Quote from Star Trek Online News-Bot

Is your happiest moment of the day when you see your favorite starship? Us too, Captains. That’s why we were so excited when we announced our partnership with Hero Collector, the creators of the Official Star Trek Starships Collection. We announced last year that they would be producing a line of models based on the ships of Star Trek Online, and if you’ve been paying attention, you may know what some of those ships are already. But just in case you’ve missed it in all the other Star Trek news this year, here’s the ships Eaglemoss has confirmed so far: The Enterprise F The Gagarin Miracle Worker Battlecruiser The Chimera Heavy Destroyer The Andromeda Exploration Cruiser The Bortasqu War Cruiser The Vastam Tactical Command Warbird The Pathfinder Long Range Science Vessel And we can now confirm that the first two ships in that line, the Gagarin and the Chimera, are available to pre-order

Quote from Wing Commander News-Bot

A favorite Wing Commander legend is currently making the rounds again: the claim that a programmer hex edited a memory manager's crash message with 'Thank you for playing Wing Commander!' so it wouldn't be visible when quitting the game to DOS. The story is not completely true -- the hack happened during development but the bug was fixed before the game shipped -- and we have previously published an in-depth look. But why do people remember 'thank you for playing Wing Commander' so clearly when the game didn't actually say that?

To answer that question, we thought it would be beneficial to conduct a survey that would list out EVERY English-language quit message displayed by a Wing Commander game in MS-DOS. None of these are the result of memory errors, they are simply the executables telling DOS to print text upon exit. Before Privateer, games only displayed a message when they were quit through the UI

Quote from Elite Dangerous Galnet News-Bot

Congressman Dalton Chase has applauded the increased public support for the goal of opening diplomatic channels with the Thargoids.
During an exclusive interview with ICE-caster Joy Senne, he said:
"Not so long ago, the idea of communicating with the Thargoids seemed absurd. But look at what's happening in Andavandul right now! There's so much support from the galactic community. People are placing their faith in a better future than just endless warfare."
"My only regret is that I won't be joining my fellow campaigners aboard the Kingfisher after all. The duties of my new congressional position mean that my diary has become full extremely quickly, with many commitments to uphold. But I'll be travelling with them in spirit as they journey out to meet Taranis, and prove to its Thargoid controllers that humanity is ready to co-exist peacefully."
Joy Senne revealed that she had planned to

Quote from Wing Commander News-Bot

We've found another interesting Wing Commander III preview on Internet Archive! This three page article from the September 1994 issue of German magazine Power Play (No. 78) is a unique behind the scenes look at the game coming out of Origin's worldwide press junket for the game. Most excitingly, this article includes a number of behind the scenes images which have not been widely published elsewhere (alongside the very first set of in game screenshots released online by Origin). Come for the early Victory flight deck, stay for the extreme closeup of Flash's helmet!

Quote from Wing Commander News-Bot

Van Burnham has posted an update on the next phase of the campaign to produce a Deluxe vinyl pressing of the WING COMMANDER score. While the initial Indiegogo effort didn’t hit the funding goals necessary to kick off production, Van is working the numbers and determining what it will take to move forward from here. The album was initially projected for next year, so there's still time to work through options and figure out how to close the gap and make this a reality. Of course, Wing Commander fans are nothing if not patient. Stay tuned for future updates!

Hi everybody... thank you so much for supporting this project. I'm incredibly excited to make the Wing Commander orchestral score on deluxe vinyl a reality. That said, it goes without saying that I'm disappointed the campaign did not reach it's minimum funding goal and am in the process of sorting out some issues with this platform as a result. I

Quote from Wing Commander News-Bot

Today we have another very cool find by Dominus of Exult. He happened to stumble across a pin in a vintage collectible shop. It's very possible that this was some kind of localized promotional giveaway in Germany from the '90s. I'm definitely in love with this simple retro design!

Another "LOOK WHAT I FOUND" - a Wing Commander needle pin (or whatever it's called). Sold by a shop that specializes in selling those kinds of things (originals, not reproductions).

For comparison, there was a department store in Germany that included metal dogtags with Wing Commander 4.

