System Shock is a game where you must watch up and down as
well as ahead and behind. The controls allow you to angle your vision.
Ducts which you can crawl thru and mounted cameras are present both at
ceiling and floor level (destroy all cameras and CPU's to reduce Shodan's
control of a level, and allow some locked doors to open.)
Many things you can use are also found on the floor. Medpatches
that restore some health and ammo are some. Remember to look at the floor
behind boxes- you'd be surprised what is all hidden in this game.
The most single helpful thing you can do is to hold down the Alt
key and press the H key while in play to toggle the help function on. This
will point out hidden doors, high mounted cameras, the edges of robots
lurking around corners, and items lying on the floor. Although it can get
irritating sometimes ("click on body to search" every time you go near the
same one) it is invaluable in catching those pesky cameras and will show you
hidden doors that don't look at all like doors.
Note: the help won't show you things for long if you are turning
or moving; you may just get a flash of text. When you do, look or click
around. The help also won't show you everything; it didn't show me the
infamous "6%" floorlift on Level One, behind which are 4 cameras comprising
6% of the security on the level. This was enough security to keep locked
the hidden door in the southeast behind which is a great weapon, the magnum.
This particular item frustrated many gamers when the game was new.
The game will vary in difficulty depending on what you select at
the start. I recommend the highest level of enemy difficulty; it is most
interesting. At that level, not only are there more and nastier enemies,
but they are more aggressive. It gets the adrenaline pumping when a robot
rushes you and tries to circle around you, out of your line of fire, to
toast you! At anything above the lowest difficulty level, you may be
ambushed by robots hiding behind sliding panels. The help feature will NOT
point these out. Until they open, they will not show up on the map as
doors. If you are proceeding down a corridor and hear a door sliding open,
you'd best proceed quicker, and around a corner if possible.
Although you can select plot difficulty of (0), don't. It's
boring. Normal plot and puzzle difficulty should be fine for most people;
you might try the cyberspace set at (1) as it allows more time in there
each visit before Shodan zeros in on you. Thru this information, I assume
you have chosen plot level (2) or normal.
Staying alive is important in this game. As you go thru a level,
you will find a rejuvenator machine. These have all been reset by Shodan to
bring you back to life as a cyborg in Shodan's service. They must be reset
by throwing a switch, most of which are near the machine. Once reset, the
machine will bring you back to life in the rejuvenating room. This is good
if you haven't saved just before getting killed. You must reset the
rejuvenators on each level; for instance, the level 1 rejuvenator works
only on level 1.
Sparking cables can hurt you; duck under them. Some rooms are full
of toxic waste barrels or of radioactive waste. You can get poisoned or
irradiated in these. If you want, shoot the barrels (they will blow up)
and whatever is left on the floor is easy to find. You may be able to
reach it from the door (turn sideways to door and lean in for stuff to the
sides) without getting burned.
At the end, you will be scored on several things. One of those
things is how many times you were rejuvenated; this counts against you. If
you care about what score you will get, you will try to avoid getting
killed even after the machine is switched to normal rejuvenation on your
present level (before that, dying is the end of the game.) My last score
looked like this:
One of the best ways to avoid getting killed is to be sneaky.
Before you head around that corner, set yourself up for success. Have a
weapon in hand, fully loaded. Face the wall next to the corner (but not
too close to that corner) in the direction you want to head. Use the
"Lean Control" to lean towards the corner. Inch yourself towards the
corner and take a quick look. If someting nasty is there, you can often
take a shot and duck back (straighten up using the lean control, or just
scoot sideways.)
Hardware you carry comes in several versions. Version 4 is much
better than 1 in any hardware. If you find some hardware, just try to
install it. If what you have is better, the new piece will be discarded
as obsolete automatically.
One of your best friends is the mapping unit. Watch it, especially
for differences in the line brightness of walls. An otherwise normal wall
that has a dim section probably has a duct in it near the ceiling or floor;
you can probably crawl into that duct to another area, or to a cache of
goodies. Also use the map full screen mode to make notes to yourself.
It helps to know where the lifts, energy stations and presently locked
doors are.
One aspect of this game I really like: the ability to take a picture
at any point. Just press the PrintScreen button on your keyboard to take a
shot. These are stored in the subdirectory - GEN - under the main directory.
One good use for these is to take pictures of the level map when you have
finished a level; that way you can find elevators or other places of interest
on a return trip. You might take two of a level map, one with captions off
and one with them on, just before you leave the level. These pictures can
be viewed with any .GIF picture viewer.
Some doors require an access card for entry; some doors are locked by
Shodan. Some are locked in cyberspace. For those doors requiring an access
card, one will be found on the level somewhere, usually on a dead body (search
them all.) Those doors locked in cyberspace are rare but present. When you
find any locked doors, just mark them on your map and come back later.
Concerning cyberspace: It is a good idea to get cyberspace over with
as soon as you find a cyberspace terminal. Otherwise, you'll find yourself
heading back just to get in there and unlock a door.
