Mission: Thunderbolt FAQ Version 0.1
Copyright 2002 Mike Sheley (
[email protected] /
[email protected])
Mission: Thunderbolt is a sci-fi "roguelike" game, with graphics and sound. It
was originally released and tested on DEC mainframes and was later ported to
both Mac OS and Windows. Unfortunately, the game was not a commercial success
and only parts 1 and 2 were released on the mac, and part 1 on the PC. The
original game had 4 parts. It remains to this day a challenging, yet balanced
game, filled with many secrets and very replayable. I wrote this FAQ because
there's no FAQ out there, and since I get about 1 e-mail a month about it, I
thought I would try to put a site on the internet where people can go to get
information about these great games.
Where can I acquire the game?
Unfortunately, you can no longer purchase Mission: Thunderbolt or Mission:
Firestorm. You can try contacting
[email protected] (the game's author) and see
if he is willing to sell you any spares he may have around his house, but as
things currently stand the game is no longer for sale.
Version History
-----
0.1 First release. Got sick of having all of this sitting on my hard drive,
unfinished, so decided to release what I had and see if anyone is even going to
read it.
Table of Contents
-----
1.0 Statistics
1a Strength
1b Dexterity
1c Constitution
1d Speed
1e Wisdom
1f Intelligance
1g Charisma
2.0 Status Effects
2a Overburdened
2b Paint Splattered
2c Slimy
2d Poisoned
2e Irradiated
2f Speeded up
2g Weakened
2h Fuzzy
2i Ill
2j Clumsy
2k Spotted
2l Uncoordinated
2m Keen eyed
3.0 Traps
3a Gravity well
3b Air traps
3c Radiation Trap
4.0 Buildings
4a AutoDoc
4b Vending Machine
4c Bank
4d Library
4e Reclamation Center
4f MegaCorp Factory Outlet
4g Transmat Booth
5.0 Items
6.0 General Strategies
7.0 Secrets
8.0 Pills
9.0 Regions
9a Region 1
9b Region 2
9c Region 3
9d Region 4
9e Region 5
9f Region 6
9g Region 7
9h Region 8
9i Region 9
9j Region 10
9k Region 11
9l Region 12
9m Region 13
9n Region 14
9o Region 15
9p Region 16
9q DetCom1
9r DetCom2
9s Warren 2
9t Warren 3
9u Warren 6
9v Warren 7
9w Warren 8
9x Warren 12
10.0 Random Happenings
1.0 Statistics
-----
1a Strength (STR) - Determines how much you can carry and how hard your melee
attacks hit. Your carrying capacity is 10*STR. You become overburdened at
9*STR.
1b Dexterity (DEX) - Nimbleness and coordination. Helps a lot with melee
ability and several trap checks. The manual suggests a very high starting dex,
as missing at melee at the beginning can spell an early death, as can falling
down holes.
1c Constitution (CON) - General Health and heartiness. I believe it affects how
quickly you recover from poison and radiation sickness. CON also determines the
bonus to hps received each level (1 extra hp for every 2 point of CON above 10).
The bonus is not retroactive, however, so having a high CON as early as possible
for the quick and easy "early" levels is quite desirable.
1d Speed (SPD) - Quickness. Determines your run speed. A high speed is
obviously useful for getting out of trouble. Supposedly a really high speed
lets you get extra attacks in.
1e Wisdom (WIS) - Practical knowledge and common sense. I believe it may help
with your "saving throw" when traps go off, or when a monster uses any kind of
mind altering ability on you, but I am not totally sure. Together with
intelligence determines what one sees when examining an unidentified strange
device.
1f Intelligence (INT) - Book learning and reasoning ability. Together with
Wisdom determines what one sees when examining an unidentified strange device.
1g Charisma (CHR) - Personal charm and general likeableness. May assist gaining
friends, not sure though. If your charisma changes either through a pill of
beauty or a pill of ugliness, any current friends you have made will no longer
recognize you after several turns and have to be re-befriended.
2.0 Status ailments
-----
2a Overburdened - You become overburdened when you are carrying 9*STR weight in
stones. This makes pretty much everything more difficult. Be very careful
going down stairs or walking over holes while overburdened. If you do fall down
a hole of the stairs there is a chance you will drop either your main weapon or
your reserve. This can cause damage to the weapons. To cure this ailment,
simply drop some weight until below 9*STR.
2b Paint Splattered - This occurs after getting shot by a kiddie kommando unit's
paintball gun. When you are initially shot, there is a chance you will be
blinded. I am not sure of the effects that being paint splatter have on you. I
suspect it has a small effect on fighting skills, but am not really sure. To
cure this ailment, have a utility bot scrub you clean.
