___ _ _ ___ ___ _ ____ ____ _ _ ____ _ ____ _ _ |__] | | / / | |___ |___ | | [__ | | | |\ | | |__| /__ /__ |___ |___ | |__| ___] | |__| | \| _ _ _ __ __ _____ _ _ ______ _____ | | | | | | \/ |_ _| \ | | ____|/ ____| | | | | | | \ / | | | | \| | |__ | (___ | | | | | | |\/| | | | | . ` | __| \___ \ | |___| |__| | | | |_| |_| |\ | |____ ____) | |______\____/|_| |_|_____|_| \_|______|_____/ ___ _ _ _ ____ |__] | | | [__ | |___ |__| ___] version 1.0 January 10, 2011 Lumines Plus FAQ / Strategy Guide written by Adam Michael Maillet, aka Heronblade 8bitcity.blogspot.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Table of Contents =====================> 1. Introduction 2. The Tower Method 3. Tower 1 4. Tower 2 5. Tower 3 6. Tips 7. Credits 8. Copyright 9. Coming Soon! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Introduction: Statement of Purpose and Guide Instructions ===============================================================> READ THIS SECTION OR THE GUIDE WILL NOT MAKE SENSE! Lumines Plus is a great puzzle game for the Playstation 2. It was released on February 22, 2007. This guide is designed to help a Lumines Player get high scores and survive to high levels. The tower method (described in the following section) is the key to the strategy of the guide. There are plenty of FAQs that cover the extreme basics of Lumines (controls, concept, etc.), this is not one of those guides. I assume you know the basics of the game (read the PSP FAQs or the manual if you don't). What I discuss is the ideas behind Lumines, this FAQ attempts to get inside the rules of the game, learn the system completely, and master its intricacies. I am teaching a way to think about Lumines, that expands your knowledge of the game, and eventually, become a better player. Lumines is such a complex and deep system, that I am confident this method is the best way to get better at the game. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. The Tower Method ======================> This is the method I use to play Lumines, and I find it very effective. In this section I will explain the idea and benifits of this method, and in the following three sections I will explain the 3 individual towers. This is a deterministic method to Lumines, in that it relies on placing certain blocks in the same place over and over. It is a formula that tells you where to put any block in any given situation. In this respect, the tower method is extremely powerful, because it is a perfect way to win, provided you do not mess up. You will mess up, however, but the towers can easily be adapted to fit a different situation. They are so adaptable because the towers use basic setups that will naturally occur within the world of Lumines. Using this method, it is possible the deal with any block appropriately using only 8 columns! You don't have to cram them all together, however, if you don't want to. The most important thing to remember is that you will be placing all 3/1 blocks in the exact same 2 columns, and all quad blocks and 2/2 blocks in another 2 columns. The checkerboard pieces take 3 columns, plus a buffer column, or an edge, on either side. I recommend building the checkerboard tower against a wall, if possible. It might be a good idea to re-read this section after learning the towers. Try creating the towers while you read the guide, make sure you understand. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Tower 1: Dealing with 3/1 Blocks ======================================> 50 Percent of the Blocks dropped in Lumines are 3/1 blocks, making the proper use of said blocks an essential skill to the advanced Lumines player. As the most common block, learning how to use this piece is the key to learning the intricacies of the game. The 3/1 piece can be easily used to create large combos (up to about 13 or 14), stall for time while you assess a botched playing field, or fix a checkerboard pattern. First, I will describe a method of using these blocks to create an infinite tower. Ideally, this tower should be created directly under the starting block, in order to drop blocks quickly for high combos. What even better, is that once you start this tower, it occupies only 2 columns and always has a place for either color 3/1 block. For this reason, its okay if the base of the tower, or even the side of it, is touching another block. In fact, when you have a formation that you want to eliminate, the best way to go about it, is usually using the 3/1 tower (or just a step or two) to change the color of the blocks so that they eventually disappear. I refer to a "nub" which is a single block, a block at the end of a row, or just a corner block that has nothing on top of it, and nothing to at least one of the sides. 