=============================================================================== Metroid Prime: Hunters (NDS) Samus Guide & FAQ (C)2009 Mike Penance ([email protected]) V E R S I O N 2.0 (Final) Last Updated: July 26, 2009 10:15 =============================================================================== The Latest Version of this document can ALWAYS be found at.... GameFAQs http://www.gamefaqs.com NeoSeeker http://www.neoseeker.com Super Cheats http://www.supercheats.com Honest Gamers http://www.honestgamers.com My Lah-Di-Dah Website http://www.lah-di-dah.webs.com If this document is posted on an unlisted website � please let me know, so I can dispense my own brand of over-stylised justice (clue: it involves angry ferrets and their pants). THE HAPPY LAWYER DEPARTMENT This document may not be reproduced under any circumstances, except for personal, private use. It may not be placed on any website or otherwise distributed publicly without prior written permission. Use of this document on any other website or as a part of any public display is strictly prohibited, and a violation of copyright. The author of this guide cannot be held responsible for anything occurring from the misuse of this document. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.....Introduction (01.00) - A Word from Mike (01.01) - Who is Samus Aran? (01.02) 2.....Controls (02.00) 3.....Special Abilities (03.00) 4.....Weapons (04.00) - Power Beam (04.01) - Missiles (04.02) - Morphball Bombs (04.03) - Battlehammer (04.04) - Imperialist (04.05) - Judicator(04.06) - Magmaul (04.07) - Shock Coil (04.08) - Volt Driver (04.09) - Omega Cannon (04.10) - Weapon Location Table (04.11) 5.....Strategies and Tactics (05.00) - Versus Character Strategies (05.01) - Kanden (05.02) - Noxus (05.03) - Spire (05.04) - Sylux (05.05) - Trace (05.06) - Weavel (05.07) - Samus (05.08) 6.....Arenas (06.00) - Combat Hall (06.01) - Data Shrine (06.02) - Processor Core (06.03) - High Ground (06.04) - Ice Hive (06.05) - Alinos Perch (06.06) - Sic Transit (06.07) - Transfer Lock (06.08) - Sanctorus (06.09) - Compression Chamber (06.10) - Incubation Vault (06.11) - Subterranean (06.12) - Outer Reach (06.13) - Harvester (06.14) - Weapons Complex (06.15) - Council Chamber (06.16) - Elder Passage (06.17) - Fuel Stack (06.18) - Fault Line (06.19) - Stasis Bunker (06.20) - Head Shot (06.21) - Celestial Gateway (06.22) - Alinos Gateway (06.23) - VDO Gateway (06.24) - Arcterra Gateway (06.25) - Oubliette (06.26) 7.....Frequently Asked Questions (07.00) 8.....Credits and Outro (8.00) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In this update: Minor corrections. Changed layout. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ===== Introduction ================================================ 01.00 ==== I wrote this guide for many reasons - okay, two reasons. One, I'm an attention seeker and... okay, one reason. Well, it's here now - so we should at least try and show people that just because there are some new shiny-pants Bounty Hunters on the scene, Samus is still the best of the bunch (with the largest shoulder-pads in the universe, fact). ----- A Word from Mike -------------------------------------------- 01.01 ---- I swear, this guide has been the little Yellow Cat that keeps coming back. Of this very moment, I am finally done with the hard work. I will still update this guide as and when it's necessary, and all that good jazz, but apart the usual, I�m done with Hunters (besides, Samus won't return my calls). ----- Who is Samus Aran? ------------------------------------------ 01.00 ---- As a child, Samus witnessed the annihilation of her entire space colony in a pirate raid that left her both orphaned and homeless. In a fortunate turn of events, Samus was adopted by a benevolent (now unbelievably dead) race known as the 'Chozo.' Infusing Samus with their blood and sharing their incredible technology with her (how to make the perfect piece of toast), she went on to become the Bounty Hunter that we know her as today *sniff*. That's the very short version - the long version drones on about (er, explains in an interesting fashion) Metroids, big brains in bell-jars, and X-Parasites (then there's Phazon). The long version gives me a headache (I know because I�ve seen it), so this is all ya getting. ===== Controls ==================================================== 02.00 ==== _________________________________________________ / () _________________________ () \ | |.-----------------------.| | | || || | | || || | | || || | | || || | | ....... || || ....... | | ....... || || ....... | | ....... || || ....... | | ....... ||_______________________|| ....... | | () '-------------------------' () | /\____________| |_________| |_| |____________/\ |-----------. ..-----------------------.. .-----------| | ___ | || || | __ __ | | '---' | || || | '--' '--' | | .-. | || || | | | __| |__ | || || | (X) | | |__ __| | || || | (Y) (A) | | | | | || || | (B) | | '-' | || || | | | | ||_______________________|| | | | | | | | | |___________| |_________________________| |___________| | |mic || | `.___________________________________________________,' === Stylus Mode Right/Left === D-Pad: Up is forwards, down is backwards, and left and right are used to strafe in their respective directions. In Mode Left, the D-Pad is not actually used for anything. X: MR: No Use. ML: Move forwards. B: MR: No Use. ML: Move backwards. Y: MR: No Use. ML: Strafes left. A: MR: No Use. ML: Strafes right. L: MR: Fire. ML: Zoom/boost. R: MR: Zoom/boost. ML: Fire. Start: Opens the mid-game score screen (points, Hunters, and stars). ___________ /PLEASE NOTE\__________________________________________________________________ In both modes, a double-tap of the touch screen will make Samus jump (can be done in mid-air if you haven't already jumped). In Mode Left, the display icons on the touch screen are reversed (i.e. switched from left to right). Speaking of the touch screen, the sensitivity ranges between 1 and 15 � the closer you get to the higher/lower end of the scale, the harder it is to control Samus (the lower the number, the slower the movement). The default setting is 7, I wouldn't recommend going more than 2 either way for the best results � alternatively, hold the stylus further away from the tip to allow for quicker movement. With that considered, you may just want to nab yourself a longer stylus (you usually get a good one with storage cases). _______________________________________________________________________________ === Dual Mode Right/Left === D-Pad: Up is forward, down is backwards, and left and right are used to strafe in their respective directions. In Mode Left, the mapping is switched to the opposite side of the DS. X: MR: Move the vertical axis up. ML: Move forwards. B: MR: Move the vertical axis down. ML: Move backwards. Y: MR: Move the horizontal axis left. ML: Strafe left. A: MR: Move the horizontal axis. ML: Strafe right. L: MR: Fire. ML: Jump. R: MR: Jump. ML: Fire Start: Opens the mid-game score screen (points, Hunters, and stars). ___________ /PLEASE NOTE\__________________________________________________________________ When good control schemes go bad. The whole point of Dual Mode is that it's supposed to do away with the stylus control altogether (yes, you can emulate the PSP control system). The problems is that the buttons can't give the same level of accuracy that the touch screen can, and that the touch screen still needs to be used for weapon selection and changing into alt. form (which necessitates the removal of one hand from a vital set of buttons). _______________________________________________________________________________ ===== Special Abilities =========================================== 03.00 ==== Samus may seem bland in comparison to the other Hunters and their unique talents (half-alien, half-machinegun � you can't really beat that in the "look what I can do" stakes), but she still has a couple of tricks under those massive shoulder-pads of hers. === Morphball === Samus� alt. form is the tried-and-tested Morphball (est. 1986); it's a quick and highly manoeuvrable way to traverse arenas or launch attacks. The Morphball has a zero-degree turning circle, meaning that Samus can instantly change direction in a blink of an eye (imagine trying to do that at the speed Samus can with any other alt. form). Exploit this very basic fact to launch surprise attacks or just outmanoeuvre foes. A quick tap of the fire button and Samus will drop a Morphball Bomb right next to her (up to three at any one time) � this little device can deal fair amounts of damage to an unsuspecting opponent in a short space of time. Besides being able to deal death and destruction at a whim, Samus can use her Morphball Bombs to lift herself into the air. Her bombs make her jump, I�ll call this move... oh, I don't know - the "Bomb Jump." By using the Bomb Jump, Samus can navigate rough areas without having to leave the safety of the Morphball. If the Bomb Jump isn�t your cup of tea, you can try the 'Bomb Leap.' The Bomb Leap is a technique that sees you gaining extra height (comparable to a Double Bomb Jump, combined with a Triple Bomb Jump, you can reach ridiculous heights). Lay a bomb like normal; now, timing is crucial - just after the bomb explodes, you need to switch back to biped. If you time it right, you will be able to jump to gain further height (too early and the bomb won�t carry you into the air, too late and you won�t be able to add the jump). This little technique doesn�t just make you look cool (and it does), it can be a lifesaver. On maps with lunar gravity, a Bomb Jump will launch Samus up to a ridiculous height. Once you�ve reached the maximum height, you can literally hover indefinitely by dropping more bombs (with a lot of practice, you�ll be able to fly using bombs to create a path to roll on). Most of the other Hunters can�t launch themselves into the air like Samus can (this means you can escape perfectly and attack with near impunity). While in ball-form, not only is Samus content to drop bombs by the catalogue load � a tap of the touch screen or the R button will see Samus boost like crazy. Not only does it look cool, it also makes the Morphball the fastest alt. form around (chores like grabbing power-ups are made less... chore-like). Another rather well-known technique is to use the boost to turn Samus into a battering ram; admittedly, it's not that powerful, but you can hit multiple times in the space of only a few seconds. I feel that I probably won�t need to mention this to some Samus players out there, but I have heard it said that some people feel that they can�t control the Morphball well enough or get enough speed from the boost. When using the boost, the most obvious thing to do is touch the control pad to aid steering -- don�t -- because doing so only slows you down and makes the turning less responsive (thus, making you an easy target). Once you master using only the touch screen to move the Morphball (using sharp, erratic movements work best, try not to drag the stylus too long) - practice chaining more hits together until you can kill someone with the boost in one fluent attack). If you get it right, you�re looking at about 3.5 seconds to get someone down from just over 100 energy (if you use bombs as well). === Seeker Missiles === A Seeker Missile can be fired when Samus has two or more regular Missiles in stock, by charging a Missile, you�ll activate the homing function. Seeker Missiles are incredibly fast and hard to avoid (even in open areas), they also target unseen enemies. However, a charged Missile emits a beeping noise that can often give away your location to would-be assassins. ===== Weapons ===================================================== 04.00 ==== Weapons... far-fetched weapons, hurray! This section (as you can tell) is here purely to document the entire range of weapons available to Samus. There are bombs the size of your head (if you have a big one) and arm-cannons the size of a small horse and, er, more beams funnily enough. Each weapon is essentially listed in the following way (all scores are out of 100%, unless I state otherwise). Feel free to disagree or bang your head off the wall in protest *the sound of people banging their heads*, it's just the vibe I got. Example? Don�t mind if I do... _______ /EXAMPLE\______________________________________________________________________ Categories: Weapon Name: I think the name of the weapon goes here. Power: The higher the rating, the more damage it'll dish out. Ammo: This tells you what the maximum ammo is for your chosen weapon. Speed: I wanted to put "projectile speed," but I couldn't spell it. Range: Shiny numbers here will dictate the distance a shot can travel. Rate/Fire: This is the amount of rounds per second/minute that it can fire. Skill: The higher the level of skill, the harder it is to use. Chargeable: No... it's free *silence*. Can you charge it? Yes or no. Affinity: Here be the name of the Hunter that can use it to the fullest. Percentages: 001% - 012%: It's official, the power/speed behind this thing sucks. 013% - 024%: Now we're getting better... probably. 025% - 036%: This is what I'd say average looked like. 036% - 048%: Two weapons are this powerful without being charged. 049% - 064%: We're now looking at major damage. Above average? Hell yes. 065% - 072%: A weapon this strong is probably slow or very hard to use. 073% - 084%: The realm of head-shots. Also a bloody fast travel rate. 085% - 097%: For this amount of damage, let's just say "Imperialist." 100% - ----: This is normally the maximum damage/travel distance for a weapon. 100% + ----: Only the Imperialist or the Omega Cannon can inflict enough damage for a one-hit-kill. Other than power, this can also be used to denote a weapon with infinite travel distance. _______________________________________________________________________________ ----- Power Beam -------------------------------------------------- 04.01 ---- Power: 6-8% (36-48% for a charged shot) Speed: 70% (around 60% for a charged shot) Ammo: Infinite Range: 100%+ Accuracy: 90% Rate/Fire: 240-330 per minute (4-5 per second) Skill: 35% Charge: Yes Affinity: N/A The Power Beam isn�t going to crack the earth in-half with its mighty power, but it is a reliable piece of kit all the same. The Power Beam grants our bad selves an incredible rate-of-fire, but falls down at the first hurdle - stopping power. The secret to success (unless I told you already) is to always aim for the head, the high rate-of-fire will score more than enough head-shots to warrant it viable (the charge shot is moderately powerful, but it�s not fast enough to be of much use). The Power Beam is an opener � rattle off a few volleys to the head to weaken them and to put them on the defensive (by timing your button presses, you can increase the rate-of-fire by half). Then you unload with a Seeker Missile. If the enemy is just that little bit out of reach (on a high platform, maybe), don�t waste your valuable ammo, chase 'em down with the Power Beam. It�s not exactly a threat, but the rapid-fire peppering them will make them think twice about staying put. Other than that, after the early stages of the match have passed and everyone has stocked up on energy, just call it a day and use a different weapon. ----- Missiles ---------------------------------------------------- 04.02 ---- Power: 32% (48% for a charged shot) Speed: 55% Ammo: 59 (2 per Seeker Missile) Range: 100%+ Accuracy: 50% (95% for the Seeker Missile) Rate/Fire: 30 per minute (1 every 2 seconds) Skill: 40% (Seeker) - 70% (Manual) Charge: Yes Affinity: Samus The explosive power of Missiles is fine and lovely, but like I said, it�s the homing function that we�re interested in. Now, I�m not talking super heat- seeker or anything, just aim in the general direction of an enemy - they�re so ridiculously fast, the chances of missing are tiny. Missiles as Missiles so often wont to be, are explosive. Firing one at close- range may leave a slight ringing sensation in your ears; fortunately, you�ll be nowhere near them at the time. An excuse for humour or a stern warning - discuss. Missiles deal a great amount of splash damage (in an outward arc) � the closer you are when a Missile is fired, the greater the amount of splash damage you get back. "Yeah, like I�m that stupid," it doesn�t matter whether you�re thick or not � some players have been known to purposely shorten the distance between you both just so they can take one on the chin (crazy, but it can hurt you just as much as it hurts them). If you�re playing the Seeker Missile game, stay away from the enclosed areas, and keep your distance to a minimum of mid-range. Ideally, you shouldn�t be overusing them anyway - it makes you predictable. If you can get your hands on an Imperialist at some point, you might be able to Charge Cancel (swapping from charged Missile into the Imperialist - which can be used to launch an unexpected attack). While I�m here, I may as well point out that because they�re heat-seekers, they�ll target enemies regardless of whether you can see them or not. That means it�ll locate cloaked Hunters (like Trace) no matter where they hide. I thought I�d just impart another pearl of wisdom (of which I have many). By charging a Missile and aiming at the ground, you can perform the tried and tested 'Rocket Jump.' By combining it with a jump after you've been sent airborne, it will give you some good height (and knock off a good third of an energy bar). It�s a hell of a price to pay for jumping a little higher - if I use it, I use it as a last ditch emergency manoeuvre, or for sneaky shortcuts. ----- Morphball Bombs --------------------------------------------- 04.03 ---- Power: 28% Speed: 2 second delay (instant if planted near an enemy Hunter) Ammo: Infinite Range: N/A Accuracy: N/A Rate/Fire: 1 per second (up to a maximum of 3 at any one time) Skill: 15% Charge: N/A Affinity: N/A Bombs and balls, it�s all spherical to me, baby. When Samus is in her Morphball form, she can drop up to three of these little balls of high-impact explosives at any one time. After a brief delay of no more than a couple of seconds, they�ll go boom, causing moderate damage. A Morphball Bomb dropped in close proximity to an enemy Hunter will result in an instantaneous detonation (an enemy with little room to manoeuvre can easily be decimated this way). Unlike Kanden (curse him and his funny head), who�s bomblets seek and destroy, Samus� just sit there all shiny and blue. What�s that got to do with anything? It means that you need to be proactive, and that�s where you need to start combo-ing the boost with the instant detonation effect of the bombs. The Morphball has an incredible speed advantage, allowing you to easily create ambushes or simply chase down your enemies the old fashioned way. ----- Battlehammer ------------------------------------------------ 04.04 ---- Power: 18% (12% for Weavel) Speed: 66% (60% for Weavel) Ammo: 149 (119 for Weavel) Range: 60-75% (depending on the trajectory) Accuracy: 20% Rate/Fire: 180 per minute (around about 3 per second) Skill: 40% Charge: No Affinity: Weavel In battle, you use it to hammer the opposition (clever). The Battlehammer is a 'heavy-duty repeater,' the basic principle of which is to simply use its blast radius and insane rate-of-fire to prevent your opponent from mounting a successful counter-attack, or effective retreat. The Battlehammer fires low-arcing 'blobs' that explode upon contact with a hard surface (walls, floors, your face), delivering splash damage to anyone in the surrounding area. Here�s the thing - for us non-Weavel users out there, the blast radius is relatively small, but the damage is marginally higher. Weavel players, however, have a blast radius the size of Lancashire (maybe a slight exaggeration, but there is a huge difference in size)- but the power, like I said, is marginally less. "What�s wrong with that?" With the added radius, Weavel can just about get away with the 'smothering' tactic (on multiple targets, too). However, we're not Weavel, so our basic tactic with the Battlehammer is to chase 'em and kill 'em � the problem with that is it takes too much time and judgement to make great use of it in conflicts with more than one person (the small blast radius makes it much, much harder to tackle multiple Hunters in one go). The first rule of combat is "never draw attention to yourself," and the second is to "hit 'em fast and hit 'em hard." The Battlehammer breaks both rules for me, and that�s why I almost never use it. The principle for dealing with