Difference between revisions of "Star Wars: Dark Forces"
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'''General information''' | '''General information''' | ||
{{mm}} [http://df-21.net/ DF-21] - Custom Missions and Modding site{{note|note=Update April 2021. Site is back and updated frequently. Discord is active. Old Update: Users This site is only up intermittently and is frequently rendered inaccessible. Links to archives with most of the content from the site can be found on [https://www.gog.com/forum/star_wars_dark_forces_series/custom_missions_download/post5 this forum post]|name="dftwentyone"}} | {{mm}} [http://df-21.net/ DF-21] - Custom Missions and Modding site{{note|note=Update April 2021. Site is back and updated frequently. Discord is active. Old Update: Users This site is only up intermittently and is frequently rendered inaccessible. Links to archives with most of the content from the site can be found on [https://www.gog.com/forum/star_wars_dark_forces_series/custom_missions_download/post5 this forum post]|name="dftwentyone"}} | ||
+ | {{mm}} [https://theforceengine.github.io/] The Force Engine ] - a modern source port of Dark Forces. | ||
{{mm}} [https://discord.gg/6T9NvMh2MC Discord] Dark Forces Community Discord for News, Support, Modding | {{mm}} [https://discord.gg/6T9NvMh2MC Discord] Dark Forces Community Discord for News, Support, Modding | ||
{{GOG.com links|1421404433|star_wars_dark_forces_series|for game series}} | {{GOG.com links|1421404433|star_wars_dark_forces_series|for game series}} | ||
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===Patches=== | ===Patches=== | ||
{{ii}} [https://df-21.net/?post=59 Dark Forces Community Patch (2022)] has over 100 fixes and quality of life improvements. | {{ii}} [https://df-21.net/?post=59 Dark Forces Community Patch (2022)] has over 100 fixes and quality of life improvements. | ||
+ | {{ii}} [https://theforceengine.github.io/ The Force Engine] is the modernized (2022) version of the game with 4k support, mouselook and quicksaves. | ||
{{ii}} The DOS version has no patches (the <code>Install.exe</code> listed on the support page is not for this game). | {{ii}} The DOS version has no patches (the <code>Install.exe</code> listed on the support page is not for this game). | ||
{{ii}} The [https://support.starwars.com/hc/en-us/articles/360000730486-STAR-WARS-Dark-Forces-Update-Files 1.2 Update] patch fixes some issues with the Classic version of Dark Forces. | {{ii}} The [https://support.starwars.com/hc/en-us/articles/360000730486-STAR-WARS-Dark-Forces-Update-Files 1.2 Update] patch fixes some issues with the Classic version of Dark Forces. | ||
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===[https://theforceengine.github.io/downloads.html The Force Engine]=== | ===[https://theforceengine.github.io/downloads.html The Force Engine]=== | ||
New reverse-engineered source port of Dark Forces made by the same author of DarkXL that includes QOL improvements | New reverse-engineered source port of Dark Forces made by the same author of DarkXL that includes QOL improvements | ||
+ | {{++}} GPU Rendering | ||
{{++}} Active Development | {{++}} Active Development | ||
{{++}} Widescreen and high resolution support, can run the game up to 4K | {{++}} Widescreen and high resolution support, can run the game up to 4K | ||
Line 111: | Line 114: | ||
{{++}} Cutscenes and UI are implemented | {{++}} Cutscenes and UI are implemented | ||
{{++}} iMUSE and dynamic music implemented | {{++}} iMUSE and dynamic music implemented | ||
− | {{++}} As of | + | {{++}} As of v1.00, saving anywhere (regular and quick-saving) has been implemented. |
==Game data== | ==Game data== |
Revision as of 20:52, 19 December 2022
Developers | |
---|---|
LucasArts | |
Publishers | |
LucasArts | |
Disney Interactive Studios | |
Engines | |
Jedi | |
Release dates | |
DOS | February 15, 1995 |
Mac OS (Classic) | June 1995 |
Windows (DOSBox) | September 16, 2009 |
Linux (DOSBox) | January 20, 2015[1] |
macOS (OS X) (DOSBox) | March 19, 2018[2] |
Taxonomy | |
Monetization | One-time game purchase |
Modes | Singleplayer |
Pacing | Real-time |
Perspectives | First-person |
Controls | Direct control |
Genres | Action, Shooter |
Themes | Sci-fi, Space |
Series | Star Wars: Jedi Knight |
General information
- DF-21 - Custom Missions and Modding site[Note 1]
- [1] The Force Engine ] - a modern source port of Dark Forces.
