Polybius was a puzzle game that had a very limited release, reportededly restricted to less than a dozen arcades in a small Portland suburb. The games history is hazy. Reports indicate that children that played Polybius could no longer remember common and basic information critical to their lifestyle such as how to find their home or even recall their own name. It is unknown if these effects of amnesia were permanent. It is known that those that played the program were victims of unbearable nightmares often waking up at night screaming in fear. One of the previous arcade operators vows that gentlemen dressed in black coats would periodically come to retrieve play statistics and other records from the coin-op. The mysterious collectors failed to take the coin earnings, nor did they seem interested in or recognize any monetary potential that is usually associated with such devices.

Supposedly it is rumored to have been developed by some kind of uncanny military tech offshoot organization. It was said to have some kind of proprietary behavior modification algorithms developed for the CIA or other other secretive outfit. The game itself is very abstract in design with fast action and puzzle elements. While the kids that played Polybius refrained from playing other videogames aftwerwards, one in particular became a big anti-videogame advocate. We have contacted an individual that knows him, and he claims that the Polybius machines were removed from arcade premesis within a period of four to six weeks. For over twenty years all has been silent concerning polybius until the ROM recently appeared. Our source regrets mentioning his involvement, and claims that our hobby is not his hobby, and wishes to wash his hands of the entire story.

-- Anonymous, August 31, 2003

Answers

LOL! I gotta get that rom then and check it out

-- Anonymous, August 31, 2003

See if you can find the rom I got to have it I want to lose my mind in anime after playing the game LOL!!!!!!

serously find the rom for me then email it to me

-- Anonymous, September 01, 2003

I would also be interested in playing Polybius if anyone finds the ROm for it. Though I don't relaly wish to give up gaming, I'm still curious to what the game is like, and what the niightmares are like...and I've never had amnesia before. Who knows? It may be fun.. o.o;;

-- Anonymous, September 06, 2003

There is a ROM, and I have "played" it. It shows the loadup screen and then Makes a wierd noise, flips out, and closes the emulator. I found it on astalavista.com.

-- Anonymous, September 14, 2003

What the shit is this game?!? if someone finds it, send it to me

-- Anonymous, September 18, 2003

I'm going to find out the mystery of this game, I believe it may be resolved in these nightmares. Maybe these dreams are of hell, of Polybius himself, the Roman man. If you can learn lucid dreaming, then use it while your having one of these nightmares, perhaps some answers could come up. I must find this ROM, I must play this game, and I must find this out.

-- Anonymous, September 19, 2003

OK, I have a couple of questions about this: A. If the "CIA" or whatever was trying to keep this thing as subtle as possible, why would they send guys that were THAT conspicious (ie. black coats, weird behaviour) to go get info on the games?) Wouldn't they just dress agents up in normal clothes, as to not attract unwanted attention? B. Why would they come to get coins anyways. I was under the understanding that it was the arcade owner's money, so why would he let some guys in black coats take his profits? C. I have done a LOT of research into this, and I've seen a LOT of people claim that they've played the gane, downloaded the ROM, talked to the arcade owner, etc..I am convinced that this is just a good urban legend. A cool one, granted, but one nonetheless. I mean, people who swear that it is real can't give one iota of proof other than a mock up "screenshot" that anyone with half decent Photoshop skills could achieve. What is a >specific< URL that we can download the ROM from? Instead we get answers like "I found it on Altavista". I used to think that maybe at least the buggy ROM existed, but now I doubt even that. Would it be all over file sharing programs like Kazaa by now if it was true?? Sorry for the length, I just think a lot of people are wasting their time looking for something that doesn't exist.

-- Anonymous, September 20, 2003

u fucking computer nerds

-- Anonymous, September 20, 2003

I am puzzled at this game and i would realy like to have a look at it if anyone finds it please tell me it sounds quite good

-- Anonymous, September 21, 2003

I agree with the guys that posted on sept 20th, this ROM CANNOT exist, or every1 in the world with a computer and a curious mind would be walkin round with no memory. Having said that, i have great control over my sub-concious and am a kick ass gamer, so if any1 out there has the rom, please send it to me, but i'm not living in hope. in my opinion the CIA if it is at all involved has fabricated this story as a means of giving evidence to the whole 'games rot your brains' argement. sorry 4 the length, but i'm an opinionated bastard.

-- Anonymous, September 21, 2003

first i would like to say i do want this mysterious rom and second why have people started to come up with it in 2003 when it was made in 1981 i know that some arcade roms you can get now are from the late 70's and so on but i just think it is bollox i have looked all over the net looked in loads of file sharing programs and i find nothing it is just probably some little kid who was doing some research on polybius the roman and started some shit about a mysterious game i admit it is imaginative but when you see the pic of the title screen then you will see that it is the work of a kid and all the myths are probably the help of his/hers friends

oh sorry for the speech

-- Anonymous, September 21, 2003

well i have heard that the screen shot going around is a fake but i do still belive that this game does or did exsit because every urban legend has some truth in which it started,but idoubt it gave amnesia or anything like that.

-- Anonymous, September 21, 2003

The ROM is very possible to exist, if you think, that some games come out weeks sooner/later, than the real, then there is one pretty rare on the internet. If the thing about the ROM is right, then the hypnotic effects come from the sound, which is too much for the emulator/computer to handle. The real Arcade game could have a special device added in it, enabling the hypnotising.

Poeple said hypnotising is impossible...now its a normal thing.

-- Anonymous, September 22, 2003

The truth in this case is definately not stranger than fiction.

