Better late than never, as they say. Wikibruce received a Gears of War 2 COG tag yesterday - it must have quite the tale to tell, having traversed all those hills and valleys, miles and miles of weathered terrain, woretorn battlelands…

Alas, while The Last Day campaign has essentially come to a close with all locked tabs having been unlocked, all hidden COG tags around the world either found or labeled MIA, and the Gears of War 2 video game past release - this COG still has one gift to give: a unique CSID.

• 700660-FC906-EL

This presents the DoorLogo 2 icon which, unsurprisingly, is not one of the remaining undocumented bonus downloadables.

The Last Day campaign had community members and fans runnin al around the world looking for high quality COG tags with unique codes that would either unlock a special ‘tab’ on the promotion website or pop up one of a number of special downloadable assets, from avatars, to sound clips, and wallpapers.

People on the hunt for the tags, either from GPS coordinates posted online, or through local game retailers who ran their promotional contests and giveaways, (or by mail) after receiving their COG tags would effectively provethe slogan - Every tag tells a tale. They’d share their expedition, their adventure, their trials and struggles as they pursued the ever-coveted Gears of War COG.

Its value was different to everyone; some wanted money and would sell them on eBay to the highest bidder (one sold for nearly $500USD); some wanted fame, reputation, bragging rights; some simply love the game so much, it’s a priceless commodity to add to their collection.  Whatever the reason, people around the world flew out in droves, and created tales of their own.

Every tag tells a tale.
See you on Xbox Live!

For an overview of the 1000 COG campaign run by AKQA, see “Gearing Up”.

It has a pulse… Is Project Abraham back?  Is the AAA alive and kicking?

The Alliance for American Autonomy left us over a month and a half ago, having gone underground after being discovered by the government.  But there was also a fax-like machine left where the ‘Tip Box’ used to be.  Now… the “waiting” light has a pulse.

So now, we wait…

• Join the discussion at Unfiction
• Catch up at the wiki

UPDATE! (Oct 20) - The website has been updated with a list of cities, and a countdown to Monday October 27 at 3pm Eastern (noon Pacific).

(note: this article’s contents are updated regularly as new findings are reported)
Last Update: (Nov 25, 9:40amET)

AKQA is at it again. This time, They’ve created an online viral for Gears Of War 2 - following a similar experience as Halo 3’s Believe campaign, their GOW promo site flies through a disaster zone, providing glimpses into the story, characters, and dramatic events from the GOW universe - in the form of videos, images, and audio clips.

They’ve also incorporate the community viral trick in that various members of the gaming and blogging community (from individual forum members to Wired) have received packages in the mail - large, heavy, COG gears - each labeled with a unique code to enter on the viral site.

Once entered, a special ‘easter egg’ asset is unlocked, and certain ’stops’ in the fly-through become unlocked. As expected, Gears communities are abuzz with these findings.

I’ve gone searching for the CSID codes myself, and have them listed them below, with the sources as best I can determine (I will try to keep the list updated!). Go check out the viral site at gearsofwar.xbox.com/lastday and try the codes!

BONUS POPUP CONTENT CSIDs:

