[Pda0]

Okay, ive been around this forum (And the fs2 scene) for a while, as I *love* FS2, but to be honest I never had the guts to post anything here... as I barely understood anything!. A year ago I read some posts and got to the idea that fs2_open was a difficult thing to install, but after 3.6.5 thought it would be pretty stable, so I tried it out. Im some way I got pushed by the existence of the doc wiki

Well, after quite a lot unsuccessful attempts (fs2_open didnt start at all, maybe started but not the missions, etc.) I realized that the install that really worked for me was:

- retail fs2 + 1.2 patch
- fs2_open 3.6.5 auto-installer
- mv_adveffects ; mv_core ; mv_effects ; mv_models ; mv_textures

Installing mv_aseffects or mv_zpack resulted in different errors that prevented gameplay. I also got confused in why was there a link to mv_core if the autoinstaller already got one. After days of reading I understood that zpack was something like a resolution-limited package of the rest of the MV's (?) so I didn't install it.

Well, im finally playing now and I must say that changes are astonishing Thanks for a work well done! Ill play FS2 retail campaign out and tell here what the problems ive had.

The first thing I noticed is that in the 'ship-hiding-in-an-asteroid' mission, the 'pale red dot' that supposed to get in the radar wasn't there. Not a big problem though, as the asteroid is huge and I could locate it visually.

That's about it by now, sorry for the long post, and many thanks to the dev's and designers who had made this possible. This work is really awesome! The only thing I would ask (and of course contribute if needed) is getting a little better the install instructions, I found them somehow hard to follow.

.pda

PD: I own a Radeon 9500pro, athlon64 3000+ w/ 512mb mem

[Primus]

[Singh]

if you've got the zpack.....delete it.  Some of the stuff there is a massive performance drain and it just sucks (as I found out just now, the hard way)

3.6.5. has some bugs that you should avoid. Grab a build from the recent build forums instead; currently the most stable one for me is http://icculus.org/~taylor/fso/testing/20050103-win32.zip and contains a LOT of fixes and new features the 3.6.5 build doesn't

Oh yes, and the HLP welcome speech.

Welcome to the hard light productions facility. Current topside temperature is 150 degrees centigrade, and the supernova forcast for the day is clear.

Exits are on either side towards the forward and rear and a flamethrower is located under your seat in case of emergencies. However, they are empty as we have no $$ required to fill them with napalm. There are some plasma rifles towards the front, but only persons that can open these lockers are a [V] God, an Admin or a hyper-intelligent shade of the color blue, so don't even bother.

Should you end up crawling through the vents and encounter a shivan, don't worry, it's just carl. Give him your lunch, or lunch money, and he'll go away.

Welcome, and have a safe and productive day!

[Goober5000]

Originally posted by Pda0
The first thing I noticed is that in the 'ship-hiding-in-an-asteroid' mission, the 'pale red dot' that supposed to get in the radar wasn't there. Not a big problem though, as the asteroid is huge and I could locate it visually.

Make sure your radar range is set to high enough, like 10,000 meters or infinity.  Sometimes you can accidentally set it to 1000.

[karajorma]

Originally posted by Pda0
I also got confused in why was there a link to mv_core if the autoinstaller already got one.

There are lots of people like myself who have never use the installer. After a while usingh the builds you get to know how well FS2_Open works that even on a brand new install of FS2 you know which files need to be copied to where in order to get it to work

[Pda0]

if you've got the zpack.....delete it. Some of the stuff there is a massive performance drain and it just sucks (as I found out just now, the hard way)

Yep, I think that should be said in the docs

3.6.5. has some bugs that you should avoid. Grab a build from the recent build forums instead; currently the most stable one for me is http://icculus.org/~taylor/fso/test...50103-win32.zip and contains a LOT of fixes and new features the 3.6.5 build doesn't

Another good tip that should go there  

Make sure your radar range is set to high enough, like 10,000 meters or infinity. Sometimes you can accidentally set it to 1000.

Lol I didn't even know you could set that up. Its on Fs2 main options, on in a config file somewhere?

There are lots of people like myself who have never use the installer

I sense a guru here Well, I dont know if Ill get there heh but I'll try.
I just signed up in the wiki... it's ok if I do some editing? I would love to try and help out a bit getting the documentation better. This would mean that you ppl will have to answer a lot of stupid questions but well I've rtfm'd as much as I can

.pd

[Goober5000]

Originally posted by Pda0
Lol I didn't even know you could set that up. Its on Fs2 main options, on in a config file somewhere?

