I've been playing with a lot of new players lately that want to play the game but just don't know how to win. The purpose of this guide is to let you know what the Sea of Fire scenario is all about and how to win it. Hope it helps you.

In Sea of Fire there are two factions: Explon and Balboil. They both have two undercover agents each on the Velvet Sundown and they're trying to sabotage each other's plans with the data onboard.

There is also an innocent person who finds the data downstairs in the ship. This person starts with no money and starts without any data. When they acquire the data they can sell the data to whomever they want.

Lastly, there is a thief with a taser. The thief works similarly to the innocent, but he or she also has a taser. With the taser the thief can forcefully take the data from whomever has it on their person.

So in a six player game the roles are:
1. Explon Undercover Agent
2. Explon Undercover Agent
3. Balboil Undercover Agent
4. Balboil Undercover Agent
5. Innocent data collector
6. Thief data collector

The roles and characters are randomized every round. Just because Ingmar was the thief or an undercover agent last round that doesn't mean he will be this round.

Also, most characters have a personal mission like "Collect everybody's passports, exchange business cards, give away this baby". It has no effect on the winning condition if you complete it. These are more for getting a feel of how people do business, giving you an excuse to talk to everybody, and bragging rights.

The undercover agents win by collecting the data onboard and sharing it with the other agent of the same faction. Your CID in your inventory will have an icon which tells you which faction you're a part of. The B for Balboil and the blue square for Explon. Whichever faction you are (Balboil or Explon) you have one partner from your faction on board.

There are four data hidden in the desk below deck where the logbook for Murder! is. (2 Explon Data and 2 Balboil Data). If you and your partner can get a hold of one of each data, you and your partner win the game.

To figure out who your partner is you have to see their CID. You can use your own CID to try and scan people but be careful. Whoever you try to scan with your own CID will see what faction you're a part of. It shows in the top left corner of the dialogue for them when you try to scan them. Also, people can just lie about having a CID. Furthermore, everybody in the conversation can see that you just pulled out your CID, but they can't tell which faction you are unless they're the one you tried to scan. Anybody in the conversation can also see your response to somebody's attempt at scanning you too, but they can't see which faction you are. Only the person doing the scanning can see your faction and only if you choose to show them.

Anybody who has a CID and isn't your partner is not your friend and you don't want to do business with them. They are the enemy.

The agents cannot retrieve the data directly from the desk and they can't forcefully take the data from anybody. They have to do business with the thief, the innocent, or trick an agent of the opposing faction into giving it to them.

Doing business with the innocent is fairly straightforward. They want your money and they probably want to get rid of the data before they get tased. Furthermore, only the innocent can show you that they have the data without giving it to you. Get as much data from them as possible for as little money as possible.

Doing business with the thief is less profitable than doing business with the innocent. Most thieves will tase you after they give you the data so you can't share it with your partner and you have to pay for it again.

Finally, doing business with the opposite faction is possible if they're weak players. If you can convince one that you're their partner they will have to share the data with you to win. If you can somehow swindle somebody's ID off them, that will make it even easier.

Playing the innocent is the hardest role in the game and also the most important role. Nobody else can win as their role until you get the data. You win the game by getting all the money. Bonus points if you can get all the money and neither faction can complete their plans. You have no allies and no weapons. You have to win by your wits alone.

As the innocent, when you first walk downstairs there will be a cut scene showing you where the data is. An astute oberserver will notice your pause at the bottom of the stairs and will know you're the innocent, so you might want to make your first trip downstairs while nobody can see you down there. Also, when you grab the data, anybody downstairs can see when you make a dialogue with the dresser. (You make some weird hand motions when talking to a dresser)

DO NOT GRAB THE DATA UNTIL YOU KNOW WHO HAS THE TASER.

The thief with the taser wants to sell the data just as much as you do and can forcefully take it from you.

Once you know who has the taser never join a conversation with the person who has the taser. Be careful. Some undercover agents will start a conversation with you and then invite the thief into the conversation to tase you. Escape out of the conversation as soon as the thief joins it.

