guys,

can some1 tell me if the original botf patch(1.02 if i am not wrong) and the xp patch are still available for download somewhere???

Hey deheugden, welcome to the forums!

If you need any patches, updates, game info, or are looking for BOTF mods, there's only one place that you need to go - ArmadaFleetCommand.com. AFC used to actually be our parent forums, but we split away from them last year because of problems with the server.

AFC has tons of files that you will find useful. To access them though, you will first need to Sign Up To AFC; AFC has a downloads section, but it is only accessible to forum members. Registration and usage is free just as it is with these forums; the registration requirement is simply for security reasons.

Once you've signed up, log into your account, then click on the Downloads link at the top of the screen. There is a section dedicated to patches on the page that is then displayed. Click on that, then click on "Joker Patch". This is a patch that was created by Joker, the best known BOTF experimenter there is. While his patch is unofficial, it is far better than the 1.02 update because it's been thoroughly playtested and updated. Very few people choose not to install Joker's patch. The only thing that Joker's patch doesn't fix though is the memory leak that BOTF has - nothing can fix that i'm afraid.

If for whatever reason you do need the 1.02 update though, download the file called "Not Needed BOTF Patches". That's a big zip file of all the different patches - both official and unofficial - that have been released over the years. It even includes the original trailer that Microprose created to promote the game. It's interesting to watch actually because you see glimpses of several screen, buildings, and features that unfortunately were never implemented because of the rushed state that the game was released in. Jokers patch already contains all the good bits of these various different patches though so unless you want to see the trailer, I don't see any reason why you would need to download this file.

AFC also has a downloadable .iso copy of the game - you might want to download that as well, because you can use it to create a ghost drive of the game on your computer. Basically it makes all of the game files available on your hard drive so you don't need the CD to play the game. This also means that drive access times are eliminated, speeding up the game. You will need a program such as Daemontools or Alcohol to do it though. Check out This AFC Thread a walkthrough guide on how to install and use the .iso copy of the game.

Have fun.