Monday 21 January 2008

Chapter 4- Hack the Chart Plotter

UPDATE: Thanks Eugene for the clue finding process and Maven for the poem. The password for Openstego is X4x98adfo97. There were braille characters and arrows (thanks Zort70 for the pictures) indicating capital or lowercase letters in tonight's video. After the video on find815, OurMutualFriend posted "Braille AOE" in Dark UFO's comments . Googling Braile AOE took you right to dafont.com where the symbols can be translated. When the password is entered correctly you get a bunch of binary code that when translated is a Walt Whitman poem title. The binary had to be translated to text, then copied and pasted to hex and converted to text (thanks Jess for working so hard to figure this out!). Then that text had to be copied and pasted to base 64 and converted to text. There's a translator here if you want to try it yourself.

coordinates

We begin with a video recap reminding us that Talbot is working for Maxwell per the file in his cabin. Next we're taken to a video to set us up for tonight's game. In it we see Sam steering the ship. He pulls the coordinates (-11.1784, 112.2363) out of his pocket and waits for his opportunity to hack. Ockham leaves the helm and Sam opens panel and tampers with the plotter to give him a reason to "fix" it. When he is asked to fix the "faulty" plotter he inserts a flash drive into the computer and the game begins.

Hack The Chart Plotter

plotter map

The Instructions: The password for the chart plotter is a combination of 5 unique numbers and letters. None are repeated. There are 8 possibilities narrowed down by Sam's hacking software. You need to choose 5 possibilities and enter them. You will be prompted if they are wrong, all correct, or some correct. You get 10 chances and 3 minutes before a security breech alert sounds.

Possible Passwords:

  • 6H957 and S38TI (Thanks Lost2010)
  • O74ZF (Thanks ib4uc)
  • EA87I (mine)
  • ZE1FQ (Thanks Memphish)
  • XV529 (Thanks Zort70)
  • F5XSW (Thanks DedJezter)

    A strategy e-mailed to us by Lost2010:

    1. Take the 8 coordinates - abcdefgh
    2. Enter - aaaaa (if you got a red - keep an a in the first slot
    3. Enter abbbb (if you got a red and now have a white, leave a and b and move on to c
    4. Enter abccc (say you now have one red and two whites)
    5. Enter acbdd (every time you get an additional dot, you know to keep the letter)
    6. If you add nothing just take that letter out of your next sequence. And as long as you have whites and not reds, keep sliding the letters that got a hit one slot to the right.
    7. You should have a couple of tries left after you have all five dots even if they aren't all red - then you can play with it.

    If you succeed, you get a video where:

    • Sam tells Ockham that it was a loose display cable and Ockham tells Sam he is on call 24/7.
    • Talbot asks Sam if he fooled with the chart plotter. He shows him the paper with the coordinates and Sam denies any knowledge of what they are.
    • Talbot tells Sam, "You have no idea what you're involved in do you? You don't know who you're dealing with."
    • Sam tells Talbot that his employer Maxwell gave him the coordinates to which Talbot replies, "Like I said you don't know who you're dealing with. Stay away from those coordinates, you won't find what you're looking for."

    A challenging little game tonight, and lots left open for speculation. Who is Talbot working for? Are we sure it's Maxwell? Also, do you think this canine friend looks familiar? What could the poem mean?

    E-mail us at the usual place with any hints, clues, or anything that you find. Please be sure to tell us how you got the information, and sign your mails so we know what name you post by :D. THANKS!

    166 comments:

    Ange said...

    First! And:
    Just a reminder that the game has been hacked and that pretty much all the information for Chapter 4 is already out...so please include information on how you find things etc. We are show/game spoiler free.

    Also, at this time things from Dark UFO are valid but only post them if they say who found the clue and the process they used to get them. Otherwise we'll need to assume it came from non-game-play information.

    maven said...

    I never noticed those up and down arrows and #s. I think it was just before the second video. There is a screen grab at Dark's. He has posted that way Vanessa found this. It seems legit. I'm going back to find815 to see if I can see this.

    AS6 said...

    *yawn* I'm sick of playing Mastermind. I need a generator that gives me all of the permutations of the number/letter sets that it's giving me.

    Unknown said...

    The Poem in case you are interested:

    WHEN I heard the learn’d astronomer;
    When the proofs, the figures, were ranged in columns before me;
    When I was shown the charts and the diagrams, to add, divide, and measure them;
    When I, sitting, heard the astronomer, where he lectured with much applause in the lecture-room,
    How soon, unaccountable, I became tired and sick;
    Till rising and gliding out, I wander’d off by myself,
    In the mystical moist night-air, and from time to time,
    Look’d up in perfect silence at the stars.

    Beverly said...

    I never saw the arrows either.

