SoulStorm ARG - Spirit of 1029 - Photo 1

[TopHattedTime]

Do you think that when we save ED he'll be... savED eheheheh

[mattb150]

So this is the image they are using on the main site as the "in progress" picture.



Is it just me or does anyone else see a face-type thang going on on the right hand side sort of overlayed over the actual image? I cranked the contrast up to try and see it better.

edit: now outlined in red, head&body ?

[Varrok]

I think that if he doesn't provide us with better hints, he might end up... dED hahah

[TheManFromMudos]

The essence of a good ARG is to have people on the hunt confused as hell as often as possible.

Well, they've certainly succeeded, then!

[HOMINIX]

So this is the image they are using on the main site as the "in progress" picture.

Is it just me or does anyone else see a face-type thang going on on the upper right hand side sort of overlayed over the actual picture? I cranked the contrast up to try and see it better.

You can see a horizontal slice of the "010101BB" in the top right quarter of the picture

EDIT: Could he be holding his assigned Jackhammer bit? (bottom right corner)

[DreadfulDrummer]

Do you think that when we save ED he'll be... savED eheheheh

I read these in Ralli Englanti everytime
Same with Kapteeni13 haha

[Gunnr]

You know the stitching on the bottom of piece 7393-AN could be stitching on his loincloth or something but its hard to determine the head to spine to hop alignment with how the pics are crumpled and similar shades of color hard to tell what's attached and what's not

[DreadfulDrummer]

Is it just me or does anyone else see a face-type thang going on on the upper right hand side sort of overlayed over the actual picture? I cranked the contrast up to try and see it better.

You could be onto something there, my friend.

There's a substantial chunk missing and the shape of this piece seems to fit the void.

I started trying to see how well I could get the pieces to fit by messing with the perspective of each piece, as the photos were each taken at different angles.

Then I started thinking that he's staring so attentively that I wondered "at what or at whom is this Mud looking?"

Edit: picture refuses to display; here's a Drive link:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B2...0I3NlFkNnE1N1E

It's pretty bent out of shape but the piece would fit.

Furthermore, Kalhiki pointed out something he spotted

I wanted to point out because I don't believe anyone mentioned it: I can see a Mud holding a bucket (?) in 5574-PH. It's just a hand, but I can clearly make out a thumb gripping something. Seems like our Mudokon pal isn't alone.!

and I agree with him; I see a thumb and below it a pale or bucket of some sort.
I've circled the thumb in the attachment.

Edit: I now notice that the "locked" image from the Soulstorm site is actually the top portion of 1029-LY

[Havoc]

It’s possible, but I didn’t really get that from the audio – what I heard was crowds of Mudokons pleading for help, with sirens going off and regular bursts of electricity. That seems awfully similar to the Tear X-Tractors that were in the Brewery.

Just to chip in here (didn't read the next 2 pages yet). In Exoddus there was a short clip where Mudokons were being enticed by Brew and then imprisoned. With Exoddus being rushed as it was, I can imagine that scene and that particular concept being expanded upon heavily to the point where we might see camps full of Mudokons ready to be shipped off to wherever they are needed/sold to.

[OrangeLightning]

Hey all! New member here. Was intrigued by this ARG game even though I'm terrible at them. But an extra set of eyes never hurt, right?

I wanted to point out because I don't believe anyone mentioned it: I can see a Mud holding a bucket (?) in 5574-PH. It's just a hand, but I can clearly make out a thumb gripping something. Seems like our Mudokon pal isn't alone.

Furthermore, very intrigued by the Alphanumerically message from the photo IDs. Has anyone been looking into that?

Best of luck to everyone!

Yes! I definitely see that thumb! Actually, if you look at the left portion of 1029-LY you can see a shape that may be a neck/back of a head. I think the Mud in front of the one clearly shown may be pulling whatever that box-like shape is at the bottom of 9394-AL and 5574-PH. Mine cart maybe?

