In part 5, we saw how to gain control during conversations thanks to the cigar salesman cutscene.

But there were many limitations. You couldn't leave the room or switch to a different character before the game crashed. The only exception was switching to Laverne for the first time.

We're going to overcome those limitations.

The gum glitch

This glitch can only be done on ScummVM. If you're playing on other platforms, the game will crash when you try to do it.

Get the keys, give the keys to the man in ski mask to get the crowbar, and use the crowbar to get the gum with a dime stuck in it. Now, as you're walking to the cigar salesman, click on the gum with a dime stuck in it. Works the same way as looking at the stamp (which we covered in part 5), only you left click on the gum with a dime instead of right-clicking on it.

To avoid a crash, you have to start a conversation right before the cutscene of Bernard chewing the gum is over. As an example, let's talk once again to the tentacle guard in the future. Skip the salesman cutscene, switch to Laverne, wait for the audio key that signals that the cutscene is about to be over, and right-click on the tentacle guard. You'll gain control during this conversation. This is shown in the getting Bernard/Hoagie to the future with the gum glitch video.

Now, getting the keys, the crowbar and the gum takes about 22 seconds or so. You probably don't want to spend that time in order to do the same trick you can do by simply looking at the stamp.

Well, there is an advantage. You don't have to do it the first time you switch to Laverne. This could potentially be useful.

Most importantly, you're close to both the basement and Dr. Fred's office. And this time, you can make it to one of these places before the cutscene is over.

Getting the contract

Get Hoagie next to Hancock. Switch to Bernard, go to the living room, and use the gum glitch.

After skipping the cutscene with the salesman, quickly go the lobby, and then to Dr. Fred's office.

Switch to Hoagie and, right before the gum cutscene ends, talk to Hancock. When the cursor becomes visible, press "2" to switch to Bernard. Finish the conversation as Bernard. The safe will open, and you'll be able to pick up the contract.

The getting the contract with the gum glitch video shows this sequence.

At first, getting to the office before the gum cutscene is over might seem impossible, but with some practice you'll manage to do so. As many other things, once you've succeeded once, doing it again will be much easier.

Signing the contract

This one is similar to the previous one. Get the decaf with Bernard, and get Hoagie next to Jefferson. Switch to Bernard, go to the living room, and use the gum glitch.

After skipping the cutscene with the salesman, quickly go the lobby, and enter the dark passage. Use the decaf with Dr. Fred, switch to Hoagie, and talk to Jefferson. As soon as the cursor becomes visible, press "2" to switch to Bernard. Finish the conversation, and Bernard will ask Dr. Fred to sign the contract. You can continue the conversation with Dr. Fred as usual, even though Dr. Fred isn't there, and even when you don't have the contract. The game will consider that Dr. Fred has signed it.

The signing the contract with the gum glitch video shows this scenario.

You might notice that, when you click on the dark passage, sometimes Bernard will get there immediately. This happens when you do so during a specific part of the gum animation. But you have to wait for the cutscene to be about to finish before talking to Jefferson, so it doesn't really save time.

For unknown reasons, you can't get the contract signed this way unless you give the decaf to Dr. Fred first.

Under the hood: cutscenes and fakescenes, part two

The concept is the same one we saw in part 5: a cutscene taking place at the same time as a fakescene. There's a difference, though. This time, when you press Esc, you'll skip the fakescene, but the cutscene will continue running.

We don't know why this case is different. It might be related to the fact that Bernard doesn't talk when chewing the gum, but he talks when flushing items or looking at items in the inventory. But this is pure speculation.

Bernard chewing the gum is global script 56. Since it's a global script, it'll continue running when you move to a different room or when you switch to a different character. And, since this animation lasts for a few seconds, you'll have enough time to get to a different room before the cutscene is over.

When you talk to Hancock and switch to Bernard, the game runs room script 200 and room script 201. Just like we did with the canary conversation in part 2, this opens the safe, so you can get the contract.

Similarly, talking to Jefferson and switching to Bernard in the basement runs room script 202, which starts the conversation about signing the contract.