The BBC and Master Computer Public Domain Library
EXILE
The EUG Solution
This solution is a complete walkthrough to the fantastic Superior Software/Acornsoft game EXILE. It is compatible with all the BBC machines, from the Master 128 to the Acorn Electron. It was originally serialised in the disc-based magazine EUG in the early 1990s.
There are two reasons why we need another solution. The first is that, as EXILE is not a linear game (and so can be solved in a number of ways), the EUG solution provides an alternative method for its completion. The second is that the EUG solution is written in such a way that the game can be completed without needing a map of the EXILE terrain. This is not the case with a great many solutions which have been published.
The solution has been comprehensively checked. The bulk of the narrative is written by John McHugh, a self-confessed EXILEaholic, and you will find a few comments added to it by the EUG editor Gus Donnachaidh which clarify some of his points further.
To aid clarity, the solution is divided into three specific parts. It originally appeared the same way in EUG #16 (WELCOME), EUG #17 (THE ROCK PROBLEM) and EUG #18 (ENDGAME). It is recommended that you complete one part at a time and then take a rest. At the end of the solution, you will find posers regarding EXILE itself and a further improvement on the EUG solution suggested by Dave Edwards.
You will also find more coverage of EXILE in EUG #55 where a demo is presented interpreting the 'Runes' displayed on the instruction manual's back cover.
Feedback on the solution (problems, improvements, etc) is welcomed. Please send it via e-mail to toffeeld62@hotmail.com
G E N E R A L T I P S
* It is important to save as much energy as possible until the first power pod is found. Try this particularly at the beginning. Teleport or walk around. Avoid using the jetpack if necessary.
* Make full use of the screen scroll keys. Most of your adversaries can be avoided this way.
* Resist the temptation to wildly blast with the weapons. Use the aim keys and try to get the first shot in. Not doing so only wastes energy and you often get hit by your own rebounding bullets! The first five robots only have to be hit two or three times and they start flashing.
* I have only indicated to Save in a few places but set up an alarm clock near your computer to remind you to save every half hour or so. This will cause you the minimum of frustration.
W E L C O M E T O T H E L A N D O F T H E E X I L E
When you first drop down from the spaceship, just make a slight movement right in order to land above the cannon. Remember here. Walk off right and get the grenade in the bush. Don't push against the bird, crawl under it and it will push you along. Lead the bird to the cannon, it will push you up and through. Get the grenade. Teleport to above the cannon and remember again. Walk left, drop a grenade not ON the door but just to the right (as this stops the grenades underneath it being blown up). Teleport and remember again, collect the two grenades, teleport. Walk to the right and go left to the first gun droid. As you walk, scroll the screen right and it won't 'see' you until you are almost past. Go to the safe spot to the left of the locked door and remember. Get a grenade out and walk over to the door and drop it. Teleport and lie down. Scroll up to miss the wasps as you walk through the gap. Go down then up the passage North West. Remember at the top.
Don't go into the passage on your left for the grenade as flying up the West passage causes the bees to knock the grenade to the ground (and you can later scroll the screen and crawl in unnoticed). You are meant to be able to collect these bees and give them to the imps in exchange for power pods. I don't bother with this as if you are not stunned with mushrooms or crowded out by imps, the pods usually explode before you can collect them...and that's after catching the bees!
To get the pistol, go to the small craft with the screen scrolled down and right; this will stop the bird getting in the way. Remember at the door then fly underneath and remember just under the switch in order to see where the pistol goes. Go back to the door and drop a grenade on the ledge and teleport. If the robot comes after you or the gun stays inside then teleport. If the gun dropped below remember, then try to lead the robot away before teleporting back.
There are plenty of places to lead the robot to kill him. To the right of the imps and then down is a good one. Don't forget that it only needs a few shots to get him flashing then push him against a wall, drop a grenade and move back. This should be done ideally without the bird hanging around. If you lead it up the passage west of the cavern with the bees and the grenade in, it will protect you from the bees in the cavern above while you collect the key and teleport out.
To get the flask, remember outside and below the door. Pick up the flask, move just over halfway across the cave, set your aim for the bottom half of the opening, throw the flask and quickly fire the pistol. Teleport out.
If you fail, go to the arches to the left of the imps. Your presence triggers the door open and you can try again when the bees return to the hive.
To get the RCD, fill the flask at the pool. The bird can be avoided by scrolling left and down. If not kill it with the pistol. Carefully put the flask on the right side of the door above the fire and remember. Go to the arch left of the imps and fire the pistol to lure them over, teleport and then quickly thrust down. Store the RCD, pick up the flask and leave it in the pool. Remember.
Set your aim for straight up and scroll the screen up. Thrust up, slowly at the top. The two birds should be lured into this vertical passage so you can shoot them from below. If one remains, you can probably take it on in the passage going left.
Go along the passage. Remember. Scroll the screen up and right. Go left. Keep as near as possible to the planet surface to avoid the birds. Just before the opening to the key remember, then shoot at and grab the key as you are blown along. On failing, teleport and try again. When you succeed, teleport back and move slowly to the bushes on the right. You can then very slowly drop down and get the grenade before the birds come. Teleport back to the pool. You should now have the RCD, two keys, the pistol and at least one grenade. Save your position.
Go to the top of the diagonal passage leading to the wasps, remember and scroll the screen up. Next move to the ledge above and right of the wasps. If the wasps don't appear then set your aim to slightly up. Drop down and let them have it as they come out of the hive. If they do appear, fire down as you drop and adjust your aim as necessary.
Remember, open the door with the RCD. Drop RCD. Lie down, set your aim. A few accurate shots as you crawl forward will have the robot backing off. If he is not flashing when he falls from the ledge, lie at the end of it and fire down on him as he passes. Drop to his right and force him up the ramp, adjusting your aim as you go. The second robot will blow him up. To push this one into the pit, you will probably have to go back to the start of the ramp and reset your aim. As you near the pit, just push the robot. Your firing will alert the birds through the transporter. Thrust up, into the transporter and up to the power pod, store it and teleport out.
