[FFOman]

     Being a self-taught, freelance programmer, as well as an old hippie who stil refuses to grow up, one of my passions have always been computer games.  The very first game I ever played was at the University of Southern California while indulging the Dean with some hard efforts in the realms of Fortran and Cobalt on a noisy machine that was bigger than my dorm room!  But there was a good side!  When the real students left for the night, we jumped onto an available keyboard and played Star Trek all the way across the city and against UCLA, our cross-town rivals in just about anything!
     Anyway, I started programming for real when Delphi 1 first came out and despite the popularity of Visual Basic.  Why?  Because I simply couldn't fathom the reason a VAR was a DIM in VB but still a VAR in Delphi!  There's gotta be something wrong with people who do things like that! 
     Okay, enough about me.  But as of late I've started feeling really dumb.  This began right after I read about the FSO mod project in PC computing mag, and has gotten worse with each new break of dawn!  Let's face it...the instructions given on the links the article provided were much less than required or even needed!  And so I began running half cocked around the net looking for a consise list of files, their types, where they could be downloaded from, how, where, and in what order they should be installed.  Then of course there are other and equally important questions to be asked, such as the proper Freespace 2 version to get.  I bought a new copy from GameSpot's download store because GOG, ( not Dog in reverse although it should be! ), wouldn't accept my American Visa, and they told me it should be patched with the available retail patches.  Sounds a bit fishy to me though as every other downloaded game I ever picked up required specialized versions of any patches ever released!
     Also and amongst the many and very different answers to my questions I've been told that differant media files are for various processors and graphic cards.  And basically a whole lot more info and file naming along the way which has made my increasing confusion a nightmare!  But finally I found your site, and dam, I'm even more confused! <g>  Now maybe I shouldn't be crossing the streets by myself anymore, but I just think the right people...that being those who actually built this Mod and suffered it to be as great as I hope it will be if and when I ever get to try it out, should take a moment or two to express their views on installation and clear the air for those of us, who though not yet on social security, simply cannot get this installed to the very highest level for the machine they are using!
     Now I'm a bit lucky in this particular matter, as I just a week ago put the finishing touches on a brand new tower with specs only to be admired and in awe of.  <BG>  So if someone hears my desparate call for help and is willing to be of service to the community, I and I'm sure many others would greatly appreaciate your efforts!  And speaking for myself, I would be forever beholding to anyone who might be able to offer me a hand.  ( Honestly, I even considered offering my first-born.  She's a real knockout of course, but she just turned 28 and already has a good man in her life.  Sorry! )

[Jeff Vader]

Well, basically there are two options.

Either this one, which involves using an automated installer (or rather downloader) which may or may not work.

Or this one, which describes how to do things manually. Requires more user input but if you follow the instructions, you will get everything necessary and it'll work (user-made campaigns excluded).

If there is something specific that confuses you, please pinpoint the exact part.

[Flipside]

You're not alone My first experience of Computer Games was when this new fangled thing called 'Space Invaders' was installed at my local Cinema, and playing Pong on a Binatone when it was pretty much the only console in existence, I remember my excitement when the Calecovision came out with a whole 16 colours in 1982

I think the community is aware of the fact that installing FS2Open can be a confusing prospect, I think part of the problem is that the whole guide was written by people who have, in general, been modding the game for years and know the directory/naming conventions off by heart.

The Freespace Open Installer here can make life a lot easier, but it doesn't solve every problem.

[Satellight]

I bought a new copy from GameSpot's download store (...) and they told me it should be patched with the available retail patches.

If you need the official retail patch, you could find it HERE, apply it after the step one of the instructions in the LINK Jeff Vader provided.

Welcome and good game !

[Jeff Vader]

If you really want to get to the bottom level with the basic stuff, for FSO you need
- FSO builds (fs2_open_-----.exe files) in your \freespace2\ directory
- a Launcher (Launcher.exe) in your \freespace2\ directory.

You'll use the Launcher to select an FSO build, and to set various (optional) options, then you'll just start the game with the "Run" button.

For graphical pleasure, you'll need, in addition to the above,
- the 3.6.12 MediaVPs (MV_---.vp files) in \freespace2\mediavps_3612\ .

You'll then use the Launcher to select \freespace2\mediavps_3612\ as the active mod folder.

Other user-made mods work basically the same way as the MediaVPs: .vp files to \freespace2\modname\ , select \freespace2\modname\ with the Launcher, done.

[Luis Dias]

Also,

[FFOman]

     Thanx to all who attended!  One thing I can say for sure, this mod has indeed surfaced to find more allegiance than I remember seeing with any game being modded except for perhaps Valve's own masterpiece!  Look how many went nuts over that simple excuse for a mod for Half-Life 2 called, "Gary's Mod".  To my way of thinking it was practically a sin to even considerate it a mod under any circumstances.  I know I'm practically alone in my views, but who in Saint's Row could think of it otherwise?

[The E]

I am not entirely certain I understand what you are saying there, sorry.

[Luis Dias]

(He's praising HLP)