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Super cool! Anatoly Shashkin recently posted this awesome September 1994 recruitment ad for Origin Systems. The background is the gunnery control virtual set built for Wing Commander by Mark Vearrier (who went on to art direct Prophecy!).
Want to watch it come together? Sketches and the initial wireframe:
Taking shape:
… and finally!
Jan
EmuMusicFan has shared this collage of the many different Wing Commander characters that he's sketched out for his graphical novel project. He's been at it for almost two years and built up quite a stable. Many of the faces here will be familiar favorites, but some dig deeper into some of the novels' lore and haven't otherwise been pictured before. It's nice to see them all in one place for the first time!
I have drawn more than twenty WC characters appearing of being mentioned at least once in the official works.
Nov
…The blight that laid waste to vast areas of cropland over the past month has now officially been contained.
Reports from the Interstellar Association for Agriculture confirm that the blight has been eliminated from all affected systems. The new agronomic treatment has rejuvenated emaciated fields, with the remaining harvests once again viable.
Journalist Adalyn Cross published a review of recent events on Vox Galactica:
"As the availability of staple foodstuffs begins to return to something like a normal level, many pundits are asking what lessons can be learned from this catastrophe. The IAA has pledged to intensify screening regulations for agricultural commodities. The speed with which the blight spread caught many by surprise, and it is vital that this does not happen again."
"Intelligence agencies have pledged to review their strategies for tackling interstellar terrorism. The Scythe of
Jun
…The Romulans have become as much of a fixture of Star Trek over the years as Humans, Vulcans, Klingons, Ferengi, and so many other ‘core’ alien species who make up a significant portion of the identity of this beloved franchise. Their stories have been featured in the bedrock of main characters’ story arcs and galaxy-changing events alike. And with the recent on-screen focus on their continuing stories following the destruction of their home world, we are thrilled to do our part in shining the spotlight on one of the important contributing political powers of the galaxy in Star Trek Online. It’s time to once more embrace and celebrate the Romulan Republic! In addition, over the past year we've been taking a look at the early Romulan Republic content, and we've made some major changes you have to see to believe. All new cutscenes, remade from the ground up. Fully voiced dialogue for missions
Jun
…*Pilots Federation ALERT*
Commanders in the Chukchan and Perseus Dark Region KC-V c2-2 systems have reported being contacted by 'Salvation'.
The anonymous individual is known to have an interest in the Adamastor and the Hesperus, the 'ghost ships' within those systems. Both of the derelict megaships were operated 200 years ago by Azimuth Biochemicals.
Commander Tyler Thorsen told Vox Galactica:
"I was taking some sightseers on a trip round the Hesperus, and getting as close as I dared to the Scriveners Clan dredger. I scanned the tourist beacon for them, and suddenly received a direct message from this 'Salvation' guy."
"He asked me to track down some old signal beacons, which are listening posts configured to retransmit long-range comms. Apparently these could help locate the survivors from the megaship. But the Hesperus is ancient history. Surely there can't be anything or anyone left to
Sep
…The Late Night Sessionhas conducted a thorough retro review on Wing Commander. They set the stage for how revolutionary the original WC was by drawing the comparison to competitors that arrived years later. The immersive setting, tight controls and story all get credit for making the game a classic. It's nice to see people continuing to find that most aspects hold up quite well nearly 29 years later. In addition to the typical screenshots, TLNS put together a couple of accompanying videos, which is always a nice touch for a review! You can check out the full article
here.
When playing it’s amazing seeing how much the developers got right in Wing Commander that would clearly inspire the many games that followed. Navigation points, wingman communications, even mission briefings… these admittedly were often a staple for military sims but seeing them executed in a space sim was a rarity. If
Mar
Ash takes a quick glance at the big corporations that will feature in Aftermath.
Jun
…Writer’s Note: The Knowledge of Good and Evil: Part Two was published originally in Jump Point 2.10. You can read Part One here.
“I know right. Debt ‘s debt.” Eve’ rat know that.
She stop cold. “You think that you are incurring a debt by staying here?”
“Ain’ I? Wha’ I’m suppose think? An I see one an’ ‘m null gon’ jus’ be here an’ . . . null tha’ . . . I won’ be your slave!” Start lookin for way out tha hall ta secure.
I stop cause Mom Super raise her hand. Slow like. Like she do ta quiet tha meal hall ‘fore meal. Hadn’ expected her ta be calm like tha’.
“If I gave a way to repay your debt, would you stay?”
Mom Super got wha’ she talk. Work got, ‘nough ta pay debt. Off some, an’ diff from Bazaar, lock tha’. Bes’ deal ‘m got ta stay with tha Sisters. Rules some, bu’ null like Blues or Bazaar Bosses got. ‘bout now ‘m start figure tha Sisters weren’ part tha Gov. If they’s Gov
Jul
…Writer’s Note: The Knowledge of Good and Evil: Part Three was published originally in Jump Point 2.11. Catch up on the story by reading Part One and Part Two.
