FreeSpace Wiki - User contributions [en]

User:Fisk

2012-05-16T15:14:32Z

Fisk: just updating

o hai o/

I go by many pseudonyms. One of them is Fisk. Another one is Jeff Vader (IRC variants include, but are not limited, to JeffVader, SleepVader, SuccessVader, BlackbeardVader etc). The rest are a secret. Some people claim I was once known as Lobo but they LIE.

I may occasionally offer FreeSpace tech support and other related services. OR NOT.

Also, I like Japanese trance metal, coffee, tea, chocolate, cheese, whiskey, beer, weird humour and laughing at other people's misfortune.

One more thing. I am attempting to learn to play guitar.

==Relevant History==
===~July '06===
* FreeSpace 2
===May '07===
* Join Hard Light Productions
===June '07===
* New kettle
===May '08===
* Promotion to moderator
* New mouse
===December '08===
* New coffeemaker
===January '09===
* New phone
===~May '09===
* Promotion to global moderator
* New mousepad
* Netbook
===~July '09===
* Mental breakdown
===January '10===
* New headphones
===February '10 - May '10===
* Fucken' busy with school work
===June '10===
* Bachelor's thesis on face detection
===July '10 -===
* Abusing moderator powers for teh lulz
===August '10===
* New hardware
===August '10 - June '11===
* Problems with hardware
===December '11===
* Bachelor of technology
===February '12===
* Job
===May '12===
* Guitar

==Contributions==
* Tech support for [[FreeSpace 2]] and [[FreeSpace Open]] (not anymore, really)
* Low-resolution planet textures for the [[FSPort]] version of [[Cardinal Spear]] (unneeded with FSO 3.6.12 and newer builds. AWESOME PERFORMANCE INCREASE THERE)
* New p_dead2.dds for the first incarnation of [[Blue Planet]] (unneeded now, as the Director's Cut uses skyboxes)
* Half-arsed mission proofreading for Ghost Revenants (caused at least one mission-crashing bug \-_-/)
* The [[Getting started]] article here at the FreeSpace Wiki (someone should keep it up to date, as I can't be arsed with that)
* Patch for the first incarnation of the [[Ancient-Shivan_War_(campaign)|Ancient-Shivan War]] (fixed crashes with non-English versions of FS2 and FSO builds that are newer than 3.6.10 Final)

==Miscellaneous==
"I like to expect the worst. There's a small chance I'll be pleasantly surprised."

User:Fisk

2012-02-10T19:53:54Z

Fisk: stuff

o hai o/

I go by many pseudonyms. One of them is Fisk. Another one is Jeff Vader (IRC variants include, but are not limited, to JeffVader, SleepVader, SuccessVader, BlackbeardVader etc). The rest are a secret. Some people claim I was once known as Lobo but they LIE.

I may occasionally offer FreeSpace tech support and other related services. OR NOT.

Also, I like Japanese trance metal, coffee, tea, chocolate, cheese, whiskey, beer, weird humour and laughing at other people's misfortune.

==Relevant History==
===~July '06===
* FreeSpace 2
===May '07===
* Join Hard Light Productions
===June '07===
* New kettle
===May '08===
* Promotion to moderator
* New mouse
===December '08===
* New coffeemaker
===January '09===
* New phone
===~May '09===
* Promotion to global moderator
* New mousepad
* Netbook
===~July '09===
* Mental breakdown
===January '10===
* New headphones
===February '10 - May '10===
* Fucken' busy with school work
===June '10===
* Bachelor's thesis on face detection
===July '10 -===
* Abusing moderator powers for teh lulz
===August '10===
* New hardware
===August '10 - June '11===
* Problems with hardware
===December '11===
* Bachelor of technology
===January '12===
* Job

==Contributions==
* Tech support for [[FreeSpace 2]] and [[FreeSpace Open]] (not anymore, really)
* Low-resolution planet textures for the [[FSPort]] version of [[Cardinal Spear]] (unneeded with FSO 3.6.12 and newer builds. AWESOME PERFORMANCE INCREASE THERE)
* New p_dead2.dds for the first incarnation of [[Blue Planet]] (unneeded now, as the Director's Cut uses skyboxes)
* Half-arsed mission proofreading for Ghost Revenants (caused at least one mission-crashing bug \-_-/)
* The [[Getting started]] article here at the FreeSpace Wiki (someone should keep it up to date, as I can't be arsed with that)
* Patch for the first incarnation of the [[Ancient-Shivan_War_(campaign)|Ancient-Shivan War]] (fixed crashes with non-English versions of FS2 and FSO builds that are newer than 3.6.10 Final)

==Miscellaneous==
"I like to expect the worst. There's a small chance I'll be pleasantly surprised."

Freespace 3 the search For bosch

2011-07-18T19:23:26Z

Fisk: TRUTH

:''This article is about a [[User-made Campaigns|user-made campaign]] on acid. For discussion on the official third game of the series, please see [[FreeSpace 3]].''

'''Freespace 3 the search For bosch''' is an epic parody campaign for ''[[FreeSpace 2]]'' created by xX_LORD_ULTRA_DEATH_Xx. The initial release, containing the first 5 of 34 planned missions, was posted on July 2, 2011, to rapturous community reaction.

It may or may not be worth noting that this campaign is '''not''' the official ''FreeSpace 3'', despite implicit claims to that effect.

==Overview==
'''Status:''' Partially Released

'''Author:''' xX_LORD_ULTRA_DEATH_Xx

'''Released:''' 07/02/11 (R1)

'''Missions:''' 5 in first release (of 34 planned)

'''Features:'''
*34 mission's [''sic'']
*new ship's [''sic'']
*realistic beleivabel [''sic''] caricatures [''sic'']
*custom sound track to make excite [''sic'']
*Set 2 yrs after Capella
*You are sent through new Knosos [''sic''] to look for Bosch
*Find out what happen [''sic''] to Bosch!
*Find out what Shivin's [''sic''] are and why they do what they@ [''sic'']
*Take war to Shivins [''sic''] home system's [''sic'']
*SF Mara (Terran's) [''sic''] is now main space supremacy [''sic''] fighter in elite GTVA squadron's [''sic''] like your [''sic'']!
*''AND MUCH MORE''

==Description==
The campaign is set two years after the Capella incident. The player character and her wingmen - each with distinctive and developed personalities - are highly regarded pilots stationed aboard the GVD Cleopatera [''sic''], a [[GVD Hatshepsut|Hatshepsut]]-class destroyer modified with [[Shivan]] technology. The story opens with the announcement that a new [[Knossos]] subspace portal has been discovered in a remote corner of the GTVA, and that the Cleopatera [''sic''] and her battlegroup have been dispatched to investigate. Their mission is to find and apprehend [[Aken Bosch]] so that he can be interrogated and brought to justice. Along the way, the player character is subjected to the greatest tests of her career and her life, and makes shocking discoveries about the nature of Bosch, the Shivans, and the universe itself....

==Reception==
Initial responses in the R1 release thread ranged from skeptical to downright hostile, owing to the taboo against naming a campaign "[[FreeSpace 3]]" (and thereby unilaterally giving it implicit canonical status). Many members assumed that the post was a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troll_%28Internet%29 troll], posted specifically to generate some response from the community. The original poster's numerous idiosyncrasies, such as posting in extremely oversize green text littered with spelling and grammar errors, were another cause of initial skepticism.

However, once community members had the chance to download and play the campaign, they realized just how damn hilarious the campaign actually was. Several requests for a sequel, and at least one offer to assist in FREDing for one, were posted within 24 hours of the release.

There were lingering performance issues with some missions on older computers, but xX_LORD_ULTRA_DEATH_Xx quickly responded with a downscaled "lite" version of the campaign. This version preserved the storyline and broad mission balance of the original while making necessary sacrifices of the epic nature of some missions to accommodate those who would otherwise be unable to play the campaign at all. Both versions are currently available for download.

That the campaign contained numerous references to existing campaigns and tongue-in-cheek attacks on community members led to further suspicion that it was some kind of joke. It was later revealed by site administration that xX_LORD_ULTRA_DEATH_Xx's IP address matched that of an existing community member. However, which community member was ultimately responsible for the conception of this masterpiece remains unknown.

==Identity of xX_LORD_ULTRA_DEATH_Xx==
Several theories have been put forth as to the identity of the campaign designer, but nothing approaching a consensus has been reached.

*'''[[User:Axem|Axem]]''': Axem, known for his parody campaign [[Just Another Day]] and its sequels, was suggested as a possibility within ten minutes of the release thread going live. Site administration has stated that Axem is not the campaign designer, and Axem himself has made inquiries as to the designer's identity. However, many community members remain convinced that Axem is xX_LORD_ULTRA_DEATH_Xx.

*'''[[User:General Battuta|General Battuta]]''': Along with Axem, General Battuta is the most frequently suggested author of ''Freespace 3 the search For bosch''. The main flaw in this theory is that Battuta was temporarily banned from posting on public forums at the time of the release. It is unlikely that site administration would take kindly to the so-called "Trollttuta" making alt posts while so banned. Despite this, unspecified and vague similarities between Battuta's writing style and that of xX_LORD_ULTRA_DEATH_Xx have been noted and the theory remains popular.

*'''[[User:Nuclear1|Nuclear1]]''': Theories that Nuclear1 is xX_LORD_ULTRA_DEATH_Xx have likewise been refuted by HLP administration.

*'''[[User:karajorma|karajorma]]''': Site administrator karajorma was suggested as a possibility for no clearly-stated reason. He has denied it on the grounds that "that would require me to be capable of finishing something I started." Has also further elaborated that he still hasn't "finished WiH or played enough FS2 recently to be able to reference recent campaigns."

*'''[[User:Goober5000|Goober5000]]''': Goober5000, who like Axem has a history of creating parody campaigns (see [[Deus Ex Machina]]), has also been suggested as a possibility by multiple community members. However, he has not played [[War in Heaven]], which ''Freespace 3'''s eponymous "Mission 5" references heavily. Administration has stated that this theory is incorrect.

*'''[[User:Spoon|Spoon]]''': [[User:TopAce|TopAce]] created this theory due to the conflict between the two. See the splitlocked thread [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=76948.0 here].

Eventually Hard Light's very own [[User:Snail|Sherlock Snail]] [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=76933.msg1532277#msg1532277 figured out that xX_LORD_ULTRA_DEATH_Xx was, in fact, Vasudan Commander, further confirmed by Goober5000].
==Reviews==
''"...this piece of art...."'' - [[User:Fisk|Jeff Vader]]

''"Awesome."'' - [[User:Snail|Snail]]

''"Very good campaign! I wish there were more of these out there!"'' - [[User:QueenHolley|QueenHolley]]

''"This is the best campaign that has ever been written."'' - [[User:Shivan Hunter|Shivan Hunter]]

''"This fine masterpiece...."'' - [[User:Swantz|Swantz]]

''"This is a new benchmark for campaigns."'' - [[User:Psychonaut|Psychonaut]]

''"Featured campaign of the indeterminate time period...you should play it."'' - [[User:Scotty|Scotty]]

''"Omg, the ending. Someone hand me a cigarette."'' - [[User:Darius|Darius]]

''"Story is on par with many of today's works...dialogue is compelling and moving."'' - [[User:thesizzler|thesizzler]]

==Links==
*[http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=76933.0 Release thread] (with community reaction)
*[http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=76948.0 TopAce/Spoon flamebaiting splitlocked from release thread]
*[http://www.mediafire.com/?vf2aib6d597csvq Download from Mediafire]
*[http://www.mediafire.com/?806glxh9kayl016 "Lite" version with some ships removed for slower computers (Mediafire)]
*[http://www.freespacemods.net/download.php?view.772 Download from FreeSpace Mods]

[[Category:User-made Campaigns]]

Getting started

2011-07-14T15:50:36Z

Fisk: A note about checking the in-game detail settings

'''Getting Started: FreeSpace in a Nutshell'''

Hello and welcome! You've arrived at "FreeSpace in a Nutshell", an article for people new to FreeSpace. This article will provide information about the FreeSpace game series, FreeSpace Open and [[Hard Light Productions]]. There are also instructions for getting the games and installing FreeSpace Open.

==What is FreeSpace?==
FreeSpace is a series of space combat simulation games developed by Volition, Inc. and published by Interplay Entertainment. The games take place in the 24th century. Mankind, referred to as Terrans, has developed means for space traveling, further fueled by the discovery of subspace which makes interstellar travel not only possible but also fast and easy. As a result the Terrans have expanded their territory, eventually encountering another bipedal, sentient species; the Vasudans. However, due to cultural differences and difficulties in communicating with each other, the Galactic Terran Alliance (GTA) and the Parliamentary Vasudan Empire (PVE) end up fighting a war that lasts for 14 years.

===FreeSpace 1===
Descent: FreeSpace — The Great War (also known as Conflict: FreeSpace — The Great War) is the first part of the series, released in 1998. The player is a pilot for the Galactic Terran Alliance. The GTA and the PVN have waged a war for 14 years and there doesn't seem to be an end in sight. However, suddenly a third race appears. These aliens, designated Shivans, are technologically superior, do not respond to diplomacy, and stage attacks against both the Terrans and the Vasudans. As a result, the GTA and PVN forge a truce and join forces in order to stop these alien invaders.

FreeSpace 1 was well-received in its time by critics and players. Though it didn't offer much innovation in terms of gameplay and story, all aspects of the game worked well. The controls were easy to assume and the plot was quite compelling, as well as leaving a few questions in the air. Also crucial to the success of FS1 was the excellent mod support. Mod tools were released for the use of players and the game itself shipped with FreeSpace Editor (FRED) that allowed every player to design and create their own missions.

It is good to note that although in certain regions the full title of the game is ''Descent: FreeSpace – The Great War'', FS1 has very little to do with the Descent game series. The prefixes "Descent" and "Conflict" were used in some titles because there was already an archive tool called FreeSpace on the market.

===Silent Threat===
''Silent Threat'' is an expansion for ''FreeSpace 1'', also released in 1998. It offered a few new ships and weapons and a campaign regarding a rogue faction within the intelligence branch of the GTA. ''Silent Threat'' was considered as a decent expansion pack. The main campaign suffered from bugs, weird plot development and generic mission designs, but was compensated by the selected user-made mission that were also included.

===FreeSpace 2===
''FreeSpace 2'' was released in 1999 and continued the story 32 years after the events of FS1. The Terrans and Vasudans have increased their cooperation that started during the events of FS1, eventually culminating in the formation of the Galactic Terran-Vasudan Alliance (GTVA). However, not everyone appreciates the situation. A rebel group known as the Neo-Terran Front wages a war against the GTVA, because they do not see a future for the Terran race with the Vasudans.

In terms of gameplay and contents, FreeSpace 2 unsurprisingly improved upon what FreeSpace 1 had offered. The gameplay as such remained the same, but new features were added. Among these were beam weapons for capital ships and missions taking place in nebula environments. Storywise FreeSpace 2 was somewhat different from FS1. Sometimes compared to '' The Empire Strikes Back'', it didn't have a clear and happy ending, but instead left a number of questions floating in the air, puzzling and frustrating the fans.

Though critically appraised, ''FreeSpace 2'' was not a commercial success, largely because of the poor advertisement. Many fans of ''FreeSpace 1'' were actually surprised to hear that ''FreeSpace 2'' had been published because the only real source for this information was through game reviews.

===FreeSpace 3?===
There is no ''FreeSpace 3''. Volition was bought by THQ in 2000, with the licenses remaining with Interplay. Volition couldn't create a new game in the series and Interplay was not interested in publishing space simulation games because the genre was deemed dead. More information about FreeSpace 3 and related things can be read from [http://homepage.ntlworld.com/karajorma/FAQ/general.html#WhenFS3 Karajorma's FreeSpace FAQ].

===Where to get the games===
Though the FreeSpace games are old, they are far from lost. [http://www.gog.com/ Good Old Games] (GOG) sells numerous old classic games, including ''FreeSpace'', ''Silent Threat'', and ''FreeSpace 2''. People who do not yet own these games are recommended to buy them from Good Old Games, because GOG's games are cheap ($5.99 or $9.99), DRM-free and completely legal.

==The FreeSpace Source Code Project==
After Volition was bought by THQ, they no longer had any use for the game engine, since they couldn't develop new FreeSpace games. Volition released the source code of the FS2 game engine in 2002 so that FreeSpace fans could do what they wanted with it. A group of coders joined forces and formed the FreeSpace 2 Source Code Project (SCP) that began to, and still continues to, improve the game engine. The new open source game engine, known as FreeSpace Open (FSO), has several distingushing features that include:
*Linux and Mac OS X support
*OpenGL support
*OpenAL positional audio support
*Easy mod installation
*OGG support
*Hardware transform, clipping, and lighting

===The FreeSpace Upgrade Project===
While the SCP improve the code of the game engine to enable new and exciting features, the FreeSpace Upgrade Project (FSU) creates material that takes advantage of the improved game engine. The FSU improves the ships, effects and background elements of FreeSpace 2 continuously. Every now and then these improvements are released as a pack. Known as MediaVPs, these assorted improvements enhance the graphics of the game drastically. Though [[Screenshots|screenshots]] give some idea of what the MediaVPs can do, the best way is to experience them in-game.

===Games based on the FSO engine===
In addition to improving the original FS2, the FSO engine has also made it possible for people to create new space sim games. for a list of FSO-based games, see [[Total conversions]]. Note that all of these games are standalone, which means that they do not require the original FS2.

==Hard Light Productions==
Hard Light Productions (HLP) is the most active online FreeSpace community. HLP consists of hundreds of dedicated FreeSpace fans, with everyone contributing to the community in one or more ways. Members of HLP are
*Coders, who continuously improve the FSO game engine to include new and exciting features, as well as fix bugs in the game engine
*Modellers, who create new ship models and improve old ones
*Texture artists, who make textures for new and old ships
*Effect artists, who create effects such as weapons fire and afterburner trails
*FREDders, who use the FreeSpace Editor to create new missions and campaigns for people to play
*Support people, who help players with any problems regarding FreeSpace
*Players, who keep FreeSpace alive by playing the game year after year.

HLP has forums for the SCP, where new versions of the FSO game engine are released. People can also request new features, as well as post their contributions in the FSO code. HLP also has a board for the FSU project. This board has release threads for the latest MediaVPs, as well as other graphical updates.

In addition to these two important sections, HLP has boards for the following aspects:
*FreeSpace & FreeSpace Open Support - for any technical problems and questions related to FreeSpace
*FREDding - discussion about the FreeSpace Editor
*Modding - discussion about creating various modifications
*Multiplayer - discussion about FS2 multiplayer, accompanied by schedules
*Several mods and total conversions.

Registering to HLP is free and highly recommended. Though viewing the forums is possible as a guest, only registered members can post in the forums and ask any questions they might have. And HLP is notorious for responding to questions quickly, sometimes within minutes.

==Installing FreeSpace Open==
Installing FreeSpace Open is not rocket science as long as you follow the proper guidelines.

First, install FreeSpace 2. If you do not own FreeSpace 2 yet, buy it from [http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/freespace_2 Good Old Games]. Installing FreeSpace 2 first is important, because FreeSpace Open is not a full game; it is merely an upgraded version of the FS2 game engine.
Linux users may want to install FS2 with WINE. Mac users can use Bootcamp or WINE. It is also possible to first install FS2 onto a Windows machine and then copy the entire \freespace2\ folder to the Linux/Mac computer.

Next, install [http://connect.creativelabs.com/openal/Downloads/Forms/AllItems.aspx OpenAL]. OpenAL is a 3D audio API and is required by FSO. After these two steps, there are several methods for installing FSO.

===Turey's FreeSpace Open Installer===
Turey's Installer is probably the most popular method for installing FSO. The idea of Turey's Installer is that it is a small program that downloads FSO-related files from the web. The user tells the Installer where his FreeSpace 2 installation is located, selects the components he wants to download and then starts up the Installer. It will then download the selected files from appropriate servers and place them to correct folders on the user's computer. Even though it has had its problems in the past, it is once again in working order and should provide working results. Instructions on how to use Turey's Installer can be found [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=61606.0 here].

===ShivanSPS's SCP Update Pack===
[http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=65746.0 ShivanSPS's SCP Update Pack] is another simple tool for installing FSO, though its functionality differs a lot from Turey's Installer. Instead of downloading various materials, the pack itself contains all the data, so once you've downloaded it, you can run it without an Internet connection. Point the update pack at your \freespace2\ folder and run it. Since the Pack can be downloaded in several smaller pieces, it suits the users who can use their Internet connection only at specific times.

===hip63's FreeSpace Open SCP 3.6.10 Offline Installer===
[http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=64634.0 hip63's Offline Installer] is similar to ShivanSPS's pack; you'll first download the entire thing and then install it over your FreeSpace 2 installation. However, hip63's Offline Installer includes additional options, like a campaign pack that includes 100 user-made campaigns and tools for creating backup DVDs of your FreeSpace games.

===Manual installation [[Installing fs2 open | (details)]]===
If you want to do things yourself and possibly learn some things about the game in the process, you can install FSO manually. There are instructions for manual installation for [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=47640.0 Windows] and [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=60842.0 Linux/OS X] in the stickies in the [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?board=151.0 Tech Support board], as well as a vast amount of [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=56279.0 troubleshooting help]. The Windows instructions in particular contain links to the most reliable and up-to-date components, accompanied by short explanations on what does what. And don't think about manual installation as a 1337 h4x0r thing. There's more work involved, but it is all easy in the end, and you'll most likely gain more from manual installation. Also, by installing FSO manually you are free (to a degree) to choose just what you want to install in the first place. You won't have to download graphical enhancements and user-made campaigns unless you want to.

