WING Commander: The Kilrathi War (Space TC for Star Wars Empire At War)

Major A Payne

Rear Admiral
Well long time no see everyone. I don't know if anyone here would remember me but between myself and Wildcat (plus one other member who I cant for the life of me remember at this point), we pulled the Wing Commander: Invasion (Star Trek Armada project) mod back to the sad 75% beta completed version that currently is available, I am here to make an official announcement for a new mod, but this time for the game Star Wars Empire at War: Forces of Corruption.

As anyone who has the expansion will know the game features three fully playable sides as well as the unplayable pirate side (there are many sub groups but these are limited to ground based combat only), and also features a large scale tatical map, space based tactical 3d combat and ground based 3d tactical combat. With this in mind this list below details proposed changes which I'm hoping to make:

- Disabling of ground based combat so that only the space based portion of 3d tactical combat is available.
- Significant changes to the Galactic Map which I'm hoping will reflect a more WC style of planetary systems (also hoping to include the Sol system as shown in the film).
- The stock three sides will have all ships and stations replaced as follows: Rebel Alliance will become the Confederation. Imperials will become the Kilrathi. Consortium will become either the Nephilim (most likely), or Border Worlds (undecided on this). Pirate units to be replaced by the Black Lance (but will be unplayable).
- I will attempt to include the original selection of custom weapons and sounds from the WCI project as those are the only ones I currently have.

As it stands this project is now in its most early phase and whilst I will do my best to produce a complete mod I am still learning the more advanced side of things. I'll also use this thread for continued posting of any updates but can people please be patient. I won't make any release dates of any kind as there are always unforseen problems that may arise.

Oh and if anyone would like to help in any way then please give me a yell. I have a good selection of the models and textures from the ST Armada project, but there is always room for others and any help is appreciated.
 
Howdy,

I'm a complete zero regarding modelling but if you need someone to create the map / planets of the MOD and do some XML scripting I can help.

Also, one good place to get models would be the X-Wing Alliance mod (assuming we get an OK from the creator). It would be interesting to use the tech levels to move around the eras of WC (WCI == tech 1, WCII == tech 2, Fleet Action == Tech 3, WCIII/WCIV == Tech 4 and WCV == tech 5)

Cheers,
Cyberurso
 
First update.

After having a heavy hunt around through all my backup cd's I've found almost every model I'm planning to use. Therefore, this is the preliminary list of Confedertion units that are planned (please note that there is a info on what will I need to do to them BEFORE they can be converted and placed in the game):

FIGHTERS
Arrow, Banshee, Excalibur, Ferret, Piranha, Tigershark, Wasp, Hellcat, Thunderbolt, Bearcat, Hornet, Panther, Phantom, Wraith, Dragon, Gladius, Longbow.

In all cases each fighter mesh will either require a complete rebuild or editings to increase the detailing. In some cases the texture files will also require updating and better detailing.

BOMBERS
Broadsword, Crossbow, Devastator.

All require updated meshes.

CAPITAL SHIPS
Durango, Hades, Midway, Plunkett, Vesuvius, Murphy, Ranger.

In all cases meshes require updating and/or better textures.

I'm also going to use Ella Starbase as the Confed base of operations (it seems sensible). Once I've started rebuilding these meshes I'll start posting images, but for the time being, no ingame images yet.
 
First update.

After having a heavy hunt around through all my backup cd's I've found almost every model I'm planning to use. Therefore, this is the preliminary list of Confedertion units that are planned (please note that there is a info on what will I need to do to them BEFORE they can be converted and placed in the game):

Sounds cool :D. Let me know if you need help :)

Cheers,
Cyberurso
 
On the matter of help its more two fold. Reference material I can generally get from here, but such things as hero portraits (coloured) are pretty difficult (I know because I spent about three hours with my trustly google and found a bare handful, and the other thing is kilrathi ship ideas (I think around the time of WC3 or later). Also would anyone happen to have a solid quality model of the film Tiger's Claw?? I've got some screencaps but they are pretty poor quality.

Thanks in advance.
 
On the matter of help its more two fold. Reference material I can generally get from here, but such things as hero portraits (coloured) are pretty difficult (I know because I spent about three hours with my trustly google and found a bare handful, and the other thing is kilrathi ship ideas (I think around the time of WC3 or later). Also would anyone happen to have a solid quality model of the film Tiger's Claw?? I've got some screencaps but they are pretty poor quality.

Thanks in advance.

Howdy,

For the portraits, do you want generic pilots or the chaps from WC3 and WC4? I'm relatively good with image editing so I can do screen captures of the two great movies that you can download from WC CIC and then make portraits of it (just tell me the resolution you need). If you want something more cartoonish we can use the episodes of Wing Commander Academy for that.

I dunno if you ever being to this site: http://guide.solsector.net/
You can find some interesting things in the download section...

Regarding 3D models, I have a copy of the X-Wing Alliance WC MOD. I saw some people in the Empire at war community using those models so if you are interesting I can try to search for tools to convert from X-Wing Alliance OPT to Empire at War. That would give us 60 or so models which the few things missing would be the glow effect and the destroyed animation.

Cheers,
Cyberurso

Cheers,
Ed
 
If you don't let me destroy each and every subsystem and turret, I will track you down like an animal and... well, let's not spoil the... surprise... shall we?
 
CyberUrso. Thanks for that offer. It would prove extremely useful. Any portraits don't need to be very large. Only 50*50 pixelsand I'm not overly worried how they look to be honest. What kind of mesh quality is in the XWA mod?? I need capital ships that are between 3500 and 6000 polys per one. Fighters are up to around 1500 polys and Bombers around 2500 polys (in the stock game, fighters are nearly always in squadrons between 3 and 12). I have the op2to3ds model converter (have needed it in the past), so thats not a problem.