1. If the nub is the same color as the three blocks, drop the block like this: XO OO O --- 2. If the nub is the color of the single block, then drop the block like this: OO OX X --- 3. Which will turn into: O OO XX --- 4. Now, if the next block has 3 X's, drop the block like this: XX XO O OO XX --- 5. Which will turn into: X XX OO OO XX --- 6. Which turns into: X XX XX --- 7. Which turns into: X (you are back at step one) --- 8. Going back to number 3, what if the block has 3 O's instead? Just drop it like this: XO OO O OO XX --- 9. Which becomes... X OO OO OO XX --- 10. Which after being swept becomes X XX --- 11. Which can either be taken care of by doing this: OO OX X XX --- 12. Which clears to form O OO (This is the same as step 10) 13. Or (Back to 11), can be cleared like this OX XX X XX (which, after clearing leaves you with just a nub) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4. Tower 2: The Checkerboards ===============================> The checkerboard is the worst position in Lumines. They are the empty squares of Tetris, if that makes sense. These piece offer nothing that a 3/1 piece does not, and using other squares with checkerboards will always end in disaster eventually. The best solution is to tower these guys off to the side on their own tower. These blocks only make up 1/8 of the blocks dropped, so every now and then you'll get lucky and not see these guys for 20 or so blocks. They can, however, seriously mess up your playing field if you misdrop 3 or 4. If you can't make a tower like the one described below (because you messed up, or its later in the game) just start a new tower. If you can't start a new tower, then your best option is to complete a square on a 3/1 tower, and move on. If you can't do that, then you can try placing it on the 3/1 tower anyway, making sure to slice the piece so that there is not a checkerboard pattern. The 3/1 tower will take care of the layers, eventually (you might hesitate on a really slow moving timeline skin). If you can't do that, then try and complete a square with the piece, and if you can't do that, then, good luck, and don't make a checkerboard pattern when you place the piece. 1. Drop a checker in the corner of the board (can be anywhere really) OX XO --- 2. Drop another to get the following pattern O X OXX XOO --- 3. Another to get X O OO XX OXX XOO --- 4. Clears to X O OOO XOO --- 5. Clears to OX XO (back to step 1 now!) --- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5. Tower 3: 4 Blocks and 2/2 Blocks =======================================> Quad blocks make up 1/8 of the total blocks (each one has a 1/16 chance of dropping). The best use for these guys is to combine with 2/2 blocks to form quick, easy combos. Don't be tempted to let these guys clear themselves if your board is perfectly clean, that extra combo isn't worth messing up a checkerboard tower. The trick with these blocks is to try and clear at least 6 block with each one, that way you are lowering the amount of blocks on the field (ever so slightly). 2/2 Blocks are pretty simple when stacked on top of each other. They have the high potential to create checkerboards, so you should be careful with these pieces. They account for 1/4 of the blocks dropped, so they are pretty common. Keep these to their own tower (it can even be directly adjacent to your 3/1 tower! They won't harm each other!) and you'll be fine. I find it works best to stack them horizontally. They can also be uses to tear down a checkerboard, as I will demonstrate. 1. You have a checkerboard pattern OX XO OX XO ---- 2. Drop a few 2/2 blocks OXXX XOOO OXXX XOOO ---- 3. Drop another 2/2 block OO XX OXXX XOOO OXXX XOOO ---- 4. Which clears to... OOOX XOOO OXXX XOOO ---- 5. Which eventually clears to by clearing the middle with 2/2s... O X X O O X XXXX 6. Which is a lot easier to take care of than a checkerboard. No one said it would be that easy, just don't make checkerboards. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6. Tips ==========> 1. Always form a square if you can 2. All the moves from the 3/1 block section are good for clearing messed up blocks, recognize the patterns everywhere 3. Don't make checkerboards. 4. Keep the three towers 5. Later on, keep a backup 3/1 tower, you might need it 6. Feel the rhythm: Don't let the timeline half-delete your blocks, this is the easiest way to mess up a good screen. 7. Don't be afraid to pause the game and think about where to drop a block -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7. Credits and Citations ============================> http://www.network-science.de/ascii/ -ASCII Generator used in the title http://GameFAQs.com -For having a great site The Lumines Plus Message Board -For helping out -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8. Copyright ===============> Copyright 2007 Adam Michael Maillet This may be not be reproduced under any circumstances except for personal, private use. It may not be placed on any web site or otherwise distributed publicly without advance written permission. Use of this guide on any other web site or as a part of any public display is strictly prohibited, and a violation of copyright. The following sites are allowed to use my guide: GameFAQs.com Gamespot.com 8bitcity.blogspot.com If you would like to use my guide on your site, email me at 8bitcity@gmail.com and I will most likely say yes and add your site to the above list. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9. Coming Soon! ==================> 1. Frequently Asked Questions 2. User submitted tactics 3. More Strats! This is a very early version! 4. Unlockables 5. Skin Descriptions Visit 8bitcity.blogspot.com