homepage Forums Air Combat & Civil Aviation European Air War Issues and information with the GoG and Steam releases

1. The joystick buttons do not work

Solution for both GoG and Steam: find the "dinput.dll" file in the EAW folder, and either delete it or re-name it.

2. What is the OAW expansion for the GoG version and where do I get it?

It is a patch that installs the OAW file-manager into s copy of the GoG EAW folder.
This allows the user to select different theatres, terrains, gunsights and horizons


The patch can be used if you have either a GoG version of EAW 1.28 or the EAW 1.2 which replaced it recently.
It updates the GoG installation to their 1.28 version and adds two special versions of the OAW selector.


Use the following link to download the installer.

GoG expansion with OAW


Make a copy of your GoG EAW folder and run the "OAW-GoG128Apr5.exe" in the copy.
Allow it to overwrite files.

Steam users can make a copy of their Steam EAW folder and run the "OAW-GoG128Apr5.exe" in the copy.


If you run the "OAW2021Basic.exe" you should see this:



There are 17 theatres to select from, and that is the main point of the exercise

If the "OAW2021Basic.exe" crashes when you try to run it it will be because the runtime files are missing.
If that happens then there is a folder named "OAW runtime set-up" which was added to the GoG EAW folder when you ran the "OAW-GoG128Apr5.exe".
In that folder there is a "setup.exe" file.
Running it will allow you to install the runtime files and solve the problem

The "OAW2021Full.exe" is a more complex version that allows you to make additional selections. You can still use it to load theatres, but you can also use it to select other things, such as gunsights.

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3. What is the difference beween the GoG and Steam versions of EAW1.2 ?
AFAIK there is none. The Steam version has the same exe, dll and other files. It is the GoG version re-packaged for Steam. Some people have wasted $$ by buying both.

4. Will GoG or Steam fix problems such as crashes with careers and the difficulties with the mouse on the single mission parameters screen?

I think that this is very unlikely. From what we have learned Atari lost the EAW source code, I doubt that GoG or Steam have it.
There are other versions which run on Windows 7 and 10 and do not have these problems.
They do not have the stuff that GoG added to increase the frame rate, but I have no frame-rate problems running them in Windows 7 with the d3d windower, or in Windows 10 in Glide mode.

This screenie is from running one of them in Windows 7 in d3d but with no d3d windower.
The eaw resolution was 1680x1050 and you can see the frame-rate of 57 fps.

Great set of theatres and scenarios Jel. Nice to see some of mine there. Tribute to the work of many members of the EAW community over the years who provided planes, objects, terrain tiles, skies, screens, data files various, and Lord knows what else.



to all of them!

........... and they made it freely available, as we still do

Really excellent work to everybody involved, thanks Jel for the easy install method it really couldn't be any easier

Just letting people know that this thread is a "sticky". I have just added more information to the first post, and I will continue to do so when issues with the GoG/Steam releases emerge

Questions:
Why I cannot use the joystick? I deleted the Dinput.dll, but still cannot get the stick to work.
I see I can select other scenarios, but those do not change the terrain sets?

What joystick are you using? Does the game recognize the buttons at all? Does the joystick work with any other versions of EAW?

Jel might come along and help with the scenarios question.

I own a Saitek X52, and no, it does not work, not a single button.
It worked with other modded versions of EAW.

Simply wanted to reload a complete version of EAW.

Which versions of EAW did it work with?

This is an extract from the UAW160 "eaw.ini" file

============================

[CONTROLS]
Force Feedback=0
Force Feedback Gain=0
Flight Sensitivity=1.000000
Camera Sensitivity=5.000000
Snapview Speed=5
Swap Mouse X=0
Swap Mouse Y=0
Windows Joystick=1
Device1 Port=1
Device2 Port=2
Device3 Port=3
Rudder Device=0
Throttle Device=1
Stick Device=0
Key Device=0
POV Device=0
JoystickDeadZone=4
Guns Convergence Z=0
Guns Convergence Y=0
============================

Three devices are available- which goes back to 1.28c if not before.
I do not think that this is the case with the GoG/steam release:
============================
[CONTROLS]
Force Feedback=0
Force Feedback Gain=7500
Flight Sensitivity=1.000000
Camera Sensitivity=5.000000
Swap Mouse X=0
Swap Mouse Y=0
Windows Joystick=0
JoystickDeadZone=10
============================
No devices are mentioned

So, what should I do?

"I own a Saitek X52, and no, it does not work, not a single button.
It worked with other modded versions of EAW."

I asked this question to help me figure out what is happening: "Which versions of EAW did it work with?", but you did not answer it.
Do you still have those versions?

I suspect that the 1.2/GoG/Steam version cannot handle the Saitek X52 because the "eaw.ini" file does not refer to devices.

Have you checked your "eaw.ini" file- does it reference joystck buttons?

I cannot remember which version I played, it was long ago.

And no, the stick button do not appear on EAW.ini. Maybe I should try another version of the game.

Are you able to play the game and fly even if the buttons do not work, If so what is working (such as ailerons)?

If things are working it may be a matter of editing the "eaw.ini" file to get more working. However, it bothers me that your throttle is a separate controller.

EDIT:
This is a link to a 1.28e standalone installation:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/130EbPE-fBrgmD0PqL6hK0P9JKH-D6qr3/view?usp=share_link

Running the downloaded "1.28eBARE.exe" will create a "1.28e bare" folder.
The "eaw.ini" file in it is mine for the Logitech Extreme 3D PRO joystick.

1.28e can handle two devices unlike the GoG/Steam versions of 1.2 and the FXExe so it may be worth a try.

Bare. exe runs good with joystick and joystiuck buttons working, crappy FPS but good controls. I have connected the rudder pedals as well, so maybe that's the issue?

Are you using Win 10?

On my PC I have the game folders on internal drives. The operating system is on an HDD which I slide into a slot at the front of the PC.
So I can run any version of EAW either in Win 10 or Win 7.
Win 7 is faster than Win 10. I can get 60 FPS in D3D if I run Win 7 whereas in Win 10 I am lucky to get 24 FPS.
In Win 10 the trick is to use glide. Glide needs the "eaw.ini" to be set at 1024x768, but you can set the glide screen size to whatever suits.
I just tried it in "1.28e bare" and was getting 60 FPS in Glide running in Win 10.

What happens if you use your "eaw.ini" from "1.28e bare" in your GoG EAW folder?
Some settings will not apply; but maybe some buttons may work.

I don't really need the GOG version, will really love to try a "modern" EAW working out of the box on my Win10 machine, specially If it came with new planes/skins and terrains.

In that case you need to download and install a test version to make sure that it runs on your system.
There is a thread here:

https://simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/4609167/a-new-test-version-of-uaw160#Post4609167

Once it is running you can install a full version.

As you are using Win 10 you will need to set the "eaw.ini" file to 1024x768 and run in glide.
I just tested the download and was getting 60 FPS in Glide.

That version works beautifully, but I cannot select Glide mode in options screen, and I get a garbled debriefing screen after a mission. The stick and buttons work perfectly! We're on the right path!

Maybe you need nGlide installed. I am on my Win 7 drive so I will switch to Win 10 and get back to you.