2c Slimy - This occurs have getting slimed by a slimy thing. This prevents you
from running (annoying). In addition, be careful walking over holes and
staircases, as there is an increased chance of slipping, falling, and dropping
your weapons. When you initially get slimed there is a chance
2d Poisoned - You've been poisoned, generally from a pill of poison, a viper, or
a fangwing. Fangwing poison is especially deadly at the time it is encountered.
Your choices are to wait out the poison, find an autodoc, or eat a pill of
neutralize poison.
2e Irradiated - You've been exposed to radiation! This happens when you step
into certain traps. Your only choice is to wait it out, though having pills of
healing handy or an autodoc can make this easier.
2f Speeded up - You are FAAAST! When you first pop a pill of speed, it will
speed you up a whole bunch in the short term! This allows you to get 2,
sometimes 3 actions before opponents can respond. Great for those tough fights.
Wears off by itself before long.
2g Weakened - Your str has been lowered from its natural maximum, thanks to a
Giant Ant. You can get this fixed back up at an autodoc, or you can eat a pill
of strength. I'd suggest getting things fixed up at the autodoc before eating
any pills of strength, however.
2h Fuzzy - Drinking from a water fountain will clear this up.
2i Ill -
2j Clumsy - You are clumsy and tend to drop things. This happens after getting
pricked by a prickly orb. Be very careful around holes, staircases, and
industrial sludge. It is a good idea to unequip your weapons until the
clumsiness has worn off, as you are quite likely to drop them.
2k Spotted - Strange spots cover your body. This occurs when you eat a pill of
beastliness. I haven't determined what this affects, usually since I don't go
around eating pills of beastliness. Maybe you can go into a berzerker rage and
kill everything RAWWWWWRRR!!!!! Then again, maybe not. ; )
2l Uncoordinated - Your dex has been lowered from its natural maximum, usually
thanks to a ????. This can be fixed up at an autodoc.
2m Keen eyed - Occurs by munching a pill of keen sightedness. Allows you to see
as far as a fully charged light globe. If, however, you combine it with a lit
light globe.... well, then you can see a bit further. In fact, a lot
further..... and walls? HAH! walls are nothing for your keen eyes lit up by the
power of the light globe!
3.0 Traps
-----
3a Gravity well - "You are slammed to the floor by a gravity well!" Gravity
wells generally are not deadly, but are almost always annoying. A gravity well
prevents you from moving and from using a melee weapon. If you try to do either
you get "slammed to the floor by the gravity well!" as well as a nice bruise or
two. A gravbelt doesn't help with this. Basically, you have 3 options. 1)
Disarm the gravity well. This is fairly difficult and will probably require a
sonic screwdriver, though it may be possible with a crowbar at high levels of
skill. 2) Destroy the gravity well. While it is impossible to move, it is
still possible to attack the floor with a melee weapon. If one destroys the
floor with several well placed attacks, the gravity well will explode and
usually knock you around a bit, possibly dropping you through a hole in the
floor. This is a bit risky, but can get you out. 3) Drop everything you are
carrying. If you are carrying nothing (weight is 0 stones) you can usually
squirm out after a few turns. This is usually the best option for getting out,
but you have to be careful when dropping equipment on the ground in order to
ensure that it doesnt fall down holes / stairs / radioactive goo. Also, at
least 1 item must be dropped on the gravity well itself and will be
unretrievable.
3b Air Traps - "A blast of cool/hot air drifts up from the floor" These traps
are BAAAD news. They often destroy portions of your carried equipment outright.
Whatever is not destroyed is often damaged. These traps are the main reason
that it is important to have backup stashes of equipment handy. These traps are
make it prudent to be very careful moving around the levels. AutoSearch is
extremely handy when exploring a new zone for the first time. I must admit --
these traps are the ones that usually make me want to reload a saved game. It's
very frustrating to see all of your favorite equipment go up in smoke, but
despite the frustration it is usually not a game ending problem and keeps things
exciting as you may be stuck using "sub-par" weaponry for awhile.
3c Radiation Trap - "Your skin feels flushed with warmth..." Raidiation
poisoning! This sounds better, but its actually one of the better traps to set
off, because it doesnt hose your equipment. Once this goes off its best to find
a nice quiet corner to recover in, as there's no direct way to cure it. Just
have to wait it out. A pill of healing or 2 will ensure you don't die. ; )
4.0 Buildings
-----
There are a wide variety of handy little shows in Thunderbolt and firestorm. Be
sure to inspect them before using them, however, as a damaged shop can have some
fairly adverse effects. While a few of the booths can be moved, you cannot
enter a warren or another booth while you are carrying one.