the weapon, regardless of who you�re facing, is exactly the same. Use the boost -Ball to roll right under the arc of the Battlehammer and then counter-attack. I personally use it to take care of slow-moving alts. like the Dialanche or the Vhoscythe. I also find that it can prove quite useful for knocking people off ledges, into holes, and the like. Apart from that, I never use it at all. ----- Imperialist ------------------------------------------------- 04.05 ---- Power: 36-100% (100%+ for zoomed head-shots) Speed: 100%+ (almost instantaneous) Ammo: 29 (consumes 1 per shot) Range: 100%+ Accuracy: 100% Rate/Fire: 102 per minute (about 1.6 per second) Skill: 100% Charge: No Affinity: Trace Okay, the basics (gotta love the basics) � a quick push of the R button or a double-tap of the Imperialist icon will zoom-in or zoom-out. As a die-hard Samus player (I usually do), I often find myself reaching for the rifle. "Is sniping a requisite skill for a Samus player; I mean, Samus doesn�t need it, right?" Wrong - sniping is by far the single most important skill that any player can learn in a game like this, regardless of how good someone is, a Master Sniper can shut-down any Hunter and any strategy with just one shot. Every Hunter (as you�ve noticed) has a different head size - this can make it easier or harder to snipe someone. Naturally, characters with more human-like proportions will be easier to score a head-shot against (i.e. Samus or Weavel). Spire, on the other hand (or "Spire-Crushed-Bucket-for-a-Head" as I call him), is quite easily the hardest character to snipe from a distance. Trace, I hate Trace. Trace can�t actually wield the Imperialist with a much greater effect than anyone else (he has a slightly improved aiming reticule), but what he can do is go all Predator on us. That�s right - the little red plebe has optical camouflage! When standing still with the Imperialist, he is rendered virtually invisible to the naked eye, if you can find his strangely unattached head, then it�s a good sized target. ________________________ /SOME SIMPLE SNIPING TIPS\_____________________________________________________ 1. Always stick to the same order, so you never get overwhelmed or ambushed. a. Always survey the area; check for snipers in the area, check for campers in the area, and only enter the scope when you're sure that it is safe. b. If you're not sure you can make a shot, don't risk giving away your position, but don't risk staying in the same place for too long, either. c. In games with four players; even if your shot is on the mark, never hang around, move on, because even if your target doesn't see your position, it doesn't mean that someone else hasn't already spotted you. 2. If your target is already engaged in combat and it looks like they're losing badly, the likelihood is that a body shot will finish them � don't risk losing the kill to someone else by going for a head-shot. If there is just you and two other players, think about going for a head-shot on the stronger one before boosting in and finishing the weaker one. 3. A sniper's second biggest asset in Hunters, besides stealth, is fear. The thought on an unidentified assailant lurking in the shadows is usually enough to clear a room. Take a shot and then scuttle off into the shadows before firing another quick shot in their general direction. This tactic can clear areas of novice players quickly, allowing you to drop down and grab some much needed supplies. Experienced players may very well take cover and go for a counter-snipe, so use this tactic sparingly. 4. Long distance sniping is all well and good, but you can use the Imperialist at shorter ranges. If you're locked in combat and find that changing your weapon may leave you a little vulnerable � don't bother. Take aim at their head with the rifle in non-zoomed mode, now quickly zoom-in and fire � with a bit of luck, that was a head-shot (a non-zoomed head-shot can also kill if they have 100 or less health). 5. When zoomed-in, keep it in mind that the shot will be either slightly to the left or slightly to the right of the aiming reticule. The difference between a head and a body shot is minimal � take aim and move just a little off centre. _______________________________________________________________________________ ----- Judicator --------------------------------------------------- 04.06 ---- Power: 24-32% (96% for a charged shot - 12% + freeze for Noxus) Speed: 70% Ammo: 119 Range: 100%+ (20% for Noxus charged shot) Accuracy: 90% Rate/Fire: 96 per minute (1.5 per second) Skill: 30% Charge: Yes Affinity: Noxus Everyone who�s played a previous Metroid game will remember the Ice Beam, you do, right? Well, this weapon is kinda like its baby brother (Noxus has its big brother). The Judicator fires beams of ultra-thin frozen plasma at very high speeds - that�s all well and fine, but the dandy bit is that these beams will ricochet from surface to surface, allowing you to shoot around corners. The Judicator really shines when you go to charge it. A charged Judicator will fire three beams in close proximity to each other � triple head-shot? Don�t mind if I do. Hitting with all three beams will almost flatline an entire energy bar (96/100). If our illiterate friend, Noxus, happens to be in charge of this little ice-maker, things will become very nasty, very quickly. Instead of the oh-so clich�d triple-shot, Noxus unleashes a wall of solid ice over a short distance, anything unfortunate (or stupid) enough to be caught in the blast zone will become an instant ice sculpture (mash ye buttons to escape yon block). On top of that, we have the Shadow Freeze - in short, it's a freeze with infinite range that goes through and over anything. I've got it detailed in the Vs. Noxus section (because it is a very common character strategy as opposed to a specific weapon strategy). ----- Magmaul ----------------------------------------------------- 04.07 ---- Power: 32% (56% for a charged shot, 48% + burn for Spire, 67% after) Speed: 45% Ammo: 59 Range: 33% - 75% (depending on the trajectory) Accuracy: 60% Rate/Fire: 90/per minute (about 1.5/per second) Skill: 70% Charge: Yes Affinity: Spire When a Magmaul shot hits a hard surface, it bounces ever-so slightly and lingers for a few moments (inflicting a severe case of hotfoot if it's stepped on). If you can find the effort to charge it up, it'll throw a projectile that carpets the area upon impact (kinda like napalm) � it just doesn't linger quite as long as one of the regular shots. It's a powerful weapon that genuinely has its uses, but I don't find myself using it too much. One of the many drawbacks that the Magmaul possesses is in the way in which it is fired. It operates in a similar manner to that of a cannon or grenade launcher, the higher the trajectory, the further the shot will travel. The main purpose of the Magmaul is as a counter to alt. spammers � littering the ground (or tunnel-like areas) with Magmaul fire will either kill them or force them to retreat (or return to biped). Another perfect use for the Magmaul is to drive snipers out of their hiding place, if you're in a position where they can't snipe you and you can't hit them, you can bounce some shots up to drive them down (also good for seeing if someone is hiding around a corner). Spire users have a really powerful weapon in their hands. When Spire unleashes a charged shot, it'll blanket an area like before, except that it'll ignite its target, and is almost always fatal. You see, if you get torched, not only will you suffer the initial damage, you'll suffer burn damage over the period of several seconds. If you do happen to catch fire, the only thing that you can do is switch to alt. and go looking for some energy before he finishes you. ----- Shock Coil -------------------------------------------------- 04.08 ---- Power: N/A (the longer you stay locked-on, the stronger it becomes) Speed: Constant stream Ammo: 59 Range: N/A (needs to remain close) Accuracy: N/A (homing) Rate/Fire: Constant stream Skill: 10% Charge: No Affinity: Sylux To say that I have a strong dislike for this weapon really wouldn't do my petulant hate any justice. The way it is, is that every second, it deals 10 or so points of damage; and then every 2 seconds after that, it'll deal extra damage (when it starts doing full damage, the noise it makes will change). In bipedal form, you have nothing even close to a chance of escaping the clutches of this lock-on doom-bringer. To escape the lock-on, you need to have a handy piece of masonry to get in the way (think walls, baby). Failing a conveniently placed structure (or a gaping chasm to open up and swallow you), switching to alt. form will break the lock-on and make it hard to regain it. Why do I dislike this weapon? By maintaining such close-proximity to your opponent, you'll take a hammering � without Sylux' added ability to siphon extra energy, you really can't expect to get away with such things intact. Like I said, when Sylux has his sticky little fingers on the trigger, not only will he deliver the elec' we've come to expect, he'll also leech 100% of what he damages you for (basically, making the weapon viable). Incidentally, like the Seeker Missile, the Shock Coil will home-in on enemies that are cloaked (yeah, you know what I'm talking about). Not only is the Shock Coil annoyingly powerful, it also has fantastic ammo consumption, even 6 rounds of ammo can be enough to fry someone. Don't use this weapon for direct combat unless you're engaging/looking for a sniper (because it bounces their screen around something rotten and makes it incredibly hard to hit you), or attacking Weavel's Half-Turret (for obvious reasons). ----- Volt Driver ------------------------------------------------- 04.09 ---- Power: 14-21% (56% for a charged shot) Speed: 80% (55% for a charged shot) Ammo: 119 Range: 100%+ Accuracy: 90% Rate/Fire: 240-330 per minute (4-5 per second) Skill: 40% Charge: Yes Affinity: Kanden Now, I want you to all use your imagination (the clean part, or failing that, the part television didn't destroy). Good, now imagine the Volt Driver as the bigger, nastier brother to the Power Beam. On the surface, they're essentially the same - they both have exactly the same rate-of-fire, and their shots are almost identical in looks. However, the Volt Driver is infinitely stronger. The Volt Driver's charge shot is a big ball of death that homes-in on things and scrambles the visor of any Hunter caught in the blast radius (only with Kanden, and for about four or so seconds). It also happens to be a very large projectile, in some cases it can completely obscure the screen, *sheepish grin* I use this to runaway quite a lot. Yeah, I guess you could use it as suitable cover to launch a Seeker Missile or fire off the Imperialist (they could do the same, so you might want to watch for that). Personally, I just stick with rapid-fire (which works in exactly the same way as the Power Beam) - you can do just as much damage as a charge shot in a far shorter space of time. ----- Omega Cannon ------------------------------------------------ 04.10 ---- Power: 100%+ Speed: 30% Ammo: 1 Range: 100%+ Accuracy: N/A Rate/Fire: 1 Skill: 100% (either you die, they die, or everybody dies) Charge: No Affinity: None The Omega Cannon offers you the one time chance to wield ultimate power (some guys would tell a girl anything to look into their big blue eyes), one shot and it's goodnight Vienna. That being said, you can just as easily vaporise yourself at the same time. Being the source of ultimate arse-kicking, it's only available on one map, Oubliette. I can't go into great detail for this weapon, purely because there is no great level of detail to go into � once you pull the trigger, just hold onto your pants and try not to piss in 'em. ----- Weapon Location Table --------------------------------------- 04.11 ---- In addition to adding the weapon location data in the map information, I thought I'd place a little table in the weapons section for quick reference, so you can save time when you really need it (rather than messing around, typing in section codes and scrolling though twenty or so page to find what you want). o-----------------------------------------------------------------------------o |NO| | AFF | MIS | BTL | IMP | JUD | MAG | SHK | VLT | OMG | |--|--------------------|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| |01| Combat Hall | Y | Y | N | N | N | Y | N | N | N | |--|--------------------|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| |02| Data Shrine | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | |--|--------------------|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| |03| Processor Core | Y | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | N | |--|--------------------|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| |04| High Ground | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | |--|--------------------|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| |05| Ice Hive | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N | |--|--------------------|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| |06| Alinos Perch | Y | Y | N | Y | N | Y | Y | N | N | |--|--------------------|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| |07| Sic Transit | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N | N | |--|--------------------|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| |8a| Transfer Lock | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | Y | N | |--|--------------------|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| |8b| Transfer Lock Exp. | N | N | N | Y | N | N | Y | Y | N | |--|--------------------|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| |09| Sanctorus | Y | Y | N | N | N | N | Y | N | N | |--|--------------------|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| |10| Compression Chamber| Y | Y | N | N | Y | N | N | N | N | |--|--------------------|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| |11| Incubation Vault | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | Y | N | N | |--|--------------------|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| |12| Subterranean | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | |--|--------------------|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| |13| Outer Reach | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | N | Y | N | N | |--|--------------------|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| |14| Harvester | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | |--|--------------------|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| |15| Weapons Complex | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | |--|--------------------|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| |16| Council Chamber | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | |--|--------------------|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| |17| Elder Passage | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N | |--|--------------------|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| |18| Fuel Stack | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | N | |--|--------------------|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| |19| Fault Line | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | |--|--------------------|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| |20| Stasis Bunker | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | Y | N | |--|--------------------|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| |21| Head Shot | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | |--|--------------------|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| |22| Celestial Gateway | N | N | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | N | N | |--|--------------------|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| |23| Alinos Gateway | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | N | N | N | |--|--------------------|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| |24| VDO Gateway | Y | Y | N | Y | N | Y | N | N | N | |--|--------------------|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| |25| Arcterra Gateway | Y | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | |--|--------------------|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| |26| Oubliette | N | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | Y | o-----------------------------------------------------------------------------o For super-easy access to this table, just copy and paste it into a new Notepad window and hit the print button. For extra fun, use crayons to colour in each cell... you mean I'm the only one who finds that entertaining? ===== Strategies and Tactics ====================================== 05.00 ==== I've reorganised the strategies that I have, and have weeded out some of the more far-out ones. And by "far-out," I mean "a pretty girl walked past my window and I just started typing involuntary bollocks." This section is now smaller as a result, and I've elucidated more throughout the remainder of the strategies. Any strategies that involve weapons have now been moved to their appropriate sections, rather than adding clutter to this section. === Distancing === By varying the distance between you and your opponent, you will not only put them on the defensive, it may also have the effect of negating the use of certain weapons. By "negate," I mean that it will either render them ineffective or too dangerous to use. An good example of weapon negation is the Magmaul. Both the regular and the charged shots will deal splash damage to the user if the weapon is fired too close. By staying close to someone, you'll render the Magmaul a liability on the battlefield (especially against Spire). It may not sound like much, but for those few seconds while they're re-evaluating/changing weapons, they're A) not firing at you, and B) vulnerable. The same can be said about keeping your distance. Fast-firing weapons, like the Volt Driver, can be easier to avoid - while weapons like the Shock Coil and Noxus' freeze can be avoided altogether (providing they're not glitching you that is). Of course, this has the potential to go quite, quite wrong. If you're dealing with a novice, or someone who thinks they know better (some people I know seem to think that Spire is completely fireproof, so they won't think twice about flamb�ing the both of you. Bad and stupid, but at least it shouldn't happen more than half-a-dozen times). It really is just a case of common sense � some people have all the skill in the world, but they lack the basic common sense to capitalise on something so simple. === Supply and Demand === The boost is an invaluable tool for dominating the flow of power-ups and whatnot on some of the smaller maps. By controlling the supply of items, you also control the flow of the whole match. When deciding the order of the items that you're going to try and deprive your opponent of, consider its use and the quantity in which it appears. With that said, always go for the actual weapon rather than any supplies of U. Ammo (ammo is always in large supply, where as weapons are limited to usually one or two per map, and are easier to control). Depriving them of the weapon will always work far better than cutting the supply of ammo. ----- Versus Character Strategies --------------------------------- 05.01 ---- With a bit of luck, you should find the insight you need to help you beat, you know... Hunters, ah, figure it out. I mean, ultimately, I can't recommend a set-in-stone method of beating a particular Hunter, it always comes down to using your best judgement at the time, and I obviously can't help with that. All I can do is present you with how I think each Hunter performs, and how I would think about tackling them. _______ /EXAMPLE\______________________________________________________________________ Categories: Speed: Do they run like the wind or does life just pass 'em by? Alt. Frm: How do I rate a Hunter's alt. form? Right here, of course. Alt. Spd: Hunter speed can vary significantly between alt. and biped forms. Alt. Atk: Each Hunter has a unique attack, it could be powerful or crap... Affinity: This is where I rate the usefulness of a Hunter's Affinity weapon. Overall: Are they the mightiest Hunter or just Mighty White? Percentages: (1.0) 010% - 020%: It could be worse - oh, wait... (1.5) 021% - 031%: Better than worse is hardly better, is it? (2.0) 032% - 042%: Oh, good lord, this is below 'below average.' (2.5) 043% - 053%: