The heart of EF2000 Reloaded is a special version of DOSBox written by mikew*, with 3DFX code optimized for EF2000 and a VFX1 emulation routine that allows the use of TrackIR in Enhanced Mode.
For the first time, you can run EF2000 V2.0 for 3DFX/GFX+ in Windows XP or later, with no graphical artifacts or appreciable slowdown. Additionally, the resolution upscaling addresses the image at the 3DFX polygon level, and not at the output level, making for a much better upscaling experience. Mikew's DOSBox for EF2000 is truly the Holy Grail EF2000 fans have been waiting for!
No Air Dominance Project release is complete without a front end, and EF2000 Reloaded is no exception. EF2000 Reloaded includes a front end/launcher to accompany mikew's DOSBox for EF2000. In addition to taking care of the required DOSBox parameters and providing a GUI to customize your DOSBox Conf file, the EF2000 Launcher adds the following features:
Supports three separate installs of EF2000 (original DOS, TACTCOM, and GFX+).
Integrated multiplayer front end allows hassle free IPX emulation over TCP/IP, with a "phone book" for your friends' IPXNet servers.
Option to manage separate single player and multiplayer campaigns for each EF2000 install.
Basic Campaign Editor allows you to adjust difficulty level, player influence, and player score.
Includes Super Revive by Brett Luck for in-depth campaign edits.
Note: EF2000 Reloaded neither includes nor installs EF2000. You are responsible for your own EF2000 procurement and installation.
* DOSBox 0.74 is an open source program written by Peter "Qbix" Veenstra, Harekiet Sjoerd, Tommy "Franskapet" Frossman, and Ulf "Finster" Wohlers. Mikew's 3DFX code was based on kekko's 3dfx Voodoo patch for DOSBox.
Last edited by HomeFries; 09/23/1304:22 PM. Reason: Released!
-Home Fries
"Pacifism is a shifty doctrine under which a man accepts the benefits of the social group without being willing to pay - and claims a halo for his dishonesty." - Robert A. Heinlein
The average naval aviator, despite the sometimes swaggering exterior, is very much capable of such feelings as love, affection, intimacy, and caring. These feelings just don't involve anyone else.
I tried EF2000 a while back, but I couldn't get it out of windowed mode and it looked like crap on my widescreen big ole monitor.
Are you using mouselook for your TrackIR?
"A week or even a month for someone basically saying "shucks, this is pants" maybe. But their banhammer only has the forever setting. Gotta set phasers to stun for the localization of female undergarments, not kill yo." - Frederf
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Air Dominance Project
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Originally Posted By: toonces
Am I crazy? I just might have to install this!
I tried EF2000 a while back, but I couldn't get it out of windowed mode and it looked like crap on my widescreen big ole monitor.
Are you using mouselook for your TrackIR?
This still runs in windowed mode,but it's setup so that you won't see the borders if you set it to desktop resolution. It might as well be fullscreen mode. As you can see from my video, 1080p doesn't look bad at all. The ideal aspect for EF2000 is 16:10, so 16:9 isn't too far off.
For the TrackIR, TrackMapper is used as middleware because DOSBox isn't directly compatible with TrackIR. However, you don't even need to have any keys enabled in TrackMapper; DOSBox reads the XY from TrackMapper and applies it to the VFX1, so you're really using TrackIR in enhanced mode.
-Home Fries
"Pacifism is a shifty doctrine under which a man accepts the benefits of the social group without being willing to pay - and claims a halo for his dishonesty." - Robert A. Heinlein
The average naval aviator, despite the sometimes swaggering exterior, is very much capable of such feelings as love, affection, intimacy, and caring. These feelings just don't involve anyone else.
In the 10+ years of becoming interested in flight sims again (mostly classic titles), I've never been as blown away and excited about my flight simming future as I am at this very moment!
As I study and work on my F-19 sim, I take frequent EF2000 breaks and always will for variety (virtual pit, air-to-air, detailed avionics, large-scale dynamic campaign, gigantic map, air-refueling and much, much more). In fact, my graphics were meant to match EF2000 so that if I do succeed, my visuals would be consistent as I switch between games. After watching that video, I need to rethink my graphics decisions.
Really outstanding work mikew and friends, IMO there's no classic flight sim more deserving than EF2000. Hard to believe this is a DOS title, what DID accomplished visually for the time was already remarkable, and you are making it even that much better!
Besides improved graphics, I predict many upcoming AARs and videos that show off just how freggin' AWESOME EF2000's mission planning and campaign gameplay really is! What a masterpiece!
The rusty wire that holds the cork that keeps the anger in Gives way and suddenly it’s day again The sun is in the east Even though the day is done Two suns in the sunset, hmph Could be the human race is run
Every time I watch the video I notice something else.
Is it my imagination or did you even improve the musical tracks??? Nah, I hear this music almost every day, you did SOMETHING!