==Post-installation instructions==
After you've installed FSO, there are some things you need to do in order to enjoy FSO to its fullest (these steps are also mentioned in the manual installation instructions mentioned earlier):

*Open the Launcher and click the "Browse" button at the top.
*Select fs2_open_3_6_12_INF_r.exe (do not use a -d or -debug build) and click OK.
*Open the Audio/Joystick tab and make sure that Generic Software is selected.
*Open the Video tab and make sure that OpenGL and 32-bit colors are selected.
*If you've installed the MediaVPs (the graphical updates):
**Open the MOD tab.
***Click "Select MOD" and select the "mediavps_3612" folder. Just select the folder, you do not need to select files inside it.
**Open the Features tab of the Launcher.
***Select "Graphics" as the list type.
***Tick at least "Enable specular", "Enable glowmaps", "Enable environment maps", and "Enable normal maps".
***Select "Gameplay" as the list type.
***Tick "Use models for ship selection" and "Use models for weapon selection".
*Save the changes by clicking "Apply" at the bottom of the Launcher.
*Start the game by clicking "Run" (it is easiest to always use the Launcher to start FSO, so you may want to create a shortcut of it to your desktop).
**If this is your very first time running the game, you'll be asked for a "callsign", that is, a name for your pilot/profile. Type it and press Enter. In subsequent runs, a list of pilots is shown here and you can select the one you like.
**When you get to the main hall, press F2, then select "Detail" from the top of the screen.
***Max all the settings in the "Detail" screen, unless you know what you're doing and have some compelling reason to do otherwise. These settings affect the quality of the graphics even when you are using everything the MediaVPs and the FSO engine provide.

==Related links==
Here are a few useful FreeSpace-related links.

*[http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/freespace_2 FreeSpace 2 at Good Old Games] - The best place to buy FreeSpace 2 from.
*[http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,56279.0.html The FreeSpace Troubleshooting FAQ] - A FAQ that includes solutions to all the most common problems with FreeSpace, FreeSpace 2 and FreeSpace Open. If you have any problems with the games, start here.
*[http://www.freespacemods.net/ FreeSpaceMods.net] - A site that hosts a ton of FreeSpace-related things, including campaigns, mods and total conversions.
*[http://www.hard-light.net/ Hard-Light Productions.net] - The largest FreeSpace community on the web, where most modders and coders are available to provide help.

[[Category:Main]]
[[Category:The games|*]]

Getting started

2011-07-12T18:48:01Z

Fisk: Note about selecting the MediaVPs as an active mod after installation (who the hell wrote these godamn instructions).

'''Getting Started: FreeSpace in a Nutshell'''

Hello and welcome! You've arrived at "FreeSpace in a Nutshell", an article for people new to FreeSpace. This article will provide information about the FreeSpace game series, FreeSpace Open and [[Hard Light Productions]]. There are also instructions for getting the games and installing FreeSpace Open.

==What is FreeSpace?==
FreeSpace is a series of space combat simulation games developed by Volition, Inc. and published by Interplay Entertainment. The games take place in the 24th century. Mankind, referred to as Terrans, has developed means for space traveling, further fueled by the discovery of subspace which makes interstellar travel not only possible but also fast and easy. As a result the Terrans have expanded their territory, eventually encountering another bipedal, sentient species; the Vasudans. However, due to cultural differences and difficulties in communicating with each other, the Galactic Terran Alliance (GTA) and the Parliamentary Vasudan Empire (PVE) end up fighting a war that lasts for 14 years.

===FreeSpace 1===
Descent: FreeSpace — The Great War (also known as Conflict: FreeSpace — The Great War) is the first part of the series, released in 1998. The player is a pilot for the Galactic Terran Alliance. The GTA and the PVN have waged a war for 14 years and there doesn't seem to be an end in sight. However, suddenly a third race appears. These aliens, designated Shivans, are technologically superior, do not respond to diplomacy, and stage attacks against both the Terrans and the Vasudans. As a result, the GTA and PVN forge a truce and join forces in order to stop these alien invaders.

FreeSpace 1 was well-received in its time by critics and players. Though it didn't offer much innovation in terms of gameplay and story, all aspects of the game worked well. The controls were easy to assume and the plot was quite compelling, as well as leaving a few questions in the air. Also crucial to the success of FS1 was the excellent mod support. Mod tools were released for the use of players and the game itself shipped with FreeSpace Editor (FRED) that allowed every player to design and create their own missions.

It is good to note that although in certain regions the full title of the game is ''Descent: FreeSpace – The Great War'', FS1 has very little to do with the Descent game series. The prefixes "Descent" and "Conflict" were used in some titles because there was already an archive tool called FreeSpace on the market.

===Silent Threat===
''Silent Threat'' is an expansion for ''FreeSpace 1'', also released in 1998. It offered a few new ships and weapons and a campaign regarding a rogue faction within the intelligence branch of the GTA. ''Silent Threat'' was considered as a decent expansion pack. The main campaign suffered from bugs, weird plot development and generic mission designs, but was compensated by the selected user-made mission that were also included.

===FreeSpace 2===
''FreeSpace 2'' was released in 1999 and continued the story 32 years after the events of FS1. The Terrans and Vasudans have increased their cooperation that started during the events of FS1, eventually culminating in the formation of the Galactic Terran-Vasudan Alliance (GTVA). However, not everyone appreciates the situation. A rebel group known as the Neo-Terran Front wages a war against the GTVA, because they do not see a future for the Terran race with the Vasudans.

In terms of gameplay and contents, FreeSpace 2 unsurprisingly improved upon what FreeSpace 1 had offered. The gameplay as such remained the same, but new features were added. Among these were beam weapons for capital ships and missions taking place in nebula environments. Storywise FreeSpace 2 was somewhat different from FS1. Sometimes compared to '' The Empire Strikes Back'', it didn't have a clear and happy ending, but instead left a number of questions floating in the air, puzzling and frustrating the fans.

Though critically appraised, ''FreeSpace 2'' was not a commercial success, largely because of the poor advertisement. Many fans of ''FreeSpace 1'' were actually surprised to hear that ''FreeSpace 2'' had been published because the only real source for this information was through game reviews.

===FreeSpace 3?===
There is no ''FreeSpace 3''. Volition was bought by THQ in 2000, with the licenses remaining with Interplay. Volition couldn't create a new game in the series and Interplay was not interested in publishing space simulation games because the genre was deemed dead. More information about FreeSpace 3 and related things can be read from [http://homepage.ntlworld.com/karajorma/FAQ/general.html#WhenFS3 Karajorma's FreeSpace FAQ].

===Where to get the games===
Though the FreeSpace games are old, they are far from lost. [http://www.gog.com/ Good Old Games] (GOG) sells numerous old classic games, including ''FreeSpace'', ''Silent Threat'', and ''FreeSpace 2''. People who do not yet own these games are recommended to buy them from Good Old Games, because GOG's games are cheap ($5.99 or $9.99), DRM-free and completely legal.

==The FreeSpace Source Code Project==
After Volition was bought by THQ, they no longer had any use for the game engine, since they couldn't develop new FreeSpace games. Volition released the source code of the FS2 game engine in 2002 so that FreeSpace fans could do what they wanted with it. A group of coders joined forces and formed the FreeSpace 2 Source Code Project (SCP) that began to, and still continues to, improve the game engine. The new open source game engine, known as FreeSpace Open (FSO), has several distingushing features that include:
*Linux and Mac OS X support
*OpenGL support
*OpenAL positional audio support
*Easy mod installation
*OGG support
*Hardware transform, clipping, and lighting

===The FreeSpace Upgrade Project===
While the SCP improve the code of the game engine to enable new and exciting features, the FreeSpace Upgrade Project (FSU) creates material that takes advantage of the improved game engine. The FSU improves the ships, effects and background elements of FreeSpace 2 continuously. Every now and then these improvements are released as a pack. Known as MediaVPs, these assorted improvements enhance the graphics of the game drastically. Though [[Screenshots|screenshots]] give some idea of what the MediaVPs can do, the best way is to experience them in-game.

===Games based on the FSO engine===
In addition to improving the original FS2, the FSO engine has also made it possible for people to create new space sim games. for a list of FSO-based games, see [[Total conversions]]. Note that all of these games are standalone, which means that they do not require the original FS2.

==Hard Light Productions==
Hard Light Productions (HLP) is the most active online FreeSpace community. HLP consists of hundreds of dedicated FreeSpace fans, with everyone contributing to the community in one or more ways. Members of HLP are
*Coders, who continuously improve the FSO game engine to include new and exciting features, as well as fix bugs in the game engine
*Modellers, who create new ship models and improve old ones
*Texture artists, who make textures for new and old ships
*Effect artists, who create effects such as weapons fire and afterburner trails
*FREDders, who use the FreeSpace Editor to create new missions and campaigns for people to play
*Support people, who help players with any problems regarding FreeSpace
*Players, who keep FreeSpace alive by playing the game year after year.

HLP has forums for the SCP, where new versions of the FSO game engine are released. People can also request new features, as well as post their contributions in the FSO code. HLP also has a board for the FSU project. This board has release threads for the latest MediaVPs, as well as other graphical updates.

In addition to these two important sections, HLP has boards for the following aspects:
*FreeSpace & FreeSpace Open Support - for any technical problems and questions related to FreeSpace
*FREDding - discussion about the FreeSpace Editor
*Modding - discussion about creating various modifications
*Multiplayer - discussion about FS2 multiplayer, accompanied by schedules
*Several mods and total conversions.

Registering to HLP is free and highly recommended. Though viewing the forums is possible as a guest, only registered members can post in the forums and ask any questions they might have. And HLP is notorious for responding to questions quickly, sometimes within minutes.

==Installing FreeSpace Open==
Installing FreeSpace Open is not rocket science as long as you follow the proper guidelines.

First, install FreeSpace 2. If you do not own FreeSpace 2 yet, buy it from [http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/freespace_2 Good Old Games]. Installing FreeSpace 2 first is important, because FreeSpace Open is not a full game; it is merely an upgraded version of the FS2 game engine.
Linux users may want to install FS2 with WINE. Mac users can use Bootcamp or WINE. It is also possible to first install FS2 onto a Windows machine and then copy the entire \freespace2\ folder to the Linux/Mac computer.

Next, install [http://connect.creativelabs.com/openal/Downloads/Forms/AllItems.aspx OpenAL]. OpenAL is a 3D audio API and is required by FSO. After these two steps, there are several methods for installing FSO.

===Turey's FreeSpace Open Installer===
Turey's Installer is probably the most popular method for installing FSO. The idea of Turey's Installer is that it is a small program that downloads FSO-related files from the web. The user tells the Installer where his FreeSpace 2 installation is located, selects the components he wants to download and then starts up the Installer. It will then download the selected files from appropriate servers and place them to correct folders on the user's computer. Even though it has had its problems in the past, it is once again in working order and should provide working results. Instructions on how to use Turey's Installer can be found [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=61606.0 here].

===ShivanSPS's SCP Update Pack===
[http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=65746.0 ShivanSPS's SCP Update Pack] is another simple tool for installing FSO, though its functionality differs a lot from Turey's Installer. Instead of downloading various materials, the pack itself contains all the data, so once you've downloaded it, you can run it without an Internet connection. Point the update pack at your \freespace2\ folder and run it. Since the Pack can be downloaded in several smaller pieces, it suits the users who can use their Internet connection only at specific times.

===hip63's FreeSpace Open SCP 3.6.10 Offline Installer===
[http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=64634.0 hip63's Offline Installer] is similar to ShivanSPS's pack; you'll first download the entire thing and then install it over your FreeSpace 2 installation. However, hip63's Offline Installer includes additional options, like a campaign pack that includes 100 user-made campaigns and tools for creating backup DVDs of your FreeSpace games.

===Manual installation [[Installing fs2 open | (details)]]===
If you want to do things yourself and possibly learn some things about the game in the process, you can install FSO manually. There are instructions for manual installation for [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=47640.0 Windows] and [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=60842.0 Linux/OS X] in the stickies in the [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?board=151.0 Tech Support board], as well as a vast amount of [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=56279.0 troubleshooting help]. The Windows instructions in particular contain links to the most reliable and up-to-date components, accompanied by short explanations on what does what. And don't think about manual installation as a 1337 h4x0r thing. There's more work involved, but it is all easy in the end, and you'll most likely gain more from manual installation. Also, by installing FSO manually you are free (to a degree) to choose just what you want to install in the first place. You won't have to download graphical enhancements and user-made campaigns unless you want to.

==Post-installation instructions==
After you've installed FSO, there are some things you need to do in order to enjoy FSO to its fullest (these steps are also mentioned in the manual installation instructions mentioned earlier):

*Open the Launcher and click the "Browse" button at the top.
*Select fs2_open_3_6_12_INF_r.exe (do not use a -d or -debug build) and click OK.
*Open the Audio/Joystick tab and make sure that Generic Software is selected.
*Open the Video tab and make sure that OpenGL and 32-bit colors are selected.
*If you've installed the MediaVPs (the graphical updates):
**Open the MOD tab.
***Click "Select MOD" and select the "mediavps_3612" folder. Just select the folder, you do not need to select files inside it.
**Open the Features tab of the Launcher.
***Select "Graphics" as the list type.
***Tick at least "Enable specular", "Enable glowmaps", "Enable environment maps", and "Enable normal maps".
***Select "Gameplay" as the list type.
***Tick "Use models for ship selection" and "Use models for weapon selection".
*Finally, save the changes by clicking "Apply" at the bottom of the Launcher.

It is easiest to always use the Launcher to start FSO, so you may want to create a shortcut of it to your desktop.

==Related links==
Here are a few useful FreeSpace-related links.

*[http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/freespace_2 FreeSpace 2 at Good Old Games] - The best place to buy FreeSpace 2 from.
*[http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,56279.0.html The FreeSpace Troubleshooting FAQ] - A FAQ that includes solutions to all the most common problems with FreeSpace, FreeSpace 2 and FreeSpace Open. If you have any problems with the games, start here.
*[http://www.freespacemods.net/ FreeSpaceMods.net] - A site that hosts a ton of FreeSpace-related things, including campaigns, mods and total conversions.
*[http://www.hard-light.net/ Hard-Light Productions.net] - The largest FreeSpace community on the web, where most modders and coders are available to provide help.

[[Category:Main]]
[[Category:The games|*]]

User:Fisk

2011-07-05T10:09:10Z

Fisk:

o hai o/

I go by many pseudonyms. One of them is Fisk. Another one is Jeff Vader (IRC variants include, but are not limited, to JeffVader, SleepVader, SuccessVader, BlackbeardVader etc). The rest are a secret. Some people claim I was once known as Lobo but they LIE.

I may or may not offer FreeSpace tech support and other related services. Also, I like Japanese rock/metal, tea and scifi. And I don't like Mobius.

==Relevant History==
===~July '06===
* FreeSpace 2
===May '07===
* Join Hard Light Productions
===June '07===
* New kettle
===May '08===
* Promotion to moderator
* New mouse
===December '08===
* New coffeemaker
===January '09===
* New phone
===~May '09===
* Promotion to global moderator
* New mousepad
* Netbook
===~July '09===
* Mental breakdown
===January '10===
* New headphones
===February '10 - May '10===
* Fucken' busy with school work
===June '10===
* Bachelor's thesis on face detection
===July '10 -===
* Abusing moderator powers for teh lulz
===August '10===
* New hardware
===August '10 - June '11===
* Problems with hardware

==Contributions==
* Tech support for [[FreeSpace]] (actually no, I dunno shit about that), [[FreeSpace 2]] and [[FreeSpace Open]]
* Low-resolution planet textures for the [[FSPort]] version of [[Cardinal Spear]] (should be unneeded with FSO 3.6.12 and newer builds)
* New p_dead2.dds for the first incarnation of [[Blue Planet]] (unneeded now, as the Director's Cut uses skyboxes)
* Half-arsed mission proofreading for Ghost Revenants (caused at least one mission-crashing bug -_-)
* The [[Getting started]] article here at the FreeSpace Wiki (someone should keep it up to date, as I can't be arsed with that)
* Patch for the first incarnation of the [[Ancient-Shivan_War_(campaign)|Ancient-Shivan War]] (fixed crashes with non-English versions of FS2 and FSO builds that are newer than 3.6.10 Final)

==Miscellaneous==
"I like to expect the worst. There's a small chance I'll be pleasantly surprised."

Freespace 3 the search For bosch

2011-07-05T10:02:12Z

Fisk: The author of the campaign seemed pretty consistent in spelling it "Cleopatera", so might as well stick to it. Also further info on kara speculation.

:''This article is about a [[User-made Campaigns|user-made campaign]] on acid. For discussion on the official third game of the series, please see [[FreeSpace 3]].''

'''Freespace 3 the search For bosch''' is an epic parody campaign for ''[[FreeSpace 2]]'' created by xX_LORD_ULTRA_DEATH_Xx. The initial release, containing the first 5 of 34 planned missions, was posted on July 2, 2011, to rapturous community reaction.

It may or may not be worth noting that this campaign is '''not''' the official ''FreeSpace 3'', despite implicit claims to that effect.

==Overview==
'''Status:''' Partially Released

'''Author:''' xX_LORD_ULTRA_DEATH_Xx

'''Released:''' 07/02/11 (R1)

'''Missions:''' 5 in first release (of 34 planned)

'''Features:'''
*34 mission's [''sic'']
*new ship's [''sic'']
*realistic beleivabel [''sic''] caricatures [''sic'']
*custom sound track to make excite [''sic'']
*Set 2 yrs after Capella
*You are sent through new Knosos [''sic''] to look for Bosch
*Find out what happen [''sic''] to Bosch!
*Find out what Shivin's [''sic''] are and why they do what they@ [''sic'']
*Take war to Shivins [''sic''] home system's [''sic'']
*SF Mara (Terran's) [''sic''] is now main space supremacy [''sic''] fighter in elite GTVA squadron's [''sic''] like your [''sic'']!
*''AND MUCH MORE''

==Description==
''The campaign is set two years after the Capella incident. The player character and her wingmen - each with distinctive and developed personalities - are highly regarded pilots stationed aboard the GVD Cleopatera, a [[GVD Hatshepsut|Hatshepsut]]-class destroyer modified with [[Shivan]] technology. The story opens with the announcement that a new [[Knossos]] subspace portal has been discovered in a remote corner of the GTVA, and that the Cleopatera and her battlegroup have been dispatched to investigate. Their mission is to find and apprehend [[Aken Bosch]]so that he can be interrogated and brought to justice. Along the way, the player character is subjected to the greatest tests of her career and her life, and makes shocking discoveries about the nature of Bosch, the Shivans, and the universe itself....''

==Reception==
Initial responses in the R1 release thread ranged from skeptical to downright hostile, owing to the taboo against naming a campaign "[[FreeSpace 3]]" (and thereby unilaterally giving it implicit canonical status). Many members assumed that the post was a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troll_%28Internet%29 troll], posted specifically to generate some response from the community. The original poster's numerous idiosyncrasies, such as posting in extremely oversize green text littered with spelling and grammar errors, were another cause of initial skepticism.

However, once community members had the chance to download and play the campaign, they realized just how damn hilarious the campaign actually was. Several requests for a sequel, and at least one offer to assist in FREDing for one, were posted within 24 hours of the release.

There were lingering performance issues with some missions on older computers, but xX_LORD_ULTRA_DEATH_Xx quickly responded with a downscaled "lite" version of the campaign. This version preserved the storyline and broad mission balance of the original while making necessary sacrifices of the epic nature of some missions to accommodate those who would otherwise be unable to play the campaign at all. Both versions are currently available for download.

That the campaign contained numerous references to existing campaigns and tongue-in-cheek attacks on community members led to further suspicion that it was some kind of joke. It was later revealed by site administration that xX_LORD_ULTRA_DEATH_Xx's IP address matched that of an existing community member. However, which community member was ultimately responsible for the conception of this masterpiece remains unknown.

==Identity of xX_LORD_ULTRA_DEATH_Xx==
Several theories have been put forth as to the identity of the campaign designer, but nothing approaching a consensus has been reached.

*'''[[User:Axem|Axem]]''': Axem, known for his parody campaign [[Just Another Day]] and its sequels, was suggested as a possibility within ten minutes of the release thread going live. Site administration has stated that Axem is not the campaign designer, and Axem himself has made inquiries as to the designer's identity. However, many community member remain convinced that Axem is xX_LORD_ULTRA_DEATH_Xx.

*'''[[User:General Battuta|General Battuta]]''': Along with Axem, General Battuta is the most frequently suggested author of ''Freespace 3 the search For bosch''. The main flaw in this theory is that Battuta was temporarily banned from posting on public forums at the time of the release. It is unlikely that site administration would take kindly to the so-called "Trollttuta" making alt posts while so banned. Despite this, unspecified and vague similarities between Battuta's writing style and that of xX_LORD_ULTRA_DEATH_Xx have been noted and the theory remains popular.

*'''[[User:Nuclear1|Nuclear1]]''': Theories that Nuclear1 is xX_LORD_ULTRA_DEATH_Xx have likewise been refuted by HLP administration.

