Wing Commander ARENA: IT'S OUT NOW!!1

Stormwatcher · July 2007

As any Wing Commander fan knows, the first new Wing Commander game in years is about to be released on Xbox Live Arcade.

Even though it's not a full, 3D space fighter simulator, Arena is a nice arcade game, featuring several gameplay modes and some very cool graphics, far better than any other XBLA game.

The game itself is similar to subspace, where several ships fly around in a 2D plane shooting each other. It looks great, and it is really, really faithful to the whole Wing Commander Universe fiction.

Well, there's a lot more info on the game in the WC CIC, the site where Wing Commander fans get together.
They also have an official link to the really freaking cool 64-pages manual that EA made for the game and just released. So, go here, download the manual and read more about Arena.

The manual follows the WC tradition of being a in-game magazine, and is filled to the brim with easter eggs and names of fans (like me:D).

PS: I'm no shill, I'm just a Wing Commander fan.

zilo · July 2007

I would totally buy Maniac's book based on the cover alone.

Aoi · July 2007

Wow, that manual really is a big pile of old school style Wing Commander win.

Dr_Keenbean · July 2007

I've been keeping an eye on this game since I first got wind of it. So fucking bought.

Der Waffle Mous · July 2007

Aha.

They even got a Crusader reference in there.

Edit: Ahahaha. Privateer 2: The Darkening got burned.

Zombiemambo · July 2007

Oh man, this is so nerdy. It'd be pretty sweet if the magazines of the future were actually something like that.

Stormwatcher · July 2007

Yeah, the Maniac book is one of my favorites. They actually worked with the fan community in order to get every last detail right, and most names in that manual that aren't from the games are actually members of the said fan community.

This manual is really a fucking love letter from the WCA devs to the fans. I really hope that Arena is just the first step in a franchise come-back.

Bamelin · July 2007

This is really cool.

antifood · July 2007

I would kill for Privateer 2. What is Chris Roberts up to these days, is he involved with this project? Wiki says he is making movies.

AlienCowThatMoos · July 2007

antifood wrote: »

I would kill for Privateer 2. What is Chris Roberts up to these days, is he involved with this project? Wiki says he is making movies.

You mean aside from Privateer 2?

Smudge · July 2007

I am a huge Wing Commander whore, but this is more of a Star Control game. I am also a Star Control whore though, so I am somewhat happy.

I want a 3d space action Wing Commander game though. One that lets me plug in a flightstick (a pc usb one with force feedback)

antifood · July 2007

AlienCowThatMoos wrote: »

antifood wrote: »

I would kill for Privateer 2. What is Chris Roberts up to these days, is he involved with this project? Wiki says he is making movies.

You mean aside from Privateer 2?

Wooow. I thought Privateer 2 was canceled. I had no idea that was released. I thought Wing Commander Armada was the last PC game. Is Privateer 2 any good?

Stormwatcher · July 2007

Smudge wrote: »

I am a huge Wing Commander whore, but this is more of a Star Control game. I am also a Star Control whore though, so I am somewhat happy.

I want a 3d space action Wing Commander game though. One that lets me plug in a flightstick (a pc usb one with force feedback)

I would prefer a full 3D WC game, too, but I do believe that Arena is just the first step. Like C&C 1st Decade did for Command & Conquer. And that manual is an example of the level of commitment that the team has.

I'd rather have Arena than nothing, and if the game is a success, it might spell good things for the series.

darleysam · July 2007

:shock:

antifood wrote: »

AlienCowThatMoos wrote: »

antifood wrote: »

I would kill for Privateer 2. What is Chris Roberts up to these days, is he involved with this project? Wiki says he is making movies.

You mean aside from Privateer 2?

Wooow. I thought Privateer 2 was canceled. I had no idea that was released. I thought Wing Commander Armada was the last PC game. Is Privateer 2 any good?

:shock:

why.. yes, yes it is good. How many years have you been under that rock?

Stormwatcher · July 2007

antifood wrote: »

AlienCowThatMoos wrote: »

antifood wrote: »

I would kill for Privateer 2. What is Chris Roberts up to these days, is he involved with this project? Wiki says he is making movies.

You mean aside from Privateer 2?

Wooow. I thought Privateer 2 was canceled. I had no idea that was released. I thought Wing Commander Armada was the last PC game. Is Privateer 2 any good?