    It was a frustrating game, but I did it! I didn't write down what my password ended up being though. Sorry, ange.

    I expected a little more, tonight. Like maybe a website on Sam's computer with the results of his hack job (google map of the coordinates maybe?)

    Carol Dunstan said...

    I'm going back to look for it too, but it means having to solve the frelling password again and I haven't been able to do that! of course it's not on the clip that Dark had posted before chap 4 began so it didn't come from there (though I guess still could have come from hacking it's just not in that clip)

    maven said...

    Okay, at the end of second video (after you mastered Mastermind), those symbols do flash by. I did see it!

    maven said...

    It is in the lower right hand corner, and unless you know it's there, you'd never catch it!

    Eugene said...

    Ange,
    Just saw your message on last post. I have sent e-mail if you still need it.

    Carol Dunstan said...

    right, I finally solved the plotter password again but did not see the arrows and hashes...

    AS6 said...

    I give up. I can't do this.

    Carol Dunstan said...

    ok, I hadn't waited till the end and still didn't see them but was a little distracted and not quick enough to stop it before it got to the end. ARGH. But I'll take your word for it Maven

    Tess315 said...

    Yea!!
    I did it with lost2010's stradegy. Thank you very much. It only took me two trys. Got lucky the second time they were all turning red is order. And thanks ange for posting that on the main page. Puzzles are not my thing and I was really getting bummed out. (showing my age there huh :) )

    maven said...

    Carol: It went by super fast! I just kept my eyes posted in that area and tried not to blink!

    lost2010 said...

    maven - I played again and I finally saw what you were talking about. I couldn't read it, but I saw it. I have no idea how to do a screen cap, so I'll have to wait for someone else to capture it to have a good look.

    AS6 said...

    This is screwed. Why would you use this type of puzzle in an ARG. It actively prevents people in the community from helping one another out!

    maven said...

    Okay, the binary text has been translated over at Dark's. I've emailed the OC gang.

    Tess315 said...

    as6
    Go to the main page and read lost2010's suggestion that ange posted. If you haven't already done that.
    It worked for me hopefully it will work for you too.
    I would have never got it without that. Not to say there weren't alot of other great suggestions there were but this is the one that worked for me.

    memphish said...

    Well I solved it, but solution was far from elegant. Pretty much just luck. Ange I emailed you my password.

    I'm glad someone has faster eyes than I do. It took a bit of time for my 2nd video to load and I noticed nothing else.

    Something I did notice in the first video though was that Ockham referred to Talbot as "Lord Talbot." I'm not sure if that was just sarcasm or something else. It's reminding me of Bad Twin again where British aristocracy came into play.

    As for the conversation between Sam and Talbot at the end, I tend to think Talbot stole the information from A. Mullins and The Maxwell Group. That would explain his smugness. Another idea is that Talbot wants to stay away from that location because he knows someone is staging freckage there.

    As much as I'd like to see Sam in S4, I sure don't want to see Talbot. Night all.

    AS6 said...

    @sayid'sgirl - that's what I've been doing for the last 15 minutes.

    maven said...

    I think "Lord" Talbot was all sarcasm! Off to watch a Netflix, BBL!

    Erin said...

    The poem cracked me up in a way: wouldn't it be funny if it's a message to those who decompile and hack and slash and over-analyze things - 'jeez guys, just enjoy it!'

    AS6 said...

    @pharmacopaeia - I'm a step away from decompiling.

    lost2010 said...

    as6 -

    You put in aaaaa and you'll either get red or nothing (because you've got it in every slot)

    But when you put in abbbb - you'll either get 2 red (which means a is right and b is in one of the four remaining slots) or 1 red and one white (which means a is one of your #'s but in the wrong slot and b could be in any of the last four) or you'll stick with the one red (which means b isn't there at all)

    Does that clarify at all? Or is it just flat out not working?

    Tess315 said...

    as6
    I'm sorry. I hope you hit it lucky soon.

    Carol Dunstan said...

    I think "lord" was just sarcasm

    still waiting on an explaination of taht first X in the stego password, but yeah... getting on with my life again... a dragon and castle jigsaw with the girls...

    Tess315 said...

    Oh and ange I was to slow trying to write down my password it disappeared before I had a chance. That's why I'm not good at puzzles I can usually get them given time but I'm so sloooow. )

    lost2010 said...

    as6 - Didn't mean that to sound like I know what I'm doing. There are some other systems in the previous post that are probably much better than mine.

    AS6 said...

    Like I've said, I've tried time and again with lost2010's method, with my own method and to no avail.

    I don't have time for this any more.

    I'm off to do something worthwhile like drawing.

    Twinkle said...