*'''[[User:karajorma|karajorma]]''': Site administrator karajorma was suggested as a possibility for no clearly-stated reason. He has denied it on the grounds that "that would require me to be capable of finishing something I started." Has also further elaborated that he still hasn't "finished WiH or played enough FS2 recently to be able to reference recent campaigns."

*'''[[User:Goober5000|Goober5000]]''': Goober5000, who like Axem has a history of creating silly campaigns, has also been suggested as a possibility by multiple community members. However, he has not played [[War in Heaven]], which ''Freespace 3'''s eponymous "Mission 5" references heavily. Administration has stated that this theory is incorrect.

*'''[[User:Spoon|Spoon]]''': [[User:TopAce|TopAce]] created this theory because he was pissed off at Spoon. See the splitlocked thread in Links, below.

==Reviews==
''"...this piece of art...."'' - [[User:Fisk|Jeff Vader]]

''"Awesome."'' - [[User:Snail|Snail]]

''"Very good campaign! I wish there were more of these out there!"'' - [[User:QueenHolley|QueenHolley]]

''"This is the best campaign that has ever been written."'' - [[User:Shivan Hunter|Shivan Hunter]]

''"This fine masterpiece...."'' - [[User:Swantz|Swantz]]

''"This is a new benchmark for campaigns."'' - [[User:Psychonaut|Psychonaut]]

''"Featured campaign of the indeterminate time period...you should play it."'' - [[User:Scotty|Scotty]]

''"Omg, the ending. Someone hand me a cigarette."'' - [[User:Darius|Darius]]

''"Story is on par with many of today's works...dialogue is compelling and moving."'' - [[User:thesizzler|thesizzler]]

==Links==
*[http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=76933.0 Release thread] (with community reaction)
*[http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=76948.0 TopAce/Spoon flamebaiting splitlocked from release thread]
*[http://www.mediafire.com/?vf2aib6d597csvq Download from Mediafire]
*[http://www.mediafire.com/?806glxh9kayl016 "Lite" version with some ships removed for slower computers (Mediafire)]
*[http://www.freespacemods.net/download.php?view.772 Download from FreeSpace Mods]

User:Fisk

2010-11-22T10:30:33Z

Fisk: stuff

o hai o/

I go by many pseudonyms. One of them is Fisk. The rest are a secret. I may or may not offer FreeSpace tech support and other related services. Also, I like Japanese rock/metal, tea and scifi. And I don't like Mobius.

==Relevant History==
===~July '06===
* FreeSpace 2
===May '07===
* Join Hard Light Productions
===June '07===
* New kettle
===May '08===
* Promotion to moderator
* New mouse
===December '08===
* New coffeemaker
===January '09===
* New phone
===~May '09===
* Promotion to global moderator
* New mousepad
* Netbook
===~July '09===
* Mental breakdown
===January '10===
* New headphones
===February '10 - May '10===
* Fucken' busy with school work
===June '10===
* Bachelor's thesis on face detection
===July '10 -===
* Abusing moderator powers for teh lulz

==Contributions==
* Tech support for [[FreeSpace]] (actually no, I dunno shit about that), [[FreeSpace 2]] and [[FreeSpace Open]]
* Low-resolution planet textures for the [[FSPort]] version of [[Cardinal Spear]] (should be unneeded with FSO 3.6.12 and newer builds)
* New p_dead2.dds for the first incarnation of [[Blue Planet]] (unneeded now, as the Director's Cut uses skyboxes)
* Half-arsed mission proofreading for Ghost Revenants (caused at least one mission-crashing bug -_-)
* The [[Getting started]] article here at the FreeSpace Wiki (someone should keep it up to date, as I can't be arsed with that)
* Patch for the first incarnation of the [[Ancient-Shivan War]] mod (fixed crashes with non-English versions of FS2 and FSO builds that are newer than 3.6.10 Final)

==Miscellaneous==
"The Force is not a shield to protect the useless, but is, in reality, a weapon to empower the worthy!"

GVT Qeb

2010-08-07T13:20:56Z

Fisk: /* Veteran Comments */ 8. 8! 8 8 8 8 8 8! Eight! Bitch.

{{User-made Ships|''GVT '''Qeb'''''}}

{{shipimage|image=[[Image:gvtqeb.jpg]]|caption=GVT Qeb}}

==Description:==

===Tech Room Description===
Used to transport stuff. More Vasudan in nature.

===Credits===
*Model by '''Galemp'''

==Performance:==
===Statistics===
{|
|-
| style="width:200px" | '''[[Technical_Terms_and_Definitions#Type|Type]]'''
| style="width:200px" | Transport
|-
| '''[[Technical_Terms_and_Definitions#Manufacturer|Manufacturer]]'''
| Unknown
|-
| '''[[Technical_Terms_and_Definitions#Maneuverablity|Maneuverability]]'''
| N/A
|-
| '''[[Technical_Terms_and_Definitions#Max Velocity|Max Velocity]]'''
| 30
|-
| '''[[Technical_Terms_and_Definitions#Max Afterburner Velocity|Max Afterburner Velocity]]'''
| N/A
|-
| '''[[Technical_Terms_and_Definitions#Armor|Armor]]'''
| N/A
|-
| [[Technical_Terms_and_Definitions#Hitpoints|Hitpoints]]
| 12000
|-
| [[Technical_Terms_and_Definitions#Shields|Shields]]
| N/A
|-
| '''[[Technical_Terms_and_Definitions#Width|Width]]'''
| 96 m
|-
| '''[[Technical_Terms_and_Definitions#Height|Height]]'''
| 53 m
|-
| '''[[Technical_Terms_and_Definitions#Length|Length]]'''
| 159 m
|}

===Armaments===

*'''[[Technical_Terms_and_Definitions#Turrets|Turrets]]'''
{| border=1 cellpadding=4 style="border-collapse: collapse"
|- align="center"
| colspan=2 style="background:#351515;"| '''Default Statistics'''
|- align="center"
| style="width:120px" |Turret Type
| style="width:60px" |Amount
|- align="center"
| [[Standard Flak]]
| 1
|- align="center"
| [[Terran Turret]]
| 3
|}

===Veteran Comments===
{{comment|The Qeb may appear to be missing textures and have invisible sections of hull. This is because it references texture maps that were in the 3.6.8 MediaVPs but were removed from subsequent versions. The map in question is from the old HTL Aten before it was replaced by the current version.}}

==Download link:==
*http://www.freespacemods.net/download.php?view.254

User:Fisk

2010-07-01T21:33:41Z

Fisk: Updated stuff is updated

o hai o/

I go by many pseudonyms. One of them is Fisk. Another one is Jeff Vader. The rest are a secret. I run the Death Star. ...I mean I offer FreeSpace tech support and other related services. Also, I like Japanese rock/metal, tea and scifi. And I don't like Mobius.

==Relevant History==
===~July '06===
* FreeSpace 2
===May '07===
* Join Hard Light Productions
===June '07===
* New kettle
===May '08===
* Promotion to moderator
* New mouse
===December '08===
* New coffeemaker
===January '09===
* New phone
===~May '09===
* Promotion to global moderator
* New mousepad
* Netbook
===~July '09===
* Mental breakdown
===January '10===
* New headphones
===February '10 - May '10===
* Fucken' busy with school work
===June '10===
* Bachelor's thesis on face detection

==Contributions==
* Tech support for [[FreeSpace]], [[FreeSpace 2]] and [[FreeSpace Open]]
* Low-resolution planet textures for the [[FSPort]] version of [[Cardinal Spear]] (hopefully mostly unneeded with FSO 3.6.12 and newer builds)
* New p_dead2.dds for the first incarnation of [[Blue Planet]] (unneeded now, as the Director's Cut uses skyboxes)
* Half-arsed mission proofreading for Ghost Revenants (caused at least one mission-crashing bug)
* The [[Getting started]] article here at the FreeSpace Wiki
* Patch for the [[Ancient-Shivan War]] mod (fixes crashes with non-English versions of FS2 and FSO builds that are newer than 3.6.10 Final)

==Miscellaneous==
Yes, I do like coffee, thank you for asking.

User:Fisk

2010-03-18T15:50:38Z

Fisk: Unimportant stuff. Move along.

o hai o/

I go by many pseudonyms. One of them is Fisk. Another one is Jeff Vader. The rest are a secret. I run the Death Star. ...I mean I offer FreeSpace tech support and other related services. Also, I like Japanese rock/metal, tea and scifi. And I don't like Mobius.

==Relevant History==
===~July '06===
* FreeSpace 2
===May '07===
* Join Hard Light Productions
===June '07===
* New kettle
===May '08===
* Promotion to moderator
* New mouse
===December '08===
* New coffeemaker
===January '09===
* New phone
===~May '09===
* Promotion to global moderator
* New mousepad
* Netbook
===~July '09===
* Mental breakdown
===January '10===
* New headphones
===February '10 - May '10===
* Fucken' busy with school work

==Contributions==
* Tech support for [[FreeSpace]], [[FreeSpace 2]] and [[FreeSpace Open]]
* Low-resolution planet textures for the [[FSPort]] version of [[Cardinal Spear]] (hopefully mostly unneeded with FSO 3.6.12 and newer builds)
* New p_dead2.dds for the first incarnation of [[Blue Planet]] (do NOT use with the Director's Cut; the skybox in it is friggin' sweet)
* Half-arsed mission proofreading for Ghost Revenants (caused at least one mission-crashing bug)
* The [[Getting started]] article here at the FreeSpace Wiki
* Patch for the [[Ancient-Shivan War]] mod (fixes crashes with non-English versions of FS2 and FSO builds that are newer than 3.6.10 Final)

==Miscellaneous==
I have often thought about traveling from an unspecified Finnish city to Beijing through Russia by train. I have yet to accomplish this feat. It would probably require a lot of vodka.

Manually Installing FreeSpace 2 Open

2010-02-23T19:19:37Z

Fisk: Updates and conformations.

This guide assumes you already have a working copy of FreeSpace 2 installed. If not, see [[Installing FreeSpace 2]]. Also, this build assumes you do not use an installer. If you do, skip down Step One.

== Quick Start: Using the Online Installer ==

You can use the excellent installer by Turey, that should give you a baseline of everything you need to play. The rest of this guide is full of information if you want to start tweaking things, or tackle things manually. However, for most players, you can stop with this step.

* [http://www.fsoinstaller.com/files/installer/FreeSpaceOpenInstaller.zip Windows Installer (Zipped .exe, 19 MB)] (Doesn't need Java, get this one if you are unsure and are using Windows)
* [http://www.fsoinstaller.com/files/installer/java/FreeSpaceOpenInstaller.jar Win/Linux/Mac Installer (.jar, 26 KB)] (Requires Java 1.5)

You can also get the Installer [http://www.fsoinstaller.com/files/installer/java/ source code here.]

This Installer is known to work on Windows, Linux(tested on Gentoo and Fedora, should work on others), and Mac (OSX Panther, with a hacked install of Java 1.5)

At the time of the last update, the installer includes (but is not limited to):

* FreeSpace Open 3.6.10 Final (regular and debug)
* FRED2 Open 3.6.10 Final (regular and debug)
* Launcher 5.5e
* launcher6.ini
* FreeSpace Open 3.6.10 Final for Linux
* FreeSpace Open 3.6.10 Final for Mac
* 3.6.10 Final MediaVPs (optional)
* 3.6.10 Advanced MediaVP Effects (optional; only for those with high-power systems; requires regular MediaVPs)
* The .OGG Cutscenes
* Derelict SCP Version
* FreeSpace Port
* FreeSpace 1 .OGG Cutscenes
* Awakenings
* Cardinal Spear
* Destiny of Peace
* Silent Threat: Reborn
* Homesick
* Transcend
* Sync
* Blue Planet
* Blackwater Operations Demo
* Deus Ex Machina
* Just Another Day 1, 2, & 3 (separate options for each)
* The Procyon Insurgency
* Shrouding the Light
* Twilight
* Warzone

=== Requirements and Notes ===
You can update your installation by simply running the Installer again. It will download files that are out of date.

The Installer requires an internet connection to install. This is because:
* It checks to see if it is out of date by pulling the number of the most recent version off of the web.
* It automatically takes you to the download page of the most recent version if your version is out of date.
* It checks that all the files are up-to-date.

Source:
[http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,42854.0.html Original thread by Turey]

== Step One: Understanding what you need ==
There are three main components that you need to get the most out of fs2_open.

If Turey's installer is down, or if you want to assemble it all yourself, you need the following components, the rest of this guide tells you about those components and various inner workings of the SCP:

* First, you need to install the retail data from [[Installing FreeSpace 2|FreeSpace 2]]
* Second, the '''fs2_open build'''. This is the core game engine, a single executable file.
* Next, the '''Launcher'''. This lets you configure the fs2_open executable for your particular system, in much the same way the original FreeSpace 2 launcher is used to configure it.
* Finally, the '''MediaVPs'''. These contain all sorts of graphical improvements and are highly recommended. Version numbers of mediaVPs generally agree with the fs2_open build that they're supposed to be used with.

== Step Two: Getting the Launcher ==

Unless you are using an extremely old build, you will want to get the appropriate launcher for your OS. It may be bundled with your release but the direct download link is below.

Windows: [http://fs2source.warpcore.org/exes/Launcher55e.zip Launcher 5.5e download]

OS X: Soulstorm's [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,51391.0.html OS X Launcher 3.0]

Linux: [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,53206.0.html YAL] or [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,44204.0.html here] or whatever you can figure out.

== Step Three: Choosing a build ==
There are two main types of fs2_open builds, at the time of this writing. A "build" is any executable built from source code. Any build may also be a debug build. (Debug builds usually have names that end with "_d" or "_dbg" or somesuch) If you don't know why you'd want to use a debug build, you're almost certainly better off not using one.

All builds should be extracted to your main FreeSpace 2 folder.

=== Official Releases ===
The first type is the "stable" release build. Additionally, some official release builds are available with installers. It's a good idea to get the most recent official release, even if you end up deciding to get a recent build anyway. Current official release is '''FreeSpace Open 3.6.10'''.

[http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,64520.0.html FreeSpace Open 3.6.10 release thread]

=== Recent Builds ===
Recent Builds are ones that individual coders release. Most of the time they're released to either test or showcase some particular new feature. If you're curious about how reliable a build is, your best bet is to check the original thread it was posted in and see what people's responses were.

[http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/board,97.0.html Recent builds forum]

[http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/board,113.0.html Cross Platform Development forum (for Linux/OS X builds)]

=== Nightly Builds ===

In addition to recent builds, nightly builds are built every evening after any changes have been applied to the main code base in SVN. These are put out so that the code base can be quickly verified for general stability. Testing nightly builds on a regular basis and reporting bugs helps ensure a stable code base is maintained.

[http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/board,173.0.html Nightly builds forum]

== Step Four: MediaVPs ==

With the rerelease of the 3.6.10 MediaVPs, there is once again only one set of recommended MediaVPs available. The detailed instructions for installing and the current links can currently be found in the MediaVPs Release Thread linked below.

MediaVPs should be installed in a new 'mediavps' directory under the main FreeSpace directory (\freespace2\mediavps) This preserves the possibility to play with either with retail FreeSpace 2 vp files if this is desired (for example in multiplayer) and using the retail FreeSpace 2 executive files and requires minimal extra time to set up. (See step six for further details).

[http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,58230.0.html 3.6.10 MediaVPs Release Thread]

== Step Five: Configuring Everything ==

=== Basic setup ===

At this point, you have one final stage remaining before fs2_open is ready to go. Open up the Launcher. (It should be in your main FreeSpace 2 folder). Select the EXE you'd like to use by clicking the "Browse..." button at the top of the Launcher. There are two types typically for any build release:
* a debug build with the name containing 'd' or 'debug' right after the version number. For example, fs2_open_3_6_10'''d'''.exe.
* a regular/release build with the name containing 'r' or nothing right after the version number. For example, fs2_open_3_6_10.exe or fs2_open_3_6_11'''r'''_sse2-20100131_r5862.exe.

For normal play you will want to use a regular build but for any testing, development, or bug reporting you definitely want to use a 'd' build. For example, fs2_open_3_6_10d.exe vs fs2_open_3_6_10.exe.

Next, ensure that the "Audio/Joystick" and "Network" tabs have the proper settings.

=== Speech setup ===

If you are using Windows XP, or have the Speech API installed, fs2_open will be able to read briefings, techroom descriptions, and even ingame messages to you using computer-generated voices. Although no match for real voice acting, it is convenient when valid plot points are mentioned in the middle of combat. Speech in the various locations can be turned on and off by checking and unchecking the check boxes; you can choose which of the installed voices to use in fs2_open by changing the drop-down menu. As of this writing, fs2_open will only use the voice you choose for everything. Text to Speech is typically only available in stable release builds. Recent Builds from a coder's test branch will usually not have it, nor will Nightly Builds.

=== Video setup ===

On the "Video" tab, you can choose choose various graphics options. Though the Launcher offers OpenGL and Direct3D for graphics APIs, it is good to note that 3.6.10 and newer builds do not include Direct3D and will use OpenGL regardless of what has been selected in the Luncher. With 3.6.9, Direct3D works, but OpenGL is recommended. You can also choose what resolution to run in, and whether to use anisotrophic filtering or not.

"Allow non standard modes" will let you choose resolutions other than 1024x768 and 640x480. 3.6.10 and newer builds support widescreen resolutions and other non-standard resolutions, though using a non-4:3 resolution will stretch the HUD and the interface elements.

=== Features setup ===

This tab is where most of fs2_open's options can be toggled on and off. At the top is a readout of your current command line; you should include this in any debugging reports you make.

The next box, with the buttons "Select mod" and "No mod" allow you to choose a mod directory to use; files in the mod directory will be given precedence over other files, so you can easily switch between mods by installing them to different directories.

"Custom flags" allows you to add any command line flags that don't show up in the Launcher. This may be because they require additional arguments, as is the case with the "-fov" command line argument. For more information, see the [[Command-Line Reference]] page.

Finally, the two boxes below this let you toggle the various new features in fs2_open, many of which are graphical improvements. Recommended options for midrange systems are "Enable specular", "Enable glowmaps", "Enable Environment Maps", and "Enable jpg,tga textures" (not in 3.6.10). (You may have to choose a different section in the drop-down box to get to some of these options). There are many, many more options, but these should get you started.

[http://www.hard-light.net/wiki/index.php/Command-Line_Reference Command line Flags]

== Step Six: (Optional) Preserving FreeSpace 2 ==

At this point, if you try to start the original FreeSpace 2 executables, they'll likely crash at some point or other. To prevent this, do the following:

=== Move the MediaVPs to a mod directory ===
You can take advantage of FSO's -mod feature and move the MediaVPs to a folder inside your main FreeSpace 2 folder; this folder can be named anything you like; "mediavps" is recommended. However, whenever you run FreeSpace 2, you must remember to select that folder as the current mod. If you want to play another mod, you must make use of the SCP's multiple mod feature.

=== Save any existing pilot files ===
FSO upgraded the pilot files to allow for better mod handling in version 3.6.5. To prevent double entries from showing up, a new, upgraded version of the pilot file is created, and then the old one is deleted. To save your progress, copy all *.plr, *.csg, and *.css files that start with your pilot name. Then, rename the copies so that they're in the form of <your name>_scp. For example, my player file would be called "WMCoolmon_scp.plr". Then, only use the "_scp" versions when running FSO.

It's recommended you back up the originals as well, in case you accidentally click on the non-FSO version while in FSO. (It should warn you that it's going to destructively convert them, however.)

== Cutscenes ==

Depending on how you installed the game, the cutscenes might not be in the proper location. If you bought your copy of FS2 from Good Old Games, the cutscenes (ten .mve files) are somewhere in \freespace2\data2\ or \freespace2\data3\ . You can get them working by moving them to \freespace2\data\movies\ . Create the directory if it does not exist. You can also download either the [http://www.freespacemods.net/download.php?view.124 original MVE cutscenes] or [http://freespacemods.net/download.php?view.128 OGG-encoded versions] from FreeSpaceMods.net. If you have the game CDs/DVD, you can copy the cutscenes from them to the FreeSpace2/data/movies/ folder. The OGG cutscenes are smaller but might not perform as well on older hardware that could run the MVEs without problem. Now you should have the full gamut of updated and retail content installed!

Note: If you've found the AVI versions of the cutscenes, do not use them. Support for AVI has been removed in FSO versions 3.6.10 and higher.

[[Category:Source Code Project]]

Mac Installation Guide

2010-02-21T17:20:56Z

Fisk: FS2 isn't optional and the source for it is GOG.

[[Category:Source Code Project]][[Category:FreeSpace_Open_on_Mac]]Installing FreeSpace Open on a Mac takes several distinct steps:

== Install FreeSpace 2 (required) ==

You need a copy of the original game. You can buy a copy from [http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/freespace_2 Good Old Games].

FreeSpace 2 is a game for Windows only, so the installer also requires Windows to run. On a Mac you can work around this is several ways:

*install FS2 on a Windows PC and move the entire program's folder to your mac.
*use [http://www.apple.com/macosx/features/bootcamp.html Boot Camp].
*use [http://www.parallels.com/en/products/desktop/ Parallels Desktop], [http://www.vmware.com/products/fusion/ VMware Fusion] or [http://www.virtualbox.org/ VirtualBox].
*use [http://www.codeweavers.com/products/cxmac/ CrossOver Mac] or [http://wiki.winehq.org/MacOSX/Installing Wine].

