Timeline
From Tron
Timeline, Story so far
Brief overview of events to date:
Phase 1: Flynn Lives!
July 21, 2009
Several movie-related websites posted they had received via mail a pair of Flynn's Arcade golden coins along with a flash drive. Its content was an animated gif image that showed CSS code lines. Four of them were put together and part of the code was cracked, revealing the url to Flynnlives.com. Clicking on a tiny spider in the lower section of the main page led to a countdown clock that hit zero on July 23, 2009, 9:30pm PDT.
- Homeoftron.com is found after the phrase appeared on the back of the arcade tokens.
July 23, 2009
Flynn's Arcade was re-opened at a location shown after a scavenger hunt at the 2009 San Diego Comic-Con, with several Space Paranoids arcade machines and a variety of '80s video games. Entering secret codes found after beating each Space Paranoids game would eventually reveal a desktop background of the new lightcycle, as well as the new high quality teaser trailer(see Derez) for Tron Legacy. People at the arcade were shortly treated to a full-size lightcycle on display from the new movie. (This lightcycle also went on display tours to numerous entertainment events around the continent)
February 15, 2010
Boxes were sent out to participants through the mail - each contained one of three Bits (blue/neutral, yellow/yes, or red/no) and had "/zerohour" written on the inside lid. Going to Flynnlives.com/Zerohour revealed a binary countdown to 11:00am EST (4:00pm GMT) on February 24. On February 18, a message began to slowly form beneath the countdown clock, listing 27 of city names around the globe.
February 24, 2010: Zero Hour
The countdown ends, and the website is updated with a grid and a list accompanying the 27 city names. A scavenger hunt begins in 27 cities to find Tron wallets filled with arcade tokens, papers and collector's cards. Times and places are revealed 3 at a time for 9 hours, and the first arrivers to each location receive a phone from the contact, from which they're given information on where to pick up the aforementioned package. When codes printed on the cards are entered into ZeroHour, the corresponding image appears in the grid, and clicking on the picture of the card causes it to turn over to reveal a piece of a larger poster. Once all 27 locations have their instructions and all codes are entered, the No bit below the grid became Yes, and clicking it led to Pitcell.com, with information about exclusive, limited IMAX screenings in 5 cities. Ticket are distributed on a first come first served basis, beginning at 4:00pm EST from Pitcell.com.
- Additionally, once the entire poster is revealed, an icon in the lower right next to the Yes Bit begins blinking in a repeating pattern. Converting the dots from binary values indicates which cards to flip in a particular order - in doing so, the location of a secret forum is revealed. Posts on the forum mention Encom International, and going to Encominternational.com brings up the company's website.
- Flynnlives.com receives a new look to match ZeroHour's more Tron-like theme. Players can now register for profiles on the site, which allow for registering for mailings and phone calls and the ability to earn "achievements" for their accomplishments. A video summarizing the SDCC 2009 event is also added.
February 25, 2010
- Tickets for the screenings are released on Pitcell.com.
February 27, 2010
Screenings at IMAXs occurred. The theatres showed the new full trailer of Tron: Legacy, running about 2:30 in length. After the screening participants, were given Flynn Lives t-shirts.
- See Pitcell Trailer Summary for more details.
March 8, 2010
Flynnlives.com and the FlynnLives fan page on facebook post a video wrap-up of the ZeroHour event (video link), and it's quickly noticed that codes quickly flash occasionally in the corner. Putting them together leads to 5xrp2tk0p10ixnl7ga4e82an3s.net. The puzzle is solved leading to a new website: http://www.program-glitch-esc.net, where the Pitcell Trailer is hosted for the public.
March 10, 2010
Flynnlives.com is updated, including three new threads in the Flynnlives.com's message boards. One included a link to a new video game quiz hosted at ArcadeAid.com. Completing the quiz awards users with up to four badges, including completion of an Encom membership badge to be shipped by mail.
March 17, 2010
The first Encom badges begin arriving. The badge includes a QR Code that refers to the Encom Intranet at http://www.encominternational.com/employeeintranet.
- Login consists of the Employee ID number and FlynnLives.com profile password
March 24, 2010
Following a press release and video interview with IGN (link), Alan Bradley is scheduled to appear in San Francisco at 8pm on April 2nd at Justin Herman Plaza to announce a major new product from Encom International.
- A new thread on the Flynn Lives message boards lead to Arcadeaid.com/Cheatcode, a program that decodes the intranet login information for existing Encom employees. Using this, five new logins are discovered, including those of Alan Bradley and Encom CEO Kurt Hardington. An email in Hardington's inbox links to a remote access version of his computer desktop.
March 30, 2010
New threads are posted on the Flynn Lives message boards, clarifying some details of the Encom press event. While there will be a VIP section for Encom employees (ie: players with badges), the event will be open to the general public. Also, there will be a Flynn Lives meetup that day at the Hyatt Regency grand ballroom from 6:15-7:45 pm, immediately preceding the press conference.
- New emails are added to Encom Intranet accounts. Kurt Hardington's inbox contains a link to an uncut version of IGN's interview with Alan Bradley, which features more information about Kevin Flynn.
April 1, 2010
Operation Tron, a Flynn Lives site promoting the San Francisco events, is found through the Flynnlives.com home page.
April 2, 2010: San Francisco Events
The Encom Press Event was a success (for the FLO) - supporters gathered before Alan's announcement to brief on instructions for infiltrating the stage, and after heading to Encom's event Alan opened up (with an appearance by Lora) and announced the upcoming release of Space Paranoids Online. The speech was interrupted by the FLO in support of Kevin Flynn and a parachutist who was soon to be discovered as Sam Flynn himself.
- More details here: Encom Press Event
- Event recap from IO9.com (link)
April 8, 2010
The Flynn Lives message boards and Group 7 Encom Intranet accounts are updated with information about the fallout from the press conference and Sam Flynn's stunts. After discovering the executive level intranet accounts were compromised, Encom has shut them down; their content been mirrored at this Flynnlives.com page.
April 15, 2010
Encom front page site is updated with information regarding the upcoming Space Paranoids online game. Trailer can be viewed here. http://www.encominternational.com/spaceparanoidsteaser/default.htm
