Shadows of Evil: Tips, tricks and Points of Interest

[83457]

Trip Mine speed boost: Fast stabs, fast run.

When you stab, the speed at which your gun comes up dictates how long before you can stab again.

When you run, the type of gun dictates your movement rate.

If you have at least 1 Trip Mine, bring up the Trip Mine reticule for very fast melee recovery and a high movement rate.

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D-pad: Hit right to bring up TM. 

Then: Hit right to return to last gun.

Or: hit Y (ps∆) to switch to next weapon rather than the previous in-hand weapon.

Edited February 22, 2016 by 83457

[83457]

Pointless post removed.

Edited June 26, 2016 by 83457
Unreliable.

[83457]

Short version: Fliers light up before they shoot.

----

I like to read myriad words version:

Parasite...wasps (why do they have both of these names in the code?)...the flyers, call them what you will, light up before they shoot. They are turned off after they've shot, then flicker, then come on full brightness before they shoot again.

It's obvious, yet i never really noticed, so I'm pointing it out for my oblivious peers.

??????

Also, every fifth flyer shot or so sounds like coins.

Apparently, shooting the statues with an upgraded xm-53 does as well.

Edited January 20, 2016 by 83457
Clarity and short version

[83457]

----Widow's Wine Perk----

If you stab a zombie or flyer, it gets stopped and chewed on by spiders. This effect overrides instakill if it triggers, this web effect won't happen continuously, it has a short reset timer before you'll get the effect from a stab again. You can be out of 'charges' and it will work, it does not use a charge for this.

 

Note that the regular knife (not BK) does more damage if you have W'sW.

 

Your grenades act like charges for the perk. Getting spider drops from WW kills replenishes these charges on a 1 for 1 basis (maybe a couple charges?). You get 4 when you buy the perk, and grenades normally replenish at the rate of 2 per round.

 

Getting hit triggers the charge, as does simply throwing a grenade (semtex-like). Flyer hits don't trigger the charge.

 

If you gather enough spider drops, they change red (xbone) or get black spider symbols (360: Now red tinted).

 

I'm currently unsure what red drops do.

 

Ragdoll says that it causes the zombies heads to explode when they hit you, if i understood correctly. I have not seen this effect on 360. I feel it may give more charges, or be more powerful, but it's not clear. 

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Tips: to keep the last zombie alive while you do stuff, you may throw your grenades away to stop the effect should you get hit.

 

You can stab a zombie to get the spiderweb effect and gain a moment's peace for box hits (or something else).

 

If you are out of 'charges', you can try to stab a zombie for the spider effect. Then he may drop a Spider Drop to replenish a charge (or more?).

 

You can walk into a zombie crowd, the first hit will stop most of them, get hit 1-2 more times (with Juggernog) and then fire the Apothicon Servant and collect the Spider drops/repeat.

 

You can use Blast Furnace, then pull out a WW Semtex and hold it as the zombies burn and it will turn to WW effect and likely will drop spider drops.

 

Opinions: Varied, from "it's useless", to "it's okay at times, but annoying", to " OMG, it's a life saver".

 

You may want to avoid W'sW during early set up to avoid killing the last zombies.

 

Find it's value in your playstyle and treat it accordingly. But don't expect everyone's opinions to reflect your own.

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Edit: If you have the Bowie Knife and get W'sW, your knife visually returns to standard knife. If you get the BK after W'sW, it will appear as the BK. I believe it is only a visual glitch, no effect, but I'll keep an eye on it.

Edit: This last bit changed in a February patch: now, your camo'd BK turns basic silver when you buy W'sW, but stays the BK.

Edited June 26, 2016 by 83457
Clarity. More.

[83457]

Speed Train/Tram Tips:

As you run up the steps to the Tram, note that the Tram always leaves in a 180° direction from the direction that you ran up the steps. With this in mind, you will always run to the correct end of the Tram car, where the controls will be active.

--

If being chased, immediately activate the Tram, as you can always change the destination before you pass through Junction. Start Tram, then pick destination on the go.

