SWOTL FAQ

Did you know ...
- Joystick drift is greatly reduced in each successive version of SWOTL.
- You can recalibrates your joystick at any time by pressing [Alt][C].
- In version 2.0, and greater, the [G] key correctly swaps the firing of a fighter's machine guns or cannons from the main "trigger" button.

Multi-Function Joysticks and Rudder Pedals with SWOTL
LA did not include provisions for "multifunction" joysticks or rudder pedals when it was released, partly because Thrustmaster was the about the only one making them. Today, it's almost as hard to find a "two button" joystick as it was to find a multifunction stick then! Many of today's joysticks are able to be "programmed" to work with various games. They should work fine with SWOTL. However, if your stick can't be programmed don't despair. Thanks to a couple of smart programmers, you can take advantage of the numerous buttons and gadgets on many of the other multifunction joysticks. I know of two programs that work with SWOTL (though there may be more, and I'd love to hear about them.)

The Pilot's Edge, by Dwight Ennis, was the first program released to allow the Thrustmaster, and other multi function sticks, to be used with LA's flight sims. It also will also allow you to use the TM Rudder Pedals with SWOTL as well! I have been using it for years. Dwight made 3 versions of the program for various games. One version works with virtually all the LA flight sims, including the Star Wars series. There has never been a Shareware version of The Pilot's Edge and -- although Thrustmaster was carrying it for $14.95 -- it was tough to find a copy. Until now!

As of February 2000, Dwight has released TPE to SWOTL fans through this site for free! You can download your copy here, or from the Utilities page. Please note that Dwight is no longer providing support for this venerable old utility, so you're on your own in that regard. If you use a multi function stick, particularly the Thrustmaster, you should try this utility!

Prostick is a program that comes in a shareware version. I haven't seen it around much lately, but I have own a registered copy of version 2.1, which I used for sometime. Prostick had the advantage of allowing you to "program" the "extra" keys in more ways that The Pilot's Edge did. But I found it a bit quirky. Additionally, my version didn't seem to want to run under Win95/98 like TPE does. (Rather than have to "Boot to DOS" each time I want to fly SWOTL, I chose to go back to my "first love" and keep SWOTL running under Win95/98 just fine.) UPDATE: Atlantis Software has written to me and sent the latest Shareware version (2.1) of their product which is what I have posted here. They also said the are thinking of releasing the full version as Freeware, so you might want to drop by their site and check on this! As always, let me know of any new developments.
Prostick is produced by:
Atlantis Software
34740 Blackstone Way
Fremont, Ca. 94555
(510) 796-2180

There is one other way to use a multi-function stick that I know of. If you have the TM Advance Weapons System, or a similar product, you can plug your stick into it and program it anyway you want. A few people I know swear by this system (whereas a few people I know just swear at their joystick...)
 
 

1. Graphics Mode: VGA, EGA or Tandy
2. Sound: None, Internal speaker, Adlib, Sound Blaster, or Tandy
3. Level of Ground Detail: 1 = Lowest, 5 = Highest
4. Joystick: Yes or No
5. Advanced Flight Controls: Yes or No
6. Replay Disk Cache: Yes or No (Use HD or Memory for Replay Films)
7. Size of "Replay Disk Cache" in KB, from 16 to 248 max. in units of 16. (This determines length of your "Gun Camera" film)

NOTE: The manual says you can set the cache to a maximum of 2048, but LA later stated that settings above 248 can cause the computer to lock-up when reviewing the film.

Another problem folks have when loading SWOTL is not enough memory. The documentation will remind you that you need to have at least 580K of free Conventional Memory and at least 1,024K Expanded Memory (EMS) to run correctly. If you are working under DOS, you can run type "MEM" to display your available memory. Under Win95/98, be sure that you set the MEMORY options in the PROPERTIES of your shortcut to allow for these limits.  You may also want to try using a "DOS Boot Disk" to get enough memory and not be constrained by the Windows OS.

If SWOTL keeps crashing, or locking up your computer, even though you have followed all the instructions above, you may have a hardware conflict with your CPU. Take a look at the section below on SWOTL and "Fast" (486/Pentium) Computers for more info. CYRIX users may be out of luck entirely. You'll find info on this in that section as well.
 