If you've gotten your copy of FS2 from a source other than GOG, you'll need to install the [http://www.pxo.net/files/fs21x-12.exe 1.2 patch].

In all cases, you should end up with a folder that contains an ''FS2.exe'', several ''.vp'' files, and several folders including ''data'', ''ereg'' and ''tools''. The usual location on your Windows (virtual) machine is ''C:\Games\FreeSpace2\''. Move this folder to a convenient place on your Mac. You no longer need any of the .exe files.

== Install FreeSpace Open ==

You can do it by hand according to the instructions at [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=60842.0 the bottom of this thread], but you can also use Turey's [http://www.fsoinstaller.com/ FSO installer]. For the Mac, you need the cross-platform [http://www.fsoinstaller.com/files/installer/java/FreeSpaceOpenInstaller.jar .jar installer]. It needs Java 1.5, which is standard on OSX 10.4 (Tiger) onwards, and can be hacked into 10.3 (Panther).

Run the installer. Select the folder where you have your FS2. Then make sure you leave the ''Update Current Files'' option ''un''checked. Otherwise, you can select anything you want.

After you select software and [[User-made Campaigns (FS2)|mods]], allow the installer to fetch the latest versions. '''Caution''': Depending on your mod choices, the installer may start downloading several GBs. If you are on a relatively slow connection (including basic broadband) this could take hours.

If you want a newer build of the FSO game than the installer provides for, you can find build announcements in the [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/board,113.0.html Cross-Platform Development forum]. '''Caution''': these builds are experimental and may not function as intended.

Find your FS2 folder and put the FS2_Open application in your FS2 folder

== Installing the OS X game launcher ==

On platforms other than Mac, FS2O is configured via [[Command-Line Reference|command-line options]]. On the Mac, these options are not used on a command line, but are listed instead in the ''~library/FS2_Open/data/cmdline_fso.cfg'' file. You can edit this file by hand, but a more convenient way is to use [http://www.soulstorm-creations.com/PROJECT_SOULSTORM_2_0/cocoa-objective-c/fs2-open-launcher-os-x-3.0.html Soulstorm's OSX launcher]. Download the disk image, mount it, and put the launcher in your FS2/FSO folder.

When you first run the installer, let it update itself to at least version 3.1, and enter the location of your FS2O application in the bottom part of the window.

Go to the ''GamePlay + Speed'' tab to select one of the mods you have installed. FS2O can have only one mod active at the same time, so select the one you want to play. The launcher should be able to find the mods in your FS2O folder. If not, you will have to add them to your ''cmdline_fso.cfg'' file by hand.

Go to the ''Graphics'' tab to enter your graphics options. The [[MediaVP]]'s mod readme.txt file recommends the following settings, but your Mac may or may not support these:
-spec (Enable Specular maps)
-glow (Enable Glowmaps)
-env (Enable Environment Maps)
-missile_lighting (Apply Lighting to Missiles)
-normal (Enable Normal Maps)
-3dshockwave (Enable 3D Shockwaves in random orientations)

-ambient_factor 35
-spec_exp 15
-spec_point 1.2
-spec_static 1.5
-spec_tube 1.5
-ogl_spec 20

== Further OS X graphics settings ==
Open up ~/Library/FS2_Open/fs2_open.ini with the text editor of your choice (TextEdit.app). You'll see something like the following:
[Default]
VideocardFs2open=OGL -(1440x900)x32 bit
LastPlayer=PlayerS

To set FS2_Open SCP to use the highest setting possible, add the following lines (set AF and AA to preference). Anti-aliasing is available in 3.6.11:
OGL_AnisotropicFilter=16
OGL_AntiAliasSamples=8

== Install additional mods ==

You can use the FSO installer to download more mods, or follow the links in the [[User-made Campaigns (FS2)|FS campaign list]]. [[Total conversions|Total conversion mods]] are also available, which take place outside the [[Portal:FreeSpace Universe|FreeSpace universe]].

[[Category:Source Code Project]]

Deneb

2010-02-15T17:03:41Z

Fisk: Wasn't it thirteen hours? Vasuda page says so, briefing texts page says so and I recall so.

===Celestial Information===
*''Name, meaning and Constellation:'' Alpha Cygni, Cygnus. The name "Deneb" is derived from dheneb, the Arabic word for ''tail'', from the phrase ذنب الدجاجة ḏanab ad-dajājah, or ''tail of the hen''.
*''Other name(s) and meaning:'' Arided, Aridif, Gallina, Arrioph (derived from Aridf and Al Ridf, ''the hindmost''), Os Rosae (Latin for ''mouth/beak/face/head of the rose'', Rosemund (German name), Uropygium (''the parson's nose''), 天津四 (Chinese for ''the Fourth Star of the Celestial Ford'').

*''Distance from Sol:'' 1600 ly, 491 pc
*''Type of System:'' Singular
*''Color:'' A2-White Super Giant
*''Right Ascension:'' 20h 41m 25.917s
*''Declination:'' +45Â° 16' 49.31"

===Known planets===
*''[[Cygnus Prime]]'' - Inhabited planet
*''Deneb II''
*''Deneb III'' - patrolled by the ''Bastion'' during [[Enter the Dragon]]

===Important Events===
*2335: The GTD ''Galatea'' is destroyed by the ''[[SD Lucifer|Lucifer]]''.
*2335: The first [[Battle of Deneb (2335)|Battle of Deneb]] occurs between the ''Lucifer'' fleet and a joint Terran-Vasudan force.
*2335: The SD ''Lucifer'' travels to [[Vasuda]] through subspace from Deneb and launches a devastating surprise attack. Following thirteen hours of bombardment, Vasuda Prime is rendered uninhabitable.
*2367: Second [[Battle of Deneb (2367)|Battle of Deneb]] occurs over a period of at least 72 hours as the GTVA and the NTF fight for control of the system. The [[NTF Iceni|NTF ''Iceni'']] escapes the fighting and flees to Sirius after Bosch's [[NTF Boadicea]] base is discovered and destroyed.

===Jump Nodes===
*[[Alpha Centauri]] ([[Node Inconsistencies#Hearsay|Hearsay]])
*[[Altair]] ([[Node Inconsistencies#Pseudocanon|Pseudocanon]])
*[[Sirius]]
*[[Sol]] ([[Node Inconsistencies#CBAnim|CBAnim]] - presumed collapsed in 2335)
*[[Vasuda]]
*[[Vega]]

[[Category:Stars and Planets]]

Getting started

2010-01-17T20:26:03Z

Fisk: A link to the new screenshots.

'''Getting Started: FreeSpace in a Nutshell'''

Hello and welcome! You've arrived at "FreeSpace in a Nutshell", an article for people new to FreeSpace. This article will provide information about the FreeSpace game series, FreeSpace Open and Hard Light Productions. There are also instructions for getting the games and installing FreeSpace Open.

==What is FreeSpace?==
FreeSpace is a series of space combat simulation games developed by Volition, Inc. and published by Interplay Entertainment. The games take place in the 24th century. Mankind, referred to as Terrans, has developed means for space traveling, further fueled by the discovery of subspace which makes interstellar travel not only possible but also fast and easy. As a result the Terrans have expanded their territory, eventually encountering another bipedal, sentient species; the Vasudans. However, due to cultural differences and difficulties in communicating with each other, the Galactic Terran Alliance (GTA) and the Parliamentary Vasudan Empire (PVE) end up fighting a war that lasts for 14 years.

===FreeSpace 1===
Descent: FreeSpace — The Great War (also known as Conflict: FreeSpace — The Great War) is the first part of the series, released in 1998. The player is a pilot for the Galactic Terran Alliance. The GTA and the PVN have waged a war for 14 years and there doesn't seem to be an end in sight. However, suddenly a third race appears. These aliens, designated Shivans, are technologically superior, do not respond to diplomacy and stage attacks against both the Terrans and the Vasudans. As a result the GTA and PVN forge a truce and join forces in order to stop these alien invaders.

FreeSpace 1 was well received in its time by critics and players. Though it didn't offer much innovations in terms of gameplay and story, all aspects of the game worked well. The controls, though at first confusing with their complexity, were easy to assume and the plot offered more than enough motivation for the player, as well as leaving a few questions in the air. Also crucial to the success of FS1 was the excellent mod support. Mod tools were released for the use of players and the game itself shipped with FreeSpace Editor (FRED) that allowed every player to design and create their own missions.

It is good to note that although in certain regions the full title of the game is ''Descent: FreeSpace – The Great War'', FS1 has very little to do with the Descent game series. The prefixes "Descent" and "Conflict" were used, because there was already an archive tool called FreeSpace in the market.

===Silent Threat===
''Silent Threat'' is an expansion for ''FreeSpace 1'', also released in 1998. It offered a few new ships and weapons and a campaign regarding a rogue faction within the intelligence branch of the GTA. ''Silent Threat'' was considered as a decent expansion pack. The main campaign suffered from bugs, weird plot development and generic mission designs, but was compensated by the selected user-made mission that were also included.

===FreeSpace 2===
''FreeSpace 2'' was released in 1999 and continued the story 32 years after the events of FS1. The Terrans and Vasudans have increased their cooperation that started during the events of FS1, eventually culminating in the formation of the Galactic Terran-Vasudan Alliance (GTVA). However, not everyone appreciates the situation. A rebel group known as the Neo-Terran Front wages a war against the GTVA, because they do not see a future for the Terran race with the Vasudans.

In terms of gameplay and contents, FreeSpace 2 unsurprisingly improved upon what FreeSpace 1 had offered. The gameplay as such remained the same, but new features were added. Among these were beam weapons for capital ships and missions taking place in nebula environments. Storywise FreeSpace 2 was somewhat different from FS1. Sometimes compared to '' The Empire Strikes Back'', it didn't have a clear and happy ending, but instead left a number of questions floating in the air, puzzling and frustrating the fans.

Though critically appraised, ''FreeSpace 2'' was not a commercial success, largely because of the poor advertisement. Many fans of ''FreeSpace 1'' were actually surprised to hear that ''FreeSpace 2'' had been published because the only real source for this information was through game reviews.

===FreeSpace 3?===
There is no ''FreeSpace 3''. Volition was bought by THQ in 2000, with the licenses remaining with Interplay. Volition couldn't create a new game in the series and Interplay was not interested in publishing space simulation games because the genre was deemed dead. More information about FreeSpace 3 and related things can be read from [http://homepage.ntlworld.com/karajorma/FAQ/general.html#WhenFS3 Karajorma's FreeSpace FAQ].

===Where to get the games?===
Though the FreeSpace games are old, they are far from lost. [http://www.gog.com/ Good Old Games] (GOG) sells numerous old classic games, including ''FreeSpace'', ''Silent Threat'', and ''FreeSpace 2''. People who do not yet own these games are recommended to buy them from Good Old Games, because GOG's games are cheap ($5.99 or $9.99), DRM-free and completely legal.

==The FreeSpace Source Code Project==
After Volition was bought by THQ, they no longer had any use for the game engine, since they couldn't develop new FreeSpace games. Volition released the source code of the FS2 game engine in 2002 so that FreeSpace fans could do what they wanted with it. A group of coders joined forces and formed the FreeSpace 2 Source Code Project (SCP) that began to, and still continues to, improve the game engine. The new open source game engine, known as FreeSpace Open (FSO), has several distingushing features that include:
*Linux and Mac OS X support
*OpenGL support
*OpenAL positional audio support
*Easy mod installation
*OGG support
*Hardware transform, clipping, and lighting

===The FreeSpace Upgrade Project===
While the SCP improve the code of the game engine to enable new and exciting features, the FreeSpace Upgrade Project (FSU) creates material that takes advantage of the improved game engine. The FSU improves the ships, effects and background elements of FreeSpace 2 continuously. Every now and then these improvements are released as a pack. Known as MediaVPs, these assorted improvements enhance the graphics of the game drastically. Though [[Screenshots|screenshots]] give some idea of what the MediaVPs can do, the best way is to experience them in-game.

===Games based on the FSO engine===
In addition to improving the original FS2, the FSO engine has also made it possible for people to create new space sim games. for a list of FSO-based games, see [[Total conversions]]. Note that all of these games are standalone, which means that they do not require the original FS2.

==Hard Light Productions==
Hard Light Productions (HLP) is the most active online FreeSpace community. HLP consists of hundreds of dedicated FreeSpace fans, with everyone contributing to the community in one ore more ways. Members of HLP are
*Coders, who continuously improve the FSO game engine to include new and exciting features, as well as fix bugs in the game engine
*Modellers, who create new ship models and improve old ones
*Texture artists, who make textures for new and old ships
*Effect artists, who create effects such as weapons fire and afterburner trails
*FREDders, who use the FreeSpace Editor to create new missions and campaigns for people to play
*Support people, who help players with any problems regarding FreeSpace
*Players, who keep FreeSpace alive by playing the game year after year.

HLP has forums for the SCP, where new versions of the FSO game engine are released. People can also request new features, as well as post their contributions in the FSO code. HLP also has a board for the FSU project. This board has release threads for the latest MediaVPs, as well as other graphical updates.

In addition to these two important sections, HLP has boards for the following aspects:
*FreeSpace & FreeSpace Open Support - for any technical problems and questions related to FreeSpace
*FREDding - discussion about the FreeSpace Editor
*Modding - discussion about creating various modifications
*Multiplayer - discussion about FS2 multiplayer, accompanied by schedules
*Several mods and total conversions.

Registering to HLP is free and highly recommended. Though viewing the forums is possible as a guest, only registered members can post in the forums and ask any questions they might have. And HLP is notorious for responding to questions quickly, sometimes within minutes.

==Installing FreeSpace Open==
Installing FreeSpace Open is no rocket science, as long as you follow the proper guidelines.

First, install FreeSpace 2. If you do not own FreeSpace 2 yet, buy it from [http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/freespace_2 Good Old Games]. Installing FreeSpace 2 first is important, because FreeSpace Open is not a full game; it is merely an upgraded version of the FS2 game engine.
Linux users may want to install FS2 with WINE. Mac users can use Bootcamp or WINE. It is also possible to first install FS2 onto a Windows machine and then copy the entire \freespace2\ folder to the Linux/Mac computer.

Next, install [http://connect.creativelabs.com/openal/Downloads/Forms/AllItems.aspx OpenAL]. OpenAL is a 3D audio API and is required by FSO. After these two steps, there are several methods for installing FSO.

===Turey's FreeSpace Open Installer===
Turey's Installer is probably the most popular method for installing FSO. The idea of Turey's Installer is that it is a small program that downloads FSO-related files from the web. The user tells the Installer where his FreeSpace 2 installation is located, selects the components he wants to download and then starts up the Installer. It will then download the selected files from appropriate servers and place them to correct folders on the user's computer. Even though it has had its problems in the past, it is once again in working order and should provide working results. Instructions on how to use Turey's Installer can be found [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=61606.0 here].

===ShivanSPS's SCP Update Pack===
[http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=65746.0 ShivanSPS's SCP Update Pack] is another simple tool for installing FSO, though its functionality differs a lot from Turey's Installer. Instead of downloading various materials, the pack itself contains all the data, so once you've downloaded it, you can run it without an Internet connection. Point the update pack at your \freespace2\ folder and run it. Since the Pack can be downloaded in several smaller pieces, it suits the users who can use their Internet connection only at specific times.

===hip63's FreeSpace Open SCP 3.6.10 Offline Installer===
[http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=64634.0 hip63's Offline Installer] is similar to ShivanSPS's pack; you'll first download the entire thing and then install it over your FreeSpace 2 installation. However, hip63's Offline Installer includes additional options, like a campaign pack that includes 100 user-made campaigns and tools for creating backup DVDs of your FreeSpace games.

===Manual installation===
If you want to do things yourself and possibly learn some things about the game in the process, you can install FSO manually. There are instructions on manual installation for [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,47640.0.html Windows] as well as [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,60842.0.html Mac OS X and Linux]. The Windows instructions in particular contain links to the most reliable and up-to-date components, accompanied by short explanations on what does what. And don't think about manual installation as a 1337 h4x0r thing. There's more work involved, but it is all easy in the end, and you'll most likely gain more from manual installation. Also, by installing FSO manually you are free (to a degree) to choose just what you want to install in the first place. You won't have to download graphical enhancements and user-made campaigns unless you want to.

==Post-installation instructions==
After you've installed FSO, there are some things you need to do in order to enjoy FSO to its fullest (these steps are also mentioned in the manual installation instructions mentioned earlier):

*Open the Launcher and click the "Browse" button at the top.
*Select fs2_open_3_6_10.exe and click OK.
*Open the Audio/Joystick tab and make sure that Generic Software is selected.
*Open the Video tab and make sure that OpenGL and 32-bit colors are selected.
*If you've installed the MediaVPs (the graphical updates):
**Open the Features tab of the Launcher.
**Select "Graphics" as the list type.
**Tick at least "Enable specular", "Enable glowmaps", "Enable environment maps", and "Enable normal maps".
**Select "Gameplay" as the list type.
**Tick "Use models for ship selection" and "Use models for weapon selection".
*Finally, save the changes by clicking "Apply" at the bottom of the Launcher.

It is easiest to always use the Launcher to start FSO, so you may want to create a shortcut of it to your desktop.

==Related links==
Here are a few useful FreeSpace-related links.

*[http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/freespace_2 FreeSpace 2 at Good Old Games] - The best place to buy FreeSpace 2 from.
*[http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,56279.0.html The FreeSpace Troubleshooting FAQ] - A FAQ that includes solutions to all the most common problems with FreeSpace, FreeSpace 2 and FreeSpace Open. If you have any problems with the games, start here.
*[http://www.freespacemods.net/ FreeSpaceMods.net] - A site that hosts a ton of FreeSpace-related things, including campaigns, mods and total conversions.
*[http://www.hard-light.net/ Hard-Light Productions.net] - The largest FreeSpace community on the web, where most modders and coders are available to provide help.

[[Category:Main]]
[[Category:The games|*]]

Mod.ini (old)

2010-01-17T20:18:03Z

Fisk: An example of a mod.ini for FSPort and some additional explanations.

==Introduction==
Mod.ini defines the options for a given mod.
The core use for these is to allow a mod to easily use assets from another mod, such as the MediaVPs.

The file must be called "mod.ini" and be in the main folder of the mod.
It must be in ASCII text format (not Unicode) and use Windows-style end-of-line markers.
::: '''''PLEASE NOTE''': '''Launcher v 5.4''' or later, '''must be used'''. Earlier versions had some bugs that would cause this explanation about mod.ini to fail.''

==Sections==
===Launcher===
<pre>[launcher]</pre>
Information about the mod, displayed in the Launcher.

Attributes:
*modname = ''Name of the mod'';
*image255x112 = ''Mod bitmap.bmp'';
*infotext = ''Information about the mod'';
*website = ''URL to the mod's website, if applicable'';
*forum = ''URL to the mod's forum, if applicable'';
*mantis = ''URL to the mod's bugtracker, if applicable'';

The mod bitmap is displayed in the Launcher, under the "MOD" tab, when the mod is selected.
===Multimod===
<pre>[multimod]</pre>
Defines other mods that are used at the same time.

Attributes:
*primarylist = ''list of mods'';
**These mods will override assets in the current mod. Primarylist is needed very rarely. Currently only [[Silent Threat: Reborn]] requires the use of primarylist.
*secondarylist = ''list of mods'';
**These mods will be added to the assets for the current mod, and may be overridden by data in the current mod.

===Settings===
<pre>[settings]</pre>
Defines other required settings.

Attributes:
*flags = ''list of additional commandline flags'';

==Examples==
Below are examples of different mod.inis in various situations.
===MediaVPs 3.6.10===
The mod.ini provided with the MediaVPs doesn't use any other mods, as the MediaVPs are selected as a mod only when the player wants to play the regular FS2 campaign with better graphics. The mod.ini does, however, provide a Launcher image and links to Hard Light Productions.
<pre>
[launcher]
image255x112 = FSU-MVP.bmp;
infotext = Freespace II - 3.6.10 MediaVPs;
website = http://www.hard-light.net/;
forum = http://www.hard-light.net/forums;
mantis = http://www.hard-light.net/mantis;

[multimod]
primarylist = ;
secondarylist = ;
</pre>
===Derelict===
The [[Derelict]] mod.ini contains a reference to the MediaVPs, because many users want to play Derelict, and other mods, with better graphics provided by the MediaVPs. Also, the person who originally created the mod.ini deemed it necessary to include the -spec flag, though most people already have it turned on in their Launchers.
<pre>
[launcher]
image255x112 = Derelict.bmp;
infotext = Five years have passed since the jump node to the Capella system was collapsed...;
website = http://www.3dap.com/hlp/hosted/ce/;
forum = http://dynamic.gamespy.com/~freespace/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=83686deb4fd49b5f670f6d92203b257d&forumid=89;

[multimod]
primarylist = ;
secondarylist = mediavps;

[settings]
flags = -spec;
</pre>

===Cardinal Spear===
[[Cardinal Spear]] is a mod that requires FSPort. Therefore, the secondarylist includes "fsport" in addition to "mediavps".
<pre>
[launcher]
image255x112 = CardinalSpear.bmp;
infotext = In the tenth year of our war against the Vasudans, humanity had attempted one last desperate strike to end the war outright - a spear in the dark. The Cardinal Fleet had been laid ruin, and the crew of the GTD Agamemnon was being hunted by a Vasudan general. It was too late for victory, but not too late for vengeance...;
website = http://fsport.hard-light.net/;
forum = http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/board,39.0.html;

[multimod]
secondarylist = fsport,mediavps;
</pre>

===Silent Threat: Reborn===
Due to some design issues, Silent Threat: Reborn doesn't work correctly with the MediaVPs, if it is designated as the primary mod, with the other mods being of a secondary nature. The FSPort MediaVPs have to be read before ST:R for ST:R to function correctly. Therefore, "fsport-mediavps" is entered into the primarylist line.
<pre>
[launcher]
modname = Silent Threat: Reborn v1.0;
image255x112 = fsport-str.bmp;
infotext = As the Great War rages on, you've been commissioned by Galactic Terran Intelligence for special intelligence operations. Your objectives are to contain the Shivan onslaught and preserve the fragile Terran-Vasudan alliance. But a series of suspicious events cloud the GTI's spotless record. Is the GTI setting you up or are the Shivans spreading their evil rage?;
website = http://fsport.hard-light.net/website/str/;
forum = http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/board,140.0.html;

[multimod]
primarylist = fsport-mediavps;
secondarylist = fsport,mediavps;
</pre>

[[Category:Modding]]

Mod.ini (old)

2010-01-17T17:24:16Z

Fisk: Grammar, conformation and the ST:R mod.ini.

