[pablo]

I bought a new computer and wanted to install my Freespace The Great War/ Silent Threat and FreeSpace 2

My new computer will not autoplay my retail disk so I can not install.  Something new for me.  Out of the three XP computers I have owned, this is the first time that autoplay has not picked up the install/play menu with the Violation screen.

I did a research and found this site which talks about Freespace 2


Can someone walk me through how to get my retail disks to install the Great war and silent threat in to my new computer? I will do Freespace 2 later.

Thanks

Intel Q6600 core 2 quad, 4 gigs Ram, Nvidia 9600GT, SoundMax digital audio on a Logitech z5500.

[Dark Hunter]

I'm certain someone will come along shortly and tell you to take advantage of the Freespace Open engine to install FS1 as an add-on to FS2.

But as to your problem: if the autoplay is not working, open "My Computer" and you should see the FS1 disk in Drive D, E, F, or whatever, depending on the computer. Double-click it there and it should run.

Oh, and it's not "Violation", it's "Volition", or as we call them:

Just so you know.

May I also say:

[Jeff Vader]

I'm certain someone will come along shortly and tell you to take advantage of the Freespace Open engine to install FS1 as an add-on to FS2.

You rang?

Indeed. If the Internets are open to your gaming computer, my good man pablo, do the following:

1. Install FreeSpace 2 somewhere. A popular choice is C:\Games\Freespace2.

2. Get Turey's FSO Installer (link in my signature), run it and point it to the location where you just installed FreeSpace 2. Make sure that you select at least the MediaVPs and FSPort to be downloaded.

(2.5. There would be some hassle for ripping the cutscenes from the game discs and using them but I think it's a good choice to just download the ogg ones with the Installer.)

3. Once the Installer finishes its thing, consult some materials on playing and using FSO. Karajorma's FreeSpace FAQ (link in my signature) contains useful information, especially regarding to the use of mods.

4. Install OpenAL (link in my signature) if you haven't already.

5. Run Launcher.exe (should be found from your \freespace2\ folder), check under the Video tab that you're running in OpenGL, open the Features tab and do the stuff recommended here, open the MOD tab and select fsport as a mod, hit Apply and then Run. Voila. Purdy FS1 campaign. Included in the FSPort is also the Silent Threat campaign, if you wish to play it. Just select the campaign you want to play from the Campaign room in-game.

Questions? Do ask.

[pablo]

Is there a more simply way to access the installer off the retail disk?

I ask because the version of XP in my current computer is identical and is the same as the previous computer. The change was in hardware.

Although I changed for the first time from ADM to Intel because ATI graphics cards suck right now and I wanted to take advantage of SLI and the cheaper Nvidia 9600gt card that actually out performs the 8800GTS. Not by much but it does. The 9600GT is 40% the price of the 8800GTS. The only major difference is that the 9600GTS comes only in 512MB and the 8800GTS can come in the 1GB memory version. But having 2 9600GTs that costs just over $300 is more than enough.  I have not noticed any play issues or resolution problems even with Crysis  the most demanding on a graphics card currently on  the market.

Is there a way to fool XP into opening up the setup screen so that I can install Freespace.  The other option is copying. I have the other computer. So I can play freespace on the older hardware. But I would like to try it on this system which is extremely nice setup graphically as well as audio sound possibilites. the Logitech z5500 system rocks! I would also like to see what the difference is with a high end graphics cards verses an older Nvidia 6600GTS.

I have a great joystick with the logitech Extreme 3D pro so that is covered.  Its a nice 13 button joystick in basic or 21 button in pro mode.

But just wondering if there was an easier way to get it to just run the setup.exe

[Jeff Vader]

Umm, well if you have issues with installing the retail game(s) from the disks, just forget about it and use Turey's Installer to get everything, since it can also download the retail FS2 files. Just download the Installer, select everything, get it running and wait (I think there's over 3 gigs o' stuff coming) and when you've finished, you can just copy the entire freespace folder to another computer with an external HDD or something. Then presume step 3 from my previous post.

[jr2]

I bought a new computer and wanted to install my Freespace The Great War/ Silent Threat and FreeSpace 2

My new computer will not autoplay my retail disk so I can not install.  Something new for me.  Out of the three XP computers I have owned, this is the first time that autoplay has not picked up the install/play menu with the Violation screen.

Can someone walk me through how to get my retail disks to install the Great war and silent threat in to my new computer? I will do Freespace 2 later.

