LYNX: Xenophobe - Hints
From: Len Stys (aa399@cleveland.Freenet.Edu)
Date: 03/15/91-06:34:09 PM Z
From: aa399@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Len Stys)
Subject: LYNX: Xenophobe - Hints
Date: Fri Mar 15 18:34:09 1991
XENOPHOBE HINTS
>From: horny@ucscb.UCSC.EDU (Michael Kaye)
In article <1990Dec21.171645.23026@PacBell.COM> sgsimon@PacBell.COM (Steve Simon) writes:
>In article <1990Dec21.055656.13106@math.lsa.umich.edu> hyc@math.lsa.umich.edu (Howard Chu) writes:
>>But Xenophobe, on the other hand.... I've spent hours and hours, but have
>>only gotten as far as level 8 on my own. Level 13 with 1 other player. I
>>guess part of the secret to survival is the fine art of lobbing bombs,
>>but I'd like to know if there are any other tips I'm missing out on.
I solved the game last night. Bombs are not so critical to survival, except
for dealing with mobs of rollerbies. I used very few throughout the game.
I kept conserving them for the level 21 and 23, and when i got there I
didn't use very many at all. I got to level 19 on my first guy.
>>Can you hit ceiling targets with the poofer gun? It doesn't seem to be
>>possible to aim it that way... Nor too safe.
It's safe and easy to kill ceiling targets with the poofer gun.
The mistake I've seen others do is moving left/right while trying to
take out ceiling targets. Stop, aim up, and fire.
>I've gotten to level 13 playing solo. It's so frustrating after having
>gotten all that way to have to start over from level 1.
The last level is level 23. It would be nice to be able to skip the earlier
levels. I hate level 8, because it bores me to tears. A good way to skip
this level is to immediately teleport below using the ALIENS REMAINING
sign. Push option 1 around the sign while standing. It'll transport
you right near a self destruct machine.
>The only one that you can't use to hit ceiling targets is the fire
>extinguisher. You CAN hit them with the extinguisher if you use
>your jet-pack.
You can take out ceiling targets with a fire extinguisher by simply jumping
up and firing too. Takes nerve... Real easy to screw up and get snagged.
>I agree that the art of lobbing bombs is crucial to staying alive,
>especially when you lose your weapon! Another good technique is to
>use your jet-pack, aim at the ground and keep firing. This will allow
>you to move quickly through a level, killing any small critters, but
>doesn't work too well against the Snotterpillars. I generally prefer
>the energy gun (the yellow one) to the poofer gun. The poofer just
>doesn't have enough range.
I don't think that's a good strategy. The yellow energy gun is my
favorite too. The poofer gun is good for taking out the alien holding
tanks.
>All in all a challenging and addicting game!
Xenophobe is nothing short of fantastic!
Well, if you are still with me reading this message, I'll detail my
strategy. By the way, I have never played this game multi-player, is
it incredibly easy?? I can't see it being challenging with more than
one player at a time.
First the basics. I love the yellow electro gun, so all my strategy
revolves around this gun. The puffer gun does more damage.
o I usually crawl along the ground and fire alot. I stand to kill festers
and ceiling vines. Jump to move quickly.
o Festers (the fellows who appear on the sides of the screen)
Take these guys out by being just over half a screen away from
them. Fire like crazy. You better make sure you are at least
half a screen away because these really hurt! You can
advance on them once they retreat and expose their hand, makes
killing them easier if you do. When they throw stuff, you better
be facing them and firing... Getting hit by this stuff stuns you,
likely costing your life on later levels. You can kill them with the
puffer gun by laying low near the edge of the screen, and standing up
and firing as soon as they start to retreat. You can always ignore these
guys buy crawling along the floor... but it's good to take them out
as soon as you can. They produce other aliens, and create another hazard.
You can often kill festers on the adjacent screen by firing very close to
the edge. I used this to my advantage alot on level 22, which is almost
nothing but festers.
o Ceiling vines: As I mentioned earlier, make sure you don't move into
them while firing. Stop, then aim up and fire.
o Rollerbies (the armadillo like things that curl into a ball)
Getting hit by these balled up creatures can stun you for some time,
like the festers can, which means losing your life in later levels.
