You are the sole operator assigned to a spaceship carrying out a mission as part of the New Earth Federation Connected Worlds Project. You are assigned to search for viable dead planets and revitalize them for future Federation colonization operations. Unfortunately, you've forgotten a lot from your instruction manuals. But you have a whole spaceship filled with science stuff to play with, so hey, you might as well give it a shot! On the Edge of Earth: 5000 is a sci-fi adventure game by Roope Tamminen of Lakeview Cabin fame. It was originally developed for the Ludum Dare 48 game jam under the theme of "Connected Worlds". Use the [arrow] keys to move around the ship, with the down [arrow] used to interact with its machinery. You can also hold down while moving to run, speeding up the process. Figure out how all these machines work together, and you just may make NEF proud after all!
We've seen something of a spate of browser games like Generation Ship and Terra Coda, based around the premise of being dropped into an outer-space setting with a bunch of gadgets, tasking the player with discovering what they can and what they are supposed to do with all of them to make progress. Well, On the Edge of Earth: 5000 is one of the best. It has a sensible and detailed central puzzle to unravel, while at the same time throwing in all sorts of little red herrings and minigames to mess with that, while not impeding the implied narrative, does much to build the character of the setting. It feels a little unhelpful to boil a recommendation down to "if you like this sort of thing, you'll like this sort of thing", but On the Edge of Earth: 5000 is really meant for that group of gamers who don't mind a little tinkering and a little lack of direction in exchange for the chance to explore and play with an unfamiliar locale. (And, let's face it, if that group didn't exist, Myst wouldn't have sold approximately 30 kajillion copies.) This post-comp release has cleared up some of the glitchiness and narrative looseness of the original, so if you played the original and were unimpressed, it might be worth your while to check it out again. Now, if you excuse me, I'm going to go try to beat my ship's Rock-Paper-Scissors machine again. I just know that the 487th time is the charm!
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Walkthrough Guide
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On the Edge of Earth: 5000 Walkthrough
Beginning: What am I Supposed to Do?
Go to any of the three bookcases throughout the station.
Press [up] to read the Handbook.
Book says:
PROJECT: CONNECTED WORLDS
Station-10B3
HANDBOOK
Congratulations! You have been chosen as the sole operator for Station-10B3. Your mission is to generate new life on dead planets for the expansion of THE NEW EARTH FEDERATION.
A guide for using the GENESIS missiles can be found on the next page.
1. Calculate distance using TERMINAL C.
2. Enter distance to the TERMINAL D.
3. Load a new GENESIS missile to the cannon, located outside. SPACE SUIT REQUIRED!
4. Adjust cannon to the correct pitch using TERMINAL A.
5. Use TERMINAL B to launch the missile.
Written in blue:
HOME: 4.7
terminals A, B, C, located on the upper deck!
Calculating Distance to Planet
As stated in the Handbook, you need to get the distance from Terminal C.
Go to Terminal C (rightmost console on the deck below the uppermost).
To read the numbers, hit the console by pressing [right] and [left] rapidly.
You will write the notes on your hand which you can access by pressing [enter].
4.25
Entering Distance in Target System
As stated in the Handbook, you need to enter the distance from Terminal C into Terminal D.
Go to Terminal D (second deck up, to the far left).
If the door is blocked, you need to tilt the Station so the boxes will move.
The tilt console is located on the top deck.
You must tilt the Station to the left by pressing [left] to unblock the door.
On Terminal D, press [right] 4 times to get 4:25 on the screen.
Loading a Missile in the Cannon
As stated in the Handbook, you need to load a GENESIS missile in the cannon outside the Station.
Before heading outside, you need to don a spacesuit, which can be found in the far left of the bottom deck.
To see if you're in a condition to head outside, go to the room to the far right of the second to bottom deck.
Examine the console in the room by pressing [up]. You must have satisfactory Hunger and Bowel settings.
To satisfy hunger:
Use banana console on the second to bottom deck by pressing [up].
Move arrow to the right to the coin slot and press [down].
Press [down] over the button that's now lit up to make a cup appear.
Move the arrow over the lever on the left and press [down] to fill the cup and consume the food.
To satisfy bowel:
Go to the toilet to the far right on the bottom deck.
Press [up] when done.
Once both settings are satisfied, the console will display "FIT FOR SPACE".
Close the door to the left, then open the door on the right to enter space.
If the laser is in your way toward the cannon, you will need to move it out of the way.
That console is located on the far left of the second to top deck (Terminal A).
Press [left] or [right] to move the laser out of the way. It's orientation is represented by the dial in the center.
Head to the far right and press the button to load the missile. The laser will turn green when done.
Adjusting the Cannon
At this point, you should already have experience moving the cannon/laser to avoid death during your spacewalk.
Now you need to head back to Terminal A (far left console on the second to top deck).
Adjust the cannon using [left]/[right] to point the laser at the planet.
Launching the Missile
Go to Terminal B (center console on the second to top deck).
Press [down] to activate the cannon. The laser will turn red and the planet will burn white. When done, it will be yellow.
Head to the bottom deck and press [up] over your bed on the right to sleep.
End Game
You will wake up to the Station listing heavily to the left.
Run up to the top deck and use the tilt console.
You will not be able to do anything. Just sit tight.
After crashing, walk to the right and behold something grand!
To be continued in the next game...
Little Extra To Dos
The console in the room to the left of your bed is a communication device.
You can enter the 'Home' coordinates (4, 7) to presumably call home.
Rather than a mute button for the music, you can activate it by pressing any of the small buttons throughout the Station.
The small plant next to the communication device (Genetic Manipulator X2000), can be changed in color. The only difference is it will keep this appearance during the end game.
The purple console to the left of the plant is a Rock/Paper/Scissors machine. Play as you might, you will not win.
After using the toilet, you will see a brown substance being jettisoned. Don't ask what it is.
During the end game, if you look at your "notes" by pressing [enter], your watching will be going haywire.
If you find anything else of note, feel free to leave a comment (spoilered if necessary)!
Posted by: Kyh
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September 20, 2014 4:22 AM