King's Quest 4 - Did you know they replaced background pictures??

[OmerMor]

I'm certain most of you are already aware of the difference in graphics between "old" and "new" SCI versions of KQ4:
The PC SCI version 1.000.106 and 1.000.111 had the original detailed graphics. For later versions (1.003.006 onwards), Sierra would simplify the background graphics to make the game fit on one 5.25 inch disk less, removing background detail and separate night pictures.

I collected the following articles on the subject for your enjoyment:

• The (archived) OG from 2008: https://web.archive.org/web/20140908103421/http://queststudios.com/smf/index.php?topic=2802.0
• The Cutting Room Floor: https://tcrf.net/King%27s_Quest_IV:_The_Perils_of_Rosella#Revision_Differences
• The Sierra Help Pages' wiki: http://sciwiki.sierrahelp.com/index.php/King%27s_Quest_IV:_The_Perils_of_Rosella#Screenshots
• OneShortEye: https://youtu.be/XLwQbIUklzo?t=250

I'm also certain you're all familiar with the AGI version of KQ4 with it's own reduced graphics.

BUT - did you know there are different AGI versions as well with their own different background graphics? I certainly didn't.

Recently, Sluicebox from ScummVM added support for the Apple II AGI games (not to be confused with the Apple IIgs AGI ). I noticed that this version of KQ4 has simplified backgrounds, probably to conserve disk space.

I attached examples from picture 18. I also added the same picture 18 from both SCI versions.

[doomlazer]

I'm still waiting for someone to discover a Japanese version of KQ4 with Harajuku Rosella sprites.

Edit: Also, none of those links mention that if you were able to enter the ogre's house at night and look through the keyhole, the window shows that it's dark outside. Attached below is a patch I made a few years ago that allows you to open the door at night. I forget if the bedroom window is also night or not.

[Collector]

NRS noted the differences and the result was his "Ultimate KQ4 patch. I wrote an NSIS script to upgrade an SCI DOS version to ease applying his patch. http://forums.sierrahelp.com/viewtopic.php?t=3925&start=60#p53395

[OmerMor]

NRS noted the differences and the result was his "Ultimate KQ4 patch. I wrote an NSIS script to upgrade an SCI DOS version to ease applying his patch. http://forums.sierrahelp.com/viewtopic.php?t=3925&start=60#p53395

I am well aware of the ultimate NRS version, but that is all about the SCI versions.
What was new to me was that there are also 2 visually distinct AGI versions as well.

[Collector]

I got that, but as an aside I was reminded of the installer I did for the NRS patcher. The Wiki page I did was based on information that NRS pointed out the differences before he did his patcher.

[Charles]

That's really interesting to see how much attention they put into this one game...

Not just making it completely in two different engines, but making two sets of backgrounds for each engine.

Did any other games get this special treatment, or was King's Quest special because it was their flagship series?

[OmerMor]

That's really interesting to see how much attention they put into this one game...

Not just making it completely in two different engines, but making two sets of backgrounds for each engine.

Did any other games get this special treatment, or was King's Quest special because it was their flagship series?

I find it amazing.

I'm not aware of other games that got this treatment, but I'll have to compare other Apple II AGI games as well.

[Collector]

I think that the main reason that KQ4 was done in both is that it was the first SCI game and many customers still did not have the hardware required for SCI. As far as SCI goes, there were a number of EGA vs VGA releases for similar reasons. All of these had exchange forms to trade in VGA versions for EGA versions for those that could not run the VGA versions, just as KQ4 came with on to trade in the SCI disks for an AGI replacement.

[lskovlun]

That doesn't explain why graphical changes were made to both the AGI and SCI versions  For the IBM SCI version, I know that there were versions on 9 and 8 360K floppies (I had the 8 disk version). Abandonware sites seem to suggest that one of the Apple II versions came on three disks (dunno which one and I'm not itching to try). Maybe the cut down version is smaller.

Interestingly, Sierra had this Prolog-based tool for AGI that optimized the disk layout. They didn't make a similar one for SCI - with SCI it was all manual work.

[lance.ewing]

I've been fascinated with the Apple II AGI interpreter for quite some time now. It's amazing that all but one of the AGI games were released for the Apple II, including KQ4 and Gold Rush. It is what gives me hope that one day I might be able to write an AGI interpreter for other 6502 based machines. I am thinking that the Oric might be a possibility. Someone is already working on one for the BBC Micro.

When I was looking at it a year or two back, it was obvious how much this particular AGI platform (i.e. Apple II) was Jeff Stephenson's baby. When you bring up the dialog for the interpreter version, it only mentions Jeff's name. Example attached for KQ4.

Jeff was the one that ported the AGI interpreter to the Apple II in the first place (in 1984), and it would seem that he "owned" the further development on that for the duration of its lifetime.

[OmerMor]

I looked at a few other Apple II AGI games, and was not able to spot any graphical differences.
Perhaps the pictures in KQ4 were more elaborate and had too many commands for the Apple II to handle?

[lskovlun]

"Software Crafts"? Was he a contractor at that point?

[lance.ewing]

Yeah, I had the same thought when I saw that. It would be an interesting part of the history, in fact it is interesting that he put the name of his company within the interpreter version pop-up. Multiple apple II games show this, e.g. PQ1 attached. I haven't checked them all though. The earlier games probably wouldn't have this.

[lance.ewing]

I looked at a few other Apple II AGI games, and was not able to spot any graphical differences.
Perhaps the pictures in KQ4 were more elaborate and had too many commands for the Apple II to handle?

Did the Gold Rush pictures look the same? That is another one that strikes me as having more elaborate pictures.

[OmerMor]

Did the Gold Rush pictures look the same? That is another one that strikes me as having more elaborate pictures.

I get an error trying to run it in scummvm: "WARNING: AgiLoader_A2: disk 5 not found!"
Do you have a copy which scummvm can run?