[Lunabean]

So, I know this is kind of Xbox specific, but, it has reached a life of its own so here it is. As many of you know, the trailer in theaters for Halo 2 had a weird URL at the end: http://www.ilovebees.com. We wrote about it: http://www.lunabean....news/000489.php.

Well, this sucker has now taken on a life of its own. You see, the countdown that was originally on the ilovebees site ends tomorrow, August 24, which led to much speculation regarding either an early release for Halo 2 or for a release of a playable demo.

I was reminded of it today by a poster on our Xbox General boards: http://www.lunabean....?showtopic=4963. If you read through that thread, you'll see that the new thing is that there are a ton of GPS points and times. There are several here in Portland and so Ali and I fired up our GPS receiver and headed to the two that are near us:


Ali outside MickeyDees.


Me outside BK. Hmm, mysterious man-hole cover?

Well, lo and behold, one of them is the drive-thru for a Burger King, the other a drive-thru for a McDonald's.

WTF?

There is so much speculation regarding what the GPS points mean. Are they places where there are high-speed internet relays thus intimating that tomorrow, XboxLIVE users will be able to download a playable demo of Halo2? Will McDonald's and BK be co-marketing the game? I'm so enthralled!

Add in all this lore/myth about the ilovebees site (operated by an Aunt) and the blog of the neice, who is in China and is being stalked and you have one great cheap marketing ploy.

-Jer

[edit]

Oh, and they've taken over www.ilovebeer.org, too.

Plus the ilovebees site, get a 404 error by entering an incorrect url after ( http://www.ilovebees.com/k ) and you'll get a strange message.

-Jer

[edit]

And it even goes further with a motif of "hives" and the "queen" and hidden haikus in the jarbled images and passages of shakespear appearing and...
*falls over*

-Jer

[osmc]

funkay... If you go to that error message twice, you get two different pictures... cool.

[Gold_2]

ITS NOT A CONSPIRACY!

hehe, just kidding! yeah, no XBOX for me but I have come across the ILOVEBEES thing. the GPS reminds me of Independence Day, and I"m thinking a similar theme might be integral to Halo 2. man, it sure would be nice to have Halo for the PS. hey Gates, we'll make a fair trade ok? Halo and Halo 2 for the Crash Bandicoot series. :jester:

and lets be honest, you guys just wanted to get a Burger King crown, right?

[kamikaze]

The countdown ends at 5am pacific. Hmm.

[Crimson]

Maybe just a lot of bees will invade, bringing presents of honey. Mmm honey.

[Lunabean]

I think Al Qaeda will be launching attacks on those sites.

[Gold_2]

here's the connection. ILOVEBEER-ILOVEBEES. Muslims can't drink beer, at least not made from barley. however, they can drink beer made from fermented honey. hence ILOVEBEER and its connection to ILOVEBEES! Al Qaeda doesn't think any of us here in the states will make the connection, and plan to attack tomorrow. Americans love their fast food, and what better to represent America than fast food? the attacks will come against various fast food restaurants, so make a sandwich, or grab a bagel(as the countdown ends in the morning).

by the way, if this turns out to be an actual Al Qaeda plot, and I disappear, you'll know what happened.

[MasterX]

I'm affraid. Hold me.

[Dane]

This is all really cool. I just spent over an hour checking out so many things involving ilovebees. Blogs, GPS, different websites, etc. I also played with that burger king chicken for the first time, not that it has anything to do with the bees however. Man was he fun.

If the timer ends at 5AM, I may just be setting my alarm (or staying up til then). I'm very curious.

[/\/+r0p`/]

Oh gawd. It's the JFK conspiracy of video games.

Oh, and MX. Your avatar is just...I love ya man.

[kingdompunk]

I actually a bit freaked out by all this. wtf? I can't wait to see what happens.

EDIT: Whenever I click the 404'd link, it shows new pictures. They scare me, really...

[Car1gt]

MasterX, on Aug 23 2004, 08:02 PM, said:

I'm affraid. Hold me.

Those words. And that avatar.

Beyond hilarious.

[KilGrey]

Seeing as how I don't play Halo or really know anything about it, you all seem like crazy wackos.

[Dane]

I heard about this one a while ago and I think Gold mentioned it although he could have just been making a joke but: http://www.ilovebeer.org/index.php

Another countdown of 16 days remaining.

[MasterX]

so...what happened at 5:00? I'm on Ilovebees.com now and a message comes up on the main page that says



TRANSMITTING(clickable link)

Authorized personnel can check rendezvous info here(clickable link).

Unauthorized personnel should know
that I have full license to use any means to
protect the security of these transmissions.

I believe that punishing even minor transgressions
with shockingly excessive force is the best deterrent.
I am relentless, and I have absolutely no conscience
when it comes to executing my mission.

Make your decisions accordingly.

edit-By the way, I hate bees.

[Dane]

This just in, I'm updating. I've been in a very populated chat focused on Ilovebees. The countdown has ended and there are people in the chat who are actually at the GPS spots right now. They are grouped by time and the payphones at the spots actually ring. Apparently a recording plays and you are asked a question like "What is my name? Who are you?" And you must answer correctly. This is all a puzzle..a very creepy one at that. Al and Jer, I suggest you really look into this so you can help solve this. You should then go back to the mcdonalds and burger king at the times listed with the coordinates so you can answer the phones.

EDIT: http://www.ilovebees.com/links.html

It keeps going up and down due to either constant updating or high traffic but if you can catch it you'll see the groups each axon has been assigned to. EVERYONE check the axons from this list = http://www.trynamics...ation_list.html

If there are any even remotely near you GO to them at the time listed. I have found out what you say to the recording of the woman. She asks you who she is and who you are. Her name is OPERATOR. You are whatever group you've been assigned to. For me since my group is 11:27 I am called TUNA. If you get it right you'll get a 1/2 or 2/2 for your list.

The chat is here: http://www.unfiction.com/chat/ Just choose #beekeepers for your channel.

[MasterX]

Dane, on Aug 24 2004, 09:33 AM, said:

This just in, I'm updating.  I've been in a very populated chat focused on Ilovebees.  The countdown has ended and there are people in the chat who are actually at the GPS spots right now.  They are grouped by time and the payphones at the spots actually ring.  Apparently a recording plays and you are asked a question like  "What is my name?  Who are you?"  And you must answer correctly.  This is all a puzzle..a very creepy one at that.  Al and Jer, I suggest you really look into this so you can help solve this.  You should then go back to the mcdonalds and burger king at the times listed with the coordinates so you can answer the phones.

May I ask where I can find this chat room, good sir?

it seems like somethings going on at those spots
whatever it is, one of those points i laready 2/2(whatever that means) I'm guessing they've laready called the 2 people, or like i've heard, given out 2 copies of Halo 2 to 2 people.

oh yeah, theres not one point even close to me, so I can't go. ='(

[kingdompunk]

One of the locations is about half an hour away from here. OMG, I need to get a ride... I just have to. I must see whats going on.

this is sooo wierd... on the Ilovebeer blog, the guy talks about his uncle losing his porn I think, and on the ilovebees blog she talks about her aunt losing her hotmail. wtf? I am so confused...

[Dane]

Pay no attention to Ilovebeer, for I don't think it means anything.

[MasterX]

kingdompunk, on Aug 24 2004, 10:42 AM, said:

One of the locations is about half an hour away from here. OMG, I need to get a ride... I just have to. I must see whats going on.

this is sooo wierd... on the Ilovebeer blog, the guy talks about his uncle losing his porn I think, and on the ilovebees blog she talks about her aunt losing her hotmail. wtf? I am so confused...

You have to be there ta a certain time though. And ride j00r bike, lazy arse

Nearest one to me is in Barnstable. Thats an 1 hour+ away from here.