ROBOT CITY HINTS & TIPS FILE (HINTS.TXT)
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WHAT IS IN THIS FILE?
PART 1: How to Play
Part 1 covers some fine points of playing Robot City
without giving away the game's secrets.
SHOULD YOU READ PART 1?
Yes. Expert computer game players might not need these
tips, but we suggest that everyone read them.
PART 2: Special Aspects of Robot City
Part 2 gives hints on some of the more unusual features of
Robot City. Some of the hints will tip you off about
things that happen in the game, but no more than a movie
preview will tip you off about what happens in a movie.
SHOULD YOU READ PART 2?
Probably. We think that most players who read this section
will enjoy the game more. Some experienced players might
prefer not to read this, but be warned: the more you think
you know about computer adventure games, the more likely
Robot City will catch you unawares.
PART 3: Specific Hints
Part 3 gives very specific hints and tips, the kind you
would get from a hint book or from an on-line bulletin
board.
SHOULD YOU READ PART 3?
This is up to you. You should read this file only if you
are stuck, or if you are the kind of player who wants to
experience the story as quickly as possible without
spending a lot of time solving problems.
Refer to Part 3 if you are unable to proceed without a
specific hint or answer that is not found in Parts 1 and
2.
**********************************************************
PART 1
Q: How do I get started?
A: Read the Robot City User's Guide Booklet. The "Playing
the Game" section of the User's Guide booklet will tell
you most of what you need to know about getting around in
Robot City.
Q: I see a door across the room. But when I try to walk
there, I'm never quite lined up with it. What's wrong?
A: When you move around in Robot City, you are moving in
forward steps and ninety degree turns. When you turn left
or right, you are still standing in the same place, but
are facing in a different direction. When you turn, you
turn a square corner. So if you're facing north and you
turn left, you would be facing west. If you turn the same
way four times, you would come back to the same view where
you started.
A common problem occurs with this kind of movement
system when there's something you're trying to get to,
such as a door or a control panel, and you can see it but
it's not right in front of you. Suppose you can see a door
in the direction you're facing but the door is in the left
side of your view, not in the center. You're facing the
correct direction, but you're not standing in the correct
place to use the door. What you want to do is step to the
left — but you can't! You can only step forward or turn to
the left. What you have to do is turn to the left, then
step forward, then turn back to the right.
If you haven't played other computer games that use this
kind of movement, you may find that it takes some practice
to get used to it.
Q: I know how to move around, but there's a control panel
I can't get to. It's always off to one side or the other,
never right in front of me.
A: If you can't face something squarely no matter how much
you reposition yourself, then you don't need to use it.
Q: There is a door that won't open. Why?
A: Step forward as close to the door as you can. Make sure
the door is centered in your view. Some doors open
automatically. If a door doesn't open by itself, look for
a button to click that might open the door. If the door is
part of an elevator, you may need to go up or down before
the door will open. (You may have to turn around to find
the elevator controls.)
If there's no way to open a door, don't worry about it. Go
somewhere else. Later you may come back and find that
things have changed.
Q: I can't pick up an object.
A: If you see something that looks as though you can pick
it up, but the Grasping Hand doesn't appear when you move
the cursor on top of the object, try changing your
position to get closer to it, perhaps by facing the object
from a different direction. Some small objects cannot be
picked up at all because they are not useful.
Q: How can I avoid a robot I don't want to talk to?
A: If a robot isn't moving, you can ignore it by moving
forward past the robot or by turning away. (If you do want
to talk to the robot, click it to get its attention.) But
if a robot is determined to talk to you, you can't avoid
it. When a robot blocks your way, you have to convince it
to let you pass.
Q: A robot is talking to me. How can I get it to go away
so I can do something else?
A: When you're talking to a robot, you can't move away or
use the SET button until the robot leaves. When you come
to the end of the current topic of conversation, look for
a choice on your list of things to say such as "That was
all I wanted to know" or "Excuse me, I have to go now."
Statements such as this tell the robot that you don't want
to talk any more.
Q: How do I read a Journal Page that I found?
A: The Inventory Menu lists all the pages you've found on
one bar. For example, if you've collected three pages, the
Inventory Menu will display a bar that reads "Journal
Pages: 1 2 3." Click the number of the page you wish to
select. Clicking the words "Journal Pages" or the blank
part of the bar to the right will not have any effect. For
example, click the number "2" to select the second page.
