Add Violence Back Cover...ARG?

[d-signet]

What's written under that piece of tape? Ends in a 2 or a Z?

[cdm]

(Persuasion...Coercion...Submission...Assimilation )

There's a third factor which is the dials under each header. So if the SATISFACTION dial is set to INERTIA, and MINUS is selected, does that mean inertia is being removed from satisfaction? Does is mean satisfaction is being removed from inertia? Does it mean satisfaction is set to inertia, and that's bad?

I'm not necessarily saying PL/MI isn't plus and minus but wouldn't that typically be shown in reverse? Minus on the left and plus on the right? The indicators are arranged this way. Again, I'm not discounting it entirely but I'm not convinced that is the correct interpretation.

[cdm]

What's written under that piece of tape? Ends in a 2 or a Z?

4% chance Add Violence is Halo 32 and WHAT'S IN BETWEEN!!??!?!?!??

[acidpits]

Oh man here we go again. I love the idea that these songs reference the other albums, La Mer is definitely on one of the tracks somewhere but I'll have to check. I'm too old for this ARG solving shit I'll just watch you guys. Good luck.

[Toadflax]

I'm not necessarily saying PL/MI isn't plus and minus but wouldn't that typically be shown in reverse? Minus on the left and plus on the right? The indicators are arranged this way. Again, I'm not discounting it entirely but I'm not convinced that is the correct interpretation.

And to your point, why wouldn't they just be, you know, plus and minus signs? As for left and right, I don't know, it depends on the functionality, I guess. If plus is the default/goal, then it could make sense for that to be on the side you look at first (as far as Western left to right reading goes). Moreover, old machines just did shit in weird ways. I'd love to find the source object just to see what changes were made. I wouldn't be surprised if the original machine has the PL/MI on it and they just rolled with it.

[|mando|]

Sent a text to 85122. No response yet, but it was worth a try, y'know?

[define]

[Toadflax]

TFW Event Intensity reaches 300:

[paul_guyet]

I think this needs to be paid attention to and not get lost in the depths of this thread. I think that this is right on as a plus/minus situation. Somehow this relates to the overall puzzle and the 5 segments they are on, how exactly is beyond me.

Plus: APPERCEPTION
Minus: SATISFACTION
Minus: MORALE
Plus: DISORDER
Plus: SUBMISSION

On another thought it is interesting that BIAS is lighted in the upper panel and then there is a knob or plug port or something at the top of the second panel.

I think this translates to people in this particular simulation:

1. Are more open to understanding and accepting of the world around them (the shitty state of things and the appearance of a huge fucking space hand).
2. Overall dissatisfied with the world as it is appears.
3. Have a low morale.
4. Are disorganized and unable to unify.
5. Prone to submit, to ideas, propaganda, etc.

While these setting on the cover of AV might refer directly to the world of YZ we all experienced back in 2007 through the ARG, you'll notice that "RESET" button has been pushed enough times that there's a dirty fingerprint next to it. That fingerprint, along with the clear signs of use on the AV engine indicate, to me at least, that there have been many simulations before this one.

Groundhog Day meets The Matrix.

[d-signet]

Oh, and, of course the fates of the Resistance List people aren't random...Meathead was executed.

To be fair, Meathead had been pushing his luck for a while, it was only a matter of time before the NIN camp made sure he had a little accident.

[AnaTorpedo]

Ok so I'm working on this from a purely props related standpoint because, well, it is what I know. SO FAR I'm not finding out too much about the machine itself. It appears to be built off of a vintage CNC machine control panel, the red "abort" button definitely looks like an E-stop... the teardrop shaped knobs may be either Raytheon teardrop knobs off of a potentiometer, or they could be generic vintage bakelight style knobs like you find on ham radios and whatnot. I've yet to see anything with a similar gauge style but the light/button style is reminiscent of vintage Mori Seiki panels...

[mostlymad]

The screws all seem to be different, some ill-fitting and at least one missing. So has the machine been tampered with, on top of everything else? * "Echoplex" comes to mind.

