[TwoCables]

In a couple of hours or so, I will begin playing the retail FS1 campaign. This will be my very first time playing FS1 at all. Ever. I've played the retail FS2 campaign hundreds of times though. Do you think that my first experience in FS1 should be using 'fsport', or 'fsport-mediavps'? I'm torn. On one hand, I want to get as close to the original experience as possible. On the other, I am addicted to the visuals in MediaVPs 2014 for FS2.

I'm slightly leaning toward fsport, but can you think of anything in fsport that's not quite as the same (and as good) as the original? Or, is it identical? I have absolutely everything downloaded and installed for both fsport and fsport-mediavps.

[Black Wolf]

Use the MediaVPs.

With all due respect to [V], they didn't really hit their stride until FS2 - retail FS1 was a good game, but there's nothing in it that was so revolutionary that the retail experience is necessary, especially coming from FS2. And besides, unless you were planning on playing in16 bit colour at 640x480, you're really not going to get the absolute authentic experience anyway. So my advice is to make the game the best that it can possibly be. Play with MediaVPs, then skip Silent Threat entirely and go straight to Silent Threat: Reborn.

Then, if you still want more FS1 action, play Frontlines. 

[TwoCables]

Use the MediaVPs.

With all due respect to [V], they didn't really hit their stride until FS2 - retail FS1 was a good game, but there's nothing in it that was so revolutionary that the retail experience is necessary, especially coming from FS2. And besides, unless you were planning on playing in16 bit colour at 640x480, you're really not going to get the absolute authentic experience anyway. So my advice is to make the game the best that it can possibly be.

Hmm. That makes perfect sense to me. Thank you! I especially like the point you made where you said that I wouldn't really get the absolute authentic experience anyway if I'm not planning to play it in 16-bit color at a low resolution like 640x480.

Play with MediaVPs, then skip Silent Threat entirely and go straight to Silent Threat: Reborn.

It looks to me like I only have STR. Should this be played right after finishing the entire FS1 campaign?

Then, if you still want more FS1 action, play Frontlines. 

I'll think about it! Thank you for the recommendation.

[Black Wolf]

It looks to me like I only have STR. Should this be played right after finishing the entire FS1 campaign?

Yep. It's set a few months after the final mission of FS1, and slightly picks up on the story of the game, in that there are still Shivans around, while generating a whole new storyline.

[TwoCables]

It looks to me like I only have STR. Should this be played right after finishing the entire FS1 campaign?

Yep. It's set a few months after the final mission of FS1, and slightly picks up on the story of the game, in that there are still Shivans around, while generating a whole new storyline.

Oh, I see what it is now:

http://www.hard-light.net/wiki/index.php/Silent_Threat

Yep, I definitely don't have this. I only have the retail copy of FS2 and also what I downloaded using the FreeSpace Open Installer (v2.1.10). So, the only copies I have of FS1 are just the Mods. So yeah, I'm all set.

Thank you for telling me to play fsport-str because I wouldn't have known otherwise!

I do have one more question, and it's in regards to custom flags for lighting: I do indeed plan to use fsport-mediavps. Beyond that, I'm up in the air about my custom flags. I've been enjoying the following settings (with all features enabled), which are a slightly modified version of ColeCampbell666's flags:

• -ambient_factor 0
• -no_emissive_light
• -spec_exp 11
• -spec_point 1.0
• -spec_static .8
• -spec_tube .6
• -ogl_spec 83

Is there/are there any reason(s) that you can think of for why I should use different flags, or no flags at all?

[Black Wolf]

No reason I can think of to change them.

[TwoCables]

Yep, the more and more I think about it, the more and more I agree - especially with how awesome everything looks with these flags.

I'm about to jump in for the first time. I'm pretty excited.

[TwoCables]

Use the MediaVPs.

With all due respect to [V], they didn't really hit their stride until FS2 - retail FS1 was a good game, but there's nothing in it that was so revolutionary that the retail experience is necessary, especially coming from FS2.

