THE GAME 2024

February 2024 marked the debut of the third edition of the special quest “THE GAME”. This time the quest lasted 5 days, and each day proved to be challenging as each quest was quite difficult: the average time it took a person to solve a quest was around 1.5h(90 minutes)

For the first time ever, a special site was created especially for this contest to improve the quality of life of participants. On this special website, you had to login using your ProTanki credentials and there you could submit answers you found, which eventually became an important part of the solution.

Day 1

First hint

While this vehicle has incredible burst and firepower, it is very slow on turns. It can be obtained by attaining a 6-star wanted level. With this technique, CJ is virtually invulnerable.

Solution

Ping-Pong secret room

Industrial Zone secret room

• The first clue describes the Rhino tank from GTA: San Andreas - a reference to the Rhino paint.
• In the garage description of the Rhino paint, a link (in the form of a clickable dot) to the Industrial Zone article on the Wiki was added.
• In the Rhino paint article found in the “ Paints ” section, instead a hyperlink was added to the icon for protection from “Firebird”. This link leads to a page, https://imgur.com/a/Q3cbpHj , that depicts rackets for Ping-Pong - an obvious reference to the Ping-Pong map.
• On Industrial Zone: there was a secret room in which “nitro” was written in Morse code. Looking into the description of the “Nitro” supply in the garage and on the Wiki did not show any results, so instead, information on Ping Pong map is analysed.
• On the Ping Pong map, another secret room was added, in which we see the same image as in the secret room of Polygon. The only connection that can be found is that both of these maps have a secret room. The “ Secret rooms ” article on Wiki contained one one image which was clickable. That image redirected users to the following link: https://game.pro-tanki.com/HMN5NZMnyu90 - a form for entering a keyword.
• Taking “nitro” as the answer received from Industrial Zone, it is entered on the special website and fill out the Google form, after completing it correctly, we get the final picture, which depicts the character of one old cartoon - Roger Rabbit.

The answer is Roger.

Link in Rhino description in garage	Ping Pong reference	Final picture in the form

Day 2

First hint

A special program that allows players to test various maps and create lots of screenshots. A very useful and popular program that is often used by map creatorsm content creators and players.

Solution

ОReference to Gold Box

Encrypted message on Abyss map

Link in ProTLVK article

• The first clue comes from the description of the ProTLVK program. In the corresponding Wiki article, one of the question marks was actually a hidden link leading to this image.
• The image features four animatronics from the first game in the "Five Nights at Freddy's" series, labelled with the numbers 1, 2, 3, and 4. The ellipsis after "4" hints at a missing fifth animatronic—Golden Freddy. The word "Golden" in its name clearly refers to the Gold Box.
• More information on the Gold Box can be found on the Gold Box page on the Wiki. By selecting all text, we uncover a hidden link to a Google Form (although it's split into three parts, it has to be connected together to access the special page)
• After completing the survey in the Google Form, a link was received: https://game.pro-tanki.com/QFJyYa8XcA9k. This is where the keyword has to be entered.
• Examining the Gold Box page closely, a hidden text “cdauu2left” was found at the bottom (visible by selecting all the text). This indicates that in the string "cdauu," each letter must be shifted two places backward in the alphabet (using the Caesar cipher). Decoding it gives us "abyss".
• On the Abyss map, a secret room was added, inside which, numbers 0 and 1 were displayed on the walls, while the floor was lined with alternating dark and light tiles. This pattern indicated a binary code.
• Interpreting the dark tiles as 0 and the light tiles as 1, the following binary message was found: "01110110 01100001 01110010 01100001 01101110". Converting these binary values into ASCII characters, we get "varan", which is the keyword.
• We enter "varan" into the form obtained earlier, unlocking the final image.
• The final picture shows the characters from the story “The Wizard of Oz.”
• The correct answer is "Emerald".

Part of the link in the Gold Box article	Hidden message	Final picture

Day 3

For many, the third day was the most challenging. This can also be seen in the time it took to solve the quest: the first correct answers were submitted after 2.5 hours when the first clue was published.

