Making the Game - Part 4 (May 9, 2008)

Bandit LOAF · 05-08-2008, 17:00

Today we have an important starting point for Wing Commander V/Prophecy: the original set of requirements for the "Wing Commander Editor", which became something called MED. The team realized that if they spent time to create an easy-to-use mission layout tool at the start of the project, then later development would go much more smoothly. Unfortunately, MED was never released to the public - so we can't say whether or not the goals set forth here were accomplished. One interesting thing to note is the inclusion of Playstation functionality - the same tool would have been used for both the PC and (aborted) Playstation version of the game.

Wing Commander Editor Specs
Download (684 kb)

Date: April 18, 1996
Project: Wing Commander Prophecy
Donated By: Jorg Neumann
Pages: 7

--
Original update published on May 9, 2008

Capn Johnny · 05-09-2008, 17:09

MED = Mission Editor

Written & maintained almost exclusively by the always talented Andy Sommers during the course of WCP & SO.

Bandit LOAF · 05-09-2008, 17:49

Cool -- thanks for sticking around to point this stuff out... I'm sure we'll run into lots and lots of places where you know a lot more about what's going on than anyone else.

(I think you're about to be sent to England, too!)

Pedro · 05-09-2008, 18:07

Breif, but there's a few interesting things there. I wonder did the time bar make it into the final version? That sounds like an awfully neat feature.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bandit LOAF

(I think you're about to be sent to England, too!)

Why? What's going on here?

Bandit LOAF · 05-09-2008, 18:42

I meant in our historical narrative -- I think one of the upcoming documents mentions Johnny being sent to work on Darkening.

Jason_Ryock · 05-09-2008, 22:13

No chance of the MED showing up on a disk somewhere eh? Bummer.

I like the similarity between the MED and ALLiED though. The timebar is a nice addition, I don't think the ALLiED editor had anything to do with that.

Capn Johnny · 05-10-2008, 14:18

Unfortunately, alot of the advanced features (like the "Time Bar") never made it into MED.

It was (as I remember) very much a static editor.. but it still was WAY better than the way we had to do it on The Darkening.. *cough*(text files)*cough*

As for "MED on a disc"? Um.. you know.. I'm not 100% certain, but I might actually have something like that..

I'll try to look soonish..

-J

Capn Johnny · 05-10-2008, 16:19

Okay, here is what I have..

4 CD's labeled:
WCP MED
WCP DEV Backup
WCP SO MED
WCP Secret Ops Dev Backup

I cant really say exactly whats on the discs, as I haven't looked at them in about 10 years..

also found a CD labeled Bioforge (?2?) "Announcer" Audio..
I know this one has alot of LONG audio files from recording sessions for BF or possibly BF2

-J

Jason_Ryock · 05-10-2008, 17:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by Capn Johnny

WCP MED
WCP SO MED

So...would it be safe to assume these are two versions of MED, one for SO and one for WCP?

Any chance that they're functional and/or useable?

Pedro · 05-11-2008, 03:30

What are the chances of the contents of those CDs appearing on a future WCnews update?

Bandit LOAF · 05-12-2008, 07:50

Woah -- awesome possibilities with all five CDs.

If you're interested in sharing them, I'd obviously be happy to add them to the collective!

I can set you up with an FTP login if you'd be willing to upload them as ISOs (or whatever works for you - we're going to present all the Origin CDs from Mythic as ISOs.)

Capn Johnny · 05-12-2008, 07:59

Sure, shoot me an e-mail with the login info.. and a meeeeeeellion dollars!

-J

HCl · 05-12-2008, 17:31

Wow Capn, those are some juicy CDs you have there.

If you decide to share what you have some day, i would definitely love to take a look at it!

Mario

Mekt-Hakkikt · 05-13-2008, 03:43

Great. I wonder if the very talented modders here could overcome some limitations with this editor.

Amazing how an update can set something in motion...

