homepage Forums Read Only Forums Read Only Forums Typhoon (Read Only) Disappointed in Super EF2000

After reading some recent endorsements regarding EF2000 on the Frugal's Falcon board, I thought I'd give it a try. I downloaded Super EF2000 from the Abandonware / Underdogs website.

My first impression (when it would run) was that the graphics absolutely sucked! And what's this, a SCORE?!?! What kind of stupid silly "sim" is this anyway?!

Then about 10 minutes into it I thought, "Oh hell yeah, this game rocks!" I don't remember ever starting to become addicted to a game in only 10 minutes, until now. And once I looked over the Campaign options, I knew I found something worthwhile!

But I have a serious problem with the game. When I start it, it's a crap shoot whether or not it finds my sound card (integrated Dell). When it does, I get full sound but I crash 3 seconds into a mission, and then I get a some kind of memory error. My system is a Dell 1.7Ghz / 512 MB SDRAM / Radeon 9600 SE and I'm running it under Windows ME. When it doesn't detect my sound card, it plays fine but with no sound.

I tried to run under XP but it wouldn't run at all. I also tried running it on my old P233 MMX Windows 98 box (64 MB RAM / Matrox Video / Soundblaster) and I just get the same memory error.

I can deal with the dated graphics but I need sound and I REALLY want to start playing this game. It's like I almost found a goldmine!

Any suggestions?
--


Thanks,
Mark

Ok, a follow-up to my above post.

Here are my error messages (3 of them):

Application Error: E:\PROGRAM FILES\DIGITAL IMAGE DESIGN\SEF2000\PROGRAM\_SUPERW.EXE
----------
The instruction at 004e92f3 referenced memory at ffffffff
The memory could not be read from

Click on OK to terminate the Application

[OK] button

==========

_superw
----------
_superw has caused an error in
_SUPERW.EXE
_superw will now close.

If you continue to expereince problems,
try restarting your computer.

[Close] button

==========

_superw
----------
_superw has caused an error in
KERNAL32.DLL
_superw will now close.

If you continue to expereince problems,
try restarting your computer.

[Close] button

==========

I find that if I disable Speech, the game will work with sound, but only once. The next time I start the game, I get no Intel jingle and no other sounds at all (all sound related boxes now have Xs). They only way for me to play this game would be with no sound at all, I guess.

Oh well. I guess this game is just too old now, but it sure looks to be a lot of fun with a lot of options! Any suggestions on solving this are still welcomed, but I'm quickly giving up hope. BTW, this is the first Windows 95 game that I haven't been able to run under Windows ME.
--


Mark

first to run in XP you have to DESELECT MUSIC in the install process!!


If you wanna see this in ALL its FORMER GLORY try getting a VOODOO card!!

EF2000v2.0 is what you want try EBAY.

Yes win 95 grahics suck but it was made for a VOODOO card!!

I am using a 233mhz TNT 2 VooDoo1 Sound blaster 16 for the Graphics Plus version MUCH BETTER then the Win 95 Version but you have to remember it is a 10 year OLD sim!! BUT if you get a retro rig it does look MUCH better !!

Heh,

had this discussion on the EF2000 Yahoo group, but I have never managed to get the G+ version to run on my old 166 MHz machine with a Canopus Pure 3D (essentially Voodoo 1 with 2 extra MB RAM).

Always been interested in how that looks in comparison to the Win95 native version (which I have run on a V5 5500 anyway...)

Recluse

P.S. Never had much luck with the Abandonware version.. would run for awhile and crash. I finally located a full EF2000 V2.0 box for sale and got it. I read all the retro EF2K stuff via GoogleGroups and all, and I too was upset that they changed the roundels to USAF from NATO/UK

The 3DFX version ROCKS!! EVen as old as it is I would try to get a VooDoo1 card if I were you!!

So many things to think about!

Ok, can anyone confirm that the Abandonware version of Super EF2000 simply doesn't work?

I get the same errors on my:

- P233 MMX
- 64 MB RAM
- Matrox Millenium II PCI
- Creative Sound Blaster 16 Plug and Play

- Running Windows 98 Second Edition.

I get the same error the first time I run it unless I turn off Speech within the first two seconds of starting a mission (using the ~ key). After enabling Speech and then getting the error, I no longer get any sound or sound options when I launch the game, even after a re-boot.

BTW, I unchecked Music on installation (didn't want music anyway).

I'll look into it further, but is there any obvious reason(s) the game shouldn't run on this system? Is it not Win98 SE compatible or something? BTW, I checked my Device Manager on both computers and no errors.

The game is very intriguing, but I'd like to get it running properly on the computer(s) I have to try it before I start spending money on the game or older hardware to run it.

At the very least, I guess I could start looking for EF2000 V2.0. Can anyone give me a quick summary as to the differences between EF2000 2.0 and Super EF2000? I'm sure this has been asked before and I'm about to start looking for the answers myself, but if anyone wants to volunteer.

Now I'm wondering how I ended up on a board named "Typhoon" but I'm sure I'll find the answer to this one as well. Well, I have an idea it's a newer but less popular version of the same game (much like F/A-18 OIF is to F/A-18 PSF and F/A-18 Korea Gold).
--


Thanks,
Mark

The Abondonware version is PORKED!!

The Super EF2000 was the Final version but mainly was shipped overseas and the v2.0 was the US release they are NOT compatible in multiplayer mode.

I would try to find a Copy of EF2000v2.0 the US release it has all the versions you will need, I run EF2000v2.0 on my retro rig 3D FX version and Win 95 on my new computer with no probs.

if you get v2.0 version it should install on your older puter no probs!!

Thanks for the advice, guys.

Nephilim, I'm sorry but I've never been interested in playing any game online, which is why I'm so interested in EF2000 right now - strictly for its' dynamic campaign. This is something lacking in most other sims I play (my favorite being F/A-18 PSF [aka Hornet Korea]). So non-compatibility with EF2000 2.0 would not be an issue for me.

Of the sims I've become interested in and investigated, information and discussions about EF2000 is most illusive. Here's one of a few websites I found explaining the different versions...
http://web.ukonline.co.uk/d.cowan/sims/versions.html

I guess lack of information reflects the sim's age. My understanding is that the 3Dfx-patched EF2000 (G+) looks the best, while Super EF2000 (which includes Tactcom and all other patches minus G+) comes close while supporting Windows 95. Well, I doubt that I'll ever consider acquiring older hardware just to play one game, since I can get the same game (with only slightly degraded graphics?) running on my current system (supposedly). Graphics are so poor anyway by today's standards that it's almost irrelevant.

My only questions now is if my abandonware version truly is porked, and even if I get it (or another copy) working properly, is there PDF documentation explaining how to fly and how to use the campaign engine?

I'm waiting to see how another discussion unfolds as to whether or not I pursue this sim any further. In any case, I absolutely LOVE the slick interface of this game! Even without reading any documentation, I'm figuring out how to run a campaign! The whole thing is just so smooth, if not a little fast on my 1.7Ghz machine, unless I use software to slow down my CPU.

I'm glad I found EF2000 but I'm also getting really tired of having my heart broken when what looks to be a fantastic sim starts showing its' ugly unfixable intolerable warts (i.e. Jane's USAF). Thankfully, I always have Falcon to fall back on.
--

Mark