Battlefield 1942 / Desert Combat Full Install

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HairyRussianDude
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Battlefield 1942 / Desert Combat Full Install

Post by HairyRussianDude »

Battlefield 1942 / Desert Combat Full Install


Congratulations on your decision to install what is easily the best Battlefield game in the series!
There might be a lot of words here, but this is a simple 15 minute install once you have all the files. I recommend creating a folder to keep the installation files just in case the links go dead someday.
Some might say that a couple of steps are not necessary, but I have successfully installed the games on Windows 10 this way multiple times so I am sticking to the process. I think it may be especially important not to confuse any younger gamers not accustomed to installing games without Steam etc.
I encourage everyone to simply post the link to this page on their social media accounts. Reddit would be a great one to try and recruit on.
Should anyone experience any difficulty installing or connecting to the server, we have very friendly and knowledgeable players here who would be glad to help!

- Download and install Battlefield 1942: https://abandonwaregames.net/game/battlefield-1942
***UPDATE 07/02/2022*** : The host has done something weird with this file and you may download a file you cannot open. You need to right click and rename the file, but just add .zip to the end. This will change it to a compressed file you can unzip for the installer.

- Download Punkbuster Service Installer: https://www.evenbalance.com/downloads.php
*This is anti-cheat software.

- Run Punkbuster Service Installer and click “Test Services”. You should get the all clear from this test. If not, click “Install/Re-Install Punkbuster Services”
*Make sure Punkbuster is checked as enabled in your server list menu if the server you wish to join has the PB symbol next to it.

- Download and install the Gamespy Patch: http://team-simple.org/download/battlef ... _v1.61.exe
* This is so you are able to update the online servers list.

- Download and install Road to Rome: http://team-simple.org/download/Battlef ... o_Rome.zip
*This is the first expansion pack for Battlefield 1942.

- Download and install Secret Weapons: http://team-simple.org/download/Battlef ... f_WWII.zip
*This is the second expansion pack for Battlefield 1942.

- Navigate to the newly installed Battlefield folder and right click on your execution file. This is likely “1942” and listed as an Application file on Win 10.
Click “Properties”. Click on the “Compatibility” tab. Ensure that the compatibility mode is set to “Windows XP (Service Pack 3)” and the box beside “Run this program as an Administrator” is checked. Apply any changes.

- Download and install Desert Combat 0.7: https://www.moddb.com/mods/desert-comba ... -combat-07
* DC Final requires this installed first.

- Download and install Desert Combat Final: https://www.moddb.com/mods/desert-comba ... nal-update

You should now be ready to play!

Finding a Server


There is already a detailed write up on accessing this Desert Combat server. In short, there have been security measures implemented due to the age of the game and you will need to read this.
viewtopic.php?f=62&t=5838

For all other servers, simply update your online server list and find the one you wish to play on!
Please note that on the leftmost side of the server info, there may be little symbols. No symbol indicates it is a Battlefield 1942 server. 4 colorful symbols indicate the server is running Battlefield 1942 expansion packs and mods. An army helmet indicates it is running Desert Combat.

Extras


- Skip Intro: Right click on your shortcut/whatever you click on to launch the game. Select "Properties". There will be a box that says "Target" with a bunch of mumbo jumbo showing your game path. At the very end of this, add a space and "+restart 1" without the quotation marks. Done!

- Direct Connect to Server: If you don't have time with all of life's hustle and bustle to load the game and click around to get in to the server, you can set a shortcut to directly connect with 1 click! This can be done on top of skipping the intro. I recommend creating a new shortcut named "EA117" or something to show it is a direct connect file. Right click on your shortcut/whatever you click on to launch the game. Select "Properties". There will be a box that says "Target" with a bunch of mumbo jumbo showing your game path. At the very end of this, add a space and "+joinServer IP:PORT" without the quotation marks, and with your chosen server's IP and Port number. In EA117's case, you will end up with "+joinServer 47.190.52.113:14567"

- 255 Bots Single Player: There is already a comprehensive guide on this. It is finicky, but does work. I suggest making backups of your original files you will be playing with in case you do not succeed the first time. This puts single player on insane mode!
https://www.moddb.com/games/battlefield ... ds-255-max

- 1942 Ex Pack Maps for DC: Adds Road to Rome and Secret Weapons maps to DC. The AI is pretty stupid on some of these, but nevertheless they are fun to play around on if you enjoy single player.
http://www.nexusmods.com/battlefield1942/mods/1579/?

http://www.nexusmods.com/battlefield1942/mods/1540/?

