WC1 no cockpit patch? How is this done with WC1 GOG version? Saw it via Youtuber "Space Cadet Rewind"

[FlightShtick]

If you haven't seen his video, it's some really badass work!!

But it seems the files he uses are for the Kilrathi Saga.

GitHub - Bekenn/wcdx: DirectX DLL and other enhancements for Wing Commander Kilrathi Saga

DirectX DLL and other enhancements for Wing Commander Kilrathi Saga - Bekenn/wcdx

github.com

Can this be possible on the GOG version?
TYIA

 

[AllTinker]

Short answer: No, it only works with Kilrathi Saga sadly.

Longer answer: I experimented with this briefly, but it seems the DOS version renders things a bit differently to Kilrathi Saga. My guess is that because it doesn't expect the cockpit "background" graphics to change often, it only renders the instruments every other frame to save CPU time... Which makes the HUD elements flicker on and off on alternate frames if the cockpit backdrop isn't being drawn behind them. It's really not pleasant to look at. Probably fixable with some machine code hacking, but it wouldn't be particularly trivial.

Removing the cockpit has other weird effects too which I'm not sure are resolvable; modifying the cockpits messes up various offset calculations, making the instruments cluster together and otherwise render in the wrong positions. Potentially fixable by modifying all of the offset data... Possibly.

 

[FlightShtick]

That's a shame. Well, the author of the YouTube video linked to this version of the game that is from the KS version.

2000 PC Gamer Coverdisk Release - Wing Commander Encyclopedia

www.wcnews.com

Would the fixes he linked work there?

WC1 Modding Efforts Improve Invisible Cockpits - Wing Commander CIC

The center of the Wing Commander community features news, information, tech support and conversation about the computer game series.

www.wcnews.com

Says here that the KS version of one has an option to turn off the cockpit. Where is that option?

 

[AD]

I was trying to see if I could find the reference guide online to no avail, but I honestly haven't looked that hard yet. Regardless, I'm fairly certain you just toggle it with the forward view button (F1).

 

[Bandit LOAF]

Yes, that's correct - F1 toggles it.

 

[FlightShtick]

Thanks, BTW can you guys make heads or tails of the how-to this author is talking about?

GitHub - Bekenn/wcdx: DirectX DLL and other enhancements for Wing Commander Kilrathi Saga

DirectX DLL and other enhancements for Wing Commander Kilrathi Saga - Bekenn/wcdx

github.com

The command he is talking about to run doesn't want to work.

EDIT:
I got it all, except I am having an issue with the WC2 that comes in the Special Operations.
The author says it's supposed to be called Wing2. It's called WC2 and I get the error below on the sixth line.

The other files he says I am supposed to use from SM and SO all work except this one file. Was it changed recently?

 

[AllTinker]

Yeah, the install process for Kilrathi Saga is a freaking mess.

The WC1.exe and WC2.exe executables are just launchers, and personally I just get rid of them. If it's installed correctly, then before you start patching with WCDX you should have the following for Wing Commander 1:

GAMEDAT\
STREAMS\
SM1.EXE
SM2.EXE
TRANSFER.EXE
WING1.EXE
WINGCMDR.CFG

And the following for Wing Commander 2:

GAMEDAT\
STREAMS\
SO1.EXE
SO2.EXE
WING2.EXE
WC2.CFG

You'll only have those (including Wing1.exe and Wing2.exe I believe) if you install Secret Missions 1+2 (using SM12Inst.exe) and Special Ops 1+2 (using SO12Inst.exe), and manually copy over the STREAMS directories.

I don't use PowerShell, that's about the only other potential difference I can think of.

 

[FlightShtick]

Yeah, the install process for Kilrathi Saga is a freaking mess.

The WC1.exe and WC2.exe executables are just launchers, and personally I just get rid of them. If it's installed correctly, then before you start patching with WCDX you should have the following for Wing Commander 1:

GAMEDAT\
STREAMS\
SM1.EXE
SM2.EXE
TRANSFER.EXE
WING1.EXE
WINGCMDR.CFG

And the following for Wing Commander 2:

GAMEDAT\
STREAMS\
SO1.EXE
SO2.EXE
WING2.EXE
WC2.CFG

You'll only have those (including Wing1.exe and Wing2.exe I believe) if you install Secret Missions 1+2 (using SM12Inst.exe) and Special Ops 1+2 (using SO12Inst.exe), and manually copy over the STREAMS directories.

I don't use PowerShell, that's about the only other potential difference I can think of.

Yes, like the fella (Stinger) said I needed Wing2.exe for the patches for Wing Commander 2 to work.

From the readme:

* The patch only works for the executables distributed with the add-on packs for WC1 and WC2 (available [here][1]). If you haven't installed Secret Missions or Special Operations, the patch will do you no good.

The Secret missions has Wing1.exe, but no luck with Special Operations with Wing2.exe.
Which I grabbed from the Wing Commander file section via this site.

 

[FlightShtick]

Category:Downloads - Wing Commander Encyclopedia

www.wcnews.com

Wing2.exe is not inside the SO files.

 

[cff]

Wouldn't it be significantly easier to make a patch for WC1 that removes the cockpits (no toggling possible). One would "just" have to replace the cockpit files with ones that only have a transparency layer full screen. Not into WC modding at all, but I guess this should be pretty straight forward, no?

