Quarto << the stats are partly from the manual, and partly from experimentation (that i 100% know were used). i don't know if any game-data was extracted.
ex. rotation speeds were tested by spinning 360 degrees some number of times and working out the degrees per second from that. (not perfect, but it's pretty accurate)
armour, mass, etc, were taken from text where available.
About the 'real' specs and the 'documented' specs.
how much do they differ?
because if the real specs differ from text then we really are sort of free (by presedent) to adjust some things.
------------------RANT----------------
also, i'm not totally keen on making the game exactly as much like the original as possible.
for one thing, if that were the goal, then it would make more sense to rewrite an executable that just uses the original data and offers nothing more than an engine upgrade.
the game is already 'different', so why kid ourselves.
i am _NOT_ suggesting anything even remotely related to re-doing the conventions set by origin. i love keeping things canon. it simply makes me feel good.
what i do suggest is a relaxation of domain. like borrowing stats from different wing commander games or books if we see some redeeming aspect about them.
the privateer remake is intended to be a faithful recreation. we don't want any major changes to the way things were originally done.
WCU is sort of an all inclusive wing commander.
Instead of having 2 privateer-remake lines [+ WCU], it's much easier to simply have one faithul privateer remake, and then push 'new' features into the WCU side of things.
Ultimately we'd like WCU to allow you to privateer, enlist in military, fly historic missions, etc... Because WCU is a WC synthesis, it would make sense to combine various game-data, book-information, manual-stats, etc, as we see fit-for-gameplay from all wc games. This could include drayman with turret mounts (as in book), and ability to aquire alternative ships somehow*.
i personally don't plan on any reckless changes. i've worked on a couple mods (mostly quake, one homeworld), and i've seen the effects of populist decisions...
ex. "we want realistic stats" - MFQ3 => SHIT gameplay...
in a shrunken environment arcade fighter combat game, realistic stats had no place... the stats were better done 'characteristically', or by 'role'. flight performance needs balance with environment and purpose.
similarly, it's plain to see the heart of privateer design. the ship choices clearly represent role choices. The stats of ships, regardless of what text says, are ultimately decided by playtesters. This is the only way to provide a good balance of power, and ultimately enjoyable gameplay.
hence we should consider the engine we are using, the scales and speeds we have, the combay style we want to use, the AI behavior, the control-input methods we have available to the user; and we should come up with concrete gameplay stats and settings that bring these aspects into the best balance possible. this of course, includes fudging some values.
-scheherazade
*somehow=for a privateer, probably an alternative method than buying it at the booth at any time...
