The Force Engine

The Force Engine (TFE) is an open-source reverse-engineered game engine for LucasArts Jedi Engine games. It currently supports Star Wars: Dark Forces (1995), with Outlaws support planned for the future. TFE adds modern features like higher rendering resolutions, widescreen support, HD textures, GPU rendering, bloom effects and mod support while preserving the original gameplay. This system scrapes metadata for the “ports” group(s) and loads the theforceengine set from the currently selected theme, if available. Grouped with the “ports” group of systems.

Quick reference

  • Emulator: The Force Engine
  • Folder: roms/theforceengine/
  • Accepted ROM formats: .tfe

BIOS

No The Force Engine emulator in Batocera needs a BIOS file to run.

ROMs

You need the original Star Wars: Dark Forces game files. Install the game on Windows via Steam or GOG.com, then copy the game folder to /userdata/roms/theforceengine/. Create an empty file with a .tfe extension in /userdata/roms/theforceengine/.

The game data directory must be named exactly Star Wars - Dark Forces.

A keyboard and mouse (or touchscreen) is required to create the initial user profile and start the game for the first time.

Directory structure

/userdata/roms/theforceengine/
               ├── Star Wars - Dark Forces/
               |    ├── DARK.GOB
               |    ├── SOUNDS.GOB
               |    ├── SPRITES.GOB
               |    ├── TEXTURES.GOB
               |    └── (other game files)
               └── Star Wars - Dark Forces.tfe

HD Textures

To use HD textures, you need a copy of the Remaster version of the game as well. Copy the enhanced.gob file from the Remaster installation into the Star Wars - Dark Forces folder. Then enable the HD TEXTURES option in ES settings.

HD textures require OpenGL renderer and True Colour mode. These are automatically set when HD textures are enabled.

Mods

Mods must be installed into /userdata/system/configs/theforceengine/Mods/. The mod files should be in zip format only. To launch a mod directly, create a .tfe file in the roms directory and write the name of the mod zip file inside it (first line only).

Example: Assassination at Nar Shaddaa.tfe containing: 

aons_modern.zip
/userdata/roms/theforceengine/
               ├── Star Wars - Dark Forces/
               ├── Star Wars - Dark Forces.tfe
               └── Assassination at Nar Shaddaa.tfe

A good source of custom missions is available at DF-21.net.

Saves

Save location system/configs/theforceengine/

Emulators

The Force Engine

Standardized features available: theforceengine.videomode, theforceengine.padtokeyboard, theforceengine.bezel, theforceengine.bezel_stretch, theforceengine.hud, theforceengine.hud_corner, theforceengine.bezel.tattoo, theforceengine.bezel.tattoo_corner, theforceengine.bezel.tattoo_file, theforceengine.bezel.resize_tattoo

Graphics settings

ES setting name batocera.conf_key Description ⇒ ES option key_value
RENDERING RESOLUTION theforceengine.force_render_res Increase the rendering resolution. Makes 3D objects clearer.
⇒ 200p 200, 400p 400, 480p 480, 600p 600, 720p 720, 768p 768, 800p 800, 960p 960, 1050p 1050, 1080p 1080, 1200p 1200, 1392p 1392, 1440p 1440, 1536p 1536, 2160p 2160.
WIDESCREEN theforceengine.force_widescreen Enable widescreen support.
⇒ Disabled (Default) 0, Enabled 1.
VSYNC theforceengine.force_vsync Fix screen tearing.
⇒ Disabled 0, Enabled (Default) 1.
REFRESH RATE theforceengine.force_rate Set the desired maximum refresh rate when Vsync is off.
⇒ 30 fps 30, 50 fps 50, 60 fps (Default) 60, 75 fps 75, 120 fps 120, 144 fps 144, 240 fps 240.
GRAPHICS RENDERER theforceengine.force_api Choose which graphics renderer to use.
⇒ Classic Software 0, GPU / OpenGL (Default) 1.
COLOUR MODE theforceengine.force_colour
⇒ 8-bit (Classic) 0, 8-bit Interpolated 1, True Colour 2.
HD TEXTURES theforceengine.force_hd Render high definition graphics textures. Requires OpenGL, True Colour and the enhanced.gob file.
⇒ Disabled (Default) 0, Enabled 1.
BILINEAR FILTER theforceengine.force_bilinear
⇒ Disabled (Default) 0, Enabled 1.
MIPMAPPING theforceengine.force_mipmapping
⇒ Disabled (Default) 0, Enabled 1.
CROSSHAIR theforceengine.force_crosshair
⇒ Disabled (Default) 0, Enabled 1.
BLOOM theforceengine.force_postfx Use Bloom post processing.
⇒ Disabled (Default) 0, Enabled 1.

Other settings

ES setting name batocera.conf_key Description ⇒ ES option key_value
MENU SOUNDS theforceengine.force_menu_sound Enable / Disable sound in menus.
⇒ Disabled 0, Enabled (Default) 1.
DIGITAL AUDIO theforceengine.force_digital_audio Enable 16-channel iMuse Digital Audio.
⇒ Disabled (Default) 0, Enabled 1.
FIGHT MUSIC theforceengine.force_fight_music Enable / Disable fight music.
⇒ Disabled 0, Enabled (Default) 1.
AUTO AIM theforceengine.force_auto_aim Enable / Disable automatic aiming.
⇒ Disabled 0, Enabled (Default) 1.
SHOW SECRET MESSAGES theforceengine.force_secret_msg Show secret found messages.
⇒ Disabled 0, Enabled (Default) 1.
AUTOMATICALLY RUN theforceengine.force_auto_run
⇒ Disabled (Default) 0, Enabled 1.
BOBBA FETT FIX theforceengine.force_boba Bobba Fett Face Player Fix.
⇒ Disabled (Default) 0, Enabled 1.
SMOOTH VUES theforceengine.force_smooth_vues
⇒ Disabled (Default) 0, Enabled 1.
SKIP CUTSCENES theforceengine.force_skip_cutscenes Choose to enable or disable cutscenes.
⇒ Show All show, Skip Initial initial, Skip All skip.

Controls

The Force Engine is primarily designed for mouse and keyboard. The game has built-in gamepad support via SDL and the pad-to-keyboard feature provides basic controller mapping.

Troubleshooting

My game does not launch

  • Make sure the game data directory is named exactly Star Wars - Dark Forces inside /userdata/roms/theforceengine/.
  • Verify the directory contains the required GOB files (DARK.GOB, SOUNDS.GOB, etc.).
  • A keyboard/mouse is required for the initial profile setup.

HD textures don't work

  • Make sure enhanced.gob from the Remaster version is placed in the game folder.
  • HD textures require GPU/OpenGL renderer and True Colour mode — these are forced automatically when HD is enabled.

Further troubleshooting

For further troubleshooting, refer to the generic support pages.

  • systems/theforceengine.txt
  • Last modified: 5 weeks ago
  • by wizzard