Let's Play KGB!

[Talby]

Where'd you get it from?

There are two versions on the net. One is an unauthorized beta version and one is a rip from the commercial version. The beta version is buggy as hell.

I'm pretty sure I've got the commercial version. At first I got something that said it was a "review copy" or somesuch, with no copy protection, and that screwed up with obvious graphical glitches and crashes on the first mission.

I found another version somewhere else, with the copy protection, (the thing where you have to look up the picture in the manual - ah, old-school DRM!) and that had the Savinkov bug. I got yet ANOTHER copy from another site, played all the way to the Savinkov part, and it had exact same bug. Don't know what I'm doing wrong.

Ah well, at least I can read the LP!

 

[Tintin]

I'm using the version from this site:

http://www.oldschooldos.com/kgb.php

Maybe an emulation problem. Try using DosBox?

 

[Talby]

Hmm, no such luck. Tried it with the latest version of DosBox, (I was using an older version) and the file from that site, but the problem remains. Odd.

 

[Wyrmlord]

"I am ready to TALK"

Holy shit, that was awesome.

This game is too good to be true. It has to be one of the greatest games of all time.

How on earth can a game like this slip so many radars?

 

[Dark Elf]

How on earth can a game like this slip so many radars?

I'm trying my very best to keep myself from making a pun on espionage.

 

[Mikser]

There are two versions on the net. One is an unauthorized beta version and one is a rip from the commercial version. The beta version is buggy as hell.

Unauthorized beta? Sounds interesting, I've only played the later CD version (called "Conspiracy") that features some truly awful FMV acting in the form of Donald Sutherland playing Rukov's dead father as the hint-giving mechanism. Any major differences in the beta?

 

[Tintin]

There are two versions on the net. One is an unauthorized beta version and one is a rip from the commercial version. The beta version is buggy as hell.

Unauthorized beta? Sounds interesting, I've only played the later CD version (called "Conspiracy") that features some truly awful FMV acting in the form of Donald Sutherland playing Rukov's dead father as the hint-giving mechanism. Any major differences in the beta?

Well, I think it's just a prerelease version of the disk version of the game. I'm guessing you know that the game was released commercially on disk form (KGB) as well as CD (Conspiracy). This version seems to just be the prerelease of the disk, and since it always screws up at the first mission, I have no idea what differences there are, except that it's missing the copy protection and the short intro movie.

 

[Tintin]

UPDATE.

This is the last bit from Chapter 2. Chapter 3 and 4 are relatively short. We're nearing the end.

So remember that I'm cutting out a lot of text and interaction here that don't translate well to this forum LP form.....so.....PLAY THE GAME.

Anyways, I'm sitting here in my room with the dead Chapkin.

I have three things to do.

1) Wait for Savinkov to return with further instructions at 7.
2) Meet Cut Throat at 10 o clock.
3) Meet Greenberg at Ladoga Park at noon.

The important thing I've learned is that Viktor Matsnev is a fishing vessel and the videos/crack goes out today. Also Savinkov may have some dealing with Agabekov by the cigar clue. And Greenberg says not to trust Savinkov.

So here we are:

At 7, Savinkov comes in.

So I try and get a reaction from him about Agabekov. I tell him that Chapkin said that Kusnetsov doesn't like Agabekov.

As you can see he's still praising Agabekov uniformly.

Now this is the big clue. An actual location for where all of this is going down, a really important part of this whole thing....

And he just brushes it off like nothing. Suspicious? Well, you decide.

That was my major discovery. All the other stuff is just about Kusnetsov and Chapkin's petty involvement. I tell him I didn't learn anything else important.

He's till pushing me to follow Kusnetsov.

So those are his orders. Relax, then maybe go to the warehouse and see if Kusnetsov shows up. Nothing about the fishing vessel, nothing about the departure of the videos and crack.

When he leaves, I go downstairs. I was supposed to meet Cut-Throat.

I ask him for

I give him the camera.

I read the newspaper. There's a pattern which reads:

So I do that.

It's Cut-Throat. I dig the coded messages.

He asks about New Birth. I tell him I didn't learn anything about it.

I ask about Chapkin.

I ask him for advice on what I should do.

...misplaced. In other he words he's telling me not to trust my KGB controller Savinkov.

Hostile foreigners? Greenberg? More likely, Wallace, the woman who lied about representing Greenberg. Again, put all the pieces of the puzzle together.

I ask about Wallace.

I ask about Greenberg.

So that's the end of that.

I go to Ladoga Park to meet Greenberg.

So, in the end, I disobey my KGB commander and instead follow up on my own lead, and the prodding by Cut-throat and Greenberg.

 

[abstract]

heh, I remember this game. I got to the very end and couldn't figure what to do with the painting

 

[Tintin]

You will find out soon enough :wink:

 

[Tintin]

So many comments and feedback, how will I ever respond to them all!?!?!?!?!?!?

