Hard Light Productions Forums

General FreeSpace => FreeSpace Discussion => Topic started by: Lone Knight on March 28, 2005, 03:05:42 pm

Title: Getting Better Graphics!
Post by: Lone Knight on March 28, 2005, 03:05:42 pm
Hey guys. I'm sure that this topic may have been brought up before, but is there any other way of boosting graphics for Freespace 2 other than the 'Set Up' tab in the Start-up, and other than the 'Options' section in the Hanger?
Title: Getting Better Graphics!
Post by: Mr_Maniac on March 28, 2005, 03:16:35 pm
Err... Do you even use FS2_Open?
Do you use it with the right launcher?
Better graphics?
Well... Err... FS2_Open does have very impressive graphics!
Much better than Original-FS2
Title: Getting Better Graphics!
Post by: Lone Knight on March 28, 2005, 03:24:55 pm
What do you mean, Freespace_Open? What the **** is that?
Title: Getting Better Graphics!
Post by: Solatar on March 28, 2005, 03:26:49 pm
Oh boy...

Check the Source Code Project forum.

I know there's a site..but stupid me doesn't know the link offhand.
Title: Getting Better Graphics!
Post by: Primus on March 28, 2005, 03:32:37 pm
This?: http://scp.indiegames.us/news.php
Title: Getting Better Graphics!
Post by: aldo_14 on March 28, 2005, 04:02:47 pm
He needs an example.

I'll do the honours, shall I?

(http://fs2source.warpcore.org/wmcscreenies/perseusred.jpg)

(http://www.sectorgame.com/aldo/media/devss/devScreen03.jpg)

(http://freespace.volitionwatch.com/battstarg/b5.jpg)

(http://img12.photobucket.com/albums/v36/SadisticSid/raynor.jpg)

(http://img12.photobucket.com/albums/v36/SadisticSid/Cepheus2.jpg)

(http://freespace.volitionwatch.com/blackwater/htl_goth03.jpg)

:D
Title: Getting Better Graphics!
Post by: Lone Knight on March 28, 2005, 04:29:01 pm
woah! so this improves all graphics??! How can I get my hands on it, and will I lose all previous FRED missions?
Title: Getting Better Graphics!
Post by: aldo_14 on March 28, 2005, 04:34:11 pm
To a degree.....

SCP is a modification to the game engines' source code; it gives nice stuff like better lighting, glow & spec maps, hi-poly model support, higher resolution & colour depth maps, transparency & animated textures, etc

However, to make the most of it, you'll also need to pick up the media VPs (see the source code forum), which contain the latest & greatest improved artwork, ship models, etc.

Most of the shots I posted are, admittedly, from mods (the top one isn't;the others are), but you'll still be blown away by regular FS2 if you've never seen it with the SCP exe before ;)
Title: Getting Better Graphics!
Post by: StratComm on March 28, 2005, 04:38:37 pm
Aldo: one better on the Raynor ;7

(http://www.duke.edu/~cek6/raynor_ingame1.jpg)
Title: Getting Better Graphics!
Post by: Lone Knight on March 28, 2005, 04:49:36 pm
Yes, but

1. Will it remove my FRED missions?
2. What do I need specifically to download?
Title: Getting Better Graphics!
Post by: Taristin on March 28, 2005, 04:52:26 pm
No, Fred missions will remain intact.

Download an exe, and the media vp's (or find bits and pieces, for taylor made effects like I have, although this requires knowing a bit more about the game's files)
Title: Getting Better Graphics!
Post by: n00by on March 28, 2005, 04:53:24 pm
This (http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,28967.0.html)  thread should answer all your questions.:nod:

Can't tell you anything about your missions though - I'm not a FRED guy. Guess there will be some way to convert them, though...:confused:

edit:
Argh, somebody was faster:hopping:!

j/k
Title: Getting Better Graphics!
Post by: Taristin on March 28, 2005, 04:59:58 pm
Wow, I must say, you are the most helpful n00b ever* :p


*Excluding when Lightspeed was a n00b. Can't top Lis......
Title: Getting Better Graphics!
Post by: Lone Knight on March 28, 2005, 05:11:09 pm
Hey.....I resent that! I have had Freespace 2 since 1999! I just never got back into it until now....lol
Title: Getting Better Graphics!
Post by: n00by on March 28, 2005, 05:11:18 pm
Well, as of now I haven't found anything to screw up (although installation of the SCP was rather...ahem...complicated, too:()....guess I just gotta install some FS2 MOD and BANG - my Bad Luck(tm) sends my FS2 install right into the digital nirvana and I'll spend a day getting it to work again... :doubt:

Oooh, stories *listens*;7
Title: Getting Better Graphics!
Post by: Taristin on March 28, 2005, 05:17:25 pm
Quote
Originally posted by Lone Knight
Hey.....I resent that! I have had Freespace 2 since 1999! I just never got back into it until now....lol


The FS2 discs were burned on my birthday in 1999. :D

Was a bit of a bummer, though, since I wanted to get FS2 for my birthday that year... :rolleyes:
Title: Getting Better Graphics!
Post by: WMCoolmon on March 28, 2005, 05:53:55 pm
http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,31638.0.html

I mentioned the SCP in my first post in that thread...

As for install, I'll try to be as concise as possible:

1) Make sure Freespace 2 is updated to 1.20 (If you have the GOTY edition, or you run the updater and it says you're up-to-date, you've got 1.20). If you aren't sure it should be safe to continue, if you aren't at 1.20 you may run into some bugs and won't be able to use fs2_open to play multiplayer.

2) Go to http://scp.indiegames.us, goto Downloads, then 'Recent Official Releases'. Download the 3.6.5 installer

3) Run the 3.6.5 installer and install fs2_open to your freespace 2 directory. This will not overwrite anything.

DO NOT RUN THE FS2_OPEN EXECUTABLE YET

4) FS2_Open uses different format pilot files so you can use the same pilot across multiple mods. Any old pilots will be converted when you play as them. If you might want to play using the original EXE, back up the freespace2/data/players directory.

5) At this point, it should be safe to run fs2_open. However, only the barest of the higher-quality art comes with the installer. Go here (http://scp.indiegames.us/download.php?list.2) on the SCP site.  Check out the readme (http://scp.indiegames.us/download.php?view.10) for the mediaVPs, choose which ones you want from the descriptions in the file, and download them. Then, run each one and point the self-extract to your Freespace 2 directory.

Note that there are some bugs with the 3.6.5 mediaVPs; fixes are in this thread (http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,29938.0.html). You shouldn't install mv_music  with 3.6.5, it will cause crashes for sure.

6) Run the launcher, comfigure the settings to your liking, and click "Run"!

Note that even if you don't install those files, you will still be able to enable improved engine features like shine mapping, although others, like glow mapping, will do nothing without extra art.
Title: Getting Better Graphics!
Post by: Lone Knight on March 28, 2005, 05:56:36 pm
Ok people, I just downloaded the Installer for it, and ran the game, but the graphics don't seem to be any different. Did I miss something? Was I supposed to place files in certain areas? Help!
Title: Getting Better Graphics!
Post by: Taristin on March 28, 2005, 06:05:41 pm
You have to enable the features in the launcher...
Title: Getting Better Graphics!
Post by: StratComm on March 28, 2005, 06:27:25 pm
WMCoolmon's instructions are pretty clear; the installer should be pointed to the location that you have FS2 installed, and any media vp's you download should also go there.  There has been a lot of effort put in to making the SCP easier to install, and you don't have to have any Freespace experience to do it, but there are still a number of bugs that can be frustrating.  Oh, and you'll need to run the launcher to get improved graphical features; my recommended command line is "-spec -glow -jpgtga -nomotiondebris -ship_choice_3d -ambient_factor 75" but you may want to play with the other features offered in the launcher.
Title: Getting Better Graphics!
Post by: Lone Knight on March 28, 2005, 06:54:54 pm
One more quick thing....what is an animated map?
Title: Getting Better Graphics!
Post by: Taristin on March 28, 2005, 06:56:13 pm
It's a texture file that's animated. ;)  Basically it's the pulsing shivan glowmaps.
Title: Getting Better Graphics!
Post by: Ghost on March 28, 2005, 11:55:25 pm
Quote
What do you mean, Freespace_Open? What the **** is that?


I almost cried.
Title: Getting Better Graphics!
Post by: WMCoolmon on March 28, 2005, 11:59:00 pm
Quote
Originally posted by Lone Knight
One more quick thing....what is an animated map?


It also takes up a lot of video memory (ie can cause major slowdowns), so if you have speed problems with mv_adveffects, try disabling it first.
Title: Getting Better Graphics!
Post by: Mr_Maniac on March 29, 2005, 06:11:30 am
Err... Did anyone mention, that he should run the new launcher to setup things right?
Everyone just talks about starting the fs2_open.exe ;)
But It's much easyer to setup fs2_open with the launcher ;)
Title: Getting Better Graphics!
Post by: karajorma on March 29, 2005, 12:19:50 pm
Quote
Originally posted by Lone Knight
will I lose all previous FRED missions?


Since no one addressed it.

FS2_Open comes with it's own version of FRED2. FRED2_Open has lagged behind FS2_Open and as such has a few bugs in it. Some people can't live with those bugs but most of us can and find that the new features make up for it (You won't believe all the new stuff FRED2_Open can do! Nameplates for ships, new SEXPs that allow you to do previously impossible things, Persistent variables that can be set in one mission and read in 5 missions later and a tickbox that automatically beam-free-all's every capship in the mission for you!) :D

Your current missions will load in FRED2_Open but if you save them they'll be converted to the FRED2_Open format and will no longer work with the retail version.

A newer version of FRED than the one in the FS2_Open 3.6.5 thread can be found here (http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,31451.0.html)

BTW if you've missed the SCP you've probably missed the FRED Academy (http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,28122.0.html) too. If you feel the need to polish up your FREDding or want to help new FREDders learn it's worth taking a look.
Title: Getting Better Graphics!
Post by: Taristin on March 29, 2005, 12:24:24 pm
Quote
Originally posted by Raa
No, Fred missions will remain intact.


I did address it, but not in depth :p
Title: Getting Better Graphics!
Post by: WMCoolmon on March 29, 2005, 05:15:58 pm
Quote
Originally posted by Mr_Maniac
Err... Did anyone mention, that he should run the new launcher to setup things right?
Everyone just talks about starting the fs2_open.exe ;)
But It's much easyer to setup fs2_open with the launcher ;)


Quote
6) Run the launcher, comfigure the settings to your liking, and click "Run"!