Meta Puzzle
Confirmation of a "puzzle within a puzzle" is confirmed in two locations.
In the FAQ, Loki says:
"... but I'll let you in on a little secret. If you are the first person to find and solve my secret puzzle, you can have your name engraved and immortalized on an AMD chip for a production run through March 31, 2007."
The Rules state:
"Meta Puzzle Bonus: The first individual to correctly solve the Meta Puzzle will automatically receive the AMD Signature Chip Bonus, which means their name will be inscribed on each AMD Athlon 64 FX chip manufactured from the time of the award through March 31, 2007. If you are deemed the recipient of this Meta Puzzle Bonus, follow the instructions presented at time of notification or receipt. This Bonus has no cash value."
It is unknown at this time whether or not any of the clues in the original cypher, Video-Ignition, Video-Loki, puzzle mailings, or any other pre-awareness text and images relate to the Meta Puzzle. However, it is highly likely that the Video-Loki contains additional clues, since the video is now on the main Vanishing Point page, and has puzzle-like elements that have yet to be explained by the pre-awareness phase.
Finishing all of the Week 1 Puzzles gives a congratulatory e-mail from Loki. At the end of the video, the string "on_the_run" flashes on the screen. Going to this directory [1] on the Vanishing Point game's server yields the following message:
Good, you’re paying attention.
You’ve found something that very few others will…
This page is not part of the challenge to give away a trip into space….it’s something different.
When I was hired to build the Vanishing Point, I realized it was an opportunity to build something personal that I’ve been trying to find a way to build for many years now, and that if players were smart enough to get through the puzzle suites, they might also be smart enough to help me with this.
So let’s see if you can help. In return, I have one amazing bonus prize to give away.
If you are the first person in the world to help me find my own vanishing point, I will print your name on the actual casing of every AMD Athlon 64 FX computer chip manufactured between now and March 31, 2007.
When the time is right, I’ll ask you a question. For now, follow this trail to get the word it leads to.
Contact me.
By "Contact Me" she means send a email to loki[at]vanishingpointgame.com, doing so gets you the reply:
Life is a mix of work and play. You've found play... ~L
So, if @vanishingpointgame.com is Play, then @microsoft.com is Work, right? Perhaps, doing so gets you the reply:
Hmmm. Not quite what I had in mind. Try harder - then listen closely. ~L
Which was sent from v-loki@microsoft.com
If you called Microsoft and asked an operator to be transferred to v-Loki, you'll get the following message:
"Awesome work. All knowledge eventually needs effective diagnosis."
Which leads to http://www.vanishingpointgame.com/awakened.
You're given another phone number. When you call it, you have to provide a fax number. When you do, you get this fax document 
Text reads:
Itinerary for: L Kitsune
Date Flight Depart Arrive
Jan 4 AW 291 12:05p 2:22p
Jan 11 SW 608 7:00p 8:05p
Jan 18 AA 1308 1:45p 6:40p
Jan 24 UA 373/339 9:15a 1:07p
Jan 28 AK 394 9:55a 12:08p
That last number, 12:08p is circled, and handwritten under it is the following:
Former AT&T Bldg.
x55654
The flights are:
- AW 291 - America West - Seattle to Las Vegas
- SW 608 - Southwest - Las Vegas to Los Angeles
- AA 1308 - American Airlines - Los Angeles to Austin, TX
- UA 373/339 - United Airlines - Austin, TX to Denver to Seattle
- AK 394 - Alaska Air - Seattle to San Jose, CA
The former AT&T building located in San Jose is AMD's headquarters. Call their main number (408-749-4000) and use the x55654 extention and you get a recording.
Hi, this is Loki. Or rather her electronic footprint left behind on this machine.
Funny how the inanimate world retains traces of things long after they've disappeared, isn't it?.
If you're calling about the murmuring rock project, it's on hold indefinitely ... unfortunately.
Here is a recording of it http://www.windowsconnected.com/files/folders/misc/entry5565.aspx
Searching the internet for "Murmuring Rock" yields information about Lorelei, which is both rich in folklore, and fills in the missing part of the itinerary. It appears that Loki is the nickname of Lorelei Kitsune.
The trail appears to go cold here. Loki said earlier, "When the time is right, I’ll ask you a question. For now, follow this trail to get the word it leads to." It appears that "Lorelei" is that word. Now ... we wait.
At the end of Week Two's puzzles, a new video from Loki appears, in which she talks about her experience with the recruiters at Microsoft. At the end, the word "/collectionplate" pops up. Going to vanishingpointgame.com/collectionplate tells you that when the time is right, Loki will ask for a word. It then shows how many boxes (see Collection Plate) you have found. Presumably, finding all 36 (9 per week) will unlock the next stage of the Meta Puzzle.
