Display MoreInside Mac Games was a unique sort of magazine from the mid-1990s. It was specific to the small, affluent community of Macintosh gamers and instead of being printed it came on a CD-ROM! The articles were presented through an interactive executable and they could link to slide shows, trailers, advertisements and even game demos! Dundradal, who remembers IMG from his youth, located five major previews and reviews of Wing Commander games which we've extracted to the best of our abilities here. Links to copies of the ISOs themselves are also included in case you want to get the genuine experience emulating them on an old Mac!
IMG 24 - January/February 1995 - Super Wing Commander preview
Sneak Peek: Super Wing Commander
by Tuncer Deniz
NOTE: Screen shots and information presented in this article are based on a pre-release version of Super Wing Commander and are subject to change before final release. This article is not a review.
Every time a "space" movie comes on the tube, I'll immediately start watching. It doesn't matter if it's Star Wars, Star Trek, or even a bad space movie like "It Came From Mars" on some obscure cable channels at 2 o'clock in the morning. I just can never seem to get enough.
Although our fascination with flying has been with us since mankind first gazed to the skies, our thirst for flight in recent times has not only been earthbound but spacebound as well. Trips to the moon, walks in space, sci-fi shows and movies, and, yes, even computer games have heightened our desire to travel through space in search of the unknown. But I'm sure you would agree that space travel would be pretty boring without some action, especially on a computer. Better yet, how about something you can fight against, like in Star Wars? I mean, what's a good space game with some evil aliens trying to destroy you?
Super Wing Commander has all these exciting elements and more. Super Wing Commander originally bore out of the popular Wing Commander series for the IBM PC platform in the late 80's. Released about a year ago for the 3D0 game system, Super Wing Commander is a space adventure shoot'em up and represents Origin's return to the Macintosh game market after years of absence. The port is being handled by Lion Entertainment of Austin, Texas for Origin and is scheduled to be released sometime in March or April.
The Terran/Kilrathi Conflict Begins... In the year 2629.105, a lone exploration ship encounters a spacecraft of unknown origin. Standard wide-band non-verbal message to the unknown ship are soon greeted with the alien vessel savagely opening all guns on the exploration ship /wen and destroying it completely. War on the Empire of Kilrathi is declared on 2634.186 after years of countless acts of piracy and unwarranted assaults on Ter ran Confederation ships and planets.
This is where you come in. You're the Terran Confederation's best pilot and you've been summoned to defend the TCS Tiger's Claw, in Vega Sector from the evil Tiger-like Kilrathi.
Know Thy Enemy. The Kilrathi's are born warriors and raised for battle. You might say their entire culture is based on war and aggression (fighting among Kilrathi tribes has led to countless of civil wars) and they hold little regard for other intergalactic species, especially humans. The Kil rat hi 's thirst for conquest and domination is unparalleled and they will stop at nothing, not even in the face of death. But don't let their aggression and hatred fool you into thinking they are not skilled fighters. Expect a tough fight and be prepared for the unexpected.
Pre-Flight Check. The Rec Room on the Tiger's Claw provides crew members a hangout to check out everyone's latest number of kills, talk with pilots, and practice with the simulator. New Wing Commander pilots can enter the training simulator to brushen up on their flying and combat skills before actual combat.
Once you've honed in your pilot skills, you can enter the briefing room to begin your missions. Here Colonel Halcyon will brief you on the day's mission. After the briefing is over, you are fitted with a flight suit in the armory and then put into your battle- ready fighter.
Your fighter is equipped with the latest in Terran fighter technology. The viewscreen provides a view of space ahead of you. In the middle you'll find a circular radar display showing the direction of your enemies (and friendlies). On your left is the Left Video Display Unit and shows your shield and armor status. As you take damage you'll see red spots appear where the ships shields are weakening. The Right Video Display Unit shows the ship closest to you. The onboard computer targets the ship and places its profile on the VDU. Here you'll be able to see how much damage you've inflicted on the enemy ship.
