╭───────────────────────────────────────╮ │ HINTS FOR THE COUNT AND THE COMMUNIST │ ╰───────────────────────────────────────╯ You can quickly look up the hint you need by searching for the relevant number, for example "03". Of course, watch out for spoilers! If you are still stuck despite these hints, read the diary in the Story menu. It will probably tell you what to do. ─╮ │ ╭───────────────────────────────────────────────╮ ├─┤ ACT 1 - Arrival at the mansion & the basement │ │ ╰───────────────────────────────────────────────╯ │ 01 How do I get dressed? I can't seem to get out of the bedroom :( │ 02 How do I make time pass? It's still morning... │ 03 How do I get on the right track to begin the mission? │ 04 How do I get hold of the lantern? │ 05 How can I get into the basement? │ 06 How do I operate the headlight-like device? │ │ ╭────────────────────────────────╮ ├─┤ ACT 2 - The count's apartments │ │ ╰────────────────────────────────╯ │ 07 How do I get hold of the housekeeper's keys? │ 08 How do I open the door with the strange handle upstairs? │ 09 How do I transcribe the punched tapes? │ 10 How can I find out the combination for the safe? │ 11 I can't seem to find all the information in the mansion! │ │ ╭───────────────────────────────────────────────╮ ├─┤ ACT 3 - The delegation's visit & the delivery │ │ ╰───────────────────────────────────────────────╯ │ 12 How do I get the telephone working? │ 13 How do I eavesdrop on the delegation's conversations? │ 14 How do I gain access to the tank in the courtyard? │ 15 How do I fire the tank's cannon? │ 16 What are the items I need to photograph? │ 17 How do I get the graphophone working correctly? │ 18 How can I record the delegation's discussions? │ 19 How do I send the code using the teleprinter? │ 20 How do I get the weapon ready to fire? │ 21 How can I sabotage the crates in the basement? │ 22 How can I sabotage the crates on the ground floor? │ 23 How do I cut off the means of communication? │ 24 What affects the game's epilogue? │ │ ╭──────────────────────╮ ├─┤ SECONDARY ACTIVITIES │ │ ╰──────────────────────╯ │ 25 How do I get the "good ending" with the servants? │ 26 How can I torment the count with itching powder? │ 27 How can I play a prank on the maid? │ 28 What is the "magic word" I can send via the teleprinter? │ ─╯ ─╮ └─────────╮ HINT 01 │ How do I get dressed? I can't seem to get out of the bedroom :( ┌─────────╯ │ │ HINT A) There's a hairpin in the chest. │ │ HINT B) You need to combine the apron with yourself, then do the same with the │ hairpin. If you fancy it, try combining the hairpin with the keyhole first... │ ─╯ ─╮ └─────────╮ HINT 02 │ How do I make time pass? It's still morning... ┌─────────╯ │ │ HINT A) In the morning and afternoon, you need to collect the laundry baskets from the │ servants' hall, the west staff hallway and the kitchen. │ │ HINT B) Once you've collected all the laundry, or once the various baskets are in the │ laundry room, all you have to do is use the washing tub. │ │ HINT C) In the evening or at night, you pass the time by using your bed. │ ─╯ ─╮ └─────────╮ HINT 03 │ How do I get on the right track to begin the mission? ┌─────────╯ │ │ HINT A) Talk to the servants, particularly the maid and the cook. │ │ HINT B) The cook will point you in the right direction: the next step is to reach the │ basement beyond the pantry. │ ─╯ ─╮ └─────────╮ HINT 04 │ How do I get hold of the lantern? ┌─────────╯ │ │ HINT A) If the housekeeper has forbidden you from taking the lantern, someone in the │ mansion will give you a tip to make her change her mind. │ │ HINT B) Once you've got the tip from the maid, speak to the housekeeper again, then │ take the lantern. Don't forget to check if it works... │ ─╯ ─╮ └─────────╮ HINT 05 │ How can I get into the basement? ┌─────────╯ │ │ HINT A) In the morning and afternoon, the cook's comings and goings will probably │ prevent you from visiting the pantry. │ │ HINT B) After examining the door without a handle and following a brief clue trail, │ you'll quickly realise which mechanism allows you to access the basement. │ │ HINT C) To get the switch working, you must place the copper coils in the electrical │ device located in the staff hallway. │ ─╯ ─╮ └─────────╮ HINT 06 │ How do I operate the headlight-like device? ┌─────────╯ │ │ HINT A) If you read the description of