================================== EUROPEAN AIR WAR for Windows 95/98 FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) Last Revised: 26 March 1999 ================================== System Requirements =================== 133MHz Pentium with 3-D graphics accelerator or 166MHz Pentium Windows 95 and DirectX 6 (included) 32MB RAM Super VGA Graphics (640 x 480 x 256 colors) Quad-speed CD-ROM drive Hard drive (5MB free + 45MB swap file) Mouse Recommended ----------- 200MHz Pentium or faster 64MB RAM 3-D graphics accelerator (Direct3D or 3Dfx Voodoo) 8x-speed CD-ROM drive Hard drive (200MB free) DirectX-compatible sound card Joystick Required for Multiplayer Option ------------------------------- Windows 95-compatible 28.8 kps modem or faster Local area network with IPX or TCP/IP protocol Internet play requires a true TCP/IP connection Installation ============ Q: Where can I get the version 1.1 update for European Air War? A: Check out the Tech Support area at our Web site (www.microprose.com). Q: When I try to update to version 1.1 of European Air War, I get an error message of "Verify new file - failed." A: Make sure you end all background tasks before running the updater by pressing Ctrl-Alt-Del and selecting "End Task" for everything except Systray and Explorer. In particular, look for Net Zip or any other Zip programs that reside in memory. Q: When I try to install European Air War, I get an AutoPlay error. A: You can bypass AutoPlay by holding down the Shift key when you put the CD-ROM in the drive. Then "explore" the CD-ROM and click the Setup icon. Q: When I try to install European Air War, I get an error message of "Error 162." A: This error message means that your hard drive does not have enough free space(most likey your C: drive). You will need to delete unnecessary files from your hard drive until there is enough space. Video ===== * Before installing European Air War, we recommend that you make sure that all of your video card drivers are up to date. In addition, run the DXDIAG.EXE program and make sure that all your video cards test out OK. * If you have an Nvidia card (such as the Riva TNT), you must install the Nvidia reference drivers (available on www.nvidia.com). Glide (3Dfx Voodoo) ------------------- Q: I have a 3Dfx card. When I change rendering mode from Glide to Direct3D, then select Single Mission, a black screen appears (as if the system has been turned off). A: This is a Glide problem. If you want to switch graphic modes, we suggest you make the change, then exit out of European Air War and then relaunch the game. Q: I have a Voodoo or Voodoo 2 card and get the message "gr Tex Download Mip Map: Mip Map cannot span 2 Mbyte boundary" OR "gr Tex Download Mip Map Level Partial: Mip Map level cannot span 2 Mbyte boundary." A1: Update your copy of European Air War to version 1.1. A2: Limit the texture memory to 2MB for Glide apps in the advanced options of the Voodoo 2 card. A3: Obsidian card owners: Go to www.3dfx.com and get the latest reference drivers. Then open the Display control panel and click the 3Dfx tab. Now adjust the texture memory setting to 2MB. Graphics -------- If you have Windows 98, Direct3D is not accessible in Software rendering mode and the frame rate in the game may suffer. Q: When I use Snap Views, sometimes I get corrupted graphics. A: This has been known to occur on some Matrox cards. Getting the latest drivers should solve the problem. Q: There are no cockpit or external Snap View graphics after I return from a minimized window using Alt-Tab. A: There is no fix. The Cockpit and Snap Views will return on the next mission. Q: The screen is flickering. A1: If you have a Riva 128 video card and are seeing flickering on the menu screens, download the latest drivers from the Nvidia Web site (www.nvidia.com). This will fix the problem on some video cards. A2: Try turning "Vsynch" on for your primary Direct3D card. We have had success reported with the Canopus Spectra 2500 TNT and Diamond FireGL1000 Pro 8MB. Q: I have a Riva 128 video card and am running European Air War in Direct3D mode. I am seeing some small graphics glitches in the Virtual Cockpit. A: Update to version 1.1 of European Air War. Q: I am getting an open movie corruption. A: This is usually due to a slow CD-ROM drive or lower speed processor. We recommend that you install the game using the Custom option and omit only the Movies and the Music. Q: I am getting a message of "Error 7217." A: First, make sure that DirectX version 6.0 or later is installed. Next make sure that you have the latest drivers for all your video cards (including your primary 2-D card). Go to the Display control panel and select the Settings tab. Then click on Advanced Properties and Performance. Make sure that Hardware Acceleration is NOT at the "None" setting. (We recommend setting it to "Full.") Restart your computer