User talk:Snail

2010-01-17T16:54:12Z

Fisk:

==User page==

Wow... awesome bio. I had no idea of your pure FS fanaticism. Played the OEM version for two years- damn! Kudos. You've really seen it all. [[User:Mustang19|Mustang19]] 23:40, 30 March 2009 (UTC)

Yeah I've basically never played any other game but FreeSpace for most of my life. :D [[User:Snail|Snail]] 15:14, 31 March 2008 (CST)
==Editing==

If you see a spelling eror, you're welcome to correct it, but thanks for pointing that out. --[[User:Moniter|Mars]] 02:20, 18 August 2006 (BST)

When I was tinkering around with mission tables, I got light capital when I tried out the Seraphim. [[User:AllStarZ|AllStarZ]] 00:18, 5 November 2007 (CST)

==Not Sparta...==

What's it take to drive Snail mad? 124 consecutive edits. Nice job with the cleanup of the user-made ship pages. -- [[User:BlueFlames|BlueFlames]] 16:45, 5 September 2008 (CDT)

==random whatever==

Actually I intend to make a bunch of Vasudan ships for exactly that reason. Have a bunch of rough sketches I've been doodling while at work. And also have one Shivan Cruiser in mind, but if I do him I'd probably save it for my campaign so that'd be a long ways off. Got the Anouke just about done, after that I might try to put together a pack of 6-8 fighters. [[User:Akalabeth|Akalabeth]]

That sounds really cool and would give the community so many more Vasudan ships to play with. - [[User:Snail|Snail]] 14:32, 7 September 2008 (CDT)

==Karnak page==
I meant "canonical" in the sense of "what Dark and Ace intended", but your rewording is definitely clearer. :) [[User:Goober5000|Goober5000]] 18:37, 19 April 2009 (UTC)

==Iceni Comment==

It DOES more or less state outright everything it says was said above...what's your reasoning?

I have no reasoning, only peanuts. Feel free to re-delete it I guess... I am sorry for getting in the way of your Jihad. - [[User:Snail|Snail]] 10:05, 13 June 2009 (UTC)

Don't get all passive-aggressive on me. You did have a reason I hope. :p [[User:Ngtm1r|Ngtm1r]] 23:04, 13 June 2009 (UTC)

At a glance it looked like a reasonable, well-written comment, but I guess you're right. '''DON'T HURT ME PLEASE I'M SORRY''' D: - [[User:Snail|Snail]] 10:38, 14 June 2009 (UTC)

==3.6.11 open question==

Normally I would ask this on the Hard light forums, but I am very relucent to had out my e-mail adress at the moment. Either way, I am hearing much about this 3.6.11 open build for the SCP, yet they don't say where to get it, do you where to get it? [[User:Grunt minion22|Grunt minion22]] 7:21am November 1, 2009.
*3.6.11 open builds are 'nightly' builds, one is released each day. They are not stable, and will likely cause problems if you do something wrong with your mod. I personally don't recommend them, but here: [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?board=173.0 Nightly Builds Board]. Good luck with whatever it is you're doing. - [[User:Snail|Snail]] 15:23, 1 November 2009 (UTC)

==Removing Shivan stats==
Have you read the last two comments on my talk page in the shivan stats section? I explained how I found them though table editting and Topace comfirmed it. He had tried it himself, and managed to get it by modified the Hercules, so please, what I was posting on all those Shivan fighters there IS canon. If you don't believe me, go make all of the Shivan fighters flyable and it will give you its stats in the Ship selection page. [[User:Grunt minion22|Grunt minion22]] 6:42am 23 December 2009
* Bla bla bla. Doesn't change the fact that those stats are non-canon, due to being the result of a SCP code change. In retail, you would never, ever get to see those stats. Even if you edited the tables. Thus, they are not wiki material (or need to be marked as non-canon). It would help if you would follow the discussions on HLP or join the #hard-light IRC channel, where these things can be discussed before they hit the wiki. [[User:The E|The E]] 13:15, 23 December 2009 (UTC)
**Discussion on the HLP Wiki Forum has confirmed those stats are non-canon. They do not belong on the Wiki. - [[User:Snail|Snail]] 13:55, 23 December 2009 (UTC)

==ASW Issues==
Ok, this problem has not occuried anywhere else, so sorry for dragging you into this. Its just that I am able to get most of Ancient-Shivan War to work, yet there is still some crashing errors that I don't know if they came with the game or not, and have been effecting other people. I do got all the Vp files located inside the ASW folder, and copied into the tables. I started up the game, but I ended up getting messages saying that the game can't find the flyby sounds for the Ancients and Ashesidions (however its spelled) and uses Terrans and Vasudans instead. Going forward, I managed to get the game up, with the correct intro, the background picture, and all ships in the tech database, made a new character and selected the Ancient-Shivan War campain. BUT, instead, I get a dozen debugger messages exiting out of the game informing me that "arguement is illegal" and its all about the User-made cutsceen. I have not encountered this problem anywhere else, this happening to you or anyone else, or I'm just screwed up as usual. [[User:Grunt minion22|Grunt minion22]] 8:22pm, 16 January 2010

You really, really, REALLY need a forum account. Snail, as awesome as he is, is not the Tech Support person, I am. He also isn't a member of the ASW team.
So, please register at HLP. Open a thread detailing your problem, with a fs2_open.log attached, in the support board. Then we can help you sort this out. [[User:The E|The E]] 04:37, 17 January 2010 (UTC)

Aww, someone thinks I'm smart. How touching. :) - [[User:Snail|Snail]] 10:21, 17 January 2010 (UTC)

Sorry, I am just a bit distrustful of forums since my LAST incident with them that resulted in my email getting spammed up. If the only email sent is just the activation code, and nothing else, then I'll do it and stop asking questions here :). [[User:Grunt minion22|Grunt minion22]] 8:08am, 17 Januaray 2010
*HLP doesn't spam you. - [[User:TopAce|TopAce]] 14:34, 17 January 2010 (UTC)
*Sorry, different forum site. [[User:Grunt minion22|Grunt minion22]] 9:39am, 17 Januaray 2010
*On the topic, no one forces you to use exactly one email address. I, for example, have an university email, a nerd magazine email, a Gmail email, a Windows Live email and a piece of defecation email. I use the last one whenever I'm registering to places and/or have a feeling that whichever email I give there might end up getting spam. In short, you could just open up a new email account for your registration needs/whatever. Also, the only emails I've gotten from HLP have been strictly business. No spam. Ever. - [[User:Fisk|Fisk]] 18:54, 17 January 2010 (EET)

Mod.ini (old)

2010-01-14T17:42:58Z

Fisk: secondrylist and the comma before the mod folder name are so pre-Launcher 5.4.

==Introduction==
Mod.ini defines the options for a given Mod.
The core use for these is to allow a Mod to easily use assets from another mod, such as the MediaVPs.

The file must be called "mod.ini" and be in the main folder of the mod.
It must be in ASCII text format (not Unicode) and use Windows-style end-of-line markers.
::: '''''PLEASE NOTE''': '''Launcher v 5.4''' or later, '''must be used'''. Earlier versions had some bugs that would cause this explanation about mod.ini to fail.''

==Sections==
===Launcher===
<pre>[launcher]</pre>
Information about the Mod, displayed in the Launcher.

Attributes:
*modname = ''Name of Mod'';
*image255x112 = ''Mod bitmap.bmp'';
*infotext = ''Information about the Mod'';
*website = ''URL to Mod website, if applicable'';
*forum = ''URL to a Mod forum, if applicable'';
*mantis = ''URL to a Mod bugtracker, if applicable'';

The Mod Bitmap is displayed
===MultiMod===
<pre>[multimod]</pre>
Defines the other mods whose assets are used by this one.

Attributes:
*primarylist = ''list of mods'';
**These mods will override assets in the current Mod
*secondarylist = ''list of mods'';
**These mods will be added to the assets for the current Mod, and may be overrided by data in the current Mod.

===Settings===
<pre>[settings]</pre>
Defines other required settings.

Attributes:
*flags = ''list of additional commandline flags'';

==Examples==
===MediaVPs 3.6.10===
<pre>
[launcher]
image255x112 = FSU-MVP.bmp;
infotext = Freespace II - 3.6.10 MediaVPs;
website = http://www.hard-light.net/;
forum = http://www.hard-light.net/forums;
mantis = http://www.hard-light.net/mantis;

[multimod]
primarylist = ;
secondarylist = ;
</pre>
===Derelict===
<pre>
[launcher]
image255x112 = Derelict.bmp;
infotext = Five years have passed since the jump node to the Capella system was collapsed...;
website = http://www.3dap.com/hlp/hosted/ce/;
forum = http://dynamic.gamespy.com/~freespace/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=83686deb4fd49b5f670f6d92203b257d&forumid=89;

[multimod]
primarylist = ;
secondarylist = mediavps;

[settings]
flags = -spec;
</pre>

[[Category:Modding]]

User:Fisk

2010-01-09T15:55:11Z

Fisk:

o hai o/

I go by many pseudonyms. One of them is Fisk. Another one is Jeff Vader. The rest are a secret. I run the Death Star. ...I mean I offer FreeSpace tech support and other related services. Also, I like Japanese rock/metal, tea and scifi. And I don't like Mobius.

==Relevant History==
===~July '06===
* FreeSpace 2
===May '07===
* Join Hard Light Productions
===June '07===
* New kettle
===May '08===
* Promotion to moderator
* New mouse
===December '08===
* New coffeemaker
===January '09===
* New phone
===~May '09===
* Promotion to global moderator
* New mousepad
* Netbook
===~July '09===
* Mental breakdown
===January '10===
* New headphones

==Contributions==
* Tech support for [[FreeSpace]], [[FreeSpace 2]] and [[FreeSpace Open]]
* Low-resolution planet textures for the [[FSPort]] version of [[Cardinal Spear]]
* New p_dead2.dds for [[Blue Planet]]
* Mission proofreading for Ghost Revenants
* The [[Getting started]] article here at the FreeSpace Wiki
* Localization patch for the [[Ancient-Shivan War]] mod

==Miscellaneous==
I'll either die of swine flu or survive it like a man. No vaccinations 'n crap.

User:Fisk

2009-12-28T22:46:24Z

Fisk: Dunno. Something I felt like writing.

o hai o/

I go by many pseudonyms. One of them is Fisk. Another one is Jeff Vader. The rest are a secret. I run the Death Star. ...I mean I offer FreeSpace tech support and other related services. Also, I like Japanese rock/metal, tea and scifi. And I don't like Mobius.

==Relevant History==
===~July '06===
* FreeSpace 2
===May '07===
* Join Hard Light Productions
===June '07===
* New kettle
===May '08===
* Promotion to moderator
* New mouse
===December '08===
* New coffeemaker
===January '09===
* New phone
===~May '09===
* Promotion to global moderator
* New mousepad
* Netbook
===~July '09===
* Mental breakdown

==Contributions==
* Tech support for [[FreeSpace]], [[FreeSpace 2]] and [[FreeSpace Open]]
* Low-resolution planet textures for the [[FSPort]] version of [[Cardinal Spear]]
* Improved (a matter of opinion, I suppose) p_dead2.dds for [[Blue Planet]]
* Mission proofreading for Ghost Revenants
* The [[Getting started]] article here at the FreeSpace Wiki
* Localization patch for the [[Ancient-Shivan War]] mod

==Miscellaneous==
If you see someone asking for help, and you know the solution to the problem, respond. Respond immediately! By doing that you
* make sure that the person asking for help gets help as soon as possible
* do the good deed of the day
* reduce the amount of work that I and The E have to do
* make the Easter Bunny, the lawyer and actually everybody else happy.

Getting started

2009-12-27T10:16:30Z

Fisk: ida -> idea

'''Getting Started: FreeSpace in a Nutshell'''

Hello and welcome! You've arrived at "FreeSpace in a Nutshell", an article for people new to FreeSpace. This article will provide information about the FreeSpace game series, FreeSpace Open and Hard Light Productions. There are also instructions for getting the games and installing FreeSpace Open.

==What is FreeSpace?==
FreeSpace is a series of space combat simulation games developed by Volition, Inc. and published by Interplay Entertainment. The games take place in the 24th century. Mankind, referred to as Terrans, has developed means for space traveling, further fueled by the discovery of subspace which makes interstellar travel not only possible but also fast and easy. As a result the Terrans have expanded their territory, eventually encountering another bipedal, sentient species; the Vasudans. However, due to cultural differences and difficulties in communicating with each other, the Galactic Terran Alliance (GTA) and the Parliamentary Vasudan Empire (PVE) end up fighting a war that lasts for 14 years.

===FreeSpace 1===
Descent: FreeSpace — The Great War (also known as Conflict: FreeSpace — The Great War) is the first part of the series, released in 1998. The player is a pilot for the Galactic Terran Alliance. The GTA and the PVN have waged a war for 14 years and there doesn't seem to be an end in sight. However, suddenly a third race appears. These aliens, designated Shivans, are technologically superior, do not respond to diplomacy and stage attacks against both the Terrans and the Vasudans. As a result the GTA and PVN forge a truce and join forces in order to stop these alien invaders.

FreeSpace 1 was well received in its time by critics and players. Though it didn't offer much innovations in terms of gameplay and story, all aspects of the game worked well. The controls, though at first confusing with their complexity, were easy to assume and the plot offered more than enough motivation for the player, as well as leaving a few questions in the air. Also crucial to the success of FS1 was the excellent mod support. Mod tools were released for the use of players and the game itself shipped with FreeSpace Editor (FRED) that allowed every player to design and create their own missions.

It is good to note that although in certain regions the full title of the game is ''Descent: FreeSpace – The Great War'', FS1 has very little to do with the Descent game series. The prefixes "Descent" and "Conflict" were used, because there was already an archive tool called FreeSpace in the market.

===Silent Threat===
''Silent Threat'' is an expansion for ''FreeSpace 1'', also released in 1998. It offered a few new ships and weapons and a campaign regarding a rogue faction within the intelligence branch of the GTA. ''Silent Threat'' was considered as a decent expansion pack. The main campaign suffered from bugs, weird plot development and generic mission designs, but was compensated by the selected user-made mission that were also included.

===FreeSpace 2===
''FreeSpace 2'' was released in 1999 and continued the story 32 years after the events of FS1. The Terrans and Vasudans have increased their cooperation that started during the events of FS1, eventually culminating in the formation of the Galactic Terran-Vasudan Alliance (GTVA). However, not everyone appreciates the situation. A rebel group known as the Neo-Terran Front wages a war against the GTVA, because they do not see a future for the Terran race with the Vasudans.

In terms of gameplay and contents, FreeSpace 2 unsurprisingly improved upon what FreeSpace 1 had offered. The gameplay as such remained the same, but new features were added. Among these were beam weapons for capital ships and missions taking place in nebula environments. Storywise FreeSpace 2 was somewhat different from FS1. Sometimes compared to '' The Empire Strikes Back'', it didn't have a clear and happy ending, but instead left a number of questions floating in the air, puzzling and frustrating the fans.

Though critically appraised, ''FreeSpace 2'' was not a commercial success, largely because of the poor advertisement. Many fans of ''FreeSpace 1'' were actually surprised to hear that ''FreeSpace 2'' had been published because the only real source for this information was through game reviews.

===FreeSpace 3?===
There is no ''FreeSpace 3''. Volition was bought by THQ in 2000, with the licenses remaining with Interplay. Volition couldn't create a new game in the series and Interplay was not interested in publishing space simulation games because the genre was deemed dead. More information about FreeSpace 3 and related things can be read from [http://homepage.ntlworld.com/karajorma/FAQ/general.html#WhenFS3 Karajorma's FreeSpace FAQ].

===Where to get the games?===
Though the FreeSpace games are old, they are far from lost. [http://www.gog.com/ Good Old Games] (GOG) sells numerous old classic games, including ''FreeSpace'', ''Silent Threat'', and ''FreeSpace 2''. People who do not yet own these games are recommended to buy them from Good Old Games, because GOG's games are cheap ($5.99 or $9.99), DRM-free and completely legal.

==The FreeSpace Source Code Project==
After Volition was bought by THQ, they no longer had any use for the game engine, since they couldn't develop new FreeSpace games. Volition released the source code of the FS2 game engine in 2002 so that FreeSpace fans could do what they wanted with it. A group of coders joined forces and formed the FreeSpace 2 Source Code Project (SCP) that began to, and still continues to, improve the game engine. The new open source game engine, known as FreeSpace Open (FSO), has several distingushing features that include:
*Linux and Mac OS X support
*OpenGL support
*OpenAL positional audio support
*Easy mod installation
*OGG support
*Hardware transform, clipping, and lighting

===The FreeSpace Upgrade Project===
While the SCP improve the code of the game engine to enable new and exciting features, the FreeSpace Upgrade Project (FSU) creates material that takes advantage of the improved game engine. The FSU improves the ships, effects and background elements of FreeSpace 2 continuously. Every now and then these improvements are released as a pack. Known as MediaVPs, these assorted improvements enhance the graphics of the game drastically. Though [http://scp.indiegames.us/screenshots.php?gallery=MediaVP screenshots] give some idea of what the MediaVPs can do, the best way is to experience them in-game.

===Games based on the FSO engine===
In addition to improving the original FS2, the FSO engine has also made it possible for people to create new space sim games. for a list of FSO-based games, see [[Total conversions]]. Note that all of these games are standalone, which means that they do not require the original FS2.

==Hard Light Productions==
Hard Light Productions (HLP) is the most active online FreeSpace community. HLP consists of hundreds of dedicated FreeSpace fans, with everyone contributing to the community in one ore more ways. Members of HLP are
*Coders, who continuously improve the FSO game engine to include new and exciting features, as well as fix bugs in the game engine
*Modellers, who create new ship models and improve old ones
*Texture artists, who make textures for new and old ships
*Effect artists, who create effects such as weapons fire and afterburner trails
*FREDders, who use the FreeSpace Editor to create new missions and campaigns for people to play
*Support people, who help players with any problems regarding FreeSpace
*Players, who keep FreeSpace alive by playing the game year after year.

HLP has forums for the SCP, where new versions of the FSO game engine are released. People can also request new features, as well as post their contributions in the FSO code. HLP also has a board for the FSU project. This board has release threads for the latest MediaVPs, as well as other graphical updates.

In addition to these two important sections, HLP has boards for the following aspects:
*FreeSpace & FreeSpace Open Support - for any technical problems and questions related to FreeSpace
*FREDding - discussion about the FreeSpace Editor
*Modding - discussion about creating various modifications
*Multiplayer - discussion about FS2 multiplayer, accompanied by schedules
*Several mods and total conversions.

Registering to HLP is free and highly recommended. Though viewing the forums is possible as a guest, registered members can post in the forums and ask any questions they might have. And HLP is notorious for responding to questions quickly, sometimes within minutes.

==Installing FreeSpace Open==
Installing FreeSpace Open is no rocket science, as long as you follow the proper guidelines.

First, install FreeSpace 2. If you do not own FreeSpace 2 yet, buy it from [http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/freespace_2 Good Old Games]. Installing FreeSpace 2 first is important, because FreeSpace Open is not a full game; it is merely an upgraded version of the FS2 game engine.
Linux users may want to install FS2 with WINE. Mac users can use Bootcamp or WINE. It is also possible to first install FS2 onto a Windows machine and then copy the entire \freespace2\ folder to the Linux/Mac computer.

Next, install [http://connect.creativelabs.com/openal/Downloads/Forms/AllItems.aspx OpenAL]. OpenAL is a 3D audio API and is required by FSO. After these two steps, there are several methods for installing FSO.

===Turey's FreeSpace Open Installer===
Turey's Installer is probably the most popular method for installing FSO. The idea of Turey's Installer is that it is a small program that downloads FSO-related files from the web. The user tells the Installer where his FreeSpace 2 installation is located, selects the components he wants to download and then starts up the Installer. It will then download the selected files from appropriate servers and place them to correct folders on the user's computer. Even though it has had its problems in the past, it is once again in working order and should provide working results. Instructions on how to use Turey's Installer can be found [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=61606.0 here].

