SQ4 Intro (Missing subtitles)

[Threepwang]

Hi everyone !

I plan to update my translation of Space Quest IV, the Talkie CD version.

There is one problem, at the intro of the game some of the subtitles are missing. There is an amateur fix for this problem. See the fix: https://e1.pcloud.link/publink/show?code=XZ7eYFZOzGCp7QhgHjxaywoEchld0ulbHoX  This concerns the files: 16.msg - 16.scr - 0.scr and 0.hep. The fix works fine with DOSBox, but it is totally inactive with ScummVM. See the video: https://e1.pcloud.link/publink/show?code=XZyeYFZ5SS1p9j0clBdU4FzoNe6qHubuyD7

I would really like to display the subtitles also via ScummVM. But, I didn't find anything conclusive on bugs.scummvm.org However, I took back an old ticket: https://bugs.scummvm.org/ticket/9809#no1 A member maybe have an idea how to do this?

Meanwhile, happy New Year, and Merry Christmas to all of you!

[doomlazer]

Hi Threep, I was able to get the line to show up in ScummVM, but with some caveats. I started by extracting a wav of Roger's line in SCI Viewer. It's much, much longer than you ever hear in game. The full line is ~100 seconds long, so I shortened the text to:

"... see, there was this deadly root monster, a ferocious swamp creature, and a Labion Terror Beast to contend with. Then, I had to outsmart another of Vohaul's gorillas and steal the shuttle..."

If I just add the text and import the wav as a new message, the line still doesn't show up in ScummVM (works fine in DOSBox).

I don't know why it works, but the trick was to replace an existing, unused line in 16.msg. "Hey, it's a gilled Thwarkian lambotraus I haven't seen one of those in years!", never appears in-game, so I've replaced that one.


I also needed to edit 16.src to make it use cond#2 and adjust the text box size. The problem is that while it works great in SC, exporting the patch files (16.scr, 16.hep, 16.msg and 16.map) doesn't work. It looks like resource.aud MUST be rebuilt for it to work, so I'm not sure how you could distribute these changes without including a 130 MB aud file. Maybe someone else knows a workaround?

There are still some other minor formatting/priority issues as well, but they could probably be fixed too. Here is a video of how my changes currently look in ScummVM.

[Threepwang]

Hi doomlazer Well, 130 BM is big, but that doesn't bother me. Any case, you've solved the problem. If no one can do better, I will do as you said. Could you send up your fix for me? I want to run some tests. Many thanks.

[doomlazer]

I mailed you a link to download the game folder for testing!

I tried adjusting the text priority so it's in front of the police and roger's face, but the FaceTalker class doesn't seem to respond to priority. I tried switching to the PriorityTalker Class, but I don't think that exists in SQ4; maybe the PriorityTalker can be patched in if you don't like that the police are walking in front of the text?

Since the formatting and text will change with your translation, I'll just leave it alone for now.

[Threepwang]

It's strange. It doesn't work with DOSBox, but it does work with ScummVM.
https://i.ibb.co/smn9V07/2021-12-28-152102.png

On the other hand, if I extract with SCICompanion the 16.scr, 16.hep, 16.msg, 16.map and resource.aud files to use them as a patch in my game, it doesn't work at all.

[Threepwang]

@Doomlazer
It works my friend! You just have to extract from the game you sent me the 16.scr, 16.hep, 16.msg files and add them to the PATCH folder. Then it works with DOSBox and ScummVM!  You must not add the 16.map file and the resource.aud. Thank you very much !!!

[doomlazer]

Oh, good! I was wondering why I couldn't get it to work as patches! I'm glad you figured it out, Threepwang!

[Threepwang]

For anyone wishing to view the intro subtitles of Space Quest IV CD version with ScummVM or DOSBox you need to add this fix: https://www.mediafire.com/file/is7y5uphokcfrh6/SQ4_CD_Subtitles_Fix_intro_ScummVM_%2526_DOSBox.rar/file

See the screenshot:
https://i.ibb.co/ZhPTMsP/2021-12-28-231156.png

[doomlazer]

I tested those patch files with a clean copy of SQ4. It shows the correct text line, but the audio is playing the "Hey, it's a gilled Thwarkian lambotraus..." line

Seems like there should be someway to patch the audio without distributing the entire resource.aud, but I don't know how.

[Threepwang]

@doomlazer
Yes it is normal, there are a lot of non active lines in the game. It is a choice of the developers. The resources of SCI games are rife with unused elements. There are three lines in SQ4's voice files describing various aliens. The text for those lines is in 16.msg (which I've reproduced below), which also includes the lines from the bar scene in the intro. Those three messages describe three of the aliens in the background perfectly, and makes it seem like this sequence was going to be interactive at some point, but was abandoned.

