Category:Privateer 2: The Darkening

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Developed in the period following the success of Wing Commander III, Privateer 2 was conceived as a cinematic evolution of the Privateer gameplay model. Privateer 2: The Darkening was developed in the UK by Erin Roberts and his team at EA Manchester with it's full motion video cutscenes filmed on sets built at the legendary Pinewood studios. The game puts you, the player in the shoes of Ser Lev Arris, and mysterious figure in search of his past, and lets you play the game your way. Boasting an all-star cast, the game stars Clive Owen as Ser Lev Arris, supported by Christopher Walken, David Warner, Jürgen Prochnow, Mathilda May and John Hurt among others.

Set 120 years after Wing Commander IV, The Darkening takes place in a remote corner of the Wing Commander universe known as the Tri-System. Planet Anhur has been home to humans for some two thousand years, with the locals having independently developed faster-than-light drives from the Confederation. The futuristic setting lets players utilize advanced jump gates, short-range time travel devices and massive cargo haulers. In addition to the traditional build-up phase and story portions of the game, Privateer 2 peppers the experience with random cinematic mini plot missions. Certain upgrades are only available once these subplots have been completed, and entire character arcs are explored with recorded video cutscenes separate from the main story.

Privateer 2: The Darkening
Bd-box3.jpg
Release Date December 1996




Copy

Original U.K. Release

U.K. box, front cover
U.K. box, back cover

NAME: Ser Lev Arris

AGE: 30

DIAGNOSIS: Anterior Amnesia


RECENT HISTORY:
Ser Arris's condition was probably caused by accelerated
depassivity from a long artificial sleep, after being
pulled from the wreckage of a recent Cargo ship disaster at
Mendra spaceport. After a satisfactory physical recovery,
the subject was kidnapped in a violent attack on the
hospital resulting in a number of fatalities. The subject
seems to have escaped his kidnappers, and is now in
possession of a spaceship, trading and fighting his way
across the galaxy, seemingly in search of his lost
identity.


  • REVOLUTIONARY 3D space

combat engine supporting a
vast number of fully textured
ships, space stations and planets
in high-detail SVGA, with phong
shading, spotlighting and lens
flare effects.


  • ADVENTURE is not confined

to the cockpit - once
planetside, the player may visit a
multitude of locations, and meet a
vast array of characters, realised
through the talens of Clive Owen,
John Hurt, Mathilda May, Jurgen
Prochnow and Christopher
Walken


  • The SOPHISTICATED trading

environment allows the
player to make money dealing in
numerous commodities across
three solar systems, with prices
continually shifting according to
planetary market situations.


  • MULTIPLE main and sub plot

story lines require shrewd
detective work, utilising the vast
databases of the three systems.

  • An EXTENSIVE variety of

ships, weapons and
equipment are available to help
you meet the demands of over 150
non-linear missions.

Deluxe Edition (U.S.)

Inner flap

U.S. box (Deluxe Edition), left inner flap
U.S. box (Deluxe Edition), right inner flap

THE ULTIMATE SPACE COMBAT TRADING EXPERIENCE


You regain consciousness, and the unfamiliar
faces around you inform you that you've lost
your ship in an accident. You're new to the
cutthroat world of Tri-System privateers, and
now your only order of business is survival.
You've got just enough credits to afford a new
ship, but it's going to need upgrades if you
expect to live long. The sector is full of
people willing to do business, but who can be
trusted? Legal or not, it's time to trade, travel,
and battle your way through a place where
high risk means high yield and those with the
brass reap the rewards.

Back cover

U.S. box, back cover

A new FACE...
A new PLACE...
A new STORY...

Strap in tight and jump into
the ultimate space combat
trading experience!


In Privateer 2, there are no rules.
You can fly over 100
different missions in
18 different ships.
Check out whatever you
want ― unique planets,
space stations, bars,
prison pits and more.


But without money, you're nothing.
Ship upgrades,
loadouts, repairs,
wingmen, information
― everything here
costs money. You'll
have to hunt, trade,
and fight to get it.


