X-Wing Alliance Upgrade 2024 – Coming Soon!

[Forceflow]

The final push, let's keep up the pressure!


While I know many of you were hoping for a May the 4th release we are just not quite there yet. There's been an unfortunate bug that came up with VR in combination with the HD concourse which meant we had to do some more bug smashing. This has been over 2 years in the making and we don't want to give you a broken game.
Most of the things are in place, we just need to apply some final testing polish as we are getting really close to a release.
Even now there is something new being added everyday. Here is a short list of the highlights that will be included in the next release:

New UI Features:
XWA Upgrade goes HD! We now have the ability to use far bigger format sizes to improve the games look in many areas.
Totally new Widescreen images and videos have been created to try and maximise the screen space used.
MechDonald has created a new Concourse, with ship animations in the window which change per mission too. All rooms have gotten a makeover complete with loading videos and especially the new Crew Quarters is a marvel to enjoy.

The new Concourse also comes with new interface, HD icons, battle images, menu screens and Skirmish pictures.
In the missions there will be new HD planet backdrops from Forceflow and the cutscene videos have been upscaled thanks to Marcop000, m0rgg and Ace Antilles.

XWAU_2024_Teaser_2.jpg

Flightmodels:
Nearly every craft has been checked over and tweaked! There are a ton of models that are completely new and many improved:
The all new version of the Imperial Star Destroyer II, Factory and Container Hanger from Vince T.
Master Qui-Gon, Prime and Ace Antilles have improved the YT1300 Corellian Transport, Millennium Falcon and Slave I.
DTM has created a new T-wing Fighter and Z-95 Headhunter. All this and more updated craft to come too.

Extra Craft:
We have decided to add some great new ships, which were not part of the vanilla game to complement existing missions:
The Imperial Nebulon B Frigate, Gozanti Cruiser, U-Wing and VCX-100 Light Transport (Ghost) from DTM and Quasar Fire-class Carrier from Driftwood.
These will be playable in Skirmish mode with some making an appearance in the campaign.
Tons of new Skins and Profiles are available and have found their way into the campaign missions for extra variety.

Sounds overhaul:
Ace Antilles has given the game a massive upgrade in the audio department! We can now add custom sounds for almost any area of the game.
For example Fighters will get unique sounds from each other, such as individual laser blasts and flybys.
Including sounds for: Canopy, Engines, Flyby, Hangars, Hyperspace, S-Foils, Shuttles, Weapons and more!

System updates
If that wasn't enough there's a mass of other improvements and fixes to the game itself.
The latest improvements from Blue Max for VR. Including viewable hands and Active Cockpit.
A new Configurator to manage ship profile changes for fun in the Campaign and Skirmish from Ace Antilles.
More options in Babu Frik's Configurator. Faster loading time improvements and useful editing tools from JeremyaFr.
Multiple mission fixes, tweaks or improvements to practically every mission thanks to LPhoenix and Ace Antilles.
And so, so many Bug Fixes... Like really, so many! (Big shout out again to JeremyaFr and Ace Antilles for fixing and finding those)

Testers wanted
And in the end a small call for arms. If you want to help the team and have you some time for testing available please contact us.
We really need some more folks who would be willing to use test out the current beta version we have. In particular with VR.
Be advised, this version is not fully ready for public release. It needs some work and things will break, so please only volunteer if you really have some time to post some feedback and patience for bug finding!

We are really keen to show you what we've been working on. It's really been a team effort, utilizing everyone's ideas and knowledge to make something cool.
With that, from all of the XWAU Team we say, May the 4th Be With You!

[Erd]

The planet in that screenshot is incredible!

[Vince T]

Heh you know that planet's the only thing in that image that's not new:D That one's been in there for a few years now

[Old_Jedi]

Looking guys! - May the 4th Be With you!

OJ

[Porkins_BB]

These updates/upgrades just look incredible! Thanks again for everyone who is involved in making this game better and better!

[Ace Antilles]

May the 4th be with you

Neb.jpg

[Tuskin]

Based on EC Henry's design?

[tiepilottillard1701]

Looks like it Though now, the question is, will the Neb-B2 be getting a similar upgrade at some point? Especially for TFTC?

[Ace Antilles]

Based on EC Henry's design?

Imperial Nebulon B Frigate: design by EC Henry.
Built from scratch by @DTM for XWA. Which is an amazing achievement to model from scratch.

It will feature in one mission in the campaign and be available in Skirmish mode.
Features a lot of optional Object Profiles.

Looks like it Though now, the question is, will the Neb-B2 be getting a similar upgrade at some point? Especially for TFTC?

Nothing is planned. What upgrade does it need to have?

