Neuromancer Hints January 15,1989 by Steve Luzynski ---------------------------------------------- WARNING: The following file contains several very blatant hints. Do not just read this file if you want the game to be a challenge. Look only at the sections you are having trouble with! Overview: The game Neuromancer is a graphic adventure written and published by Interplay, the same people who brought the Bard's Tale to the world. For Neuromancer, however, they split off from Mediagenic and published it themselves. Read the first few pages of the manual very carefully. They contain some very vital information you must have to know what your're doing. This file assumes you know how to operate the PAX system and your cyberdeck. (Whether it's a good one or the UXB.) This section is just to get you started. Skip ahead to the General hints section for tables of databases. Go to the Q&A Section for hints to specific questions. Stage 1: Starting out. When you start out, you are in a seedy little bar, having just woke up from a hard night's sleep in a plate of spaghetti. You'll need to pay the bartender for your food, and question him as much as you want. You cannot get back into the bar once you leave so make sure you finish all your business. Read all the articles on the PAX news system and the Bulliten board. Your next priority is to get back your deck. Go to the pawn shop and ask for your deck back, but say you don't have the money. He'll give you the deck for free. Now, save your game and walk around. Enter every building you can and ask the people there about anything you can think of. Now you should go to the Gentleman Loser. Talk to the woman. (If you read the PAX messages like you were supposed to, you'll know what to ask about.) You should try to get some passwords and link codes from her. Now, play with your deck. Use the link codes and passwords to get into various databases.(From here out, databases will be referred to as DB's.) Make sure to explore everything very heavily. Whenever you find out something you might consider useful, write it down! Also save your game before and after every major decision. You should be finding out some very useful info as to what exactly you should be doing. From here on out, it's up to you. Refer to the General Hints section for some DB names & link codes, or the Q&A Section for specific problems. Phase 2: Cyberspace In Cyberspace, you should be very sure to finish all the DB's in a zone (Execpt for the one's with AI's in them in Zones 0 & 2.) before moving on to the next one. Check the Cyberspace table below to make sure. Save your game before entering each DB and save again after if you make it. Go back to the real world to recover if the EEG ever turned yellow or red while you were trying to break the ICE. Make sure you use your ICE Breaking skill before you do anything or you'll get creamed. Look at the ICE Breaking Section for the best way to go about ICE Breaking. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ GENERAL HINTS: Read with caution!! Part one: Database link codes and passwords. Note: The password is for the level of access shown by the Level number. If the Level one password is not given, it is on the title screen for that DB. However, you should always use the highest access password you have access to. Also, some higher level passwords for some bases are not given. That is because by the time you need that level of access, you can get in through Cyberspace. An $$ indicates there is a fee for access. -no password means to use Sequencer 1.0 to access this base. DATABASE NAME | Link Code | Password(s) | Level --------------------|----------------------|----------------------|-------- Panther Moderns | CHAOS | Mainline | 1 Cheap Hotel | CHEAPO | Cockroach | 2 Gentleman Loser | LOSER | Loser | 2 Regular Fellows | REGFELLOW | Visitor | 1 Consumer Review | CONSUMEREV | (see note) $$ | 1 Asano Computing | ASANOCOMP | Vendors | 2 World Chess Fed. | WORLDCHESS | Member | 2 Psychologist | PSYCHO | Bablyon | 2 FreeMatrix | FREEMATRIX | Cfm | 1 InternalRevService | IRS | Audit | 2 Hosaka | HOSAKACORP | Fungeki | 2 Fuji Electric | FUJI | Uchikatsu | 2 Musabori | MUSABORIND | Subaru | 2 Hitachi Biotech | HITACHIBIO | Biotech | 2 Software Enf.Agency | SOFTEN | Permafrost | 2 Chiba Police | KEISATSU | Supertac | 2 Bank of Zurich | BOZOBANK | -no password | 1 Tozoku | YAKUZA | Yak | 1 NASA | VOYAGER | Apollo | 1 East.Sea.Fission | EASTSEABOD | Longisland | 1 Bank Gemeinschaft | BANKGEMEIN | Verboten | 2 Copenhagen U. | BRAINSTORM | Perilous | 1 Justice Dept. | JUSTICE | -no password | 1 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Part Two: Cyberspace Note: In the following section, the Zone(ZN) is the leftmost number on your cyberspace deck's co-ordinate display, then comes X, and Y is the next one over. If there is an AI, you should not attempt to enter these bases until you have the necessary skills. (Check the Q&A Section.) DATABASE NAME | Z | X | Y | AI Name | AI STR | ICE STR | --------------------|---|-----|-----|--------------|--------|---------| Asano Computing | 0 | 16 | 112 | None | -- | | Consumer Review | 0 | 32 | 64 | None | -- | | Psychologist | 0 | 96 | 32 | (unknown) | | 96 | Cheap Hotel | 0 | 112 | 112 | None | -- | | Regular Fellows | 0 | 208 | 32 | None | -- | | Panther Moderns | 0 | 224 | 112 | None | -- | | World Chess Fed. | 0 | 160 | 80 | (unknown) | | 84 | FreeMatrix | 1 | 352 | 112 | (unknown) | | 150 | IRS | 1 | 272 | 64 | None | -- | | Software Enf.Agency | 1 | 352 | 64 | None | -- | | Chiba Police | 1 | 288 | 112 | None | -- | | Tozuku | 1 | 480 | 80 | None | -- | | NASA | 1 | 448 | 32 | (unknown) | | 132 | Gentleman Loser | 1 | 416 | 64 | None | -- | | Copenhagen U. | 1 | 320 | 32 | None | -- | | Justice Dept. | 1 | 416 | 112 | None | -- | | Hosaka | 2 | 114 | 160 | None | -- | 260 | Fuji Electric | 2 | 112 | 240 | None | -- | 260 | Musabori | 2 | 208 | 208 | Greystoke | 25000+ | 260 | Hitachi Biotech | 2 | 32 | 192 | None | -- | 260 | Bank of Berne | 3 | 336 | 160 | (unknown) | | 400 | Free Sex Union | 3 | 288 | 208 | (unknown) | | 400 | Turing Registry | 3 | 432 | 240 | None | -- | 400 | Screaming Fist | 3 | 464 | 160 | None | -- | 400 | DARPA | 3 | 336 | 240 | None | -- | 400 | Gridpoint | 4 | 160 | 320 | None | -- | 800 | SENSE/NET Library | 4 | 48 | 320 | None | -- | 800 | Bell Europa | 5 | 384 | 288 | None | -- | 320 | Bank Gemeinschaft | 5 | 304 | 320 | None | -- | | Bank of Zurich | 5 | 336 | 368 | None | -- | | Nihilist | 5 | 416 | 368 | None | -- | | INSA | 5 | 448 | 320 | None | -- | | Maas Biolabs | 6 | 112 | 480 | Sangfroid | 20000+ | 1100 | KGB | 6 | 112 | 416 | Lucifer | 20000+ | 1100 | Phantom | 7 | 320 | 464 | Phantom | 24500+ | 2000 | Tessier-Ashpool | 7 | 384 | 416 | Wintermute | 23000+ | 2000 | Alllard Technology | 7 | 432 | 464 | Neuromancer | 26000+ | 2000 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Part Three: Notes on DB's. DATABASE NAME | Comments --------------------|------------------------------------------------------ Panther Moderns | This is a good place to get information and software | (but you can only get warez for the better decks. Cheap Hotel | Here, you can erase your bill so you can get in the | building. You can also order room service. Regular Fellows | Info and software. Definately access this early on. Consumer Review | Reviews all the available decks. Will charge you $300, | so: Save game, access it, write down the info, restore | the game. You get the info for free that way. Asano Computing | Lists the link codes for some companies that are | already in the above table. Read the messages anyway. World Chess Fed. | A good way to earn some easy cash. Access the Regular | Fellows DB first to get a chess program. Psychologist | Has some interesting messages. DO NOT post anything! FreeMatrix | Has a very dangerous program. Do not download anything | from it. InternalRevService | Good messages and some other functions.. Hosaka | Very good place to get software.Also read the messages. Fuji Electric | Read the messages. Musabori | Read the