[davinho]

Hey guys

I've decided to get back into playing Freespace (after many years) but have discovered that I only have my copy of Freespace 1 and not 2. After installing it I've found that the graphics are looking a bit dated now so I was wondering if there was a way to improve the graphics without having to get hold of FS2!?

I've read through a few articles on here and on other sites but I'm afraid to say it's a bit over my head! Is there an easy way to mod or patch up the game to spice up the eye candy?!

As I stated in the title, I am a total newbie to all this, so I aplologise in advance if the questions are stupid! I would really like to get back into playing FS, so any help would be appreciated!

Many Thanks

D

[Mustang19]

Salute, davinho! Welcome to HLPBB, remember though that noone here plays FS1 for anything other than nostalgia. You're out of luck; there are virtually no media enhancements available for FS1.

HOWEVER,

The FreeSpace Port is FreeSpace 1 ported over to FS2. It has all the ships and missions in the original, and even has a conversion utility to convert FS1 missions to FS2. But, if you're looking for an upgrade for "pure" FS1, you won't find any.

[Black Wolf]

Salute, davinho! Welcome to HLPBB, remember though that noone here plays FS1 for anything other than nostalgia. You're out of luck; there are virtually no media enhancements available for FS1.

Yeah there are:

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/karajorma/FAQ/fs2-technical.html#hacks

That said... it's still a game from 1998 with that. FS2's freely available these days - why not grab it and go for SCP goodness if graphics is what you're about.

[Shade]

Most of the eyecandy you see in FS_open will not translate to FS1, but there is one possibility. Due to the age of FS1, it does not by default use hi-res textures even though such are included with the game, and to enable them one needs to edit the registry. Karajorma's FAQ has a section (Click here to go there) dealing with the specifics of how to do this, so that might be worth a shot. It should at least make things look crisper if it's not already enabled.

However, the other option is simply to get Freespace 2. There are several options available on these forums, including the Freespace Open Installer by Turey and any of the multitude of links found in This Thread. So even though you don't have FS2 and it's no longer for sale, that doesn't mean you can't get it And if you do, then as mentioned above you have the option of playing the FS1 port utilising all the technology improvements with the upgraded engine.

Whatever you decide to do, good luck with it. And welcome to HLP

[davinho]

Lol... I feared as much! Thanks for the reply and welcome!  

I've actually got the first 2 discs for Freespace 2 but I can't seem to find the 3rd, and I'm guessing you need it for installation (or is it just for cutscenes?)!?

Thanks also Black Wolf and Shade, I just checked out the thread and it seems interesting but I think if I was going to go to that much trouble I'd just get FS2 working instead!!   Thankyou for the link though!  

Is there anywhere I can just get disc 3 of Freespace 2 (if it's needed)?! 

[Mustang19]

See that FreeSpace Open installer that Shade mentioned? Click it. It has pretty much "everything". It's just a point-and-click installer program, if that's too much trouble for you, then yeah, go ahead and install your FreeSpace.

And no, you can't find Disk 3, as far as I know. I don't have the FreeSpace disks, so I can't really help you with that. But the FSO Installer will give you all the cutscenes, campaigns, files, and so on that you'll ever need.

[Shade]

CD3 is mainly command briefing animations (which are not essential) and cutscenes (FS_open compatible theora versions of which are available online). The one file you'd really miss is warble_fs2.vp, which is the game music.

However, I do believe simply running Turey's installer will also download any files you're missing from your retail installation, so you might want to try that before going looking for individual files. I'm not an expert on the installer myself though, as I've never needed it. So that's second hand information. But worth a shot.

Anyway, in case I'm wrong about the installer, I'm attaching a screenshot of what a "normal" FS2 folder should look like, so you can see which files you are missing based on that. Keep in mind that both the freespace2 and the FRED exes will be replaced by their FS_open counterparts anyway (and the open exes have no CD check, by the way), so it doesn't matter if you don't have those. It's the .vp files that really matter.

[Edit] Well, seeing the post above that I missed while posting, it seems the installer will indeed do the trick. So definitely go with that

[attachment deleted by admin]

[karajorma]

I'd recommend doing a limited install as that shouldn't request Disk 3. Then copy any files from Shade's picture that you see on CD2. Then run Turey's installed.

Doing that would probably cut over 500MB off your download.

[jr2]

You could download disc 3 from Hades Combine (in my siggy, check any HC link) if you want to have it around.  Or search for a torrent.. I got mine from prototype24.

[Mustang19]

Many hands make for light work.

[jr2]

Yah.  Torrents FTW. 

[davinho]

Thanks for all the replies guys! 

I'm not at my home pc at the moment, but when I am, I'm going to install FS2 as far as it will go and then use the Turey installer to augment the missing files!

Is it possible to use the Turey installer to dowload the whole game and not bother using the discs at all? I'm on broadband internet so am not too worried about file sizes!

I'll let you know how I get on! 

Thanks again!

D 

[Wobble73]

Thanks for all the replies guys! 

I'm not at my home pc at the moment, but when I am, I'm going to install FS2 as far as it will go and then use the Turey installer to augment the missing files!

Is it possible to use the Turey installer to dowload the whole game and not bother using the discs at all? I'm on broadband internet so am not too worried about file sizes!

I'll let you know how I get on! 

Thanks again!

D 

Yes Turey's installer will install the lot if you so wish, but there is around 3-5 gb's of data to download, and if you don't have to wait, why should you? you already have most of the core files required on the discs so use them! 

[davinho]

Cheers! 

My thinking behind downloading the whole Turey file(s) was that it might produce a cleaner install!(?)

You make a very good point though, and I'll most likely go with your suggestion!   

[jr2]

Use the Turey's Installer link in my siggy... that will give you a walkthrough.  Except, additionally, before you do anything, install Retail.