i'm rather impresed with LXC, password>braille>image>base64>pdf is a great improvement from the last one
Clearly not hard enough. Must go deeper!
I'm giving the ship to Littlezipp, the clever bastard. I'm going to split the gold between Junren and Mephisto, for not only being super close, but being open and helpful about it.
Next document drops on Monday, Australian time. I'm going to pick yet another timezone so we don't have any more overlap. LittleZipp, you're banned from entering
an official date and time announcement would help, because these are far late when I get them then its close to near solve. I just want a set time so if I don't win it then I don't win it....
LXC intends make it harder, but there's relatively few way to do so
You could increase the number of steps, which is fairly trivial at the beginning but rapidly becomes impractical, OR you could make the individual steps harder to solve.
So far we've had Unicode and base64 encoding, which are hard for the layperson but very evident to anyone with a computer sciences degree. I think that the designer of these puzzles will increase the steps to 5 or 6 from the current 3, varying the encoding of the clues but always leading to an image of some sort with a visual clue, and then start ramping up the difficulty.
How the designer does so will be interesting, a substitution cypher would require some sort of hint if it isn't the last step, but it would throw many people for a loop if they came up with a password that didn't work. For intermediate steps, there are many places you can put data in an image that doesn't show up visually. For example, an ancillary chunk in a png, maybe a cHRM chunk after a sRGB chunk. You could also do sneaky things with the starting code, like starting with binary that needs to be flipped to work or having the groups of starting characters out of order in some way.
LXC intends make it harder, but there's relatively few way to do so
You could increase the number of steps, which is fairly trivial at the beginning but rapidly becomes impractical, OR you could make the individual steps harder to solve.
So far we've had Unicode and base64 encoding, which are hard for the layperson but very evident to anyone with a computer sciences degree. I think that the designer of these puzzles will increase the steps to 5 or 6 from the current 3, varying the encoding of the clues but always leading to an image of some sort with a visual clue, and then start ramping up the difficulty.
How the designer does so will be interesting, a substitution cypher would require some sort of hint if it isn't the last step, but it would throw many people for a loop if they came up with a password that didn't work. For intermediate steps, there are many places you can put data in an image that doesn't show up visually. For example, an ancillary chunk in a png, maybe a cHRM chunk after a sRGB chunk. You could also do sneaky things with the starting code, like starting with binary that needs to be flipped to work or having the groups of starting characters out of order in some way.
make it extremely hard. lets see how it goes from there. btw can you explain on how exactly you got answer base from a braille. still dont get it.
Not at a computer so can't do fun pictures, but look at the images previously posted (which were the output of the digits at the bottom of the PDF) then convert the Braille dots to letters.
1 I'm an idiot with this stuff. 2 is it possible the deciphering/decrypting. will use older techniques without computer technology? 3 how do you guys even know where to start? I look at it and I'm like what the hell does this mean? 4 maybe use symbols? instead of letters and numbers. as a bad example using music notes? 5 not everyone knows what to do, yeah I know it sounds lame but some people feel left out even though they really want to attempt it but are completely clueless. not every one is as smart as those who figured it out right away. will there be chances for even those who lack computer skills to get them? and make it a little bit more far/equal? -Thank you Retribution
1 I'm an idiot with this stuff. 2 is it possible the deciphering/decrypting. will use older techniques without computer technology? 3 how do you guys even know where to start? I look at it and I'm like what the hell does this mean? 4 maybe use symbols? instead of letters and numbers. as a bad example using music notes? 5 not everyone knows what to do, yeah I know it sounds lame but some people feel left out even though they really want to attempt it but are completely clueless. not every one is as smart as those who figured it out right away. will there be chances for even those who lack computer skills to get them? and make it a little bit more far/equal? -Thank you Retribution
Look up the Portal ARGs or just ARGs in general to get a better idea of what to look for and how these things work. Alternate Reality Games are not for the faint of heart and usually reward those most dedicated to the task.
At the end of it all these WILL get harder and you WILL get left behind. We've already proven twice that these challenges are too easy, not too hard.
(off topic for a second)Retri3 you're not the real Retribution. so from what I am reading ARG's are just multiplayer games for example Runscape if you go down to the very basics. going off of this don't many people play these kinds of videogames? so then we should all then have the basics to figure this stuff out then? i try to stay on a neutral stance but I can see both sides, but i would lean towards Retri3's idea about using older versions of ciphering, I've seen some that to most would be difficult but to a few almost simple. and symbols would be a good idea. there is one that looks like a bunch of random angles in different dirrections that would be cool to see. especially if the phone or pc doesn't have the symbols you need to type in, which would cause some to have to do online research wich would be a challenge especially if no accurate words to describe them. but in general the information is cool to read and a little bit entertaining. so in general good job. (my apologies if i switch topics fast)
(off topic for a second)Retri3 you're not the real Retribution. so from what I am reading ARG's are just multiplayer games for example Runscape if you go down to the very basics. going off of this don't many people play these kinds of videogames? so then we should all then have the basics to figure this stuff out then? i try to stay on a neutral stance but I can see both sides, but i would lean towards Retri3's idea about using older versions of ciphering, I've seen some that to most would be difficult but to a few almost simple. and symbols would be a good idea. there is one that looks like a bunch of random angles in different dirrections that would be cool to see. especially if the phone or pc doesn't have the symbols you need to type in, which would cause some to have to do online research wich would be a challenge especially if no accurate words to describe them. but in general the information is cool to read and a little bit entertaining. so in general good job. (my apologies if i switch topics fast)
The definition is pretty general, but no, you won't find people referring to something like Runescape as an ARG. As I've already said, look up the Portal ARGs, they pretty much defined how ARGs are run in the recent years.
