Freelancer Bonus Disk - Full Archive [WIP]

[A1ex]

Preface:

This is an attempt to fully archive the contents of the Freelancer Bonus disk. It contains the entire first, full version of the script (and the final one), some unreleased and early music tracks as well as high quality versions of the final ones, concept art, trailers and a short documentary about the game's development. Some of you might've already seen a lot of it, but I wanted to share it with all of you anyway, and have it all easily accessible in one place. Compiling all of this took many, many hours so if you find any errors or mistakes (e.g. missmatched links, spelling mistakes), please inform me via PM and I'll do my best to fix it as soon as I can.

Warning: This post contains a lot of images, you might not want to check this out on your phone or laptop with limited mobile-data.

Notice: This archive will probably be updated in the near future with AI Enhanced versions of some Images and Videos once I have the time and processing power to spare.

Notice 2: Due to a 3 Videos per post limit I'll just embed the most important stuff and link the rest.

Notice 3: This is still work in progress, some of it may be subject to change, and more will be added.

Contents:

• Images
  • Concept Art
    
  • Storyboards
    
• Videos
  • Trailers
    
  • Intros
    
  • Short Documentary
    
  • Concept Art Showcases
    
  • Movie Tests/Examples [To Be Added]
    
• Audio [To Be Added]
  • Music
    
  • Character Vignettes (Voice-Acted Ver.)
    
• Documents
  • Freelancer Screenplay - First Draft & Shooting Version
    
  • Opening Narration
    
  • Character Vignettes (Written Ver.)
    

Images

Concept Art
Please note that some of these contain a lot of images. Up to 39 in Rheinland's case. I'm also sorry for the black borders on some of the images, these have been extracted by hand from a video, and I didn't want to manually edit over 100 images. I might fix this in the future when I get really bored in university.

From the original read_me.rtf:

Spoiler

We included many sketches from 1997/1998/1999 and you can see that we had many ideas on how and where to take the characters in the game. Adam Medhurst was Freelancer's Art Director back then. The Nomads underwent the largest changes of all from concept to release; they are not portrayed "walking around" in the released game, though we considered the concept.

Liberty

Bretonia

Kusari

Rheinland

Nomads

Storyboards
A selection of some of the storyboards made by Marc Baird for the Freelancer intro sequence. More are available on the GitHub, a short 2 minute video with all of them combined was also included on the disk and has been linked below. I had also uploaded them to imgur for easier viewing, but for some reason the album got shuffled when I opened it today, despite me uploading and saving them in the correct order. So... thanks imgur. If you still wanna see it: Click here.

From the original read_me.rtf:

Spoiler

Hollywood storyboard artist Marc Baird was brought in by Chris Roberts to 'board the
extravagant intro sequence, in 1998/1999. Here are some of his storyboards. After
watching the intro in its full glory on this DVD, you'll be able to understand the
storyboards better.

The intro was created by Digital Anvil's visual effects team (after finishing the
Wing Commander movie) during 1999, and the 5.1 soundtrack was created by Soundelux
DMG in Hollywood, in February 2000.

The anonymous narrator role, who in this DVD product is revealed as the character
of "Atticus Rockford", was performed by actor Xander Berkeley - who ALSO performs the
roles of Sam Lonnigan and Dexter Hovis later in the game (a pretty varied set of
performances there!).

You can browse through the images and get some idea of the original thoughts behind
each shot. OR use the Windows Media 9 file Curtis Neal created, to allow you to get
through them all in about two minutes. Some of the storyboards may relate to
discarded ideas, so take them as they are.

Storyboards

Storyboards Video

https://youtu.be/0HYjzgNk9-4

Videos

Trailers

E3 2001

E3 2002

Web

https://youtu.be/89gGIEKTPDM

Short Documentary

Behind The Scenes

Intros
All three Freelancer intros: The final release version, the full version which includes the first Encounter with Nomads and the introduction of Atticus Rockford, and a third extra intro which shows the discovery and theft of the artifact. I've also included the full descriptions of these videos from the read_me in each spoiler, some of the infos in there regarding DVD controls of course don't apply. I have however linked the archive.org link to the Bonus Disk ISO at the bottom so you can get the full experience if you want to.
Also, please note that due to the 3 video limitation, I am not able to embed the videos here, sorry for that.

Release Intro

readme

This is the version that ships with the game - but it has the 5.1 soundmix applied, and of course the picture is "DVD quality." (The Release version on the game CD had a 2.0-channel sound mix and used the Windows Media 7 codec.)

https://youtu.be/n8iAHnkuI9g

Full Intro

readme

The Original 7-minute pre-rendered intro

This was shown at the 2000 Computer Game Developer's Conference (along with in-game footage, some of which ended up in the 2001 E3 trailer) to rapturous applause. The importance of the Nomads that is inferred from their role in this intro caused concern for us, as it warrants an early introduction to Nomads in the story. The intro movie was completely rendered before the rest of Freelancer's story had been put together. Over time, we decided that introducing the Nomads later in the game was a better idea, and so we "removed" them from the intro - which is why we have an "Original" intro and a "Release" intro.
Note - you can use the "audio" button on your DVD remote to change soundtracks - We've separated out the music, sound-effects and dialogue for those who want to hear them separately. Assignments are as follows:
Audio Soundtrack 1 (default) = mix
Audio Soundtrack 2 = fx
Audio Soundtrack 3 = music
Audio Soundtrack 4 = dialogue

https://youtu.be/_vkkypeLv1s

Extra Intro

readme

The "restored RTC intro"

In early versions of the game, the intro sequences continued for a total of 11 minutes, which we deemed too long to get players into the action; therefore we removed this section from the game. It was to have played in between the pre-rendered intro and the Freeport Seven Disaster sequence. Here it is, restored for your viewing pleasure, now pre-rendered at NTSC resolution with 16x anti-aliasing. Note - the soundtrack is a temp track specially-created for this DVD - the sequence was cut from the game before any final music and sound-effects were done. This intro is of particular interest to anyone wondering where that egg-shaped "artifact" came from.

https://youtu.be/1GgtFcCBep8

Concept Art Showcases
The original video files from which I have extracted all the concept art images.

Liberty

https://youtu.be/H8LUo5ybHD4

Bretonia

https://youtu.be/w_XWnhWG7i0

Kusari

https://youtu.be/FqlD4I6GiQ8

Rheinland

https://youtu.be/ivaXpJSZcXU

Nomads

https://youtu.be/NJG2h7Ltbtw

Documents

All of these have been uploaded to the GitHub in their original .doc form, as well as a plaintext paste. I have included some of the shorter one's here for your convenience.

Freelancer Screenplay

These would be a little to long to post here, so below are their respective links on the GitHub. The Plaintext versions can be viewed directly in your browser on GitHub. The only case where there is a stark difference between the plaintext and the .doc versions is the Shooting Screenplay, which I highly recommend downloading and checking out in Microsoft Office or Libre Office.

From the original read_me.rtf:

Spoiler

There were numerous versions of the single-player story for "Freelancer." The one that ships in the game was begun around March of 2001 and was tweaked until the end of 2002. Included here are the first and final drafts. I've called it the "shooting script" because it underwent a minor amount of tweaking as we created the final product, but otherwise, it's pretty darn close to what shipped. It's definitely what we used going into production. This large file merges all 13 mission scripts with the planetside/base-side story script (that was written & recorded first to allow production to begin on the real-time cinematics).

• Story Screenplay - First Draft (plaintext .txt)
  
• Story Screenplay - Shooting Version (.doc)
  
• Story Screenplay - Shooting Version (plaintext .txt)
  

Opening Narration
This is not mentioned within the read_me, but it seems to be a more extensive Script for the Opening Narration used in the intro.

• Opening Narration (.doc)
  
• Opening Narration (plaintext .txt)
  

Character Vignettes
These are written versions of the in-character introductions performed by the Voice Actors (which I will upload as soon as I can). These are small enough to be included here, though of course they're also available in .doc and plaintext on the GitHub.

From the original read_me.rtf:

Spoiler

Jorg Neumann and Adam Foshko thought it would be cool to pad out the story's fictional characters in a way that is not included in the story itself - offline, so to speak. So they created short speeches for each one, where they describe themselves. I can tell you, the actors enjoyed reading these vignettes probably the most out of all their dialogue! The vignettes are not 100% serious - there's a bit of between-the-lines humour in each one.

Trent

• GitHub - .doc
  
• GitHub - plaintext .txt
  

Trent

For the record my name is Edison Trent. I just go by Trent. It's easier that way.

As for my background, I've never had much use for the past. I do have my eye on the future, though. And right now that future hinges on my getting back a million credits this guy owes me. It's not entirely his fault, the station we were on got blown away...but a deal's a deal.