Polybius was a vector style maze game that players navigated by using the old Wico knob type controllers. A few sites have credited the guy who created Battle Zone as the guy who created the game for Atari. (Actually Atari doesn't credit anyone with the game, but it adds a sinister element to the myth that this game came out at about the same time that Atari was commissioned to tweak Battle Zone to simulate the U.S. Military's experimental Bradley tank)

Atari test marketed the game in Portland suburbs of Beaverton and Hillsboro. As a joke, Atari used the pseudonymous "Sinnesloschen" during the beta phase, a reference to long nights of coding without sleep and lots of Heineken. Atari cut the beta phase short after several complaints that the rotating mazes and flashing backgrounds made players disoriented and nauseous. Vertigo and photosensitive seizures were probably the main culprits in the game not being released officially.

The game looks like a prototype for Tempest. In comparison, Tempest is more streamlined than Polybius, and not nearly as noisy. The knob controls left and right movement while engine physics controls "down" movement, gravity is a key element in making choices to get through a screen. Once you go down, you don't go back up, if you get trapped, you start back at the beginning of the level. The strategy is in avoiding booby traps and dead ends while the screen flashes, making it difficult to see where you're going.

Supposedly there's a working model of Polybius at a gaming supply place in Nevada. I've also heard that another model made its way down to Houston...NASA of all places (which might be another explaination for the "Techs In Black" rumors surrounding the game.)

-- Anonymous, September 22, 2003

Gnicool asked: "A. Why would they send guys that were THAT conspicious? B. Why would they come to get coins anyways. I was under the understanding that it was the arcade owner's money? C. I've seen a LOT of people claim that they've downloaded the ROM."

A. The guys probably 1)were marketing flunkies for Atari, and 2) dressed appropriately in suits while they were collecting information on the game.

B. Since the game was still being test marketed, the machines were-- more than likely--still the property of Atari. I suspect the marketing division was more focused on the appeal and interest in the game than they were in a handful of quarters.

C. I seriously doubt there's a ROM out there.

-- Anonymous, September 22, 2003

i would like to learn more about this game, if you could email me on everything you find out about it, d9ont send the rom, i rather keep my memories. although i do find it quite clever as the game was proboly flashing the emiges of the nightmares in the background fast enough that all you THINK you can see is a bunch of slahing lights and the sound very well could have been the source of the lose of mermory, with this in mind, i think one of you should get ythe rom, hack it,and find out what everything is. please send me any info regarding the game asap. DONT SEND ME THE ROM

-- Anonymous, September 24, 2003

wouldnt you think this is gaining attraction?! io mean we're bound to be all bugged by the makers of this game if we keep going on about it. i sugest you all disable what ever you use to see grphic and to hear sounds while openign email from now on. just somthing you might want to do to be safe

-- Anonymous, September 24, 2003

Gaige? What are you talking about?

-- Anonymous, September 25, 2003

Ok, here's the deal, Polybius worked with an effect known as the flicker effect. It works like this it shows a fraction of an image for less than a second. A person can't see the image its too fast for it to register in their brain, but the image is still noticed by the subconcious. This effect can "hypnotise" people into feeling things, just like you can use Pavlov's social learning theory to create phobias. They used to use this during movies and show images of food to "hypnotise" people into going to the lobby to get food. Now that you know how its done you won't get caught off guard.

-- Anonymous, September 25, 2003

ahhhhhhhhhhhh i have got to have this game. i would love to see if it is true and if it can wipe out my memory and stack up to my nightmares. email if anyone has it or knows where to get it

-- Anonymous, September 25, 2003

Ringman and Amy Deville:

Where did you get this information at? I've never heard anything like that. I'm not sayin' I don't believe you, I'm just trying to learn as much as I can about this stuff.

-- Anonymous, September 26, 2003

Ringman...

The problem wasn't the "flicker effect" or subliminal messaging, the kids who were suffering memory loss were having photosensitive seizures. Any kind of high contrast flickering can set off one of these seizures. Short term amnesia and blackouts are pretty common with seizures and epilepsy.

http://www.medhelp.org/forums/neuro/messages/32086a.html

Only a small percentage of the population are effected by these, but all you need are a couple of kids to start spazzing and blacking out to cause a panic. Not many people knew what a photosensitive seizure was back in the early 80s, all they knew was that a particular game was making some kids freak out.

So, you combine one or two seizures in the Portland area with a little hysteria, and the effect sounds a lot more frightening than it really is...

http://bioteach.ubc.ca/TeachingResources/GeneralScience/Poke monSeizures.html

Take a look at the warning on the first or second page of any recent console game and see what the game manufacturers have to say about the issue.

Here's the standard warning from Microsoft: http://www.microsoft.com/games/home/photosensitive_warning. aspx

And here's a short article from Scotland's epilepsy association on photosensitive epilepsy.

http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/town/park/sk98/factsheet_04.htm

-- Anonymous, September 27, 2003

"Ringman... The problem wasn't the "flicker effect" or subliminal messaging, the kids who were suffering memory loss were having photosensitive seizures. Any kind of high contrast flickering can set off one of these seizures. Short term amnesia and blackouts are pretty common with seizures and epilepsy.

http://www.medhelp.org/forums/neuro/messages/32086a.html

Only a small percentage of the population are effected by these, but all you need are a couple of kids to start spazzing and blacking out to cause a panic. Not many people knew what a photosensitive seizure was back in the early 80s, all they knew was that a particular game was making some kids freak out.

So, you combine one or two seizures in the Portland area with a little hysteria, and the effect sounds a lot more frightening than it really is...

http://bioteach.ubc.ca/TeachingResources/GeneralScience/Poke monSeizures.html

Take a look at the warning on the first or second page of any recent console game and see what the game manufacturers have to say about the issue.

