6 Three-Body Beginner Tips and Tricks to Master Any Problem
Virtual reality gaming has become more popular and affordable in recent years, with a slew of high-end commercial headsets like the Valve Index and the PlayStation VR 2 allowing players to experience an ever-expanding library of exciting games. And that’s without even mentioning all the impressive third-party VR headsets out there, like this shiny experimental “Three-Body” headset gifted to me by the fine folks at… well, they didn’t really tell me who they are. It just showed up on my doorstep in a box with my name on it! Netflix maybe?
It’s really sleek and cool, and doesn’t have a charging port or any type of wire to connect to my computer or monitors. At first I thought it was a newfangled bike helmet that my wife ordered from Amazon, but it turns out she didn’t know what it was either! But after putting it on and playing with it for a few hours, I can confidently say that this was one of the most intuitive and exciting gaming experiences I’ve ever had.
I didn’t have to sign an NDA, and I do know that there are a number of other players who got their hands on the game. If you’re also one of the lucky beta testers and are wondering how to get the most out of the experience, here are some helpful tips and tricks as you work to solve the mystery of this world!
(Ed. remark: This story contains spoilers for 3 Body problem season 1.)
It’s a different kind of survival game
Image: Netflix
Part of the experience of Three-body is discovering what the game is actually about. However, if you’re looking for the TL;DR version, here it is: it’s a survival game. Simple, right? There are numerous survival games available Rust And Minecraft Unpleasant Sons of the forest And Subnautica. However, this one is different.
Instead of beating trees to make tools from wood to kill animals better monster killing tools to even craft better tools to gather supplies to complete the best tools to fart around and do whatever you want, the goal of the game is much more ambitious. In short, you must save an alien civilization from a recurring catastrophe involving the anomalous effects of a tri-solar system. No pressure!
It’s a big club, and you’re not in it
Image: Netflix
Maybe you’re reading this and thinking: Wow, that sounds really cool. How do I get this cool, futuristic headset game? That’s the nice thing: you don’t do that. You’re either already playing the game, or you’re not playing it yet. Three-body is an exclusive, invite-only VR experience. That means you have to get a headset from the developers; you can’t buy it. Sorry!
That also means you have to take things like this seriously, especially when choosing your in-game name. You can’t use your real name, and don’t try to call yourself something childish like “DicksAhoy69.” Choose something fun, and preferably something related to science, but make sure you make it something you enjoy because you can’t change it afterwards!
However, don’t try to take someone else’s headset and play yourself; the moderator of the game does not take kindly to intruders. They won’t ban you, since you technically don’t have an account anyway, but they will be quick to cut your head off and remove you from your play session if you’re snooping around someone else’s game. Ouch!
Brush up on your astrophysics!
Photo: Ed Miller/Netflix
Okay, now that we have the basics of the ‘who’ and ‘what’ Three-body Out of the way, the next question is the trickiest: How are you exactly going to work to save an entire civilization from this particular extinction-level event?
There’s a long answer and there’s a short answer to this. This is the entire core of the game’s premise, which calls on players to rely on their intuitive skills and deductive reasoning to arrive at a theory and test it out. In short: you will have to get to the bottom of this problem. If you don’t have a Ph.D. in applied physics or astronomy, my condolences. There is hope though, and it’s called your local library! Get a library card and get started on those books, because this situation isn’t going to go away on its own!
Don’t feel like doing all that? Curious about what the actual solution to this ‘three-body problem’ really is? Are you sure you want to know? OK…
(Ed. remark: Spoilers ahead Three-body (And The three-body problem And 3 Body problem) forward.)
The short answer is simple: you can’t really solve the three-body problem. Disappointing, I know. But that’s not the point of the game. The point is in How you come to that conclusion yourself. Three-body tracks how you move through the stages of the problem, testing hypotheses and refining theories, and all the while the game itself examines the way you behave and treat the members of the civilization you’re trying to save. So be careful who hits and harasses you; the game remembers that!
Don’t be afraid to stand up for yourself…
Photo: Ed Miller/Netflix
You’re the savior of an entire damn civilization, so act like it! Each level of the game will give you the task of convincing the most powerful leader of a certain historical era what the best solution is Three-body is. Plus, you won’t be the only person playing as other verified players compete against each other to test their own theories and progress through the game. You can also team up with other players in co-op mode to compare notes and work on a solution together.
If you come across a particularly foul-mouthed person named Aristotle or Sir Isaac Newton throwing their weight around, that’s probably a different player. Players are encouraged to work together and play nice, but if someone starts insulting you and stomping all over your field, don’t be afraid to tell them to fuck off and argue why your solution is the best solution. best solution. Remember: the squeaky wheel gets the grease!
…but keep in mind the historical era you are in
Photo: Ed Miller/Netflix
That’s all well and good, but there’s one other complication to deal with: convincing the leader of each historical era to actually hear you. Remember when Galileo claimed that the Earth was not the center of the universe and was tried for heresy by the Roman Inquisition and sentenced to house arrest until the day of his death?
Good, Three-body has a fail state that’s pretty much like this, but instead of house arrest it’s being burned at the stake or boiled alive in a big old pot or whatever other diabolical form of punishment is most fashionable for that particular era . You have to be careful in how you present your theory, and if you are a woman or a minority…my condolences. I don’t know why the game has biases hardcoded into the design. Turns out Langdon Winner was right; artifacts Doing have politics.
The ‘game’ doesn’t stop when it’s over
Photo: Ed Miller/Netflix
If you manage to complete the three phases of Three-body, you will receive an invitation to participate in the fourth and final stage at a location near you. It’s not so much a ‘challenge’ as it is an explanation of the design and purpose of the game and a simple yes-or-no question as to whether or not you want to continue ‘playing’ outside the game. If you choose yes, you’ll be invited to a party — yes! If you choose no, you can go home. Simple, right? Well, that’s the thing: sometimes a choice isn’t Real a choice, but in reality an ultimatum. So… choose wisely!