Flashy Encounter Peeks At Project's Potential Update ID Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

Adm_maverick has jumped a few more technical hurdles on the way towards his Prophecy Video Project. He's been working with multiple video and audio editors to figure out how to change the names that appear under talking heads and add in new voiceover segments. This new test video shows off this blend of dynamic elements with comm chatter superimposed over external camera footage in one of the early WCP missions. It's all still in the very early stages, but there's some nifty possibilities here!
In the meanwhile I do have something to show off. Every since I started this project more then 6 weeks ago I've been talking about stuff 'in theory' and 'if I can do it' and 'I think it'll work', but you never really know what problems you will face until you sit down and actually start putting blade to grind stone. So I did that today. I've put together a tech-log assembly cut of the launch for the first mission of the game, the Kilrathi Distress mission. It's not perfect and I've still got tweaking to do and the biggie section, the actual dog fight is still yet to be done but that will have to wait till next week.

Another idea I had, one that I'm tossing into the back of the pile right now simply because it doesn't play any part in the current development, is for an alteration to the mission to capture the Ship Killer. Basically I want to make the fight more intense, and then move it to more desperate as the Ship Killer is powering up. My idea right now is to have it culminate with the statement that the strike team doesn't have any torpedoes left so there's no way to take out the engines, only for another pilot (Maybe Maestro, maybe Stiletto, hell maybe even Maniac - he's just crazy enough to do this) to call out that they're bailing out after hitting their afterburners and pointing their ship at the engines of the Ship Killer, the resulting collision destroys the engines and disables the ship.

Another Exciting Day At Action Central Update ID Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

L.I.F.'s latest addition to the Homeworld Remastered Mod isn't just an awesome Wing Commander structure, it's an incredible technical accomplishment for the game engine. He's managed to import Klavs' WC2-style starbase by breaking it up into 28 conjoined submeshes with half a million polygons. The results are fantastically detailed. It's possible that the post may not be practical for the game, but it's very cool to see in the game nonetheless!
People... I think I've gone too far. I've done something that Modders were not meant to do. Klavs81 did some gorgeous work, but one kinda kept my attention for its sheer size and the ambition it represents. Kinda like, you know, Icarus' Sun, the thing that you know you should not try to reach but do so anyway?

This is the first version, without any kind of advanced texturing work to make it look really as great as he did in his screenshots. DEFINITELY work in progress, that's a proof of concept of my latest workflow, with a... > 500 k polygon mesh. I have no clue if I'll use it, how, why or where, but... wow. It can be done.

That's A Heck Of A Scratching Post... Update ID Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

After all the Confed Forces got a bunch of big bases, the Kilrathi were left needing a place to stay. The new stations outlined here are a great start! Melek's starbase from WC4 makes an appearance as the trading port in the Wing Commander mod for Sins of a Solar Empire. Nomada_Firefox has also designed a really cool shipyard for the largest dreadnoughts - it's built right through an asteroid! Finally, there's a nifty conventional spacedock designed to build kat ships inspired by the WC Movie. A couple more Kilrathi posts are in work to fill out the universe, and then it's on to another faction.
The next station will be the Refinery, my best option for this will be a asteroid with some additions. There was a station from WC3, a mix from asteroid and starbase, but I want use it as the Kilrathi Starbase because it had a perfect addition for it. It had engines and the Kilrathi bases usually will have movement. Th other model from Wing Commander Prophecy should have a partin the mod. I am thinking of where I will use it. I have not hurried but probably finish the stations this week or the next.