Once you find all 36, you are given a puzzle, which when finished gives you the Coat of Arms of "Odessa".
At the end of Week Three's puzzles, another new video from Loki appears. More talk about her recruit. At the end, the word, /more_answers pops up. Going to http://www.vanishingpointgame.com/more_answers/ tells you that when the time is right, Loki will ask you another question. It then shows how many of the puzzles you have solved (48, 12 each week). Another next stage of the Meta Puzzle.
When you complete all of the puzzles, you are given a word search. When you eliminate all the words, you are left with "6b617261." Translating that code from hexidecimal into ASCII results in "Kara."
At the end o Week Four's puzzles, there is another video which directly you to several pages: http://www.vanishingpointgame.com/roamingroaming/.
On 'roamingroaming' there is a set of directions(?) Linking the directional clues given when Loki lowers her glasses, you get ...
- Mystery Spot, CA (Added CA after original post see below)
- East 5874.61 miles
- North 1049.62 miles
- East 1161.79 miles
- South 153.48 miles
- West 543.55 miles
- South 652.2 miles
- West 4909.96 miles
- South 548.42 miles
Finally, http://www.vanishingpointgame/lokiv gives you the opportunity to guess Loki's name. The first correct answer wins.
L.O.K.I Said she majored in 4 areas in college: Physics, Stage Arts, History, and Folklore
Lorelei - is German Folklore.
Odessa - Ukraine Colony founded by Greece, History
Kara - Asian Comic, South Korea, Stage Arts
I??? - Physics
Best guess for I currently is Irene, Physicist daughter of Chemist Marie Curie. Possible Answer: Lorelei, Odessa, Kara, Irene
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Thins is only a gues. but for the /roamingroaming i believe Thanli is a province or town in china. its not listed on every map i've came across. the catch is i cant locate any programs that will allow me to draw a radius from a point on a global map. idealy if i had a good normal map that was detailed enough to show thanli on it some pins and string id be all set to try it out. i submited a gues that the name are Lorelei, Odessa, Kara, Inari. Inari as in lake Inari. probably wrong on that part.
I also tried an alternitive method wich was close to working. Since they appear to be identical quadruplets. I spent a large amount of time looking up info on that. its a 1 in 11 million birth scenario so there is detailed listings for every birth since the 1930's well mostly more then 80% are detailed enough to carry the children's names (none that match Loki) in between the 1955-1985 (id guess there's in there 20's but just in case). there is a strong possibility there were born to the Zhang/choi famlily in china in 1977 june 17 i believe it said making them 29. but this is all speculation since those records are not detailed for that birth. but its also one of the only identical births i came across that fit into the time period that wasn’t detailed. but that was a stray thought i went to far chasing (still could be a alternate solution to finding them if you had some decent medical journals to research).
To wrap things up if you have a detailed map or map program that contained thanli id start from there. as a side note make sure you remember to cross reference and historical land marks with the radius you draw onto the map. the points after tanli don’t have to be towns, more likely there objects since the miles are detailed enough to have xxxx.XX . i don’t believe the starting point is Odessa, it could be but that would some what negate its use as a name in Loki. the anagram to Latin idea isn't bad and could as well be the starting point. but being as one of the maps i have seen tanli, china on the "MSN live maps" (coughs Microsoft).but anyway's i figured id share my ideas since I'm probably not going to enter in another solution and i only guessed at the answer after spending most of yesterday and last night searching for a means to check my ideas and gave up. i have one more possible idea that I'm going to try its really simple and i doubt its correct so unless i find it to be true i wont be posting it :P
good luck and if you figure it all out be sure to post it.
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I don't know if i'm retarded or not, however, I looked at the /roamingroaming again and now it says Mystery Spot, CA. I therefore got rid of my turkey nonsense.
that it does. may help with my other idea i didnt mention. when your on the main page at vanishingpointgame.com. after you select a puzzle box if you mouse over the flags the display long/lat where the events were held. theres 2 in ca could be the starting points.
I was messing arround and I tried a starting point of Vista, CA (I ended up somewhere in the desert of Mexico didn't seem right) and I started out near Sacramento in a place called xxxx vista (can't remember the first word) that time I ended up arround arkansas. I was also thinking, maybe from the starting point you follow each direction which would land you on a different city and spell something out? No clue what the starting point is though.
- Update
There aparently is an actual place called Mystery Spot in California near Santa Cruz
- Update
I used Mystery Spot, CA as starting point, and did the distances as listed above. Below are my results. (With lat/lon listings).
Mystery Spot, CA
37 01' 01.15" N
122 00' 09.83" W
5874.61 miles east to:
Atardecer en Donana (or Matalascanas), Spain
37 01' 01.15" N
6 33' 39.24" W
1049.62 north to:
Bridgetown (or Kilmore), Ireland (Wexford county?)
