Tex Murphy: Overseer Walkthrough by Dan Kennedy

Tex
Murphy Overseer: A Walkthrough

By Dan Kennedy
December 2001

Introduction

You can’t help but admire
a long, complex game that throws the kitchen sink at you: a futuristic
San Francisco with a 1940’s feel, inventory puzzles, the guy who played
Basil Exposition in Austin Powers, full motion video cut scenes, Jack
Nicholson’s ex-girlfriend in a bad blond wig, lots of logic puzzles,
a dark political conspiracy, VR environments, and Ron Howard’s brother
Clint playing a mutant.

Here are some handy hints
for playing the game:

• The plot consists of
  Tex Murphy, a private investigator, recounting his first case to
  his sort-of-girlfriend. So, although you can’t technically “die”
  in the story, there are points in the game when incorrect actions
  or choices will get you kicked out. This includes getting shot/
  killed, taking the wrong dialogue path in a conversation, or blowing
  a timed sequence. Be sure to save often.
• While interrogating
  various characters, always ask about every item on your topic checklist.
  Sometimes clues and further discussion topics can be generated in
  this way. Additional information can be found using Tex’s vidphone
  in his office by consulting the American Information Database, which
  generates faxed reports on a variety of submitted topics.
• Always examine every
  object that gets deposited into your inventory – sometimes other
  clues or items can be found that way. The inventory is accessed
  by placing the cursor over to the extreme right side of the screen
  – an inventory panel will scroll out for your perusal. You will
  also need to combine some items in order to fashion tools and solve
  puzzles. Be sure to examine any items that you create this way.
• You will need to travel
  between game locations as the game progresses. The location interface
  is accessed by positioning the cursor on the far left edge of the
  screen – a location panel will scroll out for your enjoyment. Note
  that the location pictures with a small green dot displayed nearby
  can be accessed without having to change CD’s.
• Movement in the VR environments
  is controlled via keystrokes, or a control pad that pops up at the
  bottom of the screen. Always look around very carefully – inside
  shelves, behind and under furniture, and in garbage cans. A green
  cross indicates that Tex can examine that particular item – he’s
  got a sarcastic comment for just about everything. The fun is in
  the details – if you skip looking around, you’ll miss a lot of the
  charm that makes this game so enjoyable.
• Gameplay has two modes:
  Entertainment (for adventure beginners) and Gamer modes. The entertainment
  mode sports easier puzzles and a hint system. Both modes operate
  on a points system, with a maximum attainable score in Entertainment
  mode of 2500, and 4000 in Gamer mode.

This walkthrough has
been written for Gamer mode, since I feel most game players can complete
the game at this level. However, if you are looking for a walkthrough
that will maximize the number of points awarded to you during the
game, you best look elsewhere – this one concentrates on simply getting
you through the game.

Beginnings

Begin by watch the opening
credits – some of the themes present here will be repeated throughout
the game, including time, chess, crazy old men, screaming people….general
mayhem! The game begins with at a cut scene involving Tex being woken
up from a nightmare by a call from his sort-of-girlfriend Chelsee.
Have fun with the conversation that follows – any choice of dialogue
path will get you safely over to Chelsee’s apartment for your hot
date. The next cut scene sets the stage for the story: Chelsee wants
to have a serious relationship with Tex, but is bothered by a girl
from Tex’s past. Tex agrees to give her all of the details about Sylvia
Linsky, and his first case as a private investigator. The scene shifts
to a younger looking Tex looking lonely and bored in his empty office.
We are then placed into the office environment.

Office Space

Tex’s office is a great
place to practice the keyboard / movement overlay controls for exploring
the VR environments. The movement allows you to look under furniture,
around corners, and get different perspectives on the same object.
The kicker is that you really have to ferret out the clues; for instance,
unless you are correctly positioned to see into each of the filing
cabinet shelves, you may miss the clues and items hidden within.

There are several objects
to examine and pick up in the office environment. Pick up and examine
the magazine located on the floor by the main office door. Any item
that can be moved or picked up will have a “moving chess-piece”
symbol on it in addition to the “magnifying glass” look-at
symbol. Notice that the item does not stay in inventory after you
have looked it over – whenever items are unimportant, or lose their
usefulness, they will automatically be deleted from inventory. Pick
up Tex’s PI guidebook off his desk and examine it. Also grab the tape
measure located on the bookshelf immediately to the right of Tex’s
bedroom door (the door to the right of the desk). Be sure to play
with Tex’s perpetual motion machine over by the fax machine.

