OK, Where is the EAW Combat Ace Forum?

[Col. Gibbon]

OK, a lot of you, might think EAW is a dead and buried Sim, but that is a long way from the truth.

 

Since we were kindly given access to the source code by Atari, we have been busy updating the game, and adding lots of new features.

 

There will be soon a new 7217 fixed exe, with 24bit colour, multi skins, and much much more.

 

Have a look at some of our recent tests of 1.28c. I think the new 64 aircraft squads, might just get the blood pumping.

 

 

 

But your chances of survival are not good. :)

 

Thanks to AngleOff for these screens.

 

A few screens in Glorious 24bit colour.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here's a few more WWI screens from Flying Tiger.

 

 

 

 

 

Now, if this does not lot is not a good reason for a Forum here, I don't know what is.

Edited October 1, 2009 by Col. Gibbon

[+Dave]

Check PM Col Gibbon. I think you might like what I have to say.

[+Gepard]

EAW was my good old love, till i got a new computer and the game did not run anymore. Will hope that with an update the good old girl will work properly.

[Sakai]

I do love EAW. Not my first love but pretty close. I do remember the BOB campaign with fondness, good times, and frustrating bomber attacks!

[Col. Gibbon]

Check PM Col Gibbon. I think you might like what I have to say.

 

 

I don't seem to have access to PM's Or if I do, it's well hidden. But I guess you like what we are doing?

[+Dave]

I don't seem to have access to PM's Or if I do, it's well hidden. But I guess you like what we are doing?

 

 

Look at the top right of the screen you will see your name and a drop down box.

[+ST0RM]

I played EAW for years and sad when I couldn't run it on newer computers. Now, I don't even have a copy. It's great to see that it's still going strong and being updated as much as can be.

 

Maybe it's time to revisit? Where can disks be found nowadays? eBay?

[+JediMaster]

I think I still have my EAW around somewhere. I played multiple BoB campaigns, but when it came time to start the 43 and 44 ones, I just lost interest. Compared to the BoB ones they seemed repetitive and less diverse. Lots of almost escort-only campaigns for the allies and bomber/fighter intercept only for the Germans got stale fast. I'm glad they've been able to alter the game to offer more...EAW was the last WWII sim I flew the campaigns in! I've played a lot of Il-2 in the past EIGHT years since release, but never made it past 3-4 missions in a campaign because the repetition/lack of diversity was worse than EAW's worst.

 

Looking at those shots, though, I can only think "turn on FSAA!!"

[Col. Gibbon]

Hi Storm.

 

I think it's fairly easy to find a copy of EAW on most of the auction sites.

 

As to the idea of revisiting EAW, please wait a bit. We are close to having the 7217 error finally fixed. But if you run Vista or even Win7, then EAW will run as is, without patching. Most of the troubles come if your running XP, with new graphics card and drivers, and that is what we are fixing now.

 

There also will be a new game released at the same time as the 1.28c patch, and that will be SPAW [south Pacific Air War], developed by the ModSquad. This has working carriers, for the first time since the days of 1942 PAW.

 

Flying Tiger is developing a WWI mod for EAW, but that is still in it's early stages.

 

We are hoping to add a lot more to the game over the coming months, So I hope we get a slot here, to keep you guys up to speed with developments.

[Shaolin]

Does it run on XP?

If it does (and supports higher resolutions) I'll go searching for my copy soon (I think it was one of the games I packed away in my cellar just two weeks ago...)!

[Col. Gibbon]

Hi Shaolin.

 

It will run under WinXP.

 

I run XP Pro and I can run it, but I have an EAW friendly graphics card [Ti4800], and I have to use old drivers [66.91].

 

So, if you have a more modern rig, you stand a chance of hitting the 7217 error. The fix for that, should be out in a few weeks, so it's still worth finding your disk.