Sound out your energy levels and transfer a unit to the pistol if it is low. Above, to the right of the ramp is a chest. Stand on it, shoot down at an angle to move it then remember. Drop down the hidden passage, centralise your aim, slowly just get on the edge of the ledge on the left above. be ready for the robot that drops from above as you edge forward. Fire until he's flashing and fully to the left, throw your grenade and back off. The next opening is full of wasps, fire at them and up into the opening. Remember.
Go into the left transporter, check it leads to the cannon. Teleport back and note the position of the switch beside the right transporter. This alters their destinations. Remember. Stand just before the left transporter and fire up to knock down the icer. Stand just outside the right transporter and shoot the icer into the left one, checking that the switch has not been hit. Get the icer and teleport back. Remember.
Stand outside the right transporter and change the switch with the pistol. A gun droid will now be waiting in the left transporter. As you go through, thrust up and go into the small ledge on the left. Remember. Centralise your aim and select the icer. Face left as you drop down, lie down and blast the gun droid. Turn around, lie down and fire through the transporter to knock the key down. This will alert the wasps. Adjust your aim to get the key to the windy passage and also kill the wasps before they get through the transporter. Go above the transporter, scroll down and right and check if the key has gone. If it has gone to the other side of the windy passage, thrust down the left side and go next to the hive, lie down and thrust back across the opening. Otherwise drift up the windy passage and the key will be at the top of it. Teleport, hopefully to the two transporters.
Go back up the hidden passage then to the wasps' nest. Store RCD. Check to see there are a couple of units in the icer energy. Remember. Go up North West diagonal passage, drop down and right to where the power pod and the robot are between two doors.
Left of the nest above is a small ledge. Leave the RCD there and remember. Drop down slightly against the main ledge and remember a couple of times. Lie down on the main ledge, facing the door, select icer, set aim. Ideally, you should fire a single shot near to the top of the door and when the door opens to this point, open fire to hit the robot. A few direct hits and he will flash, fire/push him right and store the power pod. You must get to the right side of the robot either by flying over him or by pushing him right, remembering and then letting him push you left before you teleport back. Fire/push him off the ledge. If it
all goes according to plan, it's worth saving.
If things go wrong, you'll have to use your judgement. Do not panic and shoot wildly. There's no point blasting the door. The pod may drop and the robot may shoot it through as the door closes. If it drops behind the closed door, it's not worth going in to get it; it would be better to lie down and restart your assault on the robot.
Get the RCD, open the second door, put the RCD back on the ledge. To the left of the first door, remember a couple of times. The next part, getting to the power pod supply is solved in most helpsheets by using 'Fluffy'. I didn't like this. The way I do it can be frustrating but I have often managed it at the first attempt.
Just past the first door, lie down and scroll down and left. Thrust along and up the hill, just clear the top of the gun droid and thrust down into the opening on its right. Remember twice and save.
When you are attempting this, the gun droid may shoot the booster down for you (or you could even go up for it first!) or even blow itself up - a real bonus! If you become really frustrated, you can try aiming up the hill and trying to shoot over the droid, it may just blow itself up. Remember behind the first door before each attempt.
Stand under the switch, face left and jump up. As soon as you hear or see the power pods drop, knock the switch off then run back, pick up and store the pods. In the event of any exploding, remember again. Repeat until the pods stop. I usually manage to get all of the pods but if you just miss one, save. You must set the switch to stop the transporter above before you go up again; this will disable both the gun droid above and the one in the cavern left and below. Get the booster if you don't already have it. Sound out then transfer your energy so that the jetpack and the icer are about the same.
Go to the ledge, store the RCD and remember. Drop down the ledge where the robot was pushed off, go right into the cavern. Select the jetpack, lie down and full boost right to get the whistle. A quick thrust down as you start and pressing turn when halfway will help. Teleport out. If the gun droid next to the power pods was blown up, you can turn the transporter on.
Go to what should now be signposted the North West diagonal passage and go to the door above and to the right of the wasps' hive. Remember. Scroll the screen up so you can see the red protection suit. Save, select pistol, lie down and press right. Set your aim to do diagonally down through the base of the door. Test your aim. The bullets should go down then bounce up in the direction of the suit. The idea here is to alert the grenade-dropping droid with a couple of shots and then stop firing. On a good day, the first of the grenades will move the suit off the wall and the next will knock it down between the two transporters. You should only fire enough shots to alert the droid. Continuous firing will release an avalanche of grenades which will blow the droid and you will need its supply later on. If the suit gets stuck halfway down, try moving well away from the door and scrolling. The shifting of the screen will sometimes shake it loose. If the droid blows itself up on this trip or in the future when collecting grenades, always start again with a saved file.
(This part could obviously have been done when you collected the icer, but it could have wasted the suit energy getting past the droid at the power pods.)
Go back down the secret passage and under the two transporters. Remember a couple of times. The left one should still be set to the windy tunnel location, check it and teleport back. Remember. Rest switch if necessary. Stand outside the right transporter and shoot the suit into the left. Now go round and pick up the suit.
With the RCD, turn off the transporter where the key was. Go to the ledge above the transporter, remember, select the jetpack and lie down. A long run up and full boost right will get you across the windy tunnel. Scroll to see the passage below, take out the RCD, walk to the right and, when the door below opens, drop the RCD. Teleport back, remember, drop left and down to thrust across the windy tunnel to the door.
Lie down and remember at the top of the rise. Scroll left and down then full boost right to get under the door opposite before it closes. As soon as you get under the door, stand up and remember. Walking under the power pod store will release them. If one blows up, remember again. You can get them all, but a miss of one should be saved. Teleport out. Transfer your energy so the jetpack, icer and protection suit are about the same.