Have a look through the
two filing cabinets to the left of Tex’s desk. Notice that each shelf
has to be opened separately using a “chessboard set” symbol.
Look in the bottom drawer of the left-most cabinet – pick up and examine
the toy mouse. The filing cabinet to the right of Tex’s desk also
has a note from Tex’s former employer in the bottom drawer – it’s
an amusing read.

Tex’s vidphone is located
on his desk – click on it and hit the “turn on/off” symbol
to start it up. If Tex has any messages waiting, his “Message”
button will be flashing red. Access the American Information Database
by clicking on the name in the top right panel, hit the dial button,
and upon connection hit the “Ask About” dialogue path. A
notepad with a selection of topic choices will be displayed. Click
on the topic (in this case it’s Tex Murphy), and hit “Done”
when you are finished. To exit the database, hit “End Conversation”,
and then the Exit button. A fax will arrive a few seconds later, with
an accompanying voice message – click on the fax to place it in inventory
and examine it. Faxes are always disposed of immediately after reading.

Take a trip into Tex’s
bedroom next, and look around at his stuff – yikes, what a meager
existence. Check out his stellar wardrobe in the cabinet, and drawers
below. Click on the Parcheesi game lying on his cot to initiate the
next cut scene, which involves Sylvia Linsky hiring you to investigate
her father’s death. Isn’t that dress a bit snug? Your next step is
to visit the police station and speak to Detective Eve Clements. Open
the location panel (on the left side of the screen) or open Tex’s
front door and click to leave – and proceed to the police station.

All About Eve

After a short cut scene,
you strike up a conversation with Detective Eve, who as a friend of
your old boss the Colonel, is a little belligerent. However, don’t
worry about the conversation path – each thread leads to her allowing
you to ask a few questions. Remember to ask about everything – for
instance, a question about Carl Linsky will lead to further information
about his suicide note and some mysterious surgery. Once you have
exhausted the lines of questioning, end the conversation, and go to
Carl Linsky’s apartment.

Another scene with you
and Sylvia leads into an opportunity to ask a few questions. She then
leaves to pick up her father’s effects from the police station, leaving
you to look around in the old man’s apartment.

Apartment Hunting

Begin in Carl’s living
room – a comfy couch, a roaring fire, and ….a game of dominoes?
Grab and examine the piece of paper on the coffee table. The note
suggests combining blackjack and dominoes, and the reverse side is
even more explicit – 21 horizontal, vertical and diagonal. Now pick
up and examine the domino set – this sends you into the first puzzle
of the game. Simply follow the instructions on the note – the dominoes
must be placed so that the sum of all dots in each row and column,
and the two diagonals, must equal 21. Ignore the two different numbers
on each domino – just add up the total number of dots on each when
adding the totals together.

There are a number of solutions
to this puzzle, one of which is displayed below. Don’t let the time
counting down in the upper left corner of the screen freak you out
– this is not a timed puzzle. The amount of time you take to complete
the puzzle affects the number of points that is allotted to you upon
completion.

After completing the puzzle,
Tex notices that lights are flashing next to the dominoes with 4,
9 and 8 dots. Remember this for later.

Try the kitchen next. There
are a lot of shelves and cupboards to look through, but there are
actually one two items of interest. The first is within plain sight
on the counter just to the left of the fridge – looks like Carl may
have had a “hard habit to break”. The other item is in the
fridge – notice anything that shouldn’t be there? That’s right, Carl’s
bananas are going to go all brown and funky unless you take them out
of there. Examine both items before proceeding to Carl’s bedroom,
located across from the kitchen.

Go directly to Carl’s desk,
and pick up the note on the surface. Looks like he was writing a “Dear
Delores” letter. Have a peek in the middle desk drawer for a
note from Carl’s publisher demanding his manuscript. Proceed over
to the left bedside table, and pick up Carl’s address book from the
drawer. This provides Delores’ address for a later visit. Walk around
the bed, and examine the chess set on the other bedside table – note
that it’s missing a chess piece. Be sure to check out the dresser
drawers for the opportunity to grab some new…underwear!

