The Vacuum

[dronon]

I've finished the game and enjoyed it very much! And now I'm trying to figure out how to get all the nine clues - I've found eight of them.

The best endgame scenario seems to be activated when you find one particular clue, after which I don't think you can search the rest of the ship if you've gathered enough information. Since it's pretty easy to get this clue early on, it's best to avoid finding it until you've found all the others.

Spoiler

1. It's when you listen to the phone message in crew cabin 3, using the key you got from the pilot's body on the bridge.

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The other clues I've found are:

Spoiler

2. At the very start of the game, before you go back to your room, go into the passenger dining area and talk to Rathburn. Ask him what he's reading. You can't get this clue later on.

3. Noticing the axe is missing in the crew storage room.

4. Finding the dead body behind the service elevator door on level 3.

5. Opening the metal box from passenger room 5.  You only have one chance to get this item; you can't go back afterwards.  Once you get the box, you can open it by using it on the shelves of tools in the Engineering section.

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And another three clues can only be found once you've gained access to cargo bay 4:

Spoiler

6. You need to get the captain's keys from the two dead bodies found in cargo bay 4. When you first enter the cargo bay, climb down the closest ladder and go into the first gap between the crates to the right.

7. Then you can find another dead body in crew room 2.

8. And in the captain's room, examine the noteboard.

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But there's one clue still missing.  Anyone know where/when to find it?

[kaputtnik]

There are two things that could possibly count as the missing clue, but I don't know for sure:

Spoiler

1. Finding the box of explosives in the engineering area and asking Chisholm about it.
2. Asking Chisholm if he could restore power on Node IV.

If none of these work, maybe only Rathburn's dismembered arm triggers the last clue variable, if you excuse the pun.

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[neon]

Another important thing for finding different endings is

Spoiler

Asking Averie about Ted, using the two opinions that are given

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[jenimad]

Okay, I've gotten a 'good' ending now, I think... so now I want to start messing up on purpose and see what that changes.

Spoiler

Any clues as to how to get other people killed?  The stats at the end read 'Prevented 5 of 5 Deaths,' so I'm assuming there's at least a couple events to trigger.  I know it's not from not investigating- I did a run through where I avoided investigating and no one died.

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[olafmoriarty]

Sorry for the late response, but off the top of my head I remember two ways of achieving that objective:

Number one:

Spoiler

You were given the choice of whether you dared to pick up the transmitter or not. Have you tried to figure out what happens if you choose not to?

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Number two:

Spoiler

Were you aware that there's a gun in the game? After picking up the radio transmitter, go to the LEFT passenger shut-down compartment (rooms 5-6) and find the gun in the closet in room 5. You are given two choices with the gun: Whether you pick it up or not, and whether you give it to Chisholm or not. Try picking it up and giving it to Chisholm. If you do, it DOES make a difference for number of deaths whether you solve the mystery or not.

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[Arvhus]

The Vacuum was a pretty easy game, but then maybe thats because I've been playing too many adventure games (lol!) anyway, the clues are only those listed by dronon the other clues (i.e. the ones stated by kaputtnik) come as obvious choices, quite a short game actually, but very enjoyable, atleast it wasn't too similar to 7 Days A Skeptic as everyone first predicted after seeing the screenshot and short plot summary...

[Makeout Patrol]

I guess I might as well clear the uncertain points up.

There are two things that could possibly count as the missing clue, but I don't know for sure:

Spoiler

1. Finding the box of explosives in the engineering area and asking Chisholm about it.
2. Asking Chisholm if he could restore power on Node IV.

If none of these work, maybe only Rathburn's dismembered arm triggers the last clue variable, if you excuse the pun.

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The first one is the one that affects the 'clues found' variable.

Number two:

Spoiler

Were you aware that there's a gun in the game? After picking up the radio transmitter, go to the LEFT passenger shut-down compartment (rooms 5-6) and find the gun in the closet in room 5. You are given two choices with the gun: Whether you pick it up or not, and whether you give it to Chisholm or not. Try picking it up and giving it to Chisholm. If you do, it DOES make a difference for number of deaths whether you solve the mystery or not.

