PQ3 question...

[Rath Darkblade]

... so I've done the beginning bit, i.e. given the briefing, interviewed Morales, got my computer card. I went down to level 2 again, but nothing happens ... and I can't leave the building otherwise.

I got my stuff from the locker, and I got the batteries and flares.

What am I doing wrong? Any idea?

[Tawmis]

Uh - go to the ground floor - click on the police car door.

I literally just did it.

Only thing you MIGHT need to do - is where you got your Computer Card - go back there - Dispatch will tell Sonny where he's needed.

[Rath Darkblade]

Oh! OK. I wasn't sure where I was supposed to be. I thought I'd get an announcement (over the PA?) for me to call Dispatch, and they would tell me to go to Aspen Falls.

Thanks, Tawm.

[Tawmis]

Oh! OK. I wasn't sure where I was supposed to be. I thought I'd get an announcement (over the PA?) for me to call Dispatch, and they would tell me to go to Aspen Falls.

Thanks, Tawm.

I think Dispatch will, if you missed it in the tech room.

[Rath Darkblade]

Hmm ... all right, I'm stuck again. It's Day 2, and Marie's in hospital. I found the broken chain and the bronze star, and I know I have to hand them in as evidence. But the game won't let me put them in the evidence box.

Any idea why not? I've already looked up the three cases regarding this.

(By the way, what on earth is Sonny doing picking up evidence by hand? Doesn't he know that contaminates the possible fingerprints?)

[DeadPoolX]

(By the way, what on earth is Sonny doing picking up evidence by hand? Doesn't he know that contaminates the possible fingerprints?)

Well, you have to remember that Jim Walls pulled from his experience as a police officer. Walls started in 1971, and in the 70s it was practically unheard of for officers to wear gloves at crime scenes.

Yes, PQ3 takes place in the early 1990s, but Walls left his job as a police officer in 1986. So it's very likely that he didn't know what the police was doing in the 90s (and even that assumes all police forces operate the same way, when in reality, there's very little standardization among police forces in the US). Most people don't do much research themselves — either because they're lazy or it never occurs to them to do it — so I doubt he would've had any information that told him otherwise.

As for fingerprinting... despite what TV shows and movies might tell you, fingerprinting is not all that accurate. It's better than nothing, but fingerprints can get easily smudged or damaged (while wearing gloves or not) and even today it's not uncommon to see police officers wearing the same pair of gloves throughout the crime scene, which can mess up evidence anyway.

BTW, Rath, there's a walkthrough on SHP for PQ3.

[notbobsmith]

(By the way, what on earth is Sonny doing picking up evidence by hand? Doesn't he know that contaminates the possible fingerprints?)

Well, you have to remember that Jim Walls pulled from his experience as a police officer. Walls started in 1971, and in the 70s it was practically unheard of for officers to wear gloves at crime scenes.

Yes, PQ3 takes place in the early 1990s, but Walls left his job as a police officer in 1986. So it's very likely that he didn't know what the police was doing in the 90s (and even that assumes all police forces operate the same way, when in reality, there's very little standardization among police forces in the US). Most people don't do much research themselves — either because they're lazy or it never occurs to them to do it — so I doubt he would've had any information that told him otherwise.

As for fingerprinting... despite what TV shows and movies might tell you, fingerprinting is not all that accurate. It's better than nothing, but fingerprints can get easily smudged or damaged (while wearing gloves or not) and even today it's not uncommon to see police officers wearing the same pair of gloves throughout the crime scene, which can mess up evidence anyway.

BTW, Rath, there's a walkthrough on SHP for PQ3.

I think PQ4 has gloves as an inventory item, but they never get used.

Part of it may to simplify the gameplay and expedite the story. Requiring the player to put on gloves each time becomes tedious, and mentioning that he does it just becomes awkward over time. Thing about legal dramas that compress the timeline of a trial. Or a sit-com where the neighbor barges in without any pleasantries.

[notbobsmith]

Hmm ... all right, I'm stuck again. It's Day 2, and Marie's in hospital. I found the broken chain and the bronze star, and I know I have to hand them in as evidence. But the game won't let me put them in the evidence box.

Any idea why not? I've already looked up the three cases regarding this.

(By the way, what on earth is Sonny doing picking up evidence by hand? Doesn't he know that contaminates the possible fingerprints?)

I just checked a youtube video and I'm not sure what the problem is. Are you at the evidence room at the police station? Not the jail, right?

[Rath Darkblade]

Er, I think I know what the problem is now. The evidence room? Isn't that the same place where you book people into the jail?

I haven't seen an evidence room yet. Which floor is it on? I'll find it.

[Rath Darkblade]

Whoops - sorry. Never mind me, I'm obviously stupid. I found the evidence room now, no worries.

It's Day 4, and I'm trying to find 300 West Rose St. I made notes on the map, and I'm trying to navigate, but when I get to the place where the map says I should be in and try to get out, the game says "There's no reason to get out here."

Any idea what I'm doing wrong? Here's the map of where I am ...

Thanks!

[DeadPoolX]

Here's a video of someone playing PQ3 and responding to the same call. The video will start just before you get the call to go to 300 West Rose, so it'll show all the driving you need to do. That's the best I can offer as it's been years since I last played PQ3 and I don't remember anything except a few tidbits here and there.

[Rath Darkblade]

Fair enough. There's no map, so I made notes of where to turn and which directions to take. Thanks, DPX!

[DeadPoolX]

BTW, when you live in a country that drives on the left side of the road and the game you're playing has you drive on the right side of the road (since PQ3 takes place in the US), is it difficult to do? I'm just wondering if you have to stop and think, "Oh right, I can turn this way because..." and so on.

[Rath Darkblade]

Hmm... not particularly. It was to start with, but I could easily switch for the left side of the road to the right. So it didn't make much of a difference.

[Tawmis]

Fair enough. There's no map, so I made notes of where to turn and which directions to take. Thanks, DPX!

If you got this from GoG - there is a map. It's one of the extra downloads.