The Forensic Photoshop Ministry

[FrustratedPoet]

Newsflash: Evidence uncovered suggesting a GoW double-cross

I've taken a close look at the screenshot GoW sent us and I'm almost certain it's been altered.



The gap between Muka and Simon is larger than gap between Simon and Thadeus - at least that's what it seemed to me with the naked eye.

I opened it up in photoshop and found that the gap between Muka and Simon is 8 pixels, whereas the gap between Simon and Thadeus is only 6.

As a completely unqualified Forensic Photshopper it is my opinion that GoW has altered the picture to remove at least one Immortal (probably several of them).

They were clever - but perhaps not clever enough.

(Maybe we can get Ixnay to examine this? - he's 'poly's resident Photoshop guru)
/edit: I've sent Ixnay a PM about this.

[Harovan]

Well, the picture is obviously shrunk. While shrinking pictures, such discrepancies happen due to rounding errors. I don't want to say that GoW is necessarily honest, just that this pixel thing doesn't yet prove anything.

[DeepO]

I don't see it, FP. I'm no forensic researcher either, but if I look at the distance between the "C" of "Contact" in all instances, there is no difference: it's 4-5 pixels everywhere. The difference is caused by anti-aliasing of the jpg.

Another easy point to compare is the 'crossing' of the two bars that make up the "t" in Contact: they are always the same difference apart, with only a 1 pixel variance.

I'm not saying this pic is not edited, but it's too easy to do it exactly right, and it doesn't look to me like it was hampered with

DeepO

[FrustratedPoet]

Fair enough guys.

[Shiber]

Yes, I think Sir Ralph is correct. I've experienced a similar phenomenon when resizing images in such ratios that would not preserve proportions throughout the entire image.

[FrustratedPoet]

Well I certainly hope it's genuine. This war will be a walk in the park if that's the case.

[DeepO]

Not necesarily, Vox's main force is most likely still not in sight of GoW, and should enter it the next turn. If they're later then that, this is going to be an easy stroll, a family picnic even. Although the last family picnic I've been to was hardly peaceful

DeepO

[Shiber]

Assuming that this image is genuine, let's make a record of the Voxian forces that we know about:
1 regular Immortal that landed from a galley - DEAD
1 veteran Immortal that landed from a galley - In Range
3 regular Immortals seen in GoW's shot - en route
1 veteran Spearman seen in GoW's shot - en route, to the mountain 1 of Dissidentville?
1 regular Spearman on the spinebreakers - ???
1 veteran Spearman on the spinebreaker - Guarding one of the mountain approaches to Dissidentville?
3 ??? Immortals that landed on Bob - should be passing the Isthmus now
1 ??? Spearman that landed on Bob - should be passing the Isthmus now

TOTALS
At least 7 Immortals left, at least 1 veteran.
At least 4 Immortals left, at least 1 veteran.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

[asleepathewheel]

a galley

[Shiber]

Right, thanks.
I'm going to assume that both are regular (there are at least two, right? One offloaded on Bob, another offloaded on our east).

[asleepathewheel]

Originally posted by Shiber
Right, thanks.
I'm going to assume that both are regular (there are at least two, right? One offloaded on Bob, another offloaded on our east).

confirmed-regular

I have doubts that they have two galleys. I don't think the Bob thing ever actually happened. WE never saw screenshots, did we? Even faked ones

[Shiber]

Nah, after all the noise that GhengisFarb raised when I voiced our suspicions, I tend to believe that Vox troops did land on Bob.
This is my opinion, but we can still never know.

[Shiber]

Suggestion: ask GhengisFarb not to resize the images that he sends next time. Although it makes for a shorter download time, the smaller text is hard to read.
That way we won't have problems guessing if a difference in pixel distance occurs due to rounding errors when resizing or if it's for another reason.

Btw, I met Panzer32 on IRC. I asked for the shot, and he said that GhengisFarb does that and that he's busy, and refused to send the shot himself or tell me what he was doing that was keeping him so busy that he couldn't take a screenshot and send it. Fishy.

[asleepathewheel]

Originally posted by Shiber
Suggestion: ask GhengisFarb not to resize the images that he sends next time. Although it makes for a shorter download time, the smaller text is hard to read.
That way we won't have problems guessing if a difference in pixel distance occurs due to rounding errors when resizing or if it's for another reason.

Btw, I met Panzer32 on IRC. I asked for the shot, and he said that GhengisFarb does that and that he's busy, and refused to send the shot himself or tell me what he was doing that was keeping him so busy that he couldn't take a screenshot and send it. Fishy.

I can't take the screenshot!!!! That is some bizarre unknown technology!!!

[Shiber]

I got a hold of GhengisFarb. He had a very long exam today and he just recently got back, or so he says (it was after I met Panzer32, maybe he told GhengisFarb about our meeting so GF could make up an excuse). The shot is in the mail, so to speak. I'll post it soon.