Standoff Episode 3 Released! (January 8, 2006)

ChrisReid · 01-07-2006, 16:00

The wait is over! The Standoff Team has delivered another exciting chapter of their Secret Ops mod. Fans with Standoff Episodes 1&2 already installed can grab the 80 megabyte Episode 3 here. New users or people with just Episode 1 should grab the 200 megabyte complete package here. Return to the TCS Firekka during one of the Confederation's greatest times of need. Whether players have a role in the historic Battle of Warsaw or instead get stuck behind enemy lines depends on their performance in Episode 2. You'll have to play through today's release more than once to see all of its fifteen missions. Visit the Standoff Forums to compare notes with fellow fans and ask any questions that come up. Have fun!

Quote:

It's good to see projects like Standoff have inspired other fans to start their own projects and help keep Wing Commander alive. Our sincerest thanks to all of our fans - and this time, more than just thanks on a webpage, we hope you all find Episode 3 to be a worthy "thank you" message.

--
Original update published on January 8, 2006

eddieb · 01-08-2006, 14:46

Very nice work!

CataclysmX · 01-08-2006, 15:06

Downloading now, can't wait to play.

Keep up the great work, Standoff team, and you too ChrisReid and the rest of WC CIC.

poopnoodle · 01-08-2006, 15:31

i started playing the campaign about 25 minutes ago, and i really enjoy it , keep up the good work guys; it keeps getting better with each release.

one question though, was the speed of the missles changed at all, because they seem slower (to the point where i can nearly catch them with full afterburners on)

now i must go, job application and then more standoff.

thanks guys,
-brad

Eder · 01-08-2006, 16:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by poopnoodle

one question though, was the speed of the missles changed at all, because they seem slower (to the point where i can nearly catch them with full afterburners on)

Nope, no changes at all. Those are probably Pilum FFs, they've always been that slow.

Lazy Panda · 01-08-2006, 20:31

Yay! It's finally out. I'll start playing as soon as I find some time for it.

Chicken · 01-09-2006, 11:23

I'm happy! Watchin' Standoff finish downloading while I made this post (less than a minute) thank God for University internet speed.

I'll take a few practice runs but I have every intention of seeing I can complete botht the Confed and Kilrathi Gauntlets (will you still have the bunny song at the end of the aforementioned gauntlet or will that be removed by Ep. 3?)

Quarto · 01-09-2006, 12:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chicken

I'll take a few practice runs but I have every intention of seeing I can complete botht the Confed and Kilrathi Gauntlets (will you still have the bunny song at the end of the aforementioned gauntlet or will that be removed by Ep. 3?)

Well, they're not just cute like everyone supposes.

Tempest · 01-09-2006, 13:24

Indeed. They have those fluffy tails and twitchy little noses.

Quarto · 01-09-2006, 14:15

And hoppy legs. Mustn't forget those.

Justice · 01-09-2006, 20:15

I just want to say episode 3 is awesome, and the new leaderboards are great! I guess I don't suck quite as bad as I thought I would compared to the oldskool wingnuts here. Hopefully, I'll get a good wraith score up (without crashing), since that seems to be the current top dog, even with the penalty. Or maybe I'll practice with the morningstar a bit... I did pretty good in my one run with that. Its got everything I really need: decent speed, afterburner, good guns, and a good missile loadout. And its shielded like a bomber! Jeez!

I knew there was a reason I always played on nightmare! Take that Dave!

Sternenwind · 01-10-2006, 00:04

Yeah the Morning star is a great Ship, but i wish it would have more Fuel my Afterburner are really thursty.

But I think the Wraith is a bit too stong. You can fly with your Afterburner without Limits and you will get never Fuel Problems.

But perhaps I am just getting old. I have to practice some more and fly with the Epee. I love this ship. Small and deadly.
There is only one Problem... this Ship needs more FUEL ^^

Quarto · 01-10-2006, 11:58

Hehe, I think once people start seriously playing with the Rapier and Epee, you'll find the Wraith isn't as incredibly great at staying on top of the charts as it seems right now. If you can manage to get to wave eleven (i.e., the second refuel) with one of those ships, you're nearly guaranteed to outscore the Wraith.

