Category:Wing Commander: Academy: Difference between revisions

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{{infobox Game Landing
|name = Wing Commander: Academy
|image = Image:academyfronthigh.jpg
|faction = terran
|engine = [[engine:=Origin FX]]
|platform = [[platform:=MS-DOS]]
|releasedate = [[release date:=August 27, 1993]]
|language = [[language:=English]]
|retailprice= [[price:=49.95 USD]]
}}
{{#set:media=game}}


Wing Commander Academy is a 1993 space combat game developed by Origin Systems and published by Electronic Arts. Academy is primarily a mission builder based on technology and assets developed for Wing Commander II: Vengeance of the Kilrathi. The game allows players to populate up to four nav points with a variety of objects including enemy spacecraft, asteroids, mine fields, data pods, ejected pilots, random encounters or space stations which may be defended. Mission designers can choose the AI level for the opposing spacecraft and players may choose to fly missions using one of nine spacecraft and four wingmen. Missions may be saved as files and traded to be flown by others. The game also features a "Gauntlet" mode which pits the player against fifteen pre-constructed missions which each consist of three waves of increasingly difficult opponents.
Players are said to be students at the Terran Confederation Space Naval Academy who are using a new simulator to train for space combat missions. While the game itself does not have a specific story line, its manual includes lore which suggests that it takes place shortly after the events of Wing Commander II. Academy is the first spin-off of the Wing Commander series and was developed as a budget title which could expect to turn a reasonable profit and keep the Wing Commander IP in players' minds during the expected lengthy development of Wing Commander III. The game features a single, short cinematic as its introduction and the majority of its graphics, sounds, speech samples and gameplay mechanics are recycled from Wing Commander II. Academy adds two flyable fighters, the Wraith and Jrathek, as well as three new gun types and an additional missile.
==Description==
[[image:academybackhigh.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Box Back Cover]]
'''A Stand-Alone Game — No previous ''Wing Commander'' experience necessary.'''<br><br>
As a student at the TCSN Academy, you custom-design and fly unique combat, rescue, and search and retrieval missions from the CyberSchool's holographic simulator. In the ''Wing Commander'' tradition, the game features a dynamic musical score, improved bit-mapped graphics, and a dazzling array of customizing options. But ''Wing Commander Academy'' is not another cinematic extravaganza — it's an intense dogfighting marathon.<br><br>
* Custom-design a variety of missions that match your skill level as you place fighters, capital ships, mine fields, asteroid fields, data pods and ejected pilots - up to 10 in each of the four action spheres.
* Save up to 24 games to disk and trade with your friends or upload them to bulletin boards to challenge others.
* Request random missions where each action sphere yields an unknown number of enemy ships with pilots of varying skill levels.
* Climb into the cockpits of the new Confederation ''Wraith'' or Kilrathi ''Jrathek'' fighters for a new combat experience.
* Select a cybernet wingman — from a frightened cadet to a hotshot veteran.
* Fly from the cockpit or try the chase plane view for a new perspective on the intense dogfighting action.
* Sharpen your combat skills as you compete for high-point honors.
* Engage the "Gauntlet" - a dogfighting marathon with 15 progressively difficult levels of attacking ships - including three flights of fighters in each level.<br><br>
==System Requirements==
===Original Release (1993)===
'''MS-DOS''': 386SX, 386, Intel486™ or 100% compatible PC system<br />
'''REQUIRED''': 2 megs RAM, hard drive, MS-DOS 5.0 or higher<br />
'''SUPPORTS''': DOS 6.0 and DOUBLE SPACE<br />
'''GRAPHICS''': 256-color VGA<br />
'''MUSIC/SOUND EFFECTS''' (optional): Ad Lib®, Sound Blaster®, Roland® LAPC-I/MT-32, or 100% compatible sound board<br />
'''DIGITIZED SPEECH and SOUND EFFECTS''' (optional; limited speech and sound effects in game): Sound Blaster or 100% compatible sound board
===Digital Release (2013)===
'''System''': Windows XP / Vista / 7 / 8 / 10<br />
'''Processor''': 1.8 GHz<br />
'''Memory''': 512 MB RAM<br />
'''Graphics''': 3D graphics card compatible with DirectX 7 (compatible with DirectX 9 recommended)<br />
'''Storage''': 2GB HDD
==Box Contents==
* [[Wing Commander Academy Manual]]
==Credits==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Role
! Name
! Source
|-
!colspan="3"|Production
|-
!Producer
|[[Thomas Blom]]
|Game, Documentation
|-
!Executive Producer
|[[Dallas Snell]]
|Documentation
|-
!colspan="3"|Development
|-
!Programmer
|[[Jeff Everett]]
|Game, Documentation
|-
!
|[[Brent A Thale]]
|Game, Documentation
|-
!Artist
|[[Whitney Ayres]]
|Game, Documentation
|-
!
|[[Glen Johnson]]
|Game, Documentation
|-
!Music
|[[John Tipton]]
|Game, Documentation
|-
!
|[[Kirk Winterrowd]]
|Game, Documentation
|-
!Sound Effects
|[[Marc Schaefgen]]
|Game, Documentation
|-
!colspan="3"|Quality Assurance
|-
!QA Project Leader
|[[Perry Stokes]]
|Game, Documentation
|-
!Playtester
|[[Marshall Andrews]]
|Game, Documentation
|-
!
|[[Charles Angel]]
|Game, Documentation
|-
!
|[[Russel Byrd]]
|Game, Documentation
|-
!
|[[Jerrold Harrington]]
|Game, Documentation
|-
!
|[[Andrew Hofmann]]
|Game, Documentation
|-
!
