Those annoying ants

[Kodoichi]

I just started playing It Came From The Desert again, and I have some problems with it.

(Yes I'm too lazy to search up a good walkthrough... + I just downloaded the PC version as it's faster playing from HD )

- How exactly do you escape from the hospital? I managed to get to the front door, but it wouldn't open. Do I first need to find some keys?

- How do I rescue Elmer? When I got his note I went to the volcano, tried to fight the ants but got a sunburn because there were too many ants and I walked around aimlessly. Can Elmer actually be found near the volcano?

- Where do I get the flamethrower from?

- What do I do next if the mayor is out of town, the professor dead, I couldn't get a general alert and the airport is destroyed? O.o

[7-Zark-7]

Tell me about it! Did you go to the centre of the doors? I think I've managed to escape, but I've only done it once,so can't think how I did it.

I'd love to know how to survive the chicken race sequence, I've been wiped out everytime.

If the professer's dead, you might be better off backtracking to an earlier savepoint.

[Muzkat]

By saying "chicken race," I'm assuming that you mean the face to face race with Ice and the Hellcats, right?

If so, it's not that hard to survive, once you get the hang of it. Simply put the pedal to the medal, and steer your car/truck to the very centre of the road. Keep the gas on as Ice approaches and, 9 times out of 10 (roughly ), he'll veer off at the very last second. Then he'll challenge you to a knife fight.

I too have never escaped the hospital. Are the doors locked?

I remember going to where the Professor called for help, and killing all the ants...yet in the end, the professor still wound up dead. Is this part of the game's narrative, and is it inevitable?

[Kodoichi]

The first time I played ICFTD again, I won the chicken race by just hitting the gas and go straight forward.

The second time I tried this, my car suddenly went to the right off the street, although I didn't want this O.o

The third time I tried my gas+forward tactic, the guys just crashed into my car o.O

[Drake1009]

If you played the PC version and you went off the road there's a good chance a joystick interfered with your driving.

I always liked the idea and style of It came from the desert, yet I haven't gotten around to playing it more than 30 minutes. Much like Fallout 1 and 2. Good games I'd really like to spend more time with, but which I for some obscure reason haven't.

[Drake1009]

Indeed. but you never know with those pesky PC joysticks. If it was activated for some reason then anything might've provoked it to send a signal. I've had games where I'd have to disconnect my joystick otherwise I'd suddently make strange movements.

[Drake1009]

Then that's probably not the issue then. I said if it was connected didn't I? No really! I'm too lazy to go up and see if I did.

Could also be a programming bug.

[Tim Janssen]

I never understood what the general purpose was of this game until I read the Zzap! review which gives many hints.
The main purpose is to collect 4 pieces of evidence to convince the local Rednecks and finally destroy the large Mother-ant who is hidden in the mines. The review can be found on my homepage.

[Kodoichi]

A short walkthrough/FAQ can be found using Google, but it still doesn't explain what to do next after you got the evidences or the ants are attacking during the general alert. The goal of the game is to go down the ant's nest, which I already found, but as I already asked where do you get the flamethrower to kill all the ants there?

Hmm... I think I might even have a map for the nest somewhere in an old magazine. I'll have a look at it when I'm back home.

[Drake1009]

Hmm seems like there's multiple ways to solve it. I remember reading a part of the walkthrough which was printed in a magazine. It didn't say anything about flamethrowers but it did say to really really make sure you conserve ammo.

[Kodoichi]

I found the map (+ tips) in one of my magazines, but it's for Antheads :/

- How exactly do you escape from the hospital? I managed to get to the front door, but it wouldn't open. Do I first need to find some keys?

Really easy. Grab a wheelchair. Approach the doors from one side and you will notice two guards. As soon as they come after you, head round the other way and the escape should be easy; make sure there are no guards, doctors or nurses in your vicinity when you get to the doors. They should just pop open and you'll find yourself back at the map.

- How do I rescue Elmer? When I got his note I went to the volcano, tried to fight the ants but got a sunburn because there were too many ants and I walked around aimlessly. Can Elmer actually be found near the volcano?

