[Jeff Vader]

2) mod.ini is that configuration settings thingy or all the VPs?

mod.ini is a funny little setting file that allows, among other things, the usage of numerous mod folders simultaneously. Take the \fsport\ folder, for example. As such, if you only select the \fsport\ folder as a mod, you can play FSPort. But, if there is a proper mod.ini file in \fsport\, the game engine will also use the \mediavps\ folder, and you can play FSPort with enhanced graphics.

The point was that if you're playing FSPort, you should move the mod.ini away from \fsport\ to see if that would solve those graphical issues you're having. And if you're just playing the FS2 campaign, select No MOD from the Launcher.

3) all data folders? in the freespace2/data/players folder, there is are these things:
- images (empty folder)
- multi (empty folder)
- single (if I1m right, than there are only the profile files)
- squads (empty folder)
-hud_1.hcf and _2, _3 respectively

All \data\ folders. Mainly just check if there are \data\tables or \data\missions folders that have something inside them.

[EAO Zed]

Hello all! I'm a new to this community but I'm a big fan of this game. I have played it over and over the years but never got to any community. I've bought this game on GOG yesterday and was trying to install the FSO and improve graphics with no luck. After 4 hours of searching and trying to install FSO and MVP I came to confusion. The more I read the more I get confused - it's just too much of information for a noob.

Could anyone please help me to set up game with cool new graphics and new missions and also get onto online gaming?
And to explane me step by step what should be downloaded and installed because all I found on the forum was a lot of links to several threads which made me to go in confusion and I don't understand a thing now - what I have to download and even more how to install it...

My computer is a Laptop:
ASUS X53K:
Motherboard F3KA
Processor: AMD Athlon x2 TK57, 1.9 Ghz (dual core)
RAM: 4 Gb
HDD: 250 Gb
Video: ATI Radeon HD 2600, 512 Mb
OS: Windows Vista Home Premium

[Grimper]

Ok here is the installation guide for the upgrades. You need to have the original freespace installed first.

Step 1: Download this: http://www.freespacemods.net/files/MVP3610/3.6.10-Total.zip

                                                OR the same thing split into it's individual components
                                               http://www.freespacemods.net/files/MVP3610/MV_Core.zip
                                               http://www.freespacemods.net/files/MVP3610/MV_Music.zip
                                               http://www.freespacemods.net/files/MVP3610/MV_Assets.zip
                                               http://www.freespacemods.net/files/MVP3610/MV_Effects.zip
                                               http://www.freespacemods.net/files/MVP3610/MV_Advanced.zip

Step 2: Download this: http://swc.fs2downloads.com/builds/WIN/fs2_open_3_6_10.zip
(EDIT: and this http://freespacemods.net/files/MVP3610/3610_Patch.zip , place contents in mediavp folder)

Step 3: Download this:  http://fs2source.warpcore.org/exes/Launcher55e.zip

Step 4: Put the files that were in the 3.6.10-Total (or the other split up downloads if you chose that option) download in a folder called mediavps (make the folder yourself. NOTE: This is an old guide I made a while ago, just updated. So the mediavps may already come in a folder called mediavps. The important thing is for the files ending with.vp and any other ones that came with them to be in a single folder called mediavps, that has no other folders inside it). Put the mediavps folder in
C:\Games\FreeSpace2

Step 5: Put the contents of the other two downloads in C:\Games\FreeSpace2

Step 6: Open the Launcher.exe file you just put in your FreeSpace 2 folder

Step 7: Click the browse button at the top, then find the file called "fs2_open_3_6_10.exe" (its one of the files you put in the FreeSpace 2 folder in step 5, remove quotes). Click that file then click open.

Step 8: Go to the MOD tab in the launcher.

Step 9: Click the "Select Mod" button

Step 10: Select the mediavps folder (don't open it, just select it), then press ok.

Step 11: Go to the features tab in the launcher.

Step 12: You should notice a drop down field called "List type", which has headings in it. For each heading, make sure these boxes are ticked:


Graphics: Enable Spectacular, Enable Glowmaps, Enable Environmental maps, Enable mipmapping, Disable Motion Debris, Apply Lighting to Missiles, Enable normal maps, Enable 3D shockwaves. (any boxes that are ticked which I didnt list here, untick them)

HUD: Tick everything.