    Pharm: totally :-D but we'd do it anyway

    It's a poem that speaks to post modern quite nicely, the longing to *know* versus know about. S1 was about getting lost and setting up life in the midst of difficulty. S2 was about the numbers. S3 was about the Others. I bet this poem has to do with what the essence of S4 is going to be about.

    jess4ua said...

    Carol - The first x is from dafont.com, a site OMF posted in comments at Darkufo.
    Ange updated the front page with all of the info on how the password and poem were found.

    I looked for the arrows and signs too. I could not see it.

    Unknown said...

    Forgot to write my solution down, but I don't think it was one of the ones on the front page. I love Mastermind! It only took me 6 permutations. :)

    I saw something flash at the end of that video, but couldn't catch it on replay. Seemed like it disappeared after the first viewing.

    Anyway, glad to see other people are catching stuff and writing it down!

    Patch said...

    So we get the curious combination of 'Walt' and 'Vincent'. Interesting.

    Carol Dunstan said...

    oh dur, now I get it. I saw mention of the Braille font before but the penny didn't drop... skull font pointed to dafont.com... so look for Braille there too, though we were also given a hint on the case and letter/number. You know I think I have that font too. I've also got the semaphore, sign language and morse code fonts too... wonder if we'll need them.

    Right, so... back to twiddling thumbs for another 20 hours or so

    and patch, I thought about Walt and Vincent too...

    Patch said...

    Carol, are you getting as frustrated as me that Channel 7 hasn't given us a start date for Lost yet? It's almost february, why don't they put us out of our misery? :(

    PS...I'm a little worried that it's going to be on at the same time as the new series of Life On Mars too!

    Aimless22 said...

    Yes it is a bit curious that we now have Walt and Vincent....specially since we last saw Walt sailing away in a boat....

    maven said...

    Why would this poem be so hidden in such a roundabout way? I realize the theme of this poem is sort of man of science, man of faith as it relates to the show, but how does it relate to Sam and his quest?

    I think the picture of "Vincent" was probably an easter egg. Vincent's breed is a very common one. This "Vincent" is probably just the Captain's family dog with a nod to Walt's very special Vincent.

    Night, all.

    Carol Dunstan said...

    patch, yes and no... either way I'll be downloading it! But it'd be nice to know, and surely they have their programing sorted out. I think we may hear this week though... it's usually as teh tennis winds down that they start advertising things

    What's Life on Mars, I haven't heard of that one

    maven, I tend to think it's just a bonus for us and Sam won't have a clue about it... or he'll get a cipher later, LOL.

    Could Ockham's family dog really be Bouncer??? Could Bouncer and Vincent be related??? Could Vincent and photo-doggie be related (yes I know, clutching at straws here... Bouncer was in Melbourne, highly unlike it'd cross paths with this doggies parents etc...)

    Aimless22 said...
    This comment has been removed by the author.
    Aimless22 said...

    Ooh and Patch, I'll totally be looking out for the next series of Life on Mars...twas great eh?! But will he ever get 'home'?

    Patch said...

    Aimless, I loved the first series. The second one starts on feb 14, and I think we get all the answers in it. Are you in Australia too?

    Night Maven, see you tomorrow. :)

    *lol* at Bouncer Carol! I forgot you download the eps. It's tempting to do the same, but it's such a fun thing for Dale and I to watch together that I think I'll hold off and wait. :)

    Patch said...

    Carol, Life On Mars is being repeated on wednesday nights on ABC at the moment. I won't go into detail here but it does star John Sims aka The Master! It's a time travel theme. He's a cop on a murder case, his girlfriend cop gets taken by the suspect, he has a car accident and wakes up back in 1973. You really should watch it if you get the chance.

    Ok, sorry folks, back to your regular program.

    Aimless22 said...

    Yep I'm in Perth.

    Will totes be on the lookout for that 2nd series.

    I too would have thought we might have seen a start date for Lost but I haven't seen anything so far..

    Aimless22 said...

    " Come on Tobey, what do you say? There'll be you, me, Kerry, Skye....and Bouncer..."

    Joe Mangel circa 1990


    Sorry, I know it's totally OT!!

    Carol Dunstan said...

    oh, THAT's Life on Mars! I've seen the discs in the ABC shop but had completely forgotten what it was called (and wasn't Sims awesome as the Master???). Speaking of Dr Who... it took my sister having recently watched the ep to remind me that the big baddie in the episode 'The Satan Pit' was called Abbadon...

    Wednesday nights, I shall have to have a look... hope it doesn't clash with Moonlight (though I have it downloaded too...)

    Zort70 said...

    Hi, all I've just woken up in the UK and managed to find a password, I'll email it to Ange.

    Has anyone heard about the possible American remake of Life on Mars ? It sounded intriguing. Coming soon in the UK there is a follow up / spin off series called Ahes to Ashes which follows Gene Hunt in the 80's.

