How Speedrunners Broke Space Quest IV (again)

[@OneShortEye]

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[@johnsanko4136]

You keep dancing around them, but you're gonna have to talk about Leisure Suit Larry speed runs eventually

[@woldemunster9244]

Teehee. Time will come.

[@charlottecorday8494]

Hahaha

[@MrSkerpentine]

You’d think someone like Larry wouldn’t like completing fast *screams as I’m dragged by the ankles to horny jail*

[@ExStepsister]

Cum* ​@@woldemunster9244

[@W3bba]

​@@woldemunster9244and so will I

[@JDLupus]

"I wrote a huge-ass text document about Space Quest when I was 16 years old." ~Space Quest Historian. "I know how obsessive speedrun people can get; maybe that's not for me." ~Also Space Quest Historian.

[@JDLupus]

(Intended as the most light-hearted jest possible 🙂 )

[@spacequesthistorian]

​@@JDLupus😆 Two different kinds of obsessions. One requires good hand-eye coordination - that's the one that's not for me.

[@hamishfox]

@@spacequesthistorian said the guy who plays two synthesizers at once while also changing patches live

[@JDLupus]

@@spacequesthistorian Fully understood, haha...! I also know how dangerous a timesink it can be to take on any new ones!

[@matt92hun]

He's not 16 anymore, probably has to divide his time among more things now.

[@jackcphelps]

when the "space quest historian" calls the community "obsessive" that's how you know that you're goated legends

[@REN-57005]

I speedrun hotline Miami

[@WhiteQueso-z6u]

@REN-57005 thats kinda badass

[@swimfanTV]

I fear someday I will drive Santa completely mad...

[@doublemonkey4833]

*cues up The Night Santa Went Crazy*

[@In.New.York.I.Milly.Rock.]

"What qualifies you" * lists a few reasons * "...actually, nothing, really" Bro sounds like every academic ever, myself included.

[@barry-allenthe-flash8396]

I *love* the idea of "Santa Claus" being _the_ Santa Claus, flying around the World on his sleigh Dec 24 delivering toys and getting all impatient, "Ugh, this is taking too long... I have to get back to speedrunning my retro adventure games! That's *all I do* for the rest of the year! Swimfan is probably pulling ahead of me right as we speak!" I mean, it makes sense - Santa is the *ultimate* speedrunner in real-life, I suppose. You don't see the Easter Bunny running around the World in one night, after all. He must boundary break through whole countries on Christmas Eve! 😄

[@OhNoBohNo]

Needs to start doing those time-saving shortcuts through Eurasia

[@MrTLWolfTTV]

In regards to flushing Space Quest IV around 14:30, I did that once on stream. Not only did it kick me back to DOS, my ENTIRE STREAM went down. The most amazing timing.

[@TheOriginalElkstone]

Roger walks, then walks, flushes a computer brain, walks more, walks into a boss, then climbs a ladder and beams a disk What a hero

[@ninjasuperman9538]

I would say keep the audio in just because that has always been useful for detecting fake runs

[@clarenceoveur9497]

Also, as someone pointed below: "Sierra’s sound files often contain cues that trigger visible events on screen. For example, during the opening Sierra Logo, the visual sparkle effect is triggered by cues built into the fanfare MIDI track, which is why the tinkle sound effect & visual sparkle effect are so well synchronized. Often times, when there is silence on lesser sound devices like PC Speaker or AdLib (where there would normally be sound on the MT-32), the lesser devices are still technically playing MIDI, it’s just a silent track inside the same MIDI file. If the MT-32 is playing a 1:56 long track of ambient wind and rain effects, the PC Speaker is playing 1:56 of ambient silence. The game is still referencing a point in time in that MIDI file, even if you can’t audibly hear anything. That’s why disabling sound probably won’t work without outright file replacement."

[@TheFireFyte]

We actually tried to disable the music and use different drivers. It didn't work.

[@spacequesthistorian]

Dang! I was 99% sure that would work.

[@TheFireFyte]

@@spacequesthistorian I sourced all the drivers from sq4 floppy and cd, and even got it to run without sound, and it just sits there nicely and does nothing.

[@spacequesthistorian]

​@@TheFireFyteStupid Sierra and their insistence that we listen to their glorious music. 😆

[@SuperLlama42]

The King's Quest 43 gag really does get more and more relevant with age

[@Just.Kidding]

16:08 -"Are there just no railings in this place at all?" OSHA would have some very stern words.

[@timothymclean]

OSHA has no jurisdiction over space. See also _Star Wars, Star Trek, Spaceballs,_ etc.

[@pendantblade6361]

Babe wake up the King's Quest guy uploaded.

