This article has a talk page!Black Knight: Marine Strike Fighter is an obscure 1995 MS-DOS "sim-lite" game, notable for being scored by the late Bobby Prince, of all people.
As of 2026, there appears to be very little memory of this game on the internet, despite it apparently having had many releases. Most of them tout the game's realism - Many digital photos and real audio recordings were used when designing the game's assets, and most joysticks from the era are supported, including support for hat switches. Of particular note to aviation enthusiasts, it may be among the first games to depict the F/A-18's iconic engine "zoom" sound for flybys.
Unlike most games in the genre, there is no campaign, nor any setup for where you're flying or why. Rather than the genre-typical Air Force or Navy, you're exclusively flying the US Marine Corps F/A-18A - Specifically, with the VMFA-314 Black Knights, who collaborated with SE Software on the production of the game. Curiously, one of its big-box releases came with a pack-in VHS about supercarriers, which is wholly unrelated both to the game (which features no naval aviation whatsoever) and to the USMC (which has never had a supercarrier).
Mission Briefings#
Black Knight doesn't include any mission briefing text in-game... But a brief description of each mission does exist in the mission files themselves. Interestingly, the manual describes these briefing lines, indicating they were indeed meant to appear. Perhaps they ran out of time - Or ideas.
- MISSION 1: GENERATING STATION - DESTROY THE ENEMY POWER PLANT
- MISSION 2: SAM CONTROL RADAR - DESTROY SAM CONTROL RADAR SITE IN SECTOR 48-85
- MISSION 3: DROP THE BRIDGE - CUT OFF ENEMY SUPPLIES - DESTROY THIS STRATEGIC BRIDGE
- MISSION 4: CHEMICAL WEAPONS FACTORY - GIVE EM A TASTE OF THEIR OWN MEDICINE
- MISSION 5: TANK FORMATION - INTEL REPORTS A TANK COLUMN JUST NORTH OF THE BASE - GO GET 'EM
- MISSION 6: WEAPON STORAGE FACILITY - CREATE SOME FIREWORKS AT THIS AMMO DUMP
- MISSION 7: HIDDEN SAM SITE - RECON HAS DISCOVERED A SAM SITE WAITING TO CATCH YOU GUYS
- MISSION 8: TELEPHONE MICROWAVE REPEATER - DEGRADE ENEMY COMMUNCATIONS BY TAKING OUT THE MICROWAVE STATION
- MISSION 9: SAM HUNTER - BE CAREFUL - SAM SITES SHOOT BACK
- MISSION 10: SCRAMBLE: BANDITS ATTACKING - WE'RE UNDER ATTACK! GET UP THERE AND GET THOSE GUYS!
- MISSION 11: BRIDGE BUSTER - DESTROY THE SUSPENSION BRIDGE(line break)IN SECTOR 6-11
- MISSION 12: MULTIPLE LAUNCH ROCKET SYSTEM - RECON'S SPOTTED AN MLRS - LET'S HIT IT BEFORE IT DISAPPEARS
- MISSION 13: BRIDGE ON SUPPLY ROUTE - THE OPPOSITION HAS A SUPPLY TRAIN HEADED FOR THE FRONT - DROP THE BRIDGE
- MISSION 14: MUNITIONS PLANT - BLOW THIS WEAPONS FACTORY TO KINGDOM COME
- MISSION 15: LOGISTICS AND SUPPLY CENTER - HERE'S A CHANCE TO WIPE OUT A LOT OF THEIR LOGISTICS AND SUPPLY ABILITY
- MISSION 16: FUEL SUPPLY CENTER - NIGHT RAID ON ENEMY FUEL SUPPLY
- MISSION 17: AIRFIELD RAID - TAKE DOWN THEIR AIRFIELD AND THERE WON'T BE SO MANY BANDITS
- MISSION 18: MULTIPLE BANDITS - NIGHT RECON NETS BANDITS
- MISSION 19: SCRAMBLE: BANDITS - THE BASE IS UNDER ATTACK - LET'S GET 'EM OFF US!
- MISSION 20: FORWARD CONTROL CENTER - INTEL HAS IDENTIFIED THEIR FORWARD CONTROL CENTER(line break)- GO GET IT!
