[Art Kelson]

I already found a lot of Threads regarding this Question (from 2006), but they never got answered properly, so I thought to seriously point out, how it´s possible to remove the Main Campaign, if your planning a total Conversion or similar Mods.

I downloaded Babylon5, just to figure out that it´s actually possible, because the main FS2 Campaign isn´t there. The Problem is that TBP converts almost anything and they just made new and empty .vp Files to make it possible, and that wouldn´t work out how i´m planning to do it, because i would still need some Files from f.e root_fs2.vp.

So, to just make new and empty .vps wouldn´t work for me. But is it possible to modify the Campaign File, so it´s not even appearing ingame ?

Please don´t ask me why i want to do this...it´s not only cosmetical improvement, but has mainly to do with the Weapons, since i figured out that i can´t rename them, as long as the Main Campaign is still active.

[Snail]

Extract everything you need from root_fs2.vp, then delete it (actually move it to a backup folder in case you need it). Don't extract any of the missions.

[Art Kelson]

Extract everything you need from root_fs2.vp, then delete it (actually move it to a backup folder in case you need it). Don't extract any of the missions.

You mean like...

1. Extracting the Root File
2. Exclude Mission and Campaign Files
3. Repack the Root.vp with VP Mage
4. Put the new .root_fs2.vp into my Mod Folder ?

...if so, I already did that. But then the Game is simply crashing, because the Main Campaign is still running...only the Missions aren´t there anymore.

What File exactly "activates" the main Campaign on Game start up ?

Edit: I also refered to this Thread, but nothing that is inside this Thread, worked out so far + it´s an very old Thread.

http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,38855.0.html

[Snail]

You don't need to repack the .vp

[Art Kelson]

I don´t know what i did wrong, because i also tried that. Whatever, it seems to work now...but still not like I want it to work...sorry if i may sound a bit punctiliously (<-- Word translatet in Google Translator^^ ).

The Campaign now is excluded and not choosable, but the Missions are...



...despite the Fact i excluded all Missions and deleted the root_fs2.vp.

Where does the Game get the Mission Files if there aren´t any 

I was able to even play them.

[Snail]

Check your folders.

[Art Kelson]

Ok i checked...

Freespace2/data/missions = empty, also all the other Folders
Freespace2/FSAR/data/missions = only my own Mission

All other Folders in FSAR don´t contain any Mission Files...

Edit: Are there any Missions inside the Mediavps ?
       Triple checked it. There´s absolutely nothing that refers to the Missions.

Edit2: I´m running out of Options now. I browsed through the Mediavps Files and found some single and coop Missions. I doubt i can make a download with tons of Files not related to my Mod.

It would be 192 MB more Filesize...

[Aardwolf]

root_fs2.vp, isn't it?

[Art Kelson]

Thanks @Snail

Got it so far. I had to un- and repack the Files:

root_fs2.vp
mediavps\mv_core.vp
mediavps\mv_models.vp

I just excluded anything Mission related and then repacked the Files and replaced the originals. So that basically says i have to include thoose new packed .vp Files in my mod...is there a Problem with this ?

I rearranged the Weapons now and it´s a whole lot of work , since i also have to tie the renamed Weapons to the Fighters and Bombers. But while doing this, i also figured out how to make completely new Weapons, what is possible if you just copy and readjust some of the Weaponsettings.

It´s challenging how long it takes to figure out how thinks are working in FS2, but once you got it, you slap to your Head and think..."meh, that was so easy...why i didn´t figured that out by myself... ".

So is anyone interested in a complete "Newbie Tutorial". It basically includes how to alter or setup new...Weapons, Ships, Animations and ingame History. Basically everything you need to make a total Conversion (didn´t worked at the Backgrounds...but i think it´s also possible to modifie them).

I´m asking because i know how complicatet it is to gather all the needed Information and i thought to make a single Tutorial that covers anything needed, would help some of the Newbies that have to much respect of modding Freespace2.

greets Art...

[Snail]

Do you want just table modifications for ships or completely new models?

[Art Kelson]

Do you want just table modifications for ships or completely new models?

I suck at poffing...so no, i don´t plan to put in new Models for Weapons, just modifie the originals and maybe table some new Weapons. Ships.tbl is already set up, but since i´m using Retail Build, it´s limited to 384 kb.

[Snail]

Retail build? Err... That complicates things.

For the ships.tbl try delete the stuff at the top (The stuff starting with ";;"). That saves a lot of space.

[griffon67]

I don't know if there is in retail build but you can aso delete comments (stuff which begin by ; in ships definitions.
another way of getting your table smaller is deleting the description of the fighter (the long part presenting the sotry of the fighter) though I don't think anyone would delete this part.

[Art Kelson]

Retail build? Err... That complicates things.

No, no...not Retail Freespace...i´m indeedly using FCP 3.6.9 with 3.6.8z Mediavps. I just thought it´s named retail build, because there is a inferno build to...or am i wrong ?

For the ships.tbl try delete the stuff at the top (The stuff starting with ";;"). That saves a lot of space.

Oh yeah thanks, didn´t thought about that yet. But the Download is now about 200 MB, so 1 or 2 more MBs shouldn´t be what bothers me...

What my Mod really is missing are some good Anis + they shouldn´t be very big (around 1-2 MBs)...is there a .eff Tutorial somewhere ?

another way of getting your table smaller is deleting the description of the fighter

I made new Descriptions for all my Ships, so i already saved a lot of space inside the ships.tbl...it´s at it´s limit...by deleting some of the ; comments, i might get 2 or 3 more Ships, but that´s not primarly...

[Snail]

Oh okay that makes things better. The normal SCP builds aren't retail builds; retail is the version you got when you actually bought the game (hence "retail"). Non-Inferno builds are known as normal SCP builds, really. Inferno builds just support more ships than the normal builds, but as a consequence they take up more memory. Normal SCP builds are not limited by the 384 kb thing AFAIK. They cannot, however, support an infinite amount of ships. If you want to have an insane amount of ships (like 150 ships or so), you might want to get an Inferno build. I'm not sure of the exact number.

[Art Kelson]

If you want to have an insane amount of ships (like 150 ships or so), you might want to get an Inferno build. I'm not sure of the exact number.

No that´s not my primary Goal. I´m just one Person and all the codehacking is already crowing over my Head. So i basically want to concentrate on improvements, rather then putting in even more new Stuff.

Creating the Story Plot and Background also takes a whole lot of my Time. It´s pretty impossible to make something serious without creating a proper background Plot...

But can someone please answer this Questions:

1. Is there a Tutorial about .eff makings ?
2. Is someone interested in a "Newbie" Tutorial
3. Am i allowed to use SCP Files in my Mod (mv_core.vp, mv_models.vp) ?