I got the passcode for a door from the computer in the_screenie.jpg. When I try it on the door in the_other_screenie.jpg, it doesn't work. There was a message on the computer saying the code didn't always work, but I've tried it so many times I don't believe it will work at all. The only other possibility is the door in the_third_screenie.jpg that remains resolutely shut.

Who'd like to help?

Is this still mission 8?

I'm on mission 10. I got through A WHOLE MISSION without asking for help.

Ha ha, equally impressive is that mission 9 can be a total pain to do with all the impassable beams everywhere, lots of backtracking and not needing to go everywhere to finish the mission.

Errrr, anyways, got some help for you but I'll be surprised if you havent figured it out yet. If you haven't, you might be kicking yourself for it. To get past that keypad, you see that switch on the other side of the door? That will open up the room shown in my screenie, the pass code is on the terminal there.

The code you got earlier was for the the door you just came through. In your first screenie, just head back the way you came. There will be a door just one screen away from your first screenie. See the keypad beside the door? The code is for that keypad. Totally useless as the door was already open.

In your third screenie, that door just takes you back to the lift you came from when you left the first floor, it isn't a new area.

BTW, you should have found your AR-4500 now. Fun as hell, isn't it? ;)

Edit: In your screenies, your energy is only 1/4 full, you should be having it full now, did you not buy the fusion battery from Weasel?

I can't believe I missed that keypad. That makes this my most stupid question to date.

I haven't found a AR-4500 and I can't buy weapons from Weasel despite having enough creds.

You say you don't have to go everywhere to finish mission 9. I'd been wondering about that. There were two doors and many shields I couldn't get past. I was on the verge of asking you about that, but I found it was possible to use a telepad.

I think I bought a fusion battery from Weasel. My energy was more than half full in my first screenie, and it was totally full in the third and I also had nine medikits. I was rather proud of that, after your earlier comment about my always being close to death.

Anyway, you have my thanks.

You didn't want to miss the AR-7 (not AR-4500, I remembered incorrectly), it's a really fun gun. Think a rapid fire GL-303 that fires in a 3 shot spread. Later in the game where most enemies can one shot kill you, this gun can really be handy clearing out a room of them. On the first level in mission 10, you would have found a terminal to remote control a thermatron. After using the thermatron to deactivate a shootable switch, the area in my first screenie will open (you need to roll in, you can't walk in) and there you'll find the AR-7

From your screenies, it still looks like your using the crappy chemical battery you started the game with. Look at the energy level in next 3 screenies. They each show the silencer with 1/4, 1/2 and full energy capacity, respectively, my batteries where the chemical, fission and fusion. Make sure you can have a full red bar next time you see weasel as later in the game, you will be needing it as the RP-32 gets fazed out of usefulness by the last few missions.

Did you see this post here?

http://www.gog.com/forum/crusader_series/the_thermatron_must_die/post6

You probably can't pick up new weapons because you are already carrying 5 and you'll need to drop some of your peashooters to pick up decent weapons. Ctrl + D drops weapons. You missed the AR-7 in the last mission but I think it comes up again later in the game (last mission IIRC). May I strongly suggest if nothing else that next time you see weasel, get a fusion battery and a UV-9 (both are in Weasel's weapons section). You will have a tough time if you don't have a minimum of these for the last few missions. After mission 10, the UV-9 might not be available yet but the fusion battery definitely is (5th screenie for proof).

The AR-7 sounds great. I've backtracked to find the one lying around. And I backtracked even more to buy a fusion battery and UV-9 from Weasel. I don't like it that the UV-9 destroys bodies, but if you say I need it, I believe you. I read your earlier post about weapons, but not realizing I had to drop some weapons first, I couldn't buy any.

Last question: what ammunition do energy weapons use?

Don't worry too much about the UV-9 making bodies unlootable, for the next few missions, you might want to hold out on using the UV-9 but for the last few missions you won't really need to loot bodies anymore. Once you have all your end game weapons, you won't need credits anymore and in the lasy few missions, energy recharge stations are a lot more common making looting ammo from bodies all but unnecessary. If your getting low on energy, a quick run back to the nearest recharge station will be all you need. You will still find plently of containers with GL-303 and AR-7 ammo so it won't be hard keeping topped up on ammo for these weapons either (I kept running a surplus even when I made the bodies unlootable). If you do end up using a lot of energy cubes between power stations, you can still use the AC-88 or PL-31 to make kills and loot the bodies until you get enough energy cubes again but you won't need to do this often. The GL-303 and Ar-7 are both one hit kill weapons so you'll still have those to fall back on. You will need the UV-9 because in the last few missions, a lot of your enemies are also armed with this. It's a one shot kill weapon and enemies armed with this can also take a lot of hits from weaker weapons and you don't want to be messing around like that for credits you won't use and ammo you wont need. Much better to just waste em and save yourself the trouble.

Your energy weapons use energy from your suit (The red bar in the lower right of the screen). That's why I said you need a fusion battery. Between shields and the UV-9, you won't have the energy reserves to use energy weapons and take damage without sucking down energy cubes, the fusion battery fixes that problem.

I thought GL-303 magazines would be like gold dust, but now I have 17 of them. What does the fusion battery do? I expected it to recharge my energy, but that doesn't appear to be happening.

I went back to before the start of the mission to get a UV-9 and fusion battery from Weasel and also be able to pick up the AR-7. Now I'm stuck on something that caused me no problems first time around, which is incredibly frustrating. The situation is as in my_screenie.jpg – that door won't open. Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi. You're my only hope.

The fusion battery increases energy capacity (the red bar in the lower right of the screen), with a fusion battery, that red bar will be able to fill up all the way. more energy means longer lasting shields and more ammo for energy weapons.

Stuck again, which mission?

I went back to the start of mission 10.

You sure that's mission 10? I just had a run through of mission 10 and didn't find an area like that

Hellfire. Is it only mission 9? Googling and looking at the cluebook haven't helped. The mission is to locate the Orbital Platform Targeting System and download plans for the Vigilance Platform.

In that case, you are in mission 11 and I have a solution for you. First get the number pad code from the area in the first screen. Now, look at the second screenie to see that smart arse number pad being all smug and sneaky? Use the code there to open the door below, use the crap in there to open the door you wanna get through

Bugger me blind! I'd walked past that keypad SO MANY TIMES. I lavish you with praise, as usual.

I thought it would be boring to restart the level, but in practice, I don't remember how I did anything the first time around. I have the memory of a goldfish, although I suppose that increases my pleasure.