Last update: 18 January 1996 This is quite a little "diddy!" It's a massive game, and all us poor lynx players are stuck with a huge information overflow! Here is my attempt to help! What I did is this: I read the original egg sheet, played the game (this part took a while! ;-), and wrote this. I make lots of references back to the original sheet. -Pat Getting Started: First off, on how to get to the easter egg game, be sure to follow my brother Carl's slightly more specific instructions: Go to the tank customization screen, press option 1 twice, then press and hold it, and also press the pause button, which will do the reset. (Note that I have occasionally had trouble doing this, and had to try the sequence a couple times. My buttons might just need cleaning.) >>This is best done right when turning the unit on... if it >>didn't work, turn it off and try again. Starting multi-player >>is NOT easy to achieve in this mode. While I don't know about multiplayer (but should, soon!), this advice need not be followed quite so strictly. You can play a number of levels in the regular game, and then jump into the 'new' game. You shouldn't need to turn off the machine. What you see: The Map Screen: This is a HUGE game. There are 14(?) different kinds of terrain, spread out among 2000 squares (50x40). Also, every one of these seems to have a different layout of walls and enemies and power-ups and other stuff. On the map screen, these items are shown: >> terrain type >> tanks to destroy >> fuel canisters >> other canisters >> radiation level ["Z-Rate"] There is also a multi-colored bar just under the radiation-level. That seems to be a chart of different radiation-amounts for each color, increasing to the right. Tank template screen: Here you choose your tank type (A-F), or restore a previous tank. >> ZT.Restore - input password of previous game >> ZT.Build - creates standard tank (can adjust after built) >> ZT.New - select parts yourself to create tank You have the same parts available to you whether you use ZT.Build (which places the parts for you) or ZT.New (where you do it yourself). Choose your tank carefully! It will affect how you play; quite possibly a good template will improve your game! Here's a suggestion for how to choose a tank: The tank has space for what you want. The stuff is in all the right places. The Z-Limit is high/low enough. The tank looks cool. Watch out that three of the tanks (A-Shanker, D-Sprick, F-Gigan) have an OVERcapacity of either detectors or scanners. Unless they are hiding something from us, there can be only 12 spaces of scanners and 10 spaces of detectors used. This is wasted space on the tanks, then. But, they might have lots of what you want... My favorite is C-Tundra! Pretty good layout, lots of space for shields, and it can hold all five of the different detectors! Very little fuel space, though. Ah, well, it looks really cool. Tank build screen: Even if you choose ZT.Build all of the items available to you are not placed. Be sure to go back through the list, adding/upgrading where possible. Here is a breakdown of things I've observed about the parts, in addition to some helpful hints: >> Engines >> >> A MOTIVE UNIT MaxPw: 0400 Eff: 0.75 Wader Class 2h >> B MOTIVE UNIT MaxPw: 0400 Eff: 1.0 Ellel Class 4s >> C MOTIVE UNIT MaxPw: 0500 Eff: 0.75 Zorbach Class 4s >> D MOTIVE UNIT MaxPw: 0500 Eff: 1.0 Azra Class 6h I've tried the first three(a-c). I have noticed no difference between A and B other than space requirements, and I have a sneaking suspicion that C and D are also similar. Update!! See below, Questions and Answers >> DriveTrain >> >> A JO-KA DRIVE Accel: 1.0 Flat Terrain 2h >> B STERIUM DRIVE Accel: 2.0 Hilly Terrain 4s >> C EPICYCLIC DRIVE Accel: 4.0 All Terrain 6h I have obtained the first two(a-b), and the result of upgrading is noticeable. My original strategy, if you can call it that, was high acceleration with low top speed. That way, I can press up all the time, (too used to the standard game, I guess) but I will never go too fast. This let me slow down in decent time. Keep reading to find out why I changed this strategy, in the On Better Control section. >> Fuel >> A FUEL CELL Standard Core 90J Cpcty Disposable >> 2v val 9 >> (a standard level will need a few of these) >> B FUEL CELL Daru Core 200J Cpcty Slow Charge >> 4s val 20 >> (this one seldom drains completely in one level) Fuel is moderately interesting. If you have lots of fuel space, and you have a B cell available, you should certainly put it in. But watch out -- you don't often find these, so if you run out of gas, you will have to replenish it with a 9-pack(A). Just try to leave a 2v space open for a replacement, so you don't lose a 20-pack. >> Missile >> A BTX MISSILE Cursor Aim 400 Impact 1000 Range >> 2v qty 9 >> B RADX MISSILE Radar Track 600 Impact 1500 Range >> 4s qty 30 >> C LZX MISSILE Laser Guided 800 Impact 2000 Range ?? qty ?? >> D CAMX MISSILE Camera Guided 1000 Impact 2500 Range >> 6h qty 30 I have encountered all of these, and the difference in power really becomes apparent when you get to the last two. I must say that the 30-qty missiles are very nice, because you don't have to change banks often. I