Go up the vertical passage just right of the rise, go to the ledge above the mushrooms on your left. Remember. Scroll down and right. The boulder lies in the mushrooms. Drop to the left of the mushrooms and use the icer to fire the boulder off the edge, teleport above to check. If not, remember and go down again. If when you drop, you touch the mushrooms, they will stun you and you may not be able to direct your aim. Teleport above, remember and try again when it wears off.
Go around and pick up the boulder, select jetpack and go just past the door being held up by the RCD. Drop the boulder, remember, go up and store the RCD. Teleport back, pick up the boulder, remember and save.
Scroll down and right then thrust down the windy tunnel. It is important that you go steadily down the centre. If you lose the boulder high up, it may drift up after a few minutes but otherwise it will drop to the bottom and you will have to start again with a saved file.
Go into the first opening left. Drop the boulder halfway along and remember. Go down the diagonal passage and scroll down and left; there are some nasty birds above. Go to the door in the passage left and above then wait for the imps to open it and crawl under. Do the same with the door above, get the whistle and then teleport back to the boulder and pick it up again.
Scroll down and right then continue thrusting down the windy tunnel. At the bottom, just move about an inch, scroll up, drop the boulder and remember. Set your aim at an angle downwards then select icer and thrust down and right to get to the other side of the tunnel. To the right is a pool with piranha and a switch halfway down. Note the switch's position. You must make it change either by an icer bullet or touch. (The piranha may knock it too!) If your attempt turns into a scrap, take on the fish and keep an eye on the switch. You only need to a third of the way into the pool as a properly-angled shot will curl around and hit the switch. The second it's changed, teleport back to the boulder. Don't pick it up. Remember twice.
Scroll up and right, set your aim for almost straight down. Now thrust up slightly as you go left to keep above the suck pit and the water. Go up to the first little ledge that appears above and remember. Stand on the edge of the ledge facing left. Scroll down and shoot the piranha. Don't shoot at them wildly, or blast the nest. Adjust your aim and you will soon pick them off. Make sure that they are dead and save.
Go left of the nest where the water is deep and remember twice at the bottom. Select the jetpack, scroll up and go back and pick up the boulder. Bring the boulder across. Again, keep above the suck pit and also the water - stop when you get to dry land. If the boulder goes into the water, it takes ages of thrusting up and alternatively swimming left and right to get it there!
Scroll down and right, centralise aim, hold the boulder, face left lying down. Ease slowly forward. If the fireball flies up and away, full thrust forward through the door and the sticky bush. If the door was locked then the switch at the first piranha is in the wrong position. The Protection Suit gives some protection from the fireball. If you have to teleport, quickly throw the boulder and try to hit it with the icer. As you teleport, thrust down and remember again at the bottom of the pool and then try again. You are supposed to grab the fireball and pull it into the water but I've only managed this once and this was attempted past the sticky bush in the deep water (after remembering at the bottom of it).
When you are a little past the sticky bush, drop the boulder. Go down the first bit of water and remember. Scroll left, take the boulder to the bit of land above left and leave it there. Select icer, set aim slightly upward, scroll right, fly left over the water, adjust aim to fire up the rise and kill the imps. Select jetpack, bring the boulder to the nest (keeping it out of the water), remember and drop the boulder. Now put the RCD on top, thrust through the crack, get the key, teleport and store the RCD again. Pick up the boulder and save. Now it's back to the windy tunnel using the same care as before.
Thrust gently up the windy tunnel so as not to lose the boulder. Go onto the ledge left of almost the very top of the windy tunnel, remember and walk left an inch from the other side. Select icer, set aim almost straight up and stand on the boulder. Shoot at the gun droid above. If you can't see it, use its bullets to adjust your aim and/or scroll up. Blast it away.
Teleport back to the spacecraft. Go below the two transporters where the icer was and remember. Centralise aim, stand before the left transporter and turn it off with the RCD. Store RCD. The right transporter has to be set to go to the left of the transporter near the far west. Check it. If it does, use the RCD to turn it on, teleport back and remember. If it was wrong, teleport quick, remember, reset the switch and then go in as above.
Stand below the two transporters, drop the RCD and remember. Go halfway up where the grenade-dropping droid is. Quickly store a grenade and teleport and remember. You should not hang around doing this. If the grenades are not within reach, teleport before you or the droid are blown away. All of the grenades are primed so afterwards, get them out of your pockets and press the Space bar to deactivate them. Store them away again. Repeat until you have three grenades, remembering before each attempt.
Now store the RCD and remember. Check that the exploding grenades have not reset the switch and go into the right transporter. Go into the one you turned on. Now remember near the windy tunnel. Go to the ledge where the gun droid was blasted and use the RCD to open the door. Set the switch under the engines so that they ignite as the door closes. Remember under that switch. Scroll right and up, check pockets so the RCD comes out last and centralise your aim. Go left, down and across to the crack above the robot and Chatter. Lie down, press left and boost to stay at the crack. Throw a grenade in and the robot should be blown into the transporter to come out right of the engines. Teleport and press the switch to vaporise it. If three grenades are not enough to get the robot and Chatter out, remember then go into the transporter down and right of the engines, get some more and teleport back. Chatter is inactive and he will be unharmed by the engines. Save.
Push Chatter through the door, down the passage and back right up to the wall left of the transporter. Remember. Turn on the transporter and go in. Now go in the right transporter where the icer was. Switch off the transporter near the west, get rid of any grenades you have, teleport back to Chatter and remember.
