I don't know how many here have played the popular game "Portal" before, but Valve, the game's maker, just dropped a clever one on everyone. I'm still getting the pieces together, but they basically released an update today with some kind of "message" in it.
From what I'm reading (Haven't re-installed/updated the game yet to try it myself), they added small radios in the game that, when taken to certain spots, play a unique set of sounds. Everything from morse code to other strange noises.
Turns out, the sounds actually have image data encoded into them, ala slow-scan television. I'm not sure what some of the images mean, but one of them has a telephone number in it that's tied to an old-school BBS system that a few people are trying to log into to with little luck. Some think there are other old radio tricks being used to masquerade some of the information, including a possible FM broadcast near Valve HQ in the Bellvue/Seattle area, so I thought I'd open a thread here and see if anyone wants to take some cracks at unlocking the mystery.
Information is available in the two threads below:
Mystery Achievement added to Portal, patch notes updated to include "Changed radio transmission frequency to comply with federal and state spectrum management regulations" : gaming
Radio Sounds - Images processed! - Steam Users' Forums
From what I'm reading (Haven't re-installed/updated the game yet to try it myself), they added small radios in the game that, when taken to certain spots, play a unique set of sounds. Everything from morse code to other strange noises.
Turns out, the sounds actually have image data encoded into them, ala slow-scan television. I'm not sure what some of the images mean, but one of them has a telephone number in it that's tied to an old-school BBS system that a few people are trying to log into to with little luck. Some think there are other old radio tricks being used to masquerade some of the information, including a possible FM broadcast near Valve HQ in the Bellvue/Seattle area, so I thought I'd open a thread here and see if anyone wants to take some cracks at unlocking the mystery.
Information is available in the two threads below:
Mystery Achievement added to Portal, patch notes updated to include "Changed radio transmission frequency to comply with federal and state spectrum management regulations" : gaming
Radio Sounds - Images processed! - Steam Users' Forums