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Quote from Wing Commander News-Bot

AllTinker has a couple of fantastic extra wide art pieces to share from his Confederation mod of WC1. I really really like that extended view of the Tiger's Claw with bridge and gun turrets visible.

Here's another couple of things for the heck of it; the extended 'Claw for the landing animation, and the victory animation (the first frame of it at least; the whole animation is good to go though).

Some scenes are going to be easier to draw than others. The victory sunset is a relatively simple background to flow out. On the other hand, coming up with the visuals for the back half of each fighter are proving to be more of a challenge!

In terms of stuff I haven't done for the widescreen mod, there's only one thing now: the side views of the ships in the hangar, and they're very difficult. I experimented with some cheat methods, e.g. a big clamp holding the ship, or other stuff in the foreground to hide

Quote from Wing Commander News-Bot

Colonel Halcyon’s uniform is a little crazy in the Wing Commander Amiga rolling demo! The final product reduced everything to 16 colors which looked much closer to the EGA version.

The Hornet cockpit slides forward to open instead of hinging up from behind. I can’t explain that change but it didn’t make it to the final version of the port!

Differences

• The preview uses 64-color Extra Half-Brite (EHB) mode while the final version of the game uses the standard 16-color mode.
• Colonel Halcyon's uniform is grey with a green undershirt and a red insignia.
• The pilots running during the scramble are noticeably closer together.
• During the takeoff and landing cutscenes the Hornet cockpit slides forward instead of lifting up. It displays more damage than the game allows during landing.
• The Hornet cockpit is incomplete and does not have any active instrumentation.
• The landing cutscene shows the Hornet landing upside down

Quote from Elite Dangerous Galnet News-Bot

The Imperial Senate has formally welcomed back Senator Zemina Torval, following an absence of several months.
Torval's reappearance put an end to rumours that she was suffering from ill health. Her youngest daughter, Senator Petra Torval, had been standing in for her mother by representing the Imperial populace of the Synteini system.
Addressing the Senate, Zemina Torval said:
"I am grateful to this august body, and to Her Majesty the Emperor, for permitting me a short respite from my duties. I have used this time to fully discharge my corporate responsibilities. As is common knowledge, ownership of Torval Mining Ltd has been transferred to my eldest daughter Constantia. She will ensure that Imperial industries continue to be supplied with vital mineral resources."
"My attention is now fully focused on my senatorial work. This is where I have best served the Empire, and will continue to do so

Quote from Elite Dangerous Galnet News-Bot

Federal citizens who were captured by Thargoids then rescued from the Titans will not yet be permitted to leave secure medical facilities.
The decision comes after the Alliance ended quarantine restrictions for returnees from their systems, with newly rescued civilians expected to spend no more than a week in observation. Prime Minister Edmund Mahon has called on other governments to do the same.
President Zachary Hudson discussed the situation during a press conference:
"The consensus of Federal medical experts is that it would be foolishly optimistic to allow these people – some of whom were held aboard the Titans for months – back into the general population. When at war with such an implacable enemy as the Thargoids, we simply cannot afford to take any risks."
"Rest assured that Federal citizens are not suffering in any way. They are allowed to receive visitors, albeit without physical

Quote from Elite Dangerous Galnet News-Bot

*Pilots' Federation ALERT*
Commanders have been asked to help destroy the rogue Grey Swan pilots killing civilians in the Shamash system.
Military squadrons taking part in Fleet Exercise Grey Swan became irrationally violent following an unexplained mass hysteria that swept through Garrett Orbital during a fleet training exercise. Captain Ulrich Maurer, commanding officer of the San Tu State Network megaship Khonsu Gleam, broadcast the following message:
"Shamash Future's security forces have asked us to help stop the carnage taking place throughout this system. No medical or technological solution has been found for affected pilots, who seem reluctant to leave Shamash. Therefore, to prevent the loss of more innocent lives, there is regrettably no choice but to eliminate every ship in the Grey Swan fleet."
"We are urgently seeking to recruit independent pilots with combat experience. Financial

Quote from Elite Dangerous Galnet News-Bot

The Alliance Assembly has submitted an appeal for clemency to Federal Congress for followers of the Order of the Far God.
The Thargoid-worshipping faith was outlawed by the Federation in October 3308, after a failed initiative in the Popontia system to outfit a megaship named the Dedicant. Every member of the 'True Chapters' sect on board was arrested and stripped of citizenship, with FIA agents rounding up known collaborators in subsequent days. This was in accordance with the Federal constitution which forbids supporting enemies of the state, which the Thargoids are legally classified as.
As part of the request, Prime Minister Edmund Mahon stated:
"The Alliance upholds the principles of religious tolerance, and our systems are free to develop their own laws regarding faith. This means we have always welcomed the Order of the Far God, regardless of its controversial nature. While many

Quote from Wing Commander News-Bot

We’ve come down to the last day of the crowdfunding campaign to create a Deluxe vinyl pressing of the WING COMMANDER score. The tally at this point is around $6000, which is a fair bit under the stated goal, but we’re still very hopeful that everything will continue to progress and we’ll see the finished album. The current estimated completion is March 2024, and we’ll continue to follow the project closely and share any updates along the way. If you’d like to stake your claim on one of these records, you can still do so here through tonight!

