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PF Volunteers - Mece's Inferno | ||
Posted By: Steve Levinson | Date: 8/27/04 5:09 a.m. | |
Although tough in places, this ranks as one of my favorite levels in the scenario. I'll admit, I'm partial to lava, but the visuals in Mece's Inferno are particularly cool. What I particularly like about this level is that it's completely nonlinear, even though it may not seem so at first. You're given a mission objective and maps with locations of circuits to rewire, and set loose. Although it may seem cryptic as to what switch does what, a good rule of thumb is activate any switch when you come to it, and the way will ultimately be clear. Eventually, all the parts of the puzzle fit together. Shaki and Ossinder have decided that Mece must be dealt with once and for all. You need to rewire three critical circuits so that Shaki and Ossinder can contain and kill him. You are told that it is critical not to destroy these circuits, as that would allow Mece to escape. As it turns out, the circuits are indestructible, so there is no worry of accidentally doing this, but one cannot help but wonder what it would be like if they could be destroyed. The problem is that the juggers could destroy the circuits if the player isn't careful. Matt, here's a thought. Behind each panel that must be lowered, place an ordinary switch and a destructible circuit next to each other. The player would need to flip the switch and to then close the panel to prevent damage by a jugger. There might be something to this effect in the instructions. Should the player manage to destroy a circuit, however, they might be taken to a new secret level. Just a thought. Anyway, the player starts out getting their instructions from that now-famous lowering comm terminal. A PB is on the opposite side, but watch out for fighters on the ledge above you. Your next stop is a room with a 3X shield recharger, which is probably overkill IMO. There are two rooms across the lava from you - the left one contains a rocket launcher and ammo, and the right one is your way on. A platform that raises quickly and lowers slowly is used to leap to these rooms, but you need to time your leap carefully. If you miss, simply stand over the platform and it will rise, allowing you to leap back to the recharger. When you get to the room on the right, a hallway leads forward up a set of stairs, but the way ahead is blocked. Instead turn right and head along a ledge until you are in a room directly across from the first circuit panel. Leap across the lava, but a set of platforms will inflict damage as you do - most of the time. Open the panel, and be sure to watch your back as you do so. The player will generally encounter their first juggernaut here. There are 3 or 4 of them, I believe, in this level. You are given ample tools to take them out, but there really is no need to. Except in a few cases you can always outrun them, and there are strategies for dealing with them when you can't. Around the corner from the circuit panel is a 2X recharger - use it if necessary - and a switch. This switch removes the obstruction back at the beginning, but you aren't likely to know that if you follow the traditional route. Regardless of which way you intend to go, forward or back, I recommend returning to the 3X recharger. Your 2X shielding is more than adequate to survive the lava, so head back in the direction from which you came (no need to deal with the crushing platforms), stand on the rising platform and leap across to the recharger. Now if you head back across to the right room and head up the stairs, you'll find the way ahead clear. This to me is the most logical way to go at this point and it makes finishing the level a whole lot easier. At the top of the stairs, being careful not to fall down the hole just yet, turn left and follow the catwalk around, dealing with any remaining projectile fighters. You will soon come to a room with a pattern buffer and the exit terminal. Should you read the terminal before completing the level, you'll get a prerecorded venomous message from Mece and a very important message from our as yet unknown entity:
Matt - I've capitalized two spelling corrections. Interesting - the "right servitude". I think most of us can relate to that! Off of this room is another walkway - at the end of it is a switch - the second key switch out of 4. This switch raises a set of stairs back in the room with the PB. If you head up the stairs now, however, you'll be able to see the 3rd circuit you need to rewire, buy you won't be able to get to it yet. Head back to the junction point near the beginning of the level, but this time jump down into the hole where the obstruction used to be. Start to go up a set of stairs but - watch out! - One of the steps is booby-trapped. You'll note that there is a lava path crossing the stairway, blocked only by one of the steps. This step is really a platform that will lower into the lava the moment you step onto it. Since you'd probably rather not take a lava bath right now, don't step onto it all the way. Instead, edge up to it until it lowers and then wait until it raises up again. Your way will now be clear. Occasionally a jugger will see you and try to take you out. If this happens, go back down the stairs and around the corner, and wait - eventually he'll get bored and leave. From the top of the stairs, leap across to the landing across the way - you'll just barely make it without sidestepping - and run like hell along the walkway ahead of you as the juggers fire at you incessantly. Enter the teleporter at the end of the walkway. You'll re-materialize in a pool of lava - quickly turn around and step onto the landing to the right. There is a 1X recharger on the landing to the left, but use it only if you're desperate, as the juggers will pick you off as you try to recharge. The terminal on the right tells you to move as the knight. Ahead of you is a small checkerboard pattern. If you play chess, you know what to do - if not, just know that knights can only move on a diagonal, 2 spaces up and 1 over. Any deviation from this pattern will dump you into the lava. Once across, open the panel and flip the switch, then return stepping on exactly the same squares as before. Jump across the lava and turn left, letting yourself drop down to the ledge below you before the juggers can get you. Ahead is the room with the PB - we've made a circle! The switch we just flipped has opened a wall that you probably haven't noticed since we didn't take what I assume was the intended route at the start, so let's go there now. Go back to the room where we leapt across to the first circuit we rewired. Rather than heading across and getting crushed again, head sharply to the left and leap out into the lava. A path will soon become evident on the left. Along that path will be an opening. There is a room here with what looks like a wishing well (it even has water), some ammo and a switch to flip. This switch raises a catwalk to access the circuit that is off the room with the PB. There is a 2X recharger here as well if you need it. Return to the ledge and head left, leaping out into the lava at the end. You'll see a thin strip ahead on the right - there used to be a wall here - head over the strip into the lava on the other side and you'll see the second circuit raising out of the lava. Watch out for the jugger(s) as you rewire it, and then return either by way of the trick stairway to your right or more easily via the wishing well room to get a recharge, and then the rising platform to the 3X recharger. The way will now be clear to the 3rd circuit, and you're done! (Matt, note the corrected spelling below.)
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Replies: |
PF Volunteers - Mece's Inferno | Steve Levinson | 8/27/04 5:09 a.m. | |
Re: PF Volunteers - Mece's Inferno | Dr. John Sumner | 8/27/04 6:06 a.m. | |
Re: PF Volunteers - Mece's Inferno | Steve Levinson | 8/27/04 7:54 a.m. |
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