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We have some unexpected news today regarding the Wing Commander Movie. Sebastian Z noticed that the film has been added to the slate of free streaming films on YouTube in the United States. A lot of people might not even be aware that YouTube also hosts full fledged theatrical releases, but up until recently, WC was available as a $4 rental and $10 purchase. It's now showing as free with ads - or just free if you're a YouTube Premium subscriber! Fans outside the US are reporting that it doesn't seem to work there, but let us know if you find other platforms or other places where this also applies.

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Last month, we reported that Supercade was planning to manage a crowd funding campaign for a vinyl release of George Oldziey's Wing Commander Orchestral Recording Project. Now, it seems like the launch is imminent as Supercade author Van Burnham has just tweeted:

Just a heads up that the preorder campaign for Supercade’s first soundtrack release is launching SOON… a deluxe vinyl edition of the Wing Commander orchestral score by composer George Oldziey. So excited to share more details!#wingcommander #videogamesoundtrack #vinylcollector pic.twitter.com/DOWHWtyuZc

— Van Burnham (@supercade71) February 1, 2023

There's no additional information yet but we'll let you know the moment it's available. If you are curious about the promotional screenshot, it's actually from a Wing Commander Academy mod developed by HCl that adds a Hellcat V to the game! Want to try it for yourself? You can download te patch here.

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Back in February, we reported on a teaser post from Supercade announcing an upcoming crowd funding campaign to release an LP (vinyl record) of George Oldziey's Wing Commander Orchestral Recording Project. The good news today is that the campaign is still happening and it sounds like it's launching soon. Supercade founder Van Burnahm tweeted in response to a question that it was launching in just four days, on May 1st!

It’s launching May 1st!!!

— Van Burnham (@supercade71) April 27, 2023

Obviously these sorts of things are never fully set in stone... and who knows more about slipping release dates than Wing Commander fans... but we're crossing our fingers and hoping to bring you more on Monday!

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Two days ago, ETPC reported some interesting news to the WCCIC Discord: prolific retro tech tweeter Foone had successfully lobbied to open source BRender, a licensed 3D game engine used in the making of many titles including Privateer 2: The Darkening.

So I have some really cool news:
I just got approval from Jez San, former CEO of Argonaut Games, to open source the BRender engine.

That's the engine used in Microsoft 3D Movie Maker, Argonaut's own Croc: Legend of the Gobbos, and the first two Carmageddon games. pic.twitter.com/3aKiuZkK5b

— foone (@Foone) May 3, 2022

What exactly is BRender? In the late 1990s, game developers began increasingly to license third party technologies to streamline their increasingly complex work. Instead of spending time developing a unique 3D engine, developers could purchase an 'off the shelf' solution that gave them a head start by providing common needed features and

Quote from Elite Dangerous Galnet News-Bot

*Pilots' Federation ALERT*
Further deliveries to Alcor and Colonia are required to add new facilities to the Colonia Bridge starports.
The Colonia Bridge project is currently halfway through its final phase, which takes place over a four-week period. In the previous week, pilots supplied large quantities of performance enhancers, personal weapons and survival equipment.
A press release from Brewer Corporation outlined the next stage:
"Thanks to the hard work of many independent pilots, we have established a Pioneer Supplies outlet, a crew lounge and a search and rescue contact at the five starports along the travel corridor between the core systems and the Colonia region."
"For week three, our aim is to continue constructing the stations by installing a material trader, concourse bar and mission contract services. These will rely on shipments of computer components, liquor and water

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LotsoRobbinBear has found a long lost easter egg built into Wing Commander 1. He was playing through the Vega Sector in such a way as to hit all of the losing track systems when he came across something odd in

Brimstone 3

. When he kills all the fighters, things proceed as expected. However, if he kills Maniac as well as all the fighters, he is awarded a Bronze Star! Normally, losing a wingman (even Maniac) results in a reduction in medal points that would often disqualify you from an award. In just this system, the opposite is the case. This isn't random either! Recall that at the start of the Brimstone series, Halcyon gives you permission during the mission briefing to shoot Maniac down if he disobeys. This is apparently not just idle chatter - the game mechanics have been slightly tweaked to reward the player for following through! It's pretty neat that this has been hidden in the code all

Quote from Elite Dangerous Galnet News-Bot

Media organisation Broadcast Cobra has announced its intention to build a megaship in the HIP 16038 system. The organisation, which specialises in politics and current events, aims to reach a much wider audience with the construction of this mobile studio.