On the note of fuel, I once survived all of wave nine with the Epee in spite of running out of fuel at the end of wave eight. I then went on to nearly survive wave ten, but unfortunately all it takes is one dumbfire

. Sadly, all this was long before the scoring system was implemented, so I don't know what kind of score I would have received... though it must be said, ever since the scoring system's addition, I haven't been able to get as far as I used to, simply because sometimes to keep a chain of multi-kills going, you have to sacrifice your forward armour... and, you know, your guns, and eventually your ship

.

Sternenwind · 01-10-2006, 14:59

You are right

If i could get to wave 11 with a Morningstar, Rapier or Epee i would get a lot of points.

The Problem is... i have no fuel at wave 10.

But you are right. I have to learn how i can save ful at wave 6 - 10 so I can get the second reful.

But as you say....
If you want to kill very fast, you have to take big risks. If you want to kill many waves, you have to fly without flying into the front cannons of your enemy.

It will take some time, but I love my Epee. I will take it, I will beat the Wraith ^^

P.S.
In Wing Commander Armada I hate the Wraith. I could not fly this thing. I wasn't abel to shoot any of the Kilrathi.
But here this ship is a dream. I wish my Epee had so much fuel ^^

Zelvik · 01-11-2006, 06:59

Use the asteroids to your advantage

Sternenwind · 01-11-2006, 08:27

that isn't so good. the enemy fly against the rocks and die.... I want to kill them for the points^^

Zelvik · 01-11-2006, 08:42

But you may live to get the next rearmament. 2 or 3 Kilrathi crashing into an asteroid may be less points on the level but you get another 11 in a refitted craft in the next.

Quarto · 01-11-2006, 09:03

It's undoubtedly worthwhile to sacrifice some quick-kills for a chance to reach wave 11. Just consider what kind of score you could get there if you multi-killed them all - IIRC, on nightmare it would be upwards of 3000 for just that one wave.

Sternenwind · 01-11-2006, 09:57

you are right. i didn't think about it.

I will try it for my next run, perhaps I can reach wave 11.

But it is a problem to multikill 10 ships at once. at Nighmare the enemy can fly and there are very dangerous Kilrathis out there.

11 Sartha would be nice^^

But we will see. The Epee is MY ship ^^
Noone shall get more Points in a Epee as me^^

So I will try to reach wave 11 with all tricks ^^

Quarto · 01-11-2006, 12:11

11 Sartha?

That's 11 dumbfires, ready to be delivered any time, any where. Seriously, I get nervous with just one Sartha around, the only other Kilrathi fighter that scares me as much as the Sartha is the Drakhri (...because it also has dumbfires

).

...The irony being, of course, that these ships sucked in WC2. Yet, we didn't change these ships' armaments or anything else.. and they ended up being the deadliest cats in space.

Sternenwind · 01-11-2006, 12:57

yeah but I know when they fire it.

If you take your after burner and fly throug the hole fleet, they will fire their Dumpfires and never hit you... mostly^^

And i was never hit with my Epee by a Dumpfire^^

Lazy Panda · 01-11-2006, 13:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quarto

11 Sartha?

That's 11 dumbfires, ready to be delivered any time, any where. Seriously, I get nervous with just one Sartha around, the only other Kilrathi fighter that scares me as much as the Sartha is the Drakhri (...because it also has dumbfires

).

...The irony being, of course, that these ships sucked in WC2. Yet, we didn't change these ships' armaments or anything else.. and they ended up being the deadliest cats in space.

Same thing with the Epee, it seems, except thats it's on Confed's side.

By the way, I've been trying the alternate path, but got stuck on the mission where you enconuter the stealth fighter. It just flies away after uncloaking the third time and the mission doesn't progress.

