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Space Quest: Chapter II - Vohaul's Revenge

    • This is a re-attempt after expected improvements were pointed out following my previous submission of this game.
    • Special thanks to FractalFusion for suggestions on various improvement possibilities.

Introduction/Story

Sludge Vohaul is an ugly, evil genius and original brain behind the Star Generator of Space Quest Chapter 1. He's got a bit of a grudge against the people of Xenon for re-purposing the Star Generator into a mechanism to sustain life instead of being used as the weapon Vohaul originally designed it to be. Vohaul is also slightly peeved toward Golden Mop recipient, Roger Wilco (aka TAS), for foiling his plan of having the Sariens steal the Star Generator back for him. Mr. Sludge devises a new plan to infest Xenon with an army of robot Insurance Salesmen, which he somehow believes will sap the desire of life out of the people of Xenon. Vohaul also kidnaps Roger to prevent him from again foiling the plan.
Unfortunately, as he did with the Sariens in Space Quest 1, Vohaul doesn't hire the brightest goons; and Roger is marooned on the planet Labion. Will Roger survive? Will he escape the planet? Will he be able to stop the evil mastermind of Vohaul? STAY TUNED!

Game objectives

  • Aims for fastest time.
  • Speed/Entertainment trade-offs:
    • The speed eliminates nearly all possibility of reading the humorous game text that would theoretically add entertainment value.
Emulator used: c-square's modified JPC-rr 11.2 with mouse and improved typing support
Game Version 2.0F

Challenges and Opportunities

Text Entry The game doesn't display typed text every frame. However, multiple keystrokes can be buffered into emulator memory on a single frame and will all be displayed when the game polls for this input. This rarely hinders progress as text input can usually be accomplished during periods of movement unlike games as Quest for Glory or Space Quest 3 where the text input box can pause movements.
Desyncs As c-square has mentioned before, JPC-rr is horrible for being able to splice in changes after the fact. Making a change causes many desyncs down the line. Therefore, it is imperative to make sure every screen is fully optimized before moving on to the next.

Area Specific Comments

Space Station: This is basically an interactive prologue to the game, but there are pseudo-necessary items that may be collected from the lockers in the airlock to complete the game. One of the few skipable events happens here. I don't look at Roger's communicator watch when signaled at the very beginning.
The Mugging: This is all story exposition.
Labion - Crash site to Canyon Rope: Though unnecessary to win, the distress beacon is disabled to delay/eliminate the hovercraft goon's arrival. I don't acquire berries before entering the swamp, but use a timing glitch to dive underwater before the bog-creature eats Roger. This saves time by the following:
  • Not having to do the root maze
  • Not having to watch the animations of the alien gathering berries or rubbing berries on himself
  • Eliminates action of rubbing berries on self.
Side Note: I'm a bit disappointed that the root maze is skipped and not seen in this run. I may do a 100% run simply to reintroduce this maze.
Labion - Caverns and Canyons: Not much to say here...pretty linear. Look for some brief (and sad attempts at humor) during the tunnels.
Labion - Back on the surface: Leaving/re-entering the terror beast's room before his animation still allows progress. The slingshot method used to kill/knock out the guard at the platform is faster than luring him so Roger can sneak onto the elevator.
Labion Escape & Travel to Vohaul's Asteroid: This is the insanely long portion of this TAS! He takes the shuttle off the planet and tries to escape but has the shuttle controls overridden by Vohal which brings Roger to the asteroid. It's a really boring portion to watch...so I attempted to give the viewer some degree of entertainment.
Vohaul's Asteroid: Surprised that there's no goons waiting for him upon arrival, Roger goes off exploring the Asteroid's various floors and finds....the janitor's closets. Once a janitor...alwa...never mind. He also briefly stumbles into a unisex bathroom before finding his way to Vohaul's control chambers.
Vohaul's Control Room: Though being shrunk and imprisoned by Vohaul, Roger manages to escape while simultaneously cutting off Vohaul's life support and getting himself re-enlarged. Unfortunately Vohaul is able to initiate the launch of the Robot Insurance Salesmen before he expires. It is not necessary to disable the salesman launch to reach the end-game. Counter-intuitively, the extra action of disabling the salesmen does however result in a faster run! If not cancelled, the salesmen will launch before the escape pod countdown is complete resulting in a loss. This can be avoided by changing the game speed to 'fast' for the escape pod cut-scene, but this slow-down results in a longer run than one disabling the salesmen and not slowing down the escape pod sequence.
Escape the Asteroid: Roger makes a run for it through the cracking tubes of the asteroid (without aid of the oxygen mask). He manages to find the escape pods...which for some stupid reason are guarded by a robot. Through very brief and careful game-speed manipulation it's possible to both open and enter the escape pod without leaving the screen.
The End: Roger has safely escaped the asteroid and can breathe a sigh of relief...but wait...no...there's precious low oxygen in the pod and Roger must put himself into cryo-sleep to survive. Asleep and drifting alone through the universe...Roger's fate is unknown.

