Hello all

It seems (to me at least) that most people think of the pilot transfer to mean moving a save\pilot from WC1 to WC2, this is a easy fix I have my quick solution at the bottom of this post.

However it should be possible to transfer from the OC to each of the expantions in both games, the transfer programs are included in the games but don't work.

For WC1 when you use the transfer program it should take you to the Barrecks/bunkroom so you canchoose whitch save/pilot you wish to transfer after whitch when you start the expantion you will have the same kills/medels.

The same is true for WC2.

If any one can get them to work can you please post the solution for us all.


My solution for moving from WC1 to WC2

OPEN THE WC2 FOLDER AND INSIDE MAKE A NEW FOLDER CALLED WC
OPEN THE WC FOLDER AND FIND THE FILE CALLED SAVEGAME.WLD AND COPY THIS TO THE WC FOLDER IN WC2.

START WC2 WHEN ASKED FOR THE PATH FOR THE SAVE GIVE IT AS

C:\WC

YOUR PILOT SOULD NOW BE TRANSFERED.

This works for me, but feel free to modify as you need. (lol)

To transfer your wv1 character to secret Missions 1 (WC1) you have to run to transfer.exe included in the wc folder.

to do this just start dosbox
mount c ".\wc12" if renamed using my example) mount c "..\wc" if not
transfer

That will get you to your barracks and you can select your character for transfer.

To transfer your character from Wing Commander or Secret Missions 1 (WC1) you have to run the trans2.exe included in your wc folder


to do this just start dosbox
mount c ".\wc12" if renamed using my example) mount c "..\wc" if not
trans2

Shortcuts made

Target C:\WCG\WC12\DOSBOX\DOSBox.exe -conf "C:\WCG\WC12\WC\dosboxWC.conf" -conf "C:\WCG\WC12\WC\dosboxTRANSFER.conf" -noconsole -c exit

Start in C:\WCG\WC12\DOSBOX

Wrote dosboxTRANSFER.conf myself
[autoexec]
# Lines in this section will be run at startup.

@ECHO OFF
mount C "\wcg"
c:
cd wc12
cd wc
TRANSFER.exe

run the shortcut as administrator

Thanks for the info, I,m certain that it will help many people get the transfer system working, the problem is however that myself and people like me have'nt a clue about how to use dosbox or write shortcuts\config files.

lol I can switch a pc on and instaall and run files\programs but thats all, the rest of it like dosbox and the things you mentioned are all gobldygook to me.

I will write a tutorial on all the steps I performed

Once the game is downloaded and installed you will see a folder called gog games.
"right click on the folder GOG Games and click copy.
paste that folder onto your c:\ drive. You should now see two folders named gog games.
right click on the newly created folder will have a (copy) after it.
rename the folder GOG Games (copy) and name the folder WCG
Double click on folder WCG and you should see a folder called Wing Commander 1 and 2
right click on Wing Commander 1 and 2 and select rename, rename the folder WC12

Now open up notepad by running it as administrator Start\all programs\accessories "right click" on notepad and select run as administrator
Select yes
Click file in the top left of notepad window and click open
navigate to the newly created WCG folder and also navigate to the WC12 folder then into WC folder
near the bottom right of that window select text documents (.txt) and select all files from the popup selection
You will see a dosboxWC_single.conf
Open dosboxWC_single.conf and edit the words
(or you can copy and paste these words)

[autoexec]
# Lines in this section will be run at startup.

@ECHO OFF
mount C "\wcg"
c:
cd wc12
cd wc
loadfix -1 wc Origin -k
exit

(Note: The Origin -k is optional, it allows you to cheat)

Click on file again and then choose open
it will ask if you want to save the file, choose yes
before you hit enter, (if you already did then start at running notepad as administrator) choose all files again and click on the file dosboxWC_single.conf and select save. It will ask you if you want to replace the file select yes

open file dosboxWC_SM2.conf (remember to select all files in the notepad)
cut and paste this text in the file

[autoexec]
# Lines in this section will be run at startup.

@ECHO OFF
mount C "\wcg"
C:
cd wc12
cd wc
loadfix -1 SM2 Origin -k
exit

(Note: the Origin -k is optional)

Close and save, using the same steps you performed with the last save.

Now to edit the shortcuts,
Drag the shortcuts provided to you buy GOG to the desktop
right click on the shortcut to Wing Commander and select properties
edit the target line (it says Target: C:\GOG Games\Wing Commander 1 and 2\DOSBOX.exe...)
Replace what is in the line with

C:\WCG\WC12\DOSBOX\DOSBox.exe -conf "..\WC\dosboxWC.conf" -conf "..\WC\dosboxWC_single.conf" -noconsole -c exit

edit the Start in line (it says Start in: C:|GOG Games\Wing Commander 1 and 2\DOSBOX)
replace what is in the line with

C:\WCG\WC12\DOSBOX

Now click ok

right click on the shortcut to Wing Commander Secret Mission 2 and select properties
edit the target line (it says Target: C:\GOG Games\Wing Commander 1 and 2\DOSBOX.exe...)
Replace what is in the line with

C:\WCG\WC12\DOSBOX\DOSBox.exe -conf "..\WC\dosboxWC.conf" -conf "..\WC\dosboxWC_SM2.conf" -noconsole -c exit

edit the Start in line (it says Start in: C:|GOG Games\Wing Commander 1 and 2\DOSBOX)
replace what is in the line with

C:\WCG\WC12\DOSBOX

Now click ok

Whew Wing Commander is now done, Oh the transfers...

