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Here are this week's major stories.

A mercenary group has been intercepted by security forces in the Meene system. It is understood that the mercenaries' primary target was Phoenix Base, home of the engineer Ram Tah. Li Yong-Rui, CEO of Sirius Corporation, said the attack demonstrated the precariousness of Ram Tah's situation.

In related news, security forces in Meene are launching an operation to capture enemy agents. Security Chief Harper Vargas said his forces intended to detain any surviving mercenaries and interrogate them, so they could identify the individuals behind the incursion.

Meanwhile, Lieutenant Inspector Ramesh Thorne, who has been leading an investigation into The Mars Tribune, has been suspended from the Federal Security Service. The news came less than an hour after Thorne made a public appeal for information regarding admin robots fitted with secret surveillance programs,

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Shaggy

reports that he was able to get a pretty accurate looking Sabre flying in

Simple Planes

. The SP engine allows players to create or recreate various flying machines and see how they perform under power. In this case, the design seems like a winner! We report a lot about the fantastic major mods that fans are doing to well known space games, but it's also really cool when people branch out into other areas like this. Shaggy was previously imported WC ships to both

Kerbal Space Program

and

Beat Hazard

, which is pretty neat!

"Build airplanes by snapping parts together, designing wing sections, and attaching engines. At any time, you can strap yourself into the cockpit and see how it flies with realistic physics."

So I don't know if anyone here plays Simple Planes but for my first upload plane, on the SP website, I chose to do the F-57 Sabre. I picked it because, as far as I could see, there

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The family and colleagues of author Olav Redcourt have reported him missing. A police investigation has so far failed to determine his whereabouts.

Redcourt recently hit the headlines when he terminated his relationship with his publisher, Bonespire Publishing, midway through a promotional tour.

In the wake of the author's disappearance, Bonespire released the following statement:

"We can only assume that Mr Redcourt is trying to avoid paying his fine for contract violation, which runs to several million credits. Of course, should he agree to continue writing the bestselling Corsair King series, we would be happy to waive the damages."

Literary critic Kayla Shah offered an alternative explanation:

"Obsessive readers of the Corsair King series have sent death threats to Redcourt for not delivering exactly what they wanted. Now that he's turned his back on the series, might he have been

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Entartika

posted this look back at a physically distributed patch for Special Operations. Apparently in regards to an autopilot glitch, the team at Origin modified the SO1 executable and sent it to people to copy over their existing WC2 installation. Origin did have a BBS in the early '90s with a few things like this, but relatively few people had modems to access it, so they had to send out updates in the mail. We've sure come a long way! Thanks to JJ2078 for the tip.

How games used to be patched, in the olden days

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The

WC1 sprite refresh

that Unnamed Character, Goliath and Howard Day are working on was a big hit last month, so here's a closer look at one of the stars. These are the full 1024x1024 frame shots used for the upgraded Bengal. They're higher res than the upgraded assets in engine so you can really get a good look. It's been more than a

decade

since Howard first debuted this model, and it still holds up amazingly well. This iteration also has some updated light effects that really make it pop. These are just six of the 62 frames that make up a WC1 ship - you can find the rest at the

CIC Forums

.

Re-renders with some material tweaks for goodness

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http://

Hello everyone,

Last week, we released Star Citizen Alpha 3.3 to the live servers! If you haven’t had a chance yet, make sure to check out the patch notes, download the latest patch, and jump into the game. We’re also happy to announce that Alpha 3.3.5 has been published to the PTU for our Evocati testers. So far, things are looking really good, and we’re excited to open up the PTU to more backers in the very near future.

Thanksgiving is next week so prepare your fleet and keep a weather eye out for more information regarding some fun celebratory contests.

And with that, let’s see what’s going on this week:

Every week on Calling All Devs , designers, engineers, and other developers from our five offices around the world answer backer questions submitted on Spectrum and voted for by YOU. This week we talk about unwanted guests, voice commands, death of a spaceman w/ Scramble Races, and more!

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Every week, designers, engineers and other developers from our five offices around the world answer backer questions submitted on SPECTRUM and voted on by YOU.

You can submit your questions for consideration in future episodes of Calling All Devs here.