If you have only one page, click the number "1." Once
you've selected a page, you can click the "Read" Menu Bar
and the "VIEW DATA" button to display the contents.
Q: Can I give Alpha a different Skill Cube than the one I
put in when I assembled him?
A: Yes. Go to the place where you originally built Alpha.
Then turn around and talk to Alpha. Tell him to return to
the repair bay. He will stand in the repair bay and allow
you to choose a different cube to insert. You can only
tell Alpha to go to the repair bay if you are already
standing at the repair bay yourself.
Q: I got inside a walking robot vehicle. How can I get out
of it?
A: You must return the vehicle to the exact location it
was in when you entered it. The words "Exit to Lift" will
then appear on a button on the vehicle's control panel.
Click this button to get out of the vehicle.
Q: A robot told me to wait. What should I do?
A: Most things that happen in Robot City are triggered by
your actions. If you stand still and wait for something,
nothing will happen. Stay active. If you're waiting for a
robot to return to you with information, stay in the area
but keep moving around. Find another robot to talk to in
the meantime. Also, remember that it's not always best to
do what the robots tell you to do.
**********************************************************
PART 2
Getting Out of the Apartment
You've found the door, but there's a robot there telling
you that you can't leave. Don't give up. These robots are
highly advanced. They can change their minds. (Of course,
they're not so highly advanced that you can't fool them
sometimes.) Keep trying.
Operating Computer Terminals
You operate computer terminals by clicking to push buttons
or choose from menus. Many computer files fill more than
one screen. Look for buttons that display additional
information from the same computer file, as well as
buttons that move you from one file to another.
Finding Your Way in the Streets
The most unusual thing about Robot City, besides the fact
that only robots live there, is the way that the streets
and buildings rearrange themselves as you move around. You
can usually retrace your steps and go back to where you
came from, at least for a few blocks, but there are no
guarantees. Humans have been known to get lost very easily
and to have trouble finding the places for which they're
looking. Making maps doesn't help.
Here is some advice for negotiating the streets of Robot
City:
1. Know where you're going or what you're looking for.
Yes, it is possible to just wander around in the streets,
exploring, until you find interesting things. But this is
only for the most patient and adventurous players. It will
save you a great deal of time if you figure out the name
or the general location (sector number) of the place you
want to go before hitting the streets. When that's not
possible, you should at least have some idea of what
you're looking for, so you can ask the robots you meet in
the streets about it as you go.
2. Learn to use the Transit System.
Once you know the name or sector number of the place
you're going, use the underground Transit System to get
there. Keep in mind that the Supervisor robots control the
Transit System, so you will need to ask the Supervisors
for Transit System access to each sector after you learn
that you need to go there.
When you enter a Transit Pod, the places you can travel to
are limited to those shown on the pod's destination menu.
If you're certain that the Transit System goes to your
destination, but it doesn't appear on the pod's
destination menu, then you'll need to take more than one
ride. Choose another destination from the menu (such as
the Apartment or Compass Tower), and see if your final
destination comes up on the next menu when you arrive
there. If you're lucky, the Transit System will take you
to the very street you want. If not, then at least you'll
be in the right sector, a lot closer to your ultimate
destination.
3. If you are lost, use the Transit System.
If you've gone a long way searching for a location, and
you think you might have missed it or wandered into the
wrong sector, enter a Transit Station and use the System
to return to the place you started your search and try
again.
4. Search thoroughly.
Once you enter one of the enclosed square intersections
that join the streets together, look on all sides and
check out all the streets that connect to that
intersection before entering any other intersections. This
will guarantee that you don't accidentally pass by your
destination.
5. Learn to recognize familiar streets.
As you explore Robot City, you will notice that many
streets look the same. When you see a street you've seen
before, it doesn't necessarily mean you've returned to the
same location. Robot City constructs most of its streets
using a standard set of patterns. But when you're looking
for a new location, look for streets that are different.
Look for buildings, shapes, and features that you haven't
seen before. For example, when looking for the Compass
Tower, look for a very large building with a square moat
around it.
Searching for Journal Pages.