Here's the standard warning from Microsoft: http://www.microsoft.com/games/home/photosensitive_warning. aspx

And here's a short article from Scotland's epilepsy association on photosensitive epilepsy.

http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/town/park/sk98/factsheet_04.htm

-- Amy DeVille (AmyDeville@canada.com), September 27, 2003. "

Okay, maybe that solves the memory loss...but what about the nightmares...and why make such an elaborate cover-up about it? There are still questions left unanswered...like what about the people that DIDNT get a seizure...not every single person that played the game coulda had a seizure

-- Anonymous, September 29, 2003

If anyone has some information that will lead me to the actual arcade I will pay big. Or, If you have the ROM I will do the same. I'm not sure if it is true or not but It's really something to try to find out. I read all of your opinions and everyone is right in their own way. My opinion is that "Polybius" is real. It is a game full of flashing lights and sounds that can cause an hypnotic effect which results in horrific nightmares and swearing off games. This is just my opinion. If you would like to talk to me about polybius or something through aol, email me and we can set up a time. I just want someone to talk to about this...I will continue my search for answers. Until then...

-- Anonymous, October 01, 2003

No,Joe Sammons, you are stepping into dangerous territory. I think it's probably best if we ALL forget about this game (no pun intended). I thought this story was ridiculous the first time I heard it, but when I asked my friend's dad about it (he works for the government), he got very serious and asked me where I had heard about the story. It kind of spooked me out, to be honest with you. I suppose nobody will know >for sure< though, until we get some hard evidence, but just seeing his face that night has me convinced there's something more to the story!

-- Anonymous, October 03, 2003

I brought the paper towels!

-- Anonymous, October 06, 2003

if you want to see the only known picture of this mysrerios game go to google.com and search under images. this picture is proof that the game exists. i will try to get a real site soon.

-- Anonymous, October 07, 2003

I fail to see how a scerenshot is "proof" of the existence of this game. Example: www.weeklyworldnews.com/batboy/index.cfm Do you believe he exists? Why not, it's a picture, isn't it?

-- Anonymous, October 07, 2003

I know this is a very exciting topic for those of you who are into conspiracy issues, but I would highly recommend that you abandon your search for information regarding the subject of this conversation. I say this in your own best interest. Those of you who have come too close to the issue have had to be taken care of unfortunately. I would encourage you not to pursue an action that would very likely endanger your own life and possibly the lives of those you love. I have been instructed to post this to any site that is engaged in active discussion regarding the subject. If possible, alert your friends who may be searching as well. Thank you for your time.

-- Anonymous, October 10, 2003

I think that the government could've been using mind control without us even knowing about it back in the eighties, seventies, and dating back to when television and radio were popularized. Why do you think we have a Federal Communications Commition? So the feds can control the media and what we see and hear. Back in the 60's, when there was alot of hype about space travel and aliens, the government had routine household broadcasts stating information and propoganda. Most of it was anti-communist. If any of you have read 1984, all of this will seem very similar, and you might want to question their every move. Why hasn't the government released any further information on JFK? To this day, the party in power keeps pushing the release date of information foward, post-poning it. Maybe they're are conspiracies going on that you only hear about in the X- Files and dismiss imediately in real life; but what is "real life"? The authorities, the political, the educational, the religious authorities tell us what is real, and what is fiction. So those who quickly deny the possibility of Polybius, you might be working for the government trying to shut down any questioning of the powers. OR, you might live in your secure, little world of what the government tells you of what is reallity. For those of you who want to think for yourselves: to think for yourself you must question authority, and learn, how to, put yourself, in a state of vulnerable, chaotic, confused, vulnerability, to inform yourself, and not believe the lies that the government sponsored media feeds you. Down with the System!

-- Anonymous, October 12, 2003

we agree with rusty you people choice your beliefs and reality if you take the matrix for example you can do what they do some monks can hit that hard and birishnichofe a ballae dancer could jump 12 feet in the air. SCREW THE GOVERNMENT!!!!!!!!! snoogens BIN & HorjaH

-- Anonymous, October 12, 2003

OK that you got me there with that picture, but still it is the only remote proof that ther is. i also hered that the nightmare are about satan and the roman person polybius. Also Sinnesloschen means loss of senses in german. "THEY" say that people called it tetri on crack. "THEY" also say that Atari made up this name as a hoax. Atari claims that it produced Polybius as a test market (((cough cough BULL SHIT cough cough))) maybe we could go in to the us patten papers at our state capitals and get mor info. the game HAD to have a U.S. patten. any way send me as much info as possible even if it is repeated on other sites thanx

-- Anonymous, October 13, 2003

i can't spell

-- Anonymous, October 13, 2003

wow... i really want that game kinda want to forget everything

-- Anonymous, October 13, 2003

Hmmmn this is all interesting and all, but I would have to agree that all of this is proably just an urban legend. It seems that the game caused some seizures which is why it was pulled out of the market so fast. Alternatively It also could have been used to actually test to see how the brain would react to this type of stimuli and to see what type of faced paced light and how much of it could cause seizures in normal people not affected by the disorder mentioned by some other posters. I don't think there were any dark intentions behind any of this. Just a side note check out toolband.com Tool has a really interesting article on this in their newsleter section of the page. If anyone finds the intact ROM Let me know.

-- Anonymous, October 13, 2003

If you do actually find this myth of a rom I would guess it is a fake created from the screenshot in GamePro Issue #180. In any case, if this rom is actually found, please either link me to it or send it to me.

