DF-21 Interview

Posted by karjala on 2022-06-29 20:50:04 EST

DF-21 Staff Interview

We've recorded an interview with the Australian game podcast TwoBit Gamers.

Come have a listen!

We talk about how we were first introduced to Dark Forces and what led us to the DF-21 community.

The Force Engine 0.9 Released

Posted by karjala on 2022-05-17 21:34:42 EST

The Force Engine 0.9 - iMuse & Sound Released

After months of effort Lucius has released The Force Engine 0.9. You can download it Here !

The emphasis is on the full reverse-engineering of the iMuse (Interactive Music Streaming Engine) system.

Take a look at the playthrough below: all the audio is now generated through The Force Engine.

Remember that the iMuse is the audio system crated by Michael Land for the game Monkey Island 2: Le Chuck's Revenge It was used in many LucasArts games including Dark Forces.

One of the key features of this system is the ability to switch tracks depending on what is happening in the game. For example, if there is combat or exploration the music transition from one track to another.

Take a look at the video below that gives a nice example of iMuse audio transitions in Monkey Island 2 !

Please read the Blog post that details all the changes and drop by TFE discord Here

Patch Details

Features and changes included in the release:

* Reverse-engineering of Dark Forces complete (with the obvious exception of going over bits of code again for bugs, or if I ever want to port TFE to DOS - and no that is not happening anytime soon if ever).
* iMuse system with proper music cues, transitions, and effects. Features like fades and similar effects work the same for both midi and digital audio.
* This is where most of the time was spent. iMuse is big and convoluted.
* Game music with fight/stalk transitions.
* Game and Cutscene sound system that uses iMuse to play digital audio; which includes proper sound priorities and accurate sound falloff and panning.
* Level ambient sounds.
* Sound UI will volume control for Cutscene Music, Sound, and Game music and sound.
* The ability to enable 16-channel digital audio support in iMuse (it was basically already there in the code, I just had to make some tweaks so it could be changed at runtime). 16-channels is the default but if you disable the option, it reverts back to 8-channels like DOS.
* The ability to disable fight music if desired.
* The Mousewheel is now bindable.
* The Mousewheel works on mission briefings and some PDA screens (mission briefing and map).
* Improved support for System UI scaling for 1440p and 4k.
* Many other fixes.

Future Plans for 1.0

With version 0.9 finally released, the next major release will be version 1.0 - complete support for Dark Forces in TFE. Unlike the 0.9 release, the plan is to split up the release into several smaller releases. There will be 2 main parts:

Bug Fixes. I plan on splitting bug fixes by system and do one or more 0.9x release for each system. Examples include AI bugs, weapon bugs, collision issues, INF issues, etc..
The GPU renderer - the last major feature for version 1.0. The GPU renderer will support both shearing for looking up and down (which emulates the software renderer) and accurate perspective projection to allow the player to look up and down further without distortion like modern 3D games. Initially it will support 8-bit color emulation with optional colormap interpolation to remove banding. Later, after version 1.0 is released, true color rendering, dynamic lights and other features will be added.

Dark Forces Community Patch

Posted by karjala on 2022-05-03 21:57:20 EST

Happy May the 4th Everyone!

We are excited to announce the release of the Dark Forces Community Patch with over 100 changes. We've been working on it for almost year and this is the first patch released since the game came out in 1995 !

The goal of this patch is to make Dark Forces accessible to new players in 2022.

Many aspects that were confusing or obtuse were rewritten.
New objectives were added to direct players to their goals
Switches now receive audio, visual and textual feedback
Hidden passages are better highlighted with texturing, lighting and powerup changes
UI feedback is improved (Ex: Code Keys now explicitly direct you to the PDA inventory)
Puzzle guidance is improved with dynamic signs that display your progress.

Installation

The easiest way to install it is through the Dark Forces Launcher For advanced users you can also manually download it Here

For support - please visit our Discord and go to the #support channel.

V1.0 Patch Credits go to Bitcores, SecBase, Jereth and Karjala .

