| “ | Notice that new timer? Now you know exactly how much time you have before your terrible reflexes are revealed.
|
„ |
| ― The quote that appears if Henry gets a timeout during his first Quick Time Event in the Presumed Dead route in Fleeing the Complex. |
A Quick Time Event, with timer, from "Fleeing the Complex" (route: Presumed Dead)
Quick Time Events (QTE) are option screens that have a certain time limit, prompting the players to act within a given time window. Not acting in time (sometimes referred to as a "timeout") will usually result in a fail. However, there are two instances where stalling for a timeout results in progression.
Whenever Quick Time Events are shown, the map, menu, achievements or bios cannot be accessed unlike normal choices and a timer will appear, counting down the time for the player to select an option. Quick Time Events vary in their time limit; the shortest is at the "Prison Entrance" scene in Badass Bust Out at 0.4 seconds, while the longest QTE where the time-out results in a fail is during the WWII exhibit in Just Plain Epic, lasting at around 21 seconds.
Appearance[]
The first Quick Time Event, in Escaping the Prison (route: Sneaky Escapist)
There are no Quick Time Events in either version of Breaking the Bank. They were first introduced in Escaping the Prison, during the "Badass Bust Out" and "Sneaky Escapist" pathways. The very first QTE involved Henry having to fight off two police officers, Rupert Price and Dave Panpa, after filing through the bars of his cell door.
The legacy version of Stealing the Diamond had the first and only QTE where the choice had to be made with the keyboard rather than the mouse; namely the first option screen in the "Intruder on a Scooter" pathway. In the remastered version, the player uses the mouse normally instead.
Fleeing the Complex introduced a timer to warn players that a certain event was a Quick Time Event, and how much time they had to make a choice, signified by how much the timer is filled. (The Game Over screen that accompanies the first Quick Time Event's timeout in the Presumed Dead route even mentions the timer in the message.) These timers were also added to the remastered versions of Escaping the Prison, Stealing the Diamond and Infiltrating the Airship for The Henry Stickmin Collection, except instead of filling up, they wind down.
Fleeing the Complex also introduced the first of only two instances where not making a choice in time is actually the solution. The final choice screen for the "Presumed Dead" pathway requires the player to let the timer run out in order to win. Another such event appears in the "Stickmin Space Resort" pathway of Completing the Mission, where Henry can choose to drive his scooter over a ramp or through a crate; both of these options result in a fail, while not choosing anything will result in him knocking over Sal Malone and simply driving on.
List of Quick Time Events[]
| Route | Choice Location | Description | Time | Timeout Message |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breaking the Bank does not have any QTEs. | ||||
Escaping the Prison[] |
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| Sneaky Escapist | Cell Block | When Henry busts out of his cell upon using a nail file to saw a metal bar off, Rupert Price and Dave Panpa move in to detain the escapee. Henry is thus prompted to quickly counter their attacks in two separate actions; if the player fails, the officers will attack Henry, knocking him with their weapons: Dave uses his taser to electrocute Henry, while Dave's partner just kicks Henry down. | 1" for the first one
2" for the second one |
You have the reflexes of a statue... (Dave's partner kicks Henry down.)
Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you! There's another guard coming! (Dave attacks Henry with his taser.) |
| Badass Bust Out | Back Lobby, Lobby Turn | Henry must evade bullets that the officers fire. The consequences of a timeout differ depending on the event: in the first event, Henry is shot down, landing on his face and being called a "n-0-0-b" in the death screen's message, and in the second event, he slams into the wall. (The player must progress by first clicking the down arrow, then clicking the arrow that points toward the wall.) | 1" each | Try dodging the bullets, n00b. (Henry gets shot down.)
