[General Freak]

First problem:
I've converted all of my .MVE files from the HOTU version of Freepace 2 to .AVI format, according to the instructions on this site: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/karajorma/freespace/movies.html

I didn't have the rest of the cutscenes, so I downloaded the missing ones from here: http://web.engr.oregonstate.edu/~plankerj/fs2movies/

I have also deleted all the useless, dummy .MVE files (Bastion.mve, colossus.mve, intro.mve and all the mono.mves).

Now, all of the .AVI files are now in the FS2 directory, and I got all the codecs needed (I think so, because I can easily play them in Windows Media Player or Real Player). However, FS2 still won't load them. When I run using debug, I just get a string of 'frames too long' error messages whenever I attempt to play a movie, and I've no idea what that means. I used MPEG-Layer 3 for audio compression and DivX 5.2.1 for video compression.

I have tried with -dnoshowvid both on and off, and it makes no difference, even to the little videos they show in briefing. There's a lot more to tell you, but I'm not sure what is relevant, so just ask, and maybe I can answer you.

Second problem:
I have been unable to fly the GTF Ares or the GTB Artemis DH. When you, for example, choose the Myrmidon, the Harpoon missile icon is white, meaning that you can't load up that missile. Simple enough. However, whenever a mission enables me to fly the Ares or Artemis DH, they're also white, just like missiles/guns! The problem is, I am still able to choose them for myself and my wingmen, and load them up with ammo too. Despite this, when I click on 'Commit', FS2 crashes, sometimes immediately, sometimes with music, and it did so probably because I flied an 'un-useable' ship, except that I KNOW I should be able to fly those two ships, so why can't I? Neither ship shows up in the tech database (and I know that they should).

Also, the GDA and GTA class ships are also missing from the tech database, together with the Aeolus, and perhaps some other ships I forgot about. They have all got database descriptions, but not with my SCP.

Third problem:
I have two usernames, both converted to SCP format, and incompatible with older versions of FS2. One of them will show up the intelligence database (that's the one where I haven't even finished one mission). The other one, where I've finished the whole campaign, has no access to the intelligence database. When I click on the button, there's just a black space there.

I have SCP version 3.6.5, and the flags I use are:
-spec -glow -pcx32 -jpgtga -d3dmipmap -nomotiondebris -2d_poof -dualscanlines -targetinfo -orbradar -fps -window  -fov 0.39 -AMBIENT_FACTOR 175.

I also have mv_core, mv_music, mv_speffects and mv_textures. I always run the game in OpenGL. Solving all the above problems in Direct 3D mode would not help me at all, because I'm unable to run the game properly in that mode (unless I get a new graphics card, of course). My current one is a TNT2 M64. I'm not sure if there is any other relevant information I can give, so I hope you guys can help me out.

[karajorma]

Problem 1 : You're using 3.6.5 aren't you? Try something else from the recent builds forum.

No idea about the other two though.

[General Freak]

Well, I've tried several recent builds, and they will all run the cutscenes without any problems. However, I don't think I will be using them, because they make the tech room almost completely useless. I can't view ships (FS2 crashes the moment I open the tech room or view a ship that's not the Ulysses). Also, the cutscenes keep making FS2 minimize, whether fullscreen or window. Whenever FS2 minimizes during its first loading sequence, or a mission loading, the whole game will crash when I click on Commit in the briefing screen. Only by running and quitting FS2 several times will the cutscenes load properly, and I don't want to go to that much trouble. With 3.6.5, this bug happened much less often (probably because the cutscenes aren't run).

Any other suggestions?

[FireCrack]

problem 2: did you fly the SOC loops? these ships are supposed to be enabled by those and the fact you can see them but not fly em is a tad funky

problem 3: Pilots mess up , there is a diffewrent format form the original, dont know of a paticular solution though.

[General Freak]

Yes, I flew both loops, without cheats, and I've completed all missions successfully.