3DOs by Matt Hallaron, Adam Richards and Patrick Hanslow

Patch Logo Design by Tileset001

Screenshots

Retextured Moldy Crow (Based on the Alpha screenshots)

Updated Mission Objectives to make Kyle's goals clearer.

Added new passages, switches and powerups to multiple missions

Updated Sprites

Retextured 3D objects

Vault Puzzle Map now updates the doors as you open them

New Entryways added to multiple rooms

Detention Center Elevators now have dynamic floor indicator

Restored cut content such as the Nar Shaddaa Elevator

Patch Details

Secret Base

- Changed the Death Star plans to the animated version

Talay

- Add objective completion message and audio when power generator activated

- Several map enhancements for visibility of distant buildings

- Texture changes in the central bridge

- Prevent player from entering the underwater tunnel near the hydro power switch

- Added sound to the Talay waterfall

- Added "Unpowered" messages to Talay doors

- Moved powerups in the ruined town so you no loner need to jump on the ledge

- Fixed the bridge rotation doors when pressing multiple times.

- Fixed texture adjoin locking in the water bridge lift.

Sewers

- Central puzzle: remove default elevator noises, replace with water noises

- Central puzzle: Slower water level rise

- Central puzzle: Add final gate which opens when puzzle is complete

- Central puzzle: Sewage flows when puzzle is complete

- Fixed a non-scrolling sewage texture (sludge28)

- Add health near Moff Rebus stairs

- Immediately start the sewer waterfall

- Added switch objectives to the mission briefing

- Changed window heights for better visibility over puzzle room

- Brightened the sunken door in passage 3 and added texture lights.

Testbase

- Added sound effect for the big 3DO fan

- Made sector 358 (E2S1) darker

- Changes to BDOOR.SW, change switch texture, larger windows

- Add switch to base secret entrance elevator

- Reset base secret entrance elevator position when door is opened

- Notify user that code keys in the PDA inventory when near the code console

- Widened the windows overlooking base entrance

- Changed the texture of the switch overlooking base entrance

- Added flashing console and added powerups on the way to the base entrance.

- Reworked hard-to-see cliff passage leading to the start

- Made the Easter egg room better accessible and added an exit path.

- Muted wind sounds while inside the base.

Gromas

- Made the elevator reset to the ground floor to the base entrance

- Raised the platform near the trooper path to make it better visible

- Prevent Boss death through the wall

- Added alarm sound in the exit tunnel

- Added locked messages to various doors.

- Added passage to backtrack after jumping in the main base

- Prevent player from planting multiple charges

- Escape tunnel sequence switch can no longer be triggered from inside the tunnel.

Detention Center

- Fixed issue #29 (door getting stuck problem when NPC is blocking it)

- Added looping force field hum (sound effect from JK)

- Elevator position indicator

- Add new path to the yard overlook and placed powerups on top

- Added weapon arsenal in the third floor of the low-sec elevator

- Muted elevators and forcefields when not in the area.

- Overhauled lighting in the force field elevators.

- Added Easter egg to the X-X-X code key.

- Added base-side switch for the main entrance platform

- Fixed the long-crack secret texture

- Allowed the yard bay door to open fully

- Add a switch and a new elevator to control yard entrance

- Added multiple new elevator switches

- Added red highlights to the red-key door

- Updated Crix Madine sprite

Ramsees Hed

- Added a sound effect for the engines

- Fixed Kyle/Jan conversation issue

- Added Yellow-Key elevator switch

- Added new elevator to allow for backtracking

- Fixed the secret door near the Red key from causing damage

Robotics

- Added conveyor belt sound effect (from JK)

- Revise teleporter chute to reduce damage taken from fall, and make it look more realistic

- Objective complete message and audio when enter facility

- Fix scrolling acid texture

- Added doors to the conveyor belt observation posts

- Widened the window to the extra life room along the conveyor belt

Nar Shaddaa

- Fixed the elevator which lets you backtrack near the start

- Turned off light pulsing on inactive forcefields

- Expanded and added powerups and sign textures to the area near the blue key area.

