[sorrowfool]

I cannot figure out how to play Freespace 1. I have FS2 up and running well enough, but I can't get FS1 to go. It says to select 'fsport' in the launcher, but there is nothing in the 'fsport' folder(application wise)... just .vp and those don't show up in launcher. Any help is appreciated.

Also, while I can get the game to run, every time I try to change the settings through the Launcher, Launcher crashes. I can open it fine, but if I push 'Run' or 'OK' or 'Apply' the program crashes and nothing is changed. All I can do is cancel out. Any idea why?

[Jeff Vader]

As for the crashes, either you've messed something up or there's some really phunkee software conflicts or whatever. As for the FSPort, you are supposed to select the folder of whatever mod it is that you want to play. Not a specific file. If you want to play FSPort, open the Launcher, and the mod tab, click select mod and select the FSPort folder. Then just ok yourself out.

Just curious, in what way does the Launcher crash?

[jr2]

You wouldn't be running on a limited user account, would you?  I don't know that those are allowed to modify the registry.  Not sure on this... I suppose I could test it myself to see if that's the problem.

[sorrowfool]

Okay, I get how to run FS1, didn't even try the 'MOD' tab. But, with Launcher crashing every time, I can't change anything. The crash just says:

'Freespace Launcher has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience.'

Then asks if I want to send an error report to Microsoft.

It has worked at some point, but I don't know exactly when it stopped. I tried to update but when I use the "UpdateLauncher' app it says:

'This program was executed outside of the Freespace 2 Launcher' then 'The Launcher has not been updated.'

Then another window pops up saying:

'An error occurred while patching the launcher, "FreeSpace2.exe". The remaining files were updated successfully, but your Launcher is still out of date. We recommend you download the latest launcher from our website:
http://www.squadwars.com/update.cfm
Do you want to visit the site now?'

I say 'No' then it brings up a program that is called Freespace 2 Launcher (but is different than the one that opens when you open the file 'Launcher'). This one has options 'Play' 'Setup' View Readme' 'Update' 'Help' 'Uninstall' and 'Quit'. If I click 'Update' an error pops up saying:

'Need to run Freespace 2 first to set version info.' then 'Error opening version file.'

If I try to run Freespace 2 from the "Launcher" I am currently in an error pops up saying:

'Please configure your system in the Launcher before running FS2.' then 'The Launcher will now be started.' then 'Freespace2/FRED2 cannot be run from a drive root directory.'

I did this before it was crashing so could this have something to do with it?

[Jeff Vader]

Well, first of all, if you're playing FSO, never ever touch FS2.exe or freespace2.exe. Those are the executable files for the retail FS2. Launcher.exe and fs2_open_3_6_9.exe or equivalent are meant for playing FSO.

Then, where have you installed FSO? Some bad locations include but are not limited to
-your desktop
-your My Documents folder
-anything with a restricted account.

Those would be my guesses on what you've done in order to cause this catastrophe. Let's see if other people have any other ideas.

[sorrowfool]

Honestly, that's possible. I initially installed in the 'My Documents' folder, but moved it to C:\Games\Freespace2 directory after the fact. Would moving it have something to do with it? But as I said it had worked at first, but mucked up at some point.

Could it have been when I opened the freespace2.exe? It said when I first ran the Launcher that from now on I could just open fs2 without loading the launcher. I probably opened freespace2.exe at first.

[Jeff Vader]

I guess suddenly moving the entire game could cause some registry issues but that really goes beyond my training as a process engineer. Though running freespace2.exe might also cause something, since you reaelly shouldn't be using it. In the future, remember that it's the file that has the word 'open' in its name.

[jr2]

Open up regedit, find HKEY_Local_Machine\Software\Volition\FreeSpace2 and see if the path is incorrect.  If so, double click the entry, and change it.  Then, delete the \FreeSpace2\launcher6.ini file, and try again.  (You'll have to change all the settings back to the way you want them, eg, 3d radar, jpgtga, etc, etc... read the last part of the Walkthrough in my signature.)

Does it work now?

[karajorma]

You don't need to delete launcher6.ini just change the path in it using notepad to the correct one.

[sorrowfool]

Sorry, reformatted my computer and ran into some problems with that. But got it all fixed and redownloaded FS2 Open. I do have an issue in the fsport where I have no weapons. It's telling me to select this or that weapon, but I don't have them. Any idea what that is?