AVATAR 1
  088342-YFTVD-EL = Trina @ GamingAngels
AVATAR 2
AVATAR 3
AVATAR 4
  995241-QMEFA-EL = Rajio?
  973744-5ZCGK-EL = Rajio
AVATAR 5
  617461-ZMTDP-EL = Andy @ BreakingTheGame
AVATAR 6
  129514-OH1IK-EL = Frank Caron @ ArsTechnica
  519404-VQ180-AO = DeaconBlade @ Unscripted360
  514892-SCJHD-AO = Cyberflame @ EpicGames
AVATAR 7
  984883-3ZGKW-AO = Parris @ TalkingAboutGames
  732502-XP7XT-EL = Nate Ahearn @ IGN
AVATAR 8
AVATAR 9
  807081-DJ2T2-EL = Dustin Burg @ Xbox360Fanboy
AVATAR 10
  359406-33W0C-AO = Mastaglach820 @ EpicGames
AVATAR 11
  059349-VPC2K-AO = Goverland @ EpicGames
AVATAR 12
  900629-EHE0S-AO = ThrillsKilla @ TheXboxDomain
  193383-LKR92-EL = ?
AVATAR 13
  529369-BLXIL-EL = DesignJockey @ GamertagRadio
  463060-V9N93-PM = Hilary @ IGN
AVATAR 14
  913018-ZSFBM-EL = MDK @ GearheadsOfWar
  362010-LGXR9-WI = Deadpixels
COLE AVATAR
  356404-CB1RH-JP = Isakazo @ Blamefm
ASCII 1
ASCII 2
  895575-B851V-EL = Wired
  078567-J7RGW-AO = Godfree @ GamertagRadio
  115190-6VE5T-AO = FragMaster B @ LagXBL
  216410-HHUIN-EL = Drea Avellan/Pinksage @ Beetstro.com
  484014-RSCQO-AO = "Club 108" on Xbox Live
  524398-NGV5V-AO = Peench @ PregameLobby
  329279-DN5XS-AO = Nick @ Co-Optimus
  125135-KETX3-AO = P0werup
  198605-FTCGK-AO = Hooligunn
  032507-E7QTM-AO = simburgur
  155067-4SVR1-AO = MechaNecro
DERRICK 1
  427363-BTA2N-AO = SergeantMajorFury
DERRICK 2
  524701-IZWEI-AO = Aceattorney @ Teamxbox
DERRICK 3
  836452-IO6AR-GJ = ModernDevil
LASTDAY 1
  750497-ELJW7-JP = _Linx (russian)
LASTDAY 2
  581647-M5BYO-EL = DjDaTZ @ 360sync.com
LASTDAY 3
  309952-HL6CK-AO = Fourzerotwo
  000473-IEIM1-EL = Docta Splatta
  085177-MJ3V5-PB = Collectible within GOW2 (Act 1.2 and 2.4)
  838186-22A03-SF = Collectible within GOW2 (Act 2.6)
  911706-DZUHO-JN = Collectible within GOW2 (Act 5.2)
LASTDAY 4
  914237-8LCVH-AO = GUI J @ Gamerspub
  134513-2BRL6-AO = XanthViper @ JoystickWidow
  535128-INQXP-EL = AOWWaterborn @ 2old2play
  069268-N1BJW-AO = 360 Prophecy ep. 39
DOORLOGO 1
DOORLOGO 2
  467253-JJFQA-TE = Team Bay Area
  275720-GGWOU-7K = SoupNazzi @ 2old2play
  389041-9Y07E-1X = Porkfry
  700660-FC906-EL = thebruce @ Wikibruce
COMIC WILDSTORM
  465928-U425T-IR = within Gears of War 2 comic
Errors:
  212238-VXNUP-AO = DirtyDiva @ GamerscoreBlog (code invalid?)
Other video game CSIDs:
  59 550 60GK8C6-9A = Collectible within GOW2 (Act 1.5)
  444526-MI2K9-3B = Collectible within GOW2 (Act 5.4)

Reports with no codes:
  Jonas Allen @ DailyGame (photos w/censored csid)
  GamerDNA
  Collette @ Destructoid (passed to ThunderHeartXI)

sixokay has also been posting images of the received COG Gears on flickr (click here)

UPDATE: It appears that GPS coordinates are now showing up throughout the interface. A number have been found and listed in the official Gears of War forum (listed below). Reports are that real-world COG gears need to be found at these locations to unlock special content on the promo site.

UPDATE: xlRagnarlx reports at epicgames that he and Guy The Ace found and unlocked the COG tag located in Budapest. His CSID unlocked the first ‘tab’ on the promo site. Tabs 2, 3, and 12 were previously unlocked by other people, but xlRagnarlx is the first to report on his findings.