Best learn how to compensate for any inherent failings. (3.0) 054% - 064%: Can do just about anything without noticeable failings. (3.5) 065% - 075%: This is above average. (4.0) 076% - 086%: A Hunter with this rating can perform an action very well. (4.4) 087% - 097%: A Hunter with this level of ability is virtually perfect. (5.0) 097% - 100%: A Hunter with this rating IS perfect - go celebrate. _______________________________________________________________________________ ----- Kanden ------------------------------------------------------ 05.02 ---- ________________ /TALE OF THE TAPE\_____________________________________________________________ === Samus === === Kanden === Speed: 060% Speed: 050% Alt. Frm: 085% Alt. Frm: 070% Alt. Spd: 100% Alt. Spd: 075% Alt. Atk: 044% Alt. Atk: 020% Affinity: 095% Affinity: 087% Overall: 077% Overall: 060% _______________________________________________________________________________ If we're staying in the realms of basic combat (i.e. just Affinity and alt. form), then we have a stand-off, because both Kanden and Samus are mid- range specialists, on top of this, both of their Affinity weapons have a homing function. Samus and Kanden battles are fraught with spamming, mid-range cheap-shots, and foul language (or is that just at my end?). Baring the Imperialist, the greatest leveller that we (both) have is the Magmaul. With skill, a good Samus player can avoid most of the shots targeted at the Morphball; Kanden, however, finds it incredibly hard to remove himself from the line-of-fire. Really, the only trouble that Kanden's alt. form will present is the homing 'Tail Bombs' (they'll only be a threat if you attempt a pursuit). Just make sure not to let up for a second. Their main weapon of choice, the Volt Driver, requires a large stock of ammo to even be viable. If you allow them time to go collecting, then you could be in trouble. ----- Noxus ------------------------------------------------------- 05.03 ---- ________________ /TALE OF THE TAPE\_____________________________________________________________ === Samus === === Noxus === Speed: 060% Speed: 061% Alt. Frm: 085% Alt. Frm: 071% Alt. Spd: 100% Alt. Spd: 069% Alt. Atk: 044% Alt. Atk: 042% Affinity: 095% Affinity: 100% Overall: 077% Overall: 069% _______________________________________________________________________________ The stats are pretty clear-cut - Samus' alt. form remains top of the heap, but Noxus has her beat pretty badly when it comes to weaponry. The big 100% next to his Affinity is quite worrying to say the least (and it isn't there without a reason). In the hands of an experienced player, Noxus can quite easily kick our arses from here to infirmary - his Affinity ability is the single-most annoying/devistating attack in the game. A Judicator charge shot sends a cascade of shear ice over a short distance � if you get caught in its radius, it's ice-ice, baby. It's best to play it as safe as possible, keep your distance at all times, and never risk anything. The worst is yet to come � there is a glitch that's exploited by 99.9% of all Noxus players � the 'Shadow Freeze.' The Shadow Freeze basically involves angling the Judicator towards the ground at a 45� angle - this swaps the horizontal and vertical axis (the vertical axis having an infinite travel distance). When the weapon discharges like this, it can freeze you through walls, over gaps, anywhere - just as long as Noxus is facing in your general direction. Technicalities aside, the only real counter attempt that you can make is to try and use the Morphball to get behind him while he's facing the ground. Alternatively, using a high-impact weapon can ruin his angle to the ground, preventing the Shadow Freeze. You can also try jumping, but that's very hit and miss (you've also got to take into account that if they also jump � ice cube). If the freeze should connect, and you're in biped, then expect an Imperialist between the eyes (known as the 'Shadow Death Freeze'). Of course, not all maps have an Imperialist - in which case, expect a volley of uncharged Judicator shots, or even Missiles. Personally, on small and medium maps, I'd recommend hit and run like a girly- girl tactics - as on small maps, not only is it preferable to use the Morphball a lot (to avoid the Shadow Death Freeze), but it should also prove very effective in 'dominating' the Affinity/Judicator icons. If you can't defeat the weapon, cut it off at the source. I don't know how you feel about this, but I prefer to spam the living hell out of Shadow Freezers with Seeker Missiles (cheap, naturally � but what the hell do you call turning people into ice cubes?) Admittedly, Noxus renders all short-range strategies worthless (even chaining hits with the Morphball). On the bigger arenas, the heat (er, ice) isn't so bad � there are more places to duck and cover, more places to snipe from, and more chances to see him coming (if he doesn't know your general direction, he can't freeze you). Finally, moving onto the Vhoscythe (part Scythe and part, er, Vho). If you've played around with Noxus, you'll no doubt have noticed that the Vhoscythe is an absolute nightmare to control in a precise manner. You'll also have no doubt noticed that when the Vhoscythe attacks, it attacks by extending, well, a scythe from its spinning mass. This attack is hard to control and further destabilises the gyroscopic effect that Noxus uses to stay upright (read a book). You picked up on that one, didn't you? The Vhoscythe attacks with a blade � it has no ranged attack, no bombs, no anything. If you somehow end up in a Morphball versus Vhoscythe battle � then you'll be in for quite the stalemate (the blade may not make for a good offence, but it makes a pretty good defence, and will knock you all-over-the-shop should it connect). Fortunately, it's slow, so you can make use of the Magmaul or Battlehammer. ----- Spire ------------------------------------------------------- 05.04 ---- ________________ /TALE OF THE TAPE\_____________________________________________________________ === Samus === === Spire === Speed: 060% Speed: 050% Alt. Frm: 085% Alt. Frm: 086% Alt. Spd: 100% Alt. Spd: 068% Alt. Atk: 044% Alt. Atk: 064% Affinity: 095% Affinity: 088% Overall: 077% Overall: 071% _______________________________________________________________________________ Spire may be slow and dumb, but unfortunately for us, he has more than a few tricks up his adamantine sleeves. The most noteworthy of which is the Magmaul. As you know, when Spire gets his hands on it, it gains an incendiary effect. I mean, let's face it, for this effect alone, just about every Spire player is going to spam it. The only clear-cut way of countering them when they get their hands on it is to stay as close as possible. A favourite tactic of mine (for the humour alone) is while at a distance, use a concussive weapon (maybe the Battlehammer, because it lessens the timing). If you get the timing right, you may very well alter the trajectory just as he's firing, so that he hits a wall or the floor and torches himself. The second and by far the most irritating ability at Spire's disposal is that he is immune to environmental lava (apparently, totally different to the stuff that comes from the Magmaul). On stages like the Council Chamber and *ack* the Alinos Gateway, he gains a major advantage. Lesson one: never face Spire on the latter or you'll lose every time (there also happens to be the 'hollow rock trick' that I never fail to see them take advantage of). Now, the mighty Dialanche ('Diamond Avalanche'), despite being painfully slow, can pose a serious threat to the Morphball. Like Noxus, Spire's alt. form is built purely for defence (and also has a melee attack). Should we attempt to use the boost against him, then we'll no doubt be smashed to little pieces (or indeed, sent flying a fair old distance). The third skill under Spire's control also happens to belong to the Dialanche (and is by far his most impressive). By rolling towards a wall, Spire will actually attach himself to it, allowing him to climb around the arena (he can do that, yet we don't get the Spider-Ball). On some of the larger arenas, the big man can make impressive use of this ability to reach normally inaccessible areas (such as the ledges on Alinos Perch). In alt. versus alt. battles, it actually makes him much trickier than you'd assume (seeing as he has the potential to escape the Morphball completely). However, like I said, the overall speed of it is terrible. If you manage to spot him and open fire, the likelihood is that he won't be able to escape in time (if the shot looks tricky, use an area-effect weapon, like the Volt Driver or Battlehammer to rattle him). ----- Sylux ------------------------------------------------------- 05.05 ---- ________________ /TALE OF THE TAPE\_____________________________________________________________ === Samus === === Spire === Speed: 060% Speed: 065% Alt. Frm: 085% Alt. Frm: 095% Alt. Spd: 100% Alt. Spd: 090% Alt. Atk: 044% Alt. Atk: 100%+ Affinity: 095% Affinity: 100% Overall: 077% Overall: 090% _______________________________________________________________________________ On top of being sickeningly superior (you can come up with statistics to prove anything, 67% of people know that), Sylux also has some extremely unpleasant abilities at his disposal. You already know of the Shock Coil and its cruel neutrino beam (an elementary particle with zero charge and zero mass) that can siphon massive amounts of your energy into his own body. Sylux is the only Hunter to actually have a better alt. form than Samus (although, with the boost, she's still marginally faster). Sylux' alt. form glides frictionlessly at an incredible speed, and it also boasts a brilliant turning circle. The Lockjaw's only form of attack is to lay 'tripwires' around the arena. A tripwire is formed when Sylux drops two bombs - when the wire is broken (or a third bomb is laid), the bombs are pulled towards each other. If you should be unfortunate enough to get caught in the 'triangle,' you can probably kiss yourself goodbye, as it does in the region of 180 damage. There is, however, a little technique known as the "Bomb Block" that can sometimes help you out. If you drop a bomb and it connects with Sylux' bomb (without launching you into the air), it'll limit the damage you'll receive. Noxus isn't the only character to possess a 'shadow technique,' nope, Sylux has a move known as the 'Shadow Triangle.' If Sylux drops a tripwire close to a double-sided wall (the corridor on Combat Hall is a good example), he can usually form a triangle and pull it through the wall by dropping the final bomb on the opposite side (it usually depends on the thickness of the wall). This, of course, allows him to set up unfair ambushes in all manner of places. The only remedy should you see the Lockjaw heading your way is to go alt. and go on the attack (as the Magmaul seems much less effective here, and the Morphball is still too fast to get caught). If you should be caught, you can minimise the damage by boosting away from the oncoming bombs. Just like you shouldn't face Spire on lava-based maps, you should avoid Sylux like the plague on maps with lunar gravity (especially Head Shot). After Sylux drops his third bomb, he receives a little boost that propels him into the air, without gravity, this can be used to fly indefinitely (and hide in the same measure). ----- Trace ------------------------------------------------------- 05.06 ---- ________________ /TALE OF THE TAPE\_____________________________________________________________ === Samus === === Trace === Speed: 060% Speed: 070% Alt. Frm: 085% Alt. Frm: 070% Alt. Spd: 100% Alt. Spd: 070% Alt. Atk: 044% Alt. Atk: 050% Affinity: 095% Affinity: 100% Overall: 077% Overall: 072% _______________________________________________________________________________ Trace, when holding his Affinity weapon (the Imperialist), is rendered invisible (although, he does leave a slight outline). To find a cloaked Trace, you can use your own Seeker Missiles or the Shock Coil (seeing as they home-in on heat sources). To be fair, most Trace players no longer use the cloak, seeing it as more of a hindrance than a help. It's not the cloak that's gonna give us problems, it's the evil Imperialist. My personal recommendation is to run away like a girl and hide � but if you really must go against someone using the Imperialist, then heed my words. If you end up having to dodge shots, don't strafe in large steps; strafe in small, erratic steps (moving in large steps allows them to predict where you'll be at next). A sniper will always keep their aim on a fixed axis, and wait for you to move into their line-of-fire. The axis is usually fixed in relation to the ground � meaning that jumping in a continuous fashion works quite well (just keep those erratic movements coming, and try not to stay in contact with the ground for more than a second at a time). I've never met someone who actively tries to take people out of the air, they'd much rather predict where you'll land � by mixing things up, you'll get away with it about 80% of the time. Now, Trace's alt. form, the Triskelon, is an entirely different kettle of fish. The Triskelon is a nasty little spider-thing (admittedly, it only has three legs, so technically not a spider-thing) that can cover great distances, and deal large amounts of damage with a lunge attack. The lunge attack, if it connects, (a big "if") will take in the region of 50 health points from you. Fortunately, it's quite easy to avoid (and quite hard for them to control) � I've seen quite a few players hurl themselves to their deaths, off ledges, into the abyss, and the like. Of course, the Triskelon would be easy if it wasn't for the small fact that it too uses optical camouflage (which counters the pisspoor accuracy). Accuracy or no accuracy, the worst thing you can do is to boost at it � wait for him to leap into your bombs instead. The Bomb Jump works quite well for both avoiding him and attacking at the same time. If you're facing a Triskelon spammer, when you enter an area, light it up with the Power Beam, you'll either hit the cloaked little sod, or you'll trick him into thinking he's been rumbled (in which case, he should flee). ----- Weavel ------------------------------------------------------ 05.07 ---- ________________ /TALE OF THE TAPE\_____________________________________________________________ === Samus === === Weavel === Speed: 060% Speed: 060% Alt. Frm: 085% Alt. Frm: 087% Alt. Spd: 100% Alt. Spd: 075% Alt. Atk: 044% Alt. Atk: 050% Affinity: 095% Affinity: 060% Overall: 077% Overall: 066% _______________________________________________________________________________ I have just about as much respect as anyone can muster for this virtual cyborg, but I just can't get around the fact that his Affinity weapon, the Battlehammer, is a big let down (even with the increased effects) - of course, I primarily play as Samus, so I don't care. The thing to take into account with the Battlehammer is that it will always have you on the defence, on the hop, so to speak. I wouldn't call it an actual threat, more of an annoyance. When it hits, your aim bounces all-over-the-shop, making it hard to retaliate � worse of all, it's really rather effective against the Morphball (again, it's not because of the damage, but because of the hindrance it causes). Any all-out assaults that you make from the front will usually be met with the Battlehammer, try and make it so that you hit him side-on (or keep the distance between you short). A lot of players prefer using the Imperialist to get things done, and Weavel can prove hellishly effective at that game. Rather than use the Half-Turret as a form of attack, it is used as a decoy � once they get their upper-half into position, they'll swap back and snipe you. If the map has an Imperialist and they've deployed in an overlooked/open area (that would otherwise serve no purpose), expect that to be their plan. Now, the Half-Turret is quite an interesting thing to behold. Weavel basically splits himself in half, dividing into a mobile upper-half (that attacks on a melee basis) and a fixed-position Battlehammer emplacement (made from his legs). Y'see, when Weavel splits like this, it also splits his health between both parts (e.g. he has 100 health, it becomes 50 for both halves). When the legs suffer damage, the upper-half also feels the pain (Weavel cannot be killed by attacking the legs; at best, his health will be reduced to 01). Because his Half-Turret is his greatest strength and weakness, players will try and deploy his legs in cracks and crevices, and even in lava fields in order to prevent you from attacking them. If you can't make a direct attack against them, even with the Seeker Missile or a weapon that deals splash damage, you should probably retreat until he gets bored (after all, he can't really do anything further to you until he withdraws them). The best weapon to use (if you can lay your hands on one) is the Shock Coil � just keep strafing like you know how, the target is stationary and easy to lock-on to (even when fighting both parts, concentrate on the legs). ----- Samus ------------------------------------------------------- 05.08 ---- To know yourself is to know no fear, to know yourself is to be happy � whoa, metaphysical babble alert, baby. Samus against Samus battles (very Emilie Sag�e) tend to revolve around guarding your weaknesses while trying to exploit those very same weaknesses in your opponent. Mirror matches are the ideal way of learning new playing styles or new uses for weapons, even down to how they move can prove useful. There is always someone better than you, even if you're the best, you just haven't met them yet. The secret to success in anything is practice - now get to it. ===== Arenas ====================================================== 06.00 ==== I'm pretty sure that I've managed to find and list every weapon and pick- up that there is for each and every map � can you prove me wrong? I very much doubt it (well, I kinda doubt it... just a little bit). === Unlockable Arenas === Not every arena is available from the start, you have to earn them through hard work and penance, don�tcha know. Sanctorus - play 02 multiplayer local matches. Compression Chamber - play 04 multiplayer local matches. Incubation Vault - play 06 multiplayer local matches. Subterranean - play 08 multiplayer local matches. Outer Reach - play 10 multiplayer local matches. Harvester - play 12 multiplayer local matches. Weapons Complex - play 14 multiplayer local matches. Council Chamber - play 16 multiplayer local matches. Elder Passage - play 18 multiplayer local matches. Fuel Stack - play 20 multiplayer local matches. Fault Line - play 22 multiplayer local matches. Stasis Bunker - play 40 multiplayer local matches or 1 Wi-Fi match. Oubliette - Beat Gorea's second form. Gateway Arenas - You'll unlock 1 arena for every planet visited in solo. Head Shot - Play 01 multiplayer match with 4 players. _______ /EXAMPLE\______________________________________________________________________ Size: Maps are sized as small, medium, or large. Available: This tells you what modes each map is available in. Best Suited: Which character is best on which map. Weapons: This tells you what weapons are available for your enjoyment. Pick-Ups: Yup, more items and more enjoyment to be had, hurray for us. Other: Mainly for health items and the like. Misc: If there is something special about a map, it goes here. Where: Nothing special, just where a map appears in Adventure. Locations: It�s a map walkthrough. As fun as it is, this is primarily for Battle mode, but all the good bits will work just as well in the other modes, too. _______________________________________________________________________________ ----- Combat Hall ------------------------------------------------- 06.01 ---- Size: Small Available: Battle, Survivor, Defender, Prime Hunter, Nodes Best Suited: Noxus/Spire/Sylux, Weavel, Samus, Kanden, Trace Weapons: Affinity (1), Missile (1), Magmaul (1) Pick-Ups: U. Ammo (4) Other: Medium Energy (4), Large Energy (1), Nodes (3) Misc: A slightly different version of Combat Hall appears in First Hunt (a demo that came packaged with the first few shipments of the DS). It was called "Ancient Vestige." Where: Alinos, Training Facility Locations: Affinity: (1) Opposite the Jump Pad in the main hall (near to where the blast shield is). Missile: (1) The only-child known as the Missile can be found near the top of the central arch - use the Morphball or the steps to get. Magmaul: (1) It's tucked just behind the arch. If you can't see it, then you're on the wrong side, duh! U. Ammo: (1) On the north raised section. (2) On the south raised section. (3) At the north end of the main hall. (4) At the south end of the main hall. Energy: (M1) Sitting behind the Affinity. (M2) In the outer hall. (M3) In the first alt. tunnel. (M4) In the second alt. tunnel. (L1) Found in matches with more than two players (or during a Defender match as default), where (M2) appears. Nodes: (1) In the middle of the arena (also the Defender ring). (2) On the south raised section (a good one to hold down). (3) With more than two players, it appears in the outer hall. Breakdown: The Combat Hall is as basic as you're gonna get in this game. You'll find one Affinity, one Magmaul, one Missile pick-up, and a liberal smattering of health items. That's not to say that it's a dull little map, there are plenty of opportunities for ambushes and heavy combat, so let me explain the layout. The Combat Hall is split into four distinct parts, the main hall, the outer hall, and a north and south raised section - the raised sections are connected to one-another via a alt. tunnel. The main hall itself -- a long, wide room -- is partly broken up by an archway (this connects the aforementioned tunnels). The arch isn't overly special, but it might be worth mentioning that during matches with just two players, there are some small footholds that can be used to scale the arch (cutting out the need to use the Jump Pad). The walls of the arch only jut out a little way, so they won't make great cover (but they will make some). At the north end of the main hall is a Jump Pad that'll grant access to the raised sections. Way, way down south is the blast screen (near the Affinity) � the blast screen (primarily a big square with a hole in the middle) is a dandy little place to hang around for awhile (the supply of ammo and health make sure of that). If you can get on top of it (either using a Bomb Leap or jumping down to it), it'll make a good place to ambush those that don't often look up when they come from the outer hall. The outer hall runs down the east side (or the west side, it depends on your idea of which way the map is facing) � doors are situated next to the blast shield and to the left/right of the Jump Pad. The outer hall is a hotbed (look it up) for spammers and alt. spammers, but the Medium/Large Energy and pill-slots usually make the aggro worthwhile. If the hassle and the gunfire is getting to you, why not hop on the Jump Pad and visit the aforementioned raised sections. They make great spots to form ambushes (no sniper rifle, but Missiles will work just as well), and even better places to hide. The south raised section can only be accessed via an alt. tunnel. Yup, that means that as long as you have Missiles to spare (or have the Magmaul), you can hold it down indefinitely (also, you'll find some U. Ammo for the Magmaul there) - just watch out for Imperialist users standing on the arch). When fighting Noxus, Spire, or Sylux - try and stay away from the outer hall (if you must enter it, always boost through as quick as you can). With this being such a small map (and the only pick-up of any great merit is the Affinity), you can use the boost to dominate the flow of weapons (and load-up on Missiles at the same time). ----- Data Shrine ------------------------------------------------- 06.02 ---- Size: Medium Available: Battle, Survival, Defender, Prime Hunter, Capture, Nodes Best Suited: Weavel, Noxus/Spire, Kanden, Samus, Sylux, Trace Weapons: Missile (1), Battlehammer (1), Imperialist (1), Judicator (1), Magmaul (1), Shock Coil (1), Volt Driver (1) Pick-Ups: U. Ammo (4) Other: Medium Energy (4), Large Energy (2), Nodes (3) Misc: This is where you first meet Kanden in Adventure. Where: Celestial Archives Locations: Missile: (1) The shiny thing on the plinth in the Data Shrine. Battlehammer: (1) In the central area (around the outside). Imperialist: (1) Inside the north alt. tunnel. Judicator: (1) In the central area (around the outside). Magmaul: (1) In the central area (around the outside). Shock Coil: (1) Inside the south alt. tunnel. Volt Driver: (1) In the central area (around the outside). U. Ammo: (1) & (2) Opposite the north alt. tunnel. (3) & (4) Opposite the south alt. tunnel. Energy: (M1) & (M2) Below each catwalk in the outer rim. (M3) & (M4) In the central area, in front of the doors when there there are more than two players. (L1) & (L2) Replaces (M1) & (M2) with more than two players. Nodes: (1) & (2) Near each alt. tunnel (on the catwalk). (3) In the central area, on the central plinth with more than two players (also the Defender ring). Capture: (Green) Above (L1). (Orange) Above (L2). Breakdown: There's just simply an outer rim and a large central area, you savvy? The outer rim is connected to the central area by two doorways and two alt. tunnels (the doors are located to the east and west, while the tunnels are situated at the north and south). Right, that's the general description taken care of, on to the proper stuff. The outer rim makes one hell of an alt. form racetrack (with a handy alt. tunnel running under each of the catwalk sections. Samus has a nifty little tactic for this very location � simply stay underneath a walkway (over the health would be nice) and don't move (genius). If they want you, then they'll have to come and get you (incidentally, they'll almost always die in the attempt) � obviously, best suited to one- on-one battles. Other than that, there really isn't anything in the way of strategy for this map. You can camp inside one of the alt. tunnels with the Imperialist and wait for someone to wander by (or with the Judicator until someone rolls through). A nasty little thing to do when you're facing another Samus player is to use the Missiles on the central plinth as bait - when they come to restock their supply - bang. The central area is nothing to write home about, it's a large room, devoid of any real cover (save two small barriers, one opposite each door, and some small columns supporting the walkway in the centre). Obviously, if you want most of the weapons, you're gonna need to step inside. Naturally, you won't find a cup of tea and a slice of cake for your troubles, you'll find the aforementioned snipers in the alt. tunnels or snipers behind the screens covering the main doors. Alt. form is your friend, you can cover the outside of the room and grab any weapons you need quite quickly, then retreat back to the rim. ----- Processor Core ---------------------------------------------- 06.03 ---- Size: Small Available: Battle, Survival, Defender, Prime Hunter, Nodes Best Suited: Trace, Samus, Weavel, Spire, Sylux, Noxus, Kanden Weapons: Affinity (1), Judicator (1), Magmaul (1) Pick-Ups: U. Ammo (4), Death.Alt (1), Double Damage (1) Other: Medium Energy (2), Large Energy (2), Nodes (2) Misc: This is the first place that the Death.Alt and the Double Damage appear, fact fans. Where: Alinos Locations: Affinity: (1) Sitting on the suspended platform in the middle of the arena. Judicator: (1) To the right of the central area. Magmaul: (1) To the left of the central area. U. Ammo (1) & (2) With the Judicator. (3) & (4) With the Magmaul. Death.Alt: (1) Inside of the alt. tunnel (north wall) when there are more than two players (also in Defender with less - it won't appear in Survival for obvious reasons). Double Damage: (1) The Double D is found inside of the left-hand alt. tunnel. It has something stupid, like a 180 second re-spawn time, so grab it while you can. Energy: (M1) On the north cylinder (not in Nodes). (M2) On the south cylinder with more than two players. (L1) Slap-bang in the middle of the central area. (L2) Replaces (M1) with more than two players. Nodes: (1) In the middle of the central area. (2) On top of the north cylinder (also the Defender ring). Breakdown: Processor Core, you are egg-shaped, yes you are. If I split this arena into three sections, it may help me explain things - it may, but I doubt it. There is a north area, south area, and a central area. North and south areas both contain cylindrical pillars, but only the cylinder located to the south contains a Jump Pad (the only access to the top part of the map). At either side of the central area are small 'walkways' (basically, a couple of steps up and a couple of steps down), they curve around the central area (i.e. are crescent), and contain this map's primary weapon supply. The top of the map can sometimes prove welcomed refuge from the hectic battleground that is the central area. On the outer rim of the north cylinder are two alt. tunnels (a track around the back connects both sides). In the left alt. tunnel resides the mighty Double Damage power-up (incidentally, the tunnel is a relatively safe place to rest while you're waiting for it to re-spawn). Because of the many, many surfaces and enclosed areas, my weapon of choice would have to be the Judicator � Missiles are all well and fine, but I wouldn't rely on them too much, because of those very surfaces and enclosed spaces (you'll either waste ammo or turn yourself inside-out). Because this map contains such precious resources (i.e. the Double Damage and the Large Energy), it'll often turn into a war of attrition, with the one who controls either (or both) often going on to win (with a bit of skill, the Morphball can make the lower level un-walkable � so at the very least, we have the possibility of gaining control of the health). The Death.Alt is equally important in matches with more than two players, although, it is impossible to reach anyone that flees to the tops of the cylinders (also note the indentations in each cylinder, they're good places to hide if someone beats you to the Death.Alt). The moment you start-out, you really need to be boosting straight for the Large Energy, and then turn around and head straight for the Jump Pad. If you were on the ball, you should be on track to grab the Double Damage first (the alt. tunnel drops you back near the Jump Pad) � if you grabbed the Affinity on the way, you'll have 7 Seeker Missiles in stock (doing 96 damage each) � this should result in a good, early advantage (providing you aim carefully). ----- High Ground ------------------------------------------------- 06.04 ---- Size: Medium Available: Battle, Survival, Prime Hunter, Nodes Best Suited: Trace, Weavel, Noxus/Spire/Sylux, Samus, Kanden Weapons: Affinity (1), Missile (2), Imperialist (1), Judicator (1), Magmaul (1) Pick-Ups: U. Ammo (7), Double Damage (1) Other: Medium Energy (4), Large Energy (1), Nodes (4) Misc: I hate this place, whatever happened to urban renewal? This also happens to be where you meet Spire for the first time. Where: Alinos Locations: Affinity: (1) In the central area, near the sculpture that looks like new- age porn (hey, I'm not the one with the complex). Missile: (1) Inside the tower to the south. (2) On top of the tower to the west. Imperialist: (1) On top of the tower to the south (reach it from the west). Judicator: (1) In the outer rim of the catacombs. Magmaul: (1) At the top of the tower to the north. U. Ammo: (1) Near the Affinity. (2) & (3) In central area (opposite the Affinity). (4) Near Missile (1). (5) Near the Imperialist. (6) Inside of the tower to the north. (7) Near the Magmaul. Double Damage: (1) Under the statue in the central area (alt. to reach it). Energy: (M1) In the outer rim of the catacombs. (M2) In the outer rim of the catacombs (more than two players). (M3) & (M4) On the ledges near the tower to the south. (L1) Slap-bang in the middle of the catacombs (not in Nodes). Nodes: (1) In the central area, opposite the Affinity. (2) Inside the tower to the south. (3) In the middle of the catacombs with three players. (4) Opposite Node (1) with four players. Breakdown: Basically, we have three levels of play � above ground, below ground, and up on top of the towers. It sounds incredibly exciting, doesn't it? The 'catacombs' area (for lack of a better description) is essentially one large, square tunnel that has a small central area (large enough to stand, although, alt. form is always the best way to travel). Due to the fact that the Large Energy and the Judicator live down below, expect it to prove quite a bone of contention amongst players (the Judicator works extremely well in the cramped confines). There are about three or so entrances and two exits, each marked by an orange holographic panel (which obscures the view both into and out of the catacombs � all the exits are reached via Jump Pad). It�s best not to hang around there anyway, not unless you want to be ambushed. Why do the tunnels hold such a significance? The heavy fighting tends to go on above ground; by travelling through the catacombs, you can cut it out almost completely. Samus is an ideal candidate to speed through the tunnels for an easy shortcut (the central area usually has less campers). However, she doesn�t have the abilities required to maintain control of them (think Trace�s stealth or Weavel�s Half-Turret). Should you choose to fight above ground, you�ll be trapped between a rock and a hard place (so to speak), as you�ll have to watch out for aerial assaults and underground ambushes (all while keeping an eye on your own battle). The Real draw, however, is the Double Damage sitting out in the open - there are too many places to hide and too much scenery to get in the way of our Missiles, so we ideally need to be the one in control of it. Realistically, this is the centre of our game (and our best chance of winning). To fight on top of those towers, you need to either be a Sholin Monk or incredibly accurate when it comes to jumping, as there's no room for error. You have three towers -- a tower to the north, to the south, and to the west -- the only way to reach the top of the west or south tower is to climb up the north tower (which makes it an ideal zone for ambushes and the like). Of all the towers, the west has the greatest room to manoeuvre (it even has limited cover). Our Missiles didn�t work down below, but up here is a different story � trying to avoid a Seeker Missile here usually revolves around throwing yourself off the top (so even if you don�t hit them, you�ll remove them from your equation). The crowning feature of this 'upper world' is the south tower. At the very top sits the Imperialist and enough U. Ammo to keep you busy (in theory, holding it down shouldn�t prove too troublesome). This is probably the safest place, too - you have a modicum of cover and you even have a shaft to make a quick escape down to the lower level (watch out for Spire climbing up behind you). Generally speaking, enemy Hunters can approach from one direction and one direction only. If you�re playing against an aggressive opponent, or if you�re trying to keep your lead, this is where you should come. Keep the north tower under constant watch and avoid standing too close to the edge, and you should pull through. ----- Ice Hive ---------------------------------------------------- 06.05 ---- Size: Medium Available: Battle, Survival, Defender, Prime Hunter, Capture, Nodes Best Suited: Weavel, Noxus/Sylux, Samus, Trace, Kanden, Spire Weapons: Affinity (1), Missile (2), Imperialist (1), Judicator (1), Volt Driver (1) Pick-Ups: U. Ammo (6), Death.Alt (1), Double Damage (1) Other: Medium Energy (4), Large Energy (2), Nodes (3) Misc: A small, accessible arena with both the Death.Alt AND the Double Damage. I swear, I'm gonna find the guy that thought this was a good idea and make him listen to my sadness. Where: Arcterra Locations: Affinity: (1) Found inside the alcove in the central area. Missile: (1) With the Affinity. (2) On the outer rim of the second floor. Imperialist: (1) Take the Jump Pad that's closest to the ice bridge, follow the path around and head over the bridge (not in Capture). Judicator: (1) Below the ice bridge. Volt Driver: (1) Follow the rim of the second floor around to the left (from the Jump Pad) to reach it. U. Ammo: (1) Near to the Affinity. (2) On the same level as the Imperialist. (3) Near to the Volt Driver. (4) On a ledge near the Judicator Jump Pad (push towards it). (5) On the third floor, near the Double Damage. (6) In the ramped area (near the Death.Alt's hiding place). Death.Alt: (1) Hidden in an alcove (on the same wall as the door that leads to the ice bridge - not in Survival). Double Damage: (1) Found above the Jump Pad on the third floor. Energy: (M1) In the central area, surrounded by the metal structure. (M2) & (M3) On the outer rim of the second floor. (M4) On the third floor, nearest the hole. (L1) Replaces (M1) with two or more players on the map. (L2) In the ramped area with more than two players (not in Capture mode). Nodes: (1) At the top of the Jump Pad opposite the one that leads to the Judicator. (2) In the ramped area (the Death.Alt is a great help here). (3) Where the Imperialist is (also the Defender ring). Capture: (Green) On the third floor (above the Judicator). (Orange) Where (L2) would normally appear. Note: In this mode, the door to the ice bridge is blocked off (that's why there isn't an Imperialist up for grabs). Breakdown: The layout of this map doesn't really cater too well for campers, there is a nice big central area, but it doesn't pose much attraction (other than for people re-spawning � but they didn't ask to be there). Generally, it's going to be the second and third floors that players will be looking to occupy (two of the four Medium Energy, the Double Damage, and the Imperialist all reside there). The only real tactic is to try and stay in control of the Double Damage (or, ideally, the Death.Alt) and try and maintain a healthy supply of ammo for the Judicator/Imperialist. If you keep the high ground, you should have as much chance as anyone else - if you need some extra health and ammo, Samus should be able to traverse the central area in alt. form easily, quickly, and safely. It's not much, but a small advantage over the slower Hunters is still an advantage. If you're finding yourself bogged down for whatever reason and you fail to reach the Death.Alt, then this next trick is for you. Okay, y'know the ledge that's to the left of the Jump Pad (that leads to the Judicator)? Rocket Jump from that ledge and onto the small ledge above the alcove (push into the wall to stay on). From here, a regular jump should let you reach the platform (that can't normally be reached). This ledge cannot be reached in alt. form by anyone other than Spire (just keep an eye out for snipers and the like). The fastest way to reach the Death.Alt yourself is to take the Jump Pad that leads to the Judicator and jump towards the right-hand corner of the ice bridge (should you get stuck, a Rocket Jump will free you), then follow the path around. This is the fastest known method of reaching the Death.Alt - learn it well, young Jedi, you must. ----- Alinos Perch ------------------------------------------------ 06.06 ---- Size: Large Available: Battle, Survival, Defender, Prime Hunter, Capture, Nodes Best Suited: Trace, Weavel, Spire, Sylux, Noxus, Samus, Kanden Weapons: Affinity (1), Missile (1), Imperialist (1), Magmaul (1), Shock Coil (1) Pick-Ups: U. Ammo (4) Other: Medium Energy (3), Large Energy (2), Nodes (3) Misc: Snipers love this place to bits - that's why it's still the most common map chosen. Where: Alinos Locations: Affinity: (1) In the middle of the large outside area. Missile: (1) On the jagged pillar to the south of the outside area. (2) Next to the pillbox-like structure in the cave. Imperialist: (1) Inside the pillbox-like structure in the cave. Magmaul: (1) If you take the Jump Pad north of the Affinity, you'll be dropped right on top of it. Shock Coil: (1) Take the Jump Pad inside the cave and look to your left. U. Ammo (1) Near the Affinity. (2) Near the outside Jump Pad. (3) Near the Magmaul. (4) Near the Imperialist. Energy: (M1) On the pillar opposite the Magmaul. (M2) Near the Shock Coil (gets moved slightly in Nodes, and down near the doors in Defender). (M3) Follow the path around from Missile (1) (gets moved down to near Missile (1) in Capture and Nodes). (L1) Replaces (M2) with more than two players on the map. (L2) Replaces (M3) with more than two players on the map. Nodes: (1) Where (M2) normally appears (also the Defender ring). (2) Where (M3) normally appears. (3) To the right of the ramped area, near the cave (with three or more players on the map). Capture: (Green) Where Node (1) appears. (Orange) Where Node (2) appears. Breakdown: For such a large map, it really is quite simple when it comes down