Space Quest script searching

[BlockMaster]

Hey guys! It's BlockMaster again! I was fooling around in the Space Quest code recently, trying to find some new discoveries, but almost everything out-of-game that I thought that I was the first to find was already found by someone. I then started to copy the Space Quest scripts in text documents to start looking in that for new discoveries. That was a great idea. Because I don't have the first game in EGA, I started looking in Space Quest I VGA, and I found something that isn't in the game in the first script. I found that in the script, inventory items are represented like this :

 

 

instance Pulseray Laser Pistol of RInvItem

{

view            = $233 ; 563, s2startX

loop            = $0

cel             = $0

nsLeft          = $0

nsTop           = $0

nsRight         = $0

nsBottom        = $0

state           = $0

cursor          = $f ; 15, lsBottom

type            = $4000 ; 16384

message         = $4 ; x

modifiers       = $0

signal          = $2

helpStr         = $0

maskView        = $0

maskLoop        = $0

maskCel         = $0

highlightColor  = $0

lowlightColor   = $0

description     = string_33e8 ; "It's a pulseray laser pistol. Remember, this isn't a play toy!"

owner           = $3a ; 58, ':', heading

script          = $0

value           = $0

}

 

Where the name of the inventory item is between "instance" and "of RInvItem" in the first line of the script. Scrolling through the list of inventory items, I found this :

 

instance Keronian Ale of RInvItem

{

view            = $231 ; 561, s1startX

loop            = $0

cel             = $0

nsLeft          = $0

nsTop           = $0

nsRight         = $0

nsBottom        = $0

state           = $0

cursor          = $19 ; 25, time

type            = $4000 ; 16384

message         = $4 ; x

modifiers       = $0

signal          = $2

helpStr         = $0

maskView        = $0

maskLoop        = $0

maskCel         = $0

highlightColor  = $0

lowlightColor   = $0

description     = string_3393 ; "Ummm! Keronian Ale!"

owner           = $2b ; 43, '+', number

script          = $0

value           = $0

}

 

 

Tell me if I'm wrong, but I don't think the Keronian Ale that you can buy at the Rocket Bar ever becomes an inventory item. I checked in the game, and Roger can buy one, but he quickly drinks it and give the glass back in a kind of cutscene, so it is impossible to get the drink in your pocket, unlike in the EGA. This isn't something too exciting, but I thought it was something that I could post on here.

 

On this topic, I will continue to post more of my discoveries! Stay tuned!

 

BlockMaster

 

[pcj]

If I were a SpaceVenture programmer, I would sprinkle random nonsense throughout the code to keep the fans of 20 years from now amused.

 

Oh wait...

[Troels Pleimert]

You're absolutely correct, BlockMaster - the Keronian Ale is not an inventory in the actual SQ1VGA. Maybe they thought they were doing an homage to the whiskey puzzle in LSL1 at one point. (Although probably not.)

[BlockMaster]

Thanks for the feedback guys! I'm glad that I found something that hasn't been found before by someone else, and that is not in-game. It's so hard to do both successfully.  ;) In my free time, I'll try to see if I can find if there are graphics for the Keronian Ale somewhere in the files.

[BlockMaster]

Unfortunatly, I found out that there are no views for the Keronian Ale in the code. The second number in the line view of the inventory item (not the one with the dollar symbol in front, the one after that) shows what view that object uses. The view 561 doesn't exist. It skips from 560 to 562. Well, maybe the graphics for the Ale were never made, because the object was scrapped out of the plot too early.

[BlockMaster]

I found other stuff in Space Quest scripts. I was still looking in the Space Quest I VGA scripts, trying to find what could trigger the mysterious two death animations that I found in the files, with no sucess, but I found something else. This is part of the ending scripts, in the room where Roger gets the golden mop :

 

string_15a0 = "rm68"

string_15a5 = "crowdGoesWild"

string_15b3 = "roomControl"

string_15bf = "\"Roger Wilco, we, the people of Xenon, extend our limitless appreciation and eternal gratitude for your acts of heroism.\""

string_1639 = "\"Because of your bravery, the planet Xenon, and indeed the entire galaxy, has been saved from domination by the evil (not to mention ugly) Sariens.\""

string_16ce = "\"Now, if you'd only been smart enough to bring along the data cartridge containing the construction specifications, we'd be able build a new Star Generator, thereby saving Xenon from the horrors of a rapidly cooling planet. Oh, well. You are just a janitor.\""

string_17d1 = "\"It is my honor to present you with the coveted Golden Mop, a symbol of pride and accomplishment to members of your esteemed profession.\""

string_185b = "\"Henceforth and for all time you will be known as Hero of Xenon.\""

string_189d = "lottaPraise"

string_18a9 = "greenGirlGives"

string_18b8 = "xenonLeaderReceives"

string_18cc = "egoReceivesAward"

string_18dd = "rocketsRedGlare1"

string_18ee = "rocketsRedGlare2"

string_18ff = "rocketsRedGlare3"

string_1910 = "zoomingRockets"

string_191f = "closingCredits"

string_192e = "leaderTalker"

string_193b = "leaderBust"

string_1946 = "leaderMouth"

string_1952 = "leaderEyes"

string_195d = "xenonLeader"

string_1969 = "greenGirl"

string_1973 = "greenGirlBodyPart"

string_1985 = "king"

string_198a = "fireworks1"

string_1995 = "fireworks2"

string_19a0 = "fireworks3"

string_19ab = "ship"

string_19b0 = "explosion"

string_19ba = "fire1"

string_19c0 = "fire2"

string_19c6 = "fire3"

string_19cc = "green bldg"

string_19d7 = "greenBldg"

string_19e1 = "two guys"

string_19ea = "twoGuys"

string_19f2 = "stadium"

string_19fa = "blue bldg"

string_1a04 = "blueBldg"

string_1a0d = "apartment buildings"

string_1a21 = "apartments"

string_1a2c = "guy 1"

string_1a32 = "guy1"

string_1a37 = "cheerers"

string_1a40 = "bubbleGum chewer"

string_1a51 = "bubbleGum"

string_1a5b = "guy 2"

string_1a61 = "guy2"

string_1a66 = "clark Kent"

string_1a71 = "clarkKent"

string_1a7b = "xen6"

string_1a80 = "xen9"