Your ship also has other important indicators such as the Blaster, Fuel, Speed, Eject Warning, and Autopilot indicators.
Engaging the Kilrathi. Sooner or later you'll encounter the Kilrathi. This, of course, is where all the action is. They are fierce and relentless so getting them in your sights is crucial. You'll often encounter a number of Kilrathi ships, so you'll need to tell your Wingman to engage the enemy. If you get in trouble, you can also signal him or her to help out or to attack your target. You can even send random insults to the enemy, thereby luring them away from your wingmen or another friendly ship.
Depending on your ship you have a few to choose from), you have access to a number of missiles including dumbfire missiles (just point and shoot), Friend-of-Foe missiles (they don't require a missile lock, but they automatically travel toward the nearest enemy), and Heat-Seeking missiles (they require a heat source to lock on). Also depending on the type of ship you have, you can select between laser, neutron, or mass driver guns. Or you can choose to have all guns combined for a massive punch, but this tends to deplete your blaster power quickly.
Gameplay, Graphics, and The Rest. The gameplay in Super Wing Commander is intense and sometimes challenging. One of the biggest problems I encountered with the 3DO version of SWC was that it was nearly impossible to control using the control pad. I later tried it with a FlightStick Pro and had better luck with it. With the Macintosh version I used a ThrustMaster and it performed flawlessly and accurately.
The graphics in Super Wing Commander are quite good but since the graphics have been dithered down from 24 bit color (from the 3DO version) to 8 bit color, you'll notice that the 3DO version looks a lot better (if you have one). Also, some people might be turned off by the fact that the graphics are in low resolution but in general the low resolution graphics are not a hinderance. Three screen sizes are provided in the Macintosh version from small, medium, to big (640 X 480).
The beta version I was given ran extremely well on my PowerMac 6100 with only small slowdowns. However, being a beta version and not fully optimized yet, I expect the shipping version to be a lot faster. The game comes with 72 missions although not all of it is linear, so expect to play about half as many. You are assigned different missions depending on how well you do a previous missions.
Super Wing Commander will ship on a single CD-ROM and will, thankfully, be fat binary for both 68K and PowerMacs.
Welcome Back, Origin! Although Super Wing Commander may not be the most technologically advanced space sim on the computer game market (its sister game Wing Commander III on the PC may be), it is none-the-less an exceptional Macintosh game, especially considering the space games that are available on the Macintosh.
Super Wing Commander is really a test, in Origin's eyes. If the title does well, it will spur on more Macintosh game development from Origin. In fact, Origin is in the midst of porting another PC game called System Shock, a first person 3D science fiction action adventure. But for Origin to not only come back but STAY in the Macintosh market, titles like Super Wing and System Shock must do extremely well. I for one am hoping they do because I'd love to see Wing Commander III on the Macintosh.
By the way, look for a Super Wing Commander demo in the next issue of IMG.Video
Side Show
IMG 27 - May 1995 - Super Wing Commander review
Review: Super Wing Commander by Ivan
Type: Space flight/combat simulation
Publisher: Origin Systems (800/245-4525)
Retail Price: $59.95
Street Price: $49.95
Requires: 25 MHz 030 or greater, 4 MB RAM, 256 colors, 2x CD-ROM drive
Protection: None
IMG Rating: 3.5 flight sticks
Back around 1990, I used to go down to the local Electronic Boutique and cast jealous eyes on all the PC games while I shopped around for games that would run on my puny SE. It was about that time that Wing Commander first came out. Wing Commander looked like nothing else I had seen before, and the fact that I couldn't bring it home with me wrenched at my heart. Never before had I wanted a PC as much as I did then. Unfortunately, there wasn't much I could do about it, so I went home saddened, only to be reminded with every trip to the software store. A couple of years went by, as they will do, and suddenly here was Wing Commander II! Another stab in the heart from the PC world. Later on came more Wing Commander stuff: add-on missions for the first two games, Wing Commander Academy, Privateer, and most recently, Wing Commander III. Every one another stab in the heart of all Mac users. But finally, after five long years, Wing Commander has come to the Mac at last, proving that good things come to those who wait.