Only the fastest and most savvy survive.
Incredible new space
combat engine enables
hi-speed battles between
bands of pirates, greedy
police, desperate
privateers and you.

Korean Edition

Korean Box), Front and Back


Box Contents

PC


Here's something a lot of people don't know: different versions of Privateer 2 featured readically different manuals! It's strange but true - the original UK release came with a "Crius Hospital Rehabilitation Guide" and an in-universe "Guide to Space Travel"... while the American version came with a single booklet, "Your Guide to the Universe". Well, it's time for the walls to come back: thanks to the scanning efforts of Kris Vanhecke and myself, now everyone can have both manuals!

  • The American version here (13 mb, PDF)
  • The British set here (15 mb, PDF)

Deluxe Edition

This Box Contains:

  • (3) CDs (your game).
  • Windows 95 Installation Guide (16 pp.) which is what you are reading now and which includes Installation and Troubleshooting information.
  • Pilot's Manual (32 pp.) that introduces the cockpit and describes how to fly, navigate and fight.
  • Your Guide to the Universe (48 pp.) that explains loading and saving the game, and how the CNN booth system and your PAD work.
  • Reference Card (4 pp.) that lists all keyboard, mouse and joystick commands in the game.
  • Registration Card — we'd love to know who you are!

Credits

see Privateer 2 credits


Privateer 2: The Darkening development team! Take a close look at the details, too--there's an area on the wall for each Tri-System planet! Special thanks to the always-graciou

  • Back Row: Mark Goldsworthy, Phil Meller, Paul Hughes, Tony Stockton, Nick Goldsworthy, Jason Reeve, Adam Medhurst, John Miles, Erin Roberts
  • Front Row: Paul Chapman, Nick Elms, Mike Cottam, Chris Battson, Dan Blackstone


You've seen their picture take a look at their cartoon equivalents

Cast

These Privateer 2 cast photos were originally posted to the now defunct Privateer 2: The Darkening official website. Now, after nine long years, they're finally back in one place! The pictures, are, in order: Brian Blessed as Uncle Kashumai, John Hurt as Joe the Bartender, Mathilda May as Melissa Banks, David McCallum as the Captain of the Canera, Clive Owen as Lev Arris/Vel Ricaud, Amanda Pays as an assassin, Jürgen Prochnow as Xavier Shondi, Christopher Walken as David Hassan and David Warner as Rhinehart.


Cinematics

Privateer 2 Videos! All 24 movies is also available here in a Single zip file (730 MB)


The Origin Museum has kindly sent us a copy of a DVD containing many of the cinematics from Privateer 2 : The Darkening, and we are happy to be able to make them available to you! The original source for the DVD is a VHS tape which was donated to the museum so while the quality isn't DVD quality, it is still higher quality than the video used in the game. Sadly there were a few scenes missing from the tape, most notably the intro and the first Joe the Bartender scene but the rest is well worth a look. You can find the videos in the Privateer 2 part of the Holovids Cinematics section.


More Privateer 2 Videos!

We've located 'Tape B' from Origin's Privateer 2 video archive, which adds most of the videos not already in our archive (except, somehow, the introduction). Here's the roster:

Trailer

Storyline

Side Missions

Development

From the Origin Museum -- a picture of an official Privateer 2 crew jacket! Check it out:

Concept Art


  • The never-used box cover for 'Privateer: The Darkening'! The file, dated May 13, 1996, proves once and for all that Electronic Arts once seriously planned to release it without the '2'.

Interviews

Storyboards

  • Download the PDF of all the P2 Storyboards HERE

Manuals and Game Documentation

Press

  • The Darkening - Article about Privateer 2 from The Times
  • Back in 1996, PC Zone magazine produced a special 20-page Privateer 2 preview booklet. It interviewed all aspects of the team, including programmers, the guys behind the full motion video... even the sound engineer! It was a beautiful magazine which featured many early screenshots. Read it HERE or Download the PDF HERE

Strategy Guides

System Requirements

Deluxe Edition

Windows 95 The Deluxe Edition of Privateer 2: The Darkening is native to Windows 95 and requires Windows 95 to install and play the game.
Computer Privateer 2: The Darkening requires at least a Pentium™ 75MHz or 100% compatible processor. A processor that is equal to or faster than a Pentium™ 90MHz processor is recommended.


