D.E1: notthefirst
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The notthefirst page was discovered through D.Y3. The suffix text (18fc17) is the hex colour code for the normal Game Theory logo. It displays a static image (entertheurlpart01.png) with an animated GIF (180mustyougo_thishastobetheeasiestclueeverpart01.gif). The image shows the text "https://www.thetheoristgateway.com/3932396663/[gap].html" and the GIF is a spinning form of the red Game Theory logo from D.Y1. The name “not the first” likely means that this stage is not the first gate.
By interpreting the text from the logo as it is written, this page is discovered. It features one image, powzNbXddMnH_536c6f70707920776f726b2c20796f756e67205468656f726973742e203c696e7365727420534d48206d656d653e.gif. The hexadecimal text in the filename decodes to Sloppy work, young Theorist. <insert SMH meme>. The text at the bottom of the image decodes to MUST BE A TYPO. This all indicates that one should follow the instructions in the image names ("180 you must go") and flip the letters.
By instead interpreting the text in the logo as HuWppXqNzmod, this page was discovered. The image has changed, and this one doesn't have randomly changing letters. The bottom text is now THATS NOT A TVPO with a purposeful typo.
The image's filename is now HuWppXqNzmod_57656c6c20746861742077617320656173792e20446f6e277420676574207573656420746f2069742e.png which decodes to Well that was easy. Don't get used to it.
By using the same colour filter trick as D.E0 (0xFEFEFE), one discovers the hidden text "july 15 1983" and "the first 17". Upon inspecting the EXIF data of the file, one can discover similarly named Photoshop layers, further indicating this clue. 07/15/1983 was the launch date for the Nintendo Famicom in Japan, soon to become the NES in North America.
The highlighted words in the figure above are the first 17 launch titles for the Famicom. Each of these words has some letters that are replaced with symbols. Each of the symbols has a specific colour.All of the symbols translated, in order from left to right and top to bottom, spell out "AVONIELKEULCTTBHY". By grouping symbols of the same colour together, we get "BIT", "LY", "LUCK", "TO", and "HEAVEN". The order is indicated by the text at the top "3.2/426" using the length of each segment. This leads to the site bit.ly/lucktoheaven for our next clue (D.E2).
Without any clue pointing directly at it, theorists discovered https://www.thetheoristgateway.com/fc.jpg. The method of discovery is debated, however it is certain that it was not meant to be found as a part of the ARG. This image deciphers to the exact same result as D.E1, indicating that the image is likely an earlier version of the image from that lead that MatPat (or whoever was in charge) forgot to delete.
