sq7-plot — For the discussion of Plot suggestions and ideas for the SQ7 game.

[Sq7-plot] Re: [Sq7-devel] I just got a good twist to the plot we could add

[Colin D. <cd...@th...>]

Joe wrote:
> 
> I just was playing SQ6 over and had a really good
> thought(probably seemed better when I thought of it)

Thoughts are good. <grins> Let's see...

> but we could have an endroid come for Roger after
> helping the Endroid runner capture him.

I'm not quite sure I follow you. Send two endroids after roger?

> Or even have
> Elmo Pug become rich once again and get really mad at
> roger and try and kick his butt at another game.

This ties in with the idea many people have been suggesting regarding
Scumsoft hiring the two guys, (which lets us play out the Sierra closing
thing)

> I don't know these probably are not as good as they
> could be but tell me what you think.

Ok.

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[Sq7-plot] Re: [Sq7-devel] I just got a good twist to the plot we could add

[Colin D. <cd...@th...>]

Joe wrote:
> 
> I just was playing SQ6 over and had a really good
> thought(probably seemed better when I thought of it)
> but we could have an endroid come for Roger after
> helping the Endroid runner capture him. Or even have
> Elmo Pug become rich once again and get really mad at
> roger and try and kick his butt at another game.
> I don't know these probably are not as good as they
> could be but tell me what you think.
> 

I'll respond to this on the plot list. 


For those of you who might now know, there are two lists. One for
discussion of development, and one for discussion of plot.
The reasoning for this is to move the plot off of the main list, for
those who may wish to avoid it.
Information regarding the SQ7 plot mailing list can be found at:
http://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/sq7-plot

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[Sq7-plot] Teaser Trailer

[Colin D. <cd...@th...>]

I had an idea to raise awareness of the project.
What about creating a teaser trailer? A small bit of animation saying
"comming soon...", like the one made in 1998 on the collection CD.
It would be short, 30 secs or less, have voice, etc.
Non interactive, though.

do you have any ideas? Full scripts? <smirks>

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[Sq7-plot] Re: SQ7 staff

[Colin D. <cd...@th...>]

gaz...@ta... wrote:
> 
> Well, I did have one written. Sorry! Here it is. It's in Word, so if you can't read it it doesn't matter too much. I agree with what you said though, it's probably best to show them what can be done.
> 
> DrSlashVohaul.
> 


Again, I think we should decide on a general plot before writing
scripts.
I really don't want to go through any more entire scripts, until we ahve
an idea of a plot that everyone can agree to.

but-


> SPACE QUEST VII: THE RETURN OF SCUMSOFT
> 
> THE INTRODUCTION:
> 
> Roger goes to his quarters to find out his next posting. 

Why would Roger leave the deepship? It seems to be a semi-perm
assignment.


> It's aboard a ship called the Eureka
> II, another garbage scow but with more knobs on. The captain is recently promoted Droole. After
> a brief chat, Roger is ordered into the hold to clean boxes. 


Ironic. I like it <s>


> While there, a man comes out with a
> pig snout and a Mohawk. It's Scott Murphy! Scott then tells Roger about his misfortune_> 

Which then leads us to the closing of Sierra. 
Would be fun to make, though.


> When Elmo was sacked shortly after Space Quest 3, he was replaced by his younger brother Nigel.
> Nigel set about acquiring as much of the software market as he could, and stopped at nothing.
> After making Space Quest 6, Mark and Scott were lured away by huge incentives from their old
> company (do we dare use their name?) 

No need. Just say they were lured away. More money. No naming Names.

> to work for Scumsoft on a new Space Quest game.

to work for Scumsoft on a on a new adventure game. Could even make up an
amusing title here.

> Unfortunately, Nigel made them work 20-hour days in their office, and made them use 3D graphics
> and multi-player support. They tried but were eventually fired. They ask Roger to get their jobs
> back.

Why does Droole let them on the ship?

The idea here, is an interesting premise, given what has happened at
Sierra. 

> 
> Naturally, Roger doesn't want to know and carries on cleaning. However, when Scott sticks a
> jello gun in his back, he agrees. Roger is beamed into the ship. A quick glance around shows him
> that he's in the Aluminum Mallard. This is where you take control.


how did they get it? Does it even matter?
Kinda longh for an intro. Maybe break it up when Roger arrives on the
ship, user takes control, does the box cleaning (or whatever), then
get's captured?
Just a thought.


