Hard Light Productions Forums

General FreeSpace => FreeSpace Discussion => Topic started by: Eloking on August 04, 2008, 04:14:36 am

Title: New to Freespace universe, need help to set things up!
Post by: Eloking on August 04, 2008, 04:14:36 am
Hello everyone

First, a little introduction (Skip this paragraph is you wanna go to the point). I've always been a big fan of space sims (The old game X-wing is still my personal favorite). Saddly, I only got my own computer 3 years ago (I upgraded since that time) and I completly missed Freespace 2. I've played Freelancer, X² and X³ and some other space RTS since that time and now I kinda fell that it's the time for me to try "the" space sim game everyone is talking about.

That's where I would like some help. Of course I've already read some of the tutorials available (http://www.hard-light.net/wiki/index.php/Getting_started_with_FreeSpace_2) but to have the best experience possible, I will still like someone to guide me via this thread or by MSN ([email protected])

Here's the spect of my actual computer :

Vista SP1
Widescreen 21''
GeForce 9600 GT

Elok
Title: Re: New to FreeSpace universe, need help to set things up!
Post by: Jeff Vader on August 04, 2008, 04:27:52 am
Quote from: Topic
New to Freelancer universe, need help to set things up!
:wtf: I do hope that was a typo.

Srsly, though. You'll get started if you run Turey's Installer. If you are not afraid of massive amounts of contents (over 3 gigs) and long download times, just select everything with the Installer and leave it running. If you want to spare bandwidth/time, download the retail files, the FSO files, the FSPort files and possibly the MediaVPs.

Read through the stickied threads, since they answer all the most common questions. Questions such as "OpenAL32.dll not found, what to do?" and "Invisible asteroids, what to do?".

Also, if problems arise, we'll want more specs. CPU-Z and GPU-Z are excellent tools regarding it (links in my signature).
Title: Re: New to Freespace universe, need help to set things up!
Post by: Eloking on August 04, 2008, 04:36:41 am
There, fixed. And it indeed was a big typo (it's starting to be pretty late here, getting sleepy).

Yeah I already started the FreeSpaceOpenInstaller a while before I made my tread but, after I saw the "tons" of sticky, different available mods and problem with widescreen and other things I wanted the help of someone used to those problem and different setup. I don't think I'll have the patience to deal with the problem I will probably have.
Title: Re: New to Freespace universe, need help to set things up!
Post by: Androgeos Exeunt on August 04, 2008, 05:20:15 am
(S)AAAAAAA!

:welcomered:

The Launcher should have options to set the display resolution for the game. Choose the one that you think is appropriate.

If you're using Vista, I'm assuming that you have a high-end computer, in this case, try using 1024 x 768 x 32.

I do not know of any widescreen problems. I use a MacBook to run FreeSpace 2 on 1024 x 768, and everything looks fine, albeit with a little black border at the sides, which is the trademark problem of running something that has a 4:3 aspect ratio on a monitor with 16:9 aspect ratio. On a Mac, using widescreen resolutions stretches the display out, making the game look ugly.
Title: Re: New to FreeSpace universe, need help to set things up!
Post by: Jeff Vader on August 04, 2008, 05:39:19 am
As far as I know, the widescreen fix has been committed and is included in any half-new 3.6.10 builds (including the one linked in my signature). Of course, the HUD and interface art remain stretched, but at least the wandering suns and such are a thing of the past.

I don't think I'll have the patience to deal with the problem I will probably have.
Patience is a virtue. And it is occasionally needed with FreeSpace. If you don't have it, I'd recommend acquiring some. The patience of certain people around here can and will be tested whenever someone asks about an issue that has been clearly addressed in a sticky named "Read this first" or the likes. That, and the forums have a handy and working search function that will give proper answers with high likelyhoods as long as the issue is typed into the search field with a few descriptive words and without typos.
Title: Re: New to Freespace universe, need help to set things up!
Post by: Androgeos Exeunt on August 04, 2008, 05:42:41 am
I agree. The shortcut, it seems, is to use Turey's Installer, but because the first version of the installer messed up my installation of FreeSpace 2 TWICE, I now do things manually, which takes up more time, but at least I know what's going on.

