Interesting. Where did you find these rules?

https://bitstorm.org/gameoflife/...

Brilliant. Yes, I think we're on to something. I'm sure I read Mutant Virus is based somewhere on how real viruses work and spread, and I've always had a hunch the game wasn't just random, and that there was some rhyme or reason to it. It was probably made based on how viruses work in real life, and how to combat it. Unfortunately this isn't intuitive, as these rules -- while realistic -- are strange. 

Here's a 3 minute video that illustrates how cells work according to John Conway's theory. Very cool. 




The big question is how can we use this information to make sense of the game, and how to best combat the viruses. 

After another round with the game I can confirm its definitely made by the design of "The Game Of Life"-theory by John Conway, which itself aims to similate how cells work in real life. I easily recognize the patterns, and how the cells spread. The "blinker", the "glider" and the other patterns. Neat. 

Can this help us with the gameplay then?
Maybe. Just understanding the system can help us find a way to deal with it more effectively. While playing the game I now realize you often can't control the viruses at all. They live their own life, and hits patterns randomly that can make them multiply in numbers quickly, perhaps covering the whole room at times, while other times not hitting these patterns and remaining low in numbers. Thats why some rooms are easy sometimes, and terrible other times. So sometimes you shouldn't blame yourself if there's an avalanche of viruses breaking out over you. There probably is a random bad luck factor there. 

The thing you do in the game is neutralize the fields the viruses stand on, and make it a battle between the neutralized viruses(blue) and the bad viruses(red), and try to contribute to the blue one's winning, because that clears the room. Sometimes, if the bad one wins they can find a very bad pattern and take over large areas of the room. On the flipside, the good viruses can do the same. 

I'm still not sure if there's a way of affecting these occurences to your advantage... but I will try again tomorrow. 

My best strategy still is to just use the SF gun and spread your shooting within a 3-4 radius along the borders of the infected viruses. That works the best for me. Sometimes I've found use of the LF gun too. Its for shooting long distance against the walls. The AU gun I am not sure I understand yet. 

TBH the game doesnt really get hard till level 4. Where the virus is super powerful and resistant.

I knew about the game of life thing, but never the 'rules' for it. Im thinking that maybe trying to turn as many neutral squares to blue first, and then attacking the virus in sections help. Im gonna watch that youtube vid.

I am going to check that as well.
This information can be useful to reverse engineer how the game works, and that could make this all a whole lot more interesting for me.

Bea's on the case! I think the whole idea is also to turn enough of the virus into the blue, to take over the rest with the aid of the Counter Measures. This could help where to 'start' the spread. Its very easy in the first round but then somehow during the latter levels the virus is more resistant to it.


Seeing as this thread is getting some more traction, I think it'll be time for me to fire it up soon and do some testing.



BTW as I said, if you want to skip the first part of the game,  if you hold UP, A, B, SELECT and then press START on the title screen, you'll go straight to level 3.

Well, if it follows these sets of rules, it stops being a stupid game that I hate, and becomes pure math, which I love.
So it will be fun to crack it till it break.

It seems it does, because I watched a bunch of videos and recognized a lot of things as examples as things i've seen in the game.  Like the gun that shoots the glider, the square, and the 3 virus' that move clockwise-like that almost looks like a plus sign.

I will start focusing on this after I am done with the NES contest for the year.
Going to try to focus on stages 4 and 5 that are the most difficult ones, and once I crack them, move to stages 1, 2 and 3 to break them completely as well.

Im gonna bet that my 'strat' works with the first few stages because its still relatively easy.  Where as level 4 and 5 you really know how to clean out the virus 'correctly' instead of using the counter measures in the right place.  Perhaps its a combination puzzle game with this element.

I cant contribute any more to the NES cuz I dont have any more games, which is why im amping up my Game Boy completions as im buying more carts.  So when you're ready i'll be ready to contribute as well!

Are you playing guitarzombie?

So I've been playing Mutant Virus a bit on and off the last couple of days.
Just keeping the console turned on. Its a nice feature that there's unlimited continues to this game, I'm honestly not sure I would have the stamina otherwise, as the game can get monotonous, even if I do like it.
Last night I surprisingly managed to scrape by to level 4 eventually, after what seemed like another level 3 going down the drain. Good, just three levels left, but the word on the street is that level 4 and 5 are hell-ish, so I'm obviously not feeling like I'm in any kind of clear. I guess this is where shits starts to hit the fan.