Gameplay: Use models for ship selection, Enable 3D warp, Enable flash upon warp.

Any headings I didnt mention there you just ignore.



Step 13: Add this into the custom flags field:

-ambient_factor 35 -no_emissive_light -spec_exp 16.7 -spec_point .6 -spec_static .9 -spec_tube 1 -ogl_spec 80

Step 14: Click apply.

Step 15: Go to the video tab in the launcher.

If you have a very good computer, use these settings:

Graphics: OpenGL (always, no matter the class of computer)
Resolution: As high as you can get without slow down or distortion.
Color Depth: 32 bit (always)

General Settings: High

Step 16: Click Apply, then Run.




EDIT: This is an updated guide.

[EAO Zed]

Thanks mate! It was a really clear explanation and it works now! Thanks for the help! I apreciate it!

[Jeff Vader]

Did my installation manual really suck that much? 

I am always open to suggestions on how to improve the installation walkthrough.

[EAO Zed]

Did my installation manual really suck that much? 

I am always open to suggestions on how to improve the installation walkthrough.

Well, it's a bit too confusing, if you talk about this http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,47640.0.html. The OpenAL link made me to think for atleast half an hour what do I really need to download, cause when I got there I found lots of download links to several installations. Turey's FSO Installer brought me to confusion as well... Ok I downloaded OpenInstaller but it just got stuck on updating files, cause there was no response from the server - it either stopped on 90% or 66%, tried that several times. And I got confused even more when I got to the next line where is said about Nightley builds board. I started to think what is what and searched for the information on the forums. And when I got to MediaVPs line I understood that it's a graphic improvement but then I thought: "what the hell is Nightly and Turey then???" It might be comprehensible for those who are more or less familiar with this community and mods but as for the noobs it's a blank page. Grimper wrote really simple step by step installation walkthrough and this is what I was actually looking for over 4 hours on the forums. I think you should make one thread like this for noobs so they can start step by step installing all the mods. And once more thanks to Grimper. All the graphics in the game are cool now.

[Grimper]

No problem. And I can't believe he hasn't been beamed yet...



Anywayz, Lobo maybe you should use my guide in a stickied topic somewhere. You would need to change the build link I gave so it links to the nightly builds board, and if the launcher or Vps are updated in the future they would also need to be changed.

[Jeff Vader]

Objections noted. I am soon departing to purchase excessive quantities of cheap booze. Once I return, I will edit the sticky so that even a person who has never even seen a computer before can succesfully install FS2 and FSO.

[Grimper]

What sticky where?

I see a guide by Kalfireth in your sig, but I can't find any guide you made..

[Lucika]

All \data\ folders. Mainly just check if there are \data\tables or \data\missions folders that have something inside them.

Well, most of the folders are empty, but in the missions folder there are some files named as  Backup.001 to .009, respectively.

Is that normal? I didn't see anything else.

[Jeff Vader]

What sticky where?

I see a guide by Kalfireth in your sig, but I can't find any guide you made..[/color][/i]

That is a sticky. It was an old installation instructions thread originally written by Kalfireth. I updated it a while ago, as evidenced by the "Last edit:..." part at the end.

All \data\ folders. Mainly just check if there are \data\tables or \data\missions folders that have something inside them.

Well, most of the folders are empty, but in the missions folder there are some files named as  Backup.001 to .009, respectively.

Is that normal? I didn't see anything else.

Those are backup files created by FRED. Unless you've been FREDding some missions yourself, you don't need them.

[Lucika]

All \data\ folders. Mainly just check if there are \data\tables or \data\missions folders that have something inside them.

Well, most of the folders are empty, but in the missions folder there are some files named as  Backup.001 to .009, respectively.

Is that normal? I didn't see anything else.
[/quote]
Those are backup files created by FRED. Unless you've been FREDding some missions yourself, you don't need them.
[/quote]

Where can that extra blue planet be, then? Should I check the mod's data folders too?

