寱语 kzeng's blog

We will know the winner of the game today according to its official rules. Although Google and Sony Pictures disregarded their rules several times in the course of the game, I still hope that finally they can tell us who is the winner on time.It took me around 13 minutes to solve all the puzzles. But I know that many players completed the quest within 5 minutes. The shortest time I've heard about is 20 seconds. It's really amazing and unbelievable. So I guess the final winner could make it in less than 5 seconds. Yes, some of them cheated. They downloaded the game in swf format and decompiled it, and then wrote some macros to complete the game automatically. However, I am wondering whether Google could detect it. O.K. Let's see who's the winner :-)

Again, there is an unexpected change of the rule of the game. Although the official rules state that the game is starting at 1pm EST, now ( 9 am EST) the game is already available. I hope to do it right now but I cannot because I have to go to school and teach two classes today. (Fortunately, the first phrase didn't end at Friday. Otherwise I would have no chance to enter the final phrase due to the time conflict). Anyway, I will probably start the game late this afternoon when I am back and post my solutions here if I could succeed in completing them. I am just curious about the final puzzles and care less about the grand prize because even if I can win it, I have to turn it down. I don't have $40,000 to pay the taxes. Therefore, the grand prize is of little value for me. Let's wait and see what we will have for the final quest.

Finally my cryptex arrived today. It's a nice gift from Google and Sony Pictures. Do you notice that mine is slightly different from yours? Mine is fully functional because it uses five dials. Why? Because I "fireworked" the photo :-) Sorry for kidding you but the photo shows a way to make the cryptex fully functional. It only needs some metal work. Furthermore, you can reset the code that opens the cryptex. Steven has a good tutorial about it. So if you add three additional teeth and reset the code, you will have a real cryptex.

I commented on Google's Da Vinci Code Quest game the other day and said that the design of the game was flawed. I still think so although now I am among the finalists. Since we're free before the final phrase starts, let's talk more about the first phrase of the game.

Axiom 1: A good game tests players' ability and singles out finalists accordingly.

Proposition 1: Google's Da Vinci Code Quest game is not a good game because at most it only tests the ability of players from a subset of the whole population.

I didn't get the cryptex today though many players have reported that they got one mailed from California. However, I just got an email from Sony Pictures saying that I am among the 10,000 finalists of the Da Vinci Code Quest game. Many other players also got this email. So finally we know the results. I am very happy that I can enjoy the next round of the quest :-) The following is a screen shot of the email:

By the way, the email says:"As for your previous accomplishments, your skill and perseverance will be rewarded with a limited edition replica cryptex arriving in your mailbox in the coming days." It seems that I am still very likely to get the cryptex. Maybe it is just on the way and the USPS guys in Illinois are rather slow. At least, no one from Illinois reported that they got the cryptex. Hope I can get it tomorrow :-)

jayshree's photo

Up to now, for the Da Vinci Code Quest game, no confirmation email of the finalist was sent out by Google or Sony Pictures. However, to everyone's surprise, the CRYPTEX is being sent out. Several players have already got it, ranging from Florida to Ohio to Montana. The package was mailed via USPS mail from Burbank, California. Since there are 10,000 finalists, some of them may get the cryptex a bit later.So just be patient and wait for the good news!

First of all, although the rules state that it officially ended today at 1 pm EST, the game actually ended much earlier. Some friends of mine got the following screen after they completed the game before 1 pm EST today. Maybe there are just too many players.

Second, if you successfuly registered after you completed the game, now in your Google personalized home page, you will get the following message: