The TFTC-R comp is over, but TFTC-R is only just beginning.
Competition Results
The competition involved categories for high scores, fastest times, writing and graphics. For anyone who didn't participate, I hope the pretty pictures, enthusiastic endorsements and rousing rewards inspire you to give it a go.
I would particularly like to commend NiksaVel and Wildfire who were the most compliant with my request to submit pilot files progressively. It was a big help to being able to validate the pilot file parsing code.
High Scores
- Colo Delste
- Andr3
- Milo Antu
- Turtle Jerrar
- KEBLAOMEGA
- NiksaVel
Fastest Times
- Wildfire
- KEBLAOMEGA
- Andr3
- Colo Deleste
- Milo Antu
Writing
I only received battle and overall reviews.
- Colo Delste
- Wildfire
- Andr3
- NiksaVel
- KEBLAOMEGA
Here are some excerpts to whet your appetite.
My overall impression was that it was excellent. I thought the changes from the original TF battles were almost all positive - either they made more sense from a realism perspective, or to make the battles flow better mechanistically - KEBLAOMEGA
Overall impression is: marvelous. TFTC-R did exactly what it said out to do: take one of the greatest games ever made and reimagine how it could have been if it hadn't been for its 1994 engine limitations. The graphics, the models, the voice acting, the mission re-design that features gigantic battles that truly immerse you in feeling being part of a big imperial war machine. It all is absolutely fantastic and I have not a single word of criticism for it. - andr3
Like in X-Wing Alliance, the crew quarters of your pilot gets decorated with various keepsakes. From models of craft you have flown in combat, to your class ring from the Imperial Academy, to a blaster when you are set up to die by a traitor. They also use the messages/email functionality to add additional lore and context to why you get moved around the fleet - Colo Deleste
I very much miss the alt-T option - NiksaVel
I think every game should have time acceleration. I know what NiksaVel means, but honestly for me there were only two missions where I really thought about it.
Graphics
- Westric Davalorn
- Wildfire
- Colo Delste
- TheBlackxRanger
- Phoenix
Some of the best submissions will be at the bottom of the report (so that you keep reading).
What's next for TFTC
A New Era
I am very pleased to announce that we have a new category in the battle center: CMP (Campaign).
The first such entries are the 9 reimagined battles : TFTC-CMP 0 to TFTC-CMP 7. These break all sorts of new ground:
- A battle numbered 0 (the training/introduction, so that the original TIE battles maintain their mapping)
- A battle with just 3 missions (#7, Treachery at Ottega)
- Non-EH content and creator (on the basis this counts as the stuff included with the TFTC platform)
- BSF support for multiple battles in one pilot file, which I am calling 'Campaign Submissions'
Campaign Submissions
We are not slicing and dicing the TFTC battles to work with our normal zip installations, you will just install TFTC and play as normal. This has meant adding the ability to process multiple battles from a single pilot file, as well as the ability to submit partial progress.
For example, you could:
- Fly battles 0, 1 and 2 and submit. (3 battles would be added)
- Continue flying battles 3, 4 and 5 and submit. (0-2 would be ignored, 3-5 would be processed)
- Start a new file and fly 0 and 1. (2 battles would be added as they are 'fresh')
These are submitted like any other BSF: just go to the normal page and select the latest TFTC-CMP battle that you have completed.
But it's also nice to fly 'just' one battle , perhaps for a comp or because you want to break a high score. In order to support that, there are ZIP installations for each TFTC-CMP battle. These contain only a readme and a pilot file at the appropriate mission progression.
Initial Load
All pilot files from the competition have been submitted to the database. Pilot profiles should now reflect new FCHG points, battle completions and high scores. Files submitted before the Remob window have been backdated. TFTC now appears as a platform on the killboard, but these submissions will be ignored for calculating the June placings.
Caveats and Good Behaviour
The ability to fly multiple battles on single campaign pilot file raises the possibility of hoarding a large dump of missions. This is absolutely not allowed.
The guidelines I'm suggesting are the same as for MP and Co-Op screenshots: you should submit within 72 hours.
Since you are able to submit the same file multiple times as you progress, this should pose no problems. Please reach out to me if you have any questions about this.
It's also worth mentioning that this was a significant change to the code relating to the BSF system. Keep an eye out for any unusual behaviour and report any weirdness to the IO or TAC.
New Content
I am working on the first TFTC-TC battle and I hope to get it in beta testing in the next two weeks. In addition to mission design, this involves working out logistical things related to how we'll install our custom content around the existing mod. Once these things are worked out they'll be documented in the TAC Manual and I can put together any relevant tutorials on the wiki.
TFTC 1.3
The XWAU team just released an update to their mega patch, and that will be incorporated into TFTC v1.3 which is expected to be released in the next month.
Supporting a platform which has ongoing development is going to introduce new challenges as missions and features are potentially changed. In particular, fixes to mission difficulty balance or bugs may create a situation where high scores become invalid.
My intention is to always support the latest official version, and if that means some high scores need to be reset or custom content get updates , that's ok. If you see something change after a new version, please reach out and we can discuss any adjustments.
Pretty Things
The Executor over Coruscant - Colo Delste
TIE Fighter in hangar - TheBlackxRanger
M/FRG and Planet - Davalorn
ISD and Planet - Davalorn