the device, you'll see that it has a cover on │ the side. │ │ HINT B) Once plugged in, the device still needs a power supply. The circuit breaker is │ located elsewhere in the basement. │ │ HINT C) The device can magnify all sorts of things and project the magnified image │ onto the wall of the room. The grid-patterned cards will allow you to progress through │ the mission, but you can also try magnifying other things. │ ─╯ ─╮ └─────────╮ HINT 07 │ How do I get hold of the housekeeper's keys? ┌─────────╯ │ │ HINT A) The housekeeper has received a letter. You should follow one of the │ suggestions mentioned in it. │ │ HINT B) In someone's bedroom, there is everything you need to forge a love letter... │ But it is in another person's bedroom that you will find a note written in the │ housekeeper's own hand. │ │ HINT C) The pen works perfectly. However, it is a completely innovative type of pen │ for the time. │ ─╯ ─╮ └─────────╮ HINT 08 │ How do I open the door with the strange handle upstairs? ┌─────────╯ │ │ HINT A) Try rotating the handle: you'll realise you need to work out the correct │ combination. However, this isn't written down anywhere. You'll need to be subtle. │ │ HINT B) Fortunately, there's someone who regularly enters the locked room. Perhaps you │ could observe his movements from a discreet vantage point? │ ─╯ ─╮ └─────────╮ HINT 09 │ How do I transcribe the punched tapes? ┌─────────╯ │ │ HINT A) The tapes use Baudot code. Each column contains between one and five │ perforations, and one column corresponds to one character. │ │ HINT B) The last two columns on the code key indicate whether the characters that │ follow should be transcribed as letters or as symbols. │ │ HINT C) If your transcription seems incorrect, make sure you haven't used accented │ letters, special characters, or omitted any punctuation. │ │ HINT D) For the extremely lazy: "ARE COMMITTED TO CRUSHING REVOLUTION. CLEMENCEAU." │ and "AWAITING INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE FRENCH. DENIKIN." I'll leave it to you, however, │ to work out which code goes with which tape... │ ─╯ ─╮ └─────────╮ HINT 10 │ How can I find out the combination for the safe? ┌─────────╯ │ │ HINT A) The count hasn't written the combination down anywhere, and you won't see him │ open his safe. However, the mansion staff may be able to put you on the right track. │ That said, some of the information they give you won't be relevant. │ │ HINT B) The maid seems to be hiding some information from you. Fortunately, she's │ written it down somewhere in her room. │ │ HINT C) The maid is carrying a key... Unfortunately, you won't be able to steal it │ during the day, as long as she's awake and watching your every move. │ ─╯ ─╮ └─────────╮ HINT 11 │ I can't seem to find all the information in the mansion! ┌─────────╯ │ │ HINT A) There's a bedside book in the count's bedroom. The book itself is of no │ interest, but the bookmark inside is relevant to your mission. │ │ HINT B) The information you need is as follows: two different tapes to transcribe, and │ two documents to read, both of which are in the safe. │ ─╯ ─╮ └─────────╮ HINT 12 │ How do I get the telephone working? ┌─────────╯ │ │ HINT A) The cook seems to suggest that the crank is somewhere in the reception hall. │ He's not wrong. │ │ HINT B) Telephones from that era consist of a wooden box on which the handset rests. │ It was important to be able to access the inside of the box to replace the ring-tone │ batteries. │ ─╯ ─╮ └─────────╮ HINT 13 │ How do I eavesdrop on the delegation's conversations? ┌─────────╯ │ │ HINT A) Once you've realised you can't hear them from another room, a conversation │ with a member of staff will set the next series of events in motion. │ │ HINT B) As soon as the conversation with the cook is over, a countdown timer will │ start. Be patient and let the housekeeper leave; then go in yourself, have a taste of │ the meal if you like, and hide. │ ─╯ ─╮ └─────────╮ HINT 14 │ How do I gain access to the tank in the courtyard? ┌─────────╯ │ │ HINT A) You can go out into the courtyard without fear of punishment... But without │ any specific information to pass on, the soldier standing guard will quickly send you │ away. │ │ HINT B) You must have managed to spy on the delegates whilst they were eating to │ obtain the information that will pique