[TopHattedTime]

I read these in Ralli Englanti everytime
Same with Kapteeni13 haha

Lol! I'm originally from the UK, but I'm living in Finland for now

[Fearnog]

Hey guys huge oddworld fan here. Have all the games on every platform and I forgot the password for my last account. I just thought I would weigh in some questions with you much better users of photoshop out there. Just wondering has anybody figured out what that thing in the top left is. I may just be delusional but I personally see Lady Margaret up there. Anyway if that is a missile the mudokon is holding. I wonder what's it for? Can't wait to see the cleaned up image. Also love the community with these games. Some of the theories you guys are saying are brilliant. And the fast response is astounding. Great work guys.

[Shade_Meadows]

Will try my own shot at a sketch
while trying to find out new things =)
this game is going to be daaaark

[GouStoulos]

this game is going to be daaaark

damn i hope so

[Kalhiki]

Yes! I definitely see that thumb! Actually, if you look at the left portion of 1029-LY you can see a shape that may be a neck/back of a head. I think the Mud in front of the one clearly shown may be pulling whatever that box-like shape is at the bottom of 9394-AL and 5574-PH. Mine cart maybe?

Ah! I can just make out a potential neck area.
And I think you may be right with the cart. Looks as if the hand is holding the side/back of the cart. But there does seem to be some sort of round barrel-ish thing inside of it. Keg of Soulstorm? Or if the Rupture Farms theories are correct, one of the barrels from there?

[mattb150]

Took a good look at the photos in an attempt to identify writing & consolidate the findings. Please let me know if you see something I've missed!

I suspect on 1020-LY there is a ? after the writing but I couldn't make it out so I disregarded it.

e: added the 7676-AL with the x scratched into it (thx OrangeLightning)

[OrangeLightning]

Took a good look at the photos in an attempt to identify writing & consolidate the findings. Please let me know if you see something I've missed!

I suspect on 1020-LY there is a ? after the writing but I couldn't make it out so I disregarded it.

Looks good to me! The only other thing that 'may' be important is that X mark in 7676-AL. It doesn't look like it was caused by the rumpling of the photo, and it looks deliberately scratched in, but I wonder why? At first I thought it may have been an 'x marks the spot' type thing where we were supposed to investigate that piece a bit closer, but comparatively to the rest of them that piece has very little going on in it. Then I thought maybe it may signify something to do with it's name. Like maybe 7676-AL will be important down the line. Could be anything really! But I think the fact that it was deliberately scratched in should be noted at least haha

[SilverTwilight05]

Wow, you guys have all done a fantastic job with this. I, too, am not usually handy with codes and stuff like this, but it is exciting to even just watch the process.

That said, I just wanted to throw something out there about the content of the image itself. I'm more in the camp of the bundle BB is holding being mining tools. I know in Exodus they used pickaxes, but Soulstorm may modernize things a bit. BB here looks pretty fresh-faced, no stitches on his lips. But I wonder if he is maybe waiting in line to have a completely new kind of stitch added to his face. The blind mudokons in Exodus didn't have lip-stitches either. The Glukkons are trying to keep the ingredients a secret from the workers - perhaps that is one piece of info 1029 is trying to get out there? Or maybe the eye stitches are a brand new thing that Ed has stumbled upon and he is trying to get that info to 1029?

[HOMINIX]

I get the feeling that the mudokon we see in the picture must be some mudokon we know or have heard about, since it's asking us WHO?.. I thought Ed was the one sending the pictures though, so who else could it be? I don't think it could be Alf, since he's answering our questions, but who knows

Frustrating that we don't really know what we're looking for... are we supposed to solve something else before they release the cleaned up image? I wish they gave us a bit more of a clear status update

[Gunnr]

I get the sneaking feeling that owi is waiting until they get a few more subs or more people involved in the arg or something before they allow a new page piece to be released or finally return a cleaned up version.

Like from here is just an endurance run of waiting and owi is our personal trainer

Dont giVe up now, BE THE STORM! One-two-one-two!


