Starsector Wing Commander project

FreelancerAlpha1

FreelancerAlpha1

Spaceman
Hello everyone, I was introduced to wing commander by the amazing Mac's lore. Ever since then, i've had a fascination with the mythos and style of the ships.

It stewed in my brain for a while and a week ago, I started to make it into reality.
I'm currently working on a modification for Star Sector, a game you can find out more by looking it up.. though let me summarize
Its a 4X sort of top down pixel art game.

I don't want to just copy and paste stuff in from wing commander, since the fidelity is off and using existing models is sort of lazy.. so I began to make my own work.

Heavily based off wing commander, I present what i've currently made so far, with regular updates and other goodies forthcoming.
java_fkkGdvk1jL.png
java_Tmr0c9DYHD.png
java_Uu6vepkjFW.png

Arrow, Thunderbolt, WIldcat, Hellcat


Currently, I am doing my own sort of lore for it. Using the thunderbolt as the main bomber, the wildcat having a more retro design inspired by starwars with the exposed engine components on the top to help indicate its older age. (Since I am limited by the pixel budget, since the game scales off pixels). As well, as I said, I only just started doing art a week ago, so every sprite i've made is distinct by my exponentially growing prowess at making them.. the arrow is pretty dated in comparison to my other work, for instance.

So some artistic liberties are taken to help distinguish stuff. Currently i'm working with CountvonSchnaps and Mac's lore to try and get some capital ships into the game.. (Mac provided topdowns of some 3d models and CountvonSchnapp is going to provide some sketches) feedback is appreciated. Currently touching up the hornet for showcase, with the raptor and scimitar on the canvas.
 
Hornet first pass done, will go back and refine it further, since it's not my best work. I have a pretty bad case of narcolepsy, so its eats into my time
1749406784389.png
1749406716085.png
 
paintdotnet_aY2GpYt9N1.png
Ferret initial pass done, scimitar and raptor on the canvas, though I try to keep my output to one a day. Haven't set up an ingame test of its sprite yet, will show once that's ready to go.
 
Added the Privateer Centurion, Galaxy, Demon, Gladius and Talon to my canvas (This basically means they are on the pipeline and have a very high chance of making it through my production schedule) Since I have a pretty bad case of narcolepsy, my time is limited per day, so I have to schedule it out, hence 'production schedule'

The galaxy is one of the ones that is going to be classed as an actual civilian ship that isn't a hangar unit. So its a big project for me.

The others are going to be a cakewalk, so expect one or more of them to be made today.
 
The unknown starfighter was hoisted up by a crane, cables and rope wrapped around it like a spiders web. An entire wing breaks off as its finally tugged out from the crater.
1749484768015.png
"I don't know what to say." Chief Engineer Lasco absently fiddled with the cigar in their mouth, speech slurred by mild alcoholism.

"You know exactly what to say" Foster glared at them, adjusting her glasses. "This is one of ours. Clearly made with our parts. With our engines. With our guns." Foster got closer to Lasco, as if to squeeze the answer out of his personal space. "Find out how our parts keep getting slapped together into these... things.. and maybe i'll give you the green light on that project. You know the one."

Lasco walked up to the curled, bent wing of the starfighter and put out his lit cigar on it. "Whatever you say.."

The Centurion as it would come to be known, was a black market starfighter manufactured with smuggled, salvaged, or otherwise 'acquired' Foster Aerospace components. Despite the attempts by the premiere manufacturer to quell their production, they exploded in popularity.

Boasting the same heavy duty 'Salishan' Ion guns as the hornet (With serials filed off), with aftermarket modifications taking advantage of the fact its bolted to the fuselage of a wildcat. These modifications include extra GCI solenoids, with space meant for the fuel tanks being devoted to heatsinks and particle breeders. The main length is occupied by what used to be outdated electronics and military grade equipment.. now containing the fuel tanks. It notably did not have a shield generator, as this space was instead used to house multiple dumbfire munitions. Flares, Chaff, Smokers and Bangers. It's engines were a dual 'Odawa' HOX system, much like the hellcat, allowing it to fly in atmosphere and space equally well.

Foster Aerospace's last attempt to keep these off the streets was to change the standards of starship safety. Through an orchestrated series of events, a Centurion crashed into a residential building. Giving fuel to their needed fire, the court feeds were transmitted system wide, aiming to convince people that their monopoly was just. That 'maverick' manufacturers didn't understand safety. Sadly, to their dismay, Foster Aerospace lost the case, the Centurion was considered flight worthy. With this setback to their monopoly, many private workshops celebrated, now displaying the Centurion openly to the public. It earned its place, against the grain of the megacorporation.
 