4a AutoDoc - Your local chop shop! For a fee you can get health restored,
poison cured, strength restored, dexterity restored, as well as constitution
restored. If you have enough strength, you can pick up an AutoDoc and move it
around. A damaged autodoc will ZOT you if you try to use it. Autodoc's are a
dark blue.
4b Vending Machine - Ahhh, vending machines.... what would life be like without
them? Here you can pickup gyrojets, flares, small powercells, large powercells,
and the ever popular medicinal tablets. Vending machines do have a limited
stock on hand, but it is difficult to scrounge up enough coin to buy out a
vending machine until after one has found the reclamation center. Occasionally
when purchasing a medicinal tablet, the vending machine will toss out a random
pill instead of one of the set "healing" ones. Vending machines can be picked
up and moved around with enough strength. Veding Machines are orange. The
general pills a vending machine gives out includes the following:
Pill of healing
Pill of cure clumsiness
Pill of neutralize poison
Pill of good health
Pill of cure confusion
4c Bank - Banks allow you to make deposits, withdrawals, and get the balance
statement on your account. Service with a smile, citizen! If you happened to
get captured and have your bank account closed, you can come here to open up a
new account. Some places only deal with your bank account, such as libraries,
reclamation centers, and the MegaCorp Factory outlet. Banks are yellow.
4d Library - Libraries are handy places indeed. For 50 coins a pop from your
bank account, they will identify any one item and return a brief, albeit
scientific, description of it. This is a great way to learn what pills do
without having to result to experimentation or (boo!!!!!) save scumming. In
addition, if you find a strange device and cannot figure out what it is for, a
trip to the library can usually solve that problem. There is always a library
on region 7. (figure out what the pills of cure poison are before the fangwings
get you...) Libraries are a dark green.
4e Reclamation Center - Reclamation centers are wonderful places. This is where
you can dump all of the extra trash you arent using in exchange for a nice boost
to your bank account. Without a reclamation center it is virtually impossible
to raise enough money to buy some of the more expensive things at the MegaCorp
Factory Outlet. I've found that melee weapons and strange devices and armor
tend to bring in the most cash. Ranged weapons offer much less. Scrap metal
can be turned in for 1 coin per stone in weight. There is 1 reclamation center
in the first 16 regions, and 1 more in the deeper (firestorm only) regions.
These are a dark red.
4f MegaCorp Factory Outlet - The ultimate in 1 stop shopping. This place is
like a vending machine that's been popping back the pills of learning. A wide
variety of items are available here. If you dont find anything you are
interested in, it can be a good idea to "buy out" the cheap stuff... If there
are several slots out of stock the factory will often close and restock and then
reopen with fun new toys to purchase! I haven't managed to get enough strength
to life one of these badboys just yet ; ). There is 1 MegaCorp Factory Outlet
in the first 16 regions, and at least 1 more in the deeper (firestorm only)
regions. Factory Outlets are a bright green color.
4g Transmat Booth - Ah yes, transmat booths. These will teleport you to other
regions at the cost of 1 coin per floor. Useful for moving quickly between
regions... The only problem is that they are never located in the regions you
want one in... Fortunately, Trasmat Booths can be picked up and moved around if
you have enough strength. They are purple.
5.0 Items
-----
The huge variety of items and creative ways of using them is one of the most
appealing things about Thunderbolt and Firestorm. I will try to hit the high
points here, feel free to mail me with missing information, as I am sure there
is always more to learn.
Dirty Rags - Radioactive rags that will kill you if you don't drop them. One of
the first red herrings you will run into it. I haven't found a use for them,
mostly because I havent picked them up since my first game. ; )
Soft Pillow - Doubles the rate that health is recovered while resting. It has
to be dropped onto the ground to take effect.
Gravebelt - when worn, charged, and activated, will allow the user to float
above the ground, thereby avoiding industrial sludge and falls down holes. It
also becomes possible to float up holes.
Light globes - extends the range of vision around the user. When combined with
a pill of keen sightedness, will allow the user to see twice as far as a light
globe or pill of keen sightedness alone, as well as through wells. Can be
charged by powercells, but not large powercells. 1 charge from the powercell =
30 turns of light. Generally found around region 2 or so. One of the first
strange devices you will find. Weighs 3 stones and often comes with a hundred
or so charges when found.
Sonic screwdriver - A great device for disarming traps as well as repairing
equipment. Each use expends a charge in the screwdriver. Can be charged by
powercells, large powercells, and powerpaks. 10 charges from the powercell = 1
charge in the screwdriver. Weighs 2???(maybe 3) stones.
Stasis bag - A great device for carrying around powercells and charged tools
like panic buttons and sonic screwdrivers. Anything inside a closed stasis bag
will not suffer from those mysterious power drains that occur all too often.
Can be opened and closed. Weighs ??? stones.
Holocube - A strange device used to create an artificial, indestructible wall.
When activated and thrown or tossed on the ground, creates a shimmering,
invincible wall. Not very useful in thunderbolt, but can be handy in firestorm.
Weighs 3 stones.
Crowbow - One of the most useful of all items. Can be used to jimmy locks,
disarm traps, knock down walls (using your primary weapon for this dulls the
edge) and even as a weapon early in the game. Always carry one as soon as you
find one. This will be your primary means of opening locks for most of the game
(if it says you aren't strong enough to force the lock, give the door/crate a
few whacks with the crowbar and then try again, this should weaken the lock).
Weighs 7 stones.
Colns - Money! 1 coin weighs 1 stone. Some booths (AutoDoc, Vending Machine,
and transmat booth) require you to have cash on hands for services. Some
monsters (such as moppits) have an affinity for coins.
Oddly Shaped Coin - The currency of the Zytts? These are, for the most part,
worthless. Though moppits also have an affinity for oddly shaped coins.
6.0 General Strategies
-----
Traps are DEADLY - In the later regions especially, it pays to tread carefully
and slowly. If you are trying to win without "save scumming", this is
especially important. Falling into a gravity well at the wrong time (especially
in a warren) can really put a damper on things. Traps that destory your hardwon
equipment can be equally frustrating.
Stay organized - keep your equipment charged and carry tools with you. A light
globe, panic button, crowbow, sonic screwdriver, gravbelt, forcefield pack,
stasis bag, knife of some kind, can all come in handy, but generally don't do
much if they aren't charged and ready to go. When entering unexplored territory,
it is very helpful to keep your light globe up, and the forcefield pack active
if it looks like you will be engaging in combat. Just remember to turn them off
when you are done exploring / fighting and before resting.
Don't get too attached to your equipment - There are many things that can mess
up your equipment.... Traps, monsters, falling, getting captured, falling into
radioactive sludge, etc.... Thunderbolt is not like most roguelikes where you
can get the 'uber' items and then just coast through the game, pretty much
invincible... Even if you are burning the monsters into slag with your Helgun
and then chopping them into tiny bits with some SuperSlicerDicer sword, if you
hit a trap, fall in some goo, or get a weapon stolen / knocked out of your hand,
you'll need some backup items to fall back on. it can be a good idea to make a
few "stashes" in out of the way areas with doors, where you gather up all the
items in the region in case you need to come back for some new equipment.
Know when to run - Oftentimes you will run into a monster (or sometimes even an
entire region) that you can't handle. It can be good to run from the monster
and ditch him somewhere (like a cleared warren or a region you don't go to much),
or if its the region that is too nasty, make your own staircase with a hole in
the floor and a stepladder underneathe. Come back once you find some better
equipment, or never come back, if it is too risky. Completing the mission is
your #1 priority, not exterminating everything in sight.
Utilize the tools availible - Don't waste what's around... If there's a lot of
loose change around, round it up and put it in a bank, or near a vending machine
/ autodoc. Make sure to identify all the pills you find as soon as you can.
Clean up dangerous things like holes with utility bots. Pickup a few bones and
keep them handy if you ever need to get a dog friend. If you're feeling lucky,
find a mech and drag him on over to a broken piece of equipment.
Prepare for tough battles - If you hear the imposing sounds of a dreadnaught
nearby (walls and equipment disintergrating and such), it's usually a good idea
to leave the region until you are ready for the fight. Eat a pill of perception
if you can, so you know where the dreadnaught is. Take all those grenades
you've been saving, activate them, and put them in an open container.... if you
then throw this container, every grenade in it will go off in the time it would
normally take to throw 1 grenade. 7 or so grenades can you can easily take down
a dreadnaught, or at least soften him up for the melee.... ; ) If that fails,
break out the ole stimmer, make as many friends as you possibly can, especially
good melee friends like Giant Tentacular Horrors. They can prove a nice
distraction while you sit back and take pot shots. If you are forced to melee,
make sure you have all the best armor you can afford.... 3 towels, a trash can
lid, a suit, and an forcefield pack. A high AC really does help a lot in those
tough fights!
7.0 Secrets
-----
Bug-Eyed Monster Alliance - It is possible to ally with the Bug-Eyed Monsters.
You'll notice as a way to "attack", the BGMs sometimes shake your hand
(sometimes causing you to drop things) and say "Taykk Mee Tu Yor Leedur?" (or
something like that ; ) ) Well, if you use a stimmer on one to make it friendly
(it can take awhile), they will stop attacking you and shaking your hand and
instead occasionally tap you on the shoulder and again ask to see your leader.
Run one back up to region one, then go up the stairs like you would normally do
after winning or wimping out. You'll get whisked back to headquarters with your
newfound friend and General Claibourne will want to have a few words with you....
Jaunt Troopers - Very rarely (I've only seen it happen once in about 10 years of
playing t-bolt on and off, and it was about 9 years ago), when you push a panic
button it will call up a squad of jaunt troopers into the region instead of
teleporting you back to region 1. These fellows then proceed to blast all
nearby baddies into pure slag. Very fun if it can happen.... Always raises the
question, are they killable? And what do they drop if they are? =) If anyone
finds out, let me know.
8.0 Pills
-----
Pill Function Vending Machine? Notes:
----- -----
Healing Restores HP Yes Always useful to stockpile
from vending machines
Cure Poison Cures Poison Yes Very handy to have at least 1
before Region 7 (where fangwings become common)
Cure Conf. Cures Confusion Yes Useful around lots of floating
eyes (region 12+ or a warren) and around toxic waste / lots of traps / holes
Good Health Increases Max HPYes Emptying out vending machine should
provide enough of these to get another dozen max hps or so.
Learning Increases Level No These give you enough EPS to
increase your level by one. Generally worth saving until just after you gain a
level normally in order to earn maximum EPS from them.
Keen Sight Keen Sight
9.0 Regions
-----
9a Region 1: Where it all begins. This is a randomized region that can be
different every time. Going up from here with the L.A.M.B. will complete
Mission Thunderbolt, and going up after killing the Queen Zytt with complete
Mission: Firestorm. This is where a panic button usually dumps you. There is
often an AutoDoc and/or a Transmat Booth on Region 1. Possible warren enemies
from here include Grekles, Vipers, Troglodytes, and Razorsnouts.
9b Region 2: This region has the same layout every time. Look for lots of
giant ants and wild dogs on this region, as well as the occasional slimy thing.
It is a good idea to find a small wooden crate asap to stuff your pills in,
otherwise the slimy things will dissolve them away upon sliming you. There is
often a Bank on this region. It is possible here for the warren to have
fangwings (though quite rare).
9c Region 3: Another random region. The warren can have Troglodytes.
9d Region 4: This region has the same layout every time. Moppets show up here,
as well as lots of kiddie commando units.
9e Region 5:
9f Region 6:
9g Region 7: Library. Needlenose warren.
9h Region 8: Random. Flutterbang warren is possible.
9i Region 9:
9j Region 10:
9k Region 11:
9l Region 12:
9m Region 13:
9n Region 14:
9o Region 15:
9p Region 16: The final region! This is considered a "warren" or "deep" region,
panic buttons do not work here, pills of perception do not work here either. It
is a good idea to use the pill of keen sight + light globe combination on this
region to see as much as possible as soon as possible. Be careful where you
throw grenades around here -- you do *NOT* want to set off the L.A.M.B. by
accident. ; ) There are slews of antique swords, forcefield packs, and other
items with great reclamation values. If you've had your eye on something on the
Factory Outlet, this is a great place to raise the cash for it. This region is
filled with GTHs, Zytts, as well as their mechanical servants. Make sure your
forcefield pack is on pretty much at all times, and bring lots of pills of
healing. There are plenty of powercells lying around to keep your equipment
charged up. A neuro whip is especially effective against Zytts and the GTH's,
as they can put your enemies to sleep. There are three Giant Zytts on this
region. Be especially careful around them, they hit *HARD*.
9q DetCom1: Heh -- if you get here consider yourself lucky for not dying.
9r DetCom2:
9s Warren 2:
9t Warren 3: This warren has a nice vault to the south of the entrance, as well
as a staircase to another warren.
9u Warren 6: This warren is the top of a 3 level descent.
9v Warren 7:
9w Warren 8:
9x Warren 12: This warren is filled almost to the brim with radioactive goo.
It's tough to explore without a biochemical jumpsuit or a gravbelt.
10.0 Random Happenings
-----
"You sense something ominous almost happened ..."
"There is a sudden and mysterious energy drain on your equipment."
"You have a nasty feelings about this place ..."
