[Sayne]

Hello everyone,
I'm new to the FS2 modding stuff, and I had a very basic question: if I've done everything right with my installation of FS2 open (which I think I have) why does my game not look nearly as pretty as the screenshots on the scp site?  (by screenshots I'm referring to these http://fs2source.warpcore.org/wmcscreenies/ )I use an ATI Radeon x800XT PE with the most recent drivers (cause FS2 isn't the only game I play) so I play FS2_open on OpenGl.  I get the shinemaps on fighters, but not on all capital ships, but my engine glows and my lighting in general are not as pretty as the pics.
Did I dl the wrong mv files or the wrong build or something? 
What should I use to make the game as pretty as the screenshots on this site?  I'm not new at modding games, but the FS2_open system has befuddled me.   I thought I got the newest everything.
Thanks
(feel free to move this to a different forum if you think it's necessary)

[Wanderer]

First


Then:

i) try using -ambient_factor 70 in the command line. More about command line options in here

ii) if you are using recent builds make sure you have species_defs.tbl somewhere. Here is an example that disables the retail modelled thrust cones and uses only the new SCP thrust effects. But that particular file functions only with with recent builds (post 08/01/06). Here is another one..

[Sayne]

Thanks, that was very helpful
My only question, then, is how do I make a .tbl file...
I r stupid sometimes.

[Fenrir]

Just copy-paste that into a .txt and then rename it as .tbl. Then just stick it in the ~Freespace2/MediaVPs/data/tables directory (if you have a seperate directory for the Media VP's, of course).

[Sayne]

It's always simpler than I think it is.  Wasn't sure if I had to create the file with a specific program. 
Thanks  ^_^