[Babak]

Hello! First post =) Really impressive to see FS2 has such an active community (never knew). It is, after all, the greatest game of all time
I was reading around to set up the SCP and I have a few Qs. Would appreciate any help.

I wanna play the original campaign with the cool new graphics that are meant to come with SCP (is that true?). I spent a few hours just then trying to get this going... In the Automated Installer, I already got the 'bare bones' Freespace Open 3.6.9. But I wanted to know... what is MediaVPs? It says "plus some graphical updates"... So is THIS what makes the game look nice, or the former? (Open 3.6.9)
Also, how big is the MediaVPs download size? My internet is about to get shaped, so I can't download it now if it's the 3GB or whatever.

And one last question, these are the requirements: (from here: http://scp.indiegames.us/bnr_installer.php)

# AMD Athlon XP/64/X2, Intel P4/Core 2 Duo, or similar
# Windows 98/2000/XP/Vista, Mac OS X 10.4+, or a recent Linux distro
# GeForce 5xxx or Radeon 9xxx or other OpenGL-compatible video card.
# An OpenAL-compatible sound card
# 1 GB RAM, 2 GB recommended.
# 3 GB or more free hard disk drive space, depending on what is installed.

Do I really need such high requirements... I know they're not high by today's standards but my PC sucks and these are way higher than what the retail FS2 needed.

Thanks for any help! 

[Jeff Vader]

I wanna play the original campaign with the cool new graphics that are meant to come with SCP (is that true?).

This may occasionally be a bit confusing for new people but in a nuthshell:
- The MediaVPs are the graphical updates (new models, new textures, new effects and so on)
- the FSO game engine is a totally pimped-out version of the original FS2 game engine and is needed to get anything out of the MediaVPs.

Even shorter: you'll need both to get better graphics.

Also, how big is the MediaVPs download size? My internet is about to get shaped, so I can't download it now if it's the 3GB or whatever.

Actually the size of the full download is drastically smaller now that we Turey is no longer providing retail FS2 with the Installer. The MediaVPs (3.6.8 Zeta is provided by the Installer) are roughly half a gig, depending on whether you also want the AdvancedEffects or not.

And one last question, these are the requirements: (from here: http://scp.indiegames.us/bnr_installer.php)
*snip*
Do I really need such high requirements... I know they're not high by today's standards but my PC sucks and these are way higher than what the retail FS2 needed.

For utter and full pleasure? Yes. But the requirements are relative. Mama's computer (Athlon XP 2600, 512ram, Radeon 9600) can run FSO just fine, provided that the AdvancedEffects are not in use.

[IceFire]

If you are using any of the MediaVP's then yes you will need a system similar to those specified above.  This is because there are so many graphical overhauls in the MediaVP files including higher resolution textures, better effects, much more highly detailed ships (I'm estimating a 1/4th of all of the ships in FreeSpace 2 have received high poly upgrades to date), and higher quality sound and music.  So you can use the FS2 Open EXE's which give you enhanced features but your system may not be able to handle all of the upgrades...

I would say from experience that those recommended system specifications are true to their word.

You can download the MediaVP files and just make sure you don't get the Adv Effects package (which are the most demanding) and see what happens.

[Babak]

Brother thanks for explaining it so well
I'm getting a new PC next week, nothing more worthy than playing an upgraded FS2!!!!!!!

edit: ic, thanks IceFire =)

[Rodo]

Welcome to FS Universe, you know... once you get started, there's no turning back... muaja.. muajajaja 

[Galemp]

xaxaxaxaxaxaxaxa!!

Also play FSPort.

[Retsof]

Do my eyes deceive me?  Nobody has beamed you yet!  Allow me.

[Cobra]

xaxaxaxaxaxaxaxa!!

Also play FSPort.

Maybe he should wait until 3.1.

[Babak]

Thanks =]

[Mongoose]

If you are using any of the MediaVP's then yes you will need a system similar to those specified above.

I beg to differ a tiny bit on that point.  I've been running the SCP on a system with 512 MB of RAM and a Radeon X300 video card for some time now, and at least with more recent releases, I experience reasonably decent performance running the whole slate of MediaVPs...even AdvEffects.  While I probably technically shouldn't be bothering with the latter, as it's the main factor in the slowdowns I do experience, the rest of the slate is able to run on a system far less powerful than what is advertised.  If nothing else, it's a testament to the amount of optimization the coders have been able to achieve.

Bottom line?  Don't sell your system short right off the bat.  Try throwing the MediaVPs in there and see what sort of performance you get.  You can always remove any big offenders and/or disable certain features as needed.

[Romanmolf]

Damit retsof beamed you first.

[Jeff Vader]

Beam discussion isn't relevant to this thread. If there already is a beam, live with it.

[Lucika]

Well, I know that I am a toooooootal fool, but I need help, too.
I downloaded FSO and that OpenAL thingy...now what?
I am perfectly unable to launch the game with it, nor to make any of the downloaded campaigns work...HELP, I am a complete donkey!!!

P.S.: Where is the ported FS1 campaign?

[dragonsniper]

P.S.: Where is the ported FS1 campaign?

For me it was the fsport file. Just extract the files in it into your Freespace folder and it should work (of course you'll have to select them in the campaign selection window when you get the game to work. )

[FUBAR-BDHR]

Never put any mods in your Freespace2 folder.  FSPort should be in the fsport folder under your Freespace2 folder.

[Jeff Vader]

Well, I know that I am a toooooootal fool, but I need help, too.
I downloaded FSO and that OpenAL thingy...now what?
I am perfectly unable to launch the game with it, nor to make any of the downloaded campaigns work...HELP, I am a complete donkey!!!

http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,47640.0.html

[Lucika]

Uberthanks

Trying it out

[Lucika]

Still in trouble... sigh.

1) Has FS2 1.20
2) Downloaded OpenAL for Windows and installed it
3) Used the installer

- still no goddamn launcher!!!! -
There is only a file named FS2_Open-3.6.9.dmg (yes, a dmg file)
If I reinstall, nothing happens... nor if I update...

What is the problem?

[Jeff Vader]

Dunno. Maybe server issues. I suspect dmg files are either Mac or Linux stuff so just leave them alone. There's a link to the latest Launcher in my signature, as well as to the nightly builds board where you can download the latest build.

[Lucika]

Oh...
Still not over... there is NO fs2_open.exe!!!