21

FreeSpace Discussion / Re: Enemies in a campaign

« Last post by TrashMan on July 13, 2025, 06:19:38 am »

Again, the way travel works in FS2 can be both good and very bad in terms of mission design and lore. When it takes a minute for any enemy ship from anywhere in the system to jump right on top of you, you have to get creative with how a small force can ever survive.

Well, because Subspace has not many mechanics associated with it, there is a lot you can do with it.
There are literally only three canon rules, established in FS1:
- A jump from system to system requires a node
- A jump through a node requires a specific drive
- Tracking a ship during a subspace jump takes special tech

You're missing a few:

- communications between systems require a communication station. Messages are sent trough the nodes, so nodes are also required.
- jump drives need to be charged, but the time it takes in unspecified and varries. NTF destroyers needed 1 minute. Shivna seem to be able to jump again whenever.

Gravitic influences may affect subspace drives and we know for sure subspace emissions can (Psamtiks jump location being wrong due to Knossos)
We can also assume that jumping in an active asteroid field would be a very bad idea.

22

FreeSpace Discussion / Re: Enemies in a campaign

« Last post by Colonol Dekker on July 13, 2025, 03:14:53 am »

Author imagination and willingness to break convention is the only limit in custom campaigns.

23

Nightly Builds / Nightly: 13 July 2025 - Revision dd72784f2

« Last post by SirKnightly on July 13, 2025, 02:01:17 am »

Here is the nightly for 13 July 2025 - Revision dd72784f2



Group: Linux-arm64
nightly_20250713_dd72784f2-builds-Linux-arm64.tar.gz (Mirror)


Group: Linux-x86_64
nightly_20250713_dd72784f2-builds-Linux-x86_64.tar.gz (Mirror)


Group: MacOSX-arm64
nightly_20250713_dd72784f2-builds-Mac-arm64.tar.gz (Mirror)


Group: MacOSX-x86_64
nightly_20250713_dd72784f2-builds-Mac-x86_64.tar.gz (Mirror)


Group: Win32-SSE2
nightly_20250713_dd72784f2-builds-Win32-SSE2.zip (Mirror)


Group: Win64-SSE2
nightly_20250713_dd72784f2-builds-x64-SSE2.zip (Mirror)

Code: [Select]

------------------------------------------------------------------------
commit 22feeddc6
Author: Goober5000
Commit: Goober5000

    ensure SEXP help has appropriate newlines or spaces
 code/parse/sexp.cpp | 112 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++--------------------------
 1 file changed, 56 insertions(+), 56 deletions(-)

------------------------------------------------------------------------
commit 6c35dac53
Author: BMagnu
Commit: GitHub

    Allow autodetection of number of cores for threading (#6824)
 code/cmdline/cmdline.cpp |   4 --
 code/utils/threading.cpp | 104 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++----
 2 files changed, 96 insertions(+), 12 deletions(-)

------------------------------------------------------------------------
commit 8e64845cf
Author: BMagnu
Commit: GitHub

    Make sure to close the g3 frame (#6825)
 code/radar/radarorb.cpp | 3 +++
 1 file changed, 3 insertions(+)

------------------------------------------------------------------------
commit bdde909fa
Author: BMagnu
Commit: GitHub

    Threading Framework & Threaded Collisions (#6814)
 code/cmdline/cmdline.cpp          |  10 +
 code/cmdline/cmdline.h            |   1 +
 code/model/modelcollide.cpp       |  26 +-
 code/object/collideshipship.cpp   | 665 ++++++++++++++++++++------------------
 code/object/collideshipweapon.cpp | 218 +++++++++----
 code/object/objcollide.cpp        | 183 ++++++++++-
 code/object/objcollide.h          |  15 +-
 code/ship/shield.cpp              |   2 +-
 code/ship/ship.h                  |   2 +-
 code/source_groups.cmake          |   2 +
 code/utils/RandomRange.h          |   6 +-
 code/utils/threading.cpp          |  82 +++++
 code/utils/threading.h            |  19 ++
 freespace2/freespace.cpp          |   8 +-
 14 files changed, 827 insertions(+), 412 deletions(-)

