So I wanted to find those sentients but the game just cut me off once I approached that structure below those big pods in the core.

After it showed the cut scene and the game gave me no choice but to return to the base camp, I thought "WTF?! What about the sentients?!", killed the game via task manager and loaded up the last save.

Then I instead opened one pod, this thing came out and there is no talk about "Oooh, a aentient" or anything but instead, I still have a mission objective saying I should look for more signs of sentient life as well as "figure out what the sentient wants". With this weird visualizer image getting repeated over and over.

Is there something I'm missing here? A way to find enough signs of sentient life so that that objective is completed? Something that will make ART or anybody talk about the sentients? Any indicator that Liang has understood what the image that the sentients transmit means?
Or is getting this weird visualizer image, no banter, watching that cutscene and bam, done - is that all?

Try moving the cursor right and left, up and down until the flashing on the picture seems to stabilize. That stabilized picture will give you your next hint! Also, visiting the base camp isn't game over. You can visit and still continue on even after the cutscene!

That's weird, what you describe sounds like you can complete the game without finding and talking to the sentients? It might be possible that the structure of the dialogue and your objectives can be messed up in a way that the story makes less sense to you if you don't trigger them in the right order? No idea ...

I didn't have the same experience and feelings you had, I don't remember all the details but in my playthrough it was quite clear what the sentients were. But I took my time with everything and also tried to exhauste all dialogue sequences you get when standing on that peak in that shaft that allows you to communicate with Amani.

*SPOILERS*

Anyway, this visualizer image is the sentients' way to communicate with you and it's sort of a 'minigame'. You need to move the mouse and search for the spot where the geometrical objects will form a clear 2D picture composed of lines that will give you a hint of what the sentients want. When you find that picture, you click the mouse button and return to the gameworld, and then you have to interpret what it means and act accordingly.

*END SPOILERS*

I thought that was a requirement for completing the game, but apparantly it isn't.




. Really? I once returned to the base camp before triggering the cutscene and in that case I was able to return to Lethe cavern afterwards, but when I went to base camp after the final cutscene, right after Amani and Liang hugging each other the credits rolled and teh game was over.

It depends on which cutscene he is talking about. If he clicked on the machine in the core on the right side with enough power, maybe that is game over without talking to the sentients. I don't think you can click on the one on the left side without talking to them though for reasons that would be spoilers.

I thought he was referring to the hugging cutscene you get if you visit the basecamp early.

Alright, when I said that visualizer image getting repeated over and over, maybe I should have been clearer: I SOLVE the image but after I do it, the mission objectives don't change and there is no talking (unless one counts seeing that image as talking... but to me, talking is an exchange, not just passive receiving of an image)

I've also made screenshots now to demonstrate my status:
http://i.imgur.com/KZAQLPL.jpg

I guess I'll try to max out the last cave and see whether that has any impact.

By the way - thanks for replying so quickly, didn't think people would check this forum so often :)

Sadly, that is the extent of the sentients talking. But there is an exchange of information...
Does that image remind you of anything you have run across?

I already posted this in the other thread, but I guess it makes more sense here: Talking to the Sentients IS a matter of finding the correct image with the visualizer. Those signals are how they talk, at least to Liang. You need to find the image, and then figure out what they want. To show that he is listening, Liang needs to DO something after getting the image - that is, you need to interpret the image and then perform an action.

And I repeat RWarehall's question: does this image remind you of anything you have run across?

It reminds me of the structure's I've seen in the cut scene. Other than that - nope.

You could also look around to see if something matches, maybe check your map to bring back ideas...

Well it looks like the machine to the right, right below them.
But if I trigger that I'll only get the cutscene I've already seen?

The object you are looking for (if I remember correctly) is on a particular map, not in the Core where you are. I believe the thing you are looking for can be noticed from the map screen...

@ Lady_Salvia:

Please tell me if you know what that is.... RWarehall already tried to help me out via PM but I unfortunately couldn't find it based on his hint. We both figured it would be in the power plant but the thing on the map that looks like the visualizer image doesn't seem to do anything.

Which ending do you refer to? Is it one of the three I listed in the other thread (*SPOILERS*)? Or is there another? You could PM me the answer, if you don't want to spoil it for others.