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Operation: Overkill II - Nukem
This message was posted on OKILLERS, the FidoNet Operation: Overkill II players conference by Hawk.
Date: 03-18-94 (07:33)
From: HAWK
Nukem v1.00
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Who/What is Nukem?
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Nukem is a radioactive creature that can be encountered in the Wastelands. When encountered, Nukem will grab the player and slime them. Sliming includes, reducing the players hit points and increasing their radiation by around 10%-20%. Nukem cannot be killed, and when he grabs the player, he will allow the player to run in any direction that is available to them. Nukem will NOT kill you. However, if your radiation is high enough, Nukem can raise your radiation exposure to the point where, it will start to eat its way out, and that WILL kill you, if you aren't able to heal before you run out of hit points.
Summoning Nukem
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Nukem can be summoned by installing a "Thumper," which can be purchased in the Complex Supply Room, or obtained by killing a monster that is carrying one. A player must be on one of the following Terrains, in order to install a "Thumper":
ww - Barren Wasteland
@^ - Hole Up
.. - Desert
@v - Hole Down
^^ - Mountains
%% - Radiation Mound
__ - Flat Terrain
II - Road/Path
A Thumper may NOT be installed on the following terrain:
OO - Impassable Rock
ÊÊ - Missile Silo
"" - Swamp
## - Hydrite Prison
UU - 20 FT Pit
÷÷ - Stream/Water
®¯ - Airforce Base
[] - Complex
Also, a Thumper cannot be installed in the areas immediately adjacent to the Complex, no matter what type of terrain it is.
Nukem's Location/Movement
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When the game is first initialized, Nukem is placed somewhere in the Wastelands. In previous versions he was placed in a Rock on the southwest boundary of Map 2. In the 1.00 version, I haven't spent much time finding out where he is at, however, I do think he is placed somewhere in the playing field and not on the sidelines like before. (I have a couple of general ideas why I think that, but I don't really want to go into much detail about it here.)
When a Thumper is installed by a player. The player will see a "Thump... Thump." And when viewed by a Trikorder, the player will see a "YY" symbol which represents a Thumper's location. After the player logs out of the game, and the next player logs into the game, "Per Play Maintenance" will run, and then OOII will load. It is during this "Per Play Maintenance" that the game decides whether or not, Nukem will move to the Thumper. If a certain percentage chance is met, Nukem will move to the Thumper. If it isn't met, Nukem will stay where he is at.
If more than one Thumper is installed in the wastelands and Nukem decides to move, Nukem will move to the "closest" Thumper. Remember this, it is a good way to keep Nukem OFF your base and ON someone else's. <G>
How A Player Can Move Nukem
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Nukem can only be moved TWO ways. One way was discussed above and that was the "Per Play Maintenance," but that only works after you log out of the game. What if you want to be able to move Nukem off your base or off a hole, or just out of your way? The second way will solve your problem, USUALLY.
The second way is by installing a Thumper right next to Nukem. Now you may think this is pretty simple and it is, but there's a little catch to this trick. When you install that Thumper right next to Nukem, Nukem will IMMEDIATELY move to it before you get a chance to move out of the way, and you will get slimed in the process. So make sure you have medpacks and/or a base nearby with which you can decrease your radiation exposure. Also, when Nukem moves, he normally, will take the Thumper he was at with him. I have seen a couple of times where he left the Thumper where it was at. Don't ask me why, I really don't know.
Another problem may be that you might not be able to install a Thumper next to Nukem because of the terrain surrounding him. If there is no terrain with which you can install a Thumper next to Nukem, then you will have to find another location to install a Thumper and hopefully during the next Maintenance he will move. That is your ONLY option in this case.
Thumper/Nukem Strategies
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There are several strategies that can be used when working with Thumpers (YY) and Nukem (). I will explain most of them here, however, there may be one or two that I may forget to mention.
One of the most common strategies is placing a Thumper on an opponent's base. When this is done and Nukem shows up, any player that exits or tries to enter the base, from outside, will get slimed. In this case, the player has 4 options, the first option is not to move Nukem. If they choose this option the player will not be able to get back inside the base, unless they teleport into it from another base (the second option). The third option is for the player to obtain a Thumper and install it next to Nukem and move him off the base. If the surrounding terrain won't allow that, then the player must find terrain that will allow installation, somewhere else on the maps, and install a Thumper there and wait for the Per Play Maintenance to move Nukem.
Another common used strategy is to place a Thumper on a hole. When this is done and Nukem shows up, NO ONE can use that hole until Nukem is moved. If its the only hole available to exit or enter a certain map area then Nukem has to be moved in order to access that area by walking.
If a player starts getting low on time and they can't make it to one of their bases, or to the complex, they can install a Thumper and camp out in the same location. This can do a several things. One is that if Nukem shows up while the player is camping then no one will be able to get to that player unless they move Nukem first. A drawback to this tactic is that when the player logs back in and nukem is there, they will get slimed.
Second, a player who comes up on the spot will see the red flashing "**" symbol and think items or a camper is there. If Nukem is there and the player investigating uses an aerial scan, they will also see the red flashing "**" symbol. But if the Player has a Trikorder the player will see the Nukem symbol "" or if Nukem isn't there, they will see the Thumper symbol, "YY", instead of the Camper symbol "cc". So in a way, Nukem and a Thumper serve as a type of camouflage to prevent opposing players from seeing what is really there.
Conclusion
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That's basically all there is to Nukem, however, you may occasionally see something weird happen like I explained with Nukem not taking the Thumper with him. If you do, there may
or may not be a
reason for it, if there is I currently don't have
an explanation for it.
The main thing is to have a basic understanding of how the Thumpers and Nukem operate. Once you have that understanding, you will be able to experiment with Nukem to develop your own strategies.
Good Luck and have fun playing with Nukem.
--==/\Hawk/\==--
--- QuickBBS 2.76 Ovr
* Origin: Operation Overkill, Training Grounds
(1:387/636)