The Plot Thickens. For those of you who haven't already heard of Super Wing Commander (and you must have been holed up under a rock for the last year), it's a space flight/combat simulator, in which you play the role of an up and coming fighter pilot in humanity's desperate war against an alien foe, the Kilrathi. The Kilrathi are a race of ruthless cat people who see humans as lowly hairless apes, too low even to be called prey. The war against Kilrath has lasted 20 years, and is now at a critical turning point. After 20 years of combat, the forces of both sides are heavily depleted, and the tide could easily turn either way. A brilliant tactical strategy and a fiercel y dedicated bunch of fighter pilots are Earth's only hope. Fortunately, the Earth forces have you. Starting out as a rookie pilot, it's up to you to rise through the ranks and carry the forces of humanity to victory (or defeat) against the Kilrathi. Be victorious, and Earth will be safe forever. Lose, and humanity will become the slaves of Kilrah.
Le Jeu. As you rise through the ranks, you'll pilot a number of different ships against the Kilrathi. Each ship has its own strengths and weaknesses, but they all share common elements. You'll start out piloting the Hornet, a light fighter with minimal shields and weaponry, but good maneuverability. If you succeed in your missions, you'll eventually get to pilot the Rapier, a new experimental fighter and the pride of the Confederation — not as much armor as the Raptor, but great maneuverability and a full complement of missiles. Unfortunately, you don't get to pick which ship you'll fl y, so you'd better learn to be comfortable in all of them. Each ship is armed with a variety of beam and projectile weapons, including lasers, mass driver cannons, neutron guns, heat seeking missiles, friend or foe missiles, and dumb missiles and mines. HUD (Heads Up Display) layouts vary with each ship, but each HUD variety includes all the standard equipment, including a diagram of your current target and its damage status.
One of the really neat things about SWC is that your opponents will frequentl y taunt you with a variety of nasty insults...and you can taunt them right back! In fact, taunting often angers your opponents enough to distract them from other targets, which can be critical during escort missions. While you're being taunted, a close-up view of your tormentor's face appears in your HUD, and the taunter's ship is bracketed in white so you can pick them out — but don't let them distract you! Though most of your opponents are just generic Kilrathi, there are a handful of distinct personalities among them, such as Baktosh Redclaw and Bhurak Starkiller (who earned his reputation by firing at ejected pilots). They're a little tougher than the ordinary opponents, but when you meet them, do your best to kill them. It won't affect the course of the war, but it'll earn you some extra acclaim among your compatriots and improve your reputation.
Oh, and you won't be flying alone. During combat, you'll always have a wingman (hence the name Wing Commander), to back you up. Managing your wingmen is one of the most important aspects of the game. Your fellow pilots vary greatly in their ability, but even the worst of them (barring Knight — more later) will help keep at least one opponent occupied and off your back. The most efficient way to use your wingmen is to assign them a particular target as soon as you enter combat, and then go after a different target yourself. If they report they've killed their target (they will tell you), immediately assign them your current target and go after another one. If you force your wingman to follow your lead, they'll whine until you wish they were dead, and if you just let them join the melee without assigning them a particular target, they'll usually get in your way, either hitting you or taking hits from you. Don't worry about them hogging all the glory — once you become a proficient pilot, they'll rarely destroy more targets than you. You can also get your pilots killed if you don't watch out for them, so if they're reporting heavy damage, send `em home. Getting your fellow pilots killed earns you a reaming from your commanding officer, and severe feelings of guilt when you're forced to attend their funeral.
In between combat missions, you can hang out in the rec room of your carrier ship, the Tiger's Claw, where you can play with the combat simulator, gossip with Shot Glass the bartender, check out your combat ranking and mission to kill ratio [irritatingly, no distinction is made between fighters and flagships), or talk with any pilots who may be hanging around. Frequently, your fellow pilots will offer valuable combat tips, so it always pays to talk to them between missions. Talking to the other pilots also provides interesting and sometimes valuable information about their personalities.