|[[Bill LaCoste]]
|Game, Documentation
|-
!
|[[Starr Long]]
|Game, Documentation
|-
!
|[[Rik Packham]]
|Game, Documentation
|-
!
|[[Scott Shelton]]
|Game, Documentation
|-
!colspan="3"|Packaging
|-
!Documentation
|[[Kristen Vaughan]]
|Game, Documentation
|-
!Editing
|[[David Ladyman]]
|Documentation
|-
!Documentation Design
|[[Al Carnley]]
|Documentation
|-
!Cover Art
|[[Chris Douglas]]
|Documentation
|-
!
|[[Jake Rodgers]]
|Documentation
|-
!Box Design
|[[Jennifer Davis]]
|Documentation
|-
!colspan="3"|Thanks
|-
!Special Thanks
|The Wing Commander I and II Teams
|Game
|}
==Advertising==
===Key Art===
<gallery>
Image:WCA_Key_Art.jpg
</gallery>
===Marketing Flyer===
<gallery>
Image:WCA_Ad_Slick_Front.png
Image:WCA_Ad_Slick_Back.png
</gallery>
===Print Advertising===
<gallery>
Image:cgwad02high.jpg
Image:Tilt_-_no119_-_novembre_1992_-_page101.jpg
</gallery>
==Versions==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Platform
! Year
! EAN
! UPC
! Region
| Publisher
! Media
! Language
|-
!MS-DOS
|1993
|6908
|0 17814 81611 6
|United States
|Electronic Arts
|3.5" HD diskette (3)
|English
|-
!MS-DOS
|1993
|
|
|United Kingdom
|Electronic Arts
|3.5" HD diskette (3)
|English
|-
!MS-DOS
|1993
|
|
|Germany
|Electronic Arts
|3.5" HD diskette (3)
|English, German Docs
|-
!MS-DOS
|1993
|
|
|France
|Electronic Arts
|3.5" HD diskette (3)
|English, French Docs
|-
!MS-DOS
|1993
|5240
|
|Canada (InterTAN)
|Electronic Arts
|3.5" HD diskette (3)
|English
|}
* CD Select release (status unknown)
* GOG release (digital)
* DROSoft (Spanish)
* SKC Soft Land (South Korea)
* Soft World (Taiwan)
===Re-Releases===
* CD-ROM Classics (original)
* CD-ROM Classics (jewel case)
* Hit Squad - £14.99 PC Prime Contender
===Compilations===
* Mile High Pack
==Screenshots==
===Pre-Release Screenshots===
These three images were provided to press in 1993 and were made available through Origin's BBS. Several differences are visible between these captures and the release build of the game. In ACTION, the Wraith displays a Morningstar's VDU, "leech" is misspelled as "leach" and the target being communicated with is identified as "Enemy 2" instead of a ship type. ENTRY has a darker cursor than the finished game and red menu text instead of blue. It also lacks the buttons to the quick start buttons located to left and right of the simulator. SELECT shows an entirely different set of wingmen (Rusty, Dingo, Gauntlet and Harridan in place of Hobbes, Angel, Maniac and Lightspeed, respectively) and seems to use the identifier "Zealous" instead of "Excellent". The VDU face shown for Dingo does not match any that appear in the final game.
<gallery>
Image:ACTION.gif
Image:ENTRY.gif
Image:SELECT.GIF
</gallery>
===GOG Release Screenshots===
These twelve images were captured by GOG from the release build for their Wing Commander Academy sale page.
<gallery>
Image:WCA_GOG_Promo_01.jpg
Image:WCA_GOG_Promo_02.jpg
Image:WCA_GOG_Promo_03.jpg
Image:WCA_GOG_Promo_04.jpg
Image:WCA_GOG_Promo_05.jpg
Image:WCA_GOG_Promo_06.jpg
Image:WCA_GOG_Promo_07.jpg
Image:WCA_GOG_Promo_08.jpg
Image:WCA_GOG_Promo_09.jpg
Image:WCA_GOG_Promo_10.jpg
Image:WCA_GOG_Promo_11.jpg
Image:WCA_GOG_Promo_12.jpg
</gallery>
===Community Screenshots===
<gallery>
File:WCAca-Logo.png
File:WCAca-menu.png
File:WCAca-build.png
File:WCAca-wingman.png
Image:academyscreenshot04.gif
Image:academyscreenshot07.gif
Image:academyscreenshot08.gif
Image:academyscreenshot09.gif
Image:academyscreenshot10.gif
</gallery>
==Development==
===Point of Origin===
March 26, 1993 - [https://download.wcnews.com/files/documents/Point_of_Origin_Vol_3_No_35.pdf Vol. III, No. 35]
* '''Joint Resolution''': "Watch this space in the next issue for a look behind the scenes of Wing Commander Academy."
April 9, 1993 - [https://download.wcnews.com/files/documents/Point_of_Origin_Vol_3_No_36.pdf Vol. III, No. 36]
* '''Wing Commander Academy''': "Face it: there's a little egomaniac in every pilot who's flown a Ferret. The 'brag factor' is what makes Wing Commander Academy (the current working name) look like it could be a big seller. Basically, WCA is a do-it-yourself mission builder in the Wing Commander universe. Programmed-turned-Producer Thomas Blom explains it this way: "There's no real story line, except what you design for yourself. Each mission can have an objective; maybe you have to retrieve a data pod or ejected pilot, or maybe you just want to do some dogfighting. In any case, you have total control over the design. "WCA should really appeal to people who care about how good a pilot they are. After you design a mission, it will have a score based on its degree of difficulty. The files will be small enough so that you can dump the scenario onto a disk or post it online someplace like CompuServe. That way, you can challenge your friends or other players to try and beat you at your own mission. Players who whizzed through Wing Commander can actually create impossible missions, while other players may just want to use it as a way to play around with different kinds of spacecraft or study the way the Kilrathi fly." WCA has another couple of big selling points. First of all, it's not as hardware-intensive, so there will be a lot of happy 386 owners out there. Second, it will be at a reduced price point (currently $49.95 as opposed to $79.95). WCA is planned as a fall project. Right now, it has a lean and mean team. Jeff Everett and Brent Thale are working on the programming and Whitney Ayres on the art. Thomas' goal is to have it in the box by the end of June (perfect for CES)."
