Something is going to happen in 77 days
July 23, 2013 12:41 PM Subscribe
Pronunciation Book (previously), a YouTube channel started in April 2010, is known for providing mostly-accurate pronunciation guides for difficult words: acacia, ouroboros, Tlaxcala. But on July 9th, the channel started posting something new: a countdown.
Conspiracy theories abound as people dig through the older videos, finding references to "the mission". A story emerges about Jackie, Mendoza, and the Chief. The Daily Dot suspects it's a Battlestar Galactica reboot. Other fans have compiled a list of theories [large poorly-edited googledoc], including a graphical analysis of the odd clicking noises, references to Syria, and lots of numerology. All we know for sure is that something is going to happen... in 63 days.
Conspiracy theories abound as people dig through the older videos, finding references to "the mission". A story emerges about Jackie, Mendoza, and the Chief. The Daily Dot suspects it's a Battlestar Galactica reboot. Other fans have compiled a list of theories [large poorly-edited googledoc], including a graphical analysis of the odd clicking noises, references to Syria, and lots of numerology. All we know for sure is that something is going to happen... in 63 days.
"We should have listened to chief. Something is going to happen, in 63 days."
Some kind of Halo announcement?
posted by Wordshore at 12:47 PM on July 23, 2013
Some kind of Halo announcement?
posted by Wordshore at 12:47 PM on July 23, 2013
I do always think of I Love Bees first with these things.
posted by maryr at 12:49 PM on July 23, 2013 [7 favorites]
posted by maryr at 12:49 PM on July 23, 2013 [7 favorites]
My money is on someone who wants me to give them my money
posted by Benjy at 12:50 PM on July 23, 2013 [44 favorites]
posted by Benjy at 12:50 PM on July 23, 2013 [44 favorites]
SKITAOS
posted by chavenet at 12:51 PM on July 23, 2013 [11 favorites]
posted by chavenet at 12:51 PM on July 23, 2013 [11 favorites]
Nothin' like rebooting the reboot of a TV series four years after it ended.
posted by Going To Maine at 12:55 PM on July 23, 2013
posted by Going To Maine at 12:55 PM on July 23, 2013
The Daily Dot is nuts; they didn't spend two years on New Caprica, they spent a year and four months. I suppose if you round generously (and incorrectly...)
posted by stevis23 at 12:55 PM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by stevis23 at 12:55 PM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
77 days? "We should have listened to Chief"? Gotta be Halo, given Bungie's old obsession with the number 7, and 343's conscious decision to ape that.
posted by fifthrider at 12:57 PM on July 23, 2013
posted by fifthrider at 12:57 PM on July 23, 2013
Perhaps it's the day User One announces that he has, in fact, sold MetaFilter to the Amazon stable of services, and that users will receive one cent per post or comment favo(u)rited by other users as compensation?
{Checks own level} Well, butter on a stick; that's not going to be my pension fund.
posted by Wordshore at 12:58 PM on July 23, 2013
{Checks own level} Well, butter on a stick; that's not going to be my pension fund.
posted by Wordshore at 12:58 PM on July 23, 2013
I am mostly curious if this was planned from the beginning or if the YouTube channel owners got paid big bucks to get taken over for this ARG. It's a pretty long con if they started this back in 2010 expecting to eventually turn into these cryptic messages.
Also, can't anything fun just stay as something fun without turning into an ARG nowadays?
posted by backseatpilot at 12:59 PM on July 23, 2013 [7 favorites]
Also, can't anything fun just stay as something fun without turning into an ARG nowadays?
posted by backseatpilot at 12:59 PM on July 23, 2013 [7 favorites]
Incidentally, the day will be September 24, 2013.
posted by Going To Maine at 1:00 PM on July 23, 2013
posted by Going To Maine at 1:00 PM on July 23, 2013
stevis23: It was four months after the Cylon occupations started. But that only happened after they'd been there for a year. There was even a "ONE YEAR LATER" caption near the end of the episode when the toasters arrive.
New Halo stuff for XBOne, maybe?
posted by rmd1023 at 1:00 PM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
New Halo stuff for XBOne, maybe?
posted by rmd1023 at 1:00 PM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
I love these things. They need to get the scp foundation in on the act.
posted by SkinnerSan at 1:01 PM on July 23, 2013
posted by SkinnerSan at 1:01 PM on July 23, 2013
Okay, I just read the dailydot piece. I mean, the youtube channel is presumably full of clues for *something*, but the level of stretching to make it fit BSG is kind of reminiscent of the recent documentary about people finding secret messages in The Shining.
posted by rmd1023 at 1:06 PM on July 23, 2013
posted by rmd1023 at 1:06 PM on July 23, 2013
Incidentally, the day will be September 24, 2013.
For those following along at home, Halo 3 was released September 25, 2007 and Halo: Reach was released September 14, 2010. The other Halo games have all been released in November. If we're following either pattern, it's a plausible timing.
posted by fifthrider at 1:07 PM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
For those following along at home, Halo 3 was released September 25, 2007 and Halo: Reach was released September 14, 2010. The other Halo games have all been released in November. If we're following either pattern, it's a plausible timing.
posted by fifthrider at 1:07 PM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
Oh god I had to read this after spending all day in the SCP archives didn't I?
posted by The Whelk at 1:09 PM on July 23, 2013 [9 favorites]
posted by The Whelk at 1:09 PM on July 23, 2013 [9 favorites]
The guy doing "ouroboros" says it like Drunk Girl. I can't do better but hrumph hrumph hrumph.
posted by rahnefan at 1:09 PM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by rahnefan at 1:09 PM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
Following that theory a little further:
Given that Halo games are usually announced a little more than a year ahead of time, and Halo 5 was teased back at E3, I would suspect that they might be shooting for a September 25, 2014 release date - exactly seven years after Halo 3, which was the last game of the first trilogy.
posted by fifthrider at 1:10 PM on July 23, 2013
Given that Halo games are usually announced a little more than a year ahead of time, and Halo 5 was teased back at E3, I would suspect that they might be shooting for a September 25, 2014 release date - exactly seven years after Halo 3, which was the last game of the first trilogy.
posted by fifthrider at 1:10 PM on July 23, 2013
New Halo stuff for XBOne, maybe?
