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I'm Trying To Tell You Something, But You're Just Not Listening (ARG)

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P

Plywood

NeoGAF's smiling token!
I got passed an interesting link about an ARG. I haven't had a chance to sink my teeth into this, so I'll just post some relevant info that I've skimmed from the thread where discussion is occurring: http://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1288971
SockFC said:
/x/ said:
/x/,

There's a youtube channel called Pronunciation Book (youtube.com/pronunciationbook) that, since like 2010, has been uploading simple videos that are just 1) black text on white screen and 2) a voice pronouncing the text. It has dozens of millions of total views, and is pretty well-known (I first saw it back in 2011, and there's a parody of it that intentionally mispronouncs words).

A few days ago it started posting numbers, starting with 77, and counting down each day. But instead of pronouncing the numbers, it is saying sentences like "I have been trying to tell you something for a thousand days". I am very rarely creeped out any more, and I guess this isn't really "creepy" but it certainly is unexpected.

I refuse to believe that this is marketing, because no one would make a fake business literally for years just to market something. I also refuse to believe that this is a troll, because if so, I tip my hat, he's been doing it so long.

TLDR PronunciationBook, a channel on youtube, has apparently been trying to communicate through single words/phrases since 2010.
Click to expand...

/x/ has organized a Google Doc for this, which should help out if you've just now wondered what the fuck is going on. View it at https://docs.google.com/document/d/1UamrCTSCj7IleTVnxNn2mCGX7AsLC-AlOGAYghsKZA0/preview?sle=true.
They've also put together an IRC which you can find over at http://webchat.freenode.net/?channels=#76Days
Here's a log of most of the videos for those who don't feel like watching them all http://pastebin.com/xwjjZMur

Derp Y. Mail took the liberty of constructing a video which will hopefully give you most of the backstory of this ARG. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8yxDctT--8
-----------------------------------------------
Wii60 a post there noted a connection between certain videos:

l3Un0QO.png
Click to expand...

There's a bit of speculation going on about it what it may be exactly related to, but so far no one knows for sure. A number of videos reference a "Chief", so some have speculated Halo, another references an NIN song, suffice to say, no one knows yet.
 
P

Plywood

NeoGAF's smiling token!
Here are all the references to "Chief" as far as I know:
How to Ask for Help in English
"Please help me escape from this place."
"I need your help with something, Chief."

How to Apologize in English
"I'm very sorry that you had to see that, Chief."
"This tragedy is no one's fault but our own."

How to Give Orders in English
"Seize the mortgages immediately."
"I don't care what Chief said. You are going to complete this assignment."

How to Pronounce Guacamole
"'Don't worry,' I said, 'guacamole is an acquired taste.'"
"A: Chief doesn't want guacamole on his taco."
"B: Then he can scoop the guacamole out with his bare hands."

How to Pronounce Svelte
"Her svelte figure caught the minister's eye, just as Chief predicted."
"A: You're looking svelte in that jumpsuit."
"B: Svelte or not, it's the itchiest thing I've ever worn." (Rustling in background, car beep, seems to loop twice)

How to Pronounce Lasso
"Chief, who had posed as a waiter, said Lasso had been seated at the president's table."
"A: Lasso jumped out the window and landed on his motorbike."
"B: They're never gonna catch a kid like Lasso."

How to Pronounce Can and Can't
"You can dress for success, but you can't have it all."
"A: Henri can do things that Franco can't."
"B: I can still hope for Mendoza's cooperation, but I can't imagine how we'll explain this to Chief." (Crackling/burning in background, car beeps)

How to Pronounce Real
"In such an unfamiliar place, you lose track of what is real."
"A: What's the real reason Mendoza is stalling?"
"B: Chief says Mendoza can be a real diva during wartime." (Car beep)

How to Pronounce Tlaxcala
"Fifth, what wasn't Chief telling me about the Tlaxcala office?"
"A: I suggested Tlaxcala for our honeymoon."
"B: There are some interesting ruins in Tlaxcala."

How to Pronounce Connection
"Eight, what connection did Chief's ex-wife have with President City?" (Women's scream?)
"A: There's got to be a connection between the two systems."
"B: The only connection I see is shared frustration, and the occasional repeated phrase."