to it � you basically have a large 'outside area' and a small 'cave' area. The outside area is a huge, primarily flat piece of land that is interspersed by craggy pillars and rock faces. Don't expect all-out combat, though -- this is the domain of the Imperialist -- war is waged from the safety that said rocks can provide. There aren't too many strategies for the outside area, other than the usual Morphball-related speed-along -- make sure that you roll from cover- to-cover �- never walk or you'll regret it. However, if you want anything other than the Affinity and some U. Ammo, you'll need to venture up into the cave. A good trick to gain a major height advantage is to 'abuse' the main Jump Pad to reach the highest part of the arena. The Jump Pad normally propels you towards the Magmaul, right? If you run at it and keep pushing towards it, it'll shoot you straight up � a final push forward and a jump will see you landing on top of the large rocky outcrop. This is a brilliant vantage point for the Imperialist (Trace's favourite hiding place � although, it does happen to be quite exposed). Another favourite tactic of mine is to Bomb Jump up onto the ledge where the steel plating is attached to the wall (where the doors appear in Adventure Mode). Between the six slots, they cover a good area of the ground � in one-on-one matches, you can lay down some crafty snipes against people when they head for the Affinity or the Jump Pad. If you decided to head indoors for a nice piece of cake, then you'll be disappointed � this place is a powder keg. Both the Imperialist and the Shock Coil rest here (along with the Large Energy in the right circumstances) - it's a classic war of attrition. The gist is that there is an upper and lower part of the cave - the upper level can be reached by either the Jump Pad on the west side or the ramp on the east side. If you're planning just a brief visit, a Morphball is naturally the best choice (the ramp can prove quite awkward to navigate, so take the Jump Pad). If you wish to extend your stay, use the Imperialist (from the safety of the oh-so convenient pillbox that it resides in) to get the jump on anyone coming through the right-hand door (or cutting across from the left). If you find yourself cornered, you can drop down and escape. ----- Sic Transit ------------------------------------------------- 06.07 ---- Size: Medium Available: Battle, Survival, Defender, Prime Hunter, Capture, Nodes Best Suited: Sylux, Trace, Samus, Spire, Weavel, Noxus, Kanden Weapons: Affinity (2), Missile (2), Battlehammer (1), Imperialist (1), Shock Coil (1) Pick-Ups: U. Ammo (6), Cloak (1), Double Damage (1) Other: Medium Energy (2), Large Energy (1), Nodes (3) Misc: This is where you first encounter Noxus and Trace. This is also the first outing for the Cloak. Where: Arcterra Locations: Affinity: (1) Underneath the central platform, in the central area. (2) Near the Jump Pad in the outer corridor (in Capture). Missile: (1) Take the Jump Pad from the central area and head left. (2) Near Affinity (1). Battlehammer: (1) Take the Jump Pad from the central area and head right (it gets moved slightly in Nodes and Defender). Imperialist: (1) Sitting proudly over the hole in the broken bridge. Shock Coil: (1) In the outer corridor. U. Ammo: (1) Near to Affinity (1). (2) & (3) On the central platform, in the central area. (4) Near the Battlehammer. (5) Near the Shock Coil. (6) Near the Jump Pad in the outer corridor (in Capture). Cloak: (1) On the high platform near Missile (1). Double Damage: (1) Near (M2). Energy: (M1) Follow the corridor around from the Battlehammer. (M2) On the central platform in the central area. (L1) Near Affinity (1) (with more than two players - or in Defender with less). Nodes: (1) On the central platform in the central area. (2) Near the Double Damage. (3) Where the Battlehammer normally appears (with more than two players - also the Defender ring). Capture: (Green) To the north of the central area. (Orange) To the south of the central area. Note: The door from the Orange side that leads to the Affinity is blocked off (you can still drop down), and the broken bridge has been removed entirely. Why? Because there now sits a steel barricade down the middle of the arena, stopping you just walking over to the opposing base. Breakdown: This map features a brand-new power-up � the Cloak. The Cloak will allow us to take full advantage of the Imperialist and launch surprise attacks using the Morphball. Try and stay away from the central area if you can (you can be ambushed in no fewer than six different ways when going for the Affinity) � although, the Affinity can prove quite a draw for Noxus, Kanden, and Spire players (seeing as their weapons don't appear on this map). With or without the Cloak, the best sniping spot has to be the broken bridge - a conveniently placed Imperialist and quick and easy access to health and ammo (and even the aforementioned Cloak) is always fun. When sniping from here, the Double Damage is the perfect bait � if you can snipe them when they go to get it (i.e. they die in mid-air without collecting it), you could probably nab a few more kills before you need to move on (just remember, it is a very open spot and, as such, prone to counter-snipes). The outer corridor (where the Shock Coil is found) is where you'll find the happy hunting ground for Spire, Noxus, and Sylux users. The rough nature of the corridor (ins-and-outs, stuff like that) means that they can torch, freeze, or bomb you before you even know they're there - even with the boost, traversing it can prove extremely dangerous. It doesn't matter too much if we miss it out, it only serves as a through- way to things that can can reached just as easily via another route. If you must pass through this way, grab the Cloak first (ooh, that reminds me - if you have the Cloak, you might be able to get the drop on the campers that usually dwell there, Just don't charge any weapons or you'll give yourself way). The Shock Coil is probably the best way to conserve ammo AND locate cloaked Hunters (Seeker Missiles are just too valuable, but they'll do in a pinch). Rather unsurprisingly, this is a quite popular map (translation: get used to it, baby). Anyone with any experience of Combat Hall should find themselves immediately at home amongst the compact, centralised layout (the pace that it adheres to is quite surprising for a medium-sized map). ----- Transfer Lock ----------------------------------------------- 06.08 ---- Size: Medium/Large Available: All Best Suited: Trace, Sylux, Kanden, Samus, Noxus, Spire, Weavel Weapons: Affinity (1), Missile (1), Battlehammer (1), Imperialist (1), Shock Coil (1), Volt Driver (1) Pick-Ups: U. Ammo (7), Double Damage (1) Other: Medium Energy (8), Large Energy (1), Nodes (4) Misc: Play this map in Bounty, Defender, or Capture to open the Transfer Lock proper. Also, this is the first map where you will experience lunar gravity. Where: Celestial Archives Locations: Affinity: (1) In the central alcove, at the bottom of the tower (near the Teleport Pads). Missile: (1) On the second tier of the control tower, in the alcove. Battlehammer: (1) Behind the domed structure at the very top of the tower. Imperialist: (1) On the long platform opposite the tower itself. When the arena is expanded, it'll appear on the middle level of the Transfer Lock proper. Shock Coil: (1) On the same level as the Imperialist. Volt Driver: (1) Behind the domed structure at the very top of the tower. When the arena is expanded, it appears on the same level as both the Imperialist and the Shock Coil. U. Ammo: (1) & (2) Either side of the tower, on the ground. (3) & (4) Either side of the tower, second tier. (5) Near the Imperialist (after expansion). (6) & (7) On the main platform in the space area (after expansion). Double Damage: (1) On the central platform in the space area (not in Capture). Energy: (M1) & (M2) Either side of the tower, second tier. (M3) Right in the middle of the domed area. (M4) & (M5) Replaces (M3) in Nodes (not in Capture). (M6) Straight along from the Imperialist (when expanded). During Capture, it appears in the Transfer Lock. (M7) & (M8) Behind the far left and far right holographic doors on the lower level. (L1) Replaces (M3) with two or more players on the map. Nodes: (1) On the second section of the bridge opposite the tower. (2) At the top of the arena, down the east side. (3) Exactly opposite Node (2). (4) In the middle of the domed area with four players (it is also the Defender ring). Bounty/Capture: (Green) Found where Node (4) is (Base). (Orange) Where the Double Damage is normally (Bounty). Breakdown: The Transfer Lock is a worryingly wide, open space � there are few places to hide, and very few opportunities for anything verging on strategy. The whole of the arena is dominated by a huge tower-like structure � it�s quite high and rather steep on the feet. The steepness is somewhat alleviated by the addition of a pair of dandy one-way Teleport Pads in the lower alcoves � these will drop you right at the back of the tower, inside the gulley. The gulley is a large channel that runs from the bottom of one side, right round the back, and down the other side. This probably isn�t the best of maps for us to play sniper, it�s far too open and far too easy to suffer counters - but by all means, try and keep the Imperialist under some form of control. If all hell breaks lose and this turns into some kind of sniping war, you�re probably not going to win (especially with Trace skulking around � his favourite place is usually on top of the dome). If you want to stay alive and maintain a chance of actually winning (yes, both at the same time), then you�re going to have to use that gully as your lifeline (snipers are going to find it hard to hit you, alt. forms are going to be disadvantaged, and you�ll never be too far from a pick-me- up or two). If you thought this place was large and open before, then let's step outside. When in Bounty, Defender, or Capture, the arena will be expanded. The doors that were blocked near the Imperialist will open. The section that separates the space and inside areas is the actual 'Transfer Lock' (much like an airlock). In here, there are three levels; the obligatory upper, middle, and lower levels. Thin energy bridges run from one side to the other, connecting from door-to-door (don't linger, eh?). The lower level contains a couple of Jump Pads that�ll throw you almost halfway up the tower at the speed of sound (well, not quite � very handy in all three modes � especially if you boost into them). The space area is pretty sparse of power-ups, but it does have a Double Damage (if you can reach it). The lunar gravity will allow you to leap between the four space platforms with relative ease (ya still need timing), and Morphball Bombs will give you the height you need to make things interesting. ----- Sanctorus --------------------------------------------------- 06.09 ---- Size: Small Available: Battle, Survival, Defender, Prime Hunter, Nodes Best Suited: Noxus/Sylux/Weavel, Samus, Kanden, Spire, Trace Weapons: Affinity (1), Missile (1), Volt Driver (1) Pick-Ups: U. Ammo (4), Double Damage (1) Other: Medium Energy (4), Nodes (2) Misc: <Insert witty comments> Where: Arcterra Locations: Affinity: (1) In the middle of the ground floor. Missile: (1) Near the large opening on the first floor. Volt Driver: (1) On the first floor (in Nodes, it gets moved to where you enter the first floor via the Jump Pad). U. Ammo: (1), (2) & (3) On the ground floor (the place is tiny). (4) On the first floor. Double Damage: (1) On top of the fallen stalactite on the ground floor. Energy: (M1) Found behind the pillar opposite the Jump Pad. (M2) On top of one of the fallen stalactites. (M3) Opposite (M3) with two or more players on the map. (M4) On the small step above the Jump Pad. Nodes: (1) In the middle of the ground floor (also the Defender ring). (2) Where the Volt Driver normally appears. Breakdown: You'd be hard pushed to find an arena smaller than Sanctorus - hard pushed to find one more chaotic, too. Because of its 'inadequacy' in the size department, you won't actually find much in the line of weaponry (of course, the prerequisite Affinity is there, but apart from that, very little), other than some Missiles and a Volt Driver. However, Sanctorus boasts a Double Damage power-up and very little room to run and hide. You see, Sanctorus is pretty much two small rooms, one stuck atop the another. There is no respite from any assault that anyone wants to lay at your door because the first floor can quite easily be accessed by climbing up from the centre (meaning no lock-down when you really need it). If you can be the one that lays their hands on the Double Damage AND the Volt Driver, you'll win for sure � the problem is that due to the very rough nature of the ground, the Morphball is virtually useless on the ground floor (sure, you can Bomb Jump, but it'll usually be way too hectic for that kinda thing). If you can't lay your hands on it, all you can do is try and waste some time by firing barrage after barrage of Missiles to keep them at bay. ----- Compression Chamber ----------------------------------------- 06.10 ---- Size: Small Available: Battle, Survival, Prime Hunter, Nodes Best Suited: Samus/Sylux, Kanden/Weavel, Trace, Noxus, Spire Weapons: Affinity (1), Missile (2), Judicator (1) Pick-Ups: U. Ammo (4), Double Damage (1) Other: Medium Energy (6), Nodes (3) Misc: My lips say: "no." My eyes say: "read my lips." Where: Vesper Defence Outpost Locations: Affinity: (1) On top of the large block in the south area. Missile: (1) Near the divider between the north area and the south area (on the upper level). (2) They can be reached by taking the Jump Pad in the south area and jumping towards them. Judicator: (1) Behind the partition in the north area. U. Ammo: (1) & (2) In the south area (either side of the upper level). (3) & (4) Near the Judicator. Double Damage: (1) Inside the large block that the Affinity sits on. Energy: (M1) & (M2) Near either side of the Jump Pad in the south area. (M3) Up on the high beam in the north area. (M4) In-between the ground supports in the north area. (M5) & (M6) Either side of the upper level in the north area (only when playing Nodes). Nodes: (1) Where the Affinity normally appears. (2) Where (M4) appears. (3) Up on the rim behind Node (2) with three or more players. Breakdown: This is a map that fails to become predictable, even with its small size. What we have is two areas, a north area and a south area � accessed from either the upper level, via a walkway, or from the lower level, via alt. form. The secret to success is to vary the way you do things � always taking one way into each area, or always sticking to one level will make you predictable The Jump Pads aren't just for show � use them often to create ambushes from the high beams (two guys fighting never stop to look up), or to simply escape the trials and tribulations of being shot in the face. The Morphball and the Missiles are the only things needed to stand a chance here - other than that, always try and keep tabs on the Double Damage (with the map being so small, it will often spell victory or (defeat). Incidentally, where you find it can make quite a nice little hiding place while you're waiting for its return. ----- Incubation Vault -------------------------------------------- 06.11 ---- Size: Small Available: Battle, Survival, Prime Hunter, Nodes Best Suited: Kanden/Samus, Weavel, Noxus, Sylux, Spire, Trace Weapons: Affinity (2), Missile (1), Battlehammer (1), Shock Coil (1) Pick-Ups: U. Ammo (3) Other: Medium Energy (4), Nodes (3) Misc: It's little and hot - just like Kylie. Where: Celestial Archives Locations: Affinity: (1) Inside the upper floor of the shelter. (2) On the step down (behind the partition wall). Missile: (1) On the walkway, where it branches off. Battlehammer: (1) On the upper rim, near the Incubation Tank. Shock Coil: (1) Near the lower shelter door. U. Ammo: (1) & (2) Near the Shock Coil. (3) Near the Battlehammer. Energy: (M1) Inside the lower level of the shelter. (M2) Near the first Jump Pad in the tank room. (M3) & (M4) Between the wall and the Incubation Tank with more than two players on the map. Nodes: (1) Where (M1) normally appears. (2) Near to the west end of the Incubation Tank. (3) Up on the rim, where the second Jump Pad lands you. Breakdown: The Incubation Vault is divided into two sections, an indoor area (shelter-like area) and an open area (containing the Incubation Tank). The shelter is pretty straightforward, there's an upper level and a lower level � the upper level can be reached via Jump Pad (or by climbing the large step just inside the left side of the lower entrance). In the upper level, there's a ruddy great hole that can be used to get back to the ground (or get the drop on people). The larger of the two areas can definitely be classed as 'interesting.' Down the centre of the room runs an energy rod (the Incubation Tank) � stepping foot on said tank will result in your arse being quick-roasted (the metal banding is safe, though � well, as safe as you can get). Running down the north side of the tank is the walkway that makes up a large portion of the upper level. For a Samus player, this is probably one of the best maps we could choose � the whole map is just so energetic (people are just jumping around like jackrabbits and hanging around the tank). This makes it exceptionally hard for Sylux or Noxus to take aim with their nasty little weapons (same goes for Spire). As long as you keep up high, you'll be fine (practice jumping from band- to-band along tank, as this is where you'll be spending your time � besides, pixel-perfect backwards jumps just make you look cool). The two Affinity icons and the Missile pack will keep you armed to the teeth � yup, Seeker Missiles are gonna be the way forward. ----- Subterranean ------------------------------------------------ 06.12 ---- Size: Medium Available: Battle, Survival, Defender, Prime Hunter, Nodes Best Suited: Weavel, Kanden, Spire, Trace, Noxus/Sylux, Samus Weapons: Affinity (1), Missile (3), Battlehammer (1), Imperialist (1), Judicator (1), Magmaul (1), Shock Coil (1), Volt Driver (1) Pick-Ups: U. Ammo (8), Cloak (1), Double Damage (1) Other: Medium Energy (2), Large Energy (1), Nodes (4) Misc: Underground, overground, murdering free. Where: Arcterra Locations: Affinity: (1) Sitting on the slope in-between both areas. Missile: (1) On the raised area below the Affinity (it gets moved slightly in Nodes). (2) Where the third Jump Pad spits you out. (3) In the large room that leads to the caverns. Battlehammer: (1) Near Missile (1) (on the ground, not the raised area). Imperialist: (1) Around the outside of the room above Missile (1). Judicator: (1) The Judicator will only appear when there are four players. It lives down the right-hand side of the caverns (past the first Jump Pad). Magmaul: (1) It can be found just across from (M2). Shock Coil: (1) In the middle of the caverns. Volt Driver: (1) In the same room as Missile (3), it's on a rock at the far end of the room. U. Ammo: (1) Opposite the Imperialist. (2) Near the Shock Coil. (3) At the end of the caverns. (4) & (5) Near the Battlehammer. (6) Near to where the second Jump Pad pops you out. (7) Near the Magmaul. (8) Between the wall and the rocky outcrop that (M2) sits on. Energy: (M1) Behind a fallen piece of rock beside the Volt Driver. (M2) On the highest point of the overground area (in Defender and Nodes, it can be found where the second Jump Pad pops you out at). (L1) Replaces (M1) with more than two players on the map. Cloak: (1) Behind the fallen piece of rock behind the Volt Driver. Double Damage: (1) On the plinth near (M2). Nodes: (1) Where (M2) normally appears (also the Defender ring). (2) Just before where the caverns start. (3) Near the Shock Coil with three players on the map. (4) Where Missile (1) appears with four players on the map. Breakdown: The real combat goes on above ground in the larger of the two areas (the caverns are just a lah-di-dah way of reaching the surface � very little fighting goes on there, purely because it's a pain in the arse to do). I suppose the best thing about the caverns is that the Cloak is hidden nearby (bit of a shame that the Double Damage is too far away). You'd think that the confined nature of the caverns would make it great for some Morphball-related killing, wouldn't you? Due to the Jump Pads, it doesn't. One minute you're rolling around, laying death, the next minute, you're catapulted into