[Grimper]

Ok I have a few nitpicks about the new guide:

1. Whats with step 5.5?

2. With step 8, I would advise using step 11 of my guide. Its easier to understand.

3. With step 9, you should tell them to make a "Mods" folder first, which they can then put their mods in with their own separate folders.
Making a Mods folder saves them cluttering up their main FreeSpace 2 directory too much.

[Lucika]

If i've made a mistake anywhere someone please tell me about it.

Well, I don't know if this has a connection to that, I applied everythig in the way you hav wrote and when I tried to launch the campaign, I received this:


Warning: GTF Myrmidon (fighter2t-05.pof) has a null moment of inertia!
File: ship.cpp
Line: 5709


Call stack:
------------------------------------------------------------------
    fs2_open_3_6_10d-20081214_r4996.exe 00898f8b()
    fs2_open_3_6_10d-20081214_r4996.exe 008a41bf()
    fs2_open_3_6_10d-20081214_r4996.exe 00746aad()
    fs2_open_3_6_10d-20081214_r4996.exe 007468f1()
    fs2_open_3_6_10d-20081214_r4996.exe 0074a816()
    fs2_open_3_6_10d-20081214_r4996.exe 0074da5d()
    fs2_open_3_6_10d-20081214_r4996.exe 007504b7()
    fs2_open_3_6_10d-20081214_r4996.exe 007502fe()
    fs2_open_3_6_10d-20081214_r4996.exe 00751621()
    fs2_open_3_6_10d-20081214_r4996.exe 00991a9e()
    fs2_open_3_6_10d-20081214_r4996.exe 0072ec89()
    fs2_open_3_6_10d-20081214_r4996.exe 0073bc23()
    fs2_open_3_6_10d-20081214_r4996.exe 00950a16()
    fs2_open_3_6_10d-20081214_r4996.exe 0073a7a2()
    fs2_open_3_6_10d-20081214_r4996.exe 00950fe8()
------------------------------------------------------------------



AND I ran he debugger. There is no log, but there is sg named errorlog. I attached it.

[attachment stolen by Slimey Goober]

[Grimper]

If the game didn't crash when you got that error you must be using the debug build for some reason. Make sure you have
fs2_open_3_6_10r-20081225_r5020.exe selected in the launcher, not fs2_open_3_6_10d-20081225_r5020.exe.
                       ^                                                                                            ^

See the difference between the 2 files? The one with the d- is the debug build, use that when you want to post errors here. When you use the debug build, it should make a file called fs2_open.log in C:\Games\FreeSpace2\data.

[Jeff Vader]

1. Whats with step 5.5?

Some people have had issues with the GOG version's cutscenes and/or like the .ogg versions because of the reduced disk space consumption.

2. With step 8, I would advise using step 11 of my guide. Its easier to understand.

I want people to use their brains when installing FSO. And we are mainly talking about opinions in this case.

3. With step 9, you should tell them to make a "Mods" folder first, which they can then put their mods in with their own separate folders.
Making a Mods folder saves them cluttering up their main FreeSpace 2 directory too much.[/color][/i]

No. The general procedure is to have each mod in its own subfolder inside \freespace2\. That's the way it is described in kara's FAQ and that's the way it has always been.

[Grimper]

Kara doesn't have very good file management then...

[Jeff Vader]

Still a matter of opinion. It is good and it works as long as the user bothers to think about stuff instead of just trying to get along by simply clicking "Next".

[Lucika]

If the game didn't crash when you got that error you must be using the debug build for some reason. Make sure you have
fs2_open_3_6_10r-20081225_r5020.exe selected in the launcher, not fs2_open_3_6_10d-20081225_r5020.exe.
                       ^                                                                                            ^

See the difference between the 2 files? The one with the d- is the debug build, use that when you want to post errors here. When you use the debug build, it should make a file called fs2_open.log in C:\Games\FreeSpace2\data.

True, I messed it up... it was the debugger.

Any help on the mysterious extra blue planet files in hiding?
Or about the graphical issues?


Have a Happy New Year!

[Grimper]

Lucika, give us a screenshot of your main FS2 directory and the inside of your mediavps folder.