Quarto · 01-11-2006, 13:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lazy Panda

Same thing with the Epee, it seems, except thats it's on Confed's side.

...Except that the Epee never sucked, unlike those two

.

Quote:

By the way, I've been trying the alternate path, but got stuck on the mission where you enconuter the stealth fighter. It just flies away after uncloaking the third time and the mission doesn't progress.

No, you're not stuck - just bad at following orders, that's all

. Keep chasing him. Any time he reappears, you get right on his tail, and when he disappears, continue to where you last saw him. As Freyers said, take him out

.

Sternenwind · 01-11-2006, 14:36

The Epee was the best light Fighter ever!!!!

And I think i found a bug.

I tried to hde behind the rocks... but the enemy Missels fly throug the rock, that isn't fair ^^

But you are Right, I hate the Sartha is the Drakhri- In WC II they were really easy.
I think the KI was much softer to the Gamer in old times^^

But the Jalkehi and the Gothri are preatty easy. In WC II they were the hardest enemy IMO.

Besides I don't know why, but I can't handel the Mass Driver wepons. I never hit with the Ferret or Stiletto. I don't know why.

Justice · 01-11-2006, 20:55

Quote:

Besides I don't know why, but I can't handel the Mass Driver wepons. I never hit with the Ferret or Stiletto. I don't know why.

You've just gotta get really close; you don't have the range or projecile speed of most weapons, and the low damage output means you've gotta get a few shots in for it to matter.

Bandit LOAF · 01-12-2006, 21:33

Here's a question for y'all: can the amazing software you developed to make Standoff talk to the CIC be applied to regular Secret Ops? It'd be amazing to be able to have a scoreboard for the original set of 'Sim missions from Wing Commander Prophecy too.

Chernikov · 01-13-2006, 01:37

I second that idea.

I think the Vision engine is a bit biased for light fighters being dangerous PROVIDED they have the armaments to kill you... the slow refire of the Prophecy guns minimized this but having a Sartha dump it's entire capacitor bank into your armor before you can scramble out of the way is an experience that makes you respect them greatly... and one of the buggers can tie you up for way too long if the pilot can dodge. If you can catch it you can kill it... but good luck catching it.

01-08-2006, 14:46	#2
eddieb Flight Commander Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 852	Very nice work! __________________ Flight Commander : A space combat simulator programmed by Ed Benowitz.

01-08-2006, 15:06	#3
CataclysmX Cadet Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 74	Huzzah Downloading now, can't wait to play. Keep up the great work, Standoff team, and you too ChrisReid and the rest of WC CIC. __________________ Before I knew about autopilot, I made long afterburner journeys in WC1.

01-08-2006, 15:31	#4
poopnoodle Cadet Join Date: May 2003 Location: San Diego Posts: 62	very nice i started playing the campaign about 25 minutes ago, and i really enjoy it , keep up the good work guys; it keeps getting better with each release. one question though, was the speed of the missles changed at all, because they seem slower (to the point where i can nearly catch them with full afterburners on) now i must go, job application and then more standoff. thanks guys, -brad

01-09-2006, 11:23	#7
Chicken 1st Lieutenant Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: In a land far far away Posts: 294	I'm happy! Watchin' Standoff finish downloading while I made this post (less than a minute) thank God for University internet speed. I'll take a few practice runs but I have every intention of seeing I can complete botht the Confed and Kilrathi Gauntlets (will you still have the bunny song at the end of the aforementioned gauntlet or will that be removed by Ep. 3?) __________________ "Can't fly, must die!" - Col. Blair "I got no shotgun?! Wing Commander sucks!" - An uneducated Halo player buddy o' mine after dying in Standoff facing a pair of Sartha. He forgot his ship has afterburners, which reduces the chance of frying.