- MISSION 21: MAIN BATTLE TANKS - TEAR UP THE TANK FORMATION BEFORE IT HITS OUR GUYS
- MISSION 22: THE GREAT DOGFIGHT! - THE PATTERN'S FULL! WATCH YOUR SIX!
- MISSION 23: COMMUNICATION RELAY STATION - THIS STATION FEEDS RADAR INFO TO THEIR HQ - DON'T FORGET THE BUILDING!
- MISSION 24: NIGHT RAID ON ENEMY AIRFIELD - CATCH THEM IN THEIR BUNKS!
- MISSION 25: FIELD HQ - NIGHT RAID ON ENEMY FIELD HQ - KNOCK IT OUT
- MISSION 26: NUCLEAR RESEARCH FACILITY - NUKE EM
- MISSION 27: COMMUNICATIONS CENTER ATTACK - SPECIAL DELIVERY: DESTROY THE COM CENTER.
- MISSION 28: WEAPON STORAGE FACILITY - DAYTIME RAID ON ENEMY ARMORY. DROP ONE ON THE ENEMY.
- MISSION 29: IDENTIFY RADAR CONTACT - FRIEND OR FOE, KEEP AN EYE OUT
- MISSION 30: DEADLY SAM SITE - THIS IS A BAD ONE - WATCH YOURSELF
- MISSION 31: RADAR STATION ATTACK - DAYLIGHT RAID ON RADAR STATION: SPOT THIS
- MISSION 32: WEAPONS FACTORY RAID - KEEP THE ENEMY FROM BUILDING WEAPONS
- MISSION 33: AMBUSH MULTIPLE BANDITS - SEND ONE UP THEIR PIPES.
- MISSION 34: DESTROY THE POWER PLANT - BOMB THE ENEMY AND LEAVE THEM IN THE DARK.
- MISSION 35: INTERCEPT BOGIES AT HOME BASE - (blank)
- MISSION 36: AIR AMBUSH - PROTECT PLANE FROM ENEMY AIRCRAFT
- MISSION 37: AIRFIELD ATTACK - HIT THE ENEMY BEFORE HE GETS AIRBORNE
- MISSION 38: LOW LEVEL ATTACK ON COM CENTER - HUG THE SURFACE AND ATTACK THE COMMUNICATIONS CENTER
- MISSION 39: SUSPENSION BRIDGE - LEAVE EM HANGING: DEEP SIX THIS BRIDGE
- MISSION 40: A PILOT'S PILOT - UPSIDE DOWN AND FEW OPTIONS
- MISSION 41: DOUBLE BOGEY - KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR TWO BOGIES REPORTED BY AWACS
- MISSION 42: CUT SUPPLY ROUTE - CUT OFF THEIR MAIN SUPPLY ROUTE BY BOMBING A KEY BRIDGE
- MISSION 43: HEAVY WEAPONS COMPOUND - INTELLIGENCE HAS PINPOINTED A KEY FACILITY - DESTROY AS MUCH AS YOU CAN
- MISSION 44: BOGEY FORMATION - IT'S GETTING A LITTLE CROWDED UP HERE
- MISSION 45: RADAR STATION - NOW, LET'S HIT THAT RADAR STATION(line break)- USE THE AGM-88
- MISSION 46: TIME FOR RECOVERY - COME ON HOME!
- MISSION 47: BOMB NUCLEAR RESEARCH FACILITY - NUKE THE NUCLEAR FACILITY BUT WATCH OUT FOR THE SAMS
- MISSION 48: FUEL STORAGE - STOP THE TANKS BY BURNING THEIR MAIN FUEL STORAGE FACILITY
- MISSION 49: IDENTIFY RADAR CONTACT - UNIDENTIFIED AIR CONTACT - PLEASE CHECK IT OUT
- MISSION 50: BOMB ENEMY H.Q. - CANDYGRAM!(line break)WATCH THOSE SAM SITES!
There are no such lines for the training missions.
Extra Missions#
Within the game files is a self-extracting executable named EXTRA.RAW that's not mentioned anywhere in the game or documentation. Upon renaming it to EXTRA.EXE, running the program will extract several additional missions and overwrite the mission list! Unfortunately, two of the missions bundled in the file are identical to missions included in the game - COMBAT.5 and COMBAT.50 - and the final mission listed in the updated COMBAT.DAT - "MISSION 60: AIR PATROL" - is not present and will cause the game to crash if chosen.