It was a sweet deal, too - a million credits for a shipment of rare ore that I picked up in the Borderworlds. I needed that money, I earned that money, I risked my butt for that money. The GMG rep, this guy Lonnigan, was about to finish the transaction when suddenly the whole place started to come apart. Sirens, fire, the works. We couldn't get to our ships and to make matters worse a support beam hit Lonnigan in the head. He looked bad so I grabbed him and pulled him into an escape pod, took one last look at my cargo all spilled out on the deck like that - and then yanked the lever. Five seconds later --Boom. It was all gone.

We got picked up and taken to Manhattan, in Liberty space. Not my favorite place, they've got rules and regs for everything. But I still have Lonnigan. He's my ticket...as soon as he gets out of the Medical Unit. I have plans for that cash. That's future enough for me.

Juni

• GitHub - .doc
  
• GitHub - plaintext .txt
  

Jun’ko

My name? My name is Jun’ko Zane. What can I tell you about myself?

You might have heard about my parents, John and Shikoku. They caused quite a stir in their day when they crossed the lines of political ideology and protocol to be together. They both were luminaries from very different houses; he was a test pilot turned political figure from Liberty and she, a woman of great power and influence - even in a male-dominated society like Kusari. We were raised with the best of both worlds.

Today I work for the LSF, in special operations. On the surface my job is just like any other: I deal with bureaucrats, politicos, company men and freelancers. I have a sworn obligation to uphold Liberty and its political agendas, both foreign and domestic. However there is another side to this that takes me into the field - sometimes deeply. It's out there that I feel like I do the most good, where my talents really come into play. You may not hear about this stuff in the news, but you'd know it if we weren't out there. If we didn't hold the line.

What can I tell you about myself? Nothing.

King

• GitHub - .doc
  
• GitHub - plaintext .txt
  

King

My name is Michael King, my rank is Colonel in the Liberty Security Force. My current assignment is classified.

I was born in Manhattan and I'm proud of it. I went to West Point, served in the military and was then hand-picked to join the LSF. I am proficient in high energy weapons, triple-blade combat and open space survival. I am also the only non-Kusari Sri-Lhan master ever.

This, simply boiled down, means that I am a total and complete bad ass.

It's funny, there's so little in my career that I can actually talk about. But with the military's recent declassification of "Operation Triple Spire", and since I don't work for them anymore, I think I can fill you in on some of the details.

On the surface it was a simple criminal weapons facility strike; we had orders infiltrate - then slash and burn. Things changed though when our detachment soon discovered that this particular group of Rogues wasn't just manufacturing small arms, but had built a large fusion bomb that it was planning to take down Fort Bush with. Intel's estimates of the Rogues' size and strength were way off too - and we were surrounded. It got ugly.

For eighteen hours we held 'em - and we lost some good people along the way. Finally, we managed to get extracted - but not before leaving them a "little love letter from Liberty". As we left, we set off their own weapon and vaporized the entire installation with all hands on board. Mission accomplished as far as I was concerned.

When I got back, I also took a bite outta the screwtop Intel O.D. who'd briefed us. I assure you his hospital stay was worse than my night in the brig. Needless to say there no charges filed. My people and my mission are what matter to me, period. When I have an assignment, the brass upstairs knows that they either need to help me or get the hell out of my way - because I'm going to get the job done.

Orillion

• GitHub - .doc
  
• GitHub - plaintext .txt
  

Orillion

Orillion. It's a name you think you may have heard, but you're not sure. It is in my best interest to not be known, to never be seen by anyone on the outside. No one knows what I look like or even if I really exist, but there is a rumor ...a distant rumor spoken in hushed tones...that I pull the strings of the underworld. That I have plans within plans that constantly maintain delicate events and countermeasures to ensure that both the criminal element in Sirius and their opposing government agencies are at constant odds with each other, yet remain in balance. That I maintain the ever-present tug of war of so-called "good and evil", and from my hand I dispense a decisive victory here or critical losses there - yet I always retain some portion of both for the waiting coffers of "The Order". It is rumored that I have ties deep in the halls of power, yet my influence can also be felt on the outskirts of humanity. That from my seclusion, I see all.

As I said, this is just a rumor. But like all good rumors, there lies within a grain of truth.

