Space
Quest 1 VGA hintbook
 This
page is about the official Space Quest 1 VGA hint book designed
by Gloria Garland and released by Sierra in 1991. It's of the usual
hint book size, namely 15 x 11.5 centimeters. It consists of 48
pages and does not only include game hints, but also maps, a point
list, some design sketches and some character profiles. This is
possibly the rarest hintbook of them all, as Space Quest 1 VGA wasn't
all that popular. This version has been specifically created for
the icon-driven Space Quest 1: The Sarien Encounter remake. So all
clues are written with the point and click interface in mind.
A
funny note: the hint book doesn't explain how to get passed the
laser beams in the Keronian Underground. But don't worry, I've added
a question and some clues myself. And, the hintbook has a picture
of the Arcada (EGA version) turned upside down.
Scans:
cover
(64 KB) - table
of contents (52 KB) - adventure
window in action (88 KB)
Aboard
the Arcada
The Burning Desert On the Planet Kerona
Kerona - Underground
Kerona - Ulence Flats
The Spaceship Deltaur
The Arcada is
going to self-destruct! What do I do?
- Get off the ship before it blows up, for
one thing.
- For another, make sure you have everything you need before you
leave.
- You'll need to visit several places on the ship and pick up items
you'll need later.
- Don't leave the ship until you've been to the Data Archive (twice),
the Star Generator room, the Central Control area and the Flight
Preparation room.
What's the deal
with all these bodies everywhere?
- They're dead, Jim.
- But one of them can still be of help to you.
- A dead guy named Jerry has the keycard you need to get into the
special elevator downstairs.
- Go to the east side of the upper level and search the body there.
Take the keycard and use it on the elevator located in the right
hand. wing of the central control area, that leads to the flight
preparation room.
- To search Jerry, use the hand icon cursor on his body. To use
the keycard in the elevator, use its cursor on the elevator control
panel.
No matter where
I go, big ugly aliens shoot me.
- It's their job.
- Some good advice: avoid big ugly aliens whenever possible.
- When you hear footsteps, duck into the nearest door or behind
something. When they don't see anything, they'll go away.
- In the central control area, downstairs, you'll have to be completely
hidden behind the giant joystick or the giant mouse to avoid them.
What do I need
from the Data Archive room, and where the heck is it, anyway?
- The Data Archive is the room to the west
of the door you came out of at the beginning of the game.
- You need a data cartridge from the data storage modules.
- You can't get it until you've been in the room twice, and a wounded
man comes in and gives you the code for the cartridge.
- When you have the code, sit down at the console and use the keypad
to order up the cartridge, using the code found in your game documentation.
A robot will retrieve it for you.
- When the robot comes back with the cartridge, don't forget to
take it with you.
- Use the hand cursor on the console to see a close-up view. use
the hand cursor to enter the code on the keypad. Use the hand cursor
on the cartridge to take it from the robot.
I'm in the Star
Generator room, but I don't see anything I need more.
- Look harder, it's small.
- See the smashed Star Generator mounting on the floor? Look closer.
- On the left hand side of the mounting, something is sparkling.
- It's a magnetic widget, used by the Sariens to release the Star
Generator from its mountings. Looks useful, doesn't it?
- Take it. It'll improve your luck later.
- Use the hand cursor on the flashing object on the left hand side
of the Star Generator mounting to get the widget.
Where's the
Flight Preparation Room? What do I do there?
- It's on the lowest level, east of the Central
Control Area.
- The central control area is the three rooms on the lowest level
of the ship. You get there by taking the elevator with the black
and yellow doors.
- When you get there, take the closet on the North wall.
- Use the hand cursor on the drawer to open it and take the gadget.
- Use the hand cursor on the closet door controls to the right of
the drawer to open the closet and see the spacesuit. use the hand
cursor on the spacesuit to put it on.
I found the
door to the escape pod bay, but when I went through, I popped like
a balloon!
- I know I hate it when that happens.
- The door is there to keep out vacuum on the other side.
- Since you have to go out in that vacuum it might be best to put
on a spacesuit.
- There's one in the closet on the North side of the room.
- Use the hand cursor on the closet door to open it and see the
spacesuit. Use the hand cursor on the spacesuit to put it on.
I'm in the escape
pod, but I can't get it to go anywhere.
- Push the power button, then pull back on
the throttle.
- There's a bank of three buttons on your upper right. The power
button is the one on the far right.
- Don't push anything until you've opened the pod bay doors.