Like I said the last two chapters are very very short.

Anyways, Chapter 3:

I arrive at the dock and see the Viktor Matsnev.

I approach it.

I wait a little while then go again.

I guess he's serious.

I dive off the side of the quay and then swim around to the side of the boat.

And climb up.

I hide behind the boxes.

I go down the ladder once he's gone.

And go into the door on the left, and look around.

Never know when this will be usefull. Especially the porn magazine.

I go back up to the dock. I need to get the fat guy away so I can go to the front of the boat. Noticing that he is a bit on the tipsy side, I throw the beer bottle over the side of the boat.

Now I go to the front.

Down the ladder.

Engine room. I hide in the closet.

Drunkard comes back down.

So I wait around here a bit with the drunk man.

And then, footsteps. Someone's coming down.

Aha! It is Savinkov, my KGB controller.

Makes sense that he didn't bother to mention the boat again after I told him, right?

And now we know why he said "in case I don't make it". He wasn't expecting to make it, he was going to be on this boat.

He looks around then leaves.

Then an ever fatter guy comes in. The captain of the ship presumably.

And so the ship sets sail, and we wait.

...and wait.

.. and wait.

....and wait.

....and wait.

But suddenly:

Through the intercom, the captain tells the drunk, sleeping Kapiton to check the engine.

I look over and see what the problem is.

Of course, this is an adventure game, so the solution is in your inventory somewhere. Actually, you use the belt that you found in the room earlier as a makeshift solution.

Eventually, night falls on the Viktor Matsnev, and it is safe to go up to the deck without too much worry of being seen (unless you're standing in plain sight).

I go to the other end of the ship.

The captain and Savinkov are in the cabin. I hear noises from downstairs but I don't go in case I'm seen. Instead I hide behind boxes and wait.

And wait some more.

Here it is.....well, actually, TO BE CONTINUED.

 

[Thor Kaufman]

Intense

Someone should make a movie out of it

 

[Wyrmlord]

The whole "Deciding who to trust and going with them" thing at the end of the game reminds me of Bloodlines, with you having to make your choice between Keui-Jing, Prince LaCroix, The Anarchs, or forgetting them all.

Except here, it's even less obvious to see who is trustworthy. I mean, the group that represents the secret contact, they did not hesitate for one second to shoot you if you seemed suspicious, but allowed you to find useful info. And then your superior hastily discourages following down certain lines of investigation, while at the same time luring useful people to you.

But still, why are the people of the secret contact so obsessed with Agabekov? To the point of discouraging you from investigating others? Almost as if they have an agenda of their own.

 

[Tintin]

Well the player has to decide that.

For example did Savinkov ever order you to do anything useful? The assassins would have come anyways, and his orders to send you to the other hotel would have been pointless if it weren't for the fact that Greenberg was coincidentally also staying there, and that Chapkin came after you and accidentally divulged the name of the ship.

 

[Azael]

Man, this game really is EPIC! Mind boggling that they managed to craft such an intricate tale really. Can't wait to see how it all plays out, I imagine there are multiple endings as well?

 

[RK47]

they need to put this game on secret agent tutorials or detective academy. Think of all the failure of wanna-be james bonds.

 

[Tintin]

Man, this game really is EPIC! Mind boggling that they managed to craft such an intricate tale really. Can't wait to see how it all plays out, I imagine there are multiple endings as well?

It's not that good :D

 

[Tintin]

A FEW SHORT UPDATES UNTIL THE END :shock:

Start paying attention because this all gets confusing soon.

SO i"m on the ship which stops suddenly. Everyone comes up to the front.

The fat guy asks how many crates there are.

Wallace boards the boat. Working with foreigners.

One of the crates is funeral casket size. Interesting?

I quietly climb down after them after they go into the second door.

I listen at the door and overhear them.

Some detective work required. The black case goes to Savchenko, the gangster at the warehouse. Okay. But this other crate goes somewhere else for "final programming" and picked up by the final "member of their group". Who could that be?

They come back. I hurry up stairs and hide.

They go off with the large crate.

And everyone goes back to their own business.

Daybreak comes. I go to the front of the ship and hide there.

We arrive a quay 13, and I jump off.

 

[DarkUnderlord]

... and then what happens?

 

[Wyrmlord]

Breath bated.

 

[Insane Psychic]

Get those evil conspirators!

 

[BloodyPuppy]

Damn it I must know how this ends!

 

[Radisshu]

Then sharks attack.

Everybody dies.

 

[Annie Mitsoda]

Obligatory thread lurker surfacing to both say GUD JORB and also MOAR.

 

[RK47]

....well. KGB: Alpha Protocol *mumble mumble*