EAW Multiplayer Questions

[13sq_Axe 0]

Greetings All,

Former EAW player, flew EAW 1.2 at the MS Zone starting around '99. I was a member of the 78th VFG. Axe_78th was my callsign. Some of my old friends are planning to get together for some EAW fun possibly. Most of our rigs are Nvidia, Windows 11 systems. There is one of us using an older system. Not sure what windows version he has. Seems a few years back I tried to install EAW 1.2 on my W10 machine and had issues. I see there are several versions of EAW out there now. Like EAWPro. What exactly is that? :) At any rate what we are looking for is the modern take on 1.2. original setup. What is the most simple way to go? Thanks in advance! 

[MarkEAW 63]

Are you reviewing any old posts on the forums or reading my help site or anything else to get answers :(

EAWPro is the work of VBH. It was developed in many different ways/different techniques. Its Fun to play, to see what he has worked on. I'm sure VBH can speak for him self if he's still around.

You could try the old 1.28b, at least 1.28a. to see if there what you need. Research some things and come back to ask away. :)

[VonBeerhofen 63]

13sq_Axe,

EAWPRO is an independent development of v1.2 in optimized machine language by using the game's original source code. This results in a significant shorter gameloop which speeds up FPS, in spite of the incorporated enhancements. You can read what it is capable of at Mark EAW's helpsite here:

https://eaw.neocities.org/fxexe-patches

It has some improvements over most other versions  to make it work with modern hardware and operating systems, like the newly implemented NoOS check. It no longer checks if the operating system is supported or not, which in the past prevented the game to run. It's however no guarantee. You can find universal workarounds on Mark EAW's help site should you run into trouble but the patch install is a piece of cake as it can be added to any official version of EAW by allowing overwrites when the files are extracted into the game's root folder (where the EAW.EXE resides).

VonBeerhofen

[MarkEAW 63]

....he's deep in reading , doing trial and error :) 

 

[VonBeerhofen 63]

Good luck to him! If it doesn't work right off the bat then he should try the 3D Windower workaround or go for the Steam or GoG version.

VonBeerhofen

Edited January 1 by VonBeerhofen

[MarkEAW 63]

Hmmm, I was thinking earlier. That EAW from GOG/Steam doesn't have the Internet TCP/IP protocol, but only LAN support, so he may not want to go that route. :|

The 3D Windower program is basic in comparison to the DXWnd Wrapper from ghotik, the one I've been using. Not sure if that old program will work on 10 properly either. 

 

I would do EAWPRO in the DxWND Wrapper with my settings profile I've provided or manually setup step by step according to my troubleshoot help doc. :)

 

Edited December 30, 2023 by MarkEAW

[VonBeerhofen 63]

Doesn't Steam and GoG versions allow IPX play through their own multi player gaming servers? Hope he gets something going, don't think there are easy solutions nowadays, not with high security protocols required for modern computers. IP connections require quite a bit of knowledge on router ports and firewalls. Good luck to him anyway and while I'm at it HAPPY NEW YEAR to you and all!

VonBeerhofen

[MarkEAW 63]

I don't think there's a special IPX server for old games at gog or steam. I could be wrong, but I don't think so.

Happy new Year to you too.

[VonBeerhofen 63]

It appears you're right Mark, too bad. 

VonBeerhofen

[13sq_Axe 0]

Thanks for the replies and Happy New Year! I have been doing some research, forum posts etc. There seemed to be several options and OS/GPU issues to deal with. It was a bit confusing. I'll check into everything suggested here. Just want the old EAW we remembered able to run on our rigs and online. Not looking for the extra features, new aircraft and maps at present. 

[VonBeerhofen 63]

Seems to me that your only option is to get v1.2 or perhaps v1.26 running through the use of a Glide wrapper, or the DX Windower or something similar. EAWPRO isn't available as modular addons, it's all or nothing. Another option is to use a legacy computer with a legacy OS, which I think is the safest bet. I used various OS, Windows 98, Me, XP and even used Vista for a while, anything later may proof to be a pita, but you might be lucky!

Good luck and be patient,

VonBeerhofen

[MarkEAW 63]

Yeah what VBH said. Get the original 1.2 and perhaps add 1.26 on top of it, but not necessary.

With a wrapper or Glide wrapper you can use the default res in EAW and upscale it (double size it) in the wrapper. This way you have the detailed cockpits.

With the wrapper you should have little hassle on modern WinVista and up. 

There are instructions at my site, under Troubleshooting.

Ask anything you want for more info.......

[13sq_Axe 0]

Thanks again. I have your site saved MarkEAW. I still have my EAW CD and manual and alot of my old EAW files saved. The 1.2 patch and some NoCD .exe's. gunsights and gauges mods. Various stuff from my 78th VFG days. My rig was a slot one PIII on a BE-6 Abit board with a Voodoo 5 GPU. It was the first one I built.  It ran EAW like a champ! The very first rig however was a Celeron CPU and a pair of SLI Voodoo 2 cards. An IT guy I worked with put it together for me. BTW, MarkEAW, Are you MarkShot? If so I remember reading your tactics guide. "Shoot To Kill" was it?  It was required reading in our squad! :) 

[MarkEAW 63]

I'm not MarkShot, but I think i have that article linked to combatsim where its still at. If not, its downloadable from my mediafire account.

ewww Celeron, lol If I remember it was a weak cpu in comparison. I think I had a Duron?? back then. and I only seen pictures of the Voodoo GPUs, 5, I didn't even know existed until a few years ago.

Read my EAW install doc, you'll want to copy and paste the specific files off the CD, rather than trying to install it.
If you need clarity or re written portions of my site, I usually can do that to help explain something , if I know enough about it.

So your going to be using Win10 then?

 

EDIT: 
As far as actual help regarding EAW internet play. I only have a half ass help doc for that. But It might help. VBH plays online so he'd know a bit more.

Edited January 4 by MarkEAW

[13sq_Axe 0]

W11 unless I decide to use one of my "retired" rigs. :) The others however may not have another option other the W10 or W11.

[MarkEAW 63]

I don't have or never used Windows 11, but I think the DxWnd wrapper works the same for it.

[VonBeerhofen 63]

Neither have I and there's hardly any information on it's workings with any EAW version, so keep us updated with your progress as it may help others in the future.

VonBeerhofen

[MarkEAW 63]

I think it will be very similar to Win10 and the current Wrapper. The DxWnd Wrapper is a W32 program from what I read. yeah to bad not 64 bit :( , but who really cares at this point. 

It runs on old systems to. I think the author indicated Win2000 and XP. He may have recently made/tweaked one version for Win9x/Me systems.

I don't know if Win11 will have what windows 10 has, Legacy Components, like DirectPlay 8 support? Its an options that windows ask you if you want to install it since EAW wants it for Multiplay use. (This occurs when EAW is loading up, a small windows pops up asking you, Y/N.)

Alright, Tell us about how Win11 behaves with EAW, if you could, like VBH said it will help others too :)

 

[MarkEAW 63]

Oh no, I think he fell into the depths of EAW compatibility issues. :) 'Cause he's not posting. lol.

Hi, 13sq_Axe,
So how you coming along with EAW and Win11?