How to Pronounce Food
"Chief and Jackie were already unpacking the food bag; it was their turn to prepare dinner."
"A: Squid is my second favorite food."
"B: Save the food chat for later; I have a meeting with Mendoza in five minutes." (audio loops at end)

How to Pronounce Aubergine (Car beeps)
"Chief was in charge of the aubergine, which he cultivated himself back in LA."
"A: Have you heard rumors about the new type of aubergine?"
"B: I saw one myself in Thailand; don't ask me to describe it."
Click to expand...
 
Z

Zyphos

Neo Member
I've seen these as suggestions for other videos for awhile now. Always thought it was weird that they weren't in any way related to what I'd been actually watching.

The idea of a hidden message to these is certainly unsettling, to say the least.
 
G

Guevara

Member
Probably something lame. It would be cool if this turned out to be anything other than viral marketing for something.
 
I

IHaveIce

Banned
Ok I understand the poster in the quote.. if I would watch these videos and it suddenly starts to show numbers and speak in sentences I would be creeped out as well.

But this is going since 2010 and like said, but for what could it be.

Honestly yeah a lot of this stuff really reads like it could fit after Halo 4 and (Ending SPoiler)
The "death" or parting with Cortana so Chief is alone. And the mission would have been the bomb planting.

Interesting, I like ARGs
 
D

DeadNames

Banned
Might just be something in a Western palette. Chief like a Native American chief, lasso, Western Omlette... But maybe I'm reaching for stuff that isn't there.

Edit: But isn't Mendoza the name of a Character in the Halo universe?
 
I

IHaveIce

Banned
Just saw the latest video is from today and only 3 hours old.

It is the number 63 and goes: "We should have listened to Chief, something is going to happen in 63 days."
 
E

Earthstrike

Member
I think people are looking into this too much. Probably somebody with way to much time on their hands just uploading these things.
 
U

User 100115

Banned
Apparently there's spectrograph involved in this, which is cool, but isn't forming a complete picture yet. Neat.

Edit: Also, my gut tells me this isn't Halo related. As all the Halo ARGs have been done by 42, and this doesn't have a 42 feel. Much, much too subtle.
 
P

Plywood

NeoGAF's smiling token!
Fiction said:
Apparently there's spectrograph involved in this, which is cool, but isn't forming a complete picture yet. Neat.

Edit: Also, my gut tells me this isn't Halo related. As all the Halo ARGs have been done by 42, and this doesn't have a 42 feel. Much, much too subtle.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I was feeling the same way. Though I have no idea what it could be related to.
 
U

User 100115

Banned
Plywood said:
Yeah, I was feeling the same way. Though I have no idea what it could be related to.
Click to expand...

Unless for some reason 42 bought out an old youtube channel, its not them, cause they have never been this subtle about anything.

I've been looking and Chief isn't the only repeated name, and it seems to be drop hints about repeated words sometimes. Jackie is also dropped quite often.
 
I

IHaveIce

Banned
Plywood said:
Yeah, I was feeling the same way. Though I have no idea what it could be related to.
Click to expand...

I read a lot of ideas and now only watch the number videos for now... these are intriguing.. the one immediately let me think of the Hunger Games.

But if this is a count down it would end on the 24th September if I counted right( timezones and shit)


Nothing so far that was brought up it could be related to has any connection to this date for now.


Also some of the older videos sound really depressing.
 
U

User 100115

Banned
IHaveIce said:
I read a lot of ideas and now only watch the number videos for now... these are intriguing.. the one immediately let me think of the Hunger Games.

But if this is a count down it would end on the 24th September if I counted right( timezones and shit)


Nothing so far that was brought up it could be related to has any connection to this date for now.


Also some of the older videos sound really depressing.
Click to expand...

Considering how old it is, I am thinking it won't really be connected to anything marketing wise, but maybe draw inspiration from something. It screams of well done grassroots. Grassroots don't have to advertise anything.
 
S

squidyj

Member
rumors about the new type of aubergine? aubergine is eggplant so that's a weird sentence.

Edit: also, it started 3 years ago? Half-Life 3 confirmed.
 
S

squidyj

Member
I've been trying to tell you something
I'm awake now, things are clearing up, i'm not saying the words anymore
I've got a minute, let me tell you what I think is going on
Tension between the districts has spiked in the last few months
You can see it in the markets everyone's ready for a storm
They're singing a new song in the streets of the zone
I have plenty of information to keep me company
Noone is ready, he watches the market
I'm not talking about a disaster, i'm talking about a love-triangle
We fell into the jungle for a summer of dollar-crime
We were young heroes. gorgeous liars.
Turn off the lights, and drink a cold glass of water
Noone is singing, every day is the same
We should have listened to chief
Click to expand...