Go to the passage above the transporter and remember. Now thrust over the windy tunnel and drop the RCD to hold the door below open again. Teleport, thrust down to the nest then across and through the door. Go to the ledge above where the boulder was. This time go in the mushrooms on the left. You can walk through these and store them until you have four (Keep pressing <S> until Storing doesn't work any longer!). Teleport back to Chatter, remember then go into the transporter, into the right transporter and now scroll left. Go right. Remember before getting to the urn with the fire. Stand against the urn - NOT in it! - and, if the fire is out, fire downwards with the pistol. Facing the urn, you must quickly get and store the mushrooms to covert them into crystals. In the event of any explosions or burns, remember to the left again. Teleport back to Chatter and remember. Make sure Chatter is backed against the wall, stand against him and get the crystals out.
Stand a little way back from Chatter, press U to activate and, when he moves towards you, run into him and press Y. As you bump apart, a power pod will drop into the space between. Get it and store it. Repeat with all the mushrooms you managed to convert. Save. [You will, at least the first time you follow this solution, probably need to repeat this procedure when your energy levels run low! - Gus]
That's it for part one, folks! Those of you who wish to continue or just explore... I would recommend that you spend a session repeating the last bit and fill the jetpack, pistol, icer and Protection Suit with energy. Each will hold 32 units. Also leave a few in Chatter, then save. There are some even harder battles to come and weapons to collect. You need all of the energy you can store. If you feel like some revenge, stock up on grenades. The gun droid you meet when the right transporter is set wrong can be blown with one. Also get the robot you pushed off the ledge flashing and lob two at him. The robot pushed into the little pit likewise can be destroyed by shooting at him with the icer, hitting the switch above him to send him into the transporter and then flinging two grenades after him. These have the added bonus of killing two pesky birds in a nearby location!
T H E A R E A A R O U N D T H E R O C K P R O B L E M
Go into the transporter to the left of the windy tunnel, in the one right of where the icer was and then go right and drop down to the pool. Pick up the flask and bring it back up to the transporter. Switch it on and teleport back to the windy tunnel area. Drop down to where Chatter is, drop the flask and turn off the transporter. Remember. Pick up the flask and thrust over to the now locked door and leave the flask there. Teleport, remember, switch on the transporter, go in and collect three grenades before teleporting back. Next go above the transporter, remember and then thrust across. Then drop the RCD to hold open the door below again. Teleport and thrust down the left of the windy tunnel and across to take the flask past the door. Remember twice, go get and store the RCD, teleport, remember and pick up the flask.
Go right, past along under the power pod store, up the vertical passage, go near to the top onto the horizontal ledge on the right. Put down the flask, remember, check your pockets so the RCD comes out last, select icer and set your aim at an angle downwards. Pick up the flask. Now go right, into the passage above on the right. Drop down the vertical passage and remember when you are clear of the mushrooms. Drop the flask on the pillar.
(You are supposed to fill the flask at the pool in the vertical passage to the east but this is a very long journey and you are very lucky to shoot the flask through the opening without it spilling before reaching the fire!)
Face right and fire down to the corner of the slab to kill the bees. This may take half a dozen shots or a lot more. Lie down, and adjust your aim so that they catch fire and blow the nest. Try a grenade for good measure.
Pick up the flask, centralise aim, lie down, throw then shoot it so that it clears the fire. If it hits the switch you will be pushed through and must full thrust left to clear the fire before you automatically teleport. If it doesn't, blast at it with a weapon until it does.
Put the flask against the switch so that it is pushed in and remember twice. Now select the jetpack, gently hover well above the fire until you are in the middle of it and then fully boost-thrust down to get through it. Select icer, aim straight up, throw RCD and shoot it through the fire. As soon as it falls towards the flask, stand on the slab and thrust down to collect the key. The switch will open the slab in order to get the boulder out but this is only needed if the other is lost and is easier to get out when you have collected the plasma gun.
Teleport, store RCD and pick up flask. Select icer, thrust over the fire and throw/shoot the flask through the crack again. Thrust through after it, pick it up and go up the vertical passage, left then drop down to the bottom, remember then leave it there. Go back to the locked door at the windy tunnel, open with the RCD, drop the RCD just past it and then teleport back to the flask. Remember twice.
Go right and throw/shoot the flask to the corner of the red bush. Select jetpack, centralise aim and scroll left. [This last bit's very important - Gus] Stand on the flask, thrust up and right and roll over and over until you work your way through the crack. Select icer as you near the end and as soon as you are clear, get a grenade out. Move forward to the small hollow below then throw both this grenade and a second one to blow up the beehive. Hold any bees off with the icer. If you fail, you need to go back to grenade-machine, and get more grenades before continuing.
Remember, go right and fire at the large block to move it. (Most solutions involve getting this block down to the green frogmen and getting the pink frogman help you push it along. I miss this bit out.)
Drop down the first opening after moving the block, then the first left, keep left, then go down until you are just right of a red bush. Remember. Select icer and go right. The gargoyle will be shooting fireballs. Lie down so that your hand is not sticking out from the ledge and then shoot so that your bullets just pass the nose of the gargoyle. The fireballs should explode next to the gargoyle and blow it and the one below. This either takes a dozen shots or you may be there ages. If the gargoyle is flashing, but the fireballs are not exploding around it, stop firing for a moment. It may just be that your timing is off.
Remember, set aim, thrust down the windy area then go straight down to the small opening on the right and remember. The four birds in the diagonal passage to the right will come out. Let them fly above you so you can kill them all by firing upwards. Drop to the bottom then go left to the water and remember.
Scroll down and right, thrust down the left side of the water and then go slowly up the diagonal passage on the left. Quickly store a piranha, teleport, remember and check that the piranha's in your pocket. Go down the right side of the water and scroll the screen right and down before going into the little opening and remembering. Pick up the big fish. Go gently with it as any knocks and it may swim off. Go down and walk left through the mushrooms. Stop at the first vertical opening and scroll left. Wait until the mushrooms wear off then go up with the fish to the passage with the coronium rock. Remember twice then go up the rest of the vertical passage and release the fish to fill the piranha. Don't get involved in the battle though as you might drop the one you have. Teleport back to the coronium rock and pick it up. Remember.
