Unknown Artefacts: if there is no puzzle to solve, should FD come clean and admit it?

[Grumbleweed]

I've had more fun in the game this last week and a half than at any other time, never quite felt the 'community' come together quite like it, and I don't think I've ever been so excited about some pixels when the first UA was found, and I don't really care if it has a 'point' or not. I'm still looking for one.

The not knowing IS the excitement. That's science that is.

"Imagination is more important than knowledge" - A. Einstein
"Imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were. But without it, we go nowhere." - Karl Sagan

 

[smiths121]

Hi All,

I have not got involved id trying to solve the puzzle but voted no. Whether there is something in it, the threads about this, and people's imaginative theories are a fantastic read. Forum has come alive again, and no-one has mentioned the words "grief", "solo-play" or guild.

Good stuff.

Simon

 

[Genar-Hofoen]

I think it's a sign that the player base is extremely thirsty for actual content to be added to the game. Y'know, things like alien life, human avatars, actual genuine mysteries to be solved, etc.

 

[Navynuke99]

If nothing else, it's something new, different, and interesting to play around with. As an electrical engineer I'm having an absolute blast with this thing- haven't had this much fun in a game setting since the LOST ARG's.

 

[EAGLE 5]

Is that a clue?

Nah just ZR's attempt at Voltaire

 

[Greyhawk]

I just find it very hard to believe they have had the time or initiative to make this any more than what it is. A cool item with a cool sound. more updates could reveal more of the story - if I was FD I would take some of the ideas in the many threads and add content based on that.

Coming out and saying "you are wasting your time" would be a Bad Thing. To be fair FD have made a thing about community goals and it would be unusual for them not to run with this whole story even if they themselves dont know where its going to end.

Be interesting to see FD's next move. If they make one that is.

 

[Rich Bramwell]

To me the journey is often more important than the quest itself......This is the only time since I started playing last year that I have been inspired to get out of my local stars and actually explore, just for that the mystery alone is worth it's weight in painite.
I really do wish there to be more to the UA's mysterious origin that we can all learn, though I suspect that we have not found it yet or it has not been implemented yet.
Just put me out of my mystery please......before I jump out the cargo bay myself looking for shiny many eyed sparkly things that sing to me.

 

[Dogeh]

The journey is the best part.

I'm just really impressed that no-one on FDev has cracked and offered more hints other than what MB said.

 

[telperion]

I just had a colleague, who quit playing ED, state he can't wait to get home from work so he can go and hunt for an UA. He got bored with the game but when I mentioned this whole UA quest to him he read a load of threads and is now more interested in ED than he ever was before.

The power of the unknown. The power of mystery. It never ceases to amaze me.

 

[Meme the little Thargoid]

I would see some progress over this artefact story with more as an unrelated information without a deep story.
I hope this leads to a bigger adventure and is not only a moonshot into the void. >_<

So, i think they should clear it after a specific time. Not in the first moments, let the players begin brainstorming. But give them a hint that this story has no direct target or its only a hint to an upcoming Patch.

 

[Zenith]

I voted no, keep going. I'm an explorer by nature and temperament, but I also have a science and statistics background. That's why something that seems intriguing or hinting at something extra holds my attention for longer.

The mobile geolocation game "Ingress" has an ARG component to the backstory where Niantic hide passcodes in images, documents, webpages and sound files. Once decrypted, the passcode can be entered in-game for inventory items. The most difficult puzzles can yield the rarest items.

With one comment, Michael Brookes put this community on alert and we self organised into search parties. Then UAs were found, video and audio recorded, and the next step began with no intervention from FDev. The sounds may be random, but they also show structure, and it is good scientific method to hypothesise, test, analyse results and draw conclusions. This line of inquiry is ongoing.

This sort of community engagement is exactly what we need to counter the tide of negativity on the forums. There's been more collaboration and positive input from more people than in recent weeks, and I'm happy to be part of it.

 

[Midian27]

Stop begging for more hints. None should have been given in the first place.

 

[Rich Bramwell]

The journey is the best part.

I'm just really impressed that no-one on FDev has cracked and offered more hints other than what MB said.

But someone did, though not directly an employee of FD, Drew a book author of the current games lore did make a slight nod towards a post of ''RedEye's'' that we should perhaps pay more attention to the Galnet articles, the post was on page 250 of the ''Dr.Arcannon First Great Unknown Artifact Quest'' thread..... EDIT....which is why that senator outfitting her ship and the He Bo system seem the ones I have most read and thought.....MMMMMmmmmm...damn my head still hurts....thinking too much about Aliens that is.

 

[Drizzt Do Urden]

If FD said exactly that, "isn't it cool, we're really pleased with how weird and alien it sounds", people would immediately start to overanalyze that to bits too.

"Weird" would probably be read as "some place uncommon", then there'd be anagrams made from the word "please" to see if it matches any current system.....oh, and i'm sure someone would derive some binary stuff out of it, just to make sure.

Tinfoil factories probably ran double shifts the last few days.

It's not FD's fault or responsibility to clear anything up, just because everything they say get's utterly turned and twisted beyond sense and reason.

I wanna have your babies

 

[Tokyto]

I was very happy that I had the time to follow this amazing story the last week, but I can imagine that some other players just don't have the time to catch up this quick and would not have an idea what is going on if they only come online ones every week or so.

Therefor I think it's amazing that FD has given us some tips when needed to go further, but does not rush it. Keep it up, so everyone can enjoy it

 

[Alec Turner]

I've had more fun in the game this last week and a half than at any other time, never quite felt the 'community' come together quite like it, and I don't think I've ever been so excited about some pixels when the first UA was found, and I don't really care if it has a 'point' or not. I'm still looking for one.

The not knowing IS the excitement. That's science that is.

"Imagination is more important than knowledge" - A. Einstein
"Imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were. But without it, we go nowhere." - Karl Sagan

I retract (and apologise for) my original Yes vote, I vote No

 

[Arcanonn]

I retract (and apologise for) my original Yes vote, I vote No

Well that rounds this thread off nicely LOL, nice one Alec.

 

[mossfoot]

If anything, Frontier might get some inspiration from some of the crazy theories and avenues of inquiry that we've gone down

 

[IronLIch]

Patience is tough, I struggle with it too.

My feelings: Frontier has gotten so much right thus far, I trust them to pay these things off eventually. (wood knock) As long as we stay patient enough to allow their game to survive.

 

[Tiamat]

Nobody has figured out a puzzle after a few days and you just assume FD have intentionally wasted your time?

Oooooohhhhhh.... this is a thinly-veiled attempt at trying to get the to give you a clue. I see what you did there.