- MISSION 51: TARGET-RICH ENVIRONMENT - MAKE A PASS THROUGH THE VALLEY AND TAKE OUT AS MUCH AS YOU CAN
- MISSION 52: SAM ALLEY - THERE ARE FOUR SAM SITES DEFENDING A SINGLE HIGH-VALUE TARGET - KILL 'EM
- MISSION 53: COMBAT AIR PATROL - MAINTAIN AIR SUPERIORITY IN OUR SECTOR
- MISSION 54: DOUBLE/TRIPLE BRIDGE RUN - CUT THE MAIN SUPPLY ROUTE BY TAKING OUT ALL THE BRIDGES YOU CAN FIND
- MISSION 55: AIRFIELD RAID - KNOCK OUT THEIR FORWARD AIRBASE
- MISSION 56: TANKS FOR THE MEMORIES - HIT THIS TANK FORMATION BEFORE IT TEARS UP OUR GUYS
- MISSION 57: TOP GUN - COMBAT AIR PATROL GONE AWRY
- MISSION 58: POWER PLANT - TAKE OUT THE POWER PLANT - WATCH FOR SAMS
- MISSION 59: COMMUNICATIONS CENTER - TAKE THIS HEAVILY DEFENDED COMMUNICATIONS CENTER
- MISSION 60: AIR PATROL - (missing)
Amusingly, EXTRA.RAW contains instructions for how to run itself:
LHA's SFX 2.13S (c) Yoshi, 1991.
Rename to EXTRA.EXEHidden Text#
Inside the game's main executable are several identical strings that seem to correspond to either how much free memory is available or how much more memory the game requires to play sound. It seems that there was originally going to be more information provided about how to fix the problem.
BK.EXE
128000_bytes
Sound FX - Insufficient Memory!
Use the Boot Disk Utility; or
As a last resort, select "NO SOUND CARD" from SETUP
1024_bytes
Sound FX - Insufficient Memory!
Use the Boot Disk Utility; or
As a last resort, select "NO SOUND CARD" from SETUP
64000_bytes
Sound FX - Insufficient Memory!
Use the Boot Disk Utility; or
As a last resort, select "NO SOUND CARD" from SETUP
Sound FX - Insufficient Memory!
Use the Boot Disk Utility; or
As a last resort, select "NO SOUND CARD" from SETUPInside the files responsible for setting sound and music devices are strings that are normally used to describe each sound driver included with the game. The game uses the DIGPAK/MUSPAK/AIL/Miles Sound System for its audio drivers, so the drivers themselves are "standard". However, whoever programmed the applications used to select them had a very specific feeling about either error conditions or computers without sound or music devices...
SETD.EXE
Black Knight - Sound Driver Setup - Version 1.00
(c)Copyright 1995 SE Software. All Rights Reserved.
Press a key to continue...
No DIGPAK sound drivers found.
SOUNDRV.COM
Black Knight - Sound Driver Setup - Version 1.00
to locate driver. Enter to select. ESC to exit.
BLASTER
BLASTER
%x
%x
%x
"BLASTER" environment variable detected - ADDR:%X IRQ:%X DMA:%X
Sound Drivers
BULLSHIT
SOUNDRV.COM
Press ESC to select another driver.
SOUNDRV.COM
NOSOUND.COM
SOUNDRV.COM
DRIVERS.CFG
No Driver Selected. Configuration Terminated!
BULLSHIT
DRIVERS.CFG
Success!
r
Do you want to auto-detect for the
presence of a SoundBlaster? (y/n)
Are you ready to test the
sound driver you have selected? (y/n)
SOUNDRV.COM
Unable to load driver SOUNDRV.COM
Failed to initialize sound driver.
Playing sound...
Is the sound playing ok? (y/n)
A disk error has occured!
Press 'R' to retry.
Press ESC to terminate Install Program.
Installation terminated!
\
MORE
ÍÍÍÍÍÍ
MORE
ÍÍÍÍÍÍ
ARIA.COM
Aria Based Sound Cards
Select this sound driver if you have any of the popular
sound cards based on the Aria chipset from Sierra
Semiconductor. This includes the MidiMaestro from Computer
Peripherals and the Sonic Sound from Diamond computer systems.
