[TotoGuy]

Hey all

I've recently downloaded the full FSO package in hopes of playing all the official campaigns (and any good unofficial ones) with some friends, and found the FS:ST and FS2 campaigns included as co-op versions.
Only thing I was missing is the original FS campaign.

Now, I've searched around and saw several posts on how to convert the main campaign to a co-op version. Thing is, as mentioned in those posts, the missions would be quite unbalanced without various changes.
So I looked around and found out somebody already did the re-balancing! Problem is, he did it quite a while before FSO even existed.

What I'm talking about is a co-op version of the main FS campaign, done by "Mutant Frogs Softworks" (credited to Nysos C. Dedes and Daniel Sharps), featuring all the missions and 3 campaign files with various changes and fixes allowing it to be both challenging and (mostly) bug free. Found it at the Volition Watch archives.

So all I need to do now is convert it to work with FS Port, including the campaign (.fsc) files if possible.
Just need to figure out how exactly

Should I use FRED2O to convert the missions? I tried using the import function, but it keeps crashing when I do. Opening them with the normal Open option works, but I don't know if that makes a difference.

Or maybe I'm better off using notepad to compare the missions to the ones included in FS Port, manually changing whatever is different?

And is it possible to convert the campaign files or do I need to create new ones for it?

I'd appreciate any help available, and if I can actually get it to work, maybe we'll finally have a proper co-op version of the campaign to spread around!

Thanks in advance!

PS: I tried using the import function in FRED2 3.6.9 and 3.6.10, BTW. And man this came out long.

[Mobius]

First of all, welcome to the HLPBB!!!

I realize you already know how to use that nice FRED2 Open feature that allows you to import missions. Can you please tell us what kind of errors you get in the process? It happened with every single mission?

For now I can tell you that the .fsc won't work in FSO, if I remember well. The campaign file needs to be converted as well.

[TotoGuy]

Thanks for the welcome

Well like I said, using "File-> Open" on a FSM mission file works, but using "File-> Import-> Freespace 1 Mission" crashes the editor - not when I pick a mission, the moment I click the menu button. I get that generic "...encountered an error and needs to close" windows error. Using XP btw, forgot to mention that.

Is there a difference between just opening an FSM file, and importing it? Otherwise I could just use the normal Open... But I'm guessing the Import function does things differently.

And I know FSC files can't be used with FSO, I was wondering if there's a way to open them with FRED2 somehow. Otherwise I'll need to create them from scratch.

[Macfie]

Just change the fsc to fc2.  The campaign files are identical except for file type designator.

[Mobius]

Try opening the FS1 mission with FRED2 Open and check if FRED reports errors...I don't know if you can...

[TotoGuy]

Just change the fsc to fc2.  The campaign files are identical except for file type designator.

I've tried that before, but since you said it should work I gave it another shot. Took me a while to figure out that I need to put the missions the campaign uses inside the missions folder - otherwise it wouldn't open the campaign! So now this works, thanks

Try opening the FS1 mission with FRED2 Open and check if FRED reports errors...I don't know if you can...

I tried checking this with more missions this time, and I noticed some of them do bring up errors when opened like that (invalid dock points, and such). Most of them are opened without a peep though.

Wish I could get the import to work, since I'm not sure how to fix the errors that do show up. And even if I did, I have no idea if opening them like this converts them properly.

[Mobius]

Uhm...are you using a shortcut to FRED with a proper mod path? Maybe the errors are caused by mod divergencies...it may be possible.

[TotoGuy]

I've tried using it normally and with a mod path (-mod fsport), the crash occurs either way.
Where can I find older versions of FRED2 Open? maybe one of those will work.

[Topgun]

Just change the fsc to fc2.  The campaign files are identical except for file type designator.

I've tried that before, but since you said it should work I gave it another shot. Took me a while to figure out that I need to put the missions the campaign uses inside the missions folder - otherwise it wouldn't open the campaign! So now this works, thanks

inside the fsc (or fc2) you need to change the file ext of the mission files. open it to see what I am talking about.

[Macfie]

Topgun is correct you also need to change the mission extensions from fsm to fs2.  The campaign file can be opened as a text file using wordpad.

[TotoGuy]

Thanks for the help with the campaign files, think I got those covered now as they seem to work properly with FRED2 Open.
I'm still having issues using the mission import function though, so any ideas on that matter?
Or maybe some other way I can convert FS1 missions to FSO? Some stand alone converter or something like that?

Or maybe a place with older FRED2 Open versions I could try?

[TotoGuy]

Bah...

I just found out about Mantis so I decided to go post about the bug in there.
After searching for similar bugs in there first, I found a bug report (ID 0001271) that matches my problem perfectly.
Problem is, there's been no progress in resolving it for over 7 months now

Guess I'll need to get someone else to convert them for me...

[TotoGuy]

Problem solved - seems that the bug was caused due to the main FS Open folder NOT being "FreeSpace2".

I can finally start converting the campaign, so feel free to share any tips, if you've ever converted a Freespace Co-Op campaign successfully before 

[Vidmaster]

Well, how about good luck      Looking forward to this.

[Galemp]

I ported a few missions for FS2 retail multiplayer: Black Omega and Clash of the Titans.