Different pilots have different combat styles and will behave differently under pressure. Since you'll eventually get a chance to fl y with each of them as your wingman, it pays to know as much about them as you can. For instance, you'll hear rumors that one of the pilots, Knight, is a "kitty lover" who holds back in combat. From my own experience, I can say that Knight is just a god awful pilot who provides little if any help in combat. During the three missions I flew with him, I was just praying he'd be killed, so I wouldn't have to listen to his constant "Maverick, assist please!" In our last mission together, the lousy S.O.B. actuall y abandoned me in the middle of a fight with two troop transports, leaving a fighter he was assigned to right on my tail. Later, in the rec room, he chatted me up like we were old buddies. If it had been an option, I would've launched myself across the table at him fist first! My anger over Knight's actions just proves how much the game draws you in, and how convincing the non- player characters can be. But the one personality who's the most annoying is your own. There's no option to configure your own character, and you're invariably stuck in the role of Maverick, a lantern jawed wasp among an otherwise ethnically diverse group.
Technical Issues. Super Wing Commander is basically a refurbished version of the original Wing Commander. It features the original graphic engine and missions, with some new cut scenes and story material. Super Wing Commander was actually developed for the 3D0 platform but, ironically, the 3D0 uses a Mac- based development environment. Having done the 3D0 version, Origin was presumably just a hop, skip and jump away from a Mac version.
After playing the SWC demo (included with a recent issue of IMG), I was actually somewhat disappointed. Not by the new cut scenes, which are stunningly well done, in beautiful hi-res. But as I mentioned, SWC uses the original Wing Commander graphics engine, which relies on bitmaps to represent objects in space (as opposed to the more sophisticated polygonal engines used in newer games such as LucasArts' X-Wing). What that means is that a limited number of two dimensional images have been drawn for each object, and a different image is shown, depending on the angle at which you're viewing the object. This frequently results in object views flipping back and forth from one image to another as you move in relation to an object. Additionally, as you get closer to an object, the pixels that make up the image are blown up, making objects close to you appear very blocky. The bottom line is that it's a five- year-old game.
Despite my disappointment with the demo, I bought the full version as soon as it came out...and then let it sit on my desk, unplayed, for several weeks. Finally though, I started playing, and I can happily say that, a couple of missions into it, my disappointment began to drop away. After a few more missions, I was completely hooked. SWC's graphics engine may be a little long in the tooth, but the combat features are still remarkably robust. Once I really got into the game, I stopped noticing any problem with the graphics because I was so caught up in the fighting. As far as I'm concerned, it was worth the wait.
Though SWC is pretty memory intensive, the Mac programmers have made every effort to allow it to run as well on older Macs as it does on newer. Graphics can be set to small, medium, and large — on the fl y, thankfull y — and there's an every-other-line option.
Overall, it's a pretty good port, as PC ports go. The interface was pretty decent to begin with, and it hasn't lost anything. And after several days of constant play, I'm happy to report that I haven't experienced a single crash. SWC is remarkably stable. It's even multi-finder aware, which is a pleasant surprise. Unfortunately, it does unpredictable things when relegated to the background. For one thing, it leaves the menubar hidden when switching apps, and for another it remains active in the background, so that any clicks you make in another app are still received by SWC.
My one big complaint about the interface is the save feature. Instead of just pressing command-S, you have to enter the barracks room, which is filled with bunks, each bunk representing a save position. When a game is saved, the bunk is filled with a sleeping person. Delete the saved game, and the person goes away. Sure, it's a cute feature, but you're stuck with onl y eight save slots! Fortunately, SWC writes all your saves to the SWC pref file in the preferences folder in the system folder. To backup your current save positions, all you have to do is copy the pref file to a safe location. It takes a little creative management to keep track of more than 8 saves, but it is do-able.
