Wynd/MindWalker Mini Docs Part 1 --------------------------------- June 4, 1986 Note: I use the term "Play-screen" to refer to the screen wherein your character resides - where you do battle - ie. NOT the map screen. Ok, when you start the game (at ANY of the "presets" in the startup screen) you are one of four characters: a Wizard, a Spriggan, a Nymph, a Human. Each of these characters is associated with a color. These colors can be determined by looking at their names on the map screen (you get the map by clicking left-mouse on the "scroll" in the top right of the "play-screen"). This color/characters relationship plays an important role ! When you start up the game take a look at the map. You'll see that there is a flashing rectangle and a flashing square. The rectangle represents the current "play-screen" and the square is where you are headed. Now, notice that there are various colors on the map and these colors correspond to the colors of the characters. Here's the idea: You steer your character to a "crystal" (when you start the game you are already "at" a crystal). Now you must head towards the flashing square that you saw on the map. As you go you will leave a trail of black squares AS LONG AS YOU ARE WALKING ON SQUARES THAT ARE THE SAME COLOR AS YOUR CHARACTER'S COLOR. (these colors are NOT necessarily seen on the squares (tiles ?) of the play-screen but they ARE seen properly on the map.) If you reach a point where you cannot go any farther because the color changes, you must find a "PYRAMID". Pyramids allow you to change your character into another. Once you're "changed" to the RIGHT character you can go back to where you left the path and carry on towards the flashing square. Obviously some advance planning with the map can save you a lot a aggravation here. OTHER HINTS & TIPS ------------------ Be very careful not to touch any other CRYSTALS as you go. If you do, then you've essentially started over and your previous path is erased. You can find where ANY of the important things are by going to the map and holding down Left-Mouse while pointing at the desired item. If you do this on a character you will "light up" all the squares that character affects. If you look at "path" you can see just where you've been (MOST useful). You can also find CRYSTALS, TUBES (more on this in a minute) and PYRAMIDS. PYRAMIDS are generally at a distance from where you want them to be (Murphy's law?). The TUBES will become numerous around your goal (the flashing square. This flashing square will be a flashing WHITE square in its play-screen). YOU CANNOT lay a path on squares with TUBES. Plan your path carefully in advance using the map. It's hard enough fighting off all your attackers without spending time rushing around trying to find your path again. The "devils-heads" cannot be killed. You can only run from them. When you make it to your goal the play-field will go black (and look at your map now as well.) NOW, you can walk up to (into ?) a TUBE and you will be in the Second Phase of level ONE. The entrance to phase two is via a screen with two hands. these hands must capture a green block that's thrown at you from down a long tunnel. This is really pretty easy. Only thing to get used to is that the joystick directions work backwards. Just get a green block's center to hit the general area of "between" the hands and you've got it. That's enough for now. I'll do another on the second phase. (A hint though... phase two is handled mostly through sound.) Remember, the object at this point is to lay down an CONTINUOUS path from the crystal to the flashing square. ============================[part 2 follows]=============================== Wynd/MindWalker Mini Docs Part 2 --------------------------------- June 12, 1986 This is part two of the Mind/WyndWalker mini-docs. In the first part I dealt with the first phase of the game which is the one you are in when the game begins. This is about the second phase which is entered by sucessfully completing phase one and by "capturing a green brick in your hands" during the transition. (If you made it this far then you know what I'm talking about. If not then believe me, I couldn't really explain it...) It is only fair to state that I have only the most rudimentary understanding of the second phase (the "mind"?). So any extra things that you learn should be put back out there so we can all have more fun with this amazing game. When you first enter Phase 2 you find that you are now in the form (?) of some "invader" in the "body" of something. The impression is gained first from the beeping/chirping "anti-bodies" that are forever charging you and, secondly, from the "heartbeat" that is heard. THIS HEARTBEAT IS THE REAL GUIDE THROUGH THIS SECTION OF THE GAME. Think of yourself as being in a maze. You can only see part of the maze (your screen) at any one time. SOMEwhere in this maze is your goal: a diamond shaped, multi-colored object (surrounded by a large number of "anti-bodies". You should have little difficulty recognizing it). YOU FIND THIS THING BY THE HEARTBEAT which will beat FASTER/SLOWER as you get CLOSER/FARTHER from the goal. Once you find this 'diamond' and have "touched" it, the sound is now used to find your way BACK to the top of the tube that brought you here. Make sure you keep your bearings as time counts here. You should try and perform this "mission" as fast as possible. (but DON'T TOUCH THE CELLS !) (by "cells" I mean the "walls" of the maze.) You will notice that there are two vertical "graph bars" at the right of the screen. Just what these truly represent is a mystery. However, I can make the following observations about them. Killing anti-bodies lowers the left bar and appears to further your ability to survive in this "hostile" environment. The right bar seems (!) to be connected to the time factor but just how I'm not sure at all. What the middle flashing horizontal part is about is a big zip to me. When trying to get back down the tube you will find it's entrance is surrounded by "cells". The only (apparent) way through these things is to have sufficient energy/strength (right bar ?) to dash through these cells IMMEDIATELY after the screen does one of those little "flashes" of white. (Trust me. I've done it so I know it can be done.) Even then you may have trouble getting back down the tube. Be sure NOT to touch any of the cells AT ALL. Doing so takes away a LOT of your time/energy. (It often kills you outright.) If you can get back down the tube you advance to the next level. (Try wriggling around over the top of the tube). Hints: Hurry! Time works against you here. Consider yourself as a foreign invader to a body. That body is working all the time to wear you down. Kill anti-bodies as best you can. Each one killed seems to help you out in time/strength. Try not to get hit by or stay under the vertical "sprite" that occasionally moves across the screen. Lots of "sparks" fly on this one. You lose time/strength from this. Do your best to keep your bearings in mind. It makes it a LOT easier to get back to the tube/exit quickly. Remember, you need as much strength as possible to withstand the rigors of getting through the cells to the tube. ---------------------------------------------------------- Help: If you figure out what the dotted line line runs through from your character (phase 2) is all about, please let me know. This is the line that keeps changing the direction it points with no (apparent) motive for this. ----------------------------------------------------------- Level Two: So far, playing at level two seems to be just a faster, more complex version of level one. You'll notice that there are little "bites" taken out of the spheres. Also, beware of the "play-fields" that have one or more "towers". These towers MUST be "touched" before they will lower the "fence" around the border of the play-field and allow you to move on. This can be MOST disconcerting when there are two death-heads setting you in their sights! AND, even if you manage to touch the tower(s) and escape, the next time you venture into that screen the towers are "reset" and you have to do it again. Takes away that first round ability to jump back and forth between screens to escape things.