> 
> CHAPTER ONE, GET OUT OF THERE!
> 
> It isn't going to be easy deserting Droole, that's for sure. How will Roger do it? He looks at
> the screen, which is slightly altered from the last time he was here. There's a new option in
> the "weapons system" sub-menu which says "cloaking device". He can press it but it doesn't work.
> If he looks around he sees some black paint and a brush. He has to put on an EVA suit, go
> outside the ship and paint it black. That way, the Eureka II can't see it!

Why would Roger want to stop Droole from seeing them? He's being held
captive. He would _want_ to be rescued.


> He gets back in and
> starts up the engines. He can set in a course to only one place because the scanners are a
> little damaged (Mark used the antenna as a tooth pick). 

If you have the part below, you don't need the broken system. They will
run out of gas anyway.
Also, what about communications? Couldn't you msg a ship and ask for
help?

> They set in the course for Pestulon but
> are stopped half way through the journey because you run out of fuel. Scott forgot to fill-up.
> You drift for a couple of days before landing with a thump on a seedy planet called Rigel 50.
> 




> CHAPTER TWO, RIGEL 50
> 
> Looking around you see that it's quite a large settlement. Here's a basic map:
> 

[map deleted for formatting]

> 
> Scott and Mark run straight to the bar. Just Roger's luck. He has to save their jobs and they
> don't even help!

Thus eliminating any help he might have had.

> Before you leave, you have to take a biro and the money that fell behind the
> back of the seat.

Why would anyone think to look there?

> Go to the bank and talk to the clerk. She says "Welcome to the First (and
> only) Planetary bank of Rigel 50, how may I serve your financial needs?". You draw on cheque or
> write on cheque or what ever to add a few extra zeros on the end. Then you pay in cheque. She
> says "to pay in a cheque, you must first open an account". Then you set up an account. She says
> "you need a minimum of 10 buckazoids to open an account. CASH!" his is why you needed the money
> from the ship. You open the account, cash in the cheque, and with your extra money become
> reasonably wealthy *.
> 

 A fine transaction. I think that if you wanted to do the error (below),
give the death message "Thank you Mr. Obvious... Maybe try for a little
bit less?" or something to let people know what went wrong...


> * One thought on this. You could choose how many "zeros" you put on the end. If you put, say 4
> on then that's OK. Less than that means less cash to play with, and more means the clerk
> suspects you and sends bank killing droids after you!
> 
> Go to the computer store. Guess who's there. Why it's Fester Blatz (I have an obsession with
> him, all right)! Talk to him and he tries to hard sell you his new 3D multi-player adventure
> game called Space Kwest 7.

He tries to sign you up for Sprint <s>
HE sells something. It doesn't matter what, ne?

> Why the mis-spelling you say. He says some ancient museum on Earth
> owned the TM to Space Quest and the boss didn't want them or the original makers suing him. Who
> were the original makers you ask. He says two guys from Andromeda. He tells you about how he
> worked for Scumsoft for a while, but got sacked like the two guys. He tells you how a lot of the
> workers want to leave but can't, and how they need to brought to collapse like they nearly did
> when someone beat Elmo in a robot fight. You stop talking to him. While there you buy the Space
> Quest Collection, Windows Tri-leneum edition and a pocket pal laptop. You can also play on Ms
> Astrochicken 3 if we could program it, but it serves no purpose.

Fester worked for Scumsoft?
I think that he's more of an entrepenur, no? Why would he work for a
Scummy company?

> 
> You then go to the bar and tell Scott and Mark that you have some information on Scumsoft and
> you have a plan to bring Scumsoft down (of course you don't have a clue).

<frowns>
What information are you supposed to have? 

> You walk back to the
> ship to try and fix her and fill her up. Unfortunately it's missing. All that's there is a slip
> saying I.O.U one ship, and it's signed by Elmo Pugg. Mark and Scott say they need a drink and
> run off. You go to the bar


They stole my SHIP?!? heh. Amusing.


