The "definitive" version of King's Quest IV (feature request)

[maine_]

I was reading an interesting post from NewRisingSun where he lists all the best features of just about every version from multiple platforms which were later combined (thanks to you) into what we have today - the KQ4AmigaForDOSBoxMunt installer. The only one left out was the easter egg from AGI v2.0 (which I assume is probably difficult to integrate with the current SCI version)

However, he doesn't mention the Apple IIGS port and its features. On this site, it says the IIGS port offers additional, minor sound effects such as:

-The door to the fisherman's shack, Dwarf's House, and other locations make creaking noises when opened.
-The unicorn whinnies.
-The parrots and/or swan squawks, and parrots tweets.
-Improved IIGS music.
-Some color variations compared to other AGI versions.

Could any of these be seamlessly added in to the current KQ4 installer? Or do they already exist in some form in the current version?

[adeyke]

That Apple IIGs version is also AGI. It's fundamentally incompatible with SCI.

[Collector]

The KQ4 Amiga patch is NRS's work. I only did the installer since applying his patch was a bit... involved. There were two KQ4 AGI Easter eggs. The "rap" egg would probably be easier to add to the SCI version than you might think thanks to SCI Companion, but would require more time than I would have to do it. Probably the most work would be creating an SCI VIEW of her break dancing. I don't think that scripting it would be that involved, but would need to ask someone better versed in SCI scripting. You would need to add to the script to trigger the egg and call the VIEW. The "beam me" egg would be more involved as you would need to create SCI equivalences of the PIC and VIEWs and script the entire room, bit it could be done.

Outside of the game logic many of the SCI resources are similar enough that the AGI resources can be easily converted to SCI. As for the apple sounds they could probably be exported or even recorded as PCMs and added into an empty SCI sound resource, so it is definitely doable. It would probably take more time to track down the sound in the Apple version and the right SCI script to modify it than it would to add it.

[Collector]

Here you go. A proof of concept. Extract this to your installed Ultimate KQ4 folder and you will have the Apple door sound when you open the door to the fisherman's hut.

[maine_]

Interesting, thanks for that detailed explanation. Good to hear it's doable (to some extent).

I immediately downloaded and tested your proof-of-concept in game. (I had to look up where the Fisherman's hut was, since I haven't played any of the games in the series, hehe).

Before I tried the AppleII door sound, I checked whether the door had any sounds for opening in the unmodified game. And apparently it does!

The original sound for the door opening feels more like a coarse, rumbling - like furniture being pushed on the floor.

Then I tried the AppleIIGS sound. This feels more cleaner - like a gentle squeaking / creaking. I think it does feel like an improvement over the original.