First hint

One of the first members of the pack and the protagonist of the story. His friends told him that he was the last of his kind, which annoyed him a lot. Our hero already started losing faith and began to

doubt the existence of his species, thinking all was about to end due to the global warming. Still, through it all, he managed to find a friend during this disaster.

Solution

Canyon map refrence

Code in the update article

Referral to update 02/15/2022

Secret room in Duel map

Final picture

• The first clue describes the Ice Age character Manny the Mammoth.
• On the Wiki article dedicated to Mammoth after selecting all the text on the page, at the very bottom of the page the inscription “b64” was found - a reference to the base64 encoding, which will most likely be needed later.
• In the table of body characteristics, the preview of Mammoth M0 was replaced by a picture with an exclamation mark; by clicking on it, it redirected us to https://imgur.com/a/SXUKY40, where we see a Canon camera - a reference to Canyon map.

b64 in Mammoth article	Picture link in the article

• By exploring the Canyon map, a secret room was found in which 4 pictures with numbers was found, as well as another picture in the same room, but which could only be seen from the outside (by driving along the edge of the map). The pictures showed various characters/toys.

Canyon secret room	Visible from outside

• Again, after checking the article about Mammoth and clicking on the link “ Mammoth Guide ”.It is seem that there is no article, but instead there is text that appears on a non-existent page, with one difference - the phrase “find a mention of this name” is underlined, and when you hover over it, the inscription “02/15/2022” appears.
• Now in the updates article we find an update dated 15/02/2022 , in which the Duel and Ping Pong maps were updated. Nothing had changed on Ping Pong since day one, but on Duel a very interesting secret room was added.
• Also in the section of this update, a hidden code was found: “Z2FtZS5wcm8tdGFua2kuY29tL1p3WGlUZ3daN3BvTg==". Remembering about base64 from the beginning of the solution, we decode this message and get the link: https://game.pro-tanki.com/ZwXiTgwZ7poN, where the keyword had to be entered.
• In the secret room of the Duel map there were 4 transparent coloured cubes: red, yellow, green and blue. While discovering this in the secret room, we notice that if you look through these cubes and at other cubes, they change the color. Moreover, their color becomes exactly the same as that of the pictures in the secret room in Canyon map...

• One by one (according to the colors of the rainbow) we look at all cubes through red, yellow, green and blue and collect the sequence of numbers corresponding to the colors of the “toys” from the secret room of Canyon map: the sequence 0231420314 is obtained.
• We enter it into the form found earlier and get the final image. On it we see the Caduceus - a symbol of medicine, as well as a screenshot of the drop location of the First Aid Kit on Highland map.

The answer is First Aid Kit.

Day 4

Fist hint

What could possibly be depicted here? Please inform us, if any of you understand.... Although it would be better to keep silent and find the answer yourself, as soon as physically possible!

Solution

Time stamp in Chernobyl

Encrypted Encrypted password at Chernobyl

Secret room

Final picture

• The first image might be quite confusing at first glance. Even after finding the original high-quality version and checking everything in the game related to it, nothing seems to be connected. That’s when we focus on the effect used on the image itself. Its name is *Noise*!
• On the *Noise* map, where there is a secret room featuring a mine and a magnifying glass— a reference to the event "Find the Mine." Additionally, a hidden code can be found on *Noise*: **"t:514848180:f"**.
• **"t:514848180:f"** is a timestamp corresponding to April 26, 1986—the date of the Chernobyl disaster. A reference to the *Chernobyl* map.
• On the *Chernobyl* map, we locate a secret room, where five numbers are displayed: **09 18 02 09 19**. These correspond to letters in the English alphabet. Replacing them, we get **"irbis"**—this is the password.
• Now, we go to the *Find the Mine* article on the Wiki (which has since been deleted). By selecting all the text, we notice coordinates at the bottom of the page: **58.837795, 57.186750**. Entering these into any map application leads us to the village of *Parma*.
• Next, we attempt to create a battle on the *Parma* map. However, before we even start, we notice a lone *Viking-Shaft* in the **Operator** paint on the preview image. We then navigate to the article about this paint.

