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General FreeSpace => FreeSpace Discussion => Topic started by: OSH on February 21, 2011, 11:43:23 am

Title: Freespace 2 portable
Post by: OSH on February 21, 2011, 11:43:23 am
Hi All!
I want to know, how I can make my Freespace 2 (3 CDs version) portable. In other words, I want to know, which files I have to copy into game directory. After full installation some files remain on CDs (especially MVE and VP files).
I know it can be done with SCP, but I want to make this without SCP. It is possible?
Title: Re: Freespace 2 portable
Post by: Jeff Vader on February 21, 2011, 11:45:38 am
.mve files to \freespace2\data\movies\ . Create the directory if necessary.

A full installation should not leave any actually needed .vp files out. If you mean tangoA and tangoB, those are completely empty and won't affect anything ever.
Title: Re: Freespace 2 portable
Post by: General Battuta on February 21, 2011, 11:46:18 am
Why would you not want the SCP?  :(
Title: Re: Freespace 2 portable
Post by: swamper123 on February 21, 2011, 12:11:32 pm
It a great idea , it would be another way to show the game to the friends , without having to install the 3 cds plus all the eyecandy files
Title: Re: Freespace 2 portable
Post by: Goober5000 on February 21, 2011, 03:39:46 pm
I know it can be done with SCP, but I want to make this without SCP. It is possible?
The retail EXE requires the CD to be in the drive, even if all files are on the hard disk.
Title: Re: Freespace 2 portable
Post by: Jeff Vader on February 21, 2011, 03:55:32 pm
Whuddabout the exe in kara's hotu crack pack?
Title: Re: Freespace 2 portable
Post by: OSH on February 21, 2011, 04:45:18 pm
Here are files, which are missing after full instalation:

From CD1:
emptymsg.wav
msgend.wav
msgstart.wav
vasudantalk.wav

From CD2:
COLOSSUS.MVE
INTRO.MVE
MONO1.MVE
tangoA_fs2.vp

From CD3:
BASTION.MVE
ENDPART1.MVE
ENDPRT2A.MVE
ENDPRT2B.MVE
MONO2.MVE
MONO3.MVE
MONO4.MVE
tangoB_fs2.vp

Title: Re: Freespace 2 portable
Post by: OSH on February 21, 2011, 04:46:44 pm
.
Title: Re: Freespace 2 portable
Post by: Kopachris on February 21, 2011, 05:20:40 pm
Damn.  I saw the thread title and was hoping there was going to be an FSO version for iOS and Android in the near future.
Title: Re: Freespace 2 portable
Post by: BlackDove on February 21, 2011, 06:42:06 pm
Yeah, I was thinking, FS2Open on Tegra 2.

Alas, not this thread.
Title: Re: Freespace 2 portable
Post by: Wobble73 on February 22, 2011, 05:33:49 am
What about a stripped down version of FSO with mediavps made for a netbook? More efficient assets and textures/maps that aren't so graphics hungry!
Title: Re: Freespace 2 portable
Post by: MatthTheGeek on February 22, 2011, 05:50:39 am
Well, FSO itself, as in the game engine, don't need to be stripped down in any way. But I'm actually gonna do that to the MVPs very soon, once I get Win7 installed on my new netbook.
Title: Re: Freespace 2 portable
Post by: OSH on February 22, 2011, 06:04:24 am
Guys, I want only to know, either I can make original FS2 portable or not... Where I have to copy filese, wchich are remained on CDs after full instalation? Only this is for me important...
Title: Re: Freespace 2 portable
Post by: Jeff Vader on February 22, 2011, 06:22:58 am
either I can make original FS2 portable or not
Download this (http://homepage.ntlworld.com/karajorma/FAQ/Downloads/HotUv1.20Pack.rar). Extract the files to \freespace2\ . Overwrite if/when promted.

Where I have to copy filese, wchich are remained on CDs after full instalation?
.mve files to \freespace2\data\movies\ . Create the directory if necessary.
Title: Re: Freespace 2 portable
Post by: OSH on February 22, 2011, 06:38:19 am
either I can make original FS2 portable or not
Download this (http://homepage.ntlworld.com/karajorma/FAQ/Downloads/HotUv1.20Pack.rar). Extract the files to \freespace2\ . Overwrite if/when promted.