- And fasten your seat belt, please.
- Use the hand cursor on a button to push it. Use the hand cursor
on the throttle lever to pull it. Use the hand cursor on your seat
belt to put it on.
Every time I
try to leave the ship, I get pulped against the bay doors. Why won't
they open?
- Because you didn't open them.
- The controls to the bay doors are in the Central Control Area.
- There are two buttons underneath the view port that looks out
on the bay doors. Look at them to get a closer view, then push the
one that says OPEN.
- Use the eye cursor on the buttons under the view port to see a
close-up view. Use the hand cursor on the OPEN to push it.
It says not
to push the middle button. Should I push it anyway?
- It's up to you. Do you just have this thing
about doing what you've been told not to do? All right then. Live
dangerously.
- But save your game first.
I got the escape
pod to go, but then I just wandered and got lost in space.
- That's because you didn't tell the pod where
you wanted it to go.
- There's a button in here just for that purpose. It's called the
AutoNav button.
- It's the far left button on the panel above your head.
- Use the hand cursor on the AutoNav button to push it.
| The
Burning Desert On the Planet Kerona |
|
I crash-landed
in the desert. Is there anything I need to take with me from the
pod?
- Yes.
- There's a survival kit in the pod. You'll need it.
- Get out the pod, then take the kit from the pod doorway.
- There's also a piece of reflective glass that fell out of the
windshield onto the ground when you landed. Get that, too.
- Use the hand cursor on the seat belt to exit the pod. Use the
hand cursor on the piece of glass on the ground to take it.
Every time I
try to talk away from the pod, something ugly eats me, and i'm getting
darned tired of it.
- I don't blame you.
- Most paths in this desert lead to death by ingestion.
- The only safe way away from the pod are East and Southeast.
I walked into
a giant animal skull in the desert, and a big smelly monster stuffed
me into my spacesuit helmet. Is this normal?
- For this game, yes.
- But not necessary. You have something on you that will kill the
Orat before it can kill you.
- It's something in your survival kit.
- The dehydrated water is in a pressurized container. Did you see
Jaws?
- Stand behind the rocks just inside the giant skull. Open your
survival kit. Take out the dehydrated water canister and throw it
at the monster.
- While you're at it, take that icky little monster part that's
left over after the explosion.
- Choose the Inventory icon. Use the hand cursor on the survival
kit to open it. Choose the dehydrated water canister icon. Use the
canister on the Orat to throw the canister. Use the hand cursor
on the Orat part to take it.
What are the
weird purple plants that grow near the skeleton?
- Weird purple, smelly and sticky, that's
what.
- Also useful. Take a sample. It might just save your life later.
- Use the hand cursor on one of the purple plants to take a sample.
The Spider Droid
keeps chasing me around the giant skeleton. Is there any way to
get rid of it?
- A couple of ways, actually.
- You can drop something on it, or let something even worse take
care of it for you.
- Get the Spider Droid to chase you to the neck bone of the giant
skeleton, where you can walk up onto the spine. Go to the loose
piece of bone on the spine. Wait until the Spider Droid is underneath
the spine and coming out the other side. Push the bone down on top
of it.
- The other way is to get the Spider Droid to chase you into the
skull. Then hide behind the big rock and let it and the orat eliminate
one another.
- Use the hand cursor on the loose bone to drop it on the Spider
Droid.
There's a broken
piece of backbone on the giant skeleton. Is it safe to walk on?
- No.
- It will support your weight three times without falling.
- The third time you cross over, you're dead.
- It's not necessary to cross it more than three times.
Is there anything
else I should know about the giant skeleton?
- Yes. it contains a secret entrance to an
underground cavern.
- Walk down the spine from the neck bone, and you should find it.
- It's near the tail.
- Between two of the big spikes there's a place that will open up
and dump you into the underground cavern.
The big alien
has sent me back to the surface, but I can't find the Orat he's
talking about.
- you're not looking very hard.
- If you were an Orat, where would you hide?
- The Orat lives in the giant skull in the desert.
I found the
orat, but then he found me. Now I'm dead.
- I never said being a hero would be easy.
- See the hint about the giant skull and the big smelly monster
that stuffs you into your spacesuit helmet.
- And have a nice day.
I fell into
this underground room with a grate in the floor, and there's a monster
under the grate, and it looks hungry.
- It is. I don't advice going near it.
- You say you have to go near it to get past the grate? That is
too bad. Maybe you have something it would like.
- Does it look vegetarian?