Potential Improvements

  • Moving at the 'Fastest' pace is extremely difficult, and hard to end up where you want to go. There may be better movement patterns which I have not found.
  • Thereare limited choices in different paths/actions to take to beat the game. Exceptions below:
    • In the cave tunnels after meeting the alien king, there are multiple path options, but few. I've chosen the one I perceived as fastest.
    • The upper levels of the asteroid can be accessed from elevators on either side of the shuttle bay. I chose the side that got me to the needed rooms/closets the fastest while also avoiding the lip-alien (not seen in this run).
  • There are a couple places where alternate methods of solving a problem exist; I've chosen the actions I found fastest. i.e. the slingshot to the guard, and screen skipping the terror beast (thanks to Radiant for this strat).

Other Comments

  • There are no arcade sequences in this SQ game. (The only SQ game not to have one unless you count the root maze. Which is not seen in this run.)
  • THANKFULLY this game has very little RNG that affects the run. Roger's sweeping at the beginning can be affected, as can the floor polisher in the asteroid. But that's about it.
  • EVEN BETTER...THERE'S NO SLOT MACHINE to overcome.
  • As this game foregoes multiple point gathering opportunities, it's definitely not a 100% run.
  • An earlier SQ1 TAS was canceled due to a text display glitch with Sierra's AGI interpreter. This glitch has been overcome as is demonstrated in this submission which also uses the AGI interpreter.
    • A new run of SQ1 is in the works with anticipated time improvements over the cancelled submission as well.
  • I'm hoping we can get at least one run of each official game in the SQ series published on the site. Official SQ1 VGA remake included.
  • No suggestion for a screenshot this time...I'll miss the root maze. <sniff>

Files:

HDD TRACKS 16 - SIDES 16 - SECTORS 63
TimestampMD5SizeFilename
19900101000000572d740c2c8c45e84f90b08aae01b57f39424AGI
199001010000002448e157a2ffb485e14e56940ec5bb888192AGIDATA.OVL
19900101000000de2902ddc953dbdb182d32d7ab34cd4a1024CGA_GRAF.OVL
19900101000000d198a7d5262c0cf0bf3965b4463261661024EGA_GRAF.OVL
19900101000000f3d4c66e195491aa759b7c5ef996488b3072HGC_FONT
19900101000000002a3655407292ffb799dbf6327668aa1536HGC_GRAF.OVL
19900101000000b0b03c425f7b9eff8cddc86e4ec0e1531024HGC_OBJS.OVL
19900101000000e8be8de90ec7d4e8d89bf83a59c24cc7512IBM_OBJS.OVL
19900101000000175dbb19508d8d4ee72a1bca51d3ccf1512JR_GRAF.OVL
1990010100000028add5125484302d213911df60d2aded426LOGDIR
199001010000005024d50d42801aaea7170a756218a7e6331OBJECT
19900101000000514534df82237848dfcd760e476a766e444PICDIR
19900101000000129347541c73331906e9af00ddaeb7563121SIERRA.COM
19900101000000877c4361faa514745cc27e427d5781c4606SIERRA.INF
19900101000000eab6a5f4cb071c906df674e98891a432210SNDDIR
19900101000000730535011acee0ece94e1a64fe6231e883SQ21589
1990010100000019cdc18ae5cc5548eb77bbb89e73a978512VG_GRAF.OVL
19900101000000efb1f93513d57eeca9a539e019df7b89720VIEWDIR
199001010000003e09c8580506212cd3494b5df8ea6cbc70313VOL.0
19900101000000fa5415f7cbc6e78c69d94ef3c92d000d161225VOL.1
19900101000000f7015465702a24333a0e799ad0d967bb411824VOL.2
19900101000000552e2b31bf8825eea5a46e6eebb4cb3e6828WORDS.TOK
Noxxa: Judging.
Noxxa: Good viewer response. Accepting to Moons.
fsvgm777: Processing.