One thing that really pleased me about SWC was its improved keyboard sensitivity. All of the original PC Wing Commander games had horrible keyboard sensitivity, and were virtually unplayable via keyboard. I generally prefer using the keyboard, so kudos to the Mac programmers who fixed this feature. By the way, if you play SWC with a joystick, be sure it's a good one. I've heard nothing but complaints from friends who've tried to play it with the GamePad or its equivalent.
Sturm Und Prang. Super Wing Commander features a full musical soundtrack, which is pretty nicely implemented, and changes to fit the mood of the moment. During combat, the music is all deadly serious, with heavy drumbeats complementing the fighting. Returning home victorious gets you a very upbeat, almost playful, martial theme, heavy on the horns. Fail a mission, or get a fellow pilot killed, and the music plays sad and mournful, heavy on the heart.
I do have one big gripe and one small gripe regarding the music and sound effects. The big gripe is that, while the game offers separate volume controls for music and sound effects, several of the musical instruments force the volume up when played. For instance, the cheerful horns I mentioned above max out the volume whenever they're called up. Since I was playing with earphones, this usually meant a painful blast of sound whenever I won a mission. I assume this is a bug, and not a feature. The small gripe is the lack of stereo sound. Granted, I'm using cheap earphones, and don't have a particularly good ear for this kind of thing, but I'm pretty sure all the sound is mono. Stereo sound would've been a lot nicer, especially during combat.
Bottom Line. It's been a long wait, but the Mac platform at last has a decent space combat game (OK, you could make a case for Rebel Assault, but I don't think it's in the same category, given its limited replayability and linear arcade action). Ironically, in just a few short months, we'll have two, with the arrival of LucasArts' X-Wing. If you're on a tight budget, then be aware that X-Wing is going to blow SWC out of the water, and you may want to wait for it. SWC is a good game, but it's definitel y showing its age. If you can afford both games, then buy SWC immediately and play it to death, because after you've played X-Wing, you'll never look at SWC again.
Pros
At last, a spaceflight combat sim! Gripping storyline & gameplay Good musical score Good keyboard sensitivity Surprisingly stable
Cons
Out of date bitmap graphic engine Music tends to rise to max level despite your preference settings Lousy 8 slot save feature Will be passé the instant X-Wing hits the shelves Mono soundsIMG 34 - January/February 1996 - Wing Commander III review
Review: Wing Commander III
by Ross Scott Rubin
TYPE Action/Adventure
PUBLISHER Origin Systems
RETAIL $89.95
STREET PRICE $55.00
REQUIREMENTS Power Macintosh, System 7 or later, 8 MB RAM, CD-ROM drive
PROTECTION None
PPC NATIVE Yes
The costliest game ever for Power Macintoshes and compatibles has arrived.
Possibly the second most- hyped game in PC history, Wing Commander III: Heart of the Tiger, is the third installment of Origin's best-selling space flight saga. Spanning four CD-ROMs, WCIII follows the familiar battles between humanity and the Kilrathi: tall creatures who have the hearts of Klingons from Star Trek and the face of Mustafa from The Lion King.
Known for its $4 million production budget and big-name stars like Mark Hamill (as the your character Col. Christopher Blair) and Malcom McDowell, WCIII is rife with video, most of which is acted very well. The costumes and scenery are at least on par with The Daedalus Encounter, another well-done sci-fi CD-ROM game. Hardly an action occurs outside the space sequences that isn't accompanied by footage from hopping into the ship of your choice you can choose from five) to taking the elevator up a flight. It gets to be a bit tiresome.
The interactive parts of the game are important and do affect its outcome, though. Through the course of the adventure, you make hundreds of decisions that have an impact on other parts of the game. Tick off the mechanic and your ship may pay for it.