Go to Carl’s attic next
– from the living room, open the door just to the left of the bedroom
door. Proceed up the ladder to the attic. Carl’s attic contains lots
of furniture, boxes, crates and soiled mattresses, but there really
isn’t anything of interest here. Proceed around the corner (watch
those horns!), and enter Carl’s home office.

Have a listen to the tape
recorder on the table to the left – experiment in process I guess.
Look through the two filing cabinets – there’s a threatening note
in the third drawer (from the top) of the right hand cabinet. Note
that the credenza is locked – we’ll have to come back to open up this
one. Open up the top of Carl’s desk, and peruse Sylvia’s credit rating
– yeeecccch!

Now its time to interrogate
the mysterious Delores Lightbody (sic).

She’s Not Heavy, and
She’s Not my Sister

Again, just sit back and
enjoy the conversation with Delores – all conversation paths end with
her allowing you to ask as many questions as you like. She doesn’t
think much of Sylvia, and suggests that Carl’s daughter is untrustworthy.
Once done, it’s a good time to head back to Carl Linsky’s apartment
to have a word with Sylvia.

The cut scene involving
Sylvia yields Carl’s effects from the police station, although you
manage to make Sylvia pretty angry. She’ll get over it. Examine the
effects – the manila envelope contains 2 keys, a copy of the suicide
note, and Carl’s wallet. Go back up to the attic, proceed to Carl’s
office, and use the small key (marked 1024) to open the locked credenza.
In the top left drawer you will find a lease agreement for some warehouse
space complete with address. None of the other drawers contain anything
of note.

Before proceeding to the
warehouse, you might take this opportunity to go back to Tex’s office
and use the database to gather information on some of the names and
places you’ve heard about during the investigation. The search yields
a number of faxes to look over – none of the information is critical,
but adds some detail to the characters and story.

Best Little Warehouse
Not in Texas

A virtual treasure-trove
of items to examine and take! Start with the conspicuous-looking cardboard
box in the centre of the room. Open it up and pick up the circuit
repair kit inside – as Tex says, this may come in handy later on.
Next, proceed to Carl’s cot, and move the pillow to reveal some sleeping
pills hidden here – these could be useful.

Is that a letter sitting
in Carl’s in-box on the table next to the cot? Pick it up and examine
– someone named Wanda Peck was causing some trouble for Carl. Have
a look through the drawers on the drafting table behind you – there’s
a bunch of deposit slips credited to Carl’s account, indicating someone
has been sending money. In the top drawer you’ll find a newspaper
article about the poisoning death of Ronda Morgan, a former employee
of a company named Gideon Enterprises. Carl must have been interested
enough in this to clip and save the story.

There are a bunch of notes
and messages on the bulletin board between the tables, but none of
it is relevant. However, move the board over and grab a note with
“HIP S.O.P.” scrawled on it. Could this be another password
or code? Have a quick look at the computer – we’ll need to find a
pass-card reader (and a pass-card, of course) to operate this equipment.
Both the middle and bottom drawers of the filing cabinet located left
of the computer contain interesting notes. The first is a hand-written
fax to Linsky from “SF” concerning the deaths of people
on an unknown list. The second note is a memo about the use of the
pass-card reader for information and transmission security, and something
about a project. Carl’s notes at the bottom mention “SF”
again, and refer to someone named “Overlord”. The mystery
deepens.

Proceed to the first-aid
kit on the left wall, and open it to reveal a container of Band-Aids.
Examine the container, and pieces of a pass-card will fall out. There’s
a piece missing, so we’ll need to keep an eye out for it later on.
Now look at the boxes on the top shelf of the shelves behind the step-ladder.
The boxes can be moved to reveal….a swimsuit calendar!….which
in turn can be moved to reveal….a safe! The safe is protected
by a numerical password.

Now, do we have any numerical
codes in our inventory? Well, the domino game gave us “498”.
Try punching in 498 and hit enter. Success! The safe contains a pass-card
reader (hmm…useful) and the much talked about life insurance
policy listing Sylvia as the benefactor.

