Re: Evil Volunteers: Mr. Bill Meets Gumby


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Re: Evil Volunteers: Mr. Bill Meets Gumby

Posted By: Steve Levinson Date: 1/27/04 1:19 p.m.
In Response To: Evil Volunteers: Mr. Bill Meets Gumby (Mark Levin)

: Taking a page from the original SONK, your shuttle goes off course and
: crashes before reaching the alien ship (I missed this reference the first
: time through). You've landed in a set of ruins surrounding yet another
: crashed Mystic spaceship, except this time it's infested with Devlins as
: well as Pfhor.
Yes, there are devlins here. Unless this happens to be the same planet we visited at the beginning of the scenario, which seems doubtful, it would appear that the devlins are not an ambient lifeform after all, or if they are, the mystics brought them here to keep us company.
: This level involves quite a lot of backtracking. On the level's main path
: this isn't so bad, as you're usually forced to take an alternate route out
: of wherever you've gotten yourself into. However, there are a few places
: where a misstep will dump you back quite earlier in the level, which is
: more of an irritation.
Indeed. I would like to make mention here of the fact that there are a lot of cyborgs on this level, starting from the moment you exit your shuttle. Fortunately, there is generally a fair amount of wiggle room to get around them. If you've never fisted a cyborg (no comments this time, please), now's your chance. I wouldn't recommend it with the major cyborgs, but the minor ones are surprisingly easy to take out once you get the hang of it. The most imporant point is to sidestep very quickly. By constantly moving sideways around the cyborg(s) while punching them, you'll avoid taking damage from their grenades and even from their death blast if you're fast enough. Just be careful not to get too close to a wall, as a grenade hitting a nearby wall will do damage.
: The second terminal on this level demonstrates why checkpoint terminals
: should not be used in Marathon Infinity,
Please explain this one, Mark - I'm not following you.
: and then we're off to explore the
: ruins. This opening area is important as it contains the key to a pretty
: major secret, in the mysterious room with the 3 sliding platforms hanging
: down from the ceiling. If these 3 platforms are moved so that they are
: just touching the point where the texture on the inner column changes,
: then you will be able to get this secret much later in the level.
Yes, it is a major secret, but it's pretty obscure. Unlike the major secret in TI that involved setting 4 switches in the proper order, however, there are a lot of clues to this one. For one thing, you can see the bottoms of the pillars from each switch that controls them and see them move up and down. Once on top, you can figure out where these pillars are from map view. The door you want to reach is subtle, but clearly visible, and the drop-down platform that makes it possible to gain access will operate if tabbed from the ground. Putting all of these things together, the player ought to be able to figure this one out, but I certainly didn't the first time I played.
: I've never been a big fan of the Sewage set, but the mapmaking and texturing
: here is generally impeccable.
Agreed - this is a superb map inspite of the sewage set.
: The map twists over and back on itself all
: the time, leading to new views of old areas and new ways to reach
: previously unreachable ledges, and features some neat tricks like a
: freestanding 4-stop elevator and a working airlock (which was also present
: in SONK). Eventually, you reach the spaceship to the north and activate
: the device at the bottom level while several Mystics meditate or
: something.
They've been meditating for quite some time, and storing energy in the process. They can use this energy to warp themselves across vast distances. Fortunately, we've inserted a link to the onboard AI that will allow us to track the ship, although it would have seemed more real if we'd inserted a chip, wouldn't you think?
: Getting back out of the ship is harder, since you have to make
: your way through a Devlin nest (including several tiny juveniles which can
: be very hard to hit, and some sort of completely invisible monster that
: kept damaging me even after all the Devlins were dead).
Well, for one thing, it helps to kill off the large devlins before heading for the alien ship. This makes it oh so much easier when you actually have to pass through here to exit back to your shuttle (unless you make use of the secret exit as noted in my last post). The juvenile devlins are definitely a pain and too numerous to make it worthwhile eliminating them. If you killed off the big ones, you should be able to make a run for it after figuring out your path in map view. That invisible devlin is as far as I can tell indestructable - you can't kill it, so don't try. And it's completely invisible.
: Also, when you
: emerge from the Mystic room, do not go all the way to the back of the
: Cyborg room; you will trigger a pair of gun turrets covering the door out.
Gee, you're no fun, Mark. I would be much more concerned about the many major cyborgs than a couple of turrets that can easily be bypassed by timing your run.
: Another rude surprise comes if you swim directly over the alien ship; a
: group of Fighters will teleport in who are able to fire underwater, a
: break with the original game which is never really explained.
Actually, all the projectile fighters can fire under water, and not just on this level. I discovered this playing a while back on Hackers - if a projectile fighter falls into the swimming pool, he can still fire on you. Fortunately, your rail gun works quite nicely under water (a fact that is easily missed).
: This level also makes heavy use of gun turrets, featuring several types. Most
: of them fire simple S'pht bolts (an interesting choice, given that the
: S'pht will appear later in the scenario), but there are a couple that fire
: a very large, slow-moving white projectile.
On the alien ship there is a destructable switch that will deactivate some of the turrets, but it's behind a group of major cyborgs and probably not worth the effort. There is also a switch behind a locked door on the ship that is light-dependent and which I've never been able to activate. It's easy enough to fire a weapon at it through an adjacent window, but I just can't figure out how to activate it. In any case, a peak in Forge indicates that it operates the door back on our shuttle - but why?
: Story-wise, this level contains a lot of information. The appearance of the
: Mystic Drones are foreshadowed, along with a hint that we'll be going
: quite far into the future. The humans have taken over the ancient Mystic
: ship and started exploring the technology found there. The ship is
: preparing to follow the Mystics, essentially ending the first part of Evil
: and preparing us up for a change of setting.
And some of the most challenging levels in the Marathon Universe. But first we're going to go for a little R & R, or so we think . . .

