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Walkthrough/FAQ - Presidential Palace
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Version: 1.1
Created by:  Dale Talbot
Email:  [email protected]


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Table of Contents:
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i)      Legal Jargon
ii)     Progress
iii)    Items
iv)     Characters
v)      Enemies
vi)     Walkthrough
vii)    FAQ
viii)   Contributions
ix)     Credits

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i) Legal Jargon:
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This may not be reproduced under any circumstances except for personal, private
use. It may not be placed on any web site or otherwise distributed publicly
without advance written permission. Use of this guide on any other web site or
as a part of any public display is strictly prohibited, and a violation of
copyright.

Copyright 2003 Dale Talbot

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ii) Progress
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6/16/03 - Version 1.0: Pleased to see CJayC posted my first FAQ.

6/17/03 - Version 1.1: Corrected a number of typos from the first version and
added more to FAQs section.

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iii) Items:
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Starting items:
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SC-20K:
60 rounds ammunition
3 Sticky Cameras
1 Sticky Shocker
3 Ring Airfoil Rounds
2 Diversion Cameras

Gadgets:
Lock Picks
Silenced Pistol (40 rounds ammunition)
Laser Microphone
Camera Jammer
Optic Cable

On Site Procurement items:
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Data Stick - Code for courtyard gate (2126)
Disposable Pick (x2)
Medical Kit (x8)
Data Stick - Code for corridor door (70021)
Frag Grenade

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iv) Characters
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Kombayn Nickoladze:

You see this this guy a couple of times during the mission.  He is relatively
defenceless and the world would be better off without him.

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v) Enemies
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Note:  This section refers to enemies you actually fight.  For that reason I
didn't put Nickoladze in.


Palace Guards:

These guys are tough, they are slightly stronger than your average guard and if
they see you they aim for the head.  Don't expect to last too long if one of
these guys catches you out in the open.  They're armed with AKs and are very
accurate, even when you're crouching in the dark they can take off chunks of
your health with ease.  They are outfitted in a brown uniform with an officers
hat.

Guard Dogs:

There is only one of these in this level and only a handful throughout the
game.  They are very fast, quite small (like puppy size) and if they reach you
then be ready to feel pain.  Don't let dogs see you unless you are fully
prepared to shoot the crap out of them the moment they do.  If they start
running towards you it's pretty much game over because by the time you have got
them in your gun sights again they will have almost killed you.  The dog's bite
hurts as much as an AK fired at close range.  There is only one on this level
and he is accompanied by a guard.  Dogs can also smell you so don't think you
can't be found if you're in the dark.  If the dog catches your scent he will
not only wander off to find you, but bring the guard with him as well.  A bit
of luck is necessary to beat these fiends.

Georgian Special Forces:

You'll know these guys when you see them because apart from anything else they
look precisely the part.  Kelver body armour, protective combat helmets and
black BDUs.  These guys look as if they kick ass and they do.  When these guys
shoot they shoot to kill you within a few seconds.  That means they won't miss
you ever, unless something is obstructing their shots.  When fighting these
guys stay behind cover and shoot at their head when you get the chance.
They're armed with what appear AK-47s.

Hint:  Both types of guard use cover when they can and only lean out to take
shots at you.



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vi) Walkthrough
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Note:  At the start of this mission there is no room for error, up until you
get inside the actual palace you cannot set off any alarms whatsoever or else
the mission is over.  Once you get inside you have the privilage of being able
to make up to 3 mistakes before the mission is over.

Note:  This walkthrough was written under the Hard level of difficulty,
although there is really very little difference between Hard and Normal modes.


When you start you will notice three things.  The first is it is dark so you
don't need to worry about getting discovered.  The second is the spot light up
ahead which you don't want to be seen by and the third is the guard walking
towards you.  Lambert will contact you and inform you that you cannot set off
any alarms until you get into the palace.

You do not need to approach either the spotlight or the guard, your destination
is to the left.  There is a gap in the fence, which leads to the edge of the
cliff.  If you want to buy yourself some time then wait until the guard walking
towards you is out of range of the spotlight before sniping him.  That way you
have all the time in the world.  You should find a steam pipe jutting up out of
the ground on the edge of the cliff (use your night vision goggles if
necessary).  Move yourself around to the front of this pipe until you see the
option to rappel down the cliff.  Choose that option and begin your descent.

You'll see you're approaching a sewer, rappel all the way down to it and then
be ready to equip your thermal goggles.  There are no guards in this sewer
which makes things a bit easier, but what you do have to watch out for is the
infra red beams.  One wrong step and the alarm goes off and the mission is
over.