Reflections on the weapons:
The supergun(SG) is a really helpful asset. Love it. Shoots on the walls and bounces back, and seems stronger otherwise too. Its sucks when you die having the SG, because then you lose it and you can't get it back. The annoying SSV's can easily ruin a promising run. Otherwise I still use the SF for short range shooting 99% of the time. Are any of you guys ever using the LF gun or the AU gun for anything? Are there strategic sitations where these other guns are preferable? I'd be very curious to know. I try to use the LF gun for some long range shooting, but I rarely seem to gain much from it. Mostly for variation once in a while. I suppose if there's viruses you need to keep your distance from, it could work to use it, but I prefer you trying to steer away usually, using the SF instead.

The AU gun supposedly is shooting directly at the meeting virus, but I find it incredibly useless so far. Almost suspiciously useless, making me wonder if I've missed something. Its works like a weaker SF gun when I use it. I would assume if there's any way of breaking the "game of life"-code of the viruses to make it easier somehow it might potentially be with the AU gun. Thats an interesting theory. I fear however that the shootings would still be too difficult to control, as you're always floating around and exact accuracy in shooting isn't exactly easy in this game. Its not impossible there could be some exploit to be found there though. Its something to experiment with. Some kind of expert 'powerplayer' might discover something useful, who knows.

Reflections on the levels:
I thought level 3 was challenging, but now I'm at level 4, and its kicking my butt so far. Although I haven't played much of level 4 yet. My biggest question at this point is how the virus breakouts work. They are so stressful. I realize you can't stay away from the breakout rooms too long, because then its game over. They eat the core of the system or something, or whatever the narrative logic is? Meaning my reaction has been to panic and fly to them leaving rooms I'm working half finished, which doesn't seem wise. So you have to work at the rooms accordingly in order of the breakouts, and the breakouts therefore work as some kind of time-limit. You have to clear the rooms somewhat quickly to have a chance. I sort of hope there's a pattern or locked order in these breakouts, so you can find the some strategy to get through it. Phew. I expect level 5 to be even harder. Impressive that Bea_Iank beat this game drunk. Impressive to beat this game in any state. This game eats away at your patience.

If I get any progress with strategies on level 4 I'll mention em, and thanks again the guide you've made guitarzombie. Anyway, thats that. And the cut-scenes are still pretty cool.

I played yesterday and got to level 4 again. Then I just got tired haha. Id say level 4 is the hardest (ive been to level 5) because at least in level 5 you get the supergun power up that doesnt go away even after you die. I was trying to get a feel of fighting the virus and it was going well till level 4 haha. Its too powerful.

I need to play it on an emulator so I can save state AT level 4, so I can start testing strats. Actually first I should just look at the CMs and the room layouts and see whats the best to use them on.

The BIGGEST annoying thing are the rooms where theres a virus thing that keeps pumping out virus'. I think you have to put a CM ON TOP of them, or at least on one of them perfectly. Even with one of them on there, its really hard to clean out the room. If you look at my map, in level 4, room 3 and room 4 have 2 'virus spitter' things, that are like in the room you start out on.

BTW I found using the short stream works better around corners at times. But when im using the super gun, im always using it on an angle against walls allowing for it to bounce back and forth, seems to work incredibly well.

Im writing this down so I dont forget really, or if anyone wants to try this.

This is a level 4 thing.

In level 4, there are SIX 'virus spitters', ill call them. The start room has 1, Room 3 has 2, Room 4 has 2 and Room 6 has 1.

The start room can be cleared without a CM. Theres 4 CMs. Green 0, Green 1, Blue 0, Blue 1. The rest are 2 super guns and a temp shield.


Im gonna try:
- Clear Room 1
- Go to Room 3 grab Blue 1 use it on virus spitter
- Go to Room 2 grab Green 0
- Go back to Room 3 put on other spitter
- Clear Room 3
- Go to Room 6 grab Green 1
- Go to Room 5
- Go to Room 4 put CM on top closest spitter
- Go to Room 5 grab Blue 0
- Go to Room 4 put on farthest spitter
- Clear room 4

- Clear out remaining rooms? (7, 5, 6, 2)

I believe the breakout happen randomly, which is what makes it hard.  In fact thats how I lost when I got so close to beating it on a real nes.  I had 2 rooms left and I couldnt finish one and get the other.  The break outs happen VERY quickly. 

The game itself isnt hard.  What makes it soooooooo hard is there are no passwords.  If there were passwords it would be much easier to chip away at it.  To do it in one long sitting is very hard, without pausing or leaving the game on.  Hopefully with my strats it could be done in one sitting and perhaps without a continue. 

The game is pretty generous with extra lives and the threat of losing is not because of running out of lives, but the virus taking over too quick.  If you can get to the end of the game with a lot of lives theres a good chance you can just beat it on pure force instead of skill.

OK. Great, I'll perhaps try your level 4 strat too later, and I'll give some feedback on it. How it went for me. If I'm able to. I might trip a wire on my nes or something  

I'm just still worried the breakouts will ultimately control the rooms I'm going in? Should I just ignore the breakouts and do the run in the room-order?
Should I hope luck strikes and the breakouts happen in the room I'm heading anyway? That would be convinent, but the odds must be slim for that to happen.

Can you somehow deal with the breakouts without clearing the whole room? What constitutes to dealing with the breakout, I wonder.

I think it just happens randomly. If you throw some CMs in there it'll take care of it, but you have to attend to it. Even if you convert a bit of the virus it will buy you some time and go to another room, but ultimately youd have to clear that room out asap.

Been trying your strategy a few rounds now, guitarzombie, but unfortunately so far I seem to struggle... so I'll take a break to log my experience so far here.

LEVEL 4 with GZ-strategy

- Cleaning room 1 is fine. Just pick up the SG and clear it. No problem... Room cleaning business as usual.
- Then next step is to go to Room 2 and pick up the Green 0. (You've listed it as room 4, but I reckon you must mean room 2? No green 0 in room 4.)
- When I pick up the Green 0 it will leave my SG gun in room 2. So I have to come back for it later.
- Then I move to room 3. And I place the Green 0 on either of the two virus splitters.
- I'll move into room 3 further and pick up the Blue 1, and put it on the second virus splitter. (I might lose a life in the process here just from moving through the virus, but thats fine.)
- You definitely seem to need both CMs on the splitters in Room 3 to have a chance. I've tried with only one + the SG gun, and well, at lesst I couldn't do it. The virus splitter is too excessive.
- And you need the SG gun too here, so I have to go back to Room 2 and get it. I had problems cleaning the room even with two splitters and the SF (after losing the SG). The viruses seems stronger on level 4 than on level 3.
- So I figure I need two CMs AND the SG to deal with room 3. I just need to best find the order to get them, and then I need to have a fortunate round and not mess up.

Conclusion:
Biggest feedback of finetuning to the strategy so far has to do with keeping your SG gun, and the order of getting both CMs and keeping the SG gun, and if there is better to use Blue 1 or Green 0 on upper or lower, as they have different types of spread. I don't know, perhaps I'm also just not bringing my ace game so far.. but at least for my sake I need to find the correct order here.

Have you tried the strat yet, guitarzombie? How did it go for you?

I havent used it yet, it was just off the top of my head. When I listed that new strat a few threads ago, ignore what I wrote originally in the first post. Its starting from scratch.

Okay, I had another round today and it went a little bit better today. I managed to wipe out Room 1 and 2 quickly, and did everything right on Room 3... but alas, I still failed to clear it. Even with the SG gun I seem to have problems clearing the area around the proxy SSV. Its almost like I wonder the proxy SSV releases viruses too? Its dense with viruses, and every time I manage to clean some of it, they are always coming back. Not sure if I have bad luck or not. I was very close today though.

Room 2 is easy, and it helped my strategy of coming back for the SG gun after putting the CMs on Room 3. So to day rooms in the order 1-2-3 can be a good strat.
After losing the SG gun on Room 3, I just let it be.. but went down to Room 7 and managed to clear it quite easily, and had some progress on the other rooms before gaming over. So this round I did 3,5 rooms out of 7. Level 4 seems do-able, but its hellish. I also noticed you actually can use the SF gun. Its not too weak, which I thought earlier. Its just Room 3 I seem to suck at.

EDIT: 

New round, and I finally got Room 3 done. I lost my SG, but after some struggle with the SF I did it! I don't think the Proxy SSV releases viruses, but I wonder if viruses has a tendency of striking hitting increasing patterns around blocks it can go around. Thats my theory at least. I never had so much problems with viruses as there. Anyway, after Room 3 I tried Room 6 and it was quite quick to clean. It seems the Green 1 was meant for the virus splitter in that room, and if you do it immediately the viruses don't have any chance to spread. So.. just three rooms left. 4, 5 and 7. I had only one life left, so I realized it'd be difficult. While I was in Room 4, and I had cleaned like 1/3 of the room there was breakouts in both the other rooms. I stormed over to Room 5 and stopped the breakout there, and started cleaning it, but ignoring the breakout in room 7. Bad idea. Eventually the emergency message appeared and viola.. game over. But I'm happy with the round. I also think I understand how to stop the breakout. On the map the breakout makes the room blink. If you shoot a little into the room it'll eventually become neutral again, and you can leave it. I should have stopped the last breakout too. I had no lives left and a little life on the lifebar, so I expected to die anyway. If I have another round where Room 3 doesn't ruin my run, and I manage to spare more lives, I might manage to do even better. 

Some summary:
So far I think room order 1-2-3-6 seems promising. 
The Blue 1 from Room 5 belongs in Room 4. And I wonder if the Super Shield could be strategic to use in Room 5 in the inner sanctum to clean it, because the SSV there is almost impossible to avoid otherwise. There's also another SG in Room 7, and I wonder if it would be smartest to use it on Room 4, as that one seems to be toughest of the rooms left, as there are two virus splitters and only one CM to use in there. 
 

I just realized I DID make a mistake in my new 'update'. Im gonna try it now before I go to work, to see if I have any issues to update it.

BTW the proxy SSV things WILL erase the 'good virus' with the bad if it touches it I believe.




EDIT:

So I didnt have a saved game at level 4, so I had to jump to level 3.  I beat it and just as I beat it.... the game crashed.  Like actually crashed, the way an NES rom would just stop working.  WTF?!?!?!  Soo good luck with those strats... ill be back when im a lot less annoyed.

Oh man, that sucks dude...  

I had another round and its going a little bit better I think. I once again managed to pull off Room 1+2+3+6... but I still get stressed by the breakouts and they seem to be the one's that eventually kills me. Yes, you are right. Its the SSVs that spreads bad viruses, not the SSV-block. I realized this too this round.
I think I'm developing a better method for Room 3 now. 
 

Here's a temporary strat I'm going for now. EDIT: Updated 30th October. 

Mutant Virus Guide for Level 4

1. Room 1

Go straight for SG gun (Red 0) on top. 
Clean around the edges, and then work on the inner room until done. 
Its unfortunate to die on this room with the SG, as you will lose it, and it gets much harder without it. 
Go to Room 2. 

2. Room 2

Go straight on top of the room for the Green 0. Swap it it with the SG gun. Go to Room 3. 

3. Room 3

Put Green 0 on lower virus spitter. Get the Blue 1, and put it on top of the upper Virus Spitter, and if possible a little bit left to it, as it shoots to the right, making it more effective. 
Go back to Room 2. 

4. Room 2

If you have a low life bar from flying through all the virus, then die once on purpose to not lose your SG. When you start with a new life with a fresh re-filled lifebar, and a few second shield, grab the SG gun and shoot yourself a little blue area to stay in, and work from here to clean the room. Its a manageable room, but be very careful with the SSVs that shoots. If you manage to keep your SG that is ideal. 
Go to Room 3. 

5. Room 3

If you still have the SG gun do your best to clean the room. If you don't use the SF and cross your fingers you can pull it off. This can be a tough room, but with some luck and persistence you can manage, even with the SF. Important notice that the SVV brings a trail of viruses. I think its best to do the left side of the room, upper and lower level, and then shoot clear the tunnel. Then hurry and fly to the right side of the room. Take care of the virus, and from distance try to shoot any viruses back in the tunnel, without triggering the SVV.  
When the room is cleaned go to Room 6. 

6. Room 6

Immediately, quickly, go straight for the Green 1 and put it on top of the virus spitter in the middle of the room. If you still have the SG it will swap. Its good if you can keep the SG, so try to not die with it on you. 

7. Stopping any core breakouts
Breakouts happen at random, and in random rooms, and is one of the hard features of the game. The first breakout starts approx after 8 minutes, and after each minute another breakout starts. Tthe room turns green and thats a breakout. When all the rooms has had a breakout and are green, they later after each minute turn into CORE BREAKOUTS. The room will be then green and will blink. Now its time to take them seriously. You have 4 minutes from the the first room starts blinking, and if you fail to attend it the game will evacuate and you'll game over. If you find this difficult to juggle while trying to clean a room, it can be helpful to use a timer. 

After cleaning the third room, you'll likely have one or two core breakouts going. Go to these rooms and deal with them. To deal with a breakout simply fly to the room, shoot a little into the room until the room gets neutral again(the room looks like a mix of blue and green pixels on the map), and then you can leave for now. From now on you have to take care of the core breakouts after each room you clear. 

8. Back to Room 6

After dealing with the breakouts you can go back to Room 6. If you had luck the only core breakout was in Room 6 and didn't have to leave. 
If you still have the SG you can finish the room quickly. 

Go to Room 5.

9. Room 5 

Take the Blue 0. 
Go to Room 4.

10. Room 4

Put the Blue 0, put it on the virus spitter on the right side of the room. Its possibly preferable to put it a little bit to the right of it too, as this CM spreads vaccine to the left. 
Go to Room 7.

11. Room 7

There's another SG here if you have lost your old one, but make sure you have as much lifebar as possible before taking it. Die once if necessary to get a full life bar since it'll be easier to keep it. You can probably choose to do Room 7 or 5 now. If you have to do attend a core breakout you can choose Room 5, but otherwise just cleaning Room 7 is fine. Clean the room. 

Go to Room 5.

12. Room 5

You can choose to grab the shield in Room 4 on your way, but if you still have the SG thats better. 

If you use the SG: Go around the edges first, then move into the inner room carefully. Observe the SSVs. They can be difficult to avoid in here, but if you look closely they only have 3-4 different patterns, so if you memorize them you can effectively avoid being hit by them. 

If you use the the shield: You can go immediately into the inner room where all the SSVs are, shoot yourself a safe blue pocket, and try to clean it as much as possible when you have the shield, and hope to clean the inner room. Then work around the edges. 

13. Room 4

Final room, and the toughest one to clear. Its good to take out this last so you don't have to worry about anymore core breakouts. 
This room has two virus spitters and even a Proxy-SSV that will shoot when you are near it. You should now have one CM on the right virus spitter, and ideally a SG. If you never used the Shield and don't have the SG you can use that for protection 8 seconds too. 

I've dealt with this room by trying to clean up the left side of the room first, then go from top to the right and carefully take out more and more of this room. 
If you have the SG you can shoot the walls around corners without triggering the Proxy-SSV. When the right side of the room is done, go back to the left virus spitter. It can be tricky to shoot the viruses while the virus spitter spits out more, but sooner or later you'll make it. 

When you've cleaned this room this the whole level is cleared. 

New run: Strat seems to work pretty well. Best run so far. I did Room 1+2+3+6.. then took out some Breakouts, while putting the Blue 0 in Room 4. Then managed to clean Room 5, which was intense. Understanding the patterns of the SSVs is very helpful on this room. They seem to have 3 or 4 different patterns, so if you recognize them you can avoid them.

Was then working very hard on Room 4, and was very close to making it, but I was playing quite a while with no lives left and literally 0 life-bar energy, so I was hanging on a thread the whole time until I eventually messed up and died. I was surprised I made it that far really. It was the right virus spitter on Room 4 thats tough to do with no CM on it. Not sure what to do with it. Basically there's two virus spitters but only one CM, and I'm sure either of them is tough to deal with, so putting the CM on the other instead I'm not sure will do much. I suppose you just gotta depend on persistence and some good luck, while shooting like a maniac.  

Nice. Ill try this sometime. I remember the first time I got to level 4 it wasn't nearly as hard as I thought, or is now. Same with with level 5, its just too many rooms and too fast! If there were no breakouts, or the breakouts were a lot slower in level 5 i'd have beaten it, or it wouldn't be as hard as it is now.

Its really the speed it has to be done with, because of the breakouts.