haven't seen guidance do anything, so far. >> Razer >> A ZAPP RAZER Range: 1000 400 Impact Drain: 100 >> 4s qty: 70 >> B PULSE RAZER Range: 1500 600 Impact Drain: 175 >> 4s qty: 70 >> C ION RAZER Range: 2000 800 Impact Drain: 250 >> 4s qty: 70 >> D GAMMA RAZER Range: 2500 1000 Impact Drain: 300 4s qty: 70 I have used the all of these, as well, and, again, the higher razers just are obviously more destructive. I haven't tested the range thing, though. >> Shield >> A MIN SHIELD 9k Protect Quart Defense Low Drain >> 2v val 9 >> B WIDE SHIELD 9k Protect Half Defense High Drain >> 2h val 9 The wide shields really do make a difference -- they seem like they take forever to deplete. I really don't think "quart" or "half" refers to a portion of the tank, rather it is amount of damage they absorb. >> Dials >> A BEARING MONX Relational 360 Reliability.99 Drain: 252 >> 4s >> >> B ABS CO-ORD Acc: +/- 20 ISO Calibrtd Drain: 200 >> 6h >> > useful in multi-player games and for finding passwords> >> C EXPOSURE CNT Optimsd X-Ray Auto De-Flux Drain: 100 >> 4s >> > very useful for high radiation zones> These are all fairly common, so I have used all three. If I have a Map Detector (below), my favorite of these is A(Bearing Monx). What I really want to know more about is the info listed under B, about multi- player games (is that just if people want to meet at a particular spot?) and passwords. See Questions and Answers, below. Notes: The A(Bearing Monx) measures angles in degrees just as in trigonometry, with 0 degrees pointing to the East (that is, to the right) and proceeding counter-clockwise (90 degrees is North, 180 is West, 270 is South). The B(ABS CO-ORD) measures location in Cartesian terms, with the origin (0,0) at the lower-left. The range of positions is 0-200 on either axis. >> Detector >> (all of these currently deemed useless) >> A FUEL DETECT One Point RO Display Drain: 150 >> 2v >> B PICKINZ DETECT All Types RO Display Drain: 200 >> 2v >> C TANK DETECT Zone Limited RO Display Drain: 300 >> 2v >> D ZEEK DETECT One Point RO Display Drain: 200 >> 2v >> E MAP DETECT Detect All RO Display Drain: 150 >> 2v Useless??? What? These are cool, kind of a "Heads Up Display" type thing! Here is what I have found them to do: A (F)uel - displays all fuel canisters within a given range B (P)ickinz - displays all 'other' canisters within a given range C (T)ank - displays all tanks within a given range D (Z)eek - displays all zeeks (see below, Enemies) within a given range E (M)ap - puts a pop-up overhead map of the entire level (including walls!), with your tank as a filled-in square, and other tanks as empty squares. Tank positions are not updated automatically, but you can keep the cursor over the M-icon and repeatedly double-click. I'm not totally sure, but I'm estimating the "given range" above is about 1/4 of the total map length or so. I haven't done any definitive testing. Generally, however, you can see a tank before it shows up on the HUD. Also, note that you can have more than one of these running at a time, and they overlay the same area. >> Scanner >> A DATA SCAN 5 Terrabyte Auto Translat Range: 30 >> 4s Drain: 1000 >> >> B PICKINZ SCAN Icon Gen Mount Advice Range: 30 >> 4s Drain: 1000 >> >> C TANK SCAN Multi id 90% Accurate Range: 50 >> 4s Drain: 200 >> These are fairly self-explanatory, minus the A-Data Scan, which is a little more difficult to understand. Update!! See below, Questions and Answers I really am not to fond of scanners, as you must assign a button (see below, On Better Control) to a scanner, and then use it. This leaves one less button for other uses. Note that to use any of the scanners requires you to be in Select mode. >> Control >> A CONTROL Activate by A Cursor Pod >> 8h L/R=Direction U/D=Gear >> This is simple and straightforward; it tells you if the tank is going in reverse, forward, or turbo (see below, On Better Control). Game screen: After selecting 'OK' you are dropped into the seat of a powerful tank. And it looks way more complicated than your VCR. ;-) On the right side of the Lynx display is your button assignments. By default, opt.1 switches between Select mode and Move mode, and 'a' and 'b' are assigned to weapons systems that you have installed. Opt.2 is the pick-up/put-down/place button. All but opt.2 can be reconfigured (see below, On Better Control). Scattered across the edges of the rest of the display are all the items you placed earlier, with the current quantity loaded, if applicable. Well, that's all the big outstanding things you see, so I'll go on to some tips now on what to do. Tips: On enemies: To begin with, there are four types of enemies that I have dealt with: Tanks. No surprise here, I hope. 3d, polygonal. I have so far only seen them shoot missiles. Not too bright, as I have often found them facing a wall or in a corner. Zeek. These are the annoying little bouncy-guys on each level. (I found the name when a couple of those guys chewed up my armor, and the end-level display said "zilled be zeek.") 2d, bitmapped. The pictures are different on every kind of terrain type, but they are all nasty and hard to kill. After five minutes in a level you will often find a little group following you. I think, but am not sure, that they come out of the "motif" bitmapped items on each level (like pyramids, eyeballs, etc). Missile-bombers, for lack of a better name (they may actually fall under "Zeek," but I don't know). 