Valve ARG "Engaging starch-based power cells"

[Weaver]

I have the glados@home countdown open at work and notice 5 minutes ago it said it was "Engaging starch-based power cells" and the potato count at the bototm started dropping.

What could this mean? What do you think will happen when it hits 0??

 

[Woodsey]

The taters are boosting the power! It... its aliiiiiive!

 

[Ekonk]

I noticed it too. One can only wonder...

Imagine what ridonculous amounts of potatoes you'd need to actually power a supercomputer.

EDIT: Hang on a sec, it also says NINE instead of ZERO at "active test subjects". Or is that not new?

EDIT2:
Reboot safety test protocol initiated...
11:00 - Relaxation chamber locks released...
11:00 - Involuntary hazard mitigation associates have assumed testing positions...
11:00 - Pre-release lethality assessment initiated...

Well isn't this exciting!

EDIT3: I just refreshed the page after 15 minutes and the bars visibly jumped forward a bit. I need to get some of those potatoes for mah laptop.

 

[Arkham]

I would assume that when it hits zero the game will be released, but I really don't know. I didn't notice until I saw this thread.

 

[Lukeje]

I just posted this on the other thread... oh well. I think it's probably just increasing the number of computations performed. Thus it might not reach zero if the computations are finished first.

 

[Scorched_Cascade]

I have the glados@home countdown open at work and notice 5 minutes ago it said it was "Engaging starch-based power cells" and the potato count at the bototm started dropping.

What could this mean? What do you think will happen when it hits 0??

Valve said that while that is counting down it acts as a multiplier on any hours people put in on the indie games so jump to!

 

[KeyMaster45]

Wonder if enough potatoes were collected to make up for the games that haven't filled their progress bar. Ah well; it's not like Portal 2 doesn't come out tomorrow anyway.

 

[Jack and Calumon]

I have the glados@home countdown open at work and notice 5 minutes ago it said it was "Engaging starch-based power cells" and the potato count at the bototm started dropping.

What could this mean? What do you think will happen when it hits 0??

I'm guessing the Potatoes gathered are going to be used to fuel GLaDOS better, since we weren't playing our games as much as some of hoped we would. Still, if this gets Portal 2 in most people's laps early, then who am I to complain?

Someone who bought it on PS3, that's who.

Calumon: Does this mean we can have no more chips? : (

 

[Weaver]

I checked on the ARG wiki and the idea is that the potatoes are actively overclocking Glados and speeding up all the bars. When we reach 0 I guess we'll run out of overclocking power.

 

[Someone Depressing]

I noticed it this morning when I logged onto Steam. Maybe it's how much computations are being used? Maybe a computation uses up a Potato? Only time will tell, and right now time's decided to shut itself the fuck up and pulled a bandage over its mouth.

 

[Dr. Paine]

"11:00 - Reboot safety test protocol initiated...
11:00 - Relaxation chamber locks released...
11:00 - Involuntary hazard mitigation associates have assumed testing positions...
11:00 - Pre-release lethality assessment initiated..."

 

[Weaver]

"11:00 - Reboot safety test protocol initiated...
11:00 - Relaxation chamber locks released...
11:00 - Involuntary hazard mitigation associates have assumed testing positions...
11:00 - Pre-release lethality assessment initiated..."

She's waking up a test subject!

 

[snagli]

I noticed it too. One can only wonder...

Imagine what ridonculous amounts of potatoes you'd need to actually power a supercomputer.

EDIT: Hang on a sec, it also says NINE instead of ZERO at "active test subjects". Or is that not new?

when i saw that, i freaked out. what is Valve up to? they've always been good at keeping spoilers away from people, but this is just godlike!

 

[Dr. Paine]

"11:00 - Reboot safety test protocol initiated...
11:00 - Relaxation chamber locks released...
11:00 - Involuntary hazard mitigation associates have assumed testing positions...
11:00 - Pre-release lethality assessment initiated..."

She's waking up a test subject!

Or nine. (And yes, the change of subjects from 0 to 9 was a new development. /indirect answer to someone who posted on here)

 

[Weaver]

"11:00 - Reboot safety test protocol initiated...
11:00 - Relaxation chamber locks released...
11:00 - Involuntary hazard mitigation associates have assumed testing positions...
11:00 - Pre-release lethality assessment initiated..."

She's waking up a test subject!

Or nine. (And yes, the change of subjects from 0 to 9 was a new development. /indirect answer to someone who posted on here)

I see that. I was kind of wondering what that big ZERO was for all along.
Very interesting.

God damnit, I'm getting nothing done today

 

[Tony2077]

hmm i still have to wait till tomorrow damn mom working and me wanting the ps3 version

lethality um well glad i know what that means or i may have looked dumber then normal


CAPTCHA
recess pipeline well something normalish this time

 

[Ekonk]

Welp, off to add some more schwung to the Amnesia: The Dark Descent bar.

You guys do Super Meat Boy and Audiosurf. We'll get this shit done.

 

[Weaver]

Welp, off to add some more schwung to the Amnesia: The Dark Descent bar.

You guys do Super Meat Boy and Audiosurf. We'll get this shit done.

I left audiosurf open since last night

I also have 47 hours logged on toki tori now lol.

 

[Ekonk]

Welp, off to add some more schwung to the Amnesia: The Dark Descent bar.

You guys do Super Meat Boy and Audiosurf. We'll get this shit done.

I left audiosurf open since last night

I also have 47 hours logged on toki tori now lol.

Nice going, pardner.

Also, we're swiftly running out of potatoes here.

 

[Dr. Paine]

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150228527438689&set=a.10150228527433689.346684.93235358688&type=1&ref=nf

The first of Nine begins play.