Star Wars: X-Wing Alliance

Star Wars: X-wing Alliance, or XWA is the sequel to Star Wars: TIE Fighter. Due to player disregard for the multiplayer focused Star Wars: X-wing vs. TIE Fighter as a part of the X-wing computer game series, XWA is considered the third installment.

Superior in most aspects than its predecessors, XWA presents the story of Ace Azzameen, the youngest member of the Azzameen family, a neutral family of traders. The player assumes Ace Azzameen's place in the all missions in the game, with exception to the Death Star missions, which is played from Lando Calrissian's perspective. These missions gave rise to assumptions that Ace was perhaps one of the crew appearing in Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi.

Apart from the usual badges and medals for winning missions which are featured in the other games of the X-wing series, progress is also indicated by the amount of souvenirs collected in Ace's room. Additionally, an E-mail delivery system helps to evolve Ace's background story and provided deeper looks into his personal relationships and his family's whereabouts.

XWA is the first game of the series to offer a full voiceover soundtrack and full dialogue in-flight. Flight control is marginally updated from the previous games of the series, allowing the player to link their cannons together, the ability to board and pickup other craft, as well as the addition of rudder support. Graphics are also overhauled in this game; high resolution textures, more complex models, and full three-dimensional cockpits were added. However, the cockpits are not faithful to the other games; all indicators and screens are separated from the cockpit as an in-flight HUD depicted as floating windows.

It also introduces missions that span multiple star systems, similar to the "autopilot" feature of the Wing Commander games; rather than ending the mission, jumping to hyperspace (when the option is available) will progress the mission to a new location and a new mission objective.

Story
Although the game is considered a sequel, it takes place simultaneously with Star Wars: TIE Fighter, showing the whereabouts of the Rebellion during those events: it starts a little after the Battle of Hoth and ends with the Battle of Endor (TIE Fighter's expansion ends right before Endor).

The game's prologue, or tutorial, concerns Ace's "family missions" where his elder family members and Emkay instruct him in the flying of Corellian transports so that he can begin working for the family.

These missions reveal that the Azzameen family is in heated competition with the Viraxo and is generally sympathetic to the Rebel Alliance. Due to their sympathies, the patriarch of the family, Tomaas Azzameen, runs various bacta runs for the Alliance in the aftermath of the Battle of Hoth. This causes them to pay dearly as the Galactic Empire raids their home station for running bacta to an Alliance outpost. The family subsequently seeks asylum with a Rebel task force.

As a Rebel pilot, Ace participates in a variety of space flight missions for the Rebellion while also helping his family whenever he is needed against the Viraxo. During his tour with the Rebel Alliance, he proves himself to be a significant pilot as he partakes on missions which reveal new Imperial projects, such as a slew of experimental TIE fighters as well as the new Death Star II.

Some events connect the game to the movies Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, Shadows of the Empire and Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi such as sequences which track the Rebellion's situation after the Battle of Hoth, assist Dash Rendar in the capture of the Imperial freighter Suprosa which carries the plans to the second Death Star, as well as the stealing of Shuttle Tydirium. The game concludes with the climactic Battle of Endor.

After encountering the Imperial fleet, the player has to drive the Millennium Falcon inside the Death Star and destroy its reactor, in a scene that resembles that of the movie.

Cameos
During the training level in which Emkay flies for Ace and the latter is in the turrets, the player is at a bustling space station/casino. If the player is quick enough, Boba Fett's infamous Slave I can be identified by the targeting system. It launches into hyperspace fairly quickly, before it can be approached by the player's craft. Later in the mission, Dash Rendar's YT-2400 Outrider can also be seen.

There is an unconfirmed rumor that Lando Calrissian's Lady Luck can also be found, although this would be without Lando, since he bought the Lady Luck after the Battle of Endor.

It is also possible to see the Wild Karrde on the later Mission to Zhar to capture the Tydirium.

Grand Admiral Thrawn's Chimaera also appears amongst an Imperial convoy later in the game.

While not an Easter Egg in itself, XWA offers the only "real" glimpse of the YT-2000 freighter.

A few models are included in the game's data files but are not featured in the game's reference library or missions. One such item is a "booster pack." Custom missions have been made that use the hidden models.

Modifications
The X-Wing project was finished before any expansions were scheduled so Alliance is the only one of the X-wing series to have no expansion or re-enhanced remake.

However, the game is modifiable and many fans and programmers create improved textures and graphics for the ships, new missions and other modifications.