This game was tested fully with Intel-based processors.
Other processors may not be compatible.

Memory A minimum of 16MB of RAM installed in your computer is required to play this game.
Video Card A 1MB (or greater) SVGA (640x480) video card that is compatible with Microsoft DirectX is required.
Hard Drive You must have a minimum of 40 MB free on your hard drive to install and play this game.
CD-ROM Drive A 4x-speed CD-ROM drive is required.
Mouse A mouse (Microsoft or 100% compatible) that works under Windows 95 is required to play this game.

Commodities

Industrial

Medical

Food

Hardware

Luxury

Ores

Black Market

Companies

News

see Category:News Bulletins

People

Planets

Ships

Player Ships

Light

P2straith-vdu.gif
P2aurora-vdu.gif
P2velacia-vdu.gif
P2drakkar-vdu.gif
P2duress-vdu.gif
Straith
Aurora
Velacia
Drakkar
Duress

Medium

P2shaman-vdu.gif
P2jendevi-vdu.gif
P2skecis-vdu.gif
P2skecismkii-vdu.gif
P2kalrechi-vdu.gif
P2heretic-vdu.gif
Shaman
Jendevi
Skecis
Skecis Mk II
Kalrechi
Heretic

Heavy

P2karnenan-vdu.gif
P2icarus-vdu.gif
P2freij-vdu.gif
P2freijmkii-vdu.gif
P2danrik-vdu.gif
P2faldari-vdu.gif
P2faldarimkii-vdu.gif
Karnenan
Icarus
Freij
Freij Mk II
Danrik
Faldari
Faldari Mk II

Cargo Ships

P2geatransit-vdu.gif
P2geamkii-vdu.gif
P2ogan-vdu.gif
P2ilia-vdu.gif
P2iliamkii-vdu.gif
P2monolith-vdu.gif
Gea Transit
Gea Transit Mk II
Ogan
Ilia
Ilia Mk II
Monolith

Military Ships

P2lightcis-vdu.gif
P2mediumcis-vdu.gif
P2heavycis-vdu.gif
P2extraheavycis-vdu.gif
ML1b
ML2b
ML3b
ML4X
P2destroyercis-vdu.gif
P2prototypecis-vdu.gif
P2carriercis-vdu.gif
P2dreadnoughtcis-vdu.gif
P2transportcis-vdu.gif
Destroyer
Prototype
Carrier
Dreadnought
Transport

Pirate Ships

Jincilla Clan

P2skull-vdu.gif
P2veldor-vdu.gif
P2tacon-vdu.gif
Skull
Veldor
Tacon

Kiowan Clan

P2vector-vdu.gif
P2leighat-vdu.gif
P2krell-vdu.gif
Vector
Leighat
Krell

Chirichan Clan

P2demon-vdu.gif
P2heron-vdu.gif
P2testmos-vdu.gif
Demon
Heron
Testmos

Papagod Clan

P2tembler-vdu.gif
P2ecantona-vdu.gif
P2ashearer-vdu.gif
Tembler
Ecantona
Ashearer

Kindred

P2vendetta-vdu.gif
P2blade-vdu.gif
Vendetta
Blade

Fixtures

P2kappalabs-vdu.gif
P2navbuoy-vdu.gif
P2draknor-vdu.gif
P2jumpgate-vdu.gif
P2kastagan-vdu.gif
Kappa Labs
Navigation Buoy
Chirichan Pirate Station
Jump Gate
Kiowan Pirate Station

Miscellaneous

P2escapepod-vdu.gif
Escape Pod

Weapons

Guns

Missiles

Turrets

Wingmen