Col. Gibbon

I thought I'd better post an explanation of how the EAW Multi Skin system works. This works in 8 and 24bit BMP, and allows you to have up to 16 differently skinned aircraft per squadron, as in the example below. 3DZ Files: The default 3dz names remain for the leaders position. That is the P****F.3dz, and if that model is the only one loaded, you will see just the first model replicated in all the squad positions, as in the default game. For the first wingman you have rename the 3dz P****01F.3dz. For the second wingman P****02.3DZ, and so on up to P****11F.3dz for a normal max squad, and to P****15.3DZ, for extra squads option. For HR models, you do exactly the same, but you have to rename all the 3dz's for the main model [A, B, C, E, F, G, P] , and I'm adding support for the P****M.3dz, distance model, and P****U.3dz, cockpit wing view, but not for the internal cockpit files, as I see no need for these to be multi skinned. Internal 3DZ Texture Links: Once again, for the default slot there is no change P****TEX.PCX/TPC links to P****TRA.PCX/TPC. For the first wingman, the texture link is P****01TX.PCX/TPC links to P****01TRA.PCX/TPC, and as for the 3dz's the texture has a matching number up to 12 or 15, as before. For HR models all the files needed have to be changed accordingly: A.3DZ = P****01AX.PCX/TPC B.3DZ = P****01BX.PCX/TPC C.3DZ = P****01CX.PCX/TPC E.3DZ = P****01EX.PCX/TPC F.3DZ = P****01TX.PCX/TPC Links to P****01TRA.PCX/TPC G.3DZ = P****01GX.PCX/TPC P.3DZ = P****01TX.PCX/TPC M.3DZ = P****01MX.PCX/TPC Links to P****01MRA.PCX/TPC U.3DZ = P****01UX.PCX/TPC Links to P****01TRA.PCX/TPC When these changes are made you will see in the new exe differently painted aircraft in as many positions as you like, up to 16. :)

Hi nixarass. You forgot to mention you can skin in 24bit BMP format too. The restiction on this is, 8bit runs in Glide & D3D mode, and 24bit colour runs only in D3D. We have not been able to get 24bit working on Glide, as it was never designed to work in higher than 16bit.

Many thanks for opening this new forum for us. This is going to be another nice home from home.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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?

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.