-Ronin

-- Anonymous, October 15, 2003

I recently heard about this game actually due to that very gamepro magazine. And I have studied Cryptography pretty in depth. Specificly dealing with hypnosis. Now I belive that this game does in fact exist. But in order to create a ROM. Someone would have to Actually have the arcade game itself to get the code off of. Now i haven't read anything that has led me to belive that this is the case. Reports of the arcade unit have come up but nothing for sure. The screenshot's that exist outthere are merely that. Its a typical 80's arcade screen opening with the name of this game. like commented before any one that can use microsoft paint can make that. But my interest is still in it. and I want to look into it further. Brainwashing techniques however DO exist. We saw the first subliminal messaging with the original screening of Exorcist. And they have since banned it. But if anyone does have a ROM, which i highly doubt exists i would be interested in viewing it. and reverse engineering it to see exactly what is going on. If such a rom exists we determine within minutes whether it was audio sensory or video messages that were causeing these disturbances. (As most emulators have an adjustable frame rate so that we could slow this down to frame by frame and see if there is anything hidden within the video.) Any information about this would be great. Please feel free to drop me an email.

-- Anonymous, October 16, 2003

hello i want to ask you al if you have the polybius rom that you can send me that one i need it PLEASE send me the rom if you have one

greetings from cher

-- Anonymous, October 16, 2003

i like to see a pic of polybius game if you got a pic of polybius e mail me i like to see it how it look like

-- Anonymous, October 20, 2003

I have the ROm! ... yES! mE ... Jabba Jylber has the ROM! I want BIG, and i mean BIG BIG Money$ for it. You want it? I have the ROM!

-Jabba "The ROM KEEPER" Jylber <<<<<<<<<<<< Has the ROM!

-- Anonymous, October 21, 2003

...you are such an idiot, guy up there who wants money for it. The game probobly DOES in fact exist. But whats this about a subliminal message in the exorsist? what did it cause? what did it contain?

-- Anonymous, October 21, 2003

POLYBIUS DOES NOT EXIST

A rumor has been spread around since January of 1998 from a man who entered a story in coinop.com.

-End-

-- Anonymous, October 23, 2003

This is very interesting, although I doubt any of us will ever play this game, it is still interesting. There are forms of media, broadcast on a tv screen, that could hypnotize, subliminally implant, cause nausia, or dreamlike states. This is not impossible. I tend to believe that Atari could have worked with the government at some point also. Look at the hit FREE pc game, US Army: Operations---You don't think the army is using this game to recruit the best snipers in the states? Every player has an online record in that game, with an ip address...the government could be eyeing the best players to see what makes them so good. It would be smart of them, wouldn't it? -Rip Torn http://www.blockbeatz.com

-- Anonymous, October 24, 2003

I believe that this the real thing, not just an urban legend. But at the same time I have a bit of skepticism. I was looking at the main page of this site where it shows how many hits for each game and whatnot. This week alone, polybius had the most hits. It also has the most hits of ALL TIME. Perhaps someone is really smart and decided to make up this kind of story just to promote the game before it comes out. Because if it was "re-released" or something like that, I know that I would defenitely go out and buy it. But I dont know, the subjuct is so interesting. I read about it yesterday and im obsessed with it.

-- Anonymous, October 26, 2003

I believe that this video game much like so many others cause stress in the kids who played the game. Intense concentration may cause stress which in turn would make seizures more likely in people who are photosenstive.

-- Anonymous, October 29, 2003

I am guessing that polybius does in fact exist, but the legends about it have been greatly exagerated. It is not uncommon for people to have seizures or such when playing video games. I am guessing that during Beta testing that happened. It is possible that Atari still tried to market the game, but more problems/complaints arised before many systems were distributed. That would give them reasons to scrap the game completely, which could account for its obscurity.

Anyone who claims to have a ROM of it is probably lying.

-- Anonymous, October 31, 2003

Wow...

This subject is going around alot of message boards lately...

The weird thing is how AnonC has posted this message:

"I know this is a very exciting topic for those of you who are into conspiracy issues, but I would highly recommend that you abandon your search for information regarding the subject of this conversation. I say this in your own best interest. Those of you who have come too close to the issue have had to be taken care of unfortunately. I would encourage you not to pursue an action that would very likely endanger your own life and possibly the lives of those you love. I have been instructed to post this to any site that is engaged in active discussion regarding the subject. If possible, alert your friends who may be searching as well. Thank you for your time."

On all of them...including this one...

Very freaky...

-- Anonymous, November 01, 2003

OK, this one's gonna be long:

First, AnonC is most likely a acne scarred 15 year old loser with no life. Yeah, it's really difficult to search "Polybius game" in Goolge then go to all of the sites, and leave your little cut and paste diatribe on all of 'em. Oh, and the e-mail address that claims he's from a .GOV domain? Take a look at mine. Oh, wow. You can cerate your own. Having said that:

A few things/questions:

1. Nobody has this ROM. No, they don't. I'm sorry, but if you say you've seen it, you're either mistaken or you're flat out lying. Out of all the people who have posted messages to all the sites discussing it, someone who had it would've made copies and it'd be all over Kazaa and the Internet by now. Everybody who allegedly has it, says "I have it, but I want big money for it.". Oh, yeah, sure you do, and I have the solution for eternal life, but I want a million dollars cash for it" If there was copy of it out there, someone would make it available >for free< because they're more interested in the mystery and want to share it with everone else. I mean, imagine if scientists worked on tis principle!

2. Out of all the sites talking about this game, the "evidence" of its existence? One screenshot. Whoohoo. A screenshot that, as posted earlier, certainly does not prove anything, other than little Jimmy decided to goof around in the photo editor that came with his new computer.. There are >pros< that can make anything seem possible in Photoshop or with video (think about Hollywood special effects), so making a splash screen for a game from 1981 is not exactly gonna be rocket science for an average Joe like you or me. Hell, I suck at photo editing, and I know I could do it!

3. If this rumor was true, then why is it relegated to a few ROM discussions sites? If there was one iota of truth behind this story, wouldn't the national or >international< news pick up on it? It would make them rich and famous to break such a huge story. Plus, they report on stuff much less sensational than this.

