Version 1.09.100

Hotfix release that addresses critical issues with version 1.09:

• System Midi volume bugs, causing notes not to play properly on some midi devices and volume issues with Windows GM synth.
• Linux crashes when not specifying the build type.

Version 1.09.000

• Implemented midi device types to support system midi as well as midi synthesis.
• Implemented support for midi synthesis using Sound Fonts (sf2).
• Implemented support for midi synthesis using OPL3 emulation and the iMuse OPL driver.
• Implemented the ability to change midi devices and outputs during gameplay, the game music is restarted as needed.
• Added Roland SC-55 and AWE64 sound fonts.
• Added support for 800p in the resolution list for the Steam Deck.
• Update the Readme to reflect that external midi is no longer required on Linux.
• The midi device now defaults to OPL3.
• Reduced stack size requirements in the audio system to fix issues on Steam Deck.
• Linux/CMake: also install the Mods and SoundFonts folders.
• Linux/Paths: look for support data in the executable directory too.
• CMake: gitVersion: do nothing if Git is not available.
• Linux: name executable "theforceengine"
• Add comments categorizing keywords and noting those which are not implemented.

Version 1.08.100

A small release to capture Linux fixes:

• Properly handle symlinked mods on exotic filesystems.
• Linux: add build instructions
• Linux: make FileUtil::exists() case-agnostic
• Added .desktop file and icon

The Windows package has not changed, other than updating the readme version.

Version 1.08

This build contains most of the features slated for version 1.10, with the only major missing feature being internal midi synth support. This marks the version "official" TFE version with Linux support.

That said, I would like to thank Manuel Lauss for his many contributions to this release, including:

• Most of the Linux work. It was been ongoing for some time, with the PR fully integrated for this release. This includes fixing bugs that came up after the integration and updating the README.
• Several other fixes to TFE when running different languages, such as the language-specific hotkey fix and pointing out the issue with the Escape Menu palette.
• Changing the 3DO allocation to dynamic to avoid hardcoded limits, which was causing a crash on Linux.

Changes

• Changed "activated" to "toggle" to better match existing cheat messages.
• Fixed a HOM issue in Executor.
• Added a proper FPS counter which can be enabled in the graphics menu.
• Renamed "energy" to "battery power".
• Official Linux support added.
• Updated the README with Linux build and run instructions.
• Removed the unique 3DO model limit.
• Fixed font rendering bugs (lack of language-specific symbols) due to using signed 8-bit characters instead of unsigned.
• Dark Forces menu shortcuts now work correctly for different languages.
• Fixed the Gamorrean Guard attack delay - they were attacking much more often than in vanilla.
• Fixed the Sewer Creature attack and search delays, they were slightly longer than vanilla (meaning it attacked less often than it should have).
• Midi selection in the Sound menu now works correctly.
• The Escape menu now uses the correct palette, fixing issues with some languages and mods.
• Fixed a crash when a WAX did not have the appropriate animation in certain areas of the AI code.

Version 1.02

Quality of Life Features

• Alt+Enter will toggle fullscreen in addition to F11.
• Frame limit options added to the Graphics UI.
• Load added to the main menu.
• The Mod Loader will now return to the main menu if escape is hit.
• The Mod Loader will close mod descriptions is escape is hit.
• A System Menu has been added with two options:
  • An option to return to the main menu if you Quit a game.
  • An option to return to the Mod Loader if you Quit, if you loaded a mod (assuming the first option is enabled).
• The Audio system will try multiple sound APIs, including Direct Sound, if the default fails.
• You can now select the output audio and midi devices.

