News categories list

Quote from Elite Dangerous Galnet News-Bot

Political fallout has been intense after the NMLA simultaneously bombed nine starports in the Alliance, Empire and Federation.
The targeted stations are in the Achenar, Alioth, Eotienses, Gateway, Kamadhenu, Lave, Nanomam, Rhea and Sol systems. These were referred to by NMLA propaganda as the 'Nine Martyrs', a reference to the attack against Kepler Orbital last November.
All three superpowers are treating this as a major emergency. Top-level discussions have taken place between their chiefs of security, using communication protocols recently established at the Galactic Summit.
However, mainstream media has also reported on internal political tensions.
The Imperial Herald: "Senator Patreus proposed that all known Marlinists be arrested immediately as NMLA collaborators. He received a direct rebuke from Chancellor Blaine, who said 'Her Majesty views your blunt tactics as having been

Quote from Elite Dangerous Galnet News-Bot

Relations between the Empire and the Federation have deteriorated following a terror attack by Neo-Marlinists against a Federal starport.
Kepler Orbital in the Atropos system was bombed by the NMLA to eliminate several of its captured members, before they could reveal anything under interrogation by the Federal Security Service.
Imperial Ambassador Imogen Luciana made this statement:
"The NMLA was obviously able to make use of its bomb-making factories within the LTT 1935 system. If the Federation had not resisted our investigation, we would have shut these down and prevented the attack."
"Our warning about the extremist threat went unheeded, and the Federation is now paying the price. We once again insist that all Marlinists are repatriated to the Empire."
Ambassador Jordan Rochester has not responded, but did confirm that Federal embassies in several Imperial systems have closed after

Quote from Elite Dangerous Galnet News-Bot

The Alliance, Empire and Federation have accepted the Baumann Report's recommendation to permanently shut down Aegis.
The independent inquiry's findings on the organisation's failings will result in Aegis being immediately shut down. However, Chief Administrator Carter Armstrong has cautioned that "full demobilisation of staff, ships and resources might take several months".
Senator Denton Patreus has successfully obtained senatorial approval for an increased military budget, to allow the Imperial Navy to directly take on the role played by Aegis.
Fleet Admiral Tayo Maikori likewise confirmed that the Federal Congress has ordered the creation of a new naval strike force. On his own authority he has also commissioned an investigation into Salvation, following Ram Tah's testimony regarding the nature of the anti-xeno superweapon.
Admiral Nikolas Glass, who was recently appointed to the Council

Quote from Elite Dangerous Galnet News-Bot

Leaders from the Alliance, Empire and Federation have agreed a series of minor treaties at the diplomatic gathering in the Sirius system.
Vox Galactica featured this report from political correspondent Conrad Sterling:
"Following days of heated arguments, temperatures in the conference chamber finally cooled enough for all three superpowers to formalise a raft of agreements. These were ratified in person by Chancellor Blaine, President Hudson and Prime Minister Mahon."
"The most significant of these treaties is the Cornelius-Lasky Convention, named after its two leading proponents. This requires the Alliance, Empire and Federation to share information on any large-scale threats to civilian populations, including environmental, medical and xenological crises."
"There has been slow progress on other topics, such as military limitation and border control. Many independent ambassadors are

Quote from Elite Dangerous Galnet News-Bot

*Pilots' Federation ALERT*
The Alliance, Empire and Federation are offering bounties on Thargoid vessels in the Didio, Novas and Sosong systems.
Commodore Morag Halloran, who coordinates Salvation's military forces, broadcast this message on public channels:
"Salvation has started construction of three anti-xeno superweapons to expunge the latest Thargoid infestation. He estimates two more weeks before these devices become operational. Until that time, it is vital that we keep the Thargoids at bay to minimise civilian casualties."
The anti-xeno taskforces of the Alliance Defence Force, Federal Navy and Imperial Navy are cooperating on a joint operation to buy time for the superweapons to be completed. This includes rewarding independent pilots for defending the Didio, Novas and Sosong systems.
Commanders can hand in combat bonds for Thargoid kills until the 12th of May 3308 at these three

Quote from Elite Dangerous Galnet News-Bot

Ambassadors of all three superpowers have held emergency talks following the California nebula attacks, with a united military fleet the primary topic.
Political journalist Conrad Sterling provided this report for Vox Galactica:
"The public demand to address the evolving Thargoid threat has led to key military personnel suggesting that the Allied, Federal and Imperial naval fleets could work in concert for the duration of the war. This once-inconceivable notion seems more plausible following the coalition in HIP 22460, despite the regrettable outcome of that operation."
"Sources have confirmed that Admiral Rachel Ziegler sought to contact Admiral Maxton Price directly, to discuss ways in which the Alliance Defence Force and Federal Navy might collaborate. Others have openly supported the idea of 'a glorious grand armada to wipe out the alien hordes,' as Vice Admiral Juno Rochester phrased it."