Then someone walks up to me.
“Oh, you ‘lone, Sister? Ain’ i’ late?” the man says.
Strangers don’t just walk up to you in Bazaar Street.
“Or ‘hapse you ain’ Sister. Null tha’. is i’ rat. Yeah. Gear rat. Street rat eve’.” The man had taken another few steps towards me and stopped again when I backed away.
What did he say? All the panic of a few minutes ago shoots back into my mind and stiffens my spine. I don’ eve’ got a slag.
I turn to look at the man for the first time. He’s rough and poor looking, but better dressed than I’d expected. He is shaved but unremarkable. I see the shadow of a face I remember well.
Boss Dirk.
“Ya remember me? Got. I remember you, rat. I remember that you owe me.”
Dirk and I face off outside the rail station.
May
…Writer’s Note: Part one of The Knowledge of Good and Evil was published originally in Jump Point 2.9.
Street make you rat, no choice i’ give. Know tha’ truth, an’ live.
Tha’ first rhyme ‘m learn on Bazaar Street. Truth is, street don’ owe null thing ta no one. Jus’ livin’ is debt ta the street. Street come ta collect wheneve’ i’ will. Null stop it. Rat like me got start tha street young. Real young. Innocent? Maybe. Ain’ null long till know ’m poor. So learnin’ suits and comp. Gear ’m fixin is stole most-like, sold on tha Black. My work done clean? Maybe. Know what a know neve’ gone get me none place. Know ‘nough ta stay live. Null know ta much cause that kill rat. ’m rat, an street owns me.
Got bitter in hole like Bazaar Street slum. Got come out tunnels and face sky. Got “practical” after ticks. Me? Got two skills that gear rats has: one skill ta learn tech as ’m take i’ apart, two skill an
Aug
…Writer’s Note: The Knowledge of Good and Evil: Part Four was published originally in Jump Point 2.12. Catch up on the story by reading Part One, Part Two, Part Three.
“Forgive me.” I feel cold though I know it’s not the library’s air. My finger just about to press the button on Dirk’s small, black, featureless cube. My muttered prayer ringing in my own ears. Someone else responds as I feel a hand close around my wrist.
“Forgive you for what?”
I wheel around and come to face the speaker as I pull hard to wrench my wrist free, falling to the ground. Mom Super is standing over me like a dark tower.
“For what are you asking forgiveness, young one? What is that device?” Her words are soft but with an edge of steel.
No. Anyone but her. Let me be delayed or shamed or caught, but not by her. Not Mom Super. I can’t . . .
I break down at the realization that I will either have to lie to Mom Super just so I
Nov
…*Pilots' Federation ALERT*
The Kingfisher megaship has requested supplies for its planned journey to greet the first rogue signal source.
Shipments of basic medicines, fruit and vegetables are required for the Kingfisher's crew, who will be joined by over 3,000 supporters of the Thargoid Advocacy Project. Semiconductors and Muon Imagers have also been requested to establish the mission's communications arrays, which are being designed to initiate contact with the Thargoids.
Congressman Dalton Chase gave a press statement regarding the initiative:
"Now that we know the approaching anomalies are Thargoid, many are concerned that hostilities between our species will escalate. However, a brave group of volunteers see this as an opportunity to prove that diplomacy can work. An alien race has sent emissaries toward humanity's space, and it is our duty to meet them with words rather than weapons."
May
agiar2000 posted a neat video of what happens at the end of the TrainSim in Wing Commander 1. Everyone plays at least one short-lived round just prior to Enyo 1, but a lot of pilots never go back. There's a high score board you can place on, but you can also get to the end after four missions. Running through them all nets a score of more than one million points, which would put someone in first place with plenty of room to spare!
The clip should start at 9:30 so you can see the happy conclusion.
Did you know that it is possible to win in the training simulator in the 1990 DOS game "Wing Commander"? I didn't until I accomplished it. I only recorded the last 10 minutes because I was using a 10-minute "instant replay" recording feature that constantly records a rolling 10-minutes.