First set of infra red beams:
Once inside the sewer walk slowly forward with your thermal goggles equipped
you will see the first set of beams forming a cross shape in the tunnel.  These
ones are easy to pass, it's just a matter of timing your moves.  Wait until the
beams have momentarily switched off then make your move.

Second set of infra red beams:
Walk straight ahead until you reach an intersection.  Go right but take it
slow, you're about to encounter your first laser beams.  You should see two
beams, one is slightly higher and further away.  There is enough space between
the two to pass the first one and not run headlong into the second.  It's
common sense to time your moves so as not to cross either beam.  As soon as you
see the first one go off run past it but try to stop short of hitting the
second beam.  There should be plenty of space.  Once the second one has turned
off continue running.

Third set of infra red beams:
Continue until you reach a dead end and turn left.  The first beam you see is
on ground level, the easiest way to pass this is to press the triangle button
and move past it by hanging from above.  Make sure you pick your feet by
pressing the circle button.  You cannot continue past this last section by
hanging since there is a single high level beam that would catch you out.  Get
into the crouch position after you've dropped down and prepare to get past the
final beam.  This one not only blinks on and off slightly faster that the rest,
but you must stop immediately after crossing it.  This is because a wall mine
is in place.  There should be enough room and time for you to run past the
final beam and stop between it and the wall mine, right next to the barrels is
ideal.  Now walk slowly towards the mine and get ride beside it until you see
the option to disarm the mine.  You will notice that this mine has a light
which blinks from red to green constantly.  With the option to disarm the mine
still in your view press and hold the X button when you see it turn green.
Then you can let go and Sam will safely disarm the mine. If you try the same
when it's blinking red the mine will go off and Sam will either be killed or
severely hurt.

You no longer need your thermal goggles for now.  Continue walking until you
see a ladder and a manhole in the ceiling.  Get yourself into position and jump
up to grab hold on the ladder.  Pull yourself up and you will pass a...

*Checkpoint*

This next part is quite difficult.  It requires good timing and patience to get
it right.  You will se yourself emerge in a courtyard.  Once again you need
your thermals here so switch them on.  To your right is a hedge.  Your thermals
can see through it relatively clearly and if you use your binocular scope you
should see a guard passing the gate into the maze walking away from you.  Stay
exactly where you are because he is shortly followed by his four legged
companion.  This is the one and only dog you face in this level, but he's still
a great threat.

There is no real easy way to do this part of the level other than learning
exactly what to expect from the two foes you're facing.

The dog has an acute sense of smell and if he catches your scent he will
investigate bringing the guard with him.  You can use this to your advantage by
allowing the dog to sense your smell (you will now when he does because the
guard will say "he's picked up a scent") and then pulling back and setting up
to shoot the hell out of the dog and the guard who follows.

The guard isn't all that bright but his dog makes up for that.  He is quite a
good marksman and if he fires upon you, you can expect to get a little bit
damaged.  Your only option is to try to take him out before he causes you any
or too much damage.

My way was to simply wander a little way into the maze before hearing the guard
say "he's picked up a trail".  I then withdrew and set up with my SC-20K with
the auto-fire option switched on.  As soon as I had a clear shot at the dog who
had come round to investigate I did a couple of burst of fire and he was down.
The guard who followed took a few shots and succeeded in hurting me a little
before I was able to put him out of his misery.  With practice this can be done
flawlessly.  The guard is also carrying a data stick so be sure to pick up his
satchel.

Your next challenge is the cameras in the hedge maze.  These are equipped with
bulletproof casings but that is no problem since they rely entirely on the
light around them to see.  From the maze entrance turn left and continue up
this path.  You should hear the cameras by now but none of them can see you
yet.  The first camera can be seen as soon as you turn right at the end of this
path.  It is illuminated by a light near the cameras base.  Since you can't
shoot the camera out you do the next best thing.  Shoot the light out.  It is
very dark so you don't need to worry about being spotted when you lean out to
take the shot.  Once it is out equip your night vision goggles if you haven't
done so already.  You will see that this camera was guarding the passage into
the middle of the maze with curves around the right and into the path of a
second camera.  Again this second one is relying on light to see so just hide
in the shadows and shoot out the light when you feel you are ready.

You can now pass this second camera and proceed into the final area which is a
small courtyard with a fountain and another camera.  The camera here is
covering the area to the left of the main gate and is mounted right next to to
the left part of the gate.  This gate is what you want to go through.  Be very
careful here and don't come out of your shadows until you have seen exactly
where the camera is.  You want to go to the right and hug the edges of the
maze.  Wait until the camera is facing the other direction before running to
the right and into the corner of the maze. Aagin watch the camera from your
hidden position and when it's facing the other direction run to the top right
of the maze.  From here the camera can no longer see you.  Creep along this
front area and to the right gate.  This gate is keypad locked, but if you
picked up the satchel from the guard and dog you killed earlier you have the
code.  If you didn't then the code is: 2126.