One task you must complete is to destroy all of Shodan's CPU's on
each level from 1 to 6. As you find a CPU node room, save your game.
Destroy the CPU's with a timed explosive, or snipe at them from a distance.
If you do them from close up, they will damage or kill you as they blow up.
On some levels, the destruction of a CPU is an invitation to a robot party.
Be ready for company. When the smoke clears, look for a screen in the room
with a single digit number on it. The digit on that screen will continue
to change until you pop the last CPU in the room. Then it will stabilize
on a single digit.
You must write down or otherwise record these numbers; you will
need them. Later in the game, you will try to overload the reactor to
destroy the station and Shodan. In the reactor's center, up a lift, is
a keypad and a switch. To activate the switch, you must first enter two
groups of numbers. Those numbers are the ones from the CPU node rooms.
You must enter the numbers from levels 1,2, and 3 in that order; the
keypad will beep. You must then enter the numbers from levels 4,5, and 6
in that order. The switch can then be pushed and the reactor will
overload. This must be done for the game to proceed.
That number, by the way, is randomized at game start. I saw the
numbers other gamers got (posted in a game area) and they differed. Further,
I got differing numbers in different games. The importance of recording
these numbers is obvious.
Using a hint file can be an invitation to trouble. Don't skip
steps in the plot; games often set "flags" when you push a button or
otherwise do something, then allow the plot to proceed.
** Read the logs ! **
you find on the floor and on bodies (search all of them) as those will
alert you to the plot flow. Also check your e-mail. You can tell if a
log or e-mail hasn't been seen; it will appear brighter in the list.
If you don't, you may miss doing something you really nead to do. You
may find yourself doing something you do know you should do...yet finding
it doesn't work. The reactor overload is a good example; get things out
of order enough, and you may find yourself down there, getting fried by
high radiation, with no results to show for it.
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Enemies and Combat
There are a wide variety of enemies in System Shock. I will try
to mention special strengths or characteristics. It is difficult to describe
which weapon and ammo to use on a particular creature. The difficulty level
chosen at game start will affect the toughness of a particular creature;
but I will pass on any help I can. Note: if you hear a very mechanical
voice saying something you don't understand, a robot or cyborg is near.
It may be close to you but on the other side of a wall. If the sound gets
louder, get worried. Also, as I said before, if you head down a corridor
and hear (but don't see) a door sliding open, run for it. You've been
ambushed and a something is about to pop you from behind.
I have two primary tips. First, save often. It is a good idea to
number saves so you know which is the most recent. You can save before
opening a door, get nearly killed, save after being done, then reload the
game and retry the door to see if you can do it with more health left, with
more ammo left, or just to try to survive it.
An example:
246 At blast door. Try it.
247 Did room. Ambushed, near dead.
247a Did reflex patch. Did better; more ammo left.
248 Try next door- I hear a robot.
Secondly; as I mentioned, be sneaky. If you can see the entire
enemy, it can see you. Set yourself to leaning, creep up to the door edge at
an angle, and try to hit the creature or robot in its side. Often you can
drop it without taking any damage.
Mutants
There are many humanoid virus mutants. These used to be people.
A bio-engineered virus created by Shodan turned these people into raving,
malicious, malformed creatures. They will kill you if they get a chance. To
stop them, use anything you have. You can stun them, tranquillize them, or
just plain kill them. They do seem to be much harder to kill later in the
game.
If you try gas grenades, save and practice throwing them (or throwing
anything) until you get the hang of that "click, drag, release" motion.
Until I did, I did more damage to myself than to others! These mutants might
carry up to 2 medipatches to salvage.
A special bunch of mutants is found in the "Groves" on level 6.
There is the avian mutant; this is a large flying creature. There is also
the plant mutant, a large wavering green blob which has a liquid attack.
Most interesting to me was the gor-tiger mutant, a cross between the gorilla
and the tiger. These unfortunates all have large chips on their shoulders.
Most mutants or fleshly creatures will take damage from any weapon; the
splinter flechette or magnum hollow point works fine. The absolute best
and fastest choice is the skorpion, although the ammo is rare.
One mutant in particular deserves mention: the invisible mutants on
level 3 (maintainance.) These are dangerous and hard to kill. At lower
difficulty levels, the flechette will work ok, as well as the magnum. At the
highest level, the ion rifle works good (2 - 3 blasts on full power) but
drains power needed to see the darn things with the lamp or infrared sight
enhancer. One weapon seemingly devised just for the invisible mutants is
the light saber. To use it, you must be close. I didn't like this weapon;
at high difficulty levels, any enemy that closes with you will try to circle
you. You will be trying to turn and face it until it kills you. There is
only one light saber in the game, in a duct on level 3. For these
creatures, the skorpion was my weapon of choice, assuming I had some ammo
for it! For those wishing to try it, I marked its position on the level 3
map.
