Bob's Big Date is the twelfth level in Marathon 2: Durandal. It is the third level of Citadel, the fourth chapter of the game. The level is centered around a large room filled with a constantly rising and falling water level. Your objective is to access two S'pht terminals and then find Durandal's exit terminal.
You will face three types of enemies here: Pfhor Troopers, Hunters, and F'lickta.
There is a pattern buffer in the room directly south of the central hall with the varying water level. A second pattern buffer can be found in the western room.
Directly north from the starting position is a 2x shield recharger. The room to the west of it has the first standard 3x shield recharger in the game (although a disguised 3x recharger could be found in Nuke And Pave). A 1x shield recharger can be found in the room north of the central hall. Finally, an oxygen replenisher can be found in the southwesternmost room.
Walkthrough[]
From the ledge you start on, go into the room to your north. One of the two S'pht terminals you need to find in this level is here, as well as a 2x shield recharger. Now go back to the starting room and follow the path west. You'll find the level's central hall, with a constantly rising and falling water level.
In the walls of the hall you'll find corridors to a number of different dead-end rooms that you can visit in any order. Let the changing water level carry you to the corridors. Make sure you look in the water pools of the various rooms you find in this level, because there is sometimes ammo lying at the bottom.
There is a button in the southeast wall of the central hall (map location A) that locks the water to its lowest level; this is not very useful, as it'll only allow you to reach one room.
You'll want to visit the south room early on, as it has a pattern buffer. The southeast room has the second terminal you need to find. The southwest room has an oxygen replenisher.
The northeast room (to the east of the first room you entered with one of the S'pht terminals in it) has a 3x shield recharger. The north room has a 1x shield recharger. Finally, the west room has a pattern buffer at the north end, and the way to the exit terminal at the south end. To reach the exit, you need to jump across a gap to a room at the top of the tower in the middle of the central hall. Be careful, there are several enemies here and more will teleport in when you reach the terminal. Once you've cleared the room, read the exit terminal to be sent off to Six Thousand Feet Under.
Secrets[]
There is a secret door near the base of the staircase heading north, on the east wall. However, the entrance is too narrow, and all you can do is look at some Pfhor and F'lckta fight it out.
Terminals []
fatum.celer<793.514.255.255>[]
The first terminal is a message from Durandal, who tells you that you are in the bunkers beneath the Citadel of Antiquity, where the S'pht royalty gathered during the last days of their war against the Pfhor. He believes that they found a way to contact the S'pht'Kr, but died before they could use it; he wants you to download the data from their computers so he can search it for what they found. He then tells you that you will have to find a position closer to the surface for him to accurately teleport you out.
dizzy.from.5.63.Nma.23.1[]
The second terminal is a message from the S'pht, who inform you that the S'pht'Hra have been destroyed. They then tell you that the first meeting of the Olders in living memory has taken place, and that it will save them from the Pfhor.
antiquus<304.92.38.82>[]
The third terminal is another S'pht terminal, which tells you that the Master said the names of each of the eleven clans, giving them names and ranks. His last words to the Olders were "Don't mistake your rank and number for superiority. The oldest child may learn from the youngest."
virtus.incertus<77.7777.777.7>[]
If the mission objective is incomplete, the fourth and final terminal contains a message from Durandal, who tells you that the Pfhor fleet is close enough for him to make out their flagship, the Khiva. He tells you that, if the Khiva is still Admiral Tfear's ship, he will not be able to defeat their fleet in the battle. He tells you to keep searching for information, and then to return to this terminal to leave.
When you have completed the mission, Durandal first tells you that the Boomer is taking heavy damage in the battle, and then tells you to continue searching, but deeper underground. The only way to get you further down is by dropping you down a random geothermal shaft, which brings you to Six Thousand Feet Under.
Trivia[]
- When this map is opened in a map editor, a written message can be found outside the bounds of the level. It reads, "BOB'S LATE FOR HIS BIG DATE!!".
Sources[]
Marathon 2: Durandal - Level 12: Bob's Big Date