If you're looking for Journal Pages, you'll need to look
carefully. Some of them are well hidden. The ones that are
outdoors can all be seen from your normal walking path
along the streets. (You don't have to constantly turn
toward the side walls when you search, though once you see
one, you may have to turn to the side to be in position to
pick it up.) Some of the ones that are indoors are harder
to find; you may have to look in places you wouldn't
normally turn toward.
Finding Clues to the Murder
To solve the murder, you will need to find clues about
what happened, as well as solid evidence to prove your
case. Conversations with robots, data stored in computers,
objects you find, messages you receive, and locations you
visit all contain clues. You'll need Alpha's help to
examine the evidence and build your case.
As you learn more, remember that revisiting places you've
already been to, or asking questions you've asked before,
can be worthwhile, especially if you have new information
to work with. Also, different robots know different
things, so sometimes asking different robots the same
question can reveal additional clues.
Asking Yes/No Questions
Often you may ask a robot a question that can be answered
with a simple "Yes" or "No," such as "Have you seen a
robot acting strangely?" If the robot answers "No," keep
asking the question of different robots you meet.
Eventually, you may meet one who has the answer you're
looking for.
Accusing a Suspect
As you find evidence and clues, discuss the case with
Alpha by asking Alpha to review the investigation. He will
help you sort through your findings, and he'll tell you
where your evidence is conclusive and where it's weak. If
you end the conversation by saying, "I'm going to tell a
Supervisor that [SOMEONE] did it," then when you talk to a
Supervisor in the Compass Tower, you can do so. Of course,
the Supervisor may or may not be convinced.
Making Progress in Robot City
You can't ever be completely stuck in Robot City. You can
die, or reach a point where the game ends in an
undesirable way, but short of that, no setback is
permanent.
If you miss out on critical information by choosing the
wrong choices when you're talking to a robot, you will get
other chances to discuss that topic again, or to find the
same information some other way.
The robots can be very stubborn. Always remember that even
though they are intelligent, they are not human. Their
logic is not always based on common sense.
Sometimes all you need to convince a robot is the correct
line of argument, and the correct line is often not the
most obvious one.
Sometimes, though, arguments alone won't work. If you
don't succeed in several tries, it may mean you need to
accomplish something else first. Listen carefully when a
robot tells you the reasons why it will not do what you
want. This information can be a clue to what you need to
do to change the robot's mind.
If you don't have any ideas for what to do next, ask
yourself these questions:
• Have you talked to Alpha recently?
• Have you talked to any robots on the street or any
Supervisor robots lately?
• Are there any missing objects that you can search for,
or ask the street robots about?
• Are there locations you haven't visited in a while?
• Have you learned or acquired anything new that might
give you access to something new in an old location?
• Is there a location where Alpha might be more useful
with a different Skill Cube?
Pay attention to what you see, hear, and read. When you
ask questions, be thorough, but don't ask at random. Don't
just ask every question on the menu because it's there.
Think about what you might have seen or done to make Derec
want to ask that particular question. Then, pay attention
to the answers you get.
**********************************************************
PART 3
Q: After I see the meteor land at the start of the game, I
see a dark control panel in front of me, but nothing is
happening.
A: Click one of the green square buttons (any of the group
of eight) to the right of center on the center control
panel.
Q: Why does nothing happen when I click the choices DARLA
gives me on the screen?
A: Click the small numbered squares at the bottom of the
DARLA menu screen. Choose the number that matches the
number of the option you want to pick.
Q: I've played the game before and I already know all the
information that DARLA can tell me. What's the fastest way
out of DARLA?
A: When the first menu appears, choose "Nothing" (option
5). When DARLA asks if you want information about the Laws
of Robotics, choose "No" (option 2). Then just wait for
DARLA to shut down.
Q: How do I get out of the Apartment the first time?
A: The first time you open the front door, you will talk
to the Valet robot. The Valet will not let you out, but
you can ask questions if you wish. The second time you
open the front door, you will talk to Euler. Euler will
not let you out either, but you can learn more about
what's going on. The third time you open the front door,
you will probably meet the Valet again. If you do, tell
the Valet that you need medical care. If you meet Euler
instead, make him go away (you can talk to him first if
you wish), then open the door again to speak to the Valet.
Q: I escaped from the Apartment once, but I got captured
by a Hunter and thrown back in. I've tried everything but
Euler and the Valet won't let me out.