Drop down the left side of the vertical passage and walk left. When you get to the first hollow, remember, drop the rock and thrust up when the mushrooms wear off. Go right and remember in the diagonal passage. Stand a little way from the bush and very quickly get and store the piranha [It's best to tap G and S practically simultaneously! - Gus] until the radiation immunity pill is sucked right through. Get it and teleport back to the rock. Go back through the mushrooms to the main vertical passage and thrust up to surface when the mushrooms wear off. Take the rock to the edge where you shot down the gargoyle. Remember and save.
The next part is very, very difficult. It is best to save the game as soon as you've completed anything substantial and you'll soon seen why. I would suggest you study both the diagram below and read through all of the following text of this part at least twice before attempting it. As an incentive to those using EXILE on tape not to be discouraged, I can play through the whole game without saving. This is the only part which occasionally fails.
Scroll up and right. Get the rock to the end of the passage above without the red bush seeing it. Remember and drop the rock. Scroll down and thrust over the bush. Go down the deep hollow to its left, remember twice then go back to the rock. Scroll up and centralise aim then pick up the rock. Save. Go very, very slowly left and as soon as you start to get sucked into the mushrooms, throw the rock, teleport and scroll down and left. Wait for at least a minute.
Ideally, as you wait the rock will be flung down into the hollow and come to rest next to you. Possibly you will also be lucky and it will fall onto the ledge above to the left. You can check to see by flying up very slowly but make sure to keep the red bush off screen. In either of these cases, save then slowly go up the left and crawl left along the ledge. Remember before the mushrooms with the rock then throw/shoot it until it is well clear of the mushrooms. There needs to be a space of about an inch between it and them. If you end up facing the wrong way, leave the rock, teleport back, remember and thrust through again when the mushrooms wear off. Save.
When it all goes wrong, the rock will go into the red bush and you need to start again with a saved file.
The rock may land on the ledge above but to the right of the hollow. If so, do not try to get it - it will simply be sucked into the red bush and you will need to start again. Instead, scroll the screen left, go slowly left up the left side and then up slowly towards the red bush and, again, when the mushrooms begin to suck, teleport back to the deep hollow and wait again.
The rock may be flung near to where you first started. Just repeat.
You need two rocks. Bring the one up from where the birds were. This one must just clear the mushrooms so as not to collide with the first.
Save then teleport all the way back to the spaceship. Go down and to the transporter to the right of where the icer was. (The left one must stay off as an exit from the east!) Go into it and into the one in the west and drop the boulder down to near the transporter. Remember then thrust across the windy tunnel. Store the RCD. Continue along and bring the flask back to Chatter. Pick up the boulder and thrust down the windy tunnel to the second opening on the right. Remember. Pick up the first rock, take it up the windy tunnel into the transporter, into the right transporter, to the left and put it on the portal in the west. Teleport, put the second one into the windy tunnel to drift up while you take the boulder to the ledge at the top again. Get the second rock to the west, remember, hover with the second rock directly over the first then thrust up as far as you can. Drop it and, as the two collide, there will be a spectacular explosion blowing the portal up. It's worth being forced to automatically teleport just to see it!
Now check your energy levels and, if they're full, also bring Chatter to the west by pushing/shooting him along (as he tends to drift away when activated). You will need to transfer energy to the blaster and plasma gun when they are collected.
Scroll up and right. Drop down the blown portal and remember in the pool. Now scroll right fully and boost-thrust left and down to avoid the gargoyle's fire. The gargoyle is best killed by getting on the small ledge where he is, standing up, facing right, aiming upwards and continuously blasting with the icer. Aim directly for his nose.
Drop down the vertical passage and take the second one on the left. Now go down again into the little opening on the right with a switch on the other side. Remember. Go back up then into the passage on the left and remember again. Come back down to go left and meet the first teleporting robot. Fire a couple of shots and when he attacks, teleport. When he appears again, teleport to next to the switch then quickly thrust across to where you first met him. Remember twice just past the red bush, select icer and set aim to just below central. Go down the next opening, keeping to the left side. Drop slowly down and when you get to the hive, thrust up slightly so that you stay flat against it. Blow it with the icer and the blaster will drop down below. Get it and transfer the pistol contents to it.
Now teleport back to the red bush, scroll right, select blaster. (It uses lots of energy but sure shifts the baddies!) Crawl along left and quickly get past the imps. As you drop down, remember a couple of times and drop the RCD.
Go to the door with the mushroom immunity pill on the other side and remember your position.
The prescribed method for getting the pill out is to get the slimes below past the red drip, feed it with a converted mushroom and finally direct the red drips onto it to convert it into a coronium rock. You have to go through this procedure twice and take each rock to the door. If anything goes into the red bush, it's all over and if you try this method you'll probably agree that it's just far too hard, especially as it's all set in a windy area.
Save your position and then try instead this very easy way. Be warned though, it doesn't always work first, second or even third time and you should always have at least two remembered positions well away from the door.
Stand facing the door, select icer and wait. Shortly, the teleporting robot will appear either to the left or right of you, although left is more probable. If he is to the left, hold down the walk right and pick up keys as he fires. There will be general confusion (and you will be hurt!) but if all goes according to plan, you will be propelled just far enough through the door to snatch up the pill. You can also try the strategy of blasting back with the icer if your suit starts flashing. If you scare off the robot, he will come back again and you can keep trying.
If he appears to the right, next to the pill, press the same keys and the pill will be forced through.
Yet another possibility is, when you have to blast the robot away, the pill may be moved away from the door. Go left then run at the door pressing the pick up key and you may be able to collect the pill as the bush blows it left. Retrieve the RCD and save.
Make your way back to the pool below the entrance to the west and remember twice. Go back up through the portal, up and right and into the transporter to the windy tunnel area. Stand under the switch to activate the engines, remember and then wait for the robot. If he appears to your left, let him follow you to the door then teleport back to the switch and blow him!
