Just 21 years after its release...

[drdrslashvohaul]

... I've finally completed Space Quest IV.

[pcj]

Was it worth the $59.95?

[drdrslashvohaul]

I don't know how much I've spent on it, actually. The first CD-ROM version I got was a gift from my dad in, I suppose, around about 1998. The second was the SQ Collection on two CDs, again, probably around the turn of the millennium. And recently, having lost my CDs ages ago, I bought the games again via Steam for a tenner (c. $14.00?).

 

Technology and a lack of patience have always stopped me from getting any further than getting into the fortress (right at the end of your first stint in SQXII). It's weird to think that having played the bolts off the other 5 games I never actually got round to completing this one.

 

I'll have to complete TLC and Replicated now...

[Chrono]

Congratulations on completing the best game in the series :)

 

Thanks for playing. As you usual, you've been a real pantload.

[Troels Pleimert]

So how long did the Skate-o-Rama take you, then? :P

[drdrslashvohaul]

Freaking ages. And then I realised I'd bought the wrong freaking adapter for the PocketPal, and I had to do it again.

 

I used your video to work out the timings on DOSBox. It's a fine art. Too slow, and it takes too long for the computer to respond and you get shot. Too quick and the timer is buggered so you get shot. Goldilocks was just below 3000 for me.

[Dat Engineer]

Time for me to geek out. I know way too much about Sierra games for my own good...

 

Freaking ages. And then I realised I'd bought the wrong freaking adapter for the PocketPal, and I had to do it again.

 

1. You don't actually need the PocketPal to beat the game, and I've actually beaten it several times without it. All it does is give you a map and show you where the two security droids are. Once you get to the computer tunnel you can just disable the droids.

2. Unless I am mistaken, you can return the adapter to Radio Shock for a replacement after purchasing it. Perhaps you already know this, but the wording of your sentence indicates that you had to restart the entire game because you picked out the wrong adapter, which I think is a bit over-the-top.

 

I never remember having any trouble with Skate-o-Rama when I played the DOS version. I did run into a timer issue fairly recently when replaying the game on DOSBox. The Sequel Police would show up way too soon on Xenon when going to the patrol vehicle.

[drdrslashvohaul]

1) I realised that in the end. But I perhaps jumped the gun a little.

2) I didn't alreadt know that. I reloaded from the point before I got the PocketPal. Which, in my infinite wisdom, was just before blowing up the slug.

[Spikey]

I just finished SQ4 again today (first time in about 8 years I think). Kinda weird, all the things I missed, like sexual references and TONS of click events.

 

I went through the beta's resources today also and came up with what I think is an alt. ending. Lots of interesting things all round.

[Troels Pleimert]

Kinda weird, all the things I missed, like sexual reference

Ooh, tell me more!

 

Wait, I'm sorry ...

 

I went through the beta's resources today also and came up with what I think is an alt. ending. Lots of interesting things all round.

Ooh, tell me more!

[Cosmic Castaway]

Kinda weird, all the things I missed, like sexual references and TONS of click events.

^This. True of every Space Quest game for me. That's what I get for playing a series designed for middle-aged people when I was an impressionable young kid.

[Frede]

There'd some great lewd humour in the early games, if you know where to look. The later ones also had their moments - the SQ6 line about Beatrice using Roger's sphincter as a necklace is a standout for me ;)

[drdrslashvohaul]

Noticed in SQ6 today in Sharpei's quarters that there's a hole about 5ft (1.5m?) off the ground. Cue Owens: "it's too high on the wall for what you're thinking".

 

Genius.

[mjomble]

Speaking of which, what's the deal with Wankmeister?

 

Is there an alternate meaning of "wank" that I don't know, or does her name pretty much mean "masturbation master"?

I've been in a "that can't possibly be true" denial for most of the time I've been a fan of SQ, given how the adult humour is usually much more subtle in the series, but I can't think of other explanations.

[Dat Engineer]

I just finished SQ4 again today (first time in about 8 years I think). Kinda weird, all the things I missed, like sexual references and TONS of click events.

 

I went through the beta's resources today also and came up with what I think is an alt. ending. Lots of interesting things all round.

Are you referring to the floppy version?

"Help me fertilize my mother's cat!" comes to mind.

Do tell me about the alternate ending. I've never found it.

[Johnathon]

I remember the time when I actually made that thousand or so burgers, because I was unaware of the ATM solution and was young and impatient to move ahead with the game (this was before i ever had access to the internet for cheats). It took me a frick'n week to make all those burgers. Absolutely nuts I tell you.

