DARK SIDE FAQ V1.0 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- by David J. Stein, Esq. 0. Introduction 0.1 Foreword 0.2 Versions 1. Story Line and Style of Puzzles 1.1 Story Line 1.2 Objectives 1.3 Style of Puzzles 2. Controls and Items 2.1 Controls 2.2 Items 2.3 Tricuspid Objects 3. Areas and Puzzles 3.1 Overview and Maps 3.2 ECD Map 3.3 Area Descriptions 4. Unanswered Questions 6. Revision History 7. Credits ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 0. INTRODUCTION 0.1 FOREWORD Dark Side is a first-person, 3D adventure game written in 1988 for several computing platforms. The developers of the game are Chris Andrews, Stephen "Bug" Northcott, Paul Gregory, Ian Andrew, and Helen Andrew, with unspecified "additional contributions" by Kim Carpentier. The Amiga port appears to have been written mostly or entirely by Paul Gregory. Graphics are credited to Sean Ellis and music is credited to Wally Beben. The manual is credited to Steinar Lund and Peter Carter. Dark Side was released by a company called Incentive Software Ltd. based in the UK, but is also listed as having been designed and programmed by a company called Major Developments. The Amiga version was published by Microprose. This game is a sequel to an earlier game by the same company called Driller, and it shares the same game engine (though slightly more developed) and some plot elements, but is otherwise a standalone game. (In truth, I didn't even know about the links to the earlier game until after I'd completed this one!) The engine, named 3D Freescape (and apparently developed by a separate company named Major Developments), is an early 3D engine that presents objects as flat, untextured polygons. No lighting model or curved surfaces are present, the polygon count is kept very low, and antialiasing is not involved, so lots of jagged edges and distance artifacts are present. The version that I used for this FAQ (the PC version) is presented in EGA graphics with only 16 colors, although the Amiga version appears much improved. Despite such limitations, Dark Side manages to create an interesting environment with some challenging puzles and a rewarding game experience. --- 0.2 VERSIONS Versions of Dark Side were released for the Amstrad CPC, ZX Spectrum, Atari ST, Commodore 64, Commodore Amiga, and PC (running in DOS and maxing out with EGA graphics.) The differences appear to be purely cosmetic; a side-by-side comparison of the PC, Commodore 64, and Amiga versions illustrates progressive increases in the detail of the HUD and graphics rendering (e.g., higher resolution in polygon rendering, particularly noticeable at the edges, and better color depth.) The Commodore 64 and Amiga versions also feature ambient music, while the PC version is silent. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. BACKSTORY AND STYLE OF PUZZLES 1.1 BACKSTORY The following text from the game manual sets the stage for Dark Side. Welcome To Your Mission Background 200 years on from Drill ertimes, the Ketars take revenge. On the Dark Side of Evath's other moon, Tricuspid, a giant weapon, Zephyr One, has been constructed aimed to blow Evath to bits. To gain sufficient power, a network of ECD's (Energy Collection Devices) were constructed around the moon. The suspended solar cells at the ECD apex collects energy from Evath's sun then transmits this energy through the power line matrix for the final assault on Evathkind. Objective To avoid mass panic on Evath this mission is highly confidential. You have been dropped inconspicuously on Tricuspid into a safe zone by a routine patrol ship. Your mission is to destroy every ECD, thus disabling the Zephyr One weapon and saving Evath from certain destruction. Score guide - first week target - one million points. --- 1.2 OBJECTIVES The goal of Dark Side is to prevent disable the weapon Zephyr One, which has been manufactured on the dark side of the moon Tricuspid and is being powered up. As soon as the weapon reaches full power, it will discharge and destroy the planet of Evath. This can occur either if the charge from the weapon (as shown on a steadily increasing timer on the right side of the player's HUD) reaches full power, or if the player dies during the adventure. The Zephyr One is being charged by a network of Energy Collection Devices (ECDs) positioned throughout Tricuspid. These devices can be disabled with the player's laser pistol, but need to be shut down in a certain order (because any ECD that is connected via the power grid to more than one functioning ECD cannot be disabled), so in addition to exploring Tricuspid to locate each ECD, the player must study the power grid connections of the ECDs. Additionally, the final ECD is located right next to Zephyr One in a highly secured area, and the player must figure out how to circumvent this security in order to access the Zephyr One. Of course, the player must achieve these goals without dying. The world of Tricuspid is hostile but not treacherous, and the player is equipped with a full-body shield that will absorb many types of damage. However, the shield has limited energy, and any damage sustained after the shield is exhausted is instantly fatal. Additionally, the player is equipped with a jetpack having a limited fuel reserve, and exhausting the fuel reserve is also fatal. Both resources start with low reserves, and while they may be recharged by locating certain objects in Tricuspid, these recharges are scarce. Therefore, it will be helpful to save your game often, and if you find yourself spending a significant amount of time (and shield power and fuel) without fruitful results, you should consider reloading an earlier save game. 1.3 STYLE OF PUZZLES Dark Side is a fairly straightforward and logical game. The player does not have an inventory (in the traditional "pick up objects, examine and manipulate them, and use them to solve puzzles" sense), and can only manipulate objects by touching or shooting them. The difficulty of puzzles arises from trial-and-error and observation. Dark Side also does not seek to trap the player; any effect that you achieve upon the game world will be a step in the right direction. There are no mazes or odd misdirections as in many other games (including Total Eclipse, the next game built by Incentive Software using the same engine.) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. CONTROLS AND ITEMS 2.1 CONTROLS Dark Side is an "old-school" first-person game. In other words, it doesn't follow the control scheme of typical first-person games: you don't use the mouse for anything (including freelook), and the WASD control scheme is unavailable. Instead, you may control this game either by a specific keyboard layout or by joystick. Here are the keys for the keyboard layout: * Arrow Keys: Move forward and backward, or turn left or right. (Strafe is completely absent - but you will likely not miss it.) * U: "U-turn" - turns 180 degrees. * P/L or semicolon: Look up or down. (The semicolon key and L both look down - they do the exact same thing. Probably programmed this way for user convenience, since neither of them is directly below the P key.) * J: Turn jetpack on and off. * F and R: Crouch (drop down to one knee) and rise (return to feet.) While crouching, the player can still move, but more slowly. Also, rise or fall while navigating with the jetpack. * N and M: Tilt view left and right. Honestly, I have no idea why these features are implemented - no situation in the game calls for their use. * 5: Fires your laser pistol at the crosshairs. You have unlimited ammo, which