TAB #1 - “Broadcast Dish” UNLOCKED by L (xl Ragnar lx and Guy The Ace)
- FOUND: 39.4441, -119.7045 (Reno, NV) - [GearinUpAllDayyy, mouleman23]
- FOUND: 47.4261, 19.0000 (Budapest) - [L]
- FOUND: 34.1365, -118.3520 (Universal Studios, CA, Citywalk) - [?]
TAB #2 - “Arcade Cabinet” UNLOCKED by P3t3rM4rwood
TAB #3 - “Wheelchair” UNLOCKED by Fyroegef
TAB #4 - “Phone” UNLOCKED by ChiefWiggum
- FOUND? 37.7879, -122.4070 (Union Square, SanFran.) - [?]
- FOUND: 47.6521, -122.3065 (Seattle, WA) - [ChiefWiggum]
- FOUND: 41.2533, -95.9295 (Omaha, NB) - [Atom1cllama, dongcopter]
- FOUND: N51.5178, -0.0949 (London, UK) - [Gee of War]
TAB #5 - “King Raven” UNLOCKED by SAFI
- FOUND: 37.6242, -122.4081 (San Bruno) - [GearsGirl]
- FOUND? 47.5605, 19.0597 (Budapest) - [xl Ragnar lx]
TAB #6 - “” UNLOCKED by EnforcerX19
TAB #7 - “Body” UNLOCKED by Bushmaster
- FOUND: 37.838248, -122.262351 (Berkeley, CA) - [Bushmaster]
TAB #8 - “Fueling Station” UNLOCKED by Avatrix
- FOUND: 42.3461, -71.0978 (Fenway Park, Boston) - [Avatrix]
- FOUND: 34.1302, -118.3489 (Hollywood) - [?]
TAB #9 - “” UNLOCKED by TheFord
- FOUND: 39.9559, -75.1468 (Philadelphia, St.George’s) - [TheFord]
- MISSING: 40.729568, -73.996506 (NYC, Washington Square)
TAB #10 - “” UNLOCKED by KalieApple
- FOUND: 39.9559, -75.1897 (Philadelphia, Drexel University) - [Katie]
- MISSING: 51.5167, -0.0732 (London, UK)
TAB #11 - “Stop N Go Diner” UNLOCKED by IANATASS
- FOUND: 37.7778, -122.3888 (San Francisco) - [Exo, IANATASS]
TAB #12 - “Mural” UNLOCKED by Roberto
- FOUND: 39.7564, -5.0092 (outside Madrid) - [Roberto]
TAB #13 - “Leaflets” - UNLOCKED by DarkestJamesG
- FOUND: 51.4617, -0.9368 (Reading, UK) - [DarkestJamesG]
TAB #14 - “Time Capsule” UNLOCKED by TBEpicForum
- MISSING: 42.311033, -83.069233 (Windsor/Detroit, ON)
TAB #15 - “” UNLOCKED by NikNak
TAB #16 - “Lancer” UNLOCKED by MrsParks
TAB #17 - “Posters” UNLOCKED by Daniel
TAB #18 - “” UNLOCKED by NikNak
- FOUND: 43.2930, 5.3632 (Marseille, France)
TAB #19 - “Letters” UNLOCKED by Harold
- FOUND: 40.758816, -73.984573 (NYC, Times Square) - [luiek20]
TAB #20 - “Journal” - UNLOCKED by Valarmorghulis3
TAB #21- “Heart Monitor” UNLOCKED by RedEvilDragon
- FOUND: 43.6956, -79.3959 (Toronto, ON) - [Red Evil Dragon]
TAB #22 - “” UNLOCKED by DramaticLemurs
- FOUND: 51.4105, -0.3018 (London, Eden and Fairfield)
TAB #23 - “Derrick” UNLOCKED by TaxiSquad27
- FOUND: 40.764748, -73.973114 (NYC, Central Park) - [TaxiSquad27]
TAB #24 - “” UNLOCKED by LintMachine
TAB #25 - “Ammo Case” UNLOCKED by Exo
- FOUND: 47.6532, -122.3060 (Seattle, WA) -[NataSS]
TAB #26 - “” UNLOCKED by Boogle

UNKNOWN TAB
- MISSING: 39.949503, -75.146784 (Philadelphia, near Liberty Bell/Chestnut/4th)
- MISSING: 47.650917, -122.347333 (Seattle, WA, Hwy 99 bridge, troll)
- FOUND: 39.949274, -75.171698 (Philadelphia, Rittenhouse Sq.) - [IAmTimO]
- FOUND: 39.96521, -75.179327 (Philadelphia, Francisville) - [Docta Splatta]
- FOUND: 40.735394, -73.990776 (NYC, Union Square) - [ChrisA9]
- FOUND: 42.352776, -71.074634 (Boston, MA) - [avatrix]
- FOUND: 42.358432, -71.091585 (Boston, MA) - [avatrix]
- FOUND: 37.240657, -121.969351 (Los Gatos, CA) - [Aphostile]
- FOUND: 34.1369, -118.1231 (Pasadena, CA) - [?]

LOCATED BONUS CONTENT COGS
- FOUND: 40.758560, -73.976730 (NYC, St. Patrick’s) - [ModernDevil]
- FOUND: 33.0352, -96.6613 (Plano, TX) - [SoupNazzi]
- FOUND: 42.361267, -71.057596 (Boston, MA) - [AOWWaterborn]
- FOUND: 37.826807, -122.4228 (Alcatraz) - [Team Bay Area]
- FOUND: Mailed to PlatformNation.com - [Steve519]

CSIDs for COG tags that unlock tabs in the promo sie:

UNLOCKABLE CONTENT CSIDs:

677002-T427V-WK = Budapest - xl Ragnar lx, Guy The Ace
196580-VKB1B-0J = London, UK - Gee of War
778786-TQOQR-OF = Omaha, NB - Atom1cllama, dongcopter
329307-KZD3O-PQ = Fenway Park, Boston - Avatrix
577694-LZR6S-ID = San Francisco - Exo (+IANATASS)
734948-2HSO7-IB = Berkley, CA - BushMaster
692337-K1TWD-5Q = Seattle, WA - Exo, NataSS
611701-Z80W3-NG = Toronto, ON - Red Evil Dragon
389857-LRH2J-40 = (PlatformNation.com, Seattle, WA) - Steve519
756321-AHTEF-9Z = (EpicGames GOW2 Forum Community)
988985-R65YY-SQ = New York City, NY - TaxiSquad27
890856-9IQBY-MI = (Reading, UK) - DarkestJamesG
(unreported) = Seattle, WA - ChiefWiggum
(unreported) = Boston, MA (MIT) - Avatrix
(unreported) = Boston, MA (Commonwealth) - Avatrix

* Errors:
(invalid code?) = Reno, NV - GearinUpAllDayyy, mouleman23
(invalid code?) = San Bruno, CA - GearsGirl
(invalid code?) = Los Gatos, CA - Aphostile
?5?C??-GCY25-6U = E For All - Doomstick (invalid ID)

UPDATE: More COG tags have been showing up in other countries through their local gaming sites. The effect of their CSIDs on the promo isn’t yet confirmed, but are likely bonus content.

SOME INTERNATIONAL COG TAGs:

HUNGARY - reference
47°29'58.55"N 19° 2'45.74"E
46°05'56.26"N 18°13'11.96"E
46°15'17.44"N 20° 9'57.71"E
46°54'01.98"N 19°40'26.65"E

SPAIN
VALENCIA - reference (John Lol - pic)
BARCELONA - reference (Xavi Robles - pic)
ZARAGOZA - reference (Aimé Villa - pic)
ALICANTE - reference 

UPDATE: Here are some additional game-related links for the sake of completion.

• Full game guide (ConsoleHeroes.com)

Enjoy!

Sept 25, 2008 - Another countdown hit zero. This one located on Bungie.net, with the target time at 7:07am Pacific. What happened at zero?

A mysterious Bungie.net user named IIIIlll or otherwise known as “The Superintendent” posted two news article recently, including segments of audio log transcripts from ONI (UNSC Office of Naval Intelligence).  Of course, the community analyzed the logs to no end.  But this latest update had everyone refreshing bungie.net’s homepage seconds before the counter hit zero.

The Superintendent has a history of cryptic, vague posts at Bungie.net’s forums. Recently, Bungie had planned to unveil an annoucement, but Microsoft, being their publisher, pulled the plug on their plans just before it was to happen at E3. That didn’t set too well.  So this countdown was eagerly anticipated, to say the least.

On hitting zero, a news article was posted including links to a teaser trailer for what is believed to be a new Bungie game.  Not a very ARGish result in itself, but the trailer does contain many, many, many scenes and frames with text and numbers for people to document and analyze.  Speculation and theories are already running rampant about the time period and the visual content of the trailer. Suffice to say, The Superintendent AI has the starring role in the trailer.

The trailers can be downloaded here:

Quicktime Small
Quicktime Medium
Quicktime Large
Windows Media Player Small
Windows Media Player Medium
Windows Media Player Large

I also managed to export a full frame-by-frame compilation from the high definition trailer, and uploaded the significant frames with visual/transcribable content to flickr, available here

Of significant note are a few frames bearing resemblance to some teaser images posted to bungie.net over the past months of the Superintendent.  Mainly, one phrase has been kicking up a dust storm.  Reported at ComputerAndVideoGames.com, the phrase “Maddie, where are you?” appears to be possibly be connected to the (very real) search for a (very real) missing girl.  A post by Shishka, a Bungie.net “overlord”, indicates it’s “an unfortunate coincidence, but a coincidence nonetheless“, confirmed by Sketchfactor of Bungie.  The phrase was connected to a bebo.com profile with a title of the same phrase, raising awareness for Maddie.
Quite a coincidence it is!

Current speculation is that the trailer is taking place between Halo 2 and Halo 3, from the perspective of New Mombasa as the Covenant Prophet Regret opens his slipstream portal in its skies (recall in the game, the Covenant ship exited slipspace bringing with it tatters of New Mombasa buildings and general destruction - her we get to see how that immediately left the city).  It appears that the Superintendent is an Urban AI located at New Mombasa - perhaps much like a Halo Wall-E!

A date also appears in mangled text in later frames - 01/06/09 - which may refer to January 6, or June 1, 2009.  There’s also a set of numbers that resembles a 1-800 number that appears, but it resolves to a real bank and may likely also just be a coincidence.

