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Wing Commander (DOS)

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On Wing Commander, you are the pilot of a space ship and order your wingmans to do stuff for you. It inspired other space shooters like X-Wing.

You step out of the airlock and into...

Debug Mode#

In the original floppy disk version, enter Origin (case sensitive, with a capital O) as a command prompt argument. In the CD and GOG versions, change this in the .bat file. The following debug controls will be at your disposal:

Key(s)

Action

Alt + M

Show memory usage

Alt + Z

Self-destruct

Alt + Del

Targeted/Visible ship(s) explode

Alt + O

Destroy cockpit sections (doesn't work in all versions)

Ctrl + Alt + S

Invert graphics (doesn't work in all versions)

Alt + keypad +

Decrease time between frames
(speeds the game up)

Alt + keypad -

Increase time between frames
(slows the game down)

I

Toggle Current Intelligence factor display

O

Toggle Eject siren

Ctrl + V

Version info

Ctrl + P

Pause game (w/o pause graphic)

The game will print memory usage stats when it exits.

Entering Origin -k (again, case sensitive) in the command prompt makes the player invincible by giving them unlimited shields, as well as make all of the above cheats available.

Mission Selection#

There are also some mission selection commands to put in at the command prompt:

Argument(s)

Action

s(n1) m(n2)

Choose which level to play in;
n1 is a series number,
while n2 is a mission number.

w(n)

Show a cinematic. n ranges from 1 to 22.
Going to a cinematic that doesn't exist will
make a placeholder screen with "Pre animation %d"
appear on the screen. Mission-specific scenes also
require the above command(s).

l

Play a single mission. This also bypasses
the copy protection questions.

Development text#

Files briefing.001 and briefing.002 are part of the Secret Missions expansion packs that contain briefing text and associated lip-sync data. For a large number of lines, the lip sync information doesn't match what's being spoken, generally taking one of the following placeholders for a subliminal message:

  • bimororigingamslikwincamandirtoo (buy more origin games like wing commander two)
  • buymoregameslikwincamandertoo
  • buymorgamslikewincamandertoo
  • onleasuperpilotlikmarccanwinthismissinhaha (only a super pilot like mark can win this mission ha ha)
  • thisisalinofgenericfonetics (this is a line of generic phonetics)
  • tisisafungamanuarhavinafuntim (this is a fun game and you are having a fun time)
  • uwilluvthesekretmissensframjahnandstev (you will love the secret missions from john and steve)
  • sensten3wevbenjumpigarandlakkraze (since ten three we've been jumping around like crazy)

The same lip sync text appears in the Windows port, with the exception that the files are uncompressed.

v · t · e

The Wing Commander series

DOS

Wing Commander • Wing Commander II: Vengeance of the Kilrathi • Wing Commander: Privateer (Righteous Fire)

SNES

Wing Commander • Wing Commander: The Secret Missions

Mac OS Classic

Super Wing Commander

Game Boy Advance

Wing Commander: Prophecy