Exactly what was just thinking. It would fit in with the Nov/Dec console launch dates. It's already in development:
"The company showed off demo footage before moving on to the tease of a new Halo game, which took its time in revealing the Master Chief, whose appearance drew thunderous applause from the audience."
Microsoft will remember the Halo: Combat Evolved / Xbox launch, the reviews - especially Edge - and senior execs will be hoping, praying, for similar magic to rub off.
posted by Wordshore at 1:10 PM on July 23, 2013
Exactly what was just thinking. It would fit in with the Nov/Dec console launch dates. It's already in development:
"The company showed off demo footage before moving on to the tease of a new Halo game, which took its time in revealing the Master Chief, whose appearance drew thunderous applause from the audience."
Microsoft will remember the Halo: Combat Evolved / Xbox launch, the reviews - especially Edge - and senior execs will be hoping, praying, for similar magic to rub off.
posted by Wordshore at 1:10 PM on July 23, 2013
Wow, this is stomach-churningly creepy. Exceedingly well played, whomever did this.
(I love me a good ARG, so I hope this turns out to be one.)
posted by jess at 1:13 PM on July 23, 2013
(I love me a good ARG, so I hope this turns out to be one.)
posted by jess at 1:13 PM on July 23, 2013
I'm not sure what the last word he pronounces will be but I'm pretty sure it will begin with Z̨͊ͨ̾ͦ҉
posted by Potomac Avenue at 1:15 PM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Potomac Avenue at 1:15 PM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
If it's a Halo thing, it's waaaaaay different from any Halo before; the scripts from earlier videos really do tell an espionage-based story:
We arrived at the brasserie dressed as caterers.
Her svelte figure caught the minister's eye, just as Chief predicted.
Jackie was lucky no one picked up on his accent.
She served pepperoncini with a tight smile as I photographed documents in the kitchen.
The minister recoils from the gaudy Merlot pairing... is our cover blown?
posted by specialagentwebb at 1:15 PM on July 23, 2013
We arrived at the brasserie dressed as caterers.
Her svelte figure caught the minister's eye, just as Chief predicted.
Jackie was lucky no one picked up on his accent.
She served pepperoncini with a tight smile as I photographed documents in the kitchen.
The minister recoils from the gaudy Merlot pairing... is our cover blown?
posted by specialagentwebb at 1:15 PM on July 23, 2013
Was slightly confused, as the YouTube videos in this channel look identical to the PronounciationManual ones, which are spoofs. Forever love their Worcestershire one, which sounds like a drunk Homer Simpson attempting and failing.
Or maybe both channels are run by the same people?
posted by Wordshore at 1:17 PM on July 23, 2013 [3 favorites]
Or maybe both channels are run by the same people?
posted by Wordshore at 1:17 PM on July 23, 2013 [3 favorites]
It's fun to go to the user-account page and open like 20 tabs in quick succession to hear ensuing mash as the various words are read over each other.
posted by oddman at 1:17 PM on July 23, 2013
posted by oddman at 1:17 PM on July 23, 2013
Andy Christofi 5 hours ago
Parts of a story have been scattered throughout his videos for years. In the "Jubilee" video he talks about Jubilee Tower, which was opened to the public on 24th of September 1898. These videos count down to 24th of September.
"The tower dome came off during strong winds on 11 November 2010.[2] A replacement powder-coated stainless steel dome made by WEC Group of Darwen, which cost more than £35,000, was winched into place by helicopter on 13 January 2012"
posted by Potomac Avenue at 1:22 PM on July 23, 2013
Parts of a story have been scattered throughout his videos for years. In the "Jubilee" video he talks about Jubilee Tower, which was opened to the public on 24th of September 1898. These videos count down to 24th of September.
"The tower dome came off during strong winds on 11 November 2010.[2] A replacement powder-coated stainless steel dome made by WEC Group of Darwen, which cost more than £35,000, was winched into place by helicopter on 13 January 2012"
posted by Potomac Avenue at 1:22 PM on July 23, 2013
Was slightly confused, as the YouTube videos in this channel look identical to the PronounciationManual ones, which are spoofs.
PronunciationManual (previously) is one of my favorite things on the internet; I would be so pleased if it turns Wordshore's same-author theory is correct...
Hamburger
February
Givenchy
posted by heyforfour at 1:27 PM on July 23, 2013 [8 favorites]
PronunciationManual (previously) is one of my favorite things on the internet; I would be so pleased if it turns Wordshore's same-author theory is correct...
Hamburger
February
Givenchy
posted by heyforfour at 1:27 PM on July 23, 2013 [8 favorites]
Something is going to happen in 77 days
Well... that part is almost certain. I am half -empted to run a daily countdown to some random day, and when that turns out to be the day that, say, the governor of some midwest state steps down after a scandal, I can retroactively say, "AHA!"
posted by ricochet biscuit at 1:28 PM on July 23, 2013
Well... that part is almost certain. I am half -empted to run a daily countdown to some random day, and when that turns out to be the day that, say, the governor of some midwest state steps down after a scandal, I can retroactively say, "AHA!"
posted by ricochet biscuit at 1:28 PM on July 23, 2013
Wait. Espionage. Chief. What if it's a Carmen Sandiego reboot?
posted by Tesseractive at 1:31 PM on July 23, 2013
posted by Tesseractive at 1:31 PM on July 23, 2013
Then we truly are in the darkest timeline.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 1:33 PM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Potomac Avenue at 1:33 PM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
I think they're movie quotes?
