0 Planetfall - Nathan Simpson's list of Infocom bugs

Planetfall

Graeme Cree's Planetfall bugs page
  1. In version 20, it doesn't matter whether Floyd is turned on or off when he's with you at Bio Lock East. Even if you turn him off right after you get there, he still peers through the window and talks about the miniaturization access card. He will even go through the whole process of retrieving the card and dying, after you have turned him off! Similarly, Floyd can find Lazarus' breast plate in Infirmary while he's turned off. He leaves and goes to Fork, still turned off.
  2. In version 20, if you return to where you killed the microbe, it will be resurrected (and you're screwed). --John W. Kennedy
  3. In version 20, if Ensign Blather is present, you can THROW anything visible AT BLATHER.
  4. In version 20, you can DRINK MEDICINE with the bottle closed.
  5. In version 20, you can put in the shiny fromitz board with the access panel closed, or put the good bedistor in the closed cube.
  6. In version 20, when you're inside a shuttle car at one of the stations, the door is visible. You can CLOSE DOOR in the cabin or either control cabin, but then OPEN DOOR claims it already is. You can enter a control cabin with the door closed, but you can't leave.
  7. In version 20, if you're not in a teleportation box, you get no output from PUSH 1, PUSH 2, or PUSH 3.
  8. In version 20, the laser won't go in any containers, although it should. PUT LASER IN something says, "The laser doesn't fit the depression.", which is the message intended for PUT something IN LASER.
  9. In version 20, trying to EMPTY the oil can produces the response, "You can't empty it when it's closed!", but the can can't be opened or closed. Version 26 changed the message to "Pretty much impossible -- you could only do that one drop at a time."
  10. In version 20, the cryo-elevator door remains invisible throughout the game. Even when it's open, or you're in the elevator going down, any command referring to it tells you you don't see any.
  11. In versions 20 and 26, if you look through the Bio Lab window after Floyd has retrieved the miniaturization access card but before you pick it up, then you see it still in the Bio Lab.
  12. In versions 20 and 26, the description of Waiting Area claims there is a red button next to the metal door, but there isn't.
  13. In versions 20 and 26, you can ASK the microbe things, although other attempts at communication fail. For example, ASK MICROBE "WHERE IS CELERY" produces, "The microbe seems confused. "I don't see any celery here!"".
  14. In versions 20 and 26, PUT something IN FLUID is treated as POUR FLUID ON FLUID, talking about the chemical fluid spilling all over the quantity of fluid. The fluid disappears.
  15. In versions 20 and 26, after Floyd has discovered the shiny fromitz board but before he gives it to you, you can EXAMINE SHINY to get a description of it, but GET SHINY says, "You can't reach into a closed container."
  16. In versions 20 and 26, ASK BLATHER says, "The Ensign First Class looks at you expectantly, as though he thought you were about to talk." In later versions he tells you to speak when spoken to, as with other talking commands. Similar things happen with the ambassador.
  17. In versions 20 through 29, you can CLOSE FLOYD when he's turned off. When Floyd is closed, you can't GET anything from him, and if he's turned off, you can't PUT anything in him. OPEN FLOYD doesn't open him, just searches his compartments. You can get him open again by ordering him to GIVE you something or DROP something. In later versions, CLOSE FLOYD says, "Huh?"
  18. In versions 20 through 29, if the survival kit is open, then you can DROP the goo. It stays in that room and can't be taken.
  19. In versions 20 through 29, if you LOOK UNDER SPOUT in Kitchen, you're told there is nothing but dust there, even if the canteen is sitting there.
  20. In versions 20 through 29, Floyd asks about doing something dangerous after a RESTORE command, as well as a SAVE.
  21. In versions 20 through 29, if you turn on the portable lamp without picking it up, then the room description still says it's turned off.
  22. In version 37 only, when you're on a bed, after you TAKE OFF UNIFORM, then using IT brings the response, "I don't see what you are referring to."
  23. In versions 20 through 37, besides WEARing the towel or survival kit to get them from inside the web, you could also DRINK, EAT, READ, or UNLOCK ME WITH them. (except READ, which doesn't work in version 20)
  24. In versions 20 through 37, if you fire the laser at a uniform you're wearing, it is destroyed, but the game thinks you're still wearing it, so you can't put on the other uniform.