[tiepilottillard1701]

Maybe "upgrade" was not the right word, but make an armored version of the Neb-B2 like the EC Henry Neb-B.

EDIT: Also, is are there going to be any stat changes (ie this is buffed compared to org neb-b or org neb-b is debuffed compared this) or is this just a visual variation?

[DTM]

Congratulations to the whole team for these beautiful results! I really hope to be with you again soon. Seeing these wonders and the effort behind them conveys great energy! May the Force be with us!

[McMyn]

Sorry to ask here, but I'm unclear on where to volunteer for testing. But I want to volunteer!

I have Oculus Rift S and Quest 2 and would be willing to invest like an hour or two each day to just look at stuff and try the concourse and hangar and cockpits. I wouldn't find much time to play a lot of missions (I don't think), but that kind of stuff I have a knack for. And I could report any bugs/anomalies/observations on any channel you guys tell me.

[Forceflow]

Sorry to ask here, but I'm unclear on where to volunteer for testing. But I want to volunteer!

I have Oculus Rift S and Quest 2 and would be willing to invest like an hour or two each day to just look at stuff and try the concourse and hangar and cockpits. I wouldn't find much time to play a lot of missions (I don't think), but that kind of stuff I have a knack for. And I could report any bugs/anomalies/observations on any channel you guys tell me.

Thanks for volunteering, see your private messages for details on how to participate.

[Vince T]

REVENGE OF THE 5TH!

Now that you know what to expect in the near future, let's take a first look ahead at things to come beyond our next release...

2024-05-05_Rot5.png

[Ace Antilles]

Love it. Really looking forward to that.

[Ace Antilles]

Congratulations to the whole team for these beautiful results! I really hope to be with you again soon. Seeing these wonders and the effort behind them conveys great energy! May the Force be with us!

So much of what is in this next release is thanks to you
Your work is always amazing and looking forward to whatever you find time to do next

Maybe "upgrade" was not the right word, but make an armored version of the Neb-B2 like the EC Henry Neb-B.

EDIT: Also, is are there going to be any stat changes (ie this is buffed compared to org neb-b or org neb-b is debuffed compared this) or is this just a visual variation?

The Imp version is in one mission. We haven't changed the default stats for that to not upset mission balance.
But you've just given me some ideas. Have to check.

I don't know personally how much more buffed this should be

[Erd]

Everything on show is amazing. Are the new hyperspace effects in this release?

The Imp version is in one mission. We haven't changed the default stats for that to not upset mission balance.
But you've just given me some ideas. Have to check.

I guess it must be the Monitor (B1M6)? Imperial Nebulon B's are rare as hen's teeth in the campaign. Has the new factory been added to the campaign? I don't remember it ever appearing in the basegame.

[Ace Antilles]

Everything on show is amazing. Are the new hyperspace effects in this release?

I guess it must be the Monitor (B1M6)? Imperial Nebulon B's are rare as hen's teeth in the campaign. Has the new factory been added to the campaign? I don't remember it ever appearing in the basegame.

What new Hyperspace effects??

The factory isn't in XWA.
But it IS now in XWAU 2024
It kinda has a background appearance for people who like to ignore the mission and go off snooping

[Ace Antilles]

Happy Revenge of the Fifth

5th.jpg

Random screenshot I happened to get by chance.

[DarHan]

Many Bothans died to bring us this beauty.

[Lightspeed01]

Genuinely, thank you all so much, seeing these posts always amps up my whole day! This is gorgeous work!

[Avarice1987]

Everything on show is amazing. Are the new hyperspace effects in this release?

I guess it must be the Monitor (B1M6)? Imperial Nebulon B's are rare as hen's teeth in the campaign. Has the new factory been added to the campaign? I don't remember it ever appearing in the basegame.

What new Hyperspace effects??

The factory isn't in XWA.
But it IS now in XWAU 2024
It kinda has a background appearance for people who like to ignore the mission and go off snooping

I think he means the intercept effect from TFTC when an interdictor is in the target area

[Ace Antilles]

I think he means the intercept effect from TFTC when an interdictor is in the target area

Yes. I do believe it is umm

But let me check What mission is it needed for again?

[Erd]

I think he means the intercept effect from TFTC when an interdictor is in the target area

Sorry for the confusion, I was trying to ask if the fast hyperspace entrance/exit with sounds was in this release.

[Ace Antilles]

I think he means the intercept effect from TFTC when an interdictor is in the target area

Sorry for the confusion, I was trying to ask if the fast hyperspace entrance/exit with sounds was in this release.

It wasn't until after you posted I thought you meant that.
There are sounds, the effect will be a toggle in Babu Frik's as it isn't balanced for missions and untested