4. Why has this rumor just sprung up recently? I mean, the game came out in 1981, right? I am a video game addict, and I heard nothing about this before a few months ago, and as a kid growing up in the 80s, we loved stories like that.

5. What about the guy who became the anti-video game crusader? Where is he and what is his name? Surely, if he was the victim of the most "evil" game, we would of heard of him by now. Staying in the limelight to gather support for their cause is probably the most important skill of a spokesperson. Since this guy stays anonymous and obviously doesn't speak, he must be the world's worst crusader for banning video games!!

6. htp://www.Everything2.com <---Do a seach for Polybius on this site. More debunking. Snopes does a good job as well.

7. The reason this rumor persists is because people believe what they want to believe, regardless of the mountain of evidence to the contrary. I'm positive people will read all of this and still say "You may be right, but what if...." or "I will still continue my efforts to find this game" or "I saw the screenshot", "I have the ROM", etc...People, there is no "what if"!! That's the whole point. THE GAME DOES NOT EXIST... Let that be your mantra. There is one crappy screenshot, which I've mentioned above, and there is no ROM that freezes after loading the title sceen. Period.

Was this a real game? Maybe a long time ago it was a puzzle game designed by Atari, as many people have theorized. It made kids sick, so they pulled the game. But, it is/was NOT a government/scientific conspiracy to give kids nightmares and seizuers. Think about how stupid that sounds, people. What would be accomplished by doing that to kids anyway? "We're basically going to turn as many kids as we can into zombies that we control by messing with their minds...Hopefully nobody will notice" Haha! Wouldn't the parents get pissed if they found out something like that was happening?

That thing up in your head is there for a reason, guys. Why not start using it to think about how implausible this is.

They don't need to invent Polybius, some people are already brainwashed by each other here!

Gotta go tend to the flock on some other board now

-- Anonymous, November 01, 2003

It's fake. I've done some research, and everything points to bullsh*t.

-- Anonymous, November 02, 2003

you guys are all dumbfucks.

-- Anonymous, November 05, 2003

the only thing hypnotising anyone is this bullshit of a topic

its sooo scary because the guy who started this shit wants us to waste our energy in thinking for half a second of our lives, when we got better things to do like beating the crap outa dumbasses like all those who think this shit is for real

-- Anonymous, November 05, 2003

This makes my head hurt. The answers. But'S It's OK. It's notreal and neither are you and Me. . The visons come and go. MY brain! make theM Stop please! I remembered something for my childhood. It was a house. I was sitting there with a friend. Then I thought to myself, what if that memory was really just a dream? Why? thatS Never happned to me before and it sCares me. I'll be back. You'll see me next time=!! And now I THInk it's all over for us!

-- Anonymous, November 06, 2003

When I first saw the title screen image, I was like WTF I have seen this before. I think I may have played this game?????

The name sounds kinda fimiliar. I dont know if maybe I have just seen it? I'm pretty sure I have seen the game before??

-- Anonymous, November 09, 2003

Hye look. im anon c.

-- Anonymous, November 11, 2003

Please fellow citizins, listen to anon c. lol.

-- Anonymous, November 13, 2003

This whole POLYBIUS issue is getting big, and since many people think it's a hoax/fake, or a game that was around but isn't anymore, that is all the more reason to tell you all my opinion... Personally, I know that the Polybius title screen shot floating about the net isn't real at all, because a game that uses vector graphics, like Polybius is said to, wouldn't have the title display like that, not in 1981. It does sound like a fun game, though, and someone should take what they're saying all over the net, and just MAKE the game, or recreate it, depending on your view of the issue. If you've got a Macintosh or Apple computer of some kind and the Hypercard program, though it wouldn't be exactly the same as the rumored real thing is/was, you could make a Polybius game of some kind, and that should at least tide you over until something is discovered/revealed.

-- Anonymous, November 13, 2003

Right now, I'm compiling all the info I can find about Polybius from the sites and forums. I think this is great, how a game can gain so much attention without even being played. I realized that the fake title screen pic is the only one out there, and Everyone is using it! Funny, huh... Too bad that the game isn't available for play anywhere, but if it does, I'm gonna be one of the first to play it! No, I don't have secret connections or anything, I think I'll use my creativity and make a version of Polybius using the Hypercard program like my previous response says. But anyway, good luck finding Polybius, if you're looking for it.

-- Anonymous, November 14, 2003

No one else has commented since me? Hmmph... Anyway, I've never been interested in something thought to be non-existent until I heard of Polybius, that abstract puzzle game created in 1981 by that unheard of company "Sinnesloschen". Too bad for it being recalled, though, because Polybius could've been cool, but I've got a plan that will undoubtably resurrect the reality that is Polybius. The story is as follows:

Polybius was a puzzle/maze game released in 1981 but restricted to less than a dozen arcades in the Portland area, also said to be Beaverton and Hillsboro. It was said that men in black coats would come periodically to get play records from the game, but not quarters, but if the machine was operated by the arcade owner, then of course they wouldn't.

I've realized that if a game like this was supposed to exist, the arcade machine design would be most suitable, but as for home release, it wouldn't work well as a cartridge. Polybius would probably be an entire console, like Pong, in order to produce the said effects. They say that Atari made Polybius, so the name "Sinnesloschen" was probably an alias used for just this project so that any flack caused by Polybius' failure wouldn't fall back on Atari itself, since it's said that it uses experimental technologies.

Since Polybius is not readily available for play, and most likely never will, unless someone finds a way to resurrect it somehow, some friends of mine and I are preparing to undertake the task of doing just that. I've compiled information and sources, and am nearly ready to begin the project of bringing Polybius to playability. Many people are skeptical about the existence of it, and some are downright opposed, but with enough time and effort, we will see the rebirth of the most mysterious video game in the history of mankind, and we will bear witness to the reality that is to become Polybius.

