Helmholtz Zone

[StopItStepBro]

I was kinda wandering along this zone when I found it and kinda went headlong into the Furniture Store, I know I am mostly at fault for going into the portal much less prepared than I was supposed to be (solo server), but please add some sort of flashlight drops or charging stations or something. I was caught with only 3 flashlights and spent a hell of a time packaging and placing lamps to find my way through most of the store and the terribly pitch black basement area. Again, I know I’m mostly at fault but having some sort of cushion for that mistake would do wonders to make that area much less of a nightmare if caught unprepared.

[Anker]

It's awful, particularly how the elevator button things randomly shuffle themselves each time. Fortunately, the zombies don't spawn until you activate them, so you can find all of them and then make a mad dash for them. You can also light up the place with furniture and just never activate the elevator- Put a bounce pad up, or a rope plant down, or a teleporter, something like that.

[The Vagrant Knight]

maybe it's because I was rocking the radio pack (reduced battery drain) for my whole playthrough, but how is 3 flashlights not enough? I did it with 1 and that was after it was already half empty from exploring the labs before that. I'm genuinely curious

[MechWarden]

yeah, I'm a bit puzzled as well, but I wasn't going to question it too much.

After realizing what I had to do, I made sure I wasn't encumbered by armor and just a mad dash around the place looking for the Slenderman Notes I mean, transformer(?) buttons.

Helps to have had Sprint leveled up by then.

[Bluealpha]

It could probably use a few pre-placed flashlights around the area just in case you somehow manage to bumble into there without any, but otherwise its pretty easy. The basement did make me think that having throwable flares would actually be a good tool, though. Keeping that stairwell lit up in my peripheral vision would've saved me from a few zombie bites.

[MechWarden]

I could have sworn I saw flashlights in that place! But I'm likely mistaken.

That and glow lights might not be a bad thing to have spawn there.

[Jartym]

I notice there are a number of standing lamps in the store already, they're just not placed in helpful locations. Adding a lot more activatable lamps (in key places to illuminate space, not just randomly) would work, and still keep the map's oppressive darkness but in a more interactible, problem-solvable way. When you're out of lights yourself, you're reaching out to find the next lamp and expand your reach for areas of visibility. I'd like to play a longer furniture store with this kind of gimmick.

I'd also like the zombies to start spawning after 20-30 seconds of entry or so, because the place is easy to cheese and safely collect furniture when you know they don't start spawning until you activate a switch.

[Anker]

Originally posted by MechWarden:

I could have sworn I saw flashlights in that place! But I'm likely mistaken.

That and glow lights might not be a bad thing to have spawn there.

I have visited the furniture store extensively (My personal project was to harvest all the lights and then light the whole place up) and I can assure you there are no flashlights. There might be one in the downstairs security office, but I don't think so.

[Anker]

Originally posted by Jartym:

I'd also like the zombies to start spawning after 20-30 seconds of entry or so, because the place is easy to cheese and safely collect furniture when you know they don't start spawning until you activate a switch.

How about no? ALL portal worlds can be tamed after you complete them, doing it the first time is the hard part and then mastering it is your reward. You're *supposed* to revisit the portal worlds frequently after you beat them- They're the only place that have respawning resources. Why do you think Flathill had so many shortcuts?

The only good way to skip the elevator sequence is with a rope plant, which is only unlocked *well after* you beat it the first time.


Accept your reward for completing the area. Not everything has to be a gigantic struggle all of the time.

[MechWarden]

I recently tried the Rope Plant trick (after running out of things to do) and to my disappointment I couldn't get it to work.

I might have to place something on the edge to overcome the placement barrier that seems to be around the edge of the elevator. I didn't feel like making the run again after being unable to place the plant the first time. Might try later when I feel more up to it.

[Anker]

Originally posted by MechWarden:

I recently tried the Rope Plant trick (after running out of things to do) and to my disappointment I couldn't get it to work.

I might have to place something on the edge to overcome the placement barrier that seems to be around the edge of the elevator. I didn't feel like making the run again after being unable to place the plant the first time. Might try later when I feel more up to it.

I used a bridge to get it to stick out a little bit, I think. I never actually want to go up the elevator anyway when I visit.

[Adapter0]

Having one flashlight in Helmholtz would be nice for first time visitors since first time i went there i had 1/4 battery on my headlight and it didn't turn out to well. I do find it odd that only the Flathill everything stays unlocked while all other portal worlds re-lock shortcuts upon portal resets.

[Anker]

Originally posted by Adapter0:

Having one flashlight in Helmholtz would be nice for first time visitors since first time i went there i had 1/4 battery on my headlight and it didn't turn out to well. I do find it odd that only the Flathill everything stays unlocked while all other portal worlds re-lock shortcuts upon portal resets.

That is a little strange. It might be because the other worlds with unlocked shortcuts are combat-centric, but considering you can bypass some of them with a hacker, I'm pretty sure it's just a bug.

[FirstMarauder]

I went back into the furniture store. The elevator doesn't work. How do I get out?

[Exabear]

Rocked that with 2 flashlights. Its basically a dungeonish level. you need to clear the objectives before exploring. feel like your asking to make it easier when if youve made it that far you should have some idea what to expect. As soon as I found a sword and that awesome kite shield i knew I would make it our alive. Getting bitten was an annoying lesson tho.

[Bonkers]

Originally posted by FirstMarauder:

I went back into the furniture store. The elevator doesn't work. How do I get out?

Find the buttons and press them.