The more the merrier though =)

[Spectaer]

I get the sneaking feeling that owi is waiting until they get a few more subs or more people involved in the arg or something before they allow a new page piece to be released or finally return a cleaned up version.

Like from here is just an endurance run of waiting and owi is our personal trainer

Dont giVe up now, BE THE STORM! One-two-one-two!


The more the merrier though =)

Yep, we're waiting for them to say something.
Guess we're going too fast, maybe they thought we would get to this point more than just two days.

[Woodpecker]

Hi there, first time using this website, created this account to join in the ARG hype. Nice work so far guys!

As far as I'm aware no-one has mentioned the Glukkon-ish face that reflects off the tip of the presumed bullet (9455-UM).

Am I seeing things?

I found this while I was frustrated and pacing in my room with the full image on display, Its something I could only pick out from a distance.

[Dead Meat]

Hi there, first time using this website, created this account to join in the ARG hype. Nice work so far guys!

As far as I'm aware no-one has mentioned the Glukkon-ish face that reflects off the tip of the presumed bullet (9455-UM).

Am I seeing things?

I found this while I was frustrated and pacing in my room with the full image on display, Its something I could only pick out from a distance.

I see it, looks like a dent more than a Glukkon face but either is viable right now.

[Mr. Molluck]

Hi there, first time using this website, created this account to join in the ARG hype. Nice work so far guys!

As far as I'm aware no-one has mentioned the Glukkon-ish face that reflects off the tip of the presumed bullet (9455-UM).

Am I seeing things?

I found this while I was frustrated and pacing in my room with the full image on display, Its something I could only pick out from a distance.

Welcome!

Just looked at your photo, I see it too. Maybe Glukkon-branded munitions? Their face is on both the Soulstorm Brewery and RuptureFarms logo. Maybe the Glukkons have branched out into military supplies? Maybe even private military companies?

[Manco]

Yo, they probably aren't going to post anything new until after the weekend - that's how things happened earlier in the ARG.

So, now's the time to discuss what this is leading up to...

[V_O_T]

Most likely a reveal trailer or more screenshots. Lorne did say they were ahead of schedule at E3 last year which was nice. They also mentioned that they showed prealpha gameplay footage in a private seminar. My guess is that in their pipe line, they are doing some minor marketing to build hype towards the reveal. I believe the arg will continue for another 2-3 weeks with more images and audio to uncover. I still think there's lots to find in the audio files and images.

I get a feeling that we won't see ED. I think he's just a mud worker hiding and trying to get a message across. The mudokon in the image, to me, is just a random worker. I just get a portal 1 vibe, I.e. The Rat guy who wrote all the scribbles of "she's always watching" "the cake is a lie" stuff. To me, that's ED. Which I think is brilliant if true. But one of our theories here is bound to be correct.

EDIT: my theory on that is based off the fact that OWI Alex said it's just a mudokon. They would have said if it were ED. Right? Lol I think it was Alex..

[DreadfulDrummer]

Lol! I'm originally from the UK, but I'm living in Finland for now

Irish, myself! Living in Saariselkä for the moment.

[OrangeLightning]

Oh man, a trailer would be awesome That's what I was thinking they'd probably end this on, too. I gotta be honest though, this ARG alone is getting me hyped something fierce! Even just participating a little I already feel really invested lol

You know, I'm hoping Ed makes it into the actual game. It'd be nice to be able to save him after he's been sticking his neck out all this time.

[Gunnr]

Just SO 1029 tweets from the passed 2 days. It's cool to see thread twitter accounts interacting now








And with that good night

[Nate]

Just to clear up a few misconceptions:

...Now, although the majority of Rupture Farms was destroyed at the end of Oddysee/New 'n' Tasty...

Rupture Farms wasn't destroyed. It was only disabled.

Stitches

The Oddworld lore has been variable at times, but certainly in some versions Abe is the only one with stitches. In that case it's not surprising that this guy has free lips.

Wired

Is anyone else reminded of this guy?

That was a rhetorical question, of course. Xav and I are the only people stupid enough to still be here ten years later.