Hidden Science

[ohbitchuary]

What do you guys think, what does all the "science stuff" (for lack of a better word) mean in this game?
I found the chemical structure for ethanol, and the fibbonacci spiral in the sand, i think there were also some circuitboard mechanisms or so. What do they mean?

[Ogisha]

I understood this fibonacci spiral as this game could be played numerous times always with different experience. But for other two (chemicals and circuits) i have no idea. Paul is said to be working in pharmaceutical company...
There're few ghosts in the game that could be seen though. They're greater mystery to me than the chemicals or circuits...

[tschumann]

I think this was brought up in the forums on the Dear Esther website a while ago, and I think that the ethanol was referring to the narrator's wife getting hit by a drunk driver (ethanol = alcohol), or something like that.

[ohbitchuary]

Cheers guys,
Think the other chemical is a Carboxylic acid. Carboxylic acids react with alcohol to make esters. Guess thats close to Esther, the name.
@Ogisha: don't understand how the fibonacci spiral should mean that it could be played numerous times with a difference experience, cause the fibonacci spiral doesn't change every time you draw it out. I know it has the perfect ratios, but I don't know where that would come together with the story.
The ghosts on the other hand are kinda creepy when you see them but they don't seem to have a very deep meaning. (In my opinion) ;)

[paulogy]

Just finished my first playthrough. I really liked the game but am still digesting it.

Toward the end of my playthrough a comment was made about there being 21 circuits in an anti-lock-brake system. So a wild guess is the narrator is an engineer who just so happened to have designed the ABS brake system for either Esther's car or the car who hit her. Some support for this are all the circuit diagrams strewn about the island, and referred to in the audio. If so, this would be a major plot point that could explain why the narrator feels so guilty about what has happened.

[Punmaster]

I could never figure out what that chemical diagram is with the Hebrew letters in it, then I noticed the diagram also appears in the room overlooking the cliff near the end of the game (with all atoms filled in). I think it is "Ranitidine", an anti-acid medication used to treat peptic ulcers and acid reflux. I assume this is a reference to the antacid yogurt sold by Paul.