TIE Fighter: Technical Guide
Missions | Controls | Patches

 

This page covers the technical part of the game TIE Fighter and falls apart in 3 main sections:

- System Requirements
- Version Guide
- Technical Support and Hints
- Running TIE'95 in XP

If you got any other questions or if you got hints yourself, don't hesitate to contact the SCO. If you need another type of help, use the links below the titlebar.

 

  System Requirements
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OPERATING SYSTEM: MS-DOS 6.0 or higher required, MS-DOS 5.0 for discette versions.
CPU: 486 66 or faster required for CCD,  386DX/33 minimum, 486 strongly recommended for discette.
MEMORY: 8 MB RAM required or CCD, 1 MB EMS required. 2 megabytes EMS strongly recommended for discette.
CD-ROM: 2X CD-ROM, 4X CD-ROM or faster recommended. (not required for discette versions)
GRAPHICS CARD: 256 Color VGA minimum. VESA compatible VL Bus or PCI video card required for high resolution for CCD, 256 color VGA/MCGA for discette versions.
SOUND CARD: Sound Blaster, Sound Blaster Pro, Sound Blaster 16, AWE32, Roland MT32/LAPC-1, Pro Audio Spectrum, and compatibles, General MIDI and compatibles.
INPUT DEVICE: Joystick required for CCD. Discette versions work with mouse too.
MULTIPLAYER REQUIREMENTS: No Multiplay Abilities
Note: For the X-Wing Collector's Series ("TIE95") version see X-Wing vs TIE Fighter.

 

  Game Version Identification Guide
Originally by Fleet Admiral Kermalius top

 

  • Disk - TIE Disk with Defender of the Empire: This is the original version of TIE Fighter (add the add-on). TIE Fighter is 5x 1.44 meg disks, with 2 additional disks (1x 1.44 MB & 1x 720 Kb) for Defender of the Empire (DoE). TIE Disk w/DoE is the minimum version require for EH patches & Battles.
  • CD - TIE Collectors CD-ROM: This comes on 1 CD, and runs native to Dos. There are many recorded problems with running this version through windows, dos mode is recommended. This version is fully supported in the EH for battles when used. It is fully supported by patches when the sidewinder joystick patch is not installed.
  • 95 - TIE Collectors Series or TIE 95: This comes on 1 CD and is the latest (and probably last) version of TIE, it runs native to windows using the XvT engine. It contains a variety of niceities, includeing textured models, CD sound & 3D support. This version is fully supported in the EH for patches & battles.

 

  Technical Support and Hints
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by Lucas Arts:
Discette Version    Collector's CD    X-Wing Collector's Series ("TIE95")
(not for player-made expantions)

Some hints:
- Create a MSDOS startup discette for this game, including also your CDROM and Mouse drivers. TIE Fighter CD will detect your sound card automaticly and also won't complain about memory settings. This will make sure your Windows 95 computer can run TIE Fighter without a "stack overlow" or a more simple crash. (also check the Lucasarts solution to the "Stack Overflow" error here.)
- Also on MSDOS machines, preferably run MSDOS 6.22 and make a bootdisc. The settings on your bootdisc you can then copy paste to your multiple setup config.sys for example.
- Type "K" inflight. This will list your keyboard refference guide. Learn the keyboard commands. You'll never be a good pilot without them.
Besides your joystick's fire, select/roll buttons [1 and 2], R (nearest enemy fighter, button [3]) and . (toggle cockpit, button [4]), you'll need more control. Some people swear by E (target craft targetting you) or [Enter] (adjust speed to target) but generally try to have grasp the right mix of targetting controls (T, Y, E, R, A...), power management controls ([F8], [F9], [F10], S...) and throttle controls ([, ], [Backspace]...). Some people fly with co-pilots doing the keyboard, and it's no wonder:)
- Always do a Full Install, this makes the game faster because overall your harddisc access is quicker then your CDROM access. Also if you want to use custom missions you must have a full install for them to work.
- In MSDOS it is not required to have a more advanced joystick, 4 buttons is fine. Throttles are not supported, in the discette version you can even fly by mouse - but prepare to let it make some miles. But especially if you are using the Windows 95 version it pays off to have a more advanced joystick, with a throttle and more then 4 buttons, prefferably programmable.
Recommended are the Wingman joysticks by Logitech and the Sidewinder sticks by Microsoft. (though i broke quite some of them, in that case try and find a Thrustmaster)

 

  Running TIE'95 in XP
Originally by Captain Loor top

 

  1. Download the Microsoft Windows XP Application Compatibility Toolkit 2.0 from here http://www.minos.net/~sco/files/tie/QFixApp.exe
  2. Install the toolkit you just downloaded.
  3. If it's not already installed, install TIE 95.
  4. Once TIE 95 is installed, go to the directory where it was installed (default is C:\Program Files\Lucas Arts\TIE 95) Right click on TIE95.exe, and click the compatibility tab. Make sure nothing is checked there. And do the same for tiestart.exe.
  5. Now go to the location that you installed the toolkit from step one. (default is C:\Program Files\Application Compatibility Toolkit) When there, open the applications folder, and then startup QFixApp.
  6. Click on browse and select tiestart.exe (C:\Program Files\Lucas Arts\TIE 95)
  7. In the layers tab, select Win 95
  8. In the fixes tab, un check the Emulate Joystick option
  9. Click the advanced button.
  10. Click Add matching file... and select tie95.exe
  11. Expand all the options in the pane below this button (tie95) and check all of the boxes.
  12. Click the run button to test it out. (note: before you launch a mission turn off 3d support in the game)
  13. If it works, click the create fix button, and follow the instructions. If not, try selecting WIN 98 in the layers tab
  14. You should know be able to launch the game by clicking on the icon.

 

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Site/page created 22/aug/99, updated 02/apr/01. Version 3.0b. Copyright © 1999, for BS4U by Ender mBind