[AdmiralRalwood]

I'd just assumed when I did the download that older variants wouldn't be offered, especially given the compatibility with newer mods.

3.7.2 Final hasn't been released yet, so the last "stable" release was technically 3.7.0 (personally, I find 3.7.2 RC4 to be more stable than 3.7.0, but the fact that it's still a release candidate is why 3.7.0 is still offered in the installer).

[TwoCables]

3.7.0, after you mentioned 3.7.2 RC4 I went into my FS2 folder and noticed several variants of the 3.7.X string.

I'd just assumed when I did the download that older variants wouldn't be offered, especially given the compatibility with newer mods.

FreeSpace Installer installs whatever you tell it to. When you see the big list of things to be downloaded and installed, everything that has a check in the check box will be downloaded and installed.

So, what's the exact name of the 3.7.2 RC4 .exe are you using? I recommend using fs2_open_3_7_2_RC4.exe. In FreeSpace Installer, this is "FreeSpace Open 3.7.2 RC4 Windows Standard". It probably should have been named "FreeSpace Open 3.7.2 RC4 Windows SSE2", but for some reason they chose "Windows Standard". I'm guessing that it's able to take advantage of more than just the SSE2 CPU instructions. Regardless, this is the one to use if you have a very modern CPU, like the one you have.

[AdmiralRalwood]

It probably should have been named "FreeSpace Open 3.7.2 RC4 Windows SSE2", but for some reason they chose "Windows Standard".

That's because SSE2 is the standard; the vast majority of CPUs out there today can handle it.

I'm guessing that it's able to take advantage of more than just the SSE2 CPU instructions.

Nope.

Regardless, this is the one to use if you have a very modern CPU, like the one you have.

Not really; modern CPUs can handle AVX, which isn't currently offered in standard releases (but you can compile an AVX build yourself).

[TwoCables]

It probably should have been named "FreeSpace Open 3.7.2 RC4 Windows SSE2", but for some reason they chose "Windows Standard".

That's because SSE2 is the standard; the vast majority of CPUs out there today can handle it.

If it had just been named "FreeSpace Open 3.7.2 RC4 Windows SSE2", then it would be straight forward and it would also be consistent with the naming of the others. When I saw "FreeSpace Open 3.7.0 Windows SSE2" and then later was told that I'd be happier with 3.7.2 RC4, I immediately went looking for "FreeSpace Open 3.7.2 RC4 Windows SSE2". I saw "FreeSpace Open 3.7.2 RC4 Windows SSE", but no "SSE2" - just "Windows Standard". Yes, of course I eventually clicked "More Info", but it did leave me slightly annoyed that its name is inconsistent because if it had been, then I would have immediately started the download instead (that is, there would have been no question about it; no thinking or wondering).

I'm guessing that it's able to take advantage of more than just the SSE2 CPU instructions.

Nope.

Yeah, I figured that out from the first part of your correction above. Thanks anyway.

Regardless, this is the one to use if you have a very modern CPU, like the one you have.

Not really; modern CPUs can handle AVX, which isn't currently offered in standard releases (but you can compile an AVX build yourself).

I know, but I was over-simplifying it because I feel that it's better to assume that not everyone on here is as much of a computer geek as I am (I try to avoid assuming that everyone knows what I know). I didn't feel that it's necessary to go into all of that because I felt that it could have just confused things even further. I felt that it was much better to make sure that I knew that he knew that he didn't have to worry about his CPU.