Space
Quest 1 Design
Sketches
 It
was September 1990 when Sierra released the much-critized Space
Quest 1 VGA remake. It featured greatly increased colour and resolution
capabilities as Sierra tried to meet the demand of enhanced expectations
of the game players. The images of Space Quest 1 therefore needed
to be more dynamic and effective than ever before. Instead of using
16 colours, as was the case in the original game, Space Quest 1
VGA was going to use handpainted graphics. The method of creating
these graphics couldn't be more different compared to the original
release. Every character, screen and object was sketched. Sometimes,
the designers sketched multiple versions of something and ultimately
it was decided which version would make it into the actual game.
Litterally hundreds of sketches were made during production of the
remake. 
has managed to dig up a few for your enjoyment.
An
early sketch of Roger getting in over his head as usual.
Roger
Wilco (28 KB)
Roger
Wilco with signature (36 KB)
Roger
Wilco posing in his spacesuit (52 KB)
Under
the direction of the Art Designer Douglas Herring, the Sarien ship
Deltaur and the Xenon research vessel Arcada took on completely
new and unique personalities.
The
Deltaur (44 KB)
The Deltaur Attacks (44 KB)
Preliminary
sketch from the Deltaur - Sierra attempted to capture the '50's
spaceship interior look - with lots of conduits and guages and exposed
hardware - reminiscent of E.C. Comics.
Inside
the Deltaur (72 KB)
These
artists' sketches show the evolution of Tunuctipin, once known to
his pals in the Sierra Creative Development Department as Turnip
Head. The Keronian elder is encountered by Roger in the undergrond
generator room far beneath the arid desert of the planet Kerona,
where Roger has crash-landed his escape pod.
Keronians (56 KB)
Keronian
leader (36 KB)
A
number of different approaches were tried for Tiny, the crafty alien
used-spaceship salesman, from the questionable menacing to the merely
malevolent. When it was decided that the character should be less
threatening, the official Tiny emerged to become a suitably sociable
but shrewd salesguy.
Tiny
(60 KB)
Art
Designer's sketch of the new look for the Sarien bad guys.
Sariens
in battle suit (56 KB)
Sarien
close-up (52 KB)
It's
that nasty mugger from Ulence Flats! This sketch made it into the
final release.
Mugger
(24 KB)
One
of the many sketches of Orat.
Orat
(56 KB)
Preliminary
sketch of the parade ground on Xenon where our hero receives his
golden mop. The tribute to the Two Guys from Andromeda stands out
as a statue in the background.
The
parade ground (60 KB)
One
of a number of alien bimbettes designed for the bar scene. This
particular sketch fantasied aspects of alien anatomy that we felt
had been overused, so it was de-emphasized in the final version.
Ultimately the close-up of the bimbette was never used.
A
bimbette (52 KB)
Ugly
bar woman (36 KB)
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General