is helpful because many objects can only be activated by shooting them! * Space: Toggle between moving around and aiming your pistol. * = or B: Hides or shows the crosshairs. (No idea why you'd want to do this.) * A and Z: Increase or decrease your turning radius - the number of degrees that you turn with each left or right tap, and the number of degrees that your head tilts when you tap the P or L/semicolon keys. Options include 5, 10, 15, 30, 45, and 90. Not terribly useful - the game runs fast enough that I just left it on 5 degrees the entire game - but if you want to move faster, I guess it's nice to have this option. * S and X: Increase or decrease your stride length - the distance that your character travels with each step forward or backward. Options include 1, 2, 5, 10, 25, 50, and 100. Larger numbers are better for covering distances quickly; smaller numbers are better for more precise steps. Again, I didn't find this too useful - I never needed more precision, so I left it on 100 the entire game. * F: Toggles between ducking and standing. * I: Displays the in-game menu (Save, Load, Pause, Terminate.) You can also toggle the sound on or off here. - Caution: Hitting Escape from this menu ends your game! You will almost certainly trigger this once accidentally. If you want to leave this menu without doing anything, hit the I key again, or hit a cursor key. A note about standing: Many times (particularly when using the jetpack), it will be necessary to move vertically - either to rise through a hole in the ceiling of a building or to drop through a hole in the ground - or to determine with precision where you are standing (e.g., when walking on a raised platform and trying not to fall off.) The Freescape engine makes this determination easy: your position is the single point in the center of the screen when you look straight up or straight down. Of course, this point will correspond to the center of your sights if you are not in "shoot" mode. If this point is positioned over a solid surface (even as thin as a hair!), you will not fall. Similarly, if you want to rise through a hole in the ceiling, just line up this point within *any* part of the hole (even an edge!) and rise straight up. (It may not be realistic, but it's a useful game mechanism.) --- 2.2 ITEMS You begin your adventure in Dark Side with the following objects: * Full-body shield: This shield protects you from minor injuries, such as running into walls, walking across harmful surfaces, and getting zapped by enemies. However, the player is extremely fragile (well, actually quite realistically, the player's space suit may be highly susceptible to punctures), and any bit of damage that is not absorbed by the shield is instantly fatal. The shield can and should be recharged, but energy recharges are limited, so care should be taken to avoid running into objects. NOTE: The shield is ineffective at avoiding damage from falls, and a fall of any distance (even a foot!) is instantly fatal, regardless of shield power. * Laser pistol: Your laser pistol is your primary means of manipulating objects within the world of Tricuspid. Like the phaser in Star Trek, the laser pistol is useful both as a weapon for destroying enemies and objects, and as a simple tool for providing force to some objects. The laser pistol holds unlimited charge and does not deplete your shield or fuel reserves, so feel free to use it liberally. To use the laser pistol, simply point your targeting reticle at an object (using Space to toggle between targeting mode and movement mode), and press the 5 button to fire once, or hold it down for repeated fire. Note that, while some objects may require being shot in a particular location (such as on a particular side), Dark Side does not go overboard by requiring high or pixel-perfect precision as some other games - shooting something in a particular general area should be enough to trigger an effect. However, it may still be difficult to aim properly (particularly if the object is far away) because the targeting reticle tends to move rapidly. One trick that may help with targeting: your targeting reticle moves more slowly while you are using the laser pistol in rapid-fire mode, so you can position the reticle near a target and hold down the 5 key while maneuvering for better targeting. * Jetpack: Your jetpack is essential for maneuvering within the three-dimensional world of Tricuspid. Many times, you will need to rise through a hole in the ceiling, land on a roof or high surface, or traverse a dangerous surface without touching it. Using your jetpack is simple: when you toggle it (using J), you will begin hovering, and you can use R and F to rise and fall (respectively.) Your jetpack is quite advanced, allowing you to rise to the top of any environment and hover perfectly still. However, it will be prudent to remain mindful of three limitations: 1) Any surface that you contact while using the jetpack will sap your shield power and eventually kill you. (This includes the ground - pressing "F" to descend while you are immediately above a surface will incur damage.) Therefore, be careful while navigating with the jetpack - look around a lot to avoid hitting anything. 2) Your jetpack runs off of a limited supply of fuel, and running out of fuel is not just inconvenient but instantly fatal (producing the message "System Overload".) Fuel recharges are available, but limited. Therefore, you should limit your use of the jetpack to necessary situations. 3) Falls are fatal. If you turn off your jetpack or run out of fuel while you are more than a few feet above a solid surface, you will instantly die. There is *some* degree of latitude here - but not much! (Presumably, your space suit is vulnerable to punctures.) Your shield is completely ineffective at absorbing damage from falls. This aspect is particularly relevant to landing - you can't just get within a few feet of a surface and cut off the jetpack; you should be standing on it. Thus, it's helpful to look straight down to make sure you're over your intended landing position and descend one step at a time until you incur a small amount of damage (from thrusting downward into the surface) before cutting off your jetpack engines. The small amount of damage is tolerable, and better than misjudging your height and dying unexpectedly! * Compass: Embedded in your HUD is a simple, two-dimensional compass that indicates magnetic north. However, since Tricuspid is spherical, it won't work in either of the poles, and just displays "MALFUNCTION" in these locations. * Timer: At the right edge of the HUD is a binary timer with 15 steps that indicates the amount of power charging to the Zephyr One weapon (and the amount of time remaining before the end of the game.) The game is over when the top step on the timer becomes lit. The sequence of lights in this binary timer will probably make perfect sense to those who've studied binary math (the bottom step represents 1, the next one up represents 2, then 4, then 8, etc., with the top step representing 32,768.) The timer starts at zero and increments toward the top step, but this amount of time isn't fixed. Rather, the rate of filling is proportional to the number of ECDs ("Energy Collection Devices") operating in the game. Scattered throughout Tricuspid are 25 ECDs, and the number of currently operating ECDs is shown at the top of the HUD as a percentage (starting with 100%.) Every ECD that is disabled reduces the rate of filling, and if you quickly disable many ECDs early in the game, the rate will so reduced