Anyway, I've just realized that I may need the Open AL drivers to properly run those new builds, so I'll give them a second go.

EDIT: Nope, didn't work. Using mv_models didn't work either. Argh!

[karajorma]

Try this build. It's basically 3.6.5 with some bug fixes.

[Kie99]

The Ares and Artemis D.H. are supposed to show up as white in the Ship Selection room, although I've no idea why it crashes.

Try makeing a new pilot file.

[General Freak]

@karajorma: No, that one doesn't work. The game loads up as "normal" without the intro playing, the database still won't show up anything in Intelligence, and Artemis DH and Ares still makes FS2 crash.

By the way, what does CVS mean?

[karajorma]

CVS is the system used by the coders to make sure that they are all working with the latest code without having to download the whole lot from the server every time they wanted to check.

As for the movies I know that build works with cutscenes as I've used it myself. If you have a movie called intro.avi in the Freespace2 folder it should play on start up. If it's not then you've got other reasons for the problem rather than just having a bad build.

It's starting to sound like a reinstall of the game is called for.

[General Freak]

Aww...but I got the HOTU version. If it isn't a bad build, then why won't 3.6.5 run any cutscenes (not just intro.avi) but the other ones I tested will run them quite happily?

Or do you mean reinstall of SCP?

[karajorma]

3.6.5 had a bug in it which meant that it wouldn't play avi's. The build I reccomended fixed that bug. I tend to think of that build as 3.6.5.1 in that it's basically a bug fixed version of the official release.

I basically recommend that everyone using 3.6.5 convert over that build now. It won't solve the mv_music.vp problems but it has solved many other bugs from 3.6.5.


As for reinstalling, are you telling me that there are builds you can get to run avi's? If so don't reinstall. If not then it may be necessary.

[General Freak]

Originally posted by General Freak
Well, I've tried several recent builds, and they will all run the cutscenes without any problems. However, I don't think I will be using them, because they make the tech room almost completely useless. I can't view ships (FS2 crashes the moment I open the tech room or view a ship that's not the Ulysses). Also, the cutscenes keep making FS2 minimize, whether fullscreen or window. Whenever FS2 minimizes during its first loading sequence, or a mission loading, the whole game will crash when I click on Commit in the briefing screen. Only by running and quitting FS2 several times will the cutscenes load properly, and I don't want to go to that much trouble. With 3.6.5, this bug happened much less often (probably because the cutscenes aren't run).

Any other suggestions?

I already told you that, or did you miss it? The problem is...I don't want to run the newer builds, for the reasons explained above. I want to use 3.6.5 or 3.6.5.1.... but.... I already told you that this build doesn't run the cutscenes. I still get the 'frames too long' error message in the debug window. Oh, and I got this too: 'Wokka! Error opening file (hud_gauges.tbl)! Unable to parse hud_gauges.tbl! Code=5'

EDIT: I don't think I've experienced any problems with mv_music, but what bug are you talking about?

[karajorma]

With 3.6.5 you will get a crash as soon as you try to play a mission which uses one of the soundtracks included in the VP file. Later builds fixed this. (around Feb-March IIRC)

I'm starting to see your problem now(you confused me a little earlier). Personally I think something is screwy with your install then. If the later builds will play the cutscenes and the new ones won't.

I suggest a reinstall. I'll need to know a little more detail before I can tell you the best way to go about it.

1. Did you download all the missing VP files?

2. Do you have any mods you want to keep?

3. How much spare space do you have on your HD?

[General Freak]

1. I got all of these: # sparky_fs2.vp
# sparky_hi_fs2.vp
# stu_fs2.vp
# tango1_fs2.vp
# tango2_fs2.vp
# tango3_fs2.vp
# smarty_fs2.vp
# warble_fs2.vp
I think they're all the missing ones.

2. I'd like to keep all my mods, but if I have to, I can delete them and download later. I got Inferno, Homesick, Warzone and the Aeos Affair v2.

