Mutage Puzzle Solver

[max.savenkov]

If you're completely stuck with Mutagen Puzzle and you really need to solve it, I wrote a program for that. I posted it in another thread, but I think it may be useful to have in a separate post so people could find it easier.

Since the puzzle isn't part of combat or other mechanic, let's just call it a "dynamic walkthrough", and not a cheat :)

The solver is written in C++. You can check out sources at GitHub: https://github.com/MaxSavenkov/UnderrailMutagenPuzzleSolver/

There is a download link there (I'm not sure if it is allowed to post links to 3rd-part compiled software here). Feel free to report bugs and suggest features :)

Small FAQ:

1) How does it work?

It's a very dumb algorithm. It just tries all possible combinations of mutagens until it finds one that works. To make it faster, it's multi-threaded and slightly optimized. It still can take SEVERAL MINUTES to run, especially on low-end PCs!

2) Why C++?

Because that's the language I know best, and because it's fast. Since the algorithm itself is VERY dumb, I wanted maximum perofrmance from my slover.

3) Why doesn't it work?

If you're seeing messages about incorrect program configuration, try installing the latest Visual C++ Redistirubtable 2015. Otherwise, it may be a bug on my side.

4) Why doesn't it find a solution?

Check your inputs first. If you misspelled a gene, it won't work. Also, you can try to use solver to find the solution even if you don't have all mutagens, but it may be impossible.

Also: at present, the solver only searches for solutions that include at maximum 9 steps (I forgot to add an option to search for more). I don't know the maximum length of a solution, so may your is longer.

Alternatively, there might be a bug in algorithm. I only tested it on one combination (which I've got in game), but so far no one else complained :)

5) How to make it work faster?

Try culling unusable mutagens by hand (i.e. input empty string for them when prompted, or do not include them in input file). This includes mutages with genes, that are not included in Exitus-1, but have no negative genes to cancel them out. Culling one or two mutagens speeds up the program drastically!

[Pringles]

Well, it doesn't work though.

couldn't solve this:

Exitus-1: SS RJ DI VQ YX EJ PX JX PL A7 H1

Echo-1: PX Y1 Y5 UA

Echo-2: H5 XK EJ VQ SS UA -T6 -YX -A7

Echo-3: A7 T6 RJ Y1 -SS -PL

Echo-4: Y1 A7 JX D8 -H1 -PL

Ovid-1: EJ RJ DI H5 UA PL -Y1 -PX -VQ

Ovid-2: ZC DI Y1 VQ T6 YX

Ovid-3: Y5 SS XK UA RJ -A7

Solis-1: PX XK EM H1 H5 -UA

Solis-2: EJ RJ XK PX -UA -ZC

Helicon-1: A7 H1 UA JX T6 D8 -YX -ZC

Helicon-3: PL VQ JX RJ -Y5 -ZC -T6

Helicon-2: JX XK Y1 RJ

Io-1: JX PL A7 H1 EJ -XK -Y1 -UA

Io-2: YX A7 -D8 -Y5 -DI -ZC

Io-3: SS EJ T6 RJ -EM -D8

[chtitelarve]

The puzzle is really simple when you take the time to put every formula on paper.

[max.savenkov]

Well, it doesn't work though.

Are you sure it's not -EJ instead of -EM in Io-3? Because there is no other instance of EM in other sequences, and that's strange. If it's -EJ, then the solution is

Io-3
Ovid-2
Solis-2
Io-1
Helicon-3

Also, I've fixed an error in Solver this morning, so anyone who tried to used it before should re-download the file.

[max.savenkov]

The puzzle is really simple when you take the time to put every formula on paper.

Tried that, never helped, wrote solver instead :) Maybe I'm dumb, but it seems a lot of people have problems with this one.

[Pringles]

Positive Sir, it is -EM, and I reckon this puzzle the game generated has no solution

thus, with my build, I cannot finish the game :/

[Pringles]

BTW, what is the indication that you succeed?