I did this and game doesn't requires CD now.

Where I have to copy filese, wchich are remained on CDs after full instalation?
.mve files to \freespace2\data\movies\ . Create the directory if necessary.
Here are files, which are missing after full instalation:

From CD1:
emptymsg.wav
msgend.wav
msgstart.wav
vasudantalk.wav

And these files? Are they important?
Title: Re: Freespace 2 portable
Post by: Jeff Vader on February 22, 2011, 06:50:06 am
And these files? Are they important?
No.
Title: Re: Freespace 2 portable
Post by: OSH on February 22, 2011, 06:52:24 am
Ok, thanks guys!
And last question: why, when I've copied all MVE files into movies directory, and start FS2 I cant' see intro? Only if I insert CD2...will also other MVE-movies not be played?
Title: Re: Freespace 2 portable
Post by: S-99 on March 01, 2011, 01:42:51 pm
FSO engine on netbook is easy. I don't see why it shouldn't run just fine without mediavp's. No mediavp goodness on a netbook.
Title: Re: Freespace 2 portable
Post by: SypheDMar on March 02, 2011, 05:59:07 am
MatthTheGeek's plan is to have a Lite version of the mediavps that works for the netbook.
Title: Re: Freespace 2 portable
Post by: S-99 on March 02, 2011, 11:45:18 am
Hope it bolds well. The best a netbook can do is older games, such as quake 3 at medium settings. I don't see much head room for mediavp's.
Title: Re: Freespace 2 portable
Post by: MatthTheGeek on March 02, 2011, 12:42:39 pm
It's basically gonna be retail-grade meshes with smaller-than-512² dds textures, and with glowmaps, shine maps, glowpoints and MVP effects. What I have so far is quite good visually and holds solid 20-ish FPS on most retail missions, but I'm not done yet.
Title: Re: Freespace 2 portable
Post by: S-99 on March 02, 2011, 04:14:39 pm
Sounds cool. You're going after some serious optimization i see.
Title: Re: Freespace 2 portable
Post by: ssmit132 on March 03, 2011, 02:07:52 am
That sounds good. I'd still probably need to get some more RAM for my netbook, though - it struggles even without mediavps (or shut down some background stuff).
Title: Re: Freespace 2 portable
Post by: headdie on March 03, 2011, 04:32:42 am
MatthTheGeek will it still be compatible with stuff like BP?
Title: Re: Freespace 2 portable
Post by: MatthTheGeek on March 03, 2011, 05:16:31 am
I'll make tests to make sure it is, however don't expect to run WiH smoothly with a netbook. AoA could pass, but it'd require startcomm's fleet to follow the same treatment I'm giving to the MVP assets.
Title: Re: Freespace 2 portable
Post by: headdie on March 03, 2011, 05:28:01 am
I was thinking It might be usefull for more mid/low end PC and laptops as a reduced system demand version, especially for ppl with integrated cards so we would have a situation where there is:
MVP Lite recommended for notebooks, lower end laptops and Pcs
MVP, recommended for average Pcs and higher and latops with decent graphics cards
MVP+Advanced, recommended for top end Pcs

I'm just thinking then at least when ppl complain that their integrated intel wont run FS+MediaVPs/BP/whatever at least we can say try this instead of " go buy a new graphics card". the problem is as you say it would require extra work on already heavily loaded teams to get the likes of BP fully onboard.
Title: Re: Freespace 2 portable
Post by: S-99 on March 03, 2011, 12:24:23 pm
That sounds good. I'd still probably need to get some more RAM for my netbook, though - it struggles even without mediavps (or shut down some background stuff).
Buy a 2gb stick of ram and you won't regret it. Oh man that gives a netbook so much more head room. Then again, windows still eats a ton of memory while idling with no programs running; there's a reason netbooks first came with linux because of their lowly performance.

