News Collection: On This Day in WC News

2024.191 (July 9, 2024)

GOG Summer Sale Last Chance

GOG's Summer Sale is winding down, but you can still take advantage of the discount to get cheap Wing Commander games. The main entries in the series are 50% off or $2.99 each. Armada, Academy and Privateer 2 are a larger 66% off or just $2.

2023.190 (July 9, 2023)

Ready for a Change of Scenery?

Cybot has returned with a variety of exotic renders. This set is based on familiar WC2 and Privateer-centric scenes with a little bit of creative flair. Cybot's also made a handful of model files available to download, including the Drayman cockpit and some of the guns. You can grab those at the CIC Forums!

2022.190 (July 9, 2022)

More on Killboards: WC3/4/Prophecy Edition

This is a followup to last month's killboards post. I wondered if there was any difference in the starter kill board in Wing Commander III. Here's the PC version, with no entry for Blair since I hadn't entered my callsign yet: Sure enough, the values change from port to port! Here's the PSX version and the Macintosh version (which really surprised me!

2021.190 (July 9, 2021)

Loco for Logos

Chris Kabigting recently shared this creative video. He's mocked up a series of WC logo interfaces based on the initialization screens for Ace Combat 3. Think of the Data Swallow system as a modern day Quine or P.A.

2020.191 (July 9, 2020)

WC3 Bloopers Appear in Television Feature

If you have “Dick Clark” on your WCNews bingo card, today’s your lucky day! Ripplin spotted this gem in a Classic TV repost of Dick Clark’s The Return of TV Censored Bloopers. These are well known outtakes that show up in various compilations, but it’s pretty awesome to see they were broadcast to a huge audience here. In the mid 1990s, Wing Commander 3 and 4 were rare success stories to cross over to the television circuit like this.

2019.190 (July 9, 2019)

Mike Winterbauer Launches New Art Website

Wing Commander SNES cover artist Mike Winterbauer has launched a new website that covers his extensive history with fantasy and video game art. There's a page dedicated to his Classic Game Covers art book and a new link where you can buy a copy for $30 from his eBay storefront. The digital ebook version is also still available for free. We've inquired about any leftover items from his WC art portfolio project, because everything from that was flipping cool!

2018.190 (July 9, 2018)

Lexington Stands Down From Silent Running

Forums member pahandav noticed a minor glitch with the DVD port of Wing Commander IV. The game provides transition scenes of Blair navigating the ship's passageways en route to hotspots like the lounge or flight control. Seasoned players usually skip these scenes to save time, so you may not have noticed that, on the DVD version, a few of these clips are lacking audio: I was getting ready to do a stream of Wing Commander 4 and noticed that the walking videos on the Lexington had no sound. So, I extracted the audio from those videos from the CD version, and reencoded them to AC3.

2017.190 (July 9, 2017)

More French Advertisements

Here are three fascinating Wing Commander advertisements! The first is a 1992 ad produced by Electronic Arts for the European market, which does not have a US equivalent. In 1992, EA was particularly interested in establishing that they were now the sole distributor of Origin games (which had previously been put out by companies like Mindscape and Ubisoft on a case-by-case basis.) Wing Commander Academy was a good choice for foreign language magazine because the game itself didn't require localization.

2016.191 (July 9, 2016)

Kilrathi Mock-Up Makes Up For Missing WC Ships

Lilja brought an interesting sci-fi themed shirt by, and he wanted to know if any of the ships depicted could possibly be WC designs. Alas, the "Dralthi" is really a Cylon Raider from Battlestar Galactica and the "Raptor" is the Gunstar from The Last Starfighter (which was the inspiration for the design). Fortunately, Klavs popped in the rectify the situation with a similar shirt made entirely of Wing Commander designs. Starting with the top row, from left to right, are his Dorkir transport, Krant, Gratha, Hhriss, Salthi, Dralthi, Jalthi, Fralthi, Ralari, Dorkir tanker and Snakeir.

