[Omega]

Big_Larry wrote:

I think we've all found that the key to this kind of challenge is being specific in the details

Lesson of the week! I'll definitely put this to good use in the future. As always, thank you for your tremendous feedback, Big_Larry.

[Big_Larry]

Omega wrote:

The idea behind this ARG intro was that there was a hacker organization preparing to take up Internet arms against the government--think of these members as very radical anti-war, anti-Bush, and anti-America (in its current state) extremists. The blog attack, executed by one of the members, was the lead-in point to recruit fellow voices, those that agreed with the message of a "different freedom." The final message was one of the hackers asking you, the player, to choose a side. Later in the ARG, the players would learn to become hackers themselves through increasingly difficult hacking tests.

Hrm. While getting arrested by Homeland Security would add to the TINAG aspect of the game, I think it might just be a deterrent for me.

And Omega, while I appreciate your desire for trying something new, I think we've all found that the key to this kind of challenge is being specific in the details (in this case, which version of Java to use). I appreciate being challenged to something like this, something in which I learn a new skill. Thank you.

[Omega]

Agent Lex wrote:

My only initial comment is that using random numbers, even generated using a fixed seed, is risky business.

At first, I didn't think it would be that risky considering the wide-spread use of javac. However, after some research, I noticed that I had forgotten to account for Unix-based operating systems which use gcj to compile. I was also under the impression that Eclipse used javac, but I discovered this morning that it uses its own! (Mistake corrected above.)

Big_Larry wrote:

I kinda would like to know what the final message was, though.

The idea behind this ARG intro was that there was a hacker organization preparing to take up Internet arms against the government--think of these members as very radical anti-war, anti-Bush, and anti-America (in its current state) extremists. The blog attack, executed by one of the members, was the lead-in point to recruit fellow voices, those that agreed with the message of a "different freedom." The final message was one of the hackers asking you, the player, to choose a side. Later in the ARG, the players would learn to become hackers themselves through increasingly difficult hacking tests.

Big_Larry wrote:

I'd like to know how y'all are making these "newspaper articles."

I used http://www.getclippings.com/ to generate the basic Boston Globe article, and then I added the heading and text in myself with photoshop.

danteIL wrote:

If something like this were in an ARG, you would be relying on a very slim segment of your audience to get it.

As a programmer myself, I wanted to try utilizing my personal experience in creating a code-based puzzle, something straight-forward, which I thought would be a unique and new challenge for some of you. I mean, how many ARGs have asked you to compile code before? The way I see it, learning to compile Java is no more difficult a task than learning a new cipher, but I can certainly see why some would be detracted by the code. Experimentation is key!


ETA: Speaking of hacker groups... Although, I can't read Turkish.

[natas]

Big_Larry wrote:

More importantly, I'd like to know how y'all are making these "newspaper articles." I've seen them a number of times, and I'm wondering if there's some sort of template for 'em.

http://www.fodey.com/generators/newspaper/snippet.asp
http://www.addletters.com/newspaper-generator.htm
http://www.jptestmorecambe.co.uk/test/

[danteIL]

Re: Solution

[Big_Larry]

Yay! I figured something out!

I kinda would like to know what the final message was, though.

More importantly, I'd like to know how y'all are making these "newspaper articles." I've seen them a number of times, and I'm wondering if there's some sort of template for 'em.

Something like this might be rather effective if found in an actual newspaper, even if it's in an advertisement. I like the faux article setup, but being that there's really no TINAG in this particular process, I don't know how well this would go over in a game if it isn't a physical newspaper.

[Agent Lex]

My only initial comment is that using random numbers, even generated using a fixed seed, is risky business. As was said, different compilers would give different results, and although the standard one was used it seems... well, as I said, risky.

[Omega]

Solution

[Big_Larry]

Nighthawk wrote:

Give me a minute... *EDIT* Using Visual J#, I get: http://deltafire.s43.eatj.com/Iraq.5460_Missiles.5095420_Soldiers.NEVER_LEAVING.500000000000_Dollars.Bush_is_an_idiot/TheEnd.soup

Using BlueJ, I got:

http://deltafire.s43.eatj.com/Iraq.5353_Missiles.3465085_Soldiers.NEVER_LEAVING.500000000000_Dollars.Bush_is_an_idiot/TheEnd.soup

Same error page. I'm beginning to think that option number two in my previous post is the current situation.