Cyborgs
The cyborgs are part flesh, part machine. Programmed by Shodan,
they are actively looking out for people to kill or reprocess into cyborgs.
There are many different types. Most cyborgs carry ammo, patches
(medipatch, staminup patch) or other stuff, so be sure to search them when
down. Cyborgs (except the assassin cyborg) generally make noise. It
sounds like they're saying something you can almost understand.
The easiest to kill is the cyborg drone. These cyborgs make noise;
you will know when they are around. They are not sneaky. They will just
attack you. Cyborg drones carry ammo and sometimes medipatches. A good
salvage from one is a teflon ML-41 pistol clip and either a fragmentation
grenade or a medipatch; or 2 teflon clips.
Also easy to kill is the cyborg assassin. This cyborg uses a
silenced attack; if you begin losing health and see those familiar red static
lines across your screen, you have one of these above or behind you.
You can usually take this guy out with bullets or flechettes; in a pinch,
needle darts may do. They may be carrying needle darts or ML-41 pistol ammo
(up to 2 teflon clips) or medipatches, or grenades, like the drone cyborgs.
The warrior cyborg is next; this creation is fairly fast. A wide
variety of weapons will work here, depending on the difficulty level. The
ML-41 will work fine. My favorite is the magnum. You might find ML-41 ammo
or up to two flechette clips, or one clip and one grenade on these cyborgs.
The mutant cyborg is huge and hard to kill, but slow. The magnum
will do the trick eventually. At low difficulty, the flechette will work.
At high difficulty, 12 to 14 hollow point slugs, over a complete splinter
flechette clip, or about 25 pops from the skorpion are needed. This
creature is best thought of as a dangerous ammo dump. You can find nearly
anything on these. I've seen: a first aid kit with a medipatch, a first aid
kit with an ammo clip, or straight ammo. Tops would be two large (100 shot)
skorpion clips, two penetrator assault rifle clips, or one of each.
The cyberg enforcer is nasty. Armored and aggressive, he will toast
you if given any chance. This is one guy you want to take by surprise. The
magnum will do the trick if you have time; you usually won't. The two best
choices for fast work are the assault rifle with the penetrator ammo, or the
skorpion. Several penetrators or 15-25 pops from the skorpion are needed
at top difficulty. Note: the more common magnum ammo and the magnesium
tipped assault rifle ammo are usable if you can set up a sniper shot; you can
then save the rare ammo for tough spots. Enforcers carry medipatches, first
aid kits, and ammo. Tops would be 2 skorpion large clips, two penetrator
clips, or a combo.
The elite cyborg is found on the ninth, or bridge, level. At the top
difficulty level, I think I encountered 9 on the brige itself; what a picnic
that was. These are like cyberg enforcers, only with more armor, bigger
guns, and a worse disposition. At top difficulty, they will take 15-35 pops
from a skorpion or about 5-6 penetrator shells. You can snipe with a lesser
weapon, but if hit they will move around. This is the cyborg pictured on the
game package. These carry the same booty as the enforcer and mutant cyborg.
Far and away the most impressive cyborg (or creature of any form)
in the game is the Cortex Reaver. These things are as big as a house, well
armed and armored, and they are mean. They even sound nasty. Luckily,
there are only two in the game. Since they are too big to get into the
corridors when they are encountered, they can be sniped at until dead.
Several penetrator assault rounds, a clip or more of magnesium rounds, or
many magnum rounds will do the trick; just don't let them get a bead on
you. I didn't find any ammo or other salvage on these.
The hardest creature to kill in the game is a cyborg. It is your old
buddy, Edward Deigo. He sold out, joined Shodan willingly, and is now
Shodan's right hand tin man. This guy is hard. You get to kill him not once,
but three times (he rejuvenates like us.) I found that at one point, I had a
choice: shoot until I'm dead, rejuve, come back, and so on; or shoot, run, and
come back to set up a sniper attack. I chose the sniper approach. One big
help is the reflex patch; if you have one, it will help you get away or avoid
being pulverized repeatedly.
Robots
The robots, reprogrammed by Shodan, are out for you (except at
lowest difficulty level, where they will ignore you unless attacked.) I
liked the robots the best of all creatures in the game. When searched,
they usually have something usable, like ammo. Some weapons seem more
effective on robots and less so on mutants and cyborgs. Examples are the
sparq, blaster, ion rifle and magpulse.
At the bottom of the difficulty list is the servebot. These are easy
to kill. A pipe works. Any gun will work. Use the pipe instead of the
needle gun and save the ammo. A sparq beam is fine. These may have batteries.
Also easy to kill is the maintainance bot. These can be bashed with
the pipe or shot with the pistol. They carry battery packs and sometimes
have disposable logic probes.
Next up is the repairbot. These can be stopped with the ML-41 pistol
or sparq or magnum. The hornet clip in a flechette works too. They should
be searched, as they often carry battery packs.
