Wing Commander - Improved GAMEDAT Files

[YPersonified]

Wing Commander - Improved GAMEDAT Files


The project of fan-edited GAMEDAT files from Wing Commander for better gameplay experience. The work is mostly focused on slightly demanding but basic editings like dialogue/conversation script issues, using features of Wing Commander Toolbox. Editing of fundamental or technical aspects is unfortunately beyond my level. Download and un-zip the files on GAMEDAT folder for application - recommend backing your original files up first. Feedback is always appreciated.


Contents

- BRIEFING files - WC(000), SM(001), SM2(002)
- Dialogue typos or apparent grammar errors fixed, missing punctuation marks added.

- Entry dialogue(gray-colored text) in several missions are now properly spaced for coherence.

- Several misgrouped sets of background image and talking-head fixed for coherence.

- Several missing lipsync phonetics added.

- Miscellaneous minor adjustments done.

- All lipsync phonetics in SM and SM2 are now replaced with new ones, properly reflecting written dialogue.
- All dialogue delay time in SM and SM2 scripts are reset and more facial expression codes are added for a natural pace of conversation.

- Several wing designations in conversations set to match with in-flight designations(MODULE files 001 and 002) to avoid discrepancy.

* Note: Unskipped 'Mission Briefing Conversation' may cause the infamous endless music loop - which you must manually skip to continue - depending on your DOSBox CPU cycles. May work on text delays in case you experience this in GOG.com default config of 4000 cycles.


- COMMUNIC files - WC, SM
- Script typos fixed, missing punctuation marks added.


- Work In Progress
- BRIEFING.002 - Editing in progress (Lipsync phonetics, Delay time settings, Possible ideas for script improvisation)

 

[YPersonified]

While working on these files, I thought it would be nice to try entire playthrough and upload them steadily on Youtube for a showcase. Click on my playlist and check out the gameplay if you're interested.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9u3qjV-iEiOrLhV58BC1ISfqc2bqcuS6

 

[Vidmaster]

Where did this come from... this is great 👍 and it should be hosted here in the game's fan-patch category asap.

 

[Wedge009]

Good job, I never even noticed the 'to you' typo in Goddard before.

Just one thing: While changing the CSS designation for the Suffolk might be more consistent with other ships, I understood there was a reason for it being titled CSS. It may seem like a 'retcon' but I understand the Tiger Claw of the movie was also designated CSS. So I'm not sure if that particular change should stay.

 

[Bandit LOAF]

This is a really neat project, kudos!

Just one thing: While changing the CSS designation for the Suffolk might be more consistent with other ships, I understood there was a reason for it being titled CSS. It may seem like a 'retcon' but I understand the Tiger Claw of the movie was also designated CSS. So I'm not sure if that particular change should stay.

Interesting question! It's never 100% possible to judge intent, but we do have some background that might help.

When Wingleader was first announced, the home ship was listed as the CSS Tiger's Claw in the press materials. Between that point and the release it was changed to TCS, almost certainly because someone thought CSS was a little problematic (CSS was the preface for ships in the Confederate States of America in the Civil War). So there's a good bet that "CSS Suffolk" is leftover from this change... though of course it could also mean anything else in the universe, perhaps it's the designation for some ally race's ship or the merchant marine. (Another possibility is that they left it in because Suffolk itself is referencing a Civil War battlefield.)

With regards to the movie, it was shot with 'CS' as the human ship designation. That's what the team in Luxembourg was working with and you can see that on all the physical uniform patches, in the script and the handbook and in the novelization and its followups... BUT they actually made a point of dropping that during post production. You'll hear "TCS" in looped dialogue and the biggest use of all is in these supertitles when you first see the Tiger Claw:

(I could also see nitpicking over the Port Hedland change; perhaps without the 'system' it means the Tiger's Claw is in orbit of the planet or somesuch. You do get more variety in the system slug lines in the addons!)

 

[Wedge009]

In that case, it's probably fine to change it to TCS. Given the background they probably intended to replace all instances of CSS and missed this one because it's the only place the Suffolk is mentioned.

 

[YPersonified]

Good job, I never even noticed the 'to you' typo in Goddard before.

Just one thing: While changing the CSS designation for the Suffolk might be more consistent with other ships, I understood there was a reason for it being titled CSS. It may seem like a 'retcon' but I understand the Tiger Claw of the movie was also designated CSS. So I'm not sure if that particular change should stay.

I did consider whether to put my hands on these fictional settings or not. I guess this CSS to TCS thing is no bad decision after all, but I have to admit my research was not thorough enough and should have been more careful.

(I could also see nitpicking over the Port Hedland change; perhaps without the 'system' it means the Tiger's Claw is in orbit of the planet or somesuch. You do get more variety in the system slug lines in the addons!)

Right. Border Zone and Retreat 'System.' Still, SM1's plotline shows each of mission series isn't clearly paired with distinct system - like Bifrost 3 (Series 6 Mission 1) for example. However, you can hardly find this kind of leeway around Vega Campaign - one system per series. They kept that consistency thirteen times in a row so I didn't see why Port Hedland should be different. Could there be a reason for devs to take different measures just for this one? Port Hedland series has the second most challenging missions in Vega Campaign IMO but that's probably not it. (joke)

 

[Wedge009]

Maybe 'Port Hedland' was already quite long, considering character constraints (an issue for the German translation project). Either way, it does seem inconsistent to drop the 'system' in Vega campaign.

Incidentally, I only realised later that Port Hedland is an Australian reference (aside from Hunter's background). I haven't been there, but I've been pretty darn close at the ridiculously long docking facility at Cape Lambert a few hundred klicks to the west.