[Big_Larry]

So I guess there are three questions here.

1. So since we haven't managed to figure this out and it's been over a week, how long will this stay open?

2. Is the EATJ server actually up and running? Is it possible that this has been solved and the server simply isn't giving us the answer or the next step because it's shut down?

3. So who exactly is "jjjj" and why didn't he/she post his/her answer?

[jjjj]

actually nighthawk it will matter depending on what compiler you're using. I'm using eclipse and i get a different answer.

[Nighthawk]

Quote:

Is that necessarily the case?

The full URL is composited based on the random number generator, and the random number generator is using a fixed seed (911) which means all the numbers will be the same every time it's run.

So, in a nutshell, yes: we need to actually run it.

Give me a minute...

*EDIT*

Using Visual J#, I get:

Spoiler (Rollover to View):

http://deltafire.s43.eatj.com/Iraq.5460_Missiles.5095420_Soldiers.NEVER_LEAVING.500000000000_Dollars.Bush_is_an_idiot/TheEnd.soup

...which is an error page. I have no guarantee that the random number generator generates the same values they may be generating if using the same seed. Anyone out there have a true Java console or environment to try this in?

[Big_Larry]

Agent Lex wrote:

Looks like we're going to need to actually run this in java. I would work it out by hand, but the fact is that it uses a specific random seed, so it would give a specific value that can't be determined by hand.

Is that necessarily the case? We have this in the code:

Spoiler (Rollover to View):

// let the media burn! String media = "http://deltafire.s43.eatj.com/";

And when I compiled it, I got an error trying to run it.

However,

Spoiler (Rollover to View):

when I go to http://deltafire.s43.eatj.com, I get the following error message: If this is your free trial server, EATJ.com shuts down your server every 6 hours. You can login your accout at http://www.eatj.com to restart it at any time and continue your trial. Or upgrade your account to BASIC or ADVANCED account For BASIC and ADVANCED account servers, to avoid your server down, you can set up 24x7 monitoring. Login to your account and click monitoring check box in 7x24 MONITORING. So the error I'm getting may not be in the code itself, but in the fact that the JSP server is not available.

Of course, I'm running Java on OS X, so it may not give this error or it may give a different result running through Java on Windows.

[Agent Lex]

Looks like we're going to need to actually run this in java. I would work it out by hand, but the fact is that it uses a specific random seed, so it would give a specific value that can't be determined by hand.

[tabster]

Spoiler (Rollover to View):

http://www.mediafire.com/?djhtgt3ctwj

ahaha i figured it out. pushing on forward like a Train.

got java source file.

Spoiler (Rollover to View):

/** * "Allow the president to invade a neighboring nation, * whenever he shall deem it necessary to repel an invasion, * and you allow him to do so whenever he may choose to say * he deems it necessary for such a purpose—and you allow him * to make war at pleasure." - Lincoln */ public class WarOnTerror { public static void main(String[] args) { // let the media burn! String media = "http://deltafire.s43.eatj.com/"; // "Sir, we've found oil! Err, I mean, weapons of mass destruction." java.util.Random WMD = new java.util.Random(911); String[] victims = {"Afghanistan", "Iraq", "Iran"}; String democracy = media + victims[WMD.nextInt(3)]; // fire some missiles... democracy += "." + WMD.nextInt(10000) + "_Missiles"; // send in a couple soldiers... democracy += "." + WMD.nextInt(9999999) + "_Soldiers"; // occupy the country for a few days... democracy += ".NEVER_LEAVING"; // don't forget the bill! democracy += ".500000000000_Dollars"; // call it "Mission Accomplished" democracy += ".Bush_is_an_idiot/TheEnd."; // the result: Democracy Soup! System.out.println(democracy + "soup"); } } /** * There is a divide in this world between, * right and wrong. On one end is the Machine, * bewitching. * * The Machine is never wrong, never not right. * Digging through the gutter is the anti-bright, * the poor who couldn't make it or take it, * couldn't find a gun. * * When no one talks, everyone * breaths a liquid solitude. * One oxygen tank left, how long can you * hold it. */