- Discord Dark Forces Community Discord for News, Support, Modding
- GOG.com Community Discussions for game series
- GOG.com Support Page
- Steam Community Discussions
Availability
Source | DRM | Notes | Keys | OS |
---|---|---|---|---|
Retail | See Run retail version without the CD on how to bypass the disc check. | |||
GamersGate | ||||
GOG.com | Pre-packaged with DOSBox.[3] | |||
Humble Store | ||||
Origin | Included with EA Play Pro. | |||
Steam | Can be played without Steam. Pre-packaged with DOSBox 0.73.[4] Update to 0.74 for better performance and some color issue fixes. |
- A demo containing an earlier version of the first level is available. A longer demo which includes the finalized versions of the first 3 levels was also released.[Note 2]
- Not available for sale on Steam, Humble or Gamesplanet in Germany.
Essential improvements
Patches
- Dark Forces Community Patch (2022) has over 100 fixes and quality of life improvements.
- The Force Engine is the modernized (2022) version of the game with 4k support, mouselook and quicksaves.
- The DOS version has no patches (the
Install.exe
listed on the support page is not for this game). - The 1.2 Update patch fixes some issues with the Classic version of Dark Forces.
- Official German Patch adds missing translations and voice files
Dark Forces Definitive Fix
- Tweaks the DOSBox configuration files for better performance.
- Improves the music quality.
- Restores the intro video from the demo version.
- Comes with DOS/32A.
- It's recommended to install it before using the DarkForces Custom Launcher.
- Works only with the GOG release.
DarkForces Custom Launcher
New Multi-featured Launcher which has a guide.
- Run Dark Forces base game as well as custom community-made missions
- Automatically update new missions as they are added to df-21.net.
- Includes Dark Forces DeHacker.
- Supports modern storefronts such as Steam, GOG, Origin and Custom Folders.
- Video Walkthrough guides for the base game and custom missions.
- Ability to restore DosBox settings (All storefronts) and game installs (Steam only).
Dark Forces DeHacker
A tool with a Step by Step Guide with toggleable all-in-one features:
- All of the following features are completely optional (you don't need to enable anything you don't like) and you can use DeHacker only as configuration tool replacement instead of buggy original SETUP.EXE - see "Configuration setup" menu.
- Enable ingame vertical mouse look: standard or inverted (on Y-axis), setup "Forward/Backward" for "Y Axis" required
- Mouse "Fire Secondary" instead of "Strafe Mode", to use alternative fire mode with mouse you'll need to setup "Strafe Mode" as firing button
- Invert "Speed Mode" logic, always run when "Speed Mode" keyboard key NOT pressed, may turn gameplay harder
- Automatically jump while "Jump" button held down, no need to hit "Jump" continuously, may help a bit with mine or grenade jumps
- Increase mouse sensitivity by 4 times
- Run the game and setup program without the CD
- "IMUSE music MIDI drivers fix" which will patch infinite loop bug in General MIDI and Roland music drivers
- "Configuration setup" menu where you can configure game controls and assign (bind) the previously unavailable option "Center View" to all three supported devices (keyboard, mouse and joystick)
- unassign unused keyboard keys and set it to "None" (press Escape to set)
- buttons 3 and 4 when "Standard 4 Button" joystick type selected can be assigned now (was original SETUP.EXE bug)
- Separate options to disable joystick, mouse, and even keyboard (only for assigned keys)
- "Weapon AutoMount" will now always work in game (original SETUP.EXE can break this option and render it completely unusable)
- "System Speed" renamed to "Screen Size" to make to more accurately represent options and no longer limited to four options
- Documentation in "DARKINFO.TXT" file with complete list of all reserved keyboard keys, command line options, and cheat codes
The Force Engine
New reverse-engineered source port of Dark Forces made by the same author of DarkXL that includes QOL improvements
- GPU Rendering
- Active Development
- Widescreen and high resolution support, can run the game up to 4K
- Has more features compared to DarkXL
- Full mouselook support
- The game is completable from start to finish
- Cutscenes and UI are implemented
- iMUSE and dynamic music implemented
- As of v1.00, saving anywhere (regular and quick-saving) has been implemented.
Game data
Configuration file(s) location
System | Location |
---|---|
DOS | <path-to-game>\JEDI.CFG |
Windows | <path-to-game> (mounted in DOSBox)[Note 3] |
Mac OS (Classic) | Macintosh HD/System Folder/Preferences/Dark Forces Prefernces |
macOS (OS X) | <path-to-game> (mounted in DOSBox)[Note 3] |
Linux | <path-to-game> (mounted in DOSBox)[Note 3] |
Steam Play (Linux) | <SteamLibrary-folder>/steamapps/compatdata/32400/pfx/[Note 4] |
- Config file is not human readable. A partial explanation on how to edit it can be found here.