Teleport back to the pool in the west. Push Chatter down to the pool and activate him. Go right and down, keeping Chatter close by. Do not go into the passage with the mushroom as you will alert two fireballs and you need the fireproof device to pass these. Drop to the next opening on the right and remember. Then let Chatter push you along before you teleport so you are behind him. Now push HIM along and watch him take on the invisible birds. Thrust across as far as you can to the right and use the blaster to kill the birds. Remember twice in the hollow below the fire.
When all the birds are no more, go to the ledge above and to the left of the gargoyle releasing lightning bolts. Whistle for Chatter then disable him and push him off the ledge so he lands on top of the gargoyle. You might alert the second teleporting robot. If so, just chase him with the blaster for now. It's possible that he will reappear next to the gargoyle and get blown up.
Now drop down towards the gargoyle and use the blaster to force Chatter towards the plasma gun. You will probably be forced to teleport. Hover just above the lightning, select the icer and shoot at the right hand corner of the gargoyle until it flashes. Now activate Chatter and continue firing. His fire and yours will blow the gargoyle to pieces! Disable Chatter before he wanders off and get the plasma gun.
Go back under the fire on the right. Drop right down directly underneath it and remember twice. Then select jetpack, scroll down and full boost thrust up and right to get through the fire. Collect the fireproof device.
If the robot was not destroyed by the gargoyle, you will have to go back to the engines again to take care of him. Remember twice next to Chatter, select blaster and go straight up from where the gargoyle was, into the passage on the left. Keep the screen scrolled right; there are more invisible birds! Go up at the end of the passage and then left through the mushrooms. Get back to the pool, remember twice and then go to the engines to blow the robot.
Teleport back to the pool. Remember. Go left and scroll up. Now drop down the left side and remember on the little ledge. Select blaster and thrust into the little opening on the left to press the switch once. Use the blaster to keep the wasps at bay then teleport back to the pool and remember. Go right and drop right down to the ledge on the right. Check the door below and left has been closed by the switch then teleport back to the pool. Go right and then down and right through the mushrooms and back to Chatter.
Using the mushrooms nearby and the fire, you should now fill your energy levels for every weapon (32 units for each).
Activate Chatter and lead him back up through the previous route then slowly take him to the locked door. Remember at the door, go right and, when he follows, teleport and then push him to destroy the imps. Afterwards, get in front of him so he can push you through the crack. Select the plasma gun as soon as you are through to kill the blue frogman. Thrust through the next crack and immediately select the blaster to waste the yellow maggots. Drop down to locate and store the CannonRCD. Teleport out and disable Chatter.
I usually leave Chatter here as he is not much use in windy or narrow areas. You can either stock up with his energy or leave it just in case of emergency.
And that, folks, is the end of part two. I only use the above as a rough strategy. Each adversary has its own will and I have taken each on in many different ways.
E N D G A M E
Go left and to the area where the blaster was. In the bottom right corner, go into the mushroom filled passageway and remember. Leave the two RCDs here for safety. Thrust over the first opening going down (to avoid being sucked into the bush) and remember twice.
The next opening going down contains two red birds which is difficult to kill. You can barely hold them off with the blaster and they need several hits even with the plasma gun. Scroll up and select plasma gun the set aim for diagonally upwards. Try to thrust down to the diagonal passage below the nest. If you make it, readjust your aim to shoot up at the birds then fire a few shots at the nest. When you're certain they've all bit the dust, remember.
Aim directly up and thrust down through the large windy area to the vertical passage in the bottom left-hand corner. Go into the little opening on the left and remember twice. Now start firing at the second lot of birds. When a few of these have been killed, you must drop down then go up the diagonal passage on the right. Shoot up at the rest and deflect a few shots into the nest.
Come halfway down the diagonal passage then scroll left and down to see the gun droid below. Select the pistol, and fire at the vertical slabs to the left of the droid. It will open fire and blow them up. There are three of them in total (one hides just off screen left) so continue until you're sure they've all been blasted away. Teleport back to the little opening, remember twice, scroll up and left and select jetpack. As you drop down to the gun droid press left, lie down and full boost to get through the passage where the slabs were. If you fail, make sure to remember before trying again.
Drop down at the end of the passage and remember. If you are attacked by yellow maggots, shift them with the blaster. Scroll right, select blaster, go left and thrust past the imps to collect the blue key.
At this point you must decide whether to get the spaceship into orbit by returning the destinator or to get the extra points for getting the two crewmembers back as well. These spacemen are VERY fragile (and carry a penalty of 6000 points each in the event of their loss!). If you are just going for the destinator, teleport back to the safe place above the gun droid.
Otherwise, thrust up to the top left hand corner of the very windy area and go along the horizontal passage. Scroll up and left. Remember. Drop quickly down to avoid the second gun droid and into the water. Go left and up to the cavern with the fire in. Remember. Thrust up and use the blaster to lift the big block then press the switch to deactivate the transporter and open the door to the crewmen. Teleport out and remember. Drop down now to the crewmen [who are under the water to the left - Gus] and chase after the teleporting robot who attacks with the blaster but make sure you are not in the crewmen's proximity whenever you use it: If he turns up later (when you are getting them out!) move quickly away from them.
Drop down under the crewmen and come up to their left. By pushing them or with single shots from the pistol, get them free of the mushrooms so they drift up past the door. Get them to the ledge above it and leave them there for safety. Go back up to the cavern again and lift the block. Switch on the transporter. You have to destroy the gun droid that blew the slabs now and it's no easy task. Teleport back so you are to the left of the gun droid, remember and select icer. Now scroll left as far as possible. Set your aim to just above central then crawl slowly along to fire over its head. Eventually it will blow itself up. Remember again if you get blown back. Go to the safe place above the destroyed gun droid. Remember.