===ShivanSPS's SCP Update Pack===
[http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=65746.0 ShivanSPS's SCP Update Pack] is another simple tool for installing FSO, though its functionality differs a lot from Turey's Installer. Instead of downloading various materials, the pack itself contains all the data, so once you've downloaded it, you can run it without an Internet connection. Point the update pack at your \freespace2\ folder and run it. Since the Pack can be downloaded in several smaller pieces, it suits the users who can use their Internet connection only at specific times.

===hip63's FreeSpace Open SCP 3.6.10 Offline Installer===
[http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=64634.0 hip63's Offline Installer] is similar to ShivanSPS's pack; you'll first download the entire thing and then install it over your FreeSpace 2 installation. However, hip63's Offline Installer includes additional options, like a campaign pack that includes 100 user-made campaigns and tools for creating backup DVDs of your FreeSpace games.

===Manual installation===
If you want to do things yourself and possibly learn some things about the game in the process, you can install FSO manually. There are instructions on manual installation for [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,47640.0.html Windows] as well as [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,60842.0.html Mac OS X and Linux]. The Windows instructions in particular contain links to the most reliable and up-to-date components, accompanied by short explanations on what does what. And don't think about manual installation as a 1337 h4x0r thing. There's more work involved, but it is all easy in the end, and you'll most likely gain more from manual installation. Also, by installing FSO manually you are free (to a degree) to choose just what you want to install in the first place. You won't have to download graphical enhancements and user-made campaigns unless you want to.

==Post-installation instructions==
After you've installed FSO, there are some things you need to do in order to enjoy FSO to its fullest (these steps are also mentioned in the manual installation instructions mentioned earlier):

*Open the Launcher and click the "Browse" button at the top.
*Select fs2_open_3_6_10.exe and click OK.
*Open the Audio/Joystick tab and make sure that Generic Software is selected.
*Open the Video tab and make sure that OpenGL and 32-bit colors are selected.
*If you've installed the MediaVPs (the graphical updates):
**Open the Features tab of the Launcher.
**Select "Graphics" as the list type.
**Tick at least "Enable specular", "Enable glowmaps", "Enable environment maps", and "Enable normal maps".
**Select "Gameplay" as the list type.
**Tick "Use models for ship selection" and "Use models for weapon selection".
*Finally, save the changes by clicking "Apply" at the bottom of the Launcher.

It is easiest to always use the Launcher to start FSO, so you may want to create a shortcut of it to your desktop.

==Related links==
Here are a few useful FreeSpace-related links.

*[http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/freespace_2 FreeSpace 2 at Good Old Games] - The best place to buy FreeSpace 2 from.
*[http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,56279.0.html The FreeSpace Troubleshooting FAQ] - A FAQ that includes solutions to all the most common problems with FreeSpace, FreeSpace 2 and FreeSpace Open. If you have any problems with the games, start here.
*[http://www.freespacemods.net/ FreeSpaceMods.net] - A site that hosts a ton of FreeSpace-related things, including campaigns, mods and total conversions.
*[http://www.hard-light.net/ Hard-Light Productions.net] - The largest FreeSpace community on the web, where most modders and coders are available to provide help.

[[Category:Main]]
[[Category:The games|*]]

Getting started

2009-12-17T13:02:18Z

Fisk: Updatified the installation section (especially since rumour has it that Turey's Installer works again).

'''Getting Started: FreeSpace in a Nutshell'''

Hello and welcome! You've arrived at "FreeSpace in a Nutshell", an article for people new to FreeSpace. This article will provide information about the FreeSpace game series, FreeSpace Open and Hard Light Productions. There are also instructions for getting the games and installing FreeSpace Open.

==What is FreeSpace?==
FreeSpace is a series of space combat simulation games developed by Volition, Inc. and published by Interplay Entertainment. The games take place in the 24th century. Mankind, referred to as Terrans, has developed means for space traveling, further fueled by the discovery of subspace which makes interstellar travel not only possible but also fast and easy. As a result the Terrans have expanded their territory, eventually encountering another bipedal, sentient species; the Vasudans. However, due to cultural differences and difficulties in communicating with each other, the Galactic Terran Alliance (GTA) and the Parliamentary Vasudan Empire (PVE) end up fighting a war that lasts for 14 years.

===FreeSpace 1===
Descent: FreeSpace — The Great War (also known as Conflict: FreeSpace — The Great War) is the first part of the series, released in 1998. The player is a pilot for the Galactic Terran Alliance. The GTA and the PVN have waged a war for 14 years and there doesn't seem to be an end in sight. However, suddenly a third race appears. These aliens, designated Shivans, are technologically superior, do not respond to diplomacy and stage attacks against both the Terrans and the Vasudans. As a result the GTA and PVN forge a truce and join forces in order to stop these alien invaders.

FreeSpace 1 was well received in its time by critics and players. Though it didn't offer much innovations in terms of gameplay and story, all aspects of the game worked well. The controls, though at first confusing with their complexity, were easy to assume and the plot offered more than enough motivation for the player, as well as leaving a few questions in the air. Also crucial to the success of FS1 was the excellent mod support. Mod tools were released for the use of players and the game itself shipped with FreeSpace Editor (FRED) that allowed every player to design and create their own missions.

It is good to note that although in certain regions the full title of the game is ''Descent: FreeSpace – The Great War'', FS1 has very little to do with the Descent game series. The prefixes "Descent" and "Conflict" were used, because there was already an archive tool called FreeSpace in the market.

===Silent Threat===
''Silent Threat'' is an expansion for ''FreeSpace 1'', also released in 1998. It offered a few new ships and weapons and a campaign regarding a rogue faction within the intelligence branch of the GTA. ''Silent Threat'' was considered as a decent expansion pack. The main campaign suffered from bugs, weird plot development and generic mission designs, but was compensated by the selected user-made mission that were also included.

===FreeSpace 2===
''FreeSpace 2'' was released in 1999 and continued the story 32 years after the events of FS1. The Terrans and Vasudans have increased their cooperation that started during the events of FS1, eventually culminating in the formation of the Galactic Terran-Vasudan Alliance (GTVA). However, not everyone appreciates the situation. A rebel group known as the Neo-Terran Front wages a war against the GTVA, because they do not see a future for the Terran race with the Vasudans.

In terms of gameplay and contents, FreeSpace 2 unsurprisingly improved upon what FreeSpace 1 had offered. The gameplay as such remained the same, but new features were added. Among these were beam weapons for capital ships and missions taking place in nebula environments. Storywise FreeSpace 2 was somewhat different from FS1. Sometimes compared to '' The Empire Strikes Back'', it didn't have a clear and happy ending, but instead left a number of questions floating in the air, puzzling and frustrating the fans.

Though critically appraised, ''FreeSpace 2'' was not a commercial success, largely because of the poor advertisement. Many fans of ''FreeSpace 1'' were actually surprised to hear that ''FreeSpace 2'' had been published because the only real source for this information was through game reviews.

===FreeSpace 3?===
There is no ''FreeSpace 3''. Volition was bought by THQ in 2000, with the licenses remaining with Interplay. Volition couldn't create a new game in the series and Interplay was not interested in publishing space simulation games because the genre was deemed dead. More information about FreeSpace 3 and related things can be read from [http://homepage.ntlworld.com/karajorma/FAQ/general.html#WhenFS3 Karajorma's FreeSpace FAQ].

===Where to get the games?===
Though the FreeSpace games are old, they are far from lost. [http://www.gog.com/ Good Old Games] (GOG) sells numerous old classic games, including ''FreeSpace'', ''Silent Threat'', and ''FreeSpace 2''. People who do not yet own these games are recommended to buy them from Good Old Games, because GOG's games are cheap ($5.99 or $9.99), DRM-free and completely legal.

==The FreeSpace Source Code Project==
After Volition was bought by THQ, they no longer had any use for the game engine, since they couldn't develop new FreeSpace games. Volition released the source code of the FS2 game engine in 2002 so that FreeSpace fans could do what they wanted with it. A group of coders joined forces and formed the FreeSpace 2 Source Code Project (SCP) that began to, and still continues to, improve the game engine. The new open source game engine, known as FreeSpace Open (FSO), has several distingushing features that include:
*Linux and Mac OS X support
*OpenGL support
*OpenAL positional audio support
*Easy mod installation
*OGG support
*Hardware transform, clipping, and lighting

===The FreeSpace Upgrade Project===
While the SCP improve the code of the game engine to enable new and exciting features, the FreeSpace Upgrade Project (FSU) creates material that takes advantage of the improved game engine. The FSU improves the ships, effects and background elements of FreeSpace 2 continuously. Every now and then these improvements are released as a pack. Known as MediaVPs, these assorted improvements enhance the graphics of the game drastically. Though [http://scp.indiegames.us/screenshots.php?gallery=MediaVP screenshots] give some idea of what the MediaVPs can do, the best way is to experience them in-game.

===Games based on the FSO engine===
In addition to improving the original FS2, the FSO engine has also made it possible for people to create new space sim games. for a list of FSO-based games, see [[Total conversions]]. Note that all of these games are standalone, which means that they do not require the original FS2.

==Hard Light Productions==
Hard Light Productions (HLP) is the most active online FreeSpace community. HLP consists of hundreds of dedicated FreeSpace fans, with everyone contributing to the community in one ore more ways. Members of HLP are
*Coders, who continuously improve the FSO game engine to include new and exciting features, as well as fix bugs in the game engine
*Modellers, who create new ship models and improve old ones
*Texture artists, who make textures for new and old ships
*Effect artists, who create effects such as weapons fire and afterburner trails
*FREDders, who use the FreeSpace Editor to create new missions and campaigns for people to play
*Support people, who help players with any problems regarding FreeSpace
*Players, who keep FreeSpace alive by playing the game year after year.

HLP has forums for the SCP, where new versions of the FSO game engine are released. People can also request new features, as well as post their contributions in the FSO code. HLP also has a board for the FSU project. This board has release threads for the latest MediaVPs, as well as other graphical updates.

In addition to these two important sections, HLP has boards for the following aspects:
*FreeSpace & FreeSpace Open Support - for any technical problems and questions related to FreeSpace
*FREDding - discussion about the FreeSpace Editor
*Modding - discussion about creating various modifications
*Multiplayer - discussion about FS2 multiplayer, accompanied by schedules
*Several mods and total conversions.

Registering to HLP is free and highly recommended. Though viewing the forums is possible as a guest, registered members can post in the forums and ask any questions they might have. And HLP is notorious for responding to questions quickly, sometimes within minutes.

==Installing FreeSpace Open==
Installing FreeSpace Open is no rocket science, as long as you follow the proper guidelines.

First, install FreeSpace 2. If you do not own FreeSpace 2 yet, buy it from [http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/freespace_2 Good Old Games]. Installing FreeSpace 2 first is important, because FreeSpace Open is not a full game; it is merely an upgraded version of the FS2 game engine.
Linux users may want to install FS2 with WINE. Mac users can use Bootcamp or WINE. It is also possible to first install FS2 onto a Windows machine and then copy the entire \freespace2\ folder to the Linux/Mac computer.

Next, install [http://connect.creativelabs.com/openal/Downloads/Forms/AllItems.aspx OpenAL]. OpenAL is a 3D audio API and is required by FSO. After these two steps, there are several methods for installing FSO.

===Turey's FreeSpace Open Installer===
Turey's Installer is probably the most popular method for installing FSO. The ida of Turey's Installer is that it is a small program that downloads FSO-related files from the web. The user tells the Installer where his FreeSpace 2 installation is located, selects the components he wants to download and then starts up the Installer. It will then download the selected files from appropriate servers and place them to correct folders on the user's computer. Even though it has had its problems in the past, it is once again in working order and should provide working results. Instructions on how to use Turey's Installer can be found [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=61606.0 here].

===ShivanSPS's SCP Update Pack===
[http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=65746.0 ShivanSPS's SCP Update Pack] is another simple tool for installing FSO, though its functionality differs a lot from Turey's Installer. Instead of downloading various materials, the pack itself contains all the data, so once you've downloaded it, you can run it without an Internet connection. Point the update pack at your \freespace2\ folder and run it. Since the Pack can be downloaded in several smaller pieces, it suits the users who can use their Internet connection only at specific times.

===hip63's FreeSpace Open SCP 3.6.10 Offline Installer===
[http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=64634.0 hip63's Offline Installer] is similar to ShivanSPS's pack; you'll first download the entire thing and then install it over your FreeSpace 2 installation. However, hip63's Offline Installer includes additional options, like a campaign pack that includes 100 user-made campaigns and tools for creating backup DVDs of your FreeSpace games.

===Manual installation===
If you want to do things yourself and possibly learn some things about the game in the process, you can install FSO manually. There are instructions on manual installation for [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,47640.0.html Windows] as well as [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,60842.0.html Mac OS X and Linux]. The Windows instructions in particular contain links to the most reliable and up-to-date components, accompanied by short explanations on what does what. And don't think about manual installation as a 1337 h4x0r thing. There's more work involved, but it is all easy in the end, and you'll most likely gain more from manual installation. Also, by installing FSO manually you are free (to a degree) to choose just what you want to install in the first place. You won't have to download graphical enhancements and user-made campaigns unless you want to.

==Post-installation instructions==
After you've installed FSO, there are some things you need to do in order to enjoy FSO to its fullest (these steps are also mentioned in the manual installation instructions mentioned earlier):

*Open the Launcher and click the "Browse" button at the top.
*Select fs2_open_3_6_10.exe and click OK.
*Open the Audio/Joystick tab and make sure that Generic Software is selected.
*Open the Video tab and make sure that OpenGL and 32-bit colors are selected.
*If you've installed the MediaVPs (the graphical updates):
**Open the Features tab of the Launcher.
**Select "Graphics" as the list type.
**Tick at least "Enable specular", "Enable glowmaps", "Enable environment maps", and "Enable normal maps".
**Select "Gameplay" as the list type.
**Tick "Use models for ship selection" and "Use models for weapon selection".
*Finally, save the changes by clicking "Apply" at the bottom of the Launcher.

It is easiest to always use the Launcher to start FSO, so you may want to create a shortcut of it to your desktop.

==Related links==
Here are a few useful FreeSpace-related links.

*[http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/freespace_2 FreeSpace 2 at Good Old Games] - The best place to buy FreeSpace 2 from.
*[http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,56279.0.html The FreeSpace Troubleshooting FAQ] - A FAQ that includes solutions to all the most common problems with FreeSpace, FreeSpace 2 and FreeSpace Open. If you have any problems with the games, start here.
*[http://www.freespacemods.net/ FreeSpaceMods.net] - A site that hosts a ton of FreeSpace-related things, including campaigns, mods and total conversions.
*[http://www.hard-light.net/ Hard-Light Productions.net] - The largest FreeSpace community on the web, where most modders and coders are available to provide help.

[[Category:Main]]
[[Category:The games|*]]

FreeSpace Open Installer

2009-07-25T18:58:12Z

Fisk: Turey's Installer is dangerous at the moment. Added a note about that.

Turey's FreeSpace Open Installer is outdated and downloads broken components. All users are instructed to avoid the Installer. Up-to-date installation methods can be found [http://www.hard-light.net/wiki/index.php/Getting_started#Installing_FreeSpace_Open here].

The programs web page is [http://www.fsoinstaller.com/ here]

== Features ==
The most recent Installer includes:

* FreeSpace Open 3.6.9 Final (regular and debug)
* FRED2 Open 3.6.9 Final (regular and debug)
* Launcher 5.5a
* launcher6.ini
* Linux 32-bit and 64-bit Executables
* Mac Executables
* Soulstorm's OSX Launcher
* fs2open_pxo.cfg
* The OpenAL Installer (optional)
* 3.6.8 Zeta MediaVPs (optional, includes the 710 patches)
* 3.6.8 Zeta adveffects (only for those with high-power systems, requires regular MediaVPs, includes 710 patch)
* .OGG Cutscenes
* Derelict SCP Version (With optional voice)
* Just Another Day 1 & 2 (separate options for each)
* FreeSpace Port
* Awakenings
* Homesick
* Transcend
* Sync

Source:
[http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,42854.0.html Original thread by Turey]

== Walkthrough installing ==

* ''Based off the walkthrough available [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,47045.0.html here]''

This Installer is known to work on Windows, Linux (tested on OpenSuse, Gentoo and Fedora, should work on others), and Mac (OSX Panther, with a hacked install of Java 1.5)

First step is getting Retail FS2. You can buy it from either [http://www.gog.com Good Old Games] or off of eBay or something. Install it and the related patch, then get the FreeSpace Open Installer.

=== Requirements and Notes ===
You can update your installation by simply running the Installer again. It will download files that are out of date.

The Installer requires an internet connection to install. This is because:
* It checks to see if it is out of date by pulling the number of the most recent version off of the web.
* It automatically takes you to the download page of the most recent version if your version is out of date.
* It checks that all the files are up-to-date.
* This Install process downloads about 3.5 GB of data, if you download everything. Just so you can prepare; for example, you could set it to download overnight.

=== Download Links ===
* [http://www.fsoinstaller.com/files/installer/FreeSpaceOpenInstaller.zip Windows Installer (Zipped .exe, 19 MB)] (Doesn't need Java, get this one if you are unsure and are using Windows)]: Works with Windows without having to use Java. 20 MB in size. Download it, open it, then skip to the "Using the Installer" section.
--this one is "easy" for Windows users. Not that the .JAR version is hard... but if you've never used the Control Panel before, and don't intend to, then use this option.
* [http://www.fsoinstaller.com/files/installer/java/FreeSpaceOpenInstaller.jar Win/Linux/Mac Installer (.jar, 26 KB)] (Requires Java 1.5): Works with Windows, Linux, and Mac. 20 KB in size. Requires Java version 1.5 or higher. See "For Java" section, below.
--this one is cross-platform. It's also exactly the same as the .EXE version, except that it requires JAVA, and possibly using the Command Prompt. Don't worry; I have instructions...
* You can also get the Installer [http://www.fsoinstaller.com/files/installer/java/ source code here.]

=== Install procedure ===
# Install FreeSpace 2 from your disks, if you haven't already. Install it to C:\Games\FreeSpace2. Then install [http://www.pxo.net/files/fs21x-12.exe the 1.2 patch].
# Now, put disk 2 of FreeSpace 2 back into your CD drive.
# Copy all the files with the extension of ".MVE" from the disk root directory ( \ ) to the folder C:\Games\FreeSpace2\data\movies\ (create this folder if it doesn't exist)
# Do the same thing for disk 3.
# If you ONLY have the FS2 disks, then put [http://www.fsoinstaller.com/files/installer/installedversions.txt this file] (right-click Save Target/Link As) in C:\Games\FreeSpace2\Installer\ (create this folder if it doesn't exist) If you have BOTH the FS1 and FS2 disks, skip to the next step.
# If you don't have the Descent: FreeSpace a.k.a. Conflict: FreeSpace (aka FS1) Disks, then skip to step 10. If you do, insert disk 1 in your CD drive. Copy all of the files with the extension of ".MVE" from the disk directory \Data\movies\ to the folder C:\Games\FreeSpace2\fsport\data\movies\ (create this folder if it doesn't exist)
# Do the same thing for disk 2.
# If you ONLY have the Conflict: FreeSpace a.k.a. Descent: FreeSpace (aka FS1) disks (and not the FS2 disks), put [http://www.geocities.com/joshuap_richards/Installer_FS1/installedversions.txt this file] (right-click, Save Target/Link As) in C:\Games\FreeSpace2\Installer (create this folder if it doesn't exist) If you have BOTH the FS1 and FS2 disks, then skip to the next step.
# If you have BOTH the FS1 and the FS2 disks, then put [http://www.geocities.com/joshuap_richards/Installer_both/installedversions.txt this file] (right-click, Save Target/Link As) in C:\Games\FreeSpace2\Installer (create this folder if it doesn't exist)
# Run the Installer, under the "Installing the FreeSpace Open Installer" section, above.

==== Using the Installer ====

# First window, click next.
# Press "Next" again, or click the big button to change the location for the FreeSpace 2 install. (Don't, unless you have a reason to, eg, you really want another location or you've already installed Retail FS2 to a different directory than C:\Games\FreeSpace2 .)
# Make sure "Update Installed Sections Only" and "Say Yes to All" are not checked. Then hit "Next".
# If you are a Windows user, select everything, except for "Macintosh (Universal Binary) Executables", "Launcher for OS X", and the two "Linux Executables" sections. If you are a Mac user, select everything, except for "Windows Executables" and the two "Linux Executables" sections.
# Wait for the Installer to finish (this may take a long time!). You will know it is done when the "Next" button becomes black, instead of gray.
When it becomes black, click it. This means the installation is finshed.
# READ the NOTES!!! They might contain important information. After you do, hit "Exit" (The notes are saved in the \FreeSpace2\Installer directory for later viewing.)
# Hit the Close button on the Command Prompt Window.

OpenAL notes:
#  If you don't have it, get OpenAL: (all users, Windows / Mac / Linux) Go to www.openal.org, and click on the "Downloads" link on the left.
# Get the correct version for your OS:
Windows users get "1.1 Installer for Windows" -
Note: If you're using Windows, and you have nvopenal.dll or ctoal.dll in your Windows\System32 directory, then delete them and then install the newest version of OpenAL. These files are older versions, and will cause problems with the new install.
Mac users get Installer for OS X.
Linux users get the Binary RPM, or compile from the source code.

If you have any issues with the installation post [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,47045.0.html here].