    Zort70 said...

    Just a thought, will all these combination of passwords turn out to be a clue in themselves ? I know the system looks random, but has anyone played it enough to find out if there is any pattern ?

    Zort70 said...

    And on another off topic subject (sorry last one for now) When Kylie Minogue was filming the Doctor Who Christmas Special this year she bumped into Alan Dale, who is in an episode of Torchwood (the doctor Who spinoff show). It was apparently the first time they had met since Neighbours!

    AS6 said...

    Carol - We just got through having a huge Doctor Who Marathon over here at my place. Took us three days and we still only saw up until the 5th last ep of Series 3. If you run straight through, it takes a little over 27 hours to watch from the beginning of Series 1 of the New Who up to the end of Series 3.

    As for the chart plotter, I still haven't done it. I may just watch the vids on DarkUFO and wait for the next batch of clues.

    Patch said...

    Zort- I heard about Ashes to Ashes. I hope we'll get it here too.

    as6- I got series one of Dr Who for my birthday and series 2 for christmas. Dale and I had a marathon too! We need to get series 3 on dvd now. :)

    Sorry Fenris, Ange and Jess. We are going way off topic. I think I remember that Fenris is a Doc fan, so hopefully he'll forgive us. :)

    memphish said...

    Interesting non-spoiler theory about the location of the Island given what we've learned in the game.

    I really like what this group has done in trying to find the Island, 815 and the Black Rock. This is a location I can get behind unlike the Sunda Trench.

    jess4ua said...

    Memphish- I have been reading that this morning. It is very interesting. I really think, though, that the maxwell compass is an astronomy compass, and that is why it is reversed.
    Also, It doesn't explain why they are looking in the Sunda Trench, and why all of the Island's properties seem to be there.
    But with this game you never know, and I like the way they are brainstorming!

    thewonderllama said...

    from what we've heard in game, some of the people went down near sunda trench, whereas others (losties, amelia earhart) went down east of new guinea, so would it be possible that there are multiple entry points to the lost island bubble (for lack of a better term)? or perhaps a distortion of space...maybe a wormhole?...(okay this is reaching)...that connects the sunda trench to near the lost island?

    lost2010 said...

    So, is the poem just a little bonus? Or is it supposed to mean something?

    Does it imply that you won't find the island with charts and diagrams - only by clearing your head and following your heart?

    Or am I waxing philosophical from the cold medication?

    maven said...

    Lost2010: Yep, why oh why did we get this poem in such a convoluted way. We really had to "dig" for it...the hardest part of the game so far! It does follow the basic Lost theme of "man of science, man of faith". You put it in great terms, too, even with cold medication! Are we just supposed to stop and think not to think too much and we'll find what we're looking for?

    Fenris said...

    Patch, it's alright I'm both a Doc and a LOM fan. So it's all good. :)

    On a side note, I can't say I like the involvement of OMF. It stinks of fishbiscuit and that is all I'm saying on the subject.

    Anyway, I'm looking forward to dealing with all the puzzles and stuff when I get back home from work tonight. Fun.

    Amused2bHere said...

    ack, I hate the hacking password thing. I'd do better if it told you which one was in the right position. I just can't work out the logic in 3 minutes and only 10 tries.

    feh. I'll just keep plugging away at it, maybe I'll get lucky too.

    thewonderllama said...

    for any of you still struggling with the mastermind thing, there's a solver here. it uses colors instead of letters, so you'll have to decide what color equals what character, but it should do the trick.

    maven said...

    The system that seemed to work for me (although still requires a lot of luck) is: Plug in the first five randomly. If you're lucky and you get any reds, just keep entering the ones you think are reds and leave other spaces blank. This will confirm what you've got right. Then you must use your powers of deduction to "fill in the blanks". It's worked for me quite a few times. Sometimes though, after you've plugged in the first five you won't get any reds, so you 're screwed. LOL

    lost2010 said...

    Originally, I misread the instructions and thought that the red would light up in the position where it was right. Once I figured out that it just tells you how many are right, not which positions, I was okay.

    Tess315 said...

    amused2bhere
    I know what you mean. After forever trying on my own I tried lost2010's system. I got extremely lucky on my second try. The numbers were in order for some reason. Everytime I put a new number/letter in it turned red. I ended up with the last two white then reversed them and got red. I was in shock. I went back later using the same system and tried for 10 minutes with no luck.

    jess4ua said...

    amused2bhere- The strategy that works for me almost everytime is try only 2 numbers at a time first to see which ones belong. Then play with the order. It is very important to remember that a red dot does not tell you which one is in the right place. Hope that helps.

    Maven -I am thinking that with the maxwell compass and the poem, we are somehow being pointed to the sky. I am still thinking about why.