Putting it to Bed

Since we don’t have an
operational pass-card right now, there isn’t much more we can do here.
Open up the location panel, and proceed back to your office. Your
vidphone should be indicating that you’ve got a message waiting. Just
hit the message button to replay a drunken “come hither”
message from Sylvia. This action sends you into several cut scenes
that play out without any interaction needed. Of course Tex goes to
Sylvia’s place to take care of her, and afterward we get to see a
touching scene in which Tex and Chelsee first meet. Next Tex tells
us that he’s gotten an appointment with Arnold Sternwood at the North
Hill Clinic, and we are transported directly there.

Your conversation with
Arnold Sternwood is idiot proof – all conversation paths end with
his approval to be questioned. Depending on your path, you may find
out what Arnold thinks of Sylvia – she really isn’t the most popular
of people. Be sure to exhaust your questions for Arnold. He gives
you information about Wanda Peck, and her organization C.A.P.R.I.C.O.R.N.
Once you are finished, proceed to C.A.P.R.I.C.O.R.N.’s headquarters
to interview Wanda Peck.

No need to worry about
the introductory conversation with Wanda – no matter how many times
Tex hits on her, she is still receptive to some serious questioning.
We learn a little about the Law and Order party, and a few other tidbits.

Now what to do? Who would
be close enough to Carl Linsky to know who or what “S.F.”
is? Well, Delores Lightbody knew him best over the last few months
– try visiting her once again. Choose whatever conversation path you
want, and ask her about all available topics, including “S.F.”.
Turns out it stands for Sonny Fletcher.

Go back to your office
now, and access the vidphone database. Do a search for all available
topics, and read the faxes for some in depth information. You must
read the fax on Sonny Fletcher – looks like he’s been in some trouble
with the law, but we still don’t know where to go to find him. Who
would have information on a felon? Why, Detective Clements!

Proceed back to the police
station and talk with Eve – select any responses you wish, and be
sure to ask about everything, particularly the questions about Sonny
Fletcher and his checkered past. The detective is kind enough to supply
Sonny’s address. Go on over to Sonny’s place.

10 Easy Pieces

Sonny lives is a real nice
place. Choose whatever conversation path you like with Sonny, and
watch the extended cut scene with Tex interrogating the broken down
P.I. Sonny finally gives Tex a bishop that Carl had given him. Back
at Tex’s office, examine the bishop – looks like the final piece of
the pass-card is hidden in the chess piece’s base. Grab the lone piece
out of inventory, and click on the rest of the pieces to combine the
two together. Then examine the completed set of pieces.

This puzzle requires you
to assemble the 10 pieces of the pass-card so that they form a rectangle.
Use the black strip as a guide to placing the pieces. Turn each piece
around by clicking the left mouse button on the piece and, while holding
the button down, hit the left or right arrow keys on the keyboard.
The solution is shown below:

Examine the “E”
pass-card that you have now created. Pass-card plus pass-card reader
equals COMPUTER ACCESS!!! Proceed back to the warehouse and attach
the pass-card reader to the computer (just hold the pass-card reader
and click on the computer, its that simple). Then grab the pass-card,
and click on the reader. Now we need a password. Remember the letters
on the note we found behind the bulletin board: HIP S.O.B. Think about
where we found the last piece of the pass-card while you are re-arranging
the letters…that’s right, BISHOP.

Type the password into
the computer, and read Carl Linsky’s message from beyond the grave
(ooh, scary). He gives us the name of another lead – Bosworth Clark
– and the address of an office in Fresno which may further the case.

Proceed to the office at
the Fresno address. This place is pretty empty, but notice the electric
bill by the door – mail is still being delivered (this is important
later). There is an address book located on a packing box near the
wall map. Examining it will reveal three appointments in three cities
(San Francisco, Paris and Sydney) on three different days, plus a
cryptic message (3 sets of 3). The map on the wall reveals more information
– Sydney time (10PM) is 9 hours ahead of Paris time (1 PM), which
is in turn 9 hours ahead of San Francisco time (4 AM).

Moving the bookcase along
the opposite wall reveals a safe attached to the commemorative plate
display hanging on the wall. Click on one of the plates to start another
puzzle. The object here is to enter each appointment time on the appropriate
clock, with the corresponding times on the other two clocks. Set the
time on the first clock (the picture of the Golden Gate Bridge indicates
that this is San Francisco) to the San Francisco appointment time
(6 PM). Paris is 9 hours ahead, so set the Paris (Eiffel Tower) clock
to 3 AM. Sydney is another 9 hours ahead, so set the Sydney (Opera
House) clock to 12 PM. The light above the San Francisco clock should
turn red.