77: (no phrase)
76: "I've been trying to tell you something for 1,183 days"
75: "I'm awake now. Things are clearing up. I'm not saying the words anymore."
74: "I've got a minute. Let me tell you what I think is going on."
73: "Tension between the districts has spiked in the last few months."
72: "You can see it in the markets. Everyone's ready for a storm."
71: "They're singing a new song in the streets of the zone."
70: "I have plenty of information to keep me company."
69: "No-one is ready. He watches the market."
posted by ook at 1:33 PM on July 23, 2013
77: (no phrase)
76: "I've been trying to tell you something for 1,183 days"
75: "I'm awake now. Things are clearing up. I'm not saying the words anymore."
74: "I've got a minute. Let me tell you what I think is going on."
73: "Tension between the districts has spiked in the last few months."
72: "You can see it in the markets. Everyone's ready for a storm."
71: "They're singing a new song in the streets of the zone."
70: "I have plenty of information to keep me company."
69: "No-one is ready. He watches the market."
posted by ook at 1:33 PM on July 23, 2013
68:"I’m not talking about a disaster, I’m talking about a love triangle."
67: "We fell into the jungle for a summer of dollar-crime."
66: "We were young heroes, gorgeous liars."
65: "Turn off the lights and drink a cold glass of water."
64: "No one is singing, every day is the same."
63: "We should have listened to Chief."
posted by ook at 1:34 PM on July 23, 2013
67: "We fell into the jungle for a summer of dollar-crime."
66: "We were young heroes, gorgeous liars."
65: "Turn off the lights and drink a cold glass of water."
64: "No one is singing, every day is the same."
63: "We should have listened to Chief."
posted by ook at 1:34 PM on July 23, 2013
Actually, a big budget Carmen Sandiego reboot would delight me to no end. It would also make zero dollars.
posted by Going To Maine at 1:35 PM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Going To Maine at 1:35 PM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
Who would play Rockapella?
posted by maryr at 1:38 PM on July 23, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by maryr at 1:38 PM on July 23, 2013 [2 favorites]
Two things coming out on the day the countdown ends on:
- Iron Man 3 on DVD which had the Mandarin doing silly things like this.
- The Stephen King sequel to the shining - which does not seem releated.
posted by metaboy at 1:39 PM on July 23, 2013
- Iron Man 3 on DVD which had the Mandarin doing silly things like this.
- The Stephen King sequel to the shining - which does not seem releated.
posted by metaboy at 1:39 PM on July 23, 2013
I'm so happy. I needed a new numbers station analogue to fuel my nightmares.
posted by Navelgazer at 1:39 PM on July 23, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by Navelgazer at 1:39 PM on July 23, 2013 [2 favorites]
Okay. Sent this off to a seriously hardcore sci-fi, nerd and geek culture friend of mine 30 minutes ago. Silence from him, which is ... unusual.
He's just sent this text back:
Primer 2
posted by Wordshore at 1:40 PM on July 23, 2013
He's just sent this text back:
Primer 2
posted by Wordshore at 1:40 PM on July 23, 2013
Oh and Marvel's Agents of Shield comes out on that day. That seems likely.
posted by metaboy at 1:41 PM on July 23, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by metaboy at 1:41 PM on July 23, 2013 [3 favorites]
Rockapella's still around, even though the membership has been completely replaced so it's a Rockapella of Theseus now.
posted by troika at 1:41 PM on July 23, 2013 [7 favorites]
posted by troika at 1:41 PM on July 23, 2013 [7 favorites]
I've always assumed pronunciationmanual is ze frank. Sounds just like him.
posted by photoslob at 1:41 PM on July 23, 2013
posted by photoslob at 1:41 PM on July 23, 2013
According the google doc the account was registered to a name that shows up on other ARGs. So it's an ARG, but for what?
posted by Potomac Avenue at 1:44 PM on July 23, 2013
posted by Potomac Avenue at 1:44 PM on July 23, 2013
I'd like to give a li'l bit of credit to the ARG's designers & funders that they wouldn't have already announced the actual launch date for the product. (e.g. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) It'd make me happy like any comical screw up, but seems a little unlikely.
posted by Going To Maine at 1:46 PM on July 23, 2013
posted by Going To Maine at 1:46 PM on July 23, 2013
I also had a brief panic that this might be related to Atlas Shrugged Part III, but that's not due out until 2014. But all this talk about markets makes me nervous.
posted by Tesseractive at 1:52 PM on July 23, 2013
posted by Tesseractive at 1:52 PM on July 23, 2013
I have it on credible sources that they are planning to reboot Pepsi Blue.
posted by svenni at 2:05 PM on July 23, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by svenni at 2:05 PM on July 23, 2013 [2 favorites]
How does this spooky AskMe question fit in? All the pieces matter man...
posted by Potomac Avenue at 2:06 PM on July 23, 2013
posted by Potomac Avenue at 2:06 PM on July 23, 2013
My 4chan reading son told me all about this on Sunday. He is almost giddy with excitement to find a real conspiracy/ARG thingie unspooling as it happens. Ah, to be young.
posted by Biblio at 2:07 PM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Biblio at 2:07 PM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
It's near-future cyberpunk. Near enough that Salvatore Ferragamo's still around, but future enough that a "battle" involves routers, the use of an "aegis," and something called a "combat lien," to be used only as a last resort.
posted by Iridic at 2:14 PM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Iridic at 2:14 PM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
Punky Brewster: Razor
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 2:28 PM on July 23, 2013 [5 favorites]
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 2:28 PM on July 23, 2013 [5 favorites]
Countdown to the new hit TV show: Pronounciation-Man
This fall on Fox.
posted by i_have_a_computer at 2:39 PM on July 23, 2013
This fall on Fox.
posted by i_have_a_computer at 2:39 PM on July 23, 2013
The idea of a "combat lien" made me think of this weird anime called [C] where you could leverage your future for (fake) money but you'd have to fight with an "Asset" that was somehow the personification of your future? It involved the disappearance of Singapore and the main lessons I took from it were inflation is bad and don't build the present on the backs of the future. Oh, and it's super weird to watch an anime where a magic deer girl's ultimate power is Overheated Economy.
posted by maryr at 2:43 PM on July 23, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by maryr at 2:43 PM on July 23, 2013 [3 favorites]
There are creepy ones dating back well over a year. So this has been planned for quite a long time. They've been playing a really long game!
posted by Justinian at 2:45 PM on July 23, 2013
posted by Justinian at 2:45 PM on July 23, 2013
Iridic: "something called a "combat lien," "
"Let's go practice..."
