TheForceEngineXbox

TheForceEngineXbox is an original Xbox port of The Force Engine, the open-source Dark Forces engine recreation.

This fork builds a real default.xbe for retail Xbox hardware, XEMU, and CXBX-R. It does not include Star Wars: Dark Forces. You need your own PC copy of the game.

Download

Use the latest package from the GitHub Releases page:

TheForceEngine-Xbox-Install.zip

The zip is an overlay package. Copy your PC Dark Forces install to the Xbox first, then extract this zip over it.

Screenshots

The screenshots were captured with XEMU's native screenshot function. The gameplay pair uses the same build and game data; only the Xbox dashboard aspect ratio setting differs.

1.2.1 Patch Notes

• Fixed the mission-complete save prompt layout, including the missing question mark in SAVE GAME? in both 4:3 and 16:9.
• Updated the default Xbox controls so X is Use and B is Crouch.
• Fixed locked-door feedback so doors ask for the required key.
• Improved weapon-wheel input handling and logging around wheel activation.
• Strengthened Xbox level-transition teardown and resource logging for the reported cumulative level 3 crash path.
• Updated the in-game version to 1.2.1.

Install

1. On your Xbox hard drive, make a folder for the game.

   Example:

   F:\Games\Dark Forces\
   

2. Inside that folder, make a folder named DARK.

   Example:

   F:\Games\Dark Forces\DARK\
   

3. Copy your PC Dark Forces game files into the DARK folder.

   The DARK folder should contain the normal game data files, such as:

   DARK.GOB
   SOUNDS.GOB
   TEXTURES.GOB
   SPRITES.GOB
   LFD\
   

4. Optional: if you own the Remastered version and you want the Avenger prototype level playable as a mod, copy extras.gob into the DARK folder too.

5. Extract TheForceEngine-Xbox-Install.zip into the main game folder, not inside DARK.

   Example:

   F:\Games\Dark Forces\
   

6. Let it overwrite files if your file manager asks.

7. Launch default.xbe.

What The Zip Adds

The release package includes the files that are needed for the Xbox port and are not part of the original PC game:

default.xbe
default_XSIMAGE.xbx
default_XTIMAGE.xbx
TitleMeta.xbx
TitleImage.xbx
SaveImage.xbx
box art.png
README.txt

DARK\effects.json
DARK\pickups.json
DARK\projectiles.json
DARK\weapons.json

ExternalData\DarkForces\Mods\DF21\df21_catalog_xbox.json
ExternalData\DarkForces\Mods\DF21\thumbs_128x80_rgb565\*.xbt

The four JSON files in DARK are The Force Engine gameplay data files. They are required by the Xbox build.

The DF21 catalog and thumbnail cache are included so the mod browser can show metadata and preview images. The mod levels themselves are not included.

Mods

This release does not redistribute mods. To install a mod you own or have downloaded separately, create a Mods folder next to default.xbe and DARK, then extract each mod into its own subfolder:

Mods\<mod folder>\

Example:

F:\Games\Dark Forces\Mods\ats2lp_modern\ats2lp.gob
F:\Games\Dark Forces\Mods\ats2lp_modern\DFBRIEF.LFD
F:\Games\Dark Forces\Mods\ats2lp_modern\readme.txt

The .gob file must be directly inside that mod folder. If a downloaded mod extracts to an extra wrapper folder, move the actual mod files up one level so the layout matches the example. Loose .zip files in Mods are ignored on Xbox.

If you own the Remastered version, copying extras.gob into DARK enables the Avenger prototype level as a mod entry. extras.gob is not included in this project or in the release zip.

Current State

This is the 1.2.1 release. The focus is hardware stability and a complete couch-playable Dark Forces experience.

Working in this port:

• Original Xbox default.xbe output.
• Software-rendered gameplay presented through the Xbox D3D8 backend, with 4:3/16:9 and 480i/480p output inherited from the Xbox dashboard video settings. Aspect ratio and progressive scan are inherited independently.
• Native Xbox start menu, load menu, pause/datapad screens, mod browser, and Options menu split into Controls, Video, and Audio submenus.
• XInput controller support with remappable core actions, separate X/Y aim sensitivity, right-stick deadzone control, and right-stick Y-axis inversion.
• Video settings for adjustable screen safe zone width, height, and shift.
• Audio settings for in-game volume control.
• Mission briefing flow, mission completion flow, and difficulty selection.
• Save/load support using the Xbox title save area, including save thumbnails.
• DirectSound audio path for game audio.
• DF21 metadata and thumbnail support for the mod browser.

Known limitations:

• 720p output is disabled. The release supports dashboard-selected 4:3/16:9 at 480i or 480p.
• The hardware world renderer is not enabled for shipping. It remains in the tree for future work, but the release build uses the known-good software renderer.
• Mods are not bundled. They must be installed separately.
• Star Wars: Dark Forces game data is not bundled and will never be redistributed here.

Build From Source

Most users should download the release zip instead of building from source.

The current command-line build path uses the checked-in build_xbox.bat script:

build_xbox.bat clean
build_xbox.bat

The build script currently expects:

• XDK 5558 at C:\XDK_5558\XDK\xbox
• VC71 tools from that XDK
• XDK 5849 headers available at C:\XDK\xbox\include
• Python on PATH

Successful builds output:

build\xbox\release\default.xbe

Always test release builds on real Xbox hardware before treating a change as shipping-ready. CXBX-R is useful for iteration, but real hardware is the target.

Release maintainers must follow the Xbox release checklist. The repository-root box art.png is a required file in every release package.

Credits

• The Force Engine team and contributors, led by luciusDXL, for The Force Engine.
• Microsoft for Xbox and the Xbox development tools.
• LucasArts for Star Wars: Dark Forces.

License

Same as upstream The Force Engine. See LICENSE.

This project does not contain or redistribute copyrighted Star Wars: Dark Forces game assets.