Run setup.exe on the disc... if that doesn't work, right-click on setup.exe, hit "properties" and then click the "compatibility" tab, and set it to Windows '98.  Then continue on with the instructions Lobo has posted before.  (If you ever run the Retail FS2 game programs, you need those set to compatibility mode for Windows '98 as well, or the AfterBurners won't work.  However, if you just play using the FS Open program only, then you don't need to worry about it.  As the FS Open program is much better, I don't see why you would ever open the retail FreeSpace2.exe or FS2.exe files; just use the FSOpen Launcher.exe and you'll be fine.)

[colecampbell666]

Put in disk 1. GO to "My Computer". Right-click on the disk, and click "Explore". Click "Setup.EXE". Done. Then follow Lobo's first set of instructions.

[IceFire]

Hi, pablo, just in case its not completely clear part of the instructions process is to get you running with FreeSpace Open.  Several years ago the developers of Descent: FreeSpace and FreeSpace 2 released the full source code of the game engine behind FreeSpace.  Since that time innumerable people have worked on improving the underlying game engine making the game play faster with better graphics and more features on the latest hardware whenever available.

Install the game but then don't forget to check out the added enhancements made by the community as well.

I would use Windows Explorer and try to run the setup.exe off the CD manually.  It should take over from there but if not you may have a scratched disk or something like that.

[pablo]

Have tried the manual option through explore the disk from my computer and have double clicked on setup. My other computer reads the disk without a hitch but the new one for some reason just does not want to read it.  Basically the autoplay works on the older computer with XP but not on the newer one. Same 32bit XP except the newer one has the MS Media player burn block on it because the computer store allowed that update to happen.

Fred works without any problems but not the setup.exe.  I have even tried using the run option with no results as well.

I will try the compatibility to win 98 option as i have not tried that. Since my earlier computer was also a XP I did not think much about that.

I have heard about some up dates but never came across any for download.

Would like to have links to some if those updates are worth the effort and would not crash out the game.

[pablo]

Ok tried the compatability route. No go.

Everything works except setup.exe.

I even watched a promo vid that I never saw before on the disk.

Fred works.

I tried using the setup ini backdoor but it failed as well although it did get a read response from the retail disk and I did see the install/play menu briefly.

I just can not get it to open the setup.exe.  On the older computer no problem. I even check it. It autoplays without any problems.  But for some reason the new computer will not autoplay the retail disk nor can I access the setup.exe

Let me make this extremely clear for those who can help me.

I have an installed version of the retail disk on another computer that is running XP.

If I simply copied over the files from the older computer to the newer one, will I have any problems?

Or is everything dependent upon the setup.exe working for the retail disk to play like it is for star trek games.

I can copy over all the files and install them into the proper folders.

Can anyone tell me the wisdom in doing this will be ok or is it a waste of time or that it may cause a problem for future installs?

[Jeff Vader]

Let me make this extremely clear for those who can help me.

I have an installed version of the retail disk on another computer that is running XP.

If I simply copied over the files from the older computer to the newer one, will I have any problems?

I suppose if you just copied your FreeSpace 2 folder from the other computer, then acquired the FSO executables and played with the FSO engine, it would work.

[jr2]

I suppose if you just copied your FreeSpace 2 folder from the other computer, then acquired the FSO executables and played with the FSO engine, it would work.

I concur.

[IceFire]

Let me make this extremely clear for those who can help me.

I have an installed version of the retail disk on another computer that is running XP.

If I simply copied over the files from the older computer to the newer one, will I have any problems?

I suppose if you just copied your FreeSpace 2 folder from the other computer, then acquired the FSO executables and played with the FSO engine, it would work.

FSO or not that should work either way.  If you do a straight copy it'll work just fine... but the FSO executables might help you along.

Very weird problem...can't say what it is.

[colecampbell666]

Get the FreeSpace Open Installer. Run it over the directory to which you have installed FS2. Check at least the "FreeSpace Port" checkbox, and the ones for the windows .EXEs, and the launcher.

[pablo]

Downloaded the installer.

But it will not work.  The post script of the installer says it encountered an error 4 times and thus must be reinstalled for it to work.

I did check to see if it would work. It does not. I could not open up FSO so I could play Freespace 2.

What really sucks is that I have the retail disk! I could not install the retail disk. And now that I have installed the Freespace 2 installer it does not work either.

Man this just sucks every which way you look at.  There has to be at least one smart guy out there who can figure out how to get XP to read and allow for an install from the original disk without going through this round about nonsense.

