The most straightforward (but not the best) way to solve the
level is to ignore the need to raise the H-shaped platform
over the lava by the pattern buffer. You can simply drop
down into the lava, then grenade hop onto the opposite side.
The disadvantage to this is that you have to start the next
level with less than full shields.
To solve the level without grenade hopping, it is necessary
to run through the lava in the room with a single column.
This is difficult, because it's tough to aim at the wasps in
the next room from within the lava.
In fact, there is no need to trek through *any* lava to
complete this level. In the room with the single column,
grenade hop from the entry platform into the little alcove
on the wall to the right. The alcove extends all the way
into the next room. It's easy to kill the wasps one by one
from within the passageway.
From David Carlton (carlton@math.mit.edu)
It's not to hard to do the part of the level where you have to run
through lava without grenade hopping. First, make sure that you've
killed the two wasps that are behind the pillar in the room where you want to enter the lava (one on each side of the pillar) - you can get them with grenades if you aim right. Next, look at the map in the MSG, and notice how, when you go up the stairs, you'll get to a room, and immediately to the right of where you enter that room, there's a passage out, which leads back to the room where you first entered the lava. What you can do is run through the lava and run right up the stairs. Don't worry about killing wasps - if they're right in front of you, you can kill them to get them out of your way, but don't hang around to kill them. Instead, just run into the room, make a U-turn, and run out that other passage, landing on the ledge. Then run back to the shield regenerator and pattern buffer, and use them. Now the wasps should be following you, somewhat scattered throughout the maze, and are easy to pick off.
A secret computer terminal can be located on this level. After
you have passed through the door that is activated by the
switch way up high, and gotten the 2x shields, you'll
proceed to a T-intersection. At the top of the 'T', hit
your action key, and a terminal should be revealed. Hmm,
that '79 Camaro looks in good shape as well...
The octagonal rooms that can squish you contain only contain
some extra ammo and some aliens to kill, thus, it's not necessary
to 'run the guantlet', and risk your life for that. HOWEVER,
if you happen to have the napalm unit, then with the run key down,
fire that baby up, and quickly pass through the three rooms without
stopping.
The U-shaped room that contains the SPNKR Rocket Launcher, the
Napalm unit, and the M75 is NOT accessible. This room is only
a teaser, and similar rooms appear in the higher levels of the
game.
The most difficult puzzle in the entire game (IMHO), as it requires
good observation skills, is the seven-platform room. Joshua D. Koppelma (joshua@mit.edu) offers the following:
> I may be lame (and I may have missed the solution to
> this) but can someone give me a clue as to how to set
> the columns in the big chamber?
> ===== exit ======
>
> = 7 =
> = 6 =
> = 5 =
> = 4 =
> = 3 =
> = 2 =
> = 1 =
>
> == enter ===== switch ===========
To solve the annoying riser room, you must make sure they are set in increasing height. 1, 2, and 3 should increase in
height from the ground, while 7, 6, and 5 should be decreasing
from the raised exit. Run up to the fourth riser, and launch
a grenade at the button on the wall opposite the exit, which
will cause the fourth riser to rise. At its apex, run up the remaining risers. There is no need to grenade hop and
the timing isn't difficult if the risers are aligned right.
Be prepared to run back and forth between the control rooms
a few times.
As a followup, Jek Kian Jin (kiankin@ncb.gov.sg) replies:
I've found that you can time the switching to achieve this.
There are audible 'thunks' when the elevator starts and
when it reaches the top. For elevators 1, 2 and 3, start the
switch and stop it after 1, 2 and 3 seconds respectively when
you hear the 'thunk.' For elevators 5 to 7, you hit the
switch after the 'thunk' at the top, after 3, 2 and 1 seconds respectively. Oh yeah, you don't need a stopwatch, just saying
'one thousand and one etc.' works fine.
David E. Coufal (dcoufal@MIT.EDU) also adds:
If you bring risers 7, 6 and 5 to their maximum position,
you can then stand on top of four, hit the switch with a
grenade, and then just run across to the exit. Lots easier
then trying to set up the pillars as "risers" by trial and error.
Tarl Roger Kudrick (tarl@cldc.howard.edu) has figured out the timing needed to set the platforms correctly:
Activate the risers for the following lengths of time:
1st level: 1.0 seconds
2nd: 2.0
3rd: 3.0
4th: grenade
5th: 8.5 seconds (8 is too little, 9 is too much)
6th: 9.5 seconds (same deal--must have that1/2 second!)
7th: 10.5 seconds (again with the 1/2 second)
Once you are past the 7 platform room, the exit terminal is quite high up. To finish the level, first clear out all the monsters in both the room with the 4 platforms and the final room. Then return to the room with the 4 platforms, and go over to the switches. Now, while always running, hit the right switch, hit the left switch, run to the bottom platform, 'climb' the stairs, then race into the last room and wait in front of the column. If done properly, in a couple seconds you will be lifted to the jump terminal.
The first pattern buffer on this level may be had by going
into the right-hand hallway in the first large room, and
sticking to the left-hand wall. This also leads to a shield
generator.