> CHAPTER THREE: RIGEL 50 PART II
> 
> You go to the bar and buy a drink. Then another. Then another. You then overhear a conversation
> between two men where one says, "I'll get the money, just give me 24 hours!". He then runs off.
> You go to the bookies and see the same man watching the TV screens above. You talk to him and he
> tells you about the trouble he's in. After a brief conversation, you reach an agreement. You bet
> on a pob race (a pob is this kind of racing car thing). If he wins, he gets all your money to
> pay off his debt. If you win, you get his ship. Of course you win the bet, but you can only bet
> if you put 4 zeros on the end of your cheque, because otherwise the man isn't interested.

Which ties in from earlier.
I agree whe should reference Ep1. It's too much in pop culture not to.

> You
> take the keys and go to the ship. It needs a lot of work on it. You pay the man nearby to fix it
> for you. He tells you to come back tomorrow. You go to the hotel and book a room to hold 3
> people. They give you one double bed and that's it. Mark and Scott steal the key card and run
> off to get the bed before you do.

So Roger is forced to sleep in the bathroom. Once a janitor...
> 
> CHAPTER FOUR: THE HOTEL ROOM
> 
> Go to the window and look down. You get a message saying "Oooh look! It reminds you of when you
> were a little boy and you used to use your uncles fishing line to steal wigs off of the local
> pedestrians." Try and turn on the lap top. It says "low battery. Please connect to power
> source". You see a magazine on the table called "Electricians Weekly" take it. Read it. You find
> an article on how using a static generator and a biro can power your lap top. Search the room to
> find a rope and a "Grab-O-Matic 3000".

Why would that be in the room? a Grab o Matic? Maybe you have to find
one in the trash earlier.

> Attach them together. Hang grabber out window. You now
> enter a mini game where you have to get the wigs off of the people below. There are two
> hazzards. Bald people who climb your contraption to kick you senseless, and Leonian
> Electricbubbleheads who if you grab them send an electric charge up the rope and kill you. 

Ok.. That's just ODD!
<grins>


>After
> collecting 8 wigs or so it says, "That should be enough Roger". You then put the wigs in the
> tumble dryer and press "on". The wigs turn fast in the drum. Then you put biro in machine and
> put pocket pal on biro. Turn on pocket pal. You now have enough power! Put Windows in pocket
> pal. Now the pocket pal is user friendly! A message appears on screen: "You've got sub-mail".
> You open it. It's Beatrice. She says she knows what he's done and why. She says she'll wait for
> him on Xenon when he's finished *.

You confuse me on this part. How does she know what you've done?
How does this tell us what happened to her?
She's on Xenon?


> 
> * I think this nicely ties up what happens to Bea without having to involve her heavily in the
> game.
> 
> Lie on couch. You fall asleep.

Maybe the PocketPal can be useful for something else as well, to advance
plot. 
> 
> That's it! It would take a lot of brain power to work out the rest of the game, and in one day I
> don't think I could do it.
 
Good. It's too much work.. Now, write one script out for every idea
posted. <Smirks>
The point is, we haven't decided on _the_ idea yet. Prolly parts of this
script will make it, but not all (or most) or it.


> This is a collection of all the ideas I've had for the game, mixed
> into one. The significance of Elmo stealing the ship is that he wants to see his brother fail
> too and has also set a course for Pestulon. Buying the collection is needed to show Nigel Pug
> that people are still buying the old game, and there's no need to change it to something it
> could never be. Anyway, as it's probably the only plot script you've got, it's not bad. Is it?

True. And the last.
If you want, I'll post to the subspace forum asking people to vote on
their favorite script idea.
One vote per person.
Then, we'll see if we can get Vonster's input, along with Blusk, and
Webmaster.

Then, comes the script.
<sighs>
sounds like a lot of red tape, doesn't it?
Have any better ideas?
As much as I could like your script, I think it makes sense to get the
opinioon of more people on which idea is best.



> DrSlashVohaul, 17th April 2001.

Colin Davis
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"Be seeing you."

[Sq7-plot] re: Space Quest 7 Plot Suggestion

[Colin D. <cd...@th...>]

>      Roger's next assignment is onboard a ship called the SCS Atlas.

Reading through your idea, it could work aboard the deepship, no?
Not that I have any need to stay there, I just don't understand why
change.