2015.190 (July 9, 2015)

Pixelated Arrow Is Just The Beginning

HCl has made further progress on importing ships into Wing Commander 2/Academy. Here he's managed to get the Arrow running smoothly, as seen through the eyes of a Jrathek. HCl is still trying to figure out what kind of stats the ship should have while operating with other mid 2660s fighters. If you have a recommendation, hit the comments button below and let him know!

2014.190 (July 9, 2014)

Wing Commander Music Marches Along At Graduation

It seems to be the season for Wing Commander at the orchestra! This past May, the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden held their traditional Masters graduation at Stockholm City Hall. Among the graduation's musical selections was a medley of Wing Commander tracks during "Fanborgens Exit March." We're not exactly sure what that pertains to as part of the graduation, but we've reached out to the Master of Ceremonies to see why they chose Wing Commander as part of the ceremony.

2013.190 (July 9, 2013)

TacOps Game Manager Still In Development

Avacar popped in to give a little status update on the next big update to the online version of Wing Commander Tactical Operations. He'll soon be making a push on the game's scenario editor, which will allow fans to manage their own player campaigns. There will be some pretty cool features in this update! When everything is complete, Avacar plans to allow game masters to create games, edit ships in play and otherwise run multiplayer battles with a custom built user interface.

2012.191 (July 9, 2012)

Overpriced Privateers Make PC Format Mad

The reviewers at PC Format seemed to have had something against Wing Commander. This time up it's classic and Wingnut favorite, Privateer. At times praising the game, overall the reviewer is not impressed and sees it as a collection of rehashed ideas. We could also say the same thing of the reviewer's odd writing.

2011.190 (July 9, 2011)

Saga Boosts Beta Bits

The WC Saga team has released another beta update, and there's a new batch of Saga-themed pictures to go along with it. The new software update includes tweaked menus, HUD and mouse controls, among other things. You can find more info and images here. There's plenty of explosions and ships racing through space to see this time around.

2010.190 (July 9, 2010)

Shockwave Hellcat Painted for Patrol

WCS has improved his Shockwave Hellcat again. The latest addition is a crisp Confed texture donated by limdaepl. Combined with the starfield in the background, the ship looks ready to talk on some Kilrathi! The next update will likely be in the form of a Confed cruiser or destroyer to fly around.

2009.190 (July 9, 2009)

Eve Online Hit By Embezzlement Scandal

The head of Eve Online's largest in-universe banking system has been banned for some shady monetary transactions. He was removed from the game for illicitly withdrawing Eve Online currency and reselling it for real money to pay off debts. While the entire affair may not have been illegal, and internal embezzlement is not necessarily against game rules, the combination of exchanging game money for actual cash is not allowed. You can find more on the scheme at Reuters.

Making the Game: Wing Commander Prophecy Technical Design Document

Here's the final Technical Design document; it's now some forty pages shorter, but reflects the game-as-developed. Wing Commander Prophecy, no Playstation port, etc. These updates are thanks to John "Captain Johnny" Guentzel, who provided several CD image archives of material used by the Wing Commander Prophecy development team!

2008.191 (July 9, 2008)

Homeworld Mod Recommissions Concordia Carrier

Aaron Thomas has begun work to revamp a number of key models in the WC4 Homeworld 2 mod. His first design is a cleaner take on the Concordia class carrier. These shots reveal the improved body wither sharper textures and better lighting. Newer engines, weapons and subsystems are not yet visible.

Making the Game - Part 65

Here's a big document for the obsessive fan to check through: a twenty page chart listing every one of Wing Commander Prophecy's comm messages. An internal file name and a short description are provided for each -- are they all in the game? "WHY WON'T ANYBODY HELP US!!! THE BRIDGE IS ON FIRE!!!!!

2007.190 (July 9, 2007)

Flanker Fields Flashy Fighter

If there's anything that helps me get over a case of the Mondays, it's a fancy new Excalibur picture. Flanker's alternative camouflage paint schemes were a big hit, so he cleaned one up and posed a shot for everyone to see. If you look closely, little paw prints represent each Kilrathi that the ace behind this craft has toasted. That's a nice touch.

Melees, Midways or Meteors?