 

That part describes the script's components. In that, I saw an object in the room, at the lines 1a66 and 1a71, named Clark Kent. That might mean that there is a reference to him in that room. Maybe one of the extraterestrials in the crowd was supposed to look like him? I don't know. Maybe the reference was removed? Did someone already found this, in game or in files? Tell me your thoughts about this.

 

BlockMaster

[Troels Pleimert]

Best guess: probably just a background character that reminded the programmers of Clark Kent or something, and they gave him that nickname in the code. Doesn't necesssarily refer to THE Superdude. :)

[Frede]

The ending in which you're chastised for not getting the cartridge is in the game. I believe it's carried over 1:1 from the original where the same thing could happen. I've done it once because I forgot to bring the cartridge with me after playing it on Kerona.

[BlockMaster]

Ah well, you're probably right, Troels. I guess that's nothing more than that. I'm gonna look to see if I can find other stuff soon. Thanks for your help!

 

BlockMaster

[BlockMaster]

I made some discoveries in the files of Space Quest III while looking for the trigger of the : "A Slimmer, Trimmer You. A quick, but painful, way to shed those extra inches." death. I haven't been able to find anything related to that death, but I found some other interesting things in the code of Space Quest III.

 

First, there's an unused (I think) part of the loop of the view 17. The first four parts of view 17 show Roger falling right, facing left, facing front and facing back. The fifth part of the loop has no animation. It's just an image : View17-4-0.bmp

 

SPLAT! Yep, splat. You can hear when Roger touches the bottom after he falls in a hole, but that image isn't displayed. Maybe it is used for something else, not sure, but I'm pretty positive that it isn't used.

 

Second discovery : I found the script for the : "Take metal" death in room 3, that happens if you touch the metal sheet lying on the Jupiter II ship. This is the code part for that :

 

bleedScript::changeState:

lap param[$1]

aTop state

push

dup

ldi $0

eq?

bnt code_08d8

push0

callb export000_2, $0

pushi $5 ; view

push1

pushi $c1 ; 193, offScreenOK

pushi $12 ; 18, illegalBits

push1

push0

pushi $cb ; 203, setLoop

push1

push0

pushi $7 ; cel

push1

push0

pushi $a6 ; 166, cycleSpeed

push1

push2

pushi $81 ; 129, setCycle

push2

class End

push

pushSelf

lag global[$0]

send $26

pushi $3 ; y

dup

pushi $23 ; 35, '#', window

pushi $5b ; 91, '[', dispose

calle export255_0, $6

sal local[$2]

jmp code_0985

 

At this line : pushi $c1 ; 193, offScreenOK, I checked, and the view 193 is the view showing Roger transforming himself into a living fountain. In the text messages for that room, there are also the right messages : "YEOW! It's obvious that the metal was sharper than you. The resulting laceration turned you into a living fountain, at least for a few moments. Good luck in your afterlife.", but, in the script of room 8, I found another bleedScript :

 

bleedScript::changeState:

lap param[$1]

aTop state

push

dup

ldi $0

eq?

bnt code_11cf

push0

callb export000_2, $0

pushi $5 ; view

push1

pushi $c1 ; 193, offScreenOK

pushi $cb ; 203, setLoop

push1

push0

pushi $7 ; cel

push1

push0

pushi $a6 ; 166, cycleSpeed

push1

push2

pushi $81 ; 129, setCycle

push2

class End

push

pushSelf

lag global[$0]

send $20

pushi $3 ; y

pushi $8 ; underBits

pushi $3c ; 60, '<', doit

pushi $5b ; 91, '[', dispose

calle export255_0, $6

sal local[$6]

jmp code_127c

 

The two scripts present some differences, but in the text files of room 8, I found the same messages like the other death. Maybe this death is still in game? I tried to type "Take metal" anywhere in the room, but the game present me this message : "It's junk, and you don't need junk. Now let's think of something better and go on with the game." Strangely enough, that last message isn't in the text files of that room. That's all I found for now! Your thoughts are always appreciated.

 

BlockMaster 

 

[BlockMaster]

Now this is strange. I was looking in the code of Space Quest IV beta today to extract files for an edit I was planning to do on the wiki, and I stumbled across View 544. I was wondering what was in there, and I discovered that it contains the cursors of the programs in the Super Computer. In the CD version, I found the usual : the KQXLIII (???) icon, SQ4 icon, LSL4 icon, the robot icon and the toilet icon. In the beta though, the LSL4 icon is replaced by something else (look at attachement). So, before, the virus that took control of the Super Computer was in Stunt Flyer. Interesting. In the beta, Lloyd's speech already changed to Leisure Suit Larry, so they just forgot, or didn't yet changed this. Anyway, just something that I discovered that could be interesting for you guys.

 

BlockMaster

View544-2-0.bmp

[Troels Pleimert]

Ah, it may also have just been something that was "installed" on the Super Computer next to LSL4 ... and when they had to remove Stunt Flyer from the bargain bin for memory reasons, it didn't make sense to have it on this screen, either.

 

Just speculatin' out my ass here.