Sometimes a list of screenshots and patch notes is not enough for an update. Sometimes a new patch needs a proper trailer, and that is the case with version 1.3.3 of the Tie Fighter: Total Conversion mod. It can be seen below and is very nice. [TIE Fighter: Total Conversion MOD is a port of TIE Fighter: Total Conversion MOD is a port of the 1994 LucasArts flight sim TIE Fighter to the 1999 X-Wing Alliance engine and, as a wise man once said, may be the perfect mod. Full disclosure: I was that wise man. And I was not exaggerating! This isn't just a remaster of a cool old game, it's been enhanced with tons of new features, improvements, music, and missions. Plus, it has VR support.

And the modders behind TFTC are not done yet. Update 1.3.3 includes new Stardestroyers, experimental TIE Starfighter models, improved flight controls, new explosion effects and visuals, and much more. If you like shiny things, there is also an option to enable ray tracing, which makes even just a great mod look even better.

But honestly, I am most excited about the main concourse screen. In the original game, this is the menu screen where you choose what to do next: enter the training simulator, select the mission you want to play, participate in a historical battle, or examine various ships in the engineering room. When you hover the mouse cursor over the choices, doors to various rooms open and close, but it was mostly a static screen:

TIE Fighter Total Conversion has thoroughly improved this, as well as every other aspect of the game. The new concourse is animated! Stormtroopers are still standing at their posts, but you can see officers passing by, people using hovering cargo carts, protocol droids passing by, and a few pilots hanging out waiting for their next mission. It is somehow totally nostalgic and totally new at the same time.

There is also a nice view out the window of a distant planet, some Starfighters, and maybe another Star Destroyer slowly cruising by. And what you see in these new concourse animations changes with the progression level of the campaign. Great detail, especially considering that this is literally just the main menu of the game. Liked. I want to play through the whole thing just to see how the concourses change.

Well, I'm done geeking out about the menus, if you haven't tried TIE Fighter Total Conversion yet, you should. The mod is completely free, but requires Star Wars: X-Wing Alliance, which is only $10 on Steam.TFTC version 1.3.3 patch notes are here. Have a good hunt!