A clear winner has been apparent in our poll for a little while now, so it's time to wrap this one up. The Capital Ship Combat mode won out as the most anticipated multiplayer mode in Arena. With more than two thirds of the vote, it looks like Wingnuts will be lining up soon to take down battlecruiser after battlecruiser with a team of their friends. These results were probably tilted somewhat by the number of times we've seen this particular mode in the various videos and promo shots.

Happy Birthday Hades!

On behalf of the rest of the CIC Staff, I'd like to wish our own Cpl Hades a happy 25th birthday! Few people have been as dedicated and helpful to Wing Commander community as Hades over the last twelve years. He's even made six long intercontinental trips just to celebrate Wing Commander with fellow fans, and he's all set to make his seventh next month. Few people know it, but Hades is the most skilled all-around gamer on the staff.

2006.190 (July 9, 2006)

Birth of the Interactive Movies

Here's three more full page Wing Commander-related advertisements, courtesy of Alkarion. You can see the last sets here and here. The first shot shows the classic Wing Commander III artwork, making the bold claim that it is "THE INTERACTIVE MOVIE." The four inset screenshots are taken from the first set Origin released to the public, well before the game's release.

Darkstar One Rising

This month's watchword is Darkstar One -- everyone is comparing this new game to Wing Commander! Gamespy has published a positive preview: There are a few things that we've come to expect from "space games," regardless of whether they rest on the Wing Commander or Master of Orion side of the spectrum... From our time playtesting a preview build, the game sits squarely on the Wing Commander side of the spectrum... The actual gameplay, as mentioned, is pretty action-oriented -- think Wing Commander.

2005.190 (July 9, 2005)

Second Nexus Mod Updates

RAT has given his Wing Commander mod for Nexus a name to differentiate it from similar projects in the works. This one is tentatively called Wing Commander 2634 to contrast with WC Tactics. The mod now has a website that is currently in Russian. A few more designs have been released.

We're Listening To Your Mail

It shouldn't be a big surprise that we're working on a new edition of the CIC Mail Bag for publication next month. This one is shaping up to be the best yet, but there's still time for your message to be included. If you have a profound insight or question that could use a thorough response, send it in.

Hades Starting New Business

Staff member Cpl Hades will be taking on a reduced set of duties at the CIC this year as he pursues an exciting new venture. For years he's had a dream to produce a healthy and satisfying cereal that was rich in fiber, rich in folic acid and contained no trans fats (with only 3g net carbs!). Crunchy Almond Crisp is the result.

2004.191 (July 9, 2004)

Space Sim First Look: Void War

Jay Barnson and Rampant Games are currently producing a new space combat sim that draws a lot from past Wing Commander experiences and should include some exciting action. Void War has a single player game with a compelling storyline, but a lot of attention has been paid to large multiplayer battles. Although the game engine has been loosely based on Wing Commander, inertial concerns and physics mechanics have an influence on the craft and alter flying to a certain degree. The multiplayer areas are rich with asteroids, planets, space stations and other debris to spice up the environment.

CIC Staff Member Has Trouble With the Law

We were a little worried when Hades didn't show up on irc today. Kris finally found him thanks to the BBC Website. Hopefully we can clear up this misunderstanding so he can get back to work soon. Happy Birthday Hades!

2003.190 (July 9, 2003)

Frequently Asked Questions for Prophecy Advance

Juan Gutierrez from Destination has let us know that a number of people have had questions about the Ship Killer Acquisition mission in Prophecy Advance. Here's all you have to do. So far there has been alot of inquiries on how to beat this level. Could you post a hint on your site telling people that after the second "wave" on this level, simply destroy the ship killer (The big weird looking ship) and ignore the other ships to complete the level.

England Celebrates Cpl_Hades' Twenty-first

We were late on the updates today, so AOL and other major media outlets beat us to reporting on Cpl_Hades' twenty-first birthday. He's busy working on big CIC projects for later in the summer, but hopefully he'll get a chance to take a break and celebrate himself. We reported last month that the United Kingdom was issuing a postage stamp to commemorate the event. You can find it here.