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Pre-2004 Posts

Replies:

Evil Volunteers: Mr. Bill Meets Gumby Mark Levin 1/27/04 10:42 a.m.

Re: Evil Volunteers: Mr. Bill Meets Gumby Dr. John Sumner 1/27/04 11:38 a.m.

Re: Evil Volunteers: Mr. Bill Meets Gumby Mark Levin 1/27/04 11:57 a.m.

Re: Evil Volunteers: Mr. Bill Meets Gumby Steve Levinson 1/27/04 12:49 p.m.

Re: Evil Volunteers: Mr. Bill Meets Gumby D-M.A. 1/28/04 1:12 a.m.

Re: Evil Volunteers: Mr. Bill Meets Gumby Steve Levinson 1/28/04 5:59 a.m.

Re: Evil Volunteers: Mr. Bill Meets Gumby Steve Levinson 1/27/04 1:19 p.m.

Re: Evil Volunteers: Mr. Bill Meets Gumby Mark Levin 1/27/04 3:04 p.m.

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Pre-2004 Posts

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: Yes, there are devlins here. Unless this happens to be the same planet we : visited at the beginning of the scenario, which seems doubtful, it would : appear that the devlins are not an ambient lifeform after all, or if they : are, the mystics brought them here to keep us company. : Indeed. I would like to make mention here of the fact that there are a lot : of cyborgs on this level, starting from the moment you exit your shuttle. : Fortunately, there is generally a fair amount of wiggle room to get around : them. If you've never fisted a cyborg (no comments this time, please), : now's your chance. I wouldn't recommend it with the major cyborgs, but the : minor ones are surprisingly easy to take out once you get the hang of it. : The most imporant point is to sidestep very quickly. By constantly moving : sideways around the cyborg(s) while punching them, you'll avoid taking : damage from their grenades and even from their death blast if you're fast : enough. Just be careful not to get too close to a wall, as a grenade : hitting a nearby wall will do damage. : Please explain this one, Mark - I'm not following you. : Yes, it is a major secret, but it's pretty obscure. Unlike the major secret : in TI that involved setting 4 switches in the proper order, however, there : are a lot of clues to this one. For one thing, you can see the bottoms of : the pillars from each switch that controls them and see them move up and : down. Once on top, you can figure out where these pillars are from map : view. The door you want to reach is subtle, but clearly visible, and the : drop-down platform that makes it possible to gain access will operate if : tabbed from the ground. Putting all of these things together, the player : ought to be able to figure this one out, but I certainly didn't the first : time I played. : Agreed - this is a superb map inspite of the sewage set. : They've been meditating for quite some time, and storing energy in the : process. They can use this energy to warp themselves across vast : distances. Fortunately, we've inserted a link to the onboard AI that will : allow us to track the ship, although it would have seemed more real if : we'd inserted a chip, wouldn't you think? : Well, for one thing, it helps to kill off the large devlins before heading : for the alien ship. This makes it oh so much easier when you actually have : to pass through here to exit back to your shuttle (unless you make use of : the secret exit as noted in my last post). The juvenile devlins are : definitely a pain and too numerous to make it worthwhile eliminating them. : If you killed off the big ones, you should be able to make a run for it : after figuring out your path in map view. That invisible devlin is as far : as I can tell indestructable - you can't kill it, so don't try. And it's : completely invisible. : Gee, you're no fun, Mark. I would be much more concerned about the many major : cyborgs than a couple of turrets that can easily be bypassed by timing : your run. : Actually, all the projectile fighters can fire under water, and not just on : this level. I discovered this playing a while back on Hackers - if a : projectile fighter falls into the swimming pool, he can still fire on you. : Fortunately, your rail gun works quite nicely under water (a fact that is : easily missed). : On the alien ship there is a destructable switch that will deactivate some of : the turrets, but it's behind a group of major cyborgs and probably not : worth the effort. There is also a switch behind a locked door on the ship : that is light-dependent and which I've never been able to activate. It's : easy enough to fire a weapon at it through an adjacent window, but I just : can't figure out how to activate it. In any case, a peak in Forge : indicates that it operates the door back on our shuttle - but why? : And some of the most challenging levels in the Marathon Universe. But first : we're going to go for a little R & R, or so we think . . .