that it is not much of a threat. * Other HUD elements: The HUD also contains some other ECD elements (a GPS-like readout with X, Y, and height coordinates, a score, a level along the left side showing the vertical angle of your current view, a label for the name of your currentl location, etc.) These elements may be occasionally helpful, but are not major elements within the game. --- 2.3 TRICUSPID OBJECTS In addition to unique objects found in a single location, the following objects can be found throughout Tricuspid: * Energy Collection Device (ECD): This object is a tall, white and gray pillar with a tapered top and a pyramidal shape atop. Moreover, the ECDs create an energy collection network, with visible power lines (black lines stretched across the ground) creating a web of ECDs. Disabling the ECDs is your primary goal in Dark Side. Moreover, disabling many ECDs quickly (especially early in the game) is very important, because the number of functioning ECDs determines the rate at which the Zephyr One powers up. (The ECDs presumably gather power from the environment - but not likely solar power, because the ECDs on the light side of the moon gather energy at the same rate as the ECD on the dark side of the moon! Perhaps they collect geothermal energy.) Disabling an ECD is simple in theory: use your laser pistol to shoot the pyramidal structure at the top of the column. However, as the ECDs are connected in a power grid, a disabled ECD will instantly regenerate if it is directly connected (via the power grid) to more than one other enabled ECD. Some of the ECDs are connected to as many as five other ECDs, so disabling these ECDs will be difficult! - and, of course, you may find yourself disabling these ECDs last. Of course, you may simply wander around Tricuspid at random and trying to disable every ECD you find, but this is likely to be a frustrating process (and you may well run out of time before winning the game.) Other tactics may that be useful: * Trace the paths of the power grid. The goal is to find an isolated ECD at the end of a path (connected to only one other ECD) - these can be instantly disabled. Next, trace the path of this ECD to other ECDs to which it is connected, and try to disable those. Sometimes, this tactic may fail, because the power line of an ECD may lead through an area that you cannot traverse; you can either try to guess where the power line leads, or you can start looking for other ECDs that you may be able to disable. * If you encounter a particularly well-connected ECD that you'd like to disable, try following each of its power lines outward. Even if you can't yet disable the central ECD, disabling some of the peripheral ECDs may allow you to disable other ECDs (and, of course, will decrease the rate of powering up the Zephyr One.) * For ECDs that you cannot initially disable, it will be helpful to try disabling them at a later time after disabling other ECDs. You may be surprised to find that a well-connected ECD can later be disabled because you have since disabled a connected ECD in a remote location. * Fuel Column: A vertical red pillar (often found in the Store locations) serves as a fuel recharge. Walking into it will replenish your fuel reserves to a certain point - and then the column will disappear. * Power Symbol: A black symbol on a wall, shaped like a pentagram, serves as a shield power recharge. Walking into it (sometimes necessitating the use of a jetpack) will replenish your shield power to a certain point - and then the power symbol will disappear. * Letter Symbol: A black symbol shaped as a letter ("D", "A", "R", or "K"). These symbols are positioned high on adjacent walls of the security building protecting the Zephyr One weapon. The letter symbols can together unlock the entrance to the security building. To collect a letter symbol, the player must use the jetpack to reach the letter symbol on the wall, and then touch it. * Exchanger: Scattered around in a few places (often found in Store locations) are power exchangers, which look like a first green pyramid and a second green pyramid inverted over the first, or like a pyramidal hourglass. These devices will allow you to trade fuel for shield power (by shooting the top pyramid, or the top half of the exchanger) or to trade shield power for fuel (by shootign the bottom pyramid, or the bottom half of the exchanger.) Of course, remembering which half of the device performs which function can be important, especially when your reserve of one power type is nearly exhausted! As a simple mnemonic, note that your shield power is listed above your fuel reserve in the HUD; you can exchange power upward (from your fuel reserve to your shield) by shooting the top half, and exchange power downward by shooting the bottom half. * Powerporter: Also scattered around Tricuspid are some teleportation devices that will instantly place you in another location if shot with your laser pistol. These objects look like green vessels with a brown, rectangular top and bottom, but where the bottom surface is smaller than the top surface, so that the edges flare outward as they rise to the top. Each of these devices always sends you to the same destination, but can be used an indefinite number of times and costs neither power nor time to use. * Telepod crystal: Located within the world of Tricuspid is a telepod chamber, which can be operated to teleport you to various locations. However, the crux telepod utilizes telepod crystals, each of which is hidden somewhere in Tricuspid. These crystals appear as a tall pyramid of various colors, and can be collected by touching them. * Plexors (tanks): These security devices are your main enemies within the world of Tricuspid. If you get too close to a plexor, it will begin zapping you and draining your shield energy. Its attack radius is quite large (it can zap you even if you are directly to the side), but does not extend behind the plexor, so standing behind the plexor is generally safe. The plexor is also limited by line of sight, so in some locations (particularly Regulus Sector, your starting location), you can avoid attack by taking cover behind an object such as a tree. However, many plexors may be destroyed, either by attacking it from the front or back with your laser pistol or by using the environment. Plexors are also immobile, and thus easily avoided. * Flying saucer: If you stay in a single location too long (a little over two minutes), a flying saucer will appear in the sky and begin zapping you. (OK, it's not really a saucer - more like a floating platform.) They appear high in the sky, so finding them may take a few seconds. However, these flying saucers can be defeated easily - shoot them once with your laser pistol, or leave the location (you can immediately return.) * Block: You may encounter many blocks in Tricuspid that can be shot to achieve various effects. Usually, these blocks are red and possibly white, and shooting them may cause walls to disappear, entrances to appear, or objects to move around. Sometimes the block will also disappear (but may reappear if you leave the location and return.) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3. AREAS AND PUZZLES 3.1 OVERVIEW AND MAPS Tricuspid is presented as a small white moon, with the top side (mapping to north) as the dark side and the bottom side of the moon as the light side. The Zephyr One weapon is situated in the center of the dark side, and when activated fires straight up to destroy Evath - so, presumaby, the solar system looks a bit like this: *** ******* ********* ********* Evath ********* ******* *** + (Zephyr One) *** (dark side) ***** ******* Tricuspid ooooo ooo (light side) \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \| | |/ / / / / / / / / / \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ | | | / / / / / / / / \ \ \ \ \ \ \| | |/ / / / / / / \ \ \ \ \ | | | / / / / / \ \ \ooooooooo/ / / \ooooooooooooooo/ (sun) ooooooooooooooooooo The outer surface of Tricuspid can be full traversed, and the player may use the jetpack to reach a certain height (approximately 4,000... though the unit of measure is not specified.) The surface is divided into a set of areas, each appearing bordered by black, unlit spaces. This is only a limitation of the engine; some of the boundaries can be crossed to enter a new area, while others act as a barrier that saps energy - and, unfortunately, these may only be determined via trial-and-error. Additionally, some subsurface tunnels are accessible, and these generally run parallel to some of the surface areas. Each area is a square of the same size, and each tunnel is a rectangle of the same length. Of course, as a sphere, the outer surface wraps around, both longitudinally and laterally. The lateral wrapping may seem quite logical, but the longitudinal wrapping may cause disorientation. The light side, positioned at the south pole, is accessible by traveling south from most locations. However, at this location, the compass will not work - and though the borders of this area all lead to different locations, all of them represent a northern entrance to the location. The subsurface tunnels follow this same pattern: an "equator tunnel" runs laterally (east and west) around the equator of the planet, with a "dark tunnel" branching northward (and, while appearing to continue straight, wraps around into a southerly direction), and a "light tunnel" branching southward (and, while appearing to continue straight, wraps around into a northerly direction.) It would have been nice to have the graphics reflect the curvature of the surfaces - but this feat was definitely beyond the capabilities of the primitive Freescale engine! In view of these properties of the moon of Tricuspid, here is a rough two-dimensional map: Surface Area xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx x x x x x Dark x (to Oberon | Canopus | (to Iapetus x Side x Sector) | Walkway | Sector) x 1 7 9 x x C x xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx ^ | | xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx| |xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx x xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx x Thetys xxxxxxxxxxx Psyche xxxxxxxxxxx Pollux xxxxxxxxxxx Nereicl xxxxxxxxx x Sector xxxxxxxxxxx Sector xxxxxxxxxxx Sector xxxxxxxxxxx Sector xxxxxxxxx x C 3 D xxxxxxxxxxx 2 3 3 A xxxxxxxxxxx 3 R xxxxxxxxxxx 3 K xxxxxxxxx x---------xxxxxxxxxxx---------xxxxxxxxxxx---------xxxxxxxxxxx---------xxxxxxxxx | | | | | | | | | |Ganymede | Iapetus | Sirius | Procyon |Fomalhaut| Umbriel | Titania |Oberon | | | Sector | Sector | Sector | | Sector | Sector |Sector | | 8 | 6 9 | 4 7 | 9 | | 9 | | 9 | x---------xxxxxxxxxxx---------xxxxxxxxxxx---------xxxxxxxxxxx---------xxxxxxxxx x xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx x Triton xxxxxxxxxxx Regulus xxxxxxxxxxxMonocerosxxxxxxxxxxx Antares xxxxxxxxx x Sector xxxxxxxxxxx Sector xxxxxxxxxxx Sector xxxxxxxxxxx Sector xxxxxxxxx x xxxxxxxxxxx 5 xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx x---------xxxxxxxxxxx---------xxxxxxxxxxx---------xxxxxxxxxxx---------xxxxxxxxx | |_________ | | | | | | | +---------+ | | | | | | | |________________________| Light |____| | | Side | | | 9 | | +---------+ | |_______________________________| 1 = Zephyr One 2 = Crux Telepod 3 = Telepod Pad 4 = Callisto Store 5 = Ganymede Store 6 = Centauri Store 7 = Entrance to Canopus Walkway 8 = Exit from Canopus Walkway 9 = Entrance to Tunnels C = Telepod Crystal D = "D" letter symbol A = "A" letter symbol R = "R" letter symbol K = "K" letter symbol Subsurface Area xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx x Dark x -------------| Tunnel |------------- | x 1 x | | xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx | | | xx-xx xx-xx x x x x Dark x x x x Dark Tunnel x x x x Tunnel x x x x x x x x xx-xx xx-xx | | | | | | xxxxxxxxxxxxx| |xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx| |xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Equator | Equator | Equator | Equator | Equator | Equator | Equator | Equator Tunnel | Tunnel | Tunnel | Tunnel | Tunnel | Tunnel | Tunnel | Tunnel 5 | | 2 | | 3 | | 4 | C xxxxxxxxxxxxx| |xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx| |xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx| |xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx | | | | | | | | | xx-xx xxxxxx| |xxxxxx xx-xx x x x Io x x x Light x x x Confinement x x x Light Tunnel x 6 x x C x x x Tunnel x x xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx x x x x x x xx-xx xx-xx | | | xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx | | x Light x | -------------| Tunnel |------------- x 7 x xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 1 = Hatch to Dark Side 2 = Hatch to Procyon Sector 3 = Hatch to Umbriel Sector 4 = Hatch to Oberon Sector 5 = Hatch to Iapetus Sector 6 = Hatch to Ganymede Store 7 = Hatch to Light Side C = Telepod Crystal --- 3.2 ECD MAP Here is the best representation of a map of the ECD connections in ASCII graphics (or at least, the best that I can do =) ) ... the rooms are laid out the same as above, but with other information eliminated. Some liberties have been taken with repositioning items to fit the available space, and positions might not be to scale - but in general, this map should be pretty easy to use. Each circle represents an ECD. The + symbols represent a crossing of two power lines. xxxxxxxxxxx x x x Dark x x Side o------------------ x x | xxxxxxxxxxx | | | | xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx| |xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx|xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx x xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx | xxxxxxxxxxx o xxxxxxxxx x Thetys xxxxxxxxxxx Psyche xxxxxxxxxxx o xxxxxxxxxxx /| xxxxxxxxx x Sector xxxxxxxxxxx Sector xxxxxxxxxxx | xxxxxxxxxxx / | xxxxxxxxx x xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx | xxxxxxxxxxx / | xxxxxxxxx x---------xxxxxxxxxxx---------xxxxxxxxxxx-----|---xxxxxxxxxxx--/---|--xxxxxxxxx | | | ----------------o--------o------o | | | |Ganymede | Iapetus | /| | | o | | o-----o-o | | | Sector | o--+--------------o--+-+------o | o | | | | | o | | | | | | | | | | x---------xxxxxxxxxxx-------|-xxxxxxxxxxx--|--|-|-xxxxxxxxxxx----|----xxxxxxxxx x xxxxxxxxxxx | xxxxxxxxxxx | | | xxxxxxxxxxx | xxxxxxxxx x o xxxxxxxxxxx | xxxxxxxxxxx | | | xxxxxxxxxxx o o xxxxxxxxx x o xxxxxxxxxxx | xxxxxxxxxxx o | o xxxxxxxxxxx o xxxxxxxxx x o xxxxxxxxxxx | xxxxxxxxxxx | | | xxxxxxxxxxx / | xxxxxxxxx x--|------xxxxxxxxxxx-------|-xxxxxxxxxxx--|--|-|-xxxxxxxxxxx-/--|----xxxxxxxxx | | | | | / / | ---------- | | | / / | | | | | / / | +------|--+ | | | / / | |------o ----- | | / / | || ___________| | / / | || / | | / / ----------------------------+-o--------------- / / +|--\-----+ / / | \________________/ / \_____________________/ --- 3.3 AREA DESCRIPTIONS These areas are described as existing in one of three zones. "Dark side" areas are north of the equator, and can only be traversed north and south. "Light side" areas are south of the equator, and except for the actual Light