Would you be interested???

Hey, I'm just posting this to get an idea of how people would respond to this project before I actually start trying to figure it out more. I'm not even sure it could work effectively, but it's just a thought. Please give me your opinion on whether or not you would enjoy participating in something like this... I already have some support from several wing commander fans.

3 aspects to "Markham Dark: Wing Commander"

#1 - Online Aspect
#2 - Personal Software Aspect
#3 - Flight Aspect
-----------------------
#4 - Random Notes

#1 - Online Aspect
The online aspect of the game will be a public relations variable of sorts. It should contain information on how the proccess of "Markham Dark" works, and how to join. It should provide the members of the game with vital files and accessories for download, including editors, add-ons, and the personal software package. The online aspect will have recent news, and updated story line for the game. Also, a seperate interactive carrier website will be created, featuring the current flight roster (AI & Human Players), command crew, an up to date killboard, ships database, archives of missions flown posted for view, etc...

#2 - Personal Software Aspect
Essentially the catalyst for the interactive experience. This will be created by me using Visual Basic and several multi-media aspects to make a virtual carrier, the TCS Markham. It will, in effect, act as a normal wing commander game does in between flight missions. The introduction will show the ripped avi from "Super Wing Commander" of a personal shuttle landing on a new Lexington-class Heavy Carrier (suggesting that the carrier is the TCS Markham, not the TCS Tiger's Claw). Then it will move into a split screen where the user must choose between logging in as a registered pilot or crew, or an unregistered visitor. Of coarse, the registered users will be allowed more features. If visitor mode is chosen, it will move directly into the lift, where the user can navigate to different unrestricted parts of the ship. If the user enters in registered user mode, they will be required to enter their callsign and then given password. Then an avi of their eye (Blue, Green, Brown, according to pilot profile) being scanned will be shown and they will find themselves in the lift, with access to all areas of the Markham; Recreational Deck (Bar, Killboard), Barracks (Locker, Main Computer Terminal), and Flight Deck (Show Room, Intel, and Exit). The music in each area will be handpicked from the midi's of Wing Commander 2, Wing Commander Privateer, and Wing Commander Armada featured for download in the WC-CIC Music section.

#3 - Flight Aspect
The flight aspect will be based in the "Wing Commander Armada" flight engine, which is basically the WC3/WC4 engine, running at 320 x 480 (instead of 640 x 480). In order to have maximum potential, the proving grounds add-on will be used for the IPX network funcionality, and run over Kali.net to be played on the internet (also chosen for the capability to have 6 players at once, and cool-ass asteroids).

#4 - Random Notes
Cheating is impossible with the armedit program unless all parties make the same adjustments, due to the Armada multi-player capablity highly relying on synchronicity to run. All edits must be authorized before-hand, or the pilot will simply not fly, and as such ruin the mission for others as well. It is better to fly by the rules than not fly at all.
All multi-media (including flight engine) should resemble the period between Wc2 and Wc3, in an attempt to make the game as authentic as possible and include an element of nostalgia, it's just cool that way.
In the event of ANY continuity issues between games the pre-wc3 explanation will be accepted, unless stated specifically otherwise by Markham Dark. (ex; Reaper Cannon Pre-WC3 inflicts major damage, Reaper Cannon WC3 has fast refire rate... so Reaper Cannon Markham Dark inflicts major damage)
The only fighters that make any sense to use so far are the Arrow and Hellcat, because all the rest don't really fit into the timeline very comfortably.
I would need some help with images of the bar, barracks, and flight deck... so any 3d artist's work would be greatly appreciated.:)
 
Originally posted by Corsair(pilot)
landing on a new Lexington-class Heavy Carrier (suggesting that the carrier is the TCS Markham, not the TCS Tiger's Claw).

Actually, the "Claw" was a Bengal-class carrier, not Lexington-class; thus it *wouldn't* be mistaken for the Markham (not by an experienced WC fan, anyway)

Originally posted by Corsair(pilot)
and cool-ass asteroids
Shouldn't that be "cool-ass(teroids)"?...

Parts of this sound a lot like the idea I posted here some months ago for a "Wing Commander Complete Interactive Technical Reference". The basic premise is similar to a title actually published for Star Trek (TNG) some years back: If yer interested in seeing how THEY did it, you can pick up a copy of this at your local Electronics Boutique for ~$20. It comes in a collection called the "Star Fleet Gift Pak" (or something similar to that).

Anyway, it sounds like a great idea. I can be of some help with the modeling aspect of it, since I've already created 3d scenes of the WC1 barracks & bar. Just let me know at:
mohawk1@operamail.com
thanx.
 
i like the idea
Anyway, it sounds like a great idea.

Thanks guys.

