[Ghensler]

Hey, sorry if this is covered somewhere, but I had trouble running a search for it.

I've been reading about all the Freespace 2 upgrades and projects on different gaming sites, but I have an old retail copy of the first Freespace game.  I'd like to replay that and get back into the universe before I grab Freespace 2 off of GoG - are there any graphical upgrades for Freespace 1 like there are for Freespace 2?

[ktistai228]

unfortunately no. There is a Port of FS1 to FS2, but as anything else goes, I'm sorry.

[General Battuta]

There are in a roundabout way - install FreeSpace Port for FreeSpace 2, then install the FSPort MediaVPs (as well as the regular MediaVPs), and enjoy.

We do not have access to the FS1 source code so that game has never been developed on its own.

[Galemp]

Thanks for playing!

The FreeSpace Port requires the FS2 Engine and visual enhancements (MediaVPs), as well as its own mod and its own supplemental visual enhancements (FSPort MVPs). I would recommend purchasing FS2 and going through the install process of FS2 Open and playing FSPort for the most in graphical goodness.

And play Silent Threat: Reborn between FS1 and FS2.

[Ypoknons]

That, and Freespace 2 and all the associated projects are well worth playing.

[Satellight]

In fact, I replayed the vanilla FS1 yesterday and...hum... I was shocked. 
On a LCD screen with 1600 * 1200 resolution, it's HORRIBLE. Perhaps fun, but very ugly. Don't forget the resolution was fixed at 640 * 480.

FSPort © : The best Way to Play.

No commercial ad inside

[dANGER boy]

In fact, I replayed the vanilla FS1 yesterday and...hum... I was shocked. 
On a LCD screen with 1600 * 1200 resolution, it's HORRIBLE. Perhaps fun, but very ugly. Don't forget the resolution was fixed at 640 * 480.

FSPort © : The best Way to Play.

No commercial ad inside

Ugly? UGLY?!?!?  I would say its "classic" or perhaps "seasoned", but not ugly.

To be honest, I prefer vanilla FS1 to FSPort.  Call me a purist but I like the increased difficulty of inaccurate missiles.

[Mars]

In fact, I replayed the vanilla FS1 yesterday and...hum... I was shocked. 
On a LCD screen with 1600 * 1200 resolution, it's HORRIBLE. Perhaps fun, but very ugly. Don't forget the resolution was fixed at 640 * 480.

FSPort © : The best Way to Play.

No commercial ad inside

Ugly? UGLY?!?!?  I would say its "classic" or perhaps "seasoned", but not ugly.

To be honest, I prefer vanilla FS1 to FSPort.  Call me a purist but I like the increased difficulty of inaccurate missiles.

I find Hornets to be far more accurate in Vanilla FS1

[Satellight]

  Don't be angry guys, I don't have said vanilla FS1 is not good to play ! But I think about the "new-next-gen" generation.
FSPort, even not perfect, is IMO a good way for someone who's discovering FS1 to play in good condition. I'm pretty sure all has been done to keep the experience as close as the original. And don't forget that in the credit mission of FSPort they talk about the possibilty to buy the vanilla FS1 on GoG.com.
And if I want to replay vanilla FS1 with the original feeling, then I re-plug my CRT 

[Unknown Target]

I enjoyed the weird 3D nebulae background that they used in the original FS. Dunno why bit it was kind of cool looking. I also liked the "ka-click" sound whenever your weapons hit a target a lot more than the sound in FS2.

[Galemp]

I also liked the "ka-click" sound whenever your weapons hit a target a lot more than the sound in FS2.

What's this? To my knowledge we had ported over all the FS1 sound effects.

[Androgeos Exeunt]

I enjoyed the weird 3D nebulae background that they used in the original FS.

Those are bitmaps, right?

[General Battuta]

I enjoyed the weird 3D nebulae background that they used in the original FS.

Those are bitmaps, right?

don't think so

[Hades]

no, they aren't, they're some type of generated thing IIRC


and I think I prefer them to FS2's nebula background, which look kinda ugly and really cartoony (as do lightspeed's)

[T-LoW]

They are just vectors. They look simple and fill the whole scenery - they are easy to use. But for gods sake they aren't superior to nebula images (even if some look cartoonish).

Oh and for upgrading FS:

You can increase the native texture resolution by changing something somewhere... I guess karajorma's facts (to be found in his signature) contain this info

[Satellight]

They are just vectors. They look simple and fill the whole scenery - they are easy to use. But for gods sake they aren't superior to nebula images (even if some look cartoonish).

Oh and for upgrading FS:

You can increase the native texture resolution by changing something somewhere... I guess karajorma's facts (to be found in his signature) contain this info

I want to play FreeSpace in another resolution but it only lets me play in 640x480. What can I do?

If you're trying to play FS1 in a different resolution you're bang out of luck. It's 640x480 or nothing. Ironically the only way to play FS1 in another resolution is to play the FS1 port on FS2, They're no way to get the original game to do it.

In fact, according to the FreeSpace Oracle, some hacks exist in order to improve the textures (from 256 X 256 pixels maps to 512 x 512), but there is no way to change resolution  I had almost a sudden heart attack when i read your post