Side area (representing the south pole of Tricuspid), can only be traversed north and south. "Equator" areas are positioned along the latitude equator, and can be traversed east and west (each leading to another equator area.) Some of the equator areas may also be traversed north and south to reach a dark side area and a light side area respectively, while other equator areas feature invisible barriers to the north and south. ANTARES SECTOR This light side surface area is located to the osuth of Titania Sector. Walking north returns the player to Titania Sector, and walking south leads to the Light Side. This area contains a large purple platform hovering a few feet above the ground. The player may crouch to crawl under the platform, or may jetpack onto the platform and walk across it (but falling off of it on the other side is fatal!) Additionally, at the northeast corner of the platform is a small red block that serves as a step to reach the platform. Atop the platform are three ECDs. As can be seen underneath the platform, the power grid actually runs vertically from the center of the ground in this area through the platform in order to reach the ECDs. All three ECDs on the platform are connected through this conduit to all three power lines entering this area. CALLISTO STORE This area comprises the interior of the large, low building in Sirius Sector. The main chamber of this interior area, accessed from the side ground-level door, contains four objects: a fuel column, a power symbol, an exchanger, and a powerporter that deposits the player in Iapetus Sector on top of the Canopus Walkway. A doorway leads out of this chamber and back to Sirius Sector. A second entrance to Callisto Store later appears as a hatch accessible from the roof. This hatch leads to a second chamber within Callisto Store which may be empty, or which may contain a small red block. Shooting this block causes it to disappear. However, several aspects of this sequence are unknown, including (1) the trigger causing the appearance of the ceiling hatch, (2) the trigger causing the appearance of the small red block, and (3) the effect of shooting the red block (this appears to have no effect upon the game world.) This second chamber always features a ceiling hatch leading out of this chamber and back to Sirius Sector. CANOPUS WALKWAY This area comprises the interior of a raised, covered walkway that bridges a first tall, vertical tunnel (featuring an entrance to this area) positioned in Sirius Sector and a second tall, vertical tunnel (featuring a one-way exit from this area) in Ganymede. Positioned in the horizontal portion of this area is the first telepod crystal. Also, near the top of each vertical column, against the outer wall, is positioned a power symbol. CENTAURI STORE This area comprises the interior of the long, low building in Iapetus Sector. This area has two separate chambers - a south chamber and a north chamber - each accessible through a different external doorway (and without any communicating passage therebetween.) Along the back wall of the north chamber are two fuel columns and an exchanger. On each side wall is a power symbol. An exit leads back to Iapetus Sector. The south chamber features four powerporters. From left to right (when oriented upon entering this chamber), these powerporters deposit the player in Titania Sector, Dark Side (but only temporarily, with a prompt return to the same chamber of Centauri Store), Ganymede, and Fomalhaut. CRUX TELEPOD This small chamber is the interior of a machine that can teleport the player to various locations. It is initially found in the southeast portion of Psyche Sector. The telepod features two machines against the back wall (inoperative) and, in the center, a tall machine with a platform. Upon the platform are four black squares where four telepod crystals, once collected, appear. Each telepod crystal appears on a particular black square automatically once the player has located and collected it. The crux telepod may be operated by shooting one of the telepod crystals. This causes the crux telepod to move to one of the four telepod pads near the Zephyr One security building. Shooting the top of the machine (above the horizontal platform) causes it to return to the telepod pad in the southeast portion of Psyche Sector. The crux telepod costs no power to operate and may be operated an indefinite number of times. DARK SIDE This surface area is located at the north pole of Tricuspid. It is the home of the Zephyr One weapon, the objective of the game. It is accessible only via the door in the wall of the security building in Psyche Sector, which is locked until all four letter symbols are collected. It may also be accessed by rising through the ceiling hatch in Dark Tunnel, or by using one of the powerporters in Centauri Store - but in both cases, the player is almost instantly teleported out of this area. A small hatch in one corner of this area leads down to the Dark Tunnel (but this is a one-way trip - even if all four letter symbols have been collected!) Zephyr One features a small ground-level doorway, but access is not permitted. Four large pylons are also present in each corner of the area. The final ECD is also present here. Upon losing the game (through death, timeout, or simple termination), the player is presented with a view of this area showing the Zephyr One fully charging up and then firing a brilliant white beam upward for a few moments, resulting in the destruction of Evath. Upon deactivating this ECD in addition to the others, the player is presented with a view of Zephyr One in this area being dismantled piece by piece, followed by a victory message. DARK TUNNEL The Dark Tunnel stretches directly under the Dark Side of Tricuspid, and stretches from one side of the Equator Tunnel to the other. This tunnel exists as three long areas colored in shades of blue (reversed from those of the Light Tunnel, and appearing somewhat darker.) In the center area of the Dark Tunnel is a ceiling hatch leading up to the Dark Side. However, if the player enters the Dark Side from this ceiling hatch, the player only catches a glimpse of the Dark Side, and then is forced back through the hatch and into the Dark Tunnel. Both ends of the Dark Tunnel are accessible from northern-facing doors at opposite segments of the Equator Tunnel. The compass malfunctions in this area, and emerging from either end into the Equator Tunnel results in the player facing southward (and facing a door to the Light Tunnel.) EQUATOR TUNNEL This long tunnel area comprises eight connecting segments running east to west, directly underneath the eight equator surface areas of Tricuspid. Each tunnel features a door at each end that leads to another section of the Equator Tunnel. Because the Equator Tunnel is oriented as a ring, starting in a particular segment and walking eight segments in a row leads the player back to the same segment. Four alternating sections of this tunnel (positioned below Iapetus Sector, Procyon Sector, Umbriel Sector, and Oberon Sector) feature a ceiling hatch that leads upward to the corresponding equator surface area. Two of the segments of the Equator Tunnel (positioned as opposing segments below Sirius and Titania) feature a set of opposing doors to the north and south, leading, respectively, to the Dark Tunnel and the Light Tunnel. These tunnels wrap around the north and south poles of Tricuspid, so entering one doorway and traveling through all three segments of the longitudinal tunnel deposits the player (facing the opposite direction) just