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How about some super adventures for your Sunday? Today we're sharing a pair of lengthy overviews from the Super Adventures in Gaming blog. It's really refreshing to see such an old school website operating in 2024, and I'm not just talking about their focus on classic games of the past. Their site itself is still styled after websites of old, not drastically unlike the CIC. They're also still dedicated to the art of long form text articles, which you don't see so often anymore (and if you do, you then need to weed out the AI cruft!). You can find pieces on both Wing Commander II and Wing Commander III at their site (plus Wing Commander I, which we reported on years ago). Both earn the honorable "Not Crap, Would Play Again" award. Don't let my comments about text scare you away, each article is chock full of gorgeous images from each game as well!

• WC1
• WC2
• WC3

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There's a new version of Originator out now that helps extra models from RealSpace engine games like Strike Commander, WC3, WC4 and Armada. AllTinker has built a little animator within the model viewer, which makes it easy to see animated textures like the explosion below. Pretty cool! You can grab the latest version here.

Version 0.2.06 - mostly improvements to the existing RealSpace model support, including:

• Support for TXMV (inbuilt shape) and TXMK (external PAK shapes) textures.
• Added TXM texture support for terrain, both standalone (WC4) and in PAKs (Strike Commander).
• Added support for sprites along with loading/viewing untextured models.
• Added a tool in the model viewer to select the current frame for animated textures.

I think all 3D models from Armada, WC3 and WC4 should be viewable/exportable - let me know if not! There are some objects (specifically the LASR and BEAM types) which aren't

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Lots of cool chatter about the bold, risky and nearly perfect choices for the Ultima 7 and 8 box art today. So let me add some background on another very interesting Origin box art decision, Wing Commander IV!

For the WCIV marketing campaign, Chris Roberts wanted to focus on a broader audiences. Gamers would play the new Wing Commander… so the spend focused on selling the interactive movie experience to a wider audience. This meant stuff like radio and TV spots, trailers in movie theaters and advertising in non-traditional places like in-flight magazines.

Game advertising was in transition in 1995 anyway but you can see the Wing Commander IV stuff is VERY distinct from previous titles.

So for the box, Chris wanted something similarly distinct. What they came up with was this, a quasi in-universe design with only the mysterious enemy logo (teased throughout the print campaign)… all in totally

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You: there are 10 visually distinct types of bases in Privateer
Me, a genius: there are 27 visually distinct types of bases in Privateer

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Mac's highly anticipated lore video on the TCS Concordia has been released! The clip has been teased in a variety of forms over the past month, and now you can enjoy the entire episode. It details the extensive history of the vessel from its commissioning in the wake of The Secret Missions 2 through the exploits of WC2 and the Special Operations and finally with her heroic efforts from the WC novels. The thorough narration is complemented by more than twenty minutes of gorgeous fleet footage. It's very informative and visually striking. Don't miss it!

The Rockstar of Confed's Carrier Fleet.

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Due to popular demand, Mac has rendered out his recent preview animation as a glorious 4K wallpaper. This is the one absolutely chock-full of destroyers, cruisers, carriers, transporters and more. Klavs' iconic Concordia also forms the core of this mega fleet. It must be a challenge to figure out which ship you're supposed to land your fighter on!

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*Pilots' Federation ALERT*
Aegis aims to provide an update to the pulse wave xeno scanner that can locate captive humans on Thargoid Titans.
Dr Maximo Fonseca, the Alliance's scientific liaison to Aegis, informed the media about the project:
"Information provided by Seo Jin-ae suggests that people abducted by the Thargoids are being kept alive aboard the Titan motherships inside 'pods'. This theory makes sense - since Thargoid atmospheres are toxic to humans, any captives are surely sealed in an environment that meets their respiratory and nutritional needs."
"The pulse wave xeno scanner has been modified by Allied, Federal and Imperial technicians, working in concert using Aegis's communications protocols. The module's electromagnetic pulse technology aims to identify these pods by detecting several key markers generated by living humans."
"A broader effort to prepare for humanitarian rescue

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We're quickly cruising through the year here, so it's time for us to officially announce the next CIC Birthday Party! It's a big one this time as it will commemorate 25 years at wcnews.com! Mark your calendars for Saturday, August 19. The official event kicks off at 7:00 pm EDT (4:00 pm PDT and 11:00 pm GMT) on that night, but there will be plenty of people hanging out well before and after. You can join the fun in Discord #Wingnut. Feel free to stop by any time beforehand to get acquainted with how everything works. We'll see you there!