The autobomb is a special kind of robot. It is a suicidal,
intelligent, mobil bomb. If it sees you, it will trundle on over and give
you a warm welcome. Shoot first. There won't be anything to salvage.
The hopper earns my personal reward as the robot I'd most like
thrown in a pit. The hoppers show up in force on level R, the reactor level.
That's a shame, because I like the level otherwise. The game has a habit,
expecially on high difficulty on the reactor level, of making them appear
behind you. They move quickly, the laser they carry causes lots of
damage quickly, and I have never found any ammo or other stuff to salvage
from them. In some areas of the game, they spontaneously regenerate
(the reactor level comes to mind.) They also clutter up level 2, north end.
The flier is a flying robot. It fires on you from above, using what
seems to be a machine gun or flechette. Look (up) for them on level 8.
They also make life interesting in the reactor room. You may salvage a
hornet flechette clip from them.
The execbot is armored and aggressive. Even at lower level (1), the
ML-41 pistol with teflon ammo will take many shots and the flechette works
slowly. The magnum or assault rifle work well here. The energy weapons,
the sparq/blaster/ion rifle, work. The magpulse does a great job. You
can find up to two clips of magnum heavy slug ammo, two magnesium tipped
assault rifle clips, or a combo on these when done.
The "security 1 robot" (sec1bot) is a mean little robot. These guys
float on little antigrav units and can shoot you from above in high rooms.
They are fast and mean. The ML-41 is ineffecient against these at higher
levels of difficulty (2 or 3), unless you have spare clips (and some spare
lives.) Use a beam weapon (the ion rifle or magpulse is fastest) or
the magnum or assault rifle.
On the highest difficulty level, it may take 4 to 6 heavy slugs to stop one,
or 3 to 5 magnesium tip assault rifle bullets. These robots carry ammo
only; the best possible salvage would be two magnesium assault rifle clips,
two heavy slug magnum clips, or a combo. You will find an infestation of
these on level 3, in the four outer maintainance areas.
Now, for my favorite robot: the "security 2 robot" (sec2bot.) These
guys are a challenge, pure and simple. Once you start running into them,
you may see quite a few. They show up in some places in the game in
clusters. For example, after blowing the reactor, on my way to the escape
pods, I had to pass through a stretch of level 3 between elevators. There
was a welcoming commitee of seven in the corridor. On level 8, I found one
area with 11 ! (Note: this was at highest difficulty level.) These
guys have big machine guns and are fast. Once you have higher level
mapping hardware, you may be treated to the sight of that big purple square
moving back and forth, trying to get at you right through a wall. In my
tips zip file for level R, I include a look at them; they hang out in the
reactor room.
Take them out with penetrator rounds for fastest effect. At the highest
difficulty rating, it may take (assuming good hits):
3 -4 penetrator assault rifle rounds
25-50 skorpion rounds
6-8 magnesium assault rifle rounds
8-9 magnum heavy slugs
12 magnum hollow point rounds
5 magpulse shots
4 - 6 shots from the ion rifle at full power (4 on overload)
...and some luck or good positioning.
The sec2bots carry up to 2 penetrator clips (rare!) or 2 magnesium assault
clips, 2 heavy slug clips, or a combo. You won't find medipatches or
skorpion clips on sec2bots.
The first weapon you will find is the pipe. I kept it untill I
couldn't find room for it, because it was great for smashing those pesky
cameras. It takes no ammo or system energy.
One oddball weapon is the laser rapier. There is only one in the
game, in a duct on level 3. These appear to be just for battling the
invisible mutants. As I said before, it is only good at close range, where
the creatures will circle you and kill you while you are responding. Some
players think the laser rapiers are fun. Personally, I like to kill my
monsters first and play with them later. I've marked its position on the
level 3 map.
- Energy Weapons -
The stun gun works in mutants and assassin cyborgs. It uses your
system energy. I try to avoid using system-draw weapons on a level until
I have an energy station located. This is the first weapon I discard in
favor of something else.
The sparq works on cyborgs and robots. It will work fairly well on
even execbots and sec1bots, if you have the energy for several shots (and
the time - it will heat up.) If you want, carry two. When one overheats,
select the other. This is another system - draw weapon.
The blaster (rare) is a strong sparq. It will take out low and
medium level robots with 1 - 4 shots. Like other energy weapons, it draws
on your system. I only recall seeing one in the game, on level 5.
My favorite energy weapon in the system - draw catagory is the
ion rifle. In areas with many robots and an energy station close by, this is
my first weapon choice (I can save ammo for other times.) It will take out,
even at the highest difficulty, an execbot with 2 shots, and will do a
sec1bot with 3. The only one in the game is in the Alpha grove, off of
level 6.
