Deadeye asks an important question: why are there two versions of StarLancer listed at online stores?
The answer is thus: the new one, from Crave Software, is the upcoming Dreamcast version. Read all about it at Gamespot UK's SL for Dreamcast preview.
FYI, while it is cool that we got into an article, a lot of the info the article was inaccurate. They said that we have ships that are not released yet (carriers/perry naval base), and they refer to the old site (even though we had already moved at the time of the interview). Also, IMHO, I think that former WC fans like the mod, as opposed to the article's statement that they would not want it.I should have our mod's model archive up in the next few days. I finally recieved the backups, but got slammed with a lot of college assignments. They are in *.MAX format, and some of them have the textures included.
So, in conclusion, our current site is at http://www.strategyplanet.com/homeworld/fleetaction/
The old page refers you to the new one, but it is easier to go directly :)
Fleet ActionAnd a description of the original Wing Commander from an article on All Time Classics...
Filename:FA_MOD_5_29_0005.zip
Homepage: www.geocities.com/voidsurfer_2000
Size: 821kb
Rating: ***
In a nutshell: Subtitled as a tribute to Wing Commander, Fleet Action includes all the top ships from the top selling game, including Carriers, Thunderbolts and the Perry Naval Base.Caption: Wing Commander fans will go damp at the thought of playing their fave game with Homeworld.
Both Wing Commander: Prophecy and Wing Commander IV: The Price of Freedom were stunning games in their time, and it only seems fitting that the slicker Homeworld engine should give craft from the WC series a new lease of life. Although not exactly a carbon copy of the Electronic Arts original, this mod should keep space combat fans happy with their hands clamped firmly around their joysticks: many of the evocative ship names from the original title are included, together with the rather large and imposing Perry naval base. Our only reservation is that many homeworld owners will already either have Wing Commander or Privateer on their shelves, and are thus unlikely to be that aroused by the thought of mutating their Homeworld game for something they've already played.
Wing Commander (8/10)
The Original space combat game spawned the first big-budget PC series. In fact, the Wing Commander series was so hugely successful that they went and made a film. Ineveitably, this was absolute rubbish and the public stayed away in their millions. Will these people never learn.
"In the distant future, mankind is locked in a deadly war..."
It is exactly ten years ago today that those eleven words first drew us into the Wing Commander universe -- and we've had one hell of a ride since. From fighting Vega Campaign to seeing a major motion picture, we've been lucky enough to enjoy a decade worth of Wing Commander. It hasn't just entertained us -- it's brought us together, created some of the best friendships we'll ever have and given us something to believe in.
Here's to another decade.
Now. our present: the original design document for Wing Commander, which was then-titled Squadron. Thanks to Joe and Paula for finding this treasure.
Someone wrote a Star Wars fanfic. It was bad. Someone else came along and did an MST 3000 remix of that fic. It was better. But in that remix, they make a small mention of WC.Here's a little snippet:
"Leia, please. Be strong. I've lived my life. I've been through too much, and now I deserve my rest."You can read the rest here, but you probably shouldn't...
MIKE: Yeah, it was hard not to notice the shift from enthusiastic youth of the Star Wars years to the melancholic warmonger of Wing Commander.
Leia pulled out of the one sided embrace and looked into her brother's eyes.
TOM: SLEEEEEP!
There is a very interesting article on WINE in Polish edition of September PC WORLD COMPUTER (http://www.pcworld.com.pl/nowynumer/index.html). WINE is an application which allows to run Windows based applications when using Linux operation system. You may imagine my surprise when I found out that WC Secret Ops was used as a prime example of Windows games that can be played with the use of WINE as a Linux game! Immediately, I typed http://www.linuxgames.com/wine/ to find some other info and even a couple of screenshots: http://www.linuxgames.com/wine/wc_screen.php3 Good news for those who prefer Linux! I wonder whether anyone tried to play Kilrathi Saga and WCIV using WINE and Linux? As linuxgames.com asks for any information about the games that can be played under Linux, perhaps it is a good opportunity to promote WC games also among the Linux users.If you know of Wing Commander games that run on alternative Operating Systems with the aid of a Windows or DOS emulator, (i.e. Linux, BeOS,...) be sure to let us know.
1) After Gamespy had some server problems, all of our file downloads were mysteriously deleted. While I recompressed and reuploaded the mod files (sneaking a bug fix into the mod), our model archive downloads are down. What model archive, you ask? Well, although we never really made a big deal of it, we do have a model archive of some of the WC ships in our mod, and some ships that we are not planning to use. These models are primarily intended for mod use. We do have a few ships that the Armada mod doesn't have in their model archive. While you can't download any of the available models until I contact the person with the backup files, you can still look at screenshots of them. A direct link to our model archive pages is below:You can find more on Fleet Action here
here
Note: Model contributions are always welcome.2) We are going to be porting the mod from HW to HW:C (Homeworld: Cataclysm). It has more features and a better interface, so that's the sensible thing to do. We are not sure if we will still make a version for HW, that depends on how much we have to change the mod for HW:C.
3) The mod is officially ON HOLD until editing tools are upgraded/developed for HW:C. In particular, the model format is slightly different and there is currently no compatible converter available at this time (to my knowledge).
