WWII On-Line Standard For Basic and Expanded WWII Installs

SDOE WWII Install order with links to the files:

Please Note: These instructions work best with a fresh install from your original Fighter Squadron: SDOE Game Disk.

EDITED Oct 6 2006 @ 1120hrs (CST) by Major Hippie

EDITED April 12 2009 @ 1830hrs (CST) by ArgonV

1. Install Fighter Squadron from you original Game Disk and run the game once before proceeding to step 2*.
(If you get a "No CD" or "Please Insert Disk" Error when trying to run the game once,
install the v1.0 Patch to correct the issue and run the game once.)

2. After you run Fighter Squadron once, then install the Official Patch v1.5*
(Required Core Files - The last Official Patch for Fighter Squadron

3. Install Unofficial Patch v1.6.0.6* (or higher)
(This will install the shortcuts you will want to use to play the sim.
This will need to be installed in it's own folder and NOT to the Fighter Squadron Root Folder.)

4. Install Nations v3.5* (or higher)
(Required Core Files - Adds more Nationalities to the sim.)

5. Install SGU v4.0* (or higher)
(Required Core Files - Adds more Ground Units to the sim.)

6. Install SDOE Terrain Mod v1.4* (or higher)
(Required Core Files - Corrects terrain issues in the sim.)

7. Install the latest Base Pack*, and the Interim Base Pack Update v3.0 at ModDB*
(Required Core Aircraft Files - Required for Basic Online Play)

8. Install Ground Pack 3* (or higher) and the Ground Pack 3 Patch v1.1* (or higher)
(Required Core Files - Adds playable Ground Units to the sim.)

9. Install the latest Expansion Plane Packs and Legacy Plane Packs (including LDOR)**
(Optional Files - Required for Expanded Online Play,
Recommended for Single Player missions - Adds large number of Aircraft to the sim.)

Last Days of the Reich

Allied Legacy PlanePack v3

Axis Legacy PlanePack v3

British Expansion PlanePack v1

British and Common Wealth Legacy PlanePack v4

Finnish Expansion PlanePack v1

French Expansion PlanePack v1

German Expansion PlanePack v1

Italian Expansion PlanePack v1

Japanese Expansion PlanePack v1

Other Nations Expansion PlanePack v1.1

US Expansion PlanePack v1

USSR Expansion PlanePack v1

PP61 Legacy PlanePack v3

10. Install Terrains*
(Required Files - Additional Terrains for the sim.)

3 in 1 Russia Terrain v1.1

Albert Beta

Bavaria

Berlin Terrain v1.0

Dover40

Dover Repaint

Full Somme Repaint

Iwo Jima v2

Mediterranean v1.0

Murmansk

Pacific Terrain

Rhineland Sunshine

Rhineland Winter Terrain

Smolensk

Snowy Somme

Snowy Dover

Tobruk Terrain

Wake Patched

11. Install optional Mission Sets***
(Optional Files - Adds more Single Player campaigns and missions to the sim.)

Action Pack v1

Africa Campaign by Jeeves

Bombing The Reich v2.1

Base Pack B-17 Campaign

Heroes of France v2

hip63's A Warm Cold War

LDOR-Normandy

Sweet La Rhonda v1.7

Zerstorer-Pilot Campaign


12. Install optional Skin Packs*** (Recommended)
(Optional Files - Adds easily Switchable Skin Packs to the sim.)

Desert Skin Pack

Med Skin Pack v1.0

Invasion Skin Pack v1.0

Interim Pacific Skin Pack v1.2


13. Install optional Sound Packs***
(Optional Files - Adds improved Aircraft Sounds for many of the Aircraft in the sim.)

Sound and Effects Pack v2.0

14. Install the latest version of the Updated Property Files*
(INSTALL THESE FILES LAST, VERY IMPORTANT!!)
(Required Core Files, SDOE Game Engine Files updated for features required by various add-ons and terrains.
As new add-ons for Fighter Squadron are released, these files will occasionally need updating)

15. Play Fighter Squadron: Screamin' Demons Over Europe!
(and over the Med, Russia, Tobruk, the Pacific, ect. ect. ect.)

Notes:

* - Required for Basic Online Standard, Required Core Files
** - Required for the Expanded Online Standard, Recommended for Single Player
*** - Not A Requirement, Player's Preference, Recommended for Single Player

Settings and Tweaks:

Some of the listed Add-Ons require activation in-game under the Options>Openplane Menu

Windows XP Users will need to set 'Windows 98 Compatibility Mode' by right clicking the SDOE Icon and clicking 'Properties' and the 'Compatibility' Tab

The Unofficial Patch v1.6.0.6 Patch (or higher) contains a utililty called "FSSDOEJoystick.exe" which can be useful in setting up your Joystick for the sim.

The SDemons.ini File, located in your Unofficial Patch v1.6.0.6 (or Higher) Folder, can be opened with Notepad to tweaked for the best performance for your machine.

ArgonV has put together a document which will help you tweak SDOE for your system. You can find it here: Getting the Best

SDOE References:

A reference for the "Stock" and attitional Key Commands can be downloaded HERE

A reference for the crew posistions in various aircraft can be downloaded HERE

You can also edit your keyboard.inp, located in the Unofficial Patch v1.6.0.6 folder, with Notepad to suit your own personal preferences.

Is anyone else finding that all the sticky posts here are now unstickied?

Yup!