 

Well, a few die hard fanatics <G> (that is, the core members of the old SWOTL Group on Prodigy) couldn't wait for LA to make more planes, so they made their own! Well, sort of... They "Hex Edited" the aircraft files to change the characteristics of the planes LA wrote for the game. They even figured out how to "swap" the external views from the cockpit to make the plane look a bit different from the pilot's view. Eventually, they also discovered they could change the aircraft's color scheme and even use some of the graphic files from TFH:BOB (Their Finest Hour: The Battle of Britain) to make the external view look different as well. Unfortunately, the side effect of the TFH:BOB files is that the planes sometimes appear to fly sideways! This is due to the fact that SWOTL included more angles to view the plane from than TFH:BOB did. We learned to live with these limitations, because now we could fly just about any plane we wanted, and could "tweak out" any existing plane! And so started a wave of hex editing that still continues. At last count, I found over 300 different aircraft variations in my "Hangar" (even more than SManager 200 can deal with!) Some of the "custom planes" are very historical aircraft, some were experimental production models (or "prototypes"), and some are pure fancy!

We eventually developed some "standards" when making and distributing these files. Each of the "hexed" aircraft is named with an extension of *.EXP (from EXPerimental.) All of the planes that came with SWOTL need to be copied to backup files, and we decided to call them *.ORI (for ORIginal.) Most of us keep these files in our "Hangar" subdirectory. Additionally, many of the most fanatical "Hexperts" would include short text files (with a *.TXT extension) with the aircraft to tell you something about it, and maybe even how to use it. For more info on working with these files, see the next section.
 
 

• Use of the SWOTL Manager  is STRONGLY recommended for swapping "hexed" plane files! It makes "swapping" planes much easier!!
• First make COPIES of all *.SPC files located in the \SWOTL\AC directory in either that same directory or in a directory called \SWOTL\HANGAR, (the later location is recommended). These copies should have their extension changed from *.SPC to *.ORI (as in "original").
• Be sure that all your "custom" aircraft have the same extension in the file name. The convention that we follow is *.EXP (for "experimental"), but you can use something else if you prefer.
• These *.EXP files should go either in your \SWOTL\HANGAR or \SWOTL\AC directory, depending on how you handle your plane swapping.
• The *.INT files (if there are any) go into the \SWOTL\CP directory.
• The *.PAC files (if there are any) go into the \SWOTL\AC directory.
• To insert "hexed" planes manually (without SWOTL Manager) copy the *.EXP file of the plane you wish to insert into the \SWOTL\AC directory in place of the *.SPC file for the plane you wish to replace.

Example: COPY  \SWOTL\HANGAR\SPITFIRE.EXP  \SWOTL\AC\P51D.SPC
   (Do you see why I recommend the SWOTL Manager?)
• To remove "hexed" planes and return to the original SWOTL plane files copy the *.ORI file of the plane you wish to restore into the \SWOTL\AC directory replacing the *.SPC file for the same plane.

Example: COPY  \SWOTL\HANGAR\P51D.ORI  \SWOTL\AC\P51D.SPC

Other Users Note: Some "hexed" plane files require the user to have one or more of the "official add-on" planes from LucasArts, such as the P-38. If you enjoy SWOTL, it is HIGHLY recommended to invest in the additional disks. Unfortunately, they are now "out of print." However, you can still get the extra aircraft in the Air Combat Classics set which includes all the LA WWII sims and all the add-on disks for about $20 (plus shipping.)

If you do not have the required planes you may be able to trick the computer into thinking you have the extra planes. The following examples will replace the "missing" P-38 files with those of the P-47.

• Create a "fake" icon file for it in the \SWOTL\FE directory.

Example: COPY  P47ICN.PAC  P38ICN.PAC
• Create false P38J.SPC files (as well as a false P38J.ORI)

Example: COPY  \SWOTL\AC\P47C.SPC  \SWOTL\AC\P38J.SPC
and COPY  \SWOTL\AC\P47C.SPC  \SWOTL\HANGAR\P38J.ORI

Use this info to check your SWOTL directories for the file. Sometimes you'll find it is in the wrong directory. Sometimes the name is misspelled. Sometimes it was a file that you needed to get from another source (like TFH:BOB) but didn't. Or, maybe you just don't own that add-on aircraft.

If you're just not sure what is wrong, go back to the instructions for the modification you were trying to use (the aircraft, or mission, or...) and read them very carefully. Sometimes the installation is a bit complicated and you may have missed something the first time through. Some modifications use a *.BAT file to install themselves, and the directory names in those *.BAT files may not match your directory names. A little editing should fix that problem.

Be sure to read all the information on this page about working with Custom Aircraft and with Mods. If your still can't figure it out. Write me an e-mail with all the details, including what SWOTL tells you when you get dumped back to DOS. I'll try to get you flying again.
 