Quote from Elite Dangerous Galnet News-Bot

The Empire and the Federation have announced rival initiatives to provide a new home for the crew of the generation ship Golconda.
During the aid appeal by Upaniklis Vision Incorporated, engineering experts confirmed that the ancient vessel can no longer meet the colony's needs. While the Golconda was designed for long-term habitation, it lacks adequate facilities for the current population levels.
After lengthy discussion, the Golconda's leaders have reluctantly decided to abandon the vessel. But the ship's captain, Jonathon Forester, has insisted that its population remain together in one location.
The Empire has vowed to help the colonists complete the ship's original mission by establishing a planetside home. Senator Ava Cornelius summarised the campaign:
"After generations in an artificial environment, we want to reward these travellers with a world to call their own, fulfilling their

Quote from Elite Dangerous Galnet News-Bot

The leaders of the Alliance, Empire and Federation have publicly confirmed their support for Azimuth Biotech's anti-xeno operation in HIP 22460.
Prime Minister Edmund Mahon reiterated his position during an interview with the Old Worlds Gazette:
"It is our duty to protect the peoples of the Alliance. Since we currently lack a dedicated naval fleet, we must rely on partnerships with key military providers. With Salvation's advanced weaponry and Sirius Corporation's large-scale logistical might, Allied worlds have never been safer from Thargoid attack."
The Imperial Senate discussed Professor Alba Tesreau's accusations of criminality against Azimuth Biotech, to which Emperor Arissa Lavigny-Duval responded:
"Professor Tesreau remains a respected member of the Achenar Research Council, but a single viewpoint cannot eclipse the strategic significance of the Proteus Wave project. Our military

Quote from Elite Dangerous Galnet News-Bot

A collaborative body has been formed by the three superpowers to trace the source of the blight that is laying waste to crops on key agricultural worlds.
The development was covered by journalist Adalyn Cross for Vox Galactica:
"We know that the Rockforth fertiliser caused the advanced decay that has affected so many crops, but the specifics remain unclear. Was the corrupted fertiliser the result of an industrial manufacturing error, or perhaps sabotage by a rival company? Is there evidence of a deliberate effort to harm the people of the core systems?"
"With billions of citizens facing food shortages, departments from all three superpowers are collaborating to identify the origin of the blight and halt its progress. The speed with which the blight has spread is frankly stunning."
Rex Whitlock, marketing director at Rockforth Corporation, released this statement:
"This development has come as

Quote from Elite Dangerous Galnet News-Bot

*Pilots' Federation ALERT*
Thargoid fleets have invaded the Didio, Novas and Sosong systems, placing over ten billion lives at risk.
Local security services in all three systems have reported overwhelming numbers of hostile Thargoid vessels. Several starports have been directly attacked with caustic enzyme weapons, and the combined death toll is already in the hundreds of thousands.
Didio, Novas and Sosong are members of the Alliance, Empire and Federation respectively. Three admirals have been selected to mount a defence: Henry Paul Atherton of the Imperial Navy, Maxton Price of the Federal Navy and Rachel Ziegler of the Alliance Defence Force.
However, it will be days before each can marshal sufficient forces. Therefore the factions Emperor's Grace, LTT 4772 Alliance Mandate and Union of Sosong Democrats have sent out emergency calls for assistance to all independent pilots.
With Aegis now

Quote from Wing Commander News-Bot

I just thought all four of the supertitles from the Wing Commander movie would be a good post. And I was right.

Quote from Wing Commander News-Bot

Tom Roberts has posted some great photos of a Hellcat he recently 3D printed. The fighter looks fantastic and it even has a slick Confed star base. In the silvery metallic color, it also reminds me very much of the Hellcat statue we see in Wing Commander Academy. I don't own a 3D printer yet, but creations like this are seriously tempting me!

The source files come from Astrofossil's collection. Check out the links to all his WC models below!

WC1 Hornet Scimitar Rapier Raptor Tiger's Claw Dralthi WC3 Clarkson Arrow Excalibur Hellcat Longbow Southampton Tallahasse Thunderbolt TCS Victory Darket Dralthi IV Kamrani Paktahn Ralarad Vaktoth

WC4 Avenger Bearcat Lance Dragon BWS Intrepid Prophecy Devastator Seahawk Shrike Vampire Privateer Centurion Orion Galaxy Tarsus

Quote from Wing Commander News-Bot

Not only does Bioforge reuse the shuttle model from Super Wing Commander but the opening shot of their respective intro cutscenes is very similar! Bioforge's art director, Bruce Lemons, had worked on SWC.

BioForge's Mondite dropship (left) vs. Super Wing Commander's shuttle to the Tiger's Claw (right)! BioForge uses it several times (and you see the interior at one point!) so I really need to go back and get some more reference shots.

AD noticed that the '05' on the front of the ship appears in a SINGLE FRAME of the Super Wing Commander intro. Neat!

Quote from Wing Commander News-Bot

Wing Commander emulation continues to make good progress, but one area we haven't looked at in a while is getting the Macintosh version of Super Wing Commander running on modern systems. There's a fairly limited amount of info out there on getting SWC going, and most of it pertains to the 3DO edition. One particularly challenging aspect is that Mac SWC doesn't even run on modern Macs. The game really wants an OS 9 install to fire up.

