OurColony Discussion

[Sammael]

Browsing the net at lunch I found something interesting. On some different forums people are taking about a website called www.ourcolony.net, going to the site it doesn't look like much. Typing random words into the box will make images appear. One of the images that appears is the power button for the current Xbox. Now it could be nothing, however at his GDC keynote this year J Allard wore a redshirt with an ant centered on it, under his blazer but obviously visable in the open.... ourcolony obviously makes reference to ants. So was it just a coincedence?

EDIT- there is also a counter in the upper left hand corner counting down to May 11th... When does E3 start?

Edit: Removed password. Anyone interested should pm someone who is already in. Figured better to keep the private forums there actually private.~Duke

[MasterChief21]

that is a little weird , but it is cool, i typed in random stuff and is said i was wrong. hmmmm>

[TRSundown]

Very wierd indeed... So whats the whole colony thing about. What kind of "game" is this guy playing?

[Sammael]

Type "PLAY" into the box to go deeper.

You can then join a colony or create your own... strange.

[Shadow20002]

What is this all about?

[skorp]

Interesting... This is all I got...

[MixMasta]

http://www.ourcolony.net/images/gallery/Chicago5.jpg

http://www.ourcolony.net/images/gallery/Chicago6.jpg

The two video game related images show Xbox related things.

[Xer0Mercy]

Hmm... Weird.

[Variation-XBA]

First Bee's now ants? I'll steer way cleer of all this :P

[Sammael]

I was browsing TXB and they are onto this as well. Apparently one of the members there who does have connections to MS said this is absolutely related to Xbox360.

As I said before type PLAY into the box and it opens up new stuff and riddles.

[Sammael]

I created an XBA Colony...

Pass PW Removed. PM someone who is playing to get it. along to those you want to join you in your journey. think about who can help you take it all the way and bring them in

When you put PLAY into the box and it gives you more options, select join Colony then enter the number password I included above.

[Casper]

Looks like that might be the logo for Xbox Circle. Nice find - I'll keep on this when I get time at work.

[Sammael]

What would an Ant and a Circle have to do with anything to be a logo?

[Duke]

There's a puzzle now.

Echo Golf Mike v. 187 p. 98 n. Unlock XX …

Anyone have EGM laying around?

[Sammael]

No sir.

[TheCovenant]

under the puzzle i typed in "xbox 360" and the rank went up from 21 to 20.


Whoa....

EDIT: I typed in "its good to play together" and it went back down to 21! I typed in xbox 360 again and the 21st place dissapeared, and we went down to 22!!! argh...i screwing this up for everyone...

[Casper]

Still noone with an EGM? We should be doing better than this :p

[Sammael]

No EGM here.

[TheWheelMan]

your colony has been joined sammael :cheers:

[Sammael]

Thanks. It wont even let me into my own Colony now.. LOL

[TheCovenant]

i typed in halo...we dropped down to 26....

Edit: typed in halo 3...went up to 25th place...typed in halo 360, went up to 24th place.

Egm or not, some words take away points form the score, and some words add...

[Sammael]

Someone needs that EGM!

[Casper]

Got Bakeman helping us out now, but the #187 issue goes back a few months - this month's is #191 :( It's the January issue dam it!

[TheCovenant]

really? i think i may have that one actually...ill post anything if i find it...

[Casper]

Bakeman found it out - I posted it on the forums supplied in the Challenge area. Go there for the answer and post it once you get in.

[TheCovenant]

wait...that word just did the same thing that a bunch of other words did that i tried...

Halo negative
Halo 3 positive
Halo 360 positive
Foundation positive
Xbox 360 positive
"its good to play together" negative

EDIT:

Xenon positive

i dont know...looks like just guessing words can get aus pretty far...

[Casper]

http://www.ourcolony.net/forum/topics.aspx

[TRSundown]

Dudes... I put in Foundation and nothing happend... Still says I have not solved the puzzle yet. Any suggestions.

[TheWheelMan]

**** i have issue 188 febuary but i dont have 187

[TheWheelMan]

I dunno if any of you saw but in the forums section of the our colony site it says the riddle has to do with unlocking foundation im guessing in halo 2 anyone know??