Preview of Spectator paint in garage	Preview of Spectator paint on tank	Overlay

• Occasionally, strange symbols appear on the garage preview of the *Operator* paint, as well as on the in-game preview of the tank. However, by overlaying both images, a clear string is revealed: **"B7bNhLB2iJ4J"**.

Garage Preview	Tank Preview	Overlay Result

• This turns out to be a link to the password entry form on the "GAME" website: [1](https://game.pro-tanki.com/B7bNhLB2iJ4J). Entering the previously found password **"irbis"**, we are redirected to a [Google Form](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScw8bhrHTC-WvhF-yuBHT1TWOToY9wTl1ZPWYBHJGXq0Jsl-w/viewform). After completing the survey, we receive the final image: a *maze* decorated with *Hohloma* patterns and the "GAMES" logo.

The answer is Hohloma .

Day 5

First hint

It's easier than it looks.

Solution

QR code on the Underground

• The phrase "It’s simpler than it seems" from the first hint means there’s no need to search for a hidden meaning in the words on the image or try to connect the text to something in the game—just take the first letters of the three words in the last highlighted line. This gives "FAQ"—a reference to the article "Frequently Asked Questions".
• Upon visiting this article, we notice that some letters are bolded. Collecting them together, we get "мепздока," which, when rearranged, forms "подземка" (*Subway*).
• We go to the *Subway* map in the game, where we find two QR codes. Both lead to Google Forms (first and second).
• Answering the question in the first form correctly (*there are 123 windows on Silence*), we receive an image and a link to the password entry form: https://game.pro-tanki.com/aRGqf0pI7LH6. Additionally, in the corner of the image, we notice a barely visible inscription: "b64" with the number 1.
• The second form is more complex, but upon completing it correctly, we see a portrait of Blaise de Vigenère and the question: "Should we return to previous maps?" This suggests that the Vigenère cipher will be used later and that the next hints are hidden in the secret rooms from previous days.

At the end of the first form	At the end of the second form	Atbash cipher	Caesar Cipher

Code on the Underground

Final picture

• All this means is that we will need to use base64, Caesar cipher with a shift of 13, and the Atbash cipher sequentially.
• It seems like a dead end, so we go back to *Subway*. Exploring the map again, we notice strange manhole covers on the ground that weren’t there before. Counting them gives us 7 covers.
• Continuing to explore, we find a barely visible code on one of the buildings: "YmVvZmJ0ZXJy".
• Now, we decode it step by step using the ciphers we found earlier.

 - base64 → "beofbterr"  
 - Caesar cipher → "orbsogree"  
 - Atbash cipher → "liyhltivv"  
 - Finally, using the Vigenère cipher with the key "seven" (from the 7 manholes), we get: **"teddybear"**—the password.  

• Entering the password in the form, we receive the final image: a *Mammoth* (judging by the tusks) in *Africa*, carrying a *Machine Gun* on its back. This is an obvious reference to a well-known Product kit in the game.

The answer is Eyjafjallajokull.

Prizes

Paint«GAME 2024»

The prizes included crystals, supplies, days of premium account, special “ GAME 2024 ” paint and “Dream Tank”.

Full list of prizes:

Place	Prize
1	"Dream Tank" or 200,000 crystals of your choice, premium account for 10 days, 1,000 of all supplies, "GAME 2024" paint.
2	100,000 crystals, premium account for 7 days, 750 of all supplies, "GAME 2024" paint.
3	50,000 crystals, premium account for 5 days, 500 of all supplies, "GAME 2024" paint.
4-10	20,000 crystals, premium account for 3 days, 250 all supplies, "GAME 2024" paint.
11-25	10,000 crystals, premium account for 1 day, 100 all supplies.
26-50	5000 crystals, 50 all supplies.
Tankers with 25 points get 25 all supplies.

Winners

The player New.Day took first place, the second place went to the player Tofi, and the third place went to TryBeFriend. A total of 414 players received prizes.

Top-10 Winners

Place	Nickname
1	New.Day
2	Tofi
3	TryBeFriend
4	PrideBlackMini
5	Memories
6	Out
7	bbb
8	TryDoFriend
9	69_Sky
10	69_Corpse