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Posted: 11/24/2017 4:39 AM
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TASVideoAgent
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This topic is for the purpose of discussing #5722: DrD2k9's DOS Space Quest II: Chapter II - Vohaul's Revenge in 02:50.45
Posted: 11/24/2017 9:31 AM
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Radiant
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Looking good! A nice screenshot may be the second swamp room with the monster chasing you, simply because it shouldn't be possible to survive that. Although the monster is not very visible, I suppose. Otherwise, have a shot in the endgame where you're perilously close to that zapper robot.
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Posted: 11/24/2017 11:27 AM
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FractalFusion
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Glitchy TAS of 2013 Gameboy TAS of 2013 PSX TASer of 2010
- OK, so apparently it runs even faster than the last encode I saw. The timing seems to be different too. Maybe the last encode was wrong? (The audio still doesn't work properly.) Anyway, I had to watch the non-waiting parts of the encode on 0.25x speed to even have a chance at following anything in this TAS. It is far more enjoyable at that speed. - What really bothers me is that, provided what everyone here is saying is indeed true, the AGI system only polls for movement input a fixed number of times per second (somewhere between 10-20 times a second) regardless of how fast the actual game is going (whether "normal", "fast", 100 ticks per second, or 5000) or how many times JPC-rr polls for input ("JPC-rr frames"). This has the effect that movement precision is inversely proportional to game speed, which paradoxically makes the TAS look less polished than if the game were capped at saner speeds. - Nice to see some glitches I mentioned before made it into this TAS. - DrD2k9, I appreciate that you took the effort to entertain during the waiting times. I personally would have preferred if you entered text that was relevant to the game or this TAS instead. - I wouldn't really worry about missing the root maze. A TAS at this speed will never make it look impressive so it's no real loss that it's not there. I wouldn't worry about 100% either. - I look forward to the Space Quest 1 TAS.
Posted: 11/24/2017 3:25 PM
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DrD2k9
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FractalFusion wrote:
- What really bothers me is that, provided what everyone here is saying is indeed true, the AGI system only polls for movement input a fixed number of times per second (somewhere between 10-20 times a second) regardless of how fast the actual game is going (whether "normal", "fast", 100 ticks per second, or 5000) or how many times JPC-rr polls for input ("JPC-rr frames"). This has the effect that movement precision is inversely proportional to game speed, which paradoxically makes the TAS look less polished than if the game were capped at saner speeds.
I agree that it appears less polished due to this situation when slowed down enough to comprehend what's going on. That said, when watched at real-time speeds, the goofy movements are barely perceptible. This results in it just looking like insanely fast movement.
- Nice to see some glitches I mentioned before made it into this TAS.
Credit where credit is due.
- DrD2k9, I appreciate that you took the effort to entertain during the waiting times. I personally would have preferred if you entered text that was relevant to the game or this TAS instead.
I can understand that perspective. I also feel that there are plenty of viewers who will appreciate what I chose. It'd be impossible to please everyone with what I choose to type during those sequences. EDIT: Maybe think of it as the shuttle's radio.
- I look forward to the Space Quest 1 TAS.
Be prepared for the same insanely fast speeds and goofy movement. At least there aren't any crazy long real-time sequences like the shuttle in SQ2.
Posted: 11/24/2017 4:54 PM
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fsvgm777
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I'm completely mystified by the presence of the SIERRA.INF file that isn't present on several locations I got the game from. Moreover, I seemingly can't create the file from the game itself. Where did you get your copy of Space Quest II (knowing it's available on Steam and GOG)?
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Posted: 11/24/2017 7:51 PM
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DrD2k9
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fsvgm777 wrote:
I'm completely mystified by the presence of the SIERRA.INF file that isn't present on several locations I got the game from. Moreover, I seemingly can't create the file from the game itself. Where did you get your copy of Space Quest II (knowing it's available on Steam and GOG)?
GOG. I simply copied all the files that installed as all CAPS for the filename (as that's how the original files were). I pasted these into a new folder eliminating all the extra GOG function stuff (launcher, documentation files, etc) and used that for the game image. The SIERRA.INF file may be specific to the GOG version and in CAPS for some unknown reason. I've also got a official copy of the SQ Collection (1-5) on CD (somewhere). But I have no idea where that is right now to check if the .INF file is there or not.
Posted: 11/24/2017 11:58 PM
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Ford
