[haloboy100]

So, I'm thinking of making a big campaign. And i mean big, we're talking possible 60-80 missions. Ya, call me crazy since it will be my first ever act of FREDing, but i mean there isn't anything i can lose. Besides, i know after i complete it (probably a few years from now ) I'll learn a crap load of stuff so i can go back and tune up the missions. Before i start this big project, I'm going to need motivation and a info. That which i will ask you to help me with. It's mostly just Preparation stuff, but i could also use some motivation, since as soon as i want to make a mission i think about how hard it will be then i lose interest...

Firstly, should i start this campaign, how would i post it on skippy's campaign list, and update it to the correct progress? I'm also going to be using inferno for my campaign, but I'll be using a different story, but elements of the inferno story will be inputed into my own, such as the Het-Ka destroyer and the mystery around it. I was just wondering if i can do that?

I heard of a piece of text you can use in messages and briefings called $callsign$. So it says the players name. I encountered that in FOW, so i was wondering if it's a FS2/FSO feature, or a FOW feature, and if it's a FOW feature, how do i input that into my released campaign so people will be able to use that in it?

Also, most of the campaigns (that I've seen anyway) involve using the mod feature. How do i compile my campaign to be used in the same way (or even if i should do it that way)?

I'm aiming or a sort of a cinematic campaign, something with a few cutscenes to develop plot. Can someone  briefly explain how to make a cutscene, or better yet link me to a possible guide?

I'm also thinking of using FS1 music as well as FS2 music, since it would go well with most of the scenarios that i will be doing (particularly a few cutscenes). Do you think thats a good idea? If so, how would i be able to input it into my campaign (remember i will be using inferno)? Also, is there a way to control the music with SEXPs, and if so can someone tell me how to do it?

Yeez, that was a mouthful. Thanks in advance for the help. This might belong in the FRED academy, if so I wont be suprised if it was moved.

[Dark Hunter]

Ummm... wow that's a lot of questions.
[Mario voice]Here we go![/Mario voice]

There's a campaign list thread in HLP, where you post info about you campaign and Skippy puts it up. This is also where you post updates.

There is nothing stopping you from building something using Inferno. A lot of people seem to like using Inferno nowadays...

I believe the $callsign$ feature is an FSO standard feature, not FOW-specific.

I'm not quite sure what you mean by the "mod" feature. I assume you mean the mod tab in the launcher? The easiest way to do this is just release the campaign in a VP. People will know how to install it, 9 times out of 10.

You can make use of several SEXPs in FRED to build cutscenes. There's a disable-hud-except-messages SEXP, which is fairly self-explanatory, and the combo of add-ai-goal: play-dead, then player-use-ai. That essentially places the player's ship under the AI's controls, which you just set to play-dead, which means the player will sit tight. You can also use the camera SEXPs to get different viewpoints on whatever it is you are filming.

As for the music: just place it in your mod's music folder. You can then access it from FRED just like any other music. There are play-music SEXPs for turning music on and off, or setting it to loop or not.

Whew... as a final note: cut your campaign down immensely. A thirty mission campaign would be a huge undertaking, let alone 80 missions. Don't bite off more than you can chew. I'm not trying to discourage you here, just offering some advice.

[haloboy100]

There's a campaign list thread in HLP, where you post info about you campaign and Skippy puts it up. This is also where you post updates.

There is nothing stopping you from building something using Inferno. A lot of people seem to like using Inferno nowadays...

Thats taken care of then

I believe the $callsign$ feature is an FSO standard feature, not FOW-specific.

ok i'll try and confirm that myself

I'm not quite sure what you mean by the "mod" feature. I assume you mean the mod tab in the launcher? The easiest way to do this is just release the campaign in a VP. People will know how to install it, 9 times out of 10.

Yes i do mean the mod tab in the launcher, and can you give me the program that lets be put it in a VP? It's not VPVIEW is it?

You can make use of several SEXPs in FRED to build cutscenes. There's a disable-hud-except-messages SEXP, which is fairly self-explanatory, and the combo of add-ai-goal: play-dead, then player-use-ai. That essentially places the player's ship under the AI's controls, which you just set to play-dead, which means the player will sit tight. You can also use the camera SEXPs to get different viewpoints on whatever it is you are filming.

As for the music: just place it in your mod's music folder. You can then access it from FRED just like any other music. There are play-music SEXPs for turning music on and off, or setting it to loop or not.

Alright thanks

Whew... as a final note: cut your campaign down immensely. A thirty mission campaign would be a huge undertaking, let alone 80 missions. Don't bite off more than you can chew. I'm not trying to discourage you here, just offering some advice.

well, i did exagerate a little in the 80 missions size, but i meen the campaign is practicly 2 in one, though i'm sticking with keeping it one whole one. i just said 80 missions cause the main freespace 2 one is about 45 missions, and i found it short.