Hello Mr. Sticky,
No launching Demons. Setup failure due to OS compatibility worked around by setting compatibility to WIN98 and then installing through a Microsoft Compatibility Administrator. A good tool.
After install, launch aborted with "RUNTIME ERROR 203 5A904620" Going to the directory and hitting the DEMONS executable got: "APPLICATION FAILED TO INITIALIZE PROPERLY (0XC0000005)".
I rebooted. Went through the same steps and received same response. Compatibility Administrator received same responses. Installed patches 1.0 and 1.5. Tried to install 1.6, but its launch failed to find the directory it had been placed into.
Recycle and reset DEMONS executable to no forced OS. Same error messages. I need help in getting even an initial launch so I can enjoy your other work, particularly WWI.

Hello! What OS are you using 5555?

SDOE and FS-WWI are compatable with WinVista, WinXP with SP2 and/or SP2, Win 2000 with the latest SP, WinME, Win98 and/or SE.

Dear ArgonV,

I am admittedly a fan. I admire very much what you have done and where you have taken SDOE and especially your personal attention to WWI. At this juncture of the ArgonV SDOE and WWI world, I would appreciate a state of the union.

In other words, I follow the detail of what is being done on the Somme and air simulation dynamics, but I would like to stand back for a Big Picture on both projects. I recognize this might appear to be a distractive endeavor. I do no want it to be. I seek only some statement of philosophy and policy on the SDOE projects. I am addressing World War I as well as World War II.

Thank You.

Hello 5555!

I admire your enthusiasm for SDOE and for the WWI mod. It is what keeps this sim going for many of us.

My plans for SDOE did not always involve the WWI aspect. However, when I was given the opportunity to step up to the plate and take over the reigns I quickly jumped at it. I feel that the engine and open-endedness of the SDOE sim made it perfect for representing the First World War air war. I've always wanted WWI to be its own sim in the SDOE world. With this in mind it has been my dream to cover a wide range of aircraft and the entire time period of the First World War. It has been a pleasure over the years to share this dream with many of the project designers, aircraft modelers, terrain builders, graphics artists and mission builders that have come and gone. FS-WWI would not be what it is today without the huge amount of talent from people that have taken interest in the project and wanted to add something of their own.

The current direction right now is that of completion. The members of the FS-WWI Developers Group have been working very hard to tie up loose ends in the FS-WWI world - Making sure that all aircraft are up to a close standard of quality with each other (In terms of damage modeling, flight modeling, 3d modeling, texturing, mission sets and lastly being bug-free); that the GUI feels whole and conforms throughout; and lastly that the terrain that is most used be worthy of such creations mentioned above.

We are in the last stage now – the terrain. My goal is to try and spice up the FS-WWI world that we fly in. That way one feels more immersed in combat and when just flying about. When completed, all of this will be combined together in one package to download and install. By doing this, I hope to bypass all of the little configuring and editing that currently has to be done now when installing the current Plane Pack and the Beta Plane Pack 5. This I think will make it easier on the end user and at last make FS-WWI it’s own stand-alone sim.

As always, I welcome any newcomer to the Developers Group and any content they wish to add. I will try my best to help out new members and point them in the right direction. My only wish is that the modder allows his or her creation to be quality checked and tested for final inclusion into FS-WWI.

I hope this answers your questions!

Dear ArgonV, Simbot for Jason

I thank you for you very prompt, sincere and sensitive response to my query about the direction of SDOE WWII and WWI. You have created an outstanding simulator experience which is immediately evident on the introductory screen with visuals and sound of the period. I can not comment on the terrestrial excellence as it is beyond me, and is beautiful.

From what I comprehend, SDOE is not a frozen code, but does permit geographic and campaign expansions. How does one follow the thread of invention? How is the average person (idiot like me) know of expansion projects? The same follows for SDOE WWI. You are working diligently on the Somme, with efforts on Arras and Cambrai I assume. What of the Verdun front? Are there planned expansions for "bloody April" and black September". Like the WWII compatriot, will there be a "sticky" providing project(s) updates?

I recognize a probable impertenance to my questions. I am an enthusiast and I do very sincerely appreciate the genius of your and your teams' work.

Hello 5555! I like your greeting: "Dear ArgonV, Simbot for Jason"

Thank you for your comments, they are most appreciated! You are correct that SDOE is not "frozen". Many things like terrains, aircraft, missions, static campaigns, ground vehicles, textures and GUI art can be built and added to the sim.

Currently, the Somme terrain is not "accurate" per-say but realistic in nature. Meaning things are not exactly as they were in real life, but an effort was made to portray how things might have been and to give the simmer a feel of the real world. No plans for Verdun at the moment. Terrain building is a very time-consuming and labor-intensive process. As for war time periods, a great effort was put into the 1916 Mission Packs for the French, British and German nations. These represent the Fokker Fodder time period of the First World War. No efforts yet for Bloody April although some included missions you could say portray this time period.

Much of the info that goes on in the SDOE world can be had here: http://site.openplanesim.com/forums/

There is a wealth of info there on projects past and present that one can sort through. For getting started on modding the sim with your own creations a SDOE Tools and Tutorials package was put together to help out. It's not completely organized or complete but a lot of questions can be answered by its contents. That can be found here: http://www.fsww1.com/Downloads/Tools_Tutorials_FAQs.exe

Updated the list above - Updated Property Files link is now the latest.