Hard Light Productions Forums
Community Projects => The FreeSpace Wiki Project => Topic started by: Mongoose on December 19, 2008, 09:08:51 pm
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I was just helping out a new user (http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,56799.msg1180570.html#msg1180570) who was led astray by the Installing FS2 Open (http://www.hard-light.net/wiki/index.php/Installing_fs2_open) wiki page into thinking that the Installer still contained the retail version of the game. I went ahead and removed its listing on the page, but in the process, I realized that both it specifically and the whole field of wiki instructions on the subject in general are somewhat muddled. This page (http://www.hard-light.net/wiki/index.php/Getting_Started(Main)) seems to be the current hub of info. Under the Installing FS2 Open section, it contains both a link to a dedicated page (http://www.hard-light.net/wiki/index.php/FreeSpace_Open_Installer) about the Installer and one to the first page I mentioned for manual install purposes...even though this second page repeats a good portion of the information contained in the first. There's also this page (http://www.hard-light.net/wiki/index.php/Getting_started_with_FreeSpace_2), which seems to be a since-abandoned attempt to try to collect all of the above information into a more readable format.
Confused yet? Just imagine that you had just heard of the SCP for the first time and were trying to learn how to install it. :p I don't know that I have any specific suggestions as to how to improve this, but I do know that I feel like it's all become one big muddled mess. Maybe going with a format based on the incomplete page I linked to above is a better option, or maybe all that needs to be done is overhauling the initial page to update it and make it more readable. We talk a lot about having the ability to direct newcomers to the Wiki, but as it stands, I think it's somewhat of a crap-shoot as to whether or not they'll be able to find and follow what they need.
(And while we're at it, given the recent changes in forum policy, many of the links on the Getting FreeSpace (http://www.hard-light.net/wiki/index.php/Getting_FreeSpace) page should really be excised too. I can touch that one up myself, if it's all right.)
Edit: It looks like chief's already come up with this page (http://www.hard-light.net/wiki/index.php/Installing_Freespace_2), which is a good start. :)
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Feel free to edit the pages..
This one ( http://www.hard-light.net/wiki/index.php/Getting_started_with_FreeSpace_2 ) was my attempt on getting the things more organized (sandbox style) but in the end i decided to halt it and wait for the 3.6.10 before finishing it. Could probably be deleted now
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I was kind of hoping for some sort of consensus as to how to better arrange all of this stuff before I (or anyone else) tried diving into it. :p Like I said, I don't necessarily have the answers myself, but I can definitely see room for improvement, and I'm guessing most other people would agree. I'll at least excise the irrelevant sections from the Getting FS page.
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The Installer will probably be going through a few alterations with the 3.6.10 mediavps and fsport 3.1 patches and all so perhaps waiting for everything to settle down before altering the wiki.