Thanks for the guide, the soundfonts really improve the music quality! However I found that setting the cycles to 20000 or even 30000 resulted in a choppy, unplayable game. Setting it back to max fixed it. I have an older CPU (Core 2 Quad Q8400) but it should still be way more than adequate to run this game in DOSBOX. I would love it if they made available the old Macintosh version - high resolution menus and flight model, but still keeping the old engine with iMUSE. That's what I played growing up and it doesn't appear to be available anymore. I think the only way to get that version running would be to buy an old PowerMac system and a physical copy of the game.
Thank you so much for this! I was having bad problems with my joystick calibration but fiddling with the config as you suggested seems to have solved it :D
This video might be old but I hope i can get help. I did all of the tweaks but when I try to open the keymapper, dosbox goes to windowed and then quits. (edit): nevermind if I switch to windowed mode then go into keymapper it works.
I set up the Coolsoft VirtualMIDISynth v.1.12.1 with the WeedsGM4 and fixed the dosbox_xwingcd.conf midiconfig=0 after checking its number, but all I get is a kettle drum and none of the rest of the music. Any ideas on how to fixt that? Thanks and great guide!!!
anyway to make it fill the whole widescreen? I have black hard on the sides. I did the edit in the config file to match monitor resolution and put it to true aspect ratio but still the vertical bars on the side
Great video Phil! I have a question about which general MIDI program to use. In your Wing Commander Privateer Tweak Guide, you recommended the use of BassMIDI. I see that in this video you recommend VirtualMIDISynth. I notice that when you listed your MIDI mixers in DOSBox, you still have BassMIDI installed (MIDI config 2 &3), but went with VirtualMIDISynth (MIDI config 0). My question is: I'm currently playing through Wing Commander Privateer, should I switch from BassMIDI to VirtualMIDISynth? Would it change or improve the sound at all? If not, is there a specific reason for switching to VirtualMIDISynth? Thanks again for the killer content Phil, this is a major help to me!
3aleksandar3 Both MIDI programs are fine. It's just that VirtualMIDISynth is updated a lot more often and fully supported under Windows 8.1. But both have worked fine for me :)
philscomputerlab Cool, I think I'll switch to VirtualMIDISynth to simplify the MIDI devices on my system; plus, it seems more intuitive to test out other Soundfonts by simply ticking/unticking them- thanks for the response Phil and keep up the good work!
Hello Phil, thank you for these videos - Do you recommend to use the version of VirtualMidiSynth you are showing (1.12.1 listed on your site, or 1.13.1 in your video) or the latest version (which is 1.13.2)?
Not totally on topic, but something I always wanted to ask someone about Dosbox and its many forks comes to my mind right now: Looking at the LucasArts symbol at the very start of the game (for example to be seen at ca. 8.24 in this video) you see a typical screen tearing at the L symbol of the logo very clearly while it is moving from left to right. That type of screen tearing is happening in Dosbox, even in its Vertical Sync - capable forks for me constantly, very often, on a lot of different systems I used it on, high end systems as on mid level systems (VSync if possible within the fork of Dosbox I use never seems to do anything about that type of tearing, none of the other configuration tweaks that are mentioned online about that issue are able to completely get rid of it either). Many games have it, it's the one emulator in which I never can totally get rid of it, and I don't know how to change that and what it even is and what causes it. One thing I noticed, though, is that some classic DOS-based games that have that tearing heavily within Dosbox for me somehow DON'T have it in ScummVM, and I find that weird, because I don't know what ScummVM should do that differently to achieve that in the first place. But I definitely would like to know what the programmers behind ScummVM do so I can steal it and copy it for my personal Dosbox usage. Any hints or ideas for me, perhaps? Or is there maybe even some new Dosbox fork out there by now I didn't hear of yet that is capable of REALLY getting rid of it?
ScummVM is an interpreter, not an emulator. It's like Lucasarts wrote a new game engine for modern Windows that can run the old game files. The technical reason is that DOS games running at 320x200 resolution run at 70 Hz. If you build a real DOS PC with CRT monitor, most games will not tear, but many still do. What can you do with DOSBox? Use a monitor and system supporting VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) and then the system should also run at 70 Hz.
@@philscomputerlab Ok, thank you. Well, I have the habit of setting up all my gaming on big screen Full HD TVs that usually never go beyond 60Hz, (even if it's really old, choppy 80's arcade or C64 games. Tasteless, maybe, but habit is habit), so I don't think Dosbox will ever quite work in a satisfying way on my preferred setup.
Excellent guide, thanks a lot! So 20000 cores is the best setting for the triggers, does this vary from the type of cpu you have? could I set it higher and still get the turrets to shoot properly? thx.
Tycoon It does vary a little bit between PCs. The lowest setting that still gives you smooth performance should do the trick. 20000 is a good start so to speak that should work for many.
