[Amerzone]

Well, is there someone who has understood the logic of TMoS final puzzle?! (the one with the five antennas, the continent maps and the switch boxes). I scratched my head, but didn't find any clue whatsoever. The funny thing is that I've read two walkthroughs (of Quandary and of MaGtRo), I know what settings I should adjust, but I still cannot understand how they figured out the solution they present. This game is perfect, and till this point with very clear-cut puzzles. Pity that the developers have chosen such an obscure and tedious puzzle for the end...

[Ninth]

Did you figure it out yet? If not, I'll try to explain.

[Manhunter71]

Originally Posted by Amerzone

Well, is there someone who has understood the logic of TMoS final puzzle?! (the one with the five antennas, the continent maps and the switch boxes). I scratched my head, but didn't find any clue whatsoever. The funny thing is that I've read two walkthroughs (of Quandary and of MaGtRo), I know what settings I should adjust, but I still cannot understand how they figured out the solution they present. This game is perfect, and till this point with very clear-cut puzzles. Pity that the developers have chosen such an obscure and tedious puzzle for the end...

That was one of the worst puzzles I have ever encountered in an adventure game - It just didnt seem to make any sense!
I tried it first without consulting a walkthrough but it al amounted to guesswork - even with the aid of a walkthrough it just seemed like a really tedious final puzzle!

[Ninth]

Originally Posted by Manhunter71

That was one of the worst puzzles I have ever encountered in an adventure game - It just didnt seem to make any sense!
I tried it first without consulting a walkthrough but it al amounted to guesswork - even with the aid of a walkthrough it just seemed like a really tedious final puzzle!

I solved it without a walkthrough and believe me, the final self satisfaction was worth it 8-) . It kind of made sense, but it really was horrible to play, having to climb stairs up and down for hours.

[Amerzone]

I would be interested if you could explain its logic. I have finished and uninstalled the game, but I guess I could still follow you.

[Ninth]

Ok then.
First, the overall pattern of the antennas is on the journalist's diary.
This helps you notice that each red map you see in the underground tunnel is located jus below one of the antennas.
Then you can notice, if you try every number on one antenna, that the map below changes. You also notice that each antenna can have 12 different positions.
Basically, there are 5 different pattern for each antenna's map.
For example, for the first one, the number 0 would get North America lit, 6 to 30 would get North America + South America lit, 36 to 48 South America, 48 to 66 SA and Australia, and 72 Australia.
The same goes for each antenna, which can lit 3 different single continents on the map below the antenna.
The pattern is the same eache time:
lowest number -> continent A
middle numbers -> continent B
highest number -> continent C
So the thing at this point is to try out things.
So, let's first position the antennas on the middle numbers.
This way each map is lit with only one continent.
Looking at the control panel in the computer room, the pentagone with green lights, will now show that one of the light is sometimes turning to red, with NO SIGNAL INPUT flashing.
Positioning all of the antenna to the lowest number will give the same result; one light on the control panel will still be red, but not the same one.
So, what's making one of the light flash red?
First I though each point of the control panel's pentagram was an antenna, and so I reasoned that it was flashing because there was a problem between two antennas, North America and Africa. But after a few tries I noticed that if I changed the second antenna from Africa, to , say, South America, the same light still was flashing. So it had to be the fact of setting an antenna to North America which made the corresponding signal flash red. (plus, that made sense, me having destroyed an antenna in the Bermudas)
To be sure, I tried to set another antenna to North America, and, sure enouh, another light started to flash red.
So I positioned a last antenna to North America, and that was it.

Note that positioning an antenna to a given position can be tricky, because the latitude of movement of each antenna depends on the position of the others.
Typically, if the 5th antenna was set to let extreme right position, the first couldn't be set to the extreme left. I never quite figured out how exactly it worked, so it took a few tries to position the last antenna the way I wanted.

I'm sure this was extremely clear.

[AFGNCAAP]

A year later...

Originally Posted by Ninth

I'm sure this was extremely clear.

Actually, it was. After spending last two hours on running around and turning satellite dishes, you can imagine how grateful I am for this thread. Thanks!

I realized that maps are under corresponding antennas pretty quickly, but that's about it. Having heard Peter saying that he must cause silence, I was desperately looking for a "blind spot" where all, or some, maps would show no continent. The fact that I mistook Africa for South America in the notes I was writing down also didn't help.

This game was too often just frustrating...