2d, bitmapped. These meanies fly around, and when they are near, launch missiles at you. They can even fly across walls and stuff. I've only seen one at a time. Una-bombers, again, for lack of a better name (zeeks?). 2d, bitmapped. I don't know where they come from, but they come directly at you and blow up. They must lead rather depressing lives. Best way to get rid of these guys? Missiles, usually, will do the best job. But, you often have a small supply of those, and they are kind of hard to aim. You have a greater quantity of razers, and can aim them fairly well, but they will "bounce off" often, it seems. Watch out that you don't back into an enemy, particularly a zeek. From what I have experienced, that's the end for your armor! It also seems that you can blow up oncoming missiles, when you use the razer. I am not sure if missiles will do this. On better control: First, here are some tips on entering passwords: Even though passwords can reach over 15 sets, it could be much worse. Putting the code in, the order of characters is "A...Za...z0...9A..." Yes, there are a lot of characters! However, there are some things in the coder's favor: The code is retained from the last code you put in. You can edit/ fix a bad code, or recover a partial one if you hit the wrong key. The 'b' button -- this flips case! a->A, R->r, etc. This is also good for getting to/from numbers quick, (e.g., if you are at 'a', you're super-far from any numbers. But hit 'b,' then back up, and walah (or is that viola?) you are in the numbers. Cool, huh? Every time you add a letter, it is copied from the last one. (e.g., if your code currently is rC, and you hit right at the C, which adds a char, the string will be rCC. Thus, for a code of rC2C-eWC, do the r, hit over, find a C, then replicate this until the last repeat of C, then go back and fix the rest...) The opt.2 button -- goes to end-of-input. So, if you accidentally hit the accept 'a' button, you can jump back to the end of the password, to finish it. Don't forget the opt.1 button, acts like a delete key. Level passwords are comprised of only CAPS. Hit 'a' to finish... Don't let me insult your intelligence, I'm just trying to help you along, since these passwords are nasty-long. It's for your own good, mind you! On that note, let me hit you with my password. (I had a nicer one, but I shifted my lynx, and BOOM, power went off. That one was 15.25 long...) Here it is: GJfy-hBCA-r8dE-IAJB-GQ74-lis2-u9d6- dyjS-DgPQ-KZnc-T1MS-elwR-hVzu I think that's it. If it doesn't work with 'u', try a 'v'. It's hard to tell, sometimes... Anyway, lots of good stuff, like ALL the detector, scanner, and armor types. Also, one or two razers, and a total of 69 missiles! I think that's what is on this code, anyway. Here is another code, with lotsa goodies: Lc0n-5sx5-fpoW-G8LI-m9rV-mvIK-i2bP- 2RFa-lrCB-psFw-fiwM-NY0m-jsol-4FdU (Hey, if you've tried these, and they don't work, please, write me! I'll be grateful!) There are two modes of operation during the game: Select mode and Move mode. To switch between the two modes, use the key currently assigned to 'control' (opt.1 is default). 'Pause' is the only way to stop the action in either mode, regardless of what is activated, like a scanner or even the map detector. You start out in select mode, the more complicated of the two, so I'll cover that first. Select mode controls: Joypad moves cursor. If the cursor is on an item in your inventory, its name will display. Also, if this item can be linked to a button (see below), the word "key" will display with the cursor. 'a' or 'b' or opt.1 -- double-clicking any of these on a "key" item will make that button activate the item (these are: Control, missiles, razers, scanners). If the cursor is over a Pickinz or a Fuel, it will activate that item (ie, it will bring up that HUD or use that fuel tank), leaving button assignment the same. (Does this go for shields, too?) If one of these buttons is pressed while the cursor is over the viewscreen, it will activate its associated function. Opt.2 while on your inventory will drop a canister in front of your tank, and change the cursor to the item you chose. You can move the item somewhere else in the highlighted region, or drop it by pressing opt.2 again while in the viewscreen. If the cursor is over a canister on the viewscreen, this button will pick up the item inside, giving you an icon for it, as well as a highlight area where it is allowed to be placed. Here's a little hint: You can drop anything in inventory, just not if there is a canister already right in front of you. It took me a while to realize this. Have no fear of reassigning everything, if you want. You won't ever get "stuck" in a mode, since you can only switch modes if you have a button linked to Control. Personally, I have 'a' as control, 'b' as razers, and opt.1 as missiles. If one of your banks of missiles or razers runs out, you will need to reassign you keys to non-empty ones, as it will not be