Bandit LOAF · 05-15-2008, 12:43

Captain Johnny is busy doing something exciting, so he's given me permission to post these links:

http://download.wcnews.com/files/oth..._ANNOUNCER.zip (188 MB)
http://download.wcnews.com/files/wcp/WCP_DEV_BACKUP.zip (267 MB)
http://download.wcnews.com/files/so/...DEV_BACKUP.zip (253 MB)

Each one contains an ISO - I tooled around with the WCP_SO_DEV_BACKUP one and it has some *VERY VERY COOL* stuff in the documents folder... and hopefully you editing geniuses (genii?) can find out some way to show us less brillianter folks what MED looks like!

PopsiclePete · 05-15-2008, 13:15

Whoooo ! I sure am happy I took the rest of the day off (by coïncidence!) and head home early !!!

Pedro · 05-15-2008, 13:23

Pete just buzzed me and I'm downloading now, waiting on those download bars is like the night before chirstmas

Jason_Ryock · 05-15-2008, 14:36

Wow...LOAF, you need to take a look through these Discs. There is some damned fine amazing things in here...

Pedro · 05-15-2008, 14:40

I seriously can not believe what is on the WCP disk, this is a holy grail like no other.

Jason_Ryock · 05-15-2008, 14:45

Is this LOAF's "Ships of the WC" document included in the documents for WCSO?

EDIT:

HOLY SHIT! Has anyone read the ALIEN SOCIOLOGY file on the WCSO Disc?!?!!

HCl · 05-15-2008, 15:25

Just got home and started downloading!

Capn, i'd like to thank you for your generosity donating these CDs

These are truly great developments for our community.

Mario

Jason_Ryock · 05-15-2008, 15:50

Just the MEDS:

(Including the DLL's and the Mission Creation Instruction file from the Documents section)

WCSO:
http://mark.intertainmentgames.com/S...0Ops%20MED.rar

WCP:
http://mark.intertainmentgames.com/Prophecy%20MED.rar

Capn Johnny · 05-15-2008, 17:23

Actually, what I am doing isn't all that exciting.. actually it is rather boring and is very time-consuming.. and has me (at the moment) stuck in Houston (well.. Alvin)..

But, ya gots ta do what ya gots ta do..

Hope the stuff on the CD's is useful to you guys..

And I *hope* EA Legal doesn't decide to have my head lopped off for it.. you just never know when it comes to those guys..

Jason_Ryock · 05-15-2008, 17:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by Capn Johnny

And I *hope* EA Legal doesn't decide to have my head lopped off for it.. you just never know when it comes to those guys..

I'd be surprised if they didn't, given the contents of some of these CD's. Some of this looks like source file information for some of these programs and applications...and some of it is just a mirth of background information on the game...

05-15-2008, 17:30

whooooho... the WCP one seems to contain the source code of the game :-)

Bandit LOAF · 05-15-2008, 17:50

Oh no, what if he gets fired ten years ago for this.

In all probability, EA doesn't care. It's an eleven year old game - the source code is of historical interest to us and maybe practical interest to a few fans who will further update their oustanding mods with it (if that's even possible). There's no license or anything here, so the Slashdot crowd can't take it to sell Super Prophecy Extreme even if there were any reason to. You can't even download it and compile your own version of Prophecy, since it lacks all the resources. Just... study it.

Jason_Ryock · 05-15-2008, 20:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bandit LOAF

You can't even download it and compile your own version of Prophecy, since it lacks all the resources. Just... study it.

Yeah, I realized that about 20 minutes into the first disc. It doesn't have everything that we might like, and using some of these things will mean changing the way we've been modding Secret Ops already.

The MED tool is useful for creating things like Series Sector and possibly mission files though, I haven't fiddled with it to much.

I think the most valuable stuff in here is the information it contains about the way the game was formed and created - people much more programming savvy then my might be able to use that to get the Vision engine to turn tricks.

For example - The Multiplayer Menus are apparently on the disc, it might be possible to work those into the WCP Multiplayer Patch.