Quadras Need Not Apply While the game requires a PowerPC with an L2 cache, 23 MB on your hard disk for a minimum install 60 for full) and as much RAM as you can spare (including 5.7 MB just to hear music), be prepared for some compromises. Overall, the sets and fighting scenes are graphically impressive, but Origin's video compression makes a notable sacrifice of quality for the sake of size and speed. Characters look blocky and splotchy. Leaving the Victory base ship in which you're based looks like a slide show. And launch sequences entail a delay at their end while even double-speed CD-ROMs scramble to load one of the 50 missions.
The graphics in Wing Commander's action sequences, though, are crisp and the cockpit and space graphics shine at 640 X 480. How fast the action moves will depend on many factors, but turning on all options, including the Star War-like music, will tax a midrange PowerMac such as the 8 1 0 0/8 0. Those with lesser hardware can opt for a smaller screen size, no music, or partial or no texture-mapping.
Lion Entertainment's port is a fine one from the interface standpoint. WCIII can cause some funny monitor permutations after quitting, but it's generally a well-behaved application.
Roll 'em For Wing Commander III, Origin must have had a hard time deciding whether to produce a movie or space flight simulator because it decided to do both. The result is an engaging storyline with quality acting interspersed with flight action. A variety of camera angles including front (with optional cockpit), left, right, aft, and chase keep you in the action.
Learning WCIII is more difficult than your typical shooter but not as hard as some of the more sophisticated flight simulators. While there's a fair number of keyboard controls to keep you occupied, the cockpit dials are fairl y simple while offering you good status and some control over guns and other options. In a world of arcade games and simulators, WCIII is definitel y in the former camp although some missions will require some strategy and forethought.
You can communicate with your "wingman" (hence the name) dispatching them and calling them back to the fold. Beginners will probabl y find their wingman saving their hide in the earl y rounds but you'll have to be more of an ace in the later missions. Learning the ropes is eased somewhat by a space flight simulator where you can practice.
While Its Hot While Wing Commander III became a benchmark on the PC side, its rule of the roost will soon be eclipsed on the Mac side by Wing Commander IV Ca demo is already available for PCs.) Also starring Mark Hamill, it is rumored to be available in the Spring and on twice the number of CDs. Hopefull y, Origin has been able to take advantage of some of the higher-quality video codecs that have been developed since WCIII.
But the technical limitations shouldn't prevent you from enjoying the most elaborate CD-ROM set ever developed for the PowerMac. If your hardware is up to it, Wing Commander III's blend of quality acting, Hollywood feel, and furious space action make this a landmark Macintosh game.
Pros
High resolution sets Good acting and professional production Easy to control space craft Interactivity prevents it from being the same game twice
Cons
Gratuitous and low-quality video Requires beefy Power PC for smooth gameplay with all options enabledSlide Show
IMG 36 - April 1996 - Wing Commander IV preview
Sneak Peek: Wing Commander IV
by Bart Farkas
Well Colonel Blair, you have successfully dispatched the kitty planet of Kilrath and now you've decided to settle into a nice life of farming shoulder to shoulder with the average civilian population. Feels nice doesn't it? Real soil under your feet. No worrying about being blasted into the cold vacuum of space. Yep, this is the life. Think again Colonel, because you are just about to get pulled into the most complicated story you've ever been written into.
Wing Legacy The Wing Commander series of games have long been popular distractions for [mostly PC) garners. From its relatively humble roots, the Wing Commander saga has expanded and grown into an entity I doubt even its creator, Chris Roberts, would (or could) have envisioned. Wing Commander IV is now nearing the state of reality on the Macintosh, just two short months after its much ball yhooed PC entrance. Despite the hype, the actors, and the legacy, this game is very special for one very big reason. 1 2.5 million very big reasons actually.
"12.5 million?" you ask?
Yep, the official cost of this baby was 12.5 million U.S. Dollars. To put this into perspective, the movie 'El Mariachi' could have been made over 1 600 times for the same amount of money. Although the thought of an 'El Mariachi Part 1 532' may sound far fetched to some, the concept of computer entertainment software costing more than most '13' Hollywood movies sounds like it belongs in a bad Cheech and Chong flick. In fact, if you'd have told me 5 years ago that a computer game would cost more than 10 million donaros I would have questioned your mental health. However, hairstyles change and so does the computer gaming market, sometimes in dramatic ways.
