Bandit LOAF
Long Live the Confederation!
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Have we ever known anything like this?
- Thread starter Bandit LOAF
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Bandit LOAF
Long Live the Confederation!
I found it on a random Origin backup CD--dated July 1994.
Mahak caught the missing shadows (they're there in the finished version)... the beach is also different compared to the video in the game... but strangest of all those two Arrows were replaced with Hellcats!
Mahak caught the missing shadows (they're there in the finished version)... the beach is also different compared to the video in the game... but strangest of all those two Arrows were replaced with Hellcats!
HCl
WC EXE archaeologist
Hey great find!
This high-res picture made me remember those old ChickenBoy Origin e-catalogs from the 90s, where some high(er) resolution pictures from WC3/4 were often found. Maybe this image was meant for inclusion in such a catalog?
After a peek on my old WC CDs I did find one such catalog, so I quickly took a few screenshots in case someone doesn't remember this. Cool stuff! (also the spaceflight pic looks like it might be from an earlier build of the game).
This high-res picture made me remember those old ChickenBoy Origin e-catalogs from the 90s, where some high(er) resolution pictures from WC3/4 were often found. Maybe this image was meant for inclusion in such a catalog?
After a peek on my old WC CDs I did find one such catalog, so I quickly took a few screenshots in case someone doesn't remember this. Cool stuff! (also the spaceflight pic looks like it might be from an earlier build of the game).
Bandit LOAF
Long Live the Confederation!
Good memory, I forgot all about those!
I actually just found five WC3 screenshots from that 'set' (they were made in May '94), but not that one. Here's one:
Defiantly an earlier build of the game... I also have 20-odd from a build from a month or two later that's still incomplete.
I actually just found five WC3 screenshots from that 'set' (they were made in May '94), but not that one. Here's one:
Defiantly an earlier build of the game... I also have 20-odd from a build from a month or two later that's still incomplete.
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This place is so cool! LOAF - nice find, shame I was hoping to be the first 'sharp eye' to have noted the Arrows replacing the Hellcats 
I remember the 'Chicken Boy' catalogues, I have the very on you've posted, and remember one similar on the WCIV disk and seem to recall an early catalogue complete with music on the Wing Commander II Deluxe CD. It was advertising, amongst other things, a special WC3 release packaged in a film cannister, and came complete with calendar and posters.
...and that last Arrow LOAF just posted is on my WC3 'EA Classics' release box I recall wondering how the hell do I tweak my SVGA card to make the game look THAT good
I remember the 'Chicken Boy' catalogues, I have the very on you've posted, and remember one similar on the WCIV disk and seem to recall an early catalogue complete with music on the Wing Commander II Deluxe CD. It was advertising, amongst other things, a special WC3 release packaged in a film cannister, and came complete with calendar and posters.
...and that last Arrow LOAF just posted is on my WC3 'EA Classics' release box
I recall wondering how the hell do I tweak my SVGA card to make the game look THAT good
Bandit LOAF
Long Live the Confederation!
Here's another one you might enjoy.
I found this in a stack of Armada screenshots on a backup of Origin's webmaster's 'work' folder... he apparently had a group of screenshots from each of the games to pick from for the 'Wing Commander History' feature that appeared at the WC4 website in 1996. There were twenty-or-so seemingly ordinary Armada pictures that were taken by someone setting up a multiplayer battle...
...but then I did a doubletake! What's *THIS*?!
Jeff Everett, lead on Armada, was able to explain it to me (I had tracked him down for another project the other day!)--it's actually from a very early build of Armada. The WC3 Dralthi was already finished at that point and they put it in as a placeholder even though the higher resolution art didn't work as well in Armada.
I found this in a stack of Armada screenshots on a backup of Origin's webmaster's 'work' folder... he apparently had a group of screenshots from each of the games to pick from for the 'Wing Commander History' feature that appeared at the WC4 website in 1996. There were twenty-or-so seemingly ordinary Armada pictures that were taken by someone setting up a multiplayer battle...
...but then I did a doubletake! What's *THIS*?!
