[Uninvited]

The Taranis looks pretty ugly. Because of the higher resolution it doesn't look awful, but I noticed that it had no engine trail. It doesn't appear to be using the models in the mediavps. I reported this in Mantis, and was told that FSPort uses its own model for this. I'm wondering why? FSPort is only computable with the SCP, so there's nothing to be gained by defaulting bad looking higher resolution models. It looks awful.

[Mars]

The Taranis looks like a standard Cain to me... how are your folders configured? Do you launch FS2O with "-mod fsport -mod mediavps?

[Trivial Psychic]

The Port is designed so that it can be run under Retail or SCP.  Even if you're playing SCP, that doesn't necessarily mean that you're using the Media VPs with the extra models in them... let alone what your directory structure is.  If you really want to use the upgraded models, edit the Ports mod.ini to draw from your SCP VPs and either extract the Port's ships.tbl file and change the model referenced to cruiser03x.pof, and while you're at it change the Leviathan to cruiser01x.pof, or you can write yourself a modular table file to do the same thing.  Personally, I'm hoping that the Port 3.1 has a HiPoly upgrade VP, which would include modular table files for the ships, possibly weapon improvements, and some other hipoly (or cockpitted fighters) ships that aren't in the SCP VPs, because they aren't in FS2.

[Goober5000]

The Taranis looks pretty ugly. Because of the higher resolution it doesn't look awful, but I noticed that it had no engine trail. It doesn't appear to be using the models in the mediavps. I reported this in Mantis, and was told that FSPort uses its own model for this. I'm wondering why? FSPort is only computable with the SCP, so there's nothing to be gained by defaulting bad looking higher resolution models. It looks awful.

You've been misinformed on several points here:

1) There's nothing preventing the Port from using the models in the mediaVPs.  If the mediaVPs specify a new model for the Cain and Lilith, that's what will be used.

2) The Port does not use its own model for the Cain or Lilith.

3) FSPort is compatible with both retail and the SCP.

Furthermore, I just checked the mediaVP readme and there's nothing about an upgraded Cain or Lilith model.  Are you sure you aren't just using an unofficial mod pack?

[Uninvited]

1) I have no idea.
2) I have no idea, this is what was alluded to in an email I received from Mantis. It was said to be a problem with FSPort, not the SCP. I believe it was Taylor (I deleted the email last night) who responded, and said that FSPort has a specified model for the Taranis.
3) Sorry, I read this awhile back and misremembered it.

We've abandoned the attempt to keep the Port compatible with the main FreeSpace 2 campaign (considering the now-common use of the -mod feature and the fact that several ship stats changed between FS1 and FS2) and turned it into its own separate mod.

Please understand that I'm not talking about all Cain/Lilith class ships, but only the Taranis specifically.

I took a screen shot (which I included in the Mantis report, but deleted after) of the Taranis while it was being towed away because I noticed it looked particularly ugly. I didn't submit the report until I was playing the Playing Judas mission, where you had to scan the two Cain class cruisers. It was here that I noticed "hey, those ships have an engine glow," and I looked at my screen shot of the Taranis to see that it only had a flat texture that changed in intensity to represent its engines.

No, I have no unofficial mod packs installed, everything is from Turey's installer, with the exception of the .mve's and sounds, which I took from my FreeSpace 1.

fs2_open_3_6_9.exe -mod fsport,mediavps -spec -glow -env -jpgtga -mipmap -2d_poof -missile_lighting -3dwarp -warp_flash -snd_preload

[Der Gilb]

side question: do you need the entry "-mod mediavps" if you already have "-mod fsport" running? i thought in the mod.ini was a reference to that 

[Goober5000]

2) I have no idea, this is what was alluded to in an email I received from Mantis. It was said to be a problem with FSPort, not the SCP. I believe it was Taylor (I deleted the email last night) who responded, and said that FSPort has a specified model for the Taranis.

Can you post a link to the bug in question?

3) Sorry, I read this awhile back and misremembered it.

We've abandoned the attempt to keep the Port compatible with the main FreeSpace 2 campaign (considering the now-common use of the -mod feature and the fact that several ship stats changed between FS1 and FS2) and turned it into its own separate mod.

Yeah, this has to do with running FS1 and FS2 side-by-side.  It has nothing to do with retail vs. SCP.

I took a screen shot (which I included in the Mantis report, but deleted after) of the Taranis while it was being towed away because I noticed it looked particularly ugly. I didn't submit the report until I was playing the Playing Judas mission, where you had to scan the two Cain class cruisers. It was here that I noticed "hey, those ships have an engine glow," and I looked at my screen shot of the Taranis to see that it only had a flat texture that changed in intensity to represent its engines.

Hmm.  Did you change any flags or settings between those two missions?

Also, try going back and playing the Taranis mission in the tech room.

[Uninvited]

http://scp.indiegames.us/mantis/view.php?id=1216

I'll try checking out the level again later.

[Goober5000]

http://scp.indiegames.us/mantis/view.php?id=1216

Ugh...

It would have helped if you had posted the correct information in your thread.  FSPort uses its own maps for the Cain, as taylor correctly stated.  You said it uses its own model, which is incorrect.

And taylor also told you the cause of the problem.  The hi-res textures are in fsport_hi-res.vp, so removing that file will allow you to use the mediaVP maps.

As for the missing engine trail... that's because the Taranis is disabled in that mission.  Disabled ships don't have engine trails.

[Uninvited]

Ok, cool, that's my mistake I've removed that file from the FSPort folder.

Why would it use the fsport vps as defaults when the scp ones are available? (Launching with the SCP launcher).

[Turey]

Why would it use the fsport vps as defaults when the scp ones are available? (Launching with the SCP launcher).

Because you're using

Code: [Select]

-mod fsport,mediavpsWhich means it looks for the files first in the fsport folder, then in the mediavps folder, then in the root folder. If it finds the file in the fsport folder, it won't bother looking in the other two.

[Der Gilb]

that means if you write:

-mod mediavps,fsport

it will play the fsport but first looking for the better graphics in mediavps?
what about my reference question?

[Turey]

that means if you write:

-mod mediavps,fsport

it will play the fsport but first looking for the better graphics in mediavps?
what about my reference question?

1. No. In that case, it will find the table files in the mediavps instead of the ones in fsport, which will screw things up.

2. The secondary mod function in the mod.ini files works the same as the -mod argument.

[neoterran]

so is it better to remove the hi-res maps vp from the fsport folder if you use mediavps with everything ?