- Give it the piece of purple plant you picked up in the desert.
- If you didn't pick up a piece of purple plant in the desert, check
out the big pointy rock in the room to the east. Someone used some
of the sticky plant to glue the rock together.
- Use the hand cursor on either the plant in the desert or the piece
of planet on the rock to take a sample. Use the plant cursor on
the grate monster to throw it a piece.
How do I get
on the other side of the strange glowing door?
- See that steam vent near the door? The door
works on steam pressure.
- If you could plug up the vent, the resulting pressure might open
the door.
- What have you seen down here that might fit into that hole?
- Near the shaft you fell out of, there's a large pointy rock. Break
off the top and put it in the vent.
- Use the hand cursor on the top of the pointy rock to break off
the top piece. Use the rock cursor on the steam vent to put the
rock in the vent.
What's the pool
of green stuff?
- It's not Kool-Aid.
- It is loathsome. horrid, awful, flesh-eating green acid.
- Don't touch it unless you've just saved your game and want a few
laughs.
How do I pass
the laser beams?
- Fight fire with fire.
- Do you have something that might turn the beam on itself?
- Like a piece of reflective glass, for instance?
- If you don't have a piece of reflective glass, then you're out
of luck! You should have picked up a piece at the front of your
crashed escape pod.
- Use the glass cursor on the beam to reflect the beams onto itself.
There's more
of green stuff dripping from the ceiling. I get the feeling that's
not good.
- No, it's just fine unless it touches you.
- Then it could be a definite problem.
- Be sure to save your game, then only step in the places where
the acid doesn't fall.
- See those holes in the acid has worn in the path? Save your game,
then step above, below or beyond the holes to avoid the acid, saving
again when you make progress. The drops are times randomly, so there's
no particular pattern to the way they fall. If you can't see the
holes in the ground, turn your monitor's brightness level up.
There's a big
alien head talking to me, and I can't understand a word it's saying.
- I guess you and he just don't speak the
same language.
- If you only had one of those translator gadgets, like they had
back on the Arcada.
- ... In the Flight Preparation Room.
- You do? Is it turned on?
- Turn on the gadget on, but not too soon. After you get past the
acid drops is the best time.
- Use the hand cursor on the gadget in your inventory to turn it
on and off .
I'm in the steam
generator room. Is there anything I need here?
- Well, remember how you couldn't read the
data cartridge back on the Arcade?
- Maybe you could read it here - but where?
- Try the computer in the upper right corner.
- Put the data cartridge into the computer and read the message,
paying special attention to the self-destruct instructions.
- Then take the skimmer they offered you and beat it out of there.
- Use the cartridge cursor on the computer to read the cartridge.
Use the hand cursor on the cartridge to take it out of the computer.
use the hand cursor on the skimmer to get in and go.
That skimmer
ride was a real killer!
- Next time skip the arcade sequence and enjoy
the ride.
- If you just have to play the arcade sequence, save your
game first, the turn the game speed control to the lowest possible
setting. Use the arrow keys, mouse or joystick to control the skimmer's
side-to-side movement. For minimum frustration, continue to save
your game every time you get past a rock without damage (check the
damage control meter in the lower right corner of the screen).
I just arrived
in beautiful downtown Ulence Flats, and a guy offered to buy my
skimmer. Should I sell it?
- Yes.
- But don't take his first offer.
- The second offer includes a jet pack, an item you'll find quite
useful later.
- If you don't have the jet pack, you can kiss off getting onto
the Deltaur to find the Star Generator.
I'm in the bar.
What a zoo! Is there something useful I can do here?
- You mean besides engaging in meaningful
intellectual conversation with the other patrons?
- Several things, actually. First relax and have a drink. Have three.
- After your third drink, you'll begin to overhear an interesting
conversation. Pay special attention to what you hear, particularly
the sector number that is mentioned.
- Use the talk cursor on the bartender to order drinks.
How can I tell
how many buckazoids I have?
- Look at the Buckazoids in your inventory.
- Use the eye cursor on your buckazoids in the inventory to see
how many you have .
I'm flat broke
in Ulence Flats. Help!
- There are a number of ways to make some
money around here.
- One is to sell your skimmer to the guy who wants to buy it (just
don't take his first offer).
- Another is to play your measly three Buckazoids into the big buckz
at the rocket bar slot machine.
- If you're even more desperate than that, you can go digging around
the dust pile on the East side of the bar - there's usually some
slightly crispy Buckazoids in there.