Jeff Everett, lead on Armada, was able to explain it to me (I had tracked him down for another project the other day!)--it's actually from a very early build of Armada. The WC3 Dralthi was already finished at that point and they put it in as a placeholder even though the higher resolution art didn't work as well in Armada.
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Wedge009
Rogue Leader
Good to hear from you again, HCl.
I definitely remember those pictures - I keep a copy of them in my WC collection.
I've always wanted to know how Armada would look like, if it supported the higher 640x480 resolution that was first enabled in WC3.
HCl
WC EXE archaeologist
Wedge, thanks
I think most of the pictures posted so far (well, except that WC3 Dralthi in Armada... WOW!) might have showed up at various computer magazines previewing these games at the time. I definitely remember seeing that arrow / Kilrathi capship screenshot some magazine before. It's great to note these differences between the different builds! On the screenshot LOAF posted the Kilrathi capship does look a lot more detailed than any final model that made it to the final game... I wonder how many iterations the ingame models went through?
I'm also curious about how WC3, although having an engine improved from Armada, lacks some details that Armada has (going by memory here, but i'm thinking of the blinking lights, present for ex. on the Armada Arrow, but absent on the WC3 version). I'm guessing when the new Arrow model was built these details were lost? These early-WC3 screens seem to use the Armada Arrow textures at least.
LOAF, will you be able to post that 20-something set of pictures you mentioned? I at least would be very interested in checking those out, as i have a soft spot for the RealSpace engine in my heart
(EDIT)
Since we're discussing pre-release builds of these games... i'm wondering what this is?
Was the Jalkehi meant to be flyable in Armada at some point?
I think most of the pictures posted so far (well, except that WC3 Dralthi in Armada... WOW!) might have showed up at various computer magazines previewing these games at the time. I definitely remember seeing that arrow / Kilrathi capship screenshot some magazine before. It's great to note these differences between the different builds! On the screenshot LOAF posted the Kilrathi capship does look a lot more detailed than any final model that made it to the final game... I wonder how many iterations the ingame models went through?
I'm also curious about how WC3, although having an engine improved from Armada, lacks some details that Armada has (going by memory here, but i'm thinking of the blinking lights, present for ex. on the Armada Arrow, but absent on the WC3 version). I'm guessing when the new Arrow model was built these details were lost? These early-WC3 screens seem to use the Armada Arrow textures at least.
LOAF, will you be able to post that 20-something set of pictures you mentioned? I at least would be very interested in checking those out, as i have a soft spot for the RealSpace engine in my heart
(EDIT)
Since we're discussing pre-release builds of these games... i'm wondering what this is?
Was the Jalkehi meant to be flyable in Armada at some point?
Bandit LOAF
Long Live the Confederation!
Even stranger, that "triangle transport" isn't in the PC game at all. It *is* in WC3 cutscenes, on a trading card, in WC4's Flashpack video and in the 3DO version of WC3... but it's MIA in the PC release.
What I learned from Jeff Everett is that much of the WC3 stuff came first--Armada is an offshoot that came well after WC3 was on track (remember that WC3 had been in development since late 1991)... and the first builds used WC3 artwork because lower res Armada ships hadn't been built yet.
For you, anything!
SPOILER WARNING--these are going to be three CIC updates next week... so if you want to be 'surprised' don't look yet.
These actually represent three different days--two of them (with the black space) are from July 1994...the others are all from two days in September.
https://www.wcnews.com/articles/wc3screenshots.shtml
WOAH! I went back and looked at the set of early Armada build screenshots and they're all like this--they include this picture and a few others from that same battle.
I *think* that it's a Jrathek, though--there's a picture of the ship selection screen with the player choosing Jrathek first (and the ship selection is all the same).
Here's another amazing pre-release shot:
That's *not* one of the SWC cockpits!
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HCl
WC EXE archaeologist
WOW thanks a lot! You made me a happy man
Some random comments:
The early web-like shield effects made me remember the effects on WC3 Demo, where you were fighting against a group of Dralthi. The shields on the demo probably had some blue "electrical discharge" effects on them, but I seem to recall those "web" features being there. I should dig up the WC3 Demo from my old CDs and give it another go!