A: You need Alpha to be helping you to escape the
Apartment a second time (after getting captured or knocked
out by the rain). Repair Alpha and then try again.
Q: How do I connect the wires on the robot in the corner?
A: After clicking the magnifier to move it into position
over the disconnected wires, drag the end of each wire
down to the hole where it connects. When you drag a wire
to the correct hole, you'll hear a click sound (similar to
the sound of fastening a seat belt buckle). When you drag
a wire to an incorrect hole, you'll hear a short buzz
sound. There are eight wires all together (one of them is
already connected when you begin). If a wire seems to be
"missing," it is hidden behind another wire.
Q: After I connect the wires on the robot, and the panel
opens to reveal the Skill Cubes (colored squares), how do
I install a Skill Cube?
A: Drag a Skill Cube (the colored squares that appear on
the left when the panel moves) to a socket (one of the
black square holes that open up on the robot's chest).
Only three of the Skill Cubes (the green, blue, and orange
ones), and only one of the sockets (the top right one)
will work. Just drag one of the working Skill Cubes to the
working socket.
Q: After I connect the wires and install a Skill Cube, how
do I start up the robot?
A: Click each of the robot's arms to attach them to the
robot's shoulders. Then click each of the robot's small
antennae (the white pointy things on the counter behind
the arms) to attach them to the robot's head. The robot
will then start up by himself.
Q: How do I get to the Compass Tower?
A: From the streets, enter the Transit System through any
door marked TRANSIT. Board the Transit Pod and click
"COMPASS TOWER" when it asks you to select a destination.
After the ride, turn left to exit the pod and then go
forward until you are back to the street. Turn left. Go
forward down the street until you can't go any farther.
You are now in a small enclosed square of streets. Walk
around the square by going left, forward, right, forward,
forward, right, forward, left. You will now be looking
down a new street toward the Compass Tower. Go forward as
far as you can go, then turn left. Ahead of you, you will
see a door on the left under a bridge. Go through this
door, up the elevator, across the bridge, and into the
door of the Compass Tower.
Q: How do I get past the Supervisor robot blocking the
entrance to the Compass Tower?
A: Tell the robot that you need to enter at once, that
it's the only way to prove your innocence, and that this
is because the murder victim may have left clues behind.
You can also lie and say that the murderer is chasing you,
but this may cause problems later.
Q: How do I begin investigating the murder to prove I
didn't do it?
A: Go to the Murder Scene and talk to the robots there.
Q: How do I get to the Murder Scene?
A: The easiest way is to go to the Compass Tower and ask a
Supervisor where the murder happened. Ask whether you can
go there and investigate. After you do this, the
Supervisor will set the Transit System to allow you access
to Sector 12. Explore the streets of Sector 12 until you
find the body.
Q: Alpha doesn't seem to have much to say about the murder
evidence. What's wrong?
A: Alpha must examine the murder scene himself. When you
talk to Ryberg at the scene, ask if Alpha may examine the
area. After Alpha has scanned the scene, ask him for his
assessment of the murder scene and he will have a lot to
say about the evidence.
Q: How do I get the Witness robot to give me the Isaac at
the murder scene?
A: You must have Alpha helping you. The Witness will not
give you the Isaac, but you can tell her to give it to
Alpha.
Q: What's the Isaac good for?
A: If you have it, you can view the hidden Project Log
files in the computer in the Upper Compass Tower.
Q: How do I get past the robot to the elevator in the
middle of the Compass Tower?
A: You need Alpha helping you to get to the elevator and
to the upper level of the Compass Tower. First, make the
robot explain in detail why you are not allowed to enter.
Then point out that Alpha is not a Robot City robot, so he
can go with you and protect you. Keep trying until you
find a line of argument that works.
Q: Where is the computer in the Upper Compass Tower?
A: At the top of the elevator, turn and walk around the
elevator shaft. Then go through the door. The violet
pillar ahead of you has a control panel with colored
triangles. This control panel activates the computer.
Q: Why can't I get the target cursor to appear over the
panel with the colored triangles in the Upper Compass
Tower?
A: You can face this panel from two directions, but you
can only click it from one. After you step through the
door into this room, turn to the right, step forward, then
turn around. You will now be in position to click the
control panel.
Q: How do I operate the panel with the colored triangles
in the Upper Compass Tower?
