BREAKING NEWS: Arena Manual Sighted! (June 25, 2007)

[gevatter Lars]

If the manual is truely for free I will get one...or even pay a small price.

 

[Mekt-Hakkikt]

Well, then, it's an even better deal than that, because you don't have to have the game to have the manual, it will be available from the EA Arcade page.

(But, of course, if you don't have the game you're a scum-sucking utak. )

Or an furless freak!

Anyway, my MSP came today and my friends offered me one year of XBox Live gold as a birthday present, so I am all set!
After seeing the informations in those few pages, I wonder what extra informations will be in the game or if they're all in those magnificent 60-pages...

 

[Mekt-Hakkikt]

Wow, my memory served me better than I feared.

(...)No hairlesses is a joke about (and quantification of) the Wing Commander movie. (...)

At first I thought it meant that the Kilrathi wanted no humans. But then I remembered that humans were more often called "furless". It makes more sense that way and it's a nice nod to the WCM. Anyway, a human wanting to become the lair mate of a Kilrathi would be strange. On the other hand, I imagine they're very cushy.

* This one is fantastic because it gives us designations for a bunch of fighters! Many of them seem to be nods to Standoff (yay) or the original series bible.

And apparently the Gladius and Raptor are both older than the Broadsword. And it's nice to hear from the often forgotten Aramada fighters.


That's the biggest fan treat since the revelation of that Joan's update for the SM2 ships, in my eyes.

 

[Bandit LOAF]

There went my hopes that the Kilrathi had done WC humanity a favor and pasted Professor Torg when they bombed Luna or Earth.

But hey, he got a first name!

~Are the humans in the Tri-system descendants of settlers from earth, who traveled there a long time ago and developed a differing culture? I realize that in game fiction establishes them as having "originated" on one of the tri-system planets, but you'd be surprised how local cultures and/or governments can "re-write" history or establish their own creation myths.

The reference to civilization in the Tri-System going back 2,000 years isn't from an in-game point of view... it's from the description given in the introduction. I think we have to accept that as the holy writ.

must mention the ad listing navy surplus ships for sale. it's very useful for fan projects based on Privateer, for it lets civilian pilots buy military ships.

I think several fan projects already do this. The existence of surplus ships appears in several novels... and it's part of the background of Arena itself.

~At what point did the Confederation make contact with the Tri-system government? How much of a relationship do the two governments have today, especially in terms of population movement and/or transfer of technology?

We don't know that they have yet - just that there's some speculator out there who has. I would be cautious about even assuming what the status of the post-Nephilim War Confederation is until we've seen a little bit more...

If the manual is truely for free I will get one...or even pay a small price.

How gracious of you. I'm sure it will be available for free.

After seeing the informations in those few pages, I wonder what extra informations will be in the game or if they're all in those magnificent 60-pages...

The game certainly doesn't have as much direct 'fan service' as these pages do... but it does have a lot of cool little elements stuck in for us. We've already seen some of it - from in-continuity ship descriptions to cameos from things like Longbows!

At first I thought it meant that the Kilrathi wanted no humans. But then I remembered that humans were more often called "furless". It makes more sense that way and it's a nice nod to the WCM. Anyway, a human wanting to become the lair mate of a Kilrathi would be strange. On the other hand, I imagine they're very cushy.

Hehe, yeah, 'hairless' is what those (real life) cats that don't have fur are called. The pink ones.

 

[Frosty]

If the manual is truely for free I will get one...or even pay a small price.

What is this supposed to mean? The massive expenditure of time and effort to deliver us a 60-page, full-color manual electronically and in print is worth little to nothing to you? Well thanks for telling us!

I'm sure you're deluded enough to believe we actually give a shit what you think, so I'll straighten you out: If your opinions were truly for free, I still wouldn't ask you for one, let alone pay a small price.

Out there in the untamed idiot jungle of the internet you can feel free to spit on the hard work of people whose sole objective for months has been to please WC fans (a group to which you claim to belong,) but around here you won't get away with it. It doesn't make you look discerning or clever, and it doesn't endear you to anyone.

Your faint praise damns only yourself.

 

[Edfilho]

Or an furless freak!

More like a PATHETIC DESCENDANT OF MONKEYS {repeat 10000x}

 

[Dundradal]

There went my hopes that the Kilrathi had done WC humanity a favor and pasted Professor Torg when they bombed Luna or Earth.

Funny you say that. I said the same thing last night on IRC to Pete when all of us were talking about it.

Little bastard was probably in a civil defense shelter whining about military spending.

 

[Edfilho]

Funny you say that. I said the same thing last night on IRC to Pete when all of us were talking about it.

Little bastard was probably in a civil defense shelter whining about military spending.

Yeah, I'm no warhawk or anything, I'm no militaristic nut, but that guy was really silly. I mean, there is a whole Empire of lion-men killing us very hard, and he complains about the armed forces getting too much money?

 

[Bandit LOAF]

I can't express how happy I am that this thread exists. A new addition to the canon a fter all these years -- it's just unbelievable.

Catching up on an earlier comment:

But one thing bugged me: I thought Burrows didn't get his Steltek gun back, did he, in RF?

You do not get the gun back in Righteous Fire - but this was something people were *incredibly* angry about in 1994... and understandably so - you work through the entire game chasing down your gun, you find out that they've been mass produced by the Retros and then... nothing. If the writer of the manual has any familiarity with the community in the 1990s, then this was intentional.

