reasonable predictions for a new WC game
- Thread starter meisdavidp
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ChrisReid
Super Soaker Collector / Administrator
The bad guys get to Earth's door in the Wing Commander Movie, Fleet Action, Armada and if you lose Wing Commander 3.
Secret Ops gets to Sirius and Talos, which are both just one jump from Earth.
vindicator
Rear Admiral
It would actually be interesting to see how they'd plan the story itself. I know I have played later sequels of games and been impressed enough by the story that it made me buy all the previous versions of the series. Although my feeling is, it could be a completely new spin on the series that makes no reference to it's predecessor and I'd still feel very good about it.
Aren't all the people who worked on Prophecy and Secret ops still around EA, or did they all move on? Will anyone previously attached to the series in some form or another before arena be on this project? I would be very interested to know who would be leading the WC universe for the next generation of gamers.
Aren't all the people who worked on Prophecy and Secret ops still around EA, or did they all move on? Will anyone previously attached to the series in some form or another before arena be on this project? I would be very interested to know who would be leading the WC universe for the next generation of gamers.
RogueBanshee
Rear Admiral
I hope that if they ever make another 27th century Privateer game they remember that Galaxy's are light transports and Drayman's are either medium or heavy transports. For some insane reason they tried to use the Drayman class as the Confed light transport in Privateer online instead of using the Galaxy class light transports from Privateer.
AD
Finder of things, Doer of stuff
This is kind of a stupid argument though. We never *ever* see confed flying Galaxies. And even if they do, why does it matter? It's not like it's the only transport in the universe and there's absolutely no reason there couldn't also be a lighter version of the Drayman - and that's ignoring that -to my knowledge- it is *never* specified that the drayman is light/medium/heavy... Not only that, there are confed drayman's in privateer also.
There are reasons to not like some of the privateer online pitches but this isn't one of them. Latching on to idiocy like this is exactly how to make the developers ignore the community in the first place. There's a place for well founded continuity concerns but you had better research them properly. This is like hating wc4 because it has green arrows when everyone knows arrows are blue. (this is a joke... WC4 has blue/red pirate arrows, and grey with purple marking arrows that cloak too)
RogueBanshee
Rear Admiral
I've just always liked the idea of the 1 or 2 person frieghters roaming space. I know that I read somewhere that a Galaxy usually has a crew of 4, but in Privateer you could fly your Galaxy solo with no noticeable probelms. I don't really see anyone being able to fly a 14-person Drayman solo or with just one other person without major probelms.
Also about the idea of a lighter Drayman the Drayman model in Privateer Online was going to mass more then earlier Drayman models. The model in the Encyclopedia massed 2000 metric tons, the model in Privateer Online was going to mass 2200 metric tons.
As for the idea that a Drayman was a medium transport it was clearly heavier then a Galaxy and was referred to as a transport rather then a light transport, but massed only half what a Clydesdale did.
Another thing I don't like from the design document is how Free Traders went from massing the same as Draymans to massing more then twice as much as Draymans and more then a WC3 Clysdesdale. And the Clysdesles also more then doubled in mass.
Also about the idea of a lighter Drayman the Drayman model in Privateer Online was going to mass more then earlier Drayman models. The model in the Encyclopedia massed 2000 metric tons, the model in Privateer Online was going to mass 2200 metric tons.
As for the idea that a Drayman was a medium transport it was clearly heavier then a Galaxy and was referred to as a transport rather then a light transport, but massed only half what a Clydesdale did.
Another thing I don't like from the design document is how Free Traders went from massing the same as Draymans to massing more then twice as much as Draymans and more then a WC3 Clysdesdale. And the Clysdesles also more then doubled in mass.
saquist
Captain
You guys aren't getting it...
Let the bad guys take over earth is what I'm saying...not just knock on the door but knock it down...
That's never been done. I've read Fleet Action and End Run those were great but I'm talking about a game where survival is key...We're talking almost like Titan A.E.
Not destroyed but taken over.
And for that and what others have suggested...I think Wing commander should go On-line...
It would cool.