A: You need to adjust the color in the top triangle to
match the color in the bottom triangle. The red, green,
and blue triangles in the middle are buttons that change
the amount of red, green, and blue respectively that is
blended into the color of the top triangle. Each click
increases the amount of that color, unless that color is
already at maximum, in which case another click starts
that color again at zero. Each color has four possible
levels including zero.
If you cannot figure out the colors, you can solve this by
trying all of the possible combinations. You do this as
follows:
1. Click the red button four times.
2. Click the green button once.
3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 three more times.
4. Click the blue button once.
5. Repeat steps 1 through 4 until the terminal activates.
This should happen by the time you have clicked the blue
button four times.
Q: What is the difference between the "P" and "Q" buttons
in the computer panel in the Upper Compass Tower?
A: If you click the "Q" button (for Quit), the terminal
retracts and the walls of the room go back to being
transparent, allowing you to exit the room. If you click
the "P" button (for Pause), the terminal pauses but
remains extended, with the walls remaining opaque. You
cannot leave the room in this way, but you can see the
monitor on the wall and the secret door.
Q: How do I open the secret door in the Upper Compass
Tower that appears when the computer terminal is extended?
A: You cannot open this door until late in the game after
you have solved the murder and saved the city. After
you've done that, the door opens when you click the button
on it.
Q: How do I get to the sector where the murder weapon can
be found?
A: First, learn everything you can about the murder weapon
from the Witness robot and from Alpha at the scene of the
murder. Then, ask robots in the streets whether they have
seen an object that could be the murder weapon until one
of them tells you which sector it is in. You'll have
several increasingly-specific ways to describe the murder
weapon depending on how much you've learned. Ask a
Supervisor for access to that sector. (You can use the Com
Link for this). You can then take the Transit System to
that sector.
Q: Where is the murder weapon?
A: The murder weapon is in Sector 7. Take the Transit
System to Sector 7 (see the hint above for how to get
there), then search the street. Examine the ground near
the door where you come out of the Transit Station. Look
on all sides at all locations within a few steps of the
door. If you see a blood stain on the street, you are very
close to finding the murder weapon.
Q: Alpha says the exact time of the murder is important.
How do I find out?
A: The computer files in the office in the Upper Compass
Tower reveal that the victim did something at a certain
time, so he must have been alive at that time. To find out
what time the body was found dead, ask the Witness robot,
"When did the murder happen?" or ask Robot A87. These two
facts allow you to narrow down the time of death to a few
minutes.
Q: What was the exact time of the murder?
A: The victim was last known to be alive at 07:50, and the
robots found the body at 07:53.
Q: The computer files mention that a robot in Robot City
is damaged and non-responsive. Is this important?
A: Yes. Finding this robot provides evidence to help you
solve the murder.
Q: How do I learn more about the non-responsive robot?
A: After examining the Project Log section and reading the
Robot Com files in the Compass Tower computer, ask the
street robots if they have seen a deactivated robot. Keep
asking until one tells you where it is. Then, ask a
Supervisor for access to that sector. Go to that sector by
Transit System, and search the streets until you find a
robot reclining on the ground.
Q: How do I find out who the murder weapon belongs to?
A: Ask Alpha to examine the murder weapon, after you find
it. To do so, open your Inventory, select the murder
weapon, and then click on the question for Alpha.
Q: How do I find Robot S42?
A: Ask the street robots if they have seen S42. Keep
asking until one of them tells you what sector S42 is in.
To get to that sector, ask a Supervisor for access, then
use the Transit System. Once in the sector, search the
streets until you find a reclining robot on the ground.
Q: How do I prove my innocence?
A: One way is to prove who killed Dr. Poole by solving the
mystery all at once (see the following hint). The other
way is to find Robot A87, who will give you a critical
clue that will prove that the killer could not have been
human. After talking to A87, discuss the case with Alpha,
and suggest to Alpha that no human could have done it. If
Alpha is convinced, then tell him "I'm going to tell a
Supervisor that Katherine and I are innocent."
Q: How do I prove who killed Dr. Poole?