[Casper]

Site's down now - getting SQL errors when I try and login - wtf?

[thrAsher]

Working for me...

[thrAsher]

I say that for those Addicts interested, we keep as much discussion as possible at our colony forum. I'm sure we have 'spies' in there already, but still...just an idea.

And why EGM? That's like the worst gaming rag out there.

[Duke]

Was down for me earlier too, but seems to be working again.

[PapaSKooT]

New messages in the forums at the site... Everyone please join up, power in numbers!

And I'm also calling for an end to all information here. And I'm considering editing Sammaels post and removing the number. Although, we're so far behind, no one wants our colony's info ;)

[TheWheelMan]

sounds like a plan all info in our forum on the site :cool:

[Reclaimer]

I joined the colony.
This is what I got:
Challenge:
LAST " " 0761537082

Oh.. we have a forum..

[skorp]

I joined the colony.
This is what I got:
Challenge:
LAST " " 0761537082

Oh.. we have a forum..

It's idle at the xboxaddict colony... I had to do some stuff earlier.
It has something to do with Dean Takahashi's book "Opening The Xbox". The numbers is the ISBN...

We are discussing it at the forum or we were....

[Reclaimer]

It's idle at the xboxaddict colony... I had to do some stuff earlier.
It has something to do with Dean Takahashi's book "Opening The Xbox". The numbers is the ISBN...

We are discussing it at the forum or we were....

I just saw that, and I posted what I tried. I worked with the book idea and the clue being Last " ". So I found the last page of the index being page 370, I tried "index", I tried the last chapter being "epilogue." None of that would work, so I quit until I could think about it more.

Look what I found:
Towards the middle of the page

http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:VTyMd3B-WNYJ:www.philly.com/mld/philly/entertainment/columnists/dennis_mccauley/6223011.htm+0761537082&hl=en

On the Web

www.primapublishing.com/

catalog/display.pperl?

0761537082

The Ultimate History of Video Games

Steven L. Kent. Prima (2001). $19.95.

Kent blends historical research with short interview segments to create the definitive retrospective on gaming.

With steady pacing, he traces the rise of the video game from its pinball ancestry to the PlayStation 2. Kent writes with compelling detail of the game industry's near-fatal collapse in the mid-1980s, and its subsequent rise to cultural prominence.

Although literal histories can be dry, this one is not. Kent dispenses with the mundane, offering key insights into the companies, products and personalities that made gaming part of the modern landscape.

[GuiltySpark]

OMG! <excitement!>

I, uh, I had nothing at all to do with ILB.... AT ALL...

Let me in, someone PM with the password and a little starter to get me going...

BTW, I have all the EGMs from the past 3 years :)

If you let me know what I need to do, I can get back to you on that when I get home...

I keep getting "The Colony is growing fast, please be patient" (read: we have cheap ass servers, go back and try again...)

[iloveRPGs]

Edit: sorry didn't fully read no info here

[SamSmith]

would someone please PM me the name and password so i can do it too please!! thanks!

[skorp]

hehee Is it just me or is the site very unstable?

I'm not missing out on anything yet, right?.... :whistle:

[Reclaimer]

hehee Is it just me or is the site very unstable?

I'm not missing out on anything yet, right?.... :whistle:


Yes, for something supposedly being backed by Microsoft, they have crappy web services.
You aren't missing anything that I'm aware of because the site is still down for me.

[TheCovenant]

the sites been down all day for me.

Screw this im playing some BiA...

[skorp]

If anyone is wondering the site seems to be up again.... But still no new challenge...


[edit] hahaha... I tried to upload a pic and it seems to be down again... *sigh*

[Ninjermy]

Site is down. The front page message just reads: "The Colony is growing quickly. Please be patient."

[Casper]

Note to self: when hyping my next project, don't use my home PC as a server

[Goku_69]

hey can someone IM me the password so i can try after i get off work please..... thanks

[Casper]

Check your PM's Goku :)

[mordecai]

Has anyone tried going to any of the places in the photo's? I know it'll be tricky to find them, but some of them have street names and cities in the photo. I would look for something near me, but I'm in Canada, so it probably isn't here.

