Star Wars: X-Wing Alliance - One In A Million
- Thread starter Fanghawk
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Amen to that. The first video game I ever witnessed with my own eyes was the original X-Wing, and it blew my mind when a looming Star Destroyer filled the entire viewport of the tiny X-wing being flown. Fast forward a couple of years and I got my first ever game of my own, on the family 486:
TIE Fighter. And it ruined all other space sims for me it was so good.
When I saw the Special Edition of TIE Fighter and X-Wing (definitely the best versions) finally become available on GOG, I snapped them up straight away, along with X-Wing vs TIE Fighter and X-Wing Alliance. So far I've nearly finished X-Wing and am about to move on to TIE Fighter again. I look forward immensely to reaching the more personal story in X-Wing Alliance.
TIE Fighter. And it ruined all other space sims for me it was so good.
When I saw the Special Edition of TIE Fighter and X-Wing (definitely the best versions) finally become available on GOG, I snapped them up straight away, along with X-Wing vs TIE Fighter and X-Wing Alliance. So far I've nearly finished X-Wing and am about to move on to TIE Fighter again. I look forward immensely to reaching the more personal story in X-Wing Alliance.
Same thing here. I basically grew up in an X-Wing (and later TIE Fighter) cockpit, (unfortunately?) playing these games before other classic titles like Wing Commander. I could never get into any Wing Commander game because the feeling of being in a starfighter in space is so vastly inferior to X-Wing. And other games with a good simulation component, like Freespace, felt empty and hollow in between missions. Lucas Arts just totally nailed everything.Squilookle said:
I wouldn't say X-Wing Alliance is the best. Obviously, being the last game in the series, it has the most advanced engine. But really every game has something that makes it special. Alliance is probably the best from a storytelling standpoint, whereas I would consider TIE Fighter the best in gameplay and immersion. While X-Wing will always be special for being the game that started it all and got so many things right out of the box.
Oh man, playing an X-Wing game with VR goggles on, being immersed in a Star Wars fighter ship, that's like a childhood dream come true.
Alliance was good on many levels but it had a few small issues.
1.The personal storyline regarding the family is left incomplete. There's a whole thing about members of your family getting captured by the empire early on and you trying to track the down and rescue them. By the time the game ends, one of them(I believe it's your uncle) is still missing and the game never bothers to give you any closure on this. I'm pretty sure it was planned to have it resolved in an expansion which never materialized(for reasons).
2. The battle of Endor, while cool that they tried to include it, felt disappointing to me. I don't know if it's because they couldn't use Billy Dee Williams voice and had to settle for someone doing a bad imitation of him for Lando's lines or what but the whole thing felt fairly lackluster for what was supposed to be the big finale.
There's also the problem is that instead of playing the character you were playing the entire game, this time your playing as someone else flying the Falcon during the final battle and I'm not sure if it's supposed to be Lando or the little alien guy(don't remember his name) or what but it's kind of jarring really.
I remember when I first finished Tie Fighter and being disappointed that the Battle of Endor is mentioned at the end as about to being but you're not allowed to be in it. After X-Wing:Alliance that no longer bothers me, seeing what happens when they actually showed it.
1.The personal storyline regarding the family is left incomplete. There's a whole thing about members of your family getting captured by the empire early on and you trying to track the down and rescue them. By the time the game ends, one of them(I believe it's your uncle) is still missing and the game never bothers to give you any closure on this. I'm pretty sure it was planned to have it resolved in an expansion which never materialized(for reasons).
2. The battle of Endor, while cool that they tried to include it, felt disappointing to me. I don't know if it's because they couldn't use Billy Dee Williams voice and had to settle for someone doing a bad imitation of him for Lando's lines or what but the whole thing felt fairly lackluster for what was supposed to be the big finale.
There's also the problem is that instead of playing the character you were playing the entire game, this time your playing as someone else flying the Falcon during the final battle and I'm not sure if it's supposed to be Lando or the little alien guy(don't remember his name) or what but it's kind of jarring really.
I remember when I first finished Tie Fighter and being disappointed that the Battle of Endor is mentioned at the end as about to being but you're not allowed to be in it. After X-Wing:Alliance that no longer bothers me, seeing what happens when they actually showed it.
Just the mention of this is enough to make me dig out my joystick and play the game.
I was always heartbroken that I could never get the tie fighter total conversion mod for xwa to work.
