[Christos ESQ]

 Hail All -

So I have Just Completed The Darkest Dawn Campaign only Nearly Half a Decade after I first Downloaded it in 2016 and Nearly an Entire Decade after it's Initial Release, so I don't image many to still be Checking This Forum (that bit was intitally meant for the WCS Forums however for some reason it's not letting me post over there even tho I am logged in, tsk)... So I recently came across a few clips on Youtube which featured the WCS Mission Interface, The Gwenhyvar Encounter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPey5F7SSVU  - which had the seemed to have Elements of WCS, ie the HUD and the Mission Select Screens et al but also appeared to have featured some Throwback Graphics and Another Clip which had Wing Commander 4 Cut Scenes but then Switched the Same Unmistakable WCS Mission Interface and WCS Gameplay (don't have the link to that clip at present)....which leads to my Query, does anyone know where I might find these (what I am Deducing are Stand Alone?) Missions and if so, the method I would take to make them appear when selecting via the Campaign Screen?  I suppose I haven't totally scoured the Various Forums for Additional WCS Content, but I thought I would see if there is a Resource Floating Around Out There that I could be Pointed Toward to Assist in my Search for Additional WCS Content... Or is it Fruitless?

Shall I just Move On to another FSO Engine Based Game?  If so, do y'all have any Recommendations for someone who prefers the WCS Gameplay and Graphics (Very Well Done WCS Design Team if any of Y'all are Spying this Post, tut!)?  I am Considering Diaspora or maybe just Giving the Ole Freespace Two a Whirl with a HOTAS this Time, I'm pretty sure the First Time I tackled it it was either with Mouse et Keyboard or a Single Joystick like a Old School Thrustmaster (remember the No Frills Tan and Black Number) or a Sidewinder, I have had a Few b'fore upgrading to the Saitek X52 Pro. 

I particularly liked how seemlessly my HOTAS worked with WCS, as it was my First Time using a Throttle and Stick, and again, I may be incorrectly deducing here but for some reason I just don't think that Some of the Other Fan-Created Offerings will be as Smooth in that Arena, but I will happily be proved wrong on that Point should Another Game via this Engine fit the Bill. 

If anyone who  is Still Roaming around this here Forum and Could Offer any Insight, We Greatly Appreciate the Direction.

Thank Ya Kindly ~

[Novachen]

Well, if you have checked the video description of the video you have linked here... you may have found WCHF Assets/tech demo pack already, where this mission is part of. 
The download link there is still valid.

In the Tech Room you can go in the Mission Simulator and then you can select Single Missions.

The Wing Commander IV Tech Demo was here released as well. However there seems to be only this one still available. This one was rereleased for the FSO-compatible version of WCS. No idea, if this one is still compatible to the standalone version.

[Christos ESQ]

Thanks for the Swift Reply, Novachen... Same Day No Less, wasn't Expecting That given that is a Decade after These Missions were Created!

And Yeah, I had already planned on putting my Ask for more Content to the WCSaga Forums (alas it's not letting me post in there for some reason despite having posted Joystick Related Question in the past) before I came across the Gwenyhvar youtube clip for the Second Time but I do remember seeing it and the WC4 clip Months Ago, so when I saw it again today I didn't even Finish viewing it b'fore making Today's Post, I typically try to figure things out on my own before posting in the Forums.  That said, I don't think I am working with as Sharp a Brain as I did when I first Downloaded the Original Stand Alone WCSaga in 2016, I remember I had to Alter a Line or Two of Something to Get it to Run with my HD Intel Internal Graphics Adapter if memory Serves...

And on that Note, I have another Question per the FSO compatible Version of Saga, I take it that refers to the 3.6.12 Inferno Build?  So uh, I take it when I create the 'WCHFAssets' folder (which is Suppose to be Created within the 'WCSaga Prologue' folder, which I do not have, altho I have played the Prologue I think I added it after the initial Darkest Dawn Standalone Game so in my Root Directory, it's simply a folder titled 'Wing Commander Saga'... I am guessing I just to just create the 'WCHFAssets' folder within the 'Wing Commader Sage' Folder or shall I create a 'WCSaga Prologue' Folder for the WCHFAssests and then run the launcher and select the corresponding FS mod after extracting the files into the 'WCHFAssets' Folder? 

Wow, that was worded awkwardly but I think it works, ne'ertheless.

I am Going to See if I can Use these Links follow the Instruction and see if I can run the mods on the Standalone Version of the Game, if not I'll attempt to install the FSO version and take it from there ~

Thanks again for the Timely Response and Assistance!

[Novachen]

There are actually two versions of Wing Commander Saga: Darkest Dawn out there.

The "official" one from wcsaga.org and a newer "unofficial" one, that you can download via Knossos for example.
The difference is, that the official one use an own build line, that is incompatible to FSO due to exclusive code changes.

The unofficial rerelease is however a version, that is compatible to normal FSO executables and so uses more current features like Shadows.

Have to admit, that i did not see, that WCHF is actually a mod for the Prologue.
That one is a different story actually.

