I was wondering if the "seven veils" reference, along with the area swept out by the constellations clues, might be a unique view from south of, and including, H&S; could five other veils, speculatively nebulae, span the region and give an indication of where to look?
So you want to know about the Formidine Rift? (Part 3)
- Thread starter Legacy_LuckyLuke
- Start date
During her whole trip to Sol didn't Kahina keep making references to not wanting to be late? Funny thing: All this fuss over not being late and who does she go to London to meet? Ambassador Waite.
dynamicbob
Banned
Good call Muet.
Anything outside that band is very unlikely to be far enough out, to be interesting.
Some of the EDSM maps shows the constellations as sectors in the galactic plane. These are very helpful to see the regions.
This one is fro the interactive map. https://www.edsm.net/galactic-route...eKey/1e02e60dea7ec57ab8aa1f90ad8b4847447c689d
The clue can at least be used to give an idea of the east/west limitation of the region.
I have made a more complete skymap that includes the RR line and EAFOTS sector.
Will put it on this evening. Some notes :
1) RR line is far off, at gal long 128°. Still, close to one of the EAFOTS corners
2) Camelopardis/Cassiopeia/Perseus meet near 141° gal long, 0.0° gal lat, which also sits near one of the EAFOTS corner.
3) At 8K lyr, 1° of gal lat is ~120 lyr off-plane. EAFOTS goes from -0.5° to +10° gal lat. I don't know what the star density looks like at +1200lyr over there, but IIRC past +500lyr it becomes very thin. So, +4°/5° at most.
4) I did not find any interesting deep space objects there. So far.
5) If looking at the corner of EAFOTS near the 141° meet point, this would reduce the EAFOTS search area by ~20x at the very least.
Will put it on this evening. Some notes :
1) RR line is far off, at gal long 128°. Still, close to one of the EAFOTS corners
2) Camelopardis/Cassiopeia/Perseus meet near 141° gal long, 0.0° gal lat, which also sits near one of the EAFOTS corner.
3) At 8K lyr, 1° of gal lat is ~120 lyr off-plane. EAFOTS goes from -0.5° to +10° gal lat. I don't know what the star density looks like at +1200lyr over there, but IIRC past +500lyr it becomes very thin. So, +4°/5° at most.
4) I did not find any interesting deep space objects there. So far.
5) If looking at the corner of EAFOTS near the 141° meet point, this would reduce the EAFOTS search area by ~20x at the very least.
I would say perhaps instead to treat it like an onion? The transmission has layers of encryption and obfuscation. Each one is peeled off in turn to reveal another step in the process.
So:
1) Decodes to EAFOTS. A pretty easy one indicating a starting destination, so go from Tionisla to Eafots Region - and the H&S specifically, given the Cobra's name.
2) Decodes to some plain-text gibberish ... that includes references to four classic constellations. So use that clue to go from H&S to the next point on the route. I don't believe this bit is anywhere near as simple as the other - especially not since seeing that arrow. What about moving parallel to the arrow from the H&S region? (up offplane, clockwise) Translate the vector the arrow gives onto your present location.
3) Decodes to ??? - but something only particularly usable from the destination of clue 2, I expect, and which might not be revealed until some people at least have got there.
I had a quick look in the galmap as to what was offplane and clockwise and didn't see anything obvious, but the galmap isn't great for that sort of work - maybe it's more obvious if you're sat at H&S and heading right for it? Sorry I'm too far out to help this time.
(Note that people were talking about asterisms from H&S, and the constellations mentioned in the clue, before the clue came out - this was in theory solvable earlier, if the arrow is real)
Also remember: thinking about the chronology Drew must have planned out the rough location before the real ED galaxy was available - so "things which are reasonably likely to be in the same place in Space Engine" are probably of more importance than others.
I was just rechecking the galnet article. Imho the "unknown encryption" bit is there as a vessel for FD to publish more clues from the same source.
If you go back to the first cobra's transmission, there was no mention that the message itself should be something more than "meaningless set of characters". Now, since we are thick as a brick house and Drew has a book to write (damn it) the message was retconed from just characters to complex transmission that was "partially" decoded to produce current clue. Meaning that if we continue to drive Drew crazy by not finding the mystery, it can be further decoded to produce more clues.
So unless somebody can produce the current message from the original EAFOTS string, I'd say the galnet article is just leaving a back door open for further clues.
Mind that I am not saying the Vain queen's preferred method of transport (at least I hope she rides it for just transport) is cypher, I myself am operating under the assumption that it is right now, but I think the galnet article itself should be taken with a pinch of salt.
Looking forward to your map.
I still think we need the encoded part of the Cobra transmission to narrow it down further but putting all the hints in one map, is the way to go.
