Epsilon Program (3D Universe)

Religion in Grand Theft Auto games, for the most part, is a mystery. The five main religions are never mentioned, in fact, the only religions that are mentioned are Rastafarianism (in Grand Theft Auto IV and the Epsilon Program.

The Epsilon Program is a fictional religious cult across a number of GTA games, led by Cris Formage. The cult first emerged as a teaser site for GTA San Andreas.

The cult is an obvious scam, intended to gain money by brainwashing its followers into paying large sums of money. This is similar to real-life cults in the late 20th century.

The first facts about Epsilon cult emerged in late 2005. It is believed that there is a fictional cult in the game with its followers who worship Krant and Kifflom. If the player cracks the mystery of the cult, eventually he will be able to go to a secret location, called Puerto Amarilla Valley.

Rockstar have not denied this myth, like they did with many others.



Clues
The mystery of Epsilon was revealed through several means:


 * Rockstar Games set up the teaser website dedicated to the cult
 * There are numerous mentions of Epsilon on various radio stations
 * Lazlow hosts the talk show with cult's leader
 * Many pedestrians or special characters talk about the cult, and some say, that they are Kifflom's followers.
 * Many map references such as the Pilgrim district in Las Venturas.

Website
The Epsilon Program website includes lots of info about Epsilon, such as the twelve tenets of Kifflom:


 * 1) The world is 157 years old, and it doesn't age
 * 2) Dinosaurs are a lie that people believe because they are weak
 * 3) You are happy, you just don’t know it
 * 4) We all come from the same tree
 * 5) Everyone is related to everyone else, except for people with red hair
 * 6) Sperm does not exist - it is a lie spread by biology teachers - along with everything else you have ever been told
 * 7) Men are supposed to lie with nine new partners a week. Women are supposed to lie with six, except for in July, when they must lie with five men a day
 * 8) Aliens exist and are present on earth. If you have a birth mark, you may be descended from Kraff, the famous Emperor of the 4th Paradigm
 * 9) Trees talk, but only some people hear them
 * 10) People who believe in something live much longer than atheists, and they have eternal life thrown in for good measure
 * 11) If you believe this and turn you hands and wallet over to EPSILONISM, you’ll live a happy life. Otherwise you are doomed
 * 12) KIFFLOM - HAPPINESS IS YOURS! KIFFLOM!

The site also features a drawing of a possible descendant of Kraff, bearing a large birthmark on the face.

Their site contains a page about the Tract, which is expected to hold the truth about Epsilon. However, the site states that the tract has not yet been written. There is an address in Grand Canaria to send a cheque to, from which you would supposedly be sent a copy of the Tract. Grand Canaria is well known as a tax haven and offshore location for many dubious companies.

"Cris Formage tells us in his wonderful book, It Happened To Us All, that the TRACT will be written when we are all ready. However, Cris is also very clear on another point - although the TRACT has not yet been written, it can still be read by those that are willing to read it."

Pedestrians and Characters
The followers of the Epsilon cult are included in, but not limited to, the following list:


 * People with rucksacks, who can be seen near Verdant Bluffs area, often talk about Epsilon
 * Katie, CJ's nurse girlfriend, says that "cult nut-jobs freak me out"
 * Several barbers (including Old Reece, who has a salon in Idlewood, Los Santos), also talk about the cult
 * Cult leader Cris Formage is interviewed by Lazlow on the radio



Map references
One place, "The Farm. Cult location", is shown on the map provided with GTA San Andreas. The farmhouse windows are glowing blue at night, unlike any other window in the game which glow yellow.

Another place associated with cult is located near The Big Ear. When looked at closely, the pattern of light and dark areas of sand form an image very similar to the one featured on the web-site, and indeed looks like a face of Krant's descendant. There are ghost town and abandoned vehicles nearby, which made the theory that Epsilon is somehow connected to this place even stronger.

There is a house in the desert, which was connected with Epsilon by various people. It is so-called "bunker", which is located west of the abandoned airstrip. The house is interesting, because there are no people or cars nearby - the force of Epsilon is believed to keep them away and only cult members can go closer. The house was featured in famous 4 AM series.

Many people have claimed seeing a yellow entrance triangle in the sky over the Cluckin' Bell take-away in the desert, which is believed to be the entrance to the Puerta Amarilla Valley, which means Yellow Door Valley in Spanish. However, as can be seen from this video all triangles lead to abandoned houses, which supposedly were made to be used in burglary missions, but later were taken out. (Note: There are two markers visible high above the sky in the desert. These are difficult to see during gameplay as they are above the ceiling limit for aircrafts. These markers lead to nowhere and are thought to be test markers as the names of the markers are S1TEST and OFTEST).

