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01
Dec
…*Pilots' Federation ALERT*
Two more rogue signal sources have reached human space, wreaking similar destruction to the Taranis Maelstrom.
The Indra anomaly arrived in the HIP 20567 system, with the Leigong anomaly slowing to a halt in HIP 8887. The Maelstroms, as these entities have been classified, both manifested as enormous gaseous clouds. These are known to be extremely hazardous to any ship venturing too close, but the nature of what lies within remains unknown.
As with Taranis, each new Maelstrom pre-empted staggering numbers of Thargoid vessels flooding nearby populated systems. Recent reports indicate that the alien fleets have completely dominated 9 systems in proximity to HIP 20567 and none close to HIP 8887. Starports, settlements and outposts have all been devastated or abandoned, with the total number of casualties unknown but feared considerable.
A total of 16 systems are -
02
Dec
…This is part of a series analyzing newly discovered Wing Commander IV continuity photographs. You can find the previous posts collected here.
You knew he was coming! Today's Polaroid is Border Worlds Pilot #2, Lester Barrie. Like Moose and Bob-O-Matte, Hacker appears briefly in the Peleus jammer introduction where his Banshee is shot down by a group of Excaliburs. His continuity Polaroid gives us a great look at a grey Border Worlds flight suit and a bit of a cheat the production used frequently: since Hacker was only ever seen from the shoulders up he doesn't have a full flight suit... just the top!
Mr. Barrie's story is a little different from many of the actors we've previously identified: while he had several guest spots in TV and small film roles in the 1990s, he gave up acting in favor of two other passions: standup comedy and preaching! Today he is Reverend Barrie, assistant pastor at the -
02
Dec
Here's a neat reference! I always wondered what the letter buttons on the Privateer nav computer did... and there's the answer from the Prophecy Universe Map, individual quadrants of sectors are identified by a number and then a letter A-H.
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02
Dec
The SWAT Portal will organize a special in-game event on 4th March next year on the official Crossfire server to celebrate the release date of the game 20 years ago. Depending on feedback and general interest of the players we might even prolong this event to the entire weekend. A special in-game reward will be provided to all the participants. We invite you to jump back into the cockpit and have great weekend with us. 4th March, 2023.We will provide detailed information about the anniversary ev -
02
Dec
The SWAT Portal will organize a special in-game event on 4th March next year on the official Crossfire server to celebrate the release date of the game 20 years ago. Depending on feedback and general interest of the players we might even prolong this event to the entire weekend. A special in-game reward will be provided to all the participants. We invite you to jump back into the cockpit and have great weekend with us. 4th March, 2023.We will provide detailed information about the anniversary ev -
04
Dec
…It is somehow December already, so it'll be the end of the year in no time fast. This means it's time for our call for nominees for our annual contest to recognize top fan projects of the year. Now's your chance to suggest which community undertakings were your favorite. Everyone is welcome to email news@wcnews.com with your potential suggested nominees. Also check out some of our illustrious past winners below!
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04
Dec
…Today we've got a video about graphically impressive videos from the 1990s. It includes a pretty straightforwards clip from Wing Commander 3. While I never get tired of an opportunity to watch some WC footage, I think the interesting part here is seeing so many of its contemporaries side by side. There's some great and great looking games in this clip, but it also really makes you appreciate how Wing Commander was so ahead of its time! WC3 is the finale chapter at 15:30.
I thought I would spoil you guys with something bigger than usual - an impressive list, if I don't say so myself. A lot of research went to this. The editing was a pain in the rear, but ultimately I think you will find it informative.
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During the nineties pc gaming was king, pushing the boundaries of what we considered to be cutting-edge. MS-DOS was still the predominant operating system for gaming, only to be superseded by
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05
Dec
…You’ve probably heard whispers that Ginger Lynn is famous for something other than Wing Commander, so here’s a wonderful interview about her paintings!
The initial interview linked to from that one has a great Wing Commander reminiscence, though!Johnny: Speaking of sci-fi, you played Rachel Coriolis in several of the mid-90s "Wing Commander" games. What was yourfavorite part of those games?
