Minsc: The Ranger and His Miniature Giant Space Hamster

Learn how to start playing Schedule I, from character customization and initial quests to renting a motel room and buying your first equipment. Get your game on!

This guide covers the initial stages of Schedule I, focusing on starting the game, character customization, and early quests.

Starting the Game

After a short cutscene, you can customize your character. This choice is permanent in-game, but can be changed via game files. In the full release, appearance changes will also be available at barbershops, clothing shops, and a tattoo parlor.

You spawn in front of the bus station across from the motel. Your first quest, "Getting Started," instructs you to open your phone ('Tab') and read messages. An "Unknown" message directs you to a payphone to speak with "U.N." (Uncle Nelson). He tasks you with retrieving his stash near the skatepark, located on a ledge by the road leading to the motel. You will find $375 there.

Renting a Motel Room

Next, speak to the motel manager, Donna, in the house next to the motel. The quest updates to "Rent a motel room." After the dialogue, you can pickpocket Donna to steal back the $75 needed for the room. Enter room 1 to complete the quest objective. Speedrunners typically enter briefly to finish the task quickly. Uncle Nelson will then want to speak with you again at the payphone.

Buying Equipment

The "Gearing Up" questline begins. Head to the hardware store (marked by a yellow star on the map, or by walking forward from your room, turning left at the road's end). At the store, you'll be tasked with depositing cash at an ATM and purchasing a grow tent, soil bag, and watering can. It's recommended to deposit all cash to avoid fines or medical bills if caught or if you die. Purchase items by speaking to Dan and using the shop interface. You can add items to your cart or select quantities. Items that don't fit in your inventory will be placed outside. Holding Shift allows you to grab entire stacks. It's also recommended to buy "Plant Trimmers," a "Packaging Station," and 10 "Baggies" for the next quest. An optional "Trash grabber" can be bought to collect trash for recycling. A "Trash bag" is also recommended to manage the trash can in your motel room. If you tell Dan you are a drug dealer, he may gift you "Speed Grow," which speeds up plant growth.

Return to your motel room, place the grow tent, and fill it with soil by interacting with the pot. Speak to Uncle Nelson at the payphone again.

Planting your First Seeds

Uncle Nelson introduces you to Albert Hoover. Check your phone for a message from Albert. To order seeds (a "Dead Drop"), press the send message button and select "I need to order a [dead drop]." You can currently only purchase "OG Kush." It's recommended to stick with OG Kush due to its ease and cost-effectiveness for creating better products. Albert delivers orders to a "Dead Drop" location, marked by a small metal drawer with a cross. The first delivery takes 30 in-game minutes (30 seconds), subsequent deliveries take about 4 in-game hours (4 minutes). You don't pay immediately; debts are put on a tab, payable at the dead drop behind the hardware store. Dead drops with items inside are highlighted. After picking up the seed, sow it in the grow tent by pressing 'E' when prompted. Water the plant using the watering can, which can be filled at the sink. Plants grow about 15% per in-game hour. Watering once is sufficient for full growth. Sleeping after watering is efficient as it advances plant growth significantly and prevents water waste.

Packaging

Once the plant is harvested using the "Plant Trimmers," place down the "Packaging Station." Interact with it to package the buds into baggies. You can also unpack weed. Jars can be purchased at the hardware store for storage.