Also, the "fancy art goes here" bit made me chuckle a bit
Interesting how the arrow apparently was armed with 4 lasers, much like the WC4 banshee. I wonder if this was the original intention and the two Ions were added later on due to balancing reasons.
Also, WC30003.GIF "felt" strangely familiar, so I went and again checked the art of the various game boxes. Turns out there is a similar screenshot on the back of the WC3 box, but it's clearly not the same, so no match... However, looking again at the back of the Armada box you'll find:
link at the CIC
- Another screenshot, with the silhouette of that Jalkehi / Jrathek "transitional form" (bottom left)...
- ... and what appears to be the WC3 Dralthi model LOAF posted about, in-game! (top right screenshot)
I can't believe i never noticed this before!
Also, the same "Jalkehi" (i should definitely stop calling it a Jalkehi, but it feel to me closer to a Jalkehi than a Jrathek) screenshot can be found on the Armada Sellsheet posted at the CIC Birthday (link), as well as what seem to be two "WC3-type Dralthi" in-game screenshots. Very cool!
Well, thanks again for these images! They certainly ended up motivating me to review a lot of WC material that I, otherwise, wouldn't probably think about for a while.
(EDIT)
That SWC pic looks great! If i had to guess, i would say it could be some kind of bomber, as it "feels" heavy (meaning, Broadsword-like heavy). Do you have any clue what ship it could have been meant for?
Some random comments:
The early web-like shield effects made me remember the effects on WC3 Demo, where you were fighting against a group of Dralthi. The shields on the demo probably had some blue "electrical discharge" effects on them, but I seem to recall those "web" features being there. I should dig up the WC3 Demo from my old CDs and give it another go!
Also, the "fancy art goes here" bit made me chuckle a bit
Interesting how the arrow apparently was armed with 4 lasers, much like the WC4 banshee. I wonder if this was the original intention and the two Ions were added later on due to balancing reasons.
Also, WC30003.GIF "felt" strangely familiar, so I went and again checked the art of the various game boxes. Turns out there is a similar screenshot on the back of the WC3 box, but it's clearly not the same, so no match... However, looking again at the back of the Armada box you'll find:
link at the CIC
- Another screenshot, with the silhouette of that Jalkehi / Jrathek "transitional form" (bottom left)...
- ... and what appears to be the WC3 Dralthi model LOAF posted about, in-game! (top right screenshot)
I can't believe i never noticed this before!
Also, the same "Jalkehi" (i should definitely stop calling it a Jalkehi, but it feel to me closer to a Jalkehi than a Jrathek) screenshot can be found on the Armada Sellsheet posted at the CIC Birthday (link), as well as what seem to be two "WC3-type Dralthi" in-game screenshots. Very cool!
Well, thanks again for these images! They certainly ended up motivating me to review a lot of WC material that I, otherwise, wouldn't probably think about for a while.
(EDIT)
That SWC pic looks great! If i had to guess, i would say it could be some kind of bomber, as it "feels" heavy (meaning, Broadsword-like heavy). Do you have any clue what ship it could have been meant for?
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Wedge009
Rogue Leader
I could see the 'scanning' animation start playing inside that box in my mind's eye.
It is indeed quite similar to a promotional screen shot from years ago, but as you say, not an exact match.
Bandit LOAF
Long Live the Confederation!
We've got it in the files section--29 megs. I remember when it seemed like that meant it could never be downloaded (in 1994).
I'm not really sure--it doesn't seem like a viable cockpit in the first place because it's missing instrumentation (like VDUs!)
It's "looking" at the formation of Rapiers from the intro. Might have been an alternate version of the opening cutscene...
TCSTigersClaw
Greek Special Forces B' Company "Naoussa" 2007-200
Hey , Instead of Hellcats , there are Arrows ?!?!?
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Wedge009
Rogue Leader
Bandit LOAF
Long Live the Confederation!
Yeah! Isn't that strange? I wonder what could possibly have motivated the change.
There was another strange Hellcat/Arrow substitution, too... the Kilrathi Saga replaces the Hellcat with the Arrow in one of the Victory Streak excerpts, doesn't it?
Does anyone have a Wing Commander III Premiere calendar handy? I wonder if this version of the shot appears in there...