Open the gate and into the new area.  Turn left and walk down the small flight
of stairs.  At the bottom is a panel to the right.  Choose the option to slide
the panel open.


*Save Point*


You will find yourself in a darkened room.  Explore the area to find the
Disposable Pick before going up the stairs.  There is a Medical Kit on a desk
at the top of the stairs.  Retrieve it before heading through the door.

Enter this large and keep alongside the left hand wall.  The door you want is
on the right side but for now you cannot access it due to the infra red beams
surrounding it.  Proceed on the left side about halfway up the hall.  When you
get this far the door you want to go through opens up and gives way to 3 guards
that walk into the room.  Use the pillars as cover and the Silenced Pistol to
learn around and pick off the guards.  You should be able to get one or two
with head shots.  Since they have come through the beams directly in front of
the door have been shut off clearing the way for you.  Make sure you hide the
bodies of the dead guards in the shadows.  One of them carries a Medical kit so
take that as well.

Go through the door and you will find yourself in a wooden staircase area.  The
staircase is protected by more infra red beams to have your thermals goggles at
the ready.  There is one beam at the bottom of the stairs and one at the top.
The one at the bottom is easy enough to pass.  At the bottom of the stairs
there is a radiator.  Jump on top of it then jumop again to grip the panel on
the wall.  Move to the left around towards the first beam.  You can easily
clear this beam using this method.

The second beam is slightly harder, it requires a careful run and jump to get
over it.  Once you have done proceed through the door at the top of the stairs.

There will be a door directly in front of you, so pick the lock and enter this
storage room.  Inside you can find another Disposable Pick and a Medical Kit.

Leave this room and follow the halfway round to a door at the end.

*Checkpoint*

Open this door and you will have your first encounter with the Georgian Special
Forces.  Shoot the one closest to you with a well aimed shot to the head.  The
second is on the balcony, you should be able to take him out too using the
sniper mode before he can cause much, if any, damage to you.  One of them
carries the corridor door code.  Hide the bodies in the halway you just came
from by shooting out the lights.

There is nothing in this area so go around and up the stairs.  The keypad code
for the door up here is gained from the soldier you just killed.  It is: 70021.
Go through the door.

*Checkpoint*

In this new large corridor there is plenty of light for the enemy to see you by
so make sure to shoot them out whenever you get the chance.  Use the pistol for
short range and the SC-20K's sniper function to shoot at long range.  Without
light you can easily pick off the Special Forces patrolling the hallways.
Before you proceed make sure you go down the two flights of stairs to your
left.  At the bottom is another Medical Kit.  At the end of the corridor is a
door that you cannot open just yet.  A little further back up the hallway there
is a small passage with a light and a bullet proof camera slowly rotating.
Shoot out the light and walk down this passage.  Pick the lock at the end of
it.

*Checkpoint*

This is the passage to the Presidential Office.  It has a number of infra red
beams that you must get past.  The first is relatively easy.  Just make sure
you in the crounching position and when you see the 3 lower middle beams go
off, run.  You will be low enough not to get caught by the two other beams.
Stop after you have crossed them and look to your right.  There is another on
the floor and one higher up in the same place.  This one takes a little running
jump to get past which shouldn't be too difficult, you just have to wit for the
top one to turn off before doing so.

You are now in the President's office.  Creep around behind the bookcases.  A
guard will have walked in walking to the President by phone.  Once he is
finished creep up behind him and knock him out.  You are now free to access the
computer containing the Ark Interrogation data.

New Objectives:
Use Nickoladze's retina to unlock the safe inside the vault in the library.
Retrieve the Ark from the safe inside the vault in the library.
The death of Nickoladze before retrieval of the Ark will result in mission
failure.

The room to the right of the computer you just accessed contains a Medical Kit.
Get it if you want.

Time to do a little back tracking now.  Go back past the infra red beams in the
passage and into the main corridor again.  The door at the end of this corrdor
is now open for business.  Inside is a single guard, 2 lights and a camera.
All except the camera should be destroyed.  Open the door and the guard will
come to investigate.  Before he can fire back kill him with a few rounds of
your SC-20K or just a single one to the head.  Shoot out the ceiling light
right in front of you.  Remain hidden in the shadows and slowly move around to
shoot out the second light.  The camera is now blind.  Move to the end of this
small corridor and open the door to continue.


