Thexder

Thexder
Thexder	1987
Fire Hawk: Thexder - The Second Contact	1989
Thexder for Windows 95	1995

Key points

Can be run under DOSBox if the disk copy protection is disabled.

Availability

Source	DRM	Notes	Keys	OS
Retail		The original disks use CPC Copy Protection DRM. It is necessary to disable it to be able to run it on DOSBox.

Essential improvements

Packed file is corrupt

If you receive the error "Packed file is corrupt" when starting the game, make sure you first run LOADFIX. LOADFIX is included with DOS 5.0 or later, and is also included with DOSBox.

Three-channel audio support

The game supports three-channel audio, which requires the hardware built into the IBM PCjr or Tandy 1000 computer. Other systems are limited to one-channel audio played through the PC speaker.

Use DOSBox

Notes

if DOSBox is configured to emulate a PCjr or Tandy computer, the game detects and uses the emulated PCjr/Tandy sound hardware for three-channel audio. This will simultaneously also force the game to run in 16 colour PCjr/Tandy graphics mode.

MCGA mode

The games MCGA mode is normally reserved for the IBM PS/2 Model 25 and Model 30, and the game specifically checks for these machines. When started on a VGA system it will instead use EGA graphics, despite the fact that VGA can also do MCGA.

Use DOSBox-X

Notes

DOSBox-X has a special machine=mcga mode which is compatible with Thexder.

Rename trick

Notes With a little trick we can force it to use MCGA graphics on VGA graphics adapters.

To understand what is going on, first a little explanation about some of the game files. On the disk there is a THEXDER.COM which detects the hardware and then runs the actual game code. The following files contain the main game code:

MAIN - This is the CGA version
MAINEG - This is the EGA version
MAINJR - This is the PCjr/Tandy version
MAINPS - This is the PS/2 MCGA version

So on a VGA system it will run MAINEG while we want it to run MAINPS. As such simply rename MAINEG to MAINEG.BAK and copy MAINPS to MAINEG and start the game. You will now get MCGA graphics which looks slightly better than EGA.

Three-channel audio with MCGA

The three-channel PCjr/Tandy audio support in the game is normally mutually exclusive with the PS/2 MCGA graphics support.

A TSR^[1] written by Vogons user ripsaw8080 allows the combination of three-channel PCjr/Tandy audio with MCGA graphics in DOSBox.

TSR solution with DOSBox-X

Notes Follow the following steps to make this work on DOSBox-X

Download and unpack the TSR in your Thexder game directory
Make sure DOSBox-X is set for MCGA (machine=mcga)
Make sure DOSBox-X is set to force Tandy audio (tandy=on)
Start DOSBox-X
In DOSBox-X, run the THEXVGA3.COM TSR that you downloaded previously
In DOSBox-X, start THEXDER.COM

TSR solution with vanilla DOSBox or DOSBox ECE

Notes Follow the following steps to make this work on DOSBox

Download and unpack the TSR in your Thexder game directory
Follow the above rename trick to force MCGA mode
Make sure DOSBox is set for VGA or SVGA (e.g. machine=vga)
Make sure DOSBox is set to force Tandy audio (tandy=on)
Start DOSBox
In DOSBox, run the THEXVGA3.COM TSR that you downloaded previously
In DOSBox, start THEXDER.COM

Game data

Configuration file(s) location

The game auto detects the hardware on each startup. There is no configuration file.

Save game data location

The game does not support saving progress

Video

Graphics feature	State	Notes
Widescreen resolution
Multi-monitor
Ultra-widescreen
4K Ultra HD
Field of view (FOV)
Windowed		For DOSBox toggle with `Alt`+`↵ Enter` (see the glossary page for other workarounds).
Borderless fullscreen windowed		See the glossary page for potential workarounds.
Anisotropic filtering (AF)
Anti-aliasing (AA)
Vertical sync (Vsync)		On by default. Can be forced off with `-w` command line parameter (when using DOSBox).
60 FPS
120+ FPS
High dynamic range display (HDR)

Gallery

Title screen in MCGA
Game screen in MCGA
Title screen in EGA
Game screen in EGA
Title screen on PCjr/Tandy
Game screen on PCjr/Tandy
Title screen in CGA
Game screen in CGA

Input

Keyboard and mouse	State	Notes
Remapping		For DOSBox use the DOSBox Mapper (see the glossary page for other workarounds).
Mouse acceleration
Mouse sensitivity
Mouse input in menus
Mouse Y-axis inversion
Controller
Controller support		Joystick
Full controller support
Controller remapping		For DOSBox use the DOSBox Mapper (see the glossary page for other workarounds).
Controller sensitivity
Controller Y-axis inversion

Controller types

XInput-compatible controllers		See the glossary page for potential workarounds.

PlayStation controllers		See the glossary page for potential workarounds.

Generic/other controllers		See the glossary page for potential workarounds.

Additional information
Controller hotplugging
Haptic feedback
Digital movement supported
Simultaneous controller+KB/M

Audio

Audio feature	State	Notes
Separate volume controls
Surround sound
Subtitles
Closed captions
Mute on focus lost		For DOSBox change the `priority` background value in the DOSBox configuration file.
Royalty free audio

Localizations

Language	UI	Audio	Sub	Notes
English

Other information

API

Technical specs	Supported	Notes
DOS video modes	CGA, EGA, MCGA, PCjr, Tandy	* CGA version runs in 320x200 with 4 colours. * EGA version runs in 640x200 (which is then line doubled by the graphics adapter to 640x400) with 6 colours (incl. B/W). * MCGA version runs in 320x200 with 16 colours. This mode only works on the IBM PS/2 Model 25 and 30. * PCjr/Tandy version runs in 320x200 with 10 colours (incl. B/W). This mode only works on a IBM PCjr or Tandy 1000.

System requirements

DOS
	Minimum	Recommended
Operating system (OS)
Processor (CPU)	Intel 8088 / 8086
System memory (RAM)	256 KB
Hard disk drive (HDD)
Video card (GPU)	CGA	EGA

References

↑ TSR for Thexder PCjr/Tandy sound with MCGA - last accessed on 2020-03-17

[1] TSR for Thexder PCjr/Tandy sound with MCGA - last accessed on 2020-03-17

[1]

Developers

	Game Arts
Publishers
	Sierra On-Line
Release dates
DOS	October 1987
Mac OS (Classic)	1990
Taxonomy
Series	Thexder