right click on the shortcut to Wing Commander and click copy
right click anywhere on the desktop and click paste, you now have a duplicate copy of Wing Commander shortcut
"Right click" on the new shortcut and click properties
Click the General Tab
Rename the Shortcut Wing Commander SM Transfer
click ok and give administrator privileges
"Right click on the newly renamed Wing Commander SM Transfer shortcut and choose properties
edit the Target line (it says Target: C:\GOG Games\Wing Commander 1 and 2\DOSBOX\Dosbox.exe -conf...)
replace what's in the line with

C:\WCG\WC12\DOSBOX\DOSBox.exe -conf "C:\WCG\WC12\WC\dosboxWC.conf" -conf "C:\WCG\WC12\WC\dosboxTRANSFER.conf" -noconsole -c exit

edit the start in line (it says Start in: C:\GOG Games\Wing Commander 1 and 2\DOSBOX)
replace whats in the line with

C:\WCG\WC12\DOSBOX

Click ok

Now to write the dosboxTRANSFER.conf file
Open Notepad as administrator (refer to above if you forgot)
Write in notepad the following

[autoexec]
# Lines in this section will be run at startup.

@ECHO OFF
mount C "\wcg"
c:
cd wc12
cd wc
TRANSFER.exe

Click file and choose save as
In the File name: line write in

dosboxTRANSFER.conf

and in the Save as type: line, select All Files

Click save

Now enjoy you can play Wing Commander and Secret missions 1 and transfer pilot.

I will post another tutorial on how to transfer your character to secret missions 2 in a new post, this ones getting long.
The reason I renamed the folders was to allow for transfer into Wing Commander 2. The games do not recognize the Tilda key. Dos only recognizes eight character folders. Dosbox can use the Tilda but not the old version of dos that this game utilizes.

Secret Mission 2 transfer

tutorial

"Right click" your Wing Commander SM Transfer shortcut and choose copy
"Right click" anywhere on your desktop and choose paste
"Right click" on the new shortcut you just placed choose properties
Click the General Tab and name the shortcut Wing Commander SM2 Trans
Click the shortcut Tab
Edit the target line (it says Target: C:\WCG\WC12\DOSBOX.exe -conf...)
replace what is in that line with

C:\WCG\WC12\DOSBOX\DOSBox.exe -conf "C:\WCG\WC12\WC\dosboxWC.conf" -conf "C:\WCG\WC12\WC\dosboxTRANS2.conf" -noconsole -c exit

Click ok

Open notepad with administrator privileges (refer to earlier tutorial if you need help doing this)
Write in the following

[autoexec]
# Lines in this section will be run at startup.

@ECHO OFF
mount C "\wcg"
c:
cd wc12
cd wc
TRANS2.exe

click file and choose save as
in the File name: line write

dosboxTRANS2.conf

and in the Save as type select all files
click save

Now you can import your save from Wing Commander or Wing Commander Secret Missions

Thanks for trying Joshua, but it's more than I am capable of lol.

Persoanly I think that the best thing for you to do would to redo all of this using the standerd bits that the game uses\installes to and sent it to GOG support, then they can host it and let us all download it.

Just make sure you get the credit you diserve.

I was just about to suggest someone send a message to GOG support about the transfer system. I'm glad GOG finally got the expansions, but the workarounds you guys have been posting are an awful lot for a DOS noob like myself to be able to do and remember. Hopefully GOG will fix it so that transferring works like it should and will be much easier, but in the meantime you guys have done great coming up with workarounds, thank you.

Hi,

I know what you meen I'nm abit of a noob myself when it comes to things like this.

I don't know if it's any use to you but I found a nother solution which is mutch simpler to use, I have posted it under the forum title

How to make the transfer system WORK

all you need to do is install one extra progam on your machine and and set up one file and your done.

lol, you can even use it to get any old dos games working.

Thanks for taking the time to post the tutorial JoshuaStalcup! Not only do I get to play a classic, but I got to tweak out the bugs just like the good old days of early windows OS. Got both SM's + Transfers working. Oh the nostalgia...

This thread rocks! You guys are awesome. I'm new to Wing Commander (I got it on super discount a long time ago (cd version) but it refused to run on any computer so I never got to try it out) so it's great to be able to figure out this transfer system. Is there really no way to transfer status from the final Venice mission? I have to use a save from right before it?

The game end's before you can save on the final mission, therefore any kills in that one mission can not be transferred over. You could probably edit the save game file using some utility to manually update it if you so desired.

As for the transfer, while it's already been answered, I created a video a while back to show how this can be done.
The 7 steps to transferring your WC1 profile to WC2

I was able to transfer characters using the transfer program.

1. I renamed GoG Games folder to GOG for easier dos.
2. I copied/pasted the Wing Commander 1 and 2 folder and renamed the copy WC12 for same reason.
3. I then went to Dosbox folder in the copy I just made and click on it.
4. At the dos prompt I enter : mount c c:\GOG\WC12
5. Then enter: transfer
6. You are taken to barracks and can click on sleeping body to convert them to Secret Mission OR Play/Replay any of the missions in the first game.

One other thing also had to edit the Wing Commander and replaced the \GOG Games\Wing Commander 1 and 2 with the C:\GOG\WC12 as mentioned above. Both Target and Starts In boxes.

Should be good to go after that.

I imagine can do the same with TRANS2 .

After re-reading, my earlier post was not helpful. The quickest and easiest way to use the transfer program is to modify the "dosboxWC_single.conf" file. You will probably want to make a backup, just in case.

Replace the line:
loadfix -1 wc

With:
Transfer
*or*
Trans2

Transfer is the Secret Missions 1 transfer utility.
Trans2 is the Secret Missions 2 transfer utility.

Run with the WC shortcut (not the Secret Missions 2 shortcut), as you have modified the Wing Commander profile.
Then just select the bunk bed with the save game slot you want to transfer over. This part is pretty easy to do. Then exit the utility, change the .conf file back. Then play as you would.