> While performing
>      menial tasks in the hold, Roger finds information on a StarCon conspiracy
>      plot to kill him as he they think he has too much information about high-ranking
>      officials after he managed to foil the Genetix conspiracy (there was more
>      to it than was let on) in SQ5.

That ties in nicely. 
I need to replay 5, it's been literally 5 years, I think. 
How did Genetix  relate with high ranking officials as StarCon? Besides
Quark, I mean.


>      Roger's immediate instinct is to ignore
>      it, but when Stellar sends an incripted message to his quarters warning
>      him that an attempted assasanation will take place in about 20 seconds
>      if he doesn't leave, Roger leaps into action.

I like the main idea, as posted above. It gives roger a reason to be
hunted. Something fresh, but still with ties to the past.

Going to Stellar's ship gives him (and the audience) a chance to be
briefed on what's going on. She could have found out about it.

By keeping it in the StarCon, we have a chance to pull Bea into this
too. Maybe she resigns in bitter contempt, and attempts to save Roger?
Maybe she's the villian behind it all (but they, why would he marry
her?)


> 
>      Beamed aboard Stellar's ship, Roger has to find out why StarCon wants him
>      dead, expose the officers involved and hopefully become a hero in the process.

And avoid agents of destruction send after him <s>

>      This is just one suggestion of quite a few I have stored in my head. I
>      thought there could be quite a few JFK references (one scene could be in
>      the Ulence Flats Book Deposetory?) and an old character could show his/her
>      past tallents as an ex-spy. 

To be honest, I'm not sure how many people of computer game age (I'm
figuring 15-25 for avg) would GET the references. <sighs>

It could be cool to do a Prisoner-esque part though. Roger is captured,
and interrogated about what he knows.

``I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed, or
numbered!''
             --Roger Wilco
Or something <S>
Cool idea though.


> It's just an idea. I have more if you need
>      them.

More ideas are always good <s>


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[Sq7-plot] RE: SQ7 Plot Ideas

[Colin D. <cd...@th...>]

> Well,
> 
>      What I'd like to see in SQ7 is Roger solve his personal issues with Bea and 
>      Stellar...

I think that you won't find much disagreement for that. From what I've
heard in the subspace forum, we really should try to wrap things up.

>      of course he chooses Bea knowing he has to keep history flowing 
>      down the right stream...

She never has to be 'chosen', per se, just impregnated. But I like her
better than Stella, so I'm rooting for her ;)

>      we could do a terminator knock off where Roger has a 
>      dream where he is visited by Roger Jr and is reminded of the future and how 
>      he has to end up with Bea for him to exist...

This is good because people might not exactly remember what was going on
waay back in sq4. It also allows people who haven't played 4 to enjoy
this one. 

 
>      seeing as he's the rebel leader 
>      if he doesn't exist the rebels will stand little chance against Vohaul and 
>      most important he won't exist to rescue Roger from the spols in SQ4 which 
>      would create a paradox.

Well.... It depends on which theory of time you believe in, I guess. If
you take the view that by travelling back, Roger Jr created a seperate
time track, it *could* avoid paradox, but it get's odd. Time travell has
always hurt my head <s>

> I think the game should really start to address the 
>      important issues leading up to the future of SQ12...maybe even find an 
>      answer to the Latex Babes connection...

Heh. Although the Latex babes are popular, I don't think that we need to
go there, yet. You have 8-10 for that.



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[Sq7-plot] re: Another suggestion

[Colin D. <cd...@th...>]

[NOTE- I've been away for the weekened. sorry for the delay in replying]

> Roger's next assignment is a surprise party in his quarters with Bea there.
>      They are getting married in 2 weeks as Bea was fed up of waiting for Roger
>      to propose. They go to some planet (work out a name) and start to cellebrate.

Problem here is, we're forcing. Although I agree that the eventual
marriage is a good idea, I think that doing it this way would make
people rebel, feeling that it was pushed for the sake of plot.


>      HOWEVER, on the night before he is supposed to get married, Sludge sends
>      a group of guards after him (same guards from SQ4).

Isn't Sludge dead/on floppy?
If you use the future Sludge, he is defeated in Sq4(12).
So he couldn't send anyone.
The other sludge is dead, ne?


