SoulStorm ARG

[grimGadabout]

So all the places are giving the [OUT OF SIGHT] message.

[Manco]

I’m having no luck figuring out the morse code in lsot.mp3 – it sounds to me like there are dots and dashes overlaid on each other, making it harder to pick them out from one another. I tried listening to the left and right channels separately which helped a little, but I still can’t get any message that makes sense.

[Nepsotic]

Yeah, I tried to make them as clear as I possibly could but there's only so much that can be done.

[Slugology]

i put in OUR BREW IS YOUR SPEW and got **L*B* *Q *GGT.F.BFFNBB

[mlg man]

I'm also having no luck with the audio. There is "find me" in the header of the mp3 but that's all I've really found.

[Manco]

I tried reversing the audio with http://www.mp3-reverser.com/en/ and it sounds a little better, does this help anyone else? I feel like the problem now is I can’t hear the differences between dashes and dots.

For others attempting to translate the morse code, here’s some help:

• http://www.learnmorsecode.com – simple parsing system
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_J8YcQETyTw – examples of how morse code sounds

My current theories as to what we might need to do to solve the morse code puzzle:

• Focus first on the obvious bleeping, don’t worry about the distorted music
• Reverse the audio
• Speed up the audio
• Slow down the audio
• Listen to the left and right channels separately
• View the file in some sort of visualizer such as a spectrograph
• Check any possible results with a Caesar cipher

[JayDee]

• View the file in some sort of visualizer such as a spectrograph

I've viewed the file in two different types of spectograph software, and both regular and reversed; neither yielded any obvious results.

[mlg man]

Edit: Am wrong. doh

[Slugology]

what if the audio is encrypted with a One-Time Pad
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One-time_pad

[mlg man]

what if the audio is encrypted with a One-Time Pad
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One-time_pad

the one-time pad (OTP) is an encryption technique that cannot be cracked if used correctly

Well fuck if that's true.

[Moot]

I sped up and slowed down the lsot.mp3 earlier today, and nothing popped up as being out of the ordinary. I may have missed whatever we were supposed to hear though, who knows.

[Nepsotic]

I tried reversing the audio with http://www.mp3-reverser.com/en/ and it sounds a little better, does this help anyone else? I feel like the problem now is I can’t hear the differences between dashes and dots.

For others attempting to translate the morse code, here’s some help:

• http://www.learnmorsecode.com – simple parsing system
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_J8YcQETyTw – examples of how morse code sounds

My current theories as to what we might need to do to solve the morse code puzzle:

• Focus first on the obvious bleeping, don’t worry about the distorted music
• Reverse the audio
• Speed up the audio
• Slow down the audio
• Listen to the left and right channels separately
• View the file in some sort of visualizer such as a spectrograph
• Check any possible results with a Caesar cipher

I have done all of this besides the bottom one and nothing.

[TafuSeler]

Not really important but putting in "DRIPIK" gives you "THAT'S GENERAL DRIPIK TO YOU"
Apologies if this was posted before, it's not on the wiki list.

[cleanshirtuk]

First of all, hello! New here, the Soulstorm ARG is driving me insane...

Anyway I'm gonna take a look at the lsot.mp3 file now, not sure if it's been mentioned but the page source for Soulstorm now has this additional message:

still lsot ? .m

Probably a wind uup to show that we're on the right tracks, just thought it was interesting to note

[Varrok]

Yeah, we know, we still don't know what the mp3 message holds, though

[cleanshirtuk]

I've ran it through all kinds of different spectrum analyzers and there's nothing that jumps out at me, gonna mess with the spectrum image in photoshop now and see if I can get anywhere. Someone mentioned the word's 'find me' are hidden in plain text in the file, I can't help but think there's something more to that..

EDIT: It's just a comment on the ID3 tag,, not just text randomly added to the file

[Manco]

So I think we can safely rule out any hidden messages in the file itself, so we really need to focus on the actual audio. Someone with a good ear needs to go through and get a definitive message from that morse code.

edit: I’ve just realized there’s been an email signup form on the SoulStorm page this whole time, has anyone actually subscribed to it? There’s always a chance some clues could be emailed out in future.

[SqueeglePoof]

I tried reversing the audio with http://www.mp3-reverser.com/en/ and it sounds a little better, does this help anyone else? I feel like the problem now is I can’t hear the differences between dashes and dots.

For others attempting to translate the morse code, here’s some help:

• http://www.learnmorsecode.com – simple parsing system
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_J8YcQETyTw – examples of how morse code sounds

My current theories as to what we might need to do to solve the morse code puzzle:

• Focus first on the obvious bleeping, don’t worry about the distorted music
• Reverse the audio
• Speed up the audio
• Slow down the audio
• Listen to the left and right channels separately
• View the file in some sort of visualizer such as a spectrograph
• Check any possible results with a Caesar cipher

Or maybe add both channels together. Resulting sound attached. (There are converters online for ogg to mp3 or otherwise.)