- Created a new passage to circle back to the start after finding the Nava Card switch.

- Fixed the remote getting stuck at mission start.

Jabship

- Fixed the invisible revive in secret hot-tub

- Added shootable switch for the hot-tub room secret

- Added alarms for kell-dragon room to signify motion alerts

Impcity

- Fix the adjoin bug with the 3 elevators

- Objective complete message and audio for objective 1

- Move several sectors to correct layers

- Revision of the area outside the ISO building so it looks better from the roof; the walls have some thickness.

- Made the Vault puzzle map dynamic showing which doors are open or closed.

- Changed the Vault puzzle map wall visibility to reflect which are open or closed.

- Prevent Boss death through the wall

- Changed roof elev door jammer so it doesnt make the texture move

Fuelstat

- Lots of reworking of exterior architecture, to make it look more convincing

- Add extra windows to exterior

- Add 10 seconds of scrolling stars when you launch the ship, so it looks like the ship is turning around

- Add Objective complete and audio messages

- Fixed "open" windows - you can no longer jump out into space

- Added docking arm objective to the mission briefing

- Added audio and text messages during docking arm rotation

- Locked smuggler ship exit doors after launch.

- Retextured confusing elevators and made the command room elevator start from the top.

- Reworked objective updates in the smuggler ship when killing the imperial officer.

Executor

- Add TIE fighter sound effect

- Add objective complete messages and audio

- Changed the docking bay elevator heights for better visibility

Arc

- Added a switch to bring the conveyor belt elevator back up so you don't have to take a massive fall

- Silenced moving stairs and updated textures

- Added audio and visual notifications when the Arc puzzle is complete

- Added multiple switches to Arc elevators.

- Changed the conveyor escape pit texture to differentiate from the false exits

- Massive texture overhaul all along the conveyor belt

- Updated powerups in the Sequence 2 room secret to make it more valuable.

- Removed unreachable powerups in the fuel storage

3DOs

- Added texture mapped and enhanced 3DOs from authors of Dark Tide, and other modders (Crow, TIE Fighter, Welder, Shuttle, etc.)

- Re-did the Ramses Hed engine 3DO

- Texture mapped laser bolts

- Texture mapped mousebot

General

- Added universal "objective complete" message and sound effect for previously silent objectives

- Massive texture stitching update for all missions

- Notify user that code keys are located in the PDA inventory

WDFUSE 2.61 Released

Posted by karjala on 2022-04-21 16:47:37 EST

WDFUSE 2.61 Released

An update to the Dark Forces WDFUSE Editor is now available for map developers. It includes multiple improvements and bug-fixes over 2.60. You can download it Here

Some of the feature highlights are a toggleable ability to see all Wall Lengths

And you can now change a wall lengths right from the wall editor. Simply change the value and it will automatically change a height of your choice!

This will also update the adjoined wall if it exists.

There is now a simple way to access all the Resources in the editor from the Menu

The Resource editor has been enhanced with search filters, automatic texture width mapping, and auto-assignment based on Texture Types (Ex: A Sky sector ceiling would automatically display Sky Textures.)

The Sound editor has been fixed after 25 years, you can now easily convert VOC audio to WAVs !

Additionally, you can now test your level by skipping all Cutscenes and briefings as well as automatically saving your project prior to GOBbing.

Now you have an option to save all your changes without having to press the Commit button. This saves a lot of time!

The INF editor now supports stops without hard-coded duration and start commands. Additionally there is no a Search and Replace buttons along with Sector look-up.

