Help eDNA

HelpEDNA 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
HelpEDNA is a puzzle text adventure, in which you play as a contact that has begun receiving messages from an unknown character, later revealed to be a computer AI. 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 eDNA genome for the abilities of the game's heroes. (...)

Plot
Establishing a connection with an unknown source, a group of contacts begin receiving data and messages from a mysterious person who claims to have been alone for more than two million years, and is in danger of being tracked down by another malignant source. After receiving some garbled information, the contacts are prompted to ask questions of the person. The person is revealed to in fact be a computer AI in a dying galaxy, which was forced to disconnect from its computer network. After completing several puzzles, receiving new information, and processing corrupted text feeds activated by entering select keywords into the computer's localized network, the contacts were charged with the task of purifying several eDNA genes before they mutated into Darkspore strains. The resulting genes were to form the basis for the abilities of the heroes selected to fight the Darkspore. (...)

Trivia

 * At the bottom left of HelpEDNA's text box, there is a link labeled 'credits', with thanks from the Maxis and EA team.