A: One way is to solve the murder all at once. To do this
you need to find (and have Alpha examine) the murder
weapon and the Disabled robot. You should also question
the Witness robot as much as possible. You also need to
examine many of the files in the computer in the Upper
Compass Tower (it's best to examine all of them). You may
need to go back and forth between these locations to learn
all of the clues. Discuss the case with Alpha until Alpha
is convinced that you have strong, convincing evidence
against the killer. Tell Alpha that you're going to tell a
Supervisor who did it. Then go to the Compass Tower and
tell a Supervisor your theory. The Supervisor may be
convinced by your evidence right away, or he may tell you
to wait while he investigates. If he says to wait, walk
around the Compass Tower until another Supervisor appears
to tell you that you were right.
The other way is to prove your innocence (see the previous
hint), then go to the Command Center. You will find
conclusive evidence there that implicates the real killer.
Return to the Supervisors and tell them what you've found.
After the Supervisor leaves to investigate, walk around
the Compass Tower until a Supervisor tells you that you
were right.
Q: How do I find Robot A87?
A: Finding A87 is difficult. You are not likely to find
A87 until you have already found other evidence in the
case, such as the murder weapon and the Disabled robot.
Keep asking the street robots until you find him, but keep
looking for other evidence too.
Q: What's the DataCard good for?
A: It's what you need to save the city. The data in it
will cure the virus that Dr. Poole put into the Robot City
computer system. Use it in the Command Center.
Q: Where are all of the Journal Pages?
There are seven Journal Pages all together. You can find
them at the following places:
1. In the Apartment: From the starting position facing the
bathroom, turn around. The page is on the small table at
the left side of the bed.
2. In the Transit Station: The page is on the floor. After
entering the station from the street, you automatically
step forward after the elevator door opens. Step forward
once more. The page is on the floor on your left side.
3. On the streets (1): In the short street that makes a
single right-angle turn, there is a page on the ground.
Stand at the bend and turn so that you are facing one end
of the street and the other end is to your right. Step
forward once and you will see the page on the ground
toward the left. To pick up the page, step forward again
and then turn to the left.
4. On the streets (2): In the short straight street with
no bends and no doors, there is a page on the ground. It
can be seen going either direction along the street. To
pick it up, take one more step forward and then turn
toward the side of the street it appears to be on.
5. On the streets (3): On the long street that makes a
short zig-zag near the middle, there is a page on the
ground, near the zig-zag turns and near the blue-green
glassy wall. To pick it up, stand in the middle position
between the zig and the zag, then turn to face the blue-
green glassy wall.
6. Next to the Disabled robot: Pick up this page from the
position facing the Disabled robot.
7. On a bridge at one of the Compass Tower entrances: On
the square of streets that surrounds the Compass Tower,
find the street that has a building with yellow square
"windows" on an upper story. Find the elevator entrance
along this street (it is between the building with the
yellow windows and the building with the five round bumps
on its front wall). Enter the elevator, turn around, and
go up to the bridge level. The page is two steps out of
the elevator, on the ground at your left.
8. Inside the Compass Tower: Go to the narrow end of the
main floor of the Compass Tower, where most of the crates
are. Go past the crates until you are close to the door at
that end. Turn right, so that the door is to your left and
most of the crates are to your right. Find your way to the
wall now in front of you. Against this wall, behind a
stack of crates, is a robot with black treads and an egg-
shaped chassis. Find a position that faces this robot
head-on. When you find the right position, the robot will
move. It will not move if you are too close to it. When it
moves, it will deposit a page on the ground just in front
of the tread on your right.
9. In the Mine: After stepping out of the elevator, turn
right. Go four steps forward, then turn left. The page is
on the floor between the crates.
Q: I just read the previous clue and now I'm confused. How
can seven pages be found in nine different places?
A: Either the game is cheating (in your favor, making your
life easier by only making you find seven out of nine
locations instead of seven out of seven), or someone in
Robot City is moving the pages around. You decide.
Q: How do I avoid the Hunter robots?
A: You can't avoid the Hunter robots, and you can't talk
them out of arresting you, except in one instance: if a
Hunter catches you in the Compass Tower, you can say,
"Leave me alone!" and then tell him that the real killer
is behind you. This only works once per game, and not at
all if you've already used the same bluff to get into the
Compass Tower. Getting caught by a Hunter is not fatal,
unless you get caught more than about six times during the
game. When you have proven to the Supervisors that you're
innocent of the murder, the Hunters won't bother you any
more.
Q: How do I avoid getting wiped out by the rain?