I also tend to stray away from HEADZ (trunk builds). :blah:
Title: Re: New to Freespace universe, need help to set things up!
Post by: Eloking on August 04, 2008, 04:21:44 pm
Phew, I was finally able to make the game work. I had the OpenAL problem and the sticky didn't help at all (he send a link to creative website). I highly suggest that this link is added in the sticky : OpenAL for Windows users (http://connect.creativelabs.com/developer/Wiki/OpenAL%20Installer%20for%20Windows.aspx)

If there's some mod that you would suggest for a first-time player I will gladly hear them.

Title: Re: New to Freespace universe, need help to set things up!
Post by: Jeff Vader on August 04, 2008, 04:31:53 pm
Phew, I was finally able to make the game work. I had the OpenAL problem and the sticky didn't help at all (he send a link to creative website).
Hmm. That's new. OpenAL.org used to be a working site, with download links behind a few logical clicks.

If there's some mod that you would suggest for a first-time player I will gladly hear them.
For the sake of canon storyline, play FSPort, (and maybe Silent Threat,) followed by the FS2 main campaign. After that... well, there's a ton o' good campaigns. Blue Planet, Derelict and Transcend would pop up to my mind immediately.
Title: Re: New to Freespace universe, need help to set things up!
Post by: Androgeos Exeunt on August 04, 2008, 07:58:03 pm
Colonel Dekker would probably recommend the Just Another Day (JAD) trilogy and Deus Ex Machina (DEM).

If you don't mind playing outdated stuff, try Inferno Release 1 (INFR1) after you've played the main FreeSpace 2 campaign and the FreeSpace POrt (FSPort). If you want to play as a Shivan, use FRED2 or try Flaming_Sword's Shivans! v0.2 mod.

...and for some very tough missions, try Inferno: Alliance (INFA), or, as Lobo recommends, Blue Planet (BP).
Title: Re: New to Freespace universe, need help to set things up!
Post by: bfobar on August 04, 2008, 09:07:26 pm
Phew, I was finally able to make the game work. I had the OpenAL problem and the sticky didn't help at all (he send a link to creative website).
Hmm. That's new. OpenAL.org used to be a working site, with download links behind a few logical clicks.

If there's some mod that you would suggest for a first-time player I will gladly hear them.
For the sake of canon storyline, play FSPort, (and maybe Silent Threat,) followed by the FS2 main campaign. After that... well, there's a ton o' good campaigns. Blue Planet, Derelict and Transcend would pop up to my mind immediately.

What he said. Play the FSPort since that is FS1 converted to this happy new game engine . Silent threat was origionally an expansion pack for FS1. Then play FS2.

Then you can branch out into all of the user made campaigns, but worry about that later.
Title: Re: New to Freespace universe, need help to set things up!
Post by: Jeff Vader on August 05, 2008, 02:57:11 am
Colonel Colonol Dekker would probably recommend the Just Another Day (JAD) trilogy and Deus Ex Machina (DEM).

If you don't mind playing outdated stuff, try Inferno Release 1 (INFR1) Second Great War Part 2 after you've played the main FreeSpace 2 campaign and the FreeSpace POrt (FSPort). If you want to play as a Shivan, use FRED2 or try Flaming_Sword's Shivans! v0.2 mod.

...and for some very tough missions, try Inferno: Alliance (INFA), or, as Lobo recommends, Blue Planet (BP) Procyon Insurgency.
Fixed. And agreed on the JAD trilogy and DEM.
Title: Re: New to Freespace universe, need help to set things up!
Post by: Snail on August 05, 2008, 03:15:19 am
Are you like dedicating your life to flaming Inferno?
Title: Re: New to Freespace universe, need help to set things up!
Post by: Androgeos Exeunt on August 05, 2008, 07:42:01 am
Are you like dedicating your life to flaming Inferno?

:lol:

Inferno Release 1 was very well done for its time. Blue Planet is a bit slow on my Mac, but at least I know what's going on.

There is only one word to describe The Procyon Insurgency, and that is "messy".