Quote from Wing Commander News-Bot

Today we've got a look back at Ascii Sector. The project began in the 2000s as a novel ASCII art take on Wing Commander Privateer. If you've been following us for a long time, you'll recall that the project actually won Fan Project of the Year for 2008. However, a few years later, the project removed "Privateer" from the name and started to change up the internal assets to avoid a sense of direct copyright infringement/overlap. I would have argued that there was no practical concern, since the project was fairly low-key and EA has a long history of not worrying about fan projects and mods, but I get it. And then we lost track of things for the past decade!

Fast forward today, and I see that development continued into 2016. Unfortunately, the game's website and associated materials appear to have gone offline in 2022, but you can still find a copy and download the latest version via archive.org.

Quote from Wing Commander News-Bot

StarvingPilot shared this nice catch from a recent watch of Die Hard 2. A techie console from the film appears to be a perfect match to a console aboard the TCS Midway. It's the one that Lance Casey taps on after his missions. There's probably a ton of things like this out there! Companies like Modern Props widely supply futuristic machinery and gizmos to all manner of movies, television shows and game shoots. If anyone spots any other crossovers like this, let us know!

Quote from Elite Dangerous Galnet News-Bot

Professor Alba Tesreau has again called for the anti-xeno initiative Aegis to be reformed by the superpowers.
"The arrival of the Maelstroms has escalated the Second Thargoid War beyond anything we have experienced before. The Thargoids are relentlessly attacking every human settlement within reach. And that reach is steadily expanding on eight fronts, spreading deeper into the core systems."
"In these dire circumstances, the decision to shut down Aegis seems to be a grave mistake. Now, more than ever, superpower-level resources are needed to establish large-scale research and defence projects. This is the surely the time for Aegis to be revived with as much funding and resources as possible."
"My symposium in October proved that there is an increasing appetite for collaboration. Many Allied and Federal military leaders have already discussed working together. Shadow President Winters recently

Quote from Wing Commander News-Bot

Panther has dug up an interesting Wing Commander 2 review from the October 1991 issue of Advanced Computer Entertainment. A curious element is that they title this "Revenge of the Kilrathi." This is just a mistake or stylistic rebranding. The game was publicly announced as Vengeance of the Kilrathi, so this isn't a case of early marketing change (like with ACE's August 1990 preview of Wing Leader). They give the game an "800" score, and I like all those character profiles!

Quote from Elite Dangerous Galnet News-Bot

*Pilots' Federation ALERT*
It has been confirmed that the mysterious anomalies known as rogue signal sources are all converging on the core systems.
Professor Yaro Kenyatta , a noted academic in astronomy-related fields, has been collaborating with Professor Ishmael Palin and Ram Tah on analysing the unexplained objects. He published a summary of their work in the scientific journal The Empirical:
"The first of these distant objects was detected on the 31st of August 3308, but several more have since been identified. It was quickly apparent that they were travelling through interstellar space at faster-than-light speed. Full spectrum system (FSS) scanners were upgraded to allow more pilots to detect their electromagnetic emissions."
"Data on these phenomena has been analysed by many respected organisations such as Canonn Interstellar Research Group, Orion University and Universal

Quote from Wing Commander News-Bot

And that's a wrap! It may not have been one of our longest birthday news slates, but hopefully you agree there's been some fantastic stuff here to enjoy. I've talked about it here a number of times already, but many of the key pillars of our tough and tight-knit community are medically high risk - and they're still dealing with a hell of a lot due to the ongoing pandemic, taking care of our families, and the state of things in the world. People successfully forced their way through a lot to get here today, and they'll do it again tomorrow, next week, next month and next year to keep supporting each other.

With this week's milestone behind us, that also means we're entering our 25th year. A quarter century is pretty crazy to think about. We're extremely fortunate that we got to do 2019's birthday party live and in person with LOAF, Ali, ace, Blonde, Dundradal, Joe and myself all together and on

Quote from Elite Dangerous Galnet News-Bot

*Pilots' Federation ALERT*
The entrepreneur Zachary Rackham has asked for deliveries of rare items to Edmondson High in the Beta Hydri system.
At a press conference on the planet Homeland, Mr Rackham announced:
"It's not every day that a humble businessman like me celebrates becoming a trillionaire! So I'm holding a week-long party in the upper floors of Rackham's Spire. To make sure my guests are entertained, I'll need to keep my stocks of Apa Vietii from Upaniklis, Gerasian Gueuze Beer from Geras, Pantaa Prayer Sticks from George Pantazis, Uszaian Tree Grubs from Uszaa and Anduliga Fire Works from Anduliga high throughout the entire week."
"I've also arranged for pilots to receive temporary permits to the Beta Hydri system, which will last until the 2nd of June. Anything to make life easier for my trader friends!"
Mr Rackham faced criticism for hosting a celebration at a time when so many

