Cheat :
Lucky gambling:
Hold [Space] for increased luck during the first three rolls.
Forklift:
Hold [Option] and click on the title screen until the Escape Velocity/Mystery Science Theater 3000 theme plays. Hold [Ctrl] + [Command] + [Option] + F when the phrase "-MCB 4:35 A.M." appears. The "Forklift" theme song will play to confirm correct code entry. The loaded pilot file will receive the forklift.
Escape Velocity haikus:
Press X at the title screen.
View song lyrics by the programmer:
Hold [Option] + [Command] + [Shift] and click on the top of the title screen.
Hear message from the programmer:
Hold [Option] + M + B and click on the title screen.
Satellite Of Love:
Hold S + O + L at the title screen to eventually find the "Satellite Of Love" in a shipyard.
Escape pirate attacks:
Hold [Shift] and press A + O + L.
Special neutron blaster:
Sell the neutron blaster while it is still selected as the secondary weapon. The neutron blaster may still be fired with increased firepower until another secondary weapon is selected.
Birthday message:
Set the Macintosh system date to June 30 and load the game. A "Happy Birthday Matt!" message will appear in the bottom left corner, in reference to programmer Matt Burch.Hint :
Hint: Buying Rebel ships:
Get a deadly combat rating and fly around a planet. Kill their defense fleet with a Defender with a forklift. Take over all the planets besides Earth and Ruby. Go to Rebel HQ and go into the mission bar. Try to get a mission that leads up to killing a Alien cruiser; this may take awhile. After that, Rebel ships may be bought.
Hint: Buying Confed ships:
Do the Alien Cruiser mission where you have to destroy a very strange looking ship that is very dangerous. To get this mission, you have to do many small missions that have to do with Confeds. A clue to indicate that you are getting closer to the alien mission is that you will get the Lucas mission, where you have to help a man names Lucas save his son and kill pirates.
Hint: Cruiser armada:
This trick requires a lot of money, but is well worth it. Go to a planet that has those ships. Capture a ship and use it as your own. Then, land and buy the ship you want to be in your fleet after you capture the next ship and use it as your own. Keep on doing this to end up with six cruisers as escorts.
Hint: Chain gun missiles:
Purchase a large number of missiles and a missile launcher. Leave the planet, select the missiles, land on the planet, and sell the missile launcher. Note: This trick requires v1.0.2 of the game.
Hint: Building fleets:
Stay near battles (not in the line of fire or someone's range). Target someone with low shield power and wait until they are disabled. Board the ship, and if the chances of capture are over 29%, capture the ship. They are now on your fleet. Another way to construct a fleet is to hire escorts.
Hint: Escape pirates:
Either beg for mercy (embarrassing and expensive) or if you have weapons, fight back.