[REQUEST] WCU Splash Screen

[crouton]

Request: WCU Splash Screen


We need a splash screen for Wing Commander Universe. Currently there is no 'official' screen at all; we're using the Privateer Remake project's version.

The new screen will be displayed at the beginning of the standalone installer process, as well as every time the game loads. Since WCU is attempting to encompass the entire Wing Commander mythos, a good splash screen should have some of the following:

• A space background.
• A fighter-class ship (Confed, Kilrathi, or both)
• A capital-class sihp (Confed, Kilrathi, or both)
• 'Wing Commander Universe' in a font that compliments the WC games and the other items on the screen.

If this sounds like too much, don't worry. I'll take any and all submissions, but including the above highlights will get more attention. You can either post links here or email them to me directly at agcrouton@gmail.com. You will receive full credit for your work (as long as you aren't copying someone else's) and the gratitude of legions of WC fans.

 

[Halman]

I thought I'd give it a shot. I've tried to capture a lot of what I think is so great about WCU. Kudos to people who can identify everything.

 

[crouton]

That's ...um... very avant-garde. I like your use of the diagonal to draw attention. Incorporating the lightbu.. er, superbase, moebius superstring, and the seagull evokes the mysteries of space, time, and ocean birds in land-locked parking lots.

 

[crouton]

Thanks to ChrisReid for putting this up on the front page today (6/27/05)

If we get enough submissions, we'll probably move to a rotating splash screen system (as I'm told VegaStrike itself has) in the game. So don't wait, submit yours today!

 

[Cyberion]

well, i've offered some time ago thise Splash Screen for the WCU, but noone replied to the post i think or ignored (can't remember already), so after few months of waiting i've released it as a wallpaper. Of course the WCU title and copyright line can be fixed. Here is the image

Hi-Res Image
https://cdn.wcnews.com/newestshots/full/cyb-wpp-escort.jpg



although i can design you a new one if you wish.

 

[Dreamer]

This surely is improveable, but I though I give it a try...

 

[criticalmass]

I can do it too! Although the full ASCIImation of Mark Vearrier's pic will not fit into the screen, I can still do crop & overlay!


:+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+@@@###*****+++++::.::::::::::++*#####@@@@@#@@@@@@@#@#@#@@@@@#@@###*++::::::....::+:+++***###@@@@@@@
+@@@###*****++++++:.::::::::++++*#@@@#@@##@@#@@@@@@@@##@@@@@@@#@##**++:::::::::.:++++::***###@@@@@@@
+#####**+++::++++:.:::::::+++++***#@*@#@#*#@*#@##*#@@#*##@*@#####+*+++++::+::::.::+:+::+**####@@@###
+@##**+++++::::+::.:::::.++*,+*,#.#,####,##,*,#,+#:.,+#:.##.#*+,###,***+*+.::::::::::::++***########
+@@##*++@@@::::@@@::,+,*,,*,#,*#,##+*##,#:*,#,#,,#,#,+*,#:*,#,#,*,,+,:+:++:+:+++++::+++**#####@@
+@@@#**+:....+++::....+++,,,*,+,*,*,.###,.#:,,#,*,#,,*,#,,,,+:+,#,,+*,.+,+::..........#:++**####@@@@
+W@@##*+:....+:+::....+++*************************************************+:..........#++**###@@@@@@
+W@@#**::....++*+:....+++*++++++**++++**+**+*++*+*+**++*+++****+****+****++:..........#++*###@@@@WWW
+W@@##*+:....++*+:....+++++:+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++:##########+:+*##@@WWWWWW
+@@@##*+:....++++:....+++++++++:++:+++:++++:+:++:+:+++++:+++++++::++:++:++++++:::::::::::*#@@@WWWWWW
+@@##**+:....++++:....+:::.....+:++..*:+*..::+.#++#.....*++.....+:+++..++++:..........#:++**@@WWWWWW
+@##***+:....++++:....++::.+#:..+::::*++::.*:..#:+######*+:####..@++::.#:++:..........#:+++*@@WWWWWW
+###**++:....+:+::....++::.@..+++@@@:+:#.#+..:++*@@@@@++@@@..#:+:*..#:+:..........#:*##@@WWWWWWW
+##**++::....+::::....::::.@..++:..*:+:#.:#:*++:#.....*+:....:+++..:+::...@@@@@@*:+**##@@@@@@@
+****++::....+@@@@....+:::.@+@..++:..*:++:..+.#+++#..@@@+:@@+.:+++::::.@::....#:::::::++**####@@#@
+****++::.............+:::.@..+::..*:++:*...++++#..@@@+++::.::+@@:.@::....+++***#:+++**###+###
+###**++:+:...........::::.@..+::..+:++..+:+*:#.....*:++++@.::+:+...::::..........#:+**#######*#
+###**++:+:...........::@#:#@@::@@:++:@#+**+*@@@@@*++*++@@@::@@#::::..........#:+***##@@@@@@
+###**++:::+#@@@@@@@@@:...:::::::+:::::+*++:+++**+:+++++++**+++++::::::::...::::::::::#+++**####@@@@
+#****+++::::::::.........:::::++++++++**+++*++***++**+*++***++*+++:::::........::::::::++***#####@@
+#*****++++:.:::::.......:::::+++*+************#******************++::::.........:::::::++***#######
+###***+++++.:::::.......::::+:+*#*****###*#***####***##*#*#*****#*++::::........:::.:++++****######
+##****++++++::::::.....::::++++#*###**##*#####################*##**++:::......:.:::..++++****#####

 

[eldar_colonel]

try this

I'll give it a crack, this is a prety rough version, any sudgestions?