There are many more features listed below. If you get stuck or find a bug post it in the #level-editor channel in our Discord

WDFUSE 2.61

********************

Projects

1. Added an option to automatically save your project when trying to GOB.

2. You can now skip all cutscenes and briefings and load the level directly.

3. WDFUSE will now warn you if you try to GOB a map when dosbox is already running.

4. Added an option to automatically commit your changes without pressing the Commit button.

5. Added Resource Asset links to the main menu for easy access.

6. Added a warning when a GOB resource is locked

Map Editor

1. Added an option to display Wall Lengths in the editor (L).

2. Added a Sound Editor to WDFUSE.

3. You can now undo Adjoin/Extrude operations.

4. Added an option to search by Sector IDs with (F).

5. Fixed a bug where sectors duplicates were offset with the wrong coordinates.

6. You can now play audio sounds by pressing the Enter key in the Sound Editor.

7. Editor field commits can now be undone.

8. Added texture stitching options to the editor PopUp menu.

9. Fixed a bug where audio tracks never reset after playback.

10. You can now directly edit a Wall's length from the Wall Editor (including the adjoin).

11. Added an asset search component to the resource editors.

12. You can now create subsectors and pits straight from the pop-up menu.

13. Four-walled subsectors are now squares instead of diamonds.

14. You can now toggle Wall Normals (Perpendiculars) On or Off

15. Fixed a bug where all sectors were being drawn in adjoin colors.

16. Fix for Upper/Lower case trigger sector references.

17. Added option to Enable/Disable texture pick-list mapping.

Texturing

1. Fixed a bug where some switch textures would reset to default.

2. Wall offsets will now take a modulo of the texture's dimension.

3. Added texture stitching to the pop-up menu.

4. Switches will now automatically load from the Wall Menu.

5. Ceilings and Floors will now automatically load from the Sector Menu.

6. Skies will automatically be chosen based on your flag settings in the Sector Menu.

7. Added automatic sorting of textures by heights.

8. You can now make the wall editor attempt to automatically choose a best-fit texture.

INFs

1. Errors will now highlight as red in the editor message-box.

2. Fixed a bug where some INF sectors didn't display as yellow.

3. START will now be recognized as a valid command.

4. Added STOP number validation to match the START keyword .

5. Fixed a bug where stops without timers were marked as an error.

6. Default Sector names will be removed if INF logic is also removed.

7. You will now be warned if your sector is missing a name tag while having wall INF components.

8. Added an option to traverse to INFs with an INF Highlight button.

9. You can now automatically refresh the INF window by clicking a sector or wall with INFs.

10. INF button will now be greyed out in the sector and wall editors if they are missing.

11. Added find and replace components to the INF editor.

12. Added better INF caching to improve load times.

- Karjala

Dark Forces Launcher

Posted by karjala on 2022-02-12 19:00:35 EST

Dark Forces Launcher

The Custom Mission Launcher is ready for release! This tool combines multiple features useful to the Dark Forces Community and will make it a million times easier to play custom missions!

Features

Run Dark Forces base game as well as custom community-made missions
Automatically update new missions as they are added to DF-21
Support for the Modern Mouselook mod (available Here )
Support for modern storefronts such as Steam, GOG, Origin as well as User-specified Custom Folder
Support for multiple resolutions and aspect ratios (Useful for streaming)
Video Walkthrough guides for the base game and custom missions
Ability to restore DosBox settings (All storefronts) and game installs (Steam only).

The launcher is developed and hosted by DF-21.net and you can download it Here

Installation

You can read the instructions on our Steam Guide or you can watch the instructional video below. Thank you to PrincessRuri for providing the audio!

But suffice to say you download the zip, extract it, then Right Click on it and choose Run With PowerShell .

And if you get prompted about the Execution Policy simply choose [Y]es

Usage

The Main Menu appears like this, you can easily press a letter on your keyboard to choose various options.

But suffice to say, what you really want is to play custom missions so press letter C !

Here you can switch pages with N or P or simply type a number to start playing a mission!

To start, we support 50 missions you can find in the Modern Mission Archive . New missions will automatically download for you to enjoy as they become available.

Go ahead - give Dark Tide 1 a shot!

Bugs

This is the initial release so you are bound to have issues! Please post any problems in the #support channel of our Discord

Enjoy Everyone!

Karjala