New Dimension Added To Flat Universe's Space Combat Update ID Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

Flat Universe has achieved a major milestone! After months of dedicated effort, multiplayer combat has now been successfully implemented. The screenshots below show off the team's ceremonial first dogfight between a Hornet and Dralthi. These new images also show off the game's latest cockpit/HUD elements, which are super sharp. Try out the latest release here, but note that it does not yet contain the new multi component. The Maslas Brothers tease that it could be available soon, however!
This week we have reached a major milestone for FlatUniverse. Multiplayer is a reality! For the past months we have been in a very tight schedule so that we could actually make part of our deal become reality. Our first fight had to be Hornet vs Dralthi and it is dedicated to our love at first sight: Wing Commander I! This is what your screens will show when you will actually play Flat Universe :)

Hopefully, in the near future, you will get your hands dirty on these birds, too. We really are very exited! Catch up later Wingnuts.

the MaslasBros

Militia Forces To The Rescue Update ID Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

DefianceIndustries is here to brighten your weekend with a wonderful sunrise scene over Nephele. It shows the BWS cavalry dashing in to save a transport with a rugged assortment of tough ships. A mixed force of Rapiers, Razors, Vindicators and a Thunderbolt should be plenty to take on just about any pirate threat!
Pick your targets pilots, we caught 'em napping!

Pirates thought a food shipment out of Nephele would be easy pickings. Unfortunately for them, the militia caught wind of what they were planning and what should have been easy pickings turned into a quick and ugly furball when fighters from BWS Reliant came in over the pole and caught the pirates unaware...

Origin's Space Rogue Added To GOG Lineup Update ID Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

What should you get for the Wing Commander fan who has everything? GOG is here to help with the recent addition of Space Rogue, a space sim published by Origin about two years before Chris Roberts' Wing Commander arrived on the scene. The game was designed by Paul Neurath who went on to fame with Ultima Underworld and the System Shock series. Other notable WC vet contributors include Denis Loubet, Jeff Dee, Steven Muchow, Keith Berdak, Warren Spector and Dallas Snell. It's clearly dated by its late '80s graphics, and its gameplay has never been one to challenge the WC series, but it's a charming addition to the back catalogue and an interesting artifact of the time that came before. And who can resist its dreamy covert art?! The package also includes bonuses like an associated novella and a cool star map. Learn more about the game at Pix's Origin Adventures or find it at GOG for $5.99.
Dropping out of hyperspace, you lay a course for Lagrange Station. Suddenly, the klaxon screams out a warning. Two Darts and a Corsair, closing fast. Pirates!

You roll hard to avoid the incoming plasma torps. One hits, knocking down your rear shield. Spinning to protect your stern, you launch a heat seeker...

Direct hit: the Corsair bursts into shards. Stunned, the Darts run for deep space.

Later, over a pint of Rigelian in the Lagrange cantina, you listen as a bounty hunter tells of the Scarlet Brotherhood, the most notorious band of pirates in the Far Arm. You hope it wasn't one of their Corsairs you vaporized out there ...

Inspired Space Flight Simulation!
 Trek through an astonishingly realistic universe with outposts and mining stations, planets and asteroids, stars and starships - all in spectacular 3D graphics. Watch combat from cockpit, chase plane, or cinematic camera angles. Engage cunning foes in heated dogfights, where you'll have to outgun and outsmart your opponents to taste victory. Outfit your ship with plasma torpedoes, plasteel armor, particle beams, missiles, force shields, ECM units and more. Execute loops, rolls, and spins. Feel the tug of gravity as you whip around a star. Authentic spaceflight dynamics push your piloting skills to the limit.

Intense Role-Playing Adventure!
 Make a fortune - and a name - trading cargo, bounty hunting, or plundering merchant ships. Every action you take affects your reputation, and who calls you friend or foe. Meet and converse with the inhabitants of the Far Arm: Imperial troopers, merchant princes, talkative robots, and treacherous pirates. Shop for starship hardware, do favors for aliens, carouse in bars - even play HIVE!, the galaxy's hottest arcade game. You will be drawn into a web of intrigue; secret plots, assassination attempts, intergalactic war. Ultimately, the destiny of billions will hinge on your deeds.