Great tutorial. I'm using the Thrustmaster T1600 without the separate throttle controller. I've used other joystick with success in this game along with the keyboard controls. However, with so many options using the T1600, I've mapped quite a bit of the controls in game. BUT (emphasis intended), I can't seem to config the rudder control. Additionally, I can't use the Ctrl + F1 to access the keymapper in game as you have. I might have a different version. I'm using Origin's EA not GOG, so I wonder if the version of XWSE is different than the GOG's XW95CD version. Is there a tweak for this important flying control function? Going through the gates upside down and sideways is no fun at all. Any advice from anyone here would be greatly appreciated. --- Cybermykl
The game runs within DOSBox, so you can run it in another version of DOSBox if you can figure it out. I believe you can map the rudder to the twist on the stick, but all of this has been years, so my memory isn't that great with details. But I think there is always a way. What is the rudder function on the keyboard?
What do you mean? Most DOS games let you choose how you play the game. X-Wing can be played with mouse I believe, but best to check the manual for details.
So I finally figured out how to do barrel rolls which makes the flying in the game amazing, however you have to hold down a button to do it while turning. Is there anyway to set it up so you don't need to hold down the button to do barrel rolls? And if not, can you change the button you need to hold down? For me its the button that changes lasers to torpedos (ive binded x key to a button on my joystick) But it s super annoying to hold that down cuz if I want to fire while doing barrel rolls it fires both weapons and switches back and forth repeatedly. PLEASE HELP!! THANKS A MILLION
philscomputerlab Ok, someone at Vogons helped me out :) I've now configured the mapper so that when I twist the stick, it does the roll. What you need to do is map left twisting to both, joystick button two and left key and map right twisting to both, joystick button two and right key.
JuniorAdventurer While I don't have the game, and every game is a bit different, most of the tweaks will likely apply to that game as well. But each game is a bit different...
Really nice guide Phil. Thanks for doing this, I wish I had noticed it when it first went up on CZcams.
small tip: I you press enter during a cutscene, you will skip the entire cutscene instead of the section.
***** Thank you! I was wondering if there is a quicker way to skip them :)
***** also right click with the mouse
Cool, thank you! Like your avatar :)
Thanks for the guide, the soundfonts really improve the music quality! However I found that setting the cycles to 20000 or even 30000 resulted in a choppy, unplayable game. Setting it back to max fixed it. I have an older CPU (Core 2 Quad Q8400) but it should still be way more than adequate to run this game in DOSBOX.
I would love it if they made available the old Macintosh version - high resolution menus and flight model, but still keeping the old engine with iMUSE. That's what I played growing up and it doesn't appear to be available anymore. I think the only way to get that version running would be to buy an old PowerMac system and a physical copy of the game.
Thank you so much for this! I was having bad problems with my joystick calibration but fiddling with the config as you suggested seems to have solved it :D
Nathan Wood Cool, thanks for the feedback :)
+PhilsComputerLab Same here. I had it wrong - reversed kind of... Now it's properly done and running fine. Thanks.
Glad to hear.
Fantastic video, very helpful, cheers :)
Thank you!
This video might be old but I hope i can get help. I did all of the tweaks but when I try to open the keymapper, dosbox goes to windowed and then quits. (edit): nevermind if I switch to windowed mode then go into keymapper it works.
I set up the Coolsoft VirtualMIDISynth v.1.12.1 with the WeedsGM4 and fixed the dosbox_xwingcd.conf midiconfig=0 after checking its number, but all I get is a kettle drum and none of the rest of the music. Any ideas on how to fixt that? Thanks and great guide!!!
Editing my throttle as you did resulted in my throttle constantly beeping after I adjust it?
1:12 - wtf is going on with the birds in the background lol ;)
Thats how the game sounds looks like how it sounds (like he states :V)
Is it possible to play this with just using a keyboard since I don't have a joystick.
anyway to make it fill the whole widescreen? I have black hard on the sides. I did the edit in the config file to match monitor resolution and put it to true aspect ratio but still the vertical bars on the side
Great video Phil!
I have a question about which general MIDI program to use. In your Wing Commander Privateer Tweak Guide, you recommended the use of BassMIDI. I see that in this video you recommend VirtualMIDISynth. I notice that when you listed your MIDI mixers in DOSBox, you still have BassMIDI installed (MIDI config 2 &3), but went with VirtualMIDISynth (MIDI config 0).
My question is: I'm currently playing through Wing Commander Privateer, should I switch from BassMIDI to VirtualMIDISynth? Would it change or improve the sound at all? If not, is there a specific reason for switching to VirtualMIDISynth?
Thanks again for the killer content Phil, this is a major help to me!
3aleksandar3 Both MIDI programs are fine. It's just that VirtualMIDISynth is updated a lot more often and fully supported under Windows 8.1. But both have worked fine for me :)
philscomputerlab Cool, I think I'll switch to VirtualMIDISynth to simplify the MIDI devices on my system; plus, it seems more intuitive to test out other Soundfonts by simply ticking/unticking them- thanks for the response Phil and keep up the good work!
philscomputerlab just to add, it VirtualMIDISynth also works on Windows 10.
Cool, thanks for testing this :)
Hello Phil, thank you for these videos - Do you recommend to use the version of VirtualMidiSynth you are showing (1.12.1 listed on your site, or 1.13.1 in your video) or the latest version (which is 1.13.2)?