outside the other entrance to the same tunnel. One segment of the Equator Tunnel (below Fomalhaut) contains a single south-facing door. However, attempting to enter this doorway produces an "Access Denied" message. This door is the exit from Io Confinement. The eighth segment (below Ganymede) is initially unremarkable. However, at some point, between the two ceiling lamps that decorate every tunnel segment, a third ceiling lamp appears therebetween that looks slightly different. (It is not known what triggers the appearance of this ceiling lamp.) In fact, this ceiling lamp is the fourth telepod crystal in disguise. Shooting it with the laser pistol causes it to descend a bit, and the player may collect it by touching it. (This took me HOURS to find!) FOMALHAUT This equator surface area features only three ECDs. One ECD, featuring a large grey and yellow base, has four connections to other ECDs (and is therefore difficult to disable), but the other two have fewer connections. Walking north, east, south, and west from this area leads resepctively to Pollux Sector, Umbriel Sector, Monoceros, and Procyon Sector. However, walking east into Umbriel Sector may cause the player to be caught and sent to Io Confinement if the west-facing satellite dish in Umbriel Sector has not been disabled. GANYMEDE This equator surface area is quite dangerous. It primarily consists of a brown surface that damages the player when walking upon it. The eastern border of this area comprises a small strip of harmless ground (a grassy strip?) in front of a tall, long orange wall with a center entrance that leads to Iapetus Sector. A narrow, raised beam serves as a bridge from the grassy strip the harmful brown surface toward the west, and walking or flying across the western border leads to Oberon Sector. Walking north leads to Thetys Sector, and walking south leads to Triton Sector. Two plexors are present in this area. The first plexor guards the western edge of the narrow, raised beam. Shooting this plexor causes it to vanish for a moment and then reappear, which is not much use. It may be bypassed by flying over or past it (but getting too close permits it to attack.) The second plexor is positioned in the southeast portion of this area, facing north, and will attack anyone in the vicinity of the door in the eastern wall. However, this plexor is positioned below a large blue beam extending out of the eastern wall and supported by a single grey column. Shooting the column causes it to vanish and the blue beam to fall and crush the plexor, leaving behind some black spots in the ground (scorched grass from an explosion, or a crater?) Along the northern portion of the eastern wall is another ground-level door. However, attempting to enter this door produces an "Access Denied" message. This door is the exit from the Canopus Walkway, which may be netered from Iapetus Sector. GANYMEDE STORE This interior area is located within a building in Regulus Sector. A low blue table is present in the center of the room, and along the back wall are two fuel columns and a power symbol. The exit south leads back out to Regulus Sector. The southeast portion of this area features a small cutout. By crouching, the player may pass through this cutout into a hidden portion of Ganymede Store. This portion includes another fuel column, and a hatchet symbol on the wall. The hatchet symbol does nothing - it simply animates with a chopping motion if shot, but has no effect. The floor of this area features a blue patch (a rug?), which, when shot, vanishes to reveal a hatch in the floor. This hatch leads down to the Light Tunnel - but it is a one-way trip (attempting to climb back up through the same hatch results in an "Access Denied" message.) The blue area also returns upon leaving this room (probably blocking reentry via the hatch.) NOTE: Shooting this blue patch will cause the fuel column to vanish, so be sure to retrieve the fuel column before using this exit. IAPETUS SECTOR This equator surface area is bordered to the east and west by two long, tall blue walls. The east wall includes a triangle cutout that the player may fly through to reach Sirius Sector. The west wall includes a ground-level door leading to Ganymede. Running north to south through the center of this area is a shallow trench colored blue (a river?) Stepping on this area damages the player. The north portion of this area features a long, raised walkway supported by three large white pillars. This walkway canot be accessed from this area, but can be entered from Sirius Sector. However, the powerporter in the Callisto Store, when activated, deposits the player atop the walkway, and the player must use the jetpack to descend without incurring a fatal plunge into the river. The south portion of this area, on the east side of the river, features a long, low building. The east portion of this building features an entrance (to the south) and a blue slab (to the north.) Shooting the blue slab causes a second entrance to appear, which leads to the north half of Centauri Store. Approaching the south entrance by foot causes it to vanish upon getting too close - but the entrance reappears upon backing up. Instead, the player may traverse this portal by using the jetpack. The player need not even be airborne, but can simply activate the jetpack (barely hovering off the ground) and head straight into the doorway without any lift. This approach causes the door to remain and not to vanish, and the doorway leads to the south half of Centauri Store. The southwest portion of this area, on the west side of the river, features a low purple and red platform hovering close to the ground. The player may crouch and crawl under the platform to find a hatch leading down to the Equator Tunnel. IO CONFINEMENT This small prison room is adjacent to a segment of the Equator Tunnel. The player is sent here upon getting too close to one of the satellite dishes in Umbriel Sector or Procyon Sector (if they are not disabled.) This room contains two bunk beds and a desk, which are simple decorations. The room also contains an exit, which is initially blocked (and displays the message "PAY FOR RELEASE" upon shooting the blocked door with the laser pistol.) To each side of the door is a machine that will accept payment for release. Shooting the left machine causes a unit of fuel to be drained, and shooting the right machine causes a unit of shield power to be drained. After ten units of energy (of either type or in combination) are paid, the door opens and allows the player to exit into the Equator Tunnel. This room cannot be entered from the Equator Tunnel. (Upon leaving this room, it may be helpful to turn right [east], walk to the next Equator Tunnel segment, rise through the ceiling hatch into the center of Umbriel Sector, and disable both satellite dishes in this area in order to prevent further capture.) However, this room serves an important role: to the right of the machines is a purple pyramid - the second telepod crystal. It can be collected simply by touching it. LIGHT SIDE The Light Side surface area is positioned at the southern pole of Tricuspid. It is a large, white area featuring two large ECDs. Becuase this area is located at the south pole, the compass malfunctions in this area, and every border is in fact a northward border of this area. The borders lead, in clockwise order, to Regulus Sector, Monoceros, Antares Sector, and Triton Sector. However, it may be helpful to observe that each ECD features a long shadow pointing toward the Regulus Sector border. The ECDs in