  25. In the Solid Gold version, if the diary is present, then you can't operate the Upper or Lower Elevator. For example, PUSH DOWN BUTTON says, "Pushing down the little button has no effect."
  26. When you aren't carrying the chronometer, the time in the status line changes to 0. But in the Solid Gold version, the function doesn't redraw the entire status line, only the parts it thinks have changed. So if you drop the chronometer, the first digit of the time becomes a 0 and the other three remain "frozen". --Torbjörn Andersson
  27. In versions 37 and up, if you SLIDE HANDS THROUGH SLOT, you get a failure message, but then you can DROP HANDS. --Torbjörn Andersson
  28. In versions 37 and up, if you push the acid or base button at Machine Shop with something sitting under the spout that would normally be damaged by one of these chemicals, and you're not holding the flask, then after the message about the fluid spilling over the object, you're told, "You're not holding the flask." and the object remains undamaged.
  29. In versions 29 and up, in Lower Elevator, CLOSE DOOR says, "It is closed!", whether or not it is. --Torbjörn Andersson
  30. In versions 26 and up, if the uniform is in an open container you're holding, then WEAR UNIFORM puts it on without taking it out. You can leave it behind while it's still "worn". You can only wear one uniform at a time.
  31. In all versions, you can win the game without sacrificing Floyd. When Floyd looks through the window into the Bio Lab and notices the miniaturization access card, it is moved into your scope. Now you can pick it up using EAT, WEAR, UNLOCK ME WITH, or (in versions 26 and up) READ. Floyd will follow you into the miniaturization booth and beyond. You can finish the game with Floyd still alive. --Torbjörn Andersson
  32. In all versions, you can THROW HANDS OVER EDGE in the computer. You get, "The pair of hands flies over the edge of the strip and disappears into the void." You can also THROW HANDS AT BLATHER.
  33. In all versions, you can disconnect the laser setting dial from the laser. If you have the laser you can DROP DIAL, THROW DIAL, or GIVE DIAL TO FLOYD. EMPTY LASER also drops the dial. In versions 26 and up, you can even PUT DIAL UNDER SPOUT at Machine Shop. You can't GET DIAL, but after giving it to him, you can ASK FLOYD FOR DIAL, and he gives it to you. The dial never shows in the room description or your inventory, but it does show under the spout. If the dial is the only thing you are carrying, then INVENTORY gives no output. In the Solid Gold version, you can also PUT LITTLE BUTTON UNDER SPOUT or GIVE LITTLE BUTTON TO FLOYD and ASK FLOYD FOR LITTLE BUTTON, but if you try to EMPTY DIARY or DROP or THROW BUTTON while it's still part of the diary you get, "The little button is closed."
  34. In all versions, if the survival kit is open, then you can THROW the goo. You can EAT the goo when it's sitting on the floor, but in versions above 20 you have to be holding the kit.
  35. In all versions, if the canteen is open and full, then you can DROP LIQUID or THROW LIQUID. The "quantity of protein-rich liquid" stays in that room and can't be taken. You can DRINK it when you get hungry or POUR it, but only if you're holding the canteen. If you refill the canteen in the kitchen, then the liquid disappears from where you left it. Similar things apply to chemical fluid in the flask, except you can drink it without holding the flask. The medicine in the bottle works the same way, except that its description is always, "At the bottom of the bottle is a small quantity of medicine.", even if it's not in the bottle. You can also SHAKE BOTTLE when it's open to get the medicine onto the floor. In versions above 20, in order to DRINK MEDICINE you must be holding the bottle, and it must be open.
  36. In all versions, when the medicine bottle is closed, LOOK IN BOTTLE is treated as OPEN BOTTLE. This, in spite of the fact that it is described as "translucent", and its contents (if any) are always listed in the room description or your inventory.
  37. All versions have problems dealing with objects inside the closed medicine bottle. If the red spool, for example, is inside the closed bottle, then DROP SPOOL or THROW SPOOL produces, "The red spool is closed.", but you can GIVE SPOOL TO FLOYD. You can also slide an access card through a slot when it's in the closed bottle. In versions 37 and up, this even moves the card into your main inventory.
  38. In all versions, you can carry liquids without a container by giving them to Floyd and then asking him for them.
  39. Here's an example of an odd bug that exists in all versions. Go to Machine Shop with Floyd and the open kit with the red goo inside it. Now try this: 
    >FLOYD, PUSH RED
"I don't understand! What are you referring to?"

