Heading to DiMAs Lost Memories¶

If you’ve done the previous section “What Atom Requires”, you should have talked to High Confessor Tektus and know the layout of The Nucleus fairly well. However, if you skipped it… well, you don’t even need to talk to Tektus. If you want to, head south from the entrance to reach the dry-dock, then turn east at a concrete wall. When you’re impeded again head up into some shacks to the north and continue through them until you find a wooden walkway leading west onto the submarine - called “The Vessel” - inside of which you’ll find Tektus. Talk to him and tell him about DiMA’s memory banks and he’ll give you access to the command center. Or, if you’ve already done this or don’t care to get Tektus’ permission just head up several flights of stairs at the southern end of the dry dock to reach the command center, outside of which you’ll find a Child of Atom Zealot. She’ll warn you of the dangers within, but prove to be a substantive barrier to your exploration. Let’s do this!

Nucleus Command Center¶

You’ll be up against some “pre-war” security here, just like DiMA warned. Head forward to see lasers guarding a hallway, but note the path off to the right. Head right first (it is a dead end) for a couple of Ammo Boxes and go down to a maintenance room where you can find a Large Toolbox. The door here just leads to a dead end, so head back to the laser-guarded hallway.

If you are patient enough, you can take out each of these lasers one by one, disarming them on one side and then the other. Be SURE To do both sides on each laser line and don’t move on until you do. Or, if you want to maximize XP you can trip the lasers and take out the six Turrets that pop out. Do this near the entrance though, as they can tear you up if you aren’t ready for them. You can also provoke them by using a critical hit on a dormant Turret in VATS.

Past the laser hallway is an area with some more Turrets on the walls and a Mr. Gutsy in a hallway. Kill them all and you’ll find some rooms on the left for the barracks. You can find ammo in the footlockers here. The terminal nearby is a “Facility Announcement Terminal” that is flavor-text only (there’s another one of these later on).

Continue to follow the linear path, killing off a Protectron. The left door up here leads to a kitchen area with junk in it, but you can kill another Protectron. Proceed onward and you’ll encounter a leveled Assaultron, and if it’s an Assaultron Dominator… yeah, those things can be a pain. Scrap the Assaultron and head down the hallways beyond it killing another Protectron and some Machine Gun Turrets on the right, which were guarding the door you need to get to. There is a Steamer Trunk to the left of the door and a quick-exit to leave this area across from the door. Just keep that in mind. Use the “Command Center Access Terminal” by the door and enter the room.

The computer you need to use is right in front of you, but it requires some power be turned on if you try to use it. Behind the computer is a room with some First Aid Boxes by each door and an Ammo Box, and you’ve undoubtedly seen the closed door to the left of the computer. Once you turn on the power to use the terminal, another high-level Assaultron will come out of that door, so be sure you QUICKSAVE and if you want you can even get some mines or grenades ready. To turn on the computer, go to the room behind it and follow the red cord to the power switch on the wall. Once you flip it, the Assaultron will come out and attack.

Take it out using the back room as cover or a fall-back point as needed and then you can move onto recovering DiMA’s memories. Use Faraday’s Program on the terminal, select the first memory, and you’ll load into a new area…

Inside the Simulation¶

As promised, you will hear DiMA once you enter the simulation giving you instructions. He’s rather slow though, so let’s just explain what you’re doing.

The BLUE data stream is the “START” goal and the YELLOW data stream is the “FINISH” goal. Going between these are small bug creatures whose goal in life is to get to the yellow goal and bring back data packets to the blue goal. You need five of these for each puzzle to get to 100%.

You’re going to be doing a total of five puzzles in this area. The first three are related to the main story and are honestly rather easy. The fourth and fifth ones are a bit harder (especially the fifth one) but will give you some special dialog with Nick (for the fourth one) and the location of some special armor out in the world you can go find.

When you do these puzzles, you will be in permanent “Settlement Building” mode. This is helpful though, as you can find and store Code Blocks and Decoder Relays in your “workshop” to use later. Meaning you don’t have to carry blocks around here. Remember this and it will serve you well in these puzzles.

Memory 0V-9AX0 (Memory #1)¶

This memory is easy though: start off with finding the code blocks to your left. You can store all these in your workshop and then use them to make a bridge forward for your bugs. You’ll then see a green line hitting a block. There green beams are what destroy red walls blocking our way forward. Moving them around and destroying red walls will be a BIG part of future puzzles, but they are just introducing it here. Move the block it is hitting and the red wall be destroyed.

Build a bridge leading forward for your bugs and you’ll see your first relay block. This reflector block changes the green beam’s direction, so pick it up and use R2 to rotate it to shoot the beam to the right and destroy the next red wall. Build another bridge forward and the goal is in sight for the bugs! Now, whenever you get to this point in these puzzles, red offensive constructs will shoot at your bugs. You need to build your defending nodes from your menu to protect them. You can build up to five and you gain them automatically. Spread them out down the path to protect your bugs and let the bugs work and this first puzzle is DONE. You now know the basics of all these puzzles: it just gets harder from here on out.