 

Is this worth it? - I've tried many WWII flight sims, and the one I keep coming back to is SWOTL. And I'm not alone... - TFH:BOB is a bit dated, but it's still fun. Also, it's a good "starter" sim for first time PC Pilots. - SWOTL and TFH:BOB both allow you to make your own missions!! Or, fly a full campaign and decide "how to run the war". It's hard to get bored when you can write your own custom missions, and fly hundreds written by others too. So, "in my humble opinion", at $19.95 how can you go wrong???

If you already have SWOTL, why try this?
- Do you have ALL the add-on planes? One add-on disk, if you can find one, could cost you close to this price.
- Do you use a 486, or faster machine, and find that your "old favorite" flightsim doesn't run properly any more? It will now!
- Do you get tired of the "Code Wheel", there isn't any with the ACC set!
- Do you have SWOTL on CD, but get tired of the problems you may have with that format, or want to try out some of the user developed add-on "mods" for the game?

That's just my opinion about what I think is a pretty good deal. (You can thank me later. <G>)
 
 

Each of these modules opens new possibilities for an "old" game, and adds hours of enjoyment. They are well worth the download.  I have 4 copies of SWOTL on my hard drive so I can play SWOTL, Afrika, Russia or Lucky Strikes when ever I like. That's not as crazy as it sounds since it is highly recommended that you install a separate copy of SWOTL for any Mod you wish to use. This ensures that there will be no problem "uninstalling" it when you want to play a different "version" of SWOTL. As for the installation of the Mods, refer to the Instructions that come with each of them. You will also find some rather generic instructions in the MOD-INFO.TXT file.

NOTE: Except for Lucky Strikes, these mods all require you to have version 2.1 of SWOTL. If you have an earlier version you can try the SW-UPG upgrade. (Remember you can check your version of SWOTL by pressing [ALT][V] anytime during a mission. The version info will show in the lower left corner of your screen. This can only be done when you are actually flying a mission.) If you have a later version, see the next section regarding Air Combat Classics. Also, many mods require aircraft PAC files  (graphics) from LucasArts' Battle of Britain. If you do not own this you will need the BOBPAC file.which you can also find in the Mods list. Additionally, many Mods make use of the "add-on aircraft" disks from LucasArts, but you may be able to do a "work around", as described in the Mod's documentation.

SWOTL CD-ROM users Note: You must first do a "Full Install" of all the SWOTL files onto your HD (I'm told this is one of the installation options) to use these modifications. Otherwise, the "Mods" found here will not be able to "swap" the necessary files since SWOTL will only look for them on the CD-ROM. Better yet, I've discovered that it is possible to use the "update" files located here to "convert" your CD-ROM version so that it no longer needs the CD!! See the SWOTL CD FAQ for some additional info...
 
 

However, you can work around this with minimal disruption to the module by simply NOT replacing any of the *.OVL files with the modified ones from the add-on. (You may edit the installation *.BAT file(s) to avoid copying over the *.OVL files.) The game will run properly, and the module will work well, but you will miss some of the "flavor" of the module as changes to the text material will be lost.

The best option, however, is to obtain the modified ACC version *.OVL files. I have packaged these "patches" into sets for each mod and titled them accordingly, starting with the letters "ACC". Look for ACC-AFRK, ACC-RUSS, ACC-NITE, ACC-1940, ACC-1946, ACC-JET, ACC-USA and ACC-PACF. You can find these "patches" on the Mods page.

NOTE: None of this applies to the LUCKY STRIKES module, since it uses special programming and files to alter your EXISTING *.OVL files on an as needed basis. (Another reason why it is recommended to install a separate copy of SWOTL for this mod, and really, for each mod.)
 
 

In SWOTL, hex-edited files are usually the aircraft specification files (*.SPC files) which allow us to make planes that are not normally found in the game.  A few other program files can be edited in order to do things like allow a custom mission to do something that the Mission editor won't let you (like get planes to "taxi" as I did on "Suppress"), or to change some of the text and map references as was done in most of the SWOTL Mods.

Since most folks confine their "hexing" to the aircraft files things have gotten even easier.  You can use the SPManager program to make many of the changes for you, without knowing anything at all about hexadecimal code.  Now this program is not at all perfect, but with a little work you can make several basic changes to your aircraft.  However, if you want to be more ambitious and create a totally new plane, you better get a good hex editor, a copy of the "byte listings" for the *.SPC files and spend some time learning the fundamentals of hexing.  There are a few files to help you do all this right in the Utilities section of the SWOTL site.  And there is a pretty darn good tutorial from "Hexmaster" Greg "Sturmer" Smith there as well.  Take a look at it, and then see if you are up to the challenge.  Heck, your a SWOTL Ace, of course you are!
 
