Truthseeker: As we know when doing A/B testing, the test objects need to be similar by nature. Which could explain why they picked us and Nemesis Node. We look identical to our alternative existence.
Alex: Speaking of Nemesis… We have some questions about them, some by us some from agents too.
Truthseeker: We don't know. It's what they are claiming to be true. For me, it is another form of script that records the history of another world.
Alex: Why do Nemesis all use typeface names? They’re not Nemesis’ real name, are they? And will we see Comic Sans nemesis?
Truthseeker: Hahaha, maybe they thought it would be catchy. I just hope if there was a Nemesis PAC, their codename is not Comic Sans. I like Garamond or Quicksand better.
Alex: What does Nemesis mean in the hourglass Nemesis wear or setting it as Nemesis logo?
Truthseeker: Myriad's not bad. Tethered Hand mentioned they like Courier, because it's monospaced. It comes in handy when making puzzles.
Truthseeker: My theories: 1. to remind themselves that time is running out, and the urgencies of stopping the Exogenous.
Truthseeker: 2. It may have to do with how they are RPE-ing into our world and that there is a time limit.
Alex: An agent question - Will Nemesis Bible get published one day?
Truthseeker: I very much like that idea, but there are no immediate plans for that from the NIA internally. I know several Agent (groups) have been keeping a very detailed track of the Nemesis Sequence. For example Project Lycaeum-series, Sjarlotte, and many others. Always very grateful to see these Agents-driven documentation of our progress in the Ingress world.
Alex: After all the storyline questions let’s talk about some event and scanner questions Agents are having. As the most comprehensive decoding challenge ever in Ingress, will we see more of Tessellation in the future? How do you envision the decoding part of Ingress hold in the future, evolving with the game?
Truthseeker: It’s cliche to say we learned a lot through the run of the Tessellation, but it’s true. The one big lesson learned is to NOT run an event that long and extensive. The freshness wears out after a quarter, that’s part of why Tethered Hand had to come up with new (frustrating?) methods to keep everyone’s mind on the edge. Anyways, It’s possible to have future puzzle series, but not very likely at the scale of the Tessellation.
Truthseeker: The core attraction of Ingress is its strategic play and community. The principles for our quest/puzzle designs are centered on that as well. So as long as Ingress is evolving, decoding will always try to find its way into the events and operations.
Alex: Will we get a media capsule so we can keep souvenirs of our decoding participation?
Truthseeker: The NIA Ingress team maintains a list of Agents' feedback and feature requests, and we have heard your requests for a Media Locker. Right now, the Ingress Team is focused on improving the core parts of the Scanner and our infrastructure.
Alex: What tips do you have for new recruits to join the decode world of Ingress?
Truthseeker: Everyone’s mind and body works differently. I am not perceptive when it comes to cryptanalysis. What I can recognize is based on repetitive research & practice. So to the people who rely on experience: try to solve more puzzles, maybe make some of your own. Don’t go straight for help if you want your body to remember the method, but also don’t hesitate to reach out if you start to feel trapped. At that point, insisting on decoding yourself is just exhausting the interest.