First I must denounce the accusation that the post the HL leads to is my own post! I discovered it under Google!
Well, of course there are many ways of reasoning to follow, most of which will probable lead you to the conclusion that the genuineness of the post is possible but not probable.
I do not know Tex Murphy nor do I know Aaron Connors, (and I’m not going to look either). Nevertheless it is safe to say that FL is definitely connected to DA which is definitely connected to MS which is allegedly connected to Aaron Connors who is allegedly connected to Tex Murphy.
I proceeded to type the keywords "tex Aaron Connors" into the Google search machine
(so I looked, bite me), this confirmed the third and fourth links in the chain, namely the link to MS(
somewhat outdated but nonetheless.. ) and the link to Tex Murphy (
is actually only additional proof, as the previous url already verifies the Tex Murphy link)
So what's left is the second and first link, namely wether or not Aaron Connors is working with DA inside of MS. If this is so then the post is almost certain to be accurate.
....Unless
1. Someone spent a lot of time researching FL > DA > MS.
2. Then picked some game dev who fit into the puzzle, thus, someone who if performed a superficial background check on would harmonize with all the aspects.
3.Then fabricated some kind of imaginary letter or taken an existing one and adding the ominous sentence to it......... "I'm working with Digital Anvil on Brute Force 2 and Freenlancer 2"
4. Seeing how Brute Force 2 is not yet announced, this would also have to have to been "researched" to allow for seeming legitimacy.
5. Created the original letter and then posted a hyperlink to it on a thread he didn't know would exist (we know the now inactive link on the tech thread was active at the time as no one remarked its inactivity).
Perhaps the perpertrator created the thread himself with an alternate screen name/account/etc, then let a number of unknowing victims make remarks (I don't think there will be a second FL....etc.) only to post his hyperlink-letter as an answer to himself. Or maybe the entire thread was a discussion of one person with many different. screen names/accounts.
My question is: WHY?
Why go through all of this work and then post this phony on some unknown ezboard almost indifferently? Why not post it on TLR or some other dedicated fan site?
Other things to consider is:
1. If I were a gamedev working on a game which is supposed to be kept secret, would I
a) Accidentally post on an "insider" ezboard full of tex fans or tex devs or tex something elses and casually mention that I’m working on FL2 and Brute Force 2, because I know no one cares about these games? (One doesn't know what the site was for or who the participants were)
Or
b) Would I go to a gamedev and/or sw devsite and post (Accidentally? wasn’t sure of your question Chips ) if I know that’s where news of new games spreads quite quickly.
2. It is actually suspicious that the hyperlink from the tech board to the letter is dead. Maybe its all part of the grand forger's master plan, or maybe someone wanted to have it removed becasue he realized he had made a mistake. I dunno.
I guess one would just have to call/e-mail DA of MS or MS, and inquire as to which branch/segment/whatever Aaron Conor (I always hear Schwarzenegger saying that for some reason...nevermind) works for. Does he de facto work for the DA segment/branch/whatever? That may determin the legitimacy -at least to an acceptable degree- of the letter. Or we could just wait.
Edited by - blacktachyon on 5/21/2004 3:11:09 PM
Fri May 21, 2004 5:22 am 