Vega Conflict-er since closed beta phase 1, back when torpedo harriers ruled the sector. BP- started in the black sea days, then the game died... WC- started pre-World Map, then everything went downhill.
A way to help level the field is to stretch it out, so that its not done in under 1hr. Like Lore contest which a piece of the key is given out 1 per day over the span of a week, ending with 7 clues. All released at 5pm pst (Kix time).
Then mix up the puzzle pieces so that more can get involved. Example 1 - Literally give us puzzle pieces to arrange, gives part of equation 2 - Image file with hidden info, figure it out for another part of equation 3 - Vega trivia questions involving, what equation is? like how to calculate something for DPS vs Shield (maybe not that simple, yet you understand) 4 - a Cryptoquip. letter sypher that is not impossible except for programmers 5 - you get the picture by now....
7 - last piece to solve and post PDF that needs be unlocked, so that guessers don't ruin the answer if they figure it out by luck
**Oh and to keep people checking forums and not quitting, give prize of new Demon Corp ship (not blueprint) to first 10-15 to post.
Rick: Uh...Nobody's perfect, Commander.
Roy: You haven't changed a bit, have you? Well, this isn't your dad's amateur flying circus. My men are real pilots.
Rick: I'm gonna have to make you eat those words, Commander. Coming in.
Good Job
Lol great have a contest Finds out when it ends had no chance
It doesn't matter when @CM LXC posts these, it will always be night time for someone.
Scorched Earth
CM LXC this time will be two events at the same time?
still buying it tho if I feel like it. *shrug*
LXC intends make it harder, but there's relatively few way to do so
You could increase the number of steps, which is fairly trivial at the beginning but rapidly becomes impractical, OR you could make the individual steps harder to solve.
So far we've had Unicode and base64 encoding, which are hard for the layperson but very evident to anyone with a computer sciences degree. I think that the designer of these puzzles will increase the steps to 5 or 6 from the current 3, varying the encoding of the clues but always leading to an image of some sort with a visual clue, and then start ramping up the difficulty.
How the designer does so will be interesting, a substitution cypher would require some sort of hint if it isn't the last step, but it would throw many people for a loop if they came up with a password that didn't work. For intermediate steps, there are many places you can put data in an image that doesn't show up visually. For example, an ancillary chunk in a png, maybe a cHRM chunk after a sRGB chunk. You could also do sneaky things with the starting code, like starting with binary that needs to be flipped to work or having the groups of starting characters out of order in some way.
Not at a computer so can't do fun pictures, but look at the images previously posted (which were the output of the digits at the bottom of the PDF) then convert the Braille dots to letters.
http://www.pharmabraille.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/braille-alphabet-and-braille-numbers.png
2 is it possible the deciphering/decrypting. will use older techniques without computer technology?
3 how do you guys even know where to start? I look at it and I'm like what the hell does this mean?
4 maybe use symbols? instead of letters and numbers. as a bad example using music notes?
5 not everyone knows what to do, yeah I know it sounds lame but some people feel left out even though they really want to attempt it but are completely clueless.
not every one is as smart as those who figured it out right away. will there be chances for even those who lack computer skills to get them? and make it a little bit more far/equal?
-Thank you
Retribution
At the end of it all these WILL get harder and you WILL get left behind. We've already proven twice that these challenges are too easy, not too hard.
so from what I am reading ARG's are just multiplayer games for example Runscape if you go down to the very basics.
going off of this don't many people play these kinds of videogames? so then we should all then have the basics to figure this stuff out then?
i try to stay on a neutral stance but I can see both sides, but i would lean towards Retri3's idea about using older versions of ciphering, I've seen some that to most would be difficult but to a few almost simple. and symbols would be a good idea. there is one that looks like a bunch of random angles in different dirrections that would be cool to see. especially if the phone or pc doesn't have the symbols you need to type in, which would cause some to have to do online research wich would be a challenge especially if no accurate words to describe them. but in general the information is cool to read and a little bit entertaining. so in general good job. (my apologies if i switch topics fast)
Keep these coming, but how about some less coding-based challenges for those of us who lack some(/any) computer-wrangling skills?
BP- started in the black sea days, then the game died...
WC- started pre-World Map, then everything went downhill.
My BP story series:
https://www.kixeye.com/forum/discussion/202668
https://www.kixeye.com/forum/discussion/239790
https://www.kixeye.com/forum/discussion/466086 (in progress).
Then mix up the puzzle pieces so that more can get involved. Example
1 - Literally give us puzzle pieces to arrange, gives part of equation
2 - Image file with hidden info, figure it out for another part of equation
3 - Vega trivia questions involving, what equation is? like how to calculate something for DPS vs Shield (maybe not that simple, yet you understand)
4 - a Cryptoquip. letter sypher that is not impossible except for programmers
5 - you get the picture by now....
7 - last piece to solve and post PDF that needs be unlocked, so that guessers don't ruin the answer if they figure it out by luck
**Oh and to keep people checking forums and not quitting, give prize of new Demon Corp ship (not blueprint) to first 10-15 to post.
do not confuse with some kind of binary code, is braile, 2 colums represents 1 letter, the code is humanisdead