EAW1.28c got released!

[Knegel]

The upgrade package will upgrade any version of the EAW install to 1.28C
The download will be just under 54MB.

Here's the ReadMe



European Air War


Watch this space for the download link

128CInstall.exe

Greetings,

Knegel

[belga]

Hello,

Thank you very much Ralf.

Regards.

[Crimea_River]

Have't played this in years ever since it didn't work on my XP. How does it compare with IL-2 Forgotten Battles?

I always loved the engine sounds in EAW and the period music.

[Col. Gibbon]

Hi Everyone.

Just to add to Ralf's post, here is a list of the changes which have been made to the 1.28B, to improve the game even further.

Many thanks to the EAW Code Group, but especially to Kengel, Mr Jelly, Brit44, Crashing Jack, and Sydbod, who programmed most of the changes.

EAW1.28CReadme

(Note: this is a reformat of the original document that was Produced by the Code Committee of the Society of European Air War Contributors (SEAWC), October 2009. ) SEAWC information at Sandbagger’s Tally-Ho website on SimHQ Forums. Welcome!

Installation
A one-step installer will upgrade EAW to Version 1.28c. It is a 7-zip self installing file named "128CInstall.exe". It needs to be run in an existing EAW directory as it does not install a number of the standard EAW "CDF" files which we have never modified.

1 Old EAW versions:
Version 1.28c will successfully install over and update all EAW versions.

2 "Eaw.ini file":
If you already have older EAW versions, we recommend making a copy of your EAW.ini control file before running the install. A new "EAW.ini will be created by the install, and some favorite settings may be lost. You can copy and paste them back in later.

3 A new EAW install:
Make a new EAW folder and copy the "DLL" files (except "_SETUP.DLL), the "CDF" files, and the "CHATLINE.TXT" file from the MicroProse or Infogames CD into it. Also copy the "MUSIC" folder.

4 Use the installer:
Copy the installer ("128CInstall.exe") to your newly copied EAW directory, and run it from there. It will automatically adjust files and create needed directories.
Some EAW 1.28C Features

Flying Online:
New hosting options and additional aircraft for up to 16 players. A ‘quick flight’ routine speeds game play.
New throttle controls:
Engine starts now require throttle management for more realistic flying. No gas, no start. Too much throttle and an explosive “wet start” of flame appears. Engine may be damaged by repeated wet starts or jamming the throttle forward too fast on a cold engine.
Built-in graphics speed checker:
Use CTRL-G. An information screen appears upper right with Frames-Per-Second displayed, along with other aircraft info.

Special names for exes:
You may copy the EAW.exe and rename the file to your unique preference or use one with a different name, such as EAW 1_28c.exe., Eaw-SPAW.exe, Iraq.exe, etc. It works in most Windows operating systems, but for online flying it must be named "EAW.exe".

Aircraft Carriers:
Flying, landing, and fighting at sea is much more extensive now. Options for sea attacks and operations are available in the Mission Screens in hangars. Practice is recommended for carrier landings—don’t get too low on final approach. Torpedo runs and dive bombing of warship convoys included. South Pacific Air War (SPAW) is designed for 1.28c.

Flying by the Years and Seasons:
EAW will soon offer a World War I flying scenario for the 1914 to 1918 years. Other scenarios have dates before and after EAW’s ‘stock’ World War II years. 1.28c allows proper dating and seasonal changes of terrains.

Extra Aircraft in Your Flight:
Individual aircraft “skins” (paint and markings) can be shown and fly together in the 1.28 series. In 1.28c up to 64 aircraft from your squadron can be part of a flight. This “multi-skins” number depends on aircraft modders to supply them. It could be more or less than 64 in the game.

Auto Combat:
Default is ON. Change to “0” ( zero) to turn OFF. This allows you to fly on Autopilot and target enemy aircraft or other objects. The AI (Artificial Intelligence) will then fly your aircraft and pursue and shoot. Useful for both new and experienced pilots to watch an “expert” fight and observe and learn dogfight tactics. Autopilot and AutoClimb are already part of the 1.28 series.
Parachutes forbidden (WW1):
Before 1918 dates, ‘chutes will not be available to pilots and crew. It was considered cowardly to use them.

War ships, and sea convoy interdiction targets:
A new type of convoy has been added for interdiction missions. Convoys composed mainly of warships can be selected for attack. If you choose either of the two "ship convoys" as target for an interdict mission, only targets that have a "ship convoy" are displayed on the preflight map.

2nd supercharger stage:
A 2nd supercharger stage added for piston engines with high altitude capabilities.

More action codes:
A number of new ones have been added. Most are codes for additional damage types.