April 23, 1993 - [https://download.wcnews.com/files/documents/Point_of_Origin_Vol_3_No_37.pdf Vol. III, No. 37]
* '''In Print''': "People are already drooling at the concept and promise of Privateer. In the middle of it all we're going to throw some unexpected gems like Shadowcaster, Interactive Movie #1 and Wing Commander Academy at them out of the blue."
May 21, 1993 - [https://download.wcnews.com/files/documents/Point_of_Origin_Vol_3_No_39.pdf Vol. III, No. 39]
* '''Pulse Check''': "Things have been going well - we've got new blood on the phones in C/S, and some of the C/S flying aces have been testing Wing Academy in QA and are helping to rid the world of pesky bugs every day."
June 18, 1993 - [https://download.wcnews.com/files/documents/Point_of_Origin_Vol_3_No_40.pdf Vol. III, No. 40]
* '''CES: The Gap Closes''': "Not to say we didn't have an impressive lineup: Pacific Strike, Shadowcaster, Privateer and Wing Commander Academy... Look for Wing Commander Academy to be compared to X-Wing's Rebel Assault, while Aces Over Europe will square off against Pacific Strike... But the surprise hit and what could be our biggest seller this year was Wing Commander Academy. To a person, everyone who saw it wanted a copy of it right then and there. And talk about positioning - WCA was pitched as a non-traditional ORIGIN game: 'Less than 5 megs on your hard drive and runs great on a 386.'"
July 2, 1993 - [https://download.wcnews.com/files/documents/Point_of_Origin_Vol_3_No_41.pdf Vol. III, No. 41]
* '''Pulse Check''': "The QA side of the world has been busy, with 5, count 'em 5 games in test right now... We've gotcher U7 SNES, yer Runes of Virtue SNES, yer Wing Commander Academy, yer UW1 and 2 CD and the ever present and wondermuss Silver Seed add-on to Serpent Isle."
July 16, 1993 - [https://download.wcnews.com/files/documents/Point_of_Origin_Vol_3_No_42.pdf Vol. III, No. 42]
* '''Kudos and Columns''': "And, finally, positive comments on future games from Joystick: "Wing Academy: 'It is possible to play any side, therefore you can be a Kilrathi and waste the Confederation. This option by itself should bring a hell of a lot of joy to those who, on a regular basis, regret to only play the good guys, when, deep down, they feel bad & nasty.'"
July 30, 1993 - [https://download.wcnews.com/files/documents/Point_of_Origin_Vol_3_No_43.pdf Vol. III, No. 43]
* '''Pulse Check''': "The Silver Seed and Wing Commander Academy have signed off. They are both expected to ship in August. Guess we'll be oilin' up the phones."
August 13, 1993 - [https://download.wcnews.com/files/documents/Point_of_Origin_Vol_3_No_44.pdf Vol. III, No. 44]
* '''Where Are They Now?''': "First and foremost, kudos go out to Tandy Tamer Karl Kabler... What's next? He's already working on the Tandy buyer for Wing Academy and Silver Seed.... Whatever happened to Silver Seed and Wing Academy? Well, Academy is ready, but we're waiting on EAUK to get its stuff together in order for a simultaneous worldwide release..."
September 10 1993 - [https://download.wcnews.com/files/documents/Point_of_Origin_Vol_3_No_46.pdf Vol. III, No. 45]
* '''Road Kills''': "Karl blew out to the West Coast and met with all of the accounts there, showing them Academy, Privateer, the Speech Pack and all the promotional opportunities coming up. 'We've had some good results with those accounts,' Karl said. Snorin' Lee Moore linked up with him so the two of them could blanket the Midwest accounts like Josha, Navarro and American. They wrapped up the week with an Egghead show in Chicago, where 255 store managers from around the country got a good look at Privateer and Wing Academy. In fact, many of them ran to the phones to find that Academy had already hit the shelves back home and was moving well. Lee reported that most of the managers still regard ORIGIN as the leading edge of the industry, but with reservations. 'There's a little bit of distaste for our hardware requirements,' Lee said, 'Generally, they like the games but they say, 'My God, you guys take up a lot of disk space. My God, you guys are hard to configure for.' Next on Lee's itinerary is the San Diego Computer Fair. He's taking his own technical support in the form of Ben 'Styg' Potter. More than 50,000 consumers will get a chance to fly Academy, Strike and Privateer."
* '''Another Bump in the Org Chart''': "Meanwhile, two Wing Commander spin-offs, Privateer and Wing Commander Academy, are hitting the shelves while work on Wing Commander III is well underway."
* '''Reviews in Revue''': "Wing Academy gets a full-fledged two-page preview in this month's Strategy Plus. Will Johnson says he'd like to have a little more control over mission design and the ability to fly more Kilrathi ships, but all in all, he really likes it. 'If you want to get your blood pumping, this'll do it,' he writes. 'Drag out the good joystick because the cheap one won't last very long with this game.'"