and launch European Air War. Run the Direct3D and DirectDraw tests for each of your video cards using the DXDIAG.EXE program (located in C:\Program Files\DirectX\Setup). Make sure that both DirectDraw and Direct3D are enabled. In addition, read the README.RTF file for more information on "Error 7217." Q: I have a Rendition Verite 2100 on my Windows 98 system and am having graphics problems. A: Unfortunately, the driver for this video card has a problem that "freezes" the screen at a particular resolution when "User Profiles" is enabled in Windows 98. The problem occurs when the computer is set to a resolution of 800 x 600, for example, and you try to start the game. It is impossible to change the screen resolution once you have logged on and you have a particular user profile (colors, settings, etc.) selected. To change the resolution in the game, you need to log off, go back to Windows 98 without logging in and then change the resolution. Your computer will remain at that resolution after you log in, but again it will remain frozen until you log out. You need to make sure that your computer is at 640 x 480 resolution before starting European Air War so you don't run into this problem. Q: My computer meets the minimum (but not recommended) system requirements. The game runs slowly or choppily during dawn and dusk missions. A: We recommend that you lower some graphic detail settings if your computer does not meet the recommended system requirements. Q: I don't see the propellers in the static views. A: In any plane with 2 engines, the props will be missing in static views. In Virtual views (including Virtual Snap), the props should look fine. CD-ROM ====== Q: I am unable to start European Air War because my CD-ROM drive is assigned to Z. A: You will have to switch the drive letter to a different letter before you can install the game. Then update to version 1.1 of European Air War and edit the debug path in the EAW.INI file to "Z:\" to run the game from drive Z. Joystick ======== Q: My joystick does not work anymore. It was working before I reinstalled the game. A: You need to delete the EAW.INI file in order to reset all the controls from the previous installation. Q: I have no joystick control in the game. A1: If you reinstalled European Air War without first uninstalling it, your joystick will not be usable until the game is completely removed from the hard drive before you install it again. A2: If you have a Microsoft joystick and have updated European Air War to version 1.1, edit the EAW.INI file to change "Joystick=0" to "Joystick=1". A3: If you have a force feedback joystick, first try editing the EAW.INI file to change "Joystick=0" to "Joystick=1". Then change "Force Feedback=0" and "Force Feedback Gain=0" to "Force Feedback=1" and "Force Feedback Gain=2". A4: If you have a programmable joystick, be sure that the programming software for it has been shut off and that the joystick is not using a profile. You can assign any function you desire to any button in the Advanced Control menus. Also, make sure that the joystick is assigned to ID 1 in the Game Controllers control panel. Q: My joystick and mouse are not recognized in the game. A: The joystick must be set to controller ID 1 in the Advanced tab of the Game Controllers control panel. Q: The joystick pulls or acts erratically in the game. A1: If you have a Logitech joystick, make sure that you get the latest drivers for your joystick. A2: Make sure that the drivers for your sound card are up to date. A3: Try adjusting the sensitivity and dead zone for your joystick by editing the EAW.INI file. Try setting "Flight Sensitivity=0.90000" (the ideal will vary between 0.8 and 1.0) and "Dead Zone=2". Q: I am having trouble programming keypad 2 on the down hat postion for a rear view with my Saitek joystick. A: The fix is to remap the Snap Views to the "arrow key" (or any other key, for that matter; this is an example) via the European Air War Advanced Control setting menu. The "arrow keys" are the keys between the numeric keypad and letter keys. The Saitek program refers to them as Grey-Down, Grey-Up, Grey-Right and Grey-Left. Of course, this will only give you 4 Snap Views. You will have to remap the other snap views to alternate keys if needed. Also, make sure you have the repeat function in the Saitek program set to "standard." Q: I want to fly European Air War with the mouse. A: First, update to version 1.1 of European Air War. Then fly any plane in the game before quitting. Double-click on the EAW.INI file in your European Air War folder. In the [Remappable Keys] section, change the line to read "Flight Controls=Mouse." Make sure that nothing else is assigned to "Mouse" in the control setup. Save the EAW.INI file and start the game again. Sound ===== Q: I don't get any sounds for the gun or engine. A1: First, install the latest drivers for your