As you already point out, the Prologue still used a so-called Inferno build, which is however part of the normal FSO build line. So per sé it should be compatible to the "inofficial" rerelease then.

How to run that, then.
Well... Knossos lacks some usability there. But the easiest steps then would be, to create an own mod via Development Tab in Knossos that uses FSO & Wing Commander Saga as dependency and put the data folder from WCHF in the new created mod folder. Then you should be able to run it.

Or you simple try it with the official release. In that case, you put the whole WCHFAssets folder into Wing Commander Saga\mods and select it via WCS Launcher, which is i think worth a try, as it is much easier actually.

Wing Commander IV Demo is a smaller problem however, that one can directly installed and played via Knossos without to fiddle in the Development section.

[Christos ESQ]

Thank Ye for the Detailed and Timely Response, @Novachan!

I'm going to attempt create a mod folder in the 'Wing Commander Saga' folder in the Stand Alone Game First, but my Outlook is Dim per that Actually getting the WCIV Missions to Pop Up in the Campaign Menu and it Running the Enhanced Movie Clips that I have already Extracted into the 'WCHFAssets' folder, yet I am Going to Try It Anyhow.

More likely than Not I will have to go on over to GOG, get Freespace 2 this Evening and Figure this Whole FSO and the Most Current Build, I am thinking there must a Version more Recent than the 3.6.12 Inferno Build that I read about Last Night/Wee Hours of This Morn...

And then Read Up On and Install Knossis, don't know if I'll get that Far Tonight...  And even tho I know I won't get even close to the WCIV Missions which require me to install a whole new earlier yet more recently upgraded (???) WCSaga Prologue for FSO (Did I get that Right?), I'll check over at the Saga Site for the FSO Version of Saga and Hope that it's Still Hanging Around per an Unbroken Link. 

And as I wrap this I am just now realising that the post above really doesn't mention the Gwenyhvar Mission nor any Historical Content (I suppose WCIV counts) so this Thread may be a bit out of Place, but it seems like I have enough of my plate for the next day or so.

Thanks Again for the Guide ~

[Christos ESQ]

Yeaaah, Sooo... It actually Registered that there was a Mod, and Let me Run the Mod from the Saga Standalone, however as predicted, the WCIV Missions were not listed in the Campaign Room... Unless they were Rewritten over the Prologue Option?  But I didn't Check, I think I read they were suppose to Register as something Other, that said, I kinda feel like something is missing in One of the Folders...

On to the Next, More Labourous Step, Hark!

Here are Screenshots of my two pertinent Folders just in Case:

[Novachen]

Well, you did it wrong actually.

But well... it does not matter :/. After i set up both mods properly i found out, that they are not compatible to the Standalone Version (who the hell developed in this way, so that Prologue mods become incompatible?  )
So they both are compatible with the old prologue only. So i actually recommend to install Knossos and play both mods through there.
Because i think we are now at a point, where Knossos become easier to fiddle with instead to set up something that is older than the Empire of Kilrah.

[Christos ESQ]

Hey, Thanks Novachen ~

I decided to Juice last night instead of Installing Knossus and FSO, which is only Slightly Less Labourious to my Brain Fog Addled State, yet I gather much of what I need  to do from my Forum Reading can all be Done from Knossus (Installing the FS2 et FSO.)

After this round of Questions I am going to move my FS2/FSO inquiries to another more appropriate thread, but here goes the Last of my Saga-Related Ponderings.  So it seems that the Initial Historical Missions (the WCIV Tech Demo Campaign) as well as this One Off (?) Gwenyhvar Encounter were created by the WCS Team and Another Mod Maker before the actually release of the Standalone Game in 2007 or so, but then it seems @Admiral Nelson et Team created a Revamped, Refreshed 'WCIV Tech Demo Port' which dates back to 2018.  Okay, so here's my question, keeping in Mind that I am working with an Integrated HD Graphics Adapter (which Handled WC Saga updated and patched with all Graphics Options Pushed to the Max without Issue) but I am thinking something released in 2018 as an Upgrade to WC Saga thru the FSO Engine which tho it worked Swimmingly, I think may have been pushing my Specs to the Limit (I Could Be Wrong, I am Often) - - should I install the latest FSO Build, 3.8.Final, I think that is the Latest I have Read about so Far, and would it be Backward Compatible to the Older Non-Ported 'WCIV Tech Demo' should the Port be Too Much for my Current Set Up to Handle?

Oh, and I am not Surprised that I did it Wrong, as aforestated, I didn't think it was going to be as Easy as Putting a a file in the 'missions' folder and have it come up in Campaign Menu just as it did in the Mission Simulator, but where exactly did I go wrong if you remember, for educational purposes?

And once again, Grazie!

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[starlord]

Wasn’t the Gwenhywar mission made by talon back in the day? A pity he dropped out of radar. Hostile frontier was very promising.

Also, I’d love to see more WC1-2 material.