Ginger: I loved playing Rachel Coriolis in the "Wing Commander" series. I got to be the weapons load-out officer, so when you're playing the game, any time that you go into battle, you have to come to me. We shot a lot of it, not everything, but most of it was on green screen. My favorite memory was my grandmother came down to the set one day, and we were shooting something with green screen. My grandmother walked in front of the camera not knowing, and the entire cast and crew was laughing at my grandmother because
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05
Dec
…Millions of people are being evacuated from systems that have suffered devastating attacks by Thargoid fleets.
An enormous humanitarian effort is underway, with rescue megaships positioned at key locations near each Thargoid-occupied system. Captain Justine Kemp of Rescue Ship Hutner, currently stationed in Enayex, described their operations to Vox Galactica:
"As per newly established procedures, all contracted transports carrying refugees from systems facing Thargoid invasion are directed to our landing bays. Emergency teams perform triage services and give direct aid where possible. But the focus is on quickly processing them for relocation to temporary housing, away from the warzones."
"This is the most intense situation I've ever had to deal with. We're taking in enormous numbers of people, not just from starports but from planetary settlements too. Virtually everything in some of these -
06
Dec
Display MoreHello everyone,
Thank you to everyone playing the Holiday 2022 Expeditions Update, especially those taking the time to report any issues they encounter via Zendesk or console crash reporting.
We are listening closely to your feedback, and have identified and resolved a number of issues. These fixes are included in patch 4.08, which will be live on all platforms soon.
Bug fixes
- Fixed an issue that caused Nexus missions to give the wrong rewards.
- Fixed a visual glitch with tornado rendering on Nintendo Switch.
- Fixed a number of memory-related crashes on PlayStation 4.
- Fixed a PlayStation 5 crash that could occur on long playthroughs.
We will continue to release patches as issues are identified and resolved. If you experience any issues, let us know by submitting a bug report.
Thank you,
Hello GamesThe post Holiday 2022 Expeditions 4.08 appeared first on No Man's Sky.
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06
Dec
…Two leading engineers have revealed designs to improve the stock anti-xeno weaponry available to pilots.
Liz Ryder and Zacariah Nemo have provided module modifications for many years, specialising in explosive and kinetic weapons respectively. Over the past year they have collaborated privately on the AX weapon designs introduce by Aegis in 3303, seeking to improve the efficiency of delivering a compound, hazardous to Thargoid vessels, which tips AX ammunition.
While something of a pet project between the two, the recent invasion of human space by Thargoid forces has made the need for these designs far more urgent. Ryder explained to The Imperial Herald:
"Zac and I share a passion for weapon upgrades, and have often used this project as a way to unwind after a long week's work. He's a weird guy but fascinating to work with. But when the Taranis signal arrived and the Thargoid forces started -
06
Dec
…Congressman Dalton Chase has made a public statement regretting his involvement with the Thargoid Advocacy Project.
Chase became a member of Congress after an electoral campaign focusing on inter-species diplomatic relations. He was a key organiser and fundraiser for the Kingfisher megaship, which attempted to open communications with the Taranis entity but was subsequently destroyed with no survivors.
In a press statement delivered from Olympus Village on Mars, Congressman Chase announced:
"The tragic fate that befell the Kingfisher has affected me deeply. I now recognise that sourcing the means for those activists to intercept Taranis was, however well intentioned, a mistake. Such an endeavour should not have been attempted by inexperienced citizens, no matter their courage and tenacity."
"In honour of those brave people, I pledge to focus on proposals to introduce xeno-diplomacy as Federal -
07
Dec
…Wing Commander II had a plan to include a TV you would watch between missions to get broader story updates. The design called for it to be the same dimensions as the Ultima VI intro TV so they could share art! This can be seen in a recent Tweet from the crazy ass moments in furry history account or watch it on YouTube here.
The opening of Ultima VI prominently features a pixelized recreation of a Keith Berdak illustration of a zebra centaur pole dancer(?) as a late replacement for what was originally a Patrick Nagel painting they couldn't get cleared. (1990)
This was part of a dropped character they’d imagined named Jerry Rivers who was a kind of ‘90s dramatic TV host, Hard Copy/Geraldo style. His arc would’ve ended with an interview where Tolwyn punches him in the face!
