Author Topic: The *noob-friendly* Guide to Installing FreeSpace 2 Open  (Read 188702 times)

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Offline Gryffon

  • 24
Re: The Idiot's Guide to Installing FreeSpace 2 Open *noob-friendly*
 :nervous:
Hello. I'm back (after a few years away). Now in Canada (from Aus) and setting up a new XP computer with all my old games.
Been installing Freespace (Bundled software) and FS2 (full version) and busy trying to patch/update, when I came across Turey's (did I spell it wrong?) Installer. Well, I could hardly resist, could I? I was having problems with various patches and cracks out there, so this seemed like a logical way forward. In the many hours that it has been downloading I have had some second thoughts, but this thread has reasured me.

I am downloading the absolute works, minus Linux and Mac executables. However, due to recent experience with dud patches, I created a new subfolder within my FS2 game folder (C:\Program Files\Games\FreeSpace2\Open GL Version). On reading this and other threads while waiting out the download, it would seem that I should have trusted, and loaded straight into my FreeSpace 2 folder? Yes?

Am I wasting a lot of bandwidth, or can I just cut and paste the contents of this new ('Open GL Version') folder, once the load has finished, into the FS2 folder?

By the way, I am always astounded and grateful when confronted with the dedication, determination and patience of those of you willing to put big chunks of your lives on hold to carry out huge modding projects like this (and the guys at SubSim, similarly), and then back it up with time on forums trying to be polite to noobs like me asking the same damned question that has been asked (I'm sure) many times before. So. Thank you all. It IS appreciated.

 

Offline General Battuta

  • Poe's Law In Action
  • 214
  • i wonder when my postcount will exceed my iq
Re: The Idiot's Guide to Installing FreeSpace 2 Open *noob-friendly*
You should be able to cut and paste, unless I'm mistaken. But it does absolutely need to go into your root FS2 folder. Uninstalling is a cinch; Turey's Installer will not change or overwrite any retail files.

Good luck!

 

Offline Gryffon

  • 24
Re: The Idiot's Guide to Installing FreeSpace 2 Open *noob-friendly*
Thanks for the rapid reply! (I recently waited three weeks for an equipment upgrade site response from a top Korean archery equipment manufacturer's forum - I was looking to spend a couple of thousand on upgrading my gear - their opposition was most grateful!)
I'll let you know if I encounter any issue - in the mean time, I'll go and watch 5th Element to stop myself fretting over slow downloads...

What with drop-outs, timed-out log-offs etc, this is the fourth attempt to post a reply here. Still - I'm snowed in right now, so not much better to do, so here goes.

I can't claim it as a record or anything as noble as that, but I've now been downloading FS Open for over three days now. No, it hasn't been continuous (hence, 'no record'), but I would hate to total the hours - serves me right for moving to the Wilds of Canada and trying to survive on an internet diet supplied by a 3G turbo stick @ 5-50kb/s.

The upside has been that I have lots of time to read this excellent forum - I run the risk of actually learning something. The downside is that I have had to close down the installer 4 times for others to borrow the turbo stick. Getting restarted has meant re-loading the Installer 4 times (at 21mb and 30 minutes per time). Over two hours of downloads just to get back to the downloads! Sigh. For future reference, is there a way to 'hold' the Installer to avoid this (though 'Exit' is the only control on the Installer itself). The best solution, I know, would have been to go manual, but I came across the Installer first in a web search, before I saw and read all the info on posts in this site that would have led me in that direction. So, I'll persist.

I note also that the installer seems to download big (say 115mb) files, only to then state that the file is out of date, and start downloading a 119mb file of the same name. This would seem to be soaking up an awful lot of my precious (EXPENSIVE) bandwidth to no (?) purpose? Is this what is actually happening, or am I just misinterpreting the on-screen messages? (Probably.)