I know that other older games have had people to do a special programs to make XP work or fool XP. The problem has always been in a part of the Windows code.

I could not even get the compatibility section to work.  I am very disappointed! 

If there really is anyone out there who has real solutions please advise. If you are a person who is just passing on information that just worked for your machine, please save it for someone who has a simular machine in the future.

I really want to play this game on my newer computer. However, its obvious that there is some major flaws with the installer which sucks. It may be the version of the installer as I noticed in the forum numbers for the installer like 3.12.6 and the installer I got from the link advised as the proper version was 3.6.9

It may be a competing installer as I noticed names attached here and there to specific users here in the forum. 

Looking for real solutions to make Freespace to work

[CZZ]

Hi

I used the 3.6.9 version on my new PC and it worked without a hitch.

Here is a link to a thread I used to get help and advice:  http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,53573.0.html

I did a clean of the pc and got rid of all my original FS2 stuff including registry files then went for a total download using the above version. It took hours but worked really well and the download included all sorts of mods plus the FS/Great War/Silent Thrreat. I am currently playing that now.

Hope that link helps and is useful!

Czz

[colecampbell666]

Downloaded the installer.

But it will not work.  The post script of the installer says it encountered an error 4 times and thus must be reinstalled for it to work.

I did check to see if it would work. It does not. I could not open up FSO so I could play Freespace 2.

What really sucks is that I have the retail disk! I could not install the retail disk. And now that I have installed the Freespace 2 installer it does not work either.

Man this just sucks every which way you look at.  There has to be at least one smart guy out there who can figure out how to get XP to read and allow for an install from the original disk without going through this round about nonsense.

I know that other older games have had people to do a special programs to make XP work or fool XP. The problem has always been in a part of the Windows code.

I could not even get the compatibility section to work.  I am very disappointed! 

If there really is anyone out there who has real solutions please advise. If you are a person who is just passing on information that just worked for your machine, please save it for someone who has a simular machine in the future.

I really want to play this game on my newer computer. However, its obvious that there is some major flaws with the installer which sucks. It may be the version of the installer as I noticed in the forum numbers for the installer like 3.12.6 and the installer I got from the link advised as the proper version was 3.6.9

It may be a competing installer as I noticed names attached here and there to specific users here in the forum. 

Looking for real solutions to make Freespace to work

First of all, there are no competing installers. The FSO Installer has been used on many PCs without a hitch, so chances are it's your PC. Make sure that you run Launcher.EXE, and nothing else.

[pablo]

I uninstalled/ installed the installer three times and finally  I am getting what looks like what I should.

I still can not launch the game.  I went to the link about setting up the launcher.
 
However, I do not have the same options that are listed in the link.

I do not have the graphics tab,  everything under HUD option or game play tab under features.

What I do have is launcher 5.5c. Audio/joystick, Speech, network, registry, Welcome, Features, MOD and Video.

Under features I have: Window with C\games\Freespace2\fsopen_3_6_9.exe -mod mediavps

Next is a drop down marked easy setup:  Nothing in the drop down to select.

Next is custom Flags

Next is list type and is a drop down. Nothing in the drop down to select

bottom is marked in a window flag with an unmarked attribute after a divider.

Bottom is run, ok, cancel and apply.

I know I need to add some flags.  But I am unclear where to input the other items.

Also Still need to connect for FreeSpace Great war and Silent Threat and attach those.

I am assuming once again that there is another installer out there a newer version or by another name.  I saw one in another forum called Sharky's installer 3 6 12.  I have seen reference to  3 6 10 in the instructions for my installer where it asks me to enable all in the launcher box. I do not have that particular option that I noticed.

So I am assuming that there is more than one general installer as I stated before.

Therefore I am either working with the wrong installer or  I need specific instructions on how to make my installer work.

[colecampbell666]

No. There is only one trusted installer. Could you link to this "Sharky's Installer"? The missing features thing sounds fishy. In the "Browse" button at the top, select the debug build. (denote by _debug, _r, or _d at the end of the filename. Post the FSO_log.txt that you find under \FreeSpace2\data.

[Jeff Vader]

I do not have the graphics tab

It's the Video tab.

everything under HUD option or game play tab under features.

Does that mean that your Launcher doesn't even remotely resemble this?

Also Still need to connect for FreeSpace Great war and Silent Threat and attach those.

Umm, what? You can install those if you have some authentic disks, but keep them separated from FS2/FSO.

Sharky's installer 3 6 12

What in the unholy name of Marco Bjurström is that? Neva heard.