Yeah, I'm no warhawk or anything, I'm no militaristic nut, but that guy was really silly. I mean, there is a whole Empire of lion-men killing us very hard, and he complains about the armed forces getting too much money?

I think Forstchen himself pointed out in Action Stations that such men always have a way of getting out of harms way, so it seems appropriate that he'd have survived. Nevertheless, the fact that he's praising a book about defeating the Kilathi suggests that maybe he's changed his tune...

 

[Dundradal]

I can't express how happy I am that this thread exists. A new addition to the canon a fter all these years -- it's just unbelievable.

I have to agree. Maybe we won't see a "How big *really* is the Kilrathi dreadnaught?" thread for a little while. Not that I didn't enjoy them, but now we have tons of new stuff to talk about for a while to come and hopefully this is only the beginning.

 

[PeteyG]

I think Forstchen himself pointed out in Action Stations that such men always have a way of getting out of harms way, so it seems appropriate that he'd have survived. Nevertheless, the fact that he's praising a book about defeating the Kilathi suggests that maybe he's changed his tune...

Alternate explanation: Torg praises the book as having the "clearest possible picture" because Maniac's narrative somehow furthers Torg's vague anti-military agenda.

Given Catscratch's reaction, it's a fair bet that Maniac's personality translates pretty well into his writings. I bet Torg would have been thrilled to help promote a book that cut the other great heroes of the Confederation down a few pegs. Wee, a recurring Wing Commander Chomsky-figure!

I this... I don't know. All of this. New official Wing Commander fiction? I... what?

 

[Mekt-Hakkikt]

The game certainly doesn't have as much direct 'fan service' as these pages do... but it does have a lot of cool little elements stuck in for us. We've already seen some of it - from in-continuity ship descriptions to cameos from things like Longbows!

Yeah, that's what I wondered: whether the (e.g.) the ship descriptions will be in the game only or in the manual as well. But it does not really matter - 60 pages!

Hehe, yeah, 'hairless' is what those (real life) cats that don't have fur are called. The pink ones.

OK, I didn't know that. Thanks.

I can't express how happy I am that this thread exists. A new addition to the canon a fter all these years -- it's just unbelievable.

Indeed, I am excited as hell at the idea of new things to discuss. Too bad it happens at a time I should be spending less time on the internet instead of more. But who cares? There are events one mustn't miss!

Though I have to admit, I still don't get all the links to Priv 2 and how they might relate. Maybe a compilation thread will open, once we know.

You do not get the gun back in Righteous Fire - but this was something people were *incredibly* angry about in 1994... and understandably so - you work through the entire game chasing down your gun, you find out that they've been mass produced by the Retros and then... nothing. If the writer of the manual has any familiarity with the community in the 1990s, then this was intentional.

Ah, some sort of late fan service. Really nice.


It'd be extremely nice if the manual was for download available before Arena starts, to shorten the time!

 

[Bandit LOAF]

Yeah, that's what I wondered: whether the (e.g.) the ship descriptions will be in the game only or in the manual as well. But it does not really matter - 60 pages!

I believe they will have different ship descriptions, to maximize your ship-learning-about dollar.

Though I have to admit, I still don't get all the links to Priv 2 and how they might relate. Maybe a compilation thread will open, once we know.

It's basically just a nod saying that the Tri-System is out there, somewhere. I don't know that there'll be any other references to Priv 2 (it's hard to do, since P2 takes place almost a century later).

 

[Mekt-Hakkikt]

I believe they will have different ship descriptions, to maximize your ship-learning-about dollar.

That'd be great.

It's basically just a nod saying that the Tri-System is out there, somewhere. I don't know that there'll be any other references to Priv 2 (it's hard to do, since P2 takes place almost a century later).

Ok, that's what I figured out too, so far. I was just uncertain if I missed some links that would make the dates and data given in Priv 2 and Arena easier to interprete.

But there's not much more than hints and nods.

 

[Delance]

Torg Wormtongue Chomsky might have changed his views a bit for his own personal gain.

 

[Bandit LOAF]

If the manual is truely for free I will get one...or even pay a small price.

TO be absolutely clear (since you're apparently going around telling people otherwise for some reason): the manual is a piece of promotional material which will be released for free as a PDF through the EA Arcade website. It's not something you download through Xbox Live. It is a present for hardcore fans, designed so that all can enjoy it, beyond just those who are able to play Arena.

We will also have a small number of print copies to give out through the CIC. These will also be free, but we'll have to figure out some fair way of dividing them up.

 

[Dundradal]

TO be absolutely clear (since you're apparently going around telling people otherwise for some reason): the manual is a piece of promotional material which will be released for free as a PDF through the EA Arcade website. It's not something you download through Xbox Live. It is a present for hardcore fans, designed so that all can enjoy it, beyond just those who are able to play Arena.

We will also have a small number of print copies to give out through the CIC. These will also be free, but we'll have to figure out some fair way of dividing them up.

Sounds like some big prizes for the bday party to me especially since it's just over a month away.

 

[Spoon]

I've got nothing usefull to add but: "Pure win, awesome and I want this game&manual now now now" also "I salute and thank the developers for this awesome amount of detail and care".
That is all.

 

[Bandit LOAF]

A hard-copy arrived here last night! It's beautiful - the entire thing is full color on glossy pages... I can't believe how much money EA must have spent on this.

 

[Blaster]

Does this mean that we will be able to download scans of the manual from the CIC soon or will we have to wait for it to be on the official site?