Quote from Elite Dangerous Galnet News-Bot

The Federal Diplomatic Corps has officially denounced President Hudson's attempt to capture Yuri Grom in the Delta Pavonis system.
The political conference was to determine whether the system's ruling faction would ally with the EG Union or the Federation. It was abandoned when a Federal black ops team attempted to arrest Yuri Grom's delegation, triggering a conflict in the system.
Ambassador Delphine Dumont told The Federal Times:
"We have no option but to state that our own government has violated the conventions of diplomatic immunity. This conference was established in good faith with all parties. We were not informed that any hostile act against EG Union was planned."
"I offer my personal apologies to Yuri Grom. Our negotiations were spirited but honest, and I genuinely felt that progress was being made."
This is the first time that the Federal Diplomatic Corps has distanced itself from

Quote from Elite Dangerous Galnet News-Bot

The Alliance Assembly has agreed to delay electing a new prime minister to avoid clashing with the forthcoming Galactic Summit.
The proposal to postpone the election date came from Prime Minister Edmund Mahon:
"Now that the diplomatic conference has been confirmed, we must adapt to take advantage of this historic event. A potential change in leadership occurring at the same time as the Galactic Summit would cause confusion and undermine the Alliance's presence."
Although Mahon's proposal was voted through by a narrow margin, many council members disagreed with altering the political calendar. Councillor Nakato Kaine, who is a candidate in the election, declared:
"It is outrageous that the prime minister is using this as an excuse to extend his term in office. Once again, he is more concerned with projecting the Alliance as a superpower than the interests of member systems. This behaviour is

Quote from Elite Dangerous Galnet News-Bot

*Pilots Federation ALERT*
Conflict between Regulatory State of Ackwada and Duduseklis Empire League in the Ackwada system.
The Empire has targeted a Marlinist faction that is suspected of supporting the Neo-Marlinist Liberation Army (NMLA). It was recently placed into lockdown for its pro-Marlinist stance, during which time suspicions were raised of it having a direct connection to the NMLA.
The Imperial Internal Security Service made this statement:
"The Duduseklis Empire League is one of several organisations that publicly accepted the principles of Marlinism. Our intelligence suggests it is allowing the NMLA to radicalise its citizens into becoming activists for the paramilitary group."
"Operations to investigate this potential nest of terrorists have been met with armed resistance. Imperial auxiliaries and independent pilots are requested to assist the Regulatory State of Ackwada in

Quote from Wing Commander News-Bot

We haven't covered Elite Dangerous much over the years, but it's had a very good run since its release. The base game has sold more than three million units while a number of additional expansions have kept things going for more than five years. They've just announced another big upgrade for the game that will add planetary missions in early 2021. While not everyone is a fan of mixing genres and gameplay types like this, it seems like a practical way to grow a game that's managed to mature its core experience and is ready for something different. The game is available for PC and PS4/XBox, so it's also a good way to get players of all types interested in space sims. You can check out the new Odyssey teaser below and a fuller recap of the Elite game beneath that.

“Odyssey is our most ambitious Elite Dangerous expansion to date,” said David Braben, Founder and CEO of Frontier. “Extending

Quote from Star Trek Online News-Bot

We’re pleased to announce the return of the Research and Development Weekend! This event will run from Thursday, March 5th at 8AM PT to Monday, March 9th at 10AM PST, and features several bonuses throughout STO that will give Captains of all levels a leg up advancing their rank in the Research and Development school(s) of their choice. For those Captains looking specifically for extra help with their projects, all R&D packs throughout the game will give out an extra 25% of the items they currently disperse for the duration of this event. Queue R&D Material Reward Packages (Normal, Advanced and Elite) will reward 25% more R&D Materials and have a chance to reward a Catalyst. Alternatively, Captains wanting to advance through Research and Development schools as fast as possible should seek out Harvest Nodes, located in mission maps throughout STO, which will not only disperse 2 extra R&D Materials

Quote from Wing Commander News-Bot

Garth Harmon has scanned and sent in a nice high quality scan of the Super Nintendo Wing Commander manual. Like many of the various iterations of the WC1 documentation, it's a derivative of Claw Marks, but there are some cool elements. It has some nice representations of the SNES controller (which later inspired a similar spread in the Arena Star*Soldier manual), and the initial pages with screenshots of the cockpits and Tiger's Claw are all in color. We previously had the Secret Missions manual in our archive, so it's nice to add this missing link. Grab a copy for yourself here!

Object of the Game

The game begins on your mother ship, the TCS Tiger's Claw. Onboard, you move from room to room to learn about your comrades-in-arms and your combat mission. Once you know your flight mission, you're off to fight the Kilrathi. If you fail, the dreaded Kilrathi will prevail as overlords on all human