Listen to the memory play-back and you’ll get an objective pop up on your screen (we’ll go over these later, but this one is story related). Step into the Yellow Memory Beam to continue to the second memory puzzle.

Memory 0J-2NN8 (Memory #2)¶

Time for the second memory. Right from the start, head down to your immediate left and take the clock down to continue (this lets the green stream flow on). Follow the new green stream and pick up the blocks on the way, freeing up the stream again, and putting the blocks in your workshop. At the next place the stream stops you’ll need to grab the Decoder Relay to the left and use it to make the stream go right, taking the block out of the wall and destroying the red firewall up ahead (red wall destroyed!).

Head forward to see a GIANT red wall in the way. Past the doorway there are a ton of blocks you can store, so grab them all and note you get A SECOND RELAY on the left. Now, you need to build a three-block high structure in the middle of the hallway, topped with a relay block, and pointing towards the giant red wall to destroy it (2nd red wall destroyed).

All that is left now is to build a bridge to the data. Consider building one that is two-spaces wide along the entire path, then IMMEDIATELY start to set up your defenses. Deploy two spaced-out defense units on the bridge itself to the left and right, one in the wide-open middle area, and finally two more near the start of the area. That should get the job done. From here your bugs should be safe to get all of the data needed.

Once more you’ll get a memory play-back and an objective pop up on your screen. Again, these will be discussed later, but this is story-related. Go ahead and step into the yellow memory beam to continue to the third memory puzzle.

Memory 0H-3X0P (Memory #3)¶

At the start of this area you have to undo the block wall to build a way forward. It’s okay to fill in all the spots here, leaving you three blocks to store. Out in the big area ahead, note the green ray going forward. Turn to your left and look up to see a cubby up there with blocks. You need to get up there. Turn left again (looking back where you came) to see steps. You can get to the cubby using these steps and a short bridge, gathering up all the blocks that you find (including a Relay block). Undo your bridge as well.

Drop down now and build a reflector in the middle area, pointing left to destroy the first red wall (lining its receptor up with the green beam of course). Store all the blocks you uncover (including a 2nd reflector) and then build your first reflector column two spaces to the left (building a new stand) so that it fires into the newest receptor and shoots a green beam HIGH above you. This destroys the HUGE red wall that was in your way and opens up the way to the goal, but you have to build a bridge for our bugs (build it two-lanes wide on the left or right).

There is one more HUGE red wall in your way before the goal though, as you can go see by going down the hallway. The receptor for it is high up in the air though. Head back to the first area and use the steps leading up to reach this higher ground. The green beam shows you where you need to go, so head down there and build a three-high block column topped with a reflector to destroy this giant red wall (3rd red wall destroyed). Store the blocks you used for this block column (leave the relay block). Drop down now and build a bridge to the goal. Focus on creating a one-lane path on the left-hand side, but you can then use excess blocks to widen the path as you wish.

You’ll want to set up your defenses at this point. Put two near the starting area (past the bridge, one near the bridge and one near where the red wall was), one near the far turn at the hallway and one on the bridge near the goal. Use the last one wherever you want. Your bugs should be well protected here and should have no problem

getting you the data you need.

Once more you’ll get a memory play-back and an objective pop up on your screen. Again, we’ll go over these later, but this is story-related. Go ahead and step into the yellow memory beam to continue to the fourth memory puzzle.

Memory 0Z-7A4K (Memory #4)¶

The second to last puzzle is your trickiest yet, and is NOT required to proceed with the story. It will get you some dialog with Nick though and sheds some light on DiMA and Nick’s relationship, so worth doing.

First off, gather up the blocks that are up and to your right. This includes a reflector block. Use these blocks to build into the center area, building a block two blocks high in the middle (note that four blocks are needed to do so: two to make the base to the middle, two to go up) and top it with a decoder block. Aim that block to the left. This destroys the first red wall.

Gather up the blocks you uncover, including a second reflector block. Now, bring the first active reflector block down ONE block (shorten it), and move its beam facing right (towards the red wall).

Now build a small platform three blocks out from the ledge following the beam and one block high on the end. Put the reflector on that outermost block, face the beam right, and you will destroy the second red wall.

You can build a bridge for our bugs to go forward now, spanning two gaps. Build it two spaces wide at max to conserve some needed blocks. There is a HUGE red wall in the way though, which is our final obstacle to overcome here.

Take down EVERYTHING in the first area and go to the path down below (past the 2nd red wall is a path leading down to a lower area). Down here look at the receptor you need to hit to the right, then go to the green glow to the left and build a platform to shoot the beam down the path (destroy everything but the reflector once you’ve done that). Now go up the pathway and build a platform to shoot it right into the receptor. This destroys the giant red wall up ahead (3rd Red Wall Destroyed!). Gather up everything but the decoder relay when you are done.

Go back up and and build the final bridge toward the goal. Do so by using the prongs that stick out (not enough to fill in all the gaps), so use the prongs here to make two one-lane pathways to the goal.