messages. Hitachi Biotech | Read the messages. Software Enf.Agency | Good source of ICEBreakers and messages. Chiba Police | Get people out of your way by having them arrested. Bank of Zurich | It's a Bank. Read the messages and see the Money | section below. Tozuku | Read all the messages. NASA | Read the messages. East.Sea.Fission | Read the messages. Good software. Bank Gemeinschaft | It's a Bank. Read the mesasges and see the Money | section below. Copenhagen U. | Read the messages. Justice Dept. | Read the messages. Gentleman Loser | Good info and great softs to get you started off. Bank of Berne | It's a Bank. Read the mesasges and see the Money | section below. Free Sex Union | Read the messages Turing Registry | Read the messages. Also has skill chip upgrades you | MUST have to be able to kill AI's. Screaming Fist | Info and great software. DARPA | Info and great software. Gridpoint | Info and great software. SENSE/NET Library | Part numbers for ROM constructs. It's still up to you | to get one, though. Bell Europa | Info and Software. The easiest one to get into in Zone | 5,so do it first. Nihilist | Great software. Ignore the messages. INSA | Info and awesome software. Maas Biolabs | Access the security system for the building in South | Chiba. KGB | Lots of great software and good info. Phantom | Valuable experience in ICE Breaking and AI killing. | Otherwise, a dull one. Tessier-Ashpool | See above. Same situation. Allard Technology | This should be the last thing you do. If you kill | Neuromancer, you win. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ICE Breaking: How to do it. Part 1: Softs. SOFT NAME | LOCATION | FUNCTION | --------------------|---------------|--------------------------------------| Comlink 1.0 | your deck | Basic communications package. | Comlink 2.0 | Edo's | Upgrade to above. | Comlink 3.0 | you'l find it | With each upgrade, you can access | Comlink 4.0 | you'l find it | more of the DB's. They are easy to | Comlink 5.0 | EASTSEABOD | find if you look around. | Comlink 6.0 | TOZUKU | This is the last version. | Decoder X.0 | Various | This is a first level ICE Breaker. | Blowtorch X.0 | Various | This is a first level ICE Breaker. | Hammer 1.0 | Various | This is a first level ICE Breaker. | Hammer 5.0 | Gridpoint | This is a first level ICE Breaker. | Hammer 6.0 | INSA | The best version of this program. | Drill X.0 | Various | A capable, but weak 2nd level soft. | Doorstop 1.0 | Various | A good 2nd level soft. | Doorstop 4.0 | INSA | The best version of this program. | Concrete X.0 | Various | A very good 3rd level program. | Concrete 5.0 | KGB | The best version of Concrete there is| DepthCharge X.0 | Various | The 2nd best 3rd level soft. | DepthCharge 8.0 | KGB | The top version of this soft. Great! | LogicBomb 3.0 | Nihilist | The best 3rd level there is. | LogicBomb 6.0 | KGB | The very best ICE Breaker there is! | Slow 4.0,5.0 | Nihilist,KGB | They slow down the ICE so it can only| | | shoot a few times before you kill it | Jammies X.0 | Various | See above. Not as good as Slow. | Probe X.0 | Various | Tells you the charecteristics of a | | | DB. How good it is depends on the #. | Acid X.0 | Various | A virus. Helps you attack a DB. | Acid 5.0 | Bell Europa | The best version of Acid there is. | Thunderhead 2.0 | SEA | Another virus. | Thunderhead 4.0 | Bell Europa | The best version of Thunderhead. | Python 5.0 | Nihilist | A virus.Lower versions are junk, but | | | this one is great. | Injector 5.0 | INSA,KGB | Another good virus. | ArmorAll X.0 | Various | Restores your deck's shielding. | ArmorAll 3.0 | INSA | Allows 3 uses. | ArmorAll 4.0 | KGB | Allows 4 uses. | EasyRider 1.0 | Various | Lets you skip over Zone boundaries. | | | A must have! | CyberSpace 1.0 | Various | A replacement for Comlink 6.0 when | | | you want to enter cyberspace. | Any other softs you come across should be regarded as dangerous and should not be used unless you are very careful. KGB, for example, will take you right to the KGB DB in level 6. Unless you