This completely removes the white noise. Looking at the waveform for this file and comparing it the left and right waveforms in the original file, you can see where the signal goes silent due to cancellation of the noise. Audacity makes visualizing this easy.

[JayDee]

I'm trying to see if there's anything to 0451.jpg. So far nothing immediately jumps out at me, i've just shifted the colours to match the original picture of the Brewery at dusk. It's interesting to note that there doesn't seem to be an 800x640 image of the brewery (the size of 0451.jpg) but the 1240x1024 scales down perfectly to match it.


Nothing found so far, but I'll keep trying

[STM]

I still can't get anything on the morse code, I'm trying to go by ear and just pull out what it is from a slowed down version of the track but it's haaaaard.

[Manco]

Or maybe add both channels together. Resulting sound attached. (There are converters online for ogg to mp3 or otherwise.)

This completely removes the white noise. Looking at the waveform for this file and comparing it the left and right waveforms in the original file, you can see where the signal goes silent due to cancellation of the noise. Audacity makes visualizing this easy.

Nice idea, but the attached file doesn’t make the morse code sound much clearer to me.

I’ve identified three spots of obvious morse code made up of beeps that don’t match the rest of the music playing. I’ve been listening to them and I think I’ve figured one out for sure, and Job has been decoding it as well.

00:13 – I can’t get this one, but Job tells me on Skype she think it’s “di-di-di-di-dit” (.....), which is 5
01:10 – I’m positive this is “di-dah-di-dit” (.-..), which is L
01:47 – this could be “di-dit” (..), which is I

Job tried to input 5LI to the message box, and sent me back a screenshot:



We thought we’d cracked it, but now neither of us can get the box to repeat that message, so we’re not sure if it’s a false positive and “A R E Y O U L S O T ?.” is simply a generic response that no one else has come across yet, or if this is actually the solution.

[Moot]

There's been a change in the source, at 477 to 518 there's a massive space, similar to the top (which has already been like that for a few days). I'm not sure if they're just editing the html, or if this is going to be another clue.

Edit: @ Manco Well that's confusing. I'd like to say it's more likely its new, but there's no way to know for sure..


Edit 2: I just tried, and I can't get it. So I think it is new, but it's them recognizing we're at this phase of the ARG. That's what I'll wager at least, not necessarily a hint.

[Manco]

There's been a change in the source, at 477 to 518 there's a massive space, similar to the top (which has already been like that for a few days). I'm not sure if they're just editing the html, or if this is going to be another clue.

They’ll likely add something there quite soon.

Is it just me, or is the message box no longer replying with unique responses very much? I’m putting in known phrases and it keeps giving me ... or generic error messages.

[STM]

Maybe whoever it is is trying to communicate with us is having his channels shut down. Maybe we're getting closer to the next stage of the ARG?

[cleanshirtuk]

just tried 0451 in the form and got "ynag i tra" with brackets in, which is an anagram of 'Try Again'. Clicked send again and got ]AVNTN LEG[, anagram solver made nothing of it.

[Manco]

“intercepted” returns FIND MY MESSAGE, HEAR MY VOICE.

[Moot]

That may be a sign they're adapting the ARG, or it could mean we're on another phase.. it's hard to tell. I wish I could help with the morse code, but just attempting it made my head spin!

[STM]

I typed in 5LI just now and got the 25 times image, tried again and got:

AB*R*-H *L*N *UG R VNNGHPUUB AE*RRPO' EF

Which I'm supposing means it just gives you a generic response?

Also typing in Aslik gave me:

]ESU TON OD ESAELP - NEKORB SI MROF SIHT[

which translates to (according to quipqiup)

]ASK DON OF ASHAME - NAPOLI ST BLOW STUD[

[Varrok]

]ESU TON OD ESAELP - NEKORB SI MROF SIHT[

BECAUSE IT'S TOTALLY NOT A GENERIC MESSAGE SPELLED BACKWARDS.

Are you doing this on purpose? You're a greater troll than any of us

[Manco]

That may be a sign they're adapting the ARG, or it could mean we're on another phase.. it's hard to tell. I wish I could help with the morse code, but just attempting it made my head spin!

Yeah, they’ve been adding and changing responses as time goes on. I think until we hit on something obvious we’re still in the phase of trying to decipher lsot.mp3 and 0451.jpg.

I typed in 5LI just now and got the 25 times image, tried again and got:

AB*R*-H *L*N *UG R VNNGHPUUB AE*RRPO' EF

Which I'm supposing means it just gives you a generic response?

Yeah, it seems unlikely now that 5LI is the solution. I still haven’t seen it repeat that L S O T ?. message anywhere else though.