Other references
Epsilon is also mentioned on various radio stations in GTA Liberty City Stories, GTA Vice City Stories and GTA IV. Pedestrians also talk about Epsilon in these games.

Possible background to the cult
In 1987 film "Dragnet" two cops are involved in investigating a crime. The crime gang is ran by a reverend, who has a voice very familiar to Cris Formage's. All members of the gang are in a cult, and perform a number of weird ritual throughout the movie. In certain scenes a quiet background music can be heard, identical to the one on Epsilon program web-site. The movie is shot in Los Angeles and some scenes are shot near the observatory - which is often linked with Epsilon in the game. The short scene from the movie featuring both reverend's voice and the music can be seen here. Epsilon cult may be an easter egg to this movie because of so many references.

Puzzle
The Epsilon website gives players the opportunity to "become one of the children of Kraff" by visiting a particular location:

"Join us in something special and become one of the children of Kraff.

Travel through the dawn to the pass pictured in our brochures. Look for a red truck with a dent on the right fender. Raise your left hand and recite the words: "Take me to to my father-father, brother-uncle. Kifflom." We'll do the rest. Because we all know, there is Kifflom and there is Krant, and both be praised.

Blindfold required."

"Travel through the dawn to the pass pictured in our brochures."

Dawn means that it has to be morning or an evening. As there are no brochures available, many refer to Rockstar's book for San Andreas. The only picture taken at dawn there is the picture of Sherman dam. Apparently, it fits the idea ideally, as it is a "pass" at the same time - it links two islands. Another proof of possible connection to Epsilon is the official GTA: SA trailer. First few seconds feature red truck (Walton, not Sadler) travelling across the dam. This is seen by some as a possible hint to the solution to Epsilon secret. "Pass" could also mean a valley between hills or mountains.

"Look for a red truck with a dent on the right fender."

There are a number of Sadler trucks, found around San Andreas which have been smashed. One of them can be found next to the fisherman's hut north from the abandoned airstrip, another in the forests of Back o' Beyond, there are few more in other places. Picking the one near the airstrip makes more sense, as it is located most closely to the dam. Please note, that Sadlers always spawn in different colours, so you may want to come back again to make sure you have got a red one.

"Raise your left hand and recite the words: "Take me to to my father-father, brother-uncle. Kifflom.""

CJ can raise his hand, if he is aiming his gun and then looks back. In that case the gun will be pointed upwards and so will be his arm. CJ cannot be made to talk, and so no players have managed to make anything happen, nor gain access to the Puerta Amarilla Valley. Also, when using hand-to-hand combat CJ puts his left arm up when he blocks.

Rumours
There are a number of rumours, most of which are believed don't have any backup. Some popular myths have originated from jblend's blog where he stated a number of things, the most popular being:

"If you see the number one, then you're on your way. Only true believers of Kifflom (praise!!!) can enter the portals. So Keep listening to the trees and I am sure that you'll find your path. If you learn the true meaning of Kifflom (praise him!!!) then you can enter the golden portals of Puertas Amarillas Valley."

Although it is not very plausible, the author claimed to be working for Rockstar, thus making many players looking for number 1 in game or looking for the trees with weird shapes in the woods. It was believed that under certain circumstances you will be able to hear the tree talking; or, once you saw the tree ("number one" in the sequence) everything else will be revealed by the game itself without the need for player's interaction. This is often linked with floating tree, walk-through tree and LOD trees which do not have anything to do with Epsilon.

Noticable fact is that jblend's statement appeared few weeks prior to official release of San Andreas on PS2.

Another famous rumour describes what you have to wear (or to do) in order to trigger the mission start.

"#Desert Eagle
 * 1) Camera
 * 2) Cane
 * 3) Blue clothes and hat from Didier Sachs
 * 4) Blue sneakers from Prolaps
 * 5) Night Vision Goggles
 * 6) Joke Mask from Binco
 * 7) Red Truck (Sadshit)
 * 8) Red Haircut
 * 9) Cross chain from Didier Sachs
 * 10) Cross, R.I.P, and Grave Tattoos (there is only one combined R.I.P. and Grave tatoo in the game though)
 * 11) Spend $10,000 at a casino
 * 12) Go with 9 prostitutes in a week"

The "9 prostitutes" are related to one of the tenets of Epsilon: "Lie with 9 partners a week". In Lazlow's talk show Cris Formage also says: "Lie with 9 partners a week, it explains everything."

Having a cane in weapons slot seems to be based on another Cris's quote: "Touch my cane" which he orders Lazlow to do.

In the teaser video, which can be found on The official GTA:SA web-site under Media>Video>First trailer a red Walton can be seen driving across the Sherman Dam. This enforces the speculated theory that the Dam is the pass mentioned on Epsilon web-site and that the Sadshit is somehow related.