GoG Falcon4 to BMS for Dummies

[Tiffy]

This is a quick guide to take you through the process of installing the GoG version of Falcon 4 and then using this to allow the installation of BMS. I don’t cover getting Falcon 4 through Steam but it should be a similar process.

The first thing you need to do is to buy something from GoG that includes Falcon Gold.
Currently this is being sold as the Falcon Collection (https://www.gog.com/game/falcon_collection). A search on the GoG site for FALCON will show what’s currently available.
Once you have bought Falcon Gold you need to download it from the GoG site. The ONLY bit we are interested in is the Falcon 4 part.
On the GoG web site navigate to your games library using the ACCOUNT / LIBRARY buttons.

Find you recently bought copy of Falcon Gold and expand the title to allow you to select the View Downloads option.

Select FALCON 4.0 and download.

Next we need to install Falcon 4. GoG appear to not allow you to select where you want to put the game and will install it onto your C:\ drive. It also doesn’t allow a minimum size install so you’re going to need about 400MB of room on your hard drive.

Congratulations, you now have GoG Falcon 4 installed on your computer. The important thing though is WHERE it is on your computer.

Right click on the Falcon 4.0 shortcut on your desktop and select Properties (it’ll should be the last item on the right click menu that pops up). Make a note of where Falcon 4 lives (you shouldn’t need it to install BMS but if things go wrong then you might be asked for this info while trying to sort the issue).

[Tiffy]

We now need to download the BMS install files – see the thread on the BMS forums. (https://www.benchmarksims.org/forum/showthread.php?26567-Falcon-BMS-4-33-U1-Full-Installer)

Once you have the .ZIP file you will need to unpack it. BMS will need to be able to find these files when patches are released later so I would suggest you make a directory to keep these files. I use something like “C:\FlightSim\Download\BMS\” to store my BMS files.

Once we have unpacked our BMS setup files, open the Falcon BMS 4.33 U1 Setup directory and run setup.exe.

Follow the onscreen instructions.

Success … you should now have a working copy of Falcon BMS installed on your computer.
The next task you have is to READ THE MANUALS (well enough to get yourself started).
I would recommend reading the first Training Mission and going through the TO-BMS1F-16CM-1 (commonly referred to as the Dash 1) which are both found in the Falcon BMS Manuals folder.

Setting up your controls etc is outside the scope of this article but help can be found on the BMS forums. Just remember any question you have has probably been asked before – so use the search button to find answers before you ask, and looking in the manuals before you do both.
Welcome to the BMS community and Happy Flying.

[Tiffy]

The above installation was carried out on a Windows 7 Pro 64bit machine. Other versions of Windows should be similar to this installation.

[Tiffy]

This post is deleted!

[Dee-Jay]

… you should Blog it : https://www.benchmarksims.org/forum/blog.php

[Red Dog]

Thanks Tiffy, most useful

[DrStealthE]

Hello and thanks for the tutorial, perhaps I need instructions for Extra Dumb Dummies as I am running in to trouble right off the bat. I have Falcon 4 from GoG on my drive under D:\Galaxy Games\Falcon
Downloaded BMS and unpacked it. When I run the setup I immediately get an error window saying you must have Falcon 4 to install and never get a chance to point to my copy. Any idea what I am doing wrong, should do to trouble shoot? Thanks!

[Cloud 9]

@DrStealthE:

When I run the setup I immediately get an error window saying you must have Falcon 4 to install and never get a chance to point to my copy. Any idea what I am doing wrong, should do to trouble shoot? Thanks!

You no longer have to point BMS to the original Falcon 4. You need to install the original Falcon4.0 on your system, allowing it to install into the default Microprose folder on your drive is fine.

Once that’s done, install BMS, it will automatically find Falcon4.0

C9

[DrStealthE]

Thanks for the reply. I have installed Falcon 4 from GoG using the GoG Galaxy client. I have ran the game to verify t is installed. But when I run the BMS setup it pops up an error box saying I must have Falcon 4 installed. Only option is to exit which ends the install - I have the path to the executable but cant get to the screen where it can be entered. Does Falcon 4 need to be on the drive to work (right now it is on my D:drive). Do I need to install manually to a specific location? Thanks for the help.

[Cloud 9]

Yes, it’s best to have both Falcon4.0 and BMS on the same drives.

C9

[Tiffy]

When I installed the GoG version of Falcon 4 I installed it into the default directory - which would be on the drive. You’re going to need about 350MB of free space as you don’t get the option to do a minimal install. BMS will (should) then automatically detect this install and allow you to install BMS on any drive you want.

I didn’t test this installing on a different drive than the drive so can’t say if it should work or not.

Hope this helps

[cody2887]

hi I’m new to BMS and I have a problem with the Korean theater map is not aligned properly the assets are all to the right of the actual map it makes planning near impossible do I have to reinstall the entire game or is there a fix? thanks and is there any more theaters other than Isreal and Balkans

[Cloud 9]

More information, in particular a screenshot of what you are talking about would help more than what you have posted!!

C9

[MattJ]

The error DrStealthE experienced I had as well, I initially tried to install BMS after installing Falcon Gold from GOG. When I followed these instructions exactly (installing just Falcon 4.0), the BMS install worked flawlessly.

[ChiefRedCloud]

I’m about to purchase Falcon and just wanted to say that all my GoG games are on my D drive. Do I understand that most likely I’ll have to install Falcon to my C drive to be able to install BMS?

Chief

[Tiffy]

I don’t think so. Try it and see if not uninstall and put it onto the C drive.

[gravite]

@ChiefRedCloud:

I’m about to purchase Falcon and just wanted to say that all my GoG games are on my D drive. Do I understand that most likely I’ll have to install Falcon to my C drive to be able to install BMS?

Chief

Nope. For example I got my GoG vanilla “Falcon 4” on my F: drive and BMS on same disk in.

[ChiefRedCloud]

Thanks Tiffy & gravite

Chief

[Guest]

ok, so I’m attempting to perform the U1 update and keep getting the same error message stating I must have a licensed copy on my computer. I purchased Micropose Falcon 4.0 from steam. I right click on the desktop shortcut, click properties, general tab and it shows the following: “C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Falcon 4.0\falcon4.exe”. I have searched through the forums and can not find what to do if you receive this error message but already have it downloaded to your computer. Any suggestions or ideas?

[Mars1]

I tried to do that GoG won’t let me just install Falcon 4.0–- It’s Gold or nothing. I looked into the file and there is nothing that says Falcon4…exe anywhere.
This is a tuff game to get for me 2nd refund request in 2 days.
Just thought everyone else should know

Mars1