GF166.COM
Gravis Ultrasound
Select this driver if you own the Gravis Ultrasound from
Gravis. This driver REQUIRES the presence of the manufacturer
provided ULTRAMID driver. You can get ULTRAMID from Gravis
.ULTRAMID provides high quality digital sound on your Ultrasound
and stunning quality music.
SBLASTER.COM
Creative Labs Sound Blaster
Select this sound driver if you have a SoundBlaster card from
Creative Labs. If you have a SoundBlaster 'compatible' from
another manufacturer, then select the SoundBlaster CLONE
driver instead.
SBPRO.COM
Creative Labs SoundBlaster Pro
Select this driver if you have a true SoundBlaster Pro from
Creative Labs. Do not select this driver if you have the
SoundBlaster 16, or some other SoundBlaster compatible.
SB16.COM
Creative Labs SoundBlaster 16
Select this driver if you have a true SoundBlaster 16 from
Creative Labs or the SoundBlaster AWE-32 card.
PAS16.COM
MediaVision ProAudio Spectrum 16
Select this sound driver if you have a ProAudio Spectrum 16
from MediaVision or a Logitech SoundMan 16 from Logitech.
This driver requires the presence of MVSOUND.SYS in your
CONFIG.SYS to run (available during manufacturer's install.)
ADLIBG.COM
Adlib Gold
Select this sound driver if you have an Adlib Gold sound card.
Be sure that when you installed your Adlib, you configured the
DMA channel properly for digital sound.
PAUDIO.COM
MediaVision ProAudio Spectrum 8
Select this sound driver if you have one of the original
MediaVision ProAudio Spectrum 8 digital sound cards.
This driver requires the presence of MVSOUND.SYS in your
CONFIG.SYS to run (available during manufacturer's install.)
STFX.COM
ATI Stereo FX
Select this driver if you have an ATI Stereo FX card.
TANSLTL.COM
Tandy Sensation
Select this sound driver if you have a Tandy Sensation or one
of the Tandy SL/TL line of computers.
LANTSND.COM
Lantastic Voice Adaptor
Select this sound driver if you have the Lantastic Voice
Adaptor from Artisoft. Use of this driver requires that
you have previously loaded the LANVOICE utility that comes
with your Voice Adaptor.
SBCLONE.COM
SoundBlaster Clone
Select this sound driver if you have a SoundBlaster compatible
that did not come from Creative Labs. You should use this driver
if you have a MediaVision Thunderboard, a Gravis using SBOS,
or some other sound card in SoundBlaster compatibility mode.
DIGVESA.COM
BULLSHIT
No Sound Card
Select this if you don't have a sound card.
Nice Try!
It's a driver alright, but it's not supported!
SBLASTER.COM
SBCLONE.COM
SBPRO.COM
SB16.COM
STFX.COM
BULLSHIT
Press 'C' to re-configure for hardware.
*.COM
SOUNDRV.COM
r
BULLSHIT
No Sound Card
Press ESC to accept default setting.
Configure Sound Driver
Default Base Address: %4X (hex)...
Enter new Base Address:
(hex)
Warning!
Warning!
Warning!
Make sure that the new value entered here
corresponds with your sound device!
Default IRQ: %4X (hex)...
Enter new IRQ:
(hex)
Warning!
Warning!
Warning!
Make sure that the new value entered here
corresponds with your sound device!
Default DMA Channel: %4X (hex)...
Enter new DMA Channel:
(hex)
Warning!
Warning!
Warning!
Make sure that the new value entered here
corresponds with your sound device!
%X
%x
r+b
SOUNDRV.COM
Press a key to continue...
setd.snd
to locate mixer option. Enter to select.
Mixer Option
16 Channel Mixer
No Mixer
16 Channel Mixer
'16 Channel Mixer' means that you can hear up to 16 different
sound effects playing at the same time. However, if you are
running Black Knight on a slower computer, you may want to
select the 'No Mixer' option.
No Mixer
'No Mixer' means that you can only hear 1 sound effect playing
at any one time. For instance, if an explosion and a missle
launch occurs at the same time, you will only hear one of these
sounds playing. The up-side is that Black Knight will produce
a somewhat faster frame rate.Note also the "mixer" strings - There is no such option presented to the user.