this area are very well-connected, respectively featuring three and four connections, and may be difficult to disable. At the tip of the shadow of one ECD is a hatch leading down to the Light Tunnel. LIGHT TUNNEL The Light Tunnel stretches directly under the Light Side of Tricuspid, and stretches from one side of the Equator Tunnel to the other. This tunnel exists as three long areas colored in shades of bright blue and white, and each having a door at each end. In the center area is a ceiling hatch leading up to the Light Side. A second ceiling hatch is positioned near one of the doors exiting the Light Side Tunnel. This ceiling hatch is directly below Regulus Sector. This ceiling hatch is the exit point of the floor hatch in Ganymede Store. However, attempting to use the jetpack to rise through this ceiling hatch results in an "Access Denied" message (because the blue patch [a rug?] covering the floor hatch in Ganymede Store reappears as soon as the player uses the hatch.) Both ends of the Light Tunnel are accessible from southern-facing doors at opposite segments of the Equator Tunnel. The compass malfunctions in this area, and emerging from either end into the Equator Tunnel results in the player facing northward (and facing a door to the Dark Tunnel.) MONOCEROS This light side surface area contains only two ECDs. Walking south leads to Light Side, and walking north leads to Fomalhaut. NEREICL SECTOR This dark side surface area is bordered to the north by one wall of the Zephyr One security building, with the letter "K" symbol. An invisible barrier separates the southern portion of this sector from the portion near the building. A single ECD is also positioned here, as well as a telepod pad in the northwest portion of this area. Walking south leads to Titania Sector. Near the eastern portion of this wall of the security building is a tall blue slab. This slab is impervious to manipulation, but behind it are an ECD and a fuel column. These items are ordinarily blocked from view, but may be seen by standing at the western edge of this area, and the ECD may be disabled from this vantage point. However, the fuel column can only be reached by traveling to the northern portion of this area via the telepod. OBERON SECTOR This equator surface area contains very little of interest - only two ECDs and a blue block at the eastern border. Walking east leads to Ganymede, and walking west leads to Triton Sector. A hatch near the base of the east ECD leads down to the Equator Tunnel. The blue block is, in fact, the back side of a plexor positioned at the western edge of Ganymede. However, it cannot be manipulated (shooting and pushing it have no effect.) Moreover, care should be taken when leaving Oberon Sector to the east, as much of Ganymede contains a low brown area that damages the player. It may be helpful to activate the jetpack before leaving Oberon Sector in this direction (and, even better, to leave in the southern portion the eastern border - away from the blue block - in order to emerge in Ganymede outside of the attack range of the plexor.) POLLUX SECTOR This dark side surface area is bordered to the north by one wall of the Zephyr One security building, with the letter "R" symbol. An invisible barrier separates the southern portion of this sector from the portion near the building. A single ECD is also positioned here, as well as a telepod pad in the northwest portion of the area (behind the invisible barrier.) Walking south leads to Fomalhaut. PROCYON SECTOR This equator surface area contains a single ECD and a plexor that may be destroyed by shooting it from the front with a laser pistol. The northwest portion of this area also features a satellite dish positioned high on a post. Getting too close to this satellite dish causes the player to be sent to Io Confinement, but the dish may be permanently disabled by shooting it with the laser pistol. This area also features a large blue mound. The top of the mound features a hatch leading down to the Equator Tunnel. Walking east leads to Fomalhaut, and walking west leads to Sirius Sector. PSYCHE SECTOR This dark side surface area is bordered to the north by one wall of the Zephyr One security building, with the letter "A" symbol. An invisible barrier separates the southern portion of this sector from the portion near the building. Walking south leads to Sirius Sector. The wall of the building in this area also features a huge black display, where all collected letter symbols are displayed. Below the display is a blue wall. When all four letter symbols are collected, the blue wall separates into two sections to present an entrance to the dark side area. A wide path leads up to the blue wall (but the player cannot actually walk the length of this path, as the invisible barrier bisects it.) The southeast portion of this area features a telepod pad and, initially, the crux telepod. The crux telepod is on the near side of the invisible barrier, and thus is accessible from the start of the game. However, the northwest portion of this area (on the other side of the barrier) also features a telepod pad, which may be reached by operating the crux telepod with the third telepod crystal. REGULUS SECTOR This light side surface area is the starting point of the Dark Side adventure. It is an outdoor area featuring an assortment of objects, including a few trees, a building, a plexor, a cubic frame featuring an odd artifact, and a long wall to the south. Exiting north from this area leads to Sirius Sector, and exiting south leads to the Light Side. The plexor in the northwest portion of this area can be destroyed by attacking it from the front (and preferably at a distance to avoid counter-attack.) A few shots from the laser pistol will be sufficient to cause it to vanish. However, it will reappear approximately 10 seconds later. Eventually, the plexor will stop reappearing when destroyed. (Not sure what triggers this.) The artifact in the southwest portion of this area is positioned within a cubic frame. With every step the player takes, the artifact toggles between an exchanger (which can be used to exchange energy) and a powerporter (which leads to Psyche Sector if activated.) The portion of the building facing the player features a blue slab, which, when shot, permanently vanishes to reveal an entrance. This entrance leads to the Ganymede Store. The southern exit from this area is blocked by a large, tall grey wall. However, in the southeast portion of this area is a small red and white block. Shooting this block causes the grey wall to vanish, and shooting it again causes it to reappear. (I have no idea why the player might want to bring it back, as it is nothing more than a hindrance.) SIRIUS SECTOR This equator surface area features two ECDs and a long, tall wall along the western border with a triangular cutout positioned high on the wall. Flying through this cutout leads west to Iapetus Sector. Walking south, east, or north lead respectively to Regulus Sector, Procyon Sector, and Psyche Sector. The northern portion of the wall to the west features a vertical column with two features: a large grey slab at ground level, and a grey beam positioned above the grey slab. Shooting the grey slab causes it to vanish revealing an entrance, but the slab reappears almost immediately to deny entry. The grey beam is initially positioned horizontally, but shooting it with the laser pistol causes it to rotate to a vertical orientation, and shooting it again causes it to rotate back to a horizontal orientation. Shooting this beam periodically