I'm amused there's basically no mention of x-wing vs tie fighter; basically the story-less middle child that had the b-wing and super star destroyer as add-ons.
I loved xwa for the graphics, ai, and story; but I still think tie fighter was the best overall with a wider story and all of the imperial intrigue and such. In many ways, I'm still trying to find a game like those but nothing has that magic.
I would buy a vr headset in a heartbeat if it meant I could look around in the cockpit of a tie interceptor as I blew away rebels.
The modded ships are totally worth the effort, though. I still can't get over just how well that game engine holds up when you start putting in models that have more polygons than everything in pretty much the vanilla game; especially with how big you can make some of the battles.
I was always heartbroken that I could never get the tie fighter total conversion mod for xwa to work.
I'm amused there's basically no mention of x-wing vs tie fighter; basically the story-less middle child that had the b-wing and super star destroyer as add-ons.
I loved xwa for the graphics, ai, and story; but I still think tie fighter was the best overall with a wider story and all of the imperial intrigue and such. In many ways, I'm still trying to find a game like those but nothing has that magic.
I would buy a vr headset in a heartbeat if it meant I could look around in the cockpit of a tie interceptor as I blew away rebels.
Word of the wise, if you want to do some lan multiplayer, you have to make sure you and the other person have the exact same files otherwise the difference in exe will make them incompatible.Ralancian said:
The modded ships are totally worth the effort, though. I still can't get over just how well that game engine holds up when you start putting in models that have more polygons than everything in pretty much the vanilla game; especially with how big you can make some of the battles.
Same here. I first played x-wing on a demo computer in a radio shack. Then a year or two later I played tie fighter at a friend's house. As soon as my family got a computer I picked up tie fighter and I've been wearing out joysticks ever since.Squilookle said:
I was a bit disappointed, too; the game engine could have handled a large scale battle, although few computers of the time could have. I always thought it was implied that your character in Tie Fighter died at the battle of endor, which is why you didn't get to play that mission. It's been a long time since I played the game, so I'm not sure if the expansion had you fighting after the battle of endor or possibly during (which would be another reason to have missed it).Dalisclock said:
I'll always hold xwing-alliance in high regard.
Among the many reasons to do so, for me at least, would be the level where you take part in a full multi squadron attempt to bring down an imperial star destroyer and its full compliment of fighters.
My memory may be playing tricks on me but I'm sure it took place with an asteroid field in the background.
Now this had been done in other games in the series, but never before had it looked so good and never before had the engine been able to render the full compliment of fighters being arrayed against each other in the battle.
I truly hope we see something in the new wave of starwars games that captures the feeling and excitement of the xwing series in some way.
Among the many reasons to do so, for me at least, would be the level where you take part in a full multi squadron attempt to bring down an imperial star destroyer and its full compliment of fighters.
My memory may be playing tricks on me but I'm sure it took place with an asteroid field in the background.
Now this had been done in other games in the series, but never before had it looked so good and never before had the engine been able to render the full compliment of fighters being arrayed against each other in the battle.
I truly hope we see something in the new wave of starwars games that captures the feeling and excitement of the xwing series in some way.
It's been something like 10 years for me but I seem to remember the words "upcoming battle at endor" mentioned very near the end of the game but your final mission is tying up the loose end with Zaarin and his splinter faction.flying_whimsy said:
Okay, so according to the entry at Wookiepedia on that mission, you were attached to Thrawns strike force out in the ass end of the galaxy and Thrawn(and ergo, you as well) were assigned to operate out there while Endor was taking place. Considering the battle at Endor was supposed to be a Curb stomp for the Imperials, that makes sense.
Too bad the elite of the Imperial Army armed with lasers and tanks completely failed at guarding a door against Teddy Bears armed with spears and rocks.
So I picked up the 4pack from GOG and I'm loving XWA. I'm struggling a bit with the first mission with the Rebellion though. I think I've now got my strategy sorted though. Turns out ignoring the convoy escorts is a bad idea, then when I finally decided to take them out first, the convoy escaped while I rearmed. This game does not hold your hand, and I appreciate that.
Not only that, but there are also full on remakes of X-Wing 1 and Tie Fighter for Alliance, complete with up to date graphics. Looks amazing, and Tie Fighter is easily the best of the bunch.Ralancian said:
Nah, I nearly had it on a few attempts. I think I can get it done with a little more practiceRalancian said: