LINKS   3-16-2024

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This help document lists the active and inactive web pages that support the EAW PC Game in some fashion. Includes helpful links to find Wrapper, Controller and OS support programs for use in game compatibility as well as game articles and MPS Official patch downloads. Much More. Have a link?, ask me to post it!

CONTENTS

SITES
ACTIVE | GAME NEWS | OLD

ONLINE PLAY

WRAPPER PROGRAMS
BEST | MORE | OTHER | SUPPORT

MENU SCREEN COLOR FIX -|- EMULATION

JOYSTICK / DEVICE COMBINERS -|- COMPATIBLE GAMES -|- REVIEWS / ARTICLES

MISC INFO
RELATED COMPANY | GAME PATCHES | VIDEOS | OTHER

FORUMS
ACTIVE | OLD | READ ONLY


SITES

These are sites that are generally maintained in the current EAW Community. A list of inactive, non-updated sites are listed below them.

ACTIVE SITES

  • Flight Sim Mods -
    vonOben's site. Add-ons, skins, tools, terrain etc. (since 2002).
     
  • RAF Chattenden -
    Moggy's Site. Contains complete add-ons across several pages. Editing help as well. (since early 2000's)
     
  • EAW LaunchPad ( EAWPRO ) -
    VBH's Home Site. A special effects build of the original EAW game. Discover details about the latest FXEXE / EAWPRO patch by viewing many effect examples in screenshots before you fly. The patch goes over EAWv1.x. Follow link to find a download. (since early 2000's)

  • Tally Ho -
    Sandbaggers archive of community pages and files (since 2001). Some files where removed in recent years, some where added.
     
  • EAW_Downloads, MrJelly's Mediafire Files and Latest UAW Release Download Link (SimHQ Forum Post) -
    Mr. Jelly's and the Code-Group Files; the Universal Air Wars (UAW). Built upon the original EAW game with many planes and theaters of operations newly introduced. Credit for the gamedata goes to the very old EAW original community (circa 2003). Some content is new (2015+). Includes the official MicroProse registered patched CD ETO theater gamedata files.
     
  • EAW: Aces Over Europe 2022 Edition at Mod DB -
    Modred's WIP , more work is put into the original 1943-1945 ETO Campaign addon that was made for EAW back in 2000-2003 by Emil. This new and more recent addition (2018-2022) makes for a more complete addon. It works with the newly modded CodeGroup unofficial EAW version (v1.28c_2022), included. Has an automated installer.
     
  • EAW on GOG -
    Purchase a digital download copy of a re-release (3-27-2021) of EAW. The purchased version is based on the official MicroProse EAWv1.2 patched game, with just the eaw.exe specially modified with some compatibility fixes. DirectX and Glide Wrappers included. Also you get a PDF of the manual and a PDF of the back cover with the basic key reference card on it. The main automated installer for it says it runs on Win7/8/10/11, it may work with WinXP. See the GOG site for more information.
    Read my 'GOG Patches Help Document' for further in depth reading.

  • EAW on Steam -
    Purchase a digital download. Same as the GOG release, listed above. This one was released on (6-16-2022).

  • European Air War Downloads at Mod DB - (A Custom Italian Patch for EAWv1.2) -
    There are several downloads for the standard game; skin packs in automated installers for example. Also, Modred translated the English EAW into the Italian Language, including movies with voice overs. Includes a few other applied modifications to the game. It patches over a English EAWv1.2 game folder.

  • EAW - European Air War Downloads at CombatACE  -
    Miscellaneous downloads, including support files for the EAW game platform at the CombatACE site. (Requires you to have a free account to DL).

 

GAME NEWS SITES

  • CombatACE -
    They have simulator news and forums.
    Including a full forum section and miscellaneous downloads for European Air War!

  • CombatSim -
    They have simulator news and forums.
    They use to have the old 'EAW 1-6 forum archive' (1998-2002) and then a Standard EAW Forum (upto 2022), now, no longer. However, they have several EAW specific articles that are readable and helpful still today. Like those listed in the Articles Links Section.

  • SimHQ -
    They are not an active news site, however they do have EAW Forums.

 

OLD SITES

 



ONLINE PLAY

Just a few places to play EAW online.
(The game is coded with DirectPlay6 (compatible with DP8); IPX (LAN), Serial (Head to Head), TCP/IP (INTERNET))



WRAPPER PROGRAMS

These programs improve compatibility for the EAW game. They include (DirectX (DX); DirectDraw and Direct3D Wrappers). Some translate the old EAW DirectX6 game to a newer DX version or other graphical API's: like OpenGL or Vulkan.

These are good for correcting the weird colors within the menu screens of EAW found on Win7 machines. They also allow you to avoid the 7217 EAW graphical error message and menu screen tearing. Some wrappers should allow Smacker Movie playback. Some wrappers will restore horizon fog and some may fix the terrain shimmer.

See my 'Troubleshoot Wrappers Help Document' for guidance and for the Wrappers settings I suggest.

*indicates a compatibility fix included with the wrapper.