And for info on becoming a subscriber, go to: Subscriptions - Roberts Space Industries | Follow the development of Star Citizen and Squadron 42

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Here's a really cool find that LOAF recently came across. From the outside, it might look like a nifty WC1 Special Edition autographed by Chris Roberts, but it's what's inside that's pretty rare! The set was originally purchased directly from Origin in 1990, and the included Secret Missions were special mailed in a WC branded envelope instead of the standard slim black box. Not many of these were produced like this, and even fewer still exist today!

I lucked into one of my grails! It’s a copy of the Special Edition of Wing Commander with the Secret Missions mailer! This version was only available via mail order from Origin in 1990. The mission disk came separately in the mailer in December when it was finished.

They hadn’t originally planned to release Secret Missions at retail at all, it was an extra mailed directly from Origin. But there was so much interest they ended up doing a boxed

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November 2948 Subscriber Flair

Subscribers

http://

In the classic RSI Venture Explorer Suit, one can march into the unknown with fortitude and panache. But to achieve this, one is going to need their legs. That’s where the bottom half of the suit comes in. Made from the same hardened alloy as the rest of the suit, these stylish red breeches will make sure you are comfortable and well-covered below the belt.

Imperator Subscribers
http://

Imperator-level subscriber will also have the option of these slick purple leggings, along with the red version. At the end of the day, it’s never a bad idea to bring a spare change of pants along, especially when plunging headlong into the potentially terrifying realm of the unexplored.

If you’re an active subscriber, these items will be added to your account on November 19th.

If you aren’t a subscriber yet but want to sport these Arms, make sure you subscribe

Quote from Elite Dangerous Galnet News-Bot

A report compiled by the Imperial Internal Security Service on isolationist group Nova Imperium has been leaked.

The Rewired news service broadcast the report in full:

"This document compiles our latest intelligence on Nova Imperium, as requested. Although the group has not yet committed any crimes, its threat potential should not be underestimated. Its isolationist message resonates with those fearful of Thargoid invasion, and its rallying cry of 'Empire for the Imperials' aligns with the more conservative citizenry."

"We have identified the group's leader, the Imperator, as Duke Kaeso Mordanticus, a former naval admiral from a long line of decorated veterans."

"Evidence suggests that Mordanticus still has contacts and influence in the Imperial Navy. Nova Imperium's ships are mostly run by ex-naval crews, bound by loyalty to their former commanding officer."

"We will continue to monitor Nova

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DefianceIndustries

has moved over to Kilrathi ships as he fills out his WC1 fleet, and the first two fliers are the Dralthi and Salthi. We've seen a hundred Dralthi variants over the years, and they just never get old. This one is as gorgeous as we've ever seen, so it's just a treat. The Salthi is also a lot of fun, and I especially love the light shining on its side. This greenish hue gives it a soft throwback to the Jalthi from SNES Secret Missions, which was essentially a

green Salthi

. Very cool!

You fly like the apes that you are...

Or my all time favorite: "Hmm, that ape squealed when it popped!"

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For spacecraft enthusiast Audrey Timmerman, Lo was the ideal place to grow up. Every day, a wide array of ships would make the trip into atmosphere from the bustling spacelanes above. Family members recalled Audrey spending her nights staring out the window of their flat in the Walden Towers housing development and identifying ships as they flew past solely on the configuration of their running lights. In an interview with the Terra Gazette, Timmerman couldn’t recall what first got her interested in aviation: “I don’t remember one specific ‘ah-ha’ moment. That love was just always there.”

Timmerman came from a family of modest means who couldn’t afford to own a ship, but her parents indulged her passion by taking her to New Junction’s bustling trade port to watch the ships take off and land. In 2656, Timmerman eagerly joined the Navy with dreams of becoming a pilot. Unfortunately, her piloting

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Olelbis Holdings, an organisation based in the Olelbis system, has announced an elaborate social function at Polyakov Orbital, the faction's base of operations.

In support of this event, Olelbis Holdings has placed an open order for quantities of Deuringas Truffles, Mokojing Beast Feast and Mulachi Giant Fungus, and has pledged to reward pilots who deliver these commodities to Polyakov Orbital in the Olelbis system. The organisation has also placed a kill order on all ships on its wanted list, to ensure that those contributing commodities to the campaign can do so safely.

The campaign begins on the 15th November 3304 and will run for one week. If the final target is met earlier than planned, the campaign will end immediately.

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The Independent HIP 29241 Green Party has announced that its appeal to recover escape pods has been enthusiastically received by the galactic community. Hundreds of pilots supported the initiative by delivering pods to Felice Dock, and by protecting contributing ships in the Meene system.