You say you've looked *everywhere* on this level and can't find a
way out? Then return to the room with 2 columns and the shield
gen. On the back side of the left column is an elevator that will
take you to the 'upper' portion of the lever. Anthony R. Stevens
(STEVENSA@AUSVM1.VNET.IBM.COM) offers the following advice:
To get to the elevator with full 2X shields without
losing ANY health, first kill all monsters in the
room. Then position yourself in front of the 2X
shield gen. Turn left and face the wall. Switch
to map mode and zoom in. Turn on run mode.
OK here we go:
All you do is run backwards and then hold the
turn right key down as well ONCE you reach the
CENTER of the side of the column along the wall.
THATS IT. You'll swing around right into the elevator
with no damage to you!! Try it, you'll like it.
To get the alien energy converter (that 'thing' in the lava), you
first need to go up to the top level as described above. When
you get to the room that has the one pillar in the lava and a save
terminal, look around on the upper level and you'll find a button.
Pressing the button will cause the pillar to drop and will allow
you to grab the device. However, to get out of the lava you either
need to grenade jump or wait for the pillar to start to rise again.
Watch that you don't get squished by the pillar! Here's some more
advice by Anthony R. Stevens (STEVENSA@AUSVM1.VNET.IBM.COM):
At the top level on the ledge with the switch that
lowers the pillar into the lava, hit the switch then
IMMEDIATELY walk off the ledge to the save terminal and
save your game. What does this do for you? You can
now, at your leisure, time your fishing expedition in the
lava so that you can jump in, get the converter, and jump
out as the pillar is rising. WAY COOL. No stress.
Nicolas Godbout (nicg@godbout.interax.net) also offers the following advice:
There's a way to save your shield when you fetch the alien
energy converter in the lava pool. Go towards the shield recharger nearest to your arrival point, continue in the long corridor. There you can see the alien thingy in the lava. Shoot at the switch directly in front of you. This opens another passage through the lava. When you're in the room with the mobile corner in the lava, shoot the switch way up there (it can be reached with the fusion gun) or activate the switch if you're at its level. Instead of jumping through that new opening, take the corridor to the south that leads to the first switch you activated. When you jump in the lava from there, you only have a ONE-way trip to make. This cuts your simmering time in half. I believe this is the way Bungie wanted you to complete the level.
Another tip by Frank McIntyre (frankmci@clark.net):
I have a different way to activate the moving pillar in
the lava. Before I had found the elevator in the shield
generator room, I discovered that I could hit the switch
to activate the column by standing in the hall directly
opposite. If you stand back just far enough that you
can't see the switch, you can hit it with a grenade or
high energy pistol bolt. You have to carefully align
your gun with the switch before you lose sight of it.
It takes a few practice shots, but when you have hit
it, you will hear the faint *click* that the switches
make from a distance. The main advantage of doing it
this way is that it is easier to time your run into the
lava, thus reducing the chance of getting fried.
To get past the door in the 3-column room with the biohazard sign, ,you need to find a switch. In that same room, there is a passage that you can jump to from the middle column. This will lead you to a small battle, but to another area to explore. Within this area, either look for a secret door, or look for a gap that you
can jump that is very small. Within this other area, you'll find
the right switch.
There is a secret ammo room that can be gotten from the above.
Move a bit into the corner of the passage, and start looking for
secret doors. This stash should contain rockets and napalm canisters amongst other ammo types. Debra Walker, dwalk@primenet.com
There is a flame thrower in one of the last rooms, in the room with the L-shaped platform in the lava. There are two 'rivers' of lava leaving the room. Run through either side, pick up the napalm unit on your way through, and grenade jump back onto the platform.
From Aaron Bergman (abergman@minerva.cis.yale.edu):
The trick in this level is to use every opportunity to go back,
save your game and use the recharge panel at every opportunity. Also, after you go through the gauntlet of smashing things, you don't have to go through it again; you can access just the second half by hanging a right when you cross by it transversally.
From Micah (zeade@leland.stanford.edu):
There is the large room with a chest high ledge going around the edge of half of it. If the hunters and other nasties don't get you (there's a spot where the wall drops down and out pops some aliens to try and nail you from behind), then to your right from entering this large room there should be a small stairway leading up to the ledge of that largish room. Along that stairway is the small hidden chamber (hit action key to open the door). There is hyper vision(tm) there and some ammo.
Jeremy P. Condit (afn02635@freenet.ufl.edu) notes that there is a
3x shield generator in the upper right portion of the mini-maze
where there are some Hunter ambushes.
From Brent Schorsch (schorsch@apple.com):
[In the above room, go] up the stairs, go right into the passageway. If you hug the left wall turning left, you will circle around (falling). Make sure you go thru the narrow passageway right after you fall. As soon as the left wall turns to the right, turn left, there is a ledge right there. There is a a flamethrower up there. (If you don't have it already). You will have to grenade hop up [to get it].
From David Carlton (carlton@math.mit.edu):
You can run around all of the circular staircase without leaving the room - you can actually get from one section of the staircase to the next by jumping around the barriers. Of course, if there are still hunters there, it may get a bit tricky, but it's useful to keep in mind when you've cleared off everything and are trying again and again to land on that damn pillar in the middle.