Repeat this operation for
the other two appointments in Paris and Sydney:

Paris appt.: 2 PM San Fran:
5 AM (9 hours behind) Sydney: 11 PM (9 hours ahead)
Sydney appt.: 9 AM San Fran: 3 PM (18 hours behind) Paris: 12 AM (9
hours behind)

The safe should now open
revealing a photograph of Carl Linsky with an unknown man. Who can
we get to identify this person? Why not Sylvia? Head over to Carl’s
apartment and listen to her hangover-slurred apology for slobbering
over you the night before. Ask Sylvia about all of the topics on your
list – she will identify the man in the photo as John Klaus, Carl’s
old friend.

Now, let’s try tackling
that Bosworth Clark lead. Sonny Fletcher might know something about
the guy since his name was likely on that list he was investigating.
Go over to Sonny’s hotel – he’s not around, but he’s left a note for
you. Looks like he was looking for Bosworth Clark at an Anasazi ruin
near Tucson. This is a good place to pick up the trail. Open up the
location panel, and speed off to Anasazi-land.

Brick by Brick

Here we are at the ruin
– is Sonny waiting for us, or perhaps Sonny’s nemesis Slade? What
are we looking for here? Your best bet is to proceed off to the right
towards the two blue doors, and go through the further one (the closer
one is locked). One you are through the door, head straight for the
leafless tree visible off in the distance straight ahead. Once you
get to the tree, pick up and examine the guidebook on the ground.
Read about the 8 bricks that, when placed correctly, will reveal a
“deep secret”. Time to collect your bricks.

The first brick is located
quite close by – turn around and look behind the staircase leading
up to the ceremonial chamber. The first brick is located just to the
right of the base of the stairs. Proceed up the stairs, and enter
the chamber itself. Along the wall to your right you will see another
brick in a small recess – unfortunately a snake is currently guarding
it, and you’ll have to return later. Go and grab the small pile of
sticks on the far side of the room, and be sure to grab the rope hanging
off the wall in one of the corners opposite the snake.

Go back out, climb down
the stairs, and proceed back towards your starting point at the ruin.
As you advance, you will see a “No Trespassing” sign to
your right – another brick lies on the ground to the left of the sign.
Keep heading towards the blue doorway that you originally came through
– a set of long wooden poles, and a wooden box should come into view
to the right of the door (the box is in a small alcove off to the
right). Go over and pick up the poles and the box. Proceed to the
next small alcove to the right of the wooden box – there’s another
brick in here (that makes 4!).

Leaving the alcove, veer
off to the left – you should see another blue door here. Open it up,
and go in – a wooden smoking pipe is located to your right just after
entering the room. Follow the passageway around to the left, and pick
up the clay pot visible on the ground here – surprise, another brick!.
Keep going along this hallway, through the s-shaped turn, and around
another big bend to the left. A vine attached to a stick will be lying
on the ground in the middle of the hallway. Before returning outside,
sneak a peak into the room ahead – the 8 x 8 board where you’ll be
placing your bricks is located in here.

Retrace your steps back
outside, and go back to the ceremonial chamber – its time to deal
with that snake. Combine the vine and stick with the wooden box to
make a makeshift trap, and then add the toy mouse from your office
as bait. Grab this contraption and click on the snake. After the snake
is captured grab the brick, and head back towards your original starting
point.

Back by the entrance to
the ruins, you may have noticed a large well off to the left. Go over
to the well, get real close to the edge, and look down to see another
brick. To get the brick out, combine the rope with the smoking pipe,
and use it to retrieve the brick. Next, head towards the staircase
behind you, go up the steps, and through the blue door. Another brick
will be lying on the ground behind two pots in this room.