[@Zanoab]

King's Quest 43: 841 PB Datahoarders: I can't wait to backup King's Quest 43

[@MordacksOrgan]

I’m not sure that an audio skip like that would be possible without outright cheating and replacing the MIDI track with something shorter (as a patch). Sierra’s sound files often contain cues that trigger visible events on screen. For example, during the opening Sierra Logo, the visual sparkle effect is triggered by cues built into the fanfare MIDI track, which is why the tinkle sound effect & visual sparkle effect are so well synchronized. Often times, when there is silence on lesser sound devices like PC Speaker or AdLib (where there would normally be sound on the MT-32), the lesser devices are still technically playing MIDI, it’s just a silent track inside the same MIDI file. If the MT-32 is playing a 1:56 long track of ambient wind and rain effects, the PC Speaker is playing 1:56 of ambient silence. The game is still referencing a point in time in that MIDI file, even if you can’t audibly hear anything. That’s why disabling sound probably won’t work without outright file replacement.

[@cassielfsw3815]

Can't Santa just have his elves get him a better computer? 🤔

[@kasocool2812]

I've always wondered what he does the rest of the year when he's not delivering presents

[@soHatey]

Maybe he's been naughty?

[@star-not-moon]

​@@soHatey a good Santa gone naughty

[@WannabeMarysue]

17:42 Thanks for leaving one swear word in for us swearing fans.

[@OneShortEye]

Shh... ;)

[@spacequesthistorian]

I even told him about that before he published the video! So I gotta assume it was left in intentionally. 😆

[@NN-pe6ip]

Am I the only one that wants to see a rival to Santa Claus emerge called Krampus? Also, I really want the Santa Claus voice actor back to voice his lines!

[@Sochsun]

Yeah, bringing back my PTSD from the future zombie kill screen all over again

[@Mr_Top_Hat_Jones]

I probably have more hours in SQIV than any other game. One of my favorite games of all time. The Space Quest Historian and OneShortEye together on a SQIV video? I’m fucking done. I’m in heaven. Edit: Wait… *you* had the record with the TAS only strat? 👌 This video turned out even better than I anticipated.

[@Neontaster]

Pretty cool to see the reaction of someone who knows everything about this game but nothing about speedrunning.

[@darkshoxx]

Great Video! Couple comments. 1. Good for you getting some sponsors 👍 2. Absolutely love the format of having an expert in a call who hasn't seen the run yet, and combining that with explanations and footage from outside the call. I hope you can find more people who are well versed in a game BUT have not seen the speedruns. I think that might be quite rare 😅. 3. As always, can't wait for the next one.

[@kinighos58]

"Speedrunners are a bit obsessive so maybe that's not for me" "I know it's the floppy version because of the walk icon" I think speedrunning might be for you, and I say that with all due respect as an obsessive speedrunner

[@KoyasuNoBara]

I took it to mean "I'm already obsessive about this series in general, I don't need to combine it with a category of knowledge that also causes obsession."

[@NoOne-gc5ot]

I can only dream of being able to curse as fluently and colorfully as the Space Quest Historian one day.

[@ultimateninjaboi]

gotta say. i like the format of a speedrunner taking a non-speedrunning fan/expert on the game through the run. really gives an interesting perspective on things

[@novelezra]

Absolutely loving how experimental you are being with each video. Each time you do a new one, your framing device is entirely different and it makes things so much more exciting and engaging

[@rastas_4221]

Man I love the people in adventure game speedrun community. They're not your typical gamers spouting their lingo, very unique personalities.

[@citroenboter]

Aw man I used to play this as a kid and definitely needed a guide often. This game is just incredibly difficult.

[@the_wake_]

A speedrunner being named named Swimfan really transports me back to the era.

[@niklasbirksted8175]

I can confirm that Troels aka Space Quest Historian is a tall liar. He was in no way shape or form annoying as a teenager. And he was pretty good at Quake II+III as well.

[@bellduke6417]

If the runners get the time any lower on these games , one short eye is going to have to bring most guest commentary to pad out the video.

[@genericname2747]

I have no interest in ever speedrunning, but my god are speedrunners interesting people.

[@starryknight5555]

Getting reactions from veteran players who aren't into speedrunning is so cool

[@DarkMoe]

hope Indiana Jones and the Fate of atlantis comes soon, really enjoying these

[@TheFireFyte]

We are currently in the process of breaking Fate of Atlantis a bit more... Give us a moment.

