SHARK! HUNTING THE GREAT WHITE FAQ v1.1
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by David J. Stein, Esq.
0. Foreward/To Do
1. Gameplay, Controls, and Equipment
2. Tactics
3. Career Mode Locations
3.1 California Beach
3.2 Ajanta Temple
3.3 Cuba Caves
3.4 Caribbean Wreck
3.5 Rhodos Temple
3.6 Austrailia Reef [sic]
3.7 Florida Platform
3.8 Mystery
4. Random Mode Locations
4.1 Tahiti Island
4.2 Hawaii Wreck
4.3 Rock Gate
4.4 Africa Reef
4.5 Caribbean Reef
4.6 Monterey Reef
4.7 Palau Reef
4.8 Crack Canyon
5. Revision History
6. Credits
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0. INTRODUCTION
0.1 FOREWARD
Shark! Hunting the Great White is a game written for Windows in 2001 by SCS
Software/Sunstorm Interactive/Wizard Works/Infogrames. Superficially, this game
resembles a first-person shooter like Quake, but the differences are vast. You
spend most of your time exploring eerie, underwater environments - reefs,
shipwrecks, sunken temples - and a little bit of time in a cat-and-mouse battle
with some enormous sharks.
This is not a perfect game. The graphics are primitive 3D - sparse models,
low-resolution textures, occasional clipping/tearing issues - and the elementary
physics model means you can swim right through some fish and plants. And it's
hardly realistic (equipment weight and the bends are non-factors, and shark
attacks result in a Nintendo-esque reduction to your life counter.) But this is
not intended to be Half-Life; this is a small-budget game, and in that context,
it's remarkable. The experience of creeping around the depths, hunting or (more
often) being hunted by massive cold-blooded predators, is quite compelling.
Certainly worth an afternoon.
0.2 TO DO
Nothing left of note.
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1. GAMEPLAY, CONTROLS, AND EQUIPMENT
1.1 GAMEPLAY
Aside from the help file and Sharkopedia (educational section - very cool, try
it), this game offers two modes: Career Mode and Random Mode. There are eight
locations available in each (sixteen unique locations total.) Random Mode can be
played at any time; it just adds a few random sharks to the level you selected
and lets you kill one of them. Career Mode requires the player to achieve a
particular mission on each level before proceeding to the next, and the player
earns new and improved gear for successfully completing a level. This gear can
be used either in Career Mode or in Random Mode.
At the start of the game, you will be asked to create a profile, which tracks
your progress during Career Mode and your records in Random Mode. Before playing
any location in either game, you may select from one of three difficulty modes.
The sole purpose of the difficulty is to change how much damage a shark does
when it chomps on you. In Difficult, many times one bite will kill you. In Easy,
you'll be able to take several bites, maybe four, before you're dead.
1.2 CONTROLS
You can reassign controls however you want. Mainly, you'll need standard 3D game
controls (forward, backward, move left, move right, fire button, reload button,
and mouse to control viewing angle.) I use a very weird A/Z/LtCtrl/Space
arrangement, but only because I've played a whole lot of 3D games with these
controls. Hitting 1 or 2 will bring up your primary weapon or your knife,
respectively. Pressing B drops bait, which is largely useless (see below.)
If you haven't played many 3D games before, then you should practice moving
around. You can, and should, get used to dissociating where you're traveling
from where you're looking. If you're swimming forward, you should be able to
look to the left and switch to the "swim right" key in order to keep moving in
the same direction (while looking left.) This is an important skill in all 3D
games, but particularly here, where spotting an approaching shark early is
crucial for survival.
1.3 EQUIPMENT
Every level begins with an equipment loadout screen. You can choose from nine
weapons, three oxygen tanks (of increasing capacity), three wetsuits (which
enable you to descend to deeper depths), and three flippers (which make you move
faster.)
Completing any level in career mode (except the last one) will earn you a
specific piece of equipment: a better weapon, more spacious oxygen tanks, better
fins, or a better wetsuit. You don't get to choose what kind of gear; sadly,
there is no "shopping" aspect to this game.
Also, except for the last two levels, you can obtain an extra (specific) piece
of equipment by finding a bonus object on the level. (When you find it, you may
have to swim around the area near it for a while before the game registers it as
a discovery. You'll know you've secured it when you see the "You have found a
secret!" text.) You won't be told what or where it is, and they're well-hidden;
but if you run across it while exploring, you'll get an extra piece of gear when
you complete the level. If you die before completing the level, then you don't
get anything - and you have to find the bonus object again later, during a
successful mission, to get credit for it.
