How to fix Full Spectrum Warrior

This guide explains how to get Full Spectrum Warrior working with a widescreen resolution and good fps which will hopefully cover most modern machines, and allow you to play the game.

Fixing your FSW

Intro

Full Spectrum Warrior is a fairly aged game, this causes running the game to become a problem on modern computers. The following will outline how, through the most basic methods, you can make this game playable on a modern computer.
Im personally not sure what exactly makes one of the fixes work, but it worked for me and for many others.

What you will need

Notepad

This will be all you need to hopefully get FSW in working condition for you.

Lets Start

Fixing the Framerate
The first problem we need to fix is the 5fps the game runs at when you launch it, regardless of what you change the settings to. Im not sure what causes this fix to work or why this would effect the games fps but what I do know is that its a simple fix that works.

Go to your C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc
Next open the "hosts" files with notepad. You will see what looks like a readme talking about IP addresses and host names, whats important is that you paste this line onto the bottom of it

127.0.0.1 fswpc.available.gamespy.com

Your hosts file should now look something like this.

# Copyright (c) 1993-2009 Microsoft Corp.
#
# This is a sample HOSTS file used by Microsoft TCP/IP for Windows.
#
# This file contains the mappings of IP addresses to host names. Each
# entry should be kept on an individual line. The IP address should
# be placed in the first column followed by the corresponding host name.
# The IP address and the host name should be separated by at least one
# space.
#
# Additionally, comments (such as these) may be inserted on individual
# lines or following the machine name denoted by a '#' symbol.
#
# For example:
#
# 102.54.94.97 rhino.acme.com # source server
# 38.25.63.10 x.acme.com # x client host

# localhost name resolution is handled within DNS itself.
# 127.0.0.1 localhost
# ::1 localhost

127.0.0.1 fswpc.available.gamespy.com

Now save the file and close out of it, that part is done.
The thing causing low fps within FSW is linked with your computers network adaptor, turning it off has the same effect but doing this allows you to remain connected to the internet and not have to fiddle about with your network settings.

Fixing the Game Resolution
The second problem is that the highest resolution is in a 4:3 aspect ratio, which even if it does fit your monitor isnt very pleasant to play with.
This is a similar fix you see with alot of other non-widescreen games.

Go to your C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Full Spectrum Warrior

Next find and edit the "Resolution.cfg" file with notepad and you should see the games resolution followed by another single digit. Change this to your native resolution, here is what my line now looks like.
1680 1050 0
Now save and close out of the file, you should be done.

The last Problem

The final problem with running this game is the audio quality, its got alot of static in the background when playing audio, I have not found an easy fix for this but I found that turning the ingame music off and turning the other audio sliders down a few notches helped alot in getting rid of the audio static.

Hope I Helped

Thank you for reading this guide and I hope I helped, I played FSW: Ten hammers alot on the PS2 and bought the complete pack when I found it was on steam, luckily there were simple fixes to make the game playable on a modern machine, at least for me.

Thank you to Jones for the resolution fix.
Thank you to Honk Dog for the IP host line.
Thank you to Zorro McCloud for instructing on where to put the IP host line.

[bratosabra]

Not working, resolution changing back

[FridiNaTor]

resolution.cfg gets created by the game when you play for the first time. but you can also just create it with notepad.
width height 0

example

1920 1080 0

[FulanitoD4C]

i dont see the resolution.cfg file

[Pinkmist36]

works for me just fine. didnt have to do anything special.

[Ginsu]

If resolution 1920x1080 doesn't work try a lower one like 1360x768.
Also to those of you that cannot find your resolution cfg file, you need to run the game first, make a profile and launch a mission, this will create the file.
Haven't had to mess with the IP stuff as it runs smooth on win10 for me thus far.
Thank you for the guide.

[CPT Awes0me 23]

Is there a way to increase the font size when playing in 4k?

[Valky]

I haven't tried it, but I'd expect it to be possible through Steam. If you choose Generic and Xbox controller inputs through the Steam settings and launch the game with it connected, it may be mapped. If not, I believe you can manually map inputs through Steam on a game by game basis.

[BIS]

I understand that playing this game with an XBOX controller on PC is nearly impossible. Is there a way around that?

[FridiNaTor]

If anyone is interested in playing the game online again with working browser and everything, I made a guide which uses OpenSpy. I made it easy by providing already patched dll for both GOG and Steam. :)

[Valky]

@LinusochNalle Off the top of my head, it sounds like a permissions issue. It'll be due to a file set as Read Only or potentially if the file is owned by "Administrator" on your pc but you're using a normal user account. In the latter case, try right click the games .exe and set it to run as Administrator.