You don't actually see him. If you wander too far from the ants, you will tire in the heat. Just try and blast as many of them as possible and they will run away in the end.

- Where do I get the flamethrower from?

You've got it with you all the time but only use it when you enter the nest. If the ants in the nest overpower you, once out of hospital, see Elmer and (providing you saved him), he will fill it back up for the next time you enter the nest.

- What do I do next if the mayor is out of town, the professor dead, I couldn't get a general alert and the airport is destroyed? O.o

You've got until day 15 to complete the game. If you don't have a general alert, the mayor will call one anyway but it will be close to the end of the game. Look for the ants nest.

[DamienD]

Hey guys,

Hmmm, can't remember where on the web I found this but here you go...

Day 1:
First you need to convince people that these creatures exist so you need to gather some evidence to prove their existence.
Answer the door to Geez, he will hand you some samples. Once he is gone, talk to Biff then send the samples to the lab. The phone will ring whilst you are talking to Geez and it will be Bert Lamont from the local newspaper, don’t bother with him, he is of very little use to you during the game. Instead, head to the lab and get acquainted with Dr. Wells then head to the Police Station where the sheriff will inform you of strange goings-on at JD’s Farm. Make your way over there.
You will meet the farmer, he will run away and leave you to face the ants yourself. For the first ant, you will need to blow its antennae off. Aim for the centre of each one (where it changes from black to red). Once you have defeated the first ant, you will see an aerial view of the surrounding area and you have so many grenades or dynamites to throw at the rest of the ants. Once you have defeated them, your character will announce that he has taken either a fluid sample or a piece of an ant. You will need this for later.

Day 2:
Wake up at about 9am, there will be a knock at the door, it is best to have nothing to do with Jackie because she is of very little help when it comes to defeating the ants. Instead, head to the south west volcanic cone where you will meet more ants. Again, when defeated, your character will gather some more evidence from them.

Day 3:
Again, wake up at about 9am, your neighbour will drop off some ant evidence. There is nothing else to do on this day so you may as well wander round and listen to some gossip.

Day 4:
Wake up in the morning and head to the SW Cone, you will find an ant track so make a plaster cast of it. Then go to the Police Station for a tape of some ant sounds. You now have all the evidence you need to prove the ants exist so take it to the lab and give it to Dr. Wells for analysis.

Day 5:
Wake up at about 0830 and head straight to the lab for the test results on the evidence you dropped off. Take this to the mayor’s office and he will call a general alert. You now have control over all the town’s workers in defeating the ants. You can view the Situation Map at the Police Station and use it to position your forces. It’s up to you which forces you send where but be sure to have some army up at the mines, this way you get tanks to fight in.

Finding the Ant Nest:
Now you need to get to Mine 1 as this is where the ants nest is. There are a few ways to do this. Firstly, you can go to the Ore Plant, M2 then M1, you will no doubt meet some ants along the way. You can also place some army at the Ore Plant if there are ants there so you get a tank, get in the tank and head south then east along the track. The other alternative is to take a flight from the airport, head southwest. Either way when you are at M1, head south about two screens and look for the place where you see ants appearing from the ground. The hole will stay open after they have emerged. You need to drop into this hole and you will end up in the ants nest.

In the Nest:
Use the maps below to find the queen of the ants. Try to avoid as many of the worker ants as you can as you have limited fuel in your flamethrower. Once you have found the queen, walk right up to her and depending on the version of the game you are playing you will either get a message with your character announcing he has placed some dynamite or the music will simply stop and you will hear ticking. Now head back to the start of the second lair of the nest and it will blow up, killing the queen and saving the town from the giant ants or just hang around for a while and the nest will blow up eventually.

(see attached Map.jpg)

If you are overpowered by the worker ants in the nest, you will end up in hospital. Escape the hospital, go to Elmer’s Service station and he will give you some more flamethrower fuel. However, if you go to the station (about day 9) and there is a note saying he is hiking round the SW Cone, head over there and destroy the ants otherwise Elmer will be injured and unable to help you for the rest of the game.
If you are unable to pick up any of the ant evidence due to ending up in hospital and not escaping, see below for more places you can pick it up.

