VOGONS


First post, by crustcyb

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Okay, I manged to make this game run on higher cycles, but it messes up the speech in the game. If I play with less cycles, the speech gets fine, but the game gets slow... AND as English is not my native language, I have some difficult time trying to understand the dialogues without subtitles. But I can´t have subtitles and speech in this Sierra game (LucasArts games have that option). This way, I prefer having only text and no voices, than rather only voices.

But the problem is that the option of switching voices and text are only available through the ingame control panel on the SVGA (= VESA = slower) mode. It just doesn´t appear on the control pannel if I switch the game to VGA Mode (by editing RESOURCE.CFG)!!

I experimented starting the game on SVGA mode, switching to text only, saving the game, exiting, changing to VGA mode, and restoring the game... it worked... until I tried to open the control panel. It freezes the game. Music continue playing, but the game freezes...

I remember playing this game when it was released on CD-ROM back in 93 or 94, and I could play it VGA with text, but I can´t remember how... I´ve already tried some combinations of .DRV files for music and audio on the RESOURCE.CFG file, but with no success whatsoever 😢

Please help...

Reply 1 of 9, by avatar_58

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I wasn't even aware the VGA mode existed on the CD version, as the install does not give you the option. Therefore I kind of assume its not meant to be used on this version of the game.

Reply 2 of 9, by crustcyb

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The CD version from 93 is the same version included in the Police Quest Collection CD... I remember back then that you could switch from VESA to VGA without having to manually edit RESOURSE.CFG with the Notepad. But I´m not sure if it was possible to change the resolution INSIDE the game, so that problem with voices and text I mentioned weren´t present.

Can anyone who has the game (1st CD version or version from the Collection CD) test this and see if it happens, please?

Reply 3 of 9, by Wintermute

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crustcyb wrote:

But I´m not sure if it was possible to change the resolution INSIDE the game, so that problem with voices and text I mentioned weren´t present.

This was definetely not possible. The Sierra game engines were not able to change drivers (graphics or sound) "on the fly" while running the game.

Reply 4 of 9, by avatar_58

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crustcyb wrote:

The CD version from 93 is the same version included in the Police Quest Collection CD... I remember back then that you could switch from VESA to VGA without having to manually edit RESOURSE.CFG with the Notepad. But I´m not sure if it was possible to change the resolution INSIDE the game, so that problem with voices and text I mentioned weren´t present.

Can anyone who has the game (1st CD version or version from the Collection CD) test this and see if it happens, please?

I have both versions, the CD version AND the Collection Version and neither one has the ability to switch between VESA and VGA. Neither by in game nor during the install.

Reply 5 of 9, by crustcyb

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that´s not the point... the point is that I can´t play the game with text only (no voices) in VGA mode, only in VESA, and VESA mode is slower...

okay, so may you please change it through editing RESOURCE.CFG (change "videoDrv = VESA.DRV" to "videoDrv = VGA.DRV") and see if you can make the text option works, please?

Reply 6 of 9, by avatar_58

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I got the same results as you - the control panel refuses to open if its set to text only. I noticed for one thing there is NO VGA.DRV in the directory, so its probably because the game was not meant to played as such.

Although - wasn't there a way to save/restore/quit using the keyboard f-keys? I checked the manual but can't find anything on it, but some sierra games didn't need the control panel. If you can find those keys out then you won't need the panel solving your dilemna 😁

Reply 7 of 9, by crustcyb

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hmmm... very true, there´s no VGA.DRV in the directory, but mysteriously it works...

Yes, it would be great to have keyboard shotcuts to the save and restore, but I guess those were only present in the typing interfaced older adventure sierra games... darn

Reply 8 of 9, by avatar_58

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Well, out my own curiosity, how many cycles are you attempting and what are your system specs? Why not try to solve the bugger before writing it off 😉 Have you tried "auto" cycles just in case it helps?

Also have you tried to use frame skipping? Since this is an adventure game a setting of 1 or 2 might not be so bad considering smooth play isn't really a nessesity. 😀 Another solution is to move the contents of the CD to the harddrive so that it isn't having to load every off the CD. All you have to do is some resource.cfg hacking to make that work (and considering your tests I'm sure you've gotten that down ;)_ )

Let me know, as it might not be a lost cause yet.

Reply 9 of 9, by Wintermute

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What about the Windows version of the game? Can you run it in XP?