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Let's start the week off by DARKENING the day! Thanks to AD, we've extracted all of the background plates for Privateer 2's gameflow screens. Let's take a tour of the Tri-System. Here's the starting planet HERMES and the SINNERS INN tavern (home of Joe the Bartender)!

CRIUS, the medical planet! It has a record-setting four plates: one for the landing area, one for the SURGEON'S BLUNDER BAR and then two related to the story (CRIUS HOSPITAL and SHERNIKOV MEDICAL EQUIPMENT).

ANHUR, the first planet in the system to be settled. We've got the spaceport and the SHADOW PLAY BAR plus INTERPLANETARY AID from the storyline.

BEX, the center of the system's beer-themed religion. These aren't cathedrals, it's a spaceport and the BLESSED BREW BAR!

Here's HEPHAESTUS with the RAMPANT ROBOT BAR *and* the GALACTIC GOURMET HOTEL/BAR. I bet one of these was originally intended for Janus IV!

Here are the three planets that

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... how did it take me 26 years to realize that John Hurt's character in Privateer 2 was named after his Alien role?! Turns out I am not actually the world's second greatest Wing Commander detective. He's just "JOE THE BARTENDER" in the shooting script, so it's possible this was just quietly slipped into the in-game database.

Quote from Elite Dangerous Galnet News-Bot

The Liberal Party has published a detailed political manifesto in advance of the Federation's presidential election in June.
Shadow President Felicia Winters summarised her party's plans during a campaign rally on Rhea 3:
"The freedoms and privileges of Federal citizens have been abused or ignored by the Hudson administration. Our vision for governance focuses on restoring the Federation's core values, offering every individual the opportunities they deserve."
"As your democratically elected president, I will take great pleasure in dismantling the Proactive Detection Bureau on day one. The mass-monitoring of private communications is a violation of civil rights that must end immediately."
"For those concerned about security, especially the Thargoid threat, I assure you that there will be no reduction in military spending. In fact, our aim is to extend naval and humanitarian assistance to

Quote from Elite Dangerous Galnet News-Bot

The journalist Jade Sanderlyn of Vox Galactica was recently invited to conduct rare public interviews with admirals of the three superpowers.
This excerpt is from a conversation with Admiral Henry Paul Atherton of the Empire.
Jade Sanderlyn: This is Jade Sanderlyn reporting for Vox Galactica. I am sitting with Admiral Henry Paul Atherton of the Imperial Navy. Thank you for agreeing to this interview, Admiral.
Henry Paul Atherton: Oh, please. Call me Henry.
JS: I'd be delighted to. This is a very impressive ship, Henry.
HPA: Some might say Majestic. [laughs] Yes, the Succession is a wonderful vessel.
JS: How long have you commanded her?
HPA: Several years now. It has been an honour to have my name listed on the Succession's exemplary service record.
JS: You were promoted to admiral only three years ago. Does that change the personal dynamic with your crew at all?
HPA: Well, they salute a

Quote from Elite Dangerous Galnet News-Bot

Emperor Arissa Lavigny-Duval has outlined a plan for the Marlinist Colonies to be officially reconnected with the Empire.
The Marlin Standard published an exclusive report from Prime Consul Kayode Tau, after he attended a diplomatic meeting on Capitol:
"The essence of Emperor Arissa's proposal is a pledge to grant the status of Imperial protectorate to the Marlinist Colonies, in return for swearing allegiance to the throne."
"In practice, local government would remain autonomous but the Imperial Navy and security agencies would have a permanent presence. There would be investment in trade, with Empire-based companies as preferred partners. New channels of transportation and communication would be opened between Marlinist and Imperial systems."
"Emperor Arissa and I discussed the issues at length. Following her experience with the Lords of Restoration, Her Majesty now accepts that most

Quote from Elite Dangerous Galnet News-Bot

*Pilots' Federation ALERT*
Federal authorities have requested help in hunting down a notorious pirate gang in the Gliese 868 system.
The call to arms was broadcast by the faction Gliese 868 Services:
"Recently, most Federal security services have been focused on dealing with political protests. This provided opportunities for criminals to cause havoc, by raiding trade convoys and committing piracy against ships throughout the region."
"With the aid of Congressional funding, we have initiated a campaign to destroy all wanted vessels operating within our system. Independent pilots are requested to help us eliminate the threat that these criminals pose and claim the bounties placed on them."
In a statement to the newsfeed, Secretary of State Lana Berkovich said:
"Public interest in the Hudson Contravention is intense, with feelings running high on both sides. But it is regrettable that this has

Quote from Wing Commander News-Bot

The latest episode of ALL WINGS CONSIDERED is live now! All Wings Considered is the CIC's first ever streaming variety show which features news, conversation and gameplay relating to our favorite series. This week's Nav Points include:

• Wing Commander III - Caliban & Delius
• Book Club - Heart of the Tiger Chapters 20 & 21
• The long, lost Wing Commander III 3DO demo!
• Privateer portrait madness

Missed the stream? The replay will be available below once it has been processed by YouTube. You can subscribe to the AWC channel for future notifications here.

