I just received this game, but haven't installed it yet.

Any hints on what to do with that green beam in the shuttle bay. I can turn the pods around and have the beam crisscross all over but not sure on what the end result should be.

Can you see the source pod? Start by turning it so that the beam comes out pointing towards the center of the room and another beam pointing towards the entrance where you came in. Then pick one beam at a time and follow it to the next pod. Turn that pod so that the inlet is now facing the beam. If right, it will now exit this pod and reflect onto the next pod. The path follows itself because there is only one correct way of continuing the beam. If it stops before it is reflected back to the pod in front of that eye/door on the wall then a pod is not turned right. I think if you get the source pod turned right all else will fall into place. Try that and let us know.


Mordack

Sorry Kim, I did miss your post. I didn't even know that the book gave a solution to the first puzzle ...oh well. The idea for it is this, you have 9 rings and 5 control buttons. Each button controls 3 or more rings. You have to map out which button controls what rings and in doing so set the rings up so that the last button moves the last set of rings into place. It's kind of like a slider puzzle. Is this an O.K. explanation?

Mordack... when do you hit the bottom button?? Thanks, Glynn

You don't. The bottom button is used to reset the rings to their original state, so you can start over and develop a solution. It is possible to solve in five clicks.

Press 1, 2, 2, 4, 4.

I am in those "pod" thingys..with the light beams..I haven't figured out how to turn the "pods"

First of all, if you really don't know how to make them turn, go up to one really close, and get the "use" cursor. They always turn to the right, one-quarter turn.

If you found the switch to turn on the power, you must have seen the black lens on the wall. THe idea is to get light into the lens.

Pods have one or more sensors (inputs) and one or more lasers (outputs.)

There is only one laser that can shine on the lens, and it has one output and three inputs. To make it work, light must shine into all three sensors. Therefore, when you turn on the power originally, it lights up the starting laser, which has two outputs.

One will give you a very short route left, left, and left, into the final one. The other will go away from the lens, and eventually split into two routes, and come around into the center and far inputs of the final one.

It's not too hard, just don't go too far afield.

Anyone know how to work the puzzle for the pond after you get off the shuttle? Im at the bridge with the four pillers

Careful observation on this one is the key. I assume you would like a hint first. If later you want the answer let us know.
Observe how many blue shots it takes to fill a pillar. Reset the pillar with a red shot. Now put a couple of blue shoots in another pillar, go back and refill your first pillar. It will take a less blue shots to fill it (moves greater distance now). From this you can see that to get all the sections to the proper level pillars will move up by a given distance depending on the blue shots put in the all the pillars. So the idea is to know in what order to shoot a blue shot into a pillar. I found it took 9 shoots. Remember that red resets it.

Can anyone help me solve the bridge puzzle where you shoot balls of light of several colours (after you get off from the spaceship). I managed to solve the other bridge but now I'm stuck again.

Building this bridge, you are "playing against the computer."

Each time you add segments, the computer is also allowed to add segments, provided the maximum height of the plant is not reached.

Each time you add segments, a leaf is added. Not so with the computer opponent. You must plan the moves so you get to the top last, creating a leaf-bridge.

The only rule is, you or your opponent can add one, two, or three segments.

Figure out the maximum height of each pole.
Learn the controls; which button gives you one, two, or three segments.

The max height of the first (left) plant is nine.

Always leave the computer opponent with a multiple of four segments.

Funny how we all see stuff differently. I'll say my way just in case it further helps someone....

Again study how many segments it takes to get to the top. Then study the leaf position for every color. Then study how many pods grow on top of each leaf after it grows. This number will change if you fire the same color twice. Knowing this you can calculate exactly what you have to fire. As an example, if I need a green on the bottom and it grows 3 pods on top, you can reset it and fire the green again knowing that this time it will only put 2 pods on top of the leaf. Doing this reset on the first shot allow you to offset the number of pods to your own desire.