October 13 1993 - [https://download.wcnews.com/files/documents/Point_of_Origin_Vol_3_No_48.pdf Vol. III, No. 48]
* '''Start the Presses''': "Egghead puts out a regular newsletter called Cue to about a gazillion of its customers every month. In a wrap-up of flight sims, Cue says Wing Academy is 'as thrilling for flight jocks as fantasy game fans.' One of the most bizarre, back-handed complimentary reviews we've ever run across is in the current issue of PC Games. In his look at Wing Academy, Cameron Crotty laments the loss of 'waiting to see what your next mission is, no more battles against impossible odds, no more clicking endlessly through useless and occasionally ham fisted plot scenes. Heaven, right? Maybe, maybe not.' Crotty says Academy is a lot of fun, but he misses Hobbes and Angel and the rest of the Wing universe. He says games like Wing and Strike 'blend adventure and action into an unbeatable combo.'"
October 22 1993 - [https://download.wcnews.com/files/documents/Point_of_Origin_Vol_3_No_49.pdf Vol. III, No. 49]
* '''Pulse Check''': "Taking a look at the period from 10/11 to 10/15, Privateer tops the list with 748 calls logged. The top categories for that game are: IRQ conflicts (26%), hints (24%), boot disk creation (17%) and joystick problems (12%)... PS Reps handled an assortment of other calls: U7 (126), Wing 2 (70), Underworld 2 (65), Wing 1 (60), Silver Seed (57), Underworld 1 (52) and Wing Academy (42)... Team lead testers are: Brian Wachhaus/Super Wing 3DO, Rik Packham/Pacific Strike, Don Derouen/Ultima 8 and Jerrold Harrington/Strike CD."
* '''Big Bump in Profits''': "Top selling new releases during the quarter were 'Jungle Strike(TM),' 'NHL Hockey '94,' and 'Bill Walsh College Football(TM)' for the Genesis system and 'Privateer(R)' for the IBM PC. Other Electronic Arts products appearing on retailer Top 20 lists during the quarter included 'General Chaos(TM),' 'Mutant League(TM) Football,' 'Bulls vs Blazers and the NBA(R) Playoffs,' 'PGA TOUR (R) II,' and bundles of 'Bill Walsh College Football and 'General Chaos' with the 4 Way Play adapter for the Genesis system; 'Syndicate,' 'Space Hulk(TM),' 'Ultrabots(TM),' and 'Wing Commander(R) Academy' for the IBM PC, and 'Wing Commander Deluxe' for the IBM PC CD."
* '''Press Roundup''': "The November Computer gaming World is out and includes Strike strategy tips from Tom Basham. Later on, Paul Schuytema takes on Wing Academy. Let's put it this way, the review starts out with: 'First, the bottom line on ORIGIN's Wing commander Academy: if you enjoy space combat simulations, you must have this game. Period.' It just gets better in the two-page spread peppered with screen shots. His 'quibbles': no scoring for individual missions, no flight recorder and he wants more control in mission design... Hot off the presses, the November COMPUTE has a review of Wing Academy. Dave Gerding calls it a 'great, all-action playground where you can keep you battle skills honed.'"
November 8 1993 - [https://download.wcnews.com/files/documents/Point_of_Origin_Vol_3_No_50.pdf Vol. III, No. 50]
* '''In Print''': "It's always great to start this article with a bang, so check out the Wing Academy review in PC Entertainment. 'ORIGIN seems to have taken every rational suggestion from the series' legion of fans and wrapped them into one gorgeous package,' Bill Trotter writes. And he ends with: 'Thank you ORIGIN; you have answered many prayers.' You can't top that."... The Tilt gang is a little more lukewarm to Wing Academy, giving it only 71%. 'Great quality, but the lack of scenario makes it quickly boring.' We've noticed that most European reviewers really miss the flicks and storyline."
* '''Pulse Check''': "Finally, Wing Academy had 16 calls, with 31% of them dealing with IRQ conflicts and 19% of them having to do with boot disks."
December 1993 - [https://download.wcnews.com/files/documents/Point_of_Origin_Vol_3_No_51.pdf Vol. III, No. 51]
* '''Print and Prizes''': "Japan's Pop Com has an ORIGIN product guide in which reviewer Toren Smith begins: 'ORIGIN, in my opinion, has never produced a dud game.' He tells all Wing Commander fans that they must have Wing Academy... Back home again, Privateer gets a good review (89%) in December's Computer Game Review. Editor Steve Honeywell takes to the high board to go off the deep end. 'Privateer is awesome,' he proclaims. 'It's one of those rare games you could see yourself playing years into the future and for twelve hours at a time. Truly cool!' In the same issue, though, Wing Academy gets a lukewarm review (80%). The writers basically say it's old technology and really best suited for already-hooked Wing fans. Academy fares a little better in the premiere issue of Electronic Entertainment (formerly PC Games). 'The Wing Commander juggernaut rolls on,' Bernie Yee writes, but he laments the lack of storyline and new technology. Usually, Bernie is a good reviewer, but this time, he just doesn't get it. The former editor of the former PC Games, Greg Keizer, includes Academy on his Christmas buying list in the December issue of Penthouse, cementing his reputation as a quality reviewer and solidifying our need to renew our subscription."
January 1994 - [https://download.wcnews.com/files/documents/Point_of_Origin_Vol_4_No_52.pdf Vol. IV, No. 52]
* '''In Print''': "COMPUTE magazine starts off the new year with nothing but good things to say about ORIGIN products. Several titles were recognized in the magazine's special section, 'COMPUTE's Getting Started.' Wing Commander games were listed among the article'stop 10 arcade games.'Dynamic space combat wrapped around acinematic storyline,' the author writes. 'Ferocious action scenes, featuring in-your-face 3-D dogfights.' Concerning Wing Commander Academy, the same author writes, 'Nothing but pure adrenaline-pumping action.'"