SETM.EXE
Black Knight - Music Driver Setup - Version 1.00
(c)Copyright 1995 SE Software. All Rights Reserved
Press a key to continue...
No MIDPAK drivers found.
MIDPAK.XMI
MIDPAK.AD
MIDPAK.ADV
MIDPAK.COM
Black Knight - Music Driver Setup - Version 1.00
to locate driver. Enter to select. ESC to exit.
BLASTER
BLASTER
%x
%x
%x
"BLASTER" environment variable detected - ADDR:%X IRQ:%X DMA:%X
Music Drivers
BULLSHIT
MIDPAK.XMI
MIDPAK.AD
MIDPAK.ADV
MIDPAK.COM
Press ESC to select another driver.
Installing without music.
MIDPAK.ADV
MIDPAK.AD
BK.AD
MIDPAK.COM
CMIDPAK.COM
r+b
MIDPAK.COM
w
%s
%X,%X,%X
MIDPAK.XMI
MIDPAK.AD
MIDPAK.ADV
MIDPAK.COM
DRIVERS.CFG
No Driver Selected. Configuration Terminated!
DRIVERS.CFG
Success!
r
A disk error has occured!
Press 'R' to retry.
Press ESC to terminate Install Program.
Installation terminated!
\
MORE
ÍÍÍÍÍÍ
MORE
ÍÍÍÍÍÍ
ARIAXMID.AD
Aria Based Sound Cards
Select this driver if you have any of the popular sound
cards based on the Aria chipset from Sierra Semiconductor.
This includes the MidiMaestro from Computer Peripherals
and the Sonic Sound from Diamond computer systems.
REQUIRES the SET ARIA= variable in your AUTOEXEC.BAT...
WSS.ADV
Microsoft Sound System
Select this driver if you have the Microsoft Windows.Sound System, from Microsoft.
SBFM.ADV
Creative Labs Sound Blaster
Select this driver if you have a SoundBlaster card from
Creative Labs or any basic SoundBlaster compatible.
SBP1FM.ADV
Creative Labs SoundBlaster Pro - OPL2
Select this driver if you have an original SoundBlaster Pro from
Creative Labs which uses the OPL2 chip set.
SBP2FM.ADV
Creative Labs SoundBlaster Pro - OPL3
Select this driver if you have a SoundBlaster Pro from
Creative Labs which uses the OPL3 chip set or the
SoundBlaster 16. However, if you have the WaveBlaster
daughter board, you want to select the MPU401 driver instead.
SBAWE32.ADV
Creative Labs AWE-32
Select this driver if you have a SoundBlaster AWE-32 from
Creative Labs.
PASOPL.ADV
MediaVision ProAudio Spectrum 16
Select this driver if you have a ProAudio Spectrum 16 from
MediaVision or a Logitech SoundMan 16 from Logitech. This
driver requires the presence of MVSOUND.SYS in your
CONFIG.SYS to run (available during manufacturer's install.)
ADLIBG.ADV
Adlib Gold
Select this sound driver if you have an Adlib Gold sound card.
PASFM.ADV
MediaVision ProAudio Spectrum 8
Select this driver if you have one of the original
MediaVision ProAudio Spectrum 8 digital sound cards.
This driver requires the presence of MVSOUND.SYS in your
CONFIG.SYS to run (available during manufacturer's install.)
ADLIB.ADV
Adlib Personal Music System
Select this driver if you have the original Adlib Personal
Music system or compatible.
SENSAT.ADV
Tandy Sensation
Select this driver if you have a Tandy Sensation
GF1MIDI.ADV
Gravis Ultrasound
Select this driver if you have the Gravis Ultrasound from
Gravis. This driver REQUIRES the presence of the manufacturer
provided ULTRAMID driver. You can get ULTRAMID from Gravis.
MT32MPU.ADV
Roland LAPC/MT32
Select this driver if you have an original Roland LAPC
or Roland MT-32 in your machine connected via an MPU401
interface.
GENMID.ADV
MPU401 General MIDI
Select this driver if you have a General MIDI synthesizer
connected via an MPU401 interface. This includes the Ensoniq
SoundScape, Turtle Beach Maui card, Creative Labs WaveBlaster
and others.