done for you. Fuel and shields do this automatically. Move mode controls: Joypad -- control direction of the tank. Up -- accelerate forward. Down -- accelerate backward. Right -- turn right Left -- turn left 'a' or 'b' or opt.1 -- activate its associated function (Be sure to double-click to activate a scanner on something.) Opt.2 -- the original sheet says this "toggles music on/off" but I haven't tested it. As a bonus, here's some extra controlling my brother found, somehow: >Do the controls seem a bit sluggish? Double-press any direction on the >joypad, and see the results. Your tank really starts to fly around! - "double"-joypad -- speedy control. up -- if speed is over 20, go to turbo (speed 99) for duration of keypress. A 'T' replaces the '+' in the control panel. down -- immediate full-stop, regardless of current direction or speed right -- turn quickly to the right left -- turn quickly to the left On amassing items: I've discovered a way to amass items and stuff (you know that, when you are shot enough, you die, and so does all of your carefully collected equipment). However, if you are "zilled [sic] by radiation," you still keep all your old stuff. So, you can pick stuff up, irradiate yourself, and be happier for it. Best setup for this a Tank with a low Z-tolerance, and a terrain with the following: high Z-rate, low # of tanks, and a bunch of fuel and other canisters. A different way to build yourself up in the beginning is to would be to start on one of the more difficult levels, (where difficulty seems to be based on number of tanks and Z-rate), because more and better equipment is assigned initially. (Thanks to Steve Well for noticing this) Always pick up the tank "droppings" -- left by dead tanks. It's usually at least a used missile bank, but sometimes it's better, like a new drive-train and stuff. Hey, have you seen the rotating triangle thing in the middle of some levels? What is that? I tried scanning it, to no avail. Shooting it, too, of course! And, after 10 or so missiles, it blew up, leaving a canister! But, no matter how hard I try, I can't pick it up!! Update!! See below, Questions and Answers And, lastly, here is an unexpected way to get stuff: When you input a code, you still get the choice of equip that you would have had you chosen ZT.Build or ZT.New. That means you have all your stuff, plus MORE that is allocated. Bug? Maybe, but it makes for powerful tanks!! Questions and Answers (to some of them): What does tank mass do? What is the best way to kill the bouncy things? Hmmm... Run away? Just don't stay in one place too long. What is the exact difference between the engines? (See next question) What does eff stand for? (Efficiency? But what would that mean?) From Harry Dodgson: > Yes, efficiency... meaning how much fuel it uses... that's > why a 'b' is better than an 'a' drive. In the drivetrains, where does "terrain" come into play? Other than quantity, what's the difference between missile types? On all the electrical systems, what does "drain" refer to? From Harry Dodgson: > I presume the same thing here [as for the engines], all these > boxes take power to run. Why do razers have similar impact ratings to missiles? If razers have a 'drain' attribute associated with them, why aren't they replenished? How can Dial B (ABS CO-ORD) be useful in finding passwords? From Harry Dodgson: > When you find one, you'll know! :) What does the Detectors' ratings of "one-point/all-types/zone- limited/detect-all" refer to? In the original "Cheat Sheet," why does he single out one level as not having a password? Does he know all the others? From Harry Dodgson: > Of course, I know all the others :) (I say, get 'em, guys!!!) ;-) What exactly is that rotating-triangle thing in some of the levels? (See next question) After I blow it up, why can't I pick up what's inside that triangle? This is where that mysterious Data-Scan comes into play. After destroying the rotating triangle, a pod appears, which you cannot pick up and upon which the pickinz scan does not work. Use the Data scan, however, and you will be given instructions for how to reach the "next" rotating triangle, in a specified level. It gives this information in terms of Zone coordinates, which you of course access through the Map screen. It further defines the location of the next triangle as "Index" location (I think they use index). See above, Dials, for details on how the index coordinates work. At any rate, the strange thing I have experienced is that the instructions have always been to go diagonally in the same direction. I have gone like this for about five in a row without dying, and still no changes, no hints at passwords. Maybe we should find a triangle that points to a locked zone, and will then give its password. I just don't know. Why do missiles launch straight ahead, no matter where my cursor is, and regardless of missile type? Why isn't the sound stereo? That would be too cool, I guess! If I die, why does it say "zilled by" such-and-such? Syntax error? Where do you find that quote? Well, that's it, for now. If you have questions, comments, or new codes for cool tanks, please, write me at pforhan@cs.truman.edu! Bye! Patrick Forhan, 1996