Happy Thanksgiving! Update ID Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

Happy Thanksgiving to our readers out there in the US today! We know there's Wingnuts from all around the world tuning in, and we hope everyone has a great day and weekend coming up too. Owing to its Pilgrim origins, this is a convenient time to remind fans about a Wing Commander novel that few have read, Pilgrim Truth. It's the sequel to the WC Movie novelization and Pilgrim Stars, all by Peter Telep. The third book in the series was never published, so Mr. Telep has graciously made it available for fans to enjoy. Grab it in a browser, as a mobi (Kindle) or an epub (iBooks or other)!
...and what a story it is! Pilgrim Truth is an excellent read. It may be the most epic Wing Commander novel ever written, taking you across the galaxy from Kilrah to Earth to the Pilgrim homeworld of McDaniel's World and points between. You'll meet familiar characters, walk the halls of the Tiger Claw again and finally solve a decade-old cliffhanger. Longtime fans of the Wing Commander games, though, will be most excited to find a single paragraph near the end of the book which resolves one of the series' greatest mysteries.

Boosted Bug Bothers Bombers Update ID Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

As many of you skate into what's hopefully an extended weekend, check out this Nephilim interceptor from Dark Sentinel. The image below shows a comparison between the original and his upgraded version, which is nearly a ten-fold polygon increase. All the smoothness gained here significantly helps the organic feel that the ship should have. This one's untextured, but DS does some really nice Nephilim skins that I'm sure will look great. He also promises fully conjoined Skate Clusters at some point in the future!
There's bombers in a thread near here. They can't be left unharassed. There's Moray for that and Manta as well, and now this very agile interceptor. 229 -> 1964 polies for now. Final result may be more or less, depending on how the UVing goes and how much would I be able to clean it up. Clusters coming later.

WCSO Update Investigating Cockpit Upgrades & Capship Implementation Update ID Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

It's been one year since we first reported on DefianceIndustries' Secret Ops Model Upgrade Pack. Although he's had to reprioritize and shift focus among some other projects over the last few months, he posted an update to assure fans that progress is still being made. The latest research goes inside the ships to determine how cockpits might be improved. There have also been some issues implementing improved capships properly, but fortunately other fans like gr1mre4per are collaborating to figure out a solution. We're anxious to see what they come up with!
I'm also looking at revamping the cockpits. Dark Sentinel and I discussed trying this a while ago. He even went so far as to put together a cockpit tub based off my Panther model. I took the basic tub and am starting to add some panels and detail to it. I'll fully model it out and then see if I can get it to work in SO without crashing it. hehehehe. Anyway, here are a few shots of the rough clay and a layout idea. I'm not planning on moving the HUD elements around, I always assumed the HUD was projected onto the pilot's visor anyway.

I'm working on some models in the background but the big issue I'm facing right now is that I can't get BSP trees to work with the new cap ship models. The models would work with Prophecy, there aren't major differences in file structure between them (same engine and all). However, there are huge differences in memory management between Prophecy and SO. So the WCP Unlimited version that Gr1mreaper is working on are different code branches. I haven't tested them with WCP, but it is on my list of things to do after I get the WCP models updated, after all it should be a pretty easy port at that point.

More Translations Complete, Kilrathi Pirate Base Looms For WC RPG Update ID Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

It's been a while since we've checked in with the Wing Commander RPG, but it should come as no surprise that capi keeps plugging away. Lots of work last month centered around wrapping up the chapter 2.2 section he's been working on and conducting numerous translations into the enhanced Kilrathi language he's designed. As progress shifts into chapter 2.3, there are some interesting plans afoot to sketch out the Demon's Eye Base. It's amazing how much thought is going into this, and hopefully some fans will really enjoy the detail when the Elegy of Sivar module is complete!
With the lexicon work completed, my efforts now turn to Chapter 2.3, entitled Bharg'Yi'nargrast'hra ("The Conquest of Demon's Eye"), where Bloodeye and company are scheduled to take the Demon's Eye Base from the Morgan's Raiders pirate clan. I've mainly been reviewing the notes that I have for that Chapter already as well as some of the text I have written for that Chapter up until this point. I'm finding that I'm having difficulty with this mission's design. I mean, I know what is supposed to happen, but I'm having a tough time figuring out the how of it; how will Bloodeye and company take the base? I have sought some feedback from the CIC community as well as from a local game designer's group. I am confident that I will be able to hammer out the difficulties I've been having soon and that work in earnest will be able to commence on the chapter in the very short-term. I still need to finish generating the stats of the Demon's Eye base, begin mocking up battle maps, and slice the Chapter's plot some more - the same things I've been needing to do with the Chapter for the past several months. My Plan for the coming week is to begin with the generation of the base stats and to at least come up with the basic shapes of the main locations of the station - of which I've identified 14 potential sites - which may help me to generate rudimentary battle maps. I suspect that building the battle maps may help me tremendously when it comes to slicing up the plot; I know it did when I was working on Chapter 2.1.

