Wing Commander IV Storyboards - Scene 95 (November 15, 2010)

[Bandit LOAF]

Scene 95 is another CGI sequence, showing Blair's capture by the Confederation. Check out his fighter--a cross between a Hellcat V and Privateer's Centurion.

These storyboard images were recovered from a backup CD containing materials belonging to Origin's web development team. They were dated November 17, 1995 and were likely planned for a never-completed web feature.

​

--
Original update published on November 15, 2010

 

[Bob McDob]

It actually looks a lot like a Razor to me.

 

[Wedge009]

I thought it was a Razor at first glance too, but the Razors wings aren't so large and the engine segments (or whatever they are) above the wings are closer together. Too, it does say it's supposed to be Blair's fighter. I can see the Hellcat/Centurion cross-over, the artist probably just used whatever he/she came up with for the purposes of the scene.

Refresh my memory: do the Confederation ever collect Blair's fighter like this? I thought he could only be captured if he ejected.

 

[Dominator]

There is video for this scene on DVD version - side 1, file SC_3670C.vob, there are also variants for Banshee (SC_3670A.vob) and ejection pod (SC_3670B.vob). File SC_3670D.vob is for today's storyboard, with Blair brought before Paulson (but the scene is filmed from different angle). I remember that I was puzzled when I first saw those videos, because I've played WC4 many times trying different things, but I never replicated this ending (or should I say endings).

 

[Wedge009]

I don't have my DVD with me at the moment, but if they're not actually used in-game, that probably explains why I don't recall them.

 

[Bob McDob]

I thought it was a Razor at first glance too, but the Razors wings aren't so large and the engine segments (or whatever they are) above the wings are closer together. Too, it does say it's supposed to be Blair's fighter. I can see the Hellcat/Centurion cross-over, the artist probably just used whatever he/she came up with for the purposes of the scene.

I was thinking the other way around: that this design was drawn for storyboard and later taken and used to make the Razor.

In the Wing IV guide there's a storyboard cap (which we might see eventually?) showing two ships in formation, one which looks a lot like a Banshee and another which looks... less like one (like a Banshee rearranged - it reminds me of the Chig fighter from Space: Above and Beyond).

Also, for reference, here is the Borderworld Dagger light fighter from Freelancer, seven years later:



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

 

[Dominator]

I don't have my DVD with me at the moment, but if they're not actually used in-game, that probably explains why I don't recall them.

I don't have time right now to replay the game, but on checking game guides I think it *could* be possible to replicate "Hellcat tractored in" and "ejection pod tractored in" endings by loosing the Intrepid (or ejecting) in Masa 3 (after defection) or Silenos 1a missions, but that still leaves Banshee cutscene.

 

[Wedge009]

That sounds possible, although even when I tried investigating losing-game paths, I don't recall WC yoinking control from me while in the cockpit. At least, in WC3, you face endless waves of Kilrathi fighters in Sol until you get bored and eject - and then you see the movie of the dreadnought tractor beaming Blair's ejection pod.

 

[Dominator]

That sounds possible, although even when I tried investigating losing-game paths, I don't recall WC yoinking control from me while in the cockpit. At least, in WC3, you face endless waves of Kilrathi fighters in Sol until you get bored and eject - and then you see the movie of the dreadnought tractor beaming Blair's ejection pod.

IIRC when the Intrepid is destroyed (though it never happened to me in those missions) automatically you get "your carrier has been destroyed" message with restart, load, continue options.