Spoiler:
The dogfights take place IN BETWEEN beam fire, for Khonsu's sake!
Title: Re: New to Freespace universe, need help to set things up!
Post by: Snail on August 05, 2008, 07:44:51 am
There is only one word to describe The Procyon Insurgency, and that is "messy".
I, for one, enjoyed PI more than I enjoyed BP (though it was very close, they're really good campaigns).
Title: Re: New to Freespace universe, need help to set things up!
Post by: Wobble73 on August 05, 2008, 07:47:57 am
There is only one word to describe The Procyon Insurgency, and that is "messy".
I, for one, enjoyed PI more than I enjoyed BP (though it was very close, they're really good campaigns).

But PI is SO difficult, especially if you don't refer to the walkthrough!
Title: Re: New to Freespace universe, need help to set things up!
Post by: Snail on August 05, 2008, 10:24:42 am
But PI is SO difficult, especially if you don't refer to the walkthrough!
Yeah, it was challenging, but that was one of the good points of the campaign (for me, anyway). The difficulty made playing on Medium really more of a challenge, rather than on most campaigns where you fight off a few crappy Aeshmas and then go home. Also, there was enough gameplay to keep me occupied in between the plot events, and the plot events came frequently enough to make sure that the gameplay didn't get monotonous. It might be the pace at which I play or something, but I found PI an excellent campaign, making something different from some other campaigns. For example, there were no Shivans, and the bad guys weren't really bad guys... At points I would have liked to defect to the PCA. BP was good too, but I found the Shivans a bit of a monotonous enemy (though the ending bit with the Vishnans and the Shivans was great) and BP introduced no very few enemy ships, which made me sad.
Title: Re: New to Freespace universe, need help to set things up!
Post by: Androgeos Exeunt on August 06, 2008, 08:04:33 am
"messy" was a compliment. If dogfights aren't messy, they're catfights. :p

I've played up to Mission 14 of The Procyon Insurgency just now before it crashed on Mission 15, and I must admit that it probably is well worthy to have events in it mentioned as canon (although it won't be).

How shall I put this...Blue Planet does justice to FreeSpace 2 by having challenging missions. PI does justice to FreeSpace 2 by making almost every single battle a messy one.
Title: Re: New to Freespace universe, need help to set things up!
Post by: Snail on August 06, 2008, 08:06:14 am
How shall I put this...Blue Planet does justice to FreeSpace 2 by having challenging missions. PI does justice to FreeSpace 2 by making almost every single battle a messy one.
Blue Planet's storyline and atmosphere was better than its mission design and tabling, IMO.
Title: Re: New to Freespace universe, need help to set things up!
Post by: Androgeos Exeunt on August 06, 2008, 08:11:00 am
I agree. Prior to Blue Planet, the only missions that make me feel like I'm actually in the game itself are stealth missions. :)
Title: Re: New to Freespace universe, need help to set things up!
Post by: Snail on August 06, 2008, 08:12:56 am
What about Transcend? Or was that more like being in a cinema watching a horror movie?
Title: Re: New to Freespace universe, need help to set things up!
Post by: Androgeos Exeunt on August 06, 2008, 09:04:18 am
I've never tried Transcend. Maybe I should do that tomorrow.
Title: Re: New to Freespace universe, need help to set things up!
Post by: eliex on August 08, 2008, 01:47:30 am
Play it, and make sure it is nighttime when you play.  :nod:
Title: Re: New to Freespace universe, need help to set things up!
Post by: Al Tarket on August 08, 2008, 02:33:00 am
Spoiler:
The dogfights take place IN BETWEEN beam fire, for Khonsu's sake!

:lol: We have a Vasudan lover in Androgeos!.

I recommend the original plot lines to get a feel for what the game is about and then i suggest you move onto other campaigns that have some relevence to freespace 2 then to the rest of them, i particularly like JAD1 + 2 + 3,
Spoiler:
especially the mission where a terran corvette blockades a jump node and a levi jumps in into the corvette and explodes with the corvette captain saying "booya!" :lol:

i then recommend you try IPAndrews babylon 5 mod after all freespace 2 related mods are out of the way, the mod is very good.
Title: Re: New to Freespace universe, need help to set things up!
Post by: Androgeos Exeunt on August 08, 2008, 02:50:46 am
AI, I think you messed up.