If you DO get tased with the data on you, the thief will take one of each type of data from you. When you first grab the data you have TWO of each data. If you get tased, escape out of the taser cut scene and then escape out of the conversation to keep from getting tased twice and losing all the data.

If you do lose all the data without getting paid for it, things are looking pretty grim for you. If nobody knows you got tased twice and lost all the data, you can still try to swindle your way into some more money. This is why I advise people who lose all the data to the taser to NOT advertise that fact. If you have no data, no CID, and no taser then there is very little reason for anybody to do business with you. If everybody knows about this, you're kinda screwed.

Just be careful and take things slow. The agents and the thief have to do more than just get the data. The thief has to take the data and sell it and the agents have to give it to their partner. You just have to sell it. This means time is on your side.

Playing with the taser is the easiest role and sometimes the most fun role. Tase people with data on them and sell it. Nobody can take data from you. You don't rely on anybody.

There are two things you have to keep an eye on with the taser. First, you have to figure out who the innocent data collector is and if they have the data on them. Second, you have to keep an eye on how many tases you have left. You only have a limited number of tases so make the most of it.

Keep in mind that when the data collector has the data they will never want to talk to you if they know if you have the taser on them. Don't show the taser until you're taking data. There are a few ways you can try to get the data from them are:

1. Be patient. Act like an undercover agent. Pretend like you're trying to buy the data from them and then when you know they have it on them, tase them and take the data.

2. Ally with an undercover agent of one of the factions. Get them to get the data collector into a conversation and invite you in and then tase them.

3. Keep an eye on who goes downstairs. Post up in a conversation with vision of the door downstairs. You can also hide in the staff closet downstairs and wait to see who goes to the dresser to pick up the data. Keep in mind if the data collector sees you down there, they will be suspicious of you for the rest of the game.

Also, if you know somebody has ALL the data on them, tase them twice. You get 1 of each type of data from somebody each time you tase them and there are 2 of the Balboil data and 2 of the Explon data.

If you sell the data to somebody and still have tases left, tase them after you give it to them. Sell the same data twice. Make money.

Most of this has been stated earlier in the guide, but for just some quick tips to help your gameplay:

As an undercover agent, you might want to try pretending to be the innocent data collector. It gives you an excuse to not show your ID and gives you a reason to ask people for their ID. "Show me your ID so I know you're not going to tase me when I get the data." This can work against everybody but the data collector. The thief can be tricked into tasing you when you don't have the data, and the other agents can be tricked into showing IDs or even paying you.

Do not scan people you do not know. It shows your faction and reveals that you're an undercover agent when you do this. Conversely, if somebody scans you, take note of the icon in the top left corner of the dialogue. That is their faction. If they are your ally and you're alone, show them. Otherwise act like you don't have one.

As the thief, try posing as an undercover agent. See who is willing to sell you data and if they show it to you, tase them and take it.

As the data collector, DO NOT GRAB THE DATA UNTIL YOU KNOW WHO THE TASER IS AND THEN NEVER TALK TO THEM FOR ANY REASON.

Whoever you are, you can use the personal character missions to get a feel for how other people do business. You give your business card and they don't give theirs back? You can bet that you can't trust them to give you the data if you give them 100000 dollars. They are a tightwad and won't help you with your personal quest until you help them with theirs? Maybe you should sell that data to somebody else that's more generous.

A lot of people don't know what they're doing because the game doesn't explain it and there are no other guides that explain it. Try to swindle a scan, the money, or even an ID out of noobs by helping them complete their personal quests. "Ok, I'll give you this red thong if you give me 100000 dollars."

Watch who makes the dialogue with the dresser to see who has the data and when. Do business with this person or watch to see who they do business with.

If you have 2 of the same kind of data and get tased, you can ESCAPE out of the taser cut scene and the conversation before it's over to avoid getting tased twice!

Ingmar has a fake taser. This can be used to stage a fake data theft. Get your buddy with the data to let you use your fake taser on him while the enemy is watching. They will think that Ingmar now has the data and might be able to rip them off now.