With the sudden passing of friend and fellow Sierra On-Line fan, Roberta Vaughan, I decided that now might be the best time to revisit The Treasure of the Sierra On-Line. I am in the process of further exploring various memories of Sierra On-Line. Everything from Space Quest to You Don't Know Jack. From Police Quest to 3-D Ultra Pinball. From King's Quest to Quest for Glory. Today, we will be exploring Police Quest. A series of gritty law enforcement games designed by former police officers Jim Walls and Daryl F. Gates. Police Quest followed police procedure so closely that it was even used for real life police training at one point.
The New Treasure of the Sierra On-Line (Police Quest)
Sir, yes sir! I promise to uphold the rule of law.
Ladies and gentlemen: the story you are about to hear is true. Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent. This is the city. Los Angeles, California. I walked its streets. I perused its computer stores. I grew up here. The city holds a lot of memories for me. Both good and bad. It's the bad that puts a thorn in your boots. Thieves of all kinds can be found here. They are a sinister jack of all trades. If only there were a police officer brave enough to stand up to them. What the force needs is a good pup.
This is the city. Lytton, California. The name has been changed to protect Los Angeles.
It was a warm evening. Spring was in the air. And I was once again in the market for a new Sierra On-Line adventure. It was a Friday. The selection of Sierra On-Line adventure games had thinned out considerably. It looked as though it were a dying breed. I did however find one title on the computer game shelf that drew my attention. It was Police Quest: SWAT. I was only vaguely aware of its existence. The Torin's Passage CD-ROM included a non-interactive demo for Police Quest: SWAT that demonstrated a small selection of scenes from the game. The FMV animations were certainly astonishing. They were unlike anything I had seen at the time.
What I failed to realize was that Police Quest: SWAT was not an adventure game. It was more of a tactical simulator. Regardless, my curiosity was piqued by the non-interactive demo, and further piqued by the game's box. The scenes depicted on the back of the Police Quest: SWAT box were eye-catching to say the least. There was heavy use of combat rifles and even what appeared to be hostage negotiation.
Police Quest: SWAT (Front of Box)
Courtesy of The Sierra Chest
A synopsis of the game was printed near the top of the box. "Two figures appear in the scope of your rifle; an enraged attacker and his trembling hostage. In one single moment, all your training comes down to these two faces in the crosshairs, and your finger on the trigger. The shot is yours." It went on to read, "It's all in a day's work for members of the most elite force in crime fighting history: SWAT, The Special Weapons And Tactics team founded by former LAPD Chief Daryl F. Gates. Now you can experience this relentless adrenaline-pumping action firsthand as you begin your training as a SWAT officer. After instruction in actual SWAT tactics and target training sessions your skills will be called into action in multiple scenarios and career-advancing missions."
The synopsis closes out with the following crucial words, "Innocent lives rely on your split-second decision making and your team's courage in the face of incredible danger." I could hardly wait to get back home and install Police Quest: SWAT on my computer. A thrilling adventure awaited. Sorry, I mean, a thrilling tactical simulator awaited.
Police Quest: SWAT (Back of Box)
Courtesy of The Sierra Chest
Upon my return home, I quickly unboxed the contents of Police Quest: SWAT. The game came on a whopping four CD-ROMs. It must be a massive game, I thought to myself. No other game in my collection - at that time - came on that many CDs.
After installation, I booted the game for the first time. Or should I say, I joined boot camp. A rigorous training program awaited me on the campus of the Los Angeles Police Academy. I would have to sit through numerous lectures, review police tapes, undergo special weapons training, and above all else, learn to follow orders given by my superior officers.
Basic Training Class
I struggled with that last one. Following orders was not something I was accustomed to. I preferred to be the one giving orders. Needless to say, I did not see eye-to-eye with the instructors in Police Quest: SWAT. I found myself disciplined on more than one occasion. Insubordination is not tolerated around here!
At times, it was difficult to listen to them with a straight face. Some of the acting was just so campy. But the campiness added a certain charm to Police Quest: SWAT. Make no mistake, Police Quest is not Police Academy. The series is serious business, and the law is meant to be upheld.
A Harsh Lecture on Insubordination
Small Arms Training
Eventually, I would learn to cooperate with my superior officers, I completed my special weapons training and waited with baited breath for my first field assignment. While I was reviewing a few more police tapes in the classroom, the siren on the bottom right corner of the screen began to light up. It sounds like the fat's in the fire!