I'm really seeing what you mean now. I'm taking a break at the moment, but I just finished Avenging Angels and so far, I'm feeling that it's not quite as exciting or something. It's still very good, but I think it's in the voice acting.

Of course, I also realize that I've only just begun; I have a feeling that it will get intense once I have my first encounter with the Shivans.

Oh, and I just gotta say: I'm very glad that I decided to do this because it's teaching me I need to be careful with my ship since I don't have shields. So, this will definitely help me in FS2, to teach me to stop relying on my shields so much.

[Akalabeth Angel]

I would play it with no mod.  Play the game in the state it was originally released in.
Then later if you like that style of combat, play some FS-1 era campaigns using the new artwork and effects

[TwoCables]

Do you mean that you would play FSPort rather than FSPort MediaVPs? I mean, FSPort is the closest that I would be able to get to the original.

[jr2]

You could always get the original from GOG.com if you wanted to be purist about it (only modified to make it work on new machines, nothing else).

[TwoCables]

You could always get the original from GOG.com if you wanted to be purist about it (only modified to make it work on new machines, nothing else).

Yeah I know, but I'm cheap (without much of a choice, really).

[jr2]

I personally would think play it modified, but, if you want to be purist, you would have to go with GOG.COM.

[TwoCables]

I personally would think play it modified, but, if you want to be purist, you would have to go with GOG.COM.

Hmm. You must be having technical difficulties. hehe Look at the previous 2 posts.

[jr2]

Mmm, no, the original FS1 engine had bugs that aren't present in FSPort. To get truly purist, you most experienced teh warts and all! At low resolution, too!

Honestly you'll never get the original experience. Why? This is 2015 in a few days... You won't be able to be in awe of the HQ effects etc, etc.
.. Ironically, to fully experience that missing bit of nostalgia you so crave, you will have to suffer through fsport. Sorry, purists. I just forever spoiled your purism, for which I am truly not sorry.   

[TwoCables]

Mmm, no, the original FS1 engine had bugs that aren't present in FSPort. To get truly purist, you most experienced teh warts and all! At low resolution, too!

Honestly you'll never get the original experience. Why? This is 2015 in a few days... You won't be able to be in awe of the HQ effects etc, etc.
.. Ironically, to fully experience that missing bit of nostalgia you so crave, you will have to suffer through fsport. Sorry, purists. I just forever spoiled your purism, for which I am truly not sorry.   

I think you missed a step. I was pointing out that you posted the same thing twice. So, I understood you before.

However, this did cause you to say things that you didn't say before which make your previous posts pale in comparison to this one.

[jr2]

'Tis all in jest, don't burn me at the stake! 

(To clarify: I am poking fun at purists here, not necessarily calling you one. And, I did mention it was in good fun, not to be taken as an insult. Just in case the purists are eyeballing the water filled flamethrowers under the seats.  )

[TwoCables]

'Tis all in jest, don't burn me at the stake! 

(To clarify: I am poking fun at purists here, not necessarily calling you one. And, I did mention it was in good fun, not to be taken as an insult. Just in case the purists are eyeballing the water filled flamethrowers under the seats.  )

Oh, I wasn't responding to that. I genuinely thought that you didn't know what I was saying when I said that you must be having technical difficulties (in reference to the two posts of yours in a row that are basically the same).

So, I might be the one who missed something. I mean, the way you replied before left me with the impression that you didn't know what I was really saying.

In other words: it's all good.

[BirdofPrey]

If you are going te FSPort route, no real reason NOT to use the mediaVPs.  They do make everything look so much better.
Whether or not you should play FS1 or FSPort is entirely different, really.  Both are just as good, though FS1 had a couple bugs.

That said, my ability to hit anything with my primaries has gone down from the fact missile in FS2 actually hit their target more than 5% of the time.