Just rediscovered X-Wing Alliance!

Safe-Keeper · 07-16-12, 12:32 PM

Just downloaded Mark Egger's XWA installer which allowed me to reinstall this old gem. For those who don't know (if anyone), XWA was the last installment of the wonderful X-Wing series. It introduced flyable light freighters such as the Millenium Falcon, the ability to hyper between different sectors in one mission, and a whole range of new craft, including lots of flyable fighters. It also had some nifty other features like the ability to throw together relatively complex missions on the fly with the "Skirmish" system.

And I had totally forgotten how totally, mindblowingly fun this game is! In my eyes, while the Rogue Squadron games were always too arcade-ish for my taste, the XW series has a near-perfect balance between gameplay and complexity and realism, and though it makes lots and lots of technical errors and is pretty unbalanced (in my eyes, fighters can take way too much damage, while stations and cap ships go down way too easily), it feels far more Star Wars-like than the RS games. It also borrows heavily from EU rather than trying to shoehorn the action of the trilogy into gameplay at every turn, which makes for a decent plot to unravel. The graphics aren't the best, and I can't seem to get hardware rendering or the XWA Upgrade mod to work on my newer machine, but right now I'm just happy I've -finally- gotten it to work

!

So now I'm back in the saddle playing skirmishes, reliving old campaign missions, and building my own missions with AlliED and the multitude of other tools out there. Big. Fun!

Anyone else played this game recently

?

Red October1984 · 07-16-12, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Safe-Keeper

realism

Realism? In a Star Wars game? Ive never heard of this game, but define realism.

Safe-Keeper · 07-17-12, 03:13 AM

Realism: adherence to reality.
In this case, the reality of the SW universe.

"Realism", in any case, is often used as a sort of "umbrella term" covering "advanced"/immersive features in a game.

For example, if fighters were to magically replenish their hit points, this would be unrealistic. When fighters are able to recharge their shields, this is realistic as fighters are able to do this in the Star Wars universe.

Quote:

Ive never heard of this game

:p

Red October1984 · 07-17-12, 12:03 PM

Ok. I just might look it up. Is there a demo somewhere?

Safe-Keeper · 07-18-12, 06:29 AM

Dunno, try to Google it. Don't know if you'll manage to install a demo, though, the retail install program for the full version doesn't work with modern computers.

Miggy4000 · 07-18-12, 12:34 PM

Mmmm interesting. Mark Egger also did installers for X-Wing, TiE Fighter, Rogue Squadron 3D, X-Wing Collector Series and Star Wars: Episode I Pod Racer, at least I think that is what it is. Here is a link, remember you will still need the full games, these are just installers

http://www.markusegger.at/Software/Games/Default.aspx

07-16-12, 12:32 PM	#1
Safe-Keeper Ocean Warrior Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Norway Posts: 3,234 Downloads: 11 Uploads: 0	Just rediscovered X-Wing Alliance! Just downloaded Mark Egger's XWA installer which allowed me to reinstall this old gem. For those who don't know (if anyone), XWA was the last installment of the wonderful X-Wing series. It introduced flyable light freighters such as the Millenium Falcon, the ability to hyper between different sectors in one mission, and a whole range of new craft, including lots of flyable fighters. It also had some nifty other features like the ability to throw together relatively complex missions on the fly with the "Skirmish" system. And I had totally forgotten how totally, mindblowingly fun this game is! In my eyes, while the Rogue Squadron games were always too arcade-ish for my taste, the XW series has a near-perfect balance between gameplay and complexity and realism, and though it makes lots and lots of technical errors and is pretty unbalanced (in my eyes, fighters can take way too much damage, while stations and cap ships go down way too easily), it feels far more Star Wars-like than the RS games. It also borrows heavily from EU rather than trying to shoehorn the action of the trilogy into gameplay at every turn, which makes for a decent plot to unravel. The graphics aren't the best, and I can't seem to get hardware rendering or the XWA Upgrade mod to work on my newer machine, but right now I'm just happy I've -finally- gotten it to work! So now I'm back in the saddle playing skirmishes, reliving old campaign missions, and building my own missions with AlliED and the multitude of other tools out there. Big. Fun! Anyone else played this game recently? __________________ First Strike Mod tester. Hardcore sub skipper.

07-17-12, 12:03 PM	#4
Red October1984 Airplane Nerd Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Texas Posts: 6,243 Downloads: 115 Uploads: 0	Ok. I just might look it up. Is there a demo somewhere? __________________

07-18-12, 06:29 AM	#5
Safe-Keeper Ocean Warrior Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Norway Posts: 3,234 Downloads: 11 Uploads: 0	Dunno, try to Google it. Don't know if you'll manage to install a demo, though, the retail install program for the full version doesn't work with modern computers. __________________ First Strike Mod tester. Hardcore sub skipper.

07-18-12, 12:34 PM	#6
Miggy4000 Commodore Join Date: May 2012 Location: Sunny Scotland Posts: 92 Downloads: 37 Uploads: 0	Mmmm interesting. Mark Egger also did installers for X-Wing, TiE Fighter, Rogue Squadron 3D, X-Wing Collector Series and Star Wars: Episode I Pod Racer, at least I think that is what it is. Here is a link, remember you will still need the full games, these are just installers http://www.markusegger.at/Software/Games/Default.aspx