Finally, maybe the Guide could specifically mention the need to install OpenAL in the summary section. It seems from a previous post that if you rely too much on the guide, the post download Installer directions may be overlooked. Alternatively, the guide could mention that there ARE post download instructions that should be followed. (Seems obvious, but this IS 'the Idiot's Guide', after all. Yes, you can count me in - I'm an idiot most of the time, but this FS Open looks like its worth every bit of the hassle of getting it.)
« Last Edit: December 13, 2010, 09:23:11 am by Jeff Vader »

 

Offline General Battuta

  • Poe's Law In Action
  • 214
  • i wonder when my postcount will exceed my iq
Re: The Idiot's Guide to Installing FreeSpace 2 Open *noob-friendly*
Bother, that does sound like a major pain. I wonder if there's an up-to-date torrent you could use instead.

 

Offline Jeff Vader

  • The Back of the Hero!
  • 212
  • Bwahaha
Re: The Idiot's Guide to Installing FreeSpace 2 Open *noob-friendly*
Finally, maybe the Guide could specifically mention the need to install OpenAL in the summary section. It seems from a previous post that if you rely too much on the guide, the post download Installer directions may be overlooked.
Added the installation of OpenAL as the first step.
23:40 < achillion > EveningTea: ass
23:40 < achillion > wait no
23:40 < achillion > evilbagel: ass
23:40 < EveningTea > ?
23:40 < achillion > 2-letter tab complete failure

14:08 < achillion > there's too much talk of butts and dongs in here
14:08 < achillion > the level of discourse has really plummeted
14:08 < achillion > Let's talk about politics instead
14:08 <@The_E > butts and dongs are part of #hard-light's brand now
14:08 <@The_E > well
14:08 <@The_E > EvilBagel's brand, at least

01:06 < T-Rog > welp
01:07 < T-Rog > I've got to take some very strong antibiotics
01:07 < achillion > penis infection?
01:08 < T-Rog > Chlamydia
01:08 < achillion > O.o
01:09 < achillion > well
01:09 < achillion > I guess that happens
01:09 < T-Rog > at least it's curable
01:09 < achillion > yeah
01:10 < T-Rog > I take it you weren't actually expecting it to be a penis infection
01:10 < achillion > I was not

14:04 < achillion > Sometimes the way to simplify is to just have a habit and not think about it too much
14:05 < achillion > until stuff explodes
14:05 < achillion > then you start thinking about it

22:16 < T-Rog > I don't know how my gf would feel about Jewish conspiracy porn

15:41 <-INFO > EveningTea [[email protected]] has joined #hard-light
15:47 < EvilBagel> butt
15:51 < Achillion> yes
15:53 <-INFO > EveningTea [[email protected]] has quit [Quit: http://www.mibbit.com ajax IRC Client]

18:53 < Achillion> Dicks are fun

21:41 < MatthTheGeek> you can't spell assassin without two asses

20:05 < sigtau> i'm mining titcoins from now on

00:31 < oldlaptop> Drunken antisocial educated freezing hicks with good Internet == Finland stereotype

11:46 <-INFO > Kobrar [[email protected]] has joined #hard-light
11:50 < achtung> Surely you've heard of DVDA
11:50 < achtung> Double Vaginal Double ANal
11:51 < Kobrar> ...
11:51 <-INFO > Kobrar [[email protected]] has left #hard-light []

 

Offline Gryffon

  • 24
Re: The Idiot's Guide to Installing FreeSpace 2 Open *noob-friendly*
Thanks mates for all of the assists.
Well, here is one idiot that survived the rigors of the download, and, in the last hour, installed, launched, went through training and the first few missions of FS1. It worked!
Actually read post install notes, which identified some errors on .ogg files that need correcting. So, once again downloading updates for files just downloaded because they are 'out of date'! (E.g. Colossus.ogg; Current File Size: 34616850; New File Size: 42419559; the file colossus.ogg is out of date; starting download & extraction... etc.)