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Spoiler

I'm having a lot of trouble figuring out how to phrase this without giving it all away, but here goes: when the gun has already been used once, it is possible to prepare it to be used again, and this will also affect who lives and who dies.

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[Leon]

Does that mean that you can only get 9/9 clues found in the end if...

Spoiler

... you take the gun? I've only been able to save all lives (including Chisholm), preserve relationship and solve mystery after finding the gun but leaving it behind. Taking it (and not giving it away) means that at least Chisholm dies. Or is there a way to take the gun and not use it at all? I've tried to lock it somewhere else or give it to someone (not Chisholm) but no succes.

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So far I've only been able to get 8/9 clues.

[Makeout Patrol]

Does that mean that you can only get 9/9 clues found in the end if...

Spoiler

... you take the gun? I've only been able to save all lives (including Chisholm), preserve relationship and solve mystery after finding the gun but leaving it behind. Taking it (and not giving it away) means that at least Chisholm dies. Or is there a way to take the gun and not use it at all? I've tried to lock it somewhere else or give it to someone (not Chisholm) but no succes.

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So far I've only been able to get 8/9 clues.

Spoiler

You take the box when you find it no matter what. You choose whether or not to take the gun when you find it.

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[Leon]

I understand that but...

Spoiler

as soon as you take the gun, at least one will be killed. And is that the only way to get the 9th clue?

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[Nlogax]

Question about the Cargo bays:

Spoiler

How do you get Chisholm to open the Cargo bay where the electrics have gone (after you replace the circuit board)?

When I try to ask him he says he's hasn't got time and we should be focussed on the murder. Is there a particular time or set of circumstances that is needed to get him to open the bay?

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Also...

Spoiler

Can you only 'solve the mystery' if you don't kill Chisholm?

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[olafmoriarty]

Spoiler

How do you get Chisholm to open the Cargo bay where the electrics have gone (after you replace the circuit board)?

When I try to ask him he says he's hasn't got time and we should be focussed on the murder. Is there a particular time or set of circumstances that is needed to get him to open the bay?

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Hm. I never actually saw that part of the game, but I think you have to wait for later...

Spoiler

You have to wait until the time when Chisholm is in the engines room "trying to fix the communications error". When you talk to the person guarding the door (in my case it was normally Rathburn), you'll say that you need electricity on the cargo bay door, and they will say that Chisholm is busy and you should try fixing it yourself. After that, you can easily fix this problem with the control panel on the engines floor.

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Also...

Spoiler

Can you only 'solve the mystery' if you don't kill Chisholm?

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I don't think so:

Spoiler

I think that "solving the mystery" means "figuring out that Chisholm was the one who did it"; in other words, finding both the clue in crew room 3 and the clue in cargo bay 4.

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It *could* be that I'm wrong, and that

Spoiler

"solving the mystery" also means that Chisholm must be arrested, but I don't think so.

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[Nlogax]

Thanks Olaf- I've now managed to achieve both of those! 

On the second point:

Spoiler

The first time I played the game I killed Chisholm and the mystery went unsolved. Second time I didn't kill him and the mystery was solved. The end story said that he testified about the Mafia involvement so I guess that's the mystery

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[Bjyman]

How do you post spoilers? This really needs to be covered in the rules section or the "How do I post images, smileys and formatting?" If they want spoilers to stop.

[Nlogax]

Bjyman

it's difficult to explain without hiding the text, but use [ hide ] and [ /hide ] at the start and end of the text you want to hide, BUT leave out the spaces I've put inside the brackets- I've just put them in to stop it hiding my explanation! 

[Bjyman]

Heh I know HTML so its easy enough just needed the word.

Spoiler

I cant find the 9th clue either and I've searched everything. Found all bodies, voicemail, explosive box, asked Chisolm about explosives and restoring power, missing axe, Rathburn talking about the mafia, and the police transfer orders. Unlocked all the lockers and even discovered some obscene book titles. I thought about going back to the storage compartments where you got the transmitter from when you have all the keys but that seems to be an impossibility. Taking the gun doesnt help either. Any ideas?