Ant Fluid:
Neptune Hall, Quarry, Jackie’s car on day 2, after fighting ants (the best places are SW Volcanic Cone or M1)

Piece of Ant:
Your neighbour (day 3), after fighting ants (try SW Volcano or M1)

Plaster Cast of Track:
Cook’s Stud Farm (day 7), they also appear at some of the mines, Geez will drop one off at the lab

Tape Recording:
Sometimes the miners can give you one, if not, go to the airport after a few days, Louie will tell you that he has had the planes upgraded with recording machines, fly to a usual ant hang-out (south west), fly over them and head back.

People:
Here are some details on the people you will meet in the game and how useful they are to you.

Dr. Wells (University Lab):
Will test any ant evidence for you and give you advice about them. However, he is of very little use when it comes to fighting them.

Biff (Home):
Can give you local gossip and will help you look at the samples.

Ice and the Hellcats (On the road or at Beverley’s Drive-In):
They will appear on the road during some of your trips and challenge you to a game of chicken. Head along the centre lines in the road and all being well, they will turn off at the last minute.
Of no use whatsoever in fighting the ants. However, if you are bored, head to Beverley’s Drive-In and knife their gang leader.

Billy Bob (Neptune Hall):
Will let you have a sample of ant fluid from the premises but in all other instances he is of no use to you.

Quarry Workers:
Can give you a sample of ant fluid but are useless in general.

Miners:
Will give you info on what is going on at the mines and can provide you with some ant evidence.

Sheriff:
Possibly your best source of information about local goings-on. You can always rely on what he tells you.

Bert Lamont (Lizard Breath Star):
No use whatsoever.

Fortune Teller:
Can give you information as to where the ants are but isn’t always accurate.

Elmer (Service Station):
Will give you information about Ice and the Hellcats and will fill up your flamethrower provided you save him from getting hurt by ants.

Mayor:
Of no use to you until you find enough evidence to convince him that the ants are real.

Army Sergeant:
Useless

Mac (Builder):
Useless

Pump House Watchmen:
May repeat some local gossip but they are too far away from the ants nest to be of much use.

Farmers:
May repeat some local gossip and the one at Cook’s Farm will let you have a plaster cast.

Louie (Airport):
Will let you use one of his planes to go after the ants.

Jackie:
Will turn up at your house and ask you to go to her car, you can get a fluid sample. Don’t let her thank you for your help otherwise you will end up in hospital.

Dusty (KBUG):
Can give you local gossip.

Geez:
Will help point you in the direction of the ant nest.

Ben (Neighbour):
Will give you a piece of an ant and sometimes appears on Main Street.

Telephone Operator:
Can give you some gossip and sometimes tells you where to find people (i.e. Dr. Wells) if they are unavailable.

[eternalcrusader]

I've been playing this game for a few days now and I'm stuck in the nest. I've tried pretty much every way but just can't find my way to the queen. I'm stuck in the first dungeon...

Is it just me or are those maps provided in the previous post crap ? I cannot make any use of them. Where is the player supposed to be ? Where am I supposed to go ?

[Ironclaw]

Q is obviously Queen, S is Start... and you start at map 1.. left one... so what's the problem?

I think.. donno, never played that far into the game.

[CodyJarrett]

There are more maps here: http://hol.abime.net/2674/gamemap

[eternalcrusader]

Originally Posted by Ironclaw

Q is obviously Queen, S is Start... and you start at map 1.. left one... so what's the problem?

For starters, those maps don't look like the maps in the game ( http://hol.abime.net/2674/gamemap )

Thanks CodyJarrett for the link ! But I'm still not quite sure where should I go in the first dungeon. Where is the entrance to the second dungeon ?

[Ironclaw]

I think they look very much like them... he hasn't just drawn all the caves. only the necessary.. I easily see the resemblance and where to go.... if I were there I would do fine with his drawings.

It is not easy to draw maps when you have a load of ants chasing after you

[DamienD]

Very true