Surgical Strike (stuck) *Spoilers*

[TyGuy6]

I still can't get through. "Alter enhance my perception?" I thought it might be wisdom potions but it wasn't. I don't see what the U.S.'s old president has to do with this.

[TheMormegil]

Read the section on his public image. That should give a big clue.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Clinton#Public_image

[Sophia]

He didn't inhale...

[TyGuy6]

I'm working really hard on these clues. Putting them all together:

The wall says "open your mind, open your way." My mind has to be very open so that I can believe that not all walls are solid. To open my mind, I must "alter enhance" my perception. It's something overt. I have to not be like Bill Clinton, and more particularly, I have to not be like him when he said he "didn't inhale." This might mean I have to inhale something, perhaps a drug, (poison gas cloud?) or that I have to excuse my actions and tarnish my image with the voters .

Ah, gee, I can't seem to think of something that makes sense. . . I think I can even hear some of you giggling who know the answer. But not to fear, I am not to the point of tears yet. I'll try some things sometime this week, when I can find the time.

[TheMormegil]

Do you have an item that might help? You might have found it a long time ago. Maybe you used it at the time and thought 'that was cool, but what was the point?'

[beowuuf]

You should have found an item with an 'inhale' attack, and if you used that attack you would have gone through a very bad experience...so check your inventory then check the dungeon again (it's quite earlyish on so not deep into master key areas or anything)

[thyceult]

Hey ya guys,

Long time no see! I've missed all of you and it's great to be back and see there's been significant growth since my departure from this thread a year back. I've been busy with freelance writing since then and have been looking for the elusive time off.

Anyways, I am writing in to praise Sophia for her impressive work on SS2 but I think the rest are doing a good enough job heaping the praises as it is ^^.

However, clearly the time spent away from DM has left me with a half-rotted brain. I'm stuck in the exact same situation as andyboyUK was some time ago with the exact combination of keys and no cross lock to use it on. Arghh...

Help anyone?

EDIT: Hang on a sec... I just noticed from a separate thread regarding this by Trantor. He mentioned something about a cross lock that is on the "inside" of the area with a lot of pits and levers, an area which I'd aptly label as

Spoiler

Greed.

Having said that, clearly I must have boo-booed something because now the lock is on the side, and there's no way for me to get around the bend with the pit open like that. Or is there?


Cheers,
Jesse

[Sophia]

Thanks.

I'll admit my recollection of this dungeon is a bit foggy (it's been a while!) but I think I know where you are.

Spoiler

There's a lever to close the pit a bit to the northwest of the "Greed" sign. It doesn't appear to do anything immediately, because the pit isn't in sight, but it's the one.

[thyceult]

Omgosh!

So that explains why it didn't appear to do anything at first. You're a lifesaver you! Come 'ere. *HUGS* Thanks for the rapid response. I'm seeing a little bit of staggered free time now and then, which doesn't give me much time to play proper full on games in continuous blocks of time, so this, Conflux and Xarostak are very, very welcome distractions.

I'm also thinking of coding some dungeons but I don't think I'll ever have enough time nor brain power to get it done up as good as you guys. That's why I was planning to see if I can get funding to support the work that you good people do. I've already mentioned about this to Benjamin prior to this.

Keep up the good work!
Cheers,
Jesse

[thyceult]

I have progressed significantly further than the last position ever since receiving your handy aid Sophia. Thanks for that. However, this time around I am labeled a "fashion" disaster!!! Arggh...what am I doing wrong here? Haha...

[Sophia]

I'm assuming you're in the area with the alcoves and the word puzzles.

If you were scolded for your fashion sense,

Spoiler

you tried to put the jacket in the "Members Only" puzzle. While Dungeon Master is timeless, that doesn't mean everything from the 80s still is-- those are long gone! Think more literally.

More obvious, if you still don't get it:

Spoiler

If you want to be a member you have to join the club.

[thyceult]

Argh!! I should have guessed.

Note to self: Never ever try to get a Google or Wiki answer for Sophia's dungeon next time.

Haha... I thought I was devious, but clearly you are devious-er

It's brilliant. I had a stinking suspicion it was that actually, but curses... I cannot believe that real life D&D Dungeon Master would fall for something like that. Touche Sophia... the stage is all yours today ^_^ *bow*

[Gambit37]

Indeed, SS really is a mini masterpiece, I had a ton of fun with it. Old school dungeoning genius

[thyceult]

Indeed, SS really is a mini masterpiece, I had a ton of fun with it. Old school dungeoning genius

Aye I second that Gambit.

Gosh, I can't believe how many hours I've burned off today just playing with Sophia's dungeon (somehow that sounded really wrong).