SC32MPU.ADV
Roland Sound Canvas
Select this driver if you have a Roland Sound Canvas, either
the SC55 or the SCC1, or the Roland RAP10.
MULTISND.ADV
Turtle Beach Multisound
Select this sound driver if you own the Turtle Beach Multisound.
Currently this driver will only work if you have installed your
Turtle at the default manufacturer settings. This driver will
not work unless you have run the PRESETS program provided by
Turtle Beach Systems.
VESAMID.ADV
BULLSHIT
No Music Card
Select this if you don't have a music card.
Nice Try!
It's a driver alright, but it's not supported!
SBFM.ADV
SBP1FM.ADV
SBP2FM.ADV
Press 'C' to re-configure for hardware.
*.add
.
.ADV
r
%X,%X,%X
No Music Card
BULLSHIT
Press ESC to accept default setting.
Configure Sound Driver
Default Base Address: %4X (hex)...
Enter new Base Address:
(hex)
Warning!
Warning!
Warning!
Make sure that the new value entered here
corresponds with your sound device!
Default IRQ: %4X (hex)...
Enter new IRQ:
(hex)
Warning!
Warning!
Warning!
Make sure that the new value entered here
corresponds with your sound device!
Default Extra value: %4X (hex)...
Enter new Extra value:
(hex)
Warning!
Warning!
Warning!
Make sure that the new value entered here
corresponds with your sound device!
%X
%x.
Do you want to auto-detect for the
presence of a SoundBlaster? (y/n).
Press a key to continue...
Are you ready to test the
sound driver you have selected? (y/n)
MIDPAK.AD
MIDPAK.ADV
MIDPAK.COM
Unable to load MIDPAK
Failed to initialize music driver.
SETM.XMI
Failed to locate test music 'SETM.XMI'.
Playing music...
Is the music playing ok? (y/n)(Source: Original TCRF research)
Missing Sound Drivers#
Despite the game shipping on a CD-ROM - a medium capable of storing up to 700 MiB of data - there's only about 14 MiB on the whole disc - No CDDA, nothing. In fact, "installing" the game just copies the disc's contents wholesale. Even so, Black Knight is quite courteous about hard disk usage: At the end of SETUP.EXE's normal duties, it will prompt you to run DELDRV.EXE, which will delete all unused sound drivers and free up to a whopping 631 KiB if you choose no sound or music driver at all. What it does not do is delete the 5.68 MiB worth of sounds and music, even if you do so. This is rare behaviour on its own, but listed among the files DELDRV.EXE will attempt to delete are several that aren't found on the CD-ROM or the install folder!
DELDRV.EXE
Black Knight - Delete Driver Utility - Version 1.00
(c)Copyright 1995 SE Software. All Rights Reserved.
You have the option of deleting all sound and music drivers
which are not used. This will help to save space on your hard
disk. However, if you want to select another driver at some
point in the future, you will have to re-install Black Knight.
Would you like to delete the drivers? (y/n)
Deleting Drivers. Please Wait...
