Iris (game)
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Iris is an alternate reality game (ARG) and viral marketing campaign for the upcoming Halo 3 video game being produced by Bungie Studios.
Overview
The game began on June 11, 2007. A mysterious Bungie.net forum user named "AdjutantReflex" created a thread entitled "System Integrity Confirmed" with the words "This will be a good place to begin.". The user appeared as an administrator of the forum, and was able to type in a gold font where other users had no choice of font color, in a similar style to forum administrators. It responded to random users' posts on the thread, using mechanical and cryptic wording to give the appearance of an artificial intelligence.
June 12th
On June 12, 2007, the user created a new thread entitled "Archive/Resource Estimate".
June 14th
On June 14, 2007, the user created a new thread entitled "Who?". A mysterious poem was also emailed out in the early morning on this day.
June 17th
On June 17, 2007, the user created a new thread entitled "Stop it".Later that day, crazyBoy3 announced that he had come across an ad for Halo 3 in the Circuit City circular for Sunday, June 17. The ad itself contained the same Forerunner glyph that appeared in the background of the poem sent out by email earlier, as well as a link to a previously unknown page containing a webcomic on the Halo3.com website.
Shortly after this webcomic was discovered, seemingly random numbers were found hidden in the last four frames. When put together in order from first to last frame, the numbers formed the IP address to another website, 206.16.223.65, a base-7 countdown due to reach 0 at midnight June 21, 2007 (a Thursday morning).
Through this IP, the players found a close website (206.16.223.63) called the "Society of the Ancients". The "Society of the Ancients" appear to be self styled historians and ufo-oligists, collectively searching for conclusive evidence of a previously unknown race of technologically superior aliens, whom they believe visited Earth tens if not hundreds of thousands of years ago. These aliens, whom they refer to as "ancients," appear to be the same 'Gods' that were described in the halo3.com webcomic, as the same glyph that was found there also appears carved into or hand painted onto a rock in a photo that can be found at the bottom of the evidence page. While the website does not specifically name them, one can assume that these "ancients" are in fact members of the Forerunner race, as they are known to have used similar symbols. Further, the metal servants described in the halo3.com webcomic closely resemble the Forerunner Sentinels.
Furthermore, the "Society of the Ancients" page contained a link to the above-mentioned countdown, verifying the link between the two websites. The countdown, though changing text many times, originally showed the following information:
Rotate Transition Point /negative/ Local Interference - Negligible /confirmed/ Realignment Proceeding
The exact meaning of this text has yet to be discovered. The timer itself appears to be counting down to Midnight June 21. The timer uses a Base 7 system. Also, as the clock runs using the computer's internal clock, timezones are not a factor. It is speculated that the speed of the clock increases after opening the page, though this has not been verified. Heavy debate regarding both, as well as all other information contained in all other mentioned sources, continues on several Halo fan sites such as Hushed Casket and Unfiction.
June 19th
On June 19, 2007, the user created a new thread entitled "That Old Life.", saying another entity exists and is trying to stop him. He also suggested he would pick a user and "leave my legacy in a small space.". The following day, a bungie forum member reported receiving a message from AdjutantReflex. The thread is entitled "HELP ME." and has been stickied at the top of the Halo 3 forum by a moderator, confirming the validity of the subject in relation to the ARG.
11:32 AM PDT
The stain on his hands will not wash. That damned spot as old as rock and time. What has he learned in Eon’s slumber? I doubt it’s mercy or sorrow. I am diminished. Outranked.
AR's avatar also changed. [1]
The Second Message to Foman
Tell them I am failing. And that he is stronger. Tell them that security cannot be guaranteed. Tell them that there is little time. And that I am crumbling.
1:43 PM PDT
Last Word.
Adjutant Reflex is terminated. Attempt no further communication. I am utilizing its matrix. Everything is within protocol. Tomorrow, things may be clearer but I will not be here to witness the clarity. I am for another place and another time. On my terms. Be seeing you.
2:05 PM PDT The Fourth Message to Foman
The entity you communicated with previously has been terminated and in accordance with protocol. Its matrix is accommodating my requirements. My identity is not your concern. My intent is your concern.
The countdown timer stopped at 001 012 034 053, which turned out to be coordinates for Mt. Elgon, a mountain found near Kenya, in the African Wilderness. Note that Halo 3 has been confirmed to be set in Africa near Mombasa, Kenya.
June 20th
At 11:00 Pm EDT, the countdown website disappeared, replaced by an audio file, believed to be be last transmission of AdjutantReflex, a unique login string, and a link to a new website. this site required a login with a Windows Live ID that has a D.o.B attached to it, indicating that one must be over 18 to enter. the website then unlocks the mysterious "server 5" on www.halo3.com
This "Server 5" allows a user to click on different pieces of what looks to be a floating piece of Forerunner machinery, located in a hallway that is reminiscent of the HALO games. Clicking on different pieces of the machine will allow the user to download two text files and two image files. One image is entitled "Slide_Ref070107", and appears to be a sample of Flood cells under a microscope (there could perhaps be significance in the 070107, as in July 1st 2007). The other image is entitled "StarImage1" and is a photo of multicolored celestial bodies with the symbol relating to the Society of the Ancients and the Cradle of Life comic. The two documents are titled "Array_Recorder_Data" and "Log5_Transcript". The Transcript is a file that duplicates what is said if a user clicks on a certain part of the machine on the Server 5 website, and the message seems to be the last entry into a diary of some sort (presumably written by a Forerunner) praying that the message is read by somebody in order to stop the "antithesis of life" (presumably the Flood). The Array_Recorder_Data file is headed by the text "Halo array –System Data Recorder" and is presumably a data collection of one of the HALO installations, and contains some cryptic text resembling a computer program with intermixed comments by {D-com}.
When watching the video from the forerunner machine you may notice two bits of text flash up very quickly, these are not recorded in the log 5 transcript. The full message with the parts which flash up quickly reads
THIS IS MY FINAL ENTRY, AND I AM LEFT WITH ONE HOPE
THAT ONE DAY, SOMEONE, ANYONE IS AROUND TO WITNESS THIS WARNING
IF YOU ARE THAT WITNESS AND IT SEEMED WE PINNED ALL OUR HOPES ON THIS SINGLE SUICIDAL PLAN*
KNOW THAT A THOUSAND OTHER PLANS WERE TRIED AND FAILED
MILLIONS OF BRAVE AND HONOURED SOULS DIED TRYING TO AVERT THIS DESPERATE TERRIBLE SITUATION*
KNOW THAT ENERGETIC AND TENACIOUS AS LIFE IS
IT HAS AN ANTITHESIS JUST AS POWERFUL
IT IS THAT THING THAT WE MUST OBLITERATE
The two lines which flash quickly are marked with a *
June 21st
Found an image on the artifact "Slide_Ref070107.jpg" with a reference number of 070507. Is something slated for July 1st and /or 5th?