Aircraft Formations:
Every nation can have its own formation type. These are inside a “formations.dat” file in the main EAW directory.

Bomber Missions:
The campaign routines have been adjusted to make "bomber campaigns" better, with more dependable escorts.

The V1 slot:
This can now be used as an extra plane slot of another type.

Burn Damage:
Multi- engined planes may lose a wing when a damaged engine burns too long. Tail gunners and AAA (ground fire) will not stop shooting when a plane engine just smokes.

Front Lines:
Front Lines will be displayed on the single mission map by a red line.
Artificial Intelligence:
AI´s will avoid hills rather well now. They cannot be led to crash into a mountainside so easily anymore.
New "EAW.ini" settings (and some reminders)

Eaw.ini file:
This extended control file opens like a text file and may be edited and saved to your personal preferences. Many new features will be added to the ini file during install for 1.28c, so checking this file pays off. Much more extensive than Configure Game, the player’s ini file may adjust such things as:

End of Part 1

[Col. Gibbon]

Part 2 of the 1.28C readme.

Extra Squads:
Default is OFF (zero). Any number up to 17 extra squads may be entered. This will produce a sky filled with aircraft, always an EAW specialty, with massive dogfights called “furballs”. Up to 256 aircraft seen at once. Play Speed (Frames-Per-Second) may be affected, however, when large numbers of aircraft are in view. Changing your view or using a lower number of extra squads will speed up the FPS.

Possible settings are:
"0 & > 17" No extra squad. "1-3" normal extra squad. "4" all Bombers get two escorting fighter squads "5" all US Bombers get two escorting fighter squads "6" only 1940/43 US Bombers get two escorting fighter squads "7" only 1944/45 US Bombers get two escorting fighter squads "8" all US+Brit Bombers get two escorting fighter squads "9" only 1940/43 US+Brit Bombers get two escorting fighter squads "10" only 1944/45 US+Brit Bombers get two escorting fighter squads "11" all Brit Bombers get two escorting fighter squads "12" only 1940/43 Brit Bombers get two escorting fighter squads "13" only 1944/45 Brit Bombers get two escorting fighter squads "14" all Ger Bombers get two escorting fighter squads "15" only 1940/43 Ger Bombers get two escorting fighter squads "16" only 1944/45 GerBombers get two escorting fighter squads "17" Fighter squads can have up to 64 planes, always two Bomber squads will appear, instead of one.

Engine start:
Ctrl-1 starts engine 1, Ctrl-2 starts engine 2, Ctrl-3 starts engine 3, Ctrl-4 starts engine 4

PlaneSet Number:
Possible values: 0-4 This only influences the game if there are additional plane set folders in the currently used "Scenario folder". Number "0" is default and as long no other plane set is loaded, the plane set from the CDFs is used. "=1" can get selected from inside the game (configure game > graphics). =2, =3 or =4 can be enabled by editing the EAW.ini (OAW1.28 V13 include a feature to do it easily).

Month:
If the value is between 1 and 12 (January to December), EAW 1.28C will provide a steadily increasing mission date in single, multi player and quick-mission mode, with every played mission. This does not influence the career date! The Month setting triggers the season in EAW if a seasonal setup is present in the currently used "Scenario folder". In this way the currently used month can determine the terrain and/or weather setups to be used. "= 21" triggers static "Spring"(also in career mode), while the single mission date is randomized (as in the default game). "= 22" triggers static "Summer". "= 23" triggers static "Fall (Autumn)". "= 24" triggers static "Winter". "= 25" triggers static "Light Winter" All other values ( 0, > 12 & < 21 , > 25) disable the seasonal setup and the new mission data system. If the seasonal setup is activated, it automatically becomes a "host setting" in multi player mode, so everybody in game will get the same setting

Day:
Here you can select the wanted game date day (1 to 31). If the value is bigger than then maximum possible number for the current month, the game will switch to the next month. If the "Date system" is disabled, also the day value is randomized. It does not apply to career mode

FadeTimer:
This influences the fade time, when you leave one pre-game screen and enter another. The used value depends to the user’s preference, a maximum value is not known.

Static Cockpit:
This disables the 2D cockpits at all. It is useful, if someone plays in 640x480 and does not want to see the 2d cockpits (in add on campaigns they normally would not fit). With the coming 7217 fix the 2D cockpits will be present in 1024x768 resolution, then this will be more important.

Auto combat:
When the player selects “Autopilot” in the game a value "= 1" makes the player’s own plane attack the enemy automatically. This will happen when the player has selected an enemy plane as the target.
Computer Gunsight:
"= 0" disables the computed Gun-sight. Otherwise the value is the distance at which the gun sight works best in "metres".

