Three Dots Meaning Possibly Explained

[Beepin]

This has some spoilers, but I'm going out on a limb here and going to assume that everyone who's played this game did it in one sitting.

The level with the notes has one in particular that when you come to the "dots" painting says "up close, it looks like just a bunch of dots." This note is located directly underneath the painting, and I believe this to be the answer to the 3 dots placed throughout the game.

Alone, up close, for the first time, when you come across the 3 dots.

You might think, "What is this? What a strange thing to be here." And think nothing of it, or possibly ignore it all-together.
But then you come across them same 3 dots again, and you might think, "Oh, so this is a conscious design choice to be placed in certain/random/secret locations." And wonder if you'll come across more.
And after seeing it the 5th time, you might have thought, "What do these mean? Are these important later? I keep seeing these again and again. What's the deal?"

My point is that the painting in the "notes" level is just a bunch of dots... When you stand up close to it... But...

When you stand away from it, you see a composition. You see a piece of art, something to be discussed, something that is more than just "dots"... A picture.

And every picture is worth a thousand words.

Which is why everyone keeps talking about the 3 dots. Alone, they're nothing special. If they were just in one of the levels, they might not mean anything. But because they're part of a composition that spreads across multiple levels, they become a piece... A set that begs for an answer as to why they are all over, and why 3 dots?

Unfortunately, I doubt the 3 dots themselves actually contain a meaning, but all the dots in all the levels are the actual meaning. Similar to how one brick is insignificant, but a house made of bricks is. The dots being an art-piece IS the secret.

[rollyscrolly]

For the hell of it, I went through to try to find all the instances of the dots.

• Chapter 1, before the maze on Whisper[i.imgur.com]
  
• Chapter 2, before the end staircase[i.imgur.com]
  
• Chapter 5, after the first door puzzle[i.imgur.com]
  
• Chapter 7, before the second door puzzle[i.imgur.com]
  
• Chapter 9, during the prison escape tutorial[i.imgur.com]
  
• Chapter 13, on the bridge of the SS Whisper[i.imgur.com]

And there's also the note bubbles in Chapter 8[i.imgur.com], dots on the Machine itself in Chapter 15[i.imgur.com], 3 glowing lines on the wall in Chapter 16[i.imgur.com],
Any I missed?
Edit: added one

[Jo_H4rper]

Maybe the dots just represent the elipses. A symbol that shows that there is more to what is being said than what is actually shown.

I'm not going to lie and say this game didn't make me cry like a baby :|

No one talks about depression or anxiety or other mental issues. People just try to pep you up. Think they will make you snap out of it. That it is something they can cure. Most people are like Davey. They try to fix the symptoms, they think they can be your savior and in turn they feel like a good guy in this win win scenario. But no one actually talks about how it can be a debilitating disease. That this is something you have, like a broken arm. People don't like to see that it is an actual problem. Maybe the dots express a need to talk about this. Or even further, an encouragment to those suffering that there is more to life in those dot dot dots. That life can keep going if you just talk about it. Or if you just choose to find out what else is being said.

The dot dot dots start a conversation.

[NexusOA]

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από Beepin:

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από SuaveDoof GET ALGÆ'D:

I thought it might stand for Davey's Inner Dialogue because also in the painting room level every note written by Coda (which in turn would be written by Davey) has three dots.

I'm starting to think that the 3 dots are actually a common icon used in web browsers (a unicode character that is 3 dots).

I think they might have something to do with an email icon or something, but I swear I've seen it as an indicative symbol on the internet before.

∴ is a mathematical proof symbol that stands for "Therefore".

[MinimalistPig]

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από dustily:

For the hell of it, I went through to try to find all the instances of the dots.

• Chapter 1, before the maze on Whisper[i.imgur.com]
  
• Chapter 2, before the end staircase[i.imgur.com]
  
• Chapter 5, after the first door puzzle[i.imgur.com]
  
• Chapter 7, before the second door puzzle[i.imgur.com]
  
• Chapter 9, during the prison escape tutorial[i.imgur.com]
  
• Chapter 13, on the bridge of the SS Whisper[i.imgur.com]

And there's also the note bubbles in Chapter 8[i.imgur.com], dots on the Machine itself in Chapter 15[i.imgur.com], 3 glowing lines on the wall in Chapter 16[i.imgur.com],
Any I missed?
Edit: added one

You forgot a set on the Notes level. After the painting, the spiraling stairs contain 3 dots.

[Applewhite]

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από Darkstar:

don't know if anyone mentioned it, but the machine at the end has 3 gears that are in the exact position of the 3 dots.

I think the three dots are Coda's trademark. A symbol that represents him. You might as well ask the "deeper significance" of your own signature.

[uniko]

Currently I think they're Coda's signature too, like a painter signing his work.

Which makes me wonder why they are in The Stanley Parable too. Bringing that game into The Beginner's Guide narrative, maybe it's further confirmation that Coda is the creative side of Davey, the one coming up with the ideas and building the games (including TSP), and in-game Davey is another part of his personality, the one who keeps analyzing, criticizing, putting meaning and living off Coda's work, because without it this personality has no purpose.

I think this game is an expression of what creative work and its hardships mean for Davey, and on a more personal level a letter for people close to him. Maybe it's and apology.

[Arancio]

It's a long shot and I don't exactly remember the 3 dots right now but...
It seemed to me the 3 dots resembling the steam logo: it's like comparing steam itself to the prison where the creator is, after the success of the first tile.

Probably crap, but would be great

[Bibu]

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από Beepin:

This has some spoilers, but I'm going out on a limb here and going to assume that everyone who's played this game did it in one sitting.

The level with the notes has one in particular that when you come to the "dots" painting says "up close, it looks like just a bunch of dots." This note is located directly underneath the painting, and I believe this to be the answer to the 3 dots placed throughout the game.

Alone, up close, for the first time, when you come across the 3 dots.

You might think, "What is this? What a strange thing to be here." And think nothing of it, or possibly ignore it all-together.
But then you come across them same 3 dots again, and you might think, "Oh, so this is a conscious design choice to be placed in certain/random/secret locations." And wonder if you'll come across more.
And after seeing it the 5th time, you might have thought, "What do these mean? Are these important later? I keep seeing these again and again. What's the deal?"

My point is that the painting in the "notes" level is just a bunch of dots... When you stand up close to it... But...

When you stand away from it, you see a composition. You see a piece of art, something to be discussed, something that is more than just "dots"... A picture.

And every picture is worth a thousand words.

Which is why everyone keeps talking about the 3 dots. Alone, they're nothing special. If they were just in one of the levels, they might not mean anything. But because they're part of a composition that spreads across multiple levels, they become a piece... A set that begs for an answer as to why they are all over, and why 3 dots?

Unfortunately, I doubt the 3 dots themselves actually contain a meaning, but all the dots in all the levels are the actual meaning. Similar to how one brick is insignificant, but a house made of bricks is. The dots being an art-piece IS the secret.

i think that if you could take a screenshot without moving your mouse in every level could make an image, that is a theory that i'm waiting so much time to see if it makes sense but i think isn't possible to take screenshots in the game but if someone can, let me know, please

[tazamiga]

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από Beepin:

This has some spoilers, but I'm going out on a limb here and going to assume that everyone who's played this game did it in one sitting.

The level with the notes has one in particular that when you come to the "dots" painting says "up close, it looks like just a bunch of dots." This note is located directly underneath the painting, and I believe this to be the answer to the 3 dots placed throughout the game.

Alone, up close, for the first time, when you come across the 3 dots.

You might think, "What is this? What a strange thing to be here." And think nothing of it, or possibly ignore it all-together.
But then you come across them same 3 dots again, and you might think, "Oh, so this is a conscious design choice to be placed in certain/random/secret locations." And wonder if you'll come across more.
And after seeing it the 5th time, you might have thought, "What do these mean? Are these important later? I keep seeing these again and again. What's the deal?"

My point is that the painting in the "notes" level is just a bunch of dots... When you stand up close to it... But...

When you stand away from it, you see a composition. You see a piece of art, something to be discussed, something that is more than just "dots"... A picture.

And every picture is worth a thousand words.

Which is why everyone keeps talking about the 3 dots. Alone, they're nothing special. If they were just in one of the levels, they might not mean anything. But because they're part of a composition that spreads across multiple levels, they become a piece... A set that begs for an answer as to why they are all over, and why 3 dots?

Unfortunately, I doubt the 3 dots themselves actually contain a meaning, but all the dots in all the levels are the actual meaning. Similar to how one brick is insignificant, but a house made of bricks is. The dots being an art-piece IS the secret.

All i saw was 3 dots but didn't really like the game anyway. I just gave this a shot as it was cheaper in the steam sale.
I liked the railway station and remember thinking about Harry Potter and will it take me away from this silly game to something decent if i run into that brick wall really fast.
Alas despite my framerate counter telling me the game was running at 300 fps in 5k DSR it never feels faster than a snail pace.
i did find that odd though that Vsync shows 300 fps and not your monitors refresh of say 144

[sh0dan]

In many countries an armband with the three dots arranged like this indicates a visually impaired person.

http://b0wie.s3.amazonaws.com/styles/img_wall/s3/media/print/armbandblind.png?oTET6y39yK4GpxA_MOIIMwSoTVrDRPzo&itok=YYr6KCna

http://npugh.co.uk/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/armbandforblind.jpg

Maybe it could indicate something about not seeing the world/truth.. or it could be pure coincidence.

[jbw716]

I think that Coda doesn't really know what the three dots mean. I think he just puts them there because he wants to. To make the games for himself. They are like his mark. His signature. They are saying, "All of these games with the three dots in them? They are connected. They are my life, my feelings, and my outlet."

[Bully Maguire]

The three dots have to be one of the most interesting thing in the game. What I find interesting about it is that the narrator was very open about most things in the game and always shared his interpretation, but he only made one extremely brief comment about it in the tower chapter, which was something like "I tried to ask him what the three dots mean, but he wouldn't tell me." Most players, including myself, probably had no idea what he was talking about at first.

[MoleMad]

No no guys, it's obvious the 3 dots are a reacuring easter egg that hints at the release for the next Splinter Cell Game. (σ ͜ʖσ)

[Infused With Power]

I'm going with blind because of the Mobius level starting with a message telling you that you're blind. To complete the level you must open your eyes while everyone else is also blind. Then you have to tell the truth, making the message that everyone was telling Coda to keep making games without realizing the truth that only he could face.

[Bully Maguire]

This is probably nothing, but one small observation that I've made is that the three dots generally occur right before the puzzle. I would say I'm on to something with this if not for the exceptions, like the ones on Mobius and Escape.