    Fenris said...

    Maybe the Others were building a landing strip for UFO's after all. Lol.

    You know, I can't help but be disapointed with the pay day for all the work that came from that stego debacle.

    Still, it's there. So what I can say about the stars as may relate to lost is simple: Navigation. Also being able to accurately draw the stars (constellations etc) is always a sign of strong civilisation as is being able to navigate the sea. It has often been used to suggest ancient, perhaps forgotten civilizations were more advanced then we previously thought.

    Of course the poems also about learning the stars from looking at them oneselves rather then listening to someone else talk about them. Kinda individualist concept. Which to me comes across as a bit hypocrytical given how we recieved the clues.

    Twinkle said...

    So I had a bunch of follow-up thoughts after I logged off last night.

    The clue to decode the steg message was in a "video" of the events surrounding Sam. Therefore the steg message was meant for us and not for Sam. Now this is still only theory because TPTB may mean Sam to find the message and were just giving us a helping hand with it first, but I think it's likely.

    What are the ramifications of the ARG players receiving a message from the ARG that is not intended for one of the ARG characters? Well for one, it lends credence to this ARG being a story within a story that someone clued me into a few days ago. There is the storyline of what is happening with Sam and there is the storyline of whoever is showing this to the world now and what their motives are. The second storyline could simply be gamesmanship on the part of TPTB with no more meaning than to be grow interest in the lead-up to the show. I think that's most likely.

    But there is a possibility that we have two sets of ARG characters, Sam and his story, and then whoever is revealing Sam's story to the followers of Lost in 2008.

    Regardless of whether the poem was a message from TPTB or some unammed ARG character to us, the fans, the most exciting thing about this for me is that we no longer have to wait through Sam finding the stegged picture and decoding the poem. The rest of the week could contain new content!

    (Of course if I'd watched the hacked chapter 4 content at DarkUFO, I might know whether or not Sam has to go through the steg rigamarole like we did. Hmmm....that's tempting.)

    Twinkle said...

    Thanks for the link to the theory, Memphish. I think if they are right then Sam needs the poem to find out more about the coordinates? Dunno.

    I did check the spoiler stuff, which was mostly about the game we already had. Nothing to confirm or deny the idea that the steg message was for us ARG players and that Sam won't even be aware of it.

    Unknown said...

    I said NO WORMHOLES!! :)

    Y'know, the poem does open up the possibility of something like Harry Potter's Room of Requirement. Remember that Naomi said she was heading back to the ship when the clouds parted and she saw land. Then she crashed.

    Maybe the Island knows when it is about to bring down an aircraft, and makes itself visible so those crashing people can survive. Not that it makes it easy for them, but it at least gives them a fighting chance.

    ular97 said...

    Why do I have to register again, every day when I come here? I thought Google accounts were there indefinetly.

    lost2010 said...

    kyle - That's sort of where my mind is going at this point. As though, the island is where it needs to be to rescue those who are lost. Sort of keeps with the mystery box theme too.

    Carol Dunstan said...

    Kyle, I've thought that the Room of Requirement and Ben's mystery box are a bit similar, talking about the island as a whole appearing when it's needed is interesting.

    Twinkle, I have similar thoughts on the poem... while we can make meaning in it for Sam I don't think he's going to find out about it in the same way (if at all). Just like the season clues in the various clue hunts, they have meaning for us but none for him as Lost doesn't appear to be in his universe. Of course, where these parallel universes cross over we may get some things that interact or have meaning in both but only time will tell I'm afraid

    ular, even though I had already signed in this morning I just had to sign in again to post this so I think Blogger is just having a bit of trouble at the moment

    In completely OT news... I'm a covergirl today! I have a card being published on the front of a mag today. Trying my best to contain the squee

    memphish said...

    Maybe Penny's book will turn out to be a poetry book.

    Twinkle said...

    That's right. The clue hunts are the same way.

    Congrats, Carol!

    So we'll get e-mails and/or a website tonight? Is that how it usually goes?

    ular97 said...

    Carol...yippeee, you go girl!!

    Fenris said...

    OT, but the news just reported Heath Ledger is dead. So the Joker will be his final role it seems. Rest in Peace.

    ular97 said...

    Yes, heard that on Fox, said they didn't believe it was foul play. But..that is not official, and it is a possible over dose.

    Unknown said...

    That report is based on info from NYPD, so it portends to be pretty reliable. Too bad.

    FWIW, he was working on a movie with director Terry Gilliam, although I don't know how far into filming they were. That will determine whether he appears in the film or not.

    ular97 said...

    Sad, his was a talented young man, with a small daughter, who will never know her father.

    Scoutpost said...

    Holy Cow! I just finished the comments and have to run pick up the kids...but that is true about Heath Ledger...how awful.

