Publicizing A Plethora Of Privateer 3 Pictures (January 23, 2006)

[ChrisReid]

Last month we posted the 240 page Privateer 3 Script to the Document Archive. The draft's story and background information detailed a new privateer's interactions with Kilrathi, Nephilim, Black Lance and other familiar elements in the 2680s. It's a must-read for fans curious about what might have been. The project was eventually canceled in favor of the online Wing Commander games, but we've now sorted out the various concept art shots from the proposal. Recognizable locations include a wide variety of bars, command centers, starports and more. Check out the document file for specific information on each place. You can find the rest of the Privateer 3 images here.

​

Soon, Kiranka will again assume its sovereign birthright and the Kilrathi Empire will be restored to its former glory. With the completion of this Battle Station, I will lead the Kilrathi forces to a final victory over the Terrans.

A sharp looking assortment of concept shots from Privateer and Wing Commander Online can also be found here.


--
Original update published on January 23, 2006

 

[Onde Pik]

Oh gawd. A Privateer 3 would be such a treat. Too bad it was never finished. The space combat genre really needs some new titles.

 

[Tarquinn]

I weep.

;_;

 

[Logun]

are there any out there anymore? I thought it was just all 3D FPS

 

[Plasteel Skull]

It was supposed to be so good. Back in old, known universe - not some strange Tri-System - with possibility to fly kilrathi ships - possibly maybe even Nephilim... Well, lost forever. Lighting a candle...

[']

 

[Bandit LOAF]

I don't think Privateer 3 involved either of those things.

 

[Plasteel Skull]

I don't think Privateer 3 involved either of those things.

Well, it's obvious we can only polemize about it, but this ship looks for me like some kilrathi heavy fighter (possibly kilrathi civilian hevy fighter - as funny as it sounds) from time around the WC Prophecy era...

https://cdn.wcnews.com/shots/priv3/full/privs.jpg

as for Nephilim - that was just a blind shot

 

[Bandit LOAF]

Well, it's obvious we can only polemize about it, but this ship looks for me like some kilrathi heavy fighter (possibly kilrathi civilian hevy fighter - as funny as it sounds) from time around the WC Prophecy era...

I don't think it's obvious at all -- in fact, there really isn't any debate as to what Privateer 3 would have included... since we have a number of complete Privateer 3 design documents archived here. One of them, in fact, is linked directly from the post above.

 

[Eder]

Yup. You could speculate a lot of things from the screenshots, but the design docs are a great deal more specific about how the game would've been... after reading them, you can't speculate all that much anymore.

 

[Taser8]

I can't recall if this was the same version or not, but I know that at one point we'd brought Tracey Hickman (from the Dragonlance novels) in to help work on a Privateer version - P3 or Privateer Online I can't recall, but I think he was on site for a few weeks at least working with us.

 

[Bandit LOAF]

This is the Privateer 3 that was being developed by the former Crusader guys around 1997, IIRC -- I think Mark Vittek may have written/co-written this particular script.

I didn't know about Tracy Hickman, though... that's interesting, we'll have to track him down at a Con at some point. I was surprised to learn recently that Diane Duane (Star Trek/fantasy novelist) had written the script for Privateer 2.

 

[AD]

I didn't know about Tracy Hickman, though... that's interesting, we'll have to track him down at a Con at some point. I was surprised to learn recently that Diane Duane (Star Trek/fantasy novelist) had written the script for Privateer 2.

http://www.trhickman.com/

I sent off a message to Mr Hickman, so I'll see if anything comes of it. Apparently his involvement was hinted at way back when. Here's an old site that describes it as a false rumor: http://www.thecomputershow.com/computershow/reviews/privateerthedarkening.htm

Rumors: The story was rumored originally to be written by Tracy Hickman. There was being discussed the possibility of a Privateer television series which would be released about the same time as the game. I have it on good authority that these are untrue rumors.

Of course we *know* now they were in fact both true though it seems Hickman was attached to one of the other privateer concepts than The darkening. Possibly it was Chris Roberts Priv2,3 TV show concept or one of the later Privateer 3's or Priv Onlines. The privateer TV series outline by Aaron Allston is in the CIC's documents archive.

I also recently heard from Diane Duane about her privateer 2 script. She didn't say too much but here's an excerpt:

I was contacted by my UK screen agents, who let me know that EA was looking for someone with screen experience to work on the project. After they signed me on, I devised the plot and the characters for them, and set out the basic gameflow: but there was constant input from the EA end as regards what they wanted characters to be doing, etc. And yes, the script was definitely hefty. And I was definitely delighted with the casting. Even then Cliive Owen was a catch. The whole project was a hoot, and it's definitely something I would do again.

There was some talk of a novelization at the time, but it never came to anything. Them's the breaks.