Introducting the...


   Captain Novolin FAQ/Walkthrough

   Version 1.2

   Author: ThunderFist([email protected])

   Date written: August 27, 2002

   Updated: August 30, 2002
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   Table of Contents

   1: Introduction/Disclaimer
 1.1: What is Captain Novolin about?
 1.2: Updates

   2: Walkthrough
 2.1: List of questions and answers(will be updated in the future)
 2.2: Information requested

   3: Copyright statement

   4: Thanks

   5: Contact information

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Introduction

I apologize first of all for the lack of flashiness in the faq. I am not an
ascii artist by any stretch of the means, so I won't even try it. :P This is my
first faq I have attempted to get published on a site like gamefaqs.com, so I am
really happy that all of you reading this have taken the time to browse this faq.
First of all, I do not claim ownership to Captain Novolin, nor do I hold any
stock in Raya Systems or Sculptured Software(the distrubting and designing
companies respectively).

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What is Captain Novolin about?

"Captain Novolin is a game that teaches you about diabetes. But remember, this
game doesn't tell you how to manage your diabetes. Your doctor will tell you
about your individual care. WARNING: ANY CHANGE IN INSULIN SHOULD BE MADE
CAUTIOUSLY AND ONLY UNDER MEDICAL SUPERVISION."

This quote is seen upon beginning the game, and is almost all you need to know
to get started. Captain Novolin is basically a very easy game in the vein of
the Super Mario Bros. series, which teaches about diabetes. I bought this game
because my best friend became diabetic not long after I met him for the first
time and I wanted to learn more about his condition. In the walkthrough, I will
discuss the foods that the doctors in the game tell Captain Novolin are safe
for him to eat, as well as basic strategies for the enemies you will find in
the game. In addition, I will also introduce some of the questions that the
game may ask at the end of each level. The game includes a password feature,
but I do not know how this feature works(see section 2.2).

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Updates

At this point, there is not much to report on updates. Version 1.1 is simply a
better proofread version of 1.0, and thus almost all changes are spelling and
grammatical changes. However, I also changed the level 7 walkthrough slightly -
the strategy of getting past the ice cream cone at the tricky jump has been
changed to a more effective strategy, and one question and answer has been added
to section 2.1. In version 1.2, a few changes were made to ensure that the faq
shows up better in ascii format.

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Walkthrough

In a typical city, Mayor Gooden has been captured by "sugar baddies" - aliens
from another world who are disguised as sugary foods - and taken to the top of
Mt. Wayupthar. Mayor Gooden only has enough diabetic supplies to last for 2 days,
so he desperately needs help... help from none other than Captain Novolin!
Unfortunately, the Captain is also diabetic, so he must beware of contact with
the sugar baddies, as well as making sure that his blood sugar stays in the safe
zone.

At the beginning, Captain Novolin's female doctor reminds him to take his
insulin, and the usual dosage is automatically selected when the down arrow is
pressed. You cannot change the dosage, which is a good thing, because anyone who
knows anyone with diabetes knows how important it is for them to have just the
right amount of insulin in their system. After the Captain takes his insulin, a
male doctor tells him what is safe for him to eat in his breakfast meal plan,
which consists of:

Peanut butter toast, half a banana, a bowl of cereal, and a glass of milk.

The doctor also tells him to eat an apple and crackers for a morning snack.

With this done, Captain Novolin begins his mission to save Mayor Gooden! The
terrain in the first level is simple enough that you should be able to get
through on just a little info on how the sugar baddies move, and I will also
introduce a few basic icons that come into play during the game. The first
thing you will notice is that there is a big star on an awning. This is not a
decoration - it contains a clue that will help the player answer a question at
the end of each level. Be sure to touch each star at the beginning of each
level and take note of what the clue says. After doing this, the first enemy
you will meet is a doughnut with pink icing. Doughnuts always come at you
bouncing high - they never move any other way except this very high bounce.
The best way to do away with them is to wait until they are on their way down
from a bounce, and then jump at them. I should note here that during my first
few attempts to beat this game, since I did not have an instruction manual
when I first played this game, I didn't think stomping was possible after I
simply jumped and ended up atop the enemy and took damage. You must press
down while you are in the air to stomp an enemy. Cereal boxes and soda cans
just go straight at you - they should be easy to defeat. Candy bars go
straight at you also, but they pick up speed as they get close, so be watchful
of this. Cookies make small hops toward you, but if you jump, they will also
jump high, making them more difficult to handle. The best way to deal with
cookies is to jump at them when you are somewhat close, during one of their
small leaps. It will make a big jump, but directly under you, so you will
stomp it. Mainly, these are all the baddies you will find in the first level.
I should also mention to you that you should eat one of each food, but only
one, so that your blood sugar does not get too high. However, if you eat less
than one of each food, your blood sugar will get too low. Near the end of each
stage is a blue square which, when you touch it, will take you to a screen
where you can check your blood sugar. At the end of each level, you get bonus
points if your blood sugar is in the safe(green) zone(5,000 for levels 1 and
5, 10,000 for levels 2 and 6, 15,000 for levels 3 and 7, and 20,000 for
levels 4 and 8).