That was my thinking about the encryption too. The galnet post did feel like it was intended to give us a push as we were stalling a bit and it worked because look at all the discussion it's generated.
I've got to say, this experience of trying to figure out the mystery of the Formidine Rift has made me feel like a space explorer and detective in a way that no other game has ever done. Kudos to Drew and FDev
David Braben is apparently quite the astronomy fan (perhaps even an amateur astronomer?), so I think that astronomy-based clues are quite likely to be valid.
We've been told to watch the skybox, but have we been told where from? One possibility for Salome's visit to Sol and whichever other systems she visited is to look for an event known to have occurred at a specific time. As someone else mentioned, you can effectively watch an event over and over again by travelling further away, so perhaps she was looking for some event that is visible in those constellations, and wanted to see it several times to triangulate its location. Maybe the event is regularly occurring, hence the visit to Cambridge to search for old records of it, or maybe it was a one-off. A regularly recurring event would make more sense from the point of view of something we have to find.
It was mentioned by someone that the Earth's orbit is not enough to triangulate things, but this is actually a real technique that has been used in astronomy for centuries to estimate the distance to stars: Measure its position in the sky on two nights six months apart, and use the change in angle to estimate the distance. Salome went to the gas giants as well, which would give a longer base line and so a more accurate estimate for distance. If she viewed whatever it is from different systems, that would give a massive base line and a much more accurate result.
Perhaps what is in the rift is the star eaters, and Salome was watching for a star to disappear. Didn't someone say that some of the stars from those constellations are not in the game?
We've been told to watch the skybox, but have we been told where from? One possibility for Salome's visit to Sol and whichever other systems she visited is to look for an event known to have occurred at a specific time. As someone else mentioned, you can effectively watch an event over and over again by travelling further away, so perhaps she was looking for some event that is visible in those constellations, and wanted to see it several times to triangulate its location. Maybe the event is regularly occurring, hence the visit to Cambridge to search for old records of it, or maybe it was a one-off. A regularly recurring event would make more sense from the point of view of something we have to find.
It was mentioned by someone that the Earth's orbit is not enough to triangulate things, but this is actually a real technique that has been used in astronomy for centuries to estimate the distance to stars: Measure its position in the sky on two nights six months apart, and use the change in angle to estimate the distance. Salome went to the gas giants as well, which would give a longer base line and so a more accurate estimate for distance. If she viewed whatever it is from different systems, that would give a massive base line and a much more accurate result.
Perhaps what is in the rift is the star eaters, and Salome was watching for a star to disappear. Didn't someone say that some of the stars from those constellations are not in the game?
That was my thinking about the encryption too. The galnet post did feel like it was intended to give us a push as we were stalling a bit and it worked because look at all the discussion it's generated.
I've got to say, this experience of trying to figure out the mystery of the Formidine Rift has made me feel like a space explorer and detective in a way that no other game has ever done. Kudos to Drew and FDev
It's all just to wake us up and the get that neuron firing again. It's not about H&S, the triangle of constellations or Eaofts, it's about Tionisla! When Guardians drops, Kahina goes on trial and the Tionisla graveyard becomes accessible which will be plot point #4 and maybe just maybe we can find the missing data for our new decoder rings. I wouldn't be surprised to find TOW still kicking too.
So the second it drops, party in the graveyard!
p.s. Exploration is changing especially notable on long distance travel, that mini-game of scooping, aligning and beating the cool down clock is getting a little more challenging.
here is the map (did my best) :
The blue line is the galactic plane, with 130°, 140° and 150° marks.
The Blue circle is ~3° radius centered on HD20041 which sits close to the Camelopardis-Perseus-Cassiopeia triple boudary.
In dark red I added the EAFOTS sector. It is actually huge.
Last, in pink the RR line.
The part of EAFOTS close to the blue circle (say if the circle is taken as 5-6° radius) is not so large anymore.
The blue line is the galactic plane, with 130°, 140° and 150° marks.
The Blue circle is ~3° radius centered on HD20041 which sits close to the Camelopardis-Perseus-Cassiopeia triple boudary.
In dark red I added the EAFOTS sector. It is actually huge.
Last, in pink the RR line.
The part of EAFOTS close to the blue circle (say if the circle is taken as 5-6° radius) is not so large anymore.
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Any rough estimate of the coordinates of the circle?
Every single one of you guys are just plain twisted awesome.
I really hope that we are that close to uncovering the truth, that we may expect hostile encounters ingame, just because we know to much. they cannot stop us, the truth is out there. One for all and all for one. [up][alien][up]
The Blue circle is ~3° radius centered on HD20041 which sits close to the Camelopardis-Perseus-Cassiopeia triple boudary.