 

[crouton]

Wow, great submissions. Even the ASCII one. I've posted some comments below; keep those submissions coming!

Cyberion: I tried to find your thread but it appears to have poofed, so thank you for reposting your image. Just from a quick glance, it seems a little too red - some of the details of the ships in the background get swallowed by the glow of the nebula. But that's an awesome picture nonetheless.

Dreamer: Nice! Yours would fit nicely into the rotating in-game scheme, especially if you can crank out more images with different models/renders. Can you make the image any larger? I'm thinking of 1024x768 (or whatever looks good around that size).

criticalmass: I can see the U, and that's about it. I'm thinking old school ASCII art would get a chuckle or two out of us old fogies, so don't think of it as a throw-away.

eldar: The shockwave looks really good but combined with the purple/red glow it looks kinda strange. Not sure what can be tweaked but it's a great base image in any event.

 

[Dreamer]

okay, I've worked on my first one and though about a second in the same design line. The Dralthi isn't mine, but I just can't remeber where I got it from - I think it's one of Cameron WU's, The Excalibur is from Mark Vearrier's "official" Prophecy print - I hope now I gave proper credit to this people ;-)
I had to minimize the quality to include them here, so the originals are far better...

 

[Cyberion]

lol, I always knew, that Tolwyn is a Terminator!

 

[Dreamer]

I think I really did overdo his eyes I just wanted them to stick out the background. But the whole Tolwyn isn't right yet,... have to work on this one

 

[crouton]

Great work, Dreamer!

 

[spiritplumber]

A quick note... With a couple of exceptions, so far we only have WC1/2/3/Priv ships in. The exceptions are the Durango and the WC4 Banshee, because they're really the most representative ships of that game.

I put an "executive veto" on putting the Dragon in WCU to avoid munchkinism ^^;

 

[ChrisReid]

A quick note... With a couple of exceptions, so far we only have WC1/2/3/Priv ships in. The exceptions are the Durango and the WC4 Banshee, because they're really the most representative ships of that game.

So what's that mean? Isn't the point to eventually have everything.. so shouldn't the splash screen artists consider everything for inclusion in their images?

I put an "executive veto" on putting the Dragon in WCU to avoid munchkinism ^^;

Seems like quite a disservice to promote a project that will include everything from the WC universe, meanwhile arbitrarily adding made-up ships and removing official ships from the games.

 

[Cyberion]

Seems like quite a disservice to promote a project that will include everything from the WC universe, meanwhile arbitrarily adding made-up ships and removing official ships from the games.

wow, does WCU have made-up ships? I've been on the project and never heard about it. Hmm... can someone explain this to me.


As for Dragon. i guess it's not rihgt to include the ship that is from WC4, cause we have wc1/2/3 timeline period. So i fully support Spirit on this. Speaking about Banshee and Durango that we see in WC4. Well yes we see them for the first time in the 4th installement of the series. But those are BW ships. Which are outdated and were built during wc3 period if i'm right.

So we have wc1/2/3 timeline and all teh ships from those series. And none of the ships from any other timelines like wc4/5/SO. That was the main idea as far as i remember. And it remains as it is. So i do nto understand, why you people aren't sutisfied with the project? Can't you see that your intention kills the motivation to work on this. At least this doesn't help for sure.

I know that Spirit always said that WCU will include all WC ships. But than she always added that we are talking about wc1/2/3 (Priv/RF) era.


Anyway, that's not the topic of our conversation. So let's avaoid another discussion about "what ship we have to include into WCU". Post your SPLASH SCREENS here.

 

[crouton]

So what's that mean? Isn't the point to eventually have everything.. so shouldn't the splash screen artists consider everything for inclusion in their images?

We're currently wrestling with how to include the most WC content without running into consistency issues. WC1/2/3 and WC4/5 are different beasts, but they're all WC. Same goes with Privateer1 and 2.. how do you fit the Tri-system 'universe' into the WC universe that is much larger and fleshed out? Rounded ships versus spiky ships, Scimitars rubbing elbows with Dragons, it's a lot of content to deal with.

Seems like quite a disservice to promote a project that will include everything from the WC universe, meanwhile arbitrarily adding made-up ships and removing official ships from the games.

See above. As WCU is a Work In Progress, I'd prefer not to rule anything out 'arbitrarily'. It may turn out that we have to minimize some content in order to maximize the rest; how we work with the timeline and player feedback will help determine that.