Also is it possible to get 5 out of 5 deaths? I can only get 4 out of 5. I've deduced that Averie is the 5th person but I cant seem to kill her. Killing Rathburn off doesnt seem to help because you cant get the gun to give to Chisolm then

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[Makeout Patrol]

Here is a list of the "clues" that are reflected in the total at the end:

Spoiler

    Rathburn tells you about the trial
    You find the box of grenades in the engineering area
    You find the body in the service elevator
    You listen to the voicemail in crew room 3
    You find the body in crew room 2
    You find the cop's closet
    You read the Captain's corkboard
    You find the bodies of the Captain and the last crew member in cargo bay 4
    You discover the sabotage in node 4

    Several of the clues that people have posted in this thread that aren't in this list are things that, in retrospect, I would like to have included but overlooked while I was writing that sequence at the very end of development, so I think I might add them into the next patch.

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For those asking about what constitutes the "mystery" that is either solved or unsolved:

Spoiler

To solve the mystery, you need to get proof that Chisholm is the killer BEFORE you tell Ted/Rathburn (depending on whether or not Rathburn is dead) that you're finished with the investigation. To do this, you need to find the bodies in cargo bay 4 and listen to the voicemail in crew room 3. An unintended consequence of this that I only recently noticed is that you need to find the bodies before you listen to the voicemail if you want to find all of the clues.

Basically, olafmoriarty is correct; "solving the mystery" means that you discover that Chisholm is the credit. "Justice is served" if Chisholm doesn't get away.

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On deaths:

Spoiler

It is possible for all five characters to die. The fifth person isn't Averie - it's Chisholm. If Leo enters his final confrontation with Chisholm with a loaded gun, he'll kill him.

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If you want step-by-step instructions on how to pretty much get the worst ending:

Spoiler

To get five out of five kills, you need to take the gun, give it to Chisholm, open the box by using it on the tool rack in the engineering area, tell Rathburn you're done investigating without solving the mystery, pick the gun up off the floor after Chisholm kills everyone, and use the clip with it. (It might be impossible to salvage your relationship with Averie if this is the ending you get; I haven't calculated it out.)

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[Bjyman]

Spoiler

Thanks for replying. I thought the 5th person was Averie because killing Chisholm doesnt seem to register as a death. At least in the good version where you kill him on the communications bridge it doesnt. So I thought Chisholm wasnt counted because he isnt innocent life.

I think I've tried all your clues too. The first time I listened to the voicemail right away and was like crap why cant I investigate more but it does add to replayability. Figured that one out. But I'll check out the sabatoge clue. Seems like you'd get it automatically but other than that I've gotten everything.

This is probably wishful thinking but if you make another patch make it so you can kill off Averie

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[DutchMarco]

I'm stuck.  My notes now say I have to meet everyone in cargo bay five, but I can't seem to find anyone there. And I have looked around.

Spoiler

Also I fixed the control panel, but the power is still off, so I can't open the air hatch. (and I still have the gun, btw)

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Please help! I like this game a lot, there are some minor flaws but not many at all. Also, this is a verygood story. I like how it unfolds, although

Spoiler

It seems pretty obvious that Chisholm did it, yet none of the dialog seems to go that way. They all keep accusing Leanna, and when talking to Averie, Leo seems adament to asking about Ted. Which seems a ridiculous prospect, there is nothing that points at Ted being a likely susspect, except htat he's not introduced early in the game, so we don't know him for very long yet. Then again, we don't know Leo and Averie very long (they've only been introduced in this game, not before) so they are as likely suspects as Ted

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This is an impressive game, sure the graphics may seem simple (I don't like how the characters sometimes don't have faces, they should have IMHO.) but their simplicity has allowed you to finish the game. Whereas for my game (when it was still being worked on) I wanted too fancy graphics but I came to a point where I couldn't live up to my own standards any more. Oh well, this isn't the C&C area, I like it but I'm stuck and I need help!

[firefly]

well... that was not the same path I took but

Spoiler

I didn't take the gun and in the end tried one time the ending that acused Leanna. I found the others after going down the first stair I found on cargo bay V,and then going in the first small corridor on the left.

I hope that is correct...I moved around there a lot until I figured out that it was really close to the stair that was near the cargo bay exit

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Edited: corrected