Powerful Destroyer Bulks Up The Home Fleet Update ID Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

The Homeworld Remastered Mod has gotten a sleek upgrade in the destroyer department. L.I.F. has added Klavs' Southampton as an advanced upgrade to the popular WC3/4 capship. It's quite a bit sharper looking than the original that czacen added in 2008 and even L.I.F.'s upgrade in January. Try out the latest project beta at the Steam Workshop.
This destroyer does not exist. Any rumours regarding its production or deployment are lies. Sightings of such a ship are obviously the result of drunk-piloting and should be reported as such to the nearest authorities. The Strategic Readiness Agency never commissioned any advanced variant of the Southampton. Such a non-existing ship is not far faster than any destroyer and most frigates, nor is armed with a pair of experimental heavy plasma guns to replace its anti-matter weaponry.

Coping With Helmet Hair: How to Look Good After a Sortie Update ID Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

We've got a new poll today, and it asks you to think about all the glorious talking heads of Wing Commander 1. WC1 arrived at an interesting time stylistically - coming down off the '80s' big hair debacle and transitioning into the cool-guy '90s slick look. With so much of our interaction depending on what existed from the shoulders up, the game wasn't shy about hair flair. We removed Blair so he didn't skew the vote, and of the flashy 'dos that remain, who was your favorite?

The old poll asked which game had your favorite electronic heads up display. WC3 won the top spot, and it's possible that its relatively photorealistic cockpits actually helped here. Although many people dropped them away to see more of the action, the combination of ultra sharp dashboard and solid HUD, which was still a fresh idea at the time, may have helped. HUD-only WC4 did decently well, and Prophecy/Secret Ops had a surprisingly strong second place showing.

DOS Wing Commander 4 Added to GOG Lineup Update ID Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

The high resolution DVD version of Wing Commander 4 shipped as part of a rare piece of hardware and never got a proper retail release. Fan made patches with separate video downloads had offered people with DOS or Windows 95 copies a fairly convenient upgrade path since 2004, but the 2012 re-release of Wing Commander 4 on Good Old Games finally made this a zero effort experience. If you are feeling particularly nostalgic about Wing 4, or interlaced Full Motion Video in general, GOG has recently added the original DOS version as a bonus download when you purchase the game on their platform. Other freebies include Origin's official play guide, various promotional videos and the game's script. The entire Wing Commander series for PC is currently on sale for just $35.

Prototype Pieces Preview Prophecy Production Update ID Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

Adm_maverick has started work on a new project to record the video and gameplay of Wing Commander Prophecy, but unlike Beckmen's fan movie, the goal isn't purely to pull together one or two feature length segments with existing material. He's envisioning 10-20 minute segments of a mission or two with embellishments that add visual flair and stylistic edits. For example, he's created a mockup that shows new HUD elements popping up during the Nephilim's first appearance. There's also potential for strategically inserting some of the comm chatter. A few concept videos are below, and you can follow his thoughts and progress at the CIC Forums.
I'm trying to go for something more like a thematic style but mixing in some game design elements. Like the Comm channel windows popping up. Those are one example of what I'm talking about. In a proper production, a director would most likely use a medium close up of the pilot in the fighter framed in such a way that their name on the side of the cockpit was view able on screen, or perhaps a head on shot of the pilot with some distinguishing marking on their helmet so that the audience can identify the character if their face is not visable, or have some sort of setup that shows the characters entire face. That not being an option, I'm opting for the Comm windows popping up.