Now, I know this is more properly an issue for the Installer thread, but it is something that even you cable guys should be aware of - multiple downloads due to initial 'out of date' files being selected by the Installer. My guess is that I have had at least 1 Gig of 'duplicated' downloads owing to this issue (it doesn't take many 200meg files to be re-DLed to reach silly numbers).

Anyway - enough of that - I gotta go frag me some Vasudans (on medium hard boiled). Thanks & talk soon.
 

 

Offline warrick

  • 20
Re: The Idiot's Guide to Installing FreeSpace 2 Open *noob-friendly*
Hi
i have installed fs2. now i want to install SCP Package 3.6.12.

Problem:
I think my SCP install hangs. it hangs alway at the same point. i waited one hour without any secsuss. iam installing it with following installer:
FreeSpaceOpenInstaller.jar

it hangs at:
Checking: 3612_Ant-Cache.vp ...

See attached picture.


[attachment deleted by admin]

 

Offline rockus

  • 20
Re: The Idiot's Guide to Installing FreeSpace 2 Open *noob-friendly*
Hi
i have installed fs2. now i want to install SCP Package 3.6.12.

Problem:
I think my SCP install hangs. it hangs alway at the same point. i waited one hour without any secsuss. iam installing it with following installer:
FreeSpaceOpenInstaller.jar

it hangs at:
Checking: 3612_Ant-Cache.vp ...

See attached picture.

I am having the same issues as warrick. I have tried the steps multiple times from the start to no avail. Can anybody help?

 

Offline Jeff Vader

  • The Back of the Hero!
  • 212
  • Bwahaha
Re: The Idiot's Guide to Installing FreeSpace 2 Open *noob-friendly*
Hi
i have installed fs2. now i want to install SCP Package 3.6.12.

Problem:
I think my SCP install hangs. it hangs alway at the same point. i waited one hour without any secsuss. iam installing it with following installer:
FreeSpaceOpenInstaller.jar

it hangs at:
Checking: 3612_Ant-Cache.vp ...

See attached picture.

I am having the same issues as warrick. I have tried the steps multiple times from the start to no avail. Can anybody help?
Oh, the ever-so-wonderful and easy-to-use and awesome FSO Installer, how I love you. <3

...Seriously, though. I'd recommend the following:
- the next time you try to run the Installer, make your selections so that it does NOT try to install the MediaVPs
- install the 3.6.12 MediaVPs according to the instructions here.
23:40 < achillion > EveningTea: ass
23:40 < achillion > wait no
23:40 < achillion > evilbagel: ass
23:40 < EveningTea > ?
23:40 < achillion > 2-letter tab complete failure

14:08 < achillion > there's too much talk of butts and dongs in here
14:08 < achillion > the level of discourse has really plummeted
14:08 < achillion > Let's talk about politics instead
14:08 <@The_E > butts and dongs are part of #hard-light's brand now
14:08 <@The_E > well
14:08 <@The_E > EvilBagel's brand, at least

01:06 < T-Rog > welp
01:07 < T-Rog > I've got to take some very strong antibiotics
01:07 < achillion > penis infection?
01:08 < T-Rog > Chlamydia
01:08 < achillion > O.o
01:09 < achillion > well
01:09 < achillion > I guess that happens
01:09 < T-Rog > at least it's curable
01:09 < achillion > yeah
01:10 < T-Rog > I take it you weren't actually expecting it to be a penis infection
01:10 < achillion > I was not

14:04 < achillion > Sometimes the way to simplify is to just have a habit and not think about it too much
14:05 < achillion > until stuff explodes
14:05 < achillion > then you start thinking about it

22:16 < T-Rog > I don't know how my gf would feel about Jewish conspiracy porn

15:41 <-INFO > EveningTea [[email protected]] has joined #hard-light
15:47 < EvilBagel> butt
15:51 < Achillion> yes
15:53 <-INFO > EveningTea [[email protected]] has quit [Quit: http://www.mibbit.com ajax IRC Client]