    Capcom said...

    Yes, terrible news about Ledger. :-( God bless his soul. It just feels crushing when a young person dies.

    Fenris said...

    Talented, top of his game, and comparatively clean compared to most of Hollywood. Very sad. My thoughts go out to his family, especially his daughter.

    Fenris said...

    Anyway, sorry to put a downer on things. Just felt it was worth a moment.

    I have to catch up on all last nights stuff still (the doing that is, I read the blog so know the facts). I may just leave it until tomorrow now.

    Patch said...

    What!!! Heath Ledger is dead? This is real? Sorry, I'll be back.

    Capcom said...

    Very first time I saw Ledger was in "Roar", I think a Fox channel short-lived series. Very impressive, in even that funky fantasy show.

    Patch said...

    Wow, I'm really sorry to hear about Heath, quite shocked actually. I came straight on here when I got up this morning so I missed this sad news.

    Well, I was going to remind everyone about the strange arrangement of the stars in the night sky over the island and how they seem to be a mirror image of how we see them normally. I wondered if that might have any significance regarding the poem and the compass and the accessability of the island.

    ular97 said...

    That is what I was wondering when they were questioning why the ship was going east instead of west, and how planes could get totally opposite of their course. Could it be a mirrored world. Like if you were to roll over and look the wrong direction. Does that make sense? Like looking in the ocean and seeing the sky reflected; but it is a different reality. Darn, I am not good a explaining thoughts.

    Patch said...

    Carol, congratulations mate. Which magazine is it? I want to have a look.

    Capcom said...

    Right Patch, when Hurley and Sayid are on the beach you mean? I've been obsessing about that for a long time, it would be nice to see my fanatical pidgens come home to roost! :o)

    Patch said...

    Yes Maven, and there was another time when I noticed it too, I just can't remember in what scene it happened.

    Patch said...

    Sorry Capcom, that was meant to be directed to you!

    Patch said...

    At least I didn't call you Campoop though. *giggle*

    Capcom said...

    Maybe we can search it out and find it Patch!

    Richard Hoagland (http://www.enterprisemission.com/) has in past years talked a lot about the relationships of stars, certain numbers (not our Lost numbers tho), and various sundry events on planet earth. The site is quite packed with subjects though, so I was not able to find those old articles with a quick sweep. TPTB may have taken some cues from his crazy theories, but we probably would not find any hints or answers there for the game.

    Capcom said...

    Oh sure, start that up again! :-D

    Patch said...

    Ok, I've got my cup of tea and I'm going to have a look around that site. :)

    Patch said...

    *lol* I don't know where to start! I've never heard of the guy before. I take it he is some kind of crank though?

    Capcom said...

    The only mention that I have found on the postions of stars or constellations Lostpedia is here...

    http://lostpedia.com/wiki/The_Numbers_%28theory%29

    ...about halfway down. Just refers to the beach scene in The Long Con where the Big Dipper looks backwards.

    Capcom said...

    I know that page is huge now! I don't think that it will help us too much, it just came to mind when the game took a turn that way.

    Hoagland used to work for NASA, and then went all para-science. Some of his theories seem sound, and some not-so-much. I like the glass worms on Mars pictures tho! He's on Coast-to-Coast A.M. radio quite often.

    Anyway, I hope that we get more weird astronomy from the game soon!

    maven said...

    Just heard the news about Heath Ledger. Unfortunately, this seems to be a trend.

    Good thoughts, Twinkle, as to what is meant for us as a story, and what is meant for Sam. Most likely, TPTB saw we were going crazy with the stego password and added the major hint at the last minute (is that possible?). Our IT guy, Sam, will figure it out on his own. LOL

    Congrats, Carol. You'll have to post some pics.

    ular97 said...

    I went to that site you put up. I clicked on the Physics Lab and some stuff referring to magnetic field, radio interference came up. I am not a scientific type person so it made no sense to me. Maybe it will to some of you.

    AS6 said...

    Well I'm so outta the loop now...I still haven't done this activity.

    Carol Dunstan said...

    Freaking bus driver told me about Heath and I'm still rather shattered. I too first saw him in Roar. Gah... Bugger... lots of other things that I could say but won't.

    My card, my cover One of my friends made the little box that's on the cover too, she's got 4 articles in it and I know two other ladies in there too :) I did have the cards on my creative blog but took them down when they got selected for publishing.

    that's really interesting about the reversed stars, the star compass etc etc. I had thought that they'd deliberately picked that compass because it was flipped whether just to play up the wierdness or for a specific reason... so I'll have to look into that later. Don't feel up to anything like that and I gotta make a birthday card.

    Capcom said...

    Very nice Carol!!! :-D So exciting to be published.

    Aimless22 said...

