FROM: Rear Admiral Tolwyn, CINCWEAPONSDIVISION
DATE: 2006.22.10
Things are really cooking here. At this point, we're trying to iron out the last few design wrinkles that have reared their heads in the last few weeks. Yesterday we got last bits of the voice over work done, and it has turned out very well. The experience was amazing - as were the actors. This was my first time working with actors like this, and I think I got extremely lucky to work with such an incredible group. These guys and gals just nailed it. I would continue gushing, but I already sound like some half-crazed fanboy, so I'll hold my tongue for now. Besides, all the proof you'll need will come when this thing is released.
- Tolwyn
FROM: Rear Admiral Tolwyn, CINCWEAPONSDIVISION
DATE: 2006.02.09
One of the areas in which Wing Commander excels is in its ability to bring to personalize its epoch stuggle, which it accomplished in part by giving a face, a believable personality, and in many cases a name to the many pilots and crews of the ships that the player encounters throughout the series. One way in which this feeling was generated was through the usage of communication visuals which showed the man, or the Kat, behind the machine. In our effort to recreate the feeling of Wing Commander, Saga has created customised com animations. We've included one screenshot to give a preview of what communication visuals will be like in Saga.
- Tolwyn
FROM: Rear Admiral Tolwyn, CINCWEAPONSDIVISION
DATE: 2006.02.09 In the heat of combat, knowledge can be the difference between life and death. Each pilot needs to know the capablities and limitations of all of his own equipment, as well as the those of his opponents. What better place to brush up on this vital information before a mission than in the tech room.
Wing Commander Saga features a tech room with information about all of the ships and weapons that the player will encounter, both friend and foe. In addition, the tech room will also serve as a location where new intelligence is shared with the player. Through the WC Saga campaign, new intelligence will become available as the player progresses. Keeping current on the hardware and intelligence in the combat theater will give players an edge in their desperate fight against the Kilrathi.
This week, we are happy to share some pictures of the WC Saga tech room with you.
-Tolwyn
FROM: Rear Admiral Tolwyn, CINCWEAPONSDIVISION
DATE: 2006.10.08
Previously, we showed you the renders of our exciting new feature: cloaking. Now, we're able to show you the actual in-game footage of a cloaking Strakha. Now you see him . . . now you don't
- Tolwyn
FROM: Commodore Starman, CINCWEAPONSDIVISION
DATE: 2006.01.08
In todays update we have some exciting news to report. Thanks to modifications done in the SCP-Engine (some older and some newer ones) we are now finally able to make a full-blown cloacking effect like in the original WC games. The technical side requires the usage of a few simple scripts for each cloaking ship, but those are easy to create and the effect for the player will be just like what we are used to in WC gameplay. Even better than that, the final animation will be very close to what we saw in the original CGI movie sequences of Wing Commander 4.
To celebrate this new development, we would like to share a few rendered pictures of our version of the infamous Strakha. Through centuries of conflict, the Kilrathi have gained an obsessive appreciation for strength. Many Kilrathi fighter designs, such as the Jalthi or Vaktoth, give expression to the Kat's sadistic infatuation with sheer brute force. However, the Kilrathi also have an appreciation for the more subtle forms of strength, such as stealth and cunning. The Strakha is the techological culmination of this facet of Kilrathi philosophy. Capitalizing on the element of surprise, the Strakha strikes from the shadows without warning. Although relatively lightly armed, its ability to move undetected provides it a tactical advantage that the Kat's capitalize on without mercy. As such, the Strakha is a veritable tactical nightmare for Confederation pilots.
While you sleep, they'll be waiting...
- Starman
FROM: Captain Sphynx, CINCWEAPONSDIVISION
DATE: 2006.15.07
The Kilrathi are a warrior race in every sense. Born on an inhospitable and harsh planet and decended from primative and ferocious predators, killing is second nature to the Kats. In their psychology and in their religion, battle is the way of life and the path to glory. The Bloodfang represents one of the the deadliest creations of Kilrathi science, a deadly weapon to be wielded by a noble warrior who has proven himself in combat against the enemy. It's presence spells doom to those who oppose it. Scooby Doo of the Wing Commander Saga team has recently completed his rendition of the Bloodfang, which will be featured in WC Saga and which we share with you today.