18:53 < Achillion> Dicks are fun

21:41 < MatthTheGeek> you can't spell assassin without two asses

20:05 < sigtau> i'm mining titcoins from now on

00:31 < oldlaptop> Drunken antisocial educated freezing hicks with good Internet == Finland stereotype

11:46 <-INFO > Kobrar [[email protected]] has joined #hard-light
11:50 < achtung> Surely you've heard of DVDA
11:50 < achtung> Double Vaginal Double ANal
11:51 < Kobrar> ...
11:51 <-INFO > Kobrar [[email protected]] has left #hard-light []

 

Offline Mura

  • 27
  • Shadow lurker
Re: The Idiot's Guide to Installing FreeSpace 2 Open *noob-friendly*
Yaay, more installer woes, it seems, can anyone confirm if it installs a launcher6.ini? it's causing all sorts of funky problems for people who are making fresh installs. We got one person on IRC already with this issue
Signed, me

 

Offline Jeff Vader

  • The Back of the Hero!
  • 212
  • Bwahaha
Re: The Idiot's Guide to Installing FreeSpace 2 Open *noob-friendly*
Yaay, more installer woes, it seems, can anyone confirm if it installs a launcher6.ini? it's causing all sorts of funky problems for people who are making fresh installs. We got one person on IRC already with this issue
Two. The first one was a couple of days ago.
23:40 < achillion > EveningTea: ass
23:40 < achillion > wait no
23:40 < achillion > evilbagel: ass
23:40 < EveningTea > ?
23:40 < achillion > 2-letter tab complete failure

14:08 < achillion > there's too much talk of butts and dongs in here
14:08 < achillion > the level of discourse has really plummeted
14:08 < achillion > Let's talk about politics instead
14:08 <@The_E > butts and dongs are part of #hard-light's brand now
14:08 <@The_E > well
14:08 <@The_E > EvilBagel's brand, at least

01:06 < T-Rog > welp
01:07 < T-Rog > I've got to take some very strong antibiotics
01:07 < achillion > penis infection?
01:08 < T-Rog > Chlamydia
01:08 < achillion > O.o
01:09 < achillion > well
01:09 < achillion > I guess that happens
01:09 < T-Rog > at least it's curable
01:09 < achillion > yeah
01:10 < T-Rog > I take it you weren't actually expecting it to be a penis infection
01:10 < achillion > I was not

14:04 < achillion > Sometimes the way to simplify is to just have a habit and not think about it too much
14:05 < achillion > until stuff explodes
14:05 < achillion > then you start thinking about it

22:16 < T-Rog > I don't know how my gf would feel about Jewish conspiracy porn

15:41 <-INFO > EveningTea [[email protected]] has joined #hard-light
15:47 < EvilBagel> butt
15:51 < Achillion> yes
15:53 <-INFO > EveningTea [[email protected]] has quit [Quit: http://www.mibbit.com ajax IRC Client]

18:53 < Achillion> Dicks are fun

21:41 < MatthTheGeek> you can't spell assassin without two asses

20:05 < sigtau> i'm mining titcoins from now on

00:31 < oldlaptop> Drunken antisocial educated freezing hicks with good Internet == Finland stereotype

11:46 <-INFO > Kobrar [[email protected]] has joined #hard-light
11:50 < achtung> Surely you've heard of DVDA
11:50 < achtung> Double Vaginal Double ANal
11:51 < Kobrar> ...
11:51 <-INFO > Kobrar [[email protected]] has left #hard-light []

 

Offline Gryffon

  • 24
Re: The Idiot's Guide to Installing FreeSpace 2 Open *noob-friendly*
Just a quick update on a couple of issues...

