Space Quest IV DOS vs. Space Quest IV Windows

lwc · Post by **lwc** » Fri Jul 27, 2012 3:41 pm

ScummVM lets me choose both (CD/English edition), so which one should I play?

ScummVM removed copy protection in both versions of this game, so that's not a factor.

MusicallyInspired · Post by **MusicallyInspired** » Sat Jul 28, 2012 4:12 pm

Actually, Sierra removed it, not ScummVM.

There isn't much difference between the two versions. Unlike KQ5, which actually had an alternate GM soundtrack. SQ4 pretty much shares everything (except for the smaller black and white Windows cursors). I don't believe there are any other differences.

KuroShiro · Post by **KuroShiro** » Mon Jul 30, 2012 12:28 am

MusicallyInspired wrote:Actually, Sierra removed it, not ScummVM.

There isn't much difference between the two versions. Unlike KQ5, which actually had an alternate GM soundtrack. SQ4 pretty much shares everything (except for the smaller black and white Windows cursors). I don't believe there are any other differences.

Not 100% true. There are a few graphical differences, and a few of the names of stores in the Galaxy Galleria are changed between the two versions. I think some of the death descriptions are different as well.

MusicallyInspired · Post by **MusicallyInspired** » Mon Jul 30, 2012 11:30 am

No, that's the difference between the floppy and CD versions. The CD version has a DOS version as well.

lwc · Post by **lwc** » Tue Jul 31, 2012 9:22 pm

If I use the game's Windows version under Windows OS, what's stopping me from just running SCIWV.EXE directly? Is your version better?

Also, when you say "Sierra removed it", do you mean to say "and therefore we removed it too"?

Collector · Post by **Collector** » Tue Jul 31, 2012 9:38 pm

No. Sierra removed the copy protection for their CD release, 20 years ago. It never had it. I don't know if the ScummVM team removed it from the floppy version or not.

md5 · Post by **md5** » Wed Aug 01, 2012 4:00 pm

The Windows version of Space Quest 4 has a different set of soundtracks than the DOS one. These sound tracks are General MIDI (GM). That's the only difference between the two versions. As for running the original executable: it was written for Windows 3.1, so I don't know if it will even work without issues in modern systems.

As for the copy protection: no, ScummVM does not remove any copy protection. The only cases where copy protection is removed is when we get permission to do so from the original copyright holders (like with Inherit the Earth), or when there were original versions of games distributed with a modified executable, which skipped the copy protection on purpose (like the KIXX releases of some Lucasarts games). In this case, it's not possible to differentiate between the different versions, as the data files are identical.

Thus, to answer the original question: no, the copy protection of the floppy version of Space Quest 4 has not been removed (that's the timepod key screen when you try to escape the sequel police using the timepod). The CD version never had a copy protection screen.

MusicallyInspired · Post by **MusicallyInspired** » Thu Aug 02, 2012 3:53 am

The DOS version has the GM soundtrack as well.