- This game does not follow the XDG Base Directory Specification on Linux.
Save game data location
System | Location |
---|---|
DOS | <path-to-game>\DARKPILO.CFG |
Windows | <path-to-game> (mounted in DOSBox)[Note 3] |
Mac OS (Classic) | Macintosh HD/System Folder/Preferences/Dark Forces Pilots |
macOS (OS X) | <path-to-game> (mounted in DOSBox)[Note 3] |
Linux | <path-to-game> (mounted in DOSBox)[Note 3] |
Steam Play (Linux) | <SteamLibrary-folder>/steamapps/compatdata/32400/pfx/[Note 4] |
Save game cloud syncing
System | Native | Notes |
---|---|---|
GOG Galaxy | ||
Origin | ||
Steam Cloud |
Video
Graphics feature | State | WSGF | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Widescreen resolution | DOS version runs at 320x200 (see the DOSBox page for more information) and Mac OS (Classic) version runs at 640x480. See The Force Engine for widescreen support. |
||
Multi-monitor | See The Force Engine. | ||
Ultra-widescreen | See The Force Engine. | ||
4K Ultra HD | See The Force Engine. | ||
Field of view (FOV) | |||
Windowed | Toggle with Alt+↵ Enter if using DOSBox. The Force Engine supports windowed mode. |
||
Borderless fullscreen windowed | |||
Anisotropic filtering (AF) | |||
Anti-aliasing (AA) | |||
High-fidelity upscaling | See the glossary page for potential workarounds. | ||
Vertical sync (Vsync) | Use The Force Engine. | ||
60 FPS | Capped at 35 FPS, use The Force Engine to uncap.[5] | ||
120+ FPS | The framerate is uncapped on The Force Engine if Vsync is turned off. | ||
High dynamic range display (HDR) | See the glossary page for potential alternatives. |
Input
Keyboard and mouse | State | Notes |
---|---|---|
Remapping | Use INSTALL.EXE (KEYCONFI.EXE in the demo) or SETUP.EXE . Mouse settings cannot be changed in the demo. Some keys cannot be mapped. See fix below, or use The Force Engine. |
|
Mouse acceleration | ||
Mouse sensitivity | ||
Mouse input in menus | Some menus only work with mouse. | |
Mouse Y-axis inversion | Game lacks vertical-look for mouse. See hack below for adding it, or use The Force Engine. | |
Controller | ||
Controller support | ||
Full controller support | ||
Controller remapping | Use INSTALL.EXE (KEYCONFI.EXE in the demo) or SETUP.EXE . |
|
Controller sensitivity | ||
Controller Y-axis inversion |
Controller types |
---|
XInput-compatible controllers | Through DosBox | |
---|---|---|
Xbox button prompts | ||
Impulse Trigger vibration |
PlayStation controllers |
---|
Generic/other controllers | ||
---|---|---|
Button prompts |
Additional information | ||
---|---|---|
Controller hotplugging | ||
Haptic feedback | ||
Digital movement supported | ||
Simultaneous controller+KB/M | Designed for keyboard and flightstick. |
Modern control scheme + v-look for mouse (DOSBox)
- Use Dark Forces Plus, compilation of DOSBox keymapper files and GlovePIE script.[6]
- Could use FreePIE as alternative to GlovePIE.
- GlovePIE and FreePIE are Windows programs; they do not work on Mac or Linux.
Audio
Audio feature | State | Notes |
---|---|---|
Separate volume controls | ||
Surround sound | Uses stereo output with some 3D spatial effects.[7] | |
Subtitles | ||
Closed captions | ||
Mute on focus lost | For DOSBox change the priority background value in the DOSBox configuration file. |
|
Royalty free audio | Uses audio from the original Star Wars movie trilogy. | |
General MIDI audio |
- This game supports the MT-32 and General MIDI for music.
Localizations
Language | UI | Audio | Sub | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
English | ||||
French | ||||
German | ||||
Italian | ||||
Russian | Fan translation by «ENPY Studio» | |||
Spanish |
Issues unresolved
- The MIDI tracks BOSS-05.GMD, BOSS-08.GMD, BOSS-10.GMD, BOSS-11.GMD and BOSS-14.GMD (inside SOUNDS.GOB) never play during the game when the corresponding boss is fought against. This is known to be true about the DOS retail release and is an iMUSE issue.
- One sector in "Mission 3: Anoat City" is messed up, preventing access to two energy unit pickups. Its corridor can be entered by setting the hub switch to setting 2. The inaccessible sector is on the right just inside the sewage corridor, showing up with the map cheat or a level editor.