Haliwali. Have you played EaW?? I mean each capital ship does have destroyable hardpoints (weapons, shields and engines), but thats it. The fighters and bombers don't have them and theres only one main station that each side starts with. Theres also constructable turrets, minning asteroids, pirate asteroid base and a merchant spacedock.

Anyway. The Durango has been started although its a little slower as I need to make sure each model stays correct to the original.
 
CyberUrso. Thanks for that offer. It would prove extremely useful. Any portraits don't need to be very large. Only 50*50 pixelsand I'm not overly worried how they look to be honest. What kind of mesh quality is in the XWA mod?? I need capital ships that are between 3500 and 6000 polys per one. Fighters are up to around 1500 polys and Bombers around 2500 polys (in the stock game, fighters are nearly always in squadrons between 3 and 12). I have the op2to3ds model converter (have needed it in the past), so thats not a problem.

Howdy,

This is my first shot in a portrait (Kilrathi Emperor 400x400): http://profile.imageshack.us/user/cyberurso/images/detail/#206/kilrathiemperordb3.jpg

It is pretty rough. I want to close with you how you want it to look like and then I will mass produce portraits :D. I can do all main characters of WC3/WC4 if you want or just a sub-set. Your call chap :)

About the poly count in the models in XWA you got me :(. I don't recall the average but I believe it was low.

By looking at the pictures I would guess the models would fall in the lower range:
https://cdn.wcnews.com/shots/ultima/full/xwatc11.jpg
https://cdn.wcnews.com/shots/ultima/full/xwatc5.jpg
https://www.wcnews.com/pictures/othergames/xwa05.jpg

If you want to give a shot all OPTs are here:
http://www.xwlegacy.net/wctc/wctc.zip

Cheers,
Cyberurso
 
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Thanks a million Cyber. Your help has been invaluable. I'll be sure to mention you. I could do with as many portraits as your willing to provide in particular those well known heroes.
 
Thanks a million Cyber. Your help has been invaluable. I'll be sure to mention you. I could do with as many portraits as your willing to provide in particular those well known heroes.

It is a pleasure to help :D

Some portraits:

Generic Confed pilot:
http://profile.imageshack.us/user/cyberurso/images/detail/#440/wcpilotsg8.jpg

Col. Christopher Blair
http://profile.imageshack.us/user/cyberurso/images/detail/#413/wcmaverickig3.jpg

Hobbes:
http://profile.imageshack.us/user/cyberurso/images/detail/#413/wchobbeskk3.jpg

Angel:
http://profile.imageshack.us/user/cyberurso/images/detail/#413/wcangelwl7.jpg

Comments are always appreciated :). I will keep posting more as I make them...

Cheers,
Cyberurso
 
Well the Durango is finally finished. Took about 5 hours to rebuild the entire mesh and re-apply the original textures (man I wish I could make good ones but still). Original poly count was 784 (as shown in the top two images). New poly count is 4892 (as shown in the bottom two images). Although there doesn't seem much difference the new mesh is much smoother as because of the extra mesh detailing (windows, indented engines etc.etc) it does look better when viewed up close. The final ingame version will have proper exhausts (at least I'm hoping as this is something I have relatively low experience with, but I do have a specialised utility which I'm going to put to good use). Next up will be the Hades.

durango4.jpg

durango3.jpg

durango2.jpg

durango1.jpg


Oh note to admins. Loaf. Can you please edit the thread title for the images I'll be posting. Thanks.
 
I sincerely like the original better, especially the shape of the two side "prongs"...
The original lines were more interesting.
 

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Ah well to each his own. I'm not putting stock models into a game that benefits with more defined looks. I think people might have to stop looking at this as a project thats putting models from 97/98 into a game that was made 5 or 6 years later. These models deserve to be brought out of the stone age and more up-to-date which they do whilst retaining the original shaping. To my way of thinking this ship looks far more worthy of being a "heavy" destroyer.
 
Ah well to each his own. I'm not putting stock models into a game that benefits with more defined looks. I think people might have to stop looking at this as a project thats putting models from 97/98 into a game that was made 5 or 6 years later. These models deserve to be brought out of the stone age and more up-to-date which they do whilst retaining the original shaping. To my way of thinking this ship looks far more worthy of being a "heavy" destroyer.

I don't think it's an issue with old vs. new models. I just dont like how you've stretched and elongated the sides. The angles you've put of the sides (engine sections?) are too wide and look wierd. You can add more surfaces to model and more detail without making it all rounded looking, which just isn't the point of a durango.
 
Well I personally do like the new look and seeing as this is MY project, and MY model rebuilds, I'll leave it the way it is, no matter the complaint.
 
Well I personally do like the new look and seeing as this is MY project, and MY model rebuilds, I'll leave it the way it is, no matter the complaint.

That's a piss poor attitude. I'm not saying you need to change anything but you *are* making this for WC fans aren't you? That's hardly the way to treat critism and honest opinions from the very people you supposedly are trying to cater to to start with. If you can't handle something as little as this I'd hate to see what happens the next time you decide something and it gets nit-picked to death.

Don't alienate your audience. Getting all defensive isn't going to win you any fans. Having a vision for your project is essential but so is respecting the material and respecting how other's feel about what that means. Andsimply upping the poly count is a bad reason to "change" stuff because you feel that you know better about what the people that created the design had in mind. I'm sure the durango seen in all the FMV tops your poly count hands down.
 
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