[Christos ESQ]

Ah, so Hostile Frontier actually made it to Fruition eh?  I was just thinking some of its Assets were being used for the WCIV Tech Demo.  Also, quick question for you @starlord, so Novachen has been helping me, but I just got off the (I am Assuming Now Defunct) Saga Forum, despite someone posting on there 11 months ago and the 'WCIV Tech Demo' is actually the Only Other Download other than the Prologue and the Main Campaign.  Have you any experience with Tech Demo, particularly running it via the Saga Standalone Build?

I'm going to get FSO via Knossus to broaden my Horizons ne'ertheless, but given that the Download for the WCIV Tech Demo is actually on the Saga Site, and it one of Three Downloads, methinks it must work with the Standalone Game.  Then Again, I've been Wrong Before -

Also, what about Hostile Frontier via Saga Standalone?  They have a Mods Tab on the WCS Launcher, there has to One that Shows Up in the Campaign Menu or Some Other Way, without much Fuss.

But to answer you question, rather posing multiple of my own, according to the youtube clip it was indeed made by @Talon_1024 et @FekLeyrTarg.  And if you given it a run through, do let us know which version of Saga you ran it on.  Danke Shoen ~

[starlord]

As far as I know hostile frontier never made it, hence my comment. I wouldn’t know for sure as I never played saga. I wonder if fekleyrtarg has any more info? He was on those boards, not sure if he still is.

[Deathsnake]

That Mission was from FekleyrTarg himself. As a testmission.

He is now part of the XWVM Team.

[starlord]

Deathsnake? Weren’t you planning some mini campaigns in wcsaga once? I recall you mentioning a minicampaign called operation serpent involving the black lance and axius base which I was very interested by.

[Christos ESQ]

Deathsnake? Weren’t you planning some mini campaigns in wcsaga once? I recall you mentioning a minicampaign called operation serpent involving the black lance and axius base which I was very interested by.

I've done a lot of reading on these additional campaigns to WCSaga, both over the last couple weeks and also back in 2016 when I first Finished the Darkest Dawn, and tho there's a Nearly half Decade Gap between Sessions, it seems like most of the Campaigns were abandoned for One Reason or Another, mainly lack of Support (It takes a Village) or 'Real Life' stuff overtaking the focus.  Both very relatable.  Hence my Pursuit of of the 'WCIV Tech Demo' which I found after installing Knossos last night, as it's clearly listed there, however given that I installed the most Current Build of Both Knossos and FSO, it was too much for my HD Integrated Graphics Adapter to handle.

So now I am back to the Drawing Board, I am gonna Fiddle around with Knossos (and the Current 21.x build of FSO) a bit more but I think it's probably requires more Graphical Resources than my All-In-One 21" Touchscreen Desktop Table posesses to run smoothly (or at all.)

I'm probably going to make or move to another thread because my issue is becoming more Technical Support Related that Mission Content Discovery.

But thanks all for the above answers and guidance ~

[FekLeyrTarg]

Hi,
yes I'm the author of "The Gwenhyvar Encounter", which I originally wrote as some sort of historical mission for "Hostile Frontier". Talon_1024 made a few adjustments to the mission's start, so he's the co-author.

I've since adapted the mission to work with the WC1 Ship Pack which was released for WCSOpen (the Knossos version, see https://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=93414.0 ).
If you're interested, I could upload the mission here.

[starlord]

Hi fekleyrtarg, long time no see.

Out of curiosity, do you have the whereabouts of talon or means to contact him? I’d like to know what happened to his landreich campaign: it was promising.

[Colonol Dekker]

One of my favourite bits of WC 1.

Looking forward to trying this out at some point.

[Christos ESQ]

Hi,
yes I'm the author of "The Gwenhyvar Encounter", which I originally wrote as some sort of historical mission for "Hostile Frontier". Talon_1024 made a few adjustments to the mission's start, so he's the co-author.

I've since adapted the mission to work with the WC1 Ship Pack which was released for WCSOpen (the Knossos version, see https://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=93414.0 ).
If you're interested, I could upload the mission here.

Yeah, I have downloaded and installed both of them (the FSO Saga Port and the WCIV Testpack) through Knossos and tho I was able to play (and Mightily Enjoy) Wing Commander Saga both in 2016 when I first became aware of it and late last year for another run through, that was the Stand Alone Version that came out in 2012 and I think finally all patched up in 2015, but it Ran at Full Graphical Settings (on Integrated Graphics I might add) at 60 fps, however the FSO Ports do no seem to work well with my Current Antiquated Set Up even tho I was able to Play Through FS2 and some other mods with the FSO Engine.  As I have since purchased the GOG Version of WCIV (when it was on special for less than Three USD) in preparation for the WCIV Remaster, I think I may just give the OG (or rather the GOG) Version a Run Through provided it's not too Clunky after How Smooth my WC Saga Experience and subsequent FS2/FS2 experience was. When the FPS drops under 30 fps it seems to become almost unplayable and I have no Idea what to expect even attempting the GOG Version of WCIV but I am sure there is a Forum Post on the CIC somewhere about it. And to there I will go Next.  Thanks for Reply and Pardon the Bump, Tut.