A: There are three different kinds of rain: light, medium,
and heavy. The rain increases when you enter a street from
an intersection. If the rain is already heavy, you get
washed away and end up back at the Apartment. To avoid
this, you need to go inside. Go somewhere where you know a
Transit Station entrance is nearby. Wait for the rain to
become heavy, then go inside. When you come out, the rain
will be over. You can also seek shelter inside the
Apartment or the Compass Tower, if either happens to be
nearby.
Q: Where can I acquire the Key to Perihelion?
A: The entrance to the room where the Key is hidden is on
the same street as the Disabled robot. When you enter the
room, you will see twelve lockers in front of you. The Key
is in one of these lockers.
Q: How do I open the lockers to obtain the Key to
Perihelion?
A: When you enter the room, one of the lockers will open.
Click it to close it. Its green light will glow. Then,
click three more lockers, starting with one that is
adjacent to (above, below, or to the left or right, but
not diagonally from) the one that's green. Each locker you
click must be adjacent to the previous one clicked, and
the three lockers you choose must make an L-shaped path.
For example, if the lockers are numbered as follows:
1 2 3 4
5 6 7 8
9 10 11 12
and if number 1 is green, you might click one of the
following three-locker sequences:
2, 3, 7
5, 6, 7
5, 9, 10
2, 6, 10.
When you click a correct L-shaped path, the third locker
you click will open. Note that in the example above,
starting with number 1 open, you can open only number 7 or
number 10. Click the open locker again to close it, and
you can repeat the process.
To find the locker containing the Key, you need to open as
many of the lockers as you can. Each locker you open will
be a "knight's move" (two rows and one column, or two
columns and one row) away from the previously opened
locker. For example, if number 2 is open, then you can
next open number 9, number 11, or number 8.
Using the same numbering scheme as above, the following
sequence will open all the lockers. Start at whatever
locker number is currently open, and if you reach the end
of the sequence, continue from the beginning. The sequence
lists only the lockers that open, not the ones you click
in between:
1 7 9 2 8 10 3 5 11 4 6 12 3 10 1
Q: Alpha says the Key to Perihelion requires batteries.
Where can I find them?
A: Katherine has them.
Q: What is the Key to Perihelion good for?
A: You can use it to escape at the end of the game, if the
city is set for self-destruction when you meet Katherine.
Q: I've convinced the Supervisors that I'm innocent. What
else do I have to do?
A: Have you proven who really committed the murder? If
not, you can continue investigating. Also, you have
learned by now that Robot City is in danger. You need to
get to the Command Center to fix the problem.
Q: How can I get the Supervisors to tell me how to get to
the Command Center?
A: They will tell you only after you have proven that you
are innocent of the murder.
Q: How can I get the Supervisors to tell me the Supervisor
Password?
A: They will tell you only after you have proven that you
are innocent of the murder.
Q: What is the Supervisor Password?
A: It is the following number: 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1
Q: How can I get the Supervisors to tell me the
Administrator password?
A: The Supervisors don't know the Administrator password.
Q: Where do I find the Administrator password?
A: The password is mentioned in the Project Logs section
of the computer in the Upper Compass Tower. You need the
Isaac to get into this section. Then select PERSONAL and
RECENT. Use the forward arrow button to read through the
file.
Q: What is the Administrator password?
A: It is the word "Perihelion."
Q: How do I get to the Mine Entrance?
A: You need to have proven your innocence to get the
Supervisors' help in reaching the Mine Entrance. Ask a
Supervisor how to get to the Command Center, then tell the
Supervisor that you need access to Sector 5. You can then
get to Sector 5 by the Transit System. When you reach the
street in Sector 5, turn left and go under the lighted
triangular archway. Go into the door on the other side.
Q: How do I get Avernus to let me into the Mine Entrance?
A: If you haven't proven your innocence, he will not let
you in. If you have, tell him that you are not a suspect
any more, and that you need to enter to reach the Command
Center and save the city. Keep trying until you convince
him.
Q: Once in the Mine Entrance, how do I reach the Command
Center?
A: Go forward to the elevator and click the down arrow.
When you step forward off the elevator, you will meet
Avernus again, and he will ask you if you need directions.
Say "Yes," and Avernus will explain the procedure. After
Avernus leaves, turn left and go forward until you reach
the lift that will take you inside the four-legged Loader
vehicle. Follow Avernus' instructions from there.