This brings you to the same point as if you are just going for the destinator except that the teleporting robot may be following. For the time being, chase him with the blaster. Thrust up through the windy area and go past where the red birds were. Recover the RCDs then go up the passage above the birds and turn on the transporter. Jump in it so you know where it leads then teleport all the way back to the spaceship.
It's time to vaporise the latest teleporting robot at the rockets! Go through the transporter right of where the icer was, to the west and then to the windy tunnel area in the east. Remember under the switch and set it as before (so that the rockets ignite as the door closes). Select icer or plasma gun and go around and up the side of the rockets to the top of the cavern. You will find you can 'burrow' into a very small area to the left by thrusting left and down. Wait until the robot appears. You will be protected to some extent by the terrain and he will either come very close to the rocket or score a lucky hit. Either way, when you teleport, he should take the full force of the rockets and be backed right up to the door. If you try the same method as with robot number one, you have to repeat it two or three times. This way, he sometimes vaporises first time!
Teleport back to the spaceship when you hear him squeal and blow up, then go around to the cannon. Turn on the transporter, get the cannon into it and follow it. Using the blaster, divert the cannon either left or right as it drops from the spaceship and, assuming the first gun is still active, you can take this opportunity to blow it sky-high!
Drop the cannon down and direct it to the ramp where the two robots were. Remember. Go up the ramp (Blast any robots left!), into the transporter (Blast any birds left!) then open the door with the RCD. Teleport and remember then get the cannon up the ramp, into the transporter then into the one right of the first podstore.
If the gun droid to the left was not blown earlier on you will have to go down, press the switch to activate the transporter and then turn it off when the cannon is through [This is actually trickier than it sounds! - Gus].
Teleport back to the ramp and remember. Now drop down the hidden passage and go into the right transporter, into the one in the west and then go up and push the cannon under the rockets and onto the ledge to the left. Get the cannon RCD out, blow the slab opposite and then push the cannon off the ledge (not into the transporter!). Activate the transporter.
Go back past the rockets and drop down. Remember at the transporter then thrust across the windy tunnel and collect two mushrooms. Teleport back and go into the transporter. Remember. Go into the right transporter, switch off the one in the west, convert the mushrooms at the fire and then turn the transporter back on and then teleport back.
Go down to the ramp. Remember. Then using the same route as the cannon, get the big box over to the rocket area. Remember a couple of times under the rockets and drop both RCDs. Go into the transporter. There will probably (although not always) be a coronium rock trapped in the red bush to the left. Blow the rock with a converted mushroom. Teleport back and remember then store the two RCDs. Push the box onto the ledge, lie down and aim slightly above central. Now select plasma gun and get the box over to the transporter. This may take several attempts. If the box doesn't make it, push it into the transporter to the left and try again.
Remember then go back past the rockets, down and into the transporter and turn on the left one. Check that it leads to the original cannon location and then teleport back. Remember twice.
Scroll left. Get the box into the transporter then, in the new location, over to the horizontal slab. Teleport back, remember and now get the cannon into the transporter on the left and then over to the one where you shoved the box, using the same method. Get the cannon in the new location across and on top of the box. When it's facing right, you'll note that it nicely lines up with a gap in the terrain near the gun droid. Blast it away! Teleport back and remember again. Save.
If you have followed this method right through, the boulder will be still at the top of the windy tunnel area. Bring it across into the same transporter and select plasma gun. Rearrange the box and cannon so the cannon is standing alone on the horizontal slab. Then throw/shoot the boulder through the opening where the gun droid was. As it drops to the switch, get on top of the cannon and thrust down as the slab opens. Remember. Blow the next vertical slab with the cannon. You may be pestered by the imps from above (and these are indestructible) so get through quickly.
If the boulder fails to trigger the switch, you can try with the RCD but not the one for the cannon. If the RCD is on the switch you can bounce it with a single shot through the opening with the plasma gun. If even this fails, try with the flask. Finally, resort to a saved file.
After blowing the vertical slab, you come to the strongest of the robots. Chase him with the blaster then check that the switch is set to hold the horizontal slab open. Get the cannon down and blow the next vertical slab. Push it right and down until it is on the next horizontal slab. Remember on the ledge above and select blaster in case you are bothered by the robot or yellow maggots. Now lie on the ledge above so that the cannon RCD is just sticking out. Set your aim and keep pressing Space as the cannon fires and bounces around to blow the slab. [This takes a while! - Gus]
Teleport back to the rockets to get rid of the robot. Use the same method as you did for the second one for the quickest results.
Now bring the boulder down to the blown horizontal slab and get it, and the cannon, down to the next ledge. Check you have both RCDs, remember and select blaster to chase any maggots. Drop down to the ledge which has the switch behind the vertical slab; as you drop off the left of this ledge remember then thrust back up to the cannon. Push the cannon off the ledge above to drop straight down then teleport below it and use the blaster to divert it towards the slab. Use a single shot to blow the slab then push the cannon off the ledge. Go back and bring the boulder down to the switch. Remember twice.
Thrust back up to the horizontal crack to the right of the huge maggot machine. With the RCD and by adjusting your aim from central, turn on the transporter on the other side to divert the majority of maggots. Take care not to drop the RCD into the crack as it will take a few lucky shots to get it across to drop down into the water. Teleport back to the switch as thrusting down to it turns off the transporter.
Stand under the switch facing left. Scroll down to see the horizontal slab opening and closing. When you press the switch, the slab will close. You must time this so that you press the switch JUST as the slab is above to OPEN. Keeping the slab closed acts as a pump and forces the water level to rise. When it reaches your ankles, pick up the boulder to weigh you down and continue pressing the switch until you think the water will have reached the huge maggot-manufacturing machine. On the Master 128 version, there is a huge explosion and the whole screen starts shaking like crazy! The water will then continue to rise of its own accord, flooding Triax's caverns.