    You know Fren Noonan - Amelia Earhart's navigator, his preferred method of navigation was via the stars....

    Probably nothing but just thought I'd throw it in....

    maven said...

    So awesome, Carol, to see your work recognized!

    Aimless22 said...

    Yeah I meant Fred

    Capcom said...

    Right Aimless, and I've been waiting for us to be introduced to a "Fred" in Otherville ever since we met Amelia at Juliet's house! Maybe he didn't make it thru the crash tho.

    Tess315 said...

    Nice job carol
    You must be so proud to have your work acknowledged.

    ular97 said...

    You are talented Carol. I make jewlery, knit, crochet, and sketch. I only do it for my own amusement tho.

    ular97 said...

    Wonder what wild chase they will put us on next?

    Carol Dunstan said...

    thanks guys :) I've been published a few times but for them to think it was good enough for the cover... I was rather excited to find out.

    ular, I've dabbled with beads (back in the 90's, haven't back into it with the recent trend) and crochet a bit (scarves and granny squares) and try to do a cross-stitch a year too.

    Lunch time here now, but I'll be back later to see if we get some action today

    AS6 said...

    Oooh very cute stuff, Carol.

    Patch said...

    Oh that's so pretty Carol. I'm going to look at the real thing when I go to the shops later. :) You must be tickled pink!

    maven said...

    Well, I wonder if Sam is going to mention this poem for our next installment.

    Carol: I'm an avid quilter, so I understand and appreciate creativity!

    memphish said...

    Maybe Tracey will email it to him. She seems to be the more informed member of his posse.

    Twinkle said...

    Very nice card, Carol! I have made cards a few times and really liked it. Other than that I attempt to tat.

    Have to catch up on what happens tonight later. I like the way we're thinking about the stars and how they're used in navigation. Hmm....

    Ellen said...

    Maven-ditto here!! Working on a quilt right now -"A Tall Ship and a Star to steer her by"
    :D

    xxoo

    Unknown said...

    haha - I'm positive it has nothing to do with the game, but Randy is wearing a shirt that says Black Rock on it on American Idol - which I'm only watching by the way because the friggin' writers are on strike and there's nothing else to watch!!

    Thought it was funny and would share...

    Unknown said...

    there are new emails at find815.com!!!

    memphish said...

    Box Company payout? What do we make of the gibberish email?

    AS6 said...

    Some new emails and a phone message in the latest update...

    Nothing much really except another mystery mail full of letters and numbers.

    memphish said...

    I just realized as I published that last comment that Randy who sent the box email must be Randy Nations, formerly Hurley's boss, now Hurley's employee and Locke's boss. Why would there be a box company payout though? Was the box company sold with Hurley declared dead? I thought he only owned a controlling interest in the box company, not the whole thing. I also wonder if his will would direct the selling of his assets vs. merely giving them intact to his mom.

    Unknown said...

    memphish - listen to the message on Sam's phone - that explains the payout

    memphish said...

    Ignore all that Locke's box company talk. I hadn't heard the message as the My Progress chart didn't show me there was one. Grumble, grumble.

    So Sam invested in a box company in Australia that burned? Was Richard's voice Australian or supposed to be Australian?

    Beverly said...

    memphish, listen to the message on the phone. It says why there was a payout. Not so sure if it's the same Randy, though.

    ular97 said...

    Ohhh...so Sam had shares in "the box" company? Is that why he got an insurance check?

    AS6 said...

    Randy sounds like an bad Aussie actor trying to put on a convincing American accent and slipping back into his Australian one from time to time.

    ular97 said...

    Can anyone tell if there is more codes made into the bottom of the phone message?

    memphish said...

    Just to remind everyone Hurley had a sneaker factory in Canada that burned. As of the time he left for Australia he was the majority shareholder of a box company in Tustin and employed his former Mr. Cluck's boss named Randy. Randy was Locke's boss.

    Hard to say if Sam's box company would be Locke's. I'd doubt it, but the names have been chosen to at least tease us.

    ular97 said...

    Does anyone have The Unit on their TV right now CBS eastern. Look and see who is playing in it!

    Tess315 said...

    so what do we do with all these letters in the email?

    Aimless22 said...

    Just a heads up for the Aussies, I just read that Lost will be premiering on 7th Feb at 9.30pm.

    Carol Dunstan said...

    memphish, it's a payout after the box company burnt down. My head is spinning at the moment, so I'm gonna have to think about that

    Beverly said...

    Sayid's girl, I have no idea. I haven't written them all down yet. I'm guessing that it will be an anagram or encoded in some way.

    Has anyone written down the lower-case letters from the gibberish email yet?

    memphish said...

