Help eDNA ([1]) is a Darkspore ARG that went online in mid 2010. It plays out as a puzzle text adventure which gives clues on the Darkspore game, and is set before the events of the game.
Synopsis[]
Help eDNA is a puzzle text adventure, in which you play as a contact that has begun receiving messages from an unknown character. Players must register for the site with a user name and password, and log in before joining the game. Players were were at first required to ask questions of the character, which would be answered, before receiving puzzles, one of which revealed the time and location of Darkspore's reveal at the PAX game conference. After many challenging mathematical puzzles were solved by the players, the site was updated, disabling the ability to ask questions or solve new puzzles, instead requiring players to work out genetic calculations, charging them with the task of creating the E-DNA genome for the abilities of the game's heroes. Players had to process 10 000 genes in order to complete all of them. After the completion of Meditron, Magnos, Blitz, Arakna, and Jinx, the website's genetic conversion system went unresponsive for several days, before it reactivated with updated text and two newly completed heroes, Goliath, and Tork. Tork had not yet been revealed on the main Darkspore website at the time. The website soon also featured two short in-game videos of Tork. After Tork's revealing, a new hero, Titan, was revealed, also with two short videos of the hero. Following that, another video was shown that featured a hero labeled as 'Unknown', late revealed to be Andromeda. Eventually, on 15 October 2010, the number of genes to be processed reached 55, and stopped. Anyone logging into the site from now on will see the usual partially corrupted text before it suddenly gives way to a stream of corrupted text data with a message from the Darkspore, stating that they have conquered yet again. The game is over, but still has an epilogue page containing a message from Maxis, and links to all of the pictures and videos from the website.
Plot[]
Establishing a connection with an unknown source, a group of contacts began receiving data and messages from a mysterious person who claimed to have been isolated in space for more than two million years, and was in danger of being tracked down by a malignant entity. After receiving some garbled imagery and text information, the contacts were prompted to ask questions of the person. The 'person' was soon revealed to in fact be a social supercomputer AI called the HELIX, created by a race of beings known only as the Crogenitors, in a galaxy almost completely conquered in a massive war instigated by a strain of hostile mutants under the influence of a sapient virus. Because of these mutants' attempts to track down and destroy all links to the Crogenitors and their networks, the HELIX was forced to disconnect from the mass network that connected it to all other computer AIs of its system in order to avoid being found. After cracking much encrypted information, receiving new data, and processing corrupted text feeds activated by entering select keywords into the HELIX's localized network, the contacts learned of an unstable genetic molecule known as E-DNA, and were charged with the task of processing and stabilizing 10 000 unstable E-DNA genes before they mutate into viral strains. Fragments of the resulting gene code were to form the basis for the abilities of a number of powerful warriors with unspecified purpose. The contacts got to work, assisting the HELIX with processing the gene code. After sequencing a number of genes representing individuals known as Meditron, Magnos, Blitz, Arakna and Jinx, a computer virus suddenly caused the HELIX to go into security shutdown mode, rendering the contacts unable to finish processing the genomes. But soon the HELIX reactivated, plagued with data corruption but bearing the sequences for two other warriors, Goliath and Tork. The contacts soon resumed work on the genes, completing the sequences for a fighter known as Titan as well as an unknown warrior. As the contacts processed the final genes, with the gene count down to 55, the contacts logged onto the network only to have a message appear and degrade into a stream of unintelligible, corrupted data. The mutants' computer virus had finally cracked the HELIX's link to the contacts, permanently severing communication between them. Nine cold, chilling words stood out: "WE HAVE YOU - One life, one purpose - Darkspore expands". The virus had conquered...
Trivia[]
- At the bottom left of Help eDNA's text box, there is a link labeled 'credits', with thanks from the Maxis and EA team.
- On the website, E-DNA is typed as eDNA, and Arakna is typed as Arakhna.
External Links[]
Both links are broken. Links are left for reference.
Help eDNA game page: http://www.helpedna.com/
Epilogue: http://www.helpedna.com/epilogue.html