Hard Light Productions Forums
Modding, Mission Design, and Coding => The Modding Workshop => Topic started by: dr22 on September 22, 2006, 05:07:53 am
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Is there any one out there that would be willing to talk me through all the nessary steps to install and configure this modding.
I installed all the stuff that the wiki and WMCool said. I used FRED2 to do the quick start lesson. But when I went to run the little program I got the error message (can not find the file specified). I put it in every place I could think of to see if I had just put it in the wrong place. No luck. I finally went to the the actual game and ran it in order to just play. While there I went to the tech room and the little program was listed so I selected it and went to play it. It seemed to load fine. There was however two red lines in the form of a "V" the point of the "V" was the enemy ship as I tried to fly around and shoot it the game crashed to desk top. Got the error ( Couldn't open texture 'still' refrence by model 'stilettoII.pof' File C:\projects\freespace2\code\model\model read.cpp
Line: 1802 call stack ( 2 lines of dashs --------) [This info is in the clipboard so you can paste it somewheres now]
Use OK to break into debugger or cancel exits
When I try to move my mouse to one of the boxs the mouse dissapease when any where in the gray window box. Had to use the arrow keys to move to the hi-lighted box I wanted to click on. Then hit enter. Help. Thank You ahead of time.
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KARAJORMA !!!!!
*Flashes the K signal into the nebula outside HLP Station*
Who's the bad man, who knows his stuff....................KAJ!
He'll be along soon with his FAQ'o'stuff to help you out.
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Thanks for the responce. I'm hoping that this is kinda like Descent3 modding. Spent many hours making levels to play in for Descent3. But it did take a lot of time to figure out how to get started. I guess I'm kinda slow in the head. At 59 what do ya want any way haha. lol
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Heres the FAQ link, http://homepage.ntlworld.com/karajorma/FAQ/intro.html It should see ya true to the end.
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What appears to be going on is that you have some of your files in the wrong place. It's a little hard to tell what and where though. I need a few things from you to make this go quicker.
1) What exactly have you installed? If you have installed any mods tell me. If you are making your own mod tell me exactly which files you've had to alter/add
2) Take screenshots of the contents of your Freespace2, Freespace2\Data, and mediavps folders if you can. Make sure they're clear enough I can read the filenames on :)
3) What exactly were you trying to do with FRED when it came up with the cannot find file message? I'm having a little bit of a problem figuring that one out.
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Hi all. Well I put everything in the FreeSpace2 file. ie ( C:\Games\FreeSpace2) folder. I had, I think to many different things in there. Like I had fs2_open, FRED2_open, all the vp files and, like that. What I did since I was haveing problems, is to take everything and put it in a new folder in order to save them till I figured it all out. Then I named that folder freeSpace2a. Then I re-installed FreeSpace2. Now I can play FreeSpace2 ok. Oh I also re-installed the upgrade patch as well.
I'm thinking that what I had done wrong is as you say, installed some things in the wrong folder.
I was trying out FRED2_open to see if I could start learning how to mod in FreeSpace2. In FRED2 there is a tutorial or quick start for modding. It starts out to construct just a little shooter. It only has one SF Mara and me in the game. I now see that from the picture in the tutorial that the file heading, though hard to read looks like (untitled - 1 HLUZ - FreeSpace2Mission Editor) Thats not where it loadded it to begin with. It tried to save it to C:\Documents and Settings etc. So I must not have something in the right place. This is what I need to know is what the actual address is. C:\Games\FreeSpace2\??????
Since I have done all this I can not give you any screen shots and any way I don't know how to do that. I have read what I think is all the info for how to do this but obviously not. Sorry I'm so thick.
Thank You very much for answering and for any help you would like to give me. Have a great day :-)
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take a picture of any window by pressing Alt-PrintScreen (near the top of your keyboard) and then opening paint and hitting Ctrl-V.
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I'll try that thank you.
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Hi All here, I hope, Is a picture of the file folder.
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I can't make heads or tails from that screenshots. The file types are not clearly visible and they are not sorted... :p
Suggestion: Select another View mode for your explorer.
-Select "View" from the explorer window's menu bar.
-There should be five view options, of which one ("Large Icons") should be flagged with a black dot. Other five options are something like "Preview", "Small Icons", "List", and at last "List and Information".
-I'm not sure of exact spellings of those in English, since I'm using a Finnish version of Windows XP... regardless, select the lowest of the five options available.
When you have the list/information view selected, select "Order by Type". That's the best way to manage your directories. It puts all executables in one place in the list, all directories in the beginning, and soforth.
Then, take a new screenie...
Even as I can't really see what files you actualy have in the main folder, it's easy to say that you've got too many of them there. Different mod VP files in main folder create heavily erratic behaviour while they are conflicting each other out, having differing tables and so on...
Generally, if you don't really know what you're doing, you should only keep retail files and FS_Open executables in the main Freespace2 folder. Everything else should go to corresponding mod directory. These mods can then be slected to be used, and they don''t disturb each other to hell.
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HOLY ****!
WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO?
0.0
did you take everything out of every folder and stick it all together?
Some of the biggest problems are:
Derelict.vp
ALL the table files
mv_cell (not supposed to be used with mv_effects or mv_adveffects)
9 FSO BUILDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (while it won't kill you, there's no point in having more than two)
quite honestly, I'd remove everything and re-install. If my folder looked like that it'd take me a good two hours to sort out what stays, what moves, and what gets deleted, and i know what i'm doing!
It'll be a lot less work to re-install.
BTW, herra, the pic is a fine size, i just zoomed to actual pixels in PS.
EDIT: nevermind, you already re-installed FS2. just delete the FreeSpace2a folder and follow kara's faq to install FreeSpace Open.
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BTW, herra, the pic is a fine size, i just zoomed to actual pixels in PS.
Yeah, it's more like the fact that the pixels say nothing. It's a good big picture but it contains scarely little data...
The whole folder is not even visible there, and I see many text files that I can't really recognize because I have no idea what type they are, I only know that dr2's Windows uses notepad to open them by default. That's mainly what I meant when I suggested using the view mode where there is nice list of files and information about each file, including file type and such. :p
I have no idea why Windows has "Icons" as default behaviour for every fracking directory. Detail mode is so so so much better...
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Hi all. Well I put everything in the FreeSpace2 file. ie ( C:\Games\FreeSpace2) folder. I had, I think to many different things in there. Like I had fs2_open, FRED2_open, all the vp files and, like that. What I did since I was haveing problems, is to take everything and put it in a new folder in order to save them till I figured it all out. Then I named that folder freeSpace2a. Then I re-installed FreeSpace2. Now I can play FreeSpace2 ok. Oh I also re-installed the upgrade patch as well.
I'm thinking that what I had done wrong is as you say, installed some things in the wrong folder.
From the screenshot I can see that you're definitely correct about that. You've installed a bunch of things to your main FS2 folder. As a result some of them are overriding files that whatever you're trying to run is looking for.
You've reinstalled FS2 and it works which is great. Next step is to follow my guide here (http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,42081.msg859921.html#msg859921) on how to install FS2_Open 3.6.9. RC 7. With the exception of anything you've made yourself I'd advise simply wiping the backup folder you made. It's more trouble than it's worth to sort it out and everything can be redownloaded.
Make sure you follow the guide in my FAQ on how to install mods though. Installing to the main folder is a recipe for disaster as all the mods then override each others files and cause you no end of problems.
I was trying out FRED2_open to see if I could start learning how to mod in FreeSpace2. In FRED2 there is a tutorial or quick start for modding. It starts out to construct just a little shooter. It only has one SF Mara and me in the game. I now see that from the picture in the tutorial that the file heading, though hard to read looks like (untitled - 1 HLUZ - FreeSpace2Mission Editor) Thats not where it loadded it to begin with. It tried to save it to C:\Documents and Settings etc. So I must not have something in the right place. This is what I need to know is what the actual address is. C:\Games\FreeSpace2\??????
Where you save the mission is determined by the mod you are making it for. Are you planning to make this mod using only default FS2 ships? If so you can save the mod directly to Freespace2\Data\Missions (This is the one time I advise saving to that folder.). If you are going to install a mod you should be adding it to its own mod folder. My FAQ has more information on how to do this but basically if you're working on a mission for Inferno then the mod itself should be in Freespace2\Inferno and the mission in Freespace2\Inferno\Data\Missions.