It's always a good idea to watch where you are going. Especially if you're running away from the cops... (Henry smashes his face on the wall.) |
| Prison Entrance | During the final confrontation with Captain Ed Roberts, Henry must react quickly to counter the captain's attack. Failure means the captain scores a hit with his weapon; Henry's death occurring off-screen. | 0.4" | Come on. You were so close! | |
Stealing the Diamond[] |
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| Intruder on a Scooter | Entire Route | A fast-paced break-in that keeps the player on their toes. (Correct path: Ram the guards > use the shield > drag the Tunisian Diamond with a tow cable > throw a pebble at Johnny Panzer > summon a bubble shield to stop the sniper > kick the Tunisian Diamond off the bridge to get dragged down and escape the guard.) | 2" for most choices
3" at the Diamond 12" at the Bridge |
Wow... You're off to a great start... (Starting area.)
Good thing the janitors just got done buffing the floor. Could you imagine all the germs you'd be rolling in right now if they hadn't? (Medieval room.) C'mon! You don't have time to just stand around! (Exhibit with the diamond.) I can see all of those hours playing video games has really sharpened your reflexes. Oh wait... (Johnny shoots Henry during the car chase.) BOOM! Headshot! (The Sniper shoots Henry down.) Dude, do something! (Henry is cornered at the broken bridge.) |
| Just Plain Epic | WWII Exhibit | Kurt Dietrich will notice Henry breaching into the museum if he is unable to decide on a vintage weapon to use against the guards in time. (The options are a plane (which works), a bombshell, and a gun.) | 21" | This conversation can't be THAT interesting. |
Infiltrating the Airship[] |
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| GSPI | Records Library | Inside the records room, Charles will react to an accident involving a duck and an airship propeller if Henry stalls for too long. Charles accidentally sends his reaction via radio to Henry, busting the latter's cover. (The options that Henry can use to get his hands on the evidence are scaring the Toppat reading it, performing the Falcon Kick, and throwing a ninja star at him; the formermost works.) | 3" | This isn't a good time, Charles... |
| RBH / RPE | Warehouse | As Henry pursues the Toppat Leader through this section of the route, he must choose between abandoning the ball, summoning a spiky shield around it, and going faster; if he stalls or summons the spiky shield, he will get crushed. | 3" | Whoa! That thing is COAL-ossal! |
| Quarters Hallway | When Reginald Copperbottom closes the doors in the hallway, Henry must decide quickly to avoid being locked out of his chase. (Henry's options are to use a mechanical fist to punch through the door, consuming a can of beans and farting (which works), and using a portal.) | 2" | Ok, ok! No more quick time events. How's your head, by the way? | |
Fleeing the Complex[] |
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| Presumed Dead | Transfer Cells Hallway, Transfer Cells Blockade | When Henry runs down the hallway after tackling Grigori Olyat, Wall guards there will actively try to take down the convict. (The correct path is by first performing some acrobatic stunts and then summoning a Mario Kart item (which turns out to be a Boo).) | 2" each | Notice that new timer? Now you know exactly how much time you have before your terrible reflexes are revealed! (Transfer Cells Hallway)
Yunno, I don't think this guy knows what he's saying. (Transfer Cells Blockade) |
| Car Chase | Henry can choose to either engage in the gunfight, abandon the truck that he is driving, or ram the truck next to the one he is driving, getting shot by an officer if the player runs out of time. | 1" | Not even close, baby. | |
| Cliffside Wreck | Waiting for the timer to deplete is the correct choice and will finish the route. The three choices (riding a Warp Star, surrendering, and turning the crashed truck's airbags on) will progressively appear as time wears on. | 14" | N/A | |
Completing the Mission[] |
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| Toppat King | Driving Up the Ramp | Ellie, Henry, and the Right Hand Man find the path blocked by a platoon of Government soldiers. The three must decide on how to act before the platoon stops their vehicle. (Either shooting, boosting, or sending Henry out to attack.) | 3" | Seatbelts everyone! |
| Free Man | Solar Panel Dash | Henry must find a way to avoid the Right Hand Man before he kills the loose prisoner. (Henry can either fire a missile, deflect the lasers via a reflector, or activate the Max Gravity Boots with his Nano-Suit.) | 3" | You don't have time to read the insruction manual for that suit! |
| Triple Threat | Combo Time! | After Henry and Ellie launch from a series of barrels, Charles suddenly arrives in his helicopter to help them, with the options being a Cannon, catching them, or using a net). Stalling for a timeout will only cause them to collide with each other. | 2" | He came outta nowhere! |
| Stickmin Space Resort | Entire Route | A fast-paced break-in that keeps the player on their toes. The second option requires the player to wait for time to expire. (The correct path is: stopping to ask the guard at the front to open the gate > stalling for a Timeout as Henry comes up on an argument > driving up the rocket with Spiked Wheels > Deflecting the bullet > breaking the cable with a Precision Shot.) | 2" for most choices
5" at the Top of the Rocket |
Off to a good start. (Starting area; Henry crashes into the gate.)