February 1994 - [https://download.wcnews.com/files/documents/Point_of_Origin_Vol_4_No_53.pdf Vol. IV, No. 53]
* '''Press Here''': "The editors of PC Entertainment got together and selected their top games of 1993 and Ultima Underworld II was among four ORIGIN games that made the honor role. ...William R. Trotter put Wing commander Academy among the best of 1993. 'One intense battle after another,' he said. 'Every afternoon I take a 'Wing Commander break' instead of a coffee break--it's cleansing, cathartic, and better for your heart...' Do you think he liked it? ... In Japan, they like what they see of Wing Commander Academy. In Popcom, a Japanese gaming magazine, Toren Smith writes, 'Wing Commander Academy is like a dream come true for hardcore WC addicts.'"
March 1994 - [https://download.wcnews.com/files/documents/Point_of_Origin_Vol_4_No_54.pdf Vol. IV, No. 54]
* '''EOM Whitney Ayres''': "Whitney has had a more than a decent two year history at ORIGIN as a lead artist on Wing Commander Academy (the only artist actually) and as an artist for both Privateer and ORIGIN FX."
* '''Off to Market''': "Wing Academy and ORIGIN FX will be our first forays into electronic distribution. That's where somebody gets a slew of titles on a single CD, tries a program for a limited time, and then calls an 800-number for the code to "unlock" the program and d rop it to the hard drive. The company we're uisng is CD Select. It's sending 200,000 CDs to customers who have purchased through electronic distribution before. Both FX and Academy will also be on a separate disc, primarily filled with business applications, that will go out to corporate customers (they need entertainment, too)."
February 1995 - [https://download.wcnews.com/files/documents/Point_of_Origin_Vol_5_No_02.pdf Vol. V, No. 2]
* '''The EOM goes to...''': "Brent has been with ORIGIN since 1991, and has worked on Wing Commander II, Wing Commander Academy, and Super Wing Commander 3DO among other projects."
===Team Shirt===
The Wing Commander Academy team shirt features a school seal drawn by Origin System artist [[Paul Steed]]. The seal features planets, spacecraft, a book and an armored Kilrathi head. The text reads "established 1993" in reference to the release year of the game and gives the Latin slogan "fac ut gaudeam" which translates literally as "do it so I may be happy." The source of the slogan is the 1991 language book ''Latin for Even More Occasions'' by Henry Beard which gives "Age. Fac ut gaudeam." as a translation of Clint Eastwood's ''Sudden Impact'' catch phrase "Go ahead, make my day."
<gallery>
Image:WCA_Team_Shirt_1.JPG
Image:WCA_Team_Shirt_2.JPG
Image:WCA_Team_Shirt_3.jpg
</gallery>
==Patches / Addons==
===Fan Missions===
Wing Commander Academy allows players to save up to 24 missions.
Saved mission files are stored in the MISSION folder and are labeled MISSION.001 through MISSION.024. Players can exchange missions by sharing these files. Over the years, many players have posted their own missions and even entire campaigns for download. Mission downloads typically include a text file which acts as a background and briefing.
* [http://download.wcnews.com/files/missions/arielsta.zip Ariel Station] by Phoozang GG
* [http://download.wcnews.com/files/missions/baseatta.zip Base Attack] by Foxhound
* [http://download.wcnews.com/files/missions/candyace.zip Candy Aces] by Phoozang GG
* [http://download.wcnews.com/files/missions/catspat.zip Cat Spat] by Phoozang GG
* [http://download.wcnews.com/files/missions/cloakdag.zip Cloak & Dagger] by Corsair
* [http://download.wcnews.com/files/missions/deneb.zip Deneb] by John Goodrich
* [http://download.wcnews.com/files/missions/ferretfr.zip Dorkir Hunt] by Phoozang GG
* [http://download.wcnews.com/files/missions/ferretfr.zip Ferret Frenzy] by Phoozang GG
* [http://download.wcnews.com/files/missions/goldsun.zip Golden Sun] by Phoozang GG
* [http://download.wcnews.com/files/missions/penalty.zip Penalty Box] by Corsair
* [http://download.wcnews.com/files/missions/campaign.zip Station Attacks] by Alex Jonson
* [http://download.wcnews.com/files/missions/academym.zip Station Ring Defense] by Alex Johnson
* [http://download.wcnews.com/files/missions/transatk.zip Transport Attack] by Corsair
* [http://download.wcnews.com/files/missions/wraithbp.zip Wraith Blueprints] by Mario "HCl" Brito
===Fan Made===
{{#ask: [[Category:Wing_Commander:_Academy_Patches]] [[creator::!Origin Systems Inc.]]
| ?download=
| format=ul
| template=DownloadList
| link=none
}}
==Miscellaneous Files==
{{#ask: [[Category:Wing_Commander:_Academy]] [[Category:Miscellaneous Files]]
| ?download=
| format=ul
| template=DownloadList
| link=none
}}
==Press==
===Previews===
====PC Games (Germany)====
<gallery>
Image:PC.Games.N012.1993.09-fl0n_0000.jpg
Image:PC.Games.N012.1993.09-fl0n_0086.jpg
</gallery>
====PCMania (Spain)====
<gallery>
Image:Pcmania_0000.jpg
Image:Pcmania_0001.jpg
Image:Pcmania_0021.jpg
Image:Pcmania_0022.jpg
Image:Pcmania_0023.jpg
</gallery>
===Reviews===
====Index====
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Publication
! Issue
! Pages
! Score
|-
!Aktueller Software Markt
|December 1993
|37
|8/12
|-
!Compute!