Quote from Elite Dangerous Galnet News-Bot

Aegis's prototype Thargoid pulse neutralisers have succeeded in allowing transit through the energy surge at the centre of a Maelstrom.
Professor Alba Tesreau made the official statement:
"Several remote-controlled probes outfitted with Thargoid pulse neutralisers were launched into the Taranis Maelstrom. The colossal electromagnetic pulse generated within the clouds should have repulsed them, but feedback confirms the probes were insulated from its effects."
"The method used to protect the probes was discovered through research on unclassified relics recovered from Thargoid surface sites. These alien artefacts were vital to the devices' development. Initial research conducted by Ram Tah and Professor Palin proved that when receiving a modulated electrical charge, the unclassified relics emitted an energy field on similar frequencies to the Maelstrom's pulse."
"Unfortunately, broadcasts from

Quote from Elite Dangerous Galnet News-Bot

The Interstellar Health Organisation (IHO) has delivered a preliminary report on the nanomedicines recently developed by Vitadyne Labs. The summary stated:

"Nanomedicine is a carefully regulated branch of medical science, with little scope for public application, but Vitadyne's nanomeds are more sophisticated and reliable than any existing product. Furthermore, Vitadyne's data regarding healing, disease treatment and extension of longevity has been verified."

"Having confirmed the product's effectiveness, IHO teams are now conducting independent tests with patients."

Media outlet Vox Galactica published this viewpoint from healthcare analyst Dr Himari Grey:

"The pharmaceutical industry is astonished that a small company like Vitadyne could produce something so advanced. Professor Katrien Rook's credentials are impeccable, of course, but this is a work of genius. These nanomeds could be the

Quote from Star Citizen News-Bot

For almost three centuries, Squadron 88 delivered on its motto — “Stand and Deliver.” The squadron’s lineage goes back to the Second Tevarin War, though it didn’t see any action in that conflict. It has spent time along the Perry Line and, most famously, made the ultimate sacrifice during the Fall of Caliban. It was there the 88th earned its famous and fateful nickname “The Lost Squad.”

The 88th was formed in 2608 as the Tevarin military was pushing their way through the Empire for a second time. Their leader, Corath’Thal, was expertly using guerilla tactics to terrorize the Human public and force the UEE Navy to divide their more powerful military resources. In response, the Navy reorganized its ranks to better respond to the Tevarin’s asymmetrical warfare. It was as part of this restructuring that the 88th came into existence.

Classified as a support squadron, the 88th provided logistical help to

Quote from Star Citizen News-Bot

This portfolio originally appeared in Jump Point 5.1.

Exhausted yet intensely focused pilots speed their ships towards a checkpoint. Once there, their flight logs receive the coordinates for the next destination. The pilots check their scans and pick a route before blasting off into the blackness of space. For the Xi’an pilots who step up to the challenge of the Koa e Ko’ia, this is their life for the next 200-250 hours.

The Koa e Ko’ia is an epic endurance race that’s wildly popular among the Xi’an. Although the race has been contested in various systems across the Xi’an Empire for centuries, it only recently came to Human attention when competitors appeared in the former Perry Line system of Hadur. One day, in 2881, previously open sectors of the system were suddenly off limits, and remained that way for the next week and a half (Standard Time). Famed Terra Gazette travel journalist Jan Sharrock

Quote from Star Citizen News-Bot

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

Quote from Star Citizen News-Bot

Humanity’s first maps were of the stars. Created millennia ago, they were dots charting the night sky painted upon cavern walls on Earth. One wonders if those original mapmakers ever imagined that one day their descendants would get to visit those stars?

Though the methods have drastically changed, the Imperial Cartography Center (ICC) carries on that proud tradition of charting celestial objects. This UEE government agency is best known for their Deep Space Scanning & AstroGraphical Stations that search for jump points and for the elite Stellar Surveyors unit that assesses newly discovered systems. Yet, the responsibilities and reach of the ICC extend far beyond those two departments. From working with the Ark to keeping the Starmap current, to tracking the Baer comet as it crosses the Stanton System, the Imperial Cartography Center is essential to modern space travel.

Expanding Space

Once Nick

Quote from Star Citizen News-Bot

This portfolio originally appeared in Jump Point 4.12.

There’s an old saying that “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.” That has never been more true than with Esperia. The company produces fully-functional recreations of both historic and alien ships, and most recently, historic alien ships. Esperia’s ability to seamlessly blend modern function and luxury with classic and long-lost ship designs makes it utterly unique in the aerospace marketplace.

Interestingly enough, Esperia’s founding in 2873 was about history, not commerce. The company only became a major player in the aerospace industry thanks to a bit of luck, a big controversy, and the tireless drive of its two founders: Jovi and Theo Ingstrom. The Esperia story is truly about these brothers who hated, loved, and pushed each other to do what no one else dared.