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Evil Volunteers: Mr. Bill Meets Gumby	Mark Levin	1/27/04 10:42 a.m.
Re: Evil Volunteers: Mr. Bill Meets Gumby	Dr. John Sumner	1/27/04 11:38 a.m.
Re: Evil Volunteers: Mr. Bill Meets Gumby	Mark Levin	1/27/04 11:57 a.m.
Re: Evil Volunteers: Mr. Bill Meets Gumby	Steve Levinson	1/27/04 12:49 p.m.
Re: Evil Volunteers: Mr. Bill Meets Gumby	D-M.A.	1/28/04 1:12 a.m.
Re: Evil Volunteers: Mr. Bill Meets Gumby	Steve Levinson	1/28/04 5:59 a.m.
Re: Evil Volunteers: Mr. Bill Meets Gumby	Steve Levinson	1/27/04 1:19 p.m.
Re: Evil Volunteers: Mr. Bill Meets Gumby	Mark Levin	1/27/04 3:04 p.m.



	Your Name:
	Your E-Mail Address:
	Subject:
	Message: : Yes, there are devlins here. Unless this happens to be the same planet we : visited at the beginning of the scenario, which seems doubtful, it would : appear that the devlins are not an ambient lifeform after all, or if they : are, the mystics brought them here to keep us company. : Indeed. I would like to make mention here of the fact that there are a lot : of cyborgs on this level, starting from the moment you exit your shuttle. : Fortunately, there is generally a fair amount of wiggle room to get around : them. If you've never fisted a cyborg (no comments this time, please), : now's your chance. I wouldn't recommend it with the major cyborgs, but the : minor ones are surprisingly easy to take out once you get the hang of it. : The most imporant point is to sidestep very quickly. By constantly moving : sideways around the cyborg(s) while punching them, you'll avoid taking : damage from their grenades and even from their death blast if you're fast : enough. Just be careful not to get too close to a wall, as a grenade : hitting a nearby wall will do damage. : Please explain this one, Mark - I'm not following you. : Yes, it is a major secret, but it's pretty obscure. Unlike the major secret : in TI that involved setting 4 switches in the proper order, however, there : are a lot of clues to this one. For one thing, you can see the bottoms of : the pillars from each switch that controls them and see them move up and : down. Once on top, you can figure out where these pillars are from map : view. The door you want to reach is subtle, but clearly visible, and the : drop-down platform that makes it possible to gain access will operate if : tabbed from the ground. Putting all of these things together, the player : ought to be able to figure this one out, but I certainly didn't the first : time I played. : Agreed - this is a superb map inspite of the sewage set. : They've been meditating for quite some time, and storing energy in the : process. They can use this energy to warp themselves across vast : distances. Fortunately, we've inserted a link to the onboard AI that will : allow us to track the ship, although it would have seemed more real if : we'd inserted a chip, wouldn't you think? : Well, for one thing, it helps to kill off the large devlins before heading : for the alien ship. This makes it oh so much easier when you actually have : to pass through here to exit back to your shuttle (unless you make use of : the secret exit as noted in my last post). The juvenile devlins are : definitely a pain and too numerous to make it worthwhile eliminating them. : If you killed off the big ones, you should be able to make a run for it : after figuring out your path in map view. That invisible devlin is as far : as I can tell indestructable - you can't kill it, so don't try. And it's : completely invisible. : Gee, you're no fun, Mark. I would be much more concerned about the many major : cyborgs than a couple of turrets that can easily be bypassed by timing : your run. : Actually, all the projectile fighters can fire under water, and not just on : this level. I discovered this playing a while back on Hackers - if a : projectile fighter falls into the swimming pool, he can still fire on you. : Fortunately, your rail gun works quite nicely under water (a fact that is : easily missed). : On the alien ship there is a destructable switch that will deactivate some of : the turrets, but it's behind a group of major cyborgs and probably not : worth the effort. There is also a switch behind a locked door on the ship : that is light-dependent and which I've never been able to activate. It's : easy enough to fire a weapon at it through an adjacent window, but I just : can't figure out how to activate it. In any case, a peak in Forge : indicates that it operates the door back on our shuttle - but why? : And some of the most challenging levels in the Marathon Universe. But first : we're going to go for a little R & R, or so we think . . .
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