BREAKING NEWS: Is a New Wing Commander Already In the Works? (September 8, 2011)

Bandit LOAF

Long Live the Confederation!
Wing Commander creator Chris Roberts shocked fans everywhere three weeks ago during an interview with G4. In a quote now etched in Wing Commander message board signatures everywhere, he announced of Wing Commander that "I feel re-energized, and I think I can come back... and push forward parts of the industry in terms of narrative and cinematic storytelling." The million dollar question was immediately: was he just talking about his hopes for the future... or is a new Wing Commander game already secretly in development?

The question sounds like the stuff of conspiracy thriller novels... but some strong evidence now suggests it may actually be true. Longtime contributor Banjo points us to a an April, 2011 article in the Detroit News about potential tax breaks for film and game projects in Michigan. It quotes a Chris Roberts of "Bl!nk Media International" as having expansive plans for game development in the state (or Quebec, should funding fall through.)
Chris Roberts, a principal in Bl!nk Media International Ltd., wants to make a video game that would take years to build and require full-time workers. But Michigan could lose out to Quebec if Bl!nk's application for $12.3 million in tax credits isn't approved soon, Roberts said. Bl!nk plans to hire 112 residents and spend $31.1 million here. "There'd be multiple games," Roberts said. "We'd be creating long-term employment in Michigan."
Is this our Chris Roberts? It's not an uncommon name--Wing Commander III even had two Chris Roberts' on its development team! A check of LinkedIn, however, confirms that Origin Systems' star developer now lists himself as "Chief Creative Officer of Bl!nk Media International." So: what is Bl!nk and is this project a Wing Commander game? It seemed like a dead end... until we were given this (unfortunately poor quality) scan of an infograph included in the print version of the Detroit News article:


Look at the the third line. Listed only as "Video Game" is a project exactly matching the numbers quoted about Chris (112 hires, 31.1 million dollars). Then, in the last column, under "scheduled project actors": Mark Hamill, Malcolm McDowell, Tom Wilson, John Rhys-Davies.

Remember that no announcement has been made. However convincing may seem, it is all circumstantial evidence. It's possible Detroit News decided the list of actors themselves, based on Chris' history. Keep in mind also that the article is five months old and that it is discussing plans rather than anything that had yet been financed. But at the same time, that means it predates the G4 interview. IF Chris Roberts was planning a game with the Wing Commander III and IV cast in April and then telling G4 he hoped to revisit the franchise soon in August... at the very least, the direction seems like good news.

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Original update published on September 8, 2011
 
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Good news, I'd agree, but the question mark I'd throw up against that is that it would seem very difficult, even if you pulled a George Lucas and ignored all the licensed novels, to make a Wing Commander game with that cast in their established roles. That cast are now all fifteen years older than they were in The Price of Freedom, and Admiral Tolwyn doesn't *get* any older than he does in that game; likewise, Mark Hamill and Tom Wilson are now a bit too old to be on the flightline...

Likewise, it would seem very strange to play a game with Wing Commander on the front, Malcolm McDowell in a starring role, and it not being Admiral Tolwyn.

The simple answer to this is, of course, to imply that it's not going to be an FMV game and the actors will merely be supplying voices. Of course then you'd still have to wonder what they'd be doing...unless, of course, the Academy re-release on DVD *also* wasn't a coincidence, and what we're getting is an Academy era game.
 
My thought would be that IF this is accurate information then it's not a full motion video project--they're probably the voice cast.
 
Here is an answers send by David DeMartini (Now, EA Partners boss) in 2009 :

"Jonathan,

Can't give any specific details but I was forwarded your message from John Riccitello and saw your interest in Wing Commander and some of the other older great games. Hope is potentially on the way. Old is new and you may see something about this title in the next 6 months.

Thanks for your interest in EA and in games!

All the Best"

So...this is it !
 
Very interesting. Those last weeks were fantastic for WC fans and it would fit if there really was a new game in the making. Though, even if not: we've been quite spoiled these past weeks.
 
Good news, I'd agree, but the question mark I'd throw up against that is that it would seem very difficult, even if you pulled a George Lucas and ignored all the licensed novels, to make a Wing Commander game with that cast in their established roles. That cast are now all fifteen years older than they were in The Price of Freedom, and Admiral Tolwyn doesn't *get* any older than he does in that game; likewise, Mark Hamill and Tom Wilson are now a bit too old to be on the flightline...=

There are multiple "ways around this" IE computer interfaces that use the "old heros" or flashbacks that include them for critical plot points. You could have an old admiral casey who has flashbacks in which he learned important lessons affecting his decisions in the "present" Or cheesy evil bugs clone/resurrect the heroes to "use them against us" It could be fun if done very carefully =)

My one comment on all of this... ok ...other than OH PLEASE OH PLEASE OH PLEASE is

Please focus on plot as much as flight mechanics, many of us want to be in a story we care about, not just sit down at a random FPS in space. The game must be smooth to play (with a joystick/control stick, not some crappy mouse control) but if there isnt good plot to it I put it down after an hour or so. I dont play as many modern games because they are just too shallow. We need to care about the characters or we are as liable to shoot them ourselves as be annoyed when they die or betray us. That was one of the great things about the early and mid wing commanders, they had to use more story to overcome the minimal CG. And FMV is not necessary to tell a story either. voices in the cockpit, or in the heads of crazzy old pilots, can be just as effective. Never forget some of the best games had popular published authors making sure the aspect of telling a story was done correctly.
 
Holy crap, a new Wing Commander possibly in the works!? I hope Chris can pull off that storytelling magic again. If this game is any good, I will definitely get it!
 
