Keyboard controls

X-wing vs. TIE Fighter (XvT) and X-wing Alliance (XWA)

XvT Keyboard Controls

The original X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter CD came with a keyboard controls reference sheet. Here is a XvT Keyboard Controls Cheat Sheet available for download.

The X-Wing Alliance controls are basically the same with a few additions.

Note: ALT + O takes a screenshot and saves it as a *.bmp file in your game's installation directory, such as C:\Program Files\LucasArts\XwingTie. The file names appear as:

• frontscreen0.bmp
• frontscreen1.bmp

...and so on in sequence until you move or delete them.

TIE Fighter

TIE Fighter contains a lot of keyboard controls, but they aren't as daunting as they look. There are only a few which are used constantly throughout the game, and they become second-nature very quickly. It should be noted that a few controls are specific to the craft you are flying.

NOTE: Mouse control is not enabled in the X-Wing Trilogy version of the game.

Propulsion

NOTE: A joystick with a throttle lever can also change speed.

• Joystick or mouse: up/down/left/right movement
• + Increase speed
• - Decrease speed
• Backspace Full throttle
• ] 2/3 throttle
• [ 1/3 throttle
• \ Zero throttle
• Enter Match speed with currently selected target
• H Engage hyperdrive (and end current mission)
• N Engage/disengage SLAM overdrive (Missile Boat only)

Combat systems

• F8 Adjust tractor beam recharge rate
• F9 Adjust laser recharge rate
• F10 Adjust shield recharge rate
• ; Direct energy from shields to lasers
• ' Direct energy from lasers to shields

Weapons and shields

• Joystick button 1 or Mouse l Fire
• W Cycle through available weapons
• X Select firing mode (single fire, dual fire, linked fire)
• S Toggle shield configuration (all forward, all rear, equal distribution)
• B Toggle beam weapon on/off

Targeting systems

• T Select next available target
• Y Select previous available target
• R Target nearest enemy fighter or mine
• E Target the nearest enemy attacking you
• U Target the newest craft in the area
• A Target the nearest attacker of your current target
• I Toggle target component display on/off
• , Cycle through your target's components (weapons, engines, etc)
• < Cycle through target's components in reverse order
• O Clear CMD of targets
• Z Threat display of current target

• Shift + F5 to F7 Store current target in one of three presets
• F5 to F7 Select preset target

Communications

• Shift + A Order wingmen to attack your target
• Shift + C Order wingmen to cover you
• Shift + E Order wingmen to take evasive action
• Shift + I Order wingmen to ignore your target
• Shift + S Send for reinforcements
• Shift + B Orders targeted craft to board and reload you
• Shift + R Orders targeted craft to report their status
• Shift + W Orders targeted craft to wait for further orders
• Shift + G Orders targeted waiting craft to go and continue
• Shift + H Orders targeted craft to head home

Information systems

• G Display mission goals
• M Display in-flight map
• L Display message log
• D Display damage assessment
• K Display keyboard reference

Special

• Alt + E Eject!
• C Turn in-flight recorder camera on/off
• V View camera film while in flight
• Q Quit (exits mission)
• P Pause
• Alt + C Calibrate joystick
• Alt + T Cycle through time acceleration modes (normal, 2x, 4x)