Hard Light Productions Forums

Modding, Mission Design, and Coding => FS2 Open Coding - The Source Code Project (SCP) => Topic started by: ZmaN on February 01, 2006, 12:49:09 pm

Title: Getting Started with Freespace 2 Open *Please Sticky*
Post by: ZmaN on February 01, 2006, 12:49:09 pm
After getting numerous emails about setting up FSO, I've decided to make a guide for newbie's trying to get Freespace Open working on their computers...  If we could sticky this, that would be great!  If this is supposed to go in General Freespace, please excuse my mistake

Getting Started with Freespace 2 Open
 
1:   GO here and download the 3.6.7 Freespace Source Code Project Release. http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,35266.0.html
 
2:   Download it, an place all the files into your Freespace 2 directory...  Run the Launcher, and select the Freespace 2 Open Executable, and configure your settings for tha game (you should be able to run it on all high settings, depending on how old your computer is..)
 
3:  Play FS Open and enjoy the nice graphics!!
 
If you want to run FS2 Fan Made Campaigns, download the campaigns, and put them in a directory with the name of the campaign on it and then select the MOD section of the launcher...  Click the Slect MOD button, and select the folder with the campaign files in it....  that should do the trick...
 
If you have trouble running the Official FSO Builds, you can Try using a CVS Build of FSO.  The only difference is that they arent tested for such a long period of time, and are updated weekly, and for some reason, seem to work better for some other campaigns.....  I use CVS builds myself instead of official builds, because they just work better for me...  You can get CVS Builds here:
http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,34852.0.html
 
If you play the Inferno Campaign, and are having trouble running it on FSO official Builds, try using the Inferno CVS Build Instead....

Hope this helps everybody....  Zman
Title: Re: Getting Started with Freespace 2 Open *Please
Post by: CP5670 on February 01, 2006, 01:36:31 pm
Actually, I would avoid the 3.6.7 build, which is still the current official one. It has quite a few issues with random crashing in my experience. Use the 9/17/05 build instead for a great allround one: http://fs2source.warpcore.org/exes/latest/September2005/20050917-redmenace.rar

If you need support for newer missions or the 3.6.8 VPs, there isn't really any one best build; you just need to try the latest CVS version.
Title: Re: Getting Started with Freespace 2 Open *Please
Post by: karajorma on February 01, 2006, 01:45:55 pm
Debates whether to sticky it or not. On one hand I appreciate the effort but on the other hand it's less comprehensive than mine (http://homepage.ntlworld.com/karajorma/FAQ/installingfs2_open.html).

I think the best thing to do is for me to port my guide to the Wiki (as I have been planning to do all along) and then let people update the build specific advice there (I kept it out of my FAQ because it's a nightmare to keep up to date but on the wiki we can keep it current as a community).
Title: Re: Getting Started with Freespace 2 Open *Please
Post by: Skippy on February 01, 2006, 01:47:47 pm
Meh, you posted too fast :p
Title: Re: Getting Started with Freespace 2 Open *Please
Post by: Wanderer on February 01, 2006, 01:48:15 pm
Similar stuff is already in here too: Getting Started (http://www.hard-light.net/wiki/index.php/Getting_Started%28Main%29) in FSwiki...

EDIT: Missed Karas edit... i'm just too slow :(
Title: Re: Getting Started with Freespace 2 Open *Please Sticky*
Post by: Inquisitor on February 01, 2006, 01:57:53 pm
And not terribly different from the one on the SCP site...

I suppose I should just link to the wiki entry...
Title: Re: Getting Started with Freespace 2 Open *Please
Post by: karajorma on February 01, 2006, 02:01:04 pm
The thing with my guide that isn't present in the current wiki entry is that I tried to isolate as many of the pitfalls that can occur and trap them off.

Running the media VPs as a mod makes it easy to check if they are the source of an error. Making sure you install the high res graphics to avoid being stuck with glitches you could avoid in 1024x768 otherwise. Things like that.

The HotU update kept me busy for a while so I haven't changed the wiki entry yet. Although I don't have that excuse any more :D
Title: Re: Getting Started with Freespace 2 Open *Please Sticky*
Post by: bfobar on February 01, 2006, 03:15:33 pm
I found karajoram's guide a lifesaver. The bit about the mod.ini files ended up being what I really needed to get all the cool mod campaigns to play nice.