[Toadflax]

Ok so I'm working on this from a purely props related standpoint because, well, it is what I know. SO FAR I'm not finding out too much about the machine itself. It appears to be built off of a vintage CNC machine control panel, the red "abort" button definitely looks like an E-stop... the teardrop shaped knobs may be either Raytheon teardrop knobs off of a potentiometer, or they could be generic vintage bakelight style knobs like you find on ham radios and whatnot. I've yet to see anything with a similar gauge style but the light/button style is reminiscent of vintage Mori Seiki panels...

Well, hello there, person who knows things about stuff! I tried these search terms on LCW but to no avail. Have you tried searching for the original object on there using your knowledge?

[xfocalinx]

Also, I defend NIN for everything, but I can't help but feel like the 3-ep trilogy for a possible "year zero pt. 2" is a bit disappointing for some reason.

[Toadflax]

Also, I defend NIN for everything, but I can't help but feel like the 3-ep trilogy for a possible "year zero pt. 2" is a bit disappointing for some reason.

Especially when the first EP had almost nothing in the way of fun little mysteries and seems to tell a story that has nothing to do with the world of Year Zero. Hopefully as the EP gets released and more clues are revealed, we find ourselves going, "ohhh, I get it now," and not, "well, clearly they just didn't know what they were doing yet when they released NTAE."

This reminds me of Marilyn Manson putting out Antichrist Superstar, Mechanical Animals, and Holy Wood, saying something like, "when all three albums are released, you will see the completion of the great blah blah and the coming of blah blah blah." All I understood after that was that he was done making good music.

[AnaTorpedo]

Well, hello there, person who knows things about stuff! I tried these search terms on LCW but to no avail. Have you tried searching for the original object on there using your knowledge?

I have not actually searched the LCW site because I kind of assumed it would be a custom built piece scrounged from whatever looked cool... I'm mostly just throwing terms like "bakelite knob" onto search engines and clicking on stuff that looks similar to find more search terms. Gotta love prop research haha. I did do a reverse image search on google and nothing came up matching the photo, so it is unique to the album at least...
I do see visual similarities (and parts) to this
https://www.lcwprops.com/image?id=8378&index=1 (number counters, gauge frames, general layout)
and https://www.lcwprops.com/image?id=11741&index=1 (aux inputs and light up buttons)
https://www.lcwprops.com/image?id=11699&index=1 (teardrop buttons)
https://www.lcwprops.com/item?id=2327 (number counter thingies)
All of these items so far have been navy or military control panels so that would certainly be fitting with the theme so far... The hunt continues

[Toadflax]

I do see visual similarities (and parts) to this

Yeah, I keep finding lots of close-but-no-cigar objects. The geolocation being on the photo is what makes me think there's actually an item there that looks reasonably like the album cover. If they had something made for them, it seems they'd just take it home or to a photography studio rather than shooting it at LCW. Of course, they may have it there but not on the website, which is what makes me want to take a field trip...

[|mando|]

For any numerologists out there:
85122 in days is 233.211 years
85122 in hours is 3546.75 days or 9.71 years (which would go back to approximately April of 2008 [Ghosts was March, The Slip was May])
85122 in minutes is 59.11 days
85122 in seconds is 23.645 hours (24 hours is 86400 seconds)

[Ruined]

Especially when the first EP had almost nothing in the way of fun little mysteries and seems to tell a story that has nothing to do with the world of Year Zero. Hopefully as the EP gets released and more clues are revealed, we find ourselves going, "ohhh, I get it now," and not, "well, clearly they just didn't know what they were doing yet when they released NTAE."

This reminds me of Marilyn Manson putting out Antichrist Superstar, Mechanical Animals, and Holy Wood, saying something like, "when all three albums are released, you will see the completion of the great blah blah and the coming of blah blah blah." All I understood after that was that he was done making good music.

Given Trent's history of being meticulous when it comes to his music, and its packaging, I highly doubt that he did anything haphazardly with these EPs. Whatever it is, I'm sure it has been planned out; he didn't just decide, before the second EP, to make it an ARG on a whim. I'm looking forward to seeing what develops and what fans will work together to discover.

[AnaTorpedo]

Yeah, I keep finding lots of close-but-no-cigar objects. The geolocation being on the photo is what makes me think there's actually an item there that looks reasonably like the album cover. If they had something made for them, it seems they'd just take it home or to a photography studio rather than shooting it at LCW. Of course, they may have it there but not on the website, which is what makes me want to take a field trip...