That leaves one more thing remaining.....Motivation. i mean like i said, as soon as i want to make a mission i think about how hard it will be then i lose interest... Any way to cope with that?

[Dark Hunter]

Yes i do mean the mod tab in the launcher, and can you give me the program that lets be put it in a VP? It's not VPVIEW is it?

I use a program called VPMage, which is a little tricky to get working, but works like a charm once you learn how.

Here is a guide on using VPMage.

I can't ever remember where the download link went, but I'll post it from my home computer in several hours (school is in session).

That leaves one more thing remaining.....Motivation. i mean like i said, as soon as i want to make a mission i think about how hard it will be then i lose interest... Any way to cope with that?

That is really all up to you and you alone. I have the same problem. I don't ever want to get started working on the missions. But, once I start, I invariably have a bunch of fun doing the actual FREDding, and can complete the mission in several days.

[haloboy100]

ok, thanks for the help. i think i'm gonna need a new civilian ship somewhere alone the line, but i'll leave that to when the time comes 

[jr2]

The mod feature... have you looked at Karajorma's FAQ yet?  Also, the FSWiki is a good source of info.

[haloboy100]

no havent checked the FAQ. completly forgot to look in there... i will

[Dark Hunter]

I just got home... and attached is VPMage.

A note, in case you missed it in the Wiki's information: the program has the unfortunate problem that it leaves itself in memory after being closed, so you must manually stop it via the Task Manager.

[attachment deleted by admin]

[haloboy100]

alright, got everything set. my first mission will pretty much be a opening cutscene. it will be a little hard to direct, but what the hell. (just a hint to how cinematic the campaign is)

Also, do you think it is a good idea to use FS1 music? The battle wont be the best, but the normal music (you know the out-of-combat stuff) is really awesome. Another thing. What did you meen by "put the music in your mod folder"? i need to be able to use it in FRED open too you know.

[Dark Hunter]

Ok. So you're using Inferno R1 to build this, yes?

In the data folder (the Inferno R1 data folder that is, not the main one. If one doesn't exist, create one), create a folder called music. Put the FS1 music in that folder. When you select your mod in FRED, it'll load the FS1 music as well.

[haloboy100]

shweet. thanks

[jr2]

... and when you make your vp, be sure to put that music into /data/music, or change the mod.ini to secondarylist=inferno,fsport,mediavps (someone correct me if I'm wrong).  Only problem with mod.ini method is both Inferno and FSPort would be required to play.

Also, I recommend using Turey's installer (see my siggy), and getting the FS Toolkit (it will also update your current install if you want, and download mods... all optional).

[Mefustae]

ok, thanks for the help. i think i'm gonna need a new civilian ship somewhere alone the line, but i'll leave that to when the time comes 

Try looking here.

[TrashMan]

$callsign is a FSO feature (along with $rank), since I didn't use no special build for FOW... Glad to hear someone played it and liked it tough. Say, you wouldn't mind posting a comment on it in the FSWiki? God knows it could use a little advertising...

[haloboy100]

$callsign is a FSO feature (along with $rank), since I didn't use no special build for FOW... Glad to hear someone played it and liked it tough. Say, you wouldn't mind posting a comment on it in the FSWiki? God knows it could use a little advertising...

ya, i liked it when they used $callsign, since in the main freespace campaign they used pilot waaaaaay too much....

who knows, maybe i'll add a little backstory to alpha 1...make him actually somebody, i noticed that in the very first nebula mission, when all the wings had to report in...alpha 2 did it in place ofthe player 

[Snail]

No player characters.

Player characters suck ass.

NONONONONONONONONO!!


Well it's not my campaign, do what you want, but I personally hate player characters [and cockpits]. But ignore me, it's your choice, of course.

[jr2]

- So does being referred to as "Alpha 1" and "Pilot" all the time. 

[haloboy100]

 

[Snail]

Well what sucks ass even more about player characters is having words stuck in your mouth. It just... Deducts from the 'FreeSpaceyness' of it. But that's just me...

[Vretsu]

Why not simply go for a nice, quality 10-15 mission campaign? Why stress yourself with 80 missions? You have no idea what you're getting into, and you're just going to dissappoint yourself. 80 total missions you've done over time just for the heck of it, sure, but trying to hold yourself to an impossibly long campaign? Utter hell.

More is not neccessarily better! That's something I wished I had known when I first started FREDing.

As for me, I have a rainy-day FREDing mission list. I planned out all 15 missions in my newbie dream campaign, and I work on them (not even in order!) whenever I've got a spare moment. Eventually, my campaign will complete itself with minimal stress and maximum enjoyment. If you don't have a good time doing it, and if all it becomes is one more little complication/detail to be gotten out of the way in your life, you might as well not even bother 'cause your project will never, NEVER be finished. It will stagnate and you'll spend more time dreaming about what it would be like to finish it/wishing you'd never started it than actually FREDing.

Don't burn yourself out, comrade.