I think he's looking for ED coordinates, not galactic coordinates.
At this part of EAFOTS, the correct distance range should be ~7.5 to 8.5 Klyr, or something even more centered arround 8.0Klyr.
Here are the calculations for the center point, 3° upward and 3° eastward :
I would advise to take all of this with pincers and keep a critical mind.
So far, with this clue, for me the triple boundary point seems the best interpretation.
At this part of EAFOTS, the correct distance range should be ~7.5 to 8.5 Klyr, or something even more centered arround 8.0Klyr.
Here are the calculations for the center point, 3° upward and 3° eastward :
| 0 | sin | 0.000 | Klyr | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 |
| 141 | cos | -0.777 | X | -4405 | -4720 | -5035 | -5349 | -5664 |
| sin | 0.629 | Z | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Y | -5440 | -5829 | -6217 | -6606 | -6994 | |||
| D | ||||||||
| 3 | sin | 0.052 | Klyr | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 |
| 141 | cos | -0.777 | X | -4405 | -4720 | -5035 | -5349 | -5664 |
| sin | 0.629 | Z | 366 | 393 | 419 | 445 | 471 | |
| Y | -5440 | -5829 | -6217 | -6606 | -6994 | |||
| D | ||||||||
| 0 | sin | 0.000 | Klyr | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 |
| 138 | cos | -0.743 | X | -4684 | -5018 | -5353 | -5688 | -6022 |
| sin | 0.669 | Z | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Y | -5202 | -5574 | -5945 | -6317 | -6688 | |||
| D |
I would advise to take all of this with pincers and keep a critical mind.
So far, with this clue, for me the triple boundary point seems the best interpretation.
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I wonder of the RR line really means anything.
To me it is telling that more or less every Galnet hint we have points to the Heart and Soul Nebula.
The registry name of the ship in the graveyard "to my heart and soul".
The transmission EAFOTS linked with that clue would be the additional reveal some people needed if they didn't immediately make the heart and soul connection.
Now we have the riddle. To me it is just enough to verify that it is talking about constellations. Like of they had just said "vain queen" that isn't enough to go by. But by hinting at 4 (Andromeda, Perseus, Cassiopeia, and the Giraffe) they made sure that even a casual Google search would reveal it was constellations.
Now what is in Cassiopeia in fact what is the ONLY deep sky object that is not a galaxy that is in the named constellations that is in the EAFOTS region?
Heart and Soul Nebula. IMO whatever is there is in one of the Heart or Soul systems. Forget EAFOTS that was just to draw the attention of anyone who didn't know about the RR line to that portion of space.
I have made one trip out and didn't spend much time in the Nebula proper but with this new clue the hints seem to be pileing up that it's actually within the Nebula somewhere .
To me it is telling that more or less every Galnet hint we have points to the Heart and Soul Nebula.
The registry name of the ship in the graveyard "to my heart and soul".
The transmission EAFOTS linked with that clue would be the additional reveal some people needed if they didn't immediately make the heart and soul connection.
Now we have the riddle. To me it is just enough to verify that it is talking about constellations. Like of they had just said "vain queen" that isn't enough to go by. But by hinting at 4 (Andromeda, Perseus, Cassiopeia, and the Giraffe) they made sure that even a casual Google search would reveal it was constellations.
Now what is in Cassiopeia in fact what is the ONLY deep sky object that is not a galaxy that is in the named constellations that is in the EAFOTS region?
Heart and Soul Nebula. IMO whatever is there is in one of the Heart or Soul systems. Forget EAFOTS that was just to draw the attention of anyone who didn't know about the RR line to that portion of space.
I have made one trip out and didn't spend much time in the Nebula proper but with this new clue the hints seem to be pileing up that it's actually within the Nebula somewhere .
![[Diplomacy] Carnegie](https://forums-cdn.zaonce.net/data/avatars/m/123/123809.jpg?1553527149){kind=avatar}
The three clues - the RR line, EAFOTS and the constellations all point in the same direction - to where the Rift is - but only EAFOTS gives a range as well as a bearing. However, the older clue regarding entering/crossing the Rift is contradicted by the EAFOTS range, so I'm not sure that helps us much.
If the constellations clue is intended to provide more detail than EAFOTS, then there needs to be a way to translate it into either a range or a specific object. The only way I see that being the case is in the linkage between the constellations - that is, the words 'rides' and 'remembers'. Reading it like a cryptic crossword clue puts Cassiopeia on top of Camelopardalis and a reversed Perseus. Using the three letter abbreviations for the constellations gives something like:
Cas
Cam
reP
If someone can turn that into something meaningful, then they're a better man than me!