Flat Universe Adds Kilrathi Ordnance Models Update ID Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

The kat arsenal now includes a variety a missiles and torpedoes for the Kilrathi war machine. They're forged in brown Kilrathi durasteel and use some of the conceptual artistic design cues shown off in the KS calendar. Although pilots don't usually get much time to sit back and admire the missiles streaming toward them, if they do, they're in for a visual treat! A pair of beefier torpedoes is also available for capship strikes, and they have distinct differences from their Confed counterparts as well. It's great to see how much detail is going into the game!
The stalker, suddenly extended the claws of his foremost paws and finished off his prey, using his fangs, with a deadly bite.

The menu for this week is based on Kilrathi appetite. The previous screenshots are showing the four missile types that you people could choose to use so that you can take out your prey. The missile modeling was based on a concept that my brother found inside the WC: Kilrathi Saga Calendar that was included in the box. Up left: Paw DF (Dumb Fire), down left: Claw IR (Image Recognition), down right: Fang FF (Friend or Foe), up right: Stalker HS (Heat Seaker). Tip: plans for the skipper torpedo are under way.

Enjoy these images... and a word of advice for you apes.

Watch your tail!

Confed Bases Dot The Solar Empire Update ID Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

After adding all manners of capships and fighter craft over the past year, Nomada_Firefox has made a serious push for bases to be added to the Wing Commander mod for Sins of a Solar Empire. There's several old favorites from WC3, WC4 and Prophecy, plus there are several shipyard structures that have been put in place to build those aforementioned capships. A new video preview has also been put together that shows off how these bases work in operation. Lots of nice real estate - now it's on to Kilrathi structures next!

Project Aries Playable Alpha Test Released Update ID Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

Avid Wingnut YouTuber centaurianmudpig has branched out into game development with his new prototype, Project Aries 3D 64. It's a Wing Commander-inspired space shooter with a charming cartoonish visual style. He's dabbled in prep work for a story campaign, but decided to right-size his project to a more achievable gameplay oriented scope. The goal is to balance fun and challenging missions that can be randomly generated. Fans can download the 64-bit pre-alpha test release now, and feedback about how the game handles is very valuable! Let the mudpig know what you think at the CIC Forums.

-- EYES ONLY -- EYES ONLY -- EYES ONLY -- EYES ONLY-- EYES ONLY -- EYES ONLY –

A new space superiority fighter has been certified for test flight readiness. Only the bravest and most diligent fighter pilots have applied for this most prestigious opportunity to test the most state of the art technology mankind has at his disposal. Project Aries 3D 64 is under development. This is Pre-Alpha software. It is not complete. It is not fun.

Testing is required to:
1) Make it complete
2) Make it fun.

Controls: Keyboard & Mouse, Joystick and Controller support is available.

What’s required of the test pilot?
1) Identify any bugs with current version
2) Explain what you liked and didn’t like
3) Suggest improvement to the current version
4) Report your findings below. Be detailed and informative. Check your firearms and attitude at the door.

How to play: NOTE: It is recommended you view the key controls under options before playing.
1) Select Simulator from the main menu.
2) Choose your difficulty.
3) Click launch.
4) Engage and destroy enemy targets.

Wing Commander Album Campaign Unsuccessful Update ID Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

The attempt to fund a second live Wing Commander Album ended this morning without reaching the required $35,000 threshold. Fans did turn out strong with $27,777 pledged, but Kickstarter rules mean that none of this money will be collected. The campaign did earn a congenial "Projects We Love" endorsement from the Kickstarter administrators themselves, and composer George Oldziey remains upbeat. In his spare time, he will continue to do some of the pre-orchestration in the hopes of picking up again in the future!
I want to wholeheartedly thank all of the wonderful people that pledged to this campaign. I'm so sorry it didn't work out this time. I do plan to try again, probably early next year. I may have to rethink the structure of the whole thing. Using Kickstarter was very successful last time, and we also managed to raise supplemental funds after the KS campaign. I thought starting with the same goal here would yield similar results. Oh well. I'd be happy to entertain ideas on how to move forward. I'm guessing that waiting until after the holidays is a wise decision.

Anyway, I'm not giving up, and will actually continue to orchestrate the music in anticipation of recording it some day!