[Jeff Vader]

Either a corrupt communist pilot file or possibly a rogue table file lurking somewhere where it shouldn't be. If it's the pilot, you've obviously switched mods with a single pilot and in the middle of a campaign. That can cause some funky ship and weapons irregularities. If it's a table file, check the \data\tables folders in your root freespace directory and mod directories to see that there aren't any table files there. Also, make sure that you don't have any extra vp files hanging around anywhere, particularly in your root freespace directory and the fsport folder. Come to think of it, do make sure that you've installed fsport into a separate folder inside the freespace directory.

[sorrowfool]

Okay, its probably the pilot thing. How do I fix that? I deleted the player files in the 'data' folder and also the stuff in the 'missions' folder. Would that work?

[Jeff Vader]

What did you have in the missions folder?

But deleting the player files should work, I guess. Just start the game, create a new pilot and this time either have a separate pilot for every campaign, or use a single pilot but always finish a campaign before switching mods.

[sorrowfool]

I dunno what was in missions folder... guess that was kinda stupid.

I deleted the players files, but I still don't have any weapons when I start FS1. FS2 is fine, but I can't advance in FS1 without weapons.

[Jeff Vader]

You sure you have everything you need in the FSPort folder? You need to have (preferrably):

fsport3_0_4.vp
fsport-fs1_training.vp
fsport-glow.vp
fsport-missions.vp
fsport-shine.vp
sparky_hi_fs1.vp
stu_fs1.vp
tango_fs1.vp
warble_fs1.vp

, no more, no less. Also, make sure that you don't have any extra files in the root freespace directory.

[jr2]

OK, how did you get FS2_Open?  By downloading the individual files, or by Turey's, or a torrent, or what?  And be sure you didn't stick any mods or anything in the FS2 root folder.. mods go into their own folders, then you select them with the "MOD" option in the Launcher.

[sorrowfool]

Okay, I took all files, except those listed above, out of the folder. This includes:

FS1OGGcutscenepack.vp
fsport-hi_res.vp
data folder
settings txt
mod txt
readme txt

Still no weapons.

I obtained FS2_Open through Turey's installer. I haven't changed anything in it except what I stated above. There are a lot of folders in the root directory (I am guessing that is c:\Games\FreeSpace2?). Is there anywhere I can go and see what files are supposed to be where? Right now I have:

Awakenings folder
Cardinal Spear folder
data folder
Derelict folder
DestinyofPeace folder
DeusExMachina folder
FSPort folder
FS2Demo folder
Homesick folder
Installer folder
JAD folder
mediavps folder
screenshots folder
Sync folder
temp folder
tools folder
Transcend folder
FRED2
fred2_open_3_6_9
fred2_open_3_6_9_debug
fred2_open_3_6_10-20071007T
fred2_open_3_6_10_debug-20071007T
FreeSpace2
FS2
fs2_open_3_6_9
fs2_open_3_6_9_debug
fs2_open_3_6_10-20071007T
fs2_open_3_6_10_debug-20071007T
FS2NetGV
FS2OGGcutscenepack.vp
Launcher
launcher6
multi-mission-pack.vp
multi-voice-pack.vp
patchw32.dll
root_fs2.vp
smarty_fs2.vp
sparky_fs2.vp
sparky_hi_fs2.vp
stu_fs2.vp
tango1_fs2.vp
tango2_fs2.vp
tango3_fs2.vp
UpdateLauncher
warble_fs2.vp

This is how it installed except I capitalized some of the folders.

[Turey]

what exe are you using?

[Jeff Vader]

Okay, I took all files, except those listed above, out of the folder. This includes:

FS1OGGcutscenepack.vp
fsport-hi_res.vp
data folder
settings txt
mod txt
readme txt

Oi, I've never seen an fsport-hi_res.vp. What's that? Furthermore, if the mod file really is mod.txt, rename it to mod.ini. And if WinD'ohs warns you about the dangers of changing file ftypes that way, just say yes. Otherwise, the rest were actually files or folders you can also have in the fsport folder. The data folder should appear there by itself, if you play FSPort. As well as settings.ini.

Cardinal Spear folder

If someone knows better, please correct me. But I seem to recall hearing, that having spaces in the file paths can cause something. So it'd be a good idea to rename that folder to CardinalSpear or something similar.

[sorrowfool]

I'm using the fs2_open_3_6_9.exe

The mod and settings files were not text files, just what they looked like. There are actually 'Configuration Settings'.