[Casper]

Has anyone tried going to any of the places in the photo's? I know it'll be tricky to find them, but some of them have street names and cities in the photo. I would look for something near me, but I'm in Canada, so it probably isn't here.
It seems like those are just ppl printing out the logo and pasting it somewhere - getting extra points for uploading it. I did 2 pics yesterday, didn't notice if we got points though.

[Sammael]

Don't look now, but Ilovebees is coming back..... Seriously the blog of ILB's has been updated..... Ilovebees and ourcolony linked....

http://hivekeeper.blogspot.com/

Also read the comments on the second post..




Hot on the heels of yesterday's report on Ourcolony.net comes further evidence that Microsoft is waging a viral marketing campaign to promote its next-generation console.

During his 2005 Game Developers Conference keynote address, Microsoft corporate vice president and chief XNA architect J Allard showed off some of the features that will be part of the next iteration of Xbox Live. One of those features was the "Gamer Profile," an online profile that will feature basic information like a person's Xbox Live tag, stats, gaming achievements, and motto.

The Gamer Profile will also include a picture of the gamer. When Allard demonstrated the Gamer Profile in action, he showed his own profile. Next to his Gamer Tag--"Hiro Protagonist," named after the main character in Neal Stephenson's cyberpunk novel Snow Crash--was a photo of Allard sporting a green T-shirt. On the front of the T-shirt is a large white ant with a distinctive mark on its abdomen that resembled an "X."

As can be seen in a side-by-side comparison, that same ant is also the emblem of Ourcolony.net, a Web site that appears to reward players of an alternate-reality game with partial pictures of the next-generation Xbox. Although it has been up and down almost all day today (presumably due to increased traffic), the site does display the same ant prominently on its home page underneath the password field and in an intermittent circular image. The ant is also the emblem that appears on the anonymous fliers that have been popping up all over major cities in the US and UK.

The addition of the photographic link to an already existing pile of evidence all but cements Ourcolony.net to a next-generation Xbox teaser campaign. However, Microsoft dodged the assertion that the site is another alternate-reality game/marketing tool in the vein of ilovebees.com. "J [Allard] is a gamer and there are a lot of gamers playing Ourcolony.net," was all a spokesperson for the company told GameSpot.

However, Microsoft's implication that Allard is just a player of the game is somewhat undermined by a few facts. Though the Ourcolony.net URL was registered on February 4, 2005, the first comment in its forums is dated April 5, 2005. So unless the forums had been cleared or launched at a later date--unlikely, given that they are key to recruiting players to join the site's group-centric game--Ourcolony.net launched on April 5. Allard's GDC presentation was given on March 9. Together, the facts beg one big question: How could Allard be a fan of Ourcolony.net nearly a full month before the site went live?

GameSpot will have more on Ourcolony.net and the next-generation Xbox as more details become available.

http://image.com.com/gamespot/images/2005/news/04/07/sameant_screen001.jpg
This photo used when Allard showed off the Gamer Profiles of the Next Live at GDC... Allard also wore a short at GDC with the ant logo on it.

[Cloud Wolf]

Someone PM the pass?

[mordecai]

I haven't seen anyone mention this, so I figured I'd bring it up. Anyone notice the timer at the top right of the ourcolony site? It's counting down to about 7 o'clock May 12 (Pacific time). The only thing I could come up with for why is that something big will happen to the site at that time.

[Casper]

I haven't seen anyone mention this, so I figured I'd bring it up. Anyone notice the timer at the top right of the ourcolony site? It's counting down to about 7 o'clock May 12 (Pacific time). The only thing I could come up with for why is that something big will happen to the site at that time.
Or MS breaks their May 16th press party at E3 and announces the XBox 360 on that date.

[LTM360]

Can anyone send me the pw? Thank in advance.

[Floodman]

Should I got out and take pictures of the symbol? I dont want to take a lot, and then not get points from it.

[Kloije]

I've got an EGM number 187, p.98 is one of 2 pages where the "10 things you didn't know about halo2" are.

