Freespace 2: Source Code Project
Readme File for FS2_OPEN_3_5.EXE
April-May, 2003
© Volition Inc., THQ, Interplay. All rights reserved.
Welcome to the Freespace 2: Source Code Projects 3.5 Release README
This file contains information to help you install the “Open-Source” Freespace 2 version,
AKA Freespace 2: Source Code Project (FS2:SCP or simply SCP). It also includes late-breaking
information not included in the original game and all up-to-date additions to the game.
Contents:
I. System Requirements
Part One
II. Installing Freespace 2: SCP
III. Setting up Freespace 2:SCP using the FS2:SCP Launcher
IV. Running Freespace 2:SCP
V. DirectX® and OpenGL
VI. DirectX® & OpenGL Troubleshooting
VII. Additions, Corrections and Known Issues
VIII. Video Troubleshooting – Glow Mapping, GeForce 4 Issues, other
IX. Debugging, Bugzilla reporting, crashes and errors
X. FRED2_3.4/3.5/3.6 – Open Source EXE – New SEXP’s,additions, and abilities
XI. Performance Troubleshooting
XII.Known issues
XIII. Technical Support - BUGZILLA
I. System Requirements
Freespace 2 Standard requires DirectX® 5 or greater. FS2: SCP requires Directx® 8.
It will probably work with later DirectX® versions (such as DirectX® 9) but its highly
recommended to use DirectX® 8. DirectX® is avalible at <
http://www.microsoft.com/directx>.
Minimum Configuration for Freespace 2: Source Code Project
• Windows® XP, Windows Me®, Windows 2000®, or Windows 98 SE®
Windows® 95 is repported not to work with this version of FS2:SCP.
• 300 – 400MHZ CPU (Depending on additional preformance factors).
• 128 MB RAM, at least, 256 MB RAM is highly recommended.
• 4x CD-ROM/DVD-ROM drive (CD only need for cutscenes).
• 1.3 GB free HHD space for the original install and an a minimum of 3 MB for the FS2:SCP files.
• 16 MB video card with DirectX 5 compatible driver. Recommend atleast 32 MB TNT2.
• DirectX 5 compatible sound card.
• Keyboard and Mouse.
Safe Configuration for Freespace 2: Source Code Project
• 700 Mhz Pentium 3 or faster processor.
• 256 MB SDRAM.
• 8x or faster CD-ROM/DVD-ROM drive.
• 64 MB GeForce 2 or greater video card with DirectX 5 compatible driver.
Recommended for Serving Multiplayer Games
• A Broadband Type Internet Connection or LAN Network: DSL, Cable, T1, T3, etc.
I. Installing Freespace 2: SCP
To begin with you must have som sort of compression tool installed. The most common compression
tools are WinZip(
Http://www.winzip.com/) and WinRAR(
Http://www.rarlabs.com/).
Visit the FS2:SCP website at <
http://freespace.volitionwatch.com/fsscp/> and download the
FS2 Open v3.6 .EXE or .ZIP. If you download the EXE file there is no need for any compression tools.
Have the Full install of Freespace 2 (Version 1.2. If you have an older version, download the update
from <
Http://www.Freespace2.com>) installed on computer.
Unzip/pack the content of the downloaded ZIP file into the directory where Freespace 2 is installed
(default location is C:\Games\Freespace 2\). If you downloaded the EXE file you only need to move the
file over to your Freespace 2 directoy.
Freespace 2:SCP is now installed and ready to be configured.
There are many different EXE files avalible depending on what version you chose to download. The executable
version info is located in its filename, for instance, the version info in release 3.5.1 displays in the
EXE filename like this: fs2_open_3_5_1.exe).
III. Setting up Freespace 2:SCP
To set up Freespace 2:SCP you can use either the original Freespace 2 launcher(FS2:SCP will use the settings
generated by the Freespace 2 laucnher only, no SCP specific settings can be alterd in the original setup program)
or you can use the FS2:SCP Launcher, found at <
http://freespace.volitionwatch.com/fsscp/exes/launcher.exe>
(just move it over to your Freespace 2 directory).
Start the launcher and a window with several tabs should appear, very similar to the original Freespace 2 Setup.
At the top of the window you will see a file path and a "Browse" button. Press the "Browse button and select the
FS2:SCP executable you want to use.
Just below that you'll find the tabs Comm Line(Command Line, a command that follows after the .exe), Registry,
Video, Audio/Joystick and Network.
At the top of the Comm Line tab there are two fields, Type and Custom. In the Type field the launcher will display
what type of .exe file you have selected. It should say something like: Custom exe (assuming FS2 exe).
