Re: Robot Odyssey

[gt5460c@acmez.gatech.edu (Martin Tuck)]

Paul Francis Gilbert (pfg@yallara.cs.rmit.EDU.AU) wrote:

: I really loved that game. I posted a query a while ago about solving a
: puzzle in the last level I could never work out... a sonic lock that you had
: to play at the same time to open. Someone here suggested using a recorder,
: but I haven't had a chance to go back and play it yet.

	Yeah, I remember that one; it was tough.  I don't think you can
record the given antenna signal because it doesn't trigger the antennae on
your robots.  

	I solved it by noting that the antenna signal is a modified clock
(get a clock by wiring an inverter to itself), with every fourth (I think;
I'll look for my notes, but don't be hopeful) pulse being inverted
resulting in either a long "on" or a long "off" signal.  

	That's about all I remember.  Most of the puzzles before and after
the sonic lock are pretty easy.  The last one is tricky from a timing
sense, but I found it trivial compared to the sonic lock.  Time frame:
The last puzzle took me about a day or so of periodic play to wire the
robots; the sonic puzzle took about 4 years of periodic play to get.  

	Incidentally, make sure you have all four robots, because the last
and second to last puzzles are virtually impossible without four robots.

	Also incidentally, I felt kind of childish when the big finishing
prize was "joining the robot masters club" or something like that.  Maybe
I'll contact Learning Company to see if they're still providing the
certificates. :)

: Man, but will I be kicking myself if the solution was that simple.

	I would too, but I'm pretty sure you can't record the thing.  If
you're married to using the recorder, you could use the recorder and the
remote to manually key in the sequence, but it would be highly prone to
error (any one of which would trash the whole attempt).

				-Martin Tuck

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* I had a dream last night; she told me to   *                          *
* smile just before I cry and then left me   *       Martin Tuck        *
* alone to wonder if I'm that transparent    * gt5460c@prism.gatech.edu *
* only to her or to everybody.               *                          *
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