[Kloije]

SOmeone said it had something to do with unlocking foundaiton, so here's what it says:
3 Unlock the Secret Multiplayer Level.
IF you can't logon to Xbox Live to open Foundation (a remake of a leverl from the Bungie classic Marathon), there is another way, Beat Halo2 and start a co-op game on the last level with a new profile for the second player. Make sure that player does a barrel roll in a Banshee, then finish the game again. NBow go to multiplayer and FOundation is unlocked.
Hope it helps.

[Koopa]

i recommend everyone here go join TXB's colony...they're the biggest one now, and have the most points.

[Variation-XBA]

i recommend everyone here go join TXB's colony...they're the biggest one now, and have the most points.
Pfft, ship jumper :P

[skorp]

So, does anyone have any clue on the new challenge posted up now???

Are we still going to communicate by using AIM or something else?....

[Floodman]

I'm up for AIM chat - S/N = Floodman K2

Wow, TXB must have like 1600 members

[Floodman]

Challenge is completed

The Challenge had the numbers/letters: 20000 CMWKTRW

They represented: twenty thousand Cornish men Will know the reason why

Its part of the Cornwall Nation Anthem.

[Koopa]

Pfft, ship jumper :P
i first found out about the site from TXB. the more members a colony has, the higher the points go. if we could unite xba and txb, we'd be unstoppable

[squid413]

can someone pm me the pass? thanks

[mordecai]

I'll join XboxAddict if someone'll send me the pass.

[Koopa]

join txb--its a bigger community and has a better chance of winning. united we can pwn everyone!
86415989

[Floodman]

I did the last challenge for XBA, but it seems that not many people are interested in it anymore, so I made my own and had some good friends come in. We don't care that much about 'pwning', and we are like mid300's, but it's still fun trying to get the solutions.

[TOTTEN]

Can someone pm me the password to the xbas colony.

[carlbme]

Someone PM me with the info please.....and screw TXB :p

[Variation-XBA]

Someone PM me with the info please.....and screw TXB :p
That's the spirit :)

[Duke]

Having trouble w/ the new one. No forums anymore?

[skorp]

Yep... no forum and uploads anymore... At least for me. :confused:

Anyone have any idea on this new challenge?... Can't figure it out.

Don't want to post any clues here....

[GuiltySpark]

I propose that we use a Google Group to discuss the challenges. I will make it private and invite only. This will eliminate any spys that may be lurking in this very private forum. Let me stress "invite only." "Only" as in only trusted members. If you can give us good reasons to let you in, then we will.

Homepage (http://groups-beta.google.com/group/XBAColony)

PM me to join, all I will need is your email.

You can also email me with your XBA name and that'll do.

Tell me if this is a terrible idea, but we need to be able to openly discuss these challenges if we want to have any hope in succeeding as a team.

: peace :

[scotto46]

All the colonies need to cooperate. I am also scotto46 at txb - the one who started their team. some jerks cheated for us and screwed us up.
But, I know that if we cooperate we will learn much more. Gamem8ker told me the owner will reward us higher if we cooperate . Not join, per se , but cooperate.
Leader - if you guys are still playing aim me - scotto46.

[mordecai]

I can't seem to get back into the colony, everytime I join it, i'm in fine. Then after I leave for a while and I am logged out, I can't get back in. Any idea what I'm doing wrong.

[Reclaimer]

I can't seem to get back into the colony, everytime I join it, i'm in fine. Then after I leave for a while and I am logged out, I can't get back in. Any idea what I'm doing wrong.

Don't worry, I can't even get in. I just keep getting the "Be patient, our colony is growing" screen.

[Sammael]

Uh its counting down till May 12th... Isn't that the date MS is supposed to reveal 360 on MTV?

[carlbme]

I can't seem to get back into the colony, everytime I join it, i'm in fine. Then after I leave for a while and I am logged out, I can't get back in. Any idea what I'm doing wrong.

I had that problem too. So all I did was go to my history and was able to get into it.
Try going to this url... http://www.ourcolony.net/team/index.aspx Going there allows me access.

