Agh! Please help me, Obi-wan! (QfG4 question)

[Rath Darkblade]

So I started playing QfG4 again. I own an very old laptop - old enough to be able to run Windows 98 easily (but nothing more advanced) - so I don't have any technical problems with starting the game or playing it. So I imported my thief and started playing, and having a blast.

However, now I've run into a problem in the form of the Chernovy in the swamp. I'm well aware that I have to beat that chernovy so that I can raid the Mad Monk's tomb for the ritual. But I have two problems:

1) It doesn't matter if I turn down the speed, that chernovy is still blasting me with spells at a ferocious speed. I'm not worried about it, since his spells - for some reason - don't actually hurt my hero. I'm just curious as to why.

2) I keep throwing rocks at that chernovy, and I'm not sure why, but they don't seem to be hurting him either! At least, it looks that way - I've thrown almost 100 rocks at him, but he's still hurling spells at me.

I tried using acrobatics to leap from grassy hill to grassy hill, in order to close in on him and provoke a battle, but to no avail. The chernovy's spells aren't hurting me, but I can't get rid of him.

Any ideas? Thanks!

[Collector]

I hope that you are playing the DOS version. The Windows version is far buggier. This is why I always look to DOSBox first, instead of a dinosaur. DOSBox has become so compatible that in many cases you'll have fewer problems with it than you'll encounter on a real 98 machine. You might try a slow down utility.

[Rath Darkblade]

Yep, I'm using the DOS version (thus avoiding the infamous error 52).

Since the laptop I'm using is so slow and old, I haven't thought of using a slowdown utility - I'll try it. Thanks. The only reason I use this old clunker is because it's very adept at running Windows 98 games, like Discworld II, Discworld Noir, MI3, etc.

Incidentally, would casting spells at the chernovy help, instead of throwing rocks at it? My thief has magic skills too. Thanks again!

[Collector]

Since the laptop I'm using is so slow and old, I haven't thought of using a slowdown utility - I'll try it. Thanks. The only reason I use this old clunker is because it's very adept at running Windows 98 games, like Discworld II, Discworld Noir, MI3, etc.

Keep in mind, many of the Sierra timer bugs started rearing its ugly head in the P133 era, so yeah, your old laptop may still be vulnerable to the timer bugs. Personally, I much prefer DOSBox on a modern machine than an old PC.you get much more control via the dosbox.conf than you can get with any one real old PC. I am not a fan of slow down utilities. If that old laptop is currently your only PC or portability is more important to you, I understand, but otherwise, DOSBox on a modern PC is definitely the way to go.

Incidentally, would casting spells at the chernovy help, instead of throwing rocks at it? My thief has magic skills too. Thanks again!

Give it a try. Also, if you have magic skills, use glide to get in close for the kill. I have usually played as a paladin, so I have usually faced the Chernovies with some magic skills and have the glide skill. If you need to build the skill, use the water in Erana's garden to practice before you enter the swamp.

[Rath Darkblade]

Since I'm house-sitting for my parents right now and all they have is a Mac, my old clunker is currently my only option. But I'll be back in my own flat, with my own much faster PC, about a week from now. Yay! Can't wait.

Anyway, I managed to beat that Chernovy with magic spells, and got that ritual... but I was then beaten by error 52. Augh! So I decided to move right on to DF...

Dragon Fryer (er, Fire! Fire! ) is running fine. I'm just wondering if there's something I've missed... I'm running my usual thief-with-magic-skills, I told Arestes I was a thief etc., but Elsa never shows up to give me the chance to steal the Black Bird.

Elsa showed up to tell me she was suspecting Minos, and then didn't show up the next night... so I did the Rite of Peace, moved on to the Rite of Justice - and then Ferrari took that peace statue and gave me Gnome Ann's deed, as if I wasn't a thief. I thought that, since I was a thief, he would only give me the deed for the Black Bird? Anyway, I give Gnome Ann the deed and try to get some sleep - and THEN Elsa shows up and talks about having proof that Minos is guilty, etc. etc. Meanwhile, I'm thinking "When do I get to steal the Black Bird???"

Any ideas what's happening? Maybe the game's confused because my thief has magic skills, and it thinks that I'm running a wizard? *shrug*

[DeadPoolX]

Just out of interest, couldn't you use DOSBox on a Mac? I realize it's DOS (and Apple's computers never used that), but DOSBox is an emulation program, so being a PC shouldn't be a prerequisite.

[Collector]

No problem running DOSBox on a Mac.

[Rath Darkblade]

I can run DOSBox on a Mac, but I can't install QfG5 - no CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive on this Mac. Besides, the only copy of QfG5 I have is for Windows.

Meanwhile, any ideas why Elsa isn't transporting me off to Minos's to steal the Black Bird (and 'give him the bird')?

[Collector]

I'm not sure. There is probably something that you have not done, yet.

[Rath Darkblade]

I think I may have figured it out. When I met Signor Ferrari at the DPI at the start of the game, I didn't give him the thief sign, so I suppose he doesn't know I'm a thief (and therefore looking for the bird).

Also, when Gnome Ann asked me to ask him about her deed, I didn't do it. I just figured that, since I don't get any points for it and since I'll get the deed for her anyway, it wasn't important; I guess it was.

Great. Now I have to start all over again... bleh.