- Use the hand cursor on the slot machine to get a close-up view,
and on the slot machine button to operate it. Use the hand cursor
on the dust pile to find any Buckazoids in the pile.
I thought about
investing a few Buckazoids in the slot machine, but it just toasted
that little alien fella.
- That's why they call it a game of chance.
- When you lose on this baby, you lose, if you take my
meaning.
- That's why you should save your gamer before you play, and again
whenever you make some money. If you lose, restore the previous
game. Keep this up until you have 250 Buckazoids, and watch the
machine blow up.
- If you had a magnetic widget to attach to the machine, it would
improve your luck.
- The widget was back on the Arcada in the Star Generator Room.
- Use the hand cursor on the slot machine buttons to operate them.
Use the widget cursor on the slot machine to attach the widget.
I came out
of the bar and my skimmer was gone!
- This is a tough neighborhood.
- You shouldn't have left your keys in it.
- You'll need the skimmer to get a jet pack, so this might be a
good time to practice your Restore Game moves.
- After arriving at Ulence, use the hand cursor on the skimmer to
take your keys.
A cute fuzzy,
little brown alien wants to sell me a spaceship. Should I go with
him?
- Only if you think being mugged is a real
hoot.
- Otherwise, go West to Tiny's used Spaceships instead.
Should I buy
a spaceship from Tiny's?
- Not only should you, but you'd
better if you want to get off this rock.
- Don't buy either of the ships in the foreground.
- Pick one of the ships in the background.
- Not the little saucer-looking number.
- Buy the ship with the ladder.
- Use the talk cursor on Tiny to talk to him. Use the talk cursor
on a spaceship to talk to Tiny about that particular ship. After
talking to Tiny about the ship, use the Buckazoid icon on Tiny to
buy the ship.
Tiny says I
need a pilot droid. Where can I find one?
- Where else? Droids-B-Us!
- The sales bug will show you a selection of his finer used droids.
- Give him your Buckazoids, and you're in business.
- Use the talk cursor on the sales bug to talk to him. Use the eye
cursor on the view screen to see the descriptions of the available
robots. use the talk cursor on the robot you're interested in to
hear a description. Use the Buckazoid cursor on the sales bug to
pay him.
How do I know
which droid to buy at Droids-B-Us?
- What kind did Tiny tell you to get?
- Get the one the sales bug says is goo for piloting a spaceship.
- It's the NAV-201.
- Use the Buckazoid cursor on the sales bug while he's showing the
robot of your choice.
My robot came
disassembled. What do I do now?
- Well first off, don't try to assemble it.
- This model is dangerous in more ways than one.
- Cut your losses and go play the slots until you have enough to
buy another droid.
- This time, buy one that knows how to pilot a ship.
I bought a droid,
but it blew up and killed me!
- This is not your lucky day, ey?
- You bought the wrong droid.
- Next time, buy one that knows how to pilot a ship.
I've got my
droid. Now what?
- If you haven't already bought a spaceship,
go to Tiny's and buy one.
- For a better buying experience, see the hint about Tiny's.
- When you get into your ship, the droid will load itself. Sit back
and let it drive.
- After you have bought the ship, use the hand cursor on it to get
in. The NAV-201 will load itself and take off.
The droid wants
to know where I want to go. Where do I want to go?
- Remember that conversation you overheard
in the Rocket Bar.
- Some guy came across this huge spaceship that was vaporizing a
small planet. That sounds like something the Star Generator could
do if its power were harnessed for evil.
- Now what was the sector he mentioned seeing the ship in?
- Enter the sector you overheard in the bar into the keypad., using
the code from your game documentation.
How do I get
into the big spaceship?
- Are you wearing your jet pack?
- If you took the second offer on your skimmer at Ulence Flats,
you'll have a jet pack to maneuver through space to the Deltaur.
- Fly to the door and look for the control panel.
- It's to the left of the door. Turn the handle and the door will
open.
- Use the hand cursor on the door handle to open the door.
I'm in the airlock,
and I can't get the inner door to open.
- Be patient, it's all been taken care of.
- In a very short time a cleaning robot will come in and leave the
doors open for just a moment.
- If you don't want the robot to sound the alarm and get killed,
hide behind the right side of the doorway where it can't see you.
- To avoid being accidentally electrocuted by the robot, leave immediately
after the robot comes into the room.
I'm in a room
with a big trunk. Now what?
- See that air vent high on the West wall?
- Push the box over to it and climb up on the trunk to reach the
air vent.