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I liked the poetry during the unskippable space flight cutscene, though might I recommend that this go up along-side a version with the speed reduced to a point where it's actually possible to make out the action that's going on?
Posted: 11/25/2017 12:16 AM
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EZGames69
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Link to video not sure if the jabberwockey poem was intentional for game progression but it's entertaining none the less. yes vote.
[14:15] <feos> WinDOES what DOSn't 12:33:44 PM <Mothrayas> "I got an oof with my game!" Mothrayas Today at 12:22: <Colin> thank you for supporting noble causes such as my feet MemoryTAS Today at 11:55 AM: you wouldn't know beauty if it slapped you in the face with a giant fish [Today at 4:51 PM] Mothrayas: although if you like your own tweets that's the online equivalent of sniffing your own farts and probably tells a lot about you as a person MemoryTAS Today at 7:01 PM: But I exert big staff energy honestly lol Samsara Today at 1:20 PM: wouldn't ACE in a real life TAS just stand for Actually Cease Existing
Posted: 11/25/2017 3:32 AM
(Edited: 11/25/2017 5:24 AM)
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DrD2k9
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Ford wrote:
I liked the poetry during the unskippable space flight cutscene, though might I recommend that this go up along-side a version with the speed reduced to a point where it's actually possible to make out the action that's going on?
I'll look into making an encode at a slower FPS rate. EDIT: Done. See description for 1/5th speed temp encode. The sound still sucks.
Posted: 11/25/2017 3:35 AM
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DrD2k9
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EZGames69 wrote:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9XGPvT-22g
Yea the sound kinda sucks at this speed. Even slower, it's not very good.
not sure if the jabberwockey poem was intentional for game progression but it's entertaining none the less. yes vote.
The poem was intentional...to try and add entertainment value during an otherwise prolonged scene that can't be skipped and little to nothing happens.
Posted: 11/25/2017 9:38 AM
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fsvgm777
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DrD2k9 wrote:
The sound still sucks.
I believe the sound sucks because it comes from the PC beeper. Anyway, the run syncs in JPC-RR 11.8 RC2....and the SIERRA.INF is probably just a GOG thing, since it syncs just as well without it.
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Posted: 11/25/2017 10:44 AM
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Radiant
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fsvgm777 wrote:
I'm completely mystified by the presence of the SIERRA.INF file that isn't present on several locations I got the game from. Moreover, I seemingly can't create the file from the game itself.
.INF files are not used by the AGI game engine, so this can safely be ignored or deleted.
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Posted: 11/26/2017 6:12 PM
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fsvgm777
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Radiant wrote:
.INF files are not used by the AGI game engine, so this can safely be ignored or deleted.
This requires some slight tinkering with the movie file, so that it uses the proper HDD (the one that doesn't contain the SIERRA.INF). Here it is. The actual input remains unchanged, as all I did was remove the SIERRA.INF file (or rather, create a new HDD without the SIERRA.INF).
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Posted: 11/27/2017 2:56 AM
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DrD2k9
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fsvgm777 wrote:
Radiant wrote:
.INF files are not used by the AGI game engine, so this can safely be ignored or deleted.
This requires some slight tinkering with the movie file, so that it uses the proper HDD (the one that doesn't contain the SIERRA.INF). Here it is. The actual input remains unchanged, as all I did was remove the SIERRA.INF file (or rather, create a new HDD without the SIERRA.INF).
Does the movie still sync?
Posted: 11/27/2017 5:24 AM
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fsvgm777
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DrD2k9 wrote:
Does the movie still sync?
fsvgm777 wrote:
Anyway, the run syncs in JPC-RR 11.8 RC2....and the SIERRA.INF is probably just a GOG thing, since it syncs just as well without it.
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Posted: 11/27/2017 6:56 PM
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DrD2k9
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I'll learn to read someday.
Posted: 11/28/2017 1:17 AM
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Archanfel
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Wow, i never knew that Another World/Out of This World borrowed so much details from this game!
I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes. Current projects: NES: Tetris "fastest 999999" (improvement, with r57shell) Genesis: Adventures of Batman & Robin (with Truncated); Pocahontas; Comix Zone (improvement); Mickey Mania (improvement); RoboCop versus The Terminator (improvement); Gargoyles (with feos)
Posted: 12/9/2017 6:17 PM
Post subject: Movie published
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TASVideoAgent
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This movie has been published. The posts before this message apply to the submission, and posts after this message apply to the published movie. ---- [3569] DOS Space Quest II: Chapter II - Vohaul's Revenge by DrD2k9 in 02:50.45