01-09-2006, 13:24	#9
Tempest 1st Lieutenant Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Australia Posts: 215	Indeed. They have those fluffy tails and twitchy little noses. __________________ Eder: what's this, Hawk had Iceman's love child in Las Vegas? 'Standoff' Staff Member Voice of Trigger Voiceover Mastering and Casting

01-08-2006, 20:31	#6
Lazy Panda Captain Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Germany Posts: 341	Yay! It's finally out. I'll start playing as soon as I find some time for it.

01-09-2006, 14:15	#10
Quarto Unknown Enemy Join Date: Jan 2000 Location: Poland Posts: 9,892	And hoppy legs. Mustn't forget those.

01-09-2006, 20:15	#11
Justice 2nd Lieutenant Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Near Seattle Posts: 90	I just want to say episode 3 is awesome, and the new leaderboards are great! I guess I don't suck quite as bad as I thought I would compared to the oldskool wingnuts here. Hopefully, I'll get a good wraith score up (without crashing), since that seems to be the current top dog, even with the penalty. Or maybe I'll practice with the morningstar a bit... I did pretty good in my one run with that. Its got everything I really need: decent speed, afterburner, good guns, and a good missile loadout. And its shielded like a bomber! Jeez! I knew there was a reason I always played on nightmare! Take that Dave!

01-10-2006, 00:04	#12
Sternenwind 2nd Lieutenant Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Germany Posts: 81	Yeah the Morning star is a great Ship, but i wish it would have more Fuel my Afterburner are really thursty. But I think the Wraith is a bit too stong. You can fly with your Afterburner without Limits and you will get never Fuel Problems. But perhaps I am just getting old. I have to practice some more and fly with the Epee. I love this ship. Small and deadly. There is only one Problem... this Ship needs more FUEL ^^

01-10-2006, 11:58	#13
Quarto Unknown Enemy Join Date: Jan 2000 Location: Poland Posts: 9,892	Hehe, I think once people start seriously playing with the Rapier and Epee, you'll find the Wraith isn't as incredibly great at staying on top of the charts as it seems right now. If you can manage to get to wave eleven (i.e., the second refuel) with one of those ships, you're nearly guaranteed to outscore the Wraith. On the note of fuel, I once survived all of wave nine with the Epee in spite of running out of fuel at the end of wave eight. I then went on to nearly survive wave ten, but unfortunately all it takes is one dumbfire . Sadly, all this was long before the scoring system was implemented, so I don't know what kind of score I would have received... though it must be said, ever since the scoring system's addition, I haven't been able to get as far as I used to, simply because sometimes to keep a chain of multi-kills going, you have to sacrifice your forward armour... and, you know, your guns, and eventually your ship .

01-10-2006, 14:59	#14
Sternenwind 2nd Lieutenant Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Germany Posts: 81	You are right If i could get to wave 11 with a Morningstar, Rapier or Epee i would get a lot of points. The Problem is... i have no fuel at wave 10. But you are right. I have to learn how i can save ful at wave 6 - 10 so I can get the second reful. But as you say.... If you want to kill very fast, you have to take big risks. If you want to kill many waves, you have to fly without flying into the front cannons of your enemy. It will take some time, but I love my Epee. I will take it, I will beat the Wraith ^^ P.S. In Wing Commander Armada I hate the Wraith. I could not fly this thing. I wasn't abel to shoot any of the Kilrathi. But here this ship is a dream. I wish my Epee had so much fuel ^^ __________________ Î am from germany. My english is bad. But I can feel it. The Wind of the Stars.

01-11-2006, 06:59	#15
Zelvik Cadet Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 47	Use the asteroids to your advantage

01-11-2006, 08:27	#16
Sternenwind 2nd Lieutenant Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Germany Posts: 81	that isn't so good. the enemy fly against the rocks and die.... I want to kill them for the points^^ __________________ Î am from germany. My english is bad. But I can feel it. The Wind of the Stars.

01-11-2006, 08:42	#17
Zelvik Cadet Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 47	But you may live to get the next rearmament. 2 or 3 Kilrathi crashing into an asteroid may be less points on the level but you get another 11 in a refitted craft in the next.