> Roger is taken to a
>      planet to be used as slave labour (Sludge says at some point "I never have
>      been one for original ideas for getting rid of my worst enemies"). While
>      making a routine service check, he overpowers the guards and runs.

I don't think Roger could overpower ANYONE <smirks>
As a modification, maybe the ship could crash, and they could die, but
that harkens back to SQ2.
They eat a bad Monolith Burger and get sick?
<shrugs>
I dunno.

>      He knows
>      his only chance of safety is to contact Roger Wilco Jr. and get him to
>      do something with the time machine.

Why would this occur to him now, and notduring any of the times he was
in trouble in previous quests?

> 
>      Roger has to not only escape the planet (I thought this could be quick
>      and easy, there's enough morooning games out there already),

Agreed. Sq1, Sq:TLC, sq2. That's enough escaping for one man <s>


>      but find the
>      equipment for inter-temporal communication (a few inter-planetory trips,
>      visit to Fester?), get a big enough power source (see my SQ mini games
>      post at the Subspace Channel), contact Roger Wilco Jr., save himself from
>      Vohaul AND get back to the wedding ceremony before Bea notices he's gone.
>      Phew!
> 

Sounds like a sitcom ;)

Overall though, I think it sounds a little forced. It could work, but I
don't think that the plot is very probable.
I'm wrong a LOT, though, so who knows.





> 
> 
>      Gareth Millward





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[Sq7-plot] Another suggestion

[<gaz...@ta...>]

Roger's next assignment is a surprise party in his quarters with Bea there. They are getting married in 2 weeks as Bea was fed up of waiting for Roger to propose. They go to some planet (work out a name) and start to cellebrate. HOWEVER, on the night before he is supposed to get married, Sludge sends a group of guards after him (same guards from SQ4). Roger is taken to a planet to be used as slave labour (Sludge says at some point "I never have been one for original ideas for getting rid of my worst enemies"). While making a routine service check, he overpowers the guards and runs. He knows his only chance of safety is to contact Roger Wilco Jr. and get him to do something with the time machine.

Roger has to not only escape the planet (I thought this could be quick and easy, there's enough morooning games out there already), but find the equipment for inter-temporal communication (a few inter-planetory trips, visit to Fester?), get a big enough power source (see my SQ mini games post at the Subspace Channel), contact Roger Wilco Jr., save himself from Vohaul AND get back to the wedding ceremony before Bea notices he's gone. Phew!

This works because Sludge has got a some point a time machine and so can get to Roger easily.

Gareth Millward



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[Sq7-plot] SQ7 Plot Ideas

[Alan L. <ala...@ho...>]

Well,

What I'd like to see in SQ7 is Roger solve his personal issues with Bea and 
Stellar...of course he chooses Bea knowing he has to keep history flowing 
down the right stream...we could do a terminator knock off where Roger has a 
dream where he is visited by Roger Jr and is reminded of the future and how 
he has to end up with Bea for him to exist...seeing as he's the rebel leader 
if he doesn't exist the rebels will stand little chance against Vohaul and 
most important he won't exist to rescue Roger from the spols in SQ4 which 
would create a paradox, I think the game should really start to address the 
important issues leading up to the future of SQ12...maybe even find an 
answer to the Latex Babes connection...
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[Sq7-plot] Space Quest 7 Plot Suggestion

[<gaz...@ta...>]

Roger's next assignment is onboard a ship called the SCS Atlas. While performing menial tasks in the hold, Roger finds information on a StarCon conspiracy plot to kill him as he they think he has too much information about high-ranking officials after he managed to foil the Genetix conspiracy (there was more to it than was let on) in SQ5. Roger's immediate instinct is to ignore it, but when Stellar sends an incripted message to his quarters warning him that an attempted assasanation will take place in about 20 seconds if he doesn't leave, Roger leaps into action.

Beamed aboard Stellar's ship, Roger has to find out why StarCon wants him dead, expose the officers involved and hopefully become a hero in the process.

This is just one suggestion of quite a few I have stored in my head. I thought there could be quite a few JFK references (one scene could be in the Ulence Flats Book Deposetory?) and an old character could show his/her past tallents as an ex-spy. It's just an idea. I have more if you need them.



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