The magpulse is an energy weapon, but uses ammo rather than
system-draw to power itself. This weapon is great for any robot and works
on cyborgs too. It is not especially effective on a sec2bot on high
difficulty (5 shots do it.) One note: once you pull the trigger, it travels
a bit slowly. It is possible to lean around a corner, fire two shots, lean
back, and then hear the impact. This means you shouldn't hang out in front
of a robot you're using it on; they'll have time to toast you with their
guns. On the good side, 2 shots take out a sec1bot at high difficulty.
This is a good weapon for the maintainance areas of level 3.
- Bullet Weapons -
The needle dart gun is fine for the mutants you will see on level 1.
You can tranq them to death, as well as using the needle darts to kill them.
Don't bother using the needle dart on most robots; save the effort. The
drone or assassin cyborg can be harmed by these, as can the mutants in the
groves on level 6. Don't be surprised, especially at higher enemy
difficulty levels, if it takes several shots to do the job with this gun.
The ML-41 small pistol is a lifesaver on levels one and two. It works
best with the teflon coated ammo. You can even, if you work at it, take out
an execbot with this, but its usefullness is for the assassin cyborgs,
warrior cyborgs, drone cyborgs, autobombs, and other lowlifers. When
you get the magnum and some ammo, put this away; that's tough, because
you will be liking it, but against stronger enemies it will get you killed.
The rail gun is a strange weapon. When I first got one, I thought I
was ready for anything. It looks better than it works. I repeatedly, thru
two games, picked it up and tried it only to ignore or discard it. I admit,
it is impressive to fire rockets at an enemy. Don't be fooled; this is not
the rocket launcher from Doom. This is more like a system for launching
self-propelled BB's. I have already been killed while trying to do a
humanoid mutant with one! - Hey, even the needle gun does those! If you
want, grab it and try it - just don't think of it as your ace in a hole.
The magnum is the real workhorse of this game. Ammo is plentiful
(on fallen robots) and it will stop just about anything if you keep firing.
I've killed a sec2bot at high difficulty (12 hollow points, 8- 9 heavy slugs)
with this weapon. It works well on most other enemies in the game.
The assault rifle is the counterpart of the magnum. Interestingly,
the assault rifle with magnesium ammo takes less shots to kill something
than the magnum with heavy slugs, but refires a liile less quickly. Also,
the magnesium tipped clips hold 10 shots versus the 12 shot magnum clip. To
me, this makes the two equivilent unless you use the penetrator rounds for
the assault rifle. Those penetrator rounds are absolutely the best for
doing a sec2bot. You can take sec2's out with the skorpion, but at high
difficulty it takes long enough that the sec2 may toast you. Note: the
penetrator clips hold 8 shots.
The skorpion is my favorite weapon. It uses two different clips,
both of which carry the same bullet. One is a 50 shot clip, the other is a
100 shot clip. This is a great weapon for the cyborg enforcers, the mutant
cyborgs, or groups of anything. This is a machine gun, not a single shot
rifle. At top difficulty, it may take 15-25 rounds to do that cyborg
enforcer, but it will do the job.
Grenades and Other Explosives
In general, I found grenades to be hard to use. The EMP grenade
will weaken a sec2bot but not kill it at high difficulty; you can throw one
and then fire a couple of quick magnum heavy slugs to do the job. If you
want to use them, practice throwing. Get a beverage can, and get that "click,
drag, release" routine down, or you will be hurting.
I note that some explosives didn't just kill, they vaporized the
remains. This meant no ammo to be found.
The plastique, found on level 4, is used only on level 7 on the
antenna relays. It is useless anywhere else. Four packs are needed on
level 7 for the four relays.
One explosive I liked was the land mine. I know at one point it was
a lifesaver. That was on level 2, near the CPU node room. I was able to
save myself by setting up several to stem a flood of robots into the room.
I make this a separate subject for a reason. At the top difficulty
level, you may run out of ammo unless you work the game. I don't mean check
every enemy you kill; you should do that anyway. I refer to the irritating
way the game has of randomizing what you will find. In particular, you will
find the enemy at your feet has no ammo to take perhaps 20% to 40% of
the time.
Once you have killed your first sec1bot, you may be feeling lucky or
you may be near death. Either way, you will probably expect more than
a robot with no ammo. Battling thru on high difficulty, I noticed that if I
did a fight badly, checked the robot and found nothing, then reloaded the
game and tried to refight the battle more successfully, the robot would have
a different load of salvage (or something instead of nothing.) I first
began saving the game just before a fight; that way, if the robot had no
goodies, I could refight it and get lucky
I then discovered that if I saved just before searching a downed
enemy, I could reload and re-search that enemy and perhaps get more lucky.
The game was randomizing the stash on the downed robot, at game reload.
Midway into my last pass thru the game at high difficulty (right after being
reduced to taking on Deigo-bot with hollow points), I decided to add an
aspect to the challenge: I would see how much ammo I could accumulate, to
spite the game's stingyness.