I previously suggested that I thought the installer, by first downloading, then re-downloading 'updated' files ,would greatly increase my monthly download limit. Was I ever wrong when I suggested I thought it would up my bandwidth by 1 Gig or so. I just got my bill. Average monthly for the last 6 months to November - 1.4 GB, latest bill, (which included the FS2 Open downloads) - 10.7GB ($292). I knew it would be bad, but that's a disaster!  :eek2: :(

On a happier note, am having a bang-up time playing through FS1 and, now, FS2. A question, though. When looking at the Mod Selection tab of the Launcher, there are over 15 'Mods' listed. Some are blank and don't do anything. Some, (like Deus Ex Machina; Homesick) I would have expected to see something, while others (FS2 Open Inferno 3.6.12. app) I don't think are intended as game starters, while others (Ereg), I have no clue about.

I will do a hunt through the forums and see if I can unravel the mysteries one-by-one, but it occured to me, that it would be great to have an appendix to the excellent guide, with a quick description of each of the Mods that show up in the interface, together with a note on what they are for, including a timeline, for those wishing to play an 'historical' (from the perspective of the FS universe) sequential series of games. How do the mods fsport and inf1 (inferno Release 1 Patched for SCP) relate?; Should Destiny of Peace (7 months after Lucifer) be played before Awakenings (3 years after Lucifer)? I realise that some (Transcend) are probably 'side' campaigns, but some all-in-one-place guidance about when they occured, and when it is recommended that they be played would be most welcome for noobies on their first time through.

Thanks all - gotta go solve a crash half way through the Awakenings campaign.

 

Offline General Battuta

  • Poe's Law In Action
  • 214
  • i wonder when my postcount will exceed my iq
Re: The Idiot's Guide to Installing FreeSpace 2 Open *noob-friendly*
There is no chronological continuity of campaigns because none of them really relate to each other, with the exception of those that are obviously series or sequels. The general categories are FS1, reconstruction, FS2, post-capella.

 

Offline ssmit132

  • 210
  • Also known as "Typhlomence"
    • Steam
    • Twitter
Re: The Idiot's Guide to Installing FreeSpace 2 Open *noob-friendly*
while others (Ereg), I have no clue about.
Ereg isn't a mod, it's some files from the retail FS2 installation.

 

Offline Androgeos Exeunt

  • Captain Oblivious
  • 212
  • Prevents attraction.
    • Wordpress.com Blog
Re: The Idiot's Guide to Installing FreeSpace 2 Open *noob-friendly*
Is that the folder containing a MindSpring installer? That's not needed.
My blog

Quote: Tuesday, 3 October 2023 0133 UTC +8, #general
MP-Ryan
Oh you still believe in fairy tales like Santa, the Easter Bunny, and free market competition principles?

 

Offline ssmit132

  • 210
  • Also known as "Typhlomence"
    • Steam
    • Twitter
Re: The Idiot's Guide to Installing FreeSpace 2 Open *noob-friendly*
No, it's seperate to MindSpring. I think Ereg is some registration thing, so it's not needed either.

 

Offline Jeff Vader

  • The Back of the Hero!
  • 212
  • Bwahaha
Re: The Idiot's Guide to Installing FreeSpace 2 Open *noob-friendly*
latest bill, (which included the FS2 Open downloads) - 10.7GB
Yeah, if you opt to download EVERYTHING the Installer can get, there is a lot of stuff.

When looking at the Mod Selection tab of the Launcher, there are over 15 'Mods' listed. Some are blank and don't do anything.
The way things work in FSO is that when you click "Select MOD", you get a view of your \freespace2\ directory and then select the FOLDER of the mod you wish to use. You don't select anything inside those folders, but the folder itself.


others (FS2 Open Inferno 3.6.12. app) I don't think are intended as game starters
The fs2_open .exe files are versions of the game engine. The actual program that runs when you start FSO.
23:40 < achillion > EveningTea: ass
23:40 < achillion > wait no
23:40 < achillion > evilbagel: ass
23:40 < EveningTea > ?
23:40 < achillion > 2-letter tab complete failure

14:08 < achillion > there's too much talk of butts and dongs in here
14:08 < achillion > the level of discourse has really plummeted
14:08 < achillion > Let's talk about politics instead
14:08 <@The_E > butts and dongs are part of #hard-light's brand now
14:08 <@The_E > well
14:08 <@The_E > EvilBagel's brand, at least