Sibling Rivalry

The Ingstrom brothers were born and raised in Quasi,

Quote from Star Citizen News-Bot

“Today is meant to remind everyone that the future of the UEE is what we make it. If we want a better universe for not only ourselves, but for the generations to come, then we must create one.”
• Imperator Erin Toi, CitizenCon 2793

For over a century and a half, CitizenCon has celebrated those that strive to make the UEE a better place. This annual conference spotlights the civic-minded, celebrates their achievements, and focuses on how to make the UEE better by highlighting and discussing the vital topics of the day. In short, CitizenCon embodies the hopes and dreams of those working to improve the universe for all.

CitizenCon typically occurs every October 10th SET and is the marquee event celebrating the Empire-wide holiday, Citizen Day. While people across the UEE observe the holiday in various ways, only one city gets to host CitizenCon itself. The event rotates locations each year, and

Quote from Star Citizen News-Bot

This portfolio originally appeared in Jump Point 5.3.

While Casse Aerospace bears the name of an engineering legend, the company itself has faded from memory for all but the most dedicated ship enthusiasts. Or at least that was the case for over a century until Anvil Aerospace resurrected one of Casse’s designs and alongside it, interest in the man himself and the ships he built.

An Edleson Design Institute Hall of Fame inductee in 2902, Leonard Casse has earned a place in the annals of history as one of the top spacecraft visionaries of the Messer Era. While the general populace may wind up considering his creation of the Hurricane fighter the most enduring part of his legacy, his effect on the industry overall is not limited to that one design. Cited by ship design luminaries such as J. Harris Arnold, Silas Koerner, and Jules Parliegh as a prime source of inspiration, Casse’s influence can be seen

Quote from Star Citizen News-Bot

Writer’s Note: This portfolio was originally published in Jump Point 4.10.

With the launch of the UEE’s “Militia Mobilization Initiative,” the role that militias play in protecting the Empire has come front and center. The current directive aims to help arm civilian militias, so they can protect their homeworld and system against Vanduul incursions and outlaws. One system where militias have played a prominent role for centuries is Bremen — home to the famous Bremen Defense Force, which is the longest constantly active militia in the UEE.

Bremen was a relatively quiet and safe frontier system following its discovery in 2441. That all changed with the onset of the Second Tevarin War. The armadas of Corath’Thal utilized insurgency tactics to wage an unpredictable and shifting war against Humanity. With little idea as to where or when they might attack next, the UEE needed to raise a massive and

During the past weeks I've done massive updates to the SWAT Portal and sites which belong to it.

Our new Star Trek Online section which soon will hit 300 active players has got its Fleet website a few weeks ago at Phoenix Legion XII | The Star Trek Online Fleet of the SWAT Portal
While meanwhile complete and fully functional I can not exclude that further changes to the website will be done in the following weeks as I am currently discussing optional features with the game developers -> automatic member management and fleet statistics.

Since Bloodguard returned to active duty and I expect that this clans starts to play a bigger role again the BG Clan page got replaced with a new modern one.
Bloodguard

On the Portal itself more than 30 updates were done to fix bugs and improve the features.
Just to name a few changes:
- access problems to the ticketsystem should be fixed now
- members can apply for usergroups already when they register
- better protection against spam bot registrations
-

Over the past 3 weeks ive done dozens of updates on the SWAT Portal and its associated websites.
The updates reach from minor correction, security fixes, new features and some restructuring.

Most noticable today certainly is that our fellow bot ran amok.
I completely replaced it with a new better working version which had to catch up some work.
Its running smooth now and will support us here in a much better way than the old bot.

One of the big changes concerns mostly the players that are part of our STO Fleets. Here the member management has been completely recreated in order to do updates of the rank system on the fly and link everything directly with the SWAT community framework.
I'll explain the details to the STO fleets later.

A new and certainly very interesting feature for all out members might be our new "Competition" system which allows us to run multiple leages here at the Portal.
I think Freelancer Event Managers will find good use for such a feature.

With the upgrade of the SWAT Portal (which btw. I still havent officialy announced *cough*) we have introduced more and more great features to our community.
One of them is a new translation function that you can find on all Portal pages.

You can find a small translation button if you scroll down to the bottom of the pages.
It detects your browser language and will translate the portal content into that language as long this button is active.

This will allow our members to understand whats been written by others even if it is in a different language and certainly will we will get rid of language barriers.

If you were wondering why the Portal was offline today... well, yeah... HDD number 4 died this night. It meanwhile got replaced and backups were put in place.

If the components keep dying at this pace, we will have a brand new server in less than 2 months.