All the best to you and yours, and have a great upcoming holiday season!

George

UBW Fleet Upgraded With Old Favorites Update ID Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

The Border Worlds has gotten a hefty boost in a recent update to the Homeworld Remastered Mod. L.I.F. has added a variety of new designs to bolster their fleet, including some of Klavs' slickest models. There's an updated Durango class light carrier so everything has a place to call home. The workhorse Scimitar has also been significantly augmented by the presence of extremely well armed Morningstars. Ferrets are also in the game, and they're escorting light attack Epees that can carry a single torpedo. They may be a ragtag militia, but commanders of UBW fleets in the mod will certainly have lots of options to call on!
It would be sad if the Border Worlds did not have their high-end heavy fighter too, don't you think so? Well... here comes the Morningstar. With its plans painstakingly recovered by sympathizers, nostalgia amateurs of the short-lived superfighter and dedicated intelligence operatives, this fighter represents the pinnacle of the strike crafts available to our favourite underdogs.

Reminds me, right now, I think I'll have the UBW work as a faction into faction-wide "tiers". In the first one, Militia, the player gets cheap units such as the Scimitar and perhaps a handful of other obsolete fighters (why not an Epee for the recon, I don't know yet). Then, for a large research value, you can go to the Main Fleet tier, where you get access to the battle line with destroyers, cruisers and most fighters (Arrow, Banshee, Vindicator, Avenger, etc.). More expensive stuff, but admittedly better. For another very large amount of RU, you can unlock the last tier, AKA the Experimental stuff. You throw the proverbial kitchen sink at it and unlock the weird units. For example, the Morningstar, or maybe some unique turret configurations, some quickly thrown together copies of enemy units (more expensive and less effective, of course), possibly some one-shot camo for your Avenger groups, Vindicator fighters with Leech guns to neutralize and capture enemy fighters etc. In short, everything Tech Chiefs Pliers and Morgenstern can think off in their free time, or, more importantly, whatever I can code out of my behind.

Bearcat Update Adds Wear and Tear Update ID Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

After a brief hiatus over the Summer, modeler ScoobyDoo has returned with an updated version of his Bearcat model. This latest evolution makes use of decals and shading techniques to add a level of realism and detail without increasing the number of textures too much. His take on the post-war heavy fighter has a few deviations from the original, but overall stays pretty close to the familiar design. Check out the wear and tear effect on this latest batch of renders and compare them to the previous iteration of the model.

Last Chance To Boost Wing Commander Album Campaign Update ID Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

We're down to the wire now on George Oldziey's campaign to create a second live Wing Commander album. Volume 2 requires $35,000 to pay the recording orchestra. Although it's recently jumped up past $20,000, the current trend does not support hitting the threshold needed to make the project a reality. A last great push isn't impossible, but it would require quite an outpouring from Wingnuts like you. Note that the Kickstarter ends early Sunday, so pledge by Saturday if you think you can contribute. Keep in mind that if the $35K isn't met, no money is transferred. Find out more here. And check out a nifty Soundcloud sample of what the first album sounded like below!
By popular demand I've added a new reward, a combination of Volume 1 and 2 CDs (as well as the downloads) for a $90 pledge! Never fear! Anyone who has already donated at higher levels than that will ALSO receive volume 1!

Enhanced Wing Commander 2 Soundtrack Complete! Update ID Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

It's been a very stressful week for a lot of folks out there, so here's a welcome distraction from it all. Jason Walton has completed his remastered soundtrack to Wing Commander 2, and the results are amazing. He's done an excellent job of capturing the authentic emotional highs and lows of the original music while adding in just the right about of new flavor. Since we last reported on his progress, the number of tracks have been doubled to 47, so just about everything from the game is here. Whether it's the new Returning Defeated, Victorious, Emotional, or even Poker tracks, open up the playlist, close your eyes and be transported to another world. The convenient Youtube player is below, but you can also download the album in mp3 format here (167 MB zip). Bonus: Also check out his completed Ultima VI album! (51 MB zip).
I never imagined I'd remaster two classic Origin games' soundtracks, but it's finally done. I hope you all enjoy it! I'm going to get back to working on Privateer, but that's going to take a bit longer.