Actually, the "Claw" was a Bengal-class carrier, not Lexington-class; thus it *wouldn't* be mistaken for the Markham (not by an experienced WC fan, anyway)

Yeah, but the models for the TCS Tiger's Claw (SWC) and TCS Lexington (WCArm) are the same. Though the Armada version in the flight engine looks a little fatter and isn't green (it's grey), in the cut scenes it's unmistakable. So I figure anybody who hasn't played SWC won't know the difference, it'll just pass as the Lexington Class, and more specifically, the Markham. It's kind of cheap I know, but hey, it does the job quite well once the soundtrack is replaced. LOL :D
 
hhmmmm.... i wouldn't mind flying the WC Film Rapier, also possible include some hidden ships, i.e. if you get X number of kills you are able to fly an extra ship, so when played online people have an extra goal
 
Originally posted by Corsair(pilot)


Yeah, but the models for the TCS Tiger's Claw (SWC) and TCS Lexington (WCArm) are the same. Though the Armada version in the flight engine looks a little fatter and isn't green (it's grey), in the cut scenes it's unmistakable. So I figure anybody who hasn't played SWC won't know the difference, it'll just pass as the Lexington Class,

Ah-there's the wrinkle: SWC. I,m not a Mac guy, and so never played it (though I did buy it once, only to return it when I found out there was no way I could, um "convert" it so that I could play it on my PC...oh well).

I do have Armada, but have only played it sparsely. I recall, however, seeing a pic of the Terran carrier (The Lex, I assume) in the "Voices Of War" manual. Definitely different from the carriers in the other WC games.

BTW, does anyone know of a way to be ABLE to run SWC on your PC (just a shot in the dark, but it's worth a shot)??...
 
uh corsair that shuttle animahas already been ripped by loaf BTW the lexington and bengal models are not the same... I studied them up close.. those idiots at ea used the same high poly model for the cut scenes... but ingame they use two different things... the ingame lexington is shorter and missing parts that the bengal has.... Uh preacher... go rebuy SWC mac ... I've been running it on my pc for about a month now... I use the bassilisk 2 jit emulator.. and I hope to release a package as soon as I get broadband, that will let everyone use it.
 
uh corsair that shuttle animahas already been ripped by loaf BTW the lexington and bengal models are not the same... I studied them up close.. those idiots at ea used the same high poly model for the cut scenes... but ingame they use two different things... the ingame lexington is shorter and missing parts that the bengal has....

Yeah, that's what everybody keeps assuming, but like I said before;

Though the Armada version in the flight engine looks a little fatter and isn't green (it's grey), in the cut scenes it's unmistakable

It's the same model, only not much detail given to it. In the Armada engine everything looks a bit different than in the pictures & cut scenes... I guess it was some things they needed to work out with the then-new 3d engine. Things are missing on everything too, you can't see the guns on any fighters, but that doesn't mean that it's a different fighter.:) Though I can see why some might say it is "different".
 
Originally posted by Darkmage
(... )I use the bassilisk 2 jit emulator.. and I hope to release a package as soon as I get broadband, that will let everyone use it.

But that Basilisk software is only for people who own a MAC OS, right? It'd be indeed cool if you'd make some tool to lket everybody play it on a PC. :)
 
ah, mekt... you don't have to own a mac os, APPLE have released Mac OS up to version 8.1 for free to anyone who wants them.... the package I am creating comes with everything setup including OS8 with SWC already installed
 
Originally posted by Darkmage
ah, mekt... you don't have to own a mac os, APPLE have released Mac OS up to version 8.1 for free to anyone who wants them.... the package I am creating comes with everything setup including OS8 with SWC already installed

WOW... Sounds like a great deal. Be sure & keep us posted on this, willya?...

...'Course, there's still the hurdle of having to get y'self *Mac* Hardware to install it on... Got any workarounds for that, smart guy?...:D
 
Originally posted by Preacher
...'Course, there's still the hurdle of having to get y'self *Mac* Hardware to install it on... Got any workarounds for that, smart guy?...
Pay attention, man :). He mentioned Mac emulation software :p.
 
Are you guys on crack? you need NO MAC HARDWARE it's an emulator, it uses disk images to simulate a mac hard drive, and it reads the SWC cd off your d drive... I am releasing disk images with os 8.1 presetup with SWC installed... you just put the fil,es on your hard drive, run bassilisk 2... put your SWC cd in.. and go... the software does the rest... once in the mac OS click on the SWC icon.. it's a pic of a dralthi...
 
Originally posted by Darkmage
ah, mekt... you don't have to own a mac os, APPLE have released Mac OS up to version 8.1 for free to anyone who wants them.... the package I am creating comes with everything setup including OS8 with SWC already installed

Cool. Any particular link I should follow or just the official Apple site?
Thanks
 
um... it's off of emulation sites... there is one address i could give you... they do have some great links, mac.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ the links section is great for mac emulation...
 
Err, I think there's something wrong with the address... . Had the page perhaps some contents that violated one of the rules here?
 
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