It's in the HUD config.  The default key mapping is the apostrophe (').  Press it in-mission and see what happens.

This would mean that you ppl will have to answer a lot of stupid questions but well I've rtfm'd as much as I can

That's fine.  All we ask is that people read first, then ask.

[Setekh]

Welcome to HLP, Pda0. Glad you finally came out of hiding.

[karajorma]

Originally posted by Pda0
I sense a guru here

Actually after you've installed FS2_Open the first time subsequent versions can be installed simply by removing the old media.vp files and installing the new ones along with the new exe.

FS2_Open is a bit of a bugger to Configure the first time if you don't know what you're doing but installation has always been as simple as plonking a few files down in the right folder

Originally posted by Pda0
I just signed up in the wiki... it's ok if I do some editing? I would love to try and help out a bit getting the documentation better. This would mean that you ppl will have to answer a lot of stupid questions but well I've rtfm'd as much as I can

.pd

Feel free to ask but I'm upgrading my FAQ to include a lot more information about the SCP (Most of the questions I answer are now SCP related so it's about time ) so I might ask you some in return in order to get a newbies perspective of things

[übermetroid]

Originally posted by Pda0
*SNIP*

Be on the look out for Raa.  He collects heads.

[Pda0]

Be on the look out for Raa. He collects heads.

WTH

Feel free to ask but I'm upgrading my FAQ to include a lot more information about the SCP

Where is the faq? I checked out your sig but I get a cannot find server error. And... why isnt the faq in the wiki?

so I might ask you some in return in order to get a newbies perspective of things

Heh you are more than welcome!

It's in the HUD config. The default key mapping is the apostrophe ('). Press it in-mission and see what happens.

I see it... but I don't think it was the problem. The blinking red dot just wasn't there, even if I got close to the asteroid.

Welcome to HLP, Pda0. Glad you finally came out of hiding.

Thanks, I feel like home here

Im in the first nebula mission now, and Fs2_open got non responsive... I got to the lost rebel ship, the captain surrendered... and then it got locked up. I could return to windows ok though.

.pd

[karajorma]

Originally posted by Pda0
Where is the faq? I checked out your sig but I get a cannot find server error. And... why isnt the faq in the wiki?

Odd. I just tried it now and it worked fine.

The FAQ is actually much older than the Wiki. I have added a fair bit of it to the Wiki but I find the format somewhat more restrictive than the FAQ for lots of reasons. For instance uploading images to the wiki is a pain for instance since I have to corner one of the admins whenever I need it done (not that they aren't willing to help of course ).

One main reason however is that since the FAQ is mine I can give my own view of matters rather than having to take the entire communities feelings on the matter into consideration. If I want to say that a certain program or tool is better than the competition I can on the FAQ were as the Wiki is meant to be the sum of all the communities knowledge about Freespace so it should remain much more impartial.

[Pda0]

I tried yesterday and worked, but didn't have time to really look into it. Now its not working again (?)

Wiki could be able to automatically convert a http linking to a image into a img tag. That way you can store imgs on your own server. Or maybe just leave the link there, and a click takes you to the img.

The opinion part, I disagree a bit. If you specify that something you say its your opinion, then its ok... specially if you have 11323 posts I would rather see your opinions all over the wiki than having to read in two different places

BTW I tried the nebula mission again with the 20050212-win32.zip build of fs2_open, but the game got locked up again, this time in a different timing. Ill try to learn how to debug this thing.

Thanks again

.pd

Originally posted by karajorma


Odd. I just tried it now and it worked fine.

The FAQ is actually much older than the Wiki. I have added a fair bit of it to the Wiki but I find the format somewhat more restrictive than the FAQ for lots of reasons. For instance uploading images to the wiki is a pain for instance since I have to corner one of the admins whenever I need it done (not that they aren't willing to help of course ).

One main reason however is that since the FAQ is mine I can give my own view of matters rather than having to take the entire communities feelings on the matter into consideration. If I want to say that a certain program or tool is better than the competition I can on the FAQ were as the Wiki is meant to be the sum of all the communities knowledge about Freespace so it should remain much more impartial.

[StratComm]

I've had some problems with nebula missions lately too, especially those with default suns.  I'm using a slightly older build, but I can't play the first campaign nebula mission at all.