The knobs under "submission" "disorder" etc are pretty unique... so far I haven't seen anything that looks like them yet...

[Archive_Reports]

Especially when the first EP had almost nothing in the way of fun little mysteries and seems to tell a story that has nothing to do with the world of Year Zero. Hopefully as the EP gets released and more clues are revealed, we find ourselves going, "ohhh, I get it now," and not, "well, clearly they just didn't know what they were doing yet when they released NTAE."

I don't agree that it's not connected. What if NTAE takes place both pre and post Year Zero? There are definitely lyrics throughout the EP that could suggest some sort of time travel situation. Maybe someone has come back to try to right the wrongs of the YZ storyline.

[paul_guyet]

I brightened up the picture a bit and I agree with whoever said there's a black, PC envelope next to the red book in the bottom right. You can almost see the white disclaimer label...

[EndlessLoveless]

Physical component will be the users manual for this.

[Toadflax]

Given Trent's history of being meticulous when it comes to his music, and its packaging, I highly doubt that he did anything haphazardly with these EPs. Whatever it is, I'm sure it has been planned out; he didn't just decide, before the second EP, to make it an ARG on a whim. I'm looking forward to seeing what develops and what fans will work together to discover.

Yeah, I'm inclined to agree. I think it was hearing that EP3 is only a couple lyrics in a notebook right now made me question how much they had thought all the pieces of puzzle through (though I have no doubt they had a strong sense of the overall story at the very least).

[Toadflax]

I don't agree that it's not connected. What if NTAE takes place both pre and post Year Zero? There are definitely lyrics throughout the EP that could suggest some sort of time travel situation. Maybe someone has come back to try to right the wrongs of the YZ storyline.

Yeah, I'm not saying it's definitely not, just that NTAE to me seemed so much like a Se7en-esque, grisly serial killer story, which- while it could totally take place in the world of Year Zero- didn't feel at all connected to me. The lyrics of Less Than, on the other hand, absolutely seem like something out of Year Zero.

[Toadflax]

I brightened up the picture a bit and I agree with whoever said there's a black, PC envelope next to the red book in the bottom right. You can almost see the white disclaimer label...

Really not seeing it. I took Brightness to 150 and Contrast to -50 in Photoshop, and now I'm completely convinced it's just the side of the object next to it.

[Silent_Schema]

I have not actually searched the LCW site because I kind of assumed it would be a custom built piece scrounged from whatever looked cool... I'm mostly just throwing terms like "bakelite knob" onto search engines and clicking on stuff that looks similar to find more search terms. Gotta love prop research haha. I did do a reverse image search on google and nothing came up matching the photo, so it is unique to the album at least...
I do see visual similarities (and parts) to this
https://www.lcwprops.com/image?id=8378&index=1 (number counters, gauge frames, general layout)
and https://www.lcwprops.com/image?id=11741&index=1 (aux inputs and light up buttons)
https://www.lcwprops.com/image?id=11699&index=1 (teardrop buttons)
https://www.lcwprops.com/item?id=2327 (number counter thingies)
All of these items so far have been navy or military control panels so that would certainly be fitting with the theme so far... The hunt continues

Great finds there, the teardrop knob could very well be the one used on the cover (bottom right). It has a very similar dent on the lower side.
You might be able to find a bunch of parts that kraw used to "build" that machine!

[|mando|]

Really not seeing it. I took Brightness to 150 and Contrast to -50 in Photoshop, and now I'm completely convinced it's just the side of the object next to it.

Same.

[neorev]

Same.

It looks like a manual. Imagine if the physical component is a manual showing how to operate this Add Violence machine amd what it does.

[razzletiger]

Okay, so I inverted the picture in Gimp to see if anything becomes clearer, and not really. The Null Corporation tag, though, seems the most intriguing part to this, and would probably, in my opinion, lead to something more than any of the other numbers or words on this thing. It looks sort of like CAYS 24 0 0 to me, but I can't make it any clearer. I've attached the picture in case anyone else can make out that tag better (direct link in case the picture doesn't work: https://ibb.co/dR1BfF)