does nothing. However, shooting it many times in a row (e.g., positioning the targeting reticle over the center and holdign down the fire button) causes the beam to rotate many times and then vanish, taking the grey slab with it. The revealed entrance leads to the Canopus Walkway. The east portion of this area features a long, low building. Initially, the building has no entrances, but a small green and white block positioned along the southern exterior wall of the building may be shot with the laser pistol to reveal an entrance leading to the eastern portion of Callisto Store. At some point, a second entrance to the Callisto Store may appear in the form of a hatch positioned upon the roof of the building. This hatch leads to a second chamber in Callisto Store. However, it is unknown what causes this second hatch to appear. The northwest portion of this area features a plexor. This plexor may be destroyed with the laser pistol. However, it is a little more hardy than others - the first two hits from the laser pistol cause it to move backward, while the third hit causes it to fall into two pieces. THETYS SECTOR This dark side surface area is bordered to the north by one wall of the Zephyr One security building, with the letter "D" symbol. An invisible barrier separates the southern portion of this sector from the portion near the building. A telepod pad is located in the northwest corner of this sector. Walking south leads to Ganymede. The southwest corner of this sector contains a large shed with a small entrance. Positioned just within the entrance is a plexor that will attack when the player is close to the entrance and within line of sight. The plexor can be destroyed by shooting it with the laser pistol (and can be attacked from a distance, outside of its attack range.) Inside the shed are three fuel columns. Sitting on the ground in the northeast, just underneath the letter "D" symbol and near the wall of the security building, is the third telepod crystal. However, the invisible barrier prevents direct access to the telepod crystal. Instead, the first telepod crystal must be used with the crux telepod, which causes it to appear in the northwest corner of this sector (on the other side of the invisible barrier.) The player may retrieve the third telepod crystal as well as the letter "D" symbol. TITANIA SECTOR This equator surface area features three ECDs - one having only one connection (and being easily disabled), and two having two connections. However, this area slowly saps the player's shield power. (It is unknown what causes this zapping - perhaps radioactivity?) Walking north, east, south, and west leads the player respectively to Nereicl Sector, Oberon Sector, Antares Sector, and Umbriel Sector. However, traveling west into Umbriel Sector may cause the player to be caught and transported to Io Confinement if the east-facing satellite dish in Umbriel Sector has not been disabled. TRITON SECTOR This light side surface area is positioned to the south of Ganymede. Walking north leads back to Ganymede, and walking south leads to the Light Side. This area contains three ECDs (positioned in a line, and all connected, with one ECD positioned at the end of the line.) This is a prime opportunity to knock off three ECDs in rapid succession and significantly reduce the rate of powering of the Zephyr One weapon. This area also contains a large blue sphinx. However, this sphinx does nothing. (I've sent a LONG time exploring the exterior surface in every imaginable way looking for an entrance or a manipulable surface - nothing!) UMBRIEL SECTOR This equator surface area features two ECDs, as well as a hatch leading down to the Equator Tunnel. The east border leads to Titania Sector, and the west border leads to Fomalhaut. This area features two satellite dishes positioned high upon two posts - one at the eastern border of this area facing eastward, and the other at the western border of this area facing westward. Getting too close to the base of either satellite dish (either while trying to exit this area, or upon entering this area from either Fomalhaut or Titania Sector) causes the player to be transported to Io Confinement! In fact, the player should endure this experience once in order to retrieve the second telepod crystal from Io Confinement (as this capture is the only way to enter Io Confinement.) However, subsequent captures will only serve to drain the player's energy reserves. Therefore, it is helpful to enter this area in a safe way (e.g., upon emerging from Io Confinement into the Equator Tunnel, turn right [eastward], walk through to the next tunnel segment, and rise through the ceiling hatch to emerge in the center of Umbriel Sector), and then shoot each satellite dish to disable it permanently. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4. UNANSWERED QUESTIONS The following questions remain unanswered as of this version of the FAQ: * What is the purpose of the hatchet symbol in Ganymede Store? (Shooting this symbol causes it to animate in a chopping motion, but no obvious effect upon the game world of Dark Side is apparent.) * What triggers the appearance of the hatch on top of the building in Sirius Store leading down to Callisto Store? (This hatch does not appear on the roof at the beginning of the game.) * What triggers the appearance of the small red block in the chamber of Callisto Store that is accessible through this roof hatch? (The block does not always appear here upon first entering this chamber.) * What does shooting the small red block in Callisto Store do? (No directly correlated change in the Dark Side game world is apparent.) * What triggers the appearance of the third lamp in the Equator Tunnel that represents the hidden fourth telepod crystal? (This lamp is not present in the tunnel segment at the start of the game.) * What is the meaning or purpose of the huge sphinx statue in Triton Sector? (Or is it just a plug for Total Eclipse? :) ) * What is the purpose of the door leading into the Zephyr One weapon? It's possible that these questions have no answer, or that one question answers another (e.g., the chopping hatchet may cause the third lamp to appear.) Or, some of these questions may have no answers (e.g., the red block in Callisto Store may do nothing - perhaps it's a remnant of a puzzle that was not included in the final implementation of Dark Side.) If you have any information about these questions, please email me! Thanks! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5. TRIVIA The name of the moon, "Tricuspid," is, of course, the name of a type of tooth in the human mouth. The name of the weapon, Zephyr One, also appears in the mailing address of Incentive Software Ltd. listed in the manual for the game. It's unknown whether this part of the address is simply a reference to the game, or is a part of the physical mailing address of the company that the developers stole for use in the game! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6. REVISION HISTORY v1.0 - First version. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7. CREDITS This FAQ was written by David J. Stein, Esq. in the Spring of 2010. Special thanks to: The fine folks at Incentive Software Ltd. - for creating this cool game. Starbucks - the sine qua non of this FAQ. Contact Info: Please feel free to contact me at djs10@po.cwru.edu with information about this game. Be sure to include "Dark Side" in the subject line - otherwise, your message will probably get eaten by my spam filters. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------