Q: How do I get past the panel with the flashing colored
squares to get inside the Command Center after I chase and
catch the Command Center in the tunnels?
A: When you begin, the squares on the left will be
flashing. Start by clicking the top left square. It will
stop on a color. (It doesn't matter what color it is.) The
squares on the right will begin flashing. You have to
click the top right square while it is flashing the same
color as the top left square. If you click at the wrong
time, nothing will happen and you can try again. Keep
clicking until you get the top left square to stop on the
same color as the top right. The squares on the left will
begin flashing again, except for the top one. Click the
second square from the top on the left. (It doesn't matter
what color the square stops on, or whether or not that
color matches the color of the top square). Then click to
match the color on the second square from the top on the
right. Repeat the process with all the remaining squares.
The door will open when all the squares are done.
Q: In the Command Center, after entering the passwords,
the computer asks for data. What do I do?
A: If you have the DataCard, click "Yes" when the computer
asks "Can you provide this data?" When your inventory
opens, select the DataCard. If you don't have the
DataCard, you need to go get it before you can finish this
last step and save the city.
Q: How do I get out of the Command Center?
A: Click the Main or Exit button to return to the
computer's main menu. Then turn around by turning left or
right twice. The view ahead of you might not look like an
exit, but if you go forward the elevator will lift you
back into the Loader 's cockpit.
Q: How do I get out of the two-legged Loader vehicle?
A: First, you must move through the tunnels until you
reach the large room you started in. This large room
appears on your tunnel map as the rectangle at the bottom
center. When you reach an exit from the tunnels, you will
be see the room ahead of you. You must move through the
room to park the Loader in exactly the same position where
you got in. To find this position, look around the large
room and then turn yourself so that the elevator and the
crates are on your right. Go straight ahead until you
cannot go any further (but if you end up in front of a
tunnel, do not press the RTM button). Turn right, and go
forward as far as you can. Then turn left. You should now
be in position for the "Exit to Lift" button to appear on
your control panel. Click this button, and the elevator
will lower you to ground level.
Q: How do I get the DataCard?
A: You must prove to the Supervisors who the murderer is.
If you haven't done that already when you reach the
Command Center, you'll find evidence in the Command Center
computer that will help you a lot. Go to the Compass Tower
and tell them what you've found. After the Supervisors
investigate your accusation, they will return to you and
tell you that you were right. Wait in the Compass Tower
for a while longer, and they will talk to you again and
tell you that although they couldn't find the murderer,
they found a DataCard that the murderer had taken from the
victim. Ask the Supervisor to give you the DataCard.
Q: I've saved the city; what do I do now?
A: You still need to find a way to leave Robot City. And
what about Katherine? Go back to the Apartment or the
Compass Tower and see what you find.
Q: Where is Katherine after she's been kidnapped?
A: Go to the Upper Compass Tower and activate the computer
there. Use the "P" button to exit the computer terminal
without retracting it. Walk around the room to the door.
The door will now open if you click the button on the
door. Go through the door into the dark elevator shaft. At
this point you have nearly finished the game.
Q: What should I tell Creon when he asks me to judge him?
A: That's up to you.
Q: What effect does turning the communications off or on
in the Lab have?
A: If the communications are turned off, Dr. Avery will
not be able to send the signal for the city to self-
destruct. This will allow you, not him, to decide whether
or not to destroy the city.
Q: How do I get past the Killer robot that appears in the
Lab?
A: If Alpha has his Defense (Bodyguard) Skill Cube
installed, he will come to your rescue. If not, you must
save yourself. Tell the robot that you are human. Then
confuse it by telling it to kill you.
Q: How do I stop Dr. Avery from destroying Robot City?
A: You must turn the communications off using the Lab's
computer terminal, before the Killer robot appears. The
terminal is four steps into the room, on the left. When
the screen appears, click "Communications" and then click
the "OFF" button.
Q: If Dr. Avery sends the self-destruct command, can I
escape alive?
A: You can, if you have the Key to Perihelion. Agree to
give the Key to Katherine when she asks for it, and don't
hesitate or ask too many questions.
Q: Avery says I can save Robot City or allow it to self-
destruct. What should I do? And if I save it, should I
stay or leave?
A: That's up to you.