Armada was only the FIRST full 3D polygonal WC game.

they made WC3, 4, Prophecy,Secret Ops and Prophecy Advance after that.

Not to mention the total conversion mods Unknown Enemy, Standoff, WC Saga and Gemini: Privateer Gold.

And Priv2 is really good, even though it doesn't feel very wing commander-ish. It takes place in an isolated part of the universe.

You should play them all.

Pej · July 2007

Wow, this manual really takes me back to the old days. Awesome stuff.

Parkingtigers · July 2007

Wing Commander was the last great space combat sim. Nothing since has offered such a pure experience, much to my regret.

VoodooV · July 2007

Kudos to whoever wrote that manual. Though it loses points for keeping the whole Pilgrim bullshit alive

Man, forced to play a 2D shooter to get my WC fix. So depressing.

Stormwatcher · July 2007

VoodooV wrote: »

Kudos to whoever wrote that manual. Though it loses points for keeping the whole Pilgrim bullshit alive

Man, forced to play a 2D shooter to get my WC fix. So depressing.

Well, the pilgrims are canonical, so they didn't have a choice.

And the game is probably going to be pretty fun. It's better than having no WC at all.

antifood · July 2007

I thought Armada came out after WC4. I guess I got the dates mixed up. Anyway, good to know Privateer 2 exists. Thanks guys

Der Waffle Mous · July 2007

Stormwatcher wrote: »

antifood wrote: »

AlienCowThatMoos wrote: »

antifood wrote: »

I would kill for Privateer 2. What is Chris Roberts up to these days, is he involved with this project? Wiki says he is making movies.

You mean aside from Privateer 2?

Wooow. I thought Privateer 2 was canceled. I had no idea that was released. I thought Wing Commander Armada was the last PC game. Is Privateer 2 any good?

And Priv2 is really good, even though it doesn't feel very wing commander-ish. It takes place in an isolated part of the universe.

You should play them all.

I don't even think it takes part in the same universe any more. I mean, sure they said it was on the other side of the galaxy, but it has this wierd-ass chronology with it, like Anhur being humanity's homeworld and whatnot.

Besides, the manual says it was a work of fiction inside the WC universe, which kinda works.

And you get to play Clive Owen.

Norgoth · July 2007

You know, from what ive seen of these game, it looks kinda like a Lylat wars style thing ( in all range mode) but set in the WC universe.

Thats pretty awsome.

VoodooV · July 2007

Stormwatcher wrote: »

VoodooV wrote: »

Kudos to whoever wrote that manual. Though it loses points for keeping the whole Pilgrim bullshit alive

Man, forced to play a 2D shooter to get my WC fix. So depressing.

Well, the pilgrims are canonical, so they didn't have a choice.

And the game is probably going to be pretty fun. It's better than having no WC at all.

you're not wrong at all. I probably will find it fun. I mean hell, I even found X-Com Enforcer to be marginally enjoyable. But it shouldn't have to come to this. We SHOULD have another full 3D space sim.

Though to be fair, The WC universe is rather played out. The Nephilum aren't great bad guys, and The Kilrathi are just Klingons in cat outfits. But still, the whole Mark Hamil / Tom Wilson interactions were pure gold. GOLD I tell you!

Stormwatcher · July 2007

VoodooV wrote: »

Stormwatcher wrote: »

VoodooV wrote: »

Kudos to whoever wrote that manual. Though it loses points for keeping the whole Pilgrim bullshit alive

Man, forced to play a 2D shooter to get my WC fix. So depressing.

Well, the pilgrims are canonical, so they didn't have a choice.

And the game is probably going to be pretty fun. It's better than having no WC at all.

you're not wrong at all. I probably will find it fun. I mean hell, I even found X-Com Enforcer to be marginally enjoyable. But it shouldn't have to come to this. We SHOULD have another full 3D space sim.

Though to be fair, The WC universe is rather played out. The Nephilum aren't great bad guys, and The Kilrathi are just Klingons in cat outfits. But still, the whole Mark Hamil / Tom Wilson interactions were pure gold. GOLD I tell you!

Maybe if we all buy Arena, EA will make another full 3D space sim?