are ready for it, you'll get creamed. Part two: The process. First, before you even enter a base, save the game! You should use one save spot for all your saves in Cyberspace. (I used number 4.) That way, if you're getting creamed, you can restore the game to Cyberspace and not have to re-log on. As soon as you enter, use your ICE Breaking skill. Then, shoot the ICE with either Slow or Jammies. This will make the ICE respond very slowly. With a high version of Slow or Jammies, you can hit the ICE 5 times before it hits you even once. Next, shoot it with the highest numbered virus you have. This will make things go much quicker. With a really good virus from zone 6 or 7, you can break into Zone 0 DB's without ever firing a shot! Then, start hitting it with all the ICE Breakers you have. Don't use each one more than twice in a row, though. They lose their effectiveness. Use the very highest, best versions of each breaker. Watch the ICE bar over on the very right side to see which ones hurt it and which ones don't. When the bar is all white, the next shot or hit from the virus will kill it. When it dies, watch to see which disk gets accessed. If it goes to side 3 or 4, you did it! If not, you have broken into a base with an AI in it. Then, you will have to a) use your Evasion skill to get away, or b) Kill the AI. Part Three: Killing AI's. Before you even try to kill an AI, you must have: Zen, Sophistry, Psychoanalysis, Phemonology, Logic, and Evasion. Use Evasion if you're getting beat to death. Zen: Calms your mind down. If the EEG turns yellow or red, use this skill to get back to blue. Psychoanalysis: Tells you the AI's weakness. It's weakness, when you use it, will make it say something the first time, and after that, hurt it badly. Use the weakness skill until the computer beeps at you when you try to use it. Then, use each skill twice on it and then cycle through them again. If you get beeps on every skill and the AI still isn't dead, split fast! As soon as you can, go to the Turing Registry DB and get all your skills upgraded as high as you can. Further upgrades come whenever you successfully use a skill. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Skills: What they are. SKILL NAME | Where to get | USE | --------------------|---------------|--------------------------------------| Coptalk | The Matrix | Use on the cop in Donut World. | Bargaining | Various | Never needed it myself. | Cryptology | Shiba | MUST HAVE! For decoding passwords. | Musicianship | Julius Deane | Only use is on Zion Cluster. | Software Analysis | The Matrix | Tells you what your softs do. | Debug | The Matrix | MUST HAVE! Lets you fix bugs. | Hardware Repair | Shiba | Lets you fix your UXB at the start | | | of the game. | ICE Breaking | Various | MUST HAVE! You can't win without it. | Evasion | Various | MUST HAVE! See AI Section above. | Zen | House of Pong | MUST HAVE! See AI Section above. | Sophistry | House of Pong | MUST HAVE! See AI Section above. | Logic | Julius Deane | MUST HAVE! See AI Section above. | Psychoanalysis | Julius Deane | MUST HAVE! See AI Section above. | Phenomonology | Various | MUST HAVE! See AI Section above. | You may run across other skills in the course of the game. Try them and see what they do. The above is all I ever needed so you can win without any others you may find. ---------------------------------------------------- Part Four: Q&A The below are answers to some common questions. Question 1: Where can I get some money? Answer 1 : This is a long and complicated thing. There are many,many different ways. 1: Check the PAX for the Ad from Armitage. Answer it. You will be credited with a goodly sum of money. You will also get arrested if you go near a Lawbot. It's a $500 fine, but after that you're free. 2: Put yourself on the payroll to one of the companies in the Chiba Hi-Tech zone. To do this, read the New Employees list from one of the companies. (I used Hosaka.) Move the pointer up into the list. Click on a name. You will be given the chance to edit it. Insert your own name and BAMA ID into the DB. Exit from the DB. Then, walk over to the Hi-Tech Zone. When the computer asks what company you're employed by, tell it the name of the company you signed up with. It will let you past. Go into the building. You will recieve a message that you have gotten your paycheck. It will be around $15,000. You can get your check twice. (You have to wait a week in between.) 