------------------------------------------------------------------------
commit 6921f550c
Author: Kestrellius
Commit: GitHub

    Enhanced functionality for conditional impacts (#6785)
 code/debris/debris.cpp              |   2 +
 code/debris/debris.h                |   1 +
 code/network/multimsgs.cpp          |   3 +-
 code/object/collidedebrisweapon.cpp |  28 ++-
 code/object/collideshipweapon.cpp   |   4 +-
 code/object/collideweaponweapon.cpp |  88 +++++++-
 code/ship/shiphit.cpp               | 112 ++++++++--
 code/ship/shiphit.h                 |   5 +-
 code/weapon/beam.cpp                |   9 +-
 code/weapon/weapon.h                |  46 +++-
 code/weapon/weapons.cpp             | 416 +++++++++++++++++++++++-------------
 11 files changed, 529 insertions(+), 185 deletions(-)


24

FreeSpace Discussion / Re: Enemies in a campaign

« Last post by 0rph3u5 on July 12, 2025, 09:30:49 pm »

Again, the way travel works in FS2 can be both good and very bad in terms of mission design and lore. When it takes a minute for any enemy ship from anywhere in the system to jump right on top of you, you have to get creative with how a small force can ever survive.

Well, because Subspace has not many mechanics associated with it, there is a lot you can do with it.
There are literally only three canon rules, established in FS1:
- A jump from system to system requires a node
- A jump through a node requires a specific drive
- Tracking a ship during a subspace jump takes special tech

For MoGW, I actually went an wrote more fluff on subspace travel and communication, so there a lot more guardrails in it, e.g.
- Subspace has multiple "domains", which correspond to different energy levels  - the GTA/PVN/GTVA only can access specific domains; the Shivans can access more and even engineer access (the new finale of Rain On Ribos IV visualizes that by having one node blink out of existence and another appear as Lucifer makes the jump to Ribos)
- Not all domains can be accessed and left at the same spaces, which is the basis for nodes, but also creates "navigational hazards" that ships have to avoid, e.g. in Light of Antares, the GTD Myrmidon has to travel through normal space to access specific routes in subspace.

You just have to bother to write such rules into your treatment of subspace.

25

FreeSpace Discussion / Re: Enemies in a campaign

« Last post by TrashMan on July 12, 2025, 07:50:08 am »

A relatively small force CAN hold a system due to nodes. A well fortified node means that even in victory losses may be unacceptable.

Again, the way travel works in FS2 can be both good and very bad in terms of mission design and lore. When it takes a minute for any enemy ship from anywhere in the system to jump right on top of you, you have to get creative with how a small force can ever survive.

26

FreeSpace Discussion / Re: Enemies in a campaign

« Last post by qweqwe321 on July 12, 2025, 07:38:31 am »

This is a problem I ran into with Chanticleer, tbh - the Federals in Blue Planet are on their last legs, so you really do have to get creative to give the player a challenge without making the world seem ridiculous.

The Blue Planet Gaian Effort campaign I'm slowly writing tries to address it by keeping the player's force small. When your entire force is an Athena, two Apollos and a light cruiser, a couple gunship wings are suddenly a huge threat.

27

FreeSpace Discussion / Screencap Contest: July 2025

« Last post by NeonShivan on July 12, 2025, 07:26:41 am »

I love democracy...I love Hard-Light Productions. I threw together a poll on Discord and to the surprise of no one, a reasonable number of you want this to return. BEHOLD, the Screencap contest has come home to roost. To the newcomers unfamiliar, this contest was started years ago. Eventually it ended up in my hands and I stopped it sometime in 2020. The contest is simple, you submit a screenshot that is based on a given theme and I then decide who has the best screenshot. The winner gets a lovely badge next to their name for a month. At the end of the year, a winner is chosen based on the number of months.