[Kie99]

Originally posted by karajorma


Odd. I just tried it now and it worked fine.

The FAQ is actually much older than the Wiki. I have added a fair bit of it to the Wiki but I find the format somewhat more restrictive than the FAQ for lots of reasons. For instance uploading images to the wiki is a pain for instance since I have to corner one of the admins whenever I need it done.

I don't think Goober will be helling you from now on.

"FSO 3.6.5" and "Stable" should never be be used in the same sentence unless "Stable" is preceded by the words "not" or "Not very".

[Goober5000]

Originally posted by kietotheworld
I don't think Goober will be helling you from now on.

Surely you mean "helping"?

And it's Sandwich who's responsible for the Wiki.  I've voiced the exact same sentiment elsewhere.

[karajorma]

Originally posted by Pda0
I tried yesterday and worked, but didn't have time to really look into it. Now its not working again (?)
 

NTL have been playing at silly buggers with my e-mail all day long. I think they're probably fixing something cause it works for me now.

Originally posted by Pda0
Wiki could be able to automatically convert a http linking to a image into a img tag. That way you can store imgs on your own server.  

That's pretty much what I did when I ported the FRED FAQ over.

Originally posted by Pda0
The opinion part, I disagree a bit. If you specify that something you say its your opinion, then its ok... specially if you have 11323 posts I would rather see your opinions all over the wiki than having to read in two different places

The problem with that is that rather than simply giving a general disclaimer at the top of the FAQ I have to keep stating that certain things are my opinion (plus risk having someone else come along and edit them/add their own comments). All in all I find that a little ummmm... untidy

There are other reasons to though why I prefer to maintain the FAQ rather than add to the wiki only. For a start since I'm the only person who edits the FAQ I avoid a lot of the danger of having differing advice in different sections.
 Also I find it easier to write HTML in an editor than work in Wiki code. (It's much easier to port HTML too).

I know what you mean about having to look in two different places. In fact it's worse than that. There's info all over the place One thing I'm trying to do with the FAQ upgrade is to actually make it reference the wiki a lot. In that way people will find it easier to find the info that they are looking for on the wiki.

Finally I'm not precious about info in the FAQ. Rip it out and put it in the Wiki if you want. I don't mind, saves me the hassle of doing it

[Pda0]

NTL have been playing at silly buggers with my e-mail all day long. I think they're probably fixing something cause it works for me now.

Working now, finally

The problem with that is that rather than simply giving a general disclaimer at the top of the FAQ I have to keep stating that certain things are my opinion (plus risk having someone else come along and edit them/add their own comments). All in all I find that a little ummmm... untidy  

Well, heh I can't disagree with that Anyway I still think that senior fs2_open'ers opinions are as good as anything, with or without the disclaimer.

One thing I'm trying to do with the FAQ upgrade is to actually make it reference the wiki a lot. In that way people will find it easier to find the info that they are looking for on the wiki.

Very good idea! That way you will somehow complement rather than rewrite.

Finally I'm not precious about info in the FAQ. Rip it out and put it in the Wiki if you want. I don't mind, saves me the hassle of doing it

:devil: Okay Ill wait you upgrade the faq though, I dont want to work twice. Im going on a vacation next friday, for 2-3 weeks. When I get back maybe you will have something to get ported over.

You should _definately_ mention your FAQ (And maybe other sources you mention) on a prominent part of the wiki BTW.

(Edit: I found it! Its already there heh)

I turned music off (as recommended in a post somewhere) and that got me past the nebula mission. The bad part is that my PC got locked up between the colossus-is-here mission and the next one. AND I LOST MY PILOT!! DAMN!!

Now I'll have to test fs2_open all over again I guess there is a way to cheat and just go over the first missions..

.pd

[karajorma]

You'd just finished the first mission with the Colossus in it? Give me a sec.

Download this, Stick it in Freespace2\data\missions and restart the campaign from the campaign room. You'll start playing from the mission immediately following the appearance of the Colossus.

Don't forget to delete the file once you've completed FS2 though

[Pda0]

LOL where did you get that bunny from?

I did that, and got:

Error: CreateVertexBuffer returned D3DERR_INVALIDCALL.
File:U:\src\cvs\fs2_open.linux\code\Graphics\GrD3D.cpp
Line: 2146

Call stack:
------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks

.pd