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Hi All; Top of the morning to ya. Thats what I was looking for a black and white answer to where everything goes. I seem to not understand the posting of your web page. Like I said I must be pretty thick. I'll work on thinning out. haha
I was/am unsure as to which build to use, ie, fs2_open, FRED2_open, fs2_openp4, fs2_open_debug. I guess the simplest one is the one to start with. fs2_open 3.6.9 yes? Then build 5.3?
At any rate thank you for your responces and comments.
My computer is:
HP Media CenterPC m470n
Intel Pentium 4 3.00 Ghz processor w/Hyper-Threading tech
1024MB PC3200 DDR SDRAM
160GB HDD (7200 rpm)
8x DVD writer and CD writer combo drive (DVD+RW/CD-RW) 2 fisical drives.
ATI RADEON X1300PRO, AGP 8x/4x, 256MB DDR2 on board mem, Ultra-threaded Shader Model 3.0 architure, Avivo, Video & Disaplay platform, DirectX 9.0 and OpenGL 2.0 support, DVI+VGV+VO, Graphics card.
Windows Xp-SP2
21" SCEPTRE Multimedia flat screen monitor.
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Hi all: I have printed out your FAQs and the info you posted here and there subsaquent links. I have deleted the FreeSpace2.a Then I re-downloaded all that you advised and installed them to the folders you said. I made the folder mediaVPs and placed that in FreeSpace2 and then installed the four files ie. effects.vp, model.vp, and picture attached. But, When I hit run my screen turned to 640x ? like big icons and cartoonish. In the start tray there was a freespace2 button I clicked it and was taken into the game. I exited out to desk top and all was normal. I was expecting to go into a build thing so I could make mods. Like in FRED2_open. What did I do wrong?? Also when I went to do the set up you gave. I went to my computer, explor,C, games, freespace2, found the launcher ( the black paw) clicked it and got the window for setting up like you said. did the features tab and set the first 5 items only. went to video tab open Gl was already selected. audio/joystick had my joy stick listed. went to the MOD tab there was nothing listed in the mod box. So I clicked on select MOD and got a window that said browse for folder, the things listed where, data, erega,mediaVps,Mindspring. I selected mediaVPs and clicked ok. That put me back to the mod window but still nothing was listed in the window. hit run and then I got the big icons and like.
Am I thick or what??
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What you have there is the core of a good FS2 set up. Unfortunately I linked you to a guide on how to set up FS2_Open and forgot to give you instructions on how to set up FRED2_Open as well. It's not a complicated procedure fortunately.
Go back to the 3.6.9-RC7.rar you downloaded. You've extracted the FS2_Open_3_6_9 file out of it but if you look at the files in that rar file you'll notice that you missed the corresponding version of FRED. My advice is to install all 3 remaining files from that folder to your HD. If you run into problems its a virtual certainty someone will ask you to run the debug versions eventually.
Now create a shortcut to the new version of FRED you just installed by right clicking on it and choosing create shortcut from the menu. Right mouse click on the new shortcut and choose properties. See the target box? At the end of the stuff written there add
-fredhtl -spec -glow -env -jpgtga -mod mediavps
Only the -fredhtl is actually needed really but adding the rest will probably solve a lot of headscratching later. You can now run FRED2_Open via the new shortcut (Move it to your desktop if you wish).
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Hi all. I thank you sir for your responce and I will give it a go. Again thank you.
ps. why does the ship i'm flying in the full fs2 fly so slow around capitol ships like the Sathanas?
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Hi All; Just complteted your second installment of instructions. Found that there has to be a space in between the main address and the first -. At least I learned. Thank You again sir for being so kind as to help me.
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Hi again; Is there sapposed to be a - in front of mediavps?? I put one there just because I thought there had to be one. Hope I did right. Again thank you for your help.
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Nope. There isn't supposed to be a - there. The line is meant to be -mod mediavps.
Mediavps is the path. If you were making missions based on say Inferno it would probably be -mod Inferno (depending on where you installed the mod). If you run the launcher you'll notice that it does something similar when you choose mediavps as your mod.