sound card from the manufacturer's Web site. Also, try disabling the full duplex mode for the sound card. To do this, open the System control panel and click the Device Manager tab. Double-click the Sound, Video and Game Controllers icon. Double-click on your sound card and select the Settings tab to change the duplex setting. You can also try switching the output for the sound card to "Game Compatible Device" in the Audio tab of the Multimedia control panel. A2: If you have a Sound Blaster AWE32, you will need to remove any extra RAM on the sound card. A3: If you have an Aztec PCI 338 sound card, you need to disable the effect channels on your sound card. A4: If you have a Crystal Fusion PNP sound card, you need to first open the Multimedia control panel. Then in the Playback field, change Fusion to CS [any number]. Then check "Use Only Preferred Devices" at the bottom of the dialog box. Q: I don't get sounds for the gun with the Sound Blaster AWE64. A: Go to your Windows Control Panel/Multimedia/MIDI tab. If "MIDI for Creative Advanced Wave Effects Synthesis for AWE32" is NOT highlighted, you may have a problem, since it might be trying to use the "WaveSynth/WG MIDI," which can be very troublesome. To fix this problem, highlight "MIDI for Creative Advanced Wave Effects Synthesis for AWE32," and click APPLY/OK. Now restart your system. Q: On my new Hewlett Packard computer, I am getting a "DS Buffer Error" using the Riptide card. A: Open the System control panel. Select Device Manager > Sound Video and Game Controllers > Master Riptide device. Then click on the DirectSound tab. Uncheck the Limit Buffer Size and check the box for "No Riptide DirectSound Support (Emulated)." Gameplay ======== · If you reach the end of the map, forward progress will cease. The mouse-controlled camera view will not view the front of the plane, only the side. · Autopilot does not disengage when enemy aircraft are near. · If one gun jams, the rest will eventually jam. · The mouse-controlled camera view will not view the front of the plane, only the side. · The Me-262 will run out of runway when it takes off. Q: When I play the game, it sometimes crashes to Windows. A: First, make sure that you have the latest drivers for all your video cards. Next, try a Custom install, leaving out only the Movies and Music. If you have a removable drive (such as a Jaz or SyJet disk), the game has been reported to crash when using the "Re-fly" option from the Debrief screen or the Weapons Loadout from the hangar. We recommend installing European Air War to a fixed hard drive. Q: When I play the game, I sometimes get the error message of "Kernel32.dll error." A: This "Invalid page fault" error message is not of a specific nature. Anything in your computer system could cause this conflict. We have solved the invalid page fault in module Kernel32.dll by changing mouse drivers from Windows 98's "Mouse System Mouse" to "Mouse Systems Win 95 Driver v2.18 COM1 Default (10/23/95)." Q: I updated my copy of European Air War to version 1.1 and now I can't take a screen shot. A: Check the EAW.INI file for the key assigned to taking screen shots. Terrain ======= European Air War uses real-world height data, meaning that the portion of land you are flying over (England, France or Germany, wherever) really is that flat. You will hit mountains if you fly toward where there are mountains in the real world (go south, young man). We feel this is authentic and do not plan to exaggerate it for the sake of looks. Multiplayer =========== · Make sure that you update to version 1.1 of European Air War. · The stability of a multiplayer game is based on the host's computer system. The better that computer's Internet connection, the smoother the game and the less chance for lost packets (which create spawning errors). · We recommend that you turn compression off in your Internet dialer. · We recommend the following edits to the EAW.INI file: [NETOPTION] AI_PlaneUpdateRate=350 default (try setting it between 170-230) PlayerPlaneUpdateRate=35 default (try setting it between 16-30) ClockSyncRate=140 (try setting it between 90-100) We recommend that you try making these edits one at a time, save the file and then test it in a multiplayer game. If it works well, go ahead with the other edits one at a time. · Modem-to-modem connection: After the completion of a mission, players will have to reconnect if they want to fly another mission. · If a player bails out of a damaged plane, the player that did the damage will not get a kill. Customer Support ================ MicroProse 2490 Mariner Square Loop Alameda, CA 94501 www.microprose.com support@microprose.com © 1999 MicroProse, Inc. All Rights Reserved. European Air War is a trademark of MicroProse, Inc. or its affiliated companies. MICROPROSE is a U.S. registered trademark of MicroProse, Inc. or its affiliated companies.