the air (good for hit and run, though). There are four places where you can restock your Missiles, so we're good there, but my personal recommendation is grabbing both the Imperialist and the Cloak before setting up camp where the Affinity is (that's guaranteed to nab you a couple of kills at the least). Normally, the Double Damage is pivotal to our success, but because it's in such an easy to reach place, you'll probably never get it unless you forgo your other tasks to specifically stake it out (a worthless endeavour if there ever was one). So don't make a sad face if you can't grab it � just turn that frown upside-down and use the Double Damage as sniper-bait. Just stick to the usual blend of sniping and Seeker Missiles while using those caverns to escape if things get a little rough. ----- Outer Reach ------------------------------------------------- 06.13 ---- Size: Medium Available: Battle, Survival, Defender, Prime Hunter, Capture, Nodes Best Suited: Samus, Trace, Weavel, Kanden, Sylux, Noxus, Spire Weapons: Affinity (2), Missile (2), Imperialist (1), Judicator (1), Shock Coil (1) Pick-Ups: U. Ammo (6) Other: Medium Energy (2), Large Energy (1), Nodes (3) Misc: This is where I made the best snipe ever. A mid-air head-shot (from the Jump Pad on the third floor) against someone minding their own business on the ground. Where: This map doesn't appear in Adventure Mode. Locations: Affinity: (1) & (2) There is one in front of each of the Jump Pads that lead to the third floor platforms. Missile: (1) & (2) There is one set up on each of the third floor platforms (not available in Capture). Imperialist: (1) Hovering between the platforms of the second floor in a spooky manner. Judicator: (1) On the second floor, about the same place as you find the Affinity on the first floor - that's the south side. Shock Coil: (1) Found in a similar place to the Judicator, but on the north side. U. Ammo: (1) & (2) On the ground floor. (3) & (4) With each Affinity. (5) & (6) Down the side of the second floor walkway. Energy: (M1) & (M2) There's one under each of the shielded areas on the first floor. (L1) With four players on the map, it appears above the Jump Pad in-between the ground floor and the first floor. Nodes: (1) & (2) There's one on each third floor platform. (3) On the ground floor with more than two players on the map (it's also the Defender ring). Capture: (Green) On the third floor platform to the north. (Orange) On the third floor platform to the south. Note: Battles basically revolve around grabbing an Octolith, the Imperialist, and then having a manly snipe-fest (the Jump Pads that would normally be found on each of the platforms have been removed). Team battles are much of the same, one runs and grabs, while the other stays and shoots. Breakdown: There are no special tactics for winning this one. To make much things hard for your opponent, you'll need to master the art of boosting around the rims. People nearly always avoid using their alt. form because of the whole 'falling off and dying thing.' The Morphball has the control and stopping ability to allow us to pull it off (rather easily). Never linger on the same level for too long (because of snipers and the odd homing weapon), work your way up to the top and then jump back down to the bottom (switching to alt. while in the air will prevent any fall damage or lucky head-shots). Why, you ask? It screws with their radar and makes you a pain to keep up with or target, it can also prove quite good for ambushing those on a lower level. ----- Harvester --------------------------------------------------- 06.14 ---- Size: Large Available: Battle, Survival, Defender, Prime Hunter, Capture, Nodes Best Suited: Trace, Kanden, Weavel, Spire, Samus, Sylux, Noxus Weapons: Missile (2), Battlehammer (1), Imperialist (2), Judicator (1), Magmaul (1), Shock Coil (1), Volt Driver (2) Pick-Ups: U. Ammo (10), Cloak (2) Other: Medium Energy (6), Large Energy (2), Nodes (3) Misc: Parts of this map feel vaguely reminiscent of the Assault Cradle from the First Hunt Demo. Where: This map doesn't appear in Adventure Mode. Locations: Missile: (1) In the middle of the north wall on the first floor. (2) In the middle of the south wall on the first floor. Battlehammer: (1) In the north-west corner of the ground floor (near doors). Imperialist: (1) & (2) There is one on both the east and west suspended platforms (not in Nodes or Capture, they'll be moved to the reservations outside of the ground floor entrance). Judicator: (1) It's located in the north-east corner of the ground floor (again, near the doors). Magmaul: (1) Found in the south-east corner of the ground floor (yes, once again, sitting near the doors). Shock Coil: (1) Sitting happily in the south-west corner of the ground floor (yes, near the doors). Volt Driver: (1) & (2) Both found on the first floor, there's one running down the left side and one running down the right side. U. Ammo: (1) & (2) Where Imperialist (1) normally appears (not found in Nodes or Capture, no sir). (3) & (4) Where Imperialist (2) normally appears (not found in Nodes or Capture, not at all). (5) & (6) On the Ground Floor of the Harvester, there's one down the north wall and one down the south wall. (7) & (8), (9) & (10) One in each corner of the first floor. Energy: (M1) Where Imperialist (1) normally appears. (M2) Where Imperialist (2) normally appears. (M3) & (M4) On the ground floor when there are more than two players on the map (not in Nodes or Defender). (M5) & (M6) Near each of the Jump Pads on the first floor. (L1) Replaces (M1) with more than two players on the map. (L2) Replaces (M2) with more than two players on the map. Cloak: (1) & (2) There is one on each of the roof struts (you have to push into the Jump Pad on the first floor and then jump to reach the struts). Nodes: (1) Where Imperialist (1) normally appears (three players). (2) Where Imperialist (2) normally appears (four players). (3) In the middle of the ground floor (also the Defender ring). Capture: (Green) On the west suspended platform. (Orange) On the east suspended platform. Breakdown: This arena is way too large for its own good (two separate outside areas and a multi-tiered building sitting in the middle of them both). If you can, try and avoid one-on-one matches with Trace or Spire (the really cheap ones as far as this map is concerned), as I can guarantee they'll steal a kill and then run and hide somewhere (Spire can exploit a glitch and hide out of harms way at the top of the map). The general consensus on large maps is that the higher you are, the safer you are - that's true enough here, too. The struts at the very top of the level not only house the Cloaks, but they also give you a peerless vantage-point that overlooks some of the re-spawn points (namely the suspended platforms without any items on). It may be a little cheap, but we can wait for someone to pop back up and then snipe them. Another good place to use the Imperialist/Cloak combo is on the ledge above the east or west platforms (reached with the same Jump Pad you take to the Cloak, or by simply running along the main strut and dropping down). From here, you can get a clear view of the entire side of the Harvester proper. If things are busy, you'll probably nab quite a few kills before the Cloak times-out or someone clocks you and retaliates. Is there anything else? Nothing that isn't already obvious, make good use of your Seeker Missiles to cry havoc from a distance, or from the rather excellent vantage-point that is the first floor gantry (nearly every other Hunter needs to pass through the ground floor of this area -- making themselves prone to sneak attacks -- in order to grab their weapons). ----- Weapons Complex --------------------------------------------- 06.15 ---- Size: Large Available: Battle, Survival, Defender, Prime Hunter, Capture Best Suited: Sylux, Samus/Trace, Spire, Weavel, Noxus, Kanden Weapons: Missile (2), Battlehammer (1), Imperialist (1), Judicator (1), Magmaul (1), Shock Coil (1), Volt Driver (2) Pick-Ups: U. Ammo (8), Cloak (2) Other: Medium Energy (4), Large Energy (1), Nodes (3) Misc: Obligatory Hunter reference number five: This is where you will first encounter Sylux (albeit, in a much smaller space). Oh, by the way, we have more lunar gravity to contend with. Where: Vesper Defence Outpost Locations: Missile: (1) & (2) There's one at the east and west side of the first floor (where the walls with windows are). Battlehammer: (1) Up on the first floor, in the ramped area (that leads to where the tube with the Cloak is). It is near the hole that drops down onto the Medium Energy on the west side. Imperialist: (1) It's right up on the ledge that overlooks the central area. You can reach it by taking the tube from the first floor or by using the Bomb Jump from the central area to make things even quicker (and flashier). Judicator: (1) It can be found right next to the tube that takes you to the Imperialist (on the first floor). Magmaul: (1) In a similar place to the Battlehammer, the obvious difference being that it is over on the east side. Shock Coil: (1) It is inside of the first room that you come to on the first floor (when using the access shaft). Volt Driver: (1) & (2) There is one at either side of the 'black hole of doom' in the central area. U. Ammo: (1) Near the Battlehammer. (2) Near the Magmaul. (3) Near the Shock Coil (a pattern emerges). (4) Near the Judicator. (5) & (6) There's one with each Volt Driver. (7) & (8) In the ramped area of the ground floor. Energy: (M1) & (M2) At either side of the ground floor (sitting over the 'black hole of doom'), they can be reached from the central area or by falling through the holes in the first floor (not in Nodes or Capture). (M3) On the very top ledge that overlooks the central area. (M4) In front of the access shaft with more than two players. (L1) Replaces (M3) with more than two players. Cloak: (1) On the platform in the first floor access shaft (not in Nodes or Defender, mind you). (2) Inside the tube that leads to the second floor (found on the first floor). Nodes: (1) Where (M1) normally appears. (2) Where (M2) normally appears. (3) Where Cloak (1) normally appears (when there are more than two players - it's also the Defender ring). Capture: (Green) Where (M1) normally appears. (Orange) Where (M2) normally appears. Note: The side doors from the central area (on the ground floor) are blocked off (not a problem). The quickest way to reach an Octolith is to Bomb Jump up to the first floor and then throw yourself down the hole above the one you want. Breakdown: By now, you should have learned that lunar gravity equals fun. Your previous experience of lunar gravity was just restricted to one area of the map (Transfer Lock). With the Weapon Complex, ninety-percent of the map is lacking any real gravity. How does an indoor map have lunar gravity? It might be because the ground floor has umpteen holes cut into it. These holes give us the gravity, but they're also surprisingly easy to inadvertently hurl yourself into (especially in alt. form). The map is divided into three floors; the ground, the first, and a very small section that overlooks the central area and acts as makeshift second floor. Oh, the holes of death � right. There are only four holes that lead to a horrible death � the hole found in the central area is, of course, the largest (it almost takes up the entire floor section of the central area). If you want to look cool and gain a slight advantage � learn to navigate around it at full speed in alt. form, as this is where some of the best combat goes on (and because of that, manoeuvrability and speed is the order of the day). A sneaky tactic is to hang around in the first floor corridors overlooking it (a Cloak is never too far away) and wait for some sap to try and jump over it, then you blast them down into oblivion. The other holes are minor in size and in the aggro that they'll cause. The one that sits below the Cloak in the access shaft tends to claim more lives than you'd think, especially if you're in the middle of jumping up and someone blasts you in the back. The final two holes are identical and sit below the holes in the first floor that overlook the Medium Energy. I've never actually died as a result of falling into them, but they can prove quite nasty (or useful) in game modes that centre themselves around them (i.e. Capture and Nodes). The best place to hang-out, though, is up on the second floor platforms. Why? Because if you take the Jump Pad tube from the first floor, you can easily gain a Cloak and an Imperialist within seconds of each other. Another great thing about the second floor ledge is that by using a Bomb Jump, you can reach the Imperialist first, then backtrack to the cloak. ----- Council Chamber --------------------------------------------- 06.16 ---- Size: Large Available: All Best Suited: Trace, Weavel, Spire, Samus, Noxus/Sylux, Kanden Weapons: Missile (3), Battlehammer (1), Imperialist (1), Judicator (1), Magmaul (1), Shock Coil (1), Volt Driver (1) Pick-Ups: U. Ammo (6) Other: Medium Energy (4), Large Energy (2), Nodes (4) Misc: This is a greatly expanded version of the Alinos Perch. Yes, more places to hide from snipers. This time, it might be our turn to ambush people... right? Where: Alinos Locations: Missile: (1) On the jagged pillar to the south of the outside area. (2) Next to the pillbox-like structure in the cave. (3) On a rock in the middle of the Council Chamber proper. Battlehammer: (1) From the bottom of the shaft (in the cave), take the door to the left. Imperialist: (1) Inside the pillbox-like structure inside the cave. Judicator: (1) It can be found on a rock in the middle of the lava-covered Council Chamber - next to Missile (3), amigo. Magmaul: (1) If you take the Jump Pad at the north of the outside area, you'll be dropped right on top of it. Shock Coil: (1) It can be found in the middle of the outside area. Volt Driver: (1) From the bottom of the shaft (in the cave), take the door to the right. U. Ammo: (1) Near the Judicator. (2) Near Magmaul. (3) Through the door up from the Magmaul. (4) Near the Shock Coil. (5) Just up from (4) (near the Jump Pad). (6) Near the Volt Driver. Energy: (M1) On the pillar opposite the Magmaul. (M2) On the rock above the Judicator. (M3) Follow the path around from Missile (1) (it gets moved down to near Missile (1) in Capture and Nodes). (M4) Take the door in front of the Jump Pad in the outside area and follow the corridor around. (L1) At the bottom of the shaft in the cave. (L2) Replaces (M3) with more than two players on the map. Nodes: (1) Where (L1) normally appears (also the Defender ring). (2) Where (M3) normally appears. (3) Outside of the cave entrance and to the right (with three players on the map). (4) Near the Jump Pad inside the Council Chamber (with four players strutting their stuff). Capture: (Green) Where Node (1) is located. (Orange) Where Node (2) is located. Note: This time around, the Green Octolith is slightly harder to defend, as it is now in an overlooked position. If you're looking after it, you may want to stay in the cover of the doorway to avoid being sniped from the rim. Breakdown: You know the score for the most part, because as I said, this is an expanded version of the Alinos Perch (the most popular map in the game). What's new is that all of the doors that were previously blocked off have now been magically opened (so there are now more holographic doors to counter-snipe from). As you can tell from the name, this map adds the actual 'Council Chamber' that is alluded to in the title. The Council Chamber is a winding, circular room (if I say it's circular, then it's circular) that's covered in lava (it's where you fight the Fire Spawn in Adventure). There isn't much room to manoeuvre on foot or in alt. (making this a bad place for Samus to be). So, yeah - the lower floor isn't that good for us. Frankly, the upper floor isn't that great, either. The upper floor can be reached either by means of a Jump Pad from below, or by dropping down from the Cave. The sand circle that was once there has been moved and the floor lowered, creating a large drop with an equally large area to be found at the bottom. Anyone who likes a good old scrap will no doubt be there (due to the Large Energy). My recommendation is to stay up top and snipe them from the cave while they're preoccupied with each other, or lob some Magmaul shots down on top of them in order to soften them up for your arrival. The real advantage for us is in the corridors that have connect the new areas. They're ideal for the Morphball-style carnage that we need to succeed (especially in the new tunnel that appears in the wall opposite the first Medium Energy). While we're at it, don't forget the steel wall sniping spots to catch enemy Hunters off-guard when they come from the new tunnel near the Jump Pad. ----- Elder Passage ----------------------------------------------- 06.10 ---- Size: Large Available: Battle, Survival, Bounty, Prime Hunter, Capture, Nodes Best Suited: Trace, Samus/Weavel, Spire, Sylux, Noxus, Kanden Weapons: Affinity (2), Missile (2), Imperialist (1), Judicator (1), Magmaul (1), Shock Coil (1) Pick-Ups: U. Ammo (8) Other: Medium Energy (5), Large Energy (1), Nodes (4) Misc: Yet another expanded version of an existing map. Where: Alinos Locations: Missile: (1) Inside the south tower. (2) On top of the west tower. Imperialist: (1) On top of the south tower (reach it from the west tower). Judicator: (1) In the outer rim of the catacombs. Magmaul: (1) At the top of the north tower. Shock Coil: (1) In the central area, near the where sculpture that looked like new-age porn was (probably political correctness). U. Ammo: (1) Near the Shock Coil. (2) & (3) In the central area (not hard to spot). (4) Near Missile (2). (5) Near the Imperialist. (6) & (7) On the upper and lower floors of the west cave. (8) On the upper floor of the east cave. Energy: (M1) In the outer rim of the catacombs. (M2) In the outer rim of the catacombs (with more than two players doing their thing). (M3) & (M4) On the lower floor of each cave. (M5) Inside of the north tower. (L1) Appears in the central area (where the statue used to be) with more than two players on the map (or in Bounty and Capture with just two). Nodes: (1) Inside the west cave. (2) Inside the east cave. (3) In the central area (with three players). (4) In the central area (with four players). Bounty/Capture: (Green) On the lower floor of the west cave (Bounty). (Orange) On the lower floor of the east cave (Base). Note: In Bounty, you'll find the Octolith on the upper floor of the west cave (as opposed to the lower floor). Breakdown: Playing on Elder Passage is really just going through the same old routine as on High Ground. The only real difference that it may throw at you is that the 'porn sculpture' in the central area has vanished (along with the Double Damage) � this makes it harder for campers to do their thing (but easier for you to zoom around underground). The tops of the towers are also now easier to access. Why are they easier to access? Well, it's because of the new cave areas. There's one to the east and one to the west. Are they special? Well, no, not really. They essentially consist of a lower area with Jump Pads and an upper area with a few pick-ups for good measure. Unless you're using the holographic doors for a bit of sniping, then I see no use for these areas at all. All you'll find are a whole host of Trace'ers and Sylux alt. spammers � besides, the Magmaul is going to make it hard to boost around. The upper section of the west area leads right out onto the top of the west tower, which means that A) it will be easier to reach the Imperialist, and B) it will be harder to defend it should you need to. By no stretch of the imagination, this is probably the worst of the expanded areas for our Samus (the loss of the Double Damage is a real blow that we just can't do anything about � the towers are just the icing on our Death Day cake). ----- Fuel Stack -------------------------------------------------- 06.18 ---- Size: Large Available: Battle, Survival, Prime Hunter, Nodes Best Suited: Trace, Noxus/Sylux, Weavel, Kanden/Samus/Spire Weapons: Affinity (3), Missile (3), Battlehammer (1), Imperialist (1), Judicator (1), Shock Coil (1), Volt Driver (1) Pick-Ups: U. Ammo (7), Cloak (1), Double Damage (1) Other: Medium Energy (5), Large Energy (1), Nodes (3) Misc: Death at the top, death down below, that'll be the Fuel Stack. Where: Vesper Defence Outpost Locations: Affinity: (1) In front of the Silo Levitator