Platform: NES
Year: 1993
Publisher: Absolute Entertainment, Inc.
Written by Matt Flores (Lumaga)
Version 1.02, 8-27-03
Copyright, 2003 Lumaga
==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==
1.0 About the FAQ
1.1 Version History
2.0 About the game
3.0 Controls
4.0 Ship Operations
4.1 Lt. Worf
4.2 Lt. Cmdr. Data
4.3 Lt. Cmdr. La Forge
4.4 Chief O'Brien
4.5 Cmdr. Riker
5) Stage select passwords
6) Credits
*************
About the FAQ
*************
I'm writing this FAQ so that first time players will have an easier and more
enjoyable playing experience.
Only GameFAQs may post this FAQ. If you find it anywhere else, please inform
me via email. If you wish to use this FAQ on your website, you must have my
written consent. You may distribute this FAQ freely (not posted freely) as
long as no profit is being made by it's distribution.
This FAQ was written in notepad and spell checked in Word XP.
Please check this FAQ carefully. I will not answer questions that can be
easily explained by reading the FAQ.
The characters described within are copyright Paramount Pictures.
v1.00 - First public release on 8-15-03.
v1.02 - Fixed minor details and promised future content.
**************
About the game
**************
Take control of the starship Enterprise as you battle through missions with
the finest crew in Starfleet.
Star Trek: The Next Generation was released for the NES in 1993 by Absolute
Entertainment, Inc. It is based on the popular television series, and the
missions in the game are based on generic problems of the Star Trek universe,
e.g. save a cruiser under attack and transport a diplomat to a meeting.
Completing these missions gives you a promotion, more responsibilities, and more
difficult missions. Rank levels are (from start to finish) Ensign, Lieutenant,
Lieutenant Commander, Commander, and Captain.
In a future update I will give a brief description of the missions, but please
remember that this game randomly generates them so a complete walkthrough is
impossible.
********
Controls
********
In this game there are three systems of controls: bridge, command, and battle.
Obviously, one is used while in battle, and the other two control the ship.
You can tell when you're using which control system. When you can see the five
insignias and read the name of the officer, you're using bridge controls. If
you see a picture of the officer and can give him orders, you're using command.
You are using battle if you see the insignias, but there is no name.
Bridge Controls
---------------
A: Select officer (switches to command controls)
B: Not used
Up/Down: Change speed (halt, half impulse, full impulse)
Left/Right: Scroll through officers
Start: Pause
Select: Toggle bridge/battle controls
Command Controls
----------------
A: Perform selected command
B: Get officer's report
Up/Down: Not used
Left/Right: Scroll through commands
Start: Not used
Select: Exit to bridge controls
Battle Controls
---------------
A: Fire phaser cannons (if armed)
B: Fire photon torpedoes (if armed)
Up/Down: Direct ship up/down
Left/Right: Direct ship left/right
Start: Toggle sensor screen
Select: Toggle battle/bridge controls
***************
Ship Operations
***************
There are five officers you control on the bridge, each with his own purpose.
Lt. Worf
--------
Worf is your friendly Klingon tactical officer. This Klingon basically
controls whether you live or die in certain situations. When ordered, he can
either raise or lower the ship's shields, or he can arm or disarm the ship's
weapons.
Not all missions call for brute force, so don't jump the gun and raise shields
and arm your weapons for the heck of it. However, you should NEVER go into a
battle without shields raised. The shields can collapse if the ship takes
enough damage, and the phasers and photons can fail as well leaving you
completely defenseless. Worf will inform you if either of these happens.
Lt. Cmdr. Data
--------------
With this android at the helm, you'll get to where you want to go in record
time. Data can do three things. He can plot a new course, show sensor data,
or take the Enterprise into orbit.
When plotting a course, you select from 16 different planets to travel to.
This isn't enough, though. You need to select a speed to travel at. There is
no need to choose anything other than warp 9, however in the GameBoy version of
this game there is. When your course and speed are selected, the arrival time
will display on the bottom of the screen. The ETA is the stardate when you will
arrive the planet.
Sensors show the sector you are currently in as well as showing all planets,
ships, and photon torpedoes fired. On this screen, the Enterprise is always in
the center viewed from the top. Pressing left or right moves the ship clockwise
or counter-clockwise, respectively. The up and down buttons zoom in or out
which is useful for maneuvering in battle or finding your way back to a planet
from which you wandered off. Pressing the A button shifts the target being
scanned. Ships targeted show the ship name and a damage report below the
screen.
