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<p><img src="https://www.steemimg.com/images/2016/09/17/robotodef866.jpg" width="640" height="400"/></p>
<p>Welcome to yet another continuation of my play-through of the hardest computer game of all time, Robot Odyssey. For new readers, you should start at part 1, <a href="https://steemit.com/games/@shieha/the-hardest-computer-game-of-all-time-robot-odyssey-part-1">here</a>. Special thanks to @getonthetrain and all you readers for reading this series, it gives me the willpower to continue!</p>
<p>Alright, last time we ended off finally finishing the first level, today we begin in a totally new level, welcome to the Subway of Robotropolis.</p>
<p><img src="https://www.steemimg.com/images/2016/09/20/level2_start131fd4.png" width="640" height="400"/></p>
<p><em>Start of level 2, the Subway.</em></p>
<p>Knowing how helpful hints can be. this time before doing anything, I read the hints for this level:</p>
<p><img src="https://www.steemimg.com/images/2016/09/20/level2_hint1501e6.png" width="640" height="400"/></p>
<p><em>Level 2 hints.</em></p>
<p>Hmm, so right off the bat I know I must get the token, exit ticket, and chips 3 & 4. First thing I did was wander around the entire map, getting to know the general area, and where all the blocked off (puzzle areas) are. While doing so I came across a room with an Easter egg.</p>
<p><img src="https://www.steemimg.com/images/2016/09/20/easter_egg186eb1.png" width="640" height="400"/></p>
<p><em>Wow, Easter eggs go way back in the history of gaming.</em></p>
<p>Although interesting, it doesn't help with the game. After more wandering I found chip 3:</p>
<p><img src="https://www.steemimg.com/images/2016/09/20/chip_312c160.png" width="640" height="400"/></p>
<p><em>Chip 3, easy as pie.</em></p>
<p>I think that's it for the easy parts of this level. Just nearby, I encounter what I think is my logical first puzzle to solve: getting the token as stated in the hints.</p>
<p><img src="https://www.steemimg.com/images/2016/09/20/puzzle_11d675a.png" width="640" height="400"/></p>
<p><em>The subway token! But wait, it's closed off?!</em></p>
<p>At first glance it looked impossible to get the token without some sort of hack, but I noticed yet another keyhole near the bottom right. Thankfully I hoarded all the items from the previous level, and the game seems to only have one master key for all the locks!</p>
<p>After inserting the key, a hole appears on the wall surrounding the token, granting me access. But yet another sentry guards it. So I must program the robot to retrieve the token for me. I broke the problem into two parts: first get to the token, then get back to where I started. That's two different circuits I must build, one after another.<br>
<br>
So to get to the token, I built my circuit following this line of reasoning:</p>
<ol>
<li>Set robot's grabber to always ON.</li>
<li>Go left AND up until no longer touching wall.</li>
<li>Then go left AND towards the token (using the directional sensor I picked up in level 1).</li>
</ol>
<p>The following animation shows this part in action:</p>
<p><img src="https://www.steemimg.com/images/2016/09/20/puzzle1_1377a8.gif" width="634" height="401"/></p>
<p><em>Gotcha!</em></p>
<p>After grabbing the token, I disassembled the circuit inside the robot to build the next part of my escape plan. The thinking behind this circuit was:</p>
<ol>
<li>Keep going right no matter what.</li>
<li>Then go up until I'm no longer hitting a wall on my right side or top side.</li>
<li>Once that happens go down.</li>
</ol>
<p>The following animations shows this in action:</p>
<p><img src="https://www.steemimg.com/images/2016/09/20/puzzle1_2612c4.gif" width="636" height="396"/></p>
<p><em>Solved the first puzzle of this level. </em></p>
<p>Just for fun, the circuit I came up with for the second half of the solution is here:</p>
<p><img src="https://www.steemimg.com/images/2016/09/20/puzzle_1_circuit1db8f0.png" width="640" height="400"/></p>
<p><em>Not so bad, right?</em></p>
<p>Ok that was relatively simple, nothing requiring too much new thinking. I think these are just primers for much harder puzzles down the road. I shrugged at that thought since I have yet needed to use customized chips in my circuits in order to solve puzzles.</p>
<p>I stuffed the token into my robot and brought everything back to where I think I'm supposed to use the token.</p>
<p><img src="https://www.steemimg.com/images/2016/09/20/turnstyleed0c6.png" width="640" height="400"/></p>
<p><em>Yea, it tells me in big plain letters.</em></p>
<p>Before attempting to do as the text on the screen tells me, I saved my game. As I dropped the token into the slot, the turn-style spun like crazy and I was blocked from entry before I could do anything. And also the token was gone. So I must've tried this part like a few times, each time failing horribly to get past the turn-style in time. It then occurred to me that I was running a 1984 game on a modern PC! My computer was emulating the DOS environment at too fast of a clock speed. After turning down the clock speed, I was able to pass through, as shown below. I programmed one robot to drop the coin, and the other robot to go left as soon as I power them up. I myself ran like crazy towards the left.</p>
<p><img src="https://www.steemimg.com/images/2016/09/20/getting_past_turnstyle80bbd.gif" width="638" height="398"/> </p>
<p><em>Getting past the turn-style.</em></p>
<p>Ok, so I got through successfully but how will I return to get my other robot that was left behind on the other side? Before thinking too much I saved in another slot as to not override my other save. It would suck if I messed up and had to start all over from the first level again. </p>
<p>On the other side is a simple room, with a level that says, "pull here" and a button to push to call train in a closed-off space. So first I tried pulling the lever, it opens up access to the button. Then it occurred to me that I needed to program a robot to hit the button for me as I pulled the lever. This was simple enough, and the following animation shows this in action along with the train arriving at the end.</p>
<p><img src="https://www.steemimg.com/images/2016/09/20/calling_traina14d0.gif" width="636" height="396"/></p>
<p><em>Calling the train car.</em></p>
<p>This feels like a good place to take a break, I'll continue tomorrow, stay tuned!</p>
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