Lag. (Henry smashes into the rocket.) First try! (Henry gets shot down.) Return to sender. (The rocket runs out of fuel.) |
| Jewel Baron | Space Scooter | While closing in on the space station at the start of the level, Henry has the option to deflect the lasers by spinning, going at the speed of light, and compressing his scooter. | 3" | Plan of attack: Fly in a straight line and do nothing. |
| Little Nest Egg | Traintop Sprint | Blast Connors mans a turret and prepares to gun down Henry, who must respond with a counter. (Henry can choose to go into the train, try to commandeer Icepick's truck, or use his agility; the last option works.) | 2" | This gives a new definition to Bullet Time. |
| Toppat Recruits / Pardoned Pals | Collapse! | A Wall tank blows out part of the bridge to the rocket, leaving Henry airborne. If nothing is done, Henry will fall to his death. (The options are bouncing off a Note Block, having Ellie catch Henry, and using a grappling hook; the Note Block allows progression.) | 2" | Dang! He ain't gonna be in Henry 7! |
| Cleaned 'em Out | Top of the Train | Henry is on top of the Toppat cargo train when it approaches a tunnel. Timing out will result in Henry colliding with the brick portal of the tunnel. (Henry can choose to squish his sprite with editing, go inside the train, or use pinchers; the first option works.) | 3" | Last stop, brick wall. |
| Capital Gains | Train Assault | Henry and Ellie ambush the caravan accompanying the Toppat cargo train. Timing out will result in both of them being shot down by the armed caravan. (Henry has to choose between using the swords stuck to his tank, seeking cover inside the tank, and shooting from the main gun; the lattermost option works.) | 3" | Don't stop now! |
Trivia[]
- "Stickmin Space Resort" from Completing the Mission and "Intruder on a Scooter" from Stealing the Diamond are the only pathways where every choice is a Quick Time Event. Coincidentally, both of them start on Henry's Scooter.
- "Presumed Dead" from Fleeing the Complex and "Stickmin Space Resort" from Completing the Mission are the only endings where a timeout is the correct option, as it usually causes a fail.
- The longest QTE is in Just Plain Epic, during when Dave Panpa talks to Kurt Dietrich (around 21 seconds), while the shortest is in "Badass Bust Out", at the Prison Entrance (0.4 seconds).
- Arguably, the shortest is at Capital Gains where the fake options(Your Suggestions, Obscure Reference and Really dumb option) appear with time about 0.1 - 0.4 seconds but it is not counted as you can't do anything.
- If you look carefully, there is a timer on top.
- Arguably, the shortest is at Capital Gains where the fake options(Your Suggestions, Obscure Reference and Really dumb option) appear with time about 0.1 - 0.4 seconds but it is not counted as you can't do anything.
- Just like the Map, the QTE timers look different in every game.
- Escaping the Prison has a bronze clock.
- Stealing the Diamond has a golden clock.
- Infiltrating the Airship has a futuristic, digital-like clock.
- Fleeing the Complex has a silver clock with ice spikes on it.
- Completing the Mission has a silver clock with vines on it.
- If you fail by timeout in the 2nd QTE in Relentless Bounty Hunter/Rapidly Promoted Executive, the fail message will read "Ok, Ok! No more quick time events". This is actually true in the route, as after the 2nd QTE, there are no more QTEs after it.
- "Presumed Dead" is the only route in Fleeing the Complex that contains QTEs.
Gallery[]