Jan
…JAYCE’S NAVY INTERSTELLAR SPECIAL BULLETIN STARDATE 87971.0 KHITOMER ALLIANCE ANNOUNCES NEW COMBINED SERVICE Today, the Secretary for the Federation Starfleet, the Grand Dahar Master of the Klingon Imperial Fleet, and the Admiral of the Romulan Republic Fleet jointly announced the formation of a new ‘Allied Fleet Service .’ This combined service formalizes the strides made in cross-naval cooperation since the end of the Iconian War. An impossible dream just years ago, the AFS hopes to harness the best personnel and technologies from all corners of the Khitomer Alliance to build an organization dedicated to the mutual defense of its member states. Building a new navy from a combination of such diverse cultural traditions has been a complex challenge for the admiralties of each nation, but a variety of exchange programs, inter-fleet exercises, and external challenges has motivated a
Sep
…The universe we enjoy today isn’t the only one, not by a long shot. Our nearest neighbor, the ever-belligerent so-called ‘Mirror Universe’, is just one of countless roads spanning a cosmic tree of probability vast beyond imagining. From time to time, a new branch sprouts and the timeline forks again. Rarer still are the times those branches remerge, as they did with the U.S.S. Kelvin. Official contact with this universe, colloquially known as the Kelvin timeline, has been extremely limited. Nevertheless, some artifacts from that temporal neighbor have found their way into our neck of the woods. Alternate histories are an ever-present “what if” in science fiction. Appropriately enough, they tend not to be major cultural pillars, nor are they ever entirely escapable. As we look forward to what changes in society new technology might bring, we are wise to recall how our new normal was just one
Sep
…The universe we enjoy today isn’t the only one, not by a long shot. Our nearest neighbor, the ever-belligerent so-called ‘Mirror Universe’, is just one of countless roads spanning a cosmic tree of probability vast beyond imagining. From time to time, a new branch sprouts and the timeline forks again. Rarer still are the times those branches remerge, as they did with the U.S.S. Kelvin. Official contact with this universe, colloquially known as the Kelvin timeline, has been extremely limited. Nevertheless, some artifacts from that temporal neighbor have found their way into our neck of the woods. Alternate histories are an ever-present “what if” in science fiction. Appropriately enough, they tend not to be major cultural pillars, nor are they ever entirely escapable. As we look forward to what changes in society new technology might bring, we are wise to recall how our new normal was just one
Sep
…A special tribunal of the Federal Navy Criminal Court has deliberated the case of former admiral Aden Tanner and made a final decision.
The following press release was released to all Federal newsfeeds:
"This tribunal has scrutinised the latest evidence supplied by the Federal Attorney's Office. We find that the analysis of Salvation's superweapons does indeed substantiate Mr Tanner's allegation that they were designed to provoke a hostile response from the Thargoids. Azimuth Biotech has been unable to verify that its claimed 'anti-xeno detection network' exists, explaining that most of Salvation's advanced designs were not widely shared within the corporation."
"Nevertheless, regardless of motive or moral justification, Mr Tanner directly disobeyed orders when the Musashi staged an assault on Hind Mine in the T Tauri system. It is therefore our judgement that the court martial verdict on the
Oct
…Hailing all Captains! We are pleased to announce a sale on Lifetime Subscriptions from now October 24th at 8am PT to November 21st at 10am PT, bringing the price down by $100 to $199.99! Now is the perfect time to pick up a Lifetime Subscription to STO! And with the brand new Jem'Hadar rewards, we're announcing a 25% off sale on the following Jem'Hadar items from October 24th at 8am PT to October 28th at 10am PT: Gamma Vanguard Pack Gamma Vanguard Starter Pack Jem'hadar Vanguard Species T6 Jem'Hadar Vanguard Heavy Raider T6 Jem'Hadar Vanguard Dreadnought Cruiser T6 Jem'Hadar Vanguard Warship T6 Jem'Hadar Vanguard Carrier T6 Jem'Hadar Temporal Vanguard Warship Jem'Hadar Tactical Uniform Jem'Hadar EV Suit Enjoy all the rewards that come with being a Lifetime Subscriber. With exclusive species unlocks like playable Talaxian Species, instant access to all Lifetime Rewards, there are
Oct
…Hailing all Captains! We are pleased to announce a sale on Lifetime Subscriptions from now October 24th at 8am PT to November 21st at 10am PT, bringing the price down by $100 to $199.99! Now is the perfect time to pick up a Lifetime Subscription to STO! And with the brand new Jem'Hadar rewards, we're announcing a 25% off sale on the following Jem'Hadar items from October 24th at 8am PT to October 28th at 10am PT: Gamma Vanguard Pack Gamma Vanguard Starter Pack Jem'hadar Vanguard Species T6 Jem'Hadar Vanguard Heavy Raider T6 Jem'Hadar Vanguard Dreadnought Cruiser T6 Jem'Hadar Vanguard Warship T6 Jem'Hadar Vanguard Carrier T6 Jem'Hadar Temporal Vanguard Warship Jem'Hadar Tactical Uniform Jem'Hadar EV Suit Enjoy all the rewards that come with being a Lifetime Subscriber. With exclusive species unlocks like playable Talaxian Species, instant access to all Lifetime Rewards, there are
Jan
…
We're delighted to announce that the January Release has been successfully deployed!
The January Release focuses on a number of fixes, as well as Improvements to The Agency and Forward Operating Bases, and a rework of the ammunition reloading system.
This release also includes more work to bring better graphics and textures to deadspace areas in missions, with more updates to textures and shaders on a large number of deadspace objects.
Check out EVE Updates for a high level overview of what's coming with this release. Patch notes are now available via EVE Updates and the Community Portal.
Feedback
We'd love to hear your feedback on the January Release. Take a look at the following threads on the official forums where you can share your thoughts and report any issues you've encountered:
