Idle thoughts whilst playing Freespace 2

Netko · Post by **Netko** » 2006-06-16 02:40am

The Yosemite Bear wrote:ok why is this in otsf and not games and gaming.

2. is it just me or were all space fighter simulators just Xwing/Tie fighter clones?

I mean I jumped from X-Wing, to Wingcommander, to free space, to X-Com Interceptor, etc. without changing key alotments.

If you want something diffrent in the genre, try out Independance War (especialy IW2). Using X-Wing tactics there (if you can even use them) is a quick way to get yourself killed. Newtonian physics FTW

Yes, this is probably the 100th time I'm pimping IW - it's just that good.

GeneralTacticus · Post by **GeneralTacticus** » 2006-06-16 05:05am

Stark wrote:If I recall, it might be the old FOV problem. Are target 'lock on' brackets drawn wrong too? If so, blitz your install and put it back on with a new build and you'll be fine. It apparently turned up again in the builds from a few weeks ago, so it's on the Hard Light forums now.

Sounds like that's my problem; I'll try your suggestion later tonight. Many thanks!

Ace Pace · Post by **Ace Pace** » 2006-06-16 08:19am

Stark wrote:
Ace Pace wrote:A flail dosn't bounce you that much with full shields and the Erynies has a rather small cross section.

I don't need a lock for that missle missle launcher to move you around.

Missle launcher annoys you for 5 seconds. In those 5 I have a lock with harpoons. Boom.
This doesn't make sense, Ace. Maybe you've played with idiots, but first, a Erynies is HUGE and easy to hit even at a klick. The missile carat moves with your view, so being shaken around by a flail makes locks almost impossible, and in the specific case of Trebs I would go so far as to say *totally* impossible, given its low carat-chase value. Finally, an incoming Treb won't bother a decent pilot at all (since Trebs are slow and you've got CM, you don't need to maneuver like you do to drop CM on dogfight missiles). Locking up a Perseus while being flailed is hardly trivial, and they'll probably miss/be deflected anyway, and they to bugger all damage ANYWAY. There's a reason missiles are basically useless in PvP, and why the flail is immortalised as the cheesiest, most banned weapon in multi ever.

Finally, all of your arguments are worthless since they apply equally or more so to a Perseus, since it's faster and more agile. Erynies are great assault fighters, but saying 'lolz trebs' suggests you've never actually played multi. The idea of hitting a fighter with Trebs, even without being flailed, just boggles the mind. Players don't flying straight lines!

True, all true, which just proves that the last time i played multi was in 2002.

Ace, I'd be interested in links to DLing this game. Thanks!

The base point for getting the links is here and this is where you can ask questions. This is the base torrent, the torrent includes the game from a stable build, FS1,FS1:ST, FS2 and some mods, aswell as cutscenes.
This update includes latest builds, updated graphics and another large mod, this one a TC.

[/quote]

Arrow · Post by **Arrow** » 2006-06-16 08:40am

I tried the latest SCP build last night (after I finally got the fucking torrent to download - it was more like a fucking trickle). Anyway, here's my comments on it:

1) Whoever wrote the installer and the readme files needs to learn (a) spelling and (b) grammer.
2) Hard coding directory names is fucking moronic. C:\Games\Freespace2 (which is the fucking default!) wouldn't work, but C:\Games\Freespace would.
3) One of the texture files was either corrupt or improperly compressed, because the game wouldn't load it, leading to:
4) The fucking thing crashed while loading. Beautiful fault tolerance, guys.
5) Oh, and since these folks have the source code, how about some resolutions above 1024x768??? Yes yes, you have redo the 2D artwork - I don't care.

All-in-all, I'm not impressed, and it seems to be a poor way to care on FS2's legacy.

Ace Pace · Post by **Ace Pace** » 2006-06-16 08:47am

2) I have it in I:\Freespace and it works fine.

3) Havn't run into it.

5) Find the SCP people the art guys to do it. The fact they support 1280x1024 at all is neat.

Arrow · Post by **Arrow** » 2006-06-16 09:44am

Ace Pace wrote:2) I have it in I:\Freespace and it works fine.

3) Havn't run into it.

5) Find the SCP people the art guys to do it. The fact they support 1280x1024 at all is neat.

2) But does it work with a 2 at the end? It didn't on my system.

5) There's not 12x10 option for my system.

Ace Pace · Post by **Ace Pace** » 2006-06-16 09:50am

Enable non standard resolutions, works fine here.

EDIT: just changed Freespace to Freespace 2, works.

EDIT: The 1.8 update to the torrent I mentioned, it's corrupted for me, is the DL corrupted for anyone else?

Vendetta · Post by **Vendetta** » 2006-06-16 01:41pm

The Yosemite Bear wrote: 2. is it just me or were all space fighter simulators just Xwing/Tie fighter clones?