Until that day of release arrives...

-- Anonymous, November 16, 2003

I'm becoming more and more positive that I'm almost the only hardcore Polybius advocate out there. The belief that Polybius doesn't exist is only going to make people like me work toward actually bringing it to life. By the way, I've posted 4 comments on this forum, ALL IN A ROW, so someone else should speak on it okay?

-- Anonymous, November 16, 2003

Make that 5, but I almost forgot to mention that I just changed my email address. The other one works, but I'm gonna try to use this recent one over the rock.com address since this one has 6 MB of space and the rock.com address only has 2. I also have 2 hotmail addresses, Klouen_ryvale and vocuel, but I don't use them as much, but I will check them so go ahead and email me at any of the four addresses mentioned if you have anything to add.

My topic is: Should Polybius have been a home console or just a cartridge for Atari, and if it was a cartridge for Atari, should it also have been for ColecoVision and other home systems of it's time? feel free to respond. Hope you would...

-- Anonymous, November 16, 2003

If the thing does exist, than the machine itself was the thing that actually caused the effects. ie: sounds, size of screen, shape of screen. I personally think it made sounds no other machine could make and had some sort of effect on the brain. like a dog whistle. we cant hear them, but ohter things can. But maybe this sound is made so othr things can hear it, and we can't...

-- Anonymous, November 17, 2003

I don't really know about this, and I have seen the fake? title screen picture. I've also seen another picture though which is really unnerving because it's supposedly of the gameplay. I can't remember the site if I find it i'll post it, but it has something to do with the senses. It has an eye on it, an ear, some colors on the bottom and the words sense and sound? I don't really remember something of that sort. I don't know much about the 80's though because I'm 16 so I have no idea if the graphics are too good for an arcade game from back then.

-- Anonymous, November 17, 2003

http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser? Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=/netahtml/search- bool.html&r=15&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=ptxt&s1=3951134&OS=3951134&RS=39511 34

This is a 1976 online copy of an official United States patent. It is for a device which can remotely monitor and alter brain waves. Polybius ?came out? 5 years after this patent.

-- Anonymous, November 17, 2003

Darnit. I was not able to post 6 answers in arow. Oh, by thw way did I mention that I am going to find out the truth on this game. Did I also mention that I am going to make my own homeade game. By the way I think that this is weird. I will find out the truth, though, becuase I'm am obssessed with the truth. I am also obssessed with writing on this board. Please e-mail with any information. By the way, I'm going to make a game using a Hypercard. Yes, oh..I forgot to mention, I'm going to uncover the truth about this, and then I'm giong to make a program using a Macintosh or Apple and Hypercard. Yes. I've compiled one screenshot of the gaem so I can make a pretty cool game. It'll be Qix mixed with Tempest. I will make it. It's almost started. I'm a loon. Bye. Oh, and in case you forgot...I WILL UNCOVER THE TRUTH. Smoeone help me, 'cause I'm not going to post again until I find out what or who is behind this conspiracy!! But, I will do that only AFTER I've made my game on the Hypercard!

-- Anonymous, November 19, 2003

That's two in row again!! hahaha! Anyways, I just wanted to tell you that I've ALMOST started on my game. I wrote it on the Hypercard. OK BYe

-- Anonymous, November 19, 2003

Another weird thing is that Atari couldn't of made the gaem. Sinnselochen means "Sense Deleting" in German. In case any fallout came, that would be not on Atari. By the way, that's THREE repies of mine in A ROW! Don't you other people care at ALL? Wow. I'm just about to leave to uncover the truth..NO, wait just a minute!! I have to go make the game on my Hypercard first! Then, Truth Uncovering, which in german is : TruttUncovvering! Haha! Not really.. Bye!

-- Anonymous, November 19, 2003

Haha! That's like three in a row for me. Sometimes I think I'm alone in my fight for the truth!! Won't some brave soul join me in the battle for freedom? Haha! Anyways, it had slippde my mind that if anyone here wants to get a hold of me, I've got four different email addresses. Don't email me on this one though please. Thank you. This The one with goofy Dungeons and Dragons names is alright though. If you happen to email I will kepp you updated on not only my quest for answers about this game Polybius, but also my budding game programming career. I am making a game for Hypercard. Yes, but I really dopn't know if Polybius should've been released for Atari 2600 game console. We can discuss this in email. If not Atari, then maybe ColecoVison, the graphics (haha) would've been better, I think. Or possible, but not limited to only the Odyssey ('member that one?) or even...Yes...Intellivison. The ultimate in gameplay. If I could program a intellivison with my hypercard, I would make a game basically just like Polybius!! Maybe I will! Right after I get down battling the evil Polybius demons!! Haha! Not demons for real, though! haha! I'm not crazy. Email me, please. Anyone.

-- Anonymous, November 19, 2003

It has been a few seconds since I posted last, so I thought I better check to see if anyone else has posted yet. Wow!! no one has. I've just about finished with the initial planniong stages of making the game Polybius for Hypercard! I'm am trying to figure out the best way to execute my grand scheme...which incidentally involves bring down the nefarious Polybius regime!!! I can only do it with your helps, guys..(and girls, too!!). So, email me at one of my not 1 not 2 not 3, but >4< email addresses!! C'mon!!

YEY! Bye for now! Vornan (I think if you called me V-man, that would be cool, too..)

or possibly...HYPERVORNAN...Just like the card that I'm writing the game on..get it?

