Wing Commander: Covert Missions (was: SM 1.5 (Working Title))

[AD]

Is there a way you could record the missions and post them? That would be very helpful to reference. I think there is supposed to be a midgame sequence at the end of the final mission that we don't have that I would love to see.

SWC for 3DO has several video sequences. I have them on my PC but I don't know if they would be useful to you guys or if you could figure out how to decode them. I know HCl did some work at figuring out the WC3 3DO video format (which is similar but not quite the same) but I'm not sure he ever completed it.

There's roughly a hundred *.mov files (not actually quicktime) on the disk of varying sizes ranging from 132KB to 7.5MB. I'm including one of the vids as a zip file. Let me know if you can make use of them and I can work on maybe dropboxing the rest. They're on the larger end of the size scale of these files but there *is* a set of Mid1,2,3,4,5 . mov as well as Fin.mov and Final.mov. There also seems to be very short vids for each star system (presumably for when the claw makes a jump)

I guess I should mention I have all the dialogue audio too. They're basic AIF files... pretty low quality I guess but It would be interesting to modify WC 1 to have digital speech. The AIF files were only numbered but internally they contain a header with the actual line of dialogue written out.

 

[delMar]

Thanks for clarifying, guys!

It would be interesting to modify WC 1 to have digital speech.

Definitely. We'll need the fine arts of some reverse-engineering magician, though.
As the KS version of WC1 already has improved playback of some sound effects, someone with the right tools and skills will probably able to hook up the right code pieces accordingly (the voice acting from WC1-SegaCD is far superior, btw).

@HCl created a WC-Armada cutscene animation a while back (by converting a scene from the WC movie trailer), so maybe we can create WC1 cutscenes with that as well. Having the SNES-SM1 intro would be awesome.

 

[Shades2585]

Well, clearly I was confused . I just read through the SM1.5 script, and yeah, as everybody else said - the SM1 connection is simply that it continues the SM1 story, rather than integrating it. The reason I got confused about it is that somehow, in my mind I had melded together SM1.5 from SWC with the Secret Missions add-on for the SNES. So, I was thinking "but there was that Sivar cutscene in SM1.5", which of course is not the case.

That's also why I don't like calling it SM1.5.
I didn't know SNES had new scenes. Anything new to the story?

 

[delMar]

I didn't know SNES had new scenes. Anything new to the story?

 

[Shades2585]

Cool! Thanks delMar! Are there any other new scenes or new story bits?

 

[AD]

The voice acting from WC1-SegaCD is far superior, btw

I thought I didn't have an extractor for the sega CD audio... But I guess I just forgot HCl had made one. Since I have the sega CD files here, I have those too but it doesn't help you with SM 1.5.

It turns out I also have all the extracted cel images from SWC in png format too though they're probably not that useful.

 

[Shades2585]

It turns out I also have all the extracted cel images from SWC in png format too though they're probably not that useful.

Actually that may be helpful. We might be able to use them to create new scenes, or use them for reference.
I made my own animated gif of the whole flag raising scene buy using the images I pulled from their VGA files. I've also photoshopped the images together to create pictures for my scripts books.

I hope you can post it. That would be cool to see.

 

[Stinger]

As the KS version of WC1 already has improved playback of some sound effects, someone with the right tools and skills will probably able to hook up the right code pieces accordingly (the voice acting from WC1-SegaCD is far superior, btw).

It's doable, and certainly a lot easier for KS than for the DOS version, but I'm prioritizing the basic functionality of the games above any enhancements. I'd prefer to get each of the games (including WC2 and WC3) fully operational before moving on to this sort of thing.

 

[delMar]

I'd prefer to get each of the games (including WC2 and WC3) fully operational before moving on to this sort of thing.

And that's perfectly fine. We're doing thus for fun, after all 

 

[AD]

Actually that may be helpful. We might be able to use them to create new scenes, or use them for reference.
I made my own animated gif of the whole flag raising scene buy using the images I pulled from their VGA files. I've also photoshopped the images together to create pictures for my scripts books.

I hope you can post it. That would be cool to see.

Well, here's the Sega CD audio (Should be all, or most of it plus a few sound effects) https://www.dropbox.com/s/jos3vzluo4yy5r5/Wing Commander-segaCD.zip?dl=0

The SegaCD files that contained the audio tracks were divided by context, so all the 'bar' tracks are shotglass, 'bri' are the briefing, 'deb' are the debriefings, 'fun' is for funeral with the funpc variants being the player character funeral lines and the funwm being the wingmen funerals, and lastly 'lef' and 'rig' seem to stand in for Left and Right since this is the audio for hte bar conversations with your wingmen, and these seem to be sorted by which side of the table the characters sit on rather than which character is talking.

