Quest for Disk Space
Back in the old days, Sierra On-Line didn't take uniformity very seriously. At one point you could get that popular new Sierra game your friends were talking about. With all the cool box inserts and stuff. But if you were unlucky, you could have bought the budget release instead, which came with just the game disks and that sloppy fast start instruction.

As is the case with the games itself, the disks and cd's are a pretty good indication of how the gaming industry changed over the years. I guess you could say Sierra was saved when the new CD-Rom format was introduced in the early '90's, as some games were shipped with a ludicrous amount of disks. Around that time, the "Roger Wilco Other World Series Collection" (SQ1 to 3) became available, with 3.5" but also with 5.25" disks (those sloppy bendable disks grandpa used to have). Twelve of those babies were needed for a complete product! A later collection release, the "Space Quest Saga" collection (SQ1 to 4), contained FIFTEEN 3.5" disks!

This article is about the different data carriers Sierra used for the Space Quest Series.

5.25" floppy disks
Blue label (44 KB): This disk is one of the first disks ever made by Sierra for the Space Quest Series. Sierra used to have a whole team of employees who copied the disks manually. What a huge task that would have been. This one shows a Space Quest 1 disk, but there's also a Space Quest 2 version.

Halfdome picture label (52 KB): The label on this disk is the most common. It followed up the blue label.

Boring white/green/blue label (64 KB): This is the latest label version Sierra used. This disk itself is from a late Space Quest Collection and quite possibly one of the latest 5.25" disks produced.

 

3.5" floppy disks
Blue disk with cool blue Space Quest label (56 KB): This is one of the first 3.5" disks produced for the Space Quest Series. It's a double side, double density disk containing Space Quest 1 EGA in the Apple Mactintosh format. It's one of the most rare disks out there. There's also a white version (this one contains Space Quest 2). which is possibly even more rare.

Blue disk with the commonly used Halfdome label (48 KB): Sierra continued to use blue floppies for the Space Quest Series for quite some time. In the end, an enormous amount of these were produced. This one features the familiar Halfdome picture are a rare (and odd) black protective slide thingie, which doesn't really suit the floppy, does it? Anyway, the are many different flavours of this one. Like this black disk with black slide cover (64 KB) and the more common black disk with metal slide cover (72 KB). Can you believe all these different disks are from the same box?

Blue disk with the boring white/green/blue label (64 KB): This disk contains (a portion of) Space Quest 2 so it can therefore be concluded this disk is not an original 1987 release but a later collection disk... And guess what? This is indeed the case! All gets pretty confusing, doesn't it? This label was also used on black disks (60 KB). Guess there is also a grey version out there and God knows how many other flavours.

Grey disk with the boring office style logo (36 KB): This disk is from one of the last floppy Space Quest Collections. The label is not widely used. None the less, quite a few of these babies saw the light of day. In the same box there's a black (48 KB) and a blue disk (48 KB).

 

CD-Roms
Space Quest 4 (first version) (72 KB): There are two versions of the Space Quest 4 CD-Rom out there. I think this is the first version as the second used an art which was created later on for the 15th Anniversary.

Space Quest 4 (second version) (76 KB): This CD-Rom features the logo from the 15th Sierra Anniversary Collector's Edition. The data on the two versions are identical.

Space Quest 4 (Sierra Originals) (44 KB): A CD-Rom disc from the popular Sierra Originals budget versions.

Space Quest Collector's Edition (original retail version) (60 KB): This is one of my personal favorites. It features the same art as the box does.

Space Quest Collector's Edition (European version) (52 KB): This particular item was made in France.

Space Quest 6 (original retail version) (52 KB): This design was featured on the first edition of Space Quest 6 CD-Roms.

Space Quest 6 (European export version) (56 KB): As is the case with many European Sierra products, there are also Italien, German and France CD-Roms out there.

Space Quest Collection CD-Rom (1/2) (original retail version) (68 KB): This particular CD-Rom has an unofficial street value of about $50 to $60 US dollars. Collections like these are sold for over $100 US these days at Ebay.

Space Quest Collection CD-Rom (2/2) (European export version) (52 KB): This is a very special release for me. It so happens that this the first official data carrier from Sierra containing Space Quest I've ever touched. It also marks the end of the Space Quest era. This CD-Rom was one the latest produced for the Series.

 

Rare items

Amiga 32 colour version of Space Quest 1

 

The Missing Floppies

I'm afraid this page is not complete. I know for sure it's missing the Space Quest 6 Sierra Originals version. Sadly, this two item was in my possession once. I recall selling the CD-Rom, but keeping the box and stuff. After all, what's a guy to do with 8 legal copies of Space Quest 6? Give me a sign if you have this item, or other items I've missed.