Kythera - Phase 1

As Agents correctly identified based on earlier Louvre Museum clues from K, the Kythera Anomaly Series kicks off from April through June. With the Enlightened victory of the Kureze Effect, K chose to align themselves with the Enlightened. However, in their last encoded message, they shared the following request:

But what is the Kythera Mechanism? The Antikythera Mechanism is “the ancient computer that simply shouldn’t exist.” It is generally referred to as the first known analogue computer, and was used to predict astronomical positions and eclipses. But there were certainly more devices like the Antikythera Mechanism in the ancient world. It wasn’t unique; it had a sister.

Over the coming months, we intend to rediscover what is the Kythera Mechanism and its purpose. In the Kythera Anomaly Series, an Enlightened victory will shape K’s decision to use the Kythera Mechanism. A Resistance victory will convince them to destroy it.

During the Kythera Anomaly Series, we expect to see 100 locations destabilized each phase. Any given location may or may not be targeted in more than one phase.

Kythera Phase 1 is expected to occur from Friday, 15 April 2022 1100 UTC to Monday, 18 April 2022 1100 UTC (72 hours), and reach its maxima on Sunday 17 April.

Starting shortly, NIASection14 will start to ornament some of the Portals at locations that will be targeted by Kythera during Phase 1. NIASection14 will deploy Rare Battle Beacons on Sunday, 17 April on Kythera-targeted Portals between 1430 and 1730 local time. The NIA strongly advises Agents to take control of these Kythera targets for K’s investigation.

The NIA also urges Agents to deploy Rare or Very Rare Battle Beacons on Portals they believe will disturb Kythera during the Phase 1 event window from 15-18 April. Trust your instincts. There are no coincidences. Nothing happens unless someone wills it to happen.

Good luck.

NIA Procedure

• Some Portals at each target location will be ornamented from shortly after this COMM until 15 April 1100 UTC. The ornaments will look like this:

• On Sunday, 17 April from 14:30 to 17:30 local time, NIASection14 will deploy Rare Battle Beacons on targeted Portals. They will become visible via Scanner starting at 14:30 local time for the first checkpoint to begin at 14:40.
• There will be at least one break within the 3-hour period.
• It is possible for a given Portal to be deployed with a Rare Battle Beacon by NIASection14 more than once within the 3-hour period.

Scoring

The final Kythera score for each Faction will be the total Kythera score across 3 phases earned by the respective Faction.

For each phase, each of the 100 locations targeted worths a total of 13 points, to be distributed to the two Factions according to the ratio of weighted Battle Beacon Point Values they earned from NIA-deployed Rare Battle Beacons. Each Battle Beacon will be weighted based on the Battle Category, which is based on offensive or defensive actions on the underlying Portals. From CAT-I to CAT-VI, the weighted values are 1-2-3-6-7-8 respectively.

For example, if a given Battle Beacon Score is Checkpoint 1: ENL 2; Checkpoint 2: RES 3; Checkpoint 3: ENL 4, and Battle CAT-V, then the Enlightened earns 42 points (6*7) and the Resistance earns 21 (3*7).

Further to this example, if the aforementioned Battle Beacon is the only NIA-deployed Battle Beacon in a given targeted location, then the Enlightened scores 9 out of 13 and the Resistance earns 4 out of 13 at this location.

Agent-deployed Rare or Very Rare Battle Beacons for each phase is worth a total of 260 points globally, to be distributed to the two Factions according to the ratio of weighted Battle Beacon Point Values they earned from Agent-deployed Battle Beacons between 15 April 2022 1100 UTC and Monday, 18 April 2022 1100 UTC.

For example, if all Agent-deployed Battle Beacons during the said period sum up to  ENL 305,752 vs 317,323 RES, the actual point distribution will be ENL 128:132 RES.

In Kythera Phase 2 and 3, 10 target locations will be picked from all applications received via this form: https://forms.gle/id3vFqXQ1MuEj95E8. Each of these 10 locations will be worth 26 points (totaling 260 points per phase). For May, apply by Sunday, 24 April. For June, apply by 29 May.

Results Announcements

Interim global results for each Faction will be announced periodically through in-app News Feed and the Ingress Community Forum.

The final score for Phase 1 will be announced within 24 hours through in-app News Feed and the Ingress Community Forum.

Kythera Medal

Any Agent who has interacted with at least ten (10) Battle Beacons scored at any of the three Kythera Phases will be awarded the in-app Kythera medal. This medal will be awarded as soon as an Agent meets such criteria. Agents who have already been awarded the in-app Kythera medal in an earlier event phase will not receive a second medal in a later phase.

For example, if an Agent interacted with 3 Battle Beacons deployed by XM Sensitive Agents during Phase 1 and interacted with 7 NIA-deployed Battle Beacons during Phase 2, they will receive the Kythera Medal by the end of Phase 2.

To assist Agents, the Kythera Anomaly metric will remain on your Agent Profile for the duration of the Kythera Anomaly Series to help you monitor your individual progress.

Also available during the season of Kythera in the Ingress Store:

• Limited-time Klue load-out kit with re-release of the 2015 Klue medal (30800 CMU)

Want to have your location considered for hosting a Kythera Anomaly in May or June? 

Please fill in: https://forms.gle/id3vFqXQ1MuEj95E8

For May, apply by Sunday, 24 April.

For June, apply by Sunday, 29 May.

As always, please remember to be aware of your surroundings. We encourage players to follow local health and safety guidelines when playing Ingress (such as wearing masks and maintaining at least six feet/two meters of distance from other people). For the latest on in-game events and feature updates, be sure to check COMM > NEWS.

— The Ingress Team

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The team has discussed and it has been decided that for multiple reasons, the NIA deployed RBBs will remain as scheduled for Sunday, 17 April from 1430 - 1730 local time.

We are aware that not all of us celebrate the same holidays or recognize the same days of rest, and that is why the current quarterly Anomaly events are being designed in a way that it is OK to miss a month (or even two) and still participate. We are also being conscious to take into consideration in-game events that take place in other Niantic games.

Additionally, we are for the time being going to continue to give shorter notice than pre-2020 live events as we do not want to encourage traveling yet. I know many want to travel (and do) and we’re hoping to be able to provide details at least 2 weeks in advance. I’m unsure when we’ll get back to more lead-time but we definitely want to move towards that direction.