*Save Point*


You will find yourself in a small corridor, walk through it to the door at the
other end.  On your way you may notice a couple of dead palace guards.  You can
ignore them.

Go through the door into a small passage.  This passage goes into a larger
corridor.  One Special Forces guard patrols this area, he can be easily taken
out by first destroying a few lights, he also carries a bit of ammo for you SC-
20K.  Walk to the end of this large corridor into an area with a wire mesh box
in the middle.  A defenceless technician is here.  You can kill him or knock
him out at your leisure.  Walk from this area to a staircase.  Go down it and
you will enter the library.

As soon as you walk in a group of three Special Forces commandos will scramble
to take you out.  If you don't stay behind cover they will take off a lot of
your health.  Try to take them out one by one.  The best position is the
bookcase to the right to when you first walk in.  From here you have a good
view of the two of the three guards.  One is behind the bookcase opposite where
you are standing.  The second in on the staircase and the third is behind the
wire mesh lift in the middle of the room.  To take out the last bad guy use a
smoke grenade to disorient him before killing him.  Two of the soldiers have
satchels, one has a Medical kit, the other has a Frag Grenade.

The bookcase on the bottom floor, and the top right from where you first walked
in has the passage behind it.  Walk down the passage and into the vault.

*Checkpoint*

Nickoladze is down here.  He is utterly defenceless.  All you have to do if
grab him from behind then force him to use the retinal scanner.

This is the cue for three Special Forces men to run in, after a brief cutscene
the power is cut.  Immediately equip your night vision goggles and take out the
guard right in from of you with a shot to the head.  The other two will hear
this and come running.  You will unlikely survive this without taking a bit of
damage, just try to limit it by hiding behind cover and using your pistol and
sniper scope.  Once they are down search their bodies, one carries another
Medical Kit.

Now it's time to leave the vault.

New Objective:  Kill Kombayn Nickoladze

Run back up the passage that you entered from and back into the library.  Don't
bother trying to find who is shooting at you, it will probably only serve to
injure you more.  Run straight to the door on your left and open it.


*Save point*


This is the final part.  You objective is to kill Nickoladze.  At the start you
will see him being escorted on a nearby balcony.  Run to your left and you
should see a guard patrolling on a balcony above you.  Kill him with a quick
shot to the head and climb up the drainpipe to his level.  Try to be quick
because there is another guard patrolling in the courtyard where you are.  If
it will put your mind at rest, then kill him also.

Up on the balcony run to the end and pick the lock to open the door.  From this
vantage point you have a great view of Nickladze, or more accurately, his head.
Snipe him with your SC-20K to rid the world of his ways.

Shortly after you do the door behind you opens.  Kill the Special Forces guy
who enters through it.  Now go in through the door he came from.

*Checkpoint*

This passage leads to the dining room where two guards are patrolling.  Ignore
them for now and set up to aim for the passage you just came from.  A guard
will run in from this direction shortly and you don't want to be caught off
guard.  Once you kill him the other guards will be alerted to your presence.
Taking them out with auto-fire shouldn't be a problem.  Just be careful not to
expose yourself too much.  One of them drops a Medical Kit so pick that up.
Run to the end of the dining area towards the door.

Congratulations you have just completed the final mission of Splinter Cell.

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vii) FAQ
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Q:  Why didn't you write a full FAQ for the game?

A:  Because when I started this FAQ there was no complete guide for this game
which featured the final level.  I had to do the final level without a guide
and I think for people who want a detailed one this should be of some use.


Q:  I keep running out of ammo, what am I doing wrong?

A:  Ammunition is not plentiful in this game.  You should make the best out of
what you're given.  No situation calls for prolonged bursts of automatic fire,
so don't do it.  Use your pistol when you can to pick off guards around
corners.  Throughout most of the game it is always wise to knock out your foes
with an elbow strike rather than deplete your small number of arms and
ammunition.


Q:  The guards can see me, even in pitch black.  This is stupid.

A:  One has to assume that their training has paid off and they have very good
eyesight and aim even in the dark.  As for it being stupid, well this game
isn't 100% realistic ya know.


Q:  Who would win in a fight, Solid Snake or Sam Fisher?

A:  Solid Snake is quicker, has better weapons, can take more damage and has
single handedly beaten multiple Metal Gears.  You figure it out.


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viii) Contributions
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If there is something I have missed out, or something you would like to add to
this FAQ then email it to [email protected] with the title "Splinter Cell FAQ".
Full credit will be given should I decide to include your point.  Feel free to
also ask questions which I shall include in the FAQ section.

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ix) Credits
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None so far.

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