>FLOYD, PUSH RED BUTTON
You can't see any Floyd here!
  40. In all versions, you can CLOSE the kitchen door. If you're in Kitchen, this seems to trap you. If you try to OPEN DOOR, the light flashes that you should use the access card, but there isn't any slot on that side of the door. However, you can still go NORTH with the door closed!
  41. In all versions, Floyd will do a few things while turned off. He laughs at you for undressing in his presence, comments over your shoulder if you read about "Zoork" in Library Lobby, mentions the mural at ProjCon Office, and laughs at you when your hair falls out from radiation poisoning.
  42. In all versions, giving Lazarus' breast plate to Floyd makes him leave the room. This works even if you're in a closed space such as an elevator or shuttle. He'll reappear soon afterward, even if you're in a closed space or you've just teleported a long way without him. If you give him the plate right after he explains his plan to get the miniaturization access card, then open the door after he leaves, he still goes through with it even though he wasn't there.
  43. In all versions, after Floyd dies, you can safely open the door at Bio Lock East. --Torbjörn Andersson
  44. In all versions, if the laser is hot and you THROW LASER OVER EDGE, the microbe will follow it even if it hasn't shown up yet. --Torbjörn Andersson
  45. In all versions, in contrast to Floyd's strong reactions to finding Lazarus' breast plate and to you giving it to him, if you SHOW PLATE TO FLOYD you get his standard, "Can you play any games with it?".
  46. In all versions, you can dream of Floyd (whom you recognize, by name) without having met him.
  47. In all versions, when you're on a bed, trying to EXAMINE something in your inventory says you can't see any.
  48. In all versions, if you have the open nonempty survival kit, then EMPTY KIT tells you the goo is stuck in it, even if the goo is all gone! You get the same message if you EMPTY an open, nonempty container INTO KIT. If the goo plus something else is in the kit, then SHAKE KIT shakes out only the goo.
  49. In all versions, there is a weird bug that destroys the fried fromitz board. At Planetary Defense, take the fried board out of the access panel, then put in the cracked board, then take it out, then put in the fried board, then take it out. Now the fried board is gone. --Torbjörn Andersson
  50. In all versions, pouring acid on the fused bedistor damages the cube even if the bedistor's not in it, if you have never picked it up without the pliers. --Torbjörn Andersson
  51. In all versions, of you get the laser hot, then put it under the dispenser, you'll keep getting messages about it cooling off, even in another room. --Torbjörn Andersson
  52. In all versions, if you have the key at Mess Corridor, and the lock is locked, then UNLOCK DOOR says, "The door itself isn't locked. It is the padlock on the door which is locked." It checks whether the lock is locked and prints the second sentence only if it is, but doesn't check whether the lock is on the door. So you get this message even if you have removed the lock from the door and re-locked it.
  53. In all versions, there's a mistake in the error message you get from SHOW something TO an inanimate object. For example, SHOW UNIFORM TO FLOYD when he's turned off says, "Why would you want to show something to a Patrol uniform?".
  54. In all versions, at Infirmary you see, "Lying on one of the beds is a small red spool.", but it's actually on the floor. GET ALL FROM BED says, "There isn't anything to get!", and GET RED SPOOL FROM BED says, "It's not in that!".
  55. In all versions, if you're carrying the new battery when you get to Library Lobby and see "You catch a glimpse of a small object nestled among the dust.", then EXAMINE OBJECT says, "Which object do you mean, the green spool or the new battery?".
  56. In all versions, EXAMINE SHUTTLE ACCESS CARD says, "I don't understand that sentence." The same syntax works fine for all the other access cards. Fortunately, you can say EXAMINE SHUTTLE CARD. --Torbjörn Andersson
  57. In all versions, GET FUSED BEDISTOR WITH PLIERS gives the same message when it's out of the cube: "With a tug, you manage to remove the fused bedistor." --Torbjörn Andersson
  58. In all versions, you can TYPE numbers on the library when it's turned off, and it still gives you answers. If you then turn on the computer for the first time, it shows you the main menu, but responds according to the menu you were on. --Torbjörn Andersson

<< Back to index

Page last updated 15-Sep-2020. List maintainer: Nathan Simpson