In the Custom field you can add other command line options that are not listed below.
Below there is a greyed text field containing the file path to the FS2:SCP executable and below this you will
find the list will possible command line options. Check the box on those command lines you would like the game
to start with. You will see them appearing after the file path in the field above.
There are meny diffrent Command Line options and you will probably not use all of them.
Here is a more detaild list of the Command Line options: ("#" is the switch)
-standalone Starts FS2:SCP as a Standalone server. Not acctualy starting the game, just a a server
for multiplayer games.
-nosound All sound effects will be turned off.
-nomusic Music will be turned off.
-startgame
-gamename #
-password #
-closed
-restricted
-port # Forces FreeSpace 2 yo use a specific port on local games. # can be anything between
1 - 65556 as long as its not used by something else.
-connect #
-multilog
-oldfire
-clientdamage
-pofspew
-32bit
-coords
-timeout # How many seconds before network timeout. Default if 30.
-window
The Seccond tab, is the Registry options tab. Freespace 2 saves all of its settings in the registry.
The first field, "Location" is there to tell you where the settings are located in the registry,
it will probably say something like: SOFTWARE\Volition\Freespace2.
Below that there is a "Set" field and a long list of registry setting. The list contains 3 coloums:
Name, Type and Data. What every option dose is often obious by simply looking in the Name coloum
but what the possible switches are(located in the Data coloum) can be abit tricker to figure out.
The Type coloum can be ignored, for the normal user that information is useless. Only change
anything in the Registry if your a 100% sure of what your doing. If you need to use the registry
settings, study this first:
Name Type Possible Data Information
CmdLineOptions REG_SZ
ComputerSpeed REG_DWORD 1 - 4 See the Video Tab, General Settings.
ConnectionSpeed REG_SZ None,Slower,56K,ISDN, Connection Speed, see the Network Tab.
Cable,Faster
CurrentJoystick REG_DWORD 0 - infinity? Input controller #ID.
D3D8_AAType REG_DWORD 0 - 3 DX8 specific. AntiAliasing.
0(OFF) = 3DMULITSAMPLE_NONE
1 = D3DMULITSAMPLE_2_SAMPLE
2 = D3DMULITSAMPLE_3_SAMPLE
3 = D3DMULITSAMPLE_4_SAMPLE
See Video Tab, AntiAliasing.
D3D8_Adapter REG_DWORD 0 - infinity? DX8 specific. Graphic Card #ID.
See Video Tab, Adapter.
D3D8_Mode REG_DWORD 24,54,134,164 DX8 specific. Resolution data:
24 = 640x480x16
54 = 1024x768x16
134 = 640x480x32
154 = 1024x768x32
See Video Tab, Resolution.
D3DFast REG_DWORD 0 or 1 Fast Direct3D Textures(lower quality).
0 = OFF, 1 = ON.
D3DTextureOrigin REG_DWORD 0 or 1 If Fonts look bad on Geforce this should be 1.
Alternative to -GF4FIX. 0 = OFF, 1 = ON.
D3DUseLargeTextures REG_DWORD 0 or 1 0 = 256 max texture size, anything else is card limit.
Detect D3D REG_DWORD 0 or 1 If original Setup should detect D3D. 0 = OFF, 1 = ON.
Detect Glide REG_DWORD 0 or 1 If original Setup should detect Glide. 0 = OFF, 1 = ON.
DisableZbias REG_DWORD 0 or 1 Diasble D3D Zbuffer bias. 0 = NO, 1 = YES.
EnableHitEffect REG_DWORD 0 or 1 Force Feedback Hit.Joystick shakes when hit.
0 = OFF, 1 = ON. See Audio/Joystick Tab, Joystick.
EnableJoystickFF REG_DWORD 0 or 1 Enable Force Feedback.
0 = OFF, 1 = ON. See Audio/Joystick Tab, Joystick.
EregCount REG_DWORD 0 - 3 The number of times the original launcher has been started.
Set to 3 to make it stop bugging about registration.
ForcePort REG_DWORD 0 Force SCP to use spcific local port. 0 = OFF.
See Network Tab, Misc.
ForceWFOG REG_DWORD 0
Gamma Reg_SZ 0 - inifity? Gamma setting, changes brightness.
Interlaced Movies REG_DWORD 0 Make movies interlaced. 0 = OFF, 1 = ON.
LastPlayer REG_SZ * The last select pilot in the rooster.
LauncherSoundEnabled REG_DWORD 0 or 1 Original Launcher Sounds Effects. 0 = OFF, 1 = ON.