Tobias

• GitHub - .doc
  
• GitHub - plaintext .txt
  

Tobias

Richard Winston Tobias, Esquire – at your service…

“- I take great care to give you the best deal – anywhere”

I’m a tradesman by birth, like my parents – both of ‘em. I inherited my small shop on Leeds from them when they passed. Since then, I have faithfully cared for our customers...many of whom come from all around for the patented “Tobias Touch”.

Being devoted to my trade I never had time to marry, though let me say I am no stranger to the fairer sex either. However I knew if I was ever to find a woman to my liking, it would be my desire to have a son...someone fine and strong who would carry on the rich "Tobias Legacy". Well, the wife has yet to appear – though I do have several strong candidates in mind – I did, however, have the boy…a boy named Trent.

I knew Trent's parents well, I did. A great tragedy...they were cut down before their time in a shipping accident, leaving behind their young son. Well, there was simply no one else to look after him...so in their memory, I took him in and made him my own. I gave the lad a good home and a good trade – but now he’s a young man...with a mind of his own. He's stubborn like his father was. He's gone off to seek his fortune outside of this “backwater place”, as he calls it.

…Ah, I shouldn’t worry, he’ll be back. -Mark my words…

Walker

• GitHub - .doc
  
• GitHub - plaintext .txt
  

Walker

Name: Walker, Marcus B.
Rank: Captain
Serial Number: B25364

I've been assigned to the Liberty Cruiser Utah as her skipper for the last five years. My crew and I are stationed in California and together we play a key role in Liberty's defenses against illegal activity, particularly pirates and smugglers. That's the official line, but there's more to it than that...We like to think of ourselves as Liberty's first line of defense. Anything bad from the outside world coming in - and we're there.

Example: There was this one time, three years ago - we'd received word from High Command that there was a group of Rogues moving a shipment of pirated gold through California. We knew the route and where they were coming in, and we waited. The drop time came and went but nothing was happening. Suddenly, I got this coded message from an LSF operative that our Intel was wrong. The agent gave us new coordinates. I was skeptical at first but the agent's security clearance checked out and HC gave us the go ahead. I moved Attack Group South into a new position --and surprised a huge smuggling ring. The largest we'd ever seen. They were Rogues alright, but they weren't moving gold - they were moving Cardamine, dangerous narcotic drug, into Liberty. We crushed them that day.

Ultimately, we received a commendation from the LSF and High Command...and that was also my first encounter with LSF Agent Jun'ko Zane. A relationship that we maintain even today.

Sinclair

• GitHub - .doc
  
• GitHub - plaintext .txt
  

Kendra Sinclair, that's Doctor Kendra Sinclair.

You want to know about my work? Heh, that's a switch. Usually people could care less about Xenoarcheology. But, if you really want to know, I'm researching the remnants of a culture that predates modern man by millions of years. That may sound dull to you, but when I'm out there I feel alive.

When I think, as I stand in the ruins of an enormous amphitheatre or walk the dust-filled catacombs of a vast underground network of streets, that in that very spot lived an active and thriving culture it fills me with a deep unquenchable thirst.

I have a thirst for their knowledge. I need to know their story - of who they were...of what happened to them and why. I want them to quietly whisper their secrets to me - out there in the darkness as I explore their cities. I'm close....I feel like I'm only missing something...a piece of the puzzle... some knowledge or key that will unlock all of their mysteries and lay them open before me.

...Then all the years of digging in the dirt will be worth it...of being eclipsed by the "The Great Quintaine". Then he will have to admit that I was right and that he was wrong.

When I find this piece, they will all know.

Quintaine

• GitHub - .doc
  
• GitHub - plaintext .txt
  

Roland Quintaine

Hello, I'm Roland Quintaine. Professor Emeritus of Archeology and Pre-Human Colonization Cultural Studies at Cambridge University. I have combined Phd's in archeology, anthropology, metallurgy and biology. For the last seventeen years I have immersed myself in the study of the artifact record left behind by a race of beings that inhabited Sirius for millions of years. In that time, I have headed numerous expeditions into some of the darkest recesses of the galaxy to try and unlock the secrets of the ruins unearthed there. My findings indicate that the technology and accomplishments of this race were so advanced that we would scarcely be able to fully comprehend it...and yet for all of their achievements they seemed to have suddenly - and inexplicably - vanished almost overnight.