Doing the "save before checking the body" routine to the max, I
managed to save up 63 assault rifle penetrator clips and 74 large skorpion
clips up to the point at end game where I entered cyberspace to battle
Shodan. This was wayoverkill, of course; but the point is, if you are running
out of ammo, the save/check/reload/check technique can be a lifesaver. This
is also why I listed the type of ammo each creature can be expected to carry
at maximum. For example, if you find a cyborg enforcer carrying 2 large
skorpion clips, take them. That's as good as it gets. Note: I didn't see any
creature carrying more than two items of any sort.
Cyberspace is confusing at first. The technique needed to move
around is completely different than that used in the outside world. To move
forward at speed, you must place the cursor near center so it looks like a
golf ball. Then click and hold down the left mouse button to go. Off center,
the cursor changes to an arrow. In this mode, you may turn but will not
accelerate.
To me, cyberspace seemed best taken at small doses. Do a little,
get out, save, go back in and you may find it more fun. I would, however,
do cyberspace as soon as you find a terminal (or two, as on level 2.) There
are doors locked in cyberspace. You may find yourself making a trip back
across a level if you leave C/space for later. A few tips:
On your main game screen, you have buttons on the bottom. The
one to the right brings up the software screen. Select the software you
want to be using before you go in; once you have them, the pulsar (weapon)
and the c-shield should be activated. Then save, and enter cyberspace.
Once in, click on that same button to shut off the software display.
Otherwise, you will be turning software on/off (my favorite mistake was to
shut off my shield) while trying to click, hold and thus point yourself at
something.
If you come across a colored solid box with an outlined blue
pyramid in/thru it, you have found something good enough to be protected
by ice. Ice is security software. Some (the small pyramids) is passive and
will just resist your drill. (Use the drill, not the pulsar, on ice) Some
ice is active and will immediately attack you. If you have a good enough
drill, and a good enough shield, you will survive. Destroy the ice and run
into the box to get the program.
The red crosses are healing agents. Run into them to restore data
integrity. The shapes resembling two square plates with a smaller center
are mines. Avoid them. The five small triangles in a circle are an exit
portal. Run into it to leave.
All colored boxes are data or programs you can see or take. Run
into all of them. Figures which look like yellow stop signs on posts are
info nodes; run into them and informative text will appear.
Figures which look like rams heads are enemies. Fire your pulsar
at them. As they weaken, they darken and then disappear. Figures which
look like blue and white faces are also enemies; they will also darken and
fade away when attacked.
The most actively dangerous construct in cyberspace is the cortex
reaver. These creatures exist in cyberspace and the outside world at the
same time. You should meet at least two. Fire your pulsar at them; they
will break into individual dots and then disappear. (Make sure your shield
is up before facing these guys.)
One thing to specially watch for in cyberspace is the cyberspace-
locked door. In cyberspace, these appear as a small elongated object
with a point at each end. The center will be rotated with respect to the ends
and will be colored differently. Run into these to unlock doors out in the
real world.
Not all corridors in cyberspace are clearly marked. Look at corridors
that seem to lead to a room you are in; the walls will be flashing solid and
clear, but the entrance will remain clear.
Battery packs can be found on repairbots and elsewhere in the game.
Carry some if you can. The plain packs will restore almost one third of
your system power. The I-cad packs will comepletely restore you.
Skin patches come in several types. My favorite (and the most rare)
is the reflex patch. This comes in specially handy against groups of nasties.
Medipatches are great. They take a few moments to work to their
fullest. Expect them to restore about 30% of your health.
First aid kits will restore your health in full. They are worth the
space they take up.
The berserk patches are fun, but I didn't find them actually useful.
The detox patches are handy for when you leave a radiation area.
As long as you stay, you will continue to take damage even if you do detox
patches. When you leave, you will also continue to take damage as your rad
level drops slowly. A detox patch will drop the rad level immediately, and
stop any "leftover" additional radiation damage.
Logic probes immediately solve access panel puzzles. In at least
one area (the auto-regenerating autobomb room) having one is a big help.
The biosuits are very useful, but also rare. There is a version 1
uit on level 4, a version 2 suit on level 3, and a (V3) on levels 7 and 9.
Note that the higher version suits reduce biocontamination and radioactivity
more than the lower; V3 is best. I recommend you have a V3 before you enter
the reactor room. Note also, that these suits will drain system energy as
they shield you, more so in more intense contamination and more so in
higher version suits.
Elevators: You can get toasted being careless in these. For
instance, the first time you go from level 1 to 2 you will find a large
group of humanoid mutants right at the door. It is wise to have a good
weapon loaded and ready. Also be ready to double click on the door frame
to close the door if things get nasty; you can take a medipatch, reload,
perhaps save, and get ready for round 2.
Well, that's it for general tips. Check out the level - specific
maps and tips, to find hidden stuff, elevators and energy stations. I
have included a spoiler section below which details the plot flow, and
a "tough spots" spoiler detailing those areas where you are most likely
to need a reflex patch (and a good weapon, lots of ammo, luck...)