What can you get for a suitcase of green? While Wing Commander III broke new ground with its 3 million dollar budget and cast of fairly well known actors, it seemed to lack something in the hybridization of movie and computer game. This something was to most, intangible, but present nonetheless. Some felt that the blue screening process left the actors looking unrealistic in the computer-generated backdrops, while others complained that the acting seemed unnatural at times. Whatever the complaints, Wing III was a great game and has sold a reported 700,000 copies (that's a bunch). Obviousl y Origin and Electronic Arts felt the $1 2.5 million risk was easily recoupable on a sequel.
If Wing III's engine or basic construction had any shortcomings, they have largely been addressed in Wing IV. Perhaps the most striking new feature comes in the form of real sets for the video cut scenes. This, as you might expect, greatly increased the cost of making Wing IV, but the end result is a life-like backdrop to support the plot. By moving to realistic sets the actors seemed to have a better grip on what was going on, and thus their performances seem a little more inspired, and indeed more realistic. In fact, the movie (or passive) portion of Wing IV is substantially more entertaining than its predecessor, and as you flow through the game you become ever more engrossed in the tangled web of lies and deceit which entangles the storyline from start to finish.
But I thought the war was over! Since the end of the war with the Kilrathi there have been an increasing number of attacks on the Confederation frontier. The frontier was defended vigorously by the people of the Border Worlds during the war with the felines, but now it seems that they have taken it upon themselves to make a move towards self government. Admiral Tolwyn pulls you back into the fray to help investigate what the heck is going on near the Border Worlds, and being the well decorated hero you are, you accept. Problem is, this isn't a cut and dried go-out-and-get-the bad-guy type of game. This time, you'll have a much harder time following orders, and indeed you'll have to choose your allegiance, and thus your destiny.
Not only does this interwoven plot will make Wing IV perhaps the most interesting game of its kind to be involved with, but it pulls you into the story in a guttural way that defies descri ption. As with Wing III, Wing IV will have plot changes hinging on the outcomes of certain missions, but Wing IV also puts a fair bit of emphasis on your interactive movie choices. Should you give the begging ex-fighter pilot some cash? Could that affect a mission much later in the game? Maybe. Wing IV actually has two losing scenarios and only one winning endgame. However, there are a bunch of ways to reach the end, even the winning end. There's around 50 missions throughout the game and over 30 'conversations' where your response has some effect on the game.
Flight Engine Changes There are essentially no fundamental changes to the flight engine in Wing IV, and thus, it behaves much like Wing III in this respect. This was because of the quick turnaround time between Wing III and Wing IV, there just wasn't time for Origin to rework the flight engine. And hey, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. The changes you !pill notice immediately are in the elimination of the cockpits in your spacecraft. Yep, Wing IV has become full y HUD (Heads Up Display) and the added viewing real estate is a welcome bonus. Also, you won't be flying in the same craft as you were last time, there are several new makes to take for a spin, and several new weapons that are fairl y flashy you'll know what I mean when you get the game).
Building on the Best Wing III was one of the best selling games of all time, and its younger sibling is bound to match, or even exceed the previous sales marks. With a record-setting price tag, big name actors (Mark Hamil, Malcolm McDowell, Jason Bernard, and John Rhys- Davis are all returning, along with 'Maniac' (Tom Wilson)) and the most engrossing storyline ever seen in a Wing Commander game, Wing Commander IV is sure to be a winner. Get your CD changers ready though, this baby comes on six-count `em-six CD ROMs.
Note: The demo below is for Power PC computers only.IMG 39 - August 1996 - Wing Commander IV review
Review: Wing Commander IV
by Dan Radmacher
TYPE Interactive Movie/Space Flight Simulator
PUBLISHER Origin
RETAIL $59.95
STREET PRICE $49.95
PROTECTION Yes
PPG NATIVE None
The war with the Kilrathi is over, thanks to your heroics in Wing Commander III. You've retired to a farm on an out-of-the way planet Ca desert planet suspiciously similar to Tatooine from Star Wars). But all is not peaceful. Pirates are attacking civilian space ships, and an increasing number of skirmishes with ships from the Border Worlds may lead to civil war.
