd be presenting a show on 7th April 2011 which will feature a Portal 2 trailer and/or footage. (See the show's preview, which DOES include new footage from the game here. However the show was not ARG related. It has since been revealed that the face belong to Cave Johnson, founder of Aperture Science.
Symbols:
There are several symbols in the foreground of the frame which appear as follows:
□ + ɑ x16 "..." x13
'□' likely refers to the number of glyphs and 'ɑ' (old-fashioned shorthand way of writing "alphabet") likely refers to the number of letters in the phrases here. "..." (a way of expressing quotation) refers to the number of phrases, likely the latter. Therefore, if these assumptions are correct, the total number of glyphs is 16, the total number of letters per consonant phrase is 16, and the total number of phrases is 13, meaning one from each game.
Frame 945
ASCII:
65 108 115 111 46 46 46 32 115 117 112 101 114 100 105 110 111 109 97 110 39 115 32 109 111 109:
- Also... superdinoman's mom
Portal 2 Comic
A preview of a 2 part comic to bridge the stories from P1 to P2 was put up by IGN on April 6. IGN subsequently posted Part 1 on April 8, and Part 2 on April 11. The entire comic can be read on Valve's site. The full comic can be downloaded as a PDF.
The Comic deals with the "Rat Man" character that drew the warnings outside the test chambers seen in Portal 1 (same artist, Andrea Wicklund), and confirmed by Valve to have witnessed Chell defeat GLaDOS, his drawings used to introduce the player to the game in Portal 2. This is believed to be "drattman", eg "Doug Rattman" (see prescription label on page 4) that appeared on previous ARG/fictional history of Aperture Science.
At least one of the scribbled writings is a 16-consonant phrase: "Hear the turret for it is knell" (hrthtrrtfrtsknll) This phrase also seems to be alluding to Macbeth line: "Hear it not, Duncan, for it is a knell/ That summons thee to heaven or to hell."
Six Moon symbols on page 1 seem comparable to the moon symbols seen in this screenshot [1], which appear to have Morse code-like symbols next to them (not enough to decipher completely: only xTxxxR seem clear with possible E and I in places, but note that the screenshot was was posted as early as Jan 31, 2011, may not be part of the ARG.
- Page 8 of the comic has binary code that translates to "The cake is a lie.".
Why potatoes?
As one plays through Portal 2, the connection to potatoes becomes very clear.
- Several of the science fair presentations made during the "Take Your Daughter to Work Day" (the day apparently when GLaDOS released the neurotoxin to wipe out the facility) involve potato power. One such presentation was made by Chell herself, implying that she was the daughter of a former employee.
- After Wheatley has been exchanged for GLaDOS, Wheatley places GLaDOS into a module powered by a potato.
- One of the awards run by Aperture Laboratories' predecessor, Aperture Science Laboratories, was an achievement for potato research advancement from Potato Board of Idaho.
 One of the science fair presentations |
 GLaDOS, now in new portable potato size |
 one of the science experiements |
 A huge potato growing out of control |
 And who's the young prodigy that created this potato? |