ADLIBG.COM
ARIA.COM
LANTSND.COM
SBCLONE.COM
SBLASTER.COM
SBPRO.COM
STFX.COM
TANSLTL.COM
PAUDIO.COM
PAS16.COM
SB16.COM
GF166.COM
DIGVESA.COM
ADLIB.ADV
ADLIB.ADD
ADLIBG.ADV
ADLIBG.ADD
ARIAXMID.ADV
ARIAXMID.ADD
GENMID.ADV
GENMID.ADD
GF1MIDI.ADV
GF1MIDI.ADD
MT32MPU.ADV
MT32MPU.ADD
PASFM.ADV
PASFM.ADD
PASOPL.ADV
PASOPL.ADD
SBFM.ADV
SBFM.ADD
SBP1FM.ADV
SBP1FM.ADD
SBP2FM.ADV
SBP2FM.ADD
SC32MPU.ADV
SC32MPU.ADD
SENSAT.ADV
SENSAT.ADD
WSS.ADV
WSS.ADD
SBAWE32.ADV
SBAWE32.ADD
MULTISND.ADV
MULTISND.ADD
VESAMID.ADV
VESAMID.ADD
VESADIG.ADV
CMIDPAK.COM
FAT.OPL
SETD.SND
SETM.XMI
SETUP.EXE
SETD.EXE
SETM.EXE
DELDRV.EXE
BK.ADFour listed files are missing from the game's files, all of which are related to DIGPAK/MIDPAK/AIL/Miles Sound System, and three of which are also listed in SETD.EXE:
- STFX.COM - ATI Stereo FX
- FAT.OPL - "Fatman" OPL patch set used by some games using the MIDPAK/AIL/Miles Sound System4
- TANSLTL.COM - Tandy SL/TL & Sensation (the music driver is still present as SENSAT.ADV)
- LANTSND.COM - Lantastic Voice Adaptor
(Source: Original TCRF research)
Music Copyrights#
Black Knight features two soundtracks: One in .MOD format, and another in .XMI format (MIDI). While Bobby Prince is the only person credited for composition, only the .XMI files actually contain copyrights, in one of two formats:
- AFTRBRNR.XMI - Copyright 1995, Robert C. Prince
- CONTRAIL.XMI - Music Copr. 1995, Robt. Prince
- ENFORCER.XMI - Music Copr. 1995, Robt. Prince
- FLITEPTH.XMI - Music Copr. 1995, Robt. Prince
- FUNKYAIR.XMI - Music Copr. 1995, Robt. Prince
- PUMP-UP.XMI - Copyright 1995, Robert C. Prince
- SAILING.XMI - Copyright 1995, Robert C. Prince
- SETM.XMI - Copyright 1995, Robert C. Prince
- STARMAN.XMI - Music Copr. 1995, Robt. Prince
It's not clear why there are two different copyright strings. Because only two .MOD tracks are included (COOL2.MOD and KICKIN.MOD), it's possible that the .XMI tracks were requested in two batches pending additional .MOD tracks. Because they aren't signed and there is no other credit, it isn't possible to confirm with certainty who the .MOD tracks were composed by, if not Bobby Prince.
(Source: Original TCRF research)
"Leftover" Images#
On the CD-ROM and in the game folder, many .pcx files are included, some of which are simple sprite sheets, while others appear to be screenshots... Except removing most of these "screenshots" will result in extreme palette corruption and missing assets. Turns out they are used in-game... But are modified at runtime.
MENU5.PCX
This file actually is entirely unused, internally replaced with REPLAY.PCX. The "1/0" panel in the bottom left is entirely unused, and the backdrop with the F/A-18 flying with its tail hook extended is never seen anywhere in the game - That area gets reserved for the depressed button graphics in REPLAY.PCX and replaced entirely by rendered gameplay in-game.
MENU5.PCX |
REPLAY.PCX |
In-Game |
COCKPIT.PCX
Inside this file are a number of elements that make up the primary viewpoint for the game. While most of it is used, three of the items seen in the upper-right corner of the image go unused: The velocity vector (the finned o), horizontal ladder, and vertical ladder. A velocity vector is used in the bombsight and ILS views in-game, but it's much smaller. Possibly unused are the ENG L, ENG R, and HYD indicators in the center of this graphic's HUD, though the manual does describe them.
|
COCKPIT.PCX |
In-Game |
|---|---|
|
|
|
Given that the developers used real photographs of an F/A-18 cockpit (the rear view amusingly shows its rudders in a grounded, "airbrake" position), it seems the hope was to (more) accurately reflect the real F/A-18 Hornet's HUD symbology. However, the limitations of 320x240 reveal the reason most other games' fixed cockpit views were zoomed-in on the HUD at the time, and these assets go unused.
PILOT1.PCX
This is the "login screen", and goes more or less unchanged in-game, but unseen are the "default values" for the pilots, hard-coded into the image and blanked out at runtime:
(Source: Original TCRF research)
Unused Audio#
The game stores audio as raw, 8-bit unsigned PCM clips at 11,025 Hz. While nearly all of these clips are used, a clip called TAKEOFF.RAW is never played, instead being replaced by the FLYBY.RAW clip in takeoff cutscenes. Whether this was a consequence of the replay system, a mistake/captured later, or the flyby simply sounded cooler, is unknown.
|
TAKEOFF.RAW |
FLYBY.RAW |
|---|---|
(Source: Original TCRF research)