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1990-09-29
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W i n g C o m m a n d e r
Quick Docs by The Byter
An Alternative Release
Introduction
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wing Commander is a brand new simulator game from Origin, and boy is it
hot! The sound and graphics of this game are QUITE impressive, and I would go
so far as to recommend that everyone actually go out and BUY this package, to
support the industry and support the development of more games such as this one.
It will support EGA and Tandy 16-color modes, but really shows off its stuff in
the 256-color MCGA mode. The game takes advantage of a number of sound cards,
including specific support for the SoundBlaster. Control can be done by
joystick, keyboard, or mouse (mouse control is quite well done). To top off
these features, Wing Commander will actually use Expanded memory if you have
it, which I beleive is a first for games.
Crack Notes
~~~~~~~~~~~
Congratulations to INC for getting this one out. I have heard that THG
has double released INC on this one, but Jenetic Bytemare's INC crack is fully
functional, and I will certify that it is a good crack with no problems. The
THG crack is probably just as good, but as I have not seen it, I will not make
any assumptions.
Installation
~~~~~~~~~~~~
This game isn't as friendly as many, in that you can just unzip it into
a directory and run. It wants to know which (floppy) you are installing it
from, so you'll either need to use floppies or use SUBST and a program switcher
to trick it.
You will be asked first for the graphics mode. Select EGA, Tandy, or
256-color MCGA.
Next you will be prompted for the storage method. Do you wish for the
files to be compressed on the disk (which will take about 3.5 megs for MCGA/
Soundblaster) or uncompressed to save time (a little over 5 megabytes). If you
have a fast machine, go for the compressed. I do not notice any speed drop
with my 33MHz 386.
Lastly you'll be asked for sound. Select No Sound, PC Speaker, Adlib,
SoundBlaster, or Roland. Adlib sounds a little more clipped than SoundBlaster,
but it might be my imagination.
If you decide you want to change sound after installing, just run the
install program again, and it'll update your CFG file quickly. If you convert
to different graphics from MCGA, however, it will destory your MCGA files and
you will have to use the original install method again. EGA isn't worth
installing "just to see how bad it is", as it really is pretty awful in comp-
arison.
Playing the Game
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When you first start up the game, you'll see the orchestra preparing
the intro music and such. After that finishes, you will be given three options
(only two if you have no saved game):
--Begin Vega Campaign - Start a new character on the current scenario
--Continue Vega Campaign - Return to the barracks to load a saved game
--Start Secret Missions - Allows you to use additional data disks which have
not yet been released.
Aboard the Tiger's Claw
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When you begin the game, you will be aboard a vessel called the Tiger's
Claw. You will be at the end of a video game, and will be asked to enter your
last name and your callsign (handle). Go ahead and enter these, as this is
your name for the rest of the game. Once you do that, you'll get to wander
around the ship and do whatever you like. There are only a few rooms, with a
limited number of activities you can do in each:
The Bar - Things you can do in the bar include the following:
--Play a simulation game (over to the right of the screen) to pit yourself
against various enemy vessels and get a feel for them.
--Look at the pilot's scores - you will be listed at the bottom when you start,
with 0 sorties (flights) and 0 kills. As you accrue kills, you'll go up.
--Talk to Shotglass, the bartender. He'll usually tell you a bit about some of
the other folks who are in the bar, occasionally about the enemy.
--Talk to XXX. There will usually be one or two other pilots seated at the
table. You can talk to them by clicking on them, and they'll usually reflect
on your performance, theorize about enemy thinking and strategy, warn you
about working with some of the others, etc.
--Go to barracks. This exits the bar and takes you to the next room.
The Barracks:
--Click on the lockers at the back of the room to see your medals. For the
egoists out there.
--Click on the left wall to enter the bar
--Click on the airlock to exit to DOS.
--There are eight beds arranged in the barracks. At the beginning, they will
all be empty. You can save games by clicking on an empty (or occupied) bed.
To restore a game, click on the head of the sleeping "game" character.
--To enter the mission hangar, click on the right exit from the room.
Mission Hangar:
When you enter the mission hangar, you will be assigned a mission. Usually you
will be given another pilot to fly with, although sometimes you'll have to go
alone. Pay attention the first time you go on a certain mission, but on repeat
missions you can hit ESCAPE to abort it. You may also want to abort the scene
where you are running to your ship, as it takes a while and gets obnoxious.
Missions will range from dull patrols to engaging enemy spacecraft to attacking
enemy battleships to playing "pirate" on enemy transports, and protecting your
own transports/battleships from enemy forces.
Combat
~~~~~~
Combat is the meat of Wing Commander. The goals of the different
missions are varried, but the basic premise is the same: Destroy enemy ships,
and protect your own (meaning your flight buddy and your transports and battle
ships as well as your own hide).
The combat is fairly intuitive. You have a central crosshair which
is what your guns will aim at. There is another white crosshair, which is your
steering device. Move it in the direction you wish to turn, etc.
The displays for the cockpits of different ships are different, and I
see little need to detail them here. Get used to where you'll find your
scanner, computer displays, fuel/weapon charges, etc.
The keyboard commands you can use while in combat include:
<,> : Rotate your vessel on its axis
W : Change weapon, if you have more than one type of missile.
T : Target. This will change your current target information to another
ship.
P : Pauses the game.
C/R : Fire a missile
A : Auto Pilot. Use this to move to another NAV point.
D : Damage report.
G : Guns display.
L : Lock-on to target
C : Chat with your wing mate, enemy ships, home base, or whatever. You will
be given a choice of things to say.
V : Suppress or enable video images.
N : Navigational computer. Brings up the map you saw in your briefing, and
lets you select a new destination.
M : Change message speed.
+,- : Increase or decrease speed.
*,TB: Speed boost. Good for quick getaways.
^V : Display version number.
^M : Toggle music on or off.
^E : Eject from your ship. Earn a Golden Sun medal. Save your ass.
F1 : Select forward cockpit view.
F2 : Select left cockpit view.
F3 : Select right cockpit view.
F4 : Select rear cockpit view.
F5 : Outside ship view.
F6 : Distance view.
F7 : Missile camera view.
F9 : View from other vessels.
Mouse control works quite well. Press the left button to fire. Press and hold
the right button to rotate. Press both buttons to launch a missile.
Afterword
~~~~~~~~~
Hopefully these quick docs will help get you underway with Wing
Commander. It is a quite good game, and of very high quality. Well worth
investing a lot of time and a few bucks into.
Greetings go out to:
Touch Tone : Hey - getting into IBM crap now, eh? We need more quality here..
R Bubba Magillicutty : How's your program going?
The Slavelord : Is it true you've joined PE?
Phantom, Cool Hand, The Reaper : Thanks for making Celerity #1 with INC.
The Mind : Keep the quality of TPS up. Don't let it fall.
Call these cool CelerityNet boards:
Running Celerity:
The Lexicon XTC Midnite Oil I
The Theory The Proving Grounds Chaotic Paradise
The Sonic Temple Overkill Infinite Illusion
The Rocky Mountains The Zombie Zoo The Birds Nest
The Cassandra Complex The Cryptic Morgue The Dark Side
Elm St
Running Havok:
Edge of Sanity Darkwell The Crystal Prism
The Seventh Sign
CelerityNet - the new pirate net