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Missed first symbol? Save $500 with this tip: call the Tram to a different station, ride it back.

Example (from experience): i often ride Waterfront>Footlight>Canal for the sword symbols. Sometimes, i miss the Waterfront symbol as the Tram rides off, because I'm a derplord.

So, I'll watch for the Footlight symbol, then get off at Footlight, run to Canal, call Tram, ride it from Canal to Waterfront to get the other 2 symbols, and still only spend $1000, like i would have if i hadn't missed the symbol.

Happy training!

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Edit: From Nieno69's post below ↓ (post 85).

With 2 or more players, have 1 player get on the Tram, have another player call it from another location, then ride it from there to the third location.

This will get your team all 3 Sword symbols for $500.

Edited February 2, 2016 by 83457
Nieno69's sage advice

[Ragdo11706]

2 hours ago, 83457 said:

Speed Train/Tram Tips:

As you run up the steps to the Tram, note that the Tram always leaves in a 180° direction from the direction that you ran up the steps. With this in mind, you will always run to the correct end of the Tram car, where the controls will be active.

--

Haha, I cannot tell you how many times I got F****D up in the beginning, due to this "Lack of Knowledge".

[Schrödinger]

If you jump to the right place in beast mode, you can see the cuneiform symbol of Waterfront and Canal.

 

[83457]

Here's an old tip that works rather well in SoE. This works with Bowie Knife or regular, especially good for the 40+ zombies of round 1, to avoid the accursed Nuke drop, but also great for maximizing X2 points at start.

(After all cloning) Gather the zombies, and stand so they all are in front of you. Repeatedly hit the stab button (pistol in hand, or later in the game, pull out the Trip Mine for quick stab recovery).

Then just let them wander into your knives of death. You should be able to maintain a set pace, and if the zombies drop any power-ups, they should be just out of reach so that the Nuke won't trigger. Simply grab the drops that you want.

Carefully turn slightly if you get a couple next to each other, don't worry about a random hit or two.

Occasionally, the Bowie Knife will lunge forward. Just keep hitting that stab and the pace will reset, just turn slightly to aim at individual zombies, if needed. Stabbing the redead zombies as they fall will also help keep the momentum as new ones move forward.

You can also push forward as you do this, which will kill them faster, but at the risk of getting a drop, for good or ill.

Usually at start, there will be 2 drops (power ups) during the kniving frenzy, so if you get a Nuke and avoid it, usually there won't be a second Nuke so you can switch to high-speed mode (pushing forward as you stab).

If you had x2 at the Easy Street Beast Door, and get another random x2, try to avoid grabbing it until the first runs out.

Later, this works when you get an Instakill, just make sure that the crowd is forced through a smaller door so you don't take 900 hits at once.

Happy knifing!

[83457]

Edit, between [ + ]: they fixed the Goddard Apparatus so that you can get another after the first breaks. Ignore this first section unless you have no updates. (Not fixed on 360 as of 2.27.2016).

Still valid for 360: [Shield upgrade. Short version: it appears that trading the Goddard Apparatus for a regular rocket shield, upgrades the shield and the upgrade to GA is no longer possible nor needed. Only through testing was this confirmed (x360 at least).

The (post GA) Rocket Shield will look like the regular RS, with only 3 charges.

Whether intentional, or one of the plethora of glitches in this game, i cannot say, but it gets stronger.]

+

How to get Goddard Apparatus: Rocket boost into zombies so that you get 10 hits. You will get a 'bowling pin strike' sound effect. Repeat 9 more times (like a perfect bowling game of 10 strikes). You will hear laughter when it is complete and immediately, the name will change (to Goddard Apparatus) and it will have 4 charges.

If your RS looks weak, break it by hitting zombies (without boost) or letting them hit your shield. Then grab a new one to continue the upgrade 'strikes'. If you fail a strike (not enough hits), you must start from the beginning and do all 10.

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Long version: i got that glitch where all of the zombies can't path to me. The margwa, meatballs, and flyers could attack, but zombies would stay in their spawn or enter the map and then run in place. This was rounds 53-57 (then i quit).