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Back with SyFy was just Sci-Fi, the channel played around with a variety of content formats. Sci-Fi Buzz was a mid '90s show that featured games long before video game material was commonplace and readily available. Fortunately, the Wing Commander series had enough clout to break out on to the occasional television spot like this. AD was able to track each piece down on Denny Ayala's YouTube channel. As first seen on All Wings Considered, here are the clips for WC3, WC4 and Privateer 2. Heart of the Tiger got an especially big segment due to the novelty and uniqueness of its bid budget FMV. As far as we can tell, WC4 was only mentioned indirectly due to Malcolm McDowell's association with Dr. Bashir. P2 also just gets a quick look.

Jump to 3:00 for the WC4 bit if it doesn't autostart in the right place.

Jump to 15:15 as necessary to see the P2 coverage.

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The final design for Origin veteran Denis Loubet's nifty Wing Commander bookmark has been revealed! Mr. Loubet explains how the Kilrathi is a blending of Thrakhath and the Emperor, which I think makes for a pretty provocative 'Young Emperor' look. The Confed pilot is similarly inspired by Bluehair. There were several different color combos cooked up, and the slightly sepia toned version is what was picked. If you missed the recently successful Kickstarter where this awesome goodie was offered, there's still another way to secure one for yourself. Although they're not making the bookmarks available later as a standalone (we asked!), it's still possible to pledge for the hard cover version of the book at a supplemental IndieGoGo page here.

The book is ostensibly about Richard Garriott, Origin, and Ultima, but if you're talking about Origin, you're talking about Wing Commander!

For this

Quote from Star Trek Online News-Bot

Concerns about threats to the galaxy have brought the Alliance to a new initiative, Captains – they want you to get access to the best technology from your fleets. With that in mind, fleet modules will be 20% off in the C-store this weekend, from 8am PT July 25th to 10am PT July 29th! You can use these fleet modules to purchase the fleet versions of ships, which will come with higher stats and optional new looks! You can also use this process to upgrade ships that you already own, at a huge discount! Most Fleet ships require some level of your Fleet Starbase (1->5). A few require you to have your fleet spire leveled up. Additionally, your fleet needs to have Fleet Ship Provisions available, and you'll need 20,000 Fleet Credits. Right now is the perfect time to take advantage of this sale, and get your hands on the Fleet version of the T6 Risian Corvette from the Summer Event! Use its pilot

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Following our Wing Commander references in StarLancer we thought it would be a good idea to archive the other major Wing Commander reference in a Digital Anvil game: this loading screen from Conquest: Frontier Wars which claims the game is "Loading Pegasus NavCom AI". This references the Confederation space station that appears at the start of the movie (and it's related MacGuffin, the NavCom AI device that will allow the Kilrathi to reach Earth). Conquest, a real time strategy game set in space, was the second Digital Anvil game released, published by Ubisoft in 2001. The NavCom message is one of several that flip by while any of the game's maps are loading. It's currently available on GOG for anyone interested in trying it themselves (though we'll warn you the 'Pegasus' loading message now passes too quickly to be seen with the naked eye!).

We've also learned that a higher quality version of the

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January is quickly getting away from us, so it's time to pull together the nominees for our 2023 Fan Project of the Year awards! As always, we've got some fabulous options, so let's jump to it!

• First up, in alphabetical order, are the series of Ambiance videos by Scribbler. This isn't the flashiest project, and that's by design! He's taken it upon himself to craft a variety of scenes inspired by the first three Wing Commander games, set them to calming music and add the hum of daily life aboard a Terran Confederation carrier. I really appreciate when fans do something different like this!
• The Confederation project is an all new mod that hit the scene in 2023. AllTinker is working to reverse engineer aspects of the original Wing Commander and build in numerous enhancements, such as making them support modern widescreen displays. He isn't just smashing or upscaling though, he's also hand-drawing new