Post subject: Sierra AGI Games (King's Quest 2, Space Quest 1/2) (TAS)
Editor, Skilled player (1936)
Joined: 6/15/2005
Posts: 3239
Since modified DOSBox still has problems with input recording working on other machines, I decided to make (not too serious) TASes of AGI games using GBAGI, an AGI emulator (more accurately, interpreter) for GBA, in conjunction with VBA. Note that emulated emulators are not allowed on this site (plus the interface deviates from the actual PC games). Because GBAGI was designed from a GBA point of view, the text parser is replaced with an interface is similar to those from, say, NES Maniac Mansion. However, it is slow. There are some critical bugs with some of the words (e.g. "close" not registering properly) which I can only solve by modifying the Words.tok file (using AGIStudio) prior to creating the ROM. There is also a keyboard interface but it does not type; it only keys (e.g. used for function keys) and is even slower. On the other hand, Fastest Speed is not ill-defined as it is on PC, so I can use it. Also, events that depend on "real-time" (independent of game speed) occur much faster than on PC. Note that the times have no correspondence to my DOSBox speedrun times. Only AVIs are available at the moment. Input files may come later. King's Quest 2 in 5:30 (requires modification: "keys" to be placed in word group "key") Pretty much the same path as my speedrun, except: - I luck-manipulate by entering an "I don't understand" command. I do this once in the pawn shop because I can't call the genie when the sorcerer is around. - I only call up the genie twice. - I kill the snake with the sword instead of using the bridle. This means that later, I must avoid the poisonous brambles near the castle. - I somehow already wear the cross when approaching the ghosts at the castle. Unknown whether it is legit or an emulation problem. - I show off a few glitches in the castle (one of them was already in the speedrun). - I fall into the water while holding the fish. Don't know how I missed that before. - I kill the lion with the sword instead of using the meat. - Good ending as usual. Space Quest 2 in 10:52 Version 2.0F ("cheat") Linear and straightforward path. - Due to how GBAGI works, I do the whistle first before the spore. - I used the glitch to skip the berries as usual. - I did not pick up the rock while near the landing platform. Instead, I did a sneak underneath the platform and called the guard down. - It is slightly faster to go to the right elevator first and do floors 5, 4, then 3 (backwards from the speedrun). I didn't want to do it that way in a speedrun because of the floor waxers (less time wasted for a failed speedrun plus less risky and easier to open the doors). - Again, I luck-manipulate by entering an "I don't understand" command, or go back and forth between two screens. This is to avoid floor waxers. - It is possible to move exactly when starting to light the wastebasket, but going to the next screen renders the game unbeatable, so I go diagonally instead (as far as possible without going to the next screen). - Good ending. Wait, there's a good ending? Actually, it's not documented, but in game version 2.0F, there is an extra "bad message" if you don't stop the clone launch before escaping and ending the game. The rest of the ending is as usual. Space Quest 1 in 8:14 (requires modification: "close" deleted) - There are some graphical glitches caused by entering commands too fast (the GBAGI interface makes it easier to do this). - I breeze through the skimmer minigame. It's supposed to be humanly impossible on Fast or faster. - It is possible to leave the key in and not have the skimmer stolen (although it is a chance thing). - I luck-manipulate. First, I want the alien at the machine to die fast. Then, I manipulate to win at the machine. Sometimes it is faster to ring a non-winning combination than to manipulate an "I don't understand" command many times. - I enter the ship so fast that when I leave, the merchant is wandering around and walks over the dialog from the alien. - In the Deltaur, when you blow your cover, it is possible to get by the wandering droid even if it is following you. The result is that your character assumes the zapped animation at the next screen but can move as normal. There are a few other games to do but I am not doing Police Quest (without a major hack) because of numerous critical errors in emulation.
Player (120)
Joined: 2/11/2007
Posts: 1522
Wow, I'm sorry that I missed your first batch of these ... Very good work, and I look forward to more if you're up to it.
I make a comic with no image files and you should read it. While there is a lower class, I am in it, and while there is a criminal element I am of it, and while there is a soul in prison, I am not free. -Eugene Debs