Also, the Google Group sounds like a great idea. I sent a join msg.

[SamSmith]

im trying to log in, i was given the password i think...don't post our password
but what do i type in the box: username
and then: password

[skorp]

im trying to log in, i was given the password i think... (thanks skorp :))

but what do i type in the box: username
and then: password


Your welcome! :cheers:

You can put whatever you want... It's just for your use to login.
you can put for example.... hmmm...

username: VARD
Password: fightingirish

:confused: :)

[Casper]

Guys, again, please don't post the password.

[SamSmith]

Guys, again, please don't post the password.

Guilty, my gmail is CasperDDC

sorry about that... but it is shown in skorps msg where he quoted me just to let you know

[AlphaRaptor]

Can someone invite me to thier colony? I've tried to make my own, but it kept saying I typed in the improper number. I tried it several times...

[Duke]

Since there are no forums anymore, no point in hiding the pw.

So here ya go: 80426908

[GuiltySpark]

Since there are no forums anymore, no point in hiding the pw.

So here ya go: 80426908


True, true.

Ok, this google group thing could actually work. Of course that would mean that everyone would need to participate in it. There are currently five members: myself, Casper, totten, skorp, and carl. If you want to be a part of it then:

A) Go here and apply (http://groups-beta.google.com/group/XBAColony)

B) Send me a PM

C) Email me (guiltyspark@gmail.com) with you username.

There are three posts, soooooo don't be afraid to get the ball rolling. Also, any new members can invite other members.

EDIT: Floodman is also in.

[scotto46]

If you wish to join in the colony cooperation - we have all been congregating at the aim chat room : "our colony".

I know I saw koopa there last night - invite anyone you want.

Our goal is truth , not points.

[skorp]

Our goal is truth , not points.

So is ours... I believe. :)

It shows by our rank and score. But we have been able to answer all the challenges so far. ;)


I think you can only rank/ score higher by creating challenges (If they choose it) and get more people to join your colony.

[TRSundown]

Hey guys...

I have been out of it for a few days. Trying to close on a house. The new challenge that I see is X Y X X X Y... I am sure its some combo for a game but I have no idea. Any ideas?

[AlphaRaptor]

At first glance it looks like a DOA combo, which it might be.

[Slowride]

I tried signing up, but when I type in the code it tells me it's the wrong number. So F*ck them.

[Casper]

I just got solved the latest :hump:

I'll post what it was on our google site

[Floodman]

Casper's quick like lightning.

[scotto46]

gamem8ker has made it known to me that the real challenge is getting the colonies to cooperate.

[Casper]

gamem8ker has made it known to me that the real challenge is getting the colonies to cooperate.
You going to ask one more time?

And tell gamem8ker I said hi, since you're obviously so close with him.

[scotto46]

fine, be jerks. you obviously dont understand this a bit. you think it's about the points - then how come whenever teamxbox hits above 20,000 he resets it ? and no, we're not cheating.
i won't ask again. you know where to find me if you change your mind.

[Casper]

fine, be jerks. you obviously dont understand this a bit. you think it's about the points - then how come whenever teamxbox hits above 20,000 he resets it ? and no, we're not cheating.
i won't ask again. you know where to find me if you change your mind.
No, I don't think it's about points, but I also don't think we're going to win a special prize or anything either. It's obvious that you are taking this much more serious than most of us intend to (although we are having fun doing it).

[mordecai]

How do you complete Challenges; like where do you put an answer?

[FB-Gollum]

A combo for a game...I'm an idiot. I saw XY XX XY and thought "Father, Mother, Son" and started writing all sorts of family terminology. I need to tone it down.

[skorp]

How do you complete Challenges; like where do you put an answer?

On every knew challenge... there will be a box where you can post the answer.

We just got the last one... ;) So no new challenges at the moment until maybe tomorrow... But check periodically just in case.

:cheers:

[Casper]

I just got today's and it was HARD. Can't wait to see what tomorrow's is.

http://ourcolony.net/images/gamem8ker/112798.jpg

Still unsure of what that pic is for.