I'm scared, hold me.
 
U

User 100115

Banned
gblues said:
What significant would happen on Tuesday, Sep 24th 2013?
Click to expand...

I checked out anniversaries on that date, but nothing really screams to me as being significant. The only two that jump out at me are:

1979 – CompuServe launches the first consumer internet service, which features the first public electronic mail service.

1996 – Representatives of 71 nations sign the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty at the United Nations.

But that's just stuff I would make an ARG give a shout out too, who the hell knows what other people would.
 
B

Bobby Roberts

Banned
squidyj said:
I've been trying to tell you something
I'm awake now, things are clearing up, i'm not saying the words anymore
I've got a minute, let me tell you what I think is going on
Tension between the districts has spiked in the last few months
You can see it in the markets everyone's ready for a storm
They're singing a new song in the streets of the zone
I have plenty of information to keep me company
Noone is ready, he watches the market
I'm not talking about a disaster, i'm talking about a love-triangle
We fell into the jungle for a summer of dollar-crime
We were young heroes. gorgeous liars.
Turn off the lights, and drink a cold glass of water
Noone is singing, every day is the same
We should have listened to chief
Click to expand...

I'm scared, hold me.
Click to expand...

...Hell, that makes it sound like Hunger Games.
 
U

User 73706

Banned
"Her svelte figure caught the minister's eye, just as Chief predicted."
"A: You're looking svelte in that jumpsuit."
"B: Svelte or not, it's the itchiest thing I've ever worn." (Rustling in background, car beep, seems to loop twice)
Click to expand...

"Is this what you've been hiding from me? This... advanced Ancilla?"

"Chief, who had posed as a waiter, said Lasso had been seated at the president's table."
"A: Lasso jumped out the window and landed on his motorbike."
"B: They're never gonna catch a kid like Lasso."
Click to expand...

Return of the Chopper confirmed?
 
D

Deleted member 80556

Unconfirmed Member
gblues said:
What significant would happen on Tuesday, Sep 24th 2013?
Click to expand...

Half Life 3 will be announced.

Every conspiracy theory leads to a Half Life 3 announcement.

Anyway, on a more serious note, this is unsettling, I wonder if he actually has something to say or he just wants to tell a very discreet story.
 
I

injurai

Banned
Halo is a good guess. They have done ARGs in the past. I wouldn't be surprised that Microsoft could underhandedly life this channel into popularity to ensure it's exposure.

Still it seems a bit early, and the planning for this is far too long given the development cycle of Halo.

HL3 seems possible, if so I would think that maybe this was a collab. One of the parties approached the other perhaps over the idea. This same scenario though could be struck with any party though to promote something big.

OR It's just the owner is having some fun with his popular channel and found a way to ensure it's popularity a few years down the road despite releasing extremely similar content over all those years.
 
S

squidyj

Member
what I want is a database of all of the sentences for cross-referencing specific words, like markets, districts, zone, chief, etc.
 
S

squidyj

Member
Fiction said:
I checked out anniversaries on that date, but nothing really screams to me as being significant. The only two that jump out at me are:

1979 – CompuServe launches the first consumer internet service, which features the first public electronic mail service.

1996 – Representatives of 71 nations sign the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty at the United Nations.

But that's just stuff I would make an ARG give a shout out too, who the hell knows what other people would.
Click to expand...

there is a mention of compuserv in an entry on GIF.
 
D

Deleted member 80556

Unconfirmed Member
The fact that the person running the channel has a domain registered and redirects to a Honduras charity site (not to mention that they mention jungle and guerrillas) has me very interested.
 
B

belushy

Banned
Interesting. I'll be somewhat disappointed if it isn't Halo related, but I'm still very interested in what it could be.
 
W

_woLf

Member
Whatever this turns out to be, the way they handled it is absolutely amazing. I love ARGs and viral shit that is this subtle and cryptic -- reminds me of the I Love Bees days. Ever since then ARGs just have been way too up-front about what they're about (Isis for Halo 3...)

Who would have seen this coming when the channel first opened? I do admit I always found it odd that it was a thing, but it wasn't really any more out of place than most of the strange shit on Youtube that are there just to try and get hits.
 
Exr

Exr

Member
Ill admit its handeled very well, but I doubt its anything more than viral marketing or some ARG. /x/ has a history of finding these and going completley apeshit only to find out it was all a marketing thing.
 
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