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- Sphynx
FROM: Rear Admiral Tolwyn, CINCWEAPONSDIVISION
DATE: 2006.27.06
Gamestar, the largest German Computer Games magazine, has published an article featuring Wing Commander Saga. The article can be found on the August 2006 issue (available June 28th) on page 153. We have included a scanned version of the article in PNG format here, and have also provided an English translation.
Some pilots get cool callsigns like "Maverick," Ace," or "Duke," but "Sandman?" "Sandman?!" While it may not be the greatest callsign, it really doesn't matter, because some people would gladly call themselves "Buttercup" just to be able to pilot a starfighter and fight the Kilrathi! Very soon they will get their wish, because Wing Commander will be back as a mod for Freespace 2. You will be David "Sandman" Markham, a young fighter pilot who has to prove himself against the Kilrathi. The story of Wing Commander Saga takes place during the Wing Commander 3 era. Through 35 missions you will encounter old friends and new enemies, all with updated graphics. In addition, a multiplayer mode for Wing Commander Saga is also in progress. Best of all, Wing Commander Saga will run without having to own a retail copy of Freespace 2. To that we say, "Enter Sandman!"
- Tolwyn
FROM: Captain Sphynx, CINCWEAPONSDIVISION
DATE: 2006.09.06
Wing Commander Saga seeks to continue the WC tradition by recreating music from the original games and adding new compositions which remain true to the spirit of the originals.
For today’s update, we have included a conceptual sample of some of the new music that will be featured in WC Saga. Our composer, Ed, gives the following explanation:
“The ‘Unused Ideas’ track is essentially three different tracks stitched together. None of these will feature in either the Prologue or the full campaign. I made them to try and get a feel for how I wanted the music to go. I felt the first section started sounding more Freelancer than Wing Commander, the second section was too ‘happy’ sounding to me, and more like WC4 than WC3 which is what I wanted, and I thought the last section sounded too much like a Star Trek score!
The Prologue originally was going to have original in-flight music, but I decided it was best to wait for the main release as it’s not just a big job to write all those different cues but you also have to make sure they all fit together musically and make sense in the game. The "in-flight" track is another example of me experimenting to see how I would approach this. While the main campaign’s music will likely sound quite different than it, it’s probably the most Wing Commander sounding! Anyway, I thought some of you might find the ‘outtakes’ interesting. So, thanks for listening!"
Download
-Sphynx
FROM: Rear Admiral Tolwyn, CINCWEAPONSDIVISION
DATE: 2006.20.05
Wing Commander Saga will feature pre-rendered cut scenes. Currently, the intro for the Prologue campaign is finished, and is just getting some final cosmetic touches such as lighting, animated maps, and so forth. This picture features a scene from the intro as a wing of Hellcat's escorts a small shuttle convoy. This particular scene is a test render, and does not yet feature all of the visual effects that will be included in the final.
Also, to insure fast and problem-free access to our upcoming release, we have moved to a new server. You will be able to access our website through our new domain www.wcsaga.com.
- Tolwyn
FROM: Rear Admiral Tolwyn, CINCWEAPONSDIVISION
DATE: 2006.28.04
For today's update we would like to showcase our final version of the Confederation assault shuttle. This beautiful ship has been modelled and textured by our new team member, Scooby Doo, who joined us a few weeks ago and has been working at full speed ever since. You can expect to see more of his great work in future updates (and of course in-game, once Saga is released).
Regarding the model, WC Saga aims to provide a wide variety of mission types, and among the sorties that the player will fly will be escort and close support missions for Confederation Marines operating out of this sturdy combat transport spacecraft.
- Tolwyn