Weapons fall into four classes:
1) Knife: You always have this - press F2 while underwater to wield it. It does
a small amount of damage to any shark right in front of you. It's mainly a
"finish him!" weapon; if you run out of ammo but the shark is almost dead, you
can take it down with this. Trying to do any significant damage with the knife
is mostly a waste of time.
2) Poison-tipped spears: These will hit the shark and do a small or medium
amount of immediate damage, and as the shark swims around, it will gradually
lose some more health. More powerful spears are equipped with more powerful
poisons. Also, these spears may either be band-ejected (the standard) or
pneumatic (propelled by compressed air) - the latter hit harder, but move more
slowly at greater depths.
3) Bangsticks: These eject a hard charge of concussion energy into the water
ahead of you. There's no equivalent to this weapon in our above-water world,
because air doesn't propagate pressure nearly as much as water. Under water,
though, concussion force is a great tool - and, in this case, it makes a great
weapon. However, this is *severely* distance-limited. If you're not fairly close
to the shark when you fire this weapon, it won't do anything. You should
actually be put it against the shark to achieve maximal damage.
4) Explosive-tipped spears: This is the last weapon you earn in career mode, and
it's mighty powerful. Heavy damage, good throwing speed, long-range precision.
The only problem is its limited ammunition (you can carry only four of these),
but in most cases, this should be enough to take down one or even two sharks.
Except for the knife, your weapons have very limited ammunition, and it takes
several seconds to reload after every shot. Together, these facts mean that you
should be very frugal with your shots. One trick to consider: After firing your
weapon, you can immediately switch to the knife and start wielding it - and you
will continue reloading your primary weapon in the background. When the
"reloading" noises stop, you can then select your primary weapon and fire it
again (if you still have ammo.)
In addition to weaponry, you have the following items:
Compass: Shows the direction of your current heading, of course.
Shark Radar: Initially, each shark in the level will appear as a silhouette with
a ? next to it. If the shark gets within range once, its silhouette changes to a
picture of the type of shark. Whenever the shark starts getting close, the
picture or silhouette of the shark will flicker. If it's *really* close, you'll
start hearing your heart beating in suspense. Finally, each shark has a health
meter showing how badly it's hurt. While knowing the number, proximity, and
status of the sharks in the level detracts from the suspense of the game, it's
key for strategy.
Health Meter: Shows how badly you've been injured by sharks. If this drops to
zero, your diver is dead.
Oxygen: Of course, you carry oxygen. Whenever you're underwater, you will use
oxygen (and you don't when you surface.) Keep an eye on the timer - if this ever
hits zero, your diver will immediately die. Your diver starts making choking
sounds around 30 seconds to let you know that you're in trouble. In most cases,
this timer should be fine, unless you're fumbling with your exploration
attempts.
Bait: You also carry bait, i.e., chum. You can press B anywhere in the level
(twice per level) to send out a hunk of dead, bleeding fish, which (supposedly)
attracts sharks. It doesn't cost anything, but unfortunately, I've never seen it
do anything significant to attract sharks, really.
Resupply Vessel: Almost every level begins near a vessel of some kind. You can
replenish your ammo and oxygen once (and only once) per level by approaching
this vessel.
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2. TACTICS
If you approach this game like Counter-Strike or Unreal Tournament, you're
likely to end up as chum quickly and frequently. The engine is similar, but the
style of combat is completely different.
Two primary factors distinguish this game from most others:
1) You're underwater. Your movement is heavily controlled by momentum. You can't
dodge rapidly side to side to avoid a shark like you would a missile. Your
movements are slow, which mean they have to be more calculated. Fortunately, the
sharks have this same handicap.
2) The playing field isn't even. You're a tiny human, with limited energy. Your
opponent is a 30-foot, one-ton predator with multiple rows of razor-sharp teeth.
Small sharks can seriously harm you with a bite; large sharks will kill you
outright. Also, the shark is much faster and more agile than you: it glides
around quickly and silently, and although it moves mostly in straight lines, it
can quickly change direction with a flip of its powerful tail.
Now, the good news - you have two things the sharks don't: a large brain and a
ranged weapon. Shark movement is predictable - in fact, all of them use the same
swimming algorithm, so they all move in the same way. Also, these sharks don't
move vertically as quickly as they do horizontally, so swimming upward or
downward is a good way to break off engagement with a charging shark. You will
get used to predicting where it's going, anticipating the direction changes, and
learning evasive action maneuvers to avoid an oncoming shark. And you will learn
to snipe them from a distance with a medium-range spear attack. Several well
placed, medium-distance spear hits will reduce that fearsome predator to fish
food.