 

Though SWOTL may appear to run just fine on your old 486 or Pentium, you will find that strange things happen even on those older machines. Trouble with "bombs exploding in mid air" is the most widely reported "bug" (though there are others) associated with a machine that's just too fast. LucasArts summed it up like this:

Unfortunately, both [TFH:BOB and SWOTL] are older dos 
games which were designed to run on a 386 system. The advent of 
the much faster Pentium chips and other newer processors has 
caused compatibility problems with older software programs. There 
really is no way to adjust the speed of your machine to 
effectively run these older games without complications. You 
might try looking for a shareware program available online (use a 
search engine) called MoSlow which was designed for these 
types of compatibility problems. 
- Eric / LucasArts

I have recently had some reports from SWOTL fans using version 1.2 of Mo'Slo, found here. After much experimentation, SWOTL fan Ignacio McGuire reports that Mo'Slo works well on his Pentium 133 with a setting of 50% while using ACC SWOTL. While the same version on my Pentium II 233 works better with a setting closer to 25%. Other machines, and other versions, may need yet a different setting, but you can use these figures as a starting point for your experimentation. As I get additional information, I will post it here (be sure to let me know what setting is working for you.) BTW, the line I use to run SWOTL under Mo`Slo is:
   ..\moslo\mo'slo /25 SWOTL.EXE V S 5 Y Y Y 64
I simply edited my SWOTL.BAT file to look like the above. You should note that Mo`Slo is located in a directory (folder) called "moslo" in the same subdirectory (folder) as my SWOTL directory (folder), thus the PATH name looks as it does.

The software technique has been reported to work well by some (and not by others), but, there may be another option as well. Numerous Tech Support centers, and users such as Keith Heitmann, suggest you might try adjusting some settings to your computer's BIOS (or CMOS) temporarily. This means you need to access the BIOS (or CMOS) setup routine, most often done by pressing a key during bootup (this differs from machine to machine, see your manual!) Once there, disable the "External Cache" RAM and save the settings. When you are done playing SWOTL, you will want to reverse this process to put things back as they belong! Also, I strongly suggest that you make a printout of your current CMOS settings, using the Print Screen key, and save that someplace (like in the manual) just in case something gets screwed up at some point!! (I do this this with every new computer I set up, right out of the box!)

Whatever approach you use, I think you should also try running the "fastest version" of SWOTL, from Air Combat Classics. If you don't own it, try using the "upgrade" patch from the Modules page here (CD-ROM users can do this too! See the SWOTL CD FAQ for the details) and see if that helps. With Pentium CPUs you will still have some trouble. I am trying to find a better solution to this, and would love to hear from anyone who has solved it! As I find more answers, or better software, I will post it here. Right now, Mo`Slo seems to be the way to go.  However, the unfortunate truth is that the days of SWOTL as we know it are quite limited while processor speeds continue to increase and slower machines are turned to scrap.

I should say one more thing. When trying to figure out if your computer is running SWOTL too fast, the easiest thing to do is to load up some bombs for a training mission, turn on your "gun camera" before dropping a few and then watch the replay. You will need to either "Track" the bombs, or "Chase" them when you replay the film. Note the altitude the bombs are at when they explode. If it is more than 0 feet, things are too fast! You should also note that heavier bombs will drop farther before exploding, and you really should be at no less than 10,000 feet (20,000 may be best) to test this properly. (So far I've been trying 1,000 pounders from about 12,000 feet...)

A final note to users of CYRIX 166+ type processors. I have had a few people write to me saying that their CYRIX based machine locks up when playing SWOTL. This seems to be a hardware conflict problem. From what I have been able to find with internet searches, it seems that the CYRIX chips are not 100% "Intel compatible" and can cause such conflicts with some programs. Despite the various patch files for the CYRIX chips, the reports I have gotten from SWOTL fans have not yet found ANYTHING that works short of REPLACING the chip with an INTEL processor. This truly seems to be a hardware problem. Of course, I'd appreciate any additional info in this problem, and its solution!

I just received the following update on the Cyrix problem from SWOTL Fan Mike Lock:

Those of you who run with Cyrix CPU's of 150+ and 
above will I am sure have encountered locking while trying to 
play SWOTL, usually at the very start. The problem can be 
overcome by the following method. Run the game in dos. Not in a 
dos window or shutdown to, just old fashioned dos. Although the 
game does not need a lot of conventional memory to run, if you 
have a Cyrix CPU of 150 or above then to run the game without 
locking the conventional memory must be 630k at least. Memmaker 
will not achieve such a high figure, however if you have Qemm97 
and run the optimiser then 630k is easily possible. SWOTL will 
then run with no locking, the infamous CD version is also OK. I 
have no explanation of the why the above should work: if you have 
Qemm then give it a try.
- Mike Lock Bath UK