Fire alot at them to make them roll the other way of course. Don't
fire too much if there is a closed door in the way, as they'll bounce
back at you at high speed. They unravel once they stop moving. I often
fire once or twice at them to make them stop. They then unravel and I kill
them. Or, I throw a grenade, and fire just enough to make them be near
the grenade. These guys are what really threatens your life at the
beginning of later levels... Don't underestimate what a mob of these
can do to your game. :) One stuns you, then every alien and their
brother beat up on you while you can't do anything. Then you lose your
gun, and losing your gun on later levels usually means the end of your
life, if not your whole game! (you usually get a laser with your new
guy, which often is inadaquate). Point blank shots often don't work
on these guys for some reason, very important to remember.
o Laser firing security drones: Of course you can make these stop firing
at you by getting the disk and putting it in the security machine.
But did you know that you can kill them? You have to fire alot, unless
you have a puffer gun. Stand and fire diagonally up, fire like crazy,
and don't change directions! They'll move right into your fire. The laser
gun does so little damage, it is questionable if you should do this with that
gun. I kill these drones on every floor I encounter them until I find
the disk.
o Little crawling aliens: crawl and fire alot, jump if you they stick to you.
On later levels, it often isn't wise to jump immediately... you might jump
into a festers xray beam, and get stunned, lose your gun, your life, your
game...
o Snotterpillars (big hopping spitting aliens): While heading towards a new
screen, if you hear that you are hitting something just before you enter
the new screen, stop and keep firing until the sound stops. Then fire alot
as you enter the new screen. Firing at them usually stops the nasty spittle
they throw. You should have no problems taking out mobs of these fellows
by firing alot. Stop moving as soon you are hitting one, you want to hit
them as far away as you can. I am pretty brave with these guys, I'll take
on a big mob of them at once. Just fire very very fast. If too many get
close, or are about to, move directly away and hit jump twice (or more) in
a row. This one tactic is the main reason why I survive so long!
Not only does it make you run away quickly, it also has the effect of
dodging their spittle. Practice turning around and hopping away repeatly
when there aren't aliens around. Make sure you are moving away before
jumping, otherwise you'll jump up instead of away, and then you're really
screwed. If you have the puffer gun, have no fear-- if you fire fast enough,
you can kill a solid wall of these guys with it.
o machine that spits out bombs: Each bomb does 200 damage I think, so
be careful. Jump away or over bombs that get thrown near you. hit
option two to fix the machine, then hit option one until you have a full
load of grenades.
o self destructing: often a good idea, unless you are about to finish the
level. You won't get 200 bonus health, but on later levels you'll probably
lose more than that. I usually self destruct 2 or maybe 3 levels.
o Fire levels: I am continually switching from the fire extinguisher to
the electro gun on this level. Put out the fire, run and grab your gun
and clear the rooms until you hit the next fire, etc. You can push
along both guns, but it's risky. Fires count as part of the alien
remaining count... so don't leave the fires for last! Otherwise you'll
get stuck with a fire extinguisher on your next level. If I'm cautious,
I often gain more health than I lose on these levels.
o level 21: This level is utter hell. Makes every other level look silly.
Be paranoid with every room you enter. I can't stress enough how hard this
level is. Fire as fast as you can. Good luck keeping your gun... that's
the main thing actually on the later levels, keeping your gun. The beginning
of 21 and other later levels is hellish, this is one place where I wouldn't
feel guilty using alot of grenades. Those hordes of rollerbies are a real
problem at the beginning of levels.
o level 22: This level is as easy as 21 is hard. Almost nothing but festers.
This level might not be so easy if you don't have an electro-gun. I always
have one here.
o level 23, final level: Use my technique for killing snotterpillars,
especially hopping away repeatedly when mobs get close. Grenades here
can take a wall of snotterpillers, what a rush. :) Keep up a wall of
fire to stop their spittle. Be wary of hidden ceiling vines on the edges
of the screen. Fire as fast as you can when you see the mother alien,
crawl behind her while firing when you've cleared the other aliens in
the room. Fire at her head once you're behind her. (diagonally up from ground)
o It's important to learn to survive with a laser gun until you can get
something better. Be very convervative, do most of your killing from the
adjacent screen. Hit things as far away as possible. Run from snotterpillars
when they get inside your max range (yup, hop twice again..) use grenades
if you have to. God I hate losing your gun on the later levels.
Free free to mail me any questions and comments. Is the arcade game
exactly the same?
Michael Kaye horny@ucscl.ucsc.edu Twin Peaks ADDICT
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