Alessandra Koa of Broadcast Cobra issued the following statement:

"As a broadcaster, we like the idea of a ship that can carry our signal to the farthest reaches of the galaxy. A megaship will allow us to transmit to systems that other broadcasters can only dream of reaching."

To facilitate construction of the megaship, Broadcast Cobra has placed an open order for thorium, indium and superconductors, and has promised to reward pilots who deliver these commodities to Sopwith Dock in the HIP 16038 system. The organisation has also placed a kill order on all ships on its wanted list, to ensure that those contributing material can do so safely.

Quote from Elite Dangerous Galnet News-Bot

Broadcast Cobra has announced that its appeal for commodities has reached a successful conclusion, having received an overwhelming response from the galactic community.

Vast quantities of thorium, indium and superconductors were delivered to Sopwith Dock over the past week. These will allow construction of a megaship from which the organisation will broadcast its take on current events.

Alessandra Koa of Broadcast Cobra issued the following statement:

"We'd like to thank everyone who supported this campaign. We hope that wherever you are, you're always listening."

Pilots who contributed to the initiative can now collect their rewards from Sopwith Dock in the HIP 16038 system.

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For the first time, the CIC Birthday Party is also broadcasting live in real time! Check us out and join the fun! The text chat party is still in #Wingnut

Discord

. We started a little early with a special episode of

All Wings Considered

a few hours ago. We'll be going for quite a while yet!

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While most people were getting ready to party on New Year's Eve, Mac was hard at work putting the finishing touches on his new Wing Commander lore video - a man after our own hearts! This one is a thorough profile of the A-17 Broadsword. It focuses on the elevated role of phase shielding versus torpedoes in the late 2660s but also goes all the way to the ship's exploits against the Nephilim decades later. Check it out below!

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Yesterday was all about the Sabre, and today we've got a new wallpaper featuring the Broadsword. This one is Klavs' model once again, but it's been posed into an in-your-face perspective by Mac. This was actually made to complement the Broadsword lore video that he made for New Year's. You can imagine this might be the last thing a Ralatha sees before it goes boom!

Big Broadswords Bomb Battleships By Blackmane Base.

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Writer’s Note: Brothers In Arms: Part Four was published originally in Jump Point 3.8. Read Part One here, Part Two here, and Part Three here.

A recorded hymn played as they sent Arun “Boomer” Ains­ley into whatever great adventure awaits in the everafter. Gavin set the service in the Rhedd Alert hangar, and the recording sounded terrible. The last somber note rebounded off the room’s hard surfaces and harsh angles.

He wished they could have had a live band. He would have paid for an orchestra, if one were to be had on the orbit­al station. Even a bugle would have been a better tribute for the man who had brought Dell into his life. For the man who taught him and Walt so much about living a free life.

Dell’s arm felt small around his waist and Gavin pulled her in close to him, unsure if that was the right thing to do. He turned to kiss her hair and saw Walt’s lean form looming beside them.

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Writer’s Note: Brothers In Arms: Part One was published originally in Jump Point 3.5.

The heads-up display on Gavin Rhedd’s Cutlass dimmed at the edges. Green triangles representing the members of his security team distorted to form horizontal spikes of flickering static. He smacked the side of his helmet. It was a practiced move, and one that had snapped the HUD back into focus in the past. This time, the display flickered, faded and then died.

A heavy breath sent a thin veil of vapor climbing the visor of his helmet. Condensation obscured the view of black, empty space ahead.

Empty like the dead heads-up display.

Empty just like it had been for weeks.

There were brigands and marauders plaguing every planet in the ’verse and he couldn’t find one damned gang. Nothing was working out like he’d planned.

On the navsat, the other three members of Rhedd Alert Security fanned out to either side. His

Quote from Star Citizen News-Bot

Writer’s Note: Brothers In Arms: Part Three was published originally in Jump Point 3.7. Read Part One here and Part Two here.

