Space Quest IV Play Through.

[Tawmis]

I will post in this thread - but just finished the game.

It's currently converting (hopefully) so my Sony Vegas 13 can open the file and not freak out.

I will say, there's a vicious dead end in this game, that you may not realize until after the Arena.

Spoiler -

When you enter the Arcade and start the Sequel Police thing; the Woman's clothing shop "Closes."
So you can literally start the arcade sequence, that brings the SP. Do the whole thing in the Skake-O-Rama and escape successfully.
However, if you forgot to get the women's clothing to empty the ATM card, then you can't get the plug needed later.
I guess, you could work at Monolith and try to earn $1,999 buckazoids. But the arcade sequence is difficult once it speeds up!
And if you skip - I think if you skip - you get 60 buckazoids.
Which would mean doing that sequence about 33 or 34 times.

I opted to simply restore and do the Skate-O-Rama all over again.

Easily the worse part of the game.

Because there's no logic. It seems to utterly be chance. Because sometimes you do sequence (Enter, Up, Down, Left, Up, Down) after being shot at - when you exit, SP might still be in the mall to shoot and kill you.

I encountered several times where they shot Roger just as he was exiting screen - one time he kept dying and reappearing - until another SP shot him.

And two or three times, it crashed the game as he died when he was exiting the screen.

[Tawmis]

Non Commentary version.


So around one hour and 19 minutes, you will see the little remote control appear in the lower left to indicate it's being fast forwarded - this goes till around one hour and 32 minutes. What happened is - I'd landed myself in a dead end. And had to redo a bunch of stuff. I could have cropped it out - but I thought, "Let's show'em how to dead end and how to prevent it and talk about my frustration over this particular one."

[Tawmis]

And Commentary version!

[Rath Darkblade]

Some comments and questions on all this ... hmm.

I got stuck in this game and never made it past 02:19:00 (just after the lasers, but at the point where the patrolling robots can shoot you with lasers ... never got as far as the computer with the scary eye). So everything from 2:26:00 onward is new to me!

What is this famous blue screen at 02:28:25 that quotes KQ XLIII, SQ IV and LSL 4? (Yes, I know it's not the famous BSOD - I've seen that one. But in this game, since Roger dies quite a lot, it may as well be a kind of BSOD).

Savegame = "Xenon - Hrm." Could be "Xenon - Harm", too, since those lasers are shooting at you. Pew, pew, pew!

Is "Time to Format" == a self-destruct button?

Er ... at 02:40:20 onwards, Sludge Vohaul's speech doesn't match his lips. It's like watching a very bad "kung fu" movie, where the actors speak and their lips don't move.

I'm still confused. Why did you climb down the ladder and back up again? Can you climb all the way down and escape - and what happens if you do?

Roger's son says his mom was named Beatrice (though I'm rolling my eyes very, very hard at the surname). But yes, Roger's not the only confused one, since Beatrice never comes up again.

At about 2:46:50, Roger's "son" says he must contact the survivors of Xenon. Weren't they all turned into zombies?

[goatmeal]

I'm still confused. Why did you climb down the ladder and back up again? Can you climb all the way down and escape - and what happens if you do?

You can only climb down after you subdue Vohaul-as-Roger-Jr.:

1. Roger sets Xenon's Vohaul-infected supercomputer to be formatted

2. Sludge Vohaul, whose consciousness is IN the computer, doesn't take kindly to that prospect

3. Vohaul had previously captured Roger's son, Roger Jr., so...

4. Vohaul uploads Roger Jr.'s consciousness to a floppy disk

5. Vohaul uploads his own consciousness INTO Roger Jr.'s body

6. Roger arrives at the computer core, and releases his "son"

7. After Vohaul-as-Roger-Jr. explains all of this to Roger, he tosses the floppy disk containing Roger Jr.'s consciousness over the side of the platform into the chasm below

8. Roger is now stuck with a dilemma:
• Defeat Vohaul-as-Roger-Jr., but in the process kill his own son who won't have a body to go back into
—or—
• Do nothing, and be killed by Vohaul-as-Roger-Jr.