Your weapons do have some limitations. Notice my use of the term "medium
range." I point this out because you rarely take long-range shots, even once you
know how the shark moves. You have very limited ammunition - eight to twelve
spears *per level* - and most of them have to hit to last you through the level.
Also, *where* you hit your prey is important in determining the amount of damage
it takes. Hits to the head and gill regions are very effective. Hits to the body
region are good, but not great. Hits to the fins and tail do very little damage.
Plan accordingly. Finally, the damage is not always immediate; spaers may be
poison-tipped, doing little damage at first but a moderate amount spread over
the next ten or twenty seconds. You cannot plan to face down a charging shark;
you will shoot it in the nose, and it will eat you a second later. Again,
evasive maneuvers are key.
Note that these sharks attack exclusively in a hit-and-run manner. Every time,
it will try to sneak up on you, try to take a bite out of you, and swim off into
the distance. If you manage to evade its attack, you'll have a second or two
when it's swimming directly away from you, in a straight line, and can be quite
easily speared. It will eventually circle back for another attack, but not
necessarily from the same direction.
With these things in mind, the standard shark-fighting technique is as follows:
1) Locate the general area of the shark. Watch your shark meter and listen for
the heartbeat to gauge how close it is (see the Items section for information on
the shark meter.)
2) Pick a good location. Imagine the sphere around you when you're bobbing in a
region of open water - you can be attacked from any direction. This is the
worst-case scenario. Your goal is to limit this sphere as much as possible. At
best, you can find a spot where the shark can't reach you, e.g., inside a narrow
tunnel. Barring this, try to find a bowl-like set of circumstances, where your
sphere will be limited. At least, get your back against a good obstacle, if
possible, to prevent the shark from attacking you from behind, or drop to the
sea floor to prevent attacks from below.
3) Keep watch for the shark. Your survival depends on seeing it as soon as
possible. Constantly scan the portion of the sphere of attack that's not
obscured by obstacles.
4) When you see the shark, quickly predict its movement. If it's coming right
for you, that's pretty easy. If it's passing you - above, below, or to the side
- try to wait until it changes direction, in which case you know it's going to
move straight for a second or two. Shoot only if you have a clear shot, with a
high chance of hitting a vital area. Don't waste ammo taking pot shots at its
tail. And if it's right on top of you when you first spot it, don't fire off a
wild shot that will probably miss.
5) Now, immediately after firing, get the hell out of its way! Even if it's
passing you, a powerful flip of its tail might turn it directly into you, and
the next thing you see is the inside of the shark. But do not swim away from it
- remember, it's faster than you. Rather, move perpendicularly to its plane of
motion. For instance, if it's charging you, don't move forward or backward. Swim
left or right, up or down, or a combination of these directions. (As noted
above, swimming up or down is a particularly good tactic, since the sharks spend
more time swimming horizontally.)
UPDATE: A gentleman named TundroWalker emailed me the following tidbit about
shark movement: "I think they have two shark movement algorithms: one for
small sharks and one for large sharks. The small shark algorithm lets them
cruise into crevices and cracks (e.g., blue sharks), because they won't clip
so badly. But, the large shark algorithm has them avoid tight areas (e.g.,
great whites seem to avoid tight areas because the clipping would be
atrocious.) The Hammerhead, though, seems to use the 'small shark' movement,
because I've seen it swim down into tight crevices during the Reef instant
action missions. and, as such, it clips horribly. Again, just a theory."
(I didn't notice as large a difference as TundroWalker did, but I wouldn't
be surprised in the least - the whole game has some serious clipping issues.
Well, it *is* a budget game, after all!)
TundroWalker also contributed the following bit about a trainer: "There's a
'cheat' file you can download off the web called 'ftsshtrn.zip' that contains
a replacement .dll file for another one the game installed. After replacing
the file and starting the game, you'll notice you have unlimited oxygen,
ammo & health. It takes the thrill out of the game, but some
'casual/tourist' gamers may find it useful. Searching Google should drum it
up at various game/trainer sites." (Can't confirm or deny this one, other
than to confirm that the file does appear in the cheats section of several
online sites.)
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3. CAREER MODE LOCATIONS
These locations must be played in order - you can only play a location after
you've completed every location that comes before it. Each one gives you a
specific mission - usually you have to kill the dangerous sharks in the area,
but some involve finding something underwater. The level ends immediately when
you complete your mission, so if you want to keep exploring, you should avoid
fully attaining all of the goals (leave one shark alive, for example, or find
the underwater object but don't get close enough to trigger the "you found it"
message that ends the level.)