 

[FlightShtick]

I have the correct Kilrathi Saga files patched. It would just be a lot of work when I can just press F1.
WC1, SM 1 and 2 both work. I just can't get WC2 and SO to work because the file is missing.

Special Operations - Wing Commander Encyclopedia

www.wcnews.com

The set of files are supposed to have Wing2.exe according to the author of the mod, but it is missing.
It could be inside the 2 separate FTP links, but I can't seem to get the two files from the FTP links, they are either down or maybe it's my browser.

 

[FlightShtick]

You'll only have those (including Wing1.exe and Wing2.exe I believe) if you install Secret Missions 1+2 (using SM12Inst.exe) and Special Ops 1+2 (using SO12Inst.exe), and manually copy over the STREAMS directories.

I don't use PowerShell, that's about the only other potential difference I can think of.

Is the reason I am missing Wing2.exe have something to do with that patch process? I don't know how it could, but I am desperate to try anything now.

 

[AD]

Is the reason I am missing Wing2.exe have something to do with that patch process? I don't know how it could, but I am desperate to try anything now.

The CD version of WC2 for me is also just WC2.exe... so here's a longshot you can try: back up your wc2.exe file and then rename it WING2.exe and run the patcher and see what happens.

 

[FlightShtick]

Same thing that happened at post 6. Wing Commander 2 on the Kilrathi saga and the Special Operations neither have the Wing2.exe.
Should I message stinger and ask what happened?

 

[Stinger]

Hey there! Thanks for reaching out to me; it looks like I need to clarify this in the instructions.

The Wing2.exe file comes from the Kilrathi Saga CD, where it is named WC2.EXE. This is the game executable for Wing Commander 2. The wcksso12.zip file also has a wc2.exe, but this is a different file; it's the Kilrathi Saga launcher that lets you choose which expansion to play. If you were to run SO12Inst.exe from the zip file, I believe the installer renames the original WC2.EXE file to Wing2.exe. If you're not running the installer, you'll need to rename the file yourself.

Stealing the file list from @AllTinker, this is what you should end up with:

GAMEDAT\
STREAMS\
SO1.EXE    <-- Special Operations 1 executable
SO2.EXE    <-- Special Operations 2 executable
WC2.EXE    <-- WCKS Launcher for WC2 + SO1 + SO2 (not useful)
WING2.EXE  <-- Wing Commander 2 executable (originally WC2.EXE from the CD)
WC2.CFG

Hope this helps!

 

[FlightShtick]

It totally worked! Not to sound unappreciative or even rude, but did you leave that part out of the directions? Because I did read all of it, I don't remember that part in the how-to.

And thank you so much. All 6 pre W3 games are playing fine. (As long as I don't try to skip the cinematics in the WC2 games, that is, haha)
Do the cinematics come with subtitles, btw? And do these 6 KS games have an options screen?

Thanks again!

 

[FlightShtick]

Yeah, the install process for Kilrathi Saga is a freaking mess.

The WC1.exe and WC2.exe executables are just launchers, and personally I just get rid of them. If it's installed correctly, then before you start patching with WCDX you should have the following for Wing Commander 1:

GAMEDAT\
STREAMS\
SM1.EXE
SM2.EXE
TRANSFER.EXE
WING1.EXE
WINGCMDR.CFG

And the following for Wing Commander 2:

GAMEDAT\
STREAMS\
SO1.EXE
SO2.EXE
WING2.EXE
WC2.CFG

You'll only have those (including Wing1.exe and Wing2.exe I believe) if you install Secret Missions 1+2 (using SM12Inst.exe) and Special Ops 1+2 (using SO12Inst.exe), and manually copy over the STREAMS directories.

I don't use PowerShell, that's about the only other potential difference I can think of.

Yeah, I guess that was right, but I couldn't get it working. The manual way was best. But thanks.

 

[Stinger]

did you leave that part out of the directions?

On GitHub, yes, accidentally. I've just updated the readme there. The instructions on the CIC forum post were better.

Glad you got it working!

Do the cinematics come with subtitles, btw?

That sounds like a feature worth exploring, assuming I manage to find the time to get back to this. There's currently no configurable game option for subtitles; it's either speech or text.

And do these 6 KS games have an options screen?

Sorry, no. I've had the idea of a config file floating in the back of my head for... years now (geez), but I doubt I'd ever find the time to come up with new in-game screens for anything.

Really, the most critical feature that needs to be worked on is a proper installer, so nobody else has to deal with the issues you just worked through. I have ideas, but... no time.

 

[FlightShtick]

Cool I was able to help you with the read-me. So is the one on GitHub the ultimate README?
Or should I screenshot the one here on CIC you linked?

So the games themselves have no option screens anywhere? Like the dialog, joystick Vs. Mouse?
I can't find anything in hotkeys. (Maybe they did before they were ripped from my KS discs?)

Thanks!

 

[Stinger]

Both locations ought to be kept up-to-date whenever I make any changes. The GitHub version is trimmed down slightly, but is intended to have the same information. The forum thread is where I did all the original announcements, and that post will absolutely be updated any time I make a change.

As for game options, there's really not much. You should check out the Kilrathi Saga manual if you haven't already (it's a pretty neat read on its own).