

This is a walkthrough file for the interactive fiction game "Oxygen". For more detailed information, or if this game causes your computer to catch fire, or (worse) if it has bugs in it, definitely send me an e-mail!

The first section of the file gives general solutions and the second section of the file gives one example of commands that will take the player to a conclusion. Note however that there is some randomness involved, so you may or may not have to vary the commands *slightly*.

Note that there are many different endings to this game, so it is best to explore on your own before even thinking about the walkthrough. If you do use the walkthrough, I highly recommend stopping after part 2 and just seeing what happens regardless of what you do. Don't forget to investigate the noise coming from the southern tunnel if you get the chance.

Part I - General Walkthrough

1. The first thing you can do (after you type "about", of course) is look around, explore your surroundings, and also (this is important) listen to the communications that come in on the radio. This will help you to understand your situation and what is going on. At the beginning of the game, oxygen is leaking from the station's tanks at a slow rate. You can decrease your chances of a good ending if you daudle too much, but the game is pretty lenient until you get the console functioning. Which you will do shortly. Feel free to read the book that fell out of the panel as well.

2. You need to activate that console so you can see the status of the oxygen on the station. Right now there is no power. You can try plugging the cable into the outlet, but there is no power to the outlet. Where is there power? Well, if you look inside the panel you will see some exposed wires. Perhaps you can connect the cable to the wires? Close but no cigar. The shielding on the cable prevents this. How do you remove the shielding? There are a few ways. One of the ways is to pry off the shielding with your screwdriver. Excellent. Now attach the cable to the live wires and watch the console become operational.

3. The statusbar at the top of the screen now shows the display console. It shows how much oxygen is in storage and how much each has been transferred to the two halves of the station. Just as a reminder, if you have been paying attention you should know that your section is the fore section, and a bunch of miners on strike have been sealed off by the captain in the aft section. The goal is to save everybody. Every few turns, oxygen will transfer from the main tank into both the aft and the fore tanks. The rate is determined by a) what override you have set and b) what override the miners have set. Yes, they are trying as well to route oxygen to their section.

4. See the diagram that falls out of the book for the rates of distribution of oxygen. Also note that there are approximately twice as many miners, who will consequently need twice as much oxygen to survive.

5. Either by paying attention to the book and/or radio messages, or by trial and error, you will discover that: a)putting the red card in either console slot initiates a delta override for your section. b)putting the black card in either console slot initiates a gamma override for your section. c)putting both cards in the console slots (it doesn't matter which goes where) initiates a theta override. Chew on that.

6. You may notice some noise coming from the southern tunnels. Feel free to investigate. If you can't find anything when you first hear the noise, you may still want to investigate after you hear the noise again...

7. Now that you've met the injured man, feel free to talk to him. Remember to use the conversation format indicated in the "about" text. You did type "about" at the beginning of the game, didn't you?

8. It should be fairly clear how to revive the man. Check your inventory...

9. You'll get to a point where you have a choice to make of where to go. Different choices lead to different endings depending on how the oxygen has been distributed, whether you met and/or revived the injured man.

Thanks for playing.
Ben@ShadowK.com


Part 2 - An exploratory walkthrough (individual games may vary slightly)

Solution to "Oxygen" by Benjamin Sokal

YES
GET SCREWDRIVER
X PANEL
OPEN PANEL
GET BOOK
LOOK
X CONSOLE
PLUG CABLE INTO WALL
X HOT WIRES
ATTACH CABLE TO HOT WIRES
READ BOOK
READ BOOK
READ BOOK
READ BOOK
READ BOOK
READ BOOK
X JEFFERIES TUBE
CLIMB DOWN
X PIPE
X STEAM
X CABLE
PRY OFF SHIELDING WITH SCREWDRIVER
I
X PIECE OF GUM
CHEW GUM
ATTACH CABLE TO HOT WIRES
X CONSOLE
X CIRCUITRY
GET RED CARD
GET BLUE CARD
PUT RED CARD IN LEFT SLOT
Z
Z
READ DIAGRAM
GET RED CARD
LOOK TO THE SOUTH
S
PUT BLACK CARD IN SLOT
LEFT SLOT
Z
LISTEN TO THE SOUTH
S
X INJURED MAN
X HIS VEST
SEARCH THE MAN
TALK TO MAN
GIVE GUM TO THE MAN
ANSWER YES
APOLOGIZE
ASK HIM ABOUT HIMSELF
GET BLACK CARD
PUT RED CARD IN RIGHT SLOT
TOPICS
ASK HIM ABOUT HIS VEST
ASK HIM ABOUT HIS INJURIES
TOPICS
TELL HIM ABOUT THE OXYGEN LEAK
TELL HIM ABOUT THE CONSOLE
GET RED CARD
GET BLACK CARD
Z
TALK TO MAN
TOPICS
TELL HIM ABOUT MYSELF
TOPICS
X CONSOLE
PUT BLACK CARD IN LEFT SLOT
Z
Z
Z
TALK TO ANDRE
D
