Just bought Freespace 2

[Admiral jimbob]

It's installing just now, and I'm just wondering about play order/mods before I jump in.
Is it worth playing with the Freespace 2 Open project from the start?
What exactly is FS2 Open to the player, other than something you need to play a lot of mods - graphics improvements?
Finally, there seems to be a Freespace 1 remake for FS2 Open, along with a fan remake of a FS1 expansion campaign that bridged the gap between the two - is it worth playing them all in order?

THANKS FOR HELP BROS

 

[TalesfromtheCrypt]

damn, everytime I install freespace 2 I have to get those things straight again, so bare with me if I'm not very precise.

About Freespace 2 open mod. Yes, it allows for easy mod support but I never used that feature. What it basicly does is improving the graphix drasticly (mainly more detailed ship models, higher-res textures with (pseudo)bumb mapping and improved light effects - it really is a hell of an improvement compared to the original graphics) without altering the gameplay in any way, so you can use it right away on your first playtrough. I don't think playing the game using the old graphics makes sense, except if you are in it for the nostalgia factor. I don't know about the Freespace 1 remake, never played it. I don't think you miss out to much playing Freespace 2 before Freespace 1.

You'll get all the info and files you need from here http://www.hard-light.net/ . Just look around the site and the forums, maybe someone else on the codex can give you more precise instructions.

EDIT: What you want for the start is the Free Space Open Installer. It's all explained from there on. As far as I remember Free Space Open is modular, so you decide yourself which graphics improvements you install. However, there's something I'd call a "standart package" of improvements which comes with the installer. I'd just install that standart package and leave it at that, no further mods or anything. The graphics look well enough with it, and as I said, it doesn't alter the gameplay.

 

[commie]

Well if you had played the original game then you should play the original FS2 first as it was originally meant to be. Though if you want better graphics and higher res then by all means go with the FS2 Open mod. That's mostly what FS2 Open is, apart from as you say, being necessary for all the other mods to work.

Though I take it you haven't played the original game or Silent Threat expansion. In that case I'd suggest you DO play them in order, though if you play with the Open project campaign first then you'll face crappier lower res graphics in FS2 unless you run it with FS2 Open as well.

tl;dr

For simplicity's sake as a newbie who wants everything, just play in order:

FS1