on the ground floor (near the Jump Pad). (2) Next to the Jump Pad listed in Affinity (1). (3) At the top of the Jump Pad listed in Affinity (1). Missile: (1) In the corridor just off from the first floor of the Fuel Stack proper. (2) Up from Affinity (3) (not in Nodes). (3) On a ledge at the top of the map (you need to take the Silo Levitator and push out at the last minute). Battlehammer: (1) On the third floor of the Fuel Stack. Imperialist: (1) You need to ride the Silo Levitator all the way to the top and then push out at the last minute, into the very inconspicuous alcove where it rests. Judicator: (1) Follow the curve around from the Battlehammer. Shock Coil: (1) Near Missile (1). Volt Driver: (1) You can either take the Jump Pad up from Missile (1) or you can follow the path around from the Judicator (it gets moved slightly in Nodes). U. Ammo: (1), (2) & (3) There's one near each Affinity. (4) Near the Battlehammer. (5) Near the Shock Coil. (6) Near the Volt Driver. (7) Next the blue-vented wall at the top of the map. Energy: (M1) Near the east door on the first floor of the Stack. (M2) Near the west door on the first floor of the Stack. (M3) & (M4) Near the Volt Driver. (M5) Up with the Imperialist. (L1) You can reach the room it lives in from either the ground floor or by the east door on the first floor of the Fuel Stack (in Nodes, it gets moved to where Missile (2) is). Cloak: (1) Sitting above (L1). Double Damage: (1) Sitting on the small rim around the bottom of the Silo Levitator (incredibly bloody dangerous). Nodes: (1) Where the Volt Driver normally appears. (2) Where (L1) normally appears. (3) Appears near to where the Jump Pad that leads to the Shock Coil is (in matches with more than two players on the map). Breakdown: The problem not just for us, but for the other Hunters, is that due to the layout of the Fuel Stack, it makes using our alt. form very hard (which means we'll be spending most of our travelling time in biped). The Fuel Stack is a silo-like structure with an energy core at its centre (dubbed the 'Silo Levitator') - the Silo Levitator will, er, levitate any Hunter that steps into it and shoot them towards the top of the map. How does the Silo Levitator work? When stepping into it, you will move downwards for a brief moment before you start heading up (the faster you're falling when you enter its beam, the further down you'll go). Once you start moving, you'll gradually gain speed (making it harder to leave the beam). I'm telling you this because both the top and the bottom of the Silo Levitator is instant death to anyone who touches them. More problems � the Silo Levitator is an evil that we just can't do without. Not only is it the quickest way to the top (by a country-mile), it is also the only way to reach the Imperialist (and the best camping spot on the map). And other than the initial dangers of the design, you also run the risk of being picked-off by snipers. If they can't kill you outright, they'll more than likely prevent your escape from the beam, and you'll self-destruct. When travelling in the Silo Levitator, make sure you're in your alt. form (not ideal for reaching the Imperialist, though), not only will you be a smaller target, but the boost is a very quick way to exit the beam should things go wrong. The rest of the map is full of cramped corridors and blind corners that the other Hunters thrive on (Sylux and Noxus being by far the worst). Personally, I never see much need to indulge them, other than to get the Large Health and the Cloak from time-to-time (the Cloak is great for travelling up the Silo Levitator with). For the best results with Samus, try hanging around the top of the map and taking pot-shots at people going for the Imperialist (the ledge with the Missiles is a good place, you'll see them travelling up long before they'll be able to see you). ----- Fault Line -------------------------------------------------- 06.19 ---- Size: Large Available: Battle, Survival, Bounty, Prime Hunter, Capture Best Suited: Weavel, Kanden/Spire/Trace, Noxus/Sylux, Samus Weapons: Affinity (1), Missile (2), Battlehammer (2), Imperialist (1), Judicator (1), Magmaul (1), Shock Coil (1), Volt Driver (1) Pick-Ups: U. Ammo (8), Cloak (1), Double Damage (1) Other: Medium Energy (4), Large Energy (4) Misc: New and improved Subterranean. This is another one of those extended arenas. Lazy little program monkeys, chasing their own tales and getting banana goo all over their keyboards. Where: Arcterra Locations: Affinity: (1) Sitting on the slope in-between both areas. Missile: (1) On the raised area below the Affinity (not Nodes). (2) Down the left branch of the second set of tunnels. Battlehammer: (1) Near Missile (1) (on the ground, not the raised area). (2) On the ledge that leads to the overground area (not the one with the Affinity on, the one reached via the ledge down the east side of the arena). Imperialist: (1) Around the outside of the room that sits between both sets of tunnels. Judicator: (1) It will only appear when there are four players. Down the right-hand side of the first set of tunnels (past the first Jump Pad). Magmaul: (1) It can be found just across from (M2). Shock Coil: (1) In the middle of the first set of tunnels. Volt Driver: (1) In the new area opposite the Affinity (i.e. the area above the newly opened second set of tunnels. U. Ammo: (1) Near the Imperialist. (2) Near the Shock Coil. (3) At the end of right tunnel. (4) & (5) Near Battlehammer (1). (6) Near to where the second Jump Pad pops you out at. (7) Near the Magmaul. (8) Between the wall and the rocky outcrop that (M2) sits on. Energy: (M1) Behind a fallen piece of rock near to where the Volt Driver was previously found. (M2) On the highest point of the overground area (not in Capture or Bounty). (M3) Appears between where the second and third Jump Pads pop you out at (with more than two players, or with just two in Capture and Bounty modes). (M4) Near the third Jump Pad in the right tunnel (with four players; or in Survival, Capture, and Bounty with less). (L1) Replaces (M1) with more than two players on the map (not in Capture or Bounty). (L2) Replaces (M2) with more than two players on the map. (L3) In the middle of the circular chamber (not in Capture or Bounty, mind you). (L4) Near the Imperialist (with four players on the map). Cloak: (1) It has been moved to the ledge west of the Jump Pad that leads to the Affinity (reach it quicker by pushing into the Jump Pad in the direction of the Cloak and then jumping at the last minute). Double Damage: (1) In the second set of tunnels, there is a cross-section that connects both the left and right tunnels, the Double Damage resides here. Bounty/Capture: (Green) Where (M2) normally appears (Base). (Orange) Inside the circular chamber (Bounty). Breakdown: We've already focused on the main areas, all the good jazz that we've already talked about will still work. You've noticed that great, big extension, right? It comes complete with another set of tunnels and a very large, dome-like area. Ya see, the programmers pretty much expected a dead-end with the new area, so to liven things up a little, they added a Large Energy in the circular chamber and shifted the Double Damage from the outside area and into the middle of the new cavern area. This may not seem like a great deal, but I guarantee that this is the area where the carnage will go down. Someone with the Magmaul and the Double Damage can set a brutal ambush for anyone attempting to pass through the new set of tunnels. You will be much better off taking the much shorter (less wending) path. Not only is it a much safer way to reach the circular chamber, it also provides an unrivalled (shielded) view of a great deal of the map. You'll be able to see most of the sniping spots into the other area. I've quite easily taken out a couple of snipers like that (seeing as most would have their backs turned). Just don't hang around for long, as it can be quite easy to grow complacent and get ambushed. This arena has never been about great strategy, just speed and common sense. ----- Stasis Bunker ----------------------------------------------- 06.20 ---- Size: Medium Available: Battle, Survival, Defender, Prime Hunter, Capture, Nodes Best Suited: Samus, Weavel, Kanden/Spire/Trace, Noxus, Sylux Weapons: Affinity (1), Missile (2), Battlehammer (1), Imperialist (1), Volt Driver (1) Pick-Ups: U. Ammo (5), Nodes (3) Other: Medium Energy (4), Large Energy (1) Misc: If you've played First Hunt, you'll notice that this map is actually based on the Trooper Module. This interesting fact was brought to you in association with 'nothing else to put here.' Where: Celestial Archives Locations: Affinity: (1) In the room south of the central area, up on the first floor. Missile: (1) & (2) Both can be found in the first floor alcoves that can be reached via the Jump Pad on the ground floor of the central area. Battlehammer: (1) The old blob-launcher can be found in the south end of the central area (on the ground floor). Imperialist: (1) Take the Jump Pad from the central area and then head through the small door to the east, the Imperialist is sitting behind the hanging fixture. If you're capable of using the Triple Bomb Jump, it can be reached quicker from the room below. Volt Driver: (1) At the north end of the Central Area. U. Ammo: (1) In the west corner of the ground floor (opposite the Volt Driver, on a diagonal). (2) & (3) At the south part of the ground floor (close to the second Jump Pad, (3) won't appear in Nodes). (4) On the ramp that leads to the first floor. (5) On the first floor, to the south of where the central Jump Pad pops you up at. Energy: (M1) To the east of the Battlehammer. (M2) On the left-hand rise of the ramped area (with more than two players on the map - not in Defender). (M3) To the east of where you pop up from the central Jump Pad. (M4) On the first floor, round the back of the cylinder (not too far from where the second Jump Pad brings you out at). (L1) Replaces (M4) with more than two players on the map (or just two in Defender, but not in Survival). Nodes: (1) In the middle of the ramped access to the first floor. (2) Near to the Affinity. (3) Where U. Ammo (3) normally appears (with more than two players getting funky). Bounty: (Green) Where Node (1) appears. (Orange) Between U. Ammo (2) & (3). Note: The game hates us - the door that leads directly to the Green Octolith has been blocked off. If you want to reach it, take the same path that you used to reach the Imperialist (keep an eye out for Mr. Green dropping down from the room above the Affinity). Breakdown: Okay, here's the thing. We're better off staying down on the ground floor (for some over-stylised Morphball killing (with the increased protection from the low blast-shields). Unfortunately, both Missile packs and the Affinity happen to be on the first floor (necessitating the occasional visit). Anyone wielding the Imperialist with a degree of finesse can make a bit of a killing by camping behind the holographic door (that looks out over the Jump Pad) and taking pot-shots at anyone coming up (only Spire and our Samus are capable of ambushing them from behind). Another bugbear is the ramp area, again, it is way too easy to be held down with some form of suppressing fire (there's no Magmaul on the map, so it is unlikely you'll have to face that too often). There are a lot of tight corridors with sharp corners - our Missiles may not work as well as they should upon the first floor, so we need to look further afield. The Volt Driver makes an appearance on this map, and should be able to catch a few people out with its splash damage and the shear size of the projectile. This arena is compact and quite awkward to make your way around in a hurry (you can quite easily get snagged on corners) - basically, expect people to take advantage of this and spam for all they're worth. In one-on-one matches, you can maybe wait things out or use the Morphball to keep out of trouble while you try to launch a counter-attack, but in matches with more than the two of you, things will become very messy. More than likely, the biggest spammer or sniper will come out on top. ----- Head Shot --------------------------------------------------- 06.21 ---- Size: Large Available: Battle, Survival, Prime Hunter, Capture, Nodes Best Suited: Sylux, Samus, Trace, Kanden, Weavel, Noxus, Spire Weapons: Battlehammer (1), Imperialist (1), Judicator (1), Magmaul (1), Shock Coil (2), Volt Driver (1) Pick-Ups: U. Ammo (4), Death.Alt (1) Other: Medium Energy (6), Large Energy (4), Nodes (4) Misc: Sylux players love this map because they think they can reach the Death.Alt (yeah, spherical death returns, baby) before anyone else. In all actuality, Samus is capable of reaching it faster than anyone. Where: It doesn't appear in Adventure mode. Locations: Battlehammer: (1) Inside one of the doorways on the ground floor (the arena is circular, y'know - it's hard to give an exact place). Imperialist: (1) Hovering above the hole in the central area. Judicator: (1) Inside one of the doorways on the ground floor (the arena is circular, y'know - it's hard to give an exact place). Magmaul: (1) Inside one of the doorways on the ground floor (the arena is circular, y'know - it's hard to give an exact place). Shock Coil: (1) & (2) Both are in the observation room that sits below the Imperialist. Volt Driver: (1) Inside one of the doorways on the ground floor (the arena is circular, y'know - it's hard to give an exact place). U. Ammo: (1), (2) & (3) Sitting around the rim of central area. (4) Found on the ground floor, sitting on a pedestal. Energy: (M1), (M2), (M3) & (M4) One on each starting platform. (M5) On the first floor of the central area. (M6) On a pedestal on the ground floor of the central area (L1) & (L2) Replaces (M1) & (M2) with more than two players (moved to the struts that separate the outside of the first floor. Not in Capture). (L3) Replaces (M3) with more than two players (moved to in front of the doorway on the first floor). (L4) Replaces (M4) with more than two players (moved to in front of the doorway on the First Floor). Death.Alt: (1) In the observation room. Nodes: (1) & (2) To the north and south of the Head Shot. (3) & (4) To the east and west of the Head Shot (with more than two players doing there, y'know, thing). Capture: (Green) To the north of the Head Shot. (Orange) To the south of the Head Shot. Note: The tunnels are an excellent way of reaching the base of your enemy, just bear in mind that if you fall down into the observation room with an Octolith, you'll have to drop it in order to make your escape. Breakdown: Head Shot is the last of gimmick maps (Chingachgook sympathises), not only do we have lunar gravity to contend with, but we also have the Death.Alt's final outing. Death.Alt means what Death.Alt always means, the first to get it and put it to use will generally win. Head Shot is a large, circular building composed of a ground floor, first floor, and a glass-bottomed observation room (the glass is frosted over, giving it a frictionless quality). The observation room contains the Death.Alt and no way of escape, other than the four tunnels (that each bring you at out at one of the starting platforms). The thing with the Death.Alt, though, is that on this arena, it is very hard to connect with the damn thing where the gravity is low (i.e. outside). The best trick for using it is to make it there using the boost and then just wait for someone to drop down on top of you (it happens a lot). Some people will actually let you get the Death.Alt first and then they'll try and keep count and stay away until it times out (if you don't grab the Imperialist, people will be much more willing to jump down). There is very little you can do about this because you won't know what kind of player they are until you grab the Death.Alt and find that no-one comes to the party. Now, there is also one glaring flaw to this map for our Samus, there aren't any Missiles or Affinities to be had. We just have the 10 we start with (getting the Death.Alt is all well and good, but if you can't do anything special while you're waiting 180 seconds for it to re-spawn, you're screwed). Once the Death.Alt is gone, expect the observation room to become a den of spammers and campers. Everyone wants to be the next to grab the Death.Alt, so everyone is just slip-sliding around, trying to inhume one-another with minimal effect. To be fair, Sylux is usually the one that wins any argument (partly due to the Lockjaw's minimal resistance to the frictionless surface, and partly because they just spam those bloody bombs). If you don't make it there first, then multiplayer battles are no fun. Standing over the hole and giving the campers a taste of Magmaul fire (or charged Volt Driver shots) may net you a couple of kills, but the best thing to do is to grab the Imperialist and head outside and onto one of the starting platforms. Zoom-in on one of the tunnels, as soon as your scope auto-zooms - bang. You're bound to catch someone in the head (Noxus is usually the first to go due to the fact that he fairs his battles better standing). And remember, when fighting outside, make use of the Bomb Jump to send yourself airborne (to launch blistering aerial assaults with your limited supply of Missiles, and to reach high areas without the use of a Jump Pad. If you're going to make a habit of playing here, try and perfect the timing of your bombs, so that you can maintain your height and get some travel distance out of the Morphball while you're up there. ----- Celestial Gateway ------------------------------------------- 06.22 ---- Size: Medium Available: Battle, Survival, Defender, Prime Hunter, Nodes Best Suited: Trace, Noxus, Sylux, Samus, Kanden/Weavel, Spire Weapons: Affinity (1), Missile (1), Battlehammer (1), Judicator (1), Magmaul (1), Shock Coil (1) Pick-Ups: U. Ammo (4) Other: Medium Energy (3), Large Energy (2), Nodes (4) Misc: A bit like Combat Hall, but with 167% less alt. spamming (fact). Where: Celestial Archives Locations: Affinity: (1) In the centre of the ground floor. Missile: (1) On the west side of the first floor. Battlehammer: (1) On the east side of the first floor. Judicator: (1) Just look south of the Affinity. Magmaul: (1) Just look north of the Affinity. Shock Coil: (1) Inside the lower room, behind the east post. U. Ammo: (1), (2), (3) & (4) In each quarter of the ground floor. Energy: (M1) Inside the lower room, opposite the Shock Coil. (M2) On the first floor, on the window ledge above the Magmaul (in Nodes, it gets moved to the ground floor). (M3) Opposite (M2) (in Nodes, it gets moved to the ground floor). (L1) Replaces (M2) with three players. (L2) Replaces (M3) with four players. Nodes: (1) Where (M2) appears. (2) Where (M3) appears. (3) Up on the north window ledge (with three players). (4) Up on the south window ledge (with four players). Note: None of the Nodes become the Defender ring, it appears separately in the centre of the arena. Breakdown: For being classed as a medium-sized arena, things are pretty compact, aren't they? If you want all the thrills and spills of Combat Hall without the spamming, then choose this arena. There is a ground floor (that's split into small quarters, with a raised platform in the centre, making alt. spamming pointless), and a lower room. The lower room is located directly below the platform in the centre of the arena, and is basically a small, square room with small columns and four teleporters that lead to different points on the first floor (they bring you out in a clockwise manner, starting from the north-east teleporter). We can Morphball around the outside of the first floor, but the holes in the shielding over the centre of the room make it hard to go anywhere else (although, as a trade-off, it does provide extra protection from below). You're pretty much safe from any incoming fire, providing you keep moving, and you can see anyone that goes for the teleporters (giving you time to prepare). In the lower room, the Judicator can cause you some serious pain (either because of the ricochet effect, or because Noxus loves to hide there). You need to go alt. to reach it, so you may as well stay alt. until you've teleported to safety. Trace likes to hide there, too, so drop some Magmaul rounds before dropping down yourself to make him run. I can't really give any advice, other than what I already have, because this map is so straightforward in terms of layout. ----- Alinos Gateway ---------------------------------------------- 06.23 ---- Size: Large