    I've heard the message now. Thanks everyone. It's just weird that Hurley's sneaker company would burn and Sam's box company would burn and that a young IT guy would have invested enough money in a box company to receive a large payout from a box company burning. It could be that Randy's office and Richard are Sam's brokers. Boy that would be boring. I guess hearing from his broker's and no mention of the action in the markets the last 2 days peg as at a date that is not today. :)

    ular97 said...

    Anyway...our "beloved" Ana has reincarinated as another bad girl on The Unit tonight.

    Aimless22 said...

    This is what i make it;

    wteevnifetfetowtteynwivewvtetfnieyifteenoweetynntethnrtei

    memphish said...

    Lostit, I eyeballed the letters in the message to see if it was straightforward words, but it didn't seem to be. Where are our puzzle and ARG experts?

    Unknown said...

    okay, so I pulled all the letters out of the email, and they're jumbled up spellings of numbers - each line of letters represents a different number - there are lines of complete numbers as spaces

    is it spoilery for me to tell you all what the numbers are or do you want to figure it out for yourselves??

    Tess315 said...

    The letters are anagrams.

    jess4ua said...

    kirsten- yes, give a chance to figure it out

    Aimless22 said...

    Ahhhh, I think I get it....

    so the first one is 12 right?

    Tess315 said...
    This comment has been removed by the author.
    Tess315 said...
    This comment has been removed by the author.
    Beverly said...

    I don't have the last two. Maybe I copied the letters down wrong.

    Beverly said...

    Also, there appears to be 3 lines with no letters in them (the last 3 "words" are after those lines). I guess that indicates a space between whatever the first 6 and the last 3? Or did I miss something?

    Tess315 said...
    This comment has been removed by the author.
    Fenris said...

    12 15 20 5 25 15 21 13 1 4 12 25

    is what I have for the anagrams

    Aimless22 said...

    Those numbers then correspond with the alphabet again to make a 3 word statement....got it?

    memphish said...

    Thanks for the hint Kirsten. Do we think the numbers stand alone. Why the lines with no info. Do the numbers correspond to the alphabet? I've got an interesting anagram if they do.

    Fenris said...

    Solvered

    12 15 22 5 25 15 21 13 1 4 12 2

    L O V E Y O U M A D L Y

    (I did the numbers, Ange the letters)

    Although we had LOTE YOU MADLY for a bit because I mis-wrote. Lol.

    Beverly said...

    I think I got it now. The next to the last one is actually made up of 3 if you use the lines of numbers with no letters as separators.

    Unknown said...

    I have one number different from what fenris posted, i have:

    12 15 22 5 25 15 21 13 1 4 12 25

    Tess315 said...

    So Sonya is sending these emails???

    memphish said...

    So does that mean Sonya is sending the emails? Is she with the Others and like Walt has access to the computer?

    Unknown said...

    never mind - I see fenris mistyped it earlier

    thank god we got to this solution much faster than the last one!! I like these easy ones that don't require high-tech computer skills!

    memphish said...

    Looks like my cockpit theory may ring true. ;-) Or is Smokey manipulating Sam?

    TakesaVillage said...

    that was much more fun than the course plotter.

    Beverly said...

    Isn't that what Sonya said in the vieo on the first chapter (when sam thought he saw her in the window)?

    Fenris said...

    Apparently I can't cut and paste either.

    Yes it is

    12 15 22 5 25 15 21 13 1 4 12 25

    I have been working with, I just keep typing it wrong. Lol

    And yeah I think the implication is it is Sonya. Although that may be a lie to trick Sam.

    Fenris said...

    lostit - Yes that was what I was thinking too.

    Ellen said...

    Definitely an allusion to Sun & Jin- I'm guessing Paik Heavy Industries...could it be????

    jess4ua said...

    WOW, I think Sonya is leading Sam to herself. She MUST be on the island. WOAH!Wasn't expecting that. I had a theory towards the beginning when Sam saw Sonya in the reflection in the window that maybe Sonya was projecting herself like Walt. However, maybe that was just to give us the "love you madly" phrase so we would know it was her now.

    Beverly said...

    I guess Sonya must be alive somewhere where there is internet access and she needs to be secretive about contacting the outside world.

    Fenris said...

    Clear the decks - New Post!

    jess4ua said...

    Fenris- I suppose it could be a lie. But that seems like a pretty personal phrase. Perhaps that only Sam would know.

    Beverly said...

    I don't think there is any internet access on the island anymore sonce the flame station was blown up, so I don't think Sonya could be sending emails from there.

    memphish said...

    But I still don't get that location!!!!!!!!! Unless it's manipulation. Remember I think we're supposed to think Sam's gone off the deep end. Of course, we all went off the deep end at least over a year ago, so it seems normal to us.

    Ellen, what do you mean about Sun and Jin?

    ular97 said...

    ellen...huh?