3: Illegal bank transfers. First, go to your account on the PAX. Download about $5,000 to your chip. Enter the Bank of Zurich DB (either through Cyberspace or the conventional way.) Create an account, and write down the number! Then, you have a lot of different ways to go. You can ask Lupus about Banking, or just keep reading. OK, your first number is for Bank Gemeinschaft. Enter it's DB and go to Account operations. (You need the highest level of access for this sort of thing. Use cyberspace, or the second level password.) The number you want to transfer from is 646328356481. The link code for the destination bank is BOZOBANK. The next number is for the Bank of Zurich. Yep, that's the bank you're keeping your own money in. It's ok, you CAN'T get caught. That number is 712345450134. Your last number is for the Bank of Berne. The Authorization number is LYMA1211MARZ. The Account number is 121519831200. In all these transfers, pick up ALL the money! It's yours to take! All in all, you'll end up with around $550,000!! Keep all but a couple thousand in your PAX account.(It's the most convenient.) Carry around $1200 with you at all times, and keep a little bit in the Bank of Zurich, for a rainy day! Question 2: Where can I get a ROM construct. Answer 2 : First, you need the security pass from Lupus. Then, you need a job in the Hi-Tech Zone. (See above.) Next you need the number of the contruct. It's 0467839. (You can get this number in the SENSE/NET LIbrary DB.) Now, just walk into the Sense/Net building in the Hi-Tech Zone, give the computer your pass, type in the number, and pick up your construct. Question 3: How can I get past Larry to talk to the Panther Moderns? Answer 3 : Enter the Hosaka DB. Find Larry Moe's name. Copy down his BAMA ID number. Then, enter the Chiba Police base. Select "Edit Warrants." Enter his name and ID. Go back to the Microsofts store. Larry won't be there. Question 4: What should I ask people about? Answer 4 : Ask about skills, upgrades, Matrix, Cyberspace, Neuromancer, hardware, banks, softs, and anything else you can think of. Try the words off of the PAX wheel. Question 5: What is there to do in Maas Biolabs? Answer 5 : First, you need to break into the Maas Biolabs DB in zone 6. Read all the messages, and shut off all security systems and unlock the door. Go to Julius Deane's office. Ask about Hardware. Buy a gas mask. Use it. Go across the street to the labs. Answer in an encouraging manner to the computer. Get the CyberEyes system implanted in your own skull. You don't really need to do this, but it's kinda neet. You can really load up on viruses and other softs! This file is version 1, Dated 1-15-89 by Steve Luzynski. Neuromancer is Copyrighted 1988 by Interplay Productions. This file is copyrighted 1989 by Steve Luzynski 3604 S. 10th St. Ct. Blue Springs, MO 64015-6238 My ID on GEnie is SLUZYNSKI. My ID on Compuserve is 76277,2140. My ID on AppleLink is SteveL39. Direct comments to me at one of the above addresses. Thanks, and enjoy Neuromancer!! Misc Advice Subj: Re: please help me soon!!!!!! 89-08-20 15:48:47 EDT To: The Mouse2 From: SteveL39 You don't really need CopTAlk. All it gets you is the high level passwords for the Chiba City Tactical Police from the Cop in Donut world. Mimic supposedly allows you to bypass the ICE. I never got it to work anywhere. Try a different DB in Zone 2. SAve your game before you start ICEbreaking. Go ahead and fight until you die. It's tough, but you cam eventually get into one of those DB's. Once you've done one, your ICEbreaking skill goes up and it gets easy again. Hope this helps! -Steve original file date stamp: 1/15/1989