[[Category:Source Code Project]]

Getting started

2009-07-25T18:48:29Z

Fisk: Removed the installation instructions related to Turey's Installer, since at the moment it isn't doing its job right. Also added a note about getting 3.6.10 Final when using ShivanSPS's Pack.

'''Getting Started: FreeSpace in a Nutshell'''

Hello and welcome! You've arrived at "FreeSpace in a Nutshell", an article for people new to FreeSpace. This article will provide information about the FreeSpace game series, FreeSpace Open and Hard Light Productions. There are also instructions for getting the games and installing FreeSpace Open.

==What is FreeSpace?==
FreeSpace is a series of space combat simulation games developed by Volition, Inc. and published by Interplay Entertainment. The games take place in the 24th century. Mankind, referred to as Terrans, has developed means for space traveling, further fueled by the discovery of subspace which makes interstellar travel not only possible but also fast and easy. As a result the Terrans have expanded their territory, eventually encountering another bipedal, sentient species; the Vasudans. However, due to cultural differences and difficulties in communicating with each other, the Galactic Terran Alliance (GTA) and the Parliamentary Vasudan Empire (PVE) end up fighting a war that lasts for 14 years.

===FreeSpace 1===
Descent: FreeSpace — The Great War (also known as Conflict: FreeSpace — The Great War) is the first part of the series, released in 1998. The player is a pilot for the Galactic Terran Alliance. The GTA and the PVN have waged a war for 14 years and there doesn't seem to be an end in sight. However, suddenly a third race appears. These aliens, designated Shivans, are technologically superior, do not respond to diplomacy and stage attacks against both the Terrans and the Vasudans. As a result the GTA and PVN forge a truce and join forces in order to stop these alien invaders.

FreeSpace 1 was well received in its time by critics and players. Though it didn't offer much innovations in terms of gameplay and story, all aspects of the game worked well. The controls, though at first confusing with their complexity, were easy to assume and the plot offered more than enough motivation for the player, as well as leaving a few questions in the air. Also crucial to the success of FS1 was the excellent mod support. Mod tools were released for the use of players and the game itself shipped with FreeSpace Editor (FRED) that allowed every player to design and create their own missions.

It is good to note that although in certain regions the full title of the game is ''Descent: FreeSpace – The Great War'', FS1 has very little to do with the Descent game series. The prefixes "Descent" and "Conflict" were used, because there was already an archive tool called FreeSpace in the market.

===Silent Threat===
''Silent Threat'' is an expansion for ''FreeSpace 1'', also released in 1998. It offered a few new ships and weapons and a campaign regarding a rogue faction within the intelligence branch of the GTA. ''Silent Threat'' was considered as a decent expansion pack. The main campaign suffered from bugs, weird plot development and generic mission designs, but was compensated by the selected user-made mission that were also included.

===FreeSpace 2===
''FreeSpace 2'' was released in 1999 and continued the story 32 years after the events of FS1. The Terrans and Vasudans have increased their cooperation that started during the events of FS1, eventually culminating in the formation of the Galactic Terran-Vasudan Alliance (GTVA). However, not everyone appreciates the situation. A rebel group known as the Neo-Terran Front wages a war against the GTVA, because they do not see a future for the Terran race with the Vasudans.

In terms of gameplay and contents, FreeSpace 2 unsurprisingly improved upon what FreeSpace 1 had offered. The gameplay as such remained the same, but new features were added. Among these were beam weapons for capital ships and missions taking place in nebula environments. Storywise FreeSpace 2 was somewhat different from FS1. Sometimes compared to '' The Empire Strikes Back'', it didn't have a clear and happy ending, but instead left a number of questions floating in the air, puzzling and frustrating the fans.

Though critically appraised, ''FreeSpace 2'' was not a commercial success, largely because of the poor advertisement. Many fans of ''FreeSpace 1'' were actually surprised to hear that ''FreeSpace 2'' had been published because the only real source for this information was through game reviews.

===FreeSpace 3?===
There is no ''FreeSpace 3''. Volition was bought by THQ in 2000, with the licenses remaining with Interplay. Volition couldn't create a new game in the series and Interplay was not interested in publishing space simulation games because the genre was deemed dead. More information about FreeSpace 3 and related things can be read from [http://homepage.ntlworld.com/karajorma/FAQ/general.html#WhenFS3 Karajorma's FreeSpace FAQ].

===Where to get the games?===
Though the FreeSpace games are old, they are far from lost. [http://www.gog.com/ Good Old Games] (GOG) sells numerous old classic games, including ''FreeSpace'', ''Silent Threat'', and ''FreeSpace 2''. People who do not yet own these games are recommended to buy them from Good Old Games, because GOG's games are cheap ($5.99 or $9.99), DRM-free and completely legal.

==The FreeSpace Source Code Project==
After Volition was bought by THQ, they no longer had any use for the game engine, since they couldn't develop new FreeSpace games. Volition released the source code of the FS2 game engine in 2002 so that FreeSpace fans could do what they wanted with it. A group of coders joined forces and formed the FreeSpace 2 Source Code Project (SCP) that began to, and still continues to, improve the game engine. The new open source game engine, known as FreeSpace Open (FSO), has several distingushing features that include:
*Linux and Mac OS X support
*OpenGL support
*OpenAL positional audio support
*Easy mod installation
*OGG support
*Hardware transform, clipping, and lighting

===The FreeSpace Upgrade Project===
While the SCP improve the code of the game engine to enable new and exciting features, the FreeSpace Upgrade Project (FSU) creates material that takes advantage of the improved game engine. The FSU improves the ships, effects and background elements of FreeSpace 2 continuously. Every now and then these improvements are released as a pack. Known as MediaVPs, these assorted improvements enhance the graphics of the game drastically. Though [http://scp.indiegames.us/screenshots.php?gallery=MediaVP screenshots] give some idea of what the MediaVPs can do, the best way is to experience them in-game.

===Games based on the FSO engine===
In addition to improving the original FS2, the FSO engine has also made it possible for people to create new space sim games. for a list of FSO-based games, see [[Total conversions]]. Note that all of these games are standalone, which means that they do not require the original FS2.

==Hard Light Productions==
Hard Light Productions (HLP) is the most active online FreeSpace community. HLP consists of hundreds of dedicated FreeSpace fans, with everyone contributing to the community in one ore more ways. Members of HLP are
*Coders, who continuously improve the FSO game engine to include new and exciting features, as well as fix bugs in the game engine
*Modellers, who create new ship models and improve old ones
*Texture artists, who make textures for new and old ships
*Effect artists, who create effects such as weapons fire and afterburner trails
*FREDders, who use the FreeSpace Editor to create new missions and campaigns for people to play
*Support people, who help players with any problems regarding FreeSpace
*Players, who keep FreeSpace alive by playing the game year after year.

HLP has forums for the SCP, where new versions of the FSO game engine are released. People can also request new features, as well as post their contributions in the FSO code. HLP also has a board for the FSU project. This board has release threads for the latest MediaVPs, as well as other graphical updates.

In addition to these two important sections, HLP has boards for the following aspects:
*FreeSpace & FreeSpace Open Support - for any technical problems and questions related to FreeSpace
*FREDding - discussion about the FreeSpace Editor
*Modding - discussion about creating various modifications
*Multiplayer - discussion about FS2 multiplayer, accompanied by schedules
*Several mods and total conversions.

Registering to HLP is free and highly recommended. Though viewing the forums is possible as a guest, registered members can post in the forums and ask any questions they might have. And HLP is notorious for responding to questions quickly, sometimes within minutes.

==Installing FreeSpace Open==
Installing FreeSpace Open is no rocket science, but there are some things that must be kept in mind.

First, install FreeSpace 2. If you do not own FreeSpace 2 yet, buy it from [http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/freespace_2 Good Old Games]. Installing FreeSpace 2 first is important, because FreeSpace Open is not a full game; it is merely an upgraded version of the FS2 game engine.
Linux users may want to install FS2 with WINE. Mac users can use Bootcamp or WINE. It is also possible to first install FS2 onto a Windows machine and then copy the entire \freespace2\ folder to the Linux/Mac computer.

Next, install [http://connect.creativelabs.com/openal/Downloads/Forms/AllItems.aspx OpenAL]. OpenAL is a 3D audio API and is required by FSO. After these two steps, there are two methods for installing FSO (Turey's Installer is no longer concidered to be a valid method).

===Manual installation===
If you want to do things yourself and possibly learn some things about the game in the process, you can install FSO manually. There are instructions on manual installation for [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,47640.0.html Windows] as well as [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,60842.0.html Mac OS X and Linux]. The Windows instructions in particular contain links to the most reliable and up-to-date components, accompanied by short explanations on what does what. And don't think about manual installation as a 1337 h4x0r thing. There's more work involved, but it is all easy in the end, and you'll most likely gain more from manual installation than you would from a no-thinking-use-one-click-installer method.

===ShivanSPS's SCP Update Pack===
[http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,60099.0.html ShivanSPS's SCP Update Pack] is another simple tool for installing FSO. Instead of downloading various materials, the pack contains all the data, so once you've downloaded it, you can run it without an Internet connection. Point the update pack at your \freespace2\ folder and run it. Since the Pack can be downloaded in several smaller pieces, it suits the users who can use their Internet connection only at specific times.

'''NOTES: At the moment, ShivanSPS's Update Pack has a minor flaw: it places an old version of OpenAL32.dll to the \freespace2\ folder. After installation, either install the patch at the end of the first post or remove OpenAL32.dll from your \freespace2\ folder manually. Also, since the Pack was put together before FSO 3.6.10 Final was released, FSO 3.6.10 Final is not included in the pack. See step #4 of the manual installation instructions for information on how to install 3.6.10 Final.'''

===Post-installation instructions===
After you've installed FSO, there are some things you need to do in order to enjoy FSO to its fullest (these steps are also mentioned in the manual installation instructions mentioned earlier):

*Open the Launcher and click the "Browse" button at the top.
*Select fs2_open_3_6_10.exe and click OK.
*Open the Audio/Joystick tab and make sure that Generic Software is selected.
*Open the Video tab and make sure that OpenGL and 32-bit colors are selected.
*If you've installed the MediaVPs (the graphical updates):
**Open the Features tab of the Launcher.
**Select "Graphics" as the list type.
**Tick at least "Enable specular", "Enable glowmaps", "Enable environment maps", and "Enable normal maps".
**Select "Gameplay" as the list type.
**Tick "Use models for ship selection" and "Use models for weapon selection".
*Finally, save the changes by clicking "Apply" at the bottom of the Launcher.

It is easiest to always use the Launcher to start FSO, so you may want to create a shortcut of it to your desktop.

==Related links==
Here are a few useful FreeSpace-related links.

*[http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/freespace_2 FreeSpace 2 at Good Old Games] - The best place to buy FreeSpace 2 from.
*[http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,47640.0.html Manual Installation Instructions (Windows)] - Always up-to-date instructions on how to install FSO on a Windows machine.
*[http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,60842.0.html Manual Installation Instructions (Linux/Mac)] - Always up-to-date instructions on how to install FSO on a Linux/Mac machine.
*[http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,56279.0.html The FreeSpace Troubleshooting FAQ] - A FAQ that includes solutions to all the most common problems with FreeSpace, FreeSpace 2 and FreeSpace Open. If you have any problems with the games, start here.
*[http://www.freespacemods.net/ FreeSpaceMods.net] - A site that hosts a ton of FreeSpace-related things, including campaigns, mods and total conversions.
*[http://www.hard-light.net/ Hard-Light Productions.net] - The largest FreeSpace community on the web, where most modders and coders are available to provide help.

[[Category:Main]]
[[Category:The games|*]]

Getting started

2009-06-16T12:37:33Z

Fisk: Rant about the Installer and a mention of ShivanSPS's Pack's patch.

'''Getting Started: FreeSpace in a Nutshell'''

Hello and welcome! You've arrived at "FreeSpace in a Nutshell", an article for people new to FreeSpace. This article will provide information about the FreeSpace game series, FreeSpace Open and Hard Light Productions. There are also instructions for getting the games and installing FreeSpace Open.

==What is FreeSpace?==
FreeSpace is a series of space combat simulation games developed by Volition, Inc. and published by Interplay Entertainment. The games take place in the 24th century. Mankind, referred to as Terrans, has developed means for space traveling, further fueled by the discovery of subspace which makes interstellar travel not only possible but also fast and easy. As a result the Terrans have expanded their territory, eventually encountering another bipedal, sentient species; the Vasudans. However, due to cultural differences and difficulties in communicating with each other, the Galactic Terran Alliance (GTA) and the Parliamentary Vasudan Empire (PVE) end up fighting a war that lasts for 14 years.

===FreeSpace 1===
Descent: FreeSpace — The Great War (also known as Conflict: FreeSpace — The Great War) is the first part of the series, released in 1998. The player is a pilot for the Galactic Terran Alliance. The GTA and the PVN have waged a war for 14 years and there doesn't seem to be an end in sight. However, suddenly a third race appears. These aliens, designated Shivans, are technologically superior, do not respond to diplomacy and stage attacks against both the Terrans and the Vasudans. As a result the GTA and PVN forge a truce and join forces in order to stop these alien invaders.

FreeSpace 1 was well received in its time by critics and players. Though it didn't offer much innovations in terms of gameplay and story, all aspects of the game worked well. The controls, though at first confusing with their complexity, were easy to assume and the plot offered more than enough motivation for the player, as well as leaving a few questions in the air. Also crucial to the success of FS1 was the excellent mod support. Mod tools were released for the use of players and the game itself shipped with FreeSpace Editor (FRED) that allowed every player to design and create their own missions.

It is good to note that although in certain regions the full title of the game is ''Descent: FreeSpace – The Great War'', FS1 has very little to do with the Descent game series. The prefixes "Descent" and "Conflict" were used, because there was already an archive tool called FreeSpace in the market.

===Silent Threat===
''Silent Threat'' is an expansion for ''FreeSpace 1'', also released in 1998. It offered a few new ships and weapons and a campaign regarding a rogue faction within the intelligence branch of the GTA. ''Silent Threat'' was considered as a decent expansion pack. The main campaign suffered from bugs, weird plot development and generic mission designs, but was compensated by the selected user-made mission that were also included.

===FreeSpace 2===
''FreeSpace 2'' was released in 1999 and continued the story 32 years after the events of FS1. The Terrans and Vasudans have increased their cooperation that started during the events of FS1, eventually culminating in the formation of the Galactic Terran-Vasudan Alliance (GTVA). However, not everyone appreciates the situation. A rebel group known as the Neo-Terran Front wages a war against the GTVA, because they do not see a future for the Terran race with the Vasudans.

In terms of gameplay and contents, FreeSpace 2 unsurprisingly improved upon what FreeSpace 1 had offered. The gameplay as such remained the same, but new features were added. Among these were beam weapons for capital ships and missions taking place in nebula environments. Storywise FreeSpace 2 was somewhat different from FS1. Sometimes compared to '' The Empire Strikes Back'', it didn't have a clear and happy ending, but instead left a number of questions floating in the air, puzzling and frustrating the fans.

Though critically appraised, ''FreeSpace 2'' was not a commercial success, largely because of the poor advertisement. Many fans of ''FreeSpace 1'' were actually surprised to hear that ''FreeSpace 2'' had been published because the only real source for this information was through game reviews.

===FreeSpace 3?===
There is no ''FreeSpace 3''. Volition was bought by THQ in 2000, with the licenses remaining with Interplay. Volition couldn't create a new game in the series and Interplay was not interested in publishing space simulation games because the genre was deemed dead. More information about FreeSpace 3 and related things can be read from [http://homepage.ntlworld.com/karajorma/FAQ/general.html#WhenFS3 Karajorma's FreeSpace FAQ].

===Where to get the games?===
Though the FreeSpace games are old, they are far from lost. [http://www.gog.com/ Good Old Games] (GOG) sells numerous old classic games, including ''FreeSpace'', ''Silent Threat'', and ''FreeSpace 2''. People who do not yet own these games are recommended to buy them from Good Old Games, because GOG's games are cheap ($5.99 or $9.99), DRM-free and completely legal.

==The FreeSpace Source Code Project==
After Volition was bought by THQ, they no longer had any use for the game engine, since they couldn't develop new FreeSpace games. Volition released the source code of the FS2 game engine in 2002 so that FreeSpace fans could do what they wanted with it. A group of coders joined forces and formed the FreeSpace 2 Source Code Project (SCP) that began to, and still continues to, improve the game engine. The new open source game engine, known as FreeSpace Open (FSO), has several distingushing features that include:
*Linux and Mac OS X support
*OpenGL support
*OpenAL positional audio support
*Easy mod installation
*OGG support
*Hardware transform, clipping, and lighting

===The FreeSpace Upgrade Project===
While the SCP improve the code of the game engine to enable new and exciting features, the FreeSpace Upgrade Project (FSU) creates material that takes advantage of the improved game engine. The FSU improves the ships, effects and background elements of FreeSpace 2 continuously. Every now and then these improvements are released as a pack. Known as MediaVPs, these assorted improvements enhance the graphics of the game drastically. Though [http://scp.indiegames.us/screenshots.php?gallery=MediaVP screenshots] give some idea of what the MediaVPs can do, the best way is to experience them in-game.

===Games based on the FSO engine===
In addition to improving the original FS2, the FSO engine has also made it possible for people to create new space sim games. for a list of FSO-based games, see [[Total conversions]]. Note that all of these games are standalone, which means that they do not require the original FS2.

==Hard Light Productions==
Hard Light Productions (HLP) is the most active online FreeSpace community. HLP consists of hundreds of dedicated FreeSpace fans, with everyone contributing to the community in one ore more ways. Members of HLP are
*Coders, who continuously improve the FSO game engine to include new and exciting features, as well as fix bugs in the game engine
*Modellers, who create new ship models and improve old ones
*Texture artists, who make textures for new and old ships
*Effect artists, who create effects such as weapons fire and afterburner trails
*FREDders, who use the FreeSpace Editor to create new missions and campaigns for people to play
*Support people, who help players with any problems regarding FreeSpace
*Players, who keep FreeSpace alive by playing the game year after year.

HLP has forums for the SCP, where new versions of the FSO game engine are released. People can also request new features, as well as post their contributions in the FSO code. HLP also has a board for the FSU project. This board has release threads for the latest MediaVPs, as well as other graphical updates.

In addition to these two important sections, HLP has boards for the following aspects:
*FreeSpace & FreeSpace Open Support - for any technical problems and questions related to FreeSpace
*FREDding - discussion about the FreeSpace Editor
*Modding - discussion about creating various modifications
*Multiplayer - discussion about FS2 multiplayer, accompanied by schedules
*Several mods and total conversions.

Registering to HLP is free and highly recommended. Though viewing the forums is possible as a guest, registered members can post in the forums and ask any questions they might have. And HLP is notorious for responding to questions quickly, sometimes within minutes.

==Installing FreeSpace Open==
Installing FreeSpace Open is no rocket science, but there are some things that must be kept in mind.

First, install FreeSpace 2. If you do not own FreeSpace 2 yet, buy it from [http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/freespace_2 Good Old Games]. Installing FreeSpace 2 first is important, because FreeSpace Open is not a full game; it is merely an upgraded version of the FS2 game engine.
Linux users may want to install FS2 with WINE. Mac users can use Bootcamp or WINE. It is also possible to first install FS2 onto a Windows machine and then copy the entire \freespace2\ folder to the Linux/Mac computer.

Next, install [http://connect.creativelabs.com/openal/Downloads/Forms/AllItems.aspx OpenAL]. OpenAL is a 3D audio API and is required by FSO. After these two steps, there are three methods for installing FSO.

===Turey's FSO Installer===
[http://www.fsoinstaller.com/ Turey's FSO Installer] is an easy-to-use, though a bit outdated tool for installing FSO. Download it, point it at your \freespace2\ folder, select the components you want and start it. Despite its name, Turey's Installer is not actually a full installer. It is a rather small program that downloads all the FSO data from the Internet. It is a good option for those who have a decent Internet connection and who can afford to leave the Installer running for some time.
There are a few aspects in which the Installer currently fails. First, the builds (fs2_open_3_6_9.exe and so on) downloaded by the Installer are heavily outdated, so you'll still need to download the latest build manually (for more information, see the Manual Installation part). Also, the MediaVPs downloaded by the Installer are corrupt and will most likely cause problems, so you'll need to download those manually too (again, see Manual Installation).

===ShivanSPS's SCP Update Pack===
[http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,60099.0.html ShivanSPS's SCP Update Pack] is another simple tool for installing FSO. Instead of downloading various materials, the pack contains all the data, so once you've downloaded it, you can run it without an Internet connection. Point the update pack at your \freespace2\ folder and run it. Since the Pack can be downloaded in several smaller pieces, it suits the users who can use their Internet connection only at specific times.

'''NOTE: At the moment, ShivanSPS's Update Pack has a minor flaw: it places an old version of OpenAL32.dll to the \freespace2\ folder. After installation, either install the patch at the end of the first post or remove OpenAL32.dll from your \freespace2\ folder manually.'''

===Manual installation===
If you want to do things yourself and possibly learn some things about the game in the process, you can install FSO manually. There are instructions on manual installation for [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,47640.0.html Windows] as well as [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,60842.0.html Mac OS X and Linux]. The Windows instructions in particular contain links to the most up-to-date components, accompanied by short explanations on what does what. And don't think about manual installation as a 1337 h4x0r thing. There's more work involved, but it is all easy in the end, and you'll most likely gain more from manual installation than you would from a no-thinking-use-one-click-installer method.

===Post-installation instructions===
After you've installed FSO, there are some things you need to do in order to enjoy FSO to its fullest.

*Open the Launcher and click the "Browse" button at the top.
*Select an .exe file that starts with "fs2_open_3_6_10r" and click OK.
*Open the Audio/Joystick tab and make sure that Generic Software is selected.
*Open the Video tab and make sure that OpenGL and 32-bit colors are selected.
*If you've installed the MediaVPs (the graphical updates):
**Open the Features tab of the Launcher.
**Select "Graphics" as the list type.
**Tick at least "Enable specular", "Enable glowmaps", "Enable environment maps", and "Enable normal maps".
**Select "Gameplay" as the list type.
**Tick "Use models for ship selection" and "Use models for weapon selection".
*Finally, save the changes by clicking "Apply" at the bottom of the Launcher.

It is easiest to always use the Launcher to start FSO, so you may want to create a shortcut of it to your desktop.

==External links==
Here are a few useful FreeSpace-related links.

*[http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/freespace_2 FreeSpace 2 at Good Old Games] - The best place to buy FreeSpace 2 from.
*[http://www.fsoinstaller.com/ Turey's FSO Installer] - Turey's FSO Installer, the simplest method for installing FSO.
*[http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,56279.0.html The FreeSpace Troubleshooting FAQ] - A FAQ that includes solutions to all the most common problems with FreeSpace, FreeSpace 2 and FreeSpace Open. If you have any problems with the games, start here.
*[http://www.freespacemods.net/ FreeSpaceMods.net] - A site that hosts a ton of FreeSpace-related things, including campaigns, mods and total conversions.
*[http://www.hard-light.net/ Hard-Light Productions.net] - The largest FreeSpace community on the web, where most modders and coders are available to provide help.

[[Category:Main]]
[[Category:The games|*]]

Getting started

2009-03-05T19:52:00Z

Fisk:

'''Getting Started: FreeSpace in a Nutshell'''

Hello and welcome! You've arrived at "FreeSpace in a Nutshell", an article for people new to FreeSpace. This article will provide information about the FreeSpace game series, FreeSpace Open and Hard Light Productions. There are also instructions for getting the games and installing FreeSpace Open.

==What is FreeSpace?==
FreeSpace is a series of space combat simulation games developed by Volition, Inc. and published by Interplay Entertainment. The games take place in the 24th century. Mankind, referred to as Terrans, has developed means for space traveling, further fueled by the discovery of subspace which makes interstellar travel not only possible but also fast and easy. As a result the Terrans have expanded their territory, eventually encountering another bipedal, sentient species; the Vasudans. However, due to cultural differences and difficulties in communicating with each other, the Galactic Terran Alliance (GTA) and the Parliamentary Vasudan Empire (PVE) end up fighting a war that lasts for 14 years.

===FreeSpace 1===
Descent: FreeSpace — The Great War (also known as Conflict: FreeSpace — The Great War) is the first part of the series, released in 1998. The player is a pilot for the Galactic Terran Alliance. The GTA and the PVN have waged a war for 14 years and there doesn't seem to be an end in sight. However, suddenly a third race appears. These aliens, designated Shivans, are technologically superior, do not respond to diplomacy and stage attacks against both the Terrans and the Vasudans. As a result the GTA and PVN forge a truce and join forces in order to stop these alien invaders.

FreeSpace 1 was well received in its time by critics and players. Though it didn't offer much innovations in terms of gameplay and story, all aspects of the game worked well. The controls, though at first confusing with their complexity, were easy to assume and the plot offered more than enough motivation for the player, as well as leaving a few questions in the air. Also crucial to the success of FS1 was the excellent mod support. Mod tools were released for the use of players and the game itself shipped with FreeSpace Editor (FRED) that allowed every player to design and create their own missions.

It is good to note that although in certain regions the full title of the game is Descent: FreeSpace - The Great War, FS1 has very little to do with the Descent game series. The prefixes "Descent" and "Conflict" were used, because there was already an archive tool called FreeSpace in the market.

===Silent Threat===
Silent Threat is an expansion for FreeSpace 1, also released in 1998. It offered a few new ships and weapons and a campaign regarding a rogue faction within the intelligence branch of the GTA. Silent Threat was considered as a decent expansion pack. The main campaign suffered from bugs, weird plot development and generic mission designs, but was compensated by the selected user-made mission that were also included.

===FreeSpace 2===
FreeSpace 2 was released in 1999 and continued the story 32 years after the events of FS1. The Terrans and Vasudans have increased their cooperation that started during the events of FS1, eventually culminating in the formation of the Galactic Terran-Vasudan Alliance (GTVA). However, not everyone appreciates the situation. A rebel group known as the Neo-Terran Front wages a war against the GTVA because they do not see a future for the Terran race with the Vasudans.

In terms of gameplay and contents, FreeSpace 2 unsurprisingly improved upon what FreeSpace 1 had offered. The gameplay as such remained the same, but new features were added. Among these were beam weapons for capital ships and missions taking place in nebula environments. Storywise FreeSpace 2 was somewhat different from FS1. Sometimes compared to The Empire Strikes Back, it didn't have a clear and happy ending, but instead left a number of questions floating in the air, puzzling and frustrating the fans.

Though critically appraised, FreeSpace 2 was not a commercial success, largely because of the poor advertisement. Many fans of FreeSpace 1 were actually surprised to hear that FreeSpace 2 had been published because the only real source for this information was through game reviews.

===FreeSpace 3?===
There is no FreeSpace 3. Volition was bought by THQ in 2000, with the licenses remaining with Interplay. Volition couldn't create a new game in the series and Interplay was not interested in publishing space simulation games because the genre was deemed dead. More information about FreeSpace 3 and related things can be read from [http://homepage.ntlworld.com/karajorma/FAQ/general.html#WhenFS3 Karajorma's FreeSpace FAQ].

===Where to get the games?===
Though the FreeSpace games are old, they are far from lost. [http://www.gog.com/ Good Old Games] (GOG) sells numerous old classic games, including FreeSpace, Silent Threat and FreeSpace 2. People who do not yet own these games are recommended to buy them from Good Old Games, because GOG's games are cheap ($5.99 or $9.99), DRM-free and completely legal.

==The FreeSpace Source Code Project==
After Volition was bought by THQ, they no longer had any use for the game engine, since they couldn't develop new FreeSpace games. Volition released the source code of the FS2 game engine in 2002 so that FreeSpace fans could do what they wanted with it. A group of coders joined forces and formed the FreeSpace 2 Source Code Project (SCP) that began to, and still continues to, improve the game engine. The new open source game engine, known as FreeSpace Open (FSO), has several distingushing features that include:
*Linux and Mac OS X support
*OpenGL support
*OpenAL positional audio support
*Easy mod installation
*OGG support
*Hardware transform, clipping, and lighting

==The FreeSpace Upgrade Project==
While the SCP improve the code of the game engine to enable new and exciting features, the FreeSpace Upgrade Project (FSU) creates material that takes advantage of the improved game engine. The FSU improves the ships, effects and background elements of FreeSpace 2 continuously. Every now and then these improvements are released as a pack. Known as MediaVPs, these assorted improvements enhance the graphics of the game drastically. Though [http://scp.indiegames.us/screenshots.php?gallery=MediaVP screenshots] give some idea of what the MediaVPs can do, the best way is to experience them in-game.

==Games based on the FSO engine==
In addition to improving the original FS2, the FSO engine has also made it possible for people to create new space sim games. for a list of FSO-based games, see [[Total_conversions]]. Note that all of these games are standalone, which means that they do not require the original FS2.

==Hard Light Productions==
Hard Light Productions (HLP) is the most active online FreeSpace community. HLP consists of hundreds of dedicated FreeSpace fans, with everyone contributing to the community in one ore more ways. Members of HLP are
*Coders, who continuously improve the FSO game engine to include new and exciting features, as well as fix bugs in the game engine
*Modellers, who create new ship models and improve old ones
*Texture artists, who make textures for new and old ships
*Effect artists, who create effects such as weapons fire and afterburner trails
*FREDders, who use the FreeSpace Editor to create new missions and campaigns for people to play
*Support people, who help players with any problems regarding FreeSpace
*Players, who keep FreeSpace alive by playing the game year after year.

HLP has forums for the SCP, where new versions of the FSO game engine are released. People can also request new features, as well as post their contributions in the FSO code. HLP also has a board for the FSU project. This board has release threads for the latest MediaVPs, as well as other graphical updates.

In addition to these two important sections, HLP has boards for the following aspects:
*FreeSpace & FreeSpace Open Support - for any technical problems and questions related to FreeSpace
*FREDding - discussion about the FreeSpace Editor
*Modding - discussion about creating various modifications
*Multiplayer - discussion about FS2 multiplayer, accompanied by schedules
*Several mods and total conversions.

Registering to HLP is free and highly recommended. Though viewing the forums is possible as a guest, registered members can post in the forums and ask any questions they might have. And HLP is notorious for responding to questions quickly, sometimes within minutes.

==Installing FreeSpace Open==
Installing FreeSpace Open is no rocket science, but there are some things that must be kept in mind.

First, install FreeSpace 2. If you do not own FreeSpace 2 yet, buy it from [http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/freespace_2 Good Old Games]. Installing FreeSpace 2 first is important, because FreeSpace Open is not a full game; it is merely an upgraded version of the FS2 game engine.
Linux users may want to install FS2 with WINE. Mac users can use Bootcamp or WINE. It is also possible to first install FS2 onto a Windows machine and then copy the entire \freespace2\ folder to the Linux/Mac computer.

Next, install [http://connect.creativelabs.com/openal/Downloads/Forms/AllItems.aspx OpenAL]. OpenAL is a 3D audio API and is required by FSO. After these two steps, there are three methods for installing FSO.

===Turey's FSO Installer===
[http://www.fsoinstaller.com/ Turey's FSO Installer] is an easy-to-use tool for installing FSO. Download it, point it at your \freespace2\ folder, select the components you want and start it. Despite its name, Turey's Installer is not actually a full installer. It is a rather small program that downloads all the FSO data from the Internet. It is a good option for those who have a decent Internet connection and who can afford to leave the Installer running for some time.

===ShivanSPS's SCP Update Pack===
[http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,60099.0.html ShivanSPS's SCP Update Pack] is another simple tool for installing FSO. Instead of downloading various materials, the pack contains all the data, so once you've downloaded it, you can run it without an Internet connection. Point the update pack at your \freespace2\ folder and run it. Since the Pack can be downloaded in several smaller pieces, it suits the users who can use their Internet connection only at specific times.

'''NOTE: At the moment, ShivanSPS's Update Pack has a minor flaw: it places an old version of OpenAL32.dll to the \freespace2\ folder. After installation, remove this file and the game will run properly.'''

===Manual Installation===
If you want to do things yourself and possibly learn some things about the game in the process, you can install FSO manually. There are instructions on manual installation for [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,47640.0.html Windows] as well as [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,60842.0.html Mac OS X and Linux]. The Windows instructions in particular contain links to the most up-to-date components, accompanied by short explanations on what does what.

===Post-installation instructions===
After you've installed FSO, there are some things you need to do in order to enjoy FSO to its fullest.

*Open the Launcher and click the "Browse" button at the top.
*Select an .exe file that starts with "fs2_open_3_6_10r" and click OK.
*Open the Audio/Joystick tab and make sure that Generic Software is selected.
*Open the Video tab and make sure that OpenGL and 32-bit colors are selected.
*If you've installed the MediaVPs (the graphical updates):
*Open the Features tab of the Launcher.
*Select "Graphics" as the list type.
*Tick on at least "Enable specular", "Enable glowmaps", "Enable environment maps", and "Enable normal maps".
*Select "Gameplay" as the list type.
*Tick on "Use models for ship selection" and "Use models for weapon selection".
*Finally, save the changes by clicking "Apply" at the bottom of the Launcher.

It is easiest to always use the Launcher to start FSO, so you may want to create a shortcut of it to your desktop.

==Important links==
Here are a few useful FreeSpace-related links.

*[http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/freespace_2 FreeSpace 2 at Good Old Games] - The best place to buy FreeSpace 2 from.
*[http://www.fsoinstaller.com/ Turey's FSO Installer] - Turey's FSO Installer, the simplest method for installing FSO.
*[http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,56279.0.html The FreeSpace Troubleshooting FAQ] - A FAQ that includes solutions to all the most common problems with FreeSpace, FreeSpace 2 and FreeSpace Open. If you have any problems with the games, start here.
*[http://www.freespacemods.net/ FreeSpaceMods.net] - A site that hosts a ton of FreeSpace-related things, including campaigns, mods and total conversions.

[[Category:Main]]
[[Category:The games|*]]

Getting started

2009-02-12T21:48:36Z

Fisk: General information for new people.

Hello and welcome! You've arrived at "FreeSpace in a nutshell", an article for people new to FreeSpace. This article will provide information about the FreeSpace game series, FreeSpace Open and Hard Light Productions. There are also instructions for getting the games and installing FreeSpace Open.

==What is FreeSpace?==
FreeSpace is a series of space combat simulation games developed by Volition, Inc. and published by Interplay Entertainment. The games take place in the 24th century. Mankind, referred to as Terrans, has developed means for space traveling, further fueled by the discovery of subspace which makes interstellar travel not only possible but also fast and easy. As a result the Terrans have expanded their territory, eventually encountering another bipedal, sentient species; the Vasudans. However, due to cultural differences and difficulties in communicating with each other, the Galactic Terran Alliance (GTA) and the Parliamentary Vasudan Empire (PVE) end up fighting a war that lasts for 14 years.

===FreeSpace 1===
Descent: FreeSpace — The Great War (also known as Conflict: FreeSpace — The Great War) is the first part of the series, released in 1998. The player is a pilot for the Galactic Terran Alliance. The GTA and the PVN have waged a war for 14 years and there doesn't seem to be an end in sight. However, suddenly a third race appears. These aliens, designated Shivans, are technologically superior, do not respond to diplomacy and stage attacks against both the Terrans and the Vasudans. As a result the GTA and PVN forge a truce and join forces in order to stop these alien invaders.

FreeSpace 1 was well received in its time by critics and players. Though it didn't offer much innovations in terms of gameplay and story, all aspects of the game worked well. The contols, though at first confusing with their complexity, were easy to assume and the plot offered more than enough motivation for the player, as well as leaving a few questions in the air. Also crucial to the success of FS1 was the excellent mod support. Mod tools were released for the use of players and the game itself shipped with FreeSpace Editor (FRED) that allowed every player to design and create their own missions.

===Silent Threat===
Silent Threat is an expansion for FreeSpace 1, also released in 1998. It offered a few new ships and weapons and a campaign regarding a rogue faction within the intelligence branch of the GTA. Silent Threat was concidered as a decent expansion pack. The main campaign suffered from bugs, weird plot development and generic mission designs, but was compensated by the selected user-made mission that were also included.

===FreeSpace 2===
FreeSpace 2 was released in 1999 and continued the story 32 years after the events of FS1. The Terrans and Vasudans have increased their cooperation that started during the events of FS1, eventually culminating in the formation of the Galactic Terran-Vasudan Alliance (GTVA). However, not everyone appreciates the situation. A rebel group known as the Neo-Terran Front wages a war against the GTVA because they do not see a future for the Terran race with the Vasudans.

In terms of gameplay and contents, FreeSpace 2 unsurprisingly improved upon what FreeSpace 1 had offered. The gameplay as such remained the same, but new features were added. Among these were beam weapons for capital ships and missions taking place in nebula environments. Storywise FreeSpace 2 was somewhat different from FS1. Sometimes compared to The Empire Strikes Back, it didn't have a clear and happy ending, but instead left a number of questions floating in the air, puzzling and frustrating the fans.

Though critically appraised, FreeSpace 2 was not a commercial success, largely because of the poor advertisement. Many fans of FreeSpace 1 were actually surprised to hear that FreeSpace 2 had been published because the only real source for this information was through game reviews.

===FreeSpace 3?===
There is no FreeSpace 3. Volition was bought by THQ in 2000, with the licenses remaining with Interplay. Volition couldn't create a new game in the series and Interplay was not interested in publishing space simulation games because the genre was deemed dead. More information about FreeSpace 3 and related things can be read from [http://homepage.ntlworld.com/karajorma/FAQ/general.html#WhenFS3 Karajorma's FreeSpace FAQ].

===Where to get the games?===
Though the FreeSpace games are old, they are far from lost. [http://www.gog.com/ Good Old Games] (GOG) sells numerous old classic games, including FreeSpace, Silent Threat and FreeSpace 2. People who do not yet own these games are recommended to buy them from Good Old Games, because GOG's games are cheap ($5.99 or $9.99), DRM-free and completely legal.

==Source Code Project==
After Volition was bought by THQ, they no longer had any use for the game engine, since they couldn't develop new FreeSpace games. Volition released the source code of the FS2 game engine in 2002 so that FreeSpace fans could do what they wanted with it. A group of coders joined forces and formed the FreeSpace 2 Source Code Project (SCP) that began to, and still continues to, improve the game engine. The new open source game engine, known as FreeSpace Open (FSO), has several distingushing features that include:
*Linux and Mac OS X support
*OpenGL support
*OpenAL positional audio support
*Easy mod installation
*OGG support
*Hardware transform, clipping, and lighting

===Games based on the FSO engine===
In addition to improving the original FS2, the FSO engine has also made it possible for people to create new space sim games. for a list of FSO-based games, see [[Total_conversions]]. Note that all of these games are standalone, which means that they do not require the original FS2.

==Hard Light Productions==
Hard Light Productions (HLP) is the most active online FreeSpace community. HLP consists of hundreds of dedicated FreeSpace fans, with everyone contributing to the community in one ore more ways. Members of HLP are
*Coders, who continuously improve the FSO game engine to include new and exciting features, as well as fix bugs in the game engine
*Modellers, who create new ship models and improve old ones
*Texture artists, who make textures for new and old ships
*Effect artists, who create effects such as weapons fire and afterburner trails
*FREDders, who use the FreeSpace Editor to create new missions and campaigns for people to play
*Support people, who help players with any problems regarding FreeSpace
*Players, who keep FreeSpace alive by playing the game year after year.

HLP has forums for the SCP, where new versions of the FSO game engine are released. People can also request new features, as well as post their contributions in the FSO code.

Also an important part of HLP is the FreeSpace Upgrade Project. The FSU improves the ships, effects and background elements of FreeSpace 2 continuously. Every now and then these improvements are released as a pack. Known as MediaVPs, these assorted improvements enhance the graphics of the game drastically. Though [http://scp.indiegames.us/screenshots.php?gallery=MediaVP screenshots] give some idea of what the MediaVPs can do, the best way is to experience them in-game.

In addition to these two important sections, HLP has boards for the following aspects:
*FreeSpace & FreeSpace Open Support - for any technical problems and questions related to FreeSpace
*FREDding - discussion about the FreeSpace Editor
*Modding - discussion about creating various modifications
*Multiplayer - discussion about FS2 multiplayer, accompanied by schedules
*Several mods and total conversions.

Registering to HLP is free and highly recommended. Though viewing the forums is possible as a guest, registered members can post in the forums and ask any questions they might have. And HLP is notorious for responding to questions quickly, sometimes within minutes.

==Installing FreeSpace Open==
Installing FreeSpace Open is no rocket science. The first step is to install FreeSpace 2. If you do not own FreeSpace 2 yet, buy it from [http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/freespace_2 Good Old Games]. After that, install [http://connect.creativelabs.com/openal/Downloads/Forms/AllItems.aspx OpenAL]. OpenAL is a 3D audio API and is required by FSO. After these two steps, there are three methods for installing FSO.

===Turey's FSO Installer===
[http://www.fsoinstaller.com/ Turey's FSO Installer] is an easy-to-use tool for installing FSO. Download it, point it at your \freespace2\ folder, select the components you want and start it. Turey's Installer downloads all the contents using your Internet connection, so aa decent connection is recommended, especially when downloading everything the Installer offers.

===ShivanSPS's SCP Update Pack===
[http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,60099.0.html ShivanSPS's SCP Update Pack] is another simple tool for installing FSO. Instead of downloading various materials, the pack contains all the data, so once you've downloaded it, you can run it without an Internet connection. Point the update pack at your \freespace2\ folder and run it.

'''NOTE: At the moment, ShivanSPS's Update Pack has a minor flaw: it places an old version of OpenAL32.dll to the \freespace2\ folder. After installation, remove this file and the game will run properly.'''

===Manual Installation===
If you want to do things yourself and possibly learn some things about the game in the process, you can install FSO manually. There are instructions on manual installation for [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,47640.0.html Windows] as well as [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,60842.0.html Mac OS X and Linux].

==Important links==
Here are a few useful FreeSpace-related links.

*[http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/freespace_2 FreeSpace 2 at Good Old Games] - The best place to buy FreeSpace 2 from.
*[http://www.fsoinstaller.com/ Turey's FSO Installer] - Turey's FSO Installer, the simplest method for installing FSO.
*[http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,56279.0.html The FreeSpace Troubleshooting FAQ] - A FAQ that includes solutions to all the most common problems with FreeSpace, FreeSpace 2 and FreeSpace Open. If you have any problems with the games, start here.
*[http://www.freespacemods.net/ FreeSpaceMods.net] - A site that hosts a ton of FreeSpace-related things, including campaigns, mods and total conversions.