[@rtyuik7]

the Intended run: traveling forward and backward through time, and solving puzzles to learn clues to solve further puzzles, saving early and often, taking notes, consulting with other players, etc etc... the Speedrun: walk around a bit, dodge some lasers

[@timothymclean]

17:43: Before anyone points out that Roger time-traveled to Space Quest XII before the game started, the runners skip the cutscene where that happened.

[@OneShortEye]

lol

[@KoyasuNoBara]

I appreciate you pointing that out, because I hadn't realized that.

[@honestr]

He also travels back at the end of the game.

[@KoyasuNoBara]

@@honestr yeah, but the speedrun is over by then.

[@ICountFrom0]

I would say the person who died from putting his head into a particle accelerator stream counts as a laser, just not one in the visible range. And thus, a deadly invisible laser, like in the game.

[@ohhadivist]

I believe the only Sierra game I've ever played was one of the Gabriel Knight games but there is something so endlessly interesting about watching people who are passionate about these games gush about them and explain every little part of how they work.

[@baltasarjimenez2091]

Space Quest IV was my first introduction to the series and it was so difficult I never tried one again

[@hughmarshall3299]

12:47 GIRL IN THE TOWER I'M REACHING OUT PLEASE TELL ME WHAT TO DO

[@ultimapower6950]

Uhhh Idk…. Wolt Nara Kousuru!!!! (With Wolt You Can Do THIS!!!)

[@greensleevez]

This is what I am here for, insightful analysis of speedrunning is like catnip to me.

[@krillianlastrange4886]

This is a crossover that I didn't expect, but I should have.

[@Walczyk]

3:43 bro!! you look like the main character from Reanimator!!! I love that actor. You will totally see it lol if you see the movie lol.

[@LemmingRuns]

War Thunder tanks can just plow through walls like they're made of paper? Wow nice SQ4 reference.

[@SageOwl]

Chapter 5 Silver Lining speedrun history when?

[@charlottecorday8494]

My daughter's middle name is Beatrice. Bet you can't guess what my favourite game is.

[@Zevirem]

Of course Santa has a crazy grindset. Have you seen what he does in a single day?

[@morbid.curiosity]

My day has been made. I am addicted to these adventure game videos

[@MonochromeWench]

So many OOB glitches in super computer section of the game seems to me like symptoms of a game rushed to market. Next thing i'd expect is a glitch to get past the lasers without using the keypad

[@timothymclean]

According to the developers, it's really hard to program a game in that engine without some OOB glitches. And some of those OOBs require setup that the QA testers wouldn't have ever considered. I'm mostly curious what spaghetti code powers their collision detection.

[@asterionarts7490]

The familiar cyborg thumbnail awakened some unpleasant childhood memories in me. 😆

[@idontwantahandlethough]

Awesome video as per usual man! Really appreciate the work you do. I've literally never played a single game you've talked about on the channel, but it's fascinating nonetheless 🤗

[@Renk1]

Your laser bit was funny to me, as I use lasers in my work on humans. And no, none have been killed by them.

[@kasocool2812]

"....yet" as lightning strikes outside and you begin to laugh maniacally

[@snabbott]

Flushing trhe SQIV icon is one of the funniest things ever.

[@patrickjanecke5894]

If you walk through the path of an industrial laser used for cutting through thick steel, you're going to have a bad time.

[@AdriftForWeeks]

Always nice to see SQH

[@Silent-Tour-Act]

Watching a video from 1996ish of my older brother (I’m 34 he’s 40) playing this game on old computer the beggar comes instantly but I do not know why. Are people in meta still stuck waiting on beggar? I’m not sure why in the home video but the beggar is on the road when he enters the road scene the first time so there’s some unknown reason on older pc it doesn’t make you wait. The video is on vhs home video I could eventually upload it somehow and show it but again I don’t know what we did for make it insane I was 9 and he was like 15 in 1999

[@OneShortEye]

I think you meant to put this comment on the Conquests of the Longbow video, but yes, we have to wait for the beggar. If there's a way for you to capture this and upload it, I'd love to see it.

[@menhirmike]

0:18 I was so hoping for the video to show the CGA version while you said “supposed to look”

[@mox3909]

Cool format having the guest on

[@GlichCentral]

“Can you die to your own commander damage” is a surprising result to see so high up.

[@Hapkumdo]

Awesome - I'm always so stoked, when you upload :D

[@Jieuns_Flori]

Its time to get Santa a gift of a new pc

[@mysterycrumble]

i've never played any of these games but i find these videos so addictive to watch! great commentary from SQH! love all your vids, keep them coming!

[@Kyezoar]

YEAHH!!! Always so pumped to see another video from ya!

[@GoulartGH]

ooh, am I lucky; few weeks ago I was wondering how the newer WRs skipped pretty much everything, and now I see that this video is up. great content as usual!