Go back outside, head down
the stairs, and turn left towards the painted cogs on the wall. Click
here to initiate another puzzle. The object here is to match up the
three red dots on the wall with the three red dots on the three cogs.
The levers above the cogs turn each cog directly below one full turn
– unfortunately, the other two cogs turn different distances:

When Cog 1 rotates one
turn, Cog 2 rotates (16/7) turns, and Cog 3 rotates (16/17) turns.
When Cog 2 rotates one turn, Cog 1 rotates (9/16) turns, and Cog 3
rotates (9/17) turns.
When Cog 3 rotates one turn, Cog 1 rotates (17/16) turns, and Cog
2 rotates (17/9) turns.

Confused yet? Tired of
this puzzle? From the beginning of the puzzle, pull Lever 1 down 6
times, followed by Lever 3 up 5 times, and the dots will all align.
A panel on the wall opens, and the last brick is yours for the taking.
Now that all of the bricks have been collected, head back to the 8
x 8 board to place your bricks.

The guidebook mentions
that the bricks must be placed on the grid so that no two bricks lie
in the same horizontal, vertical or diagonal line. Bricks also cannot
be placed on the two main diagonals of the 8 x 8 board. A solution
to this puzzle is shown below (dots represent bricks):

Once you’ve placed the
bricks in the correct locations, the doors at the top of the stairs
to your left open up. Proceed through the doors, down the hallway,
and into a room where you will find a pile of leather strips on the
floor to your right. Pick them up, and continue straight ahead by
going up the stairs. This will trigger a cut scene with Tex checking
out a gap ahead that is too wide to jump. After the scene has played,
combine the short sticks (from the ceremonial chamber) with the long
poles and the leather straps to make a ladder. Grab the ladder and
click on the gap to watch an entertaining clip of Tex trying to negotiate
the gap. Once “safely” to the other side, survey the room
beyond.

There’s no slab in this
lab

Just to the left of the
locked metal doors ahead of you, there is a pair of eyeglasses on
the floor. Pick up and examine the glasses to retrieve the electrical
tape from the nerd-goggles. Turning to your left, past the alternative
entrance to the room (which can be opened), you will find a pocket-watch
on the floor near the corner. Pick up and examine the watch to extract
a spring.

Continue turning to your
left, past the debris from your “entrance”, to the next
corner, where a dime can be found on the floor. Pick up the dime,
and use it to open the metal panel to the right of the locked doors.
The broken wire here can easily be fixed by first applying the spring
to connect the wires, and then the electrical tape to seal the deal.
The doors open to real Bosworth Clark’s secret lab (hey, wasn’t he
on Charlie’s Angels?)

Hmmm…blood on the
floor – that can’t be good. Have a look at Bosworth’s equipment, particularly
the strange colour and tone-coded entry system on his computer. You
can turn on the overhead monitors by clicking the small white panel
on the front of the centre computer console (the big-radar screen-looking
things). Wander over to his living quarters, and pick up the ashtray
on the table. Examining it reveals a burnt matchbook.

There’s a pass-card reader
located in the shelf to the right of the table. Also, look under Bosworth’s
bed – pick up and examine his videodisk player. Where can we find
a videodisk to play? Go back over to the entrance and examine the
chair by the door – Tex thinks it’s in a strange place. Could it have
been used as a stepladder? Look up on the wall, and grab the smoke
alarm here. Examining it reveals that the smoke alarm is actually
a camera, with a videodisk inside (told ya!). Combine the disk and
the player, and examine it to watch a movie of Bosworth’s final moments
(the database fax said he had 5 kids…sadL). That must be the
Evil Big Jim Slade doing the Russian Roulette thing.

Did you notice the tone
password that Bosworth inputted into his computer just before Slade
came in? Watch the movie several times, and try to repeat the password
into the computer entry system. For those of you having trouble, the
correct sequence is red, yellow, blue, white, red, yellow, green.
A shelf opens up revealing a pass-card. But we’ll need a password
too. You will find it on the side of the left console (on the other
side of Bosworth’s empty chair) held to the wall by a magnet. The
note tells us the password is TCAHCMEKE. Can you think of a chess
term that those letters will re-arrange to form? How about CHECKMATE?

Attach the pass-card reader
to the computer, scan the pass-card, and input the password. You’ll
learn a few details about the secret project, and see a visual of
a satellite spinning in space.

Where do we go from here?
Well, we haven’t seen Wanda Peck for a while – maybe she knows something
about STG, and the man in the photo with Carl (John Klaus). Go see
Wanda – she seems very interested in the photo (in fact, she wants
to keep it), and she sure doesn’t like Klaus.