Who, or what, is “Vergil”?
And what’s special about “Level 9″?

With so much content, much of it random and undoubtedly insignificant, there’s probably going to be a lot more coincidental connections reported while the trailer is ripped to shreads by the community.  That said, if you still haven’t watched the trailer, GO NOW

So this is in all likelihood not another ARG promotion, but for any Halo fan, there’s certainly more Haloverse campaign goodness on its way…  PREPARE TO DROP

• Frame-by-frame discussion can be found at carnage.bungie.org or at args.bungie.org
• A detailed analysis by Pailkilla05 is readable at podtacular
• An easier Youtube version of the trailer is available
• Visit halo.wikibruce.com to read up on Iris and other recent ARGish/viral campaigns in the Haloverse.

This week, Cassie’s voting crew chose Nathan Hale [wiki] as the next injection candidate. Thankfully, it appears another serum being delivered from Base Station Genesis has had far more positive results, and this will be the injection Hale faces this coming Tuesday.

Not only that, Cassie’s actions have been under observation, due to the ‘personal’ nature of some of her interactions with the candidate soldiers - specifically Hale and Khaner. Jarod Daltings has been suspended, and his observations catalogued in the SRPA Terminal [wiki].

But of most importance, is an image discovered in this observation package - a very high quality (1920×1200), surveillance photo of Katee Sackhoff Cassie Aklin. Of course, the image has now been made public, so who knows how many will now have Katee Cassie officially gracing their desktop background.

Download the full image here (or from the original source)

A list of today’s update events can be found on the wiki timeline

• Get involved at ProjectAbraham.com, GetAWarJob.com, and AmericaFirstAmericaOnly.com
• Join in the discussion at Unfiction, SuperHeroHype, and MyResistance
• Track the events and help organize at the wiki - fallofman.wikibruce.com

During Comic-Con 2008 in San Diego, many, many things happened.  Viral drops are a growing trend at events such as this, and Year Zero’s headline-making flash-drive-in-bathroom stunts at Nine Inch Nails concerts seems to have opened the ‘flash-flood’ gates.

A number of reports have streamed in of people receiving USB flash drives for various exhibitors - one of which was Sony’s upcoming Playstation 3 game, Resistance 2 - the sequel to Resistance: Fall of Man.

Sony launched their ARG / viral campaign back on July 1st, with a “Popular Technologies” flyer ad in Gamepro magazine, which directed people to GetAWarJob.com.  Since then, numerous videos and content and a few other websites have appeared or been discovered.

But this week at Comic-Con, a few lucky attendees managed to take home a special “America First - America Only” flyer, and a USB flash drive loaded with an image and a video.  The flyer was primarily intending to direct people to AmericaFirstAmericaOnly.com.

But thanks to an unfiction community member, celina63, I managed to acquire the contents of the flash drive.  Neither the image nor the video were ‘new’, at least to the online community already following the campaign, but rather intended to draw Comic-Con attendees/bloggers into the campaign.  The image and video are shown below.

As the video explains, Cassie (Katee Sackhoff!) has been commanded to select individuals from a group of soldiers, who have been transferred to a secret base in Alaska, to undergo a top secret medical experiment - an injection supposedly related to an outbreak of influenza.  But the moral toll the decision is taking on her is too much, and she enlists the help of the online community (hey this is an alternate reality - they had internet in 1950!) to make the decision.

Test subject #2 (the first, shown in the video, was Pvt. Joseph Capelli) has been chosen already - the voting results led to Channing Brown becoming the next injectee.  He was informed on Friday (July 25), and the results of the injection will be made known tomorrow (July 29).
What will happen?

Resistance has a hefty back-story built up from the first PS3 game and other media.  The Resistance 2 ARG looks to expand on the events taking place between the first and second game.

• Get involved at ProjectAbraham.com, GetAWarJob.com, and AmericaFirstAmericaOnly.com
• Join in the discussion at Unfiction, SuperHeroHype, and MyResistance
• Track the events and help organize at the wiki - fallofman.wikibruce.com

All week, the splash page to Blizzard’s homepage has been graced with a slowly deteriorating icy fortificaton.  While it’s doubtful this is or will be an ARG, it’s certainly raised quite a viral stir.

Friday, the splash image updated to clearly show two ominously glowing eyes in the center, along with the 5th (and final?) symbol or rune, each now glowing and much more visible.  The runes have been appearing one by one throughout the week, each believed related to various Blizzard franchises or games.

Read the rest of this entry »