Smudge · July 2007

Wow, to that guy who missed privateer 2, if you missed WC Prophecy, then you have some playing to do. In my opinion it had the best enemy ship designs in space shooter history. The Manta with it's army of sattelite ships, the one with the three small ships that formed into the monster bomber... Prioritizing targets was a huge key to success, and harassing the miniships enough to keep them from forming up. Oh, and swarmer missiles are pure joy.

Too bad the baddies inside the ships were pretty generic space insect flood. But ah well, you are fighting the ships after all, not the things inside.

I think a Halo universe space combat game could be fun as well.

Saved · July 2007

You guys could try the Wing Commander Saga port that the Freespace 2 guys are working on.

It's the TCS Victory!

Explosions!

Stormwatcher · July 2007

Saved wrote: »

You guys could try the Wing Commander Saga port that the Freespace 2 guys are working on.
It's the TCS Victory!
Explosions!

Well, it's not a port, it's a new game. And it's a whole new team, it's not related to FS2 or the SCP.
And that's not really the Victory, but the mod is pretty damn cool.

They already release the first chapter. It's really good.

Saved · July 2007

haha um... 1 out of like 5 ain't bad? I haven't actually had a chance to really check it out yet, I've just been thrilled to find that people still play FS2.

Htown · July 2007

Parkingtigers wrote: »

Wing Commander was the last great space combat sim. Nothing since has offered such a pure experience, much to my regret.

Freespace 2 is going to beam-cannon you in the eye for that.

Smudge · July 2007

Freespace 2 was a great space combat game, but the storyline just put me to sleep, and the enemy ship designs were pretty generic. They did have HUUUUGE going for them though, and huge is good.

I liked the storyline presentation better in the WC games.

Aoi · July 2007

Smudge wrote: »

Freespace 2 was a great space combat game, but the storyline just put me to sleep, and the enemy ship designs were pretty generic. They did have HUUUUGE going for them though, and huge is good.

I liked the storyline presentation better in the WC games.

As goofy a detail as it is to notice, I loved the way the clusters of missles moved. It was very Macross.

rayofash · July 2007

This reminds me of the SpaceQuest manuals.

hawkbox · July 2007

This is almost enough to make me buy an Xbox360.

antifood · July 2007

I beat 4 when it came out. Just some how missed Privateer 2. Thanks for the info! I think that at one point in time, shortly after UO was released, Origin was working on a Wing Commander online game. Does anyone have any images or info on this long canceled project?

Stormwatcher · July 2007

antifood wrote: »

I beat 4 when it came out. Just some how missed Privateer 2. Thanks for the info! I think that at one point in time, shortly after UO was released, Origin was working on a Wing Commander online game. Does anyone have any images or info on this long canceled project?

They had more than one online WC project canceled.

The CIC (www.wcnews.com) has a lot of material from those projects, including the "WC Writer's Bible"...

Just check it, they have mostly everything that has ever surfaced.

VoodooV · July 2007

so does anyone know how this game will play?

it looks like a lot of the ships are just upgraded models of each other. like there is a basic Arrow, a better looking Arrow, then the uber-Arrow. Same with the other types of ships.

so like, is it semi-RPGish where you earn points to buy better ships or something?

RichardTauber · July 2007

I spent a whole summer playing the living shit out of Wing Commander 4. When Kilrathi Saga was released I proceeded to annihiliate the first 3.

The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.

RainbowDespair · July 2007

I probably won't pick up this game (it looks like a multiplayer oriented title and I'm more of a single player fan), but I have to admit that that is the sweetest manual I've seen since I purchased SMT: Devil Summoner last year.

Jacobkosh · July 2007

Oh my god, is that the Silencer? It is!

Fucking EA cockteases. Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck. I mean, this manual is awesome, but it's sort of depressing too, y'know? I've worked long and hard to try and forget that there used to be games as awesome as Origin's.

Stormwatcher · July 2007

jacobkosh wrote: »

Oh my god, is that the Silencer? It is!

Fucking EA cockteases. Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck. I mean, this manual is awesome, but it's sort of depressing too, y'know? I've worked long and hard to try and forget that there used to be games as awesome as Origin's.

That's kinda true, but we ARE getting a new WC game, and who knows if that's not a sign of things (wing commander) to come? Not much hope for crusader, though.

Jacobkosh · July 2007

Don't mind me, I'm just in full on grouchy old man mode. I just find a lot of modern gaming tedious beyond belief and I'm sad that there's no longer a company that caters to my tastes as well as Origin did.

Penny Arcade

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