2002.190 (July 9, 2002)

Celebrating Wing Commander

HoTT treats us to another of his comic-edits, this time in celebration of Prophecy GBA. HoTT also maintains a website where he displays all of his (often twisted) work.

Holding The Line: Chapter 134

The latest instalment in the Holding The Line Fanfic is online. Here's Raptor with his introduction. Hey all, Raptor here. HTL continues with part ten of the Tiger Hunt series, "The Art of War.

Happy Birthday, Hades!

CIC staff member Barrie Almond turns 20 today. Among his most notable contributions to the site is his work on the Ships Database and Game Guides. You can wish him a happy birthday by sending him an e-mail.

2001.190 (July 9, 2001)

Trivia 3 Week 37

If you put a CF-131 and a Proxima Spaceworks Errant in a line, you'll have this trivia.Welcome to Game Three, Week Thirty-Seven Trivia. We play each week. Every Monday two main questions and one bonus question are posted to alt.

Happy Birthday!

From: Military Emergency Control HQ

We have received a distress signal from two cargo freighters which have been infested with a computer virus. They are losing life support systems and engine power and are adrift. We want you to proceed to Nav Point #160 and protect the freighter until a military escort arrives, with the necessary anti-virus software to re-instate the freighters' systems.

2000.191 (July 9, 2000)

New Forum Not Just For Chatting

It's come to our attention that there are still quite a few people out there who want to complete their set of the Wing Commander Customizable Card Game. Rather than set up a traditional trading post section, we're going to be utilizing our Chat Zone for that job. There's now a Trading Forum where people can maintain threads about what cards they need or have to offer. New cards can be hard to find and are often pricey, so hopefully this is a help.

Bex Authorities Crack Down on Corporate Expansion

Environmental observer Hilton Tavares reports. Bexian government officials yesterday released an edict which clearly stated that no more planning permission will be granted for corporate headquarters. In recent months, several companies have been trying to relocate to the planet, which is without doubt the most picturesque in all three systems. Government spokeman Felton Binkley said yesterday, "We're a simple people, who make the most of our fresh air and fine climate.

1999.190 (July 9, 1999)

Shirts Inbound

Jibbo dropped me a line to let me know that the CIC T-shirts should arrive (and hence be distributed to everyone who's ordered one) on Tuesday! There are still a few available, so if you want one contact him soon!

Back in Belgium

Dude mailed a major theater group in Belgium regarding the cancellation of Wing Commander... and according to them, the film has been reset for a September 15th release date! Maybe it'll come to England then too! This isn't certain yet, but it looks good...

WCAir Update

Steve Russell reports that US Airways is showing Wing Commander in July during flights from the US to England. Wouldn't that be the coolest way to see the movie? And isn't it great that the movie is being inflicted on others? According to the airline's movie page five minutes of the film have been edited out.

Other Places to Get It

According to Fallout people who are having trouble finding the VHS version of Wing Commander at normal rental places should try local supermarkets... he found his copy at one!

Happy Birthday, Mr. Nut-Boy

Today is the birthday of distinguished CIC staff member Barrie "Cpl Hades" Almond... happy birthday, Hades! He'll be 17 in British People Years.

PCXL Comments

Dan Egger of PCXL posted this note to agwc about the mixup in the latest issue which incorrectly called Freelancer 'Wing Commander: Freelancer'...Oops,I wrote the piece for PCXL and I think that I inappropriately gave it the Wing Commander title.BTW I saw the game in action twice, and hands-down it is the best looking game I have ever seen. The in-game were as pretty as most CG that you see today.

Thanks, Death

Our man Death was kind enough to go harass Baen for us at DragonCon last week... Wing Commander seems to be about as dead as before, but thanks for using your time to help everybody out, Death!

Our Daily Bread

A bunch of people have noticed things in the Wing Commander Movie... some of 'em have been said before, but here's what's been discovered for those who are newly familiar with the film. Thanks to Rob Morton, Minh Doan and Boss for pointing these out! If you've found something else, let me know!