You can find an early script outine with all the Jerry Rivers sequences at this link. Jerry IS canon, Shotglass mentions watching him
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08
Dec
The popular Carnage Counts channel has done their thing with Wing Commander. The YouTube channel profiles various shows and movies and adds a real time counter with the number of kills depicted in each product. The rules are a little bit weird - a capship detonation counts the same as a fighter destruction or Rosie being pushed off the flight deck - but I suppose that's not much different than how most Wing Commander games do it! The official tally here is 64. Check them out below!
Welcome to Carnage Counts, where we count and compare death in television shows and movies! Today we are covering Wing Commander!
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08
Dec
…*Pilots' Federation ALERT*
The rogue signal sources Cocijo and Oya have arrived at their estimated destinations.
Their impact mirrored that of the Taranis, Indra and Leigong Maelstroms. A total of 16 neighbouring systems were immediately overwhelmed by Thargoid fleets, which launched devastating bombardments against orbital starports and planetary infrastructure.
Other inhabited systems in the vicinity are resisting occupation. Superpower capital ships and independent pilots are currently battling to protect the local populations.
Five rogue signal sources have now manifested as Maelstroms, with three more approaching at faster-than-light speed. Many systems have completely fallen to the Thargoids in the vicinity of each Maelstrom. Safeguard Interstellar reported that millions of refugees are threatening to overwhelm emergency services and rescue teams. Military forces are also struggling to -
09
Dec
We've got another vintage magazine review of Wing Commander III today... but this time, with a twist! This 'technical review' was printed in the June/July 1995 issue of Game Developer magazine, an industry publication which ran from the dawn of the multimedia age in 1994 all the way until 2013! This review doesn't just tell you how good the game is, it tells you how it works under the hood. And as an added bonus, it's actually written by Wayne Sikes, the man responsible for the beloved PREDIT Privateer editing tool.
The article also mentions an earlier feature on Pacific Strike's related file structure that had been printed in the December 1994 issue. This information is also likely of use to Wing Commander III modders and so we've reproduced it below:
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09
Dec
…In Wing Commander IV, the TCS Lexington's Officer's Lounge features a prominent image of a historical aircraft carrier at sea. The photograph, part of a framed presentation of some sort, is easily visible in the gameflow scene and in other passing shots. It then appears more closely during the cutscene where Captain Paulsen attempts to recruit you.
But what's the carrier? Conventional wisdom was that it must be the USS Lexington (CV-16); after all, the Wing Commander IV team had spent time aboard the Lexington doing research for the game and they'd named the TCS Lexington (CV-44) in her honor. But that didn't pass the visual test: the carrier in the lounge is a modern supercarrier rather than one that served in World War II. For a long time, the image was thought to be the USS Enterprise because of her unique conning tower which seemed to match the footage... but it turns out that was a false positive
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11
Dec
…Mac has posted a couple of teasers for his next Wing Commander lore video. This one is shaping up to be bigger and more elaborate than his usual episodes, so he's posted these snippets to tide fans over while work continues. The first image sets up the ground attack on Vukar Tag with a couple of Rapiers. There's also a Ferret furiously dodging laser bolts from an entire wing of Kilrathi. Although I'm already quite familiar with what happens in End Run, I can't wait to see the video come together!
This End Run video is going to be what I have now termed "The Long-Ass Format", going by how the script is wrapping up.
— Mac's Lore (@MacsLore) December 6, 2022
I may have to split it, worst case scenario I might need to put out another, smaller video for the month. But here's a thing Im doing for it:#wingcommander pic.twitter.com/EA6kzwlf86"Tarawa, Bear. Play the music on the comms, I'm coming in hot."
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12
Dec
…Today's update is one of those 'under our noses the whole time' events! It turns out that Wing Commander III and IV co-writers Terry Borst and Frank De Palma actually wrote and spoke quite a bit about the game at the time. Both gave lectures and provided interviews for academic books relating to interactive storytelling... and we've found three fascinating ones that were published in the wake of Wing Commander IV that go into detail we've never seen before about the process behind scripting the game!
The first and most detailed is Chapter 10 of a book called The Multimedia Scriptwriting Workshop (Douglas J. Varchol, Sybex, 1996). The book spends a full 50 (!) pages walking through the development of Wing Commander IV's script, complete with screenshots and script extracts. Even more shocking is the fact that it was published in January 1996... some six weeks before Wing Commander IV even came out! If