Schimming with Sharks

Now might be a good time
to go back to the office, and check the database for some background
information. Once you are finished, proceed back to C.A.P.R.I.C.O.R.N.
to check on Wanda’s progress with the photo. The only thing she has
learned is that both men in the photo were wearing STG badges (just
like what’s printed on those pass-cards!). She also mentions a letter
from Poison Pawn, and a contact name – Jorge Valdez. Once again, go
back to the office to check the database for these new subjects. Turns
out STG is a company (or was) owned by Gideon Enterprises.

Now, who would know about
STG’s parent company. Errr…Wanda? That’s right, go back to C.A.P.R.I.C.O.R.N.
once more and speak to Wanda (the conversation path here doesn’t matter)
about Gideon, and all of the resulting topics, including J. Saint
Gideon and Frank Schimming.

It’s back again to the
office we go, except now there is a fax waiting for us with (surprise)
Frank Schimming’s direct phone number. Dial the number and speak to
Frank – he may hang up on you if you say the wrong thing (i.e. looking
for hot tips, saying you are a cop), but if he does hang up, just
call him back again, and all will be well. It helps if you are able
to mention anything about C.A.P.R.I.C.O.R.N. and/or Wanda Peck. Be
sure to ask about everything during questioning – Frank doesn’t know
much, but he gives you J. Saint Gideon’s address.

After the conversation
is over, proceed to Gideon’s mansion for a lengthy movie in which
Gideon talks about himself, and his company. After the movie, you
get a chance to ask him some questions. He knows Jorge Valdez, and
after the interrogation is over, you can head over to Valdez’s rank
and File Chess Shop.

Again, don’t be too concerned
about the conversation path with Valdez – all paths lead to the questioning,
but mention Gideon to get some immediate co-operation. Valdez doesn’t
actually know very much – for instance, he has no idea who the Poison
Pawn is. After you are done, go back to your office. That’s your phone
that is ringing. Click on the vidphone and receive a good lead about
Val Davis from a strange looking mutant man. The game takes you directly
to Davis’ lab after the phone call.

Goin’ Ape

Ah, another lead, another
lab. Begin by checking out the computer and the microscope – guess
you’ll need another pass-card and reader. Grab and examine the note
on the counter beside the microscope – it simply says “NEQUE”.
Could this be a scrambled password?

Next, go over to the area
surrounding the examination table. Have a look in the cabinet marked
“Ape Toys” – there’s a toy mouse in here just like the one
you had before. Grab it. You can also look at some of the items on
the counter here, but there’s not much of interest. None of the other
cabinets or drawers open.

On your way across the
room to the animal cages, swing by the big metal doors marked by a
radiation symbol (but don’t go in yet). There will be a big pole resting
up against the wall to the right of the doors. Grab it and proceed
over to the big ape’s cage. He’s awake, and guarding a metal box.
Try using the pole to get the box – no, not gonna work. What do we
have that the ape might want? The bananas of course. But how can we
get the ape out of the way? Try combining the sleeping pills with
the bananas, and give one to the ape. Perfect – he falls fast asleep.
You’ll grab the box with the pole, and retrieve a pass-card from the
box. Be sure to check out the strange looking cats on the second floor
before going on.

Time to check out those
radiation doors. Note: save your game now – timed sequence ahead!!!
Open the doors and proceed in. Suddenly the doors close behind you,
and a big radiation thingie comes out of the ground. Sirens a’ wailin’,
and a voice warns of radiation exposure that begins to rise. You must
act quickly. Head off to the right and turn around to face the wall.
Don’t bother clicking on the button to open the door from the inside
– someone has tampered with the circuits for the override. Grab your
circuit repair kit from your inventory, and click on the black panel
on the wall.

The object of this next
puzzle is to re-connect any two wires (the white lines) crossing the
circuit board: one horizontally, and one vertically. To do this, use
the four kit pieces over to the right. Look for wires that are already
almost connected across the board. Meanwhile, the radiation levels
are getting higher and higher. Remember though, you can’t die – after
all, you’re telling the story here, so you must have survived. If
the radiation levels get too high, we switch back to Tex telling Chelsee
that he did not die, he just did the puzzle a different way. The game
then lets you load up your last saved game to try again.