I'd love to face the Knathrack again...bigger and badder. And I want greater numbers in game...and more equal playing fields and strenght if not over powered.
Long time since I wrote anything in this forum... but better late than never writing 
I saw an earlier post in this thread about releasing a WC where you actually play the wing commander, like Halcyon.
I have been thinking in the same way actually. Since it feels like most new games released today are either first person shooters, RPL:s, World of Warcraft wannabees, squad based tactical etc. etc.
In short all types of games except flight or space simulators!
So why not try to introduce the WC-universe to new players by putting them in the position of wing commander, charged with the strategic thinking, issuing flight orders, personal management (pilots might for different reasons get pissed on each other and you must try to solve the conflict before it runs out of control), and try to balance the personal needs of your pilots to the needs of the carrier you are on.
That would be something I would be willing to try. To be the wing commander sitting back on the carrier worrying about my pilots.
I saw an earlier post in this thread about releasing a WC where you actually play the wing commander, like Halcyon.
I have been thinking in the same way actually. Since it feels like most new games released today are either first person shooters, RPL:s, World of Warcraft wannabees, squad based tactical etc. etc.
In short all types of games except flight or space simulators!
So why not try to introduce the WC-universe to new players by putting them in the position of wing commander, charged with the strategic thinking, issuing flight orders, personal management (pilots might for different reasons get pissed on each other and you must try to solve the conflict before it runs out of control), and try to balance the personal needs of your pilots to the needs of the carrier you are on.
That would be something I would be willing to try. To be the wing commander sitting back on the carrier worrying about my pilots.
AD
Finder of things, Doer of stuff
Long time since I wrote anything in this forum... but better late than never writing
I saw an earlier post in this thread about releasing a WC where you actually play the wing commander, like Halcyon.
I have been thinking in the same way actually. Since it feels like most new games released today are either first person shooters, RPL:s, World of Warcraft wannabees, squad based tactical etc. etc.
In short all types of games except flight or space simulators!
So why not try to introduce the WC-universe to new players by putting them in the position of wing commander, charged with the strategic thinking, issuing flight orders, personal management (pilots might for different reasons get pissed on each other and you must try to solve the conflict before it runs out of control), and try to balance the personal needs of your pilots to the needs of the carrier you are on.
That would be something I would be willing to try. To be the wing commander sitting back on the carrier worrying about my pilots.
It's certainly something that could be experimented with but I see it more as a spin-off/ side title, kind of the way privateer and armada are not Wing Commander 3. I would imagine there's certainly a niche that would love the more tactical approach to the game but in a numbered entry I imagine it would deflect from the personal involvement in the story. By necessity most commanders need to remain detached from their subordinates to facilitate sending them to their deaths. Plus there isn't that immediate involvement of actually flying the missions yourself. In which case you could create a hybrid but in all likelyhood it wouldn't ammount to much more than WC academy 2, which wouldn't necessarily be bad but it certainly shouldn't be the title to revive the series in a large fashion.
Bob McDob
Better Health Through Less Flavor
You know, I think that was sort of his point.
I really like this general idea - and I've said as much when I have the chance - but I have to agree that it's probably not the best way to introduce (or re-introduce) players to the series. A great, great many of the people who know 'Wing Commander' think of it in terms of III and IV - the kind of big, flashy cinematic big-budged EA is so adept at producing (and which the first two games struggled to reach within the constraits of the technology of the time). By contrast, this suggestion, while well-designed would certainly be fun, wouldn't have the same kind of panache - and more importantly wouldn't fit the impression people have of Wing Commander. If we're still looking for the topic of this thread - 'reasonable predictions for a new WC game' - I would have to say that in terms of mission design, I would imagine something like what I described above to be the absolute maximum in terms of innovation; more likely it would be somewhat more conservative, more focused on story and player dash-and-flair - as well it should be.
I do not, and never have, owned a console (though I have desperately wanted to) so my impression of console gaming is naturally stunted in part by PC chauvinism and elitist internet types - but my impression of the vast majority of players is that, outside of the limited number of genuine strategy games to be found, they don't want subtlety in game design - they want bang, explosions and killing things. I can't really blame them on this point.
