GDC Quest Quiz V: Ragnar Tørnquist
by Ludwig Kietzmann 
{ Feb 26th 2008 at 9:55PM }
We did a terrible thing at last week's Game Developer's Conference. Aside from our usual barrage of photographs and "reporting," a select group of attendees had to endure a particularly inane and utterly pointless line of questioning -- just for laughs. This is what happens when you hunt down several adventure game connoisseurs and challenge them to solve a typically obnoxious adventure game puzzle.The Player
Ragnar Tørnquist, designer of The Longest Journey and writer and director of Dreamfall, Anarchy Online and upcoming MMO, The Secret World.
The Puzzle
You're standing in front of a cave. The goal is to get inside the cave, taking care to foil the ferocious robot bear guarding the entrance first.
The Inventory
- (1) perforated parasol
- (1) rubber chicken with a pulley in the middle
- (1) sealed manila envelope
- (1) miniature macaroni Tim Schafer statue
The Solution
Ragnar: Well, obviously, robot bears like macaroni. That's something everybody knows, so luckily, there's that to begin with. Knowing that, however, I'm guessing the robot bear has a very short sort of scanning range so, in order to get close enough to taunt it with the Tim Schafer statue (it's gonna maul you!), you have to find a way to draw its attention. Do I have to use all the inventory items?
Joystiq: Some people throw them away.
Okay, so what I do is I take the manila envelope and make a paper airplane out of it and stand a good way away from the robot bear. I use the paper airplane on the bear and get its attention, and now I have to use the parasol, of course, to lure it closer because the thing starts scanning but it's not getting any closer. I start doing that and the robot bear starts to move towards me. I place down the Tim Schafer macaroni statue, taunting it ... What's the fourth item I have?
A rubber chicken with a pulley in the middle.
Okay, right. So, using the parasol, the bear is coming towards me. I ... I'm getting stuck.
You can't load an earlier saved game.
[laughs] Alright, the robot approaches the statue of Tim Schafer, and as everybody knows he's so charismatic, even in macaroni form, that the robot is going to spend quite a bit of time with the statue before it notices me again. At that point, I tie the rubber chicken around the robot's head, confusing it massively and making my way into the cave!
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Mr.ESC @ Feb 26th 2008 10:05PM
This is probably the deepest and smartest reasoning I have ever seen in the internet.
so sad.
comtar @ Feb 26th 2008 10:09PM
Wow, I was expecting anyone named Ragnar Tornquist to look like a Gladiator or something. Not that...
lgndk11r @ Feb 26th 2008 10:42PM
Heck, I was expecting him to look like either Thor or the Swedish Chef.
Dustin @ Feb 27th 2008 3:15AM
I thought Ragnar and the technoviking were the same person.. damn
markhill66 @ Feb 27th 2008 3:44AM
This is the best solution yet. Paper airplane. Brilliant!
P.S. How do you type the "o" with the line through it? I'm going to start spelling my name with it.
Joakim Bilstad @ Feb 27th 2008 4:26AM
It's not a "o with a line through it". It's the commonly used Norwegian letter Ø . Pronounced like the ea in learn. There's also Æ pronounced like the a in ass and Å pronounced like au' in autopsy.
Lord Cringeworthing @ Feb 27th 2008 6:10AM
Well, Æ is only pronounced like the 'a' in 'ass' if you're American. If you're, say, English or something, the Æ-sound could be better explained as the 'i' in 'fire'
I'm sure everyone feel enlightened now.
Korova @ Feb 27th 2008 8:44AM
I played the longest journey. It was pretty long. I didnt finish it but enjoyed it.
His solution seems perfectly consistent with the logic of the games. Daughting-looking challenges have these surreal and delightful solutions.
Marshmallow713 @ Feb 27th 2008 8:50AM
Every time I've seen this feature the past few days there is a split second when I first catch the title out of the corner of my eye that I think "OMG! Kings Quest is back???" Then I realize it's just my eyes playing tricks on me and cry a million tears. Oh joystiq, why must you do this to me...
Alzheimers @ Feb 27th 2008 12:22PM
The solution is actually quite simple:
1) Open the sealed envelope. Within it is a hex key.
2) Use the hex key on the parasol. The top will open, exposing a laser.
3) The laser is genetically keyed to it's master, Tim Shaffer. Also, the robot bear is completely invulnerable to laser fire, except for a small gem on it's belly that you cannot get a clear shot at.
3) Eat the Macaroni statue, which changes you (temporarily) into Tim Shaffer.
4) Throw the duck at the ferocious robot bear. This will enrage it and cause it to charge at you. When it is nearly upon you, it will rear up roar. Use the opportunity to shoot the ferocious robot bear's gem with the laser.
5) The bear will deactivate, allowing you to proceed. However, be sure to take his sparkling blue collar, as it is important in a future puzzle.
Korova @ Feb 28th 2008 9:38AM
I think I can do that. Thanks. :)