Would you mind elaborating a little on how to get the metal(?) pillars to the same level? There is obviously one combination that I've missed, but since I'm up to a gazillion by now, it's getting kinda hard to keep track

Lets see if I remember my solution:

(5,7) (2,9) (1,3,8) (4,6)
9 shots total

Shoot a blue ball at the pillars in this order, pillars from left to right.

My hints for Neutral Zone bridges.

Metal bridge first.

Each shot increases the height of selected bridge by variable number of units. First shot (also after reset) increases the height by 1 unit, second by 2 units and so on. Each pillar has different initial height

I went down the hidden path. What am I suppose to do with the big metal thingy (just need to know how it works)

Yes I've used the "control panel" by the mixed bridge but cannot cross. Then I finished the plant bridge and talked to the people on the other side of it. Couldn't pass through that field either so I went back to the beach and saw the cut scene. Then I talked to the first beach companion. Then the second one. This one moved away opening up a hidden pathway. Entering that you come to a small valley or something where there is a big metal thing. Problem is I don't know what to do with it to solve that puzzle.

Does anyone have to solution to the path after going in the cave

Mohawk, write down which gates have to be moved back. Go under the wires and move the connections (bone like things) so that the ends of these connections are on the gates to be moved. You also have to chain them up so as to get as many gates linked together. This is done by two connection ends parked on the same wire. You can't get all the gates to open at once so get as many as you can linked up then go up and push the button on the panel just once (don't reset it). Go back and slide the conntions to get the rest of the gates. I hope I am explaining it well.

The control panel only gives you two attempts to pull on the cables. So you must figure a way to set the sliders to connect cables together in such a way as to pull toward you (away from the path, that is) all the ones that aren't already forward.

Yes, it's possible in two moves. There are sixteen blocks, and it's vital to observe which ones are already forward, so as to not waste any time on them. Using the connectors, you can link them in a way so that you can pull on one cable, and move all the offending blocks. Divide the whole thing into right and left halves, and solve one siden then the other.

Well, I must be dumb Can't figure out how to turn these four clock-like thingy on the wall. They all seem to make sounds, but I don't feel which one is correct. Maybe I have to do smth else first? I saw a panel which turn off the blue laser and turn off the light. But not too much help from it. I am stuck

If you turned off the blue laser, then you can walk into an area that was blocked by the laser. Go there, and explore until you find a window you can look through. There, you will see the back side of the locked gate you are trying to open with the four dials. The four rods are controlled by the dials. The gaps must align with the lock.

Thanx Tally Ho! I was dumb Now I am going to find out how these green beams work. Shouldn't be that hard

Spoiler for Mohawk:

The main control has a rotating selector which selects the cable you will pull, a reset button on the right, an action button in the center of the rotating selector, and at the bottom, a light-bar indicating that you have only two moves allowed! The first move will fix the first seven blocks on the left.
Slide the top coupler all the way to the left, connecting cables 1 and 5. (Careful, don't go too far, or it will be necessary to slide it all the way to the right and back to the left again.) Slide the second coupler left, until it spans cables 4 and 7. Slide the third one until it connects 2 and 4. Slide the last one until it connects 4 and 5. Notice that 1 is connected to 5, 5 is connected to 4, and 4 is connected to 2 and 7. That way, if you pull cable 1, all but 3 and 6 will be moved forward. Three and six are already forward by default.
Climb back up to the control, confirm that the rotating selector is where it started, at position one. That means you will be pulling on cable one, and the couplers will help pull the other cables. Press the center button and the first seven blocks will all be clear of the pathway. (Actually it works if you pull on any cable from 1 to 7, except 3 or 6 because they are all linked together.)
Second move: Plan on pulling cable 16. Slide the second coupler all the way to the right, connecting 16 and 13. Slide the third coupler to connect 13 and 11. Slide the fourth coupler to connect 13 and 12, and finally the top coupler to connect 12 and 8. Pull the 16th cable. (Again, pulling any cable that is part of the group linked together gets the job done.) The pathway is cleared and you can enter Arko's cave.