The rusty wire that holds the cork that keeps the anger in Gives way and suddenly it’s day again The sun is in the east Even though the day is done Two suns in the sunset, hmph Could be the human race is run
I stayed up until 2 AM (US Central) to watch the video at 1080p HD (satellite internet is faster w/unlimited bandwidth from 2-7 AM), even more outstanding!
I wasn't getting acceptable FPS with DOSBox SVN-Daum and EF2000 V2.0 3Dfx from my clunker PCs, but for this I'll purchase whatever hardware I need to match the video, that is if tweaking fails using mikew's optimized work. I've been on the new PC fence for running other DOS titles under DOSBox, this is all the motivation I need.
Even the MFDs are sharp in the virtual pit, holy cow!
The rusty wire that holds the cork that keeps the anger in Gives way and suddenly it’s day again The sun is in the east Even though the day is done Two suns in the sunset, hmph Could be the human race is run
Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 2,477HomeFries
Air Dominance Project
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Originally Posted By: damson
The music is from redbook audio, it's not a midi music if that is what you mean.
Ding Ding! We have a winner.
-Home Fries
"Pacifism is a shifty doctrine under which a man accepts the benefits of the social group without being willing to pay - and claims a halo for his dishonesty." - Robert A. Heinlein
The average naval aviator, despite the sometimes swaggering exterior, is very much capable of such feelings as love, affection, intimacy, and caring. These feelings just don't involve anyone else.
Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 2,477HomeFries
Air Dominance Project
HomeFries
Air Dominance Project
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 2,477
Yeah, damson, we had a good laugh about that Easter egg.
For everybody's information, TrackIR support no longer requires TrackMapper. We have our own middleware (h/t mikew) to allow TrackIR to be run in Enhanced Mode.
-Home Fries
"Pacifism is a shifty doctrine under which a man accepts the benefits of the social group without being willing to pay - and claims a halo for his dishonesty." - Robert A. Heinlein
The average naval aviator, despite the sometimes swaggering exterior, is very much capable of such feelings as love, affection, intimacy, and caring. These feelings just don't involve anyone else.
You guys should get in contact with GoG - it'd be great to see them include your work in an EF-2000 release (and maybe obtain the source code as part of that agreement...?)
Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 2,477HomeFries
Air Dominance Project
HomeFries
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I'll forward the request, but it won't be in the first release.
The VFX1 view is a special view activated by ALT F1 (as opposed to the typical default view), and whenever you change views you need to press ALT F1 again to get it back. If you use the VFX1, DID recommends using the mouse to zoom into the MFDs (and the mouse is already used for the zoomed MFDs as it is), so EF2000 already uses the mouse to change views, even in the cockpit view. If you use an advanced programmable HOTAS, you can get around the view changes, but you still need the mouse for the zoomed MFDs.
The way I could see doing this is having the mouse emulate the VFX1 and still maintain its standard mouse functionality. This way you could use the mouseview in the cockpit view and click to zoom MFDs, at which point the mouse would act like a mouse. Right click to go back to the VFX1 view.
No promises, though.
-Home Fries
"Pacifism is a shifty doctrine under which a man accepts the benefits of the social group without being willing to pay - and claims a halo for his dishonesty." - Robert A. Heinlein
The average naval aviator, despite the sometimes swaggering exterior, is very much capable of such feelings as love, affection, intimacy, and caring. These feelings just don't involve anyone else.
I'll forward the request, but it won't be in the first release.
The VFX1 view is a special view activated by ALT F1 (as opposed to the typical default view), and whenever you change views you need to press ALT F1 again to get it back. If you use the VFX1, DID recommends using the mouse to zoom into the MFDs (and the mouse is already used for the zoomed MFDs as it is), so EF2000 already uses the mouse to change views, even in the cockpit view. If you use an advanced programmable HOTAS, you can get around the view changes, but you still need the mouse for the zoomed MFDs.
The way I could see doing this is having the mouse emulate the VFX1 and still maintain its standard mouse functionality. This way you could use the mouseview in the cockpit view and click to zoom MFDs, at which point the mouse would act like a mouse. Right click to go back to the VFX1 view.
No promises, though.
Great work HomeFries. Thanks. I loved what you did with Total Air War 2.0. I sold my original copy to Mark G a few years back but I have a copy of EF2000 v2.0 on a burnt disc. Will this work? I love this Sim. It was my very first Flight Sim back in 1997 and IMO one of the most immersive. Thanks again. Pescador
Every time I watch the video I notice something else.
Is it my imagination or did you even improve the musical tracks??? Nah, I hear this music almost every day, you did SOMETHING!
Hey Mark. Hope you're doing well my friend. I love that music too! Unfortunately I can't play this wonderful Sim with the music on. Looks like we're in for a treat thanks to HomeFries. Pescador