Time to set up our defenses. Set up two near the goal and third bridge, then scatter the rest down the pathway, switching sides with each one you put down to vary them up a bit and leave moderate gaps between them. This will let your bugs survive and get the memory up to 100% after a trip or two.

Unlike the previous three memories, this memory doesn’t spark an objective and isn’t directly tied to story goals. It is about Nick and DiMA though, and let’s you have a special chat with Nick about what it means to him, so it is very much worth listening to. Go ahead and step into the yellow memory beam to continue to the fifth and final memory puzzle.

Memory 0Y-8K7D (Memory #5)¶

This memory is the hardest yet and is going to take you awhile to accomplish. Luckily for you though, it’s been covered step by step down below. Follow these steps to crush this puzzle!

• Take all the surrounding blocks from your island. This lets you build up a cache of blocks which you’ll will need later.
• Find the island with the DECODER RELAY on it. Build a partial bridge to it and jump over to it (you’re going to use lots of partial bridges). Pick it up.
• Find the island with the green beam coming down (behind where you started at). Build a partial bridge and jump over there. Take ALL the blocks and store them in the workshop. Even the DECODER RELAY.
• Continue past this island to the island further back, building a short bridge. Once again, take ALL the blocks and store them. You MUST take the blocks out going left to right though. You will notice there is a place for a green beam to travel off to the right. You will be using that later.

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• Head back to the green beam island (we don’t need the bridge you just passed, so tear it up). Build a middle column here three blocks high and put a Decoder Relay on it facing the red wall island nearby. This will destroy the red wall.
• Head over there (partial bridge) and pick up ALL the blocks. This nets you another DECODER RELAY (#3). Note some of the blocks are high up so you may need to build to reach them, but do so.
• To the left is a small island with more blocks on it. Build over there and add all these blocks to your collection, then head back. You will be set on blocks now. Destroy the bridge you used, you won’t be going back over there.
• Back on “red wall” island, build a central column three blocks high and put a Decoder Relay on the top. Point it toward the red wall island nearby to destroy it (2nd Red Wall Destroyed). Build a bridge over there. FULL bridge this time. Claim the DECODER RELAY (#4).
• Build a central column on THIS island as well. Three blocks high. Put that Decoder Relay you just got on top of it, facing it to the right. This will let it pass through the blocks you removed earlier and HIT the green relay tiles, which pops the beam up in the air in the distance. Very nice!
• Head back to the original green beam island. Destroy the bridge on the way back. You don’t need it anymore. Move onto the original island and now left to where you got the first decoder relay.
• Go down to the left and then work your way up to the top of this small structure over here (this island is the only one with real up and down sections). At the top you will find a boxed room where the green beam is shining up in. Lots of blocks here, take them all out and store them.
• Check out the red wall nearby. See where it needs the beam? From the enclosed room you can drop down to the bottom and point a beam right at its direction. To do this, build a block on the wall next to the beam so you can build a Decoder Relay by it and aim it to the red wall. This will destroy it (3rd red wall destroyed).
• You can claim TWO Decoder Relays by doing this. One on the top (build a bridge to reach it) and one on the bottom. This is all you need to complete this puzzle.
• Head back to the last Decoder Relay you put down and pick it up. This gives you THREE Decoder Relays. Now, head back to the Green Beam Island and build out towards where the beam is shooting up. Once you are out there, build a column over the beam two blocks high and top it with a Decoder Relay (Three blocks high in total). Point it to the right, where you just were. Remove the blocks under it so the beam heads that way.
• Head back to the starting area. Build a column of blocks two high with a Decoder Relay just past the starting area, between it and the goal. Point it to the goal. Destroy the blocks under the relay. Make sure you build a bridge to the goal for the bugs.
• Line the area between the goal and the starting area with your Defender machines. You can build little platforms for them if you want, to make sure the bugs are getting a clear path between the goal and starting area.
• Head to the island where you got your first Decoder Relay and build a column with your last Decoder Relay pointing to the one you just built that is aimed at the goal. This will complete the circuit and destroy the last red wall between you and the goal. YES!

Once you are done with THIS memory, you will hear about some special armor that DiMA is aware of, getting the locations of the armor in your Pip-Boy and a new objective.

This is the end of the memory game puzzles. Time to leave and continue on.

After the Memory Game¶

Now that you are done with the memory games, you’ll have several new objectives you can follow up on:

• Objective: Recover the Wind Farm Kill Switch Code
• Objective: Uncover the Location of the Nuclear Launch Key
• Objective: Uncover DiMA’s Secret Medical Facility
• Objective (MISCELLANEOUS): Find the Marine Combat Armor Shipments
  Go ahead and exit The Nucleus now using the exit door they so graciously left you. It pops you up in the rafters of the sub warehouse, where you can drop down to the housing area the Children of Atom have built up. You can easily make your way out from there. It’s time to search for DiMA’s secrets, whatever they might be… and uncover some armor while you’re at it. The next three sections are split by objective, and will start the quests “Clearing The Land” and “The Way Life Should Be” .