9. After Roger manages to subdue Vohaul-as-Roger-Jr., he climbs down to retrieve the floppy disk containing his son's consciousness

10. Vohaul's consciousness is uploaded back INTO the soon-to-be-formatted computer (where he will be erased)

11. Roger Jr.'s consciousness is restored to his body before the format is complete

12. Commences end cut-scene

Roger's son says his mom was named Beatrice (though I'm rolling my eyes very, very hard at the surname). But yes, Roger's not the only confused one, since Beatrice never comes up again.

Oh, but she does. SPOILER: She's Ambassador Beatrice Wankmeister, one of the main characters in Space Quest 5: The Next Mutation. There's even a death scene in SQ5 where if she dies, then Roger dies, too, since she couldn't have birthed Roger Jr. to save Roger from the Sequel Police back at the start of SQ4... Ah, the paradoxes of time travel...

And because the writers were now forced into a corner with the storyline that Beatrice is the mother of Roger's child, she is only obliquely referred to in SQ6, where Stellar Santiago is brought in as the new female lead character (and potential love interest for Roger?) in that game.

Part of the "fun" of time travel is learning about things that may occur/will occur/have already occurred, from others who have already lived it (i.e., those who "know" the future).

At about 2:46:50, Roger's "son" says he must contact the survivors of Xenon. Weren't they all turned into zombies?

What about any Xenonians (sp?) who were able to escape or were living/traveling off-planet at the time of Vohaul's attack?

And don't forget about Roger Jr. and his merry band of time-traveling rebels! There's likely others out there, too, in hiding.

[Rath Darkblade]

OK. Thanks, goatmeal! I was wondering why Roger climbed down the ladder and back again. OK ... so, if you let the format "countdown" go all the way down, Roger's son dies?

As for the Xenon-zombies ... hmm. I hope Roger Jr. can avoid them, and -- perhaps, now that Vohaul is dead -- perhaps the zombie-process is reversed? *shrug*

[Tawmis]

And to be clear about the "weren't they all turned into zombies" - the answer there is also no. Because Roger's son is one of them. And the hologram in the sewer specifies that the unfortunate had been turned into zombies, but there was a small pocket of resistance.

We don't know how big that pocket is - I'd imagine, larger than Roger, Jr. and his friend who helps rescue Roger Wilco.

I'd assume at that point there'd be the technology to reverse what Vohaul has done (but some, undoubtedly, were beyond saving).

[Tawmis]

I got stuck in this game and never made it past 02:19:00 (just after the lasers, but at the point where the patrolling robots can shoot you with lasers ... never got as far as the computer with the scary eye). So everything from 2:26:00 onward is new to me!

You don't HAVE to do the Pocket Pal thing - it just helps show where the robots are on patrol. You can technically Save (a new save, recommended), and follow the same path I showed, and SHOULD technically be able to get by without the Pocket Pal part (where I plugged in to see where they were).

Once you get to the eye part, mentioned above, you can then shut down the computers (flush the Robots on that screen) and then (flush the brain, to avoid making the mistake I made).

What is this famous blue screen at 02:28:25 that quotes KQ XLIII, SQ IV and LSL 4? (Yes, I know it's not the famous BSOD - I've seen that one. But in this game, since Roger dies quite a lot, it may as well be a kind of BSOD).

It's the future.

Savegame = "Xenon - Hrm." Could be "Xenon - Harm", too, since those lasers are shooting at you. Pew, pew, pew!

True. I was trying to remember which way to go and what I would need to do on Xenon and if I had everything I needed.

Is "Time to Format" == a self-destruct button?

At the time, I couldn't remember. I think I even name one of my save games, "Let it happen?" or something like that.

Er ... at 02:40:20 onwards, Sludge Vohaul's speech doesn't match his lips. It's like watching a very bad "kung fu" movie, where the actors speak and their lips don't move.

That could be either the game, or when the video was rendered - some of the syncing may have come off.

The sync issue also appears at the start when Gary Owens reads the intro. And somehow resyncs itself - this is all post rendering. The DOSBox AVI file is perfectly synced (Gary Ownes part and intro). But when I rendered it all into one video, it somehow briefly goes out of sync. That may have happened again with Vohaul or it could have just been the game itself. Sometimes the lips simply didn't sync.