01-11-2006, 09:03	#18
Quarto Unknown Enemy Join Date: Jan 2000 Location: Poland Posts: 9,892	It's undoubtedly worthwhile to sacrifice some quick-kills for a chance to reach wave 11. Just consider what kind of score you could get there if you multi-killed them all - IIRC, on nightmare it would be upwards of 3000 for just that one wave.

01-11-2006, 09:57	#19
Sternenwind 2nd Lieutenant Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Germany Posts: 81	you are right. i didn't think about it. I will try it for my next run, perhaps I can reach wave 11. But it is a problem to multikill 10 ships at once. at Nighmare the enemy can fly and there are very dangerous Kilrathis out there. 11 Sartha would be nice^^ But we will see. The Epee is MY ship ^^ Noone shall get more Points in a Epee as me^^ So I will try to reach wave 11 with all tricks ^^ __________________ Î am from germany. My english is bad. But I can feel it. The Wind of the Stars.

01-11-2006, 12:11	#20
Quarto Unknown Enemy Join Date: Jan 2000 Location: Poland Posts: 9,892	11 Sartha? That's 11 dumbfires, ready to be delivered any time, any where. Seriously, I get nervous with just one Sartha around, the only other Kilrathi fighter that scares me as much as the Sartha is the Drakhri (...because it also has dumbfires ). ...The irony being, of course, that these ships sucked in WC2. Yet, we didn't change these ships' armaments or anything else.. and they ended up being the deadliest cats in space.

01-11-2006, 12:57	#21
Sternenwind 2nd Lieutenant Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Germany Posts: 81	yeah but I know when they fire it. If you take your after burner and fly throug the hole fleet, they will fire their Dumpfires and never hit you... mostly^^ And i was never hit with my Epee by a Dumpfire^^ __________________ Î am from germany. My english is bad. But I can feel it. The Wind of the Stars.

01-11-2006, 14:36	#24
Sternenwind 2nd Lieutenant Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Germany Posts: 81	The Epee was the best light Fighter ever!!!! And I think i found a bug. I tried to hde behind the rocks... but the enemy Missels fly throug the rock, that isn't fair ^^ But you are Right, I hate the Sartha is the Drakhri- In WC II they were really easy. I think the KI was much softer to the Gamer in old times^^ But the Jalkehi and the Gothri are preatty easy. In WC II they were the hardest enemy IMO. Besides I don't know why, but I can't handel the Mass Driver wepons. I never hit with the Ferret or Stiletto. I don't know why. __________________ Î am from germany. My english is bad. But I can feel it. The Wind of the Stars.

01-12-2006, 21:33	#26
Bandit LOAF It wears the skull of its dead mother on its head. When it becomes lonesome, it is said to cry loudly. Join Date: Jan 2000 Location: Ashton, MD, USA Posts: 23,925	Here's a question for y'all: can the amazing software you developed to make Standoff talk to the CIC be applied to regular Secret Ops? It'd be amazing to be able to have a scoreboard for the original set of 'Sim missions from Wing Commander Prophecy too. __________________ Long live the Confederation, Ben "Bandit" Lesnick, LMG. "You go, Loaf! Get some!" -JPG

01-13-2006, 01:37	#27
Chernikov Lieutenant Colonel Join Date: Feb 2000 Posts: 826	I second that idea. I think the Vision engine is a bit biased for light fighters being dangerous PROVIDED they have the armaments to kill you... the slow refire of the Prophecy guns minimized this but having a Sartha dump it's entire capacitor bank into your armor before you can scramble out of the way is an experience that makes you respect them greatly... and one of the buggers can tie you up for way too long if the pilot can dodge. If you can catch it you can kill it... but good luck catching it. __________________ Missiles? Er, oh, yeah... forgot I had those, sorry.

01-13-2006, 01:49	#28
Eder Mr. Standoff Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Sao Paulo, Brazil Posts: 3,228