the soldier's interest. │ ─╯ ─╮ └─────────╮ HINT 15 │ How do I fire the tank's cannon? ┌─────────╯ │ │ HINT A) If you've got a knack for mechanics, the Puteaux SA 18 manual will come in │ handy. See the instructions on pages 11-12, and the diagrams on pages 5 and 9 (in │ French). https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k65523592/ │ │ HINT B) Essentially, you must slide the breech block to access the gun barrel, load a │ shell into it, then slide the block back into place. Pull the firing hammer into the │ open position, then press the trigger lever. │ │ HINT C) In game terms: you need to rotate the percussion hammer, use the breech block │ handle, combine a shell with the breech block, use the breech block handle again, then │ use the trigger lever. Boum! │ ─╯ ─╮ └─────────╮ HINT 16 │ What are the items I need to photograph? ┌─────────╯ │ │ HINT A) Photographing the delegation is essential to move forward. It is possible to │ do this from an adjacent room, if you can figure out how. │ │ HINT B) Photographing the documents in the safe is also essential. As for the rest, │ you can photograph the conference table, the bookmark, the teleprinter, the audience │ seats and the blackboard. Note that if you haven't switched on the lift beforehand, │ you will no longer be able to access the basement; failing to photograph everything │ has no bearing on the rest of the story. │ │ HINT C) Optionally, you can also photograph the display cabinet, yourself and │ Marceline (which is recommended). │ ─╯ ─╮ └─────────╮ HINT 17 │ How do I get the graphophone working correctly? ┌─────────╯ │ │ HINT A) To replace the horn, there is something in the kitchen that is roughly the │ same shape. An additional item will be needed to hold this makeshift solution in │ place: this can be found in the servants' hall. │ │ HINT B) To replace the lost key, you must use an item you've already used earlier in │ the day. │ │ HINT C) This item may seem impossible to obtain right away, but after a certain event, │ you'll have the chance to get hold of it. Be careful: you mustn't waste a single │ second! │ ─╯ ─╮ └─────────╮ HINT 18 │ How can I record the delegation's discussions? ┌─────────╯ │ │ HINT A) Start by taking photographs of the delegation, and the opportunity will │ present itself very soon. That is why it is advisable to repair the graphophone before │ you start photographing the delegates. │ │ HINT B) When the opportunity arises, you'll need to arrive in the study before the │ delegates. Once in the same room as them, all you'll have to do is start the │ graphophone... But you'll still need something to wind it up! (See the previous hint │ for that). │ ─╯ ─╮ └─────────╮ HINT 19 │ How do I send the code using the teleprinter? ┌─────────╯ │ │ HINT A) You must refer to the code key to send a message, character by character, │ using the keys 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. You can press more than one key (e.g. 134), but you │ cannot press the same key more than once (e.g. 2233). │ │ HINT B) The line number represents the key to press. So, to send A, you must type │ "45"; for B, "125"; for C, "234"; and so on. │ │ HINT C) To send numbers, you must switch to symbol mode. To do this, you need to send │ "1245", as shown to the right of the code key. │ ─╯ ─╮ └─────────╮ HINT 20 │ How do I get the weapon ready to fire? ┌─────────╯ │ │ HINT A) Try out the various options available so that the protagonist understands what │ the buttons and other levers are for. After that, you'll need, amongst other things, │ to load the magazine and chamber a cartridge. │ │ HINT B) More specifically: eject the magazine and take it; from the inventory, load at │ least one cartridge into it; reinsert the magazine into the gun; pull the toggle link; │ pull the toggle link again (to chamber a cartridge in the barrel); disengage the │ safety catch. │ │ HINT C) There are several other ways to load the weapon, for example by pulling the │ toggle link and loading a cartridge directly into the barrel (as in real life). You │ can consult the weapon manual for inspiration, particularly pages 14-17 (in French). │ https://www.pistoliers.com/manuel/Manuel_Parabellum1900-06.pdf │ ─╯ ─╮ └─────────╮ HINT 21 │ How can I sabotage the crates in the basement? ┌─────────╯ │ │ HINT A) Start by checking what's inside the crates. Also