John Smith Jr. Always go with the latest version!
Not totally on topic, but something I always wanted to ask someone about Dosbox and its many forks comes to my mind right now: Looking at the LucasArts symbol at the very start of the game (for example to be seen at ca. 8.24 in this video) you see a typical screen tearing at the L symbol of the logo very clearly while it is moving from left to right.
That type of screen tearing is happening in Dosbox, even in its Vertical Sync - capable forks for me constantly, very often, on a lot of different systems I used it on, high end systems as on mid level systems (VSync if possible within the fork of Dosbox I use never seems to do anything about that type of tearing, none of the other configuration tweaks that are mentioned online about that issue are able to completely get rid of it either). Many games have it, it's the one emulator in which I never can totally get rid of it, and I don't know how to change that and what it even is and what causes it.
One thing I noticed, though, is that some classic DOS-based games that have that tearing heavily within Dosbox for me somehow DON'T have it in ScummVM, and I find that weird, because I don't know what ScummVM should do that differently to achieve that in the first place. But I definitely would like to know what the programmers behind ScummVM do so I can steal it and copy it for my personal Dosbox usage.
Any hints or ideas for me, perhaps? Or is there maybe even some new Dosbox fork out there by now I didn't hear of yet that is capable of REALLY getting rid of it?
ScummVM is an interpreter, not an emulator. It's like Lucasarts wrote a new game engine for modern Windows that can run the old game files. The technical reason is that DOS games running at 320x200 resolution run at 70 Hz. If you build a real DOS PC with CRT monitor, most games will not tear, but many still do. What can you do with DOSBox? Use a monitor and system supporting VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) and then the system should also run at 70 Hz.
@@philscomputerlab Ok, thank you. Well, I have the habit of setting up all my gaming on big screen Full HD TVs that usually never go beyond 60Hz, (even if it's really old, choppy 80's arcade or C64 games. Tasteless, maybe, but habit is habit), so I don't think Dosbox will ever quite work in a satisfying way on my preferred setup.
Is there any way to raise the resolution? I know that TIE Fighter lets you choose between 320x240 and 640x480. Is X-Wing fixed at 320x240?
Excellent guide, thanks a lot! So 20000 cores is the best setting for the triggers, does this vary from the type of cpu you have? could I set it higher and still get the turrets to shoot properly? thx.
Tycoon It does vary a little bit between PCs. The lowest setting that still gives you smooth performance should do the trick. 20000 is a good start so to speak that should work for many.
philscomputerlab OK thanks, again great tutorial, will be keeping an eye on your channel.
I have an old Logitech Wingman Extreme 3d joystick. What would I put in for the joysticktype parameter in the config file? Would fcs still work?
+Stab74 I think so. As long as the joystick shows up in Windows, DOSBox can use it.
Great tutorial. I'm using the Thrustmaster T1600 without the separate throttle controller. I've used other joystick with success in this game along with the keyboard controls. However, with so many options using the T1600, I've mapped quite a bit of the controls in game. BUT (emphasis intended), I can't seem to config the rudder control. Additionally, I can't use the Ctrl + F1 to access the keymapper in game as you have. I might have a different version. I'm using Origin's EA not GOG, so I wonder if the version of XWSE is different than the GOG's XW95CD version. Is there a tweak for this important flying control function? Going through the gates upside down and sideways is no fun at all. Any advice from anyone here would be greatly appreciated. --- Cybermykl
The game runs within DOSBox, so you can run it in another version of DOSBox if you can figure it out. I believe you can map the rudder to the twist on the stick, but all of this has been years, so my memory isn't that great with details. But I think there is always a way. What is the rudder function on the keyboard?
is there any guide how to play it without joystick? or is it hardcoded in?
What do you mean? Most DOS games let you choose how you play the game. X-Wing can be played with mouse I believe, but best to check the manual for details.
So I finally figured out how to do barrel rolls which makes the flying in the game amazing, however you have to hold down a button to do it while turning.
Is there anyway to set it up so you don't need to hold down the button to do barrel rolls? And if not, can you change the button you need to hold down? For me its the button that changes lasers to torpedos (ive binded x key to a button on my joystick) But it s super annoying to hold that down cuz if I want to fire while doing barrel rolls it fires both weapons and switches back and forth repeatedly.
PLEASE HELP!! THANKS A MILLION
Todd S I'll ask around and see if I can find a way!
philscomputerlab Ok, someone at Vogons helped me out :) I've now configured the mapper so that when I twist the stick, it does the roll. What you need to do is map left twisting to both, joystick button two and left key and map right twisting to both, joystick button two and right key.
thats pretty cool! thanks Phil!
You're welcome!
I take it these instructions will also work for Tie Fighter?
JuniorAdventurer While I don't have the game, and every game is a bit different, most of the tweaks will likely apply to that game as well. But each game is a bit different...
When ever i try to run "weedsgm3.sfark.exe" it crashes. I'm using just normal windows 8.
chrusader14 Sorry about that. I've extracted the file. It's a larger download now but should work.