RogueBanshee
Rear Admiral
IMO Star Crusader did a great job of having the player fly missions and manage their flight wing. Doing something similar with Wing Commander but expanding the wing management section would be great.
Even better it would be the perfect excuse to show the Pilgrim War and the earlier stages of the Kilrathi War. Start with the last campagin of the Pilgrim War and then continue into the Kilrathi War ending with your character's retirement around a year before WC1.
Begin as the squadron commander on a cruiser and then move up to wing commander on a Yorktown, then a Concordia, then a Bengal Tiger, and end on on whatever class the movie Concordia was.
Have your character requistion fighter craft and pilots with limits based on how well you've done as well. Start out with a group of Scimitars, Minotaurs, and possibly Hurricanes and move on to being able to get better ships later, Merlins, Rapier-Is, Hummers and Wildcats in the first campagin since I doubt that cruisers would be carrying bombers, Falcons and other pre-Kilrathi bombers when you get promoted to the Yorktown and others as they come online.
Even better it would be the perfect excuse to show the Pilgrim War and the earlier stages of the Kilrathi War. Start with the last campagin of the Pilgrim War and then continue into the Kilrathi War ending with your character's retirement around a year before WC1.
Begin as the squadron commander on a cruiser and then move up to wing commander on a Yorktown, then a Concordia, then a Bengal Tiger, and end on on whatever class the movie Concordia was.
Have your character requistion fighter craft and pilots with limits based on how well you've done as well. Start out with a group of Scimitars, Minotaurs, and possibly Hurricanes and move on to being able to get better ships later, Merlins, Rapier-Is, Hummers and Wildcats in the first campagin since I doubt that cruisers would be carrying bombers, Falcons and other pre-Kilrathi bombers when you get promoted to the Yorktown and others as they come online.
I liked this idea a lot. Then we would actually get a little bit of both. The strategic thinking and the actual flying and fighting.
ChrisReid
Super Soaker Collector / Administrator
Neither. Most were laid off in 2000 when they ended the maverick team. There are a couple executive level people in EA now that were at one time associated with Origin.
I get what you're saying, but I can't say I find the premise very appealing. Post-apocalyptic stuff is interesting for a one-off story, but I have trouble getting behind it for a series.
CataclysmX
Rear Admiral
The best hope for a WC sequel is Chris Reid or LOAF winning the lottery and giving a cash influx to EA.
t.c.cgi
Vice Admiral
How silly. The best hope for a new Wing Commander game is a receptive market, not generic Internet cynicism. EA has no problems rounding up investors.
ChrisReid
Super Soaker Collector / Administrator
It's not really lack of cash that's kept Wing Commander games back. EA has a model that drives million-seller games. Even if they're not really big investments on their part, EA reputation/stock price/expectations would suffer if they had a string of games that tanked. A lot of things factor into this. For the most part, timing for bringing back popular but somewhat uncertain franchises hasn't been right for the last couple years with the changeover between console generations and decline of the PC market. That's why Arena made so much sense to produce last year (you don't need to sell a million, or even 100,000 units, to be considered a success on XBLA). The market conditions (more than just receptiveness to a spacey type game) are definitely improving right now for us though.
Chairmaker
Spaceman
I like the idea, though playing at CAG/WC, as previously noted might not be everyones idea of a great game. A more detailed view of being a flight leader, with some RP elements, would probably be ok. It would add to the challange if there was some element of resource management and selecting ordanance loads. As I replay WCP I find myself thinking that for saying the Cerburus only has 6 pilots she sure as hell has a lot of spare fighters. Despite periodic resupply from stations that seem to be equipped with completely different generations of fighter! A more open ended story/mission structure would probably be good.
Doubt it's another WC title. It's just not a money maker right now compared to RPG and MMOGs on the market. Companies are more interested in cross platform titles that can make a buck.. If it can transfer to merchandise and "carry-electronics" even better. EA has another issue. They're interested in making theyre stock better since it's been sagging for too many months. Spores will do it for them easily, but to expect another WC title when there isnt alot of buyer intersest in a niche space sim community like this just doesnt bode well for us.