note that the drainpipe from │ the laundry room runs through the basement where they are located. │ │ HINT B) The pipe is fragile; moreover, all this military equipment is sensitive to │ water. But a strong flow will be needed: there's no point in simply turning on the │ tap. │ │ HINT C) Optionally, any corrosive substance will increase the scale of the sabotage. │ ─╯ ─╮ └─────────╮ HINT 22 │ How can I sabotage the crates on the ground floor? ┌─────────╯ │ │ HINT A) Start by checking what's inside the crates. Given their location, a │ spectacular destruction seems out of the question. But how would those poor, │ demoralised soldiers react if they realised that valuable items were hidden amongst │ the equipment that has just been delivered to them? │ │ HINT B) You can make good use of a set of small precious items found in the count's │ apartments. │ ─╯ ─╮ └─────────╮ HINT 23 │ How do I cut off the means of communication? ┌─────────╯ │ │ HINT A) To prevent the lift and the electric door from being used, the most effective │ approach is to go straight to the source. │ │ HINT B) For peace of mind, it would also be useful to disable two modern means of │ communication. │ │ HINT C) In other words, you must fire at the electrical device in the staff hallway, │ the telephone and the teleprinter. │ ─╯ ─╮ └───────────╮ INDICE 24 │ What affects the game's epilogue? ┌───────────╯ │ │ HINT A) The most significant variations in the final exchange (and in the course of │ world history) depend on: │ • the quality of the recording of the conversation in the study (with an │ intermediate outcome if a poor-quality recording was made); │ • whether the count is alive or not; │ • whether the crates have been sabotaged; │ • whether the soldier has been informed of the new war; │ • whether you fired the tank's cannon; │ • whether the wrong code was sent via the teleprinter. │ The "quests" not mentioned here are essential for progressing, and always result in │ the same dialogue. │ │ HINT B) The dialogue also features a few changes if you have bleached the uniforms │ and if you have cut off the means of communication right at the very end. Additional │ dialogue occurs if you have retrieved the Fabergé egg and if you have managed to │ repair your relations with the servants. │ │ HINT C) Some particularly disastrous dialogue sequences are triggered if you fail to │ go to the study to eavesdrop on the conversations, or worse still, if you finish the │ game without ever finding out about the invasion plot. │ ─╯ ─╮ └─────────╮ HINT 25 │ How do I get the "good ending" with the servants? ┌─────────╯ │ │ HINT A) Generally speaking, if you have examined everything thoroughly and spoken to │ the mansion staff as much as possible, you will gain access to the "good" farewell │ dialogues. │ │ HINT B) More specifically, you must have turned the painting round in the housekeeper's │ room, looked at all the maid's postcards, and brought up the subject of the count with │ the cook. │ ─╯ ─╮ └─────────╮ HINT 26 │ How can I torment the count with itching powder? ┌─────────╯ │ │ HINT A) There is a wild rose in the courtyard, which you'll find if you examine the │ bushes. You can't pick the wild rose itself, but you can take its fruits. │ │ HINT B) These fruits contain seeds, but you'll need something hot to dry them, and │ another item to hold them in once they're dry. │ │ HINT C) Don't even think about putting itching powder in the count's collar... But two │ other things in his bedroom would make the perfect target. Note: do all this before │ the delegation arrives to reap the full benefits of your perfidy. │ ─╯ ─╮ └─────────╮ HINT 27 │ How can I play a prank on the maid? ┌─────────╯ │ │ HINT A) You need to jump out of a cupboard. The only place suitable for such childish │ pranks is the kitchen. │ │ HINT B) You can only get up to this sort of nonsense with the maid. You'll therefore │ need to wait until the cook is elsewhere. │ ─╯ ─╮ └─────────╮ HINT 28 │ What is the "magic word" I can send via the teleprinter? ┌─────────╯ │ │ HINT A) It's "XYZZY", a word well known to Interactive Fiction enthusiasts. For more │ information, see https://www.ifwiki.org/Xyzzy │ │ HINT B) You can only send things via the teleprinter during the final act, after the │ delegation has arrived. │ │ HINT C) Get ready for some serious turbulence! │ ─╯