52 13' 05.58" N
6 33' 39.24" W
1161.79 east to:
Warsaw, Poland
52 13' 05.58" N
20 59' 39.67" E
153.48 south to:
Tarnow, Poland
49 59' 43.93" N
20 59' 39.67" E
543.55 west to:
Dietzbach (or Dreieich), Germany
49 59' 43.93" N
8 46' 1.98" E
652.2 south to:
Bonnanaro, Sardinia, Italy
40 32' 26.86" N
8 46' 1.98" E
4909.96 west to:
Blandinsville, IL
40 32' 26.86" N
90 50' 7.70" W
548.42 south to:
Middle of nowhere in Mississippi
32 34' 42.38" N
90 50' 7.69" W
Good luck figuring any of that out. All the distances and locations found using Google Earth. (Has a ruler which lets you see distance as you move around the globe)
On a lighter note, if you pull lines from one spot to another it seems to spell IP...
Jeroen, 29-01-2007
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I got slightly different coordinates using Google Earth, but also verifying accuracy (due to rounding) with the distance and radius tools here: http://www.gpsvisualizer.com/calculators
Mystery Spot, CA 37° 1'1.17"N 122° 0'10.35"W East 5874.61 miles 37° 1'1.17"N 6°42'28.08"W North 1049.62 miles 52°13'4.65"N 6°42'28.08"W East 1161.79 miles 52°13'4.65"N 20°48'58.10"E South 153.48 miles 49°59'51.79"N 20°48'58.10"E West 543.55 miles 49°59'51.79"N 8°36'7.67"E South 652.2 miles 40°33'12.24"N 8°36'7.67"E West 4909.96 miles 40°33'12.24"N 90°53'39.48"W South 548.42 miles 32°35'59.82"N 90°53'39.48"W
I ended up about the same place you did - middle of nowhere, Mississippi. More precisely, a piece of farmland off Newmann Rd, east of US-61, between Hardee and Valley Park. Interesting part is that this is in Issaquena county. Perhaps the I is Issaquena? Possibly, but that doesn't begin to take into account physics or latin. Also interesting, a google search yielded this page http://www.rootsweb.com/~msissaq2/mollison.html about a man named Willis Elbert Mollison, born in Issaquena, who lived a prominient life and had seven genius children. Loki did mention the seven brothers... Perhaps she is a decendant of this guy?
Update: The "smallest place" text on the page is a link. It shows a map with a red X right on Hardee, Mississippi.
-Matt
Update: The X on the map has lat/lon coordinates of: 32°34'45"N 90°50'42"W
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www.vanishingpointgame.com/more_answers now has a crossword puzzle with a twist--you have to find all of the answers from the games and press drop to make the puzzle drop down. It seems as if you have to do the puzzle in a certain order.
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I played through the "more_answers" wordsearch as much as I could, but got stuck with three answers left. "stage", "bigben" and "white". I couldn't remove white because there was no w left in the puzzle. Stage and Bigben I couldn't clear either because of the rogue h and i from white, see below. Could the remaining answers form part of the puzzle? Google Search for White, Bigben and Stage. Maybe even the remaining letter and numbers might form a clue. "6B617261" - TCLN Ryster (Neowin.net)
Please read above, we're done with the crossword. You forgot a word before you hit drop. Try it again.
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The clue map is exactly here in Mississippi http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&cp=32.577123~-90.827923&style=r&lvl=14&tilt=-90&dir=0&alt=-1000
When I go to /more_answers nothing happens...It says "0 of 48 completed" even though I've done all the puzzles. Anyone else have this problem?
This problem is solved by returning to vanishingpointgame.com and LOGGING IN.
I ALREADY AM LOGGED IN. What now smart one?
Hardee is in Issaquena County which is the smallest county in Mississippi.
To the puzzle, the remaining 6B617261 translated from hex is kara, the third name which is what most already have.
Interlaid california onto a map of the midwest/south to assist in quickly checking other starting points. Thought it might be a bit of help to someone else as well. Map CA Interlay Used my ending place, similar to everyone else but a slight difference -- rounding, etc.
And you interlaid the maps why?
Because were assuming Mystery Spot, CA starts at the place called Mystery Spot, CA. perhaps it's just a mysterious spot in California. Interlaying the map's quickly let's you find a different starting point in california and not have to google earth and retrace the path, you just need to find the new starting place on the interlaid map of CA. ie. find san diego on the map of california interlaid into the midwest and it should be arround about the same location as if you had traced it all the way through the coordinates. At least close enough to see whether or not it's worth your time maping it all out again from a different starting point.