Some of the new missions are actually remakes of the previous games, based on the engine of Alliance. Currently an unofficial fan-made Star Wars: TIE Fighter remake is being created. This modification for example replaces the Mon Calamari Star Cruiser concourse and briefings with Imperial versions, as well as remaking the classic TIE Fighter missions using the Alliance engine to increase player enjoyment.

As for Alliance itself, fan based upgrade sites such as "X-Wing Alliance Upgrade" and "Darksabers X-Wing Station" have acted as the central distribution points for upgraded spacecraft packs.

These vary from simple upgrades to higher resolution graphics, such as containers, landing bays, weapons etc., to high capital ships such as the various Star Destroyers as well the Super Star Destroyer Executor, all with multiple (and destroyable) hardpoints like shield generators, engines, bridges and turbolasers. Playable fighters are modified complete with upgraded virtual cockpits bringing cockpit visuals closer to movie canon.

By editing the "Shiplist" game file and replacing NonFlyable ships with Flyable, players can fly any ship they want, including a Super Star Destroyer. Downloading the V1.01 upgrade can also allow all larger ships' turrets to work if set to autofire.

Collections
Alliance was re-released as a part of the collection X-wing Trilogy along with the other parts of the trilogy and a demo of X-wing vs. TIE Fighter. That version had no re-enhancements or differences to the original release.

Ships featured
(parentheses show HUD designations)

Rebel snubfighters

 * X-Wing Fighter (X-W)
 * Y-Wing Fighter (Y-W)
 * A-Wing Fighter (A-W)
 * B-Wing Fighter (B-W)
 * Z-95 Headhunter (Z-95)

Imperial snubfighters

 * TIE Fighter (T/F)
 * TIE Bomber (T/B)
 * TIE Interceptor (T/I)
 * TIE Avenger (T/A)
 * TIE Defender (T/D)
 * Alpha Class Xg-1 Assault Gunboat (GUN)
 * Missile Boat (MIS)
 * TIE Experimental M1 (T/e1) (TIE Bizarro)
 * TIE Experimental M2 (T/e2) (TIE BigGun)
 * TIE Experimental M3 (T/e3) (TIE Warhead)
 * TIE Experimental M4 (T/e4) (TIE Bomb)
 * TIE Experimental M5 (T/e5) (TIE Booster)

Other snubfighters

 * T-Wing (T-W)
 * R-41 Starchaser (R-41)
 * Authority IRD (IRD)
 * Toscan Fighter (TOS)
 * Cloakshape Fighter (Clk/F)
 * Razor Fighter (Rzr/F)
 * Planetary Fighter (Plt/F)
 * Supa Fighter (Sup/F)
 * Pinook Fighter (Pnk/F)
 * Preybird Fighter (Pry/F)
 * Firespray Attack Ship (FRS)
 * Pursuer Enforcement Ship (PES)
 * Skipray Blastboat (S/B)

Military support vessels

 * Lambda Class T-4a Shuttle (SHU)
 * Imperial Landing Craft (L/C)
 * Delta Class JV-7 Escort Shuttle (E/S)
 * Delta Class Dx-9 Stormtrooper Transport (TRN)
 * Gamma Class ATR-6 Assault Transport (ATR)
 * Assault Shuttle (A/S)
 * Beta Class ETR-3 Escort Transport (ETR)
 * Combat Utility Vehicle (CUV)
 * IPV-1 System Patrol Craft (SPC)
 * Scout Craft (SCT)

Civilian light vessels

 * Utility Tug (TUG)
 * Heavy Lifter (HLF)
 * Bulk Freighter (FRT)
 * Container Transport (CTRNS)
 * Cargo Ferry (CARG)
 * Modular Conveyor (CNVYR)
 * Muurian Transport (MUTR)
 * Millennium Falcon (FALC)
 * YT-1300 Corellian Transport (CORT)
 * Corellian Transport YT-2000 (CORT)
 * Corellian Transport YT-2400 (CORT)
 * Medium Transport (MTRNS)
 * Mole Miner (Miner)
 * Luxury Yacht 3000 (LT3000)
 * Ferryboat Liner (F/L)
 * Modified Action Transport (M/TRN)
 * Mobquet Transport (MOB)
 * Suprosa (MOB)
 * Xiytiar Transport (Xiy/T)
 * Freighter Type C (Frt/C)
 * Freighter Type H (Frt/H)
 * Freighter Type K (Frt/K)
 * Cargo Freighter (CF)
 * Cargo Tanker (CT)