-

I always heard that it works like this: upgrade the shield, then when it breaks, you have to do the upgrade again.

What i did: i traded the upgraded shield (Goddard Apparatus) for a regular rocket shield before the upgraded one broke. You can do that, just walk up to the workbench and you'll see.

-

So, i decided to attempt a round 53 shield upgrade. I never upgraded a shield before, because of the limitation of having to do it again after all that work. It just seemed pointless.

Well, i never had 10 zombies together, but i tried hitting a group of about 3 zombies. Well, being they were so strong, they took 10 hits and gave me the 'bowling pin' sound effect.

So i kept doing this until i got the laughter/cheering that indicated the shield was upgraded (the name changed, had 4 charges).

Note that the zombies didn't take much damage up to this point.

Then i ran around with the upgraded shield. Eventually, the myriad flyers and meatballs beat it up, so i swapped it for a regular shield.

Then, i figured that i would try the upgrade process again, but in just 3 rocket hits, it killed the few zombies. 

It also would no longer make the 'bowling pin' upgrade noise.

I continued to use it on clumps of zombies through round 57, it was clearly much, much stronger than the original that could barely scratch round 53 zombies.

I'm glad i had this glitch to help me better understand the rocket shield upgrade.

++++++++

This works:

Civil Protector Strategy: (appears in 'Happy Camper?' thread also with more detail).

I also tried a strategy of using nonpap'd wall guns for points, Robot as a trap (after regular traps stopped killing, around r45), AS for emergencies.

It worked rather well, so one could get to over 50 without pap/pap guns with relative ease.

Just find an open area and run circles around the Robot. Fire the gun to quickly regain your $2000 for the Robot. Junction worked fine in the early 50s until the game glitched.

Margwas were a pain, i kept a third slot for the Ray Gun for them.

++++++++++++++

This is good:

Keeper Reborn Sword (upgraded sword):

For those who don't know;

With sword out, hit LT to launch autonomous sword. Hit LT again if you want to recall the sword so that it doesn't kill the last zombies. It takes a few seconds to come back. The sword meter will stay at the level it was at (and start to climb as you kill).

You can also pull out the sword, hit LT for the autonomous sword, then hit Y (ps∆) to put the in-hand sword away while the autonomous sword fights along side of you. The sword meter will continue to drain until depleted, then it will go away.

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Funny glitch: if i got this correct, you have to launch the autonomous sword, then, as it goes after a zombie, shoot that zombie with Turned, so he becomes Turned. If done right, the sword will hack the crap out of your Turned zombie (he takes no damage). It's just kind of funny.

Happy gaming!

Edited February 28, 2016 by 83457
Moarz (patched first section)

[Nieno69]

I don't found this tipp: u can Safe 500 points and "1route"  if 1 Player goes into the train (for example canal) and the other Player call the tram from Footlight - so when it arrives the Player which called it can ride the other Route - 500 points for all 3 signs 

[83457]

Edit: this has changed slightly. CP will occasionally follow you through rifts now, but he tends to stop and be temporarily glitchy: Tip is still semi valid.

Civil Protector (and mp zombies?) through the Rifts tip.

Short version: leave Subway/Junction Beast Door closed and the CP will follow you through a Rift. Otherwise, he tries to go around and come through the door, which basically takes him out of the immediate equation.

This may also work with mp zombies, who normally wouldn't follow a player through a Rift. (Solo, the zombies follow you through Rifts).

---------------------

More words: i have often wondered why CP would sometimes follow me through a Rift and sometimes he would not. I suddenly realized why.

I will test this CP bit to be positive*, but it is unlikely that i will test the mp zombie option as i really have no 360 players to team with. Feel free to test it and give feedback.

*Tested 360, this is how it works. Re-edit: Changed slightly now, but still mostly correct.

Happy gaming!

Edited February 16, 2016 by 83457
*

[83457]

Civil protector Margwa stomp.

Another obvious one, but i saw it on Reddit, and many didn't seem to think of this, so I'll post it here.