I'm still confused. Why did you climb down the ladder and back up again? Can you climb all the way down and escape - and what happens if you do?

My commentary explains this - and the game does too. Vohaul has taken over Roger, Jr.'s body - and the humor of it - is somehow an entire personality can fit on a 3.5" disk. (Who knows maybe in Space Quest XII, 3.5" disks made a come back that could hold TB of data?) But Vohaul decides to keep Roger, Jr's body and throws the disk with Roger Jr's persona over the edge and says "Fight me!" So you have to beat Vohaul/Roger Jr until he gets suspended again - climb down (which automatically picks up the persona disk of Roger Jr) and then make sure you do the right sequence to upload Vohaul (to clear the body) and then download Roger, Jr back into his body.

Roger's son says his mom was named Beatrice (though I'm rolling my eyes very, very hard at the surname). But yes, Roger's not the only confused one, since Beatrice never comes up again.

As Goatmeal mentioned, she does in SQ5.

[Rath Darkblade]

I got stuck in this game and never made it past 02:19:00 (just after the lasers, but at the point where the patrolling robots can shoot you with lasers ... never got as far as the computer with the scary eye). So everything from 2:26:00 onward is new to me!

You don't HAVE to do the Pocket Pal thing - it just helps show where the robots are on patrol. You can technically Save (a new save, recommended), and follow the same path I showed, and SHOULD technically be able to get by without the Pocket Pal part (where I plugged in to see where they were).

Once you get to the eye part, mentioned above, you can then shut down the computers (flush the Robots on that screen) and then (flush the brain, to avoid making the mistake I made).

Hmm. That's the problem - as I mentioned, I can never get past the robots without being shot. Oh well ... never mind, now that I know how the game ends.

Er ... at 02:40:20 onwards, Sludge Vohaul's speech doesn't match his lips. It's like watching a very bad "kung fu" movie, where the actors speak and their lips don't move.

That could be either the game, or when the video was rendered - some of the syncing may have come off.

No need to worry, I thought it was hilarious (and fitted the SQ-theme well). Just thought I'd mention it.

Roger's son says his mom was named Beatrice (though I'm rolling my eyes very, very hard at the surname). But yes, Roger's not the only confused one, since Beatrice never comes up again.

As Goatmeal mentioned, she does in SQ5.

unnamed.gif

Aha - so that's who she is! Fair enough. I remember meeting her in SQ5, but of course I thought "Who the [heck] is this??? Should I know this woman?"

[goatmeal]

OK. Thanks, goatmeal! I was wondering why Roger climbed down the ladder and back again. OK ... so, if you let the format "countdown" go all the way down, Roger's son dies?

Yes, there's a game over situation if the Xenon supercomputer is formatted before Roger Jr. can be returned to his body.

And according to the Space Quest fandom wiki linked below, you also lose the game if you upload Vohaul to the supercomputer, but then download Vohaul back INTO Roger Jr.'s body (which would make sense...):

https://spacequest.fandom.com/wiki/SQ4_Deaths

[Rath Darkblade]

Er ... sorry, I don't get this (below):

Let the formatting sequence finish before rescuing Roger Jr.
Computer message: **WARNING** T minus 250 - Safety margin: CRITICAL

The timer runs all the way down to 0.

The formatting sequence times out, the computer brain does its thing, and you suddenly realize you've lost the game because you weren't there to see it.

Sorry, what happens here? Does Roger get killed by the computer? *shrug*

[Tawmis]

Er ... sorry, I don't get this (below):

Let the formatting sequence finish before rescuing Roger Jr.
Computer message: **WARNING** T minus 250 - Safety margin: CRITICAL
The timer runs all the way down to 0.
The formatting sequence times out, the computer brain does its thing, and you suddenly realize you've lost the game because you weren't there to see it.

Sorry, what happens here? Does Roger get killed by the computer? *shrug*

I've not let it happen - but I suppose I could restore a game and see.

