Let's simplify this to the extreme (which is exactly what I did for you in your New Pilot Onboard thread, but you apparently ignored my post because otherwise you wouldn't be asking this question). Follow these instructions IN ORDER, and TO THE LETTER - you don't have to know anything, nor do you have to know what you're doing. Just follow these instructions:
- Install FreeSpace 2 from your CDs. Make sure that it gets installed to "C:\Games\FreeSpace 2"!
- Download FreeSpace Installer
- Open it (its file name is FreeSpaceOpenInstaller.jar) - If this doesn't open, then it would mean that you don't have Java 1.5 or later. Fortunately, v1.5 is kind of old by now, so it's very likely that you have it.
- Click "Next"
- Wait for the little window to go away that says "Setting up the installer"
- Click "Complete"
- Click "Next"
Ok, now we are at the part where you get to to choose what gets installed and what doesn't. Here are the things that I recommend
not installing (deselect everything that I list here) because I believe you have Windows and a modern CPU. IF YOU DON'T, THEN SAY SO BEFORE DOING ANY OF THIS:
- FreeSpace Open 3.7.2 RC4 Windows SSE
- FreeSpace Open 3.7.2 RC4 NO-SEE
- FreeSpace Open 3.7.2 RC4 Macintosh
- FreeSpace Open 3.7.2 RC4 Linux
- FreeSpace Open 3.7.2 RC4 FreeBSD
- FreeSpace Open 3.7.0 Windows SSE2
- FreeSpace Open 3.7.0 Windows SSE
- FreeSpace Open 3.7.0 Windows NO-SSE
- FreeSpace Open 3.7.0 Windows 9x
- FreeSpace Open 3.7.0 Macintosh
- FreeSpace Open 3.7.0 Linux
- FreeSpace Open 3.7.0 FreeBSD
- wxLauncher for Windows
- wxLauncher for OSX
- wxLauncher for Linux
- Low-End Compatibility (this one is further down, directly underneath "Between the Ashes: Mefistofele"
The rest is optional, and some of it even depends on you. For example, I'm not a modder, nor do I want to play Multiplayer (I don't play well with others). So, I deselected these:
- Multiplayer Missions
- Multiplayer Voice Files
- FreeSpace Descent Manager Modding Tools
Now you can see why I had you choose "Complete".
After you're done, click "Install".
I don't remember what's next after this, but it should be very easy and straight forward. This can take an extremely long time because you could be downloading about 20 GB worth of data.
After everything is completely installed, I think that all you will need to do is this:
- Open up C:\Games\FreeSpace 2
- Open the file named "Launcher". Its icon is a black paw print.
- Inside the launcher (it says "FS2 Open Launcher 5.5g" on the top of its window), click the "Browse..." button at the top
- Browse to C:\Games\FreeSpace 2 and then double-click the file named "fs2_open_3_7_2_RC4.exe" (you might see it as just "fs2_open_3_7_2_RC4"). If double-clicking didn't do anything, then just left-click it once and then click "Open"
- Switch to the "Features" tab
- Where you see "Easy setup", select "All features on"
- You can leave "Custom Flags" blank for now. However, here are the flags that I'm using for an even more realistic look: -ambient_factor 0 -no_emissive_light -spec_exp 11 -spec_point 1.0 -spec_static .8 -spec_tube .6 -ogl_spec 83
- In the "List type" menu, you can switch to different feature lists to further customize the features. This is purely optional. I recommend experimenting. You can also double-click ANY of the features to see more information about it. For example, in the Graphics list, this is what you get when you double-click "Disable specular": http://www.hard-light.net/wiki/index.php/Command-Line_Reference#-spec
- Optional: switch to the Audio/Joystick tab and deselect "Enable EFX". In my opinion, the effects are kind of annoying. Experiment to see what you prefer.
- Finally, switch to the MOD tab
- Click "Select Mod"
- Scroll down and double-click "MediaVPs_2014"
- Click "Apply" to make sure that EVERYTHING we did here sticks.
Now, before you go any further (don't click "Run" and don't close the launcher. Just hear me out), I want you to pin the launcher either to the Taskbar or the Start Menu, or at least create a shortcut to it on the Desktop.
To pin it to the Taskbar, simply right-click its icon on the Taskbar and choose "Pin this program to the taskbar". The launcher must be open in order for there to be an icon for it on the taskbar so that you can pin it.
To pin it to the Start Menu, open up "C:\Games\FreeSpace 2", right-click "Launcher.exe" (the paw print icon), and choose "Pin to Start Menu".
To create a shortcut to it on the Desktop, right-click Launcher.exe (in the folder as specified above), and choose "Copy". Then, right-click your Desktop and choose "Paste Shortcut".
Now you are free to click "Run" in the launcher. From now on, every time you want to play FreeSpace 1 or 2 (or anything that has to do with FreeSpace), you open the Launcher.
If you want to play
FreeSpace 1: Silent Threat Reborn, then go back to the MOD tab, click "Select Mod", and choose "fsport-str" ("str" stands for "Silent Threat: Reborn"). That's all there is to it. If you want to play FS1, then choose "fsport-mediavps". That's all there is to it!
I guarantee you that if you do everything exactly as I have told you to here (as long as you have Windows and a modern CPU), then you will no longer be confused. Instead, you will be having fun! So, it's in your best interest to carefully do as I said here. I am here for you if you have any questions. Even if you feel it's a dumb question, ask me because NOT asking is even dumber than asking a supposedly dumb question.