[sfried]

Hello. I guess this is the wrong thread to introduce yourself, but anyways...

I have a Toshiba m200-S810 with a 1.6GH Intel Centrino and 512MB of RAM (expandable to 2 Gigs), which comes also equipped with a nVidia GeForce FX 5200 32 MB...updated drivers, of course (the other Tablets come equiped with an integrated graphics card). I've succesfully installed FS and FS2 with no problems and even use he stylus for control (doesn't beat a joystick, though), and also did the appropriate reg-edits to fix the graphics card issues, dissappearing stars, etc. Like the guide at Freespace Oracle, I've set anti-aliasing to application and there hasn't been a hitch.

Only one thing, though: How do I get to make the visuals look as good as what most people posted here? It looks like they forced anti-aliasing or added some lighting effects or something. I've been trying to get the most out of graphics card (runs FS smoothly and FS2 at 1024x768 32 bit color around 50ish fps, which isn't bad considering the 'jump' I've made with my previous computer...sorry for the pun...), but forcing AA just causes that text glitch most people speak about, but leaving it on app doesn't really make use of the AA at all. Does anybody know how to get the most out of my FS/FS2 without having to download FSO? I know it sounds strange, but from the looks of it, other people seem to be able to get their graphics cards to pump better visuals and they sometimes have a lower end GFX card than what mine has... any more regediting needed? (Also did the hi-res trick, but I didn't go through trying to hack FS for the textures and all of the other FSO related hacks.)

[Singh]

the reason the pics here are so pretty is due to the power of FS2 open. Retail FS2 is simply not powerfull enough to run all those features, not to mention simply doesn't have them in it's code. You're at it's limits as it is, and without directly programming the source code itself, I doubt there is much ways to improve it.

The reason FS2 open looks so much better is because those lighting and other effects have been added in, not to mention the extra artwork has been created to specially use it's HTL engine. It can be run on lower end GFX cards, so it should run on yours fine.

If you're afraid to use FS2 open, at least read the full description that can be found Here as well as a start-up guide on how to use it. It also contains a full description of flags and features currently available (although it is a little out of date). For a more comprehensive list of features, you'll have to search around the recent build forums and see the release information for each build in that particular thread.

If you're looking for specific builds, then the latest one is here, however it's a bit unstable, and the most recent stable one is dated around hte 3rd of Jan, 2005, which can be found here.

Hope that helps.

Oh, and welcome to Hard Light Productions

[Bobboau]

yeah it's kinda hard to get FSO features to work if you refuse to download FSO.

[sfried]

I see.

I've read the downloading instructions, but it seems to me there's of hacking to be done...and slipups can be a problem, too.

Also, I have the problem of being able to play the main game "normally." It seems many peole who use FS2Open get glitches in certain areas of the Main Campaign.

Is there a self-extracting FS2 Open file that would help "install" itself?

And thanks for the links, Singh.

[WMCoolmon]

3.6.5 installer:
http://scp.indiegames.us/download.php?view.50

Extract these to your main FS folder (They're self-extracting RARs):
http://scp.indiegames.us/download.php?view.54
http://scp.indiegames.us/download.php?view.51
http://scp.indiegames.us/download.php?view.53
If you really want higher-quality effects, download this file. With an FX5200 I wouldn't really recommend it though.
http://scp.indiegames.us/download.php?view.60

If you run into bugs:
http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,29938.0.html

[spaceman spiff]

no one beamed him.... can i can i?!

oh shoot... aldo_14 already did it...

[sfried]

A Couple of More Questions:

Are there issues using FSO_3.6 with the main Campaigns? Compared to 3.6.5? Is there any way the main game and campaigns will run bug-free? I read that a certain bu persists when playing on very easy (in 3.6.5), and I still plan on playing the main campaign so I might not want to install any of it yet...

And as for the installation: Does it completely overight your FS2 game executable? Does that mean I could no longer play "normal" FS2 once I've installed? I was thinking of backing up the original fs2.exe file but then I don't know if simply overighting the preexisting FSO FS2 will simply work in reverting it back to it's original version? Or does it make a separate executable completely?

I still haven't mastered all that much of FRED (heck, hardly ever touched FRED2 yet) so I dunno if I should first practice building missions on "normal" FRED before attempting to switch to FSO FRED (or FRED 2).

Edit: Also, I saw some poster here make a custom-made jump vortex. Can I immidiately use it or do I have to have FSO? (Saved it as a .ani file)

Edit 2: One last request - Any pic comparisons between regular FS2 and FSOpen? Say from this mission?



I just want to see what I am (or could be potentially) getting.

[Deepblue]

You can always play normal FS2 by removing running the normal FS2 exe. as long as you clear out any unoriginal modded VP files and un-compressed mods in the data folder from the main FS2 folder (as these mods may utilize features put in by the SCP and not supported by the original exe).

[WMCoolmon]

You won't be able to use the new features in mediaVP, or SCP-enabled campaigns, but everything that worked with retail FS2 should work with SCP.

Everything FSO is an addition and makes no modification to the retail FS2 data, with one exception - pilot files were upgraded to fix bugs that occured when using multiple mods, and to allow one to play multiple campaigns with one pilot. These changes mean that a new pilot file won't work with the old FS2, so if you want to play FS2 and FS2Open, you should make a copy and only use one of the pilot files so the old one (with your settings) is preserved. FS2Open 3.6.5 will warn you every time you use a pilot file that it'll be converted; this is a bug, that has been fixed in later versions, a pilot file will be converted the first time you open it in 3.6.5

[karajorma]

Originally posted by sfried
Are there issues using FSO_3.6 with the main Campaigns? Compared to 3.6.5? Is there any way the main game and campaigns will run bug-free? I read that a certain bu persists when playing on very easy (in 3.6.5), and I still plan on playing the main campaign so I might not want to install any of it yet...

As far as I know there are no issues with FS2_Open itself. There are some problems with the media VP files but as long as you fix those with the work arounds I provided in my stickied thread you shouldn't  have any problems.

Originally posted by sfried
And as for the installation: Does it completely overight your FS2 game executable? Does that mean I could no longer play "normal" FS2 once I've installed? I was thinking of backing up the original fs2.exe file but then I don't know if simply overighting the preexisting FSO FS2 will simply work in reverting it back to it's original version? Or does it make a separate executable completely?

I addition to what the other two say you will also have to run the FSO launcher and set all the command line options to off. But that takes all of 5 seconds to do

Originally posted by sfried
I still haven't mastered all that much of FRED (heck, hardly ever touched FRED2 yet) so I dunno if I should first practice building missions on "normal" FRED before attempting to switch to FSO FRED (or FRED 2).

The current version of FRED2_open has a few bugs that make mission creation a little harder when it comes to waypoints, briefing icons and visualising objects which are above or below the XZ plane. That said the new features make a lot of things easier so it's basically it's not much of a difference. FRED is still about 80% the same in both versions. You don't have to use the new stuff while learning so there's little danger of being overwhelmed.

If you really want to learn FRED once you've done the walkthrough take a look at the FRED Academy

[WMCoolmon]

Originally posted by sfried
A Couple of More Questions:

I just want to see what I am (or could be potentially) getting.

You're familiar with the Hercules?

One of my favorite pics of the Perseus

I also notice there's an Arcadia and a Fenris or Leviathan in your picture

*Points to sig*

[Kie99]

Those pics get me every time.

[sfried]

So I could just launch FSOpen as a separate file without having to use/replace the VP files at all?

Oh, and nice pics WMCoolmon.

Edit: So I'm not so sure which version people are pointing me towards: 3.6.5 or 3.6? Seems to me most of you are pointing me to 3.6.5 and just let me hack the instability problems.

Originally posted by karajorma
There are some problems with the media VP files but as long as you fix those with the work arounds I provided in my stickied thread you shouldn't  have any problems.  

Which sticky? In your sig or here in this thread? I hope it doesn't involve any more regedits...

Edit 2: Installed... When running AA in 2x samples, I get the wierd "blue lines"  glitch most people get... Edit 3: Mouse problem resolved. My fault on my behalf. My options have been resetted somehow...

[karajorma]

Press F2 and you can turn the mouse on. It's off by default.

As for the sticky I meant this thread.

You won't need to look if you're not using the media.vp files though.

[sfried]

What about this problem?

Edit 30052: I am using the media files... my God, it does make a difference... but one problem that bugs me is that the Ulesses looks all Christmas-y with all the lights, and the Herculese model doesn't load!

[karajorma]

Turn off the enable 32-bit textures option.

It's a real resource hog anyway and the problem is cause by a clash between it and antialiasing.

[sfried]

The Herc models are still missing...

[Bobboau]

make sure you have -jpgtga turned on,

you know... we realy should have that on by default by now, the only bugs we get from it are from people forgetting to turn it on, wich prety much everyone has to do these days.

[sfried]

Yup, that solved it... pretty high-poly if you ask me, but damn... it looks good.

Originally posted by karajorma
Press F2 and you can turn the mouse on. It's off by default.

As for the sticky I meant this thread.

You won't need to look if you're not using the media.vp files though.

media.vps? What are those? (I know I've downloaded and succesfully put 3 vp files in the main FS folder, but I'm wondering what does that other vp file do?) And are those low-poly models contain the same texture detail but with lower-polys, right?

Oh, and finally, I remember someone posting a custom made jump vortex. How do I use the ani file he made? Do I put it in a directory or something?

(Sorry for all the questions... I can be such a n00b at times. Just don't want to crash my system)

[WMCoolmon]

Originally posted by Bobboau
make sure you have -jpgtga turned on,

you know... we realy should have that on by default by now, the only bugs we get from it are from people forgetting to turn it on, wich prety much everyone has to do these days.

It's still useful if you have a lower-end system but want high-res textures.

Although I guess it might work better to just use pcx2dds instead then.

And about mediaVPs, see this thread; in the second post down I start talking about mediaVPs. There's some major time warpage going on though.