While our team has several other mod ideas that we would like to try, we still plan to produce more ships with the FA mod. However, sometimes we might work on another project, then come back to the FA mod, and/or randomly release updates.
-Voidsurfer
New Questions for Week 90 (starting September 17, 2000):Please send answers in here.
Question 179: Describe the circumstances surrounding the death of Mariko Tanaka.
Question 180: Describe the circumstances surrounding the death of Svetlana Ivanova.
Bonus 90: Describe the circumstances surrounding the death of Jeannette Devereaux.
Tarjei Cederloev has found an exciting new game bundle that is apparently carrying Wing Commander Prophecy Gold. A package called "The Biggest Names, The Best Games 4" has six games including Dungeon Keeper 2, Sports Car GT, System Shock 2, World War 2: Fighters, World Cup Cricket, and Wing Commander Prophecy Gold.
It has been sighted in a local shop called Ram & Rom in Tromso, Norway for about NKR 299 (US$32.20). Two online stores have also been found to carry it: www.spillshop.no for NKR399 (US$42.97) here and www.gameplay.com for £25.99 ($36.54) here. There are probably other locations as well. I don't know of any people who have actually bought this yet, so if you do, please send a review in.
I'm currently planning a Wing Commander Subspace zone. The zone will be as close as technically possible to the WC style we all love. If all goes to plan, this will be what WC fans have been waiting for(apart from an official release of Wing Commader:Online).Did he just call me a name?
What I have planned so far:
a.. Set in WC3, Confed Vs Kilrathi
b.. Confed ships:
Hellcat
Thunderbolt
Excalibur
TCS Victory(ranger class)
a.. Kilrathi ships:
Dralthi
Vaktoth
Strakha
Sar'Hrai(Bhant'kara class)
a.. systems intead of bases(based on WC system map(not all of it))
b.. jumping between systems(this will be worked on for a while, we will have stand-in methods while we are developing the zone)
c.. Carrier based tactics/using carriers(with all their 'turrets') will be a worth-while stratagem
d.. replacement graphics and sounds from WC
Well, I hope that was enough to whet your appetite. I'll update later on when I need some staff for various jobs. The main thing I need is a host for the zone. If you would be able to get us a host (please, no modems), you can contact me at Cfowler-Filler@powerup.com.au.
I look forward to shooting you full o'holes in WCZ (when it is finally running).
New Questions for Week 89 (starting September 12, 2000):You can send in answers here.
Question 177: Who was a wing commander of the TCS Tiger's Claw?
Question 178: Who was a wing commander of the TCS Austin?
Bonus 89: Who was a wing commander of the TCS Tarawa?
Why hasn't Origin started making an online Wing Commander: Privateer-like game? It seems like it would make sense and have plenty of people interested. Or would the speed of the Internet affect gameplay? Regardless, why haven't they at least tried?There's a Gamespot editor's note that mentions Freelancer.. too bad they neglect to mention it's not a WC-like space sim nor that Origin did try and EA pulled the plug.
I've always felt that the Wing Commander series had the best cinematics - particularly Wing Commander IV. I was introduced to the idea of cutscenes that furthered the plot in the original Wing Commander, and I thought they continued to be a huge portion of the game throughout the series (Hobbes' claw marks during the poker games in WC2 were an all-time favorite). In the days of The Price of Freedom, particularly, my friends used to gather around to watch Malcolm McDowell, Mark Hamill, and Tom Wilson ham things up. The production values were good and the stories great.The production values were like historical all-time records. :) I really like that WC2 cinematic mention there though.
I noticed you missed all of the Wing Commander games! I know a lot of people don't like the gameplay in them, which I love by the way, but nobody can claim that the cinematics of WCIII and WCIV aren't top-notch! There simply aren't any other games out there that ever matched any one of them! Both had enormous sets, rich storylines and talented actors. For one thing, WCIV remains the most expensive computer game to date - because of the cinematics. Isn't that worth at least mentioning?I recognize some of the authors of these as regular CIC visitors. And again, if you find a batch of letters we missed, please send them in.
So although EverQuest doesn't provide you with any historical background, you make the story evolve as you write it... ...you're also creating a large interactive story that encompasses all the other players you might interact with.Come on..I'd also say that The Sims has a similar open structure, which allows you to create your own home and family - then you are able to write a story based on lived experiences.
I've put End Run on hold temporarily due to I think I can get ahold of a scanner. If I can, then it'll be done lickety split. IF I can get it.You can find more on the various fan projects here.
New Questions for Week 88 (starting September 3, 2000):You can send in answers here.
Question 175: What were the modified Raptors that participated in the Enyo Engagement in 2639 primarily carrying for ordnance?
Question 176: What was the modified Sabre that participated in the K'Tithrak Mang assault in 2667 primarily carrying for ordnance?
Bonus 88: What type of missile was the field-produced Gladius that participated on the special ops Heavy Carrier Lexington's 2669 mission to Kilrah primarily carrying for ordnance?
Join the ORIGIN and UO teams, as well as Ultima Online players from around the world, in Austin, Texas for the Ultima Online World Faire on November 10-11, 2000 and we'll automatically save a place for you in an early external test phase of ORIGIN. We'll also give you an exclusive sneak peek at the latest progress of ORIGIN at the time of the Faire, and invite you to a special happy hour where you can mingle with the ORIGIN team!
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