- Stuck, huh? What do you have that might pry it open?
- use the knife form your survival kit to pry open the vent.
- An alternative method is to use your knife to pry open the trunk,
climb inside and wait for someone to come and move the trunk.
- Use the hand cursor on the trunk to open it and the hand cursor
on the trunk to climb in). Use the hand cursor on the vent to climb
up on the trunk and try the vent. Use the knife cursor on the vent
to force it open.
I got into the
air shaft, but now I can't loosen the other vent from this side.
- Did you try the knife again?
- Too bad. It won't work.
- Try hitting it.
- Use the hand cursor on the vent to hit it.
No matter where
I go, the Sariens keep shooting me.
- It's nothing personal, really.
- They just have to shoot anyone they recognize as an alien. It's
their job.
- If they didn't recognize you, they wouldn't be shooting, get it?
- If you had a Sarien uniform, you might be able to pass it. There
might be some uniforms in the laundry room, huh?
- Go to the laundry room. Get into the washing machine and voila!
- The laundry room be reached through the air vent of the room with
the trunk. See the hint about that room.
- Use the hand cursor on the handle of the washing machine to get
inside.
I found where
they're keeping the Star Generator, but there's a green guy guarding
it. what do I do about him?
- You're in a position to drop something on
him from up here.
- If you had a gas grenade, you could put him out of commission
real quick.
- The gas grenades are in the arsenal, where all the weapons are
kept.
I found the
arsenal, but I can't seem to do anything there.
- That's because you don't have an I.D. card
to prove to the robot in charge that you're a Sarien in good standing.
- There was an I.D. card in the laundry room, but you obviously
left without picking it up.
- Look through the stuff that fell out on the floor when you climbed
out of the washing machine. You'll find the I.D there.
- Use the hand cursor on the I.D. card on the laundry room floor
to pick it up. Use the I.D. cursor on the arsenal robot to show
it to him.
I found the
arsenal, but I can't get a gas grenade there.
- You, you can. You just can't get one honestly.
- You'll need to get the gas grenade when the robot goes to get
the Pulse Ray. When the arsenal robot goes away to get your Pulse
Ray, sneak over to the other side of the counter and take one of
the gas grenades.
- They're the little round things sitting on a counter on the outside
wall of the store room nearest where you're standing. Hurry. Time
is of the essence here.
- Don't try to take both of them - you'll waste what little time
you have and get yourself shot.
- When the robot leaves the room, use the hand cursor on the left
end of the countertop. When you get on the other side, Use the hand
cursor one of the gas grenades, then return to this side of the
counter and use the hand cursor again to close it. The faster you
do this, the less chance you will be vaporized.
I lost my helmet,
and the Sariens are shooting at me again.
- Shoot back.
- Use your Pulse Ray.
- Take the Pulse Ray pistol from your inventory and use its cursor
on the Sarien you want to shoot.
I keep bouncing
off the force field around the Star Generator.
- Turn it off.
- Oh, you can't reach it to turn it off, can you? If only you had
a remote control.
- Maybe the guard has one.
- Search the guard and get his remote control. Aim it at one of
the force field emitters. Neat, huh?
- Use the remote control cursor on one of the emitters.
How do I set
the Star Generator to self-destruct?
- There's a control panel on the front of
the Star Generator pedestal.
- Take a closer look at it
- Enter the code you got from the data cartridge.
- Start thinking about a way to get off this tub.
- Use the hand cursor on the control panel on the front of the Star
Generator to get a close-up view. Use the hand cursor on the keys
to enter the code you got from the data cartridge when you read
it on Kerona.
The self-destruct
sequence has started. How do I get out of here before I get blown
to bits?
- You'll need an escape ship.
- The captain has one of these for just such an emergency as this.
- The captain also has a special elevator for getting to the escape
ship.
- Remember the elevator outside the laundry room that you couldn't
get into earlier? Try it now. Be prepared to shoot the guard to
get in
- Use the Pulse Ray cursor on the guard to eliminate him. Use the
hand cursor on the elevator to open it. When you arrive in the escape
pod bay, use the hand cursor on the escape pod to get in and go.
I see a spaceship
now what?
-
Get into it.
- The rest is automatic.
- If you've set the Star Generator to self-destruct and have the
data cartridge to give the scientists back on Xenon, you're ready
to go. If not, better restore and fix those details. Now you're
finally going to be a hero. Congratulations.
- Use the hand cursor on the escape pod to get in and go.
|
General