- Two Ceiling Turrets in "Mission 4: Research Facility" are missing their bases.
- Some of the Ceiling Turrets have their base set to have the Turret logic. Nothing happens unless the corresponding map gets edited.
- A fan in "Mission 4: Research Facility" has its grate set to use the Fan logic. Unless the map is edited, the grate stays still.
- There is a non-functioning elevator in "Mission 9: Nar Shaddaa" in the room with the first Trandoshans. Its sector is messed up and inaccessible, preventing players from going back to the starting area without sitting on a mine or cheating.
Issues fixed
Game randomly changes colors
Change output method to DirectDraw or OpenGL[citation needed] |
---|
|
Game appears stretched horizontally
Fix incorrect aspect ratio[citation needed] |
---|
|
Run retail version without the CD
Run without the CD[8] |
---|
|
Create a dummy folder[citation needed] |
---|
|
Update Steam DOSBox version/Run without Steam
Run without Steam[citation needed] |
---|
|
Enable Steam overlay
Change DOSBox output method to OpenGL[citation needed] |
---|
|
Other information
API
Technical specs | Supported | Notes |
---|---|---|
OpenGL | 3.3 | See The Force Engine |
Software renderer | ||
DOS video modes | MCGA, VGA |
Middleware
Middleware | Notes | |
---|---|---|
Audio | iMUSE | For music |
DarkXL
- DarkXL is heavily outdated at this point and it's not recommended to use it anymore, as it has been surpassed by The Force Engine.
- Enables playing the game in modern Windows. Supports high resolutions, with enhanced visuals and proper mouselook.
- The Original version of the project, however, is no-longer in active development, and the most-recent alpha version has some unresolved issues such as missing cutscenes, no music during cutscenes, a float/noclip function bound to the F key that cannot be rebound, and other issues that require workarounds to correct. However, the game can still be completed in this form. (see Getting started with XL Engine).
The author of the Xlengine/DarkXL port LuciusDXL has, as of May 2020, restarted the project as The Force Engine concentrating on Dark Forces and Outlaws games. This is due in part to Blood and Daggerfall having other complete projects/ports available. More information is available on his blog post here.
Dark Frontend
Dark Frontend is a utility that allows easier launching of mods and levels. Installation (of both the launcher and the mods you intend to use with it) isn't exactly the most straight forward; includes a digital manual (readme.exe), reading it is recommended before using. It has been superseded by Dark Forces Custom Launcher, but unlike its successor, it is a native DOS program and can directly in DOSBox.
System requirements
DOS | ||
---|---|---|
Minimum | Recommended | |
Operating system (OS) | 5.0 | 6.22 |
Processor (CPU) | Intel 386DX 33 MHz | Intel 486DX 33 MHz |
System memory (RAM) | 8 MB | |
Hard disk drive (HDD) | 3.5 MB | |
Video card (GPU) | MCGA, VGA |
Notes
- ↑ Update April 2021. Site is back and updated frequently. Discord is active. Old Update: Users This site is only up intermittently and is frequently rendered inaccessible. Links to archives with most of the content from the site can be found on this forum post
- ↑ Any references to "the demo" on this page refer to the first demo.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 File/folder structure within the installation folder reflects the path(s) listed for DOS game data.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Notes regarding Steam Play (Linux) data:
- File/folder structure within this directory reflects the path(s) listed for Windows and/or Steam game data.
- Games with Steam Cloud support may also store data in
~/.steam/steam/userdata/<user-id>/32400/
. - Use Wine's registry editor to access any Windows registry paths.
- The app ID (32400) may differ in some cases.
- Treat backslashes as forward slashes.
- See the glossary page for details on Windows data paths.
References
- ↑ LUCASFILM ON GOG.COM: Wave II continues. - GOG.com
- ↑ STAR WARS™: Dark Forces :: Compatibility Patch Update - Steam Community - last accessed on 2019-05-04
- ↑ List of GOG games using DOSBox, page 1 - Forum - GOG.com
- ↑ Star Wars: Dark Forces · AppID: 32400 · Steam Database
- ↑ Move internal framerate to 35 and interpolate · Issue #55 · luciusDXL/TheForceEngine on GitHub
- ↑ https://www.gog.com/forum/star_wars_dark_forces_series/dark_forces_plus_basically_vanilla_mouse_look_an_alternative_to_darkxl/page1
- ↑ Verified by User:SirYodaJedi on July 21, 2018 using General Midi (VirtualMIDISynth) for Music and Sound Blaster 16 (DOSBox emulation) for Digital Sound Effects.
- ↑ https://www.dosbox.com/wiki/GAMES:Star_Wars:_Dark_Forces