Friendly Encounter:
"= 0" disables all friendly encounter groups. Try values up to 255. The higher the value the higher the probability to meet a encounter group.

Enemy Encounter:
"= 0" disables all enemy encounter groups. Again try values up to 255, as higher the value the higher the probability to meet a encounter group.

GunSightSize:
This changes the reticle diameter. The default is "=1024" and possible values are from 800 to 2100.

Old Style:
This enables the EAW.2 plane selection screens. The default is "=0" (off). "=1" enables the old style
screens.

HudFontSize:
This changes the size of the in game HUD display fonts. The default is "=0" (off) but “=1” gives large fonts

Keyboard Language:
This changes the keyboard to different national settings. Default is "=0" (English/US) "=1" (German) "=2" (French) "=3" (Spanish/Italian)

Flak Accuracy and FlakRof (rate of fire):
Both values affect only the heavy flak. The default is "=2" Appropriate values range from 1 to 5. The effectiveness of the flak depends to both values. Experiment with them.

Ground Battle:
This affects the artillery ground battle near the front lines. The default is "=3" "=0" disables the ground battle action. The higher the value the more impacts happen. Depending to the PC´s performance at some stage the FPS might suffer.

Old Damage:
The default is "=0" "=1" enables a hard coded gun power and engine management, which suits many of the older flight models better.

Realistic Gunnery:
The default is "=1" "=0" makes the gun power a little more destructive.
The new “dir.set”, “cdf.set”, and folder system

As this readme is meant for people upgrading to 1.28C no explanation of these advanced features needs to be given in this document. The only people who need it are the modders creating or updating work for 1.28C. A number of ready made scenarios such as SPAW will shortly be released in installations which make good use of these features. If you need more information then please contact the members of the code development team via the EAW forum at SimHQ or Combat Ace.

The OAW128 file manager
The latest version of the OAW128 file manager has been specially tailored for 1.28C users. It is almost essential for players using the increasing number of multi skins. Again check posts in the EAW forums at SimHQ or Combat Ace for further information.

This document:
is a copy with format modified , The original was produced by: The EAW Code Development Team October 29th 2009

Many thanks to RAF Roy, for the above text.

Download everything you need here:

EAW Patch 1.28

[Knegel]

Have't played this in years ever since it didn't work on my XP. How does it compare with IL-2 Forgotten Battles?

I always loved the engine sounds in EAW and the period music.

Hi,

Here just a list out of my subjective experiences with both games:

EAW is better:
- more planes in the Air at same time.
- middle to long distance graphics(planes are better identifyable, the dots fits to the plane size etc)
- better inside cockpit view possibilitys(free adjustable view position for each snap view view-direction)
- a more nice icon system(just one icon, not the sky full of icons).
- more credible Ai´s(they are realy worth a fight, no ridicules snipers and not just dumb, a real good mix, just as good as a medium good human player)

IL-2 is better:
- by far better close distance graphics.
- better clouds
- better ground behaviour of the planes(the roll and take off is realy perfect realistic).
- the possibility to open a permanent multiplayer server, where people can join and leave by will.
- a higher max number of players in multiplayer mode(though, EAW support up to 16 player now).

My personel absolut subjective opinion is that IL-2 is nice, if you want to watch a game(move with external views through the game world and wtach the nice effects) and if you want to make screenshots. Otherwise the lots of little mistakes always make me angry after a few games(when i can kill a B17 better with a P51D than with a FW190A6, when the tailgunners kill me very often when i pass them with a 90° angle, when a IL-2 dissapear just when i want to start to shoot, when a 109 show a more big dot than a B17, when the Ai´s turn to be super snipers in ace mode but stupid just one step below, when the FW190 turn to be worthless cause the cockpit is unplayable, when all planes have by far to fast roll ratios, so that a FW190A already turn to be unstable etc etc).
The EAW graphics imho are very good as long as you sit inside the cockpit and fight. Then you rarely get close enough to an object to enjoy the good close distance graphics, then its more important how good the enemy is identifyable and how he perform.
Thats why i still prefer EAW. IMHO EAW its a better game to be played, IL-2 is the better game to make screen shots and to fly with external views.
Note: My experiences with the IL-2 serie end with Pacific Fighters. I never did try a later version or the hacked updates.

Greetings,

Knegel

[Crimea_River]

Still love playing IL-2. With mods, it now supports 6DOF head tracking and the graphics are stunning.

In my ealrier post, I mixed up EAW with Janes' WW2 Fighters. When that came out the graphics blew me away and I loved the music that was included. I had EAW as well and I agree with all you say.

Next up, Storm of War, and probably a next generation computer to run it!