3. 2.69gb. About 1gb is used for virtual memory, however.

[karajorma]

You appear to be missing root_fs2.vp (It's in the HotU crackpack on my site if you've not got it).

Actually this is the second time I've answered this question recently so I might as well answer it in a way that will let me cut and paste it into the FAQ.

• If you have FS2_Open, run the launcher and turn all the features off.
• Rename your FS2 folder to FS2-OLD
• Create a new folder with exactly the same name as the old one before you renamed it.
• Copy the following files into the new Freespace2 folder from the old one.

# root_fs2.vp
# sparky_fs2.vp
# sparky_hi_fs2.vp
# stu_fs2.vp
# tango1_fs2.vp
# tango2_fs2.vp
# tango3_fs2.vp
# smarty_fs2.vp
# warble_fs2.vp

# FS2.exe
# Freespace2.exe
# Fred2.exe

#Patchw32.dll  <-------------------No idea what this does but you might as well copy it
# FS2uninst.dll (If you have it)
# Uninst.isu (Again if you have it)

• Now create a folder called Data. Into this copy the following files from the old FS2 folder.

# multi.cfg  <----------------------PXO is down but just in case it ever rises from the ashes.

• Make a folder within Data called Players and then make folders inside that called Single, Multi, Images and Squads (Early FS2_Open versions used to crash if these weren't present so I'm assuming that this was due to the FS2 requiring them)

That's it. You've now got a working copy of FS2.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

In your case we're going to do a little more than just get FS2 working.

• Copy all the .avi movies into your main FS2 folder.
• Copy MV_Core.vp across too.
• Copy the launcher and a build of FS2_Open
• Open the launcher and in the custom flags section type in -allslevs
• Run the game and see if the movies play correctly.
• Go to the techroom and see if you can look at other ships
• Go to the flight simulator and run Kings Gambit and one of the final missions to check if the Artemis and Ares work now.

[*Report back on how things went and we'll see about getting those mods installed again :)
[/List]

[General Freak]

Why must the new folder have exactly the same name as the old one? Then I would have two FS2-Old folders, and that means I have to move the new folder into a different parent directory, and what's the point of that?

[karajorma]

The same name as it was before you renamed it. That way anything associated with FS2 in the registry is still looking in the right place

For most people that will just be Freespace2 but I have to be generic in case someone is using a different name.

[General Freak]

Ok, I'm following your procedures atm, but instead of uninst.isu, I find unins000.dat and unins000.exe. Right now I'm just ignoring them, so tell me if I need them or not.

Also, I get a 'failed to read flag file' error message with the Launcher, and I'm not able to run FS2 via the copied Launcher. Copy the flagfile too?

EDIT: I can't open FS_Open without the Launcher either. It says that DevIL.dll is missing. The name is kinda scary. :/

EDIT 2: It turns out that I also needed devil.dll, ilu.dll and ilut.dll, or SCP refuses to run. The flag -allslevs is also unrecognized. Help?

EDIT 3: Ok, I've run fs2_open_T-20050103, and the cutscenes will only load up in fullscreen, not window. I've managed to fly the Artemis DH and the Ares once each, but after restarting FS2, I am now unable to fly Exodus with ANY ship, and the King's Gambit won't let me fly the Artemish DH anymore. The Intelligence section of the database remains blank.

EDIT 4: Just ran FS2 3.6.5. No cutscenes whatsoever. I managed to fly the Ares, but after restarting FS2, Exodus became un-playable. No success at all with Artemis DH, the game just crashes. Intelligence section blank. I'm think I'm starting be on the verge of considering becoming a teeny, tiny bit frustrated here....

[General Freak]

...help?

[karajorma]

Sorry. Didn't notice you'd posted.

Hmmm. This is very odd. The need for those .dll files should be gone in the more recent builds. Try one of those.