Call in Civil Protector, time it so that it lands on a Margwa.

Results vary. I've had them simply move out of each other's way and I've had it kill him.

It was suggested there that one uses a Lil Arnie to get the Margwa in place and then call in the CP.

[BaronVonBeau]

???

[mmm chocolate]

did they patch duplicating zombies with beast mode by zapping them? i cant ever get them to spawn more since the newest update.

[83457]

On 2/14/2016 at 0:10 PM, mmm chocolate said:

did they patch duplicating zombies with beast mode by zapping them? i cant ever get them to spawn more since the newest update.

It works fine on 360 as of 2.13.2016, but i can't speak for xbone.

We just got the patch, but maybe not everything...

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Treyarch, zombie cloning helps the game and is fun. Don't ruin it, use that time and effort to fix the AS upgrade, the game is 3 months old, stop shaming yourselves.

To put it another way:

"Dial back the derp, Bad Deal"- paraphrasing Han Solo in TFA. :)

Edited February 16, 2016 by 83457
Taunting the unprofessionals

[83457]

Tram placement tip: Ruby Rabbit is likely the only Tram Station that you will ever run into during normal game play, after the sword symbols have been gathered.

So leave the Tram there for emergency escape.

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My thoughts: I've been watching for any strategy to Tram placement. For me, i usually build the shield by Ruby Rabbit, i usually do not open the Barriers on the walkway between Zandi's and Celeste's because they hamper training by The Fancy Grind (Unmazing method: through the arches, temporary camp strategy).

So, with Zandi's being a relatively unsafe spot, and shield grabbing, and nearby training, i find myself occasionally pressed for a quick escape, especially with a Margwa on my tail, combined with the Shield Workbench zombies that instaload and attack me there as i grab a shield, i have occasionally been forced up those steps and I'm always glad the Tram is available.

Almost never have i been forced into the terminals at Waterfront nor Footlight, so i recommend the Ruby Rabbit station for the Tram quick escape.

Obviously your strategy may be different, for different results, but i know that most folk claim to use this workbench for the shield, barring some high round player strategies.

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Englishifying: I never type this correctly, but technically, Footlight and Waterfront are Terminals, but Canal is technically a Station (because of the 'track' continuing out of Canal and out of the map).

Stations are way-points, terminals end a line.

Remember when they changed Grand Central Station to GS Terminal? That's why. It was a misnomer.

[83457]

Widow's Wine spider drop trick: when blast furnace triggers, quickly pull out a W'sW Semtex and hold it. The kills will often generate many spider drops, then put the Semtex away. You may even get too many spider drops, in which case, throw a Semtex before hitting them all to maximize effectiveness of this. (Added to W'sW post above).

Tested on 360. Currently works.

This is similar to the alternate ammo effect: fire your AS, as the zombies get sucked in, switch to Blast Furnace and they burst into flames.

And we've all seen the Turned zombies squish into a ball if holding the AS. "Cough, feed the pap troll, cough".

Play around with these for laughs and trolling friends.

------------------

Similar, you can hold a Trip Mine/Bouncing Betty in your hand with Alchemical Antithesis active. Each Trip Mine kill will give you Trip Mines, due to AA. Throw and blow, repeat.

I haven't tested W'sW Semtex, but this does not seem to work with frags. 

Sadly, this does not work with Lil Arnie, in any manner that I've tried, either.

Edited February 21, 2016 by 83457

[83457]

I needed to get the last GG challenges done, but then found myself enjoying dragging pathetic randoms up to 15-40 rounds (depending on their fail level).

Something that i noticed is that most kids don't understand 'save the pods for  AS (so i can save your butts easier)'. 

I don't mind, I expect the worst of Randy Skrubb.

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Tip/strategy:

What i realized though is that searching a couple of pods for an early gun isn't a bad idea. Usually a purple pod can still be found around the right time, and at least the terrible noobs might be armed.

(I've always just bought wallguns in the early game).

Now, if i could make them not suck...

Edit: and whatever you do, never wear a headset in random lobbies! Only put one on if you determine that the lobby is players that aren't virgins.

