Hey all,
As you might aware, Windows 10 Version 1703 (Creators Update) messed the things pretty bad for some games. Unfortunately, Enemy Territory: Quake Wars is not an exception in that regard. As vanilla game still works fine, mods and custom maps crash the game since Creators Update.
As most of you noticed, custom content for ETQW requires auto-restart to extract and compile libraries from pk4 archives. That wasn’t an issue until Creators Update which prevents the game to auto-restart and causes crash.
- If you intent to play vanilla maps with mods, the solution is simple; edit game’s shortcut to directly launch the game.
- If you want to play custom maps on Windows 10, there is no definitive solution at the moment. I haven’t found an easy way to play custom maps on Windows 10 Creators Update. Here are my suggestions from easy to hard.
[ul]
[li]Install Windows 7 or Windows 8.1.[/li]
[li]Install a modern GNU/Linux distro.[/li]
[li]Use a Mac.[/li]
[li]Downgrade to Windows 10 Version 1607 (Anniversary Update).[/li][/ul]
Downgrading to Anniversary Update is a bit trickier than it sounds due Microsoft’s recent aggressive forced update and upgrade policy change. Here are the steps:
1) Get Windows 10 Version 1607 (Anniversary Update) iso:
[strike]Official site to get Windows 10 iso checks your browser’s user agent so it may not possible to download Anniversary Update iso. In order to avoid Creators Update iso or “Media Creation Tool”, you will need to change your browser’s user agent.[/strike]
Our dearest Microsoft nuked Windows 10 Anniversary download links after Fall Creators Update which did not solve anything for ETQW. To keep it short, I will link two methods to download Windows 10 Anniversary Update.
A) Safe: Download Windows 10 Anniversary Update from official website via “Javascript Hack”:
B) Easy: Download Windows 10 Anniversary Update from a third party site:
https://www.raymond.cc/blog/download/did/3822/
- Download and use “Windows USB/DVD Download Tool” to burn the iso to a USB memory stick.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/windows-usb-dvd-download-tool
2) Install Windows 10 Anniversary Update:
- Boot your PC with the USB memory stick; make a clean and OFFLINE Windows 10 Anniversary Update installation; do not connect to internet.
3) Prevent Windows 10 Creators Update:
Windows 10 mostly does not allow you to configure the updates and upgrades that you will receive. Even if you opt out the Creators Update, it will automatically download and install it in few months anyway. One way to avoid it to trick the OS about connections types. Here are steps;
- Defer feature updates. (Temporary solution):
Follow “Settings > Update & Security > Update settings > Advanced options > Defer feature updates” route.
-
Set your Wi-Fi connection as metered connection:
That might be required for every new wireless network.
https://www.windowscentral.com/how-delay-windows-10-creators-update-your-pc-and-why#block_windwos10_cu_home -
Set your Ethernet connection as metered connection:
https://www.windowscentral.com/how-set-ethernet-connection-metered-windows-10
- Manually update your OS via Windows Update.
That’s all. Now, you should be able to play mods and custom maps on Windows 10 Anniversary Update without an issue. Hopefully, upcoming Windows 10 Fall Creators Update will sort out such problems.
Cheers! 