[carlbme]

Looks like we need more to join the GoogleGroup to actually be able to talk about these :p

[Floodman]

Haha I think we did pretty well with just 4 people

[vman]

woah, i just read all 6 pages (yes, i know i have no life) and i have no f-ing clue of what is going on. everyone is talking about ants, PM's, google group, colony, passwords, and what not. man, i could not be more confused right now.

[carlbme]

Ahh, well basically it's a website (http://www.ourcolony.net) where they put up challenges. We have formed a Google Group in which we share ideas to try to figure out the challenges first. This way we aquire more points and move towards the top.

That's a general run down anyway.

[SamSmith]

ok, im in :) tell me when the next challenge is, my username is VARD , and im in the XBA colony

[AlphaRaptor]

Why can't I get into the XBA Google group anymore?

[LTM360]

I don't understand how the hell you can get an "answer" from this stuff. Start in the alley, wtf?

[SamSmith]

yeah, that was prety wierd... but check again, we got a new challenge..... wtf does it mean?? ?? :huh:

[FB-Gollum]

Well, it's alpha-numeric I think. It may be important that a reflection is shown. 26 letters in the alphabet and the weird one would be U. Coincidental? Damned if I know.

[skorp]

Latest challenge pic.

possibly a loading screen [a ring]? A ring to rule them all... ;) :D

http://www.ourcolony.net/images/logos/11104275.jpg

[SamSmith]

the ring of light that they have been going on about?

[AlphaRaptor]

Latest challenge pic.

possibly a loading screen [a ring]? A ring to rule them all... ;) :D

http://www.ourcolony.net/images/logos/11104275.jpg
Maybe the boot up screen?

[SamSmith]

Maybe the boot up screen?

yeah, thats what CVG is saying.

[ll Mista GT ll]

Guys, Can you PM me the UN and PW? Thanks! :)

[Cybiker]

Think I can get a pm with the info needed to join also? Thanks guys

[skorp]

Type: play

Join existing colony.

XBA pass: 80426908

Then if I remember correctly. Type out a user name and password of your choice.

Thats about it. Just look out for the next challenge.

Ask Guiltyspark for more info.

I don't know what else gamem8ker will come out with to keep people interested now
with the leak and all.... I guess we'll have to see....

[AlphaRaptor]

Halo 2.5 screenshot? :cool:

[skorp]

Halo 2.5 screenshot? :cool:


That would be worth it... :cheers:


For now we have to settle for the latest challenge 5/10/05 reward pic.

Perfect Dark 0.

http://www.ourcolony.net/images/logos/L2893749823.jpg

:)

[Variation-XBA]

I'm hoping this means no more cel shaded Joana from the render ages ago.

[SamSmith]

what was the answer for the previous question thing? i really dont know how you guys can make sense out of those clues! lol

[tatertott2]

Hey Guys I Went To This Weird Site And I Tried Typing Randomly And Nothing Happened But When I Kept On Pressing Refresh In My Web Browser The Picture On The Circle Changed One Of Them Were Darth Vader Pointing To A Sign That Said Colony And One Was Of Lava And 1 Was A Pice Of Paper With Dutch On It And A Triangle With An Ant On It And One Was Just Silver And Has An Ant. Do These Pictures Mean Something Are They Clues?

[tatertott2]

Don't look now, but Ilovebees is coming back..... Seriously the blog of ILB's has been updated..... Ilovebees and ourcolony linked....

http://hivekeeper.blogspot.com/

Also read the comments on the second post..





http://image.com.com/gamespot/images/2005/news/04/07/sameant_screen001.jpg
This photo used when Allard showed off the Gamer Profiles of the Next Live at GDC... Allard also wore a short at GDC with the ant logo on it.
can some one please pm the password or can some 1 email it to me tatertott2@aol.com thanks

[spike spiegel]

When I go to that site all I see is a warped picture no box to type in though =/

[TheCovenant]

so..our colony is still going?

[Mickey_r]

What's up with this colony thing?! I don't really understand it. All I see is this ant and circle with a picture in it... also there is a rectangular thing built up with circles. Can someone explain what to do next haha.. !!

Thankz