ROGER: "Hey, it's a gilled Thwarkian lambotraus! I haven't seen one of those in years!" (Most likely the alien on the far right.)

NARRATOR: "It looks like a cross between a praying mantis and Richard Nixon." (Most likely the alien on the far left. In the SQ4 beta, this alien was described as "a cross between a Praying Mantis and E.T.".)

NARRATOR: "Must be a duck billed planetpuss." (Most likely the alien sitting next to the lambotraus.) The platypus is the duck-billed platypus https://www.factretriever.com/platypus-facts

[doomlazer]

Thank you. I wondered about that because none of the aliens resembled Richard Nixon in my opinion! E.T. makes more sense!

I'm not sure I was clear, but there is a problem with that 16.src patch. It only works with the game folder I sent you. When used in a normal game folder it prints "... see, there...", but the spoken audio says, "Hey, that's...". If you distribute that patch as part of your French Translation it's going to say the wrong line! I don't want to introduce bugs into your work!

[Threepwang]

@doomlazer
Yes, you're right! How can I fix this?

In the worst case, I can translate in French "Hey, that's...".

[doomlazer]

Threepwang, I may have solved it. I just sent you some patches to try.

What finally worked is a bit of a hack. Here is a summary of the steps:

1. Edit 16.src to change the say cond from #3 to #2 (which is unused in game).
2. Edit 16.msg to add the new text to condition #2.
3. Edit 16.map with a hex editor to point the Audio and Sync Offset to the correct resource (see attached image). Not sure I can effectively describe how the map file is formatted, but it was fairly easy to figure out by comparing the values in SCI Viewer with what's in the hex editor.

[Threepwang]

Everything works perfectly  You are the best, doomlazer!

[Threepwang]

Hello everyone !


The update of my French patch for the CD version of Space Quest 4 is finished!
https://e1.pcloud.link/publink/show?code=XZS7opZmYUFTyx2Pmu1en5d7LsIn50wClBk

- Translation and complete rewriting of the game.
- All the Easter eggs are restored as well as the censored elements during the passage on CD.
- Added finer backgrounds from the floppy version.
- Also added a "Radio Shock" bonus for fans.
- The patch also includes all fixes.
- DOSBox and ScummVM compatible !

Here is the list of fixes:
Hep 0, Scr 0, Hep 16, Scr 16, Msg 16 and 16.map:
Doomlazer fix to enable intro subtitles via DOSBox and ScummVM. The Scr 16 includes an additional fix for the bug that sometimes occurs under DOSBox on the first screen. Namely, when the player clicks to go to the screen above, Roger turns around.

Hep 15 & Scr 15:
Spanish fix for game intro related to msg 15 text.

Hep 271, Scr 271 and Snd 271:
NewRisingSun's fix to enable hidden coin for legal reasons.

Hep 335 and Scr 335:
Official patch in root.

Hep 381 & Scr 381:
Hrvg fix to reliably render the guy looking for underpants in the Mall Men's Shop.

Hep 390 & Scr 390:
Official patch in root.

Scr 391:
Doomlazer fix for having the lost voiceover of the Msg 391 Universal Remote line at Hz. So Good.

Hep 397 & Scr 397:
Doomlazer fix to render the two Easter Eggs found in the Software Store.

Hep 398 & Scr 398:
NewRisingSun's fix to render Dany Dacron and Stunt Flyer game.

Hep 410 Scr 410:
Official patch in root.

502.v56:
Fixed Doomlazer to see gray numbers on black background in tunnel with laser beams.

Hep 545 and Scr 545:
Hrvg fix for the PocketPal – Vohaul visual and voice.

Hep 555 and Scr 555:
Official patch in root.

Scr 556:
Doomlazer fix to remove lines 7, 8, 21 and 22 of MSG 557 from the ending dialogue which have no dubbing in the game assets. significance for history.

Hep 610 & Scr 610:
Official patch in root.

Hep 700 and Scr 700:
Doomlazer fix for Carlos's DOSBox-only bug. "The sentence with the sheep".

Hep 701 and Scr 701:
Official patch in root.

Hep 708 and Scr 708:
Doomlazer patch for the French language only in order to enlarge the size of the three buttons in the practical guide.

Hep 818 and Scr 818:
NewRisingSun's fix for the game to work properly via DOSBox only.

Scr 937:
Fixed Doomlazer to show subtitles for icon bar, inventory and control panel.

Hep 995 and Scr 995:
Doomlazer fix to show subtitles ; icon bar, inventory and control panel.

Hep 1000 and Scr 1000:
NewRisingSun's fix for the game to work properly via DOSBox only.

@Doomlazer : Thank you my friend, because without your help I would never have been able to complete this project!