[John Kathe Andras cocks his shotgun]
"some tort reform"
posted by boo_radley at 2:48 PM on July 23, 2013 [2 favorites]
"Let's go practice..."
[John Kathe Andras cocks his shotgun]
"some tort reform"
posted by boo_radley at 2:48 PM on July 23, 2013 [2 favorites]
When it comes to storytelling, maryr, Japan is clearly streets ahead.
posted by Tevin at 2:49 PM on July 23, 2013
posted by Tevin at 2:49 PM on July 23, 2013
On the one hand, it is impressive how long they've seemingly been building up to this.
On the other hand, if this is indeed for a new Halo game, then it means more imagination went into the guerrilla marketing of this game than went into the actual product.
posted by Rory Marinich at 2:49 PM on July 23, 2013 [8 favorites]
On the other hand, if this is indeed for a new Halo game, then it means more imagination went into the guerrilla marketing of this game than went into the actual product.
posted by Rory Marinich at 2:49 PM on July 23, 2013 [8 favorites]
There's a quote from one of the old conversation snippets that says "The city actually has fifty districts, not forty." This makes me think that the districts are not actually Hunger Games-related.
posted by Tesseractive at 2:51 PM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Tesseractive at 2:51 PM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
Stop it.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 2:56 PM on July 23, 2013
posted by Potomac Avenue at 2:56 PM on July 23, 2013
What if it's not a countdown to a show or a videogame about a dystopian future? What if it's a countdown to AN ACTUAL DYSTOPIAN FUTURE?!!!
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 2:57 PM on July 23, 2013 [21 favorites]
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 2:57 PM on July 23, 2013 [21 favorites]
The revolution was actually live streamed.
posted by The Whelk at 2:59 PM on July 23, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by The Whelk at 2:59 PM on July 23, 2013 [2 favorites]
Hey, Potomac Avenue, that's exactly what I wish people would do, concerning these completely arbitrary stunts:
OMG someone's countingdown WHAT WILL HAPPEN when he reaches 1 the suspense is LITERALLY killing me---
(5 4 3 2 1:) Enjoy MENTOS the Freshmaker!
oh burn YOU GOT ME i hear there's a new countdown going on over at gawker MAYBE THIS ONE WILL SELL FRITOS.
posted by JHarris at 3:07 PM on July 23, 2013 [4 favorites]
OMG someone's countingdown WHAT WILL HAPPEN when he reaches 1 the suspense is LITERALLY killing me---
(5 4 3 2 1:) Enjoy MENTOS the Freshmaker!
oh burn YOU GOT ME i hear there's a new countdown going on over at gawker MAYBE THIS ONE WILL SELL FRITOS.
posted by JHarris at 3:07 PM on July 23, 2013 [4 favorites]
I've always assumed pronunciationmanual is ze frank. Sounds just like him.
Ze Frank has a much deeper voice.
The text kind of reminds me of the plot of District 9, which also had an ARG, but as far as I know Blomkamp is likely preoccupied with Elysium, which comes out a month earlier. Hmm.
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 3:07 PM on July 23, 2013
Ze Frank has a much deeper voice.
The text kind of reminds me of the plot of District 9, which also had an ARG, but as far as I know Blomkamp is likely preoccupied with Elysium, which comes out a month earlier. Hmm.
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 3:07 PM on July 23, 2013
It probably says something that whenever I see something running a mysterious countdown, I always hope that the reveal turns out to be Chris Jericho.
posted by Parasite Unseen at 3:14 PM on July 23, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by Parasite Unseen at 3:14 PM on July 23, 2013 [2 favorites]
5
posted by Potomac Avenue at 3:23 PM on July 23, 2013
posted by Potomac Avenue at 3:23 PM on July 23, 2013
It sounds like there's pulse dialing happening after the messages, but I don't have time to parse them just now.
posted by tiaz at 3:25 PM on July 23, 2013
posted by tiaz at 3:25 PM on July 23, 2013
> documentary about people finding secret messages in The Shining.
I received a secret message in my Cheerios this morning and I've still got goosebumps. It said "Oooooooooooooooooooo."
posted by jfuller at 3:35 PM on July 23, 2013 [7 favorites]
I received a secret message in my Cheerios this morning and I've still got goosebumps. It said "Oooooooooooooooooooo."
posted by jfuller at 3:35 PM on July 23, 2013 [7 favorites]
That's nothing, my Cheerios said "Cooooooooooo." Apparently I'm being haunted by a dead dove with a great set of lungs.
posted by Maxson at 3:41 PM on July 23, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by Maxson at 3:41 PM on July 23, 2013 [2 favorites]
This guy is digging too and has found all manner of associated crap
posted by Jofus at 3:46 PM on July 23, 2013
posted by Jofus at 3:46 PM on July 23, 2013
Ctrl-f "ovaltine"; 0 results. It's like I don't even know you anymore.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 3:58 PM on July 23, 2013 [7 favorites]
posted by MCMikeNamara at 3:58 PM on July 23, 2013 [7 favorites]
If this is a One Direction tour announcement I will be very unhappy.
posted by iamkimiam at 4:03 PM on July 23, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by iamkimiam at 4:03 PM on July 23, 2013 [2 favorites]
So while I was at Comic Con, I found this pamphlet about the Salem witch trials that that links to this site. Anyone know what it's for?
posted by robocop is bleeding at 4:07 PM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by robocop is bleeding at 4:07 PM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
heyforfour: "PronunciationManual (previously) is one of my favorite things on the internet; I would be so pleased if it turns Wordshore's same-author theory is correct..."