Anyways, I'm now stuck at two separate locations. I've actually backtracked sufficiently far via two separate saved games to see what was behind door #2. The doors I am referring to are the topaz doors facing one another. I know one leads to the Nightmare, while the other leads to the Corbamite mines.

1. Thing is, I'm stuck all the way at what I think is the end of the Nightmare with

Spoiler

two grates that can only be opened by some blue key and a vexirk stuck in between the grates. What do I do here?

EDIT: Arggh... too devious. Found where the sapphire key was hidden. Tsk tsk tsk... but damn! I thought the vexirk would be carrying the second key. It's not with him! How do I get past the second grate then?! Gah! Heeeelp someone lol.

2. The other portion I am stuck with is on the other end where the Corbamites are charged. What the heck am I supposed to do there? I can get either individual wall section lit up the "correct" way (or so I assume), and I have even tried to sync them both by

Spoiler

doing one properly and fireballing the other.

Doesn't seem to get me past this area.**
(EDIT): Erm... I solved this part already only minutes after typing this out. I guess I sort of answered my own question with my reasoning. Haha... I guess great, sick minds think alike eh?

3. That said, I'm currently short of 1 emerald key (out of what I think is

Spoiler

3 for 3 separate doors

) and short of topaz keys as well. Where do I find them? Unless you mean to say that the topaz key I currently have in my inventory is meant for that other grate and that's it? I don't need any more topaz keys?

3b. I also read from a thread somewhere that there are 3 topaz/sapphire?? keys located in the scorpion area. I've so far managed to find only two. Arghh! This kills me.

4. How about the blue keys then.. what are they called?

5. The Hall of Pain located after the puzzle with the 4 alcoves, is that it? Just the loot?

6. I give up, can Sophia or someone else mention to me the sections I need to target in order to get the

Spoiler

Master Keys?

I already have one of them, the first in the series. I believe I picked it up at the furnace. Well, the logical first anyways. I suspect that numbers #2 and #3 or #2 and #4 are located in

Spoiler

the Corbamite mines and Nightmare respectively.

EDIT: Got the #2 master key from

Spoiler

the Corbamite mines.

Yay! Next location! Woot![/color]


Sorry about this guys... but you can tell that I've actually spent a whole work day playing this. Woot! Nothing like a bit of truancy to get the kinks out of the system eh?

[Sophia]

I'm glad you guys liked it.

Arggh... too devious. Found where the sapphire key was hidden. Tsk tsk tsk... but damn! I thought the vexirk would be carrying the second key. It's not with him! How do I get past the second grate then?

I'm not sure which key you found. One of the sapphire keys is

Spoiler

hidden away right near where you used the first one

. The other one is just before the area you're in--

Spoiler

Press the button in the "Don't look down" area and pay extra attention to your surroundings. It's a very CSB-style puzzle.

I also read from a thread somewhere that there are 3 topaz/sapphire?? keys located in the scorpion area. I've so far managed to find only two. Arghh! This kills me.

There are 3 sapphire keys, used in

Spoiler

The Nightmare

. There are also 3 topaz keys, used to get you into three different areas.

Spoiler

The fourth master key is found behind "Hail to the King."

Hey, I also answered your question #6.

How about the blue keys then.. what are they called?

Turquoise keys. Or tourquoise. Or however DM spells it.

The Hall of Pain located after the puzzle with the 4 alcoves, is that it? Just the loot?

No. It's an altar of pain--

Spoiler

that means you'll have to do something painful. The ful bomb that was there should provide a clue exactly what

.

[thyceult]

Aahh thanks Sophie,

A lifesaver you. Much appreciated. That clears up a lot of the questions I had earlier. Yeah, you're spot on on a few things:

1. The first sapphire key I found was indeed located near the first door etc. The second one as advised however, I have yet to find. I'm going right back in to find it.

2. Just concerned, so far there's no situation that leaves you jammed for keys halfway if you choose to give up partially on an area, move to another and then come back right? Why I ask this is that sometimes there are encapsulated areas which give you just enough keys to get the job done but just so happens that some keys used in that area also happen to unlock areas in another sub-section. Suffice to say I was using keys to play both areas simultaneously because I was stuck here and there once in a while and kept doubling back. Hope I didn't boo-boo it up too much =/

3. Turqoise aah I see. And about the topaz keys. I thought they were always

Spoiler

yellow in colour? Don't remember them being blue?

4. No wonder. I figured it would have been far too simple to go through all that trouble to get to the Hall of Pain only to "stop" and end the puzzle. Haha... my solution was to have used a much stronger dose via a home-cooked solution rather than one straight from the can (pre-packed solution). Clearly, my loyal troopers had a bad case of erm... spontaneous combustion haha.

