BOMBANANA! Roles Guide: Information Triangle & Comms

The Information Triangle: Asymmetric Co-op Communication

BOMBANANA! (developed by Lefto Studio and published by TARK, Steam App ID 4656000) is not a game of speed-clicking; it is a high-stakes asymmetric communication puzzle built for exactly three players across 30 campaign levels, Endless mode, and Custom lobbies. The game deliberately fractures sensory perception and authority across three distinct monkey operatives so that no single player can disarm any of the 14 puzzle modules alone — the puzzle modules guide covers every module’s quirks so Mute knows exactly which manual table to flip to:

+--------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|                       THE 3-MONKEY RELAY TRIANGLE                        |
|                                                                          |
|               [MUTE MONKEY] --- Holds Disposal Manual                    |
|                     |                                                    |
|           (Gestures, Points, Emotes)                                     |
|                     v                                                    |
|               [DEAF MONKEY] --- Sees Bomb + Voice Relay                  |
|                     |                                                    |
|           (Military Verbal Commands)                                     |
|                     v                                                    |
|              [BLIND MONKEY] --- Hands on the Detonator                   |
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------+

Understanding the exact flow of information around this triangle is the difference between clearing a cargo-plane bomb with seconds to spare and detonating your minivan workshop on Stage 1.

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Detailed Operative Responsibilities & Sensory Matrix

Every squad member enters the lobby with one critical capability and one programmed disability enforced directly by the game client:

Monkey Role	Senses Available	Programmed Restrictions & Disabilities	Core Mission Across 14 Modules	Primary In-Game Tool
Blind Monkey (“The Hands”)	Touch, Hearing, Outgoing Voice	Cannot see the bomb casing, wire colors, LED indicator states, digital timers, or Mute’s gestures.	Physically cuts wires, flips switches, presses keypad glyphs, vents pressure dials, and reports tactile Braille coordinates.	Spatial cursor feeling, incoming audio & voice microphone
Mute Monkey (“The Brain”)	Sight, Hearing, Manual Access	Cannot speak into voice chat or type text messages (programmatically muted by the game engine).	Reads the Bomb Disposal Manual, decodes condition tables, plots Maze paths, and signals answers to Deaf Monkey.	Bomb Disposal Manual, Emote Wheel, nodding, pointing & slaps
Deaf Monkey (“The Bridge”)	Sight, Outgoing Voice	Cannot hear any incoming voice chat replies, Blind’s questions, or countdown audio alarms.	Observes physical bomb state (colors, LEDs, green Maze exit), watches Mute’s gestures, and shouts verbal orders to Blind.	Visual scan of bomb + Mute & outgoing voice microphone

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Deep Dive: How to Master Each Monkey Role

1. Playing the Blind Monkey (The Tactile Executor)

As the Blind Monkey, you are the only operative whose hands can physically interact with the bomb’s 11 standard modules and 3 CHAOS modules, yet your screen obscures visual details like wire colors, indicator LEDs, and digital countdown displays:

• Report Tactile Feedback Immediately: On modules like the Maze (documented in Steam Community Guide #3796748407), you feel the Braille numeral at your starting cell and see your red position marker, while Deaf sees the green exit portal. Announce your row-column coordinates immediately so Mute can hear you directly and begin plotting the route without waiting for Deaf to ask.
• Keep Your Cursor Disciplined: Because Deaf Monkey can watch your hands hovering over the bomb casing, move your cursor deliberately from top to bottom or left to right while narrating aloud ("Hovering wire 1 at the top... moving down to wire 2").
• Release Controls During CHAOS Events: When CHAOS: Turbulence shakes the vehicle or CHAOS: Blackout cuts the lights, take your hands off active puzzle inputs immediately unless flipping the overhead flashlight or pulling the CHAOS: Siren suppressor lever.

2. Playing the Mute Monkey (The Silent Quartermaster)

As the Mute Monkey, you possess the two greatest informational advantages in the room: you can hear Blind Monkey’s voice AND you can read the in-game Bomb Disposal Manual. However, your microphone is disabled:

• Pre-Stage the Manual Page: Because you can hear Blind Monkey and see the bomb modules, flip to the relevant manual section (Wires, Complex Wires, Symbols, Maze, Memory, Pressure Dial, or Status Pulses) the instant a module is locked—before Deaf even finishes reading out the colors.
• Position Yourself in Deaf’s Line of Sight: Deaf Monkey cannot hear you tap or shout. Stand directly beside the bomb table where Deaf can see both the module and your Emote Wheel animations in a single camera frame.
• Use the Slap as an Emergency Brake: If you see Blind Monkey hovering over the wrong wire or Deaf Monkey misinterpreting your finger count, execute an immediate physical Slap. Slapping interrupts the target’s animation buffer before a fatal strike registers.

