Hardware - [EBP Help Contents]

EBP runs on most Windows-based devices made since the year 2000, and with additional software can run on most any computing device made since 2010. At minimum, EBP requires the following equipment:

....Wintel '486 computer/tablet or newer

....32M RAM available

....Microsoft Windows (98, NT4, 2000, ME, XP, Vista, 7, 8, 10, 11, or compatible)

....VGA display or better (256-color mode minimum, higher recommended)

....Mouse or touch screen

TABLETS / SMARTPHONES

Tablets that run a full version of Windows, such as Microsoft's Surface Pro, are typically also EBP-compatible. Microsoft reports smartphones that run Windows 10 are compatible. An easy way to check a device is to install and run EBP's free trial version.

On devices equipped with a touch screen, generally a tap is the equivalent of a mouse left click, and a press+hold is the equivalent of a mouse right click. NOTE: Windows does not tell EBP you have touched the screen until you either lift your finger/stylus or slide it.

When using tablets, or any touch device and/or small display, we recommend the following:

* make the map larger by turning off Map scroll bars

* enlarge the game's text fonts

* enlarge all windows elements, such as pull-down menus, via the Windows 8 or 10 Control Panel, Appearance and Personalization, Display, Change the size of all items

* if you turn off the Windows "press and hold to right click" feature, you can still access EBP's right click popup menu features by choosing Show, Right-click menu

* in windows lacking a Help button or Help pull-down menu item, help can usually be reached by tapping the descriptive text found below the window's title bar; often this text will include wording like "Click here for Help"

WINDOWS VISTA / 7 / 8 / 10 / 11

EBP has been tested to work properly within Windows Vista, 7, 8, 10, and 11. For the setup and registration process, you must run the game as an Administrator. Running Windows as Administrator is not enough, you have to run the game as Administrator. The easiest way to do so is to right click on the game's desktop icon, or file name, and choose Run as Administrator. If you still have trouble, see the FAQ at our RailGameFans.com.

DRIVERS

If you wish to use EBP's Web features (Play by Email, Web Play or Download Update) the MSINET.OCX and MSWINSCK.OCX drivers must be installed on your device. Many computers already have these Windows internet communication drivers installed, but if yours does not, when you attempt to use the features they provide, EBP will detect a problem (usually error number 372 or 339) and offer to automatically install the drivers.

If the automated install fails or if you prefer to install the drivers manually, here is what to do: exit EBP and look for the MSINET.INF and MSWINSCK.INF files in the directory in which you installed EBP. If they are not there, you can find them on an EBP CD, at our Web site, or at Microsoft's Web site (search for msinet.ocx and mswinsck.ocx). Using Windows to view the folder contents, right click on MSINET.INF file and choose Install, and then repeat for MSWINSCK.INF. Finally restart EBP and retry the feature.

If you continue to have trouble, check the FAQ at RailGameFans.com for updated driver information.

ALTERNATE PLATFORMS

Since EBP is a "well-behaved" application, most computing devices made since 2010 can run it. Playtesters report EBP runs successfully on a Macintosh via a PC emulator such as that from Parallels.com or Vmware Fusion. Similar success is reported on UNIX and Linux using Wine. People report playing on iPad/iOS and Android devices via something called Windows Access.

Non-Windows devices are likely to need Microsoft's VBRUN drivers: download VBRUN60.EXE from RailGameFans.com or from Microsoft, and run it on the device.

Please note there exist too many alternate platforms for us to know the details of them all, so we do not test or provide tech support for them.