So, Colonel Blair — known to the Kilrat hi as the Heart of the Tiger — is being recalled to active duty. You'll be reunited with old friends (and enemies) and make new ones. You'll get back in the cockpit to defend the interests of the Confederation.
But you'll also be pulled into a web of intrigue and mystery. Your loyalties will be tested, perhaps to the breaking point.
Welcome to the long-anticipated Wing Commander IV: The Price of Freedom.
More than a game The fourth installment in the Wing Commander series (the second to be brought to the Macintosh), WCIV comes closer than any of its predecessors to fulfilling the promise of a kick- butt space simulator melded with an involving and entertaining interactive movie.
The budget for WCIV was an impressive $12.5 million, unheard of for a video game. But the money was well spent. If you are familiar with WCIII, you'll be pleased to see the actors on real sets instead of computer-generated ones during the numerous and lengthy cut scenes.
The acting is still not feature film quality. Mark Hamill portrays Col. Blair, your alter-ego. Best known as Luke Skywalker, Hamill hit his creative peak with the Star Wars movies. Too often, he seems to be going through the motions in Wing Commander. Of all the actors, only Malcolm McDowell as the sleazy Admiral Tolwyn really seems to relish his role. Tom Wilson is way over the top as "Maniac," though he does manage some subtlety later in the movie, er, game.
But despite the cheesy acting, the cut scenes manage nicel y to pull you into the story. There is less repetition than in WCIII (for example, you don't have a mechanic repeating the same inane phrase every time you finish a mission).
Game play is not significantly changed from WCIII, although the cockpit is gone, replaced with a full-screen HUD that is well-organized and fairly easy to interpret. The flight model is still more arcade than flight-sim. I especially miss the "axial roll" X-Wing provides.
There is a good variety of missions — everything from escort to recon to atmospheric missions (the fighters don't seem to handle any differently in atmosphere than in vacuum, though.) Odds are usually more even than in X-Wing, and your wingmen actually help out a lot.
And, unlike X-Wing, you can fail a mission without the chance to replay it over and over Cif you die, you do get the opportunity to try again.) Your success or failure has direct bearing on the progression of the story. If you mess up a recon mission, the next mission will be that much harder. Fail too often, and you will end up washed up back on Tatooine's twin planet, dreaming of old glory.
The game portion of WCIV is quite challenging hint to newbies: you start out on the "Ace" skill level. Take it down to "Veteran" or "Rookie" for awhile until you figure things out.)
As in WCIII, you get the opportunity to make decisions about Blair's reactions during cut scenes. Again, you only have two choices. Some of the forks in WCIII seemed thrown in just to make the movies more interactive. In WCIV, the decisions are usually much more plot-oriented.
Outside of the cut scenes and cockpit, you maneuver around the carrier by pointing and clicking on hotspots. Hitting "M" calls up a map of the carrier, and handily, shows where conversations with other characters are possible (blue dots) or required (red dots).
Potential Wing Commander IV is starting to show the true potential of interactive movies. On top of that, it is a very decent and exciting space combat simulator. This game is fun to watch and fun to play. Shipping on an impressive six CD-ROMs, WCIV is a good, game- playing value, offering lots of replay possibilities and lots of full-screen video. I like this game a lot and will anxiousl y play it through to the end.
Pros
Real sets with good actors for involving cut scenes Intriguing plot Full-screen HUD instrumentation makes for easier flying
Cons
Limited interaction in cut scenes (two choices) Less-than-inspired acting by some
Publisher Info
Origin Systems
5918 W. Courtyard
Austin, TX 78730
Phone: (800) 245-4525
www.origin.ea.comSlide Show