The SWAT team was ordered to report for duty. An elderly woman with a loaded gun had barricaded herself in her home. SWAT was ordered to proceed with extreme caution. My team carefully checked for possible threats using the ERU Tactical Mirror before proceeding into the living room. In order to keep a low profile, hand signals were used to issue commands.
Utilizing the SWAT/ERU Tactical Mirror
I was instructed to check the corners leading into the dining room before the team proceeded any further. Tensions were high. My fingers were trembling. We made our way into the bedroom and there was still no sign of the suspect. With intense trepidation, I opened the door leading into the bathroom.
The suspect was in the bathtub with her hands clutching the gun. She emerged from behind the curtain and quickly pointed the gun in my face. It was now or never. I needed to make a split second decision. My finger was on the trigger. I felt the gun cocking. Before I knew what had happened, the elderly woman was on the ground and she was covered in blood.
A tragic end to the first field assignment.
It was my first casualty. A review board would soon convene to determine my fate. Until such time, I was free to continue my training on the campus. There was a definite vibe shift as I went about my activities. Would I have a future in law enforcement? How will the family of that elderly woman cope with her loss? These were questions that no SWAT member should have to answer.
After one last training session on the small arms range, I was called in for my review. It was determined that I acted in accordance with the law. The woman posed a danger to myself and my team, and the use of firearms was warranted in that situation. And that situation alone. I felt a sense of relief. My name was cleared of any wrongdoing. But it didn't change the fact that I had taken a life.
Sniper Training Course
I would soon return to my training exercises, and in time, work my way through the ranks of LAPD SWAT. A sniper position was about to open up and I would need to undergo special training with a scoped rifle in order to fulfill its requirements. More field assignments would present themselves in due time, and with any luck, I would complete them without bloodshed!
After having completed the warehouse and office call-ups, it became clear that my time with Police Quest: SWAT was beginning to wrap up. I continued to train for awhile. Every mission is dynamic. Training for a different SWAT position offers unique points of entry and methods for tackling certain situations. Police Quest: SWAT has no definitive ending. There are however medals to collect throughout your career. One could say that the game is finished once they are all collected.
Medals of Honor (Roger Murtaugh Campaign)
Police Quest: SWAT (Game Introduction and Training)
Having learned everything I could from LAPD SWAT, I began to look into other divisions within the police force. That is to say, earlier games within the Police Quest series. Police Quest began as a standard adventure game with a fairly standard police officer. A beat cop, no less. I once again turned to thievery in order to obtain a copy of Police Quest I: In Pursuit of the Death Angel. I went from a decorated SWAT officer to a common criminal in a matter of days. A life of crime is a hard habit to break! I easily found a zipped copy of the game on the dark web.
Police Quest I: In Pursuit of the Death Angel begins with Officer Sonny Bonds arriving for work at the Lytton Police Station. His first matter of business, take a hot shower in the station's locker room. Sonny leaves his uniform behind in his locker and covers himself with a towel. At this point, I naturally tried to have Sonny Bonds waltz around the police station in the nude. A female officer named Laura Watts will eventually pop around a corner to compliment Sonny on his cute towel. And unfortunately, this results in a game over.
Out of uniform and out of the police force.
After getting Sonny squeaky clean in the shower, it was time for the daily briefing. To be honest, I did not pay very close attention to the sergeant's instructions. I was still thinking about my naked adventures in the police station. I eventually made my way to my patrol car and quickly crashed into a nearby curb. My first day in Lytton was not off to a good start. After some training behind the wheel, and also a complete inspection of the vehicle, I was on my way again.
I drove aimlessly around Lytton for awhile. It was a big place. One might need the manual to properly navigate its streets. You know, for copy protection purposes. While stopped at a red light, a call came in over the radio. There had been a serious accident. A car had collided with a building. It took some time to find the accident site. I was hopelessly lost and I also had to stop for donuts. The driver appeared to be dead upon my arrival. A crowd had formed near the crashed car. I typed "Nothing to see here, folks," but it was just too much for the text parser to handle. I suppose it would make more sense to radio the coroner anyway.
Nothing to see here, folks! Go home and watch your MTV.