05-08-2008, 17:00	#1
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	Making the Game - Part 4 (May 9, 2008) Today we have an important starting point for Wing Commander V/Prophecy: the original set of requirements for the "Wing Commander Editor", which became something called MED. The team realized that if they spent time to create an easy-to-use mission layout tool at the start of the project, then later development would go much more smoothly. Unfortunately, MED was never released to the public - so we can't say whether or not the goals set forth here were accomplished. One interesting thing to note is the inclusion of Playstation functionality - the same tool would have been used for both the PC and (aborted) Playstation version of the game. Wing Commander Editor Specs Download (684 kb) Date: April 18, 1996 Project: Wing Commander Prophecy Donated By: Jorg Neumann Pages: 7 -- Original update published on May 9, 2008

05-09-2008, 17:49	#3
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	Cool -- thanks for sticking around to point this stuff out... I'm sure we'll run into lots and lots of places where you know a lot more about what's going on than anyone else. (I think you're about to be sent to England, too!) __________________ Long live the Confederation, Ben "Bandit" Lesnick, LMG. "You go, Loaf! Get some!" -JPG

05-09-2008, 18:42	#5
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	I meant in our historical narrative -- I think one of the upcoming documents mentions Johnny being sent to work on Darkening. __________________ Long live the Confederation, Ben "Bandit" Lesnick, LMG. "You go, Loaf! Get some!" -JPG

05-12-2008, 07:50	#11
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	Woah -- awesome possibilities with all five CDs. If you're interested in sharing them, I'd obviously be happy to add them to the collective! I can set you up with an FTP login if you'd be willing to upload them as ISOs (or whatever works for you - we're going to present all the Origin CDs from Mythic as ISOs.) __________________ Long live the Confederation, Ben "Bandit" Lesnick, LMG. "You go, Loaf! Get some!" -JPG

05-13-2008, 03:43	#14
Mekt-Hakkikt Mpanty's bane Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Wiesbaden, Germany Posts: 4,615	Great. I wonder if the very talented modders here could overcome some limitations with this editor. Amazing how an update can set something in motion... __________________ "Khasra! I have heard enough of Khasra!" For the Glory of Sivar!

05-09-2008, 17:09	#2
Capn Johnny Cap'n Johnny Join Date: Mar 2001 Posts: 295	MED = Mission Editor Written & maintained almost exclusively by the always talented Andy Sommers during the course of WCP & SO.

05-09-2008, 22:13	#6
Jason_Ryock Lieutenant Colonel Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: California, USA Posts: 997	No chance of the MED showing up on a disk somewhere eh? Bummer. I like the similarity between the MED and ALLiED though. The timebar is a nice addition, I don't think the ALLiED editor had anything to do with that.

05-10-2008, 14:18	#7
Capn Johnny Cap'n Johnny Join Date: Mar 2001 Posts: 295	Unfortunately, alot of the advanced features (like the "Time Bar") never made it into MED. It was (as I remember) very much a static editor.. but it still was WAY better than the way we had to do it on The Darkening.. cough(text files)cough As for "MED on a disc"? Um.. you know.. I'm not 100% certain, but I might actually have something like that.. I'll try to look soonish.. -J

05-10-2008, 16:19	#8
Capn Johnny Cap'n Johnny Join Date: Mar 2001 Posts: 295	Okay, here is what I have.. 4 CD's labeled: WCP MED WCP DEV Backup WCP SO MED WCP Secret Ops Dev Backup I cant really say exactly whats on the discs, as I haven't looked at them in about 10 years.. also found a CD labeled Bioforge (?2?) "Announcer" Audio.. I know this one has alot of LONG audio files from recording sessions for BF or possibly BF2 -J

05-11-2008, 03:30	#10
Pedro Swabbie Banned Join Date: Jan 2000 Location: England Posts: 1,346	What are the chances of the contents of those CDs appearing on a future WCnews update?