Rhedd Alert got hit two more times over the next several escort missions between Min and Nexus. The first was an overzealous solo pirate who had camped himself just outside the jump gate from Min. The memory of the Hornet attack was still fresh and had Gavin and the team on edge.

The hapless pirate attacked as soon as the first Rhedd Alert ship entered Nexus. There wasn’t a thruster on the market that could turn him fast enough once the gate spat out six angry Rhedd Alert fighters and their transport.

They recovered the unconscious pirate in hopes of a bounty. There wasn’t much left of his ship to salvage.

The next incident occurred inside the Tyrol system near the rendezvous at Haven. As they neared Tyrol V, the trio of ramshackle Hornets struck again. Walt was the first to

Quote from Star Citizen News-Bot

Writer’s Note: Brothers In Arms: Part Two was published originally in Jump Point 3.6. Read Part One here.

Gavin left Walt on Cassel. There was a time, back in his single days, when an extended stay on a resort world was the perfect sequel to a crappy job. Now he had a better offer waiting at home and two bottles of chilled Kōen Shōchū riding shotgun in the cockpit beside him. The better offer, of course, was Dell. The shōchū was his best hope to reboot his homecoming from Oberon.

It wasn’t exactly the grand entrance he’d planned on making. He felt his cheeks warm and was glad to be alone. With a sigh, he squeezed his eyes shut and let his head fall back into his seat. His helmet bumped against the cockpit frame. When he opened his eyes again, the HUD had died. He rolled his head to eye the waiting bottles of shōchū. Perhaps he needed the alcohol more than she did.

Rhedd Alert’s hangar was still.

Quote from Star Citizen News

This episode has everything: turret states, animation loops, and a sneak peek at the Anvil Hurricane. Mark Abent continues his eternal descent down the River Doesn’t Work in this week’s all new episode of Bugsmashers.

Quote from Star Citizen News

It’s two times the terror and two times the carnage as Spencer Johnson steps in for Mark Abent and brutally murders an insurance issue that’s been messing with nested vehicles. The bug bodycount continues in this chilling episode of bugSLASHERS. “Ki Ki Ki… Ma Ma Ma…”

Quote from Star Citizen News

Mark Abent doesn’t expect these bugs to talk, he expects them to die. And die they will, as this week, our resident Smash Master tackles a server/client issue that’s causing take-off problems.

Quote from Wing Commander News-Bot

This week's Picard of course reminded me of the Wing Commander IV introduction. "Can you believe it? It’s an orbital museum now. A relic of the War – like some farmers I know." What displays do you imagine are found on the Victory museum ship? Here's mine:

The Kilrathi War gallery has a Rapier II (serial #55-810419, formerly of the TCS Eagle's Talon) and a Dralthi (recovered by Operation Meatball during the closing days of the war). They're hanging posed in faux combat in front of a big backdrop of the G'wriss System.

They also have the front part of a Broadsword cockpit sliced off so you can see the crew positions. (A-17D, 443rd Bomb Wing, "Flak Magnet")

The WAR IN THE AIR gallery has, of course, a Sopwith Camel, a SB2C Helldiver and an F-16 Fighting Falcon (the first two are on loan from the Smithsonian, the F-16 was provided by the Istanbul Aviation Museum).

Controversy over plans to include a placard

Quote from Wing Commander News-Bot

Adm_Maverick

has posted further instructions on how to turn his simple WC fighter templates into small cardboard miniatures. He simply prints out the artwork below, affixes it to plain cereal box cardboard, cuts the outlines and glues the final product together. The results, as previously shared, are astounding for such a simple method. It's a neat art project anyone can try!

I just use cereal boxes for the cardboard. Just print out the templates on any half decent inkjet printer, use a glue stick to glue the template down to the cardboard. Let it dry... for like 12 hours. Then use an exacto-blade to cut out the parts. Any parts that are white with a black outline are just meant to build up body mass.

So if you look at this image, I've numbered the parts for reference, and then look at this image where I've laid out a mock-up of layers to show the order the parts should be built up in. The white