The idea of mvp lite sounds great. In netbooks though, the video chip was mainly geared towards desktop usage (no **** on this one, point is two things even if this is a given) and for watching dvd's. I would classify the performance of the built in video for all 3 netbooks (asus netbooks suck, have acer now) i owned as slightly faster than a voodoo2, but capable of 32bit and resolutions over 800x600. What this means is that a netbook graphics chip can do 3d games, but not that great, and wasn't meant for it (not like that'll stop any of us). Reminds me of doom3 played on voodoo2 sli setup (http://www.3dfxzone.it/enboard/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1462).
Title: Re: Freespace 2 portable
Post by: MatthTheGeek on March 03, 2011, 01:05:39 pm
The 20-ish fps I have with the current iteration of my MVP lite was obtained with an Intel Atom N270 (aka monocore 1.6GHz), Intel Integrated GM940 and 1Gb RAM, on Win7, if that can give you an idea.
Title: Re: Freespace 2 portable
Post by: S-99 on March 03, 2011, 03:55:17 pm
I already had an inkling when you said netbook. We both have n270's; we both have the same hardware. It sounds like you made a lot of progress already being in the success area. Keep it up i suppose.

The n270 while being a single core hyperthreaded processor that is 64 bit capable and 1.6ghz (also 40% more efficient on electricity than the n240 netbooks), i don't put it much past being any better than a pentium 2. See how much better the performance gets when you overclock to 2ghz.
Title: Re: Freespace 2 portable
Post by: ssmit132 on March 03, 2011, 06:33:47 pm
Buy a 2gb stick of ram and you won't regret it. Oh man that gives a netbook so much more head room.
That was the advice my friend gave me. I just need to get around to doing it. :)
Title: Re: Freespace 2 portable
Post by: Goober5000 on March 04, 2011, 12:24:43 am
MVP-Lite is basically no mediavps, or alternatively, only mv_core.  Strictly speaking, the mediavps should be optional, and mods should be made to work either with or without them -- for the very reasons described in this thread, as well as others.

FSPort, TVWP, and Scroll all follow this convention.  Sadly, very few other mods do.
Title: Re: Freespace 2 portable
Post by: General Battuta on March 04, 2011, 04:40:31 pm
MVP-Lite is basically no mediavps, or alternatively, only mv_core.  Strictly speaking, the mediavps should be optional, and mods should be made to work either with or without them -- for the very reasons described in this thread, as well as others.

FSPort, TVWP, and Scroll all follow this convention.  Sadly, very few other mods do.

I vaguely recall it being stupidly impractical for any number of reasons, but I can't remember what they are.
Title: Re: Freespace 2 portable
Post by: Goober5000 on March 05, 2011, 01:26:03 am
It is by no means impractical.  It just requires paying attention to which assets you use.  Developing without the mediavps activated helps tremendously.
Title: Re: Freespace 2 portable
Post by: ShivanSpS on March 05, 2011, 08:21:07 am
it it has any point???? netbooks are becoming more powerfull every day... AMD E-350 APU should be able to play with mediavps just fine... even the C-50 should, no mv_advanced.
Title: Re: Freespace 2 portable
Post by: Goober5000 on March 05, 2011, 04:28:31 pm
And suppose someone can't upgrade their netbook, yet still wants to play?
Title: Re: Freespace 2 portable
Post by: ShivanSpS on March 06, 2011, 01:07:37 pm
then no vps, only the .exe... i remember when i selled my old pc... i was using my MSI U230 netbook for gaming for two weeks, and i have a 23" monitor, that means 1920x1080, the L335+HD3200 gpu was still able to play with mvs at 800x600 and no vps at full HD without any problem.

You mean using GMA 950 or GMA x3150 to play FSO??? those things even have a decent opengl support anyway?
Title: Re: Freespace 2 portable
Post by: MatthTheGeek on March 06, 2011, 04:00:56 pm
I know a troll when I see one. Stop it.

Seriously, running with retail assets because of performance issues is retarded, since retail uses pcx only and pcx has a 1/4 to 1/6 performance ratio with DDS. It's a waste, and that's the point of my MVP lite, plus all the other not-performance-hungry stuff such as glowmaps and glowpoints, that can improve the visual a huge lot even on very low-end comps.
Title: Re: Freespace 2 portable
Post by: headdie on March 21, 2011, 04:21:35 pm
:bump:

have you had chance to work on this MatthTheGeek?
Title: Re: Freespace 2 portable
Post by: MatthTheGeek on March 21, 2011, 04:43:40 pm
Will do once I leave to study in UK, where I'll be stuck with my netbook and won't have anything else to do. Aka at the end of the month.
Title: Re: Freespace 2 portable
Post by: headdie on March 21, 2011, 04:53:21 pm
cool, cant wait to see the results