Level 2 is the same setting - the city - only now it's afternoon, and it is
now time for lunch. Here is your lunchtime menu:

Carrots, grapes, a tuna sandwich, and a glass of milk, with pretzels and
cheese for an afternoon snack.

Once again, the terrain is very simple, so you shouldn't have much
difficulty getting through this level. Just deal with your enemies as usual
and you will be fine.

Level 3 marks the middle of Captain Novolin's waking period - time for
another dose of insulin. Captain Novolin's dinner consists of:

A chicken leg, a potato, green salad with dressing, cherries, and a roll.

Now things are starting to get different. Not only is it night, but Captain
Novolin is on a lake driving his speedboat. Same basic controls apply -
Captain Novolin can still stomp while in the boat, just like when he is on
land, though the difference here is that instead of using left and right to
walk, you will be using them to brake and accellerate the boat. You will
face 3 enemies here, each of them new: packs of gum, twizzlers, and a soda
bottle. Try to avoid the twizzlers - they fly in a zigzag pattern, going up
and down, so it is a bit tricky to stomp them. In some areas, if you see a
piece of food you have already gotten, it may be difficult to avoid the next
piece if an enemy is near it. In this case, try to brake before you reach it,
stomp the enemy when your movement is under control, and then maneuver past
the food without eating it. If you find this too hard to accomplish, the next
time you try the level, try to avoid that piece of food at the beginning so
that you won't have to avoid it at the point where it gets difficult. Other
than that, nothing big to mention.

Level 4 - time for an evening snack. Captain Novolin will have an appetite
for:

A turkey sandwich, and a glass of milk.

The setting for this level is a forest. Mostly familiar enemies here, though
the twizzlers will show up here. This will be your first time dealing with
them on land. They're much easier to stomp on land - wait for them to dip,
jump really high, then come down on them when they're at their low point.
Also, you will meet ice cream cones here. These don't move, but they do pick
off specks of ice cream from their crowns and fling them at you. The ice
cream travels in an arc and has decent range, but they are easy if you stay
out of range on their first throw, then jump before they get the second off.
When you land, get close to the cone and duck. The third throw will go over
your head. When it does, jump and stomp the cone. They only present a real
problem when there are 2 of them - 1 behind another. In this case, stay out
of the closer one's range and try to get close to the one closer to you and
duck. Both ice cream particles should go over your head. Stomp the first
cone, then keep holding down so you will duck the moment you touch the
ground. This will enable you to duck the second cone's ammo and do away
with it like you did the first.

Congratulations! You have gone through your first day as Captain Novolin! You
will now see your logbook, which shows which foods you ate at which times,
your blood sugar level, and the number of insulin doses you took(which is
always 2 if you play without passwords).

Level 5 starts off day 2 with another insulin shot and another ride in your
speedboat. Your breakfast will be the same as it was the first day.
Dockmaster Joe greets Captain Novolin at the dock this time and offers him a
pair of shoes to protect his feet(an area of concern for diabetics). Captain
Novolin thanks Joe and says will be sure to wear them. The only thing
different about this level is that the packs of gum now blow bubbles. These
bubbles travel upward at an angle toward the left, and cause injury to
Captain Novolin just like touching a sugar baddie would. The best way to deal
with packs of gum in this level is to brake as soon as you see one, then wait
for it to blow a bubble. When it gets a little bit up the screen, before it
can blow another, accellerate, jump and stomp the pack of gum. 2 packs of gum
are very tricky - much moreso than 2 ice cream cones. You may take a hit
getting by them, and in this level you are much more likely to see a piece of
food you will have trouble avoiding, because of the gum packs blowing their
bubbles.

Level 6 - time for a hike up Mt. Wayupthar! You are getting close to the end
here. Lunch will consist of the same food items as before. Captain Novolin
greets Ranger Betty at the start of the mountain and tells her he is
diabetic, then asks her if there is anything he needs to know before
climbing the mountain. Ranger Betty tells the Captain that exercise like
mountain climbing makes the body's insulin level change a bit, and reminds
him to bring plenty of snacks with him. Luckily, he is going to eat on his
way up anyway. ^_^ The terrain is a bit uneven here, and the mountain is the
only place where you can fall to your death. Just deal with the jumps
accordingly and you should do fine. In some areas, the uneven terrain
actually helps you. If you are on a higher level than a cookie, you can jump
while it's hopping(small hops), and it will be much easier for you to stomp
it than if you were on the same level.

Level 7 - insulin dose number 2 of the day as Captain Novolin continues to
make his way up Mt. Wayupthar. The Captain meets Ranger Ralph here, and
notifies him also that he has diabetes. A medical card is shown here with
the following written on it:

I HAVE DIABETES  If I am found ill or fainting, please give me some sugar.
If this does not revive me, please call a doctor or an ambulance
immediately.