SOASE Mod Ready To Build More Bugs Update ID Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

Here's a new intel report of the latest Nephilim craft to be added to the Wing Commander mod for Sins of a Solar Empire. Up first is a drydock structure moonlighting as one of the game's shipyards. There's also some nice shots of the more common Moray and Mantas, plus the high end Devil Ray. The Squid interceptor is an especially fun addition - you don't see it very often! Finally, a second derivative structure is acting as a neat compact repair station in the mod.

Prepare For Level 5 Jump Point Interphase Update ID Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

gr1mre4per's latest Vision Engine hacks have produced a pretty neat visualization. By tweaking how the dust particles are treated in Prophecy, he can simulate a Star Wars "hyperspace" effect. It's a very creative way to take the game farther than ever before!
Tweaking Wing Commander Prophecy (1997) seems to make a cool Star Wars light speed effect. Set a course for Coruscant and jump to light speed!

One Week Remains In Second Audio Album Campaign Update ID Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

The Wing Commander Orchestral Recording Project, Volume 2, now enters its final week. The campaign concludes this Sunday morning, November 13. Fans have contributed $15,000 to the cause so far, but if it does not reach $36,000, the Kickstarter will not be funded and we go back to the drawing board. So now's the time to spread the word to any rich benefactors who may be sympathetic to the cause, because another album of live Wing Commander music would be absolutely fantastic! If you've already pledged, the system allows you to go back in and tweak your donation if you may be able to contribute more. If the target number isn't met, you're not out anything, and if it is, then we all win a great new WC product!
I've been getting lots of great suggestions from you all about what else to put on the CD. Luckily I actually have the midi files for all the pieces that were suggested!

Anyway, if you could please spread the word about the campaign that would be great. The results so far are a bit behind the pace from volume 1. But I'm keeping hope that things will pick up as we get closer to the end.

All the best,

George

It's Academy Pickup Day! Update ID Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

The community's generous donations to Save Wing Commander Academy have paid off big time, and today is the exciting trip where LOAF and team will travel out and pick up all thirty-one boxes of precious artwork and production materials from the television show. The transfer will be streamed live on Periscope, so you can join in the fun. Check out the kickoff here and follow for updates throughout the day!
Cool autumn mornings make the world feel new and infinite. Sending love to you all. ❤️

Good omen: this week is the twentieth anniversary of Chain of Command, the episode I skipped out of the PSAT early to tape!

Ejection Seats Coming To A Flat Cockpit Near You Update ID Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

Ejections have a prominent place in the Wing Commander series. WC1 broke new ground by establishing it as a viable tactic when things were at their worst, and games throughout the franchise have added their own special derivatives on this theme. Flat Universe will continue the tradition with its own high quality ejection modeling, and the Maslas Brothers even tease that there's a significant role to be played by ejected pilots in the forthcoming multiplayer mode!
Ejection sequences always used to be some of my favourite moments in the Wing Commander series, especially the one on WC1, although I was always trying to avoid them in campaign. This moment or better say option will be included into the world of Flat Universe. The following screenshot was taken during our development tests. In other words this is what you are about to experience after managing to eject before your ship goes into pieces.

Tip: Ejections will play their strategic role in the multiplayer part of the game, too! :)

Stickers Are All The Rage These Days Update ID Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

Klavs is back with a fresh look at his newly spruced up Raptor and Rapier. Both ships have become signature designs in his impressive fleet of Wing Commander ships and have played major roles in multiple fan projects over the years. They now feature cosmetic additions that allow for greater customization wherever they'll pop up next. There's even a wonderful pair of spinning animations that give you a great 360 degree look! Raptor or Rapier
Spent a little time adding some decals and details to some of the old ships. This way I can swap out hull numbers and nose art more quickly, and the details are a lot sharper.

For the Raptor, the top mounted neutron guns have a couple little nods to the movie Rapier's main gun. I think she was made for the Shark's Mouth. :)

Still jonesing to do some kind of animation with these, but work and life are always in the way!

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