Talking with squeakers is worse than just hearing them squeak.

Edited April 18, 2016 by 83457
Squeak warning.

[83457]

Let's talk Revives in SoE; Most of these should be known, but compiling them in one post may help cement them together in player's minds. 

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Perks:

 

Quick Revive. (1500 points). Obvious, but still overlooked often. Halve the time and get some experience.

 

Widow's Wine. (4000 points). Less obvious, but gives you another second or so to finish reviving, and not get pushed off of the revivee.

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Gobblegum: (500 points). If a player goes down, hit the GG machine if you don't have a GG. Maybe it will help. 

 

Mega: Phoenix Up. Won't work if the player was down when you got it, but otherwise made for this. 

 

Mega: Nuke. Buys you time to revive,  gets crowd out of the way. 

 

Mega: Instakill. They can defend you as you revive. Clear the area first. 

 

Mega: Fear In Headlights. (Thanks Nieno69).

 

Mega: Undead Man Walking.

 

In Plain Sight. Safely revive or safely get through the crowd to get to the player. 

 

Anywhere But Here!. May take you closer to the player, or give you an escape after. 

 

Now You See Me. Pull zombies away from a reviving player.

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Weaponry:

 

Apothicon Servant. Fire at revivee, revive them. It is really easy. 

 

Alternate ammo. Turned, may help hold back the horde as you revive.

 

Lil Arnie. Just like the monkeys of old. 

 

Reborn Sword. Defends you fairly well as you revive. (Next Gen, careful with those Rifts and the autonomous Sword as it may disconnect you).

 

Shield. I didn't mention this initially because it's a given. Remember your shield! (As per Nieno69's comment).

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Trap: (2000 points).

 

Civil Protector. Watches your back or does the job for you. Call him in by revivee, or on the way to help get there. 

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Beast.

 

If you have a Beast Mode available,  this will quickly get you to the player and get them up. 

-------

Happy gaming! 

Edited June 25, 2016 by 83457

[Nieno69]

The gg fear in headlight helps you too reviving teammates

 

And

 

You forgot the shield... so many randoms dont get the shield again after it breaks.... with qr and shield you can revive everyone if you stand in the right position...

 

I played soe again because i try to get the ee done....

 

And the sword - noone i see use the sword in the flag step... it helps you as good as the civil protector...

 

 

 

 

[DaveLo07]

16 minutes ago, Nieno69 said:

 

 

 

 

 

And the sword - noone i see use the sword in the flag step... it helps you as good as the civil protector...

 

 

 

 

 

The reason most people don't use it for the flag step, is because going in and out of the rift portals whilst the sword is still active often causes 'connection interrupted'. This has nothing to do with anyone's connection in game, it is a bug, but is pretty game breaking. I've had it happen on a few easter egg attempts and try to encourage teammates not to use the sword during that step as it is frustrating to get that far and have to start over. I'm pretty sure it works on acccumulation, so the more people that use the sword, the higher the chance of the game bugging out.

[Nieno69]

1 hour ago, DaveLo07 said:

 

The reason most people don't use it for the flag step, is because going in and out of the rift portals whilst the sword is still active often causes 'connection interrupted'. This has nothing to do with anyone's connection in game, it is a bug, but is pretty game breaking. 

Wow ok - can you explain this further? That never happened to me...  with the sword in hand or with the flying sword around? Good to know so i will not use it anymore...

[DaveLo07]

It can happen with either sword at any point in the game, but I think it is a lot more likely with more players. And it seems to happen much more frequently around the flag step, for whatever reason (maybe with the sword, civil protector, ww shots, shadow man, meatballs and then margwa there is just too much going on in the map in a short space of time).

 

For me it has always been with the flying sword on the last flag. When all players jump through the rift portal to fight the Shadow man with the sword still active, it causes 'connection interrupted' until all players eventually die, despite all players having full connection. Obviously you could wait until the sword is no longer active to go back through the portals, but I'm not sure if that would completely rule out it occuring. I believe the same issue occurs even when playing local, which is really strange.