Going into orbit can be very tricky at first, but you get the hang of it
quickly. You must be somewhat close to the planet in order to attempt a stable
orbit. Data will inform you if you are too far from the planet. When you are
close enough and attempt to orbit, you must maneuver the ship through 11 boxes
in space. Under the view screen you can see a ranking of how well you are doing.
As you pass through each box, you will get a score for that box in the form of
a bar graph. If the bar is high, you will get a "Caution" warning and may not
achieve stable orbit. If you get enough low bars (low being 1-3 tiers) you
will orbit the planet. Pressing select at anytime cancels the orbit attempt.
Lt. Cmdr. La Forge
------------------
Geordi La Forge does surprisingly well for a blind man. He is the chief
engineer on the Enterprise. His job in this game is to tell you what's wrong
with your ship and then fix it. While in battle, or when intruders destroy your
ship from the inside, some systems may become damaged and need repair. Geordi's
insignia flashes to inform you of this. He also lets you boost power to one of
three systems (Phasers, Shields, or Transporter).
The first option given is to boost a system. When this is highlighted, a display
explaining the ships power and the current boosted system will appear on the
right side of Geordi's picture. To give additional power to a system,
you must direct a few charges to the appropriate system. A grid with wires
going every which way (though ultimately down) will appear, and you will be
presented with three charge outlets and four rows of three charge directors.
The directors have either a 'X' shape, causing the charges to go from the
current wire to the wire next to it, or they have a parallel design, '||',
causing the charge to stay on the wire. It's VERY difficult to understand what
this system looks like just by reading this FAQ, but if you saw it, you'd
understand.
*Update: I am currently working on an ASCII version of this schematic. It is
very difficult, and I appreciate your patience. I swear, it's coming.
At the bottom of the setup are three acceptors labeled 'T', 'P',
and 'S' for the appropriate system. They also tell you how many charges have
been accepted. The number of charges varies with each rank level. When all of
the charges have gone, the system with the greatest number of charges will be
boosted. Boosted shields last longer. Boosted phasers are stronger and fire
in longer bursts, and a boosted transporter system beams intruders and cargo
much quicker.
La Forge's other command is repair. To repair a damaged system, simply select
it with the cursor and press A. The engineering crew will slowly repair the
ship at your request.
Chief O'Brien
-------------
The Irish transporter chief has the least used function of this game. His job
is to transport cargo or ambassadors on or off the ship and to transport any
invading intruders off the ship (assumedly into the void of space). In order
for the transporter to work properly, the shields must be lowered.
To beam items or personnel up, select the chief's first command. The screen
will show what looks like a transporter grid with a small display on the top-
right corner. The display will tell you how good of a lock you have on your
target and how much more power is needed to transport the person/object.
As you move around the grid, you'll notice that the LOCK meter goes on a
"getting warmer, getting colder" scale. You can't just beam up whatever object
you want. For example, there are many missions where cargo has to be
transported from one system to another. Normally there are four or five things
to be beamed up, but only one of them is the "hot" item. You have to scan for
this one by using the LOCK meter. When you find it, press and hold A to begin
the transport. If the person is moving (usually the case with colonists fleeing
a firestorm), you will have to move the transporter lock accordingly.
What goes on must go off. Beaming items off the ship is much easier than
beaming them on. Simply get in range of the ship or in orbit of the planet,
lower the shields, and select the Beam Down option. In missions where you have
to transport generators or an ambassador, this will end the mission.
While in battle, a few intruders may board the ship and wreck havoc on your
systems. There's really nothing you can do to prevent this. Once you learn of
intruders on board, make La Forge repair the system being affected if it is
essential. Then you'll have to beam the intruders away. The shields do NOT
have to be lowered for this to happen. This is where it gets tough, though.
The enemies don't stop firing just because you aren't looking. You'll have to
split your attention between the barrage of photon torpedoes and the menacing
aliens on your vessel. You'll notice that the chief will show how many
intruders there are total on his screen. However, they may be split on several
decks, meaning you can only get a few at a time. Simply get all of the ones on
one deck, then exit the transporter grid screen and re-enter it. Don't forget
about the attacking ships.
Cmdr. Riker
-----------
Commander William T. Riker is the most worthless character in this game.
His only functions are to tell you the current stardate, tell you the stardate
at which the mission will end, and tell you when time is running short. He
does nothing else, so don't even bother with him unless you think you are
pressed for time.
