Author Topic: How to edit a campaign mission in wing commander saga?  (Read 6816 times)

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Offline emark4

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How to edit a campaign mission in wing commander saga?
I just want to change my player ship to a rapier and I just downloaded FRED for that reason. However, I don't even know how to load a campaign mission. Can someone point me to the right direction please?

 

Offline DefCynodont119

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Re: How to edit a campaign mission in wing commander saga?
For digging up any Freespace/Mod asset like a campaign mission, you want to first make sure you have a VP viewer, I could go over Freespace_Open's file structure, but I'll let this guy do It better: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csseKT3eiaE&list=PL6UAAcjEObko4wCCRmrngHFkywLDDO6o3

Watch that, then Get this: http://www.freespacemods.net/e107_plugins/download/request.php?635

They should be In a VP.file with "root" In It's name. then >Missions (or >Data>Missions) than you should find it and extract a copy of the thing you want.

Make your changes, then put it in Data>Missions (make this folder if It does not exist) with the same name as it had before. Because It's not in a VP.file but It has the same name as the file that Is, It gets loaded first. (this is so you can make changes without making new VP.files)


It works the same way for Total Conversions (like Wing Commander Saga) as It does for Freespace.

If you need more explaining, just say so.  I'll/someone else could please post stuff about FRED once you get there.
My gift from Freespace to Cities Skylines:  http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=639891299

 

Offline emark4

  • 27
Re: How to edit a campaign mission in wing commander saga?
For digging up any Freespace/Mod asset like a campaign mission, you want to first make sure you have a VP viewer, I could go over Freespace_Open's file structure, but I'll let this guy do It better: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csseKT3eiaE&list=PL6UAAcjEObko4wCCRmrngHFkywLDDO6o3

Watch that, then Get this: http://www.freespacemods.net/e107_plugins/download/request.php?635

They should be In a VP.file with "root" In It's name. then >Missions (or >Data>Missions) than you should find it and extract a copy of the thing you want.

Make your changes, then put it in Data>Missions (make this folder if It does not exist) with the same name as it had before. Because It's not in a VP.file but It has the same name as the file that Is, It gets loaded first. (this is so you can make changes without making new VP.files)


It works the same way for Total Conversions (like Wing Commander Saga) as It does for Freespace.

If you need more explaining, just say so.  I'll/someone else could please post stuff about FRED once you get there.

Okay I managed to extract a mission and trying to change my arrow ship to a rapier. Problem is that the editor isn't letting me. Says that the rapier isn't a flyable craft (ironic since it appeared on the website, what's the damn point , *facepalms*)

 

Offline DefCynodont119

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Re: How to edit a campaign mission in wing commander saga?
I never played Wing Commandeer Saga, So i wouldn't know, But have you tried using the loadout editor?

It should be under: Edit > Team loadout.

that's a better place make that kind of change.

Or maybe the rapier is just to powerful a ship to let into the player's hands. . . (If the ship is in the game, then you could mod it to make it flyable, but that's more work.)
« Last Edit: September 22, 2016, 08:39:35 pm by DefCynodont119 »
My gift from Freespace to Cities Skylines:  http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=639891299

 

Offline niffiwan

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Re: How to edit a campaign mission in wing commander saga?
You might also need to change the ships.tbl to add this flag to the Rapier?

http://www.hard-light.net/wiki/index.php/Ships.tbl#Ships.tbl_flags
"player_ship"
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Offline starlord

  • 210
Re: How to edit a campaign mission in wing commander saga?
You misunderstand:

The rapier appears and is flown by allied forces (system defense forces actually) but not by you, as it is obsolete.

Same goes for the super ferrets.

 

Offline emark4

  • 27
Re: How to edit a campaign mission in wing commander saga?
You misunderstand:

The rapier appears and is flown by allied forces (system defense forces actually) but not by you, as it is obsolete.

Same goes for the super ferrets.

Okay, makes sense,

Still, it would be nice if they were flown in the prolouge as training craft for new pilots before they get he arrows and hellcats. Or be brought out to be used because of let's say,.... The lack of avalaible fighter craft , like in  battlestar Galactica

At least that's how I would have done it. Personally, I don't like the look of the avalaible fighters. I really wanna fly something really cool in the end,... And I find out that I don't
....:(

 
Re: How to edit a campaign mission in wing commander saga?
Looks aren't everything, but I see your point.

You do get to fly the Sabre once, which is IIRC from the same era and a pretty cool ship, in my opinion.

 

Offline emark4

  • 27
Re: How to edit a campaign mission in wing commander saga?
Looks aren't everything, but I see your point.

You do get to fly the Sabre once, which is IIRC from the same era and a pretty cool ship, in my opinion.

I've heard you only get to fly it once though... That's even sadder!

 

Offline emark4

  • 27
Re: How to edit a campaign mission in wing commander saga?


Make your changes, then put it in Data>Missions (make this folder if It does not exist) with the same name as it had before. Because It's not in a VP.file but It has the same name as the file that Is, It gets loaded first. (this is so you can make changes without making new VP.files)


So I'm guessing that the game will read the .tbl and the .FS2 mission file first over the ones originally stuck in the .VP correct?

 

Offline AdmiralRalwood

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Re: How to edit a campaign mission in wing commander saga?


Make your changes, then put it in Data>Missions (make this folder if It does not exist) with the same name as it had before. Because It's not in a VP.file but It has the same name as the file that Is, It gets loaded first. (this is so you can make changes without making new VP.files)


So I'm guessing that the game will read the .tbl and the .FS2 mission file first over the ones originally stuck in the .VP correct?
Correct; loose files take priority over the same filenames in VP archives.
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Offline emark4

  • 27
Re: How to edit a campaign mission in wing commander saga?


Make your changes, then put it in Data>Missions (make this folder if It does not exist) with the same name as it had before. Because It's not in a VP.file but It has the same name as the file that Is, It gets loaded first. (this is so you can make changes without making new VP.files)


So I'm guessing that the game will read the .tbl and the .FS2 mission file first over the ones originally stuck in the .VP correct?
Correct; loose files take priority over the same filenames in VP archives.

Tried it out and it worked! I managed to break out the museum piece rapier fighter just like they did in BSG! But is it just me, or am I doing better in a rapier ship than in an arrow (Ive successfully modded the 5th prolouge mission and piloted the rapier, performed better in that mission.)

 

Offline karajorma

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Re: How to edit a campaign mission in wing commander saga?
Maybe you might want to try making some missions of your own which balance it out better then? :D
Karajorma's Freespace FAQ. It's almost like asking me yourself.

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Offline emark4

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Re: How to edit a campaign mission in wing commander saga?
Maybe you might want to try making some missions of your own which balance it out better then? :D

One of these days, I will have to teach myself to do some true FREDing. In the meantime, it would just be a means to change my player craft.

Though I didn't mean to sound like I'm complaining about the rapier's. I was just curious. Actually, in another mission in the darkest dawn campaign I was supposed to pilot an arrow but changed it to a rapier instead. The rapier's secondary laser cannons were very effective against those capital ships, something that I don't think the arrow has (being a scout craft after all). Im not sure how you are supposed to fight a capship with an arrow..

But then again, I'm new to free space & wing commander, what do I know....