FreeSpace Open 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.

The programs web page is here

The most recent Installer includes:

• Retail Freespace 2
• 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: Original thread by Turey

Walkthrough installing

Based off the walkthrough available 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 Installing 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 It will download files that are out of date.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• It checks to see if it is out of date by pulling the number of the most recent version off of the web.
• It automatically takes you to the download page of the most recent version if your version is out of date.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 3.3 GB of data, if you download everything. Just so you can prepare; for example, you could set it to download overnight.

Download Links: 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.

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 source code here.

Retail Install:

Note: Use this if you intend to save time by copying essential files from your installation CDs rather then downloading them.

1. Install FreeSpace 2 from your disks, if you haven't already. Install it to C:\Games\FreeSpace2. Then install the 1.2 patch. If you don't have the FS2 Retail Disks, skip down to step 6, below.

2. Now, put disk 2 of FreeSpace 2 back into your CD drive.

3. 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)

4. Do the same thing for disk 3.

5. If you ONLY have the FS2 disks, then put 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.

6. 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)

7. Do the same thing for disk 2.

8. If you ONLY have the Conflict: FreeSpace a.k.a. Descent: FreeSpace (aka FS1) disks (and not the FS2 disks), put 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.

9. If you have BOTH the FS1 and the FS2 disks, then put this file (right-click, Save Target/Link As) in C:\Games\FreeSpace2\Installer (create this folder if it doesn't exist)

10. Run the Installer, under the "Installing the FreeSpace Open Installer" section, above.

Using the Installer:

1.First window, click next.

2. 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 .)

3. Make sure "Update Installed Sections Only" and "Say Yes to All" are not checked. Then hit "Next".

4-6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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.)

9. Hit the Close button on the Command Prompt Window.

OpenAL notes: 10-11. 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.

12. 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 here.