BREAKING NEWS: Four New Arena Movies (May 9, 2007)

Bandit LOAF

Bandit LOAF

Long Live the Confederation!
Hot on the heels of their Sean Penney interview, the guys at Game Informer have posted four new Wing Commander Arena videos! The files, available here, are the first we've seen of the game 'in action' in quite a while - and it's looking very polished! The second video even shows the new 'first person' camera angle in action! Check them out:

  • Video #1 - "Melee" (17.8 MB, .WMV)
  • Video #2 - "Pseudo first person" (10.8 MB, .WMV)
  • Video #3 - "That's a big ship" (8.1 MB, .WMV)
  • Video #4 - "Asteroids 2007!" (14.3 MB, .WMV)





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Original update published on May 9, 2007
 
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Everyone should check these videos out! They show off some really neat stuff, despite their fairly low resolution.

The first video shows the latest build of the game engine. There are new hud icons visible that make identification of players and teams easier.

As LOAF mentioned, the second video shows off the new first person camera. That's looking great and provides a good comparison with the first clip. There are advantages to both types of viewing angles.

The third video is the capship combat mode. That's been really popular, so there have been a few videos on this, but the new one demonstrates how players jump back aboard the battlecruiser when they've been killed and select a new fighter from the flight deck to redeploy.

Meteor Storm improvements are also evident in the fourth clip. There are hud tweaks present again, and some of the nice weapons effects also show off well versus the space dust.
 
The first video is definately a melee that one spot looked pretty popular for people to go.

The third video is really nice to see. Those capships are pretty damn big and the heavy turrets look great, although as chris said the low resolution makes some of the finer things harder to make out.
 
Even the backgrounds seem more dynamic and to have more depth. They've certainly put their time to good use since the original videos and news releases. Before, the station parts and ship textures seemed almost blurry. Now, even with the low quality video, everything looks neat and shiney, and the capships are looking great too.

One thing: the manoevers kind of look funny in the closeup camera view because the camera stays on the main playing plane rather than staying with the fighter.
 
Well, that does it.

I'm calling out sick from work the day this comes out.
 
AD said:
One thing: the manoevers kind of look funny in the closeup camera view because the camera stays on the main playing plane rather than staying with the fighter.
Click to expand...

I agree AD, it looks like an air hockey puck moving across a surface. The other camera angles look better, although maybe it's also because of the giant station/whatever they are flying around.

And LeHah, first game?
 
Dundradal said:
I agree AD, it looks like an air hockey puck moving across a surface. The other camera angles look better, although maybe it's also because of the giant station/whatever they are flying around.
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It's not so much that the other cameras *look* better as in that each camera has benefits and advantages as well as disadvantages.

I like the closeup camera because it possibly allows you to aim at targets more accurately and to line up your fighter with pick-ups. Plus, having no cockpit view per se, it has the most WC feel of all the views.

However the farther out views definitely give you better situational awareness. They give you a better view of some of the more confining maps too as well as a better look at some of the nifty artwork.
 
Anyone noticed the callsigns? I didn't get them all, but I picked up some very familiar ones: Lone Wolf, Doomsday, Stingray... and even Sandman. :p

Personally, I don't like that reverse thrust - makes the fighters handle more like a FPS than a space game, even on an arcade level. I'll play the game anyway, though, if I only could spare the money for an X-Box. Looks great!
 
The reverse-thrust is odd - it's always been an option, but I haven't seen anyone (myself and Chris included) who used it anywhere near as much as this guy. It's possible that it's because he's used to FPSes instead of space games...

...also, it should be completely worthless in the 'first person' camera.
 
LeHah said:
First come, first to get served, son :)
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Whatever you say Colonel

I think it's a bigger race to see who the first kilrathi pilot is going to yell "You pathetic descendent of MONKEYS!" I have a funny feeling that's going to be a very popular taunt, along with some of the other great ones...."Maybe I'll just negoiate with them this time....on second thought!"
 
LeHah said:
"Thats Mr Asshole to you..." :p
Click to expand...

"That's right sir. He's Major Asshole."
"Who else is an asshole around here?"
"YO!"
"I knew it! I'm surrounded by ASSHOLES! Keep firing ASSHOLES!"


Bandit LOAF said:
The reverse-thrust is odd - it's always been an option, but I haven't seen anyone (myself and Chris included) who used it anywhere near as much as this guy. It's possible that it's because he's used to FPSes instead of space games...
Click to expand...

That's good to know. That guy did seem to use it CONSTANTLY. It was annoying to watch him because it makes it harder to get a sense of the combat from his flying.


Ironduke said:
Anyone noticed the callsigns? I didn't get them all, but I picked up some very familiar ones: Lone Wolf, Doomsday, Stingray... and even Sandman.
Click to expand...

I noticed those as well. It's nice to see the guys at Gaia are flying under familiar banners...
 
Bandit LOAF said:
I believe those are the bots -- the game uses hundreds of familiar callsigns for them...
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A Bot? Well I hope those bots realize whose name they are flying under and act accordingly...I'd hate to see Lonewolf pull a Maniac and end up like Catscratch and have a Maverick to the rescue....:D
 
I don't think there are bots for characters with established histories through this period (ie, no Vagabond because he's dead).
 
Dundradal said:
"That's right sir. He's Major Asshole."
"Who else is an asshole around here?"
"YO!"
"I knew it! I'm surrounded by ASSHOLES! Keep firing ASSHOLES!"
Click to expand...

I didn't even make that connection!

(I was thinking of Mark Hamill's response to Malcolm McDowell's flubbed line in Wing Commander III
 
LeHah said:
I didn't even make that connection!

(I was thinking of Mark Hamill's response to Malcolm McDowell's flubbed line in Wing Commander III
Click to expand...

I was as well, but for some reason Spaceballs jumped to mind as well...and couldn't resist.
 
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