Ships database and history

[Farbourne]

A few times I've seen some really interesting discussions in these forums about the history and evolution of the various fighter designs we see. Folks (usually LOAF) usually chime in with some little known bit of insight about when the Hellcat entered service, or how the Lance (a.k.a. "Dragon") was actually planned as a replacement for the Excalibur, etc...

I think it would be great if this data (date of entry in service, date of retirement, manufacturing company, numbers produced, etc.), along with any notes we have abou the history of a given design (was it developed utilizing technology from an earlier design, anything unusual about how it was first tested, is it known as a reliable or easy to service design, or as a "widowmaker" like the WWII B-26), was in the Ships database. A long time ago (back when I was in college) I found a Wing Commander site that gave actual histories of each WC1 and WC2 ship design--what company made them, when they entered service, why the design was developed, etc. (I think the site was HCl's, but I could be wrong on that). Granted, a lot of that data may have been "fanfic" and not canon, but I think there is a lot of information out there that is canon, and it would be really interesting, not to mention useful (for fan projects that want to stay true to the game canon, for example), if this were all gathered in one place. And what better place than the CIC ships database?

 

[Max Gene]

The WCpedia would be an even better spot, since we could all cooperate on such, and LOAF could add in the obscure bits...

 

[Bandit LOAF]

I think it would be great if this data (date of entry in service, date of retirement, manufacturing company, numbers produced, etc.), along with any notes we have abou the history of a given design (was it developed utilizing technology from an earlier design, anything unusual about how it was first tested, is it known as a reliable or easy to service design, or as a "widowmaker" like the WWII B-26), was in the Ships database. A long time ago (back when I was in college) I found a Wing Commander site that gave actual histories of each WC1 and WC2 ship design--what company made them, when they entered service, why the design was developed, etc. (I think the site was HCl's, but I could be wrong on that). Granted, a lot of that data may have been "fanfic" and not canon, but I think there is a lot of information out there that is canon, and it would be really interesting, not to mention useful (for fan projects that want to stay true to the game canon, for example), if this were all gathered in one place. And what better place than the CIC ships database?

We would, obviously, love to do exactly that. We just need time to get the WCPedia project rolling again...

... but! I should note that a lot of information similar to what you're describing just doesn't exist. The site you found in college was probably something more created from whole clothe than describing 'canonical' details about Wing Commander's ships. We have plenty of specific facts and should collect them somewhere... but in many-to-most cases there are not complete service histories for fighters... and the information we do have is often quite esoterica (for instance, I can tell you particular details about the Hornet's optional sensor package... but not when they ship entered service in the first place).

 

[Dundradal]

It sounds like you are describing the old "Terran Confederate Underground" site. It had similar notations for all ships then seen. It was also the first WC site I discovered way back when.