[itsme]

Hi, all
I played the originals on my PC when they launched and loved them.  I have yet to find games that could compete with the story and scale. I'm looking to try the games again on my current PC and I was wondering where would be the best place to get it from.  I tried years ago to buy the original CDs and they wouldn't install properly and I gave up.  Now I see the digital downloads and I what to give it another try.  I see some people are having problems with FS2 on steam and I want to get the one that will be easiest to use FSO.  My steam folder is on my SSD D: drive and see comments that it needs to be installed on the C: drive.  My C: is a 1TB 7200 barracuda so it should be more then fast enough for the game.

My setup:
i7-4970k 4.0 ghz
16 gb ram
AMD 7980
Win 8.1 64bit

Thanks in advance.  I can't wait to play and use FSO. 

[wardog300k]

Kickass torrents is the best choice...

Just kidding,DON'T do it,buy from GOG.

[itsme]

I'm glad I listened to you.  I logged into GOG and saw that I had already bought FS1 & 2 back in aug 2009.  I had not been on that site since than and forgot. LOL It's downloading now.  Thanks.

[BirdofPrey]

I've heard of nothing but problems with FS2 installed on steam.
New games on steam are great aside from the DRM issue (Have to have steam client authorized and running to play games), but old games are best gotten from GoG.

[headdie]

Steam publishes the files as provided
GoG does their best to distribute in a format that works, either by recompiling the code to work on modern OS or where that is not possible by supplying with an emulator preconfigured to run the game from a shortcut

[BirdofPrey]

I guess that explains some games.  I do know old DOS games come prepacked in DOSBox by GoG.
Still, Freespace works fine on modern systems, so I don't know what else it is about Steam that causes so many people issues

[headdie]

I guess that explains some games.  I do know old DOS games come prepacked in DOSBox by GoG.
Still, Freespace works fine on modern systems, so I don't know what else it is about Steam that causes so many people issues

one big issue is that the typical steam install path is too long for the retail code to handle

[Colonol Dekker]

No joking about torrents please Mister wardog.

[AdmiralRalwood]

The problem with the Steam install was that it didn't set the correct registry entries. Interplay's "fix" for this was to include a .reg file that the end user must manually add to their registry.

[jr2]

"fix" was just as good as their marketing strategy.

Can you imagine an OEM forgetting a part of the ignition on a car and just making the part available for end users to fix, no support?

[wardog300k]

No joking about torrents please Mister wardog.

What do you have against that?Do YOU download pirated copies?DO YOU?


I actually get them from kickass when my CD or DVD is broken,or better said i get nearly every game...

[Mongoose]

What he has against it is that it's illegal, and thus strictly against forum rules.  'nuff said.

[Colonol Dekker]

As a moderator I had to mention it. 
I would've anyway to be fair.

No joking about torrents please Mister wardog.

What do you have against that?Do YOU download pirated copies?DO YOU?


I actually get them from kickass when my CD or DVD is broken,or better said i get nearly every game...

If you mean you backup your games I kind of accept that. 

If not.   

For shame.

[wardog300k]

Backup

[jr2]

Good for Steam-free versions of stuff you got on Steam, too. 

[HansErben]

I really wish I had seen this first before buying both FS1 and FS2 from Steam. I downloaded the FSO Installer because everyone on Steam recommended it and now I'm just running into problems. FS1 runs like crap....FS2 runs alright. Just....

[FrikgFeek]

Wait, isn't "The Port" basically piracy too? I never actually bought FS1 but I have a retail FS2 disc and have played through both FS1 and ST(the original, STR is obviously not infringing copyright as it's a fan remake) through The Port.

[Colonol Dekker]

Each mission is hand made and if you've got the assets from the fs1 discs legally as we'd expect you to have them it's not piracy.


All the new shiny stuff is hand made non retail stuff too.

[FrikgFeek]

Not talking about the missions though, I was more concerned with the cutscenes and voice acting. Aren't those still copyrighted?

[Goober5000]

The Port specifically obtained permission from Volition to convert the missions, tables, and models to run on FS2.  The community-created content is not subject to that agreement.

But the voice acting and the original music, cutscenes, and cbanims (not the community-upgraded ones) are a gray area.  You raise a good point.  It would probably be best to make some sort of utility that copies those resources from an existing FS1 installation rather than downloads them.