Moive Fast Clear REG_DWORD 0 or 1 Clear fast after movice cutscenes 0 = OFF, 1 = ON.
NetworkConnection REG_SZ None,Dialup,LAN Internet Connection Type.
See Network Tab, Internet Connection.
PXOBanners REG_DWORD 0 or 1 Display PXO Banner. o = OFF, 1 = ON.
SkipVerify REG_DWORD 0 or 1 Will not verify version when joining multiplayer
games. 0 = OFF, 1 = ON.
SoundCard REG_SZ None,DirectSound,EAX,* Seleced sound driver. See Audio/Joystick, Sound.
StraightToSetup REG_DWORD 0 or 1 If ON the original launcher will go directly
to the Setup. 0 = OFF, 1 = ON.
VideoApi REG_SZ Direct3D5,Direct3D8 Selects the Graphic API to use.
Glide,OpenGL,Software See Video Tab, Graphics.
DirectDraw
VideoCard REG_SZ * See original launcher setup, Video.
The next tab is the Video tab. Here you choose your graphics options. In the first drop-down field you select what
rendering device you want to use. Choose from DirectX 3D5, OpenGl, Glide, DirectDraw, Software
and DirectX 3D8. The original Freespace 2 used DirectX 3D5 but the FS2:SCP team has bumped it up to DirectX 3D8,
which is now the recommended setting. DirectDraw and Software are not working so ignore those two.
Depending on what you choose here diffrent options will appear below.
For DirectX 3D5 a drop-down field appears named "Mode"(same as "Resolution"). In which you select the desierd
resolution. As in the original there are 4 diffrent options: 640x480x16, 1024x768x16 640x480x32 and 1024x768x32.
The same thing happens when Glide is selected, but now only with two resolution options, namely: 640x480 and 1024x768.
When choosing DirectX 3D8 three new drop-down fields will appear: Adapter, Resolution and Antialiasing.
You can ignore the "Adapter" field because it will only display what graphics card you have, but if you have more
than one you need to select one. The Resolution drop-down field is the same as DirectX 3D5, 640x480x16,
1024x768x16 640x480x32 and 1024x768x32.The last field is for Anti-aliasing options. Anti-aliasing is a method
used to cover up artifacts(really obvious pixels) around the edges of objects. It will display four options:
3DMULITSAMPLE_NONE, D3DMULITSAMPLE_2_SAMPLE, D3DMULITSAMPLE_3_SAMPLE, D3DMULITSAMPLE_4_SAMPLE.
Selecting the lowest Anti-aliasing option(lowest is D3DMULTISAMPLE_2_SAMPLE) will result in a low preformance
loss but artifacts can still be spoted with ease. Selecting a higher Anti-aliasing option
(Highest is D3DMULITSAMPLE_4_SAMPLE will result in more preformance losses but less artifacts.
To turn Anti-aliasing off select D3DMULITSAMPLE_NONE. The two buttons by "Gen D3D" only generates D3D
info and has no intrest when only configurating FS2:SCP.
The last thing on this tab is the Generals Settings. Choose in the drop-down field what kind of speed your
computer works at. Most of you will probably be able to set this to the highest value, 4. If you got an
older computer (>=200 mhz) try a lower setting. Following this there are two check boxes. If you
insalled Freespace 2 with High Resolution Art this box will already be checked. If you are unsure look for the
file "sparky_hi_fs2.vp" in you Freespace 2 directory, this is the file containing the Hi Res Art. Check the last box,
Use Large Textures, if you have a high-end graphics card and the textures will look better.
On to the next tab, the Audio/Joystick tab. In the drop-down box select DirectSound or if you got a sound card that
supports EAX, select EAX. If unsure, select DirectSound. Configure what kind of joystick you want to use in the original
setup program, SCP launcher dose not yet have this feature. But you can decide here if you want Force Feedback Enabled
and if you want Enable Directional Hit enabled. When Directional Hit is enabled the joystick will bump in the opposite
direction of where you were hit(by lasers, missiles, etc).
The last tab is the Network tab. Here you begin with chosing what kind of internet connection you have. Choose either
Dailup Networking is you use an analog modem or LAN if you have a direct connection. Below you select the speed of your
internet connection. The "Force Local" field is if you want to force FS2:SCP to use a spcific port.
IV. Running Freespace 2:SCP
Run Freespace 2:SCP by executing the FS2:SCP executale. You should se the FS2:SCP Slashscreen followed by the intro.
After that the game behaves like the original.
...the the tables look real ugly...sorry abou that