Gaijin has been exploring this topic and came across the Columbia emulator that simulates an OS 9 environment. He hasn't gotten it to work on his Apple silicon yet, but it does appear to work well on his Intel-based iMac, which is very promising!

I was running it on my PowerBook Pismo (which still works great) until the fantastic emulator from Columbia came out. I haven't gotten SWC to work on my M1 MacBook Air 2020 yet, but it runs like a charm on my Sierra iMac! Purrs

Quote from Wing Commander News-Bot

Last week we saw a nice mix of cutscenes from Super Wing Commander that LOAF has been extracting from the Mac/3DO port. Here's a pair of new ones that show off how the ending can change after you destroy the Star Post. Based on which wingmen die, you'll get a spiritual narration with the deceased characters offering kindly advice or messages to Blair (or Armstrong). Under the 'perfect' conditions Bossman will be the only character to die. Each additional wingman who's lost will add their part - up to an additional 90 seconds of voiceover! Compare to the two versions below:

Quote from Wing Commander News-Bot

LOAF spotted a neat oddity in the third issue of "3DO Magazine." It features a full spread of different 3DO titles, which includes Super Wing Commander. The screenshot is clearly some kind of prerelease prototype though. It's the Hornet cockpit, but the gun capacitor, fuel display, speed numbers and other minor elements appear slightly tweaked in the final game. Most significantly, it shows a DOS WC1-style Hornet on the targeting VDU. The SWC version of the Hornet is a bit more squashed, and the VDU targeting displays are more bluish in tone. It's an interesting throwback and shows the development team may have been using placeholder assets from the original game! The first image below depicts the preview and second image is the final in-game shot.

Look closely at the SWC screenshot - WC1 Hornet VDU

And here's a nice look at the model used for the Hornet in Super Wing Commander:

Quote from Wing Commander News-Bot

AD came across a neat looking anthology that profiles some of the top games for the Super Nintendo called The SNES Pixel Book. The port of Wing Commander gets a full spread with some nice pictures and commentary. If I got a copy of this, I supposed I'd have to always casually leave it open to just this page, but it does look like there's plenty of other fun stuff in there too. You can see more sample pages and order a copy here.

Bitmap Books is proud to present The Unofficial SNES Pixel Book. Created in collaboration with German publisher Elektrospieler this lavish, 272-page volume celebrates the golden age of 16-bit gaming on Nintendo’s ultra-popular home console.

The book, which has been painstakingly translated from the original German text, features in-depth articles exploring the major genres to be found in the SNES’s huge portfolio of games. These are accompanied by tens of thousands of

Quote from Wing Commander News-Bot

We've reported on Game Genie codes before, but news on the Pro Action Replay has been sparse. It was the "other" game modification device popular in the '90s and early 2000s. Both had Super Nintendo versions and therefore could modify Wing Commander / The Secret Missions in ways that no other cheats would allow. AD recently found a set of WC codes for the PAR at Almar's Guides, so it's important that we record them here. Their Genie entry looks good, so these are probably legit as well. If it's anything like the Game Genie, the first batch of codes may only apply to SM1 while the shields and armor entries work for WC1. If you have a test setup and can verify, let us know your results!

Unlimited Fuel: 7E1D61:1F
Invulnerability Always On: 7E08A8:00
Earn Medals More Often: 7E0546:FF
Have Major Rank: 7E05AE:03
Unlimited Gun Energy: 7E15A964

Front Shield Increased on Hornet: 8B9BAD3C
Mega Front Shields on

Quote from Wing Commander News-Bot

Goofing around with image translators I discovered that the Super Famicom Wing Commander manual has a section where Colonel Halcyon welcomes you aboard. Also how crazy is the future?

I am Colonel Halcon, commander of the carrier fighter squadron.
Permission to board Tiger's Claw.
As you already know, we are facing a serious crisis.
The war with Killers is getting worse and worse, and it is no longer a moment's notice.
I don't know what to do.
You boarded the aircraft carrier as a replacement for the lost aces.
It is a lot.
However, in this war situation, you will have to experience actual combat immediately.
It's not that easy.
You have information in every room of the ship, you have orders, and you're ready.
Have you sortie immediately. The defeat in this battle is directly related to the destruction of humanity.
It is a critical phase to conclude.
-I want you to struggle for the future of mankind.
I hope you all

Quote from Wing Commander News-Bot

We've been on the hunt for Japanese advertising relating to ASCII's 1993 push for Wing Commander SFC for several years and now preservation-minded gamers have begun providing the Internet Archive with vintage scans of Famitsu, Japan's Super Famicom publication of record. This has allowed for the discovery of not one but two print ads for the game! The first, from issue 241 (July 30, 1993) includes the game's stunning cover painting and stats for the four human fighters:

The second comes from the following issue (242, August 6 1993) and seems to include a sort of flow chart showing how a mission works:

Issue 239 (July 16, 1993) includes an article covering the game:

Display More