Security Chief Harper Vargas of the Meene Defence Force gave the following statement:

"We have recovered a number of key figures within the mercenary group, and interrogations are underway. We will share more information when we have it."

Pilots who contributed to the initiative can now collect their rewards from Felice Dock in the Meene system.

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The Federal Times has revealed a connection between the Cordova Group and the spy robots scandal.

Chief Editor Lena Ravenhill wrote:

"Ramesh Thorne's recent appeal elicited a response from an anonymous whistle-blower – a robotics engineer employed by the Achilles Corporation who helped design the robots at the heart of these events."

"The engineer has attested that she was blackmailed by Kingsley Cordova, owner of the Mars Tribune, into installing surveillance programs on robots belonging to well-known people in the Sol system. The accumulated data was relayed to the Cordova Group, which published it in The Mars Tribune."

A spokesperson for the Achilles Corporation said:

"The engineer has provided us with a 'kill switch' that remotely deletes the spy program she designed. This coreware update has now been transmitted to all PA912 model robots. We can therefore assure our customers that there

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Mike Winterbauer reports that he's finished putting together the dedication page in his Wing Commander

Art Portfolio

with all of the project backers who pledged at the appropriate $25+ Book threshold. For a limited time between now and when the material soon goes to print, he's put out a call for anyone who missed the end of the campaign and wanted to upgrade to be included. If so, send

Mike

a

message

. There were at one point quite a few folks who hadn't input their addresses for the rest of the project rewards, so if you missed that cutoff, be sure to send a quick message regarding that too!

The exciting news is I have added the book pledge backers names to the second page of Wing Commander Art Portfolio!

If you want to get your name in the book, you can still upgrade your pledge, send me a note and I will work with you, but time is running out.

Thank you all cool backers for making Wing Commander

Quote from Star Trek Online News-Bot

Daniels tugged at the high collar of his wool coat as his temporal trainees followed behind. All three of the trainees were likewise garbed in heavy, long coats and gloves, with their specialized temporal equipment carefully stowed away in hidden pockets and beneath holographic camouflage. On mid-22nd century Andoria, non-Andorians were still rare, and the temporal agents definitely didn’t want to draw attention to themselves, so they stayed together, kept their heads down, and focused on the job. “Like the cold, pinkskin?” shouted an Andorian from somewhere in the crowded marketplace. Daniels simply turned and kept his gloved hands on his collar, partly obscuring his face, as he ducked past an open cooking station—some kind of deep freshwater shellfish, probably pulled out from beneath a glacial lake—and gently brushed past an old Andorian woman. Several small tables choked the space on

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Event: Battle at the Binary Stars Featured Task Force Operation The Battle at the Binary Stars is the first Featured Task Force Operation in Star Trek Online. Captains will be able to take on the appearance of Federation ships from the Discovery era in this simulated battle. This event will last for 3 weeks and Captains can earn an all new reward! Complete the TFO on 14 different days to earn the Beacon of Kahless while earning marks and Dilithium, as well as three Featured TFO Reward Boxes. This box gives your choice of an Enhanced Universal Tech Upgrade or a Captain Specialization Point Box. Beacon of Kahless The Beacon of Kahless is an all new reward for completing Battle at the Binary Stars on 14 different days. Summon your own personal Beacon, giving off a light that blinds your enemies, completely eliminating their accuracy for several seconds. The Beacon will also

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Anniversary Promotion & Free Fly Details

Take to the skies!

Citizens,

To celebrate the release of Hurston, Star Citizen’s first explorable planet, and commemorate our anniversary, we’re launching a Free Fly event of unprecedented magnitude.

From Nov 23 through Dec 1 you’ll have the chance to try out every flyable ship and operable vehicle in the game for free. Here’s how it works:

During the promotion, anyone can join Star Citizen’s Persistent Universe for free. You’ll be able to experience Star Citizen first-hand, but to get out there and start exploring, you’re gonna need a ship.

Starting on November 23rd, every day, a different ship manufacturer in the game will make its entire flyable fleet available for a 24-hour test flight period.

There may also be some surprises in store for those of you who make the trek out to Hurston and see what Lorville’s all about, as well as some fun interactive

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Dive into the live release of Alpha 3.3, see what’s happening over at ArcCorp, and tool around with Greycat in this week’s update.