BEST WRAPPERS

  • DxWnd - (ghotik) -
    DirectX Mode. Translates to Direct3D. (Works with Win10 and Vista/Win7/Win8 possibly WinXP).
    *(restores horizon fog) *(slows down mouse polling) *(other visual quality filters)

  • OpenGLide - (fbarros, glidos, swstiletto) -
    Glide v2.xx Mode. Translates to OpenGL. (Designed for WinXP, works with Win10)
    *(restores horizon fog) *(terrain shimmer fixable)

  • nGlide - (zeus) -
    Glide v2.xx/v3.xx Mode. Translates to D3D or Vulkan. (Designed for XP to 8/10).
    *(restores horizon fog).
    Note: The GOG or STEAM paid downloads have a portable nGlide Wrapper included. (portable not at Zeus site).

     

MORE WRAPPERS

OTHER WRAPPERS

  • DDrawCompat - (narzoul) -
    DirectDraw and Direct3D 1-7 compatibility, performance and visual enhancements for Windows Vista, 7, 8, 10 and 11. Uses a locally placed ddraw.dll (like GOGs wrapper) and it can be configured. I have this link here because GOGs super patched eaw.exe uses ddraw.dll in the games main folder. This wrapper may have possible uses for GOGs EAW game, for some.

  • IPXWrapper - (Solemn's site) -
    Tunnels IPX to UDP. (GoG uses this wrapper for EAW too activate its IPX Protocol, for LAN use (Some online services will allow IPX through DirectPlay to be used with EAW).

  • dinputto8 - (elishacloud) -
    A dll module that is designed to improve compatibility in games using DirectInput 1-7 (dinput.dll) by converting all API calls to their equivalent DirectInput 8 (dinput8.dll) ones. This allows older games (like possibly EAW) to be able to use newer controller tools and wrappers written for DirectInput 8.

 

SUPPORT

  • DirectX End-User Runtime Web Installer from Official Microsoft Download Center - (Redist)
    Not a wrapper, but effects the OS behavior with EAW. This is the DirectX 9.0c (June 2010) version. Some older legacey Games may require this... Does not overwrite your systems built-in DX. Following this link above will not only provide you the Download, but at this page is a special web page link with extended information, if interested. (Note: GoG's EAW installer installs DX9.0c after it installs EAW on your system as it has side by side tech for older games).
     
  • Windows ADK -
    Not a wrapper, however it gives access to the Windows OS custom pre built in compat fixes. The installer includes the ACT tools; Application Compatibility Tool Kit. This link appears to be the page that the latest version for Windows 10 and 11 is available. You don't need this unless you want to test eaw.exe against the Windows Version your using.

    See my 'Windows ACT Toolkit Help Document' if interested.
     

 


MENU SCREEN COLOR FIX

If you only need to correct the corrupt 256 colored DirectDraw Menu Screens in EAW, then one of these programs will help. Note: These are for Windows Vista and Win7 use ONLY. Win8/10 fix it on their own. Note: If your going to use a wrapper program you do not need this fix.

 

  • DirectDraw Compatibility Tool -
    Creates a reg file based on compatibility specifications of the eaw.exe file you choose (It does not patch the exe directly). You then install that reg file that makes a DDRAW entry that Windows understands as a workaround. It will write directly to the registry or let you review it (open it with notepad) before installing it.
     
  • w7ddpatcher / Updated Source Code -
    This one does what the other one above does, however, it writes directly to the registry only (you can't preview the reg entry with notpad).

 

 


EMULATION

More emulation.
 

  • DOSBox Emulator -
    Run EAW community made DOS tools on Win2000, WinXP, VISTA, Win7/8.1/10.

  • DOSBox-X -
    Supports accurate Win3.x and Win9x DOS for use on modern computers. Perfect for many EAW tools.

  • AmpShell -
    A DOSBox or DOSBox-X easy front end and launcher. Makes it easy to configure and launch EAW tools quickly.

 

 


JOYSTICK / DEVICE COMBINERS

These programs / drivers allow you to combine more than one controller into one Device ID, by way of a virtual device. Useful for EAW v1.0-v1.2, FXEXE/EAWPRO and when the unofficial UAW source coded modifications don't cooperate with your devices. Of course these programs do a lot more on top of just combining your controls.

 



COMPATIBLE GAMES

Some Elements of these Games are Compatible with EAW, primarily some of the 3DZ models and 'skins', with modification.

 



REVIEWS / ARTICLES

These are EAW game reviews and articles of the time (1998-1999).

REVIEWS

ARTICLES



MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION

Just some links that didn't fit anywhere else.

RELATED COMPANY SITES

  • Atari - The returning (2023) publisher of EAW.
  • Tommo, Inc. / Retroism - The 2021-2023 publishing label for EAW.
  • Third Wire Productions - TK, Game designer and lead programmer of EAW. Founded a new company in 1999 and produce/made several simulation games.
  • MicroProse - The new return (2020) of the MPS company with new games and some of their old games, a few of the older ones are improved.

 

GAME PATCHES, DEMO, MANUAL and FAQ

 

VIDEOS


OTHER

 


FORUMS

These are the forum locations for the EAW community.

ACTIVE FORUMS



OLD FORUMS


READ-ONLY FORUMS

 

 

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