I mean I jumped from X-Wing, to Wingcommander, to free space, to X-Com Interceptor, etc. without changing key alotments.

Basically, it wasn't broken so no-one tried to fix it. (except, as mentioned, I-war, though I think that still had broadly the same keymappings, it just made everything far more complicated)

Temjin · Post by **Temjin** » 2006-06-17 12:50am

Ace Pace wrote:EDIT: The 1.8 update to the torrent I mentioned, it's corrupted for me, is the DL corrupted for anyone else?

When I downloaded the patch a few days ago, it worked fine. Have you tried downloading it again?

Stark · Post by **Stark** » 2006-06-17 01:00am

I run in 1280x960 all the time. I haven't run into any directory name things.

However, if Arrow is using ShivanSPS's pack, that probably explains things. I've not used it (having my 90s FS2 discs right here) but he's not a native english speaker, or a representative of the SCP. He's just a fan who got sick of the multi-stage procedure of installing fs2/scp/mods.

PS, the newest build fixes the bloody debris crash now (woot, Taylor killed it) so I'm going to burn a DVD install and throw my FS2 discs away. I'll never have to look at that shockingly low-res install splash screen again!

Arthur_Tuxedo · Post by **Arthur_Tuxedo** » 2006-06-17 01:17am

Don't throw away your FS2 discs. They're worth some decent money on eBay. Rare game and all.

Stark · Post by **Stark** » 2006-06-17 01:19am

LOL I fail the interweb. I never even thought about that. I've got FS1/ST as well... but they're scratched to shit and worthless.

Arthur_Tuxedo · Post by **Arthur_Tuxedo** » 2006-06-17 01:20am

Just as well. FS1/ST aren't rare at all. You can pick up the combo for like $2.

Stark · Post by **Stark** » 2006-06-17 01:23am

REALLY? I haven't seen either for ages. Did they release some FS/ST pack in the US? There are things of that era still floating around EBs here for AU$5. I few years ago, before I found the SCP, I would have paid money for new FS discs. Only recently have I recovered the movies, so the FSPort is basically done.

Ace Pace · Post by **Ace Pace** » 2006-06-17 02:25am

You were the one who recovered the FS1 movies?

Stark · Post by **Stark** » 2006-06-17 02:30am

Nah, the new builds can play the original MVEs and I ... found... them elsewhere.

Ace Pace · Post by **Ace Pace** » 2006-06-17 02:42am

Ya, I noticed the newer builds play movies without having an ugly solution.

*must have joystick*

Adrian Laguna · Post by **Adrian Laguna** » 2006-06-17 03:48am

Arthur_Tuxedo wrote:Don't throw away your FS2 discs. They're worth some decent money on eBay. Rare game and all.

That annoys me, I really want to have the physical FS2 game. Unfortunately, the cheapest thing I could find was like $100. Granted, I didn't search very far, but the price kind of killed my hope of finding anything more decent priced.

Arrow · Post by **Arrow** » 2006-06-17 08:49am

I still have my FS2 disks. The disks are still good, and I've made images of all three.

Assuming I'm starting from commerical release, what would I need to do to get the DX8 rendering, with all the shinny effects and textures?

Stark · Post by **Stark** » 2006-06-17 09:16am

Just install FS2 normal, patch it to 1.2, then drop the new SCP exe and launcher in /fs2. To get the new models/effects/etc you'll need to download the media vp files, from here. Drop them in your /fs2 as well, and it'll all work automatic like.

I'm sick of constantly installing FS2, and since SCP doesn't need the registry entries I made a dvd image out of my install. NEVER AGAIN!

Ace Pace · Post by **Ace Pace** » 2006-06-17 09:26am

Stark, never install to the main folder. Always use a sub folder because you can't know if a specific mod uses something else. Atleast thats what it says.

Stark · Post by **Stark** » 2006-06-17 09:43am

Fuckem. I know the current fashion is to put the vps in a separate folder and use a mod folder, but fuck em. The only mods/campaigns that care are old and shit or standalone anyway. Getting Sol: A History to work is a pain in the ass ANYWAY. GRRRRRR!

Ace Pace · Post by **Ace Pace** » 2006-06-17 09:46am

I rather wish some of the older mods would be updated to SCP level.

Stark · Post by **Stark** » 2006-06-17 09:48am

Same. The older, irritating-to-get-working campaigns are cool, especially all BRs stuff. But they're pre-tbm, so their tables override each other, they use different combinations of effects, expect you to have the Inferno demo from years ago etc etc. I've got everything working, but never again. Too much work, and how many times can Transcend have a 'race to the node' mission before it's too many?

Ace Pace · Post by **Ace Pace** » 2006-06-17 09:51am

Today, I aquire a joystick. If I dissapear from SDN for the next 256 hours, it's not because I was kidnapped, bombed or anything else like that.

You know, this is stunning, two pages of Stark and the only time he whines is about coders and not about a game.