|November 1993
|128-130
|None
|-
!Computer Gaming World
|November 1993
|162-163
|None
|-
!Electronic Entertainment
|January 1994
|108
|6/10
|-
!Electronic Games
|December 1993
|128
|94%
|-
!MicroMania
|November 1993
|54
|90%
|-
!PC Format
|October 1993
|64
|76%
|-
!PC Games
|October 1993
|42-43
|76%
|-
!PC Joker
|October 1993
|64
|70%
|-
!PC Player
|October 1993
|40-42
|68%
|-
!PC Review
|October 1993
|72-73
|5/10
|-
!PC Zone
|October 1993
|52
|60%
|-
!Power Play
|October 1993
|44
|76%
|-
!Privat Computer
|October 1993
|39
|66%
|-
!Tilt
|October 1993
|114-116
|71%
|-
|}
====Aktueller Software Markt (Germany)====
<gallery>
Image:ASM DE 1993-12.jpg
</gallery>
====Compute!====
<gallery>
Image:Compute_Issue_158_1993_Nov_0177.jpg
Image:Compute_Issue_158_1993_Nov_0179.jpg
</gallery>
====Computer Gaming World (USA)====
<gallery>
Image:CGW112-WCAReviewIndex.png
Image:CGW112-WCAReview1.png
Image:CGW112-WCAReview2.png
</gallery>
====Electronic Entertainment (USA)====
<gallery>
Image:Electronic_Entertainment_01_Jan_1994_0111.jpg
</gallery>
====Electronic Games (USA)====
<gallery>
Image:Electronic_Games_1993-12_0127.jpg
</gallery>
====MicroMania (Spain)====
<gallery>
Image:Micromania_SE_66_0053.jpg
</gallery>
====PC Format (UK)====
<gallery>
Image:PC Format WCA Review.jpg
</gallery>
====PC Games (Germany)====
<gallery>
Image:PCGames_10_1993_0041.jpg
Image:PCGames_10_1993_0042.jpg
</gallery>
====PC Joker (Germany)====
<gallery>
Image:PC Joker Oct 93 Cover.jpg
Image:PC Joker Oct 93 WCA Review.jpg
</gallery>
====PC Player (Germany)====
<gallery>
Image:PC-Player-1993-10 0000.jpg
Image:PC-Player-1993-10 0003.jpg
Image:PC-Player-1993-10 0004.jpg
Image:PC-Player-1993-10 0039.jpg
Image:PC-Player-1993-10 0040.jpg
Image:PC-Player-1993-10 0041.jpg
</gallery>
====PC Review (UK)====
<gallery>
Image:WCAcademyReviewPCRPage1.jpg
Image:WCAcademyReviewPCRPage2.jpg
</gallery>
====PC Zone (UK)====
<gallery>
Image:PC Zone 7 October 1993 0053.jpg
</gallery>
====Power Play (Germany)====
<gallery>
Image:PowerPlay 10 1993 0000.jpg
Image:PowerPlay 10 1993 0043.jpg
</gallery>
====Privat Computer (Denmark)====
<gallery>
Image:Privat Computer WCA Review.jpg
</gallery>
====Tilt (France)====
<gallery>
Image:Tilt118 0113.jpg
Image:Tilt118 0114.jpg
Image:Tilt118 0115.jpg
</gallery>
===Other===
'''Compute!''' - December 1994
<gallery>
Image:Compute_Issue_160_1994_Jan_0051.jpg
</gallery>
'''PC Player''' - October 1993
<gallery>
Image:PC-Player-1993-10 0057.jpg
</gallery>
===Not Yet Located===
* Strategy Plus - September 1993 - Preview
* Cue (Egghead) - October? 1993 - Review
* PC Games (becomes Electronic Entertainment) - October 1993 - Review
* PC Entertainment - October 1993? - Review
* PC Entertainment - January 1994? - Best of 1993
* Computer Game Review - December 1993 - Review
* Penthouse - December 1993 - Christmas Buying Guide
==Music==
==Manuals and Game Documentation==
{{#ask: [[Category:Wing_Commander: Academy Manuals and Game Documentation]]
| ?download=
| format=ul
| template=DownloadList
| link=none
}}
== Controls ==
<pre>
Afterburner Tab
Fire guns Space
Fire missile Enter
Accelerate +
Decelerate -
Full stop Backspace
Look left F2
Look right F3
Look forward F1
Look behind F4
Chase view F5
Battle view F6
Tactical view F7
Missile view F8
Tail view F9
Cycle weapons W
Cycle guns G
Jump J
Cycle targets T
Lock target L
Damage HUD D
Autopilot A
Comms select C
Nav Map N
Eject Ctrl-E
</pre>
==Cheats==
* '''Start the game with "wca ERTS" at the command line to enter debug mode.'''
*: Alt-Del destroys target. Alt-Insert destroys all enemies. Alt-I increases enemy intelligence. Ctrl-I decreases enemy intelligence.
* '''Start the game with "wca ERTS -k".'''
*: Same as above, plus invincibility.
* '''Start the game with "wca ERTS -z".'''
*: Same as above, plus invincibility, except for collisions.
Note that "ERTS" must be in ALL CAPS for the cheat to work.