By the way Sophia (and the rest), I am really glad to know you guys reply when you did. It gives me time in between to take naps and sleep in real life and know that I will get some answers to my questions in the morning when I awaken. Sad to say, I've tried out THOM's Xarostak 2 dungeon and while the idea and graphics were nice, the execution leaves much to be desired due to the high number of bugs. I'd prefer things which are far more fluid, malleable and "circular" like in SS2 and Conflux 3. I understand from Zyx that Conflux 3 has undergone some updates since the last I have played. I don't know which version it was back in August 2008, but I wonder if there's been any changes since then?



EDIT: Latest update: 12:40pm (+8GMT) 22 AUGUST 2009 SATURDAY: I've gone as far as I can. Thrashed up the tower nice and good, got the 3rd master key and the spare emerald key to boot. However, back to the main question of getting that second turqoise key. I've tried the alternate route and it doesn't really do anything except give me a fountain and a loop-de-loop. I have found the turqoise key hidden in

Spoiler

the wall crevice

just a floor above the stairwell with the Don't Look Down message. However, you mentioned that there was a second involving the stairwell area itself?

Spoiler

The only thing I have gotten from there are two iron keys.

[thyceult]

Still haven't gotten an answer to the missing Turqoise key that gets me past the Vexirk stuck in between both gates down the Nightmare path. Can someone help me out here?

[ian_scho]

http://www.dungeon-master.com/forum/vie ... ike#p90473

[thyceult]

Thanks ian,

But just to mention, the answer to the turquoise key problem in the other thread doesn't really help either. I know I need to get through that part to get the Master Key. At least that's what I think. If not where's the Master Key in the Nightmare map area? Gah...this kills me. Even so, being the perfectionist that I am, I still want to find out where the missing Turqoise Key is hahaha.

[Sophia]

Since you're still having trouble, I'll be more overt:

Spoiler

I think you're looking for a sapphire key, not a turquoise key. Where you found the two iron keys, there are two possible down stairwells. One way advances, the other leads to the loop with fountain that you found. However, there are also two possible up stairs. When you're in the section with the stairs leading to the loop and fountain, go up instead. You'll find another teleportation puzzle that should eventually lead to another key. If you're fighting wasps and yellow worms, then you're on the right track.

[thyceult]

Hmm, thanks Sophia. Terribly sorry to be explicitly dunderheaded about this particular one. I have actually done as you have suggested but have ended up in what appears to be an empty room. I'll try looking around harder to see if I have missed anything. Thanks for coming through for me ^_^. I'm so close to the end I can feel it!


EDIT: Ah, I found the area you spoke of, but now I think I've botched it up nice and good. I see the area behind the metal door, but can't get to it as I have already consumed the two iron keys in another section of the game on account of not being able to move further in this one. I have completely zero keys on me and have no idea how to fish another iron key out of anywhere. A very rare case of self-dead-endism?

[Sophia]

There are enough iron keys in the dungeon to open every door, and they're common enough I don't think that too many of them are locked away in areas you can't get to, particularly since you are pretty close to the end. If you used up the iron keys from this area somewhere else, though, that means there are probably more iron keys you didn't find somewhere in the vicinity of where you used up the ones you had... if that makes sense.

If you can't find any iron keys, you can probably make some. Consider what they're made out of, what iron deteriorates into when it's in bad shape, and whether you've run across anything magical that has a knack for restoring/altering substances...

The spoiler version, if you're getting impatient:

Spoiler

The alchemy fountain will transform rust into iron keys

[thyceult]

Oh my... that's something rather profound. I did not realize that but expected that you'd have a failsafe plan for sure. No good dungeon goes without some forethought. I was close to getting the right idea but your spoiler answer set me spot on with the answer. Thanks and now it's time for some long overdue unfinished business.

I won't consider this as a "clean win" at all, because I fully intend to continue playing over and over until I get the entire list of secrets Personal pride of a dungeoneer. Trust you understand. Now if you don't mind me indulging myself in your delicious dungeon ;P

*HUGS* Thanks Sophia, you're a gem and a keeper. Your patience is knows no bounds.



P.S.: Before I forget, (sorry for hijacking this thread) but does anyone know what's new in Conflux BugFix 5 compared to BugFix 4? I have been away from this forum for the longest time and would appreciate some insight on this.

[thyceult]

This is it, the "end" I think? Old big boy and I are doing the dance of death circling a bonfire in the middle. Still trying to figure out how the bonfire relates to snuffing old Mr. C though. Any hints on this?

[Gambit37]

You might need to press on...

[thyceult]

Haha nice hint. Thanks my friend. Press on I shall

[Duckman]

Exactly what I have to do to get past the "prime"? I really do not have an idea!

[Gambit37]

There's another SS thread with lots more hints in. 'Prime' is discussed there:

http://www.dungeon-master.com/forum/vie ... 066#p93066