As with all contests, there are rules:

1: No HUD! (Jump nodes are ok though!)
2: Images must be presented as they would be as seen with only the FSO engine rendering the image. Remember that these entries help to show off what the engine can do for new players! So that means no after the fact photoshopping (except for cropping), and no external shader programs (reshade and the like). No lens flares, contrast shifts, colorizers, etc.
3: Max 3 entries per person!
4: Again, these screenshots are a way to promote Freespace and the FSO Engine - let's keep it in good taste.

Now as for a theme for July, because this is being started later into the month I'm going to go with no theme for now, hit me with your screenshots and may the best screenshot win.

At the end of the month, all screenshots will be collected and eventually posted to the wiki. Whenever my ADHD allows me to do so.

Have at it you feral animals.

28

Mission & Campaign Releases / Re: RELEASE: New Path Chapter 2

« Last post by SilverAngelX on July 12, 2025, 07:15:06 am »

For chapter 1, having a company (with only a few thousand employees) declare war on the GTVA is bonkers, as is the idea that the employees would just go along with it. And them having SEVERAL super technologies.

A few remarks:
- "Going to war is bonkers for a company": That depends on their goal. You seem to assume that they wanted to overthrow the GTVA. The would indeed be unrealistic, even in its weakened state. But I can say this much without going too far into spoiler territory: That wasn't their actual goal.
- "employees wouldn't just all go along": No, they wouldn't and it was never the assumption that all of them did participate voluntarily. But if history has shown us one thing, both in RL and in FS, then it's that it only takes one somewhat charismatic and convincing leader who can sell an idea to get a lot of people to join him, even (and that's the shocking part) if those goals fundamentally go against the interests of the followers.
- "too many super technologies": The GTVA itself has shown a tendency of incredible technological leaps several times during FS1 and 2. It would also seem they've become really good at adapting Shivan technology. During FS1 it took them mere days to analyze and adapt the Shivan shield tech for Terran and Vasudan ships. After the Great War they managed to build their own beam cannons rather quickly. Meson bombs, ETAK, the tachyon technology of AWACS ships, etc. All those leaps have to come from somewhere. So, is it really that far fetched that those R&D think tanks may hold some things back if they're boss has a hidden agenda?

For chapter 2, I really didn't feel invested in the missions. Small militas that fly old rustbuckets aren't exciting to fight. Narratively,  why would the militas that can't even afford a cruiser attack the GTVA? We are basically killing anti-pirate militas that formed for lack of GTVA presence because the GTVA is worried they might grow too big. Certainly not heroic. Perhaps it personal preference, but I still haven't finished chapter 2.

I guess that is indeed a case of personal preference. But I was very clear from the very first mission of chapter 1 that I don't believe that the entire life of a fighter pilot has to be one single blaze of glory. Sometimes (maybe even most times) it's just doing what needs to be done.
Regarding the militias: It's not just the fear of an outright attack that leads to them being a target, it's also what they represent. The systems in which they operate have been the point of origin of a rebellion before, and the mindset that fueled that rebellion didn't just vanish in the nebula with Admiral Bosch. The whole point of my campaign is to show how many cracks the GTVA already has when it comes to the collective psyche of its population. These are weak points that could be exploited. As stated above: You only need the wrong leader to go down a very dark path. So yes, while shooting down old rust buckets may not be too glorious or heroic, when it needs to be done, it has to be done to prevent cracks in the GTVA from getting too wide.

29

Mission & Campaign Releases / Re: Flames of War - Coming of the Storm (re-release)

« Last post by TrashMan on July 12, 2025, 05:26:26 am »

This is odd. Checking the mission in FRED, when a a ship is tagged it's protected. The protection is never removed.
And when 70% of the convoy is destroyed, Alpha and Beta are given order to go to waypoint (no clearing of previous orders).
They shouldn't go after them.