==Cutscenes==
==Ships==
===Terran Confederation===
* Fighters
{| border="0" align=center cellspacing="10"
|-
|<CENTER>[[File:wc2ferret-vdu.gif|link=P-64 Ferret]]</CENTER>
|<CENTER>[[File:wc2epee-vdu.gif|link=F-54 Epee]]</CENTER>
|<CENTER>[[File:wc2rapier-vdu.gif|link=F-44 Rapier II]]</CENTER>
|<CENTER>[[File:wc2sabre-vdu.gif|link=F/A-76 Longbow]]</CENTER>
|<CENTER>[[File:wc2broadsword-vdu.gif|link=A-17 Broadsword]]</CENTER>
|<CENTER>[[File:wc2crossbow-vdu.gif|link=A-18 Crossbow]]</CENTER>
|<CENTER>[[File:wc2morningstar-vdu.gif|link=F-95 Morningstar]]</CENTER>
|<CENTER>[[File:wcawraith-vdu.gif|link=F-97 Wraith]]</CENTER>
|-
|<CENTER>[[P-64 Ferret]]</CENTER>
|<CENTER>[[F-54 Epee]]</CENTER>
|<CENTER>[[F-44 Rapier II]]</CENTER>
|<CENTER>[[F-57 Sabre]]</CENTER>
|<CENTER>[[A-17 Broadsword]]</CENTER>
|<CENTER>[[A-18 Crossbow]]</CENTER>
|<CENTER>[[F-95 Morningstar]]</CENTER>
|<CENTER>[[F-97 Wraith]]</CENTER>
|}<!--end wikitable-->
* Installations
{| border="0" align=center cellspacing="10"
|-
|<CENTER>[[File:wc2starbase-vdu.gif|link=Space Station]]</CENTER>
|-
|<CENTER>[[Space Station]]</CENTER>
|}<!--end wikitable-->
===Empire of Kilrah===
* Fighters
{| border="0" align=center cellspacing="10"
|-
|<CENTER>[[File:wc2sartha-vdu.gif|link=Sartha]]</CENTER>
|<CENTER>[[File:wc2drakhri-vdu.gif|link=Drakhri]]</CENTER>
|<CENTER>[[File:wc2jalkehi-vdu.gif|link=Jalkehi]]</CENTER>
|<CENTER>[[File:wc2grikath-vdu.gif|link=Grikath]]</CENTER>
|<CENTER>[[File:wc2strakha-vdu.gif|link=Strakha]]</CENTER>
|<CENTER>[[File:wcajrathek-vdu.gif|link=Jrathek]]</CENTER>
|-
|<CENTER>[[Sartha]]</CENTER>
|<CENTER>[[Drakhri]]</CENTER>
|<CENTER>[[Jalkehi]]</CENTER>
|<CENTER>[[Grikath]]</CENTER>
|<CENTER>[[Strakha]]</CENTER>
|<CENTER>[[Jrathek]]</CENTER>
|}<!--end wikitable-->
* Capital Ships
{| border="0" align=center cellspacing="10"
|-
|<CENTER>[[File:wc2dorkathi-vdu.gif|link=Dorkathi]]</CENTER>
|<CENTER>[[File:wc2ralatha-vdu.gif|link=Ralatha]]</CENTER>
|-
|<CENTER>[[Dorkathi]]</CENTER>
|<CENTER>[[Ralatha]]</CENTER>
|}<!--end wikitable-->
==Missions==
===The Gauntlet===
The Gauntlet is a series of fifteen scripted levels each with three waves of enemy ships intended as a challenge for players. The Gauntlet increases in difficulty beginning with very simple encounters and becomes extraordinarily challenging as it progresses. Players may choose to fly any of the game's nine ships and with any one (or none) of the game's four wingmen. Progress through the Gauntlet is scored based on the enemies killed and the ship flown. The player's shields are automatically recharged after each wave and ships are repaired and rearmed between levels. Top Gauntlet scores are displayed in the game's main menu and completing the challenge rewards the player with a unique screen.
====Scoring====
The Gauntlet scores players per kill. Each type of enemy ship has a base value which is multiplied by a modifier determined by the type of ship the player has chosen to fly. As a result, a kill scored by a Ferret (125x the target value) is worth significantly more points than one scored while flying a Wraith (65x the target value). Wingman choice and enemy AI do not factor into the score and enemy spacecraft destroyed by wingmen or collisions do not count towards the player's total. Enemy bombers (Broadsword and Crossbow) have an additional scoring mechanic in which their value increases depending on the number killed in a given wave. The first is worth seven points, the second ten and any others are worth fifteen each. If the ERTS command line cheat is used to start the game then the player ship modifier is nullified resulting in a very low total score. The maximum potential score in the Gauntlet is 213,875 points for flying a Ferret and scoring every possible kill (if the three enemy ships scripted that do not spawn were available the maximum total would be 216,875.)