This medical card is one that diabetics always carry with them. Ranger
Ralph tells Captain Novolin that this card will let the rangers know that
he has diabetes, and that with that card, they will have a good idea of
how to help him. The only tricky spot of mention in this level involves a
jump over a hole from a lower cliff to a higher one. The problem is that an
ice cream cone is waiting for you on the higher perch. Stay out of its range
for a few shots, then get to where they are landing, jump as a speck of ice
cream is in flight, land in that area(you will come down after the ice cream,
so you will not be hurt), then jump toward the cone from there as he is
getting another speck of ice cream to throw at you. You should land before
it can throw the ice cream. This should put you in front of the ice cream
cone. You know what to do from there.

Level 8 - the alien spaceship, and the final showdown against the sugar
baddies. The bad news is that Mayor Gooden's diabetic supplies have run
out, so you'd better get to him pronto. Here, the terrain is much like the
city and the woods, except for patches of the floor that are electrified.
The doughnut reappears at the beginning of the level for the first time
since the city. Stay back and stomp it before you try to get past the
electrified area of the floor. Basically every enemy will show up here
except for the packs of gum(thank goodness). Just deal with them as you
have before, taking care to watch out for the electrified floor. When you
reach the sugar baddies' boss, you will find him levitating and throwing
pies at you at 2 different levels. Jump or duck them as they come, also
jumping the electrical currents in the floor. Those currents aren't all bad,
however - they are the key to beating the boss. What you must do is hit the
lever so that it points in his direction instead of yours - jump the pies and
currents and come down on the lever. The next current that comes will go to
him and shock him, returning the lever to facing your direction once
again. Simply hit the lever twice more, and after the third shock, the boss
turns to dust, allowing you to face the final challenge(don't worry, it's
not a fight or anything). Captain Novolin finds Mayor Gooden suffering
from hypoglycemia(low blood sugar). Captain must do something to help the
mayor, and fast, but what should he do? At times, Mayor Gooden's blood sugar
will read 50, and at times 30. If his blood sugar is 50, then Captain
Novolin should feed the mayor sugar packets to revive him, and then cheese
and crackers to help stablize his blood sugar. If it is 30, he needs a shot
of insulin and fast. Once the mayor receives the shot, feed him cheese and
crackers and he will be fine. If you make the wrong choice, don't worry -
the Captain will automatically perform the correct action, so Mayor Gooden
won't die. Check your logbook, then as the sugar baddies make their way off
Earth, Captain Novolin receives the key to the city(which is never named)
from a grateful Mayor Gooden. Well done!

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Questions and answers

Hypoglycemia is when blood sugars are ____. * low

Hyperglycemia is when bloos sugars are ____. * high

When checking your feet, make sure to look for: * rubbing from shoes, white
spots that aren't always there, and I believe chafing(all of the above)

When the body does not have enough insulin, this could lead to: * Type I
diabetes

When the body has too much insulin, this could lead to: * Type II diabetes

Which of the following is not a good place to take an insulin shot? * in the
knee

It is best to stay away from which types of foods? * sugary foods

Where should unopened bottles of insulin be kept? * in the refrigerator

How does insulin help your body in regards to food? * insulin helps your body
derive energy from food

Which of the following is a symptom of diabetes? * going to the bathroom all the
time

More in the future.

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Information requested

There is a password feature in the game, with which you enter a 3 digit
password. The game tells you to enter the password your doctor said is best for
you, or 000 if you were given no password. There are no passwords given in the
game, so I am guessing that either a real doctor or the instruction booklet
(since I do not have it, I am not certain) gave these passwords. I received an
email from someone who claims to be an employee at Sculptured Software who
wanted to get a copy of the game for himself, but he was unable to tell me how
this feature is used. If anyone knows of any passwords and/or how they affect
the gameplay, please contact me at the address below so that I can share the
information in this faq. Thank you.

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Copyright statement

This faq is copyright 2002 by ThunderFist, and may not be used on any website
without prior concent from the author. In the event that permission is granted
to post this faq elsewhere, it must remain unchanged - ThunderFist alone will
be the sole updater to this faq.  However, anyone to whom ThunderFist has given
permission to post this faq, will be allowed to update to the current version of
the faq, and that person will be notified when a change has been made so that
they may update. If this faq is found to be posted without prior concent from
the author, a request will be issued to take it down immediately. If this
request is not obeyed, further action shall be taken as it is deemed necessary
by the author. Thank you for your anticipated respect of this request.
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Thanks

Thanks to all the faq writers out there who inspired me to write one of my own,
and thanks also to the gamers who take the time to read this faq. I hope this
helps any who have played, or who are considering playing, Captain Novolin.

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Contact information

I would prefer all readers of this faq to browse it carefully before emailing
me. However, in the event you know something that I do not have here or if I
made a mistake in posting an area or enemy description, please send a POLITE
email to:

[email protected]

If you find a mistake, do not flame me or your address will be blocked and your
email ignored. Thanks to everyone reading this for taking the time to read my
first faq - I hope to write more in the future!

ThunderFist

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