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About Symptoms of Infection
Symptoms of Infection is a single‑player simulation that places you in a 1970s‑style medical research environment. You examine patients, run tests, identify pathogens, and manage isolation and disinfection while navigating ethical dilemmas. The game offers a Basic Program for initial diagnosis and a more demanding Advanced Program that adds treatment, experimental medication, and rare infection encounters. It runs on Windows and Linux with mouse‑only controls and lets you save progress at any time.
01 / THE GUIDE
Basic Program Workflow
The Basic Program introduces four core steps: Diagnosis, Testing, Disposition, and Disinfection. You visually examine patients, interview them, and run tests that the LAM‑ORB Mainframe processes. The Mainframe may be busy, so you can retry or override pathogen identification.
After identifying symptoms, you record infectious patterns and move the patient to the Isolation Ward, following the prescribed disinfection procedures. Some patients show comorbidities that do not indicate a disease, requiring careful observation.
- Observe patient interviews closely; subtle cues can hint at hidden comorbidities.
- If the Mainframe is busy, use the retry option before requesting an expedite.
02 / THE GUIDE
Advanced Program Features
Experienced participants may enroll in the Advanced Program, which tests psychological, ethical, and technical preparedness. You can directly diagnose and treat patients, revisit them, and administer experimental medications.
The program also includes disinfection directives in other wards, occasional audits, and encounters with rare infections such as Progressive Putris and Ocusbolia. Psychiatric Ward patients must not be disturbed.
- Balance ethical decisions with treatment options; experimental drugs may have unknown effects.
- Avoid the Psychiatric Ward to prevent unintended complications.
03 / THE GUIDE
LAM‑ORB Mainframe Emulation
The software emulates the LAM‑ORB organization's 1970s research technology, using a 160×160 pixel display and a limited sound palette. The Mainframe processes test results and can be expedited, retried, or overridden by the player.
Progress can be saved at any time, allowing you to pause and resume your investigations without losing data.
- Save frequently before initiating a new test batch to avoid losing results.
- Experiment with the expedite function when the Mainframe shows a busy status.
04 / THE GUIDE
Rare Infections Encountered
Beyond common pathogens, the game features rare diseases like Progressive Putris and Ocusbolia. These infections present unusual symptom patterns and may require experimental treatment protocols.
Identifying these rare infections relies on thorough testing and careful symptom correlation, as they do not follow typical disease models.
- Cross‑reference test results with symptom lists to spot atypical patterns.
- Document any anomalies; they may indicate a rare infection.
05 / THE GUIDE
Disinfection and Isolation
After diagnosis, infected patients are transferred to the Isolation Ward. Disinfection procedures must be followed precisely to prevent spread, and the game notes that some symptoms may not represent an underlying disease.
The process includes moving patients to the Isolation Ward and following the prescribed disinfection procedures.
- Verify that all disinfection steps are completed before admitting another patient.
- Watch for comorbidities that could be mistaken for infection signs.
COMMUNITY
Player discussion