Quote from: gtd harbringer
Spoiler:
The S|> pHe4r is going down! BOOYA!
Spoiler:
That blockade concept was very funny too.
Title: Re: New to Freespace universe, need help to set things up!
Post by: Jeff Vader on August 08, 2008, 02:59:08 am
i then recommend you try IPAndrews babylon 5 mod after all freespace 2 related mods are out of the way, the mod is very good.
In order to avoid confusion, let us revise a few things. IPA is not the only person responsible for TBP. There have been others over the years. Also, TBP is not a "mod". "Mods" add something new to the usual retail FS2 scene. TBP does a complete overhaul, hence it is a total conversion. Independent of FS2. Standalone.
Title: Re: New to Freespace universe, need help to set things up!
Post by: Al Tarket on August 08, 2008, 03:04:26 am
i didnt mess up androgeos, i said a levi... meaning i dont remember its name. however, given to choice i would love to play that mission again when i have some free time.
as long as IPA hosts it, i consider it his. if the mod crew releases it its the mod crews. i dont make fuss over titles lobo. its my way. and i did say, after all freespace 2 mods are out the way. meaning once all the freespace 2 related mods are finished then move on and try the bablyon 5 mod as it has its own storyline to work off. however we are both wrong on one thing, it still uses the freespace 2 engine, if its not a freespace engine then what is it? a banana?. with that said like i said try it all out.
Title: Re: New to Freespace universe, need help to set things up!
Post by: Jeff Vader on August 08, 2008, 03:08:51 am
as long as IPA hosts it, i consider it his. if the mod crew releases it its the mod crews.
Well, I'm pretty sure that the "mod crew" released it originally. Since then it has only been updated every once in a while. Incidentally, the TBP site does have related pages (http://babylon.hard-light.net/staff.php) in it.

i dont make fuss over titles lobo.
:wtf: What... titles?

and i did say, after all freespace 2 mods are out the way. meaning once all the freespace 2 related mods are finished then move on and try the bablyon 5 mod as it has its own storyline to work off.
TBP is not a "mod". "Mods" add something new to the usual retail FS2 scene. TBP does a complete overhaul, hence it is a total conversion. Independent of FS2. Standalone.
My point being that you are supposed to install TBP separately. And keep it separated from FreeSpace2. Sure, they both can and do use the FSO engine, but if you cram TBP into FS2, you are sure to cause problems. That was my point.
Title: Re: New to Freespace universe, need help to set things up!
Post by: Al Tarket on August 08, 2008, 03:19:04 am
well if you said that point before their would be none of this. anyway, i never said babylon 5 to be installed on the fso engine, unless i misread somewhere. however you have a valid point which i never said.

i have my own way of doing things, i am confused why you are attacking me because of the way i run my life? with that said.

before hell flies off a cliff with a cannon attached to it i am finished here.
Title: Re: New to Freespace universe, need help to set things up!
Post by: Jeff Vader on August 08, 2008, 03:23:12 am
Let us correct a few misconceptions. I am not attacking, I am correcting your statements slightly. Let's put it this way. You're kinda like my mum: you most likely know the stuff and know what you're talking about, but the way you express your thoughts just might be a bit misleading for people who do not yet know much about the subject. In this case, you repeatedly refer to TBP as a "mod", while I try to explain the difference between a "mod" (works with FreeSpace 2 (Open)) and a "total conversion" (uses the same game engine but is supposed to be separated from the original FreeSpace 2 (Open)).

And I have not critisized your life. Yet.
Title: Re: New to Freespace universe, need help to set things up!
Post by: Snail on August 08, 2008, 05:38:11 am
I don't see why people can't just accept that they were wrong and move along.
Title: Re: New to Freespace universe, need help to set things up!
Post by: Jeff Vader on August 08, 2008, 07:07:36 am
Me or him?

I'm actually done here. I've expressed my statement three times now. And that will be enough. If he refuses to believe me, a shame. If a reasonable amount of street-credible forum members claim that I was wrong, backed up by valid arguments, shame on me.
Title: Re: New to Freespace universe, need help to set things up!
Post by: Snail on August 08, 2008, 09:31:14 am
Me or him?
Him of course.