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Hi All; OK I'll remove it. Note I went to the FRED2 to build the little shooter again and did as it said. When I went to play the shooter I got the error message (The system can't find the file specified. I noticed the in the file menu that the Run FreeSpace did not say run FreeSpace2. Is that a problem of the wrong build? I hit Alt+R and got the same problem. I'm posting the picture of my FreeSpace2 folder. Note also that this time the little mission was saved in C:\Games\FreeSpace2\data\missions.
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Run FS2 from the launcher. I'm not certain which build it will try to run otherwise. The bug with FRED saying the wrong thing is actually something that dates all the way back to retail days. Apparently :v: didn't change the menu entry when they changed FRED into FRED 2 :)
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Hi All; Ok I'll try that. For some reason my connection seems to be running like a slug on a salt desert. I have comcast cable, whats the deal??? Oh well Thank You again for helping me.
I want to try and get to the point that I can build games levels in fs2 like I was doing in Descent3. Buildings to blow up and places to fly into. Also why does the ship I pilot in the fs2 game fly so slow around The Sathana? Is there a way to make it go faster? That is to say a way to program more speed into the ship?
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Hi All; Ok I'll try that. For some reason my connection seems to be running like a slug on a salt desert. I have comcast cable, whats the deal??? Oh well Thank You again for helping me.
I want to try and get to the point that I can build games levels in fs2 like I was doing in Descent3. Buildings to blow up and places to fly into. Also why does the ship I pilot in the fs2 game fly so slow around The Sathana? Is there a way to make it go faster? That is to say a way to program more speed into the ship?
Your ship flies plenty fast around most of the ships in the game. The reason it takes a long time to go around the Sathanas is because the Sath is big. :p
But yes, if you want to change a ship's speed you simply edit ships.tbl. Look in the wiki or karajorma's faq to learn how.
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OK thank You.
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OK thank You.
You're welcome; but it is not necessary to capitalize personal pronouns referring to me. ;)
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I tried to do the FRED2_open quick start mission build. I followed the instructions three times all whit the same results. Attempt to load mission failed.
I will attach a copy of the spec file at the end.
I saved the qoick start mission from FRED2_open as the instructions said but when I went to FreeSpace2, tech room and high-lighted the mission I got; attempt to load the mission failed. What have I done wrong??
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I followed all the info so far and have again tried to create the FRED2_open quick start mission. When I went to FreeSpace2 to try and run the mission I got; attempt to load the mission failed. What am I doing wrong?? I have I hope attached a copy of the mission spec's in zip 7.
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I'll try to post the spc's again this way.
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Oh, and by the way:
If you don't want to meddle with table values, you can always speed up the game. Default keys are:
SHIFT + . (period) -> Increse time compression by factor of two
SHIFT + , (comma) -> Decrease time compression by factor of two.
Extremely handle if you just have to go through large distances in a mission without having to fight your way through. The compression can be increased all the way to 64x time compression, but beware; at this compression rate, incoming enemy fighters get much more time to act before you can decrease the time compression back to 1xtime, as it will take six keypresses of shift+comma to reduce the compression.
That feature is one of those that have been there since retail, but IMO the retail time compression only reached to 8x or something like that.
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I followed all the info so far and have again tried to create the FRED2_open quick start mission. When I went to FreeSpace2 to try and run the mission I got; attempt to load the mission failed. What am I doing wrong?? I have I hope attached a copy of the mission spec's in zip 7.
Mission worked perfectly fine as soon as I gave it a shorter filename (You have to stay under 32 characters including the extention IIRC) and changed the extention to .fs2.
No idea what you're doing wrong on your PC.
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Hi All; Well Big K, When I saved the mission I only typed duel.fs2 and hit OK. Where did the rest of the file name come from? Also If you look at the file name heading in the tutorial (quick start) you'll see that it to has the same long file name. I'm not contesting what you say I am wonder how it got there. Thank You for your help. Not also am I in the wrong link here as I saw your post in another thread with similar questions and answers.
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How do I shorten the file name so it will work?
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right click on the mission and hit RENAME
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Hi All; Found a way around the problem for me. While in FRED2_open when it's time to save the game, go to File menu,Save format, click on FS2 retail. Then go to FS2 start game and then to tech room. Bingo. I can play my little shooter now. I've even added a couple more enemy fighters and they shoot back to. Thanks all. Have a great day.