How to Play Multi-Region and Edited Skirmishes

Table of Contents - Choose the type of mission you want to play
1.  Why the prefixes?
2.  ALLIED MULTIREGION Prefixed Skirmishes
3.  MULTIREGION Prefixed Skirmishes
4.  ALLIED Prefixed Skirmishes

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1.  Why the prefixes?
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I needed to come up with a standard system for labelling the different types of Skirmish missions because each type requires a different process of making them work right.  It's also handy at showing you what is in store for you when you play a particular skirmish mission.

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2.  ALLIED MULTIREGION Prefixed Skirmishes
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If Skirmish's filename is prefixed with "ALLIED MULTIREGION" use these instructions.  The ALLIED prefix means that the mission uses commands that you cannot use when making Skirmishes with the XWA Skirmish Editor.  Instead the mission was tweaked using a single-player mission editor, the most popular of which is called AlliED.  The MULTIREGION prefix means that this mission allows you to move through hyperspace to several different regions.  Here's how to get this type of Skirmish mission to work correctly in X-Wing Alliance.

Firstly, be sure to follow the instructions in the "Important Patch Information!.txt" file included in this zip archive, or the mission you make may not work correctly.  All players must do this, and you only have to do it once.  
  
1)  Open XWA.  
2)  Load Skirmish file.  
3)  Place player craft in their positions.  Choose craft attributes.  It is advised that you do not add extra craft to any slots.  
4)  Press the Begin Button.  Wait for the Skirmish to load.
5)  Quit the Skirmish.  You will now see a Mission Summary screen.  Do NOT press the back button.
6)  Press ALT & TAB at the same time to go back to the Desktop.  Replace the Temp.tie in X-Wing Alliance's SKIRMISH folder with the modified temp.tie in the zip file.
7)  ALT TAB back into X-Wing Alliance.  Play the Mission by pressing Fly Again. 

Why do I have to load the mission twice? 
Steps 4 and 5 are essential because when the Skirmish loads from the setup screen, XWA will create the Temp.tie file or overwrite the previous Temp.tie file in its Skirmish folder.  Temp.tie is the file that is actually the mission that you fly.  It does not create a new temp.tie if you do not go back to the Skirmish Editor screen after flying a mission, because obviously, you have not changed anything from the last time you played!  This is also related to the Warning message right below.  

Why don't I just make the temp.tie file read-only?
You can try, but it always booted me out of the game on the Loading Screen when I did that, regardless of if I started the mission from the Mission Summary screen or the Skirmish Editor screen.  If it works for you, please e-mail me at chrisw10@njoproject.com and tell me so.  

WARNING:  After you are finished with the mission a mission summary screen will appear.  If you elect to go back to the Skirmish Editor (i.e. pressing the back button) you will have to repeat Steps 2-5 again.  If you do not, every object will be in one region when the mission loads.  There are many reasons why Multi-Region was not implemented in the consumer product, and this is one of them.   

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3.  MULTIREGION Prefixed Skirmishes
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If a Skirmish's filename is prefixed with "MULTIREGION" use these instructions.  The MULTIREGION prefix means that this mission allows you to move through hyperspace to several different regions.  This type of skirmish uses the standard commands found in the XWA Skirmish editor and was not tweaked by any mission editor programs.  Here's how to get this type of Skirmish mission to work correctly in X-Wing Alliance.

Firstly, be sure to follow the instructions in the "Important Patch Information!.txt" file included in this zip archive, or the mission you make may not work correctly.  All players must do this, and you only have to do it once.  

1)  Open XWA.  
2)  Load Skirmish file.  
3)  Place player craft in their positions.  Choose craft attributes.  
4)  Press the Begin Button to fly the mission.

WARNING:  After you are finished with the mission a mission summary screen will appear.  If you elect to go back to the Skirmish Editor (i.e. pressing the back button) you will have to repeat Steps 2-4 again.  If you do not, every object will be in one region when the mission loads.  There are many reasons why Multi-Region was not implemented in the consumer product, and this is one of them.   

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2.  ALLIED Prefixed Skirmishes
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If Skirmish's filename is prefixed with "ALLIED" use these instructions.  The ALLIED prefix means that the mission uses commands that you cannot use when making Skirmishes with the XWA Skirmish Editor.  Instead the mission was tweaked using a single-player mission editor, the most popular of which is called AlliED.  This type of skirmish also takes place in only one region and you cannot hyperspace from one region to the next.  It also most resembles X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter combat missions.  Here's how to get this type of Skirmish mission to work correctly in X-Wing Alliance.

1)  Place temp.tie into your X-Wing Alliance's SKIRMISH folder.  Right click on it, select Properties.  Make sure Read Only is ticked.  If it is not, tick it.  Press OK.  (If you are planning on playing other Skirmishes before you play an ALLIED prefixed skirmish, go ahead and skip this step.  You can ALT TAB out of X-Wing Alliance later when it comes time to play the mission and complete this step.)
2)  Open X-Wing Alliance 
2)  Load Skirmish file.  
3)  Place players into their craft positions.  Choose craft attributes.  It is advised that you do not add extra craft to any slots.  
4)  Press the Begin Button.  Wait for the Skirmish to load.

Why must I make the temp.tie file Read Only?  
This prevents the X-Wing Alliance Skirmish Editor from overwriting the temp.tie file when you assign players their starfighters!  The temp.tie file contains more information about the mission that the Skirmish editor normally does not allow you to configure.  

WARNING:  To play a different skirmish, you will have to press ALT and TAB to go to the Desktop and untick Read Only from the temp.tie file's properties (or you can just delete temp.tie).  Then select the X-Wing Alliance application from your task bar to get back to XWA.