But we can always use More Screen Shots!

 

[ChrisReid]

wow, does WCU have made-up ships? I've been on the project and never heard about it. Hmm... can someone explain this to me.

[13:28] * spiritplumber (kay_the_it@cpe-66-25-78-34.satx.res.rr.com) has joined #wingnut
[13:28] <spiritplumber> screenshots of the Dorkrathra and Draymaster being blown up piece by piece. http://spiritplumber.dynip.com/wcu/
[13:29] <spiritplumber> (Had to come up with names for those ship classes somehow...)

That's just from a couple days ago, not the first time I've heard of newly invented ships for the project.

So we have wc1/2/3 timeline and all teh ships from those series. And none of the ships from any other timelines like wc4/5/SO. That was the main idea as far as i remember. And it remains as it is. So i do nto understand, why you people aren't sutisfied with the project? Can't you see that your intention kills the motivation to work on this. At least this doesn't help for sure.

As I said above, I think people are concerned that if a project promotes itself as being a symbol of the unified Wing Commander series, then goes and excludes some things while making up others, then that's something of a disservice to some fans. You and I know that the Dorkrathra and Draymaster might be fun extras, but I was around here ten years ago when there was quite a huge cloud of confusion in the Wing Commander community about what was what. Certain groups perpetuated stories about evil Blair turning on the Confederation and being hunted down by Confed troops or whole new factions with ships that make the Dragon/Lance look weak. Of course, all this is alleviated if the project presents itself as a fictional fan work and doesn't claim to be an accurate representation/remake/combination of the established universe. I spent many years batting down rumors of official half-Bearcat/half-Sorthak fighters and it's a whole lot easier to get things straight from the start.

I know that Spirit always said that WCU will include all WC ships. But than she always added that we are talking about wc1/2/3 (Priv/RF) era.

Doesn't that sound a little weird? If the project is only going to have stuff from half the Wing Commander games, why would anyone on the team talk about it including all the Wing Commander ships?

Anyway, that's not the topic of our conversation. So let's avaoid another discussion about "what ship we have to include into WCU". Post your SPLASH SCREENS here.

 

[Cyberion]

well, maybe you are right Chris... didn't talk to Spirit in a long time about the project's development. Maybe something changed.

Well, anyway, post your splash screens people!

 

[crouton]

[13:28] * spiritplumber (kay_the_it@cpe-66-25-78-34.satx.res.rr.com) has joined #wingnut
[13:28] <spiritplumber> screenshots of the Dorkrathra and Draymaster being blown up piece by piece. http://spiritplumber.dynip.com/wcu/
[13:29] <spiritplumber> (Had to come up with names for those ship classes somehow...)

That's just from a couple days ago, not the first time I've heard of newly invented ships for the project.

Ahh, I see what you mean. Those aren't invented ships per se; they're subunitized versions of known ships. I think the Dorkrathra is a Dorkir class, and the Draymaster is a Drayman. Spirit decided to try making parts of the ships as subunits, so you can target the cargo holds, engines, etc. The 'piece by piece' part is key, as previously (to my knowledge) it was all or nothing. It's a bit of an experiment that we'd like to eventually use throughout WCU. As for previous 'invented ships', I don't know about them.. 'twas before I joined up.

As I said above, I think people are concerned that if a project promotes itself as being a symbol of the unified Wing Commander series, then goes and excludes some things while making up others, then that's something of a disservice to some fans. You and I know that the Dorkrathra and Draymaster might be fun extras, but I was around here ten years ago when there was quite a huge cloud of confusion in the Wing Commander community about what was what. Certain groups perpetuated stories about evil Blair turning on the Confederation and being hunted down by Confed troops or whole new factions with ships that make the Dragon/Lance look weak. Of course, all this is alleviated if the project presents itself as a fictional fan work and doesn't claim to be an accurate representation/remake/combination of the established universe. I spent many years batting down rumors of official half-Bearcat/half-Sorthak fighters and it's a whole lot easier to get things straight from the start.

I understand what you mean, and perhaps we need to shift our stated goal. We're already moving past making WCU a strict clone of WC1/2/3/Priv, which is IMHO a good thing. I personally don't see a way of having all the WC ships in one game without making that game a simple flight simulator. If you wanted to add stories, missions, anything relating to the original WC games... it would ruin the immersion factor to have ships 30 years apart flying in formation, much less having Privateer2 Kiowan clan ships fighting against the Nephilim. It could be conceivable if you broke the game into 'eras' similar to Pirates!, where each WC game would correspond to an 'era' the player could play in. That would bring the already-difficult complexity to an even higher level (would we have to block off starsystems and open them later, keeping ships in their correct timeline, etc), so we're focused in on the WC1/2/3/Priv dates. Who knows, maybe we'll implement that later.


If you or anyone else have any concerns, you can voice them here (in another thread!) or shoot me an email - I put the link up in the first post.


Meanwhile.. more juicy splash screens!