These "spoilers" may spoil the game for you. Read on at
your risk; I advise reading only until you know what you must do next. The
plot flow spoilers assume you have a normal plot difficulty (2) set at
game start.
** Caution: Spoilers - Notes on the Plot Flow of the Game **
You start on level 1, the hospital level. You must blow the
CPU's and take the digit on the screen for the future (record which
digit goes with which level.) You find out about Shodan's plan to
use the mining laser to destroy Earth's cities. You find a log. It
mentions blowing up the laser by firing it into the shield. First
you must get the X22 to power the shield. You go to level 2.
On level 2, you find and grab the X22. You also find the laser
firing control. Logs help to make sense of the plot; You must go to
the reactor level (R), use the X22 to power the shield, start
the shield up, enable the laser safety override, and return to level 2
to fire the laser into the shield and wreck it, foiling Shodan. You
should go to the level 2 library and get the laser safety override code.
On level R, you find the shield room. You use the X22; "X" marks
the spot. You use the lever, and the shield is up. You then must get
to an area in the western part of the center of the level. The laser
safety override is up a repulsar lift. You enable the laser. You return
to level 2.
Back on level 2, you must fire the laser (big robot/cyborg ambush
here.) You should also get, on this and other of the levels 1 through
6, the CPU code digit after blowing up the CPU's. Shodan leaves a log
which you find detailing its mutagen virus plans for destroying Earth's
higher lifeforms. After you blow the laser, Shodan sends you gloating
E-mail mentioning the virus. It is being developed and used
experimentally in a "grove," a park area in a separate pod, off level 6.
You find out about Shodan's virus plan. You head up to 6 to try to
jettison the Beta grove (this was a park-like area, one of four.) You also
find out about some people still alive on level 5, who need your help.
They want you to join them and make an escape with them. You can find
the elevator to level 5 relatively close to the one you came up to
level 6 in. However, the people are already dead; only their E-mail, (and
a cortex reaver left to ambush you) lives on. You don't need to rush to
level 5; you can do it later (after levels 6, 3, 4, and 7) if you like.
You find that you must enter each of the three remaining groves.
Shodan has altered the procedure for jettison. The jettison enable must be
pressed inside each of the three groves. Then the master enable lever,
in Deigo's quarters in the southwest, must be pulled. However, something
is wrong. A relay has blown on the maintainance level (3). You must go
down to level 3, fix the problem, and return to the master enable.
Note: Beta grove is biocontaminated. Without a biosuit, your health
will decrease quickly. If you want, go down thru level 5 to the freight
elevator, and down to level 4. There is a version 1 biosuit down there.
It is south, then east, of the freight elevator, in the southeast corner of
the level, behind a door locked with an access panel and by Shodan. See my
level 4 tips if you like, to find out how to quickly lower level security
and get in to the suit.
After doing level 3, do the master enable, and go back to Beta grove.
Use the jettison switch in the office with the elevator down to Beta grove;
the grove will now jettison.
It is worth noting that unless you set the plot difficulty for level
3, in which you operate against a time limit, you can actually poke around
a lot. The virus won't be sent to Earth; you just can't advance in the
plot without jettisoning the Beta grove.
I mention this because of levels 4 and 5. Level 4 is the storage
deck. It is relatively small. Level 5 is the flight deck. It has the
emergency life pods. Both levels can be done before or after level 3 has
been done. You can explore these at your leisure now, before or after
doing level 3. Level 3 is tough; doing the others first allows you to
accumulate ammo and weapons.
You will need the CPU room digits from levels 1 thru 6 before you
blow the reactor. You will need to explore levels 3, 4 and 5 for those
CPU codes.
The next step isn't to blow the reactor (that comes later, at least
on normal plot difficulty.) Shodan is going to download itself into an
Earth computer network, and you must stop it. Get 4 packs of plastique
from level 4, go up to level 7, and blow the 4 antenna relays. Simple,
right? This is where you actually need to go to level 4; the plastique is
found only on that level.
Once you've blown the relays, you will find that permission has been
given to blow up the station. You must set the reactor to overload, jump
into a life pod, and escape. Before you can set the reactor to overload,
you must have visited levels 1 through 6 and gotten those CPU code digits.
On level R, you go into the center of the reactor, enter the code (levels
1,2,3 digits; then levels 4,5 and 6 digits) and things get shaky.
You head up to level 5. You go to the pods. Edward Deigo is
waiting for you. You get past him and into a life pod, which Shodan won't
allow to launch. Shodan is also planning an escape: it is detaching the
bridge from the main station body to escape the reactor explosion. It's
time to head up to level 8.