This took me totally by surprise! Awesome news!

bendershittingbricks.gif
 
I can honestly just say something like this:

SAHIKFHAIUSGHFIulabsfiuabfilSFIALBFIBFSLAbfialsbfisalf!

Or: Wow!
 
My thought would be that IF this is accurate information then it's not a full motion video project--they're probably the voice cast.
Yeah. If I were doing a fan project right now, I'd probably give very serious considerations to doing FMV, just because it's such a fun thing to do... but developing a commercial game, I would absolutely, definitely go for 3d rendered characters. It is an infinitely more versatile way of depicting the story. Besides - I'm sure that Chris Roberts' last game, Freelancer, is a pretty solid indication of what he thought the future in game storytelling was.
 
This is indeed good news... after all those years... oh baby I'm sure missing something. Sure I'm getting older and all those "old" WC games are still fun to remember... but if there is any hope of getting hands on a NEW Wing Commander I would be willing to pay any price.

Besides - I'm sure that Chris Roberts' last game, Freelancer, is a pretty solid indication of what he thought the future in game storytelling was.

Hey Quarto, good to hear you are still alive ;) - haven't mailed with you quite some time. I don't even know at the moment who of us needs to answer a mail after a long time. I think we should write again :p

And yes I really loved FreeLancer!

Could it be that they are planning to re-invent Wing Commander? To create a very new Wing Commander 1 ... or even the time before Wing Commander 1? Why not? Sure the story is already known... but think about a new Wing Commander Game Line with all those actors (voices) and a new graphic engine. Well I don't care if it is Wing Commander 6 after Prophecy or a new Wing Commander 1. I would buy it.

Rylex
 
Freelancer had really nice animation for the time (compare it to x2:the threat - same release year, but freelancer streaks ahead) - a real demonstration of what 3d characters could do in terms of storytelling.

I also think that the mouse control worked fantastically in freelancer, and would imagine this option would be around for any new wc game.

But who are we kidding. Any new game will most likely be released on a console with dual stick controls - and thats the closest many people come to a joystick these days (not like us diehards eh?).
 
Hey Quarto, good to hear you are still alive ;) - haven't mailed with you quite some time. I don't even know at the moment who of us needs to answer a mail after a long time. I think we should write again :p
Heh, yeah - I'm pretty sure it's me, as usual, but don't let that stop you :).
I also think that the mouse control worked fantastically in freelancer, and would imagine this option would be around for any new wc game.

But who are we kidding. Any new game will most likely be released on a console with dual stick controls - and thats the closest many people come to a joystick these days (not like us diehards eh?).
Yes, you can be 100% certain the game will use a gamepad as its main control scheme - not just on the consoles, but on the PC as well (if it's released at all for the PC - remember, there's always the option of an exclusive for one of the two consoles). If it is out on the PC, you can also be almost certain there will be some alternative control scheme, using either mouse or keyboard or both - but even then, you'll probably wish you had a pad.
 
I just read this and nearly got a heart attack.
I shouted HOLY SHIT (the German equivalent anyway) and jumped out of my chair, pretty excited.

Then I got back to my usual skeptic self an thought a bit about the whole thing.
It seems that the first news about it was in April so I really, really hope this is not, in fact a cruel April fools joke or something like that...

I also imagined that Malcolm McDowell would be pretty busy since I think he works on the Silent Hill movie (although I don't know how big his role is so he still might have time, but he isn't exactly young anymore either so maybe not...)

So, what's up next:
TOM WILSON!
I read his twitter and such things, and I assume some of you do that too. So I know he's been working on a secret project. (I hope he's not lying.)
Look at http://twitter.com/#!/TomWilsonUSA and scroll to the 25th of August. He writes:
I did a voice over session for a project so secret that they made my sign a form, and shredded my script right after. Disregard this tweet.
25 Aug.

Mark Hamill says in June on Twitter:
Loved Chris Roberts & the Wing Commander universe. Would love to revisit it, but doubtful it will happen.
25 June
So I really don't know what to think.

EDIT: More speculating: Since Chris Roberts is in the group "Unreal Engine Developers" on LinkedIn maybe it will be the Unreal3 Engine? Just thinking.
 
I've certainly got my fingers (and toes) crossed here.
I wondered if EA were building up to something, with the re-release of privateer and WC1 and 2 on GOG, I wondered to myself if they were ramping interest in Wing Commander, or trying to gauge interest or something. Then with the confirmation of the WC Academy cartoons on DVD as well, just coincidence? or part of something bigger i thought?
 
I've certainly got my fingers (and toes) crossed here.
I wondered if EA were building up to something, with the re-release of privateer and WC1 and 2 on GOG, I wondered to myself if they were ramping interest in Wing Commander, or trying to gauge interest or something. Then with the confirmation of the WC Academy cartoons on DVD as well, just coincidence? or part of something bigger i thought?
Well, WC1 & 2 are probably just coincidence - I mean, they're amongst a whole huge slew of other old EA titles, and it's not like all those other games are being released to ramp up interest in Wing Commander. But Academy... well, goodness knows, that did jump out of the blue. It is a little tough to imagine that someone somewhere just got up one day and said - "hey, we've got Wing Commander Academy sitting in our back catalogue, time to release it on DVD"...

About voices - I'd be very, very surprised if Tom Wilson was referring to a Wing Commander project. All these little tidbits of information make it seem like it's very early days still, and voiceovers are something you only do about halfway through the project.
 
Well, sometimes they do a few voice overs pretty early, for example for a teaser trailer.
 
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