The second test was made AFTER we started looking for it (PROOF)

[TheButcher]

Ok guys, I just got back from vacation and 2 or 3 days ago I had copied the whole hl2.com site in order to maybe find some clue about that 2nd test.

I used a program called HTTrack. I still have the whole thing.

Anyways, first thing I learn by visitng hl2.net, 2nd test solved, I'm like, cool, I'll check what was the solution, and dang, I see that it is in the hl2.com. I'm like wtf, I should have seen that when browsing and verifying the pictures of the site on my HD. So I check my copy on my HD and look what I found (attachment). This picture is the one that has been changed (mouse over image)

I swear to god I didn't use any program to make that picture, maybe you can check date too. Btw im way too noob at editing picture to fake it lol.

 

[Kryton]

Yeah if you look at the EXIF (metadata hidden in the JPG) info. with Photoshop you will see that the big barnacle picture was put up on August 30th at 6PM. Now the preload started on the 28th or somet so we've been going for days with nothing.

I guess Valve felt sorry for us.

 

[Bait]

Yes, Valve did change the picture recently. Maybe it was because they realized where we stood in terms of finishing the second test, and they wanted to release new info. I don't see anything suspicious in that.

 

[TheButcher]

But why did they "released" that 2nd test if it wasn't even ready lol?

 

[TMPer Tantrum]

HL2Net is too L337 for VALVe

 

[TheButcher]

HL2Net is too L337 for VALVe

lol

btw it's still there on their site:
http://www.half-life2.com/img/media/screens/screens_11-over.gif

 

[blahblahblah]

But why did they "released" that 2nd test if it wasn't even ready lol?

I think they doubted that somebody would find the first part of the second test. They wouldn't want the answer floating on half-life2.com if we never found the first part of the test (g-man picture). That would ruin the second test.

 

[lemmingzappa]

Lol, unless they didnt actually know that we had already started the test ?

 

[TheButcher]

Bah I hope they "release" their next test if there is another when it's ready so we don't look everywhere like retards lol

 

[Triggerhappy41]

I think they doubted that somebody would find the first part of the second test. They wouldn't want the answer floating on half-life2.com if we never found the first part of the test (g-man picture). That would ruin the second test.

that makes the most sense.

 

[Teddy]

I think they doubted that somebody would find the first part of the second test. They wouldn't want the answer floating on half-life2.com if we never found the first part of the test (g-man picture). That would ruin the second test.

How about this:
They were too busy working around the clock to finish hl2.

Stick, pipe, smoke

 

[king John I]

pffft, we all know that valve sits around and deos nothing while indian monkey slaves are forced to make games for them

 

[Biozeminade]

This is my theory: Valve is setting up the tests so that the final one will be figured out the day HL2 goes gold, and the secret message will tell us it's finished

 

[Lazlow]

But why did they "released" that 2nd test if it wasn't even ready lol?

Ahem... are you implying that it would have been smarter for them to delay the preload again so they could get the 2nd test pages set up?

 

[M1RAG3]

I think we basically stumbled upon the gman.jpg too soon, and that our progress was extremely quick in trying to solve the test, and by not updating until after the second test had started, it allowed a lot of people to come in contact with the said jpeg, raising the popularity of the test.

OR, they could have just been lazy and not have gotten around to it until that point, maybe they were busy with something else...?

 

[mannyfresh027]

Ok guys, I just got back from vacation and 2 or 3 days ago I had copied the whole hl2.com site in order to maybe find some clue about that 2nd test.

I used a program called HTTrack. I still have the whole thing.

Anyways, first thing I learn by visitng hl2.net, 2nd test solved, I'm like, cool, I'll check what was the solution, and dang, I see that it is in the hl2.com. I'm like wtf, I should have seen that when browsing and verifying the pictures of the site on my HD. So I check my copy on my HD and look what I found (attachment). This picture is the one that has been changed (mouse over image)

I swear to god I didn't use any program to make that picture, maybe you can check date too. Btw im way too noob at editing picture to fake it lol.

yeah, i believe it, it seemed like an afterthought, like we werent supposed to find nova/prospekt, but we did, and valve didnt want to let us down.