On level 8, you must make your way to a force bridge. If you look up,
you can see two things: a bunch of energy sucker mines hanging im mid air,
and a force bridge. That force bridge is the one you eventually take
from the central tower towards the outer area. It will take you to an
elevator which heads up to level 9. To get to it, you must first activate
and then cross a force bridge (from the outer area towards the center)
through those energy sucker mines you saw hanging in space. You then climb
a really big ladder to the other force bridge. You cross the brige, heading
out to the outer area. There is a confrontation with Edward Deigo (the last)
and some buddies of his. Then you can take Ed's access card and enter the
elevator. Caution: Once you take that elevator, the plot proceeds as the
bridge separates from the main station, and the reactor blows up. You then
cannot return to any other level (they're history.)
On level 9, you must travel the outer parts of the level. You look
for a screen showing a force door; next to the screen will be an access
panel. There are 3 of these to find and three force doors to turn off. You
must also find the isolinear chipset. It is in a cage with a body. Once
you have the chipset and the doors are down, you go to a computer room on
the south side of the west wall. Using the chipset on the circuit board
starts the end game; the two doors to the level's center open. You must
battle to the cyberspace port and then fight Shodan in cyberspace.
These spots are the tough ones. They are bad at normal enemy
difficulty, and a real challenge at enemy difficulty #3 (the hardest.)
These are the situations to save those reflex patches for:
A) Level R, to enable the laser safety override. There are two ways to
get in. One is through a *very* radioactive underpass. The other is through
a room where Shodan has set up an ambush. Either route in is best travelled
(rad area) or blasted through (ambush) at high speed; a reflex patch can
help. An execbot will be waiting at the corridor's end; do it and use the
repulsar up to the room with the safety override enable.
B) level 2, when entering the large central room you must visit to fire the
laser, after activating the shield. Huge robot and cyborg ambush ensues.
To make things worse, your cursor becomes an hourglass as Shodan taunts you.
When you regain control, you are gonna die if you don't fly...There is, to
your right, a hidden room. A cyborg assassin will probably be popping out
of it to join the party. Do him and use the room as shelter; blast any
cyborgs in sight, then take a breather. You can lean out and do the rest
at your leisure.
C) When you enter the reactor room to enter the code and cause overload,
to destroy the station and Shodan. Many robots, all angry. Also fliers.
Also a lot of radiation. Hopefully you will have gotten the version 2
biosuit/envirosuit from the office on Level 3 by the CPU in one of the two
hidden rooms, (entrance to the right of the elevator from level 2) past
the retinal scanner (the head you need to activate this is in the long
jagged room on the west, at the north end of the room). There is also a
version 3 suit (better) up on level 7; if you have this one, you will be in
good shape radiation-wise. The better suit will give you time to be cautious.
D) Edward Deigo-bot. Anytime you see this guy is a good time for a quick
save and a reflex patch. Expect him:
1) when you are going to pull the master grove jettison enable. You go to
the master enable (in Deigo's quarters) and there he is.
2) when you have finally gotten the reactor to overload, you must get off
of the station or be vaporized. You head for the life pods on level 5 and
guess who's waiting for you? The reflex patch works wonders here. Note:
This is a good time for a run. The south bay has an iris door exit. Use
the access panel to its left, and open it. Head to the north end of the
bay, towards the pods. Open the iris door to the pod area, take a shot,
turn, click on the turbo motion booster, and run for the exit. You will
find Deigo stays in the bay; just cicle around, come out above, and snipe.
3) On level 8, you finally enter the central core and climb the big ladder.
You cross the (unmined) force walk and enter an area covered with a
biological infestation. There is a walled in area in the center of the room.
The elevator to level 9 is right there, but locked. Don't get too close to
that door yet. Turn on your shield, have some penetrator ammo loaded
(or the skorpion full up), pop that reflex patch and step in front of the
door. Deigo appears. You pound on him until pureed. The walls at the
center of the room disappear into the ceiling, leaving a welcome commitee.
On high difficulty, I found 3 mutant cyborgs waiting to greet me.
E) On level 9, in the southeast corner is a maze of a room. It has, on the
east end of the north wall, an access panel and view screen. Once you do
that panel, the computer room to the west opens (this is the third of three
force doors to shut down.) Problem is, you first need to get there. Then
you need to leave. If you choose high difficulty, and "take the low road"
in, you'll need to do three elite cyborgs, a mutant cyborg and a radioactive
area just to get to the end of the corridor, where the entrance is to the
autobomb room.
It's a good idea at this point to retreat, heal, and charge up before
the big effort. The room is filled with autobombs. Have your energy level
topped. Turn on your shield. Load the skorpion with a big clip.
Pop that reflex patch, and in you go. Destroy as many auto bombs as you
can at a distance (if near, they will damage you when they blow.) Pop
medipatches as you go.
When you make it to the access panel, save your game. Pull out a logic
probe; double click it on the panel, and get out quick. -The autobombs in
this area regenerate. You will never kill them all. I found this out to
my sorrow after carefully creeping around for about an hour, map checking
and snipering the little buggers.
F) Again on level 9, in the bridge area itself. At high difficulty, I
found 9 elete cyborgs waiting for me.