Foolishly, there is a trade that has developed in recent years ...a fad really...of so-called art dealers who taken it upon themselves to harvest some of the lesser remnants of this race...shattered shards of their culture, which are loosely and quite simply refered to as "artifacts", and sell them on the open market. I have protested this on many levels, but either through political bribery or greed or sheer stupidity on the part of our leaders, the sale of these precious items remains unprotected throughout most of the galaxy. One of my deepest fears is what might happen if we were to ever recover something fully intact ...of any significant power... and by virtue of our short sightedness, let it be peddled to the wrong hands. It might be a Pandora's Box that we could never close.

Hovis

• GitHub - .doc
  
• GitHub - plaintext .txt
  

Dexter Hovis

Yeah, my name's Hovis. Dexter Hovis. I was once a sad excuse for a human being - like you. Every day I'd make the shipping runs from different ports o'call in Sirius...each time goin' farther n' farther - goin' into and comin' out o' the most dangerous parts of the galaxy...without even so much as a scratch. It's like I was unbeatable...I just kept lookin' for the next challenge, the next thrill. Got to the point that even the credits didn't matter anymore. You make a lot you know, when you go where no one else will. I was pretty sure that I'd been everywhere and done everything - and then, on an old abandoned Bret battleship that the Molly's crippled up, I found "the race".

Asteroid racin' makes your blood boil and makes you feel alive. There's nothin' like the mano a mano struggle of two racers speedin' in and around millions of tons' of movin' rock and ice. -And when usually only one of them survives, it don't pay to be no second best.

Sure it's illegal, but the IMG don't care and no one else knows we're here - 'cept other racers - and they're not tellin'. They hear the callin' too. They come from all over to race each other - and me - to find out who's the best. It's not about the "rat race" anymore, it's this kinda race that makes life worth livin'. You ever get the callin' and feel like you got a pair - you look us up on "The Hood". I'll be waitin'.

[A1ex]

Sorry for already sort of bumping this, but I've updated the main post with the 3 intro sequences. Those have been interpolated to 60FPS. The original versions are available on the GitHub page (together with the 60FPS versions). I've also started work on some AI-Enhanced versions which clear up the videos and improve quality, these will be posted at a later time however, since there's still some ghosting and artifacts that occur.

Also, please note that YouTube might've reduced the Frame rate since these aren't in HD, I personally haven't noticed a change but someone else might. If that is the case, please just download them from the GitHub page, these will have their 60FPS preserved.

Since I haven't been able to embed them in the main post, I'll do so here:

The Release version of the pre-rendered intro



The Original 7-minute pre-rendered intro


The "restored RTC intro"



If you've got any thoughts or comments regarding the structure of the Archive or just the content itself, I'd love to hear it.

[Skorak]

I really like this. Thank you so much for sorting this. I never had the disc.

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[Toaster]

If only we could have gotten those original designs for the Liberty Dreadnought and Siege Cruiser.

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Olivia Sable

[A1ex]

I really like this. Thank you so much for sorting this. I never had the disc.

Forgot to include it in the post, but you can get the full image here: https://archive.org/details/freelancer-2...-bonus-dvd
It also comes with the Audio CD which has FLAC versions of most of the soundtrack, really high quality stuff. Of course, I'll add those to the archive as well, it'll just take a bit to sort all of this out ^^

And I agree @Toaster, some original ship designs do beat the final versions. I would've preferred to have both versions tho, since I don't dislike the release one's either.

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[Ice Princess]

Thank you for sharing that, Alex. I really wish we would have gotten some of those amazing ship, character, or even planet designs. And I really do wish we would have gotten atmosphere-battles on planets. Really sad that we didn't

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[Kane182new]

This is so cool, thank you for sharing. Too bad it was rushed in the end, but just look at Star Citizen. I don't really blame Microsoft now for rushing it and keeping it away from Roberts, he is a genius but he is also crazy. I wonder what Squadron 42 will be like, I hope it will have some FL vibes.

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Current Official Member:
DTR - Deterrence / NHI - New Horizon Industries /

Interested in joining player factions:
Unioners, Junkers, Hogosha/FA/Samura, Gaians, Xenos

Solo indies::
The Order, LSF, Unione Corse, Nomads

Former Member:
Alliance), [AFA], Ageira~, Ageira|, Aoi Iseijin, =LSF=, [UC], [RM], [OPG], [TBH], XA-

First time joined Discovery community in 2009
Freelancer enthusiast since 2004

[pillow]

This is so cool.

[sane]

Major Scrote lookin' suspiciously similar to King

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New Discovery Freelancer Wiki

[Jayce]

AHM HOVIS

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