I'll try and package up the SWC cel images tonight. I know this stuff isn't too useful for this project but at the very least they'll be fun to look into

 

[Shades2585]

Well, here's the Sega CD audio (Should be all, or most of it plus a few sound effects) https://www.dropbox.com/s/jos3vzluo4yy5r5/Wing Commander-segaCD.zip?dl=0

The SegaCD files that contained the audio tracks were divided by context, so all the 'bar' tracks are shotglass, 'bri' are the briefing, 'deb' are the debriefings, 'fun' is for funeral with the funpc variants being the player character funeral lines and the funwm being the wingmen funerals, and lastly 'lef' and 'rig' seem to stand in for Left and Right since this is the audio for hte bar conversations with your wingmen, and these seem to be sorted by which side of the table the characters sit on rather than which character is talking.

I'll try and package up the SWC cel images tonight. I know this stuff isn't too useful for this project but at the very least they'll be fun to look into

Thanks!
I look forward to seeing the cels too!

 

[AD]

Alright, I put together the SWC pics. I'm not sure it would be worth it but I suppose it would also be possible to replace all the PC graphics with the SWC images. It would be an interesting test case. In any case you can get the collection here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/kc7sb7rgpazgfrk/swcmisc.zip?dl=0

I also packed up the SWC audio for comparison. They are AIF files and when I play them in MPC I have to slow them down so they don't sound like chipmunks. The sound quality is kinda bad, especially compared to the Sega CD version (both in quality and acting). https://www.dropbox.com/s/ihawo4zumgwoh30/swc_audio.zip?dl=0

 

[Shades2585]

Thanks AD! I've saved them and I'll take a look at them later.

 

[Shades2585]

Ok, here is what I am thinking for an opening midgame scene. We use the text from the SNES above. We modify the intro of the WC2 demo. For the two characters speaking we use the Thrakhath and Kasra image-set from WC2 and modify them, to look like the first born prince and some other kilrathi. Also include the base and planet that looks like Warhammer from the SWC images that AD posted.

What do you think? Does this work for you? Do you think it is do-able?

 

[delMar]

Lots of awesome stuff going on here.

I think we're currently mixing up all these SM flavors a little bit.
The SNES intro would fit a SM1 (director's cut?) mod, but how would it fit into SM1.5 or SM2?

I'll take a look into those SWC files this evening. And I'll try to get in touch with HCl on the various decoders and encoders he has worked on.

Then, we still need to figure out how to trigger cutscenes in the WC1 engine. I don't think triggering them is hard coded in the exe, because then playing SM1.5 would have triggered them as well (but did not, right?)

Thanks guys, I really love how everybody is throwing in ideas, files and thoughts

 

[Shades2585]

I think we're currently mixing up all these SM flavors a little bit.
The SNES intro would fit a SM1 (director's cut?) mod, but how would it fit into SM1.5 or SM2?

You are correct that idea is more appropriate for SM1. I think it would still be nice to create it and see if we can put it into SM1.

 

[Shades2585]

@delMar PM me an email address I can send you an 8mb attachment to.
Using @Stinger tool I've extracted all the images I can find and placed them in folders with the name of the file it came from and separated by the resource category. This may help you make some since of things.

The file if too big to upload here. It doesn't say what the file size limit is.

 

[UnnamedCharacter]

Then, we still need to figure out how to trigger cutscenes in the WC1 engine. I don't think triggering them is hard coded in the exe, because then playing SM1.5 would have triggered them as well (but did not, right?)

There are no cut scenes referenced in the CAMP file for SM1.5, except for the last scene played at the end; scene index 65 which is the game losing scene in WC1. In the CAMP file, SeriesBranch, the cut scene index value corresponds to the extension number of the MIDGAME file.

It would be great to be able to add or modify cut scenes, but that means understanding the animation block; probably not a small undertaking.

 

[Shades2585]

There are no cut scenes referenced in the CAMP file for SM1.5, except for the last scene played at the end; scene index 65 which is the game losing scene in WC1. In the CAMP file, SeriesBranch, the cut scene index value corresponds to the extension number of the MIDGAME file.

Is scene index 65 supposed to play regardless of whether you win or lose or for one or the other? Also is scene 65 in SWC the losing track retreat like in the WC1 or does the scene number just happen to correspond?

It would be great to be able to add or modify cut scenes, but that means understanding the animation block; probably not a small undertaking.

I've extracted the images and played with putting them together. Some scenes are very simple, like the flag raising, and are simply layers stacked upon each other. Other however are more complex with moving fore and aft scenes.

 

[delMar]

In the CAMP file, SeriesBranch, the cut scene index value corresponds to the extension number of the MIDGAME file.

It's really as simple as that? Awesome.

@AD, thanks for uploading that stuff. It's really nice to look at those pics
Btw, HCl posted the SWC videos here (the link can be found over at http://hcl.solsector.net/ near the bottom, below the September 9th, 2013 entry): https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BySt9lq7ClQ6V042d2F4dl9hTTQ/edit?usp=sharing

Just a single word on the SNES SM1 intro: afaik, no one played with the SNES data so far, right? Being able to extract the assets of the intro scene would be awesome and make converting it to the PC much easier.