You can now thrust up through the water to the machine. If you want to get the two crewmen back to your spaceship you need your skates on and a bit of luck. Stand to the right of the transporter, remember twice then turn it on, go in and get the crewmen free from under the ledge to float up as the water rises. The water will lift the block and put out the fire so line the men up to go up and then get them across to the transporter. Remember you can only use a pistol (or the blaster from a safe distance) and Triax may turn up. The crewmen will now float up past where the red birds were. Get them into the transporter at the top, off the ledge and then into the transporter where Chatter was originally found. Push them to the right to go into the transporter below. You need your skates on because, as the water rises up this part, it gets very difficult to get the men down. They should now be transported to the original cannon location. Remember then get them to the spaceship one at a time. Then get them into the upper cabin.
Teleport, hopefully back to the maggot machine. Remember again to the side of the transporter and set your aim straight down. Get the destinator and hold it as you thrust down to the opening then throw it and blast it through. Take it into the transporter to follow the same route home. Triax will be after you with a vengeance so be prepared to drop the destinator to use the blaster or he will snatch it and take it back to its original location.
When you get the destinator to the lower cabin, you should save. As soon as you take it above, the spaceship begins to orbit the planet and that is the end of the game.
V A R I A T I O N S A N D P O S E R S
I wonder if you will excuse my indulgence in discussing a few variations and posers I have never resolved...
The Robot Next To The Pistol .. I led this up the vertical passage and to where the key lay under the bees hive .. and never saw him again. Another time after doing this I went up the next vertical passage, and instead of shooting up at the two birds, I let them fly right then opened fire. This ignited the fire which wasted not only them but the robot as well.
Mushroom Immunity Pill .. It appears that the vertical slab is weakened after several blasts. If, as you walk towards it, you appear to be in slow motion, then you are being blown back by the bush. Keep pressing the pickup key. After once emptying the contents of the icer into the slab while pressing pickup, I collected the pill. A couple of times I have remembered at the slab then gone back to say where the imps are. I then teleported back, pressing pickup and right and collected it that way.
Plasma Gun .. I once blew the lightning gargoyle by dropping the flask onto it. I then got it flashing with the icer and dropped four grenades on it.
The Two Fireballs .. The small pool appears to have no effect on them. On collecting the fireproofing device, you can get them to follow you a very long way. Could these be put to some use?
The Red Birds .. Firing the plasma gun while walking through the mushrooms approaching the red birds causes the mushrooms to convert into crystals, collide and explode. Maybe you could waste a few birds this way.
The Strong Teleporting Robots .. After waiting for them to reappear again at the rockets I went out past the door to find them down below inactive. After pushing them around, shooting and generally abusing them, they suddenly came back to life. Were they permanently stunned?
An alternative to blowing them could be using the cannon, by the way. I have found this to be inconvenient though. More often than not, while you're waiting for them to appear in front of it, they are certain to turn up behind you, or on top of it.
The Two Crewmen .. As the passage at the top of the windy tunnel area is soon filled with water, perhaps they could be got down by having the second boulder already there. Get this out by throwing it straight up to shoot it through the fire with the plasma gun.
Red Herring? .. I got the big box down to the crack at the right of the maggot machine. Stand on it and try to thrust through as an imp or robot attacks. When you are halfway along, stand up then thrust up as you turn left and right to get through a secret passage to the destinator. Above the destinator is another secret passage, but it seems to be too small to get it through???
Triax .. You can get him temporarily off your back! Remember above the switch where the pistol was, blow the switch, turn on the transporter (if it's off) with the RCD, go in, blow the switch at the other end, turn on that transporter and teleport back. When Triax turns up, blast him into the transporter to trap him for a while.
You might also notice during the game that Triax seems to have a little schizophenia about him. In fact, this is because there are two Triaxes; one which cannot enter water and is not affected by the grenades and another who can swim under the water. And Chatter only ever fires at one of them. Weird, isn't it?
Is it possible to kill Triax? Even when you're in orbit on the standard BBC and Electron versions, he turns up and takes the destinator leaving you helpless!
Finally
Finally, to those who think EXILE is too hard and too long. As I have previously mentioned, I have played it through without saving my position and have got the destinator back to the spaceship (i.e. without the crewmen) in four and a half hours. This could be bettered as I need not have collected so many power pods.
John McHugh, EUG #18
A S H O R T C U T
Cut down on all the travelling around during both the beginning and middle of the EUG solution by observing the following:
Just below the door under the surface of the planet's first gun-droid (the one everyone can get to!), there are two strange half-circles on the wall in red. After you have blown up the door with the grenade, drop through it and remember your position near to this ornament. Turn and face the vertical door which separates your cavern from the grenade droid, icer and protection suit.
This door is not all it appears to be and even with all passes collected, it can never be opened with the RCD. It can however, be passed through, with a little patience, force and luck. So, if you get through it at a very early stage, you can fill your pockets with grenades and get the icer and protection suit. Hence you avoid many of the problems you face in the earlier EUG solution where you wander the first caves unarmed and with a limited supply of grenades.
Getting through the door is not tough once you've done it a few times but, having said that, it can be tricky if you're not too good at flying directly into a particular pixel. You must hover off the ground and thrust right so Finn lays down. If you're at almost the right height, you will just glimpse one of the streams from the jetpack floating dead centre of the top semi-circle of the red ornament.
Thrust right as hard as possible treating the very small (one horizontal black pixel) gap at the top of the door as a crack that Finn can get through. If you come up fast enough (although don't use the booster as this can really confuse your ability in such a short space to hit the target directly) and your head goes into the pixel space, Finn will squeeze slowly through the space. Don't let go of the thrust key in your excitement or he will just as quickly come bouncing back out again. Once through, remember your location a few times then go get those grenades!
Dave Edwards, EUG #19