Last edited:
1749491010946.png

During the racing boom of Hegemony Era 158, many ships found themselves being pushed to their limits, often with catastrophic results. Old wildcats pushed until they became toxic, dirty craters across the farmlands.

One day, nobody crashed, nobody shouted, they were in awe of a particular craft which swooped through the bustling skyscrapers of New Bengal. This craft, made by Michael Galaxy, was a personal project of his, a one of a kind. It dominated the airstreams, with a reliable wing that never bent, engines that never coughed. It's no surprise that he won every single tournament, from the Maniac 500 to the Gladius 1500. This legendary race is where it proved itself, being piloted by Michael Galaxy's wife, Tracey Galaxy. It was able to keep the pedal down, through cloud and storm. Never needing reservicing as it weaved like a bird through the canyons.

The fame was just what he needed, with a struggling repair shop, Michael had bet it all on his wonder machine. In honor of its absolute crushing of the competition, it adopted the name of the circuit it now populates to this day.. the Gladius.

Manufactured by Galaxy Motors, these agile atmospheric fliers were frequent sights in the canyons of New Bengal. So utterly was its dominance of the circuit, that it became the only craft flown in it. An entire generation saw and, in flattery, copied what worked. It had Quadruple MOX engines whose exhaust design was so smooth that the flames were invisible. Clean and high powered, it could dip between attitudes while maintaining peak performance. It's largest advantage was the rotating cockpit. Michael specifically built this so 'my kid wont cry during the test flights I bring him on'. It is capable of twisting and tilting to counteract G-forces and keep the pilot level with gravity.. ensuring the pilots ride is smooth and without any jerks or tugs.

Not wanting to let the cash dry up, Galaxy Motors expanded into a larger aerospace corporation, pushing the Gladius to new heights. Fitting two 'Consequence' Neutron guns to the wings. It, however, lacked missiles, which made it a black sheep among enthusiasts. Despite this, it saw extensive action, even beyond gravity. During the Magnetic Club Massacre, police variants of the Gladius were the only ships able to keep up with the fleeing marauders through the dense urban landscape. Even chasing them into space, where the marauders, unable to dance with the Gladius, smashed their corvette into orbital debris.

The Gladius, 50 years on, still sees use within the Confederation, with Galaxy Motors slogan 'Imagination Works'.
 
Last edited:
Bob McDob said:
Are these going to be pilotable or carrier fighter squadrons?
Click to expand...

Carrier squadrons. The game doesn't do *very* small pilotable craft very well, sadly. Though the excalibur may be a pilotable prototype ship, by upscaling it a little to be more like a frigate. Though 'the super frigate' is a worn out trope within starsector modding.
 
Ill be working on the galaxy. Since I want to have a special variant (That has all four engines), ill be clipping two of its engines and streamlining it a bit for the civilian mass production model.
 
1749504443454.png
First pass, let me know what you all think. I want to give the galaxy a slight facelift in terms of sleekness. As well to give the four engined a unique hull. Though this is my first time working on a player flyable craft, as such, I had to install the hardpoints inherent to all pilotable stuff. (The round things) and work at a much larger pixel scale (Since stuff is scaled off pixels in starsector) Once i'm proud of it, ill write up the lore.
 
Last edited:
AllTinker said:
I'm liking the sprite work! Nicely done, and I think it's cool that you're putting your own spin on the designs. :)
Click to expand...
Thanks! Though i'm trying to weigh 'inspired'. For some designs, like the arrow, its basically impossible to adapt it without going like, almost all the way.

Its either A-wing or Arrow. Speaking of.
1749533702547.png
The first pass on the arrow is done. The edges will be worked out, as well, the game does include anti aliasing, which will greatly smooth the overall shape.

I wanted to try and take an original view on the arrow, but I found that any change or shift caused it to be completely unrecognizable. It was very annoying. So I decided, against my better judgement, to simply upsize the arrow into a more 'heavy' interceptor role. Keeping the design relatively the same. Since its 2d, the vertical wings are hard to describe into the top down, especially with the pixel budget.

Lore is being written in my mind as we speak, got a backlog of stuff. I found I really burnt my brain out on the galaxy, hence why i've been looking to commission Schnaps for the larger ships like the southhampton. Its like my brain is a gpu and it struggles with the more pixels i have to think about.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top