The puzzle is built on
a 15 by 15 grid – if the pieces are placed in the following way, the
wires will be re-connected:

Remember that you can rotate
each circuit piece by clicking and holding the left mouse button down
on the piece while pressing either the left or right arrow keys on
the keyboard.

Congratulations, you’ve
saved your life. Take this opportunity to go look at the creepy experimental
chair, and be sure to pick up the pass-card reader on the floor beyond
the chair. Proceed back into the main room, set up the pass-card reader
on the computer, and scan the pass-card. Have you unscrambled that
password yet? How about “QUEEN”? Put the password in and
see the “microscopic” view of the pass-card (that’s a pretty
low-power machine!). The symbols (Qxd7) represent the shorthand of
a chess move – essentially, Queen moves to space d-7, and “takes”
(denoted by the x) another chess-piece. Check out the other two pass-cards
in your possession: Card G has Rxe7 printed on it, and Card E has
Rd1 on it. Interesting. Time to head back to the office.

Once back at your office,
check the floor by the front door – there’s a message waiting for
you from Sonny Fletcher, who apparently has some info for us on Big
Jim Slade. Proceed over to Sonny’s hotel, where Sonny has a pass-card
for us, but has been mortally wounded by Slade. Have a drink for Sonny
as he passes on (so that’s when Tex started drinking!). Tex finds
Slade’s lodge location (remember the burnt matchbook from Clark’s
lab?), and you should proceed there next.

Run Runaway

The visit to Jim Slade’s
room at the Big Surf Lodge is a tricky one, since he’s actually there.
You obviously want to avoid him, so remember two rules – choose good
hiding spots, and put everything back the way you found it.

Start by retrieving the
key to Slade’s sliding glass doors by combining the magnet with your
tape measure. Now, look through the window into the kitchen – a key
should be barely visible on the countertop on the right side. Use
your magnetized tape measure to grab the key, and use the key to open
the door. Remember to shut it behind you after you go inside.

Go over to the bed and
examine the briefcase handcuffed here. We’ll need a key for this.
Go back over to the table immediately left of the sliding doors, and
pick up and examine Slade’s wallet. We find two items of interest
– a lottery ticket, and a piece of paper with a scrambled password
on it. Remember to put the wallet back on the table where you found
it. Skip the closet over on the right side for now – we’ll be using
this as a hiding spot later.

Go through the door into
the living room / kitchen, and turn left into the living room. There
appears to be something behind the right hand cushion on the sofa.
Move the cushion, and pick up some sort of word puzzle grid – save
it for later! Remember to put the cushion back the way you found it.

In the kitchen, go to the
set of drawers along the same wall as the fridge and open the second
drawer from the top – you will find a bible here that will be useful
later. Now approach the set of drawers next to the door into the bedroom
– there is a small bottle of chloral hydrate in the second drawer
from the top. Remember to shut both drawers, and any of the other
cabinets that you open in the kitchen. Unfortunately, there are no
bananas in the fridge.

Proceed back into the bedroom,
and open up the closet. Turn around, and close the doors behind you.
Now pick up Slade’s clothes – since this is the last item to look
at, this will trigger Slade’s “old-fashioned” cell phone
to start ringing. Just sit tight for a minute – if you’ve remembered
to cover your tracks, you can listen to Slade’s conversation (if not,
Slade comes out and shoots you, and you’ll have to load up a previously
saved game). Once Slade has gone into the kitchen, examine his clothes
and retrieve a mailbox key from his pocket. Remember to put Slade’s
clothes back before leaving the closet.

Proceed to the bathroom
– open the door and go inside. Have a look in the mirror, open up
the shower curtains by clicking on them, and then turn around and
pick up Slade’s jacket hanging on the back of the door. Examine the
jacket – there’s a handcuff key in the pocket! – and put the jacket
back on the door. Ooops…here comes Slade for his jacket. Quickly
get into the shower, close the curtains behind you, and duck down
as low as you can get. Slade will come in and pick up his jacket.
Once he leaves, get out of the shower and go back into the bedroom.
Use the handcuff key on the briefcase to liberate it, and immediately
travel back to your office via the location panel. Whew!