-- Anonymous, November 19, 2003

Whoops...Never mind. If orogt what I was gonna mention.This was an accident...(nut it does count as part of my streak of posts!! HAHAHA)

-- Anonymous, November 19, 2003

Oh...yeah, I remebered. I was just gonna check if anyone has been curious about what phase of the game I'm in..Still early right now, but I'll let you know. Or you can let me know. At one of my FOUR email addresses.

I'm also thinking that there is kind of a secert message in these posts. I've found someting that looks kida fishy to me. Especially in the earlier posts....If yuo email me, I'l tell you what I think might be going on. Bye for now. Vorney

-- Anonymous, November 19, 2003

Whoever is posting messages under my name needs to quit it! I didn't write any of like the last 6 or so messages! And I can prove it wasn't me writing those messsages!! The reason it couldn't have been me that wrote all those weird messages is that I've been busy searching for answers whilst also developing this game called Polybius with my friends. They're all dragons, so it takes time for them to write code and stuff. Anyways, let me recap what this board is discussing in case you're the type of person that skips down to messages further down on the board!

Polybius was a puzzle/maze game released in 1981 but restricted to less than a dozen arcades in the Portland area, also said to be Beaverton and Hillsboro. It was said that men in black coats would come periodically to get play records from the game, but not quarters, but if the machine was operated by the arcade owner, then of course they wouldn't! Isn't that creepy. OK, seriously..I'm really off to make my game with my dragon friends, now. Come along now Tnaegres and Klouen Ryvale, we have many magical adventures to go on!!!

Bye!

-- Anonymous, November 19, 2003

Hello, everybody. It is your trusty "truth crusader" back with another message! Don't ask if I've started the Hypercard game yet, please. I've been flooded with requests for copies. I've just started on the planning phase. In fact, I'm more like planning the planning phase. I will let everyone know the prgogress. Trust me. >Unless<, you want to email me at one of my 4 email addresses. No, just kidding. Please don't. I had 443 messages about the Hypercard game. Of course 440 of them were from one of me and one of my other 3 email addresses, but regardless, please don't write me about it.

Hmmph. I can't think of anything else to say except to let everybody know that I had to take a break from finding the truth to each lunch. Therefore, no messages for an hour. Don't worry the pace will pick up.

Well, wish me luck in ProgramLand!! Hahaha! That's leet speak! Bye Bye! Vornofericious

-- Anonymous, November 19, 2003

Vornan is my hero and an inspiration to everybody like me (not Vornan Cuel)!!!

Oops! You caught me.. This really is Vornan Cuel!

I've been programming and thought I'd try to sneak another message on to this board which is about Polybius, a puzzle game that game out in the early 80s. 1981 if you check out the picture of the title screen!!

IS it fake? Is it eral? Should it be for Atari or ColecoVision? Many questions need to be answered!

-- Anonymous, November 19, 2003

OK, Seriously.. Whoever keeps writing messages under my name..STOP IT! I don't know what you are doing this for, but it's not funny. I'm trying to have a serious debate here about this game called Polybius, and you are wasting my time with this nonesense. I thought that you might be some sort of disinformation agent, trying to keep me from my mission of seeking the truth (or programming my version of Polybius, a puzzle game, on the Hypercard!), but now I think you are just a meanie! So, stop it....or my dragon friends will breath their BREATH oF FIRE on you..doodoohead!

By the way, AnonC is a dookey head as well!

-- Anonymous, November 19, 2003

I just wanted to tell everyone on this board that my friends and I are now taking applications for the following positions:

1. Computer programming (Must be proficient in MAcintosh or Apple and Hypercard programming.)

2. Truth uncovering (Wahrheit Aufdecken..I found the real translation on a web site!! haha), and general heroic stuff like that. Please send your resumes to: Tnaegres, Vornan Cuel, or Klouen Ryvale. Or if you want, use one of my handy email addresses (4 of them).

I'm starting to worry just a bit, though. I haven't had one reply to any of my messages. I think the world might be brainwashed by this puzzle game called Polybius!

And , if you need a refresher course on this strange, enchanting game called Polybius, you can either email me at one of the aforementioned email addresses, OR scroll up and read my through review of this werid and wonderful puzzle game...called Polybius.

Godspeed to all of you. Send in those resumes!

-- Anonymous, November 19, 2003

12 in a row!! 13 if you count this one! I am awesome! But what would you expect from the world's greatest crime fighter/Hypercard programmer/Truth Seeker!

No applicants for my puzzle game yet...By the way, I failed to mention it's called Polybius. That means Senses Leaving or Deleting.

Bye, VC (not Vietcong, silly. VORNAN CUEL-MASTER OF THE UNIVERSE!

-- Anonymous, November 19, 2003

i always thought poly meant many... but hey.

-- Anonymous, November 19, 2003

Yes, Kevbo.. You are correct... I meant Sinnesloschen is Senses Deleting. Polybius is Latin. Poly=Many..like a polygon has many sides. Bius=Bees.. So Polybius is literally, "many bees". Hhaha! Just kidding, I don't know what the hell it means!!

By the way, I'm kinda upset with you because you broke my streak of messages. hahaha! Just joking again! Let me ask you a serious question, Kevbo: Are you going to help me fight for the truth?

Let me know.

-- Anonymous, November 19, 2003

OK, I think we get your point Vornan. It's pretty clear that either a. you're a nutball or b. you've got nothing better to do than to write weird crap!

What is your message about secret messages mean? Weird. Anyways:

If you're really trying to recreate Polybius, though, I wish you luck. That would be cool. I think the game is real, to be honest with you. But I dunno about it hypnotizing people and stuff.

Anyways, anyone who wants to discuss this with me, drop me a line at the above email. PEace out, JC

-- Anonymous, November 19, 2003

Can someone tell me exactly what this is all about..I don't get it. Is it a joke?