- Modding: If you wish to try your hand at modding, our admin team is receptive to well designed tweaks to the vanilla maps. Note that due to the age of the game and lack of player base, we will not be running any custom maps or anything requiring a patch. There are multiple resources in this thread: viewtopic.php?f=62&t=5966
You can also find Battlecraft, the official map editor, here: https://www.moddb.com/games/battlefield ... atoreditor
Last edited by HairyRussianDude on March 29th, 2020, 2:10 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Trench
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Re: Battlefield 1942 / Desert Combat Full Install

Post by Trench »

The "Windows XP SP3 Compatibly" step was already performed during Step 4.

Missing is the installation of TanksPBUpdate. Nothing you can download from evenbalance.com provides Battlefield 1942 support any more. The service download is correct, but you have to get the game support via TanksPBUpdate.

Is this really just http://ea117.com/dcinstall (our current sticky message for installation) but with the additional line of downloading the game itself from Abandonware? Or were you specifically thinking we needed a text-only list and/or without illustrations of what's important at each step.
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HairyRussianDude
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Re: Battlefield 1942 / Desert Combat Full Install

Post by HairyRussianDude »

Trench wrote: March 22nd, 2020, 5:45 pm The "Windows XP SP3 Compatibly" step was already performed during Step 4.

Missing is the installation of TanksPBUpdate. Nothing you can download from evenbalance.com provides Battlefield 1942 support any more. The service download is correct, but you have to get the game support via TanksPBUpdate.

Is this really just http://ea117.com/dcinstall (our current sticky message for installation) but with the additional line of downloading the game itself from Abandonware? Or were you specifically thinking we needed a text-only list and/or without illustrations of what's important at each step.
The steps are moreso for those who didn't grow up installing games in such a way. Steam and whatnot just does it all for you now.
I also had a hell of a time getting this game working back when Windows 10 came out and I built my new PC. This is step-by-step what has been tried tested and true for me, including getting PB working.

Hosting the abandonware 1942 would be huge Trench. It is pretty essential, and it had disappeared for a little while once before.
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Re: Battlefield 1942 / Desert Combat Full Install

Post by BangBangOw<CP*SF> »

You can just use team simples installer, it works on practically any machine. And they have the PB updates aswell.
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Re: Battlefield 1942 / Desert Combat Full Install

Post by jolly_giada »

BBOW: can you provide more complete details? want to minimize friction to newbies joining as much as possible
thx
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HairyRussianDude
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Re: Battlefield 1942 / Desert Combat Full Install

Post by HairyRussianDude »

BangBangOw<CP*SF> wrote: March 24th, 2020, 11:07 am You can just use team simples installer, it works on practically any machine. And they have the PB updates aswell.
Feel free to post a link.
To repeat, the method I described has a 100% success rate with me so I am sticking to it. But feel free to post anything you figure is easier to get the game going.
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Re: Battlefield 1942 / Desert Combat Full Install

Post by Mali Mrav »

u have "Nuke's" installation that i posted its the most easiest installation of bd-dc-dcf-pb
it have ecerything inside it and nuke gave permision to post it here so i think its easier then HRD abandonware installation
just one installer
here is the link for installer

https://yadi.sk/d/CFxEDel43Y67vt

http://www.mediafire.com/file/v2dj55nwo ... _setup.exe

here is my post about installation
viewtopic.php?f=62&t=5857
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HairyRussianDude
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Re: Battlefield 1942 / Desert Combat Full Install

Post by HairyRussianDude »

Bump.
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Re: Battlefield 1942 / Desert Combat Full Install

Post by BangBangOw<CP*SF> »

We all know that my discord installation guide works the best 😉😉😉😉

Hehe 100% success rate aswell.
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Re: Battlefield 1942 / Desert Combat Full Install

Post by Mali Mrav »

well bang i think the easiest installation is Nuke's all in one installer i can ask him if he will allow you to publish it on discord
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Re: Battlefield 1942 / Desert Combat Full Install

Post by BlinkofanEye »

bang and mali, yknow it might just be more efficient to toot each other's horns instead of your own...sharing is caring
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Re: Battlefield 1942 / Desert Combat Full Install

Post by BangBangOw<CP*SF> »

I’ve seen a good amount of my recruits play using my installer guide so... imma stick with it
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Re: Battlefield 1942 / Desert Combat Full Install

Post by jolly_giada »

Hairy, can you edit your install instructions on top to include the Win 10 specific instructions about Directplay? viewtopic.php?f=62&t=5308

then it will be complete
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