[@EdmondDantes224]

When they called this game "Roger Wilco and the Time Rippers," I don't think they intended that to mean *the players.*

[@wildkinraccoon37]

fun fact The 8-bit game "How to be a Complete Ba*stard" from 1987 has a computer in one of the rooms that is you reset it kicks you from the game back to computers Basic - predates the kick to dos in this game by 4 years but is every bit as cruel XD

[@commanderuseless1685]

Huh, so much for the alternate skip I thought I found about the skate-o-rama :D

[@timothymclean]

No idea what that skip is, but there's probably a category where it's relevant!

[@PensiveGoatRuns]

I like the Silving Lining reference and the integer overflow visualization!

[@cecinepasunme]

I love how you're starting to have more fun with your videos!

[@-sk8-437]

That rabbit hole montage was very enjoyable.

[@mostlyghostey]

Everytime you post Im delighted to see what weird speedrun tech you've dug up. I might even be more excited than when summoning salt posts.

[@mangs856]

Wow. Truly impressive. Thanks for showing this off!

[@danmanx2]

Great video Oneshorteye. I'm still waiting for somebody to find the HOLY KQ3 ship skip. (If that's even possible.)

[@daffers2345]

That's indeed the Holy Grail of Sierra skips, and about as legendary. It'd be even better than the Hermit skip in KQV. Maybe someday ...

[@polygon586]

The closest we've come is a way to set the wait timer to zero; but unfortunately that just means it never expires at all.

[@horusreloaded6387]

Wtching SQH again is a nice feeling. Charming and fun as allways

[@Tharronis]

Time to implement categories so speedrunners actually can play more than 2 minutes of the game!

[@bloopscrusts5390]

Wow! It always blows my mind how easily broken these point-and-clicks are if you try to bend them a little bit. The fact that the fence just has a big old gap in it that nobody noticed is too funny!

[@mjc0961]

It feels wrong to me when framerules are brought up and nobody says "it's like a bus" Curse you Super Mario Bros speed running 😅

[@IainShepherd1]

This game had a stunning art style, has aged beautifully

[@joshm7769]

12:33 There is no boundary there because of the multiple levels where Roger can walk. It must have been a nightmare to implement these screens that the designers came up with.

[@jonerikson5925]

ShortEye randomly going down the laser rabbit hole while making the video.

[@DavidKraftIshihama]

I guess Roger is only tearing the fabric of space, not time.

[@neolynxer]

You really do make me watch the ad with all your jokes.

[@hawkticus_history_corner]

I love how people are still finding stuff to break in this game

[@SeanNH94]

you should ask Styropyro about lasers that can kill 💀

[@NormalPersonCommenting]

That dude is going to rule the post-apocalypse with actual laser turrets

[@scottn322]

Yay! As a kid this was the first real point and click game I ever played, if you don't count the barely remembered Monkey Island I played at school. I think. But SQIV... man I love this game and have been wondering if you would talk about it.

[@whadadufus]

Great video! Keep up the good work.

[@rtyuik7]

1:28 - 1:43 -- i dig the 'censor sound' choice

[@LordZordid]

There you are getting high on speedrunning and suddenly the drug enforcement agency is bustin' down the door!

[@blacksun3185]

I absolutely love these videos.

[@while_coyote]

I'm glad Space Quest Historian is finally getting the recognition he deserves! (i.e. for being the most annoying).

[@spacequesthistorian]

😂

[@brittislove]

welcome back OneShortEye! It's gonna be a great day, there's a new video!

[@dollors1]

im sorry but that ghoul scared the crap out of me when I was a kid and it still does so I have to click "not interested" for this video so it doesn't appear in my feed X|

[@jasonblalock4429]

7:20 OK, so... runners play on the older floppy version of the game, to exploit a bug that lets them skip 90% of the game. But *saving time by turning the sound off?!?* Well, that's just dirty pool, old chap! We have standards! 🤣🤣🤣 (Yes, I watched to the end of the video. But in context, that was funny.)

[@angel30382]

HECK YEAH new King's quest video just dropped!!!

[@itsskin]

I think you need even bigger microphone to block even more frame

[@atimholt]

Wait, time machine works on your second random code input? That doesn't match my memory: We hammered in random codes for hours, finding some easter eggs, and then finally found the way forward by tapping one key near the middle of the pad over and over.

[@JacoDeltaco]

Yes it awlays a good day when it you upload honestly you are one of the best your video are as good as Summoning Salt In my opinons

[@Walczyk]

SQ4 lol, I just remember dying in the streets over and over

[@Malcontentmatt]

Love this collab