It would be quite some time before I actually finished Police Quest I: In Pursuit of the Death Angel. I would eventually return to the series with a vengeance in Police Quest II: The Vengeance and Police Quest III: The Kindred. Officer Sonny Bonds appeared to have a long career ahead. If he could manage to keep his clothes on, that is.
Public Service Announcement: Remember kids, crime does not pay. Just say no to copied floppies. If you are interested in obtaining a classic game, consider a reputable dealer such as GOG.com. Your conscience will thank you, your country will thank you and the developers will thank you.
Public Service Announcement
Police Quest: In Pursuit of the Death Angel (Game Introduction and Shenanigans)
Police Quest I: In Pursuit of the Death Angel was certainly a thrilling experience, but throughout my time spent with the game, I longed for my squad. My SWAT team. The life of a beat cop simply did not have the same stakes attached. Sierra On-Line had recently released a demo for Police Quest: SWAT 2 on their web site. A sequel to Police Quest: SWAT. It was time for my brief return to LAPD SWAT. I could only hope that my questionable tactics had improved somewhat since the first game.
Upon installing the demo, I came to realize that the game looked and played significantly different from the original Police Quest: SWAT. SWAT 2 is presented from an over-the-top isometric view, and has an almost real-time strategy feel. Gone were the campy FMV cutscenes and identifiable characters that drew me to Police Quest: SWAT in the first place. SWAT 2 felt somewhat less personal. The real-time gameplay was a drastic improvement over its predecessor, however. Police Quest: SWAT never exactly felt like a game. More like a simulation.
Setting up my custom SWAT 2 team. Sonny Bonds makes a return!
The bank robbers have been neutralized. Consider that withdrawal null and void.
For the first time in the series, the player is given the option to play as the bad guys in SWAT 2. Perhaps inspired by other tactical games of the time. I played through the demo level a few times, rescued the hostages inside the bank, and had my usual fun with flashbangs.
It was a decent experience. But I was not quite compelled enough to go out and pick up the full game. I hung up my SWAT uniform for good and retrieved my beat cop uniform. No naked shenanigans this time. I was ready to explore the rest of the Police Quest series from start to finish. Officer Sonny Bonds was on the case.
Police Quest "Collection"
Up next, I follow proper police procedure and truly earn my place in the Lytton Police Department. See you again in Police Quest 33 1/3!
Additional Notes:
The Police Quest: SWAT demo contained on the Torin's Passage CD-ROM proved to be somewhat problematic. I could not seem to get it working on either ScummVM or through my Windows 3.1 installation under DOSBox. For some reason, only the WIN16 executable was included on the Torin's Passage CD. I found a DOS-based SIERRA executable and fiddled with the RESOURCE.CFG file until it finally started working. I was curious to see if this really was my first experience with the Police Quest series. I figured it might help jog a few memories for this chapter of The New Treasure of the Sierra On-Line. I can see how I might not have fully understood that SWAT was not an adventure game. The demo is non-interactive and only shows a few brief scenes from the game. I definitely now vividly recall being astonished by the FMV animations. It truly was unlike anything I had seen at the time. The complete version of Police Quest: SWAT turned out to be a lot of fun, but I honestly think I had the most fun completely improvising the missions and then waiting to see what the commanding officers would have to say about it. The conversations were just so campy at times. But in a good kind of way! Police Quest: SWAT may not have been an adventure game, but it has a special place in my decades old Sierra On-Line collection.
Police Quest IV: Open Season may look a little out of place in the above "collection" photo. With the help of a friend in 2005, I began to archive much of the Sierra On-Line game catalog digitally. It would come to include virtually every point and click adventure game ever produced by the company. When it came time to include Police Quest IV: Open Season, however, we could not seem to find the files we needed. Thankfully, there was an eBay auction for the original Police Quest IV: Open Season CD-ROM currently in progress. It was a rather barebones offering. No box and no manual. Just the CD-ROM itself. But it appeared to be our only option at that point. I quickly placed a bid for the CD-ROM. After the auction had closed, my friend somehow managed to find the files online after all. He was always a hoot. My Police Quest IV: Open Season CD-ROM arrived in the mail a few days later. My friend reassured me following the game's arrival. At least I now possessed a physical copy of the game. From what I have come to understand, it is the most controversial entry in the series too!
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