After over 100 hours spent wandering the island of Far Harbor, I‘ve solved my fair share of bizarre puzzles and mysteries. But none smack the sanity like the infamous Dima memory sequences from the "Best Left Forgotten" questline. As fellow wasteland survivors can attest, pushing through all five of these computational puzzles can try one‘s patience to its very limits.
Why Players Hate the Puzzles
Don‘t get me wrong – I love the concept. Using a programming interface to guide AI routines is such a cool idea for a quest. But the execution saw it‘s share of oversights.
According to data compiled from redditor experiences, the average total time spent across all five puzzles runs 2-3 hours for most players. And without any capacity to manually save progress mid-puzzle, a single misstep forces you all the way back to the start. After spending almost two hours routing a solution only to bump the wrong turret and fail at the last second – it stings. It stings enough to make me temporarily regret every life decision leading me to this point.
So what can be done to spare yourself the headache? Enter console commands.
Skipping Dima‘s Memories
As outlined in the initial guide, PC players can open the developer console and utilize the following script commands to immediately complete all puzzles and progress to the memory retrieval phase:
SetStage DLC03MQ04 150
SetStage DLC03MQ04 250
SetStage DLC03MQ04 350
SetStage DLC04MQ04 450
SetStage DLC03MQ04 550However, exercise caution. I‘ve seen many a thread on Reddit where users reported breaking their questline progression after incorrectly applying commands. For example, jumping too far ahead before reaching certain trigger points.
As an expert player with much love for this game but equal frustration with parts of its design, my recommendation stands firmly behind making use of the console skip for most users. Unless you really love programming puzzles or aim for 100% completion, why put yourself through the headache? Making use of shortcuts allows more time to enjoy everything else the DLC has to offer!
That said, pushing through by your rugged self has its perks…
Pushing Through the Puzzles
For those determined to properly solve their way through, either out of principle or a completionist drive, let‘s break down the basics of each memory puzzle:
Memory Puzzle Difficulty & Expected Duration
| Puzzle | Difficulty | Avg. Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Memory Puzzle #1 | Easy | 15-20 min |
| Memory Puzzle #2 | Medium | 35-40 min |
| Memory Puzzle #3 | Hard | 45-60 min |
| Memory Puzzle #4 | Very Hard | 80-90 min |
| Memory Puzzle #5 | Extreme | 90-120 min |
As indicated above, the puzzles scale up rapidly in complexity with each new one. Players with high INT builds definitely fare better. But no matter your stats, there are universal tips to make the journey easier.
Optimizing Your Run
Having thoroughly conquered this trial multiple times now on various character builds, here is my master list of tips for solving Dima‘s memory puzzles without losing any hair:
General
- Save excess blocks/turrets in starting area for later puzzles
- Plan entire pathway before placing first block
- Redirect relay flows by rotating based on arrows
- Funnel bugs away from obstacles into clear lanes
Defense
- Place turrets near enemy spawn locations
- Utilize crossfire fields of fire to cover multiple lanes
- Store extra turrets behind existing ones as backup
Route Optimization
- Identify shortest overall path between start/end points
- Find chokepoints to narrow down possible paths
- Convert longer routes into shortest sub-paths
Reactive Recovery
- Pause and assess if bugs start dying to identify new threats
- Review relay flows for newly opened pathways
- Toggle turret and block locations to refine coverage
Following these guidelines, you should breeze through the first couple memory puzzles unscathed. But don‘t let your guard down! The fourth and fifth puzzles combine all the worst elements together into a true nightmare gauntlet for your free time. Yes, you can potentially shave off a half hour or more by plotting an optimal course. Just pray you don‘t bump the mouse and misplace a turret in the home stretch!
But for those who endure, you unlock…even more questions! Where do these memories lead? Read on in the next section to find out.
Concluding the DLC
After finishing up the memory puzzles and reviewing the sequences, you gain deeper insight into Dima‘s hidden past along with new clues about the conflict embroiling Far Harbor. Where you go from here depends on what values drive your character most:
- Loyalty – If duty to allies matters most, you‘ll want to keep Dima‘s secrets and refocus on protecting Acadia.
- Truth – Those focused on exposing lies may turn Dima over to Far Harbor town to face justice.
- Balance – As always, a compromise aiming to broker sustained peace between groups may exist.
It‘s not my place to spoil the exact endings here, but suffice to say your options branch widely. And each come with their own consequences depending on who you align with most across Far Harbor‘s factions.
Choose wisely!
Signing Off
Whew, quite a journey just to recover some rogue memories! While I can‘t pretend that route puzzle design makes for compelling gameplay, pretty much everything else in the Far Harbor DLC delivers. In the end, focus less on imperfect parts and more on letting the richness of this expansion suck you in with its mystery and adventure.
For my completionist brethren, godspeed on your machine programming challenges. Just be aware that Glitch Gremlins are known to sabotage even the sturdiest designs, so save early and often!
Let me know in the comments if these tips helped you recover your lost sanity. And what WAS your favorite part of the Far Harbor expansion? I‘m dying to know!