[Spikey]

I spent a long time on Mono Burger, but never THAT long :)

 

 

I'm referring to the SQ4 unreleased beta version. I guess "alternate ending" is stretching it a bit, but there is text that comes before the ending we know and love. Here's two bits:

 

1. Beatrice holo (goes in the middle of the next one)

string_02e6 = "\"** See I told you.\""

string_02fb = "realyStupidScript"

string_030d = "**holo of Rogers future wife."

string_032b = "**Her golden hair blows in the breeze, and you wonder how you will get so lucky."

string_037c = "hair"

string_0381 = "**Holo of your future wife."

string_039d = "**You gaze at the beautiful woman in the holo and look forward to the day that you finally meet her."

 

2. Roger and son exchange (prior to ending)

string_055a = "\"** You did so get all your good looks from me!\""

string_058b = "\"** I did not, I look like mom, see I'll show you.\""

string_05bf = "holoScript"

string_05ca = "\"** I'd hurl every time I looked in the mirror if I looked like you!\""

string_0610 = "\"** I bet your just jealous that I'm such a famous hero.\""

string_064a = "\"** O.K., I'll bet a thousand buckazoids that I'm not, you wad of vark crap!\""

string_0698 = "finaleScript"

 

 

 

Don't quite know how all that would've fit into the relatively PC version that was the real ending.. ;)

 

Also, it's implied that there would have been click events during the ending, like the Beatrice holo mentioned above, and also the intro (there are click event descriptions for the aliens at the Magmetheus bar).

 

Anyway, that's most of the goodies from the resources. Guess I should post the ZIP in a new thread, eh?

[MusicallyInspired]

Wow that's fascinating! I used to have the beta of SQ5 around somewhere. Can't find it now. But I haven't seen the SQ4 beta ever. Nice find!

[Dat Engineer]

Some of the "hologram of your future wife" strings pop up in the RESOURCE.AUD and script of the full game too. Obviously, they're never used because the player doesn't have control.

 

It's funny how what Roger Jr says in the actual game is almost a cheeky reference to what would have been a hostile and ludicrous dialogue. "I'm ten times--wait, what am I saying? This is no way to start."

 

You know, for the life of me, I haven't been able to figure out what triggers "blue frogs on my shoulder makes me hap-py...", even though "blue frogs" are referenced in the Time Pod script.

[DrSlash]

There is also a character 'VIII' in statusline's font of floppy version. Also there is an unused inventory item labeled 'SP' (maybe, Sequel Policeman disguise?) as well as walk cycle of SP without a gun.

[Troels Pleimert]

I'm referring to the SQ4 unreleased beta version. I guess "alternate ending" is stretching it a bit, but there is text that comes before the ending we know and love.

I remember hearing those when I listened to the RESOURCE.AUD file in SQ4. There's a couple of really interesting tidbits in that thing, like the Roger actor reading out the inventory of Hz So Good. (I used one as a sample in my "Metal Medley.")

 

I remember the time when I actually made that thousand or so burgers, because I was unaware of the ATM solution and was young and impatient to move ahead with the game (this was before i ever had access to the internet for cheats). It took me a frick'n week to make all those burgers. Absolutely nuts I tell you.

;)

[Capn_Ascii]

I reloaded from the point before I got the PocketPal. Which, in my infinite wisdom, was just before blowing up the slug.

Save early, save often. ;) And for god's sake, save in multiple slots. I've been screwed over plenty of times because I just kept saving over the one or two slots out of laziness. <_< Now I have the opposite problem - by the time I finish an adventure game, the save directory has some 20-odd savegames, numbered by relative game progress (Save1, Save 2, etc.). Not a biggie on the older games, but some of the more recent indie adventures and other AGS stuff has some surpisingly large save files. :huh:

 

I remember the time when I actually made that thousand or so burgers, because I was unaware of the ATM solution and was young and impatient to move ahead with the game.

I'm not sure which is worse - spending all that time and effort on an entirely optional puzzle, or doing it the right way and having Roger sashaying around in drag. :wacko:

 

(this was before i ever had access to the internet for cheats)

God bless the Internet. :D I first discovered the online SQ community when I first got my copy of SQ6 and got stuck for six months on the endodroid freezing puzzle - I couldn't find the valve behind the bar (stupid pixel-hunting). Six months later, my family got our first Internet-capable PC, and my first stop was a SQ6 walkthrough. :rolleyes:

[Johnathon]

What's worse is that in doing all that burger slinging, I didn't save myself any trouble, because I still had to acquire the atm card to progress with the game. :(

[Monolith_Pig]

There'd some great lewd humour in the early games, if you know where to look. The later ones also had their moments - the SQ6 line about Beatrice using Roger's sphincter as a necklace is a standout for me :D

 

I only realised there is a rock formation on Phleebhut that looks like a giant phallus with a set of balls when playing the game again this year!