Wow. Eyjafjallajökull. Wow.
posted by jiawen at 4:14 PM on July 23, 2013 [2 favorites]
Wow. Eyjafjallajökull. Wow.
posted by jiawen at 4:14 PM on July 23, 2013 [2 favorites]
The story, as far as I can figure it:
In the near future, Chief runs the operations of an LA-based intelligence outfit specializing in economic reconnaissance and sabotage, with the Pronouncer as his second in command. Their team apparently comprises one cell (or perhaps the home office) of a larger organization. There is/was a Tlaxcala office that Chief doesn't like to talk about.
It's not clear the Pronouncer himself knows who the unit ultimately works for. Probably not a state actor; more likely a consortium of banks, black market profiteers, and vertically integrated mafia. After the Tlaxcala office fails in some spectacular and unspecified fashion, the Employers sends Chief's team down to Latin America to finish out a mission. This is clearly a hasty, last-ditch effort, as apparently only one member of the team (the oft-mentioned "she," who seems to be Chief's ex-wife) can speak fluent Spanish.
It's also telling that the Employers don't seem to trust the unit fully. Perhaps they suspect a mole, or they fear that the true nature of the mission might provoke a mutiny in the field. So they send one of their own along to keep an eye on things: Jackie, a testy corporate raider who speaks terrible Spanish and lacks all tradecraft.
(If there is a mole, it's likely to be Glyph, the glum mercenary with a five year blank spot on his résumé. Unless it's Chief's ex-wife, who has an enigmatic connection with the city of their destination? Who insists, for some reason, on keeping her fling with the Pronouncer a secret?)
As for the mission itself: it involves infiltrating a brasserie whilst disguised as a band of incompetent Italian caterers. It involves running battles through the jungle conducted with aegis and routers. It involves liaisons with guerillas. It involves trades, mortgages and collateralized debt obligations. It involves something nasty seen in an auditorium. It involves the President (oddly nondescript; no one knows what he looks like) of a South American country, or agglomeration of countries, and the turbulent megacity he's erected in the honor of his office.
And the object of it all, quite apart from the geo-economic gamesmanship the Pronouncer was expecting, seems to be something hidden in President City. ("I'll tell you where it is if you promise to leave this city." "What is the one object you want most in this world?")
No clues as to the nature of that thing, except that it might be messily biological in a way that the tech-savvy Pronouncer couldn't anticipate. ("Living things can change their forms." "We now know that life can exist almost anywhere." "I saw his arm get torn off like a ticket stub.")
Whatever the mission, whatever its object, in spite of Chief's precautions, the team fails. They fail so utterly that the Pronouncer's body dies, and his tattered consciousness is somehow fused with a YouTube channel some years in the past, forced to reconstruct its memories through the medium of video definitions.
---
I have no goddamn idea what all this could possibly be shilling. Peter Jackson's Neuromancer? Darren Aronofsky's Pluto?
posted by Iridic at 4:17 PM on July 23, 2013 [18 favorites]
In the near future, Chief runs the operations of an LA-based intelligence outfit specializing in economic reconnaissance and sabotage, with the Pronouncer as his second in command. Their team apparently comprises one cell (or perhaps the home office) of a larger organization. There is/was a Tlaxcala office that Chief doesn't like to talk about.
It's not clear the Pronouncer himself knows who the unit ultimately works for. Probably not a state actor; more likely a consortium of banks, black market profiteers, and vertically integrated mafia. After the Tlaxcala office fails in some spectacular and unspecified fashion, the Employers sends Chief's team down to Latin America to finish out a mission. This is clearly a hasty, last-ditch effort, as apparently only one member of the team (the oft-mentioned "she," who seems to be Chief's ex-wife) can speak fluent Spanish.
It's also telling that the Employers don't seem to trust the unit fully. Perhaps they suspect a mole, or they fear that the true nature of the mission might provoke a mutiny in the field. So they send one of their own along to keep an eye on things: Jackie, a testy corporate raider who speaks terrible Spanish and lacks all tradecraft.
(If there is a mole, it's likely to be Glyph, the glum mercenary with a five year blank spot on his résumé. Unless it's Chief's ex-wife, who has an enigmatic connection with the city of their destination? Who insists, for some reason, on keeping her fling with the Pronouncer a secret?)
As for the mission itself: it involves infiltrating a brasserie whilst disguised as a band of incompetent Italian caterers. It involves running battles through the jungle conducted with aegis and routers. It involves liaisons with guerillas. It involves trades, mortgages and collateralized debt obligations. It involves something nasty seen in an auditorium. It involves the President (oddly nondescript; no one knows what he looks like) of a South American country, or agglomeration of countries, and the turbulent megacity he's erected in the honor of his office.
And the object of it all, quite apart from the geo-economic gamesmanship the Pronouncer was expecting, seems to be something hidden in President City. ("I'll tell you where it is if you promise to leave this city." "What is the one object you want most in this world?")
No clues as to the nature of that thing, except that it might be messily biological in a way that the tech-savvy Pronouncer couldn't anticipate. ("Living things can change their forms." "We now know that life can exist almost anywhere." "I saw his arm get torn off like a ticket stub.")