Weirdly, I tried the solution max gave me and it turned out to be the correct one, it seems.
There is no indication of anything happening though, even though the sequence is the same as the exitus-1 (albeit in a slightly different order)

[max.savenkov]

I found a BUG in my understanding of the puzzle! So, I fixed the solver and now it works, please download the NEW VERSION. It solves all puzzles I tested it on, so, including yours.

The key bit I was missing was that negative genes are not preserved in each step, they are only used during combination to delete positive ones. And if there is no match, then negative gene is gone, it does not lay in wait :)

Exitus-1: SS RJ DI VQ YX EJ PX JX PL A7 H1
Echo-1: PX Y1 Y5 UA
Echo-2: H5 XK EJ VQ SS UA -T6 -YX -A7
Echo-3: A7 T6 RJ Y1 -SS -PL
Echo-4: Y1 A7 JX D8 -H1 -PL
Ovid-1: EJ RJ DI H5 UA PL -Y1 -PX -VQ
Ovid-2: ZC DI Y1 VQ T6 YX
Ovid-3: Y5 SS XK UA RJ -A7
Solis-1: PX XK EM H1 H5 -UA
Solis-2: EJ RJ XK PX -UA -ZC
Helicon-1: A7 H1 UA JX T6 D8 -YX -ZC
Helicon-3: PL VQ JX RJ -Y5 -ZC -T6
Helicon-2: JX XK Y1 RJ
Io-1: JX PL A7 H1 EJ -XK -Y1 -UA
Io-2: YX A7 -D8 -Y5 -DI -ZC
Io-3: SS EJ T6 RJ -EM -D8

The solution is:

Ovid-3
Ovid-2
Solis-2
Io-1
Helicon-3

[Neo]

I Can't get the solver to open, i just want to beat the game QQ

[Nordom]

Yeah can't get program to run here either someone want to run this through for me?

Exitus-1: ED T3 H1 TY MF P6 CY PQ XE GI QH UE OL
Echo-1: ED T3 H1 PB WU TY -OL
Echo-2: T3 QH CY JS TY ED -FS -MF -XE -ZT
Echo-3: CY WU H1 -PB -XE
Echo-4: UE FS T3 -GI -WU
Helicon-1: T3 XE H1 GI QH -SD -JS -WU -PE -UE
Helicon-2: FS XE OL GI QH ZT -MF - H1 -CY
Helicon-3: MF H1 P6 QH
Io-1: SD WU OL -CY -QB -ED
Io-2: FS WU PB QH SD
Io-3: SD ZT GI OL ED -JS -P6 -QH -H1 -UE
Ovid-1: CY H1 OL -FS -QB -SD
Ovid-2: UE P6 XE -JS -ZT -FS
Ovid-3: P6 CY PQ XE QB
Solis-1: ZT MF WU -XE
Solis-2: FS CY PB GI MF ED -TY -QB

[bureau44]

sorry, stupid offtop question
how do you mix mutagens? I got how to scan them, but where to mix?

[Nordom]

Originally posted by bureau44:

sorry, stupid offtop question
how do you mix mutagens? I got how to scan them, but where to mix?

The machine to mix them is the last room before tchort after you open the gate and head north and go down the ladder, don't climb down the further ladder or you'll face tchort.

[max.savenkov]

Yeah can't get program to run here either someone want to run this through for me?

Echo-1
Solis-1
Ovid-3
Echo-3
Helicon-1
Ovid-2
Ovid-1

[Nordom]

Thanks finished the game off.

[jwnorton]

How do you know you succeed? you only fight half the tenticles? Only think it tells me is "system stable" - does that mean it succeeded?

And, I tried running this app, and my box askes which program you wish to run it with - is there an EXE for this?

[whatever 💀🎺]

Once you've created the compound and injected it, the screen shakes and the console tells you

Success
WARNING: Toxicity detected in biomass. System unstable.


The solver program must be compiled and then run in a terminal. Solving the mutagen on paper/spreadsheet isn't harder than basic sudoku/crossword if you understand the rules:


1. Order matters, the exact copy of Exitus must be created
2. When adding sequences all duplicate atoms are discarded
3. Negative atoms (ions) remove them, but if a negative doesn't remove anything it will be discarded.

Example solution with phases: http://i.imgur.com/rzQbF8o.png