But I think what happens is - if the timer runs out - you lose. Similar to how in LSL1 - if Larry doesn't sleep with Eve before the sunrise, he takes his life (which, frick - that's dark). I assume in SQ4, if the timer runs out - a message pops up to let you know you didn't get there in time and Vohaul has won and there's no way to reverse it because Vohaul stops your son from ever rescuing you or something.

[Tawmis]

I restored and let the timer go - it's similar to what I suspected.

Image3.png (11.4 KiB) Viewed 7030 times

[goatmeal]

Yes, but that Death Message doesn't make any sense. Here is the logical(?) course of events:

A. Start of SQ4 -- Roger goes to Magmetheus
B. Vohaul sends the Sequel Police from SQ12 to SQ4 to capture Roger
C. Following the Sequel Police, Roger Jr. and his Time Ripper rebels also travel from SQ12 to SQ4 to rescue Roger
D. Roger is sent ahead in time to SQ12
(Whew! And that's just the intro!)
E. While Roger has his adventures, the Sequel Police capture Roger Jr. in SQ4
F. Roger Jr. is brought before Vohaul in SQ12
G. Roger returns to SQ12 again, ready to defeat Vohaul
H. Roger sets the Xenon supercomputer to format (potentially dooming Vohaul -or- Roger Jr.)

The Death Screen makes it seem like Roger was essentially "erased from existence" (to paraphrase Doc Brown) because Roger Jr. doesn't make it back into his own body before the format.

FUN FACT: The holographic Professor Lloyd in the Xenon Sewers was named after Christopher Lloyd, who portrayed Doc Brown in the BTTF movies and other media.

However,
• If Vohaul transferred his persona (great word, Tawmis!) into Roger Jr.'s body while Roger Jr.'s persona remains stuck in the supercomputer or downloaded onto a diskette...
—OR—
• If Vohaul is still stuck in the computer (whether or not Roger Jr. is returned to his body) when the format occurs...

Assuming my timeline of events holds true, why would Roger not be there when the computer format occurs? He's already been "rescued" by Roger Jr.!

========================================

The only way this Death Message makes any sense is if Roger Jr. goes back to rescue Roger AFTER Vohaul has already been defeated in SQ12 (the end of SQ4), and not prior to the BEGINNING of SQ4 (where Vohaul still resides within the Xenon supercomputer in SQ12). But then that would lead to Roger Jr. being stuck in an infinite time loop:

1. Roger Jr. arrives back in SQ4 to rescue Roger
2. The Sequel Police capture Roger Jr. in SQ4
3. Roger Jr. is brought before Vohaul in SQ12
4. Roger rescues Roger Jr. in SQ12
5. Roger Jr. then goes back in time from SQ12 to SQ4 to rescue Roger (GOTO 1, repeat ad nasuem)

========================================

It would have made much more sense for that particular Death Message to be an escort mission failure (essentially failing to protect the precious cargo that is Roger Jr./"All good guys must survive!"), rather than "Oops! You blinked out of existence" due to a [non-existent] time paradox...

[Tawmis]

Yes, but that Death Message doesn't make any sense. Here is the logical(?) course of events:

A. Start of SQ4 -- Roger goes to Magmetheus
B. Vohaul sends the Sequel Police from SQ12 to SQ4 to capture Roger
C. Following the Sequel Police, Roger Jr. and his Time Ripper rebels also travel from SQ12 to SQ4 to rescue Roger
D. Roger is sent ahead in time to SQ12
(Whew! And that's just the intro!)
E. While Roger has his adventures, the Sequel Police capture Roger Jr. in SQ4
F. Roger Jr. is brought before Vohaul in SQ12
G. Roger returns to SQ12 again, ready to defeat Vohaul
H. Roger sets the Xenon supercomputer to format (potentially dooming Vohaul -or- Roger Jr.)
The Death Screen makes it seem like Roger was essentially "erased from existence" (to paraphrase Doc Brown) because Roger Jr. doesn't make it back into his own body before the format.

I think that's what would happen, right?
Because if Roger can't save Roger, Jr - then Roger is never sent back to SQ4 (end scene), thus trapping Roger in SQXII.
And if Roger never gets back to SQ4, he never meets his wife.
Thus he never has a son.
Thus he would never be rescued to begin with.