=====Kill Values=====
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Type
! Base Score
|-
![[Sartha]]
|7 points
|-
![[Ferret]]
|7 points
|-
![[Epee]]
|7 points
|-
![[Drakhri]]
|10 points
|-
![[Strakha]]
|10 points
|-
![[Jrathek]]
|10 points
|-
![[Rapier]]
|10 points
|-
![[Wraith]]
|10 points
|-
![[Jalkehi]]
|15 points
|-
![[Grikath]]
|15 points
|-
![[Dorkathi]]
|15 points
|-
![[Sabre]]
|15 points
|-
![[Morningstar]]
|15 points
|-
![[Broadsword]]
|7 points (first), 10 points (second), 15 points (third+)
|-
![[Crossbow]]
|7 points (first), 10 points (second), 15 points (third+)
|-
|}
=====Ship Choice Modifier=====
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Type
! Modifier
|-
![[Ferret]]
|125x
|-
![[Epee]]
|110x
|-
![[Rapier]]
|100x
|-
![[Sabre]]
|75x
|-
![[Broadsword]]
|95x
|-
![[Crossbow]]
|90x
|-
![[Morningstar]]
|80x
|-
![[Wraith]]
|65x
|-
![[Jrathek]]
|70x
|-
|}
====Gauntlet Layout====
This chart displays the types and AI levels of opponents scripted to appear in each wave of the Gauntlet. Two waves request more spacecraft than the eight simultaneous opponents game is capable of displaying. As a result, one of the Drakhri in Level 12, Wave 3 and two of the Sartha in Level 14, Wave 3 do not actually spawn.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Wave
! Opponents
! Skill Level
|-
!colspan="3"|Level 1
|-
!Wave 1
|1 [[Sartha]]
|1
|-
!Wave 2
|1 [[Drakhri]]
|1
|-
!Wave 3
|1 [[Jrathek]]
|1
|-
!colspan="3"|Level 2
|-
!Wave 1
|2 [[Sartha]]
|1
|-
!Wave 2
|2 [[Drakhri]]
|1
|-
!Wave 3
|2 [[Jalkehi]]
|1
|-
!colspan="3"|Level 3
|-
!Wave 1
|2 [[Grikath]]
|1
|-
!Wave 2
|2 [[Strakha]]
|1
|-
!Wave 3
|3 [[Ferret]]
|1
|-
!colspan="3"|Level 4
|-
!Wave 1
|1 [[Wraith]]
|1
|-
!Wave 2
|2 [[Epee]]
|1
|-
!Wave 3
|3 [[Sabre]]
|1
|-
!colspan="3"|Level 5
|-
!Wave 1
|3 [[Epee]]
|1
|-
!Wave 2
|1 [[Sabre]]
|1
|-
!Wave 3
|3 [[Broadsword]]
|1
|-
!colspan="3"|Level 6
|-
!Wave 1
|1 [[Dorkathi]]
|1
|-
!Wave 2
|2 [[Crossbow]]
|1
|-
!Wave 3
|1 [[Morningstar]]
|1
|-
!colspan="3"|Level 7
|-
!Wave 1
|1 [[Wraith]]
|1
|-
!Wave 2
|2 [[Jrathek]]
|1
|-
!Wave 3
|3 [[Drakhri]]
|2
|-
!colspan="3"|Level 8
|-
!Wave 1
|3 [[Jalkehi]]
|2
|-
!Wave 2
|2 [[Morningstar]]
|2
|-
!Wave 3
|2 [[Sabre]]
|2
|-
!colspan="3"|Level 9
|-
!Wave 1
|4 [[Grikath]]
|3
|-
!Wave 2
|4 [[Strakha]]
|3
|-
!Wave 3
|3 [[Crossbow]]
|3
|-
!colspan="3"|Level 10
|-
!Wave 1
|4 [[Rapier]]
|2
|-
!Wave 2
|5 [[Epee]]
|2
|-
!Wave 3
|7 [[Ferret]]
|2
|-
!colspan="3"|Level 11
|-
!Wave 1
|5 [[Grikhath]]
|3
|-
!Wave 2
|4 [[Wraith]]
|2
|-
!Wave 3
|4 [[Rapier]]
|3
|-
!colspan="3"|Level 12
|-
!Wave 1
|6 [[Jrathek]]
|2
|-
!Wave 2
|2 [[Dorkathi]]
|2
|-
!Wave 3
|9 [[Drakhri]]
|3
|-
!colspan="3"|Level 13
|-
!Wave 1
|5 [[Crossbow]]
|2
|-
!Wave 2
|4 [[Morningstar]]
|4
|-
!Wave 3
|6 [[Epee]]
|2
|-
!colspan="3"|Level 14
|-
!Wave 1
|6 [[Jrathek]]
|4
|-
!Wave 2
|7 [[Ferret]]
|4
|-
!Wave 3
|10 [[Sartha]]
|4
|-
!colspan="3"|Level 15
|-
!Wave 1
|7 [[Morningstar]]
|4
|-
!Wave 2
|8 [[Wraith]]
|3
|-
!Wave 3
|8 [[Jrathek]]
|4
|-
|}
==Weapons==
===Guns===
* [[Laser Cannon]]
* [[Mass Driver]]
* [[Neutron Gun]]
* [[Particle Cannon]]
* [[Photon Gun]]
* [[Plasma Bolt]]
* [[Reaper Cannon]]
* [[Turret Gun]]
===Missiles===
* [[Dart Dumb Fire Missile (DF)]]
* [[Javelin Heat-Seeking Missile (HS)]]
* [[Leech Missile]]
* [[Mace Tactical Nuclear Missile]]
* [[Pilum Friend-or-Foe Missile (FF)]]
* [[Spiculum Image-Recognition Missile (IR)]]
===Defensive Weapons===
* [[Flak Cannon]]
* [[Chaff Pod]]
* [[Phase Shield]]
* [[Stealth Device]]
===Other Systems===
* [[Torpedo]]
* [[Tractor Beam]]
* [[Anti Matter Gun]]
==Wingmen==
[[Category:Games]]
* [[Todd "Maniac" Marshall]] (simulated)
* [[Ralgha "Hobbes" nar Hhallas]] (simulated)
* [[Jeanette "Angel" Dexereaux]] (simulated)
* [[Bryan "Lightspeed" Lomard]] (simulated)

Latest revision as of 15:27, 12 June 2020

Subcategories

This category has the following 3 subcategories, out of 3 total.

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Pages in category "Wing Commander: Academy"

The following 2 pages are in this category, out of 2 total.

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