01:06 < T-Rog > welp
01:07 < T-Rog > I've got to take some very strong antibiotics
01:07 < achillion > penis infection?
01:08 < T-Rog > Chlamydia
01:08 < achillion > O.o
01:09 < achillion > well
01:09 < achillion > I guess that happens
01:09 < T-Rog > at least it's curable
01:09 < achillion > yeah
01:10 < T-Rog > I take it you weren't actually expecting it to be a penis infection
01:10 < achillion > I was not

14:04 < achillion > Sometimes the way to simplify is to just have a habit and not think about it too much
14:05 < achillion > until stuff explodes
14:05 < achillion > then you start thinking about it

22:16 < T-Rog > I don't know how my gf would feel about Jewish conspiracy porn

15:41 <-INFO > EveningTea [[email protected]] has joined #hard-light
15:47 < EvilBagel> butt
15:51 < Achillion> yes
15:53 <-INFO > EveningTea [[email protected]] has quit [Quit: http://www.mibbit.com ajax IRC Client]

18:53 < Achillion> Dicks are fun

21:41 < MatthTheGeek> you can't spell assassin without two asses

20:05 < sigtau> i'm mining titcoins from now on

00:31 < oldlaptop> Drunken antisocial educated freezing hicks with good Internet == Finland stereotype

11:46 <-INFO > Kobrar [[email protected]] has joined #hard-light
11:50 < achtung> Surely you've heard of DVDA
11:50 < achtung> Double Vaginal Double ANal
11:51 < Kobrar> ...
11:51 <-INFO > Kobrar [[email protected]] has left #hard-light []

 

Offline Gryffon

  • 24
Re: The Idiot's Guide to Installing FreeSpace 2 Open *noob-friendly*
Thanks everyone. Your points are appreciated, but sort of make the case. I pretty well assumed that Ereg and the .app file were not campaigns, yet they are listed under the 'Mods' section of the launcher, as folders.  For computer semi-literates like me and noobs who haven't had their head into the intimate details of this project (unlike those that can probably tell you the name of and where every file is located in the whole FS2 folder),  its a different story. As it stands, clicking on a folder in the MODS section of the laucher usually brings up an image and/or a description in the Mod Details box. But sometimes not. Sometimes that is because it is an app folder or something, and sometimes because there is no Mod Description, and you should go ahead and click 'Run' anyway.

Inconsistencies create discomfort, especially if people suspect that by clicking on something you are not supposed to, you may create a problem that will entail bugging people like yourselves to try and fix.

My suggestion was that somewhere there could be a note for noobs to just ignore the non-campaign folders (and which ones they are) in the Mod launcher and not be concerned about them, whereas, I felt a concern about the blank 'Mod Details' Box in the launcher for campaigns like Homesick  and Deus Ex Machina, because, to a noob, it looks like they too are therefore not campaigns and should be ignored.

 

Offline Gryffon

  • 24
Re: The Idiot's Guide to Installing FreeSpace 2 Open *noob-friendly*
Hi Jeff, yes it IS a lot of stuff, but  I think it indicated that it would be around 5GB, which would have squeeked under my braket limit. There seems to have been at least another 2-3 GB beyond that figure, however, and that got me into high cost download territory.

 
Re: The Idiot's Guide to Installing FreeSpace 2 Open *noob-friendly*
Is it me? or is the Installer borked? I got WIN 7 Ultimate running at 64 bit and I'm trying to use the installer. It keeps on hanging at different Presentage on downloading. I never have gotten past 24% when it hangs.  Also, WIN 7 tells me that the installer does NOT like when I use the 64 bit windows theme and reverts to the basic theme for the installer to work.

Any ideas?
 
Thanks all!
Jadehawk
Got Shivans? The SOC Ezechiel is the schnitzel! Don't leave base without it.