Buck Rogers on Genesis--How do you use poison antidotes?

[Graham Mitchell]

I picked up a CIB copy of this the other day. It's really cool but I'm having trouble with one thing...I can purchase the poison antidotes, but I can't figure out how to use them. My characters keep getting poisoned and then turn on the party, forcing me to fight them. The option to use the antidote doesn't come up in combat, and you can't use items in the status screen, only ready them (and the antidote can't be readied). Anybody know how to do this? Gamefaqs and google have not been helpful so far.

Thanks in advance!

[JSoup]

I don't seem to have any of my old links handy, but there used to be a number of game manual databases floating around. If no one happens to have the information you need, it might be best to look up the manual for the game and see if what you're looking for is in the controls section.

[Graham Mitchell]

I actually have the manual. It's over 100 pages and doesn't mention how to use this item. There's just some concept I'm not understanding.

[Graham Mitchell]

Bump!! Anybody?

[JSoup]

I poked around GameFAQs, couldn't find anything. Was going to suggest maybe looking up a Let's Play of the game, but I couldn't find any and there wouldn't be any guarantee that the method to use a poison antidote would be mentioned.

[Graham Mitchell]

I know right? I appreciate you helping me, though. I'll just keep searching.

It's too bad, it's really a great game. Anybody who liked Starflight on the Genesis should probably check this out. I guess not that many people played it back in the day, though.

[Gameguy]

Are you trying to use them as the Medic? I'm pretty sure only the Medic class can use antidotes to treat other characters, or you have to train other characters to use First Aid Skill. I'm just going by manuals for the PC or Amiga versions, they're still not exactly clear on these details.

[Graham Mitchell]

Yeah, I actually trained all my characters to use first aid, and I have 2 medics on my team, but when people get poisoned I never get an opportunity to heal them. It might be that you can only do it on the battlefield and I just wasn't paying attention to the action screen. Your ability to perform first aid only comes up as an option when somebody is in "dying" status, so sometimes I'll miss it if I'm not paying attention.

The game doesn't really work the way a lot of other RPG's do. You can't use healing items when you're walking around the overworld outside of a fight. Health is automatically restored after a battle, and the amount of health regained by each character depends on your medics' stats.

There's lots of little odd concepts like this in the game, which make it interesting. But some are just not well explained, and it makes it a little tough. When I have a minute I'll fire it up again and try and see what I missed.

It's also possible that the condition I'm assuming is "poisoned" isn't actually poison. The characters don't continually lose HP like a "poison" status would cause in a traditional RPG when they're afflicted. After characters get hit by certain enemies, the game will say "Grahm's leg itches". After 20 moves or so it says "Grahm notices a rash spreading up his leg." then "...has a splitting headache," then "...attacks the party".

The game is a port of an SSI Gold Box game, so I don't expect it to hold my hand, but I wish some of this stuff was explained better.

[goldenband]

I don't know if you're a member of Sega-16, but a member there recently beat Buck Rogers (http://www.sega-16.com/forum/showthread.php?22807-Can-Sega-16-Beat-Every-Genesis-Game-in-2013-The-Official-Thread!&p=558495&viewfull=1#post558495) for the site's effort to beat every licensed Genesis game in 2013. He might know the answer.

[Graham Mitchell]

I don't know if you're a member of Sega-16, but a member there recently beat Buck Rogers (http://www.sega-16.com/forum/showthread.php?22807-Can-Sega-16-Beat-Every-Genesis-Game-in-2013-The-Official-Thread!&p=558495&viewfull=1#post558495) for the site's effort to beat every licensed Genesis game in 2013. He might know the answer.

I'm not, but maybe it's time to become one. Thanks!

[bigbacon]

man....thanks for reminding me of this game!!

I remember playing through this whole game at my friends house over an entire summer. My friend had no idea how to play it and since it follow the PC D&D game style, I played through and he watched.

have to find this now.

[Schiggidyd]

I have this complete as well, and couldn't stand it's complexity.

[Graham Mitchell]

I have this complete as well, and couldn't stand it's complexity.

It's doable if you open your mind and have a little help from walkthroughs. It's just that nothing works in a conventional (read: Japanese) way, and I do struggle with that.

[FrankSerpico]

I have this game, too, and got the distinct impression the old DOS version, where you can use a mouse and keyboard, is probably much more playable.