Capital ships

 * Corellian Corvette (CRV)
 * Modified Corvette (M/CRV)
 * Marauder Corvette (M-CRV)
 * Corellian Gunship (GSP)
 * Star Galleon (STARG)
 * Nebulon-B class Frigate (FRG)
 * Nebulon-B2 Modified Frigate (M/FRG)
 * Assault Frigate (A/FRG)
 * Lancer Frigate (L/FRG)
 * Passenger Liner (LINER)
 * Carrack Cruiser (CRCK)
 * Bulk Cruiser (B/CRS)
 * Strike Cruiser
 * Escort Carrier (ESC)
 * Dreadnaught (DREAD)
 * Imperial Research Ship (SRS)
 * MC40a Light Calamari Cruiser (CRL)
 * MC80a Calamari Cruiser (CRS)
 * Winged Calamari Cruiser (WCRS)
 * Interdictor Im-418 (INT)
 * Victory Class Star Destroyer (VSD)
 * Victory Class Star Destroyer II (VSDII)
 * Imperial Class Star Destroyer (ISD)
 * Imperial Class Star Destroyer II (ISDII)
 * Super Star Destroyer (SSD)

Space stations

 * XQ1 Platform (PLT/1)
 * XQ2 Platform (PLT/2)
 * XQ3 Platform (PLT/3)
 * XQ4 Platform (PLT/4)
 * XQ5 Platform (PLT/5)
 * XQ6 Platform (PLT/6)
 * Asteroid Hangar (R&D FC)
 * Asteroid Mining Unit (AMU)
 * Processing Plant (PP)
 * Deep Space Manufacturing Facility (FAC/1)
 * Industrial Complex (FAC/2)
 * Telgorn Shipyard (SHPYD)
 * Telgorn Repair Yard (REPYD)
 * Family Repair Yard (RY/2)
 * Azzameen Family Base (AZZ)
 * Golan One (G/1)
 * Golan Two (G/2)
 * Golan Three (G/3)
 * Derilyn Platform (D/P)
 * Sensor Array (S/ARY)
 * Comm Relay (C/RLY)
 * Space Colony 1 (SC/1)
 * Space Colony 2 (SC/2)
 * Space Colony 3 (SC/3)
 * Dunari's Rest (CAS)
 * Cargo Facility 1 (C/F1)
 * Cargo Facility 2 (C/F2)
 * Rebel Platform (BASE)
 * Imperial Research Center (IRC)
 * Pirate Ship Yard (SHPYD)

Other

 * Class-A Cargo Container (CN/A)
 * Class-B Cargo Container (CN/B)
 * Class-C Cargo Container (CN/C)
 * Class-D Cargo Container (CN/D)
 * Class-E Cargo Container (CN/E)
 * Class-F Cargo Container (CN/F)
 * Class-G Cargo Container (CN/G)
 * Class-H Cargo Container (CN/H)
 * Class-I Cargo Container (CN/I)
 * Class-J Cargo Container (CN/J)
 * Class-K Cargo Container (CN/K)
 * Class-L Cargo Container (CN/L)
 * Container Hangar (CN/Hgr)
 * Pressure Tank (Pr/Tk)
 * Cargo Canister (C/C)
 * Communications Satellite (SAT)
 * Mine Type A (Mn/T1)
 * Mine Type B (Mn/T2)
 * Mine Type C (Mn/T3)
 * Proximity mine A (PM/1)
 * Proximity mine B (PM/2)
 * Homing Mine B (HM/2)
 * Probe 1 (PROBE/1)
 * Probe Capsule (PROBE)
 * Hyperspace Navigation Buoy (BUOY)
 * Type 1 Navigation Buoy (BUOY)
 * Type 2 Navigation Buoy (BUOY)
 * Rendezvous Buoy (BUOY)
 * Asteroid Laser Battery (LAS BAT)
 * Asteroid Warhead Launcher (W LNCHR)
 * Gun Emplacement (GPLT)
 * Large Gun Emplacement (G/P)
 * Large Gun/Warhead Emplacement (GW/P)
 * New Laser Battery (L/B)
 * New Ion Battery (I/B)
 * Escape Pod (E-POD)
 * Escape Pod Deluxe (E-POD/2)
 * Zero-G Stormtrooper (ZG/S)
 * Zero-G Utility (ZG/U)