Whatever the mission, whatever its object, in spite of Chief's precautions, the team fails. They fail so utterly that the Pronouncer's body dies, and his tattered consciousness is somehow fused with a YouTube channel some years in the past, forced to reconstruct its memories through the medium of video definitions.
---
I have no goddamn idea what all this could possibly be shilling. Peter Jackson's Neuromancer? Darren Aronofsky's Pluto?
posted by Iridic at 4:17 PM on July 23, 2013 [18 favorites]
This video shows you how to pronounce "Croatoan."
posted by DoctorFedora at 4:21 PM on July 23, 2013 [7 favorites]
posted by DoctorFedora at 4:21 PM on July 23, 2013 [7 favorites]
That was a tour de force, Iridic. (Yes, one for the Pronouncer.) There is obviously a debt to Wm. Gibson.
posted by Mid at 4:39 PM on July 23, 2013
posted by Mid at 4:39 PM on July 23, 2013
This shit always gives me the willies, even the damn ski resort.
posted by dismas at 4:44 PM on July 23, 2013
posted by dismas at 4:44 PM on July 23, 2013
What if it's a countdown from an Actual Dystopian Future coming from INSIDE THE HOUSE?!!!
posted by Zack_Replica at 5:01 PM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Zack_Replica at 5:01 PM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
Primer 2
I'm going to take this unsourced baseless conjecture and weave it into an elaborate personal fantasy revolving around this all being about the imminent release of A Topiary (which has secretly been in production all this time) and I'll live happy for the next sixty days, evidence be damned.
posted by eykal at 5:11 PM on July 23, 2013 [5 favorites]
I'm going to take this unsourced baseless conjecture and weave it into an elaborate personal fantasy revolving around this all being about the imminent release of A Topiary (which has secretly been in production all this time) and I'll live happy for the next sixty days, evidence be damned.
posted by eykal at 5:11 PM on July 23, 2013 [5 favorites]
This is great.
posted by Rock Steady at 5:13 PM on July 23, 2013
posted by Rock Steady at 5:13 PM on July 23, 2013
It probably says something that whenever I see something running a mysterious countdown, I always hope that the reveal turns out to be Chris Jericho.
I was there, maaaan. No way this could ever live up to that cataclysmic moment.
posted by graphnerd at 5:34 PM on July 23, 2013
I was there, maaaan. No way this could ever live up to that cataclysmic moment.
posted by graphnerd at 5:34 PM on July 23, 2013
Hmm. Michel Gondry's Ubik adaptation has been in quiet development for getting on three years. I wonder...
posted by Iridic at 5:45 PM on July 23, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by Iridic at 5:45 PM on July 23, 2013 [2 favorites]
On the other hand, if this is indeed for a new Halo game, then it means more imagination went into the guerrilla marketing of this game than went into the actual product.
There's already a recent Halo release - Spartan Ops for Windows 8 - and the next Halo has already been announced here, with 2014 as the only given date. The E3 video promises nothing, it's been said, but succeeds at hinting at a much more interesting story than we've seen so far.
The main protagonist of the Halo series, I note, is virtually never referred to as "Chief" as a third party - he is always "Master Chief" or "the Chief". That's not this
posted by mhoye at 5:54 PM on July 23, 2013
There's already a recent Halo release - Spartan Ops for Windows 8 - and the next Halo has already been announced here, with 2014 as the only given date. The E3 video promises nothing, it's been said, but succeeds at hinting at a much more interesting story than we've seen so far.
The main protagonist of the Halo series, I note, is virtually never referred to as "Chief" as a third party - he is always "Master Chief" or "the Chief". That's not this
posted by mhoye at 5:54 PM on July 23, 2013
It's just such a bizarre way to build an ARG. Especially since a YouTube pronunciation guide is such a simple and useful idea. I wonder if this started as the former and then got bought by someone a year ago or so and started seeding the weirdness into it.
posted by Kattullus at 6:03 PM on July 23, 2013
posted by Kattullus at 6:03 PM on July 23, 2013
reamde
posted by maxwelton at 6:09 PM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by maxwelton at 6:09 PM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
Spoke too soon. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/This_is_My_Milwaukee
posted by chinesefood at 6:37 PM on July 23, 2013
posted by chinesefood at 6:37 PM on July 23, 2013
My wife told me I was pronouncing Synecdote wrong once, and we looked it up on youtube, only to find the Pronounciation manual version. For the rest of the night I was insistent that we had both been wrong.
posted by yeti at 6:43 PM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by yeti at 6:43 PM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
I don't think the "started out normal and got bought" idea holds water. There wasn't a narrative at the beginning but some of the early words are weird and unnecessary. Not stuff you would include in an actual youtube pronunciation guide.
posted by Justinian at 6:57 PM on July 23, 2013
posted by Justinian at 6:57 PM on July 23, 2013
Maybe they got a good idea for something that could turn into an ARG and have been tending it until they had a real ARG for it to be used in?
posted by rmd1023 at 7:16 PM on July 23, 2013
posted by rmd1023 at 7:16 PM on July 23, 2013
I think it's an ad for the number "0" and that it will turn out to be a Sesame Street reboot.
posted by awfurby at 7:27 PM on July 23, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by awfurby at 7:27 PM on July 23, 2013 [3 favorites]
We're going to finally learn how to pronounce "erudite"?
posted by nowhere man at 8:05 PM on July 23, 2013
posted by nowhere man at 8:05 PM on July 23, 2013
Whoa, yeti.
I know perfectly well how to pronounce and spell "synecdoche" and thought your typo was maybe a different word. So I clicked.
I was not expecting that at all. Puts a whole other layer on PronunciationManual for me. O_o
posted by mistersquid at 9:02 PM on July 23, 2013
I know perfectly well how to pronounce and spell "synecdoche" and thought your typo was maybe a different word. So I clicked.
I was not expecting that at all. Puts a whole other layer on PronunciationManual for me. O_o
posted by mistersquid at 9:02 PM on July 23, 2013
I was not expecting that at all. Puts a whole other layer on PronunciationManual for me. O_o
You do realize that Pronunciation Manual is very different from Pronunciation Book, right? My wife's theory is that this countdown is just Book trying to one-up Manual in the WTFness department.
posted by Rock Steady at 10:05 PM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
You do realize that Pronunciation Manual is very different from Pronunciation Book, right? My wife's theory is that this countdown is just Book trying to one-up Manual in the WTFness department.
posted by Rock Steady at 10:05 PM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
I guarantee in 77 days time they just post Trololol vid
posted by Damienmce at 10:09 PM on July 23, 2013
posted by Damienmce at 10:09 PM on July 23, 2013
I'm going to take this unsourced baseless conjecture and weave it into an elaborate personal fantasy revolving around this all being about the imminent release of A Topiary (which has secretly been in production all this time) and I'll live happy for the next sixty days, evidence be damned.
I've been waiting for someone to mention A Topiary so I can point out that some CGI footage and stills of the Choruses is what Kris is working on at the beginning of Upstream Color. Sadly, it's not likely to be made: apart from that shout-out, Upstream Color recycles a lot of the same themes. I guess this could be for The Modern Ocean, but nothing about it seems nautical.
I feel like in 77 days we might not find out who payed for this; how long did it take until people figured out that i love bees had to do with Bungee?
posted by vogon_poet at 1:30 AM on July 24, 2013
I've been waiting for someone to mention A Topiary so I can point out that some CGI footage and stills of the Choruses is what Kris is working on at the beginning of Upstream Color. Sadly, it's not likely to be made: apart from that shout-out, Upstream Color recycles a lot of the same themes. I guess this could be for The Modern Ocean, but nothing about it seems nautical.
I feel like in 77 days we might not find out who payed for this; how long did it take until people figured out that i love bees had to do with Bungee?
posted by vogon_poet at 1:30 AM on July 24, 2013
Now I'm thinking this is for a Pronunciation Book Book.
posted by boo_radley at 8:53 AM on July 24, 2013
posted by boo_radley at 8:53 AM on July 24, 2013
Just to toss some more wild conjecture into the mix:
The Countdown starts at 77 days, and then we have
"I've been trying to tell you something for 1,183 days".
Add the two together (77 + 1183) and you get 1260
Which is the number of days referred to in the Book of Revelations.
So maybe we have an apocalyptic tie-in here? I checked videogame, television and movie releases for September 24th, though, and see nothing officially scheduled for that date which seem to fit that conjecture. No obvious zombie stuff, etc. i will be really disappointed if this turns out to be a viral series for the Mormon church, or Scientology.
I was leaning toward SHIELD, because of the long game, which is a Whedonesque hallmark, but the names don't fit any of the characters. Would love it to be Halo, too, but I don't think Bungie is (or ever anticipated being) ready for release by that early a date.
I guess, then, that the most likely fit is the Battlestar Galactica reboot, since so many people have already embraced that, but I'm not particularly psyched by that idea.
posted by misha at 9:03 AM on July 24, 2013
The Countdown starts at 77 days, and then we have
"I've been trying to tell you something for 1,183 days".
Add the two together (77 + 1183) and you get 1260
Which is the number of days referred to in the Book of Revelations.
So maybe we have an apocalyptic tie-in here? I checked videogame, television and movie releases for September 24th, though, and see nothing officially scheduled for that date which seem to fit that conjecture. No obvious zombie stuff, etc. i will be really disappointed if this turns out to be a viral series for the Mormon church, or Scientology.
I was leaning toward SHIELD, because of the long game, which is a Whedonesque hallmark, but the names don't fit any of the characters. Would love it to be Halo, too, but I don't think Bungie is (or ever anticipated being) ready for release by that early a date.
I guess, then, that the most likely fit is the Battlestar Galactica reboot, since so many people have already embraced that, but I'm not particularly psyched by that idea.
posted by misha at 9:03 AM on July 24, 2013
So maybe we have an apocalyptic tie-in here? I checked videogame, television and movie releases for September 24th, though, and see nothing officially scheduled for that date which seem to fit that conjecture.
Stephen King's sequel to The Shining, Doctor Sleep is scheduled for September 24th, but the tone doesn't really seem to fit.
posted by Rock Steady at 9:20 AM on July 24, 2013
Stephen King's sequel to The Shining, Doctor Sleep is scheduled for September 24th, but the tone doesn't really seem to fit.
posted by Rock Steady at 9:20 AM on July 24, 2013
Oh! I take that all back. I have a prediction!
FALLOUT 4.
Bam.
posted by misha at 9:20 AM on July 24, 2013
FALLOUT 4.
Bam.
posted by misha at 9:20 AM on July 24, 2013
I wondered about Fallout, but the franchise has such a strongly rooted alternate-history-as-of-the-fifties theme to its world building that working an angle that crosses over from that stylized speculative-future era to reality seems like an awfully tricky path to navigate.
posted by cortex at 9:24 AM on July 24, 2013
posted by cortex at 9:24 AM on July 24, 2013
There is some talk in the Google Doc about an upcoming XBone/PS4 post-apocalyptic Tom Clancy game, which maybe is more in character with the sort of espionage stuff in the videos. Really, it's unlikely that this is about something that is going to be released on 9/24, but rather, that is when the ARG will enter a new phase, with the actual tie-in product coming out some time later.
posted by Rock Steady at 10:04 AM on July 24, 2013
posted by Rock Steady at 10:04 AM on July 24, 2013
Robocop_is_bleeding: Here's your Salem witch Comic-Con tie-in.
posted by misha at 10:07 AM on July 24, 2013
posted by misha at 10:07 AM on July 24, 2013
The Countdown starts at 77 days, and then we have
"I've been trying to tell you something for 1,183 days".
Add the two together (77 + 1183) and you get 1260
Which is the number of days referred to in the Book of Revelations.
Bible references ride single file to hide their numbers.
Let’s see here...we'll try out 1 Corinthians 9:24:
"Don't you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win!"
Matthew, ibid.:
"'Get out!' he told them. 'The girl isn't dead; she's only asleep.' But the crowd laughed at him."
posted by Iridic at 2:40 PM on July 24, 2013 [1 favorite]
"I've been trying to tell you something for 1,183 days".
Add the two together (77 + 1183) and you get 1260
Which is the number of days referred to in the Book of Revelations.
Bible references ride single file to hide their numbers.
Let’s see here...we'll try out 1 Corinthians 9:24:
"Don't you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win!"
Matthew, ibid.:
"'Get out!' he told them. 'The girl isn't dead; she's only asleep.' But the crowd laughed at him."
posted by Iridic at 2:40 PM on July 24, 2013 [1 favorite]
Compy386 has become self-aware. New Strongbad is foretold.
We should have listened to the Cheat.
posted by mhoye at 5:23 PM on July 24, 2013 [6 favorites]
We should have listened to the Cheat.
posted by mhoye at 5:23 PM on July 24, 2013 [6 favorites]
1,183 days before July 10, 2013 (the day the "1,183 message" appeared) was April 14, 2010. That was the day the first video was posted. I would assume that it was just intended as a clue that other videos in the account also contained information.
posted by Going To Maine at 6:55 PM on July 24, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by Going To Maine at 6:55 PM on July 24, 2013 [2 favorites]
A 3 year setup. Sheesh.
I'm sure it's going to be completely underwhelming. BE SURE TO DRINK YOUR OVALTINE levels of underwhelming.
posted by Justinian at 9:15 PM on July 24, 2013 [1 favorite]
I'm sure it's going to be completely underwhelming. BE SURE TO DRINK YOUR OVALTINE levels of underwhelming.
posted by Justinian at 9:15 PM on July 24, 2013 [1 favorite]
Oh! I take that all back. I have a prediction!
FALLOUT 4.
Since all indication seems to be that F4 will take place in and around the Commonwealth (I:E the technocrat, robot-filled dictatorship that's left of MIT) the ideal Fallout 4 Trailer Would Be ...
Fade in on a vaccum tube buzzing to life, various devices click to life around it , we pan over a mass of slowly activating mechanical devices and some strange liquid-tubes, the Song I've Got The World On A String begins to play faintly. We finally rest on a human face, or the shell of one, resting ontop this mass of mechanical innards. Its eyes flick to the left, to a hand holding a gun, a hand that stops at the wrist and with wires just connecting it to the main body. Whatever happened to his android was bad, and its trying to get it together as it pulls the arm over with it's other, less damaged hand and sets it back into place. The chorus of the song bursts back into the full volume as the half-ruined android fired a few rounds at the other robots heading it's way, a plasma blast knocks the screen the white just as we hear " What a world, what a life" and the sound and music fades out to reveal titles and release date)
posted by The Whelk at 9:24 PM on July 24, 2013 [1 favorite]
FALLOUT 4.
Since all indication seems to be that F4 will take place in and around the Commonwealth (I:E the technocrat, robot-filled dictatorship that's left of MIT) the ideal Fallout 4 Trailer Would Be ...
Fade in on a vaccum tube buzzing to life, various devices click to life around it , we pan over a mass of slowly activating mechanical devices and some strange liquid-tubes, the Song I've Got The World On A String begins to play faintly. We finally rest on a human face, or the shell of one, resting ontop this mass of mechanical innards. Its eyes flick to the left, to a hand holding a gun, a hand that stops at the wrist and with wires just connecting it to the main body. Whatever happened to his android was bad, and its trying to get it together as it pulls the arm over with it's other, less damaged hand and sets it back into place. The chorus of the song bursts back into the full volume as the half-ruined android fired a few rounds at the other robots heading it's way, a plasma blast knocks the screen the white just as we hear " What a world, what a life" and the sound and music fades out to reveal titles and release date)
posted by The Whelk at 9:24 PM on July 24, 2013 [1 favorite]
Also, a vengeful Robo-Turing.
posted by cortex at 10:57 PM on July 24, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by cortex at 10:57 PM on July 24, 2013 [1 favorite]
Going To Maine: "1,183 days before July 10, 2013 (the day the "1,183 message" appeared) was April 14, 2010. That was the day the first video was posted. I would assume that it was just intended as a clue that other videos in the account also contained information."
Also note that 1/1/83 is the "birth" of the internet on TCP/IP. spooooky
posted by specialagentwebb at 6:20 AM on July 25, 2013
Also note that 1/1/83 is the "birth" of the internet on TCP/IP. spooooky
posted by specialagentwebb at 6:20 AM on July 25, 2013
Sorry about the synecdoche misspelling above. I was on my phone last night.
posted by yeti at 8:18 AM on July 25, 2013
posted by yeti at 8:18 AM on July 25, 2013
"Stressful day? Play some volleyball. Something is going to happen in 61 days."
TOP GUN 2
posted by Iridic at 10:10 AM on July 25, 2013 [2 favorites]
TOP GUN 2
posted by Iridic at 10:10 AM on July 25, 2013 [2 favorites]
Although, to be fair, I didn't just make a reference I said that the actual result would likely be about as underwhelming.
posted by Justinian at 12:23 PM on July 25, 2013
posted by Justinian at 12:23 PM on July 25, 2013
3
posted by Potomac Avenue at 7:44 PM on July 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Potomac Avenue at 7:44 PM on July 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
« Older Sad YouTube | Playing with nukes and fire: online simulations of... Newer »
This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
posted by sweetkid at 12:43 PM on July 23, 2013