Bug Fixes

• Fixed a crash when playing Evacuation of Hoth custom level due to a frame scenery object being destroyed.
• Fixed a bug where levels wouldn't load if they had spaces in front of certain keywords - such as Mission 2 of Don Sielke's.
• Fixed a bug where items would be despawned in some cases where the sector heights were too small.
• Fixed a bug where briefings could be skipped in some mods due to an order of operations error.
• Fixed a bug where sprites didn't always light up correctly when attacking.
• Fixed a bug where the Probe Droid would stay fullbright after firing.
• Fixed a bug where autoaim wasn't working with 3D objects like turrets and welders.
• Fixed a bug where autoaim targeted farther away items instead of closer items in some cases.
• Fixed a bug where the player could save while dying and then be invulnerable on load until they healed.
• Fixed crashes when INF sectors don't exist in custom maps.
• Fixed a bug where jumping up to sector second heights isn't as forgiving in TFE as DOS, resulting in custom level progression issues.
• 3DO PLANE projection when using the GPU Renderer now matches the software renderer for non-flat polygons.
• Fixed a bug where the top and bottom textures were drawn even with the "no wall" flag set instead of showing the sky when using the GPU Renderer.
• Fixed a bug with crouch jumping that kept the player from fitting into small places, blocking progression in Boba Fett's Revenge and other custom levels.
• Fixed bugs with exterior adjoins that caused walls to be incorrectly drawn where there should only be sky.
• Fixed a bug with INF messages using invalid delay values behaving different in TFE than DOS, making switches in some custom levels work incorrectly.
• Fixed a bug with invalid INF message types (such as "done") being treated different than DOS, breaking different triggers and elevators in custom levels.
• Fixed bugs with Gas Mask rendering when using the GPU Renderer at 320x200 resolution.
• It is now possible to hold ALT and move, and use ALT for crouch and slow actions.
• Improve Mod Loader text file parsing so it can be reliably extract the mod names.
• Improved PDA input and fixed layer keys being swapped.
• Fixed another PDA input issue, where the mouse location could effect hotkey results.
• Fixed a bug with keyboard input on the Agent menu, where scrolling downward would not wrap if all levels are complete.
• Secret Percentage update after loading from a save, fixed LADATA save percentage issue.
• The GPU renderer now properly emulates several stretching mid-texture effects (these worked in the software renderer).
• Fixed a sky texture offset bug using the GPU renderer that caused the incorrect part of the sky to show up in part of Stars End.
• Saved games with no name given are now assigned a default name, so that they can be selected and loaded.

Version 1.01

• Improved robustness against sound system setup errors.
• Added –nosound commandline to disable digital sound (music still plays).
• Draw “no data” message in large red letters so it is obvious.
• Changed the name of the file the the Browse dialog asks you to point to from DARK.EXE to DARK.GOB to reduce confusion.
• Steam path detection is now more robust and should handle libraries on different drives than the base Steam install.
• TFE will now find the game source data if it is in the same directory as TFE.
• TFE now supports putting the game data under the TFE directory, under Games/Dark Forces/* and that case will be autodetected.
• Source data path validation is now more robust.
• Fixed a bug where the ‘settings.ini’ failed to parse, messing up settings.
• Shows a configuation menu on the first run where you can set either Vanilla or Modern defaults.
• Fixed Escape Menu background stretching when using the GPU Renderer with widescreen disabled.
• Fixed divide by zero crashes in the projectile code.
• The GPU Renderer now honors fullbright and opaque/transparent flags for signs and sign textures.
• Fixed a flags issue in the explosion code, where explosions could effect some things they are not supposed to.
• Fixed the thermal detonator damage the player takes, they were taking too much.
• Added a custom deadzone setting and proper deadzone sensitivity scaling.
• Fixed a lighting bug with the muzzle flash being too dark.
• Fixed sprite culling using the GPU renderer close to the camera.

Version 1.0

Version 1.0 Release of The Force Engine.

Features in this release:

• Full Dark Forces support, including mods. Outlaws support is coming in version 2.0.
• Mod Loader - simply place your mods in the Mods/ directory as zip files or directories.
• High Resolution and Widescreen support - when using 320x200 you get the original software renderer. TFE also includes a floating-point software renderer which supports widescreen, including ultrawide, and much higher resolutions.
• GPU Renderer with perspective correct pitch - play at much higher resolutions with improved performance.
• Extended Limits - TFE, by default, will support much higher limits than the original game which removes most of the HOM (Hall of Mirrors) issues in advanced mods.
• Full input binding, mouse sensitivity adjustment, and controller support. Note, however, that menus currently require the mouse.
• Optional Quality of Life improvements, such as full mouselook, aiming reticle, improved Boba Fett AI, autorun, and more.
• A new save system that works seamlessly with the existing checkpoint and lives system. You can ignore it entirely, use it just as an exit save so you don’t have to play long user levels in one sitting, or full save and load with quicksaves like Doom or Duke Nukem 3D.
• Optional and quality of life features, even mouselook, can be disabled if you want the original experience. Play in 320x200, turn the mouse mode (Input menu) to Menus only or horizontal, and enable the Classic (software) renderer - and it will look and play just like DOS, but with a higher framerate and without needing to adjust cycles in DosBox.