05-12-2008, 07:59	#12
Capn Johnny Cap'n Johnny Join Date: Mar 2001 Posts: 295	Sure, shoot me an e-mail with the login info.. and a meeeeeeellion dollars! -J

05-12-2008, 17:31	#13
HCl WC EXE archaeologist Join Date: Jan 2000 Posts: 129	Wow Capn, those are some juicy CDs you have there. If you decide to share what you have some day, i would definitely love to take a look at it! Mario

05-15-2008, 12:43	#15
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	Captain Johnny is busy doing something exciting, so he's given me permission to post these links: http://download.wcnews.com/files/oth..._ANNOUNCER.zip (188 MB) http://download.wcnews.com/files/wcp/WCP_DEV_BACKUP.zip (267 MB) http://download.wcnews.com/files/so/...DEV_BACKUP.zip (253 MB) Each one contains an ISO - I tooled around with the WCP_SO_DEV_BACKUP one and it has some VERY VERY COOL stuff in the documents folder... and hopefully you editing geniuses (genii?) can find out some way to show us less brillianter folks what MED looks like! __________________ Long live the Confederation, Ben "Bandit" Lesnick, LMG. "You go, Loaf! Get some!" -JPG

05-15-2008, 13:15	#16
PopsiclePete Mission programmer Join Date: Jan 2000 Location: Amos, Québec Posts: 842	Whoooo ! I sure am happy I took the rest of the day off (by coïncidence!) and head home early !!! __________________ PopsiclePete's WC Page : http://popsiclepete.solsector.net E-mail : PopsiclePete [at] hotmail.com

05-15-2008, 13:23	#17
Pedro Swabbie Banned Join Date: Jan 2000 Location: England Posts: 1,346	Pete just buzzed me and I'm downloading now, waiting on those download bars is like the night before chirstmas

05-15-2008, 14:36	#18
Jason_Ryock Lieutenant Colonel Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: California, USA Posts: 997	Wow...LOAF, you need to take a look through these Discs. There is some damned fine amazing things in here...

05-15-2008, 14:40	#19
Pedro Swabbie Banned Join Date: Jan 2000 Location: England Posts: 1,346	I seriously can not believe what is on the WCP disk, this is a holy grail like no other.

05-15-2008, 14:45	#20
Jason_Ryock Lieutenant Colonel Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: California, USA Posts: 997	Is this LOAF's "Ships of the WC" document included in the documents for WCSO? EDIT: HOLY SHIT! Has anyone read the ALIEN SOCIOLOGY file on the WCSO Disc?!?!!

05-15-2008, 15:25	#21
HCl WC EXE archaeologist Join Date: Jan 2000 Posts: 129	Just got home and started downloading! Capn, i'd like to thank you for your generosity donating these CDs These are truly great developments for our community. Mario

05-15-2008, 15:50	#22
Jason_Ryock Lieutenant Colonel Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: California, USA Posts: 997	Just the MEDS: (Including the DLL's and the Mission Creation Instruction file from the Documents section) WCSO: http://mark.intertainmentgames.com/S...0Ops%20MED.rar WCP: http://mark.intertainmentgames.com/Prophecy%20MED.rar

05-15-2008, 17:23	#23
Capn Johnny Cap'n Johnny Join Date: Mar 2001 Posts: 295	Actually, what I am doing isn't all that exciting.. actually it is rather boring and is very time-consuming.. and has me (at the moment) stuck in Houston (well.. Alvin).. But, ya gots ta do what ya gots ta do.. Hope the stuff on the CD's is useful to you guys.. And I hope EA Legal doesn't decide to have my head lopped off for it.. you just never know when it comes to those guys..

05-15-2008, 17:30	#25
Unregistered Guest Posts: n/a	whooooho... the WCP one seems to contain the source code of the game :-)

05-15-2008, 17:50	#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	Oh no, what if he gets fired ten years ago for this. In all probability, EA doesn't care. It's an eleven year old game - the source code is of historical interest to us and maybe practical interest to a few fans who will further update their oustanding mods with it (if that's even possible). There's no license or anything here, so the Slashdot crowd can't take it to sell Super Prophecy Extreme even if there were any reason to. You can't even download it and compile your own version of Prophecy, since it lacks all the resources. Just... study it. __________________ Long live the Confederation, Ben "Bandit" Lesnick, LMG. "You go, Loaf! Get some!" -JPG