3. Playing the Deaf Monkey (The Visual & Verbal Relay)

The Deaf Monkey is the most mechanically demanding role in BOMBANANA! because you cannot hear Blind Monkey’s questions or confirmations—you must read the room purely by sight while driving all voice communication:

• Follow the “Count Before Color” Rule: When inspecting Wires or Complex Wires, always announce the total wire count first ("4 wires total"), pause briefly, and then read the colors from top to bottom ("Red, Blue, Blue, Yellow; LED unlit"). This lets Mute jump straight to the 4-wire table.
• Watch Blind’s Hands for Confirmation: Since you cannot hear Blind Monkey repeat back "Cutting wire 2", watch Blind’s physical hand position on the bomb casing before shouting "Go! Cut now!"
• Split Gaze Between Bomb and Mute: Never stare at the countdown clock. Once you finish announcing a module’s visual state, snap your camera to Mute Monkey to catch their Emote Wheel signal the frame it appears.

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The 7-Step Universal Callout Protocol

High-level squads never speak in unstructured sentences like “cut that blue one on the left”. Every single module solve across all 30 campaign levels should follow the 7-Step Universal Callout Protocol:

1. Module Lock: Deaf Monkey announces the active target: "Locking Wire Module 1, top-left slot."
2. State & Attributes Report: Deaf reports total count first, then attributes: "4 wires total. Top to bottom: Red, Blue, Blue, Yellow. Indicator LED is unlit." (On Maze modules, Blind reports their Braille start cell aloud directly to Mute.)
3. Mute Manual Lookup: Mute Monkey cross-references the 4-wire condition table in the Bomb Disposal Manual.
4. Gesture Signal: Mute opens the Emote Wheel, displays the numeric finger count (2 fingers), and follows with an affirmative head nod.
5. Deaf Command Relay: Deaf translates the gesture into a crisp verbal order: "Cut Wire 2 from the top. Repeat, Wire 2."
6. Blind Repeat-Back & Hand Hover: Blind moves their hand to the second wire and confirms aloud (heard by Mute): "Hovering Wire 2. Ready to cut." If Blind hovers the wrong wire, Mute or Deaf immediately uses a Slap.
7. Action & Clear Confirmation: Deaf sees Blind’s hand on the second wire and shouts "Go!" Blind cuts the wire, and Deaf confirms the module status light turns green.

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Emote Wheel & Gesture Dictionary for Mute Monkey

Because Mute Monkey is muted by game mechanics, the squad must agree on this standardized gesture vocabulary before starting a lobby:

Gesture / Signal	Emote Wheel / Physical Action	Exact Tactical Meaning to Deaf Monkey
Open Palm (Stop)	Emote: Halt / Wait	"Hold on. I am still checking the manual table. Do NOT touch anything."
Directional Point	Point Up / Down / Left / Right	Indicates module quadrant, Maze movement step, or D-Pad compass direction.
Numeric Fingers	Emote: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6	Exact wire index (top to bottom), Keypad button order, or Memory stage number.
Vigorous Nod	Green Affirmative Head Nod	"Confirmed! That condition matches—proceed with the action."
Head Shake	Red Negative Head Shake	"Negative! Mismatched state or wrong wire—re-read the module."
Flip Off Reaction	Taunt / Reaction Emote	Used by squads as a secondary signal for "Zero / None" or "Reset to Stage 1".
Emergency Slap	Physical Slap Interaction	"STOP IMMEDIATELY! Wrong wire hovered or CHAOS hazard active!"

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Role-Specific Module Matrix (Who Does What on Key Puzzles)

To eliminate hesitation when switching between module types, use this role division chart:

Module Category	Blind Monkey’s Job	Deaf Monkey’s Job	Mute Monkey’s Job
Wires & Complex Wires	Hovers wires top-to-bottom; cuts on "Go"	Calls total wire count, colors, stripes, stars, and LED state	Looks up wire condition or Venn diagram; signals wire number (1–6)
Maze (#3796748407)	Reads tactile Braille number & red light aloud to Mute; moves 1 cell per call	Reads green exit portal Row/Col coordinates aloud	Plots path on manual grid; points Up/Down/Left/Right step-by-step
Symbols & Keypad	Presses the 4 glyph buttons in the relayed order	Describes the 4 symbols or digits visible on the keypad	Finds the single manual column containing all 4 glyphs; signals press order
5-Stage Memory	Presses button and calls out both position and label aloud	Calls displayed stage digit and tracks previous stage labels	Matches stage rule (position vs. label) across all 5 stages
3 CHAOS Modules	Flips Blackout flashlight, pulls Siren lever, releases controls in Turbulence	Spots Blackout/Siren/Turbulence triggers and watches Mute’s gestures	Signals emergency lever location and slaps anyone clicking during Turbulence