Available: Battle, Survival, Defender, Prime Hunter, Nodes Best Suited: Trace, Spire, Noxus/Weavel, Sylux, Kanden, Samus Weapons: Affinity (1), Missile (3), Battlehammer (1), Imperialist (1), Magmaul (1) Pick-Ups: U. Ammo (3) Other: Medium Energy (5), Large Energy (1), Nodes (4) Misc: Not one of my favourite arenas for many a reason. Like, where the hell are we supposed to roll to? It's not exactly a skate park. One for snipers, really. Where: Alinos Locations: Affinity: (1) Right in the middle of the landing pad (it gets moved down to the bottom of the steps in Defender and Nodes). Missile: (1) To the south-west of the landing pad steps. (2) Down the east side of the landing pad. (3) North-west, from the landing pad steps (on a small rock). Battlehammer: (1) Near Missile (1). Imperialist: (1) Inside the cliffside cave - you can either take the long way around (round the outside, then up the ledges), or you can simply ride the Jump Pads directly to it. Magmaul: (1) Near Missile (3). U. Ammo: (1) Near the Battlehammer. (2) Near the Magmaul. (3) Down the west side of the landing pad. Energy: (M1) & (M2) Sitting on the rim of the landing pad. (M3) Behind a neatly stacked pile or rocks to the east of the large expanse of ground (near the Jump Pad). (M4) Near the Battlehammer, behind some rocks. (M5) On a ledge up near the cliffside cave (need to climb). (L1) Near the Magmaul (sitting across from the steps). Nodes: (1) In the middle of the landing pad. (2) Sharing personal-space with the Imperialist. (3) Near (M3) (with three players on the map). (4) Near (M4) (with four players on the map). Breakdown: There really is very little I can tell you about this arena. It's just so open-plan, it makes me sick � the only real cover to speak of is found inside of the cliffside cave, or tucked next to the landing pad. Those two rock formations with the Medium Energy? Well, everyone has thought of that already, they're probably hiding there themselves, waiting for someone to turn up. The cliffside cave is really the only place where we can use the Morphball to good effect without ditching ourselves into the lava. The Imperialist is obviously the most sought after weapon on the map (for non-Trace players) - you can probably use their greed to your advantage. There will be little else going on, except maybe the odd Trace camping near the rock formation (near the third Medium Energy) and trying to snipe up at anyone coming outside. Refine your Morphball skills say I, and only leave the cave when you're low on energy (blast across the long stretch and grab both Medium Energy before hitting the Jump Pad at the end and returning). The last small piece of advice that I can give is to try and avoid playing this map with more than two players, it's too easy to lose track of someone in the dark landscape or have your kills stolen. ----- VDO Gateway ------------------------------------------------ 06.24 ---- Size: Large Available: Battle, Survival, Defender, Prime Hunter, Capture, Nodes Best Suited: Sylux, Trace, Samus, Kanden, Weavel, Noxus, Spire Weapons: Affinity (2), Missile (2), Imperialist (1), Magmaul (1) Pick-Ups: U. Ammo (4), Double Damage (1) Other: Medium Energy (3), Large Energy (1), Nodes (3) Misc: A very open arena with a ton of ice that kills any hope of maintaining traction (especially when boosting). Where: Vesper Defence Outpost Locations: Affinity: (1) & (2) On the ground floor, in the alcoves that don't contain Jump Pads. Missile: (1) & (2) There's one in front of each ramp that lead to the circular platform. Imperialist: (1) At the west side of the upper rim (reached via your friendly, local neighbourhood Jump Pad). Magmaul: (1) Opposite the Imperialist. U. Ammo: (1), (2), (3) & (4) There's two with each Affinity. Energy: (M1) & (M2) On either of the small platforms on the upper rim (in Nodes, they get moved to near the Missiles). (M3) In the middle of the circular platform (in Nodes, it gets moved to the ground floor, directly where it normally sits). (L1) Replaces (M3) with four players on the map. Double Damage: (1) In the middle of the ground floor (not in Nodes). Nodes: (1) In the middle of the circular platform (does not appear with exactly three players). (2) & (3) On the small platforms on the upper rim (with more than two players). Capture: (Green) On the south side of the arena (near the ramp). (Orange) On the north side of the arena (near the ramp). Note: It appears that we've suffered a Twilight Princess moment, and somebody has gone and buggered off with both ramps. To reach the opposing base, you'll need to run around the outside, or alt. across the ice-sheet and up the slope. Breakdown: Our entire success hinges on grabbing that Double Damage, the arena is just so damn open that when combined with the Seeker Missiles, we could have multiple kills in a matter of seconds. Do you want me to explain the arena a little? The VDO Gateway is a large, circular arena with an ice-sheet covering the floor. The ice-sheet will impede any form of movement and will severely affect the boost function of the Morphball. With practice, it can be offset a little bit, but you'll still be at the mercy of the Lockjaw and the Triskelon, though. Around the outside of this ice-sheet is a small walkway (it gets smaller in places due to the beams supporting the rest of the arena. Those beams are pretty much your only form of cover, so take note). Above the ice-sheet is a circular platform that serves as a bit of a shortcut from one side of the rim to the other. Leering over the arena -- like a drunk relative over the drinks cabinet -- is the upper rim (reach this with the Jump Pads - push forward, otherwise you won't make it). The upper rim is safe from just about everyone except snipers (even Seeker Missiles and charged Volt Driver shots can be quite easy to avoid, providing you use the platforms as natural cover), so it is a good place to hang-out until the Double Damage re-spawns. ----- Arcterra Gateway -------------------------------------------- 06.25 ---- Size: Large Available: Battle, Survival, Defender, Prime Hunter, Capture, Nodes Best Suited: Spire, Trace, Weavel, Sylux, Kanden/Samus, Noxus Weapons: Affinity (1), Missile (2) Pick-Ups: U. Ammo (4) Other: Medium Energy (1), Large Energy (1), Nodes (3) Misc: What can I say, other than I hate it? Where: Arcterra Locations: Affinity: (1) At the very top of the central structure. Missile: (1) At the top step (from the bottom). (2) Up near the Affinity. U. Ammo: (1) & (2) At the bottom (can't miss them). (3) Just up from the third Jump Pad (from the bottom). (4) Reached via the second Jump Pad. Energy: (M1) At the top, near the Affinity. (L1) At the bottom, inside the alcove (inside the central structure). Nodes: (1) At the top of the central structure (also Defender ring). (2) At the very bottom of the arena. (3) Near the third Jump Pad (with more than two players). Capture: (Green) Halfway up the arena, on the east side. (Orange) Also halfway up the arena, but on the west side. Breakdown: It's... very tall, isn't it? Have you ever tried using the Morphball on such rough, broken terrain? Will I ever stop asking questions? Seriously, this arena is a bad one for Samus. Her normally versatile Morphball is no good, simply because we can't actually find a place to use it properly. The main thing that we can do is run as fast as we can for the top and attempt to control the Affinity (of course, that depends on where you end up spawning). If the likes of Trace (even a camping Spire or Noxus) make it to the Affinity, you're pretty much screwed, because he'll have the Jump Pads truly covered (you'll never make it to the top, and if you do, you'll have no cover). A nifty little trick is to fire down through the crack in the platform with Seeker Missiles to catch any Hunter taking the Jump Pad (the magic of this crack works both ways, so you might wanna watch for snipers). In matches with more than two players, with some luck, you may be able to use the confusion to make it to the top and gain some kind of advantage. In matches that are just one-on-one, it'd probably be best to stay at the bottom - that way, the Morphball will be of some small use (despite the ice-sheet), and you'll have some Missiles and a Large Energy at hand. The game will either end in a draw, or they'll get impatient and come down (if you're playing someone who favours their alt. form, they probably want to be at the bottom, anyway � in which case, head to the top). ----- Oubliette --------------------------------------------------- 06.26 ---- Size: Large Available: Battle, Survival, Defender, Prime Hunter, Nodes Best Suited: Samus, Sylux, Weavel, Noxus, Kanden, Trace, Spire Weapons: Missile (2), Omega Cannon (1) Pick-Ups: None Other: Medium Energy (2), Large Energy (1), Nodes (3) Misc: The Oubliette is the final destination - that, and the home of the Omega Cannon. Don't stop until you reach the top *cheers*. Where: (The Prison Ship) Oubliette Locations: Missile: (1) On the first ring of the tree. (2) On the second ring of the tree. Omega Cannon: (1) At the very top of the tree (gets moved to the bottom in Defender and doesn't appear in Nodes). Energy: (M1) At the bottom of the arena (towards the middle). (M2) Just down from the top of the tree. (L1) On a platform between the first and second Ring. Nodes: (1) Near to where Missile (1) appears. (2) Where the Omega Cannon normally appears. (3) Near the Jump Pad on the second ring of the tree (with more than two players on the map). Breakdown: The whole premise is to make it to the top and grab the Omega Cannon. No Hunter is any more skilled at making it there than any other. The real key to success is to keep control of the spawn point once you have it. The best way to do this is with your alt. form (the Lockjaw is probably the best for doing that, but the Morphball comes a close second). Once we have the Omega Cannon, we have two choices in how we fire it. We can either strafe back down the ramp ever-so slightly (my favourite because it covers a very wide area and makes reaching you a complete impossibility until the shot reaches its target) � or you can use the green panels on the side of the arena to reflect the shot down to the bottom (or from the bottom to the top, if we're being tricky about it). In matches with three or four players, a kill will more-or-less always be scored from the Omega Cannon. The odds of everyone dodging the shot are small to say the least. If you're unfortunate enough to be stuck down the bottom when the fireworks arrive, it is possible to use another Hunter as a living shield. It doesn't always work, but sometimes, if you're lucky, they'll absorb the whole blast. To the annoyance of your opponents, the Seeker Missiles are great for knocking people out of their hiding places and into the blast. === Frequently Asked Questions ==================================== 07.00 ==== === General Questions === Q: What are all of the badges and borders for on the Hunter License and how do I get them/win them; also, how does the Hunter Ranking work? A: First off, emblems and borders are there purely for bragging rights � there are no special bonuses for having them. As long as you give it your best, I don't think anybody will think any less of you if you don't have any (cornier than corn, yes). - Lightning Emblem: By playing a set amount of matches (online or offline), you'll earn a lightning bolt emblem on the left side of your Hunter License. Winning 25 matches will earn you a bronze, winning 100 matches will earn you a silver, and winning 200 matches *gasp* will earn you a gold. - Alimbic Emblem: Finish Adventure Mode with less than 100% as a total. - Octolith: Finish Adventure Mode with 100% as a total (replaces Alimbic Emblem). - Border/Golden Border: To unlock the regular border, compete in a total of 500 Wi-Fi or local matches. For the golden border, compete in a total of 500 Wi-Fi or local matches whilst maintaining a five-star ranking. - Hunter Rankings: By winning matches online, you will increase your Hunter Rank � unlike emblems, this really does matter to most people. Winning matches will nab you points - beating an opponent with a higher ranking than yourself will award a greater amount of points than beating a similar or lower ranked opponent. Something worth bearing in mind is that even if you lose a match, you will only lose points to those who ranked above you, meaning you will gain points from all those who ranked below you. AWARDED POINTS o------------------------o RANKINGS AND REQUIRED POINTS | BH | SH | EH | MH | LH | o---------------------------------------|----v----v----v----v----| | RANK 1 | 000 - 039 | Bounty Hunter > 02 | 03 | 06 | 12 | 15 | |---------------------------------------|----|----|----|----|----| S| RANK 2 | 040 - 139 | Super Hunter > 01 | 03 | 06 | 10 | 12 | T|---------------------------------------|----|----|----|----|----| A| RANK 3 | 140 - 389 | Elite Hunter > 01 | 02 | 04 | 08 | 10 | R|---------------------------------------|----|----|----|----|----| S| RANK 4 | 390 - 749 | Master Hunter > 01 | 01 | 04 | 05 | 08 | |---------------------------------------|----|----|----|----|----| | RANK 5 | 750 - 999 | Legendary Hunter > 01 | 01 | 02 | 04 | 06 | o----------------------------------------------------------------o It might be worth pointing out that when you rank up, the points that you receive will change accordingly (i.e. the points you just earned will be capped at the maximum of the rank you just gained - any other points will be discarded). You might want to consider only battling high-level Hunters when you know you're going to receive the full amount of points. Q: Who's the best Hunter to pair with in team games? A: It's all a matter of preference. With Samus, it's usually best to team with a Hunter that excels where she doesn't - you would think that would be obvious, but some Hunters benefit from being paired with a similar type as opposed to a contrasting type). My favourite combination happens to be Samus teamed with Sylux (for their powerful Affinity weapons and speedy alt. forms). Q: I've heard that you can unlock Samus without her suit as a secret eighth character - how can I do it? A: Zero Suit Samus can supposedly be unlocked by completing the game three times with 100% (once in each slot and no copies) and then playing 10,000 Wi-Fi or local connection matches. What do I think? I think It's just a load of old goat. If it were true, all those dunderheads with an Action Replay/hacked Flash Cart would have been playing as Zero Suit Samus a very long time ago. === Questions About Weapons === Q: Now that you've included a table for weapon locations, what about doing one for the locations of the power-ups? A: Yeah, I suppose I should... okay, just for you special folks out there. o------------------------------------------o |NO| | CLO | DBL | D.A | For super-easy access to this |--|---------------------|-----|-----|-----| table, just copy and paste it |01| Combat Hall | N | N | N | into a new Notepad window and hit |--|---------------------|-----|-----|-----| the print button. |02| Data Shrine | N | N | N | |--|---------------------|-----|-----|-----| |03| Processor Core | N | Y | Y | |--|---------------------|-----|-----|-----| |04| High Ground | N | Y | N | |--|---------------------|-----|-----|-----| |05| Ice Hive | N | Y | Y | |--|---------------------|-----|-----|-----| |06| Alinos Perch | N | N | N | |--|---------------------|-----|-----|-----| |07| Sic Transit | Y | Y | N | |--|---------------------|-----|-----|-----| |8a| Transfer Lock | N | N | N | |--|---------------------|-----|-----|-----| |8b| Transfer Lock Exp. | N | Y | N | |--|---------------------|-----|-----|-----| |09| Sanctorus | N | Y | N | |--|---------------------|-----|-----|-----| |10| Compression Chamber | N | Y | N | |--|---------------------|-----|-----|-----| |11| Incubation Vault | N | N | N | |--|---------------------|-----|-----|-----| |12| Subterranean | Y | Y | N | |--|---------------------|-----|-----|-----| |13| Outer Reach | N | N | N | |--|---------------------|-----|-----|-----| |14| Harvester | Y | N | N | |--|---------------------|-----|-----|-----| |15| Weapons Complex | Y | N | N | |--|---------------------|-----|-----|-----| |16| Council Chamber | N | N | N | |--|---------------------|-----|-----|-----| |17| Elder Passage | N | N | N | |--|---------------------|-----|-----|-----| |18| Fuel Stack | Y | Y | N | |--|---------------------|-----|-----|-----| |19| Fault Line | Y | Y | N | |--|---------------------|-----|-----|-----| |20| Stasis Bunker | N | N | N | |--|---------------------|-----|-----|-----| |21| Head Shot | N | N | Y | |--|---------------------|-----|-----|-----| |22| Celestial Gateway | N | N | N | |--|---------------------|-----|-----|-----| |23| Alinos Gateway | N | N | N | |--|---------------------|-----|-----|-----| |24| VDO Gateway | N | Y | N | |--|---------------------|-----|-----|-----| |25| Arcterra Gateway | N | N | N | |--|---------------------|-----|-----|-----| |26| Oubliette | N | N | N | o------------------------------------------o === Questions About Arenas === - Transfer Lock Q: Is there a way to expand the map, other than playing it in Defender, Bounty, or Capture modes? A: Nope, I'm afraid not. I don't think it'd be as great as you imagine it to be, anyway. I think that the map would just be ruined by spammers and campers if it didn't have some kind of focus. - Oubliette Q: I've killed Gorea and completed the game (like you said), but I don't seem to have unlocked the Oubliette - why? A: To unlock the Oubliette, you need to access and defeat Gorea's ultimate form. This can be done by shooting the coloured switches on the walls of his chamber in the following order with the appropriate weapon: 1. Yellow (Volt Driver) 2. Green (Battlehammer) 3. Orange (Magmaul) 4. Blue (Shock Coil - jump to reach it) 5. Purple (Judicator) 6. Red (Imperialist) If you've done it correctly, Samus will be contacted by her hyper-dandy gunship. Once you've gotten Gorea Phase 1 out of the way, you'll be taken off to fight Gorea's final form (inside the Oubliette proper). === Questions About This Guide === Q: Can I use your guide on my site? A: As of this moment, no you cannot host my guide. Why? Because I believe that the number of sites that I�m allowing to host this guide is enough, enough to keep track of and enough to provide adequate distribution to you, the wonderful FAQ reading public. Q: I have this guide, would it be okay if I used a part of yours? A: *Chokes* part of mine? What would be the point of that? You can use my guide as reference for all the things that I can�t own (i.e. facts), but you can�t go lifting entire paragraphs, even if you credit me for it. Just read the copyright notice at the top of this guide, and then think twice before 'borrowing' anything from me. Q: If I've found something that you were too stupid to include, or something that you've missed, what should I do? A: You could take it, turn it sideways and shove it... *ahem*, just drop me a line and tell me in exact detail as to what it was that I screwed up on or missed out. If you can help me to make this guide more accurate, you�ll win a cookie, a kudos cookie (great on calories, lousy on taste). ===== Credits and Outro =========================================== 08.00 ==== This is really the end section? It seems I managed to finish this guide without going completely insane - more tea, Prime Minister Churchill? What? Oh, yes, it's the end of the guide. I'm really quite amazed that I even thought about rewriting it, let alone have actually done it. === Special Mentions and Thanks === The layout of this guide is based upon the layout used by Dalez in his Breath of Fire IV guide [http://www.gamefaqs.com/features/recognition/2741.html]. If for some strange reason, you would actually like to thank me, feel free to sign my guestbook [http://www.lah-di-dah.webs.com/apps/guestbook] and pledge to serve as my vassal - too far? Well, just sign it and leave out the "serving me for all eternity" bit (if you like). ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- No, Mr. President, they have no idea of my true identity. Yes, Mr. President, it all went according to plan. Shall I continue with the second phase of the operation? Yes sir, understood. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- =============================================================================== Metroid Prime: Hunters (C)2006 Nintendo Samus Aran FAQ/Character Guide (C)2009 Mike Penance ===============================================================================