[+Gr.Viper]

The fix for that, should be out in a few weeks

[Col. Gibbon]

AO, has just posted this short video, showing what the big battles look like.

 

[FalconC45]

AO, has just posted this short video, showing what the big battles look like.

 

 

Pretty cool. Any plans of creating 32 bit models once you guys fully understand the code? Also have you guys fix the padlock problem where you lose lock when your aircraft is buffeting?

 

Falcon

[Shaolin]

Pretty cool. Any plans of creating 32 bit models once you guys fully understand the code? Also have you guys fix the padlock problem where you lose lock when your aircraft is buffeting?

 

Falcon

 

The 24 bit has nothing to do with the 32/62 bit you may know from your OS - it's the bit depth of the used textures - and 24 bit is the most common depth (BMPs are 24 bit!)...

[Nesher]

nice shots Colonel.. welcome to CA

Cheers

[Col. Gibbon]

I think we will be developing EAW for a long time yet. When we started none of us knew the C language, but as time has gone by, we have learned more and more. There are so many things which were started and never finished by the original coders, these alone would keep us busy for a couple of years. One big change we are going to try to do is upgrade EAW from Dx6 to Dx9, which will speed up EAW. Once we finish the 7217 patch, EAW should once again be available to play again by the majority. Hopefully at that point, we will get some feedback on how we are doing.

[+Erik]

I think we will be developing EAW for a long time yet. When we started none of us knew the C language, but as time has gone by, we have learned more and more. There are so many things which were started and never finished by the original coders, these alone would keep us busy for a couple of years. One big change we are going to try to do is upgrade EAW from Dx6 to Dx9, which will speed up EAW. Once we finish the 7217 patch, EAW should once again be available to play again by the majority. Hopefully at that point, we will get some feedback on how we are doing.

 

In the meantime I think we should get you set up with a forum or whatever you need so you have some place to call your own that you can show your wares. What do you think?

 

E

[Col. Gibbon]

Hello Eric.

 

I think it would be nice to have a forum here, as like SimHQ, it is one of the hubs of the Flight Sim World.

 

If we do get a forum here, I'll tell all the guys, and I'm sure we will be able to keep you up to date with our developments.

 

EAW might be an old Sim, but I was told it's still the one all the others are measured by, and now we are moving the bar higher, other more modern WW2 flight Sims might just become a bit of boring eye candy.

Edited October 8, 2009 by Col. Gibbon

[Panama Red]

Since I use ATI video cards (with XP), I do not have the 7217 bug that nVidia cards have. The only problem that I have as an EAW ATI player is the "tearing" briefing screen and that fix is currently in the works too.

[Oswald Bastable]

Thanks for the posting Colonel

 

Always enjoyed the big bomber formations in EAW

[+Erik]

I found it. :yes:

[Col. Gibbon]

Many thanks for opening this new forum for us.

 

This is going to be another nice home from home.

[Wudpecker]

Hello all.

What a fine old sim' this is.

Good to see so much interest in her fans from days of yore.

 

A new scenario called "South Pacific Air War" (SPAW) will be out "soon"-- probably before Hallowe'en.

 

It is hanging fire right now in hopes some developments will get included in the latest game patch-- 1.28c.

 

SPAW coordinator Ray Otton has a fine artist doing most of the hangar screens. We call him "The Mad Prof". He has a tendency to include pretty girls if we don't watch him carefully.

[Jel]

Since I use ATI video cards (with XP), I do not have the 7217 bug that nVidia cards have. The only problem that I have as an EAW ATI player is the "tearing" briefing screen and that fix is currently in the works too.

 

I'm just looking at the code which fixed the briefing screen map, and on some cards the 7217 error.

It is not particularly flexible. The old code was locked into 640x480, and the new into 1024x768.

What I would like to do is to have both, with the routines which run based on a setting in the "eaw.ini" file.

I have already made the ini setting, and now its a matter of sifting through Crashin' Jack's code.

 

;) Jel