In my testing I usually waited before tagging, so the convoy departed, but I never noticed the wingmen attacking them in any of my test playtroughs. Hmm.....

EDIT: This should fix it. Specifically ordered ships to play dead.

30

Nightly Builds / Nightly: 12 July 2025 - Revision 06eaf94cb

« Last post by SirKnightly on July 12, 2025, 02:01:59 am »

Here is the nightly for 12 July 2025 - Revision 06eaf94cb



Group: Linux-arm64
nightly_20250712_06eaf94cb-builds-Linux-arm64.tar.gz (Mirror)


Group: Linux-x86_64
nightly_20250712_06eaf94cb-builds-Linux-x86_64.tar.gz (Mirror)


Group: MacOSX-arm64
nightly_20250712_06eaf94cb-builds-Mac-arm64.tar.gz (Mirror)


Group: MacOSX-x86_64
nightly_20250712_06eaf94cb-builds-Mac-x86_64.tar.gz (Mirror)


Group: Win32-SSE2
nightly_20250712_06eaf94cb-builds-Win32-SSE2.zip (Mirror)


Group: Win64-SSE2
nightly_20250712_06eaf94cb-builds-x64-SSE2.zip (Mirror)

Code: [Select]

------------------------------------------------------------------------
commit b9b64fe49
Author: Mike Nelson
Commit: GitHub

    Show team colors with Lua rendering methods (#6802)
 code/missionui/missionweaponchoice.cpp   |  8 +++++-
 code/missionui/missionweaponchoice.h     |  5 +++-
 code/model/modelrender.cpp               |  4 +--
 code/model/modelrender.h                 |  2 +-
 code/scripting/api/objs/parse_object.cpp | 28 +++++++++++++++++++
 code/scripting/api/objs/shipclass.cpp    | 47 +++++++++++++++++++++-----------
 6 files changed, 73 insertions(+), 21 deletions(-)

------------------------------------------------------------------------
commit 218d8c09b
Author: BMagnu
Commit: GitHub

    Rely on bound vai's rather than try to retrieve them (#6822)
 code/graphics/opengl/ShaderProgram.cpp  | 14 ++------------
 code/graphics/opengl/ShaderProgram.h    |  6 +-----
 code/graphics/opengl/gropenglshader.cpp | 18 ++----------------
 code/graphics/opengl/gropenglshader.h   |  3 ---
 code/graphics/opengl/gropengltnl.cpp    |  4 ++--
 5 files changed, 7 insertions(+), 38 deletions(-)

------------------------------------------------------------------------
commit bda54ffe8
Author: BMagnu
Commit: GitHub

    Fix some things in the particle code coverity flaggedf (#6821)
 code/particle/volumes/SpheroidVolume.cpp | 12 +++++++++++-
 code/weapon/muzzleflash.cpp              |  6 +++---
 code/weapon/weapons.cpp                  |  6 +++---
 3 files changed, 17 insertions(+), 7 deletions(-)

------------------------------------------------------------------------
commit 32fcb8ccb
Author: Goober5000
Commit: Goober5000

    fix broken newline behavior when FRED saves missions
 fred2/missionsave.cpp              | 41 ++++++++++++++++++++++----------------
 fred2/missionsave.h                | 11 +++++++---
 qtfred/src/mission/missionsave.cpp | 41 ++++++++++++++++++++++----------------
 qtfred/src/mission/missionsave.h   |  5 +++++
 4 files changed, 61 insertions(+), 37 deletions(-)

------------------------------------------------------------------------
commit 2e7f37ef7
Author: Goober5000
Commit: Goober5000

    sort map keys before saving a container
 fred2/missionsave.cpp              | 7 ++++++-
 qtfred/src/mission/missionsave.cpp | 7 ++++++-
 2 files changed, 12 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)