Hemisphere Games Forum

I give up. I need tips for F3A-2.

It's the one where you're going counter-clockwise at the start, then there's a layer of motes going clockwise that are all larger than you, and then there's an outer layer of counter-clockwise motes, some of whom are absorbable.

Most of the time, I get absorbed before reaching the outer layer, even with slowdowns and whatnot. When I rarely do make it out there, I've usually lost enough mass or momentum to make any proper progress. And at that point, failure is several times more frustrating.

I'm guessing there's some kind of a simple solution to this that I'm missing.

One thing I've tried is reversing my direction before trying to break through the first layer. It seems like the right trick, but I lose way too much mass when I try to pull it off.

Even the epicycles seemed like a piece of cake compared to this. Even though it took me a good while to beat them.

Ok, everyone will have their own way of doing this, but I don't see any harm in giving you some pointers - it's still hard work!

***SPOILER STARTS***

Slow the game down. Turn on orbit guides. Start thrusting directly away from centre, in the same direction you start in. Eventually you will break orbit. It is possible to miss the first layer completely if you do this as soon as the level starts. When you get to the outer layer slowly bring yourself back into orbit by thrusting in front and to the right of your mote, so you are going in the same direction as the outer layer. Start to absorb small motes, even the tiniest ones are useful - however, when thrusting around try to keep the majority of your bursts either in the direction you're heading or against the direction you're heading - try not to thrust too much against the core or the outer edge, as either way you will lose matter and make it harder for yourself. Once you are big enough to turn most of the smaller motes in the inner layer blue, slowly navigate towards this layer and crash into one, or more. This will cause you to start heading into the core. Thrust against the core. This will make the core bigger and more attractive. At this point, depending on the state of the other motes and how big you have become, you should thrust so you are moving in the same direction as the inner layer. Try to pick up some more of the bigger motes, and start to thrust back out to the outer layer. At this point, you can start crashing into all the little motes coming the other way. This will cause your mote to change back to a collision course with the core. Keep on thrusting little bits that have crashed into you back into the core. Eventually most of the matter in the level will be swallowed by the core and you will be the biggest. Remember, it only says "become the biggest", not "absorb the attractor"! This is how I did it after much head-scratching. Hope this helps.

***SPOILER ENDS***

Remember, that's only the way I did it! There is probably a simpler way.

I had the same troubles as well; I remember hitting the randomizer a couple times thinking "maybe I can get some of those blue orbs on the inner orbit this time..." and that method seems plausible enough. If I can get over my constant urge to overcorrect, that is.

Woopt. I did it. And also beat F3A-3 (and with that, the whole game), which was a piece of cake compared to this.

Looks like I mainly just lacked faith that I hadn't lost too much mass by the time I reached the outer layers. In hindsight, the lack of the "Doesn't look good" message was a pretty good hint.

By the time I had blue-ified the outer layer, there was one large red mote circling around the attractor in the inner one. Having forgotten about the second half of jeffplum's post, I thought I was a goner, until I remembered what I'd do in a similar situation in the impasse levels. So instead of feeding the attractor, I thought along the lines of affecting the momentum of other motes.

Therefore what I did was shoot mass into the red one while facing it (does the word "facing" even apply to something as homogenous as motes?), slowing it down and trying to break its orbit. Which actually worked and was pretty cool to look at. In another case, it only brushed the attractor, losing a part of its mass and turning blue, allowing me to absorb it.

Congrats mjomble! Nice technique on pushing the last red mote(s) into the Attractor. That's my favorite technique on that level.
Cheers,
Eddy