-- Anonymous, November 19, 2003

Well, I don't know about what this Vornan guy is going on about, but if you read the very first message on tis board, that explains it pretty well I think. I on't know what other aspect of it you're having trouble understanding. Is it a joke/hoax? Who knows. MY opinion is that yes, it's a hoax. Without any evidence to back this story, I can't believe it. Alan

-- Anonymous, November 19, 2003

Well, here I am again, folks. No takers for the job positions. You would think that in this day and age, people would jump at a chance like that.. To hjelp design the puzzle game Polybius...It is an honor for me. Bye

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2003

I'll be back....as soon as I'm done with my Hypergame puzzle game called Polybius, or fighting for answers...One of the two!

Vornana Banana

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2003

Weird, daddy-o!

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2003

I'm done!!! You people do not understand the hard work it takes to be the world's biggest Polybius nut. I'm outta here.

Oh, by the way...I'm ALMOST down with the programming...

OK, I lied, I still haven't started.

Bye.

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2003

Meh. i've been looking around for the answers since august vern (sp) I doubt we will find anything else. im too lazy to join a group thing anyway. it would just be neat to stop looking for it for a while, than 6 months later, come back and see what everyone else has found lol.

-- Anonymous, November 21, 2003

You're right Kevbo.. It's just that when I feel so passionately about something, I give it my all...I think I'm gonna take a break from this madness. Thank you for the advice! Bye! V

-- Anonymous, November 21, 2003

Well, at least Vornan admitted he was obsessed with Polybius, 'cause it sure is obvious!!

-- Anonymous, November 22, 2003

...Did he just say 'Passionately'??

-- Anonymous, November 22, 2003

Yeah, I think he did! I think's he's doing more than just playing the game!

-- Anonymous, November 22, 2003

This Vornan guy creeps me out. I mean it's fine and all to go look for info on Polybius but ACTUALLY recreate it!!! thats just lookin 4 trouble. Vornan, you can't get obsessed with things like this, its just not right

-- Anonymous, November 23, 2003

I think Vornan is already a little obsessed, not to mention a wee bit "off" in the head! One look at his bizarro writings confirm this I think.

-- Anonymous, November 23, 2003

And can anybody tell me what is up wit "A"'s post. Take a look at it. That's freaky.

-- Anonymous, November 23, 2003

And can anybody tell me what is up wit "A"'s post? Take a look at it. That's freaky.

-- Anonymous, November 23, 2003

i can tell you that this is definately the best and weirdest polybius discussion board around! some weird conversations and people on here! hehe

-- Anonymous, November 23, 2003

Polybius? That game seems very scary, yet...interesting... Whenever I think about it, I keep thinking of being in a hotel at night, but people with pale skin and tatty clothes are lumbering about brainlessly, and a Polybius arcade unit is sitting menacely in the corner, the reason for the behaviour of the people. Maybe, if the unit does/did exist, that was the type of place it was located?

-- Anonymous, November 24, 2003

Honestly, why do idiots like you who have chosen to use my name in vain come here to post moronic messages that I wouldn't even say? Because you don't have to register? Because it's easy? Yeah, maybe that's it, but listen... YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW WHO THE FUCK I AM! I came back to read the input of people like me who enjoy Polybius as a subject of conversation, and WHAT IN THE HELL DID I FIND?! IDIOTS DRAGGING MY GOOD NAME THROUGH THE DIRT, HAVING A HELL OF A GOOD TIME DOING IT?! Sure, I wanted to recreate Polybius, and learn all I can about it, but to have MORONS take what I hold dear and mock me with it? I thought you all knew better than that... If nothing else, I guess I should thank you all for at least giving me some publicity on this board, but from here on out, please do not use my names to post here. I DON'T LIKE THAT!

-- Anonymous, November 24, 2003

Haha, Ragey...I guess I'd never thought of it much, bu you're right...now that you put it like that, that is a really good mental image.

-- Anonymous, November 25, 2003

And IDIOTS, I'm trying to find out the TRUTH of POLYBIUS the puzzle game!! And possibly I am going to RECREATE that game! So DON'T MESS with me, or I'll write RATHER STERN messages in ALL CAPS. and MAYBE even use CURSE words where appropriate to EMPHASIZE my ANGER! I'm gonna make like a baby now and HEAD OUT!

WORD.

-- Anonymous, November 25, 2003

Huh? I just got done reading Vornan Cuel's message and now I'm completely confused. So he didn't write those messages? Which ones did he not write? There's only about a million of 'em. And on his latest message he writes "YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW WHO THE F*** I AM!" or something like that... Well, then...that leads to the inevitable question, "Who are you?"

-- Anonymous, November 25, 2003

Polybius is a hoax. The ROMs are hoaxes. Anyone who insists they have one are nothing but pathetic liars who like yanking the collective chain of the masses. If and ONLY if this ROM exists, don't you think a link to a website would have been posted by now?? This isnt to say that with all the publicity generated there isn't going to be a polybius game created. But until that time it remains a hoax.

-- Anonymous, November 25, 2003

With all the interest surrounding Polybius, if some game company "created" Polybius now, I'd bet the sales would be pretty good! Of course, the game would have to be somewhat interesting too, or word of mouth would kill it.

-- Anonymous, November 25, 2003

meh. its probobly fake. it was just the hype of the summer. some pathetic little bastard in his parents basement probobly started the damn rumor anyway. cough-anonc-cough

-- Anonymous, November 26, 2003

So now is there a review or description of this game anywhere? Because whether or not it erases memory or gives you nightmares (I like nightmares, it's kind of like getting to die without actually dying) I like Tempest a lot and there aren't many other games like it. Flashing lights, puzzles all sounds good to me and I would like to learn more about it's gameplay.

-- Anonymous, November 30, 2003