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3.1 CALIFORNIA BEACH
Description: "Joy and fun have ended on a beautiful California beach where two
yellow tail sharks slpped past anti-shark nets. The beach is deserted now and
the only hope for the beach owner to attract back the scared public is to get
rid of the sharks. You have been called for as a professional shark hunter to
help."
Mission: Kill two lemon sharks
Difficulty: Easy
Water: Shallow, good clarity
Time: Midday
Reward: Shotgun Bangstick
Bonus: Find the Golden Necklace to obtain the Improved Wetsuit
Recommended Weapon: The Piston Speargun is a good long-range weapon. The CO2
Bangstick is a poor choice - you need to be too close for comfort to do any real
damage.
Walkthrough: You start out a few feet from the beach, which comprises a large
bay opening southward. In front of you, underwater, is a "Beach Closed" sign. If
you head forward (due south), you'll encounter your first shark - a small lemon
shark. Instead, turn to 120 degrees (east/southeast) and swim until you get to
the eastern edge of the bay, just below the large sign on shore. If you then
turn northward, you'll find a small alcove in the wall of the shore, containing
a gold necklace.
Beyond it, the water will get a little deeper, and you'll see the shark nets
that failed to protect the beach. You can swim underneath them if you drop down
to the ocean floor. The second shark is usually trawling around those shark
nets.
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3.2 AJANTA TEMPLE
Description: "Members of an underwater archaeological expedition near a recently
discovered ancient temple in the Indian Ocean were attacked several times by
ferocious sharks. It is your task to protect the expedition site from teh
predators and give the scientists a chance to continue their work."
Mission: Kill one white-tip shark
Difficulty: Easy/medium
Water: Medium depth; somewhat cloudy
Time: Later afternoon
Reward: Band Speargun
Bonus: Find the second Buddha statue to obtain the Pneumatic Speargun
Recommended Weapon: The Improved Bangstick hits hard, but again, you have to be
really close to the shark - practically touching it - to achieve even decent
damage. The Piston Speargun is probably a better bet.
Walkthrough: Swim straight down until you reach the ocean floor. The temple wall
stretches off to the north, so follow it along. You'll probably have to dodge
the white-tip shark at least once on your trip. One good way to do this is to
hide behind one of the statues or pillars jutting out of the ruin. Eventually,
you will see an opening in the temple wall to the east, at around 35 feet - swim
inside to see a statue of Buddha (and some harmless fish.) This will also give
you cover from the pursuing shark, if you need it.
Swim west, out the door of the temple, and follow the steps downward. When you
get to the edge of the stairs, swim straight downward - follow the wall of the
temple - to the ocean floor, around 96 feet. It won't be too difficult to avoid
the shark this way; they can't swim straight upward or downward. When you arrive
at the ocean floor, follow the wall of the temple north; nearby is a second
entrance that leads to a room with another Buddha statue - this is the secret of
the level.
Exit the secret room and take down the shark. To make this super-easy, stay in
the entrance to the small room, where the shark can't enter.
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3.3 CUBA CAVES
Description: "There is a treasure hunting expedition planned into an underwater
cave system in the Caribbean. The site is rumored to be a place frequented by
prates in the past. First though, the site must be cleared of sharks and that's
your job."
Mission: Kill one bull shark
Difficulty: Medium
Water: Mostly shallow; fairly clear
Time: Midday
Reward: Improved Band Speargun
Bonus: Find the gold chest to obtain the Improved Fins
Recommended Weapon: Long-range weapons are effective among the pillars, so go
with the Pneumatic Speargun or the Band Speargun.
Walkthrough: You're facing one shark here, and it's limited to a specific part
of the level, so you can explore without concern for most of the level. First,
Surface and face east (115 degrees) so you can see the entrance to the cave.
Follow this east until you reach a north/south opening, where you can surface.
When you dive again, face east and find the second cave opening at about 17
feet. This cave has some plants and three small holes in the ceiling. If you
look south, you'll see several small holes in the submerged west face of this
cave, like the one you used to enter it, and at the far end of the cave is a
large pillar. Swim toward the pillar and the southmost hole, which leads to a
tunnel at 17 feet heading west. Head through here to emerge in a room with many
pillars - also the home of the bull shark that you've been sent to kill. You can
easily avoid it by dodging among the pillars, but don't kill it yet. Instead,
head west, where you'll emerge in a large, deep column of water surrounded by
land. Dive straight down to the floor at 49 feet, then turn left (230 degrees,
west-by-southwest) and follow this along until you reach a cave. In the back of
the cave is a treasure chest - again, you might have to dance around it for a
bit before it registers the find. Kill the shark to end the level.
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3.4 CARIBBEAN WRECK
Description: "A team of divers was exploring the hull of an old ship wreck when
two hammerhead sharks attacked them. One of the divers is reported missing, and
you are the only one brave enough to venture into the water to discover what
happened."
Mission: Kill two hammerhead sharks
Difficulty: Medium/difficult
Water: Mostly shallow; fairly clear
Time: Midday
Reward: Drysuit (oddly, this also seems to give you the Improved Wetsuit)
Bonus: Find the lost diver to obtain the Improved Oxygen Tank
Recommended Weapon: The Pneumatic Speargun or Band Speargun will allow you to
snipe at the sharks well enough in advance to get out of their way. These are
also good because these sharks like to hit and run, so the poison will have time
to take effect. Alternately, you can hide on the deck of the wreck and snipe at
the sharks through the railing with the Improved Bangstick.
Walkthrough: This level, quite unfairly, starts you out very near one (or both!)
of the hammerhead sharks, and they're very aggressive. Immediately swim down and
northwest (315 degrees) toward the deck of the wreck, inside the railing. It's
tough for the sharks to reach you in this position - they pretty much have to
come straight at you across the deck. More commonly, you'll see them gliding
around the outside of the rail (and you can snipe at them from here.) Take one
of them down from the dock before proceeding (you may also want to get one
harpoon into the other one, too.) This location has the advantage of being near
your boat, so you can resupply if you miss too many times. However, The distance
between the wreck and your boat is just open water, where you're readily open to
attack, so it's best if you just shoot carefully.
Before killing the second shark, proceed south along the floor of the wreck.
You'll descend once, to 19 feet, and then again, to 23 feet. Stop right there
and face northwest - you'll see a north-facing opening into the hull of the
ship, right in the wall making up the second drop. Swim north through it (and
down a few feet) to enter the engine room. At the top of this room, facing east,
will be a walkway leading to a door. Swim through the door and swim north,
around the barrel, to find the remains of the lost diver (not too surprising.)
Swim out of the wreck and kill the second shark. Note that this one has a
tendency to wander away from the wreck - and may not return. If you spend a few
minutes near the wreck and see neither hide nor fin of the hammerhead, you'll
have to go find it. This is tricky and time-consuming. Watch your shark
indicator; when it's flashing, you're getting closer, and when you hear the
heartbeat, start looking around for it. Refer to the Tactics section for tips
here. Most importantly, stick to the ocean floor to cut your search sphere in
half - and you can further limit this by finding small depressions in the ocean
floor where you can lie in wait.
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3.5 RHODOS TEMPLE
Description: "Shooting of a documentary movie about ancient reics discovered in
the Mediterranean is in trouble. A shark dwelling in the ruins is a danger to
the film-makers. Are you bold enough to venture into the underwater labyrinth to
face it?"
Mission: Kill two sharks
Difficulty: Medium
Water: Shallow to medium; clear but dark due to surface fog
Time: Late day
Reward: Improved Bangstick
Bonus: Find the Greek amphoras to obtain a Heavy Pneumatic Speargun
Recommended Weapon: The Improved Band Speargun is a good choice. A decent amount
of open water gives you several opportunities for medium-range spear shots.
Walkthrough: Proceed straight north through the ruins. On the way, you'll
encounter the first lemon shark. The shallowness of the water (15 feet or so)
limits the search sphere, so it should be easy to find and kill it. You can then
explore without concern about the second shark - as with the Cuba caves, it's
sequestered in a chamber at the end of your mission.
When you reach the north end, swim east to find a small cave entrance. Now, you
can enter this cave and swim around inside here - it's an ancient Greek temple,
and it's quite pretty - but there's nothing of note in here. Instead, from the
entrance of this cave, head south at a depth of 10 feet for a very short
distance (maybe swim 40 feet due south) to find an east-facing square doorway
into a small room of the temple. The floor of this room has a long, circular
tunnel heading down to 45 feet, and a south-facing entrance to another room.
Near the top of this room (35 feet) is a short, horizontal tunnel (heading
south) that leads to the main temple, a large chamber that contains the second
lemon shark. Don't kill it yet (but you might want to snipe at it once from
within the tunnel, where it can't reach you.) Instead, exit the tunnel and head
straight west, rising a little, to find a south-facing tunnel into yet another
room. In the ceiling of this one is a tall tower, with a small room at the top
containing some amphoras (the secret for this level.) After you've scored the
find, head back to the main temple and kill the second lemon shark.
----
3.6 AUSTRAILIA REEF [sic]
Description: "You've made a very foolish diving mistake by venturing too far
from your boat. Sharks have moved in and created a dangerous situation. It is
you, not the sharks, who is hunted now! Can you make it safely back to your
ship?"
Mission: Find and return to your ship
Difficulty: Easy/medium
Water: Shallow, clear
Time: Midday
Reward: High-Tech Oxygen Tank
Bonus: Find the high-tech camera to obtain Hightech Fins
Recommended Weapon: The Heavy Pneumatic Speargun is good here, since you'll have
some opportunities for medium-range shots.
Walkthrough: Drop down to the ocean floor (only about 15 feet) and follow it
north, veering slightly west (maybe 345 degrees from your starting position),
until you reach a wall. You'll be attacked by the first blue shark on the way,
so take it out. Then turn west, so that the north wall is on your right. As you
swim west, follow this this wall around (it bears off to the right) until you
find yourself facing north. At this point, you should surface - you'll see your
boat. Don't get too close to it yet, as this will end the mission! You can,
however, kill the second blue shark, which is on patrol near your boat. (You
don't need to kill either one to complete the mission, but they'll probably
attack you anyway.)
From the area near your ship (again, don't get too close), face east by
northeast. You want to head exactly 75 degrees from your ship, basically. Swim
straight forward, following the bottom past an underwater plateau, until you see
a crater in the ocean floor. Within the crater is a camera. Once you've secured
the find, return to your ship to end the level.
UPDATE: A gentleman going by the name of TundroWalker emailed me the following
tidbit: "If you head into the open waters from your starting location (due
South, I think), you'll see a massive Whale Shark swimming by. It's beyond the
invisible boundaries of the mission, so you can't swim around it, but it's fun
to watch. It makes "laps," so after it goes by once, it will circle around
again in about 3-5 minutes. If you surface, you can sometimes see its enormous
tail fin sticking out of the water in the distance, letting you know where it
is."
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3.7 FLORIDA PLATFORM
Description: "Emergency call from an underwater research lab near the shores of
Florida. A sophisticated submarine robot was lost in the depths full of deadly
sharks. With your experience, you are the only one trustworthy enough to be
given a chance to recover it."
Mission: Find the lost submarine robot
Difficulty: Difficult
Water: Very dark; mostly shallow with a very deep part
Time: Nighttime
Reward: Hightech Band Speargun
Bonus: None - nothing to find
Recommended Weapon: The Improved Bangstick is good, since the water is so dark
that you'll have trouble seeing the skarks until they're on top of you.
Walkthrough: This level is very dark and quite creepy, and two great white
sharks are hanging out here. It's quite difficult finding your way around - it
took me about an hour to complete this mission the first time, since I just
couldn't find where I was going. You may want to crank up the brightness on this
one, just for navigation purposes.
You start out below the exploration platform. Drop straight down to the ocean
floor, and notice how dark it is. This is the lightest it's going to get - this
part of the ocean is illuminated by the observation platform. You'd be well
served to swim around here a little bit, in order to attract and kill one or
both of the patrolling sharks. If you don't, they'll lag behind and chase you,
and you don't want to deal with this in the middle of this mission. Again, you
can kill them both without ending the mission.
If you run out of ammo or oxygen (both distinct possibilities), you can resupply
once from the observation platform. Note that you do this by approaching it from
directly underneath. You can't resupply around the searchlight portion of the
platform.
Now, this tip will save you tons of search time: From the reeds directly
underneath the platform, face exactly 215 degrees (south by southwest) and swim
forward. The ocean floor will rise to about 27 feet, and then through some
reeds. Not far past it, you'll see the ocean floor just drop away. This is the
opening to a wide, circular, vertical shaft that descends for a *very* long way
- the top of the opening is at 43 feet, and you'll hit the bottom at around 194
feet. (There are small shelves along the way, around 60 and 120 feet - you
should swim laterally a few feet to find the continuation of the vertical
shaft.) Don't stop swimming down until you're below 180 feet or so. If you get
disoriented, stop and watch which way your bubbles are floating - that's up.
(Real divers use this trick.)
At the bottom, head straight north through an underwater tunnel. You'll pass a
bunch of red plants, a skeleton, and some hanging underwater vines. Just keep
going north, rising slightly as the bottom of the tunnel rises to around 170
feet. This tunnel will end in a medium-sized room; straight ahead on the floor
is the lost sub, which has a small searchlight so that you can find it easily.
It's sitting in front of a large, ancient mural in the north face of this
tunnel. Now, this is kind of curious, since this is supposed to occur off the
coast of Florida, and as far as I know there aren't any submerged temples there,
but :shrug: ... There aren't any bonuses on this level, so just go straight to
the sub.
UPDATE: A gentleman named TundroWalker emailed me this tidbit about great white
sharks: "The designers made it where the Great Whites roll their eyes back when
attacking. (I thought that was a nice touch.) It also seems they made the Great
Whites sneakier, able to get closer before setting off the heart-beat sensor.
Other sharks seem to sound off the sensor while still off in the 'haze' of the
water, but the Great White can come into view rather quickly, and then the
sensor goes off." (I think he's correct about the sneakiness factor - but I
can't confirm or deny the eye-rolling part... I never stuck around long enough
to see it happen!)
----
3.8 MYSTERY
Description: "Reports of huge shark sightings have attracted several would-be
shark hunters to this site. Unfortunately, all of them are reported missing,
even though they used protective steel cages. What monster must be living down
there? You are the only hope for an answer..."
Mission: Kill the megatooth shark
Difficulty: Difficult
Water: Cloudy, somewhat dark, and deep
Time: Midday
Reward: Nothing
Bonus: None
Recommended Weapon: Definitely the High-Tech Band Speargun. It's an immediate
impact weapon, and it deals out the heavy damage you'll really need on this
level. The down side is that it only has four shots, so make 'em count.
Resupplying without getting eaten is difficult, and you don't want to face this
thing with a dinky knife.
Walkthrough: You'll start out by a boat, and you'll see a rope heading down into
the water. (Do not go near the boat now - you'll waste your resupply charge,
which you'll probably need later.) Follow this way down to the bottom, 98 feet,
where you'll see a cage partly buried in the sand. Soon enough, you'll find out
why - the shark occupying these waters is enormous! At best, it will take all
four bolts from your explosive-tipped speargun to take it down, and you'll
probably have to resupply at least once in the meantime.
You can choose from two strategies for tackling this beast. The cage will give
you something you can put your back against, and you can take shots at it this
way. You're also close to the boat, so you can resupply between shark attacks.
Alternately, if you head due west from the cage, you'll come across the rather
grisly remains of a whale. If you pass this, rise to about 70 feet, and face
south, you'll see the underwater version of the Alamo - a hemispherical cave. If
you hunker down in here, you can visualize almost your entire sphere of attack,
which will maximize your time for evasive action. In fact, when the shark
charges you, it will often go nose-first into the wall of this cave. If you
happen to be next to it, you can shiv it with your knife several times before it
works its way out. Yes, you can actually take it down this way - this just takes
a while, since this shark has so much strength.
If you find that you must resupply your speargun (or oxygen), follow the rope
all the way up - quickly - and dock at the boat before descending again to the
ocean floor. Do this as quickly as possible - the area in between is just
floating death, since you can be attacked from anywhere.
Finally, if you're into sightseeing, there's a second whale husk - this one
picked clean - due east from the cage. Sadly, you can't enter it; this would be
a great sniping spot for the shark. Surprisingly, there's little else to see in
this level - it's mostly an empty column of water with a limit of 156 feet
(there's no ocean floor there, but you can't go any deeper.)
------------|\-----\o/-----------------
4. RANDOM MODE LOCATIONS
These levels can be played in any order. At random, the level is populated wtih
between one and three sharks, and you may do what you want - explore, hunt, hang
out, whatever. However, you only get to kill one shark. As soon as one shark is
dead, the random mode immediately ends, with a screen listing the type and
weight of the shark you bagged. You don't get any gear for doing anything in
these locations.
----
4.1 TAHITI ISLAND
Description: "Tahiti, the dream place to be. Well, maybe not, if a shark decides
that it is a place it wants to visit at the same time. This is not something
that the tourists would ever want to hear about, but for a courageous shark
hunter wanting to test his skills, it sounds like a rather lucky combination...
Difficulty: Easy/Medium
Water: Shallow, clear
Time: Midday
Comments: Lots of cute turtles and manta rays here. The underwater region is
quite boring, though - just a shallow expanse of mostly featureless ocean floor.
----
4.2 HAWAII WRECK
Descripion: "Ruins of an ancient shipwreck are bringing in hundreds of curious
divers to this location each year. Unfortunately, this summer the remnants of
the sunken ship are also often visited by sharks, so only the bravest dare into
these waters. Are you brave enough?"
Difficulty: Easy/Medium
Water: Shallow, a little cloudy
Time: Late afternoon
Comments: Not much of a wreck, sadly - just the sunken framework of a 40-foot
boat. Otherwise uneventful.
----
4.3 ROCK GATE
Description: "Wild beauty of the shore makes this place a very attractive
destination for adventurous shark hunters. The area is rumored to be inhabited
by some of the most dangerous sharks in the world. Are you up to the challenge?"
Difficulty: Easy/Medium
Water: Shallow, a little cloudy
Time: Midday
Comments: The rock gate is cool, and the central section of ocean floor has a
lot of plant life. This is a pretty small level, though - the gate seems to be
on a plateau, which drops off at the same point as the invisible walls (the
edges of the levels) kick in.
----
4.4 AFRICA REEF
Description: "Breathtaking underwater scenery full of fish, a tempting mixture
luring in both divers and sharks. But defenseless divers and sharks don't blend
well together. For a shark hunter, though, there is hardly more to wish for!"
Difficulty: Medium
Water: Rather deep, cloudy
Time: Dusk
Comments: This is a nice location, with unusual fish, starfish, and coral. It
also has an underwater bridge rock formation - a long, horizontal section of
stone that you can swim around - very cool. It goes down to a depth of 85 feet
at some parts.
----
4.5 CARIBBEAN REEF
Description: "The Caribbean is second to none in beauty both above and under the
sea surface. There are only a few very special individuals for which this beauty
alone is not enough, unless we add a shark, or two, or three. Are you one of
them?"
Difficulty: Medium
Water: Quite cloudy, medium depth
Time: Morning
Comments: This level is basically one tall, thick pillar of rock that descends
to 65 feet. It feels deeper than it is, due to the cloudy water. It's otherwise
unremarkable - bare, sandy ocean floor, scant fish.
----
4.6 MONTEREY REEF
Description: "The labyrinth of deep channels makes this area a very tricky
environment even for an experienced shark hunter. Only seasoned shark hunters
have a chance for survival. Are you one of them?"
Difficulty: Easy/Medium
Water: A little cloudy, medium depth
Time: Midday
Comments: This is a very aesthetically pleasing level - tall stone pillars
creating deep underwater chasms and corridors. Much plant life and many fish.
----
4.7 PALAU REEF
Description: "This underwater maze in the bay surrounded by tropical forest is a
favorite place of plentiful sharks to hunt in the dusk hours."
Difficulty: Easy/Medium
Water: Shallow; clear but a little dark
Time: Dusk
Comments: Lots of nice coral here. The land formation breaks this up into long,
horizontal corridors of water - perfect for long-distance sniping.
----
4.8 CRACK CANYON
Description: "The deep crack in the bottom of the dea is a magnet for sharks. It
is also attracting shark hunters striving for fame and fortune from all around
the globe, as the risks of diving here are outweighed by excitement and
challenge that the sharks represent."
Difficulty: Medium/Hard
Water: Deep; somewhat cloudy and quite dark
Time: Dusk
Comments: The largest sharks are here. If you swim a little bit north of your
starting position, you can drop down all the way to 111 feet. If you keep your
back to the cliff wall at this depth (and keep your eyes peeled), you have a
good chance of taking down a record-weight shark.
UPDATE: A gentleman named TundroWalker emailed me the following tidbit: "This
seems to be the only location in the game where Tiger Sharks appear." (And I
think he's correct on this point.)
------------|\-----\o/-----------------
5. REVISION HISTORY
v1.0 - First version.
v1.1 - Updated with some additional information from TundroWalker (see above.)
Thanks for the great tips!
------------|\-----\o/-----------------
6. CREDITS
This FAQ was written by David J. Stein, Esq. on December 22, 2004 during a break
from classes in the Masters in Computer and Information Sciences program. This
program has been both a boon and a curse: I have learned much about programming
- both tools (technologies, techniques, programming languages) and targets (uses
and applications) - but I'm also too busy to do anything useful with it (except
during semester breaks.)
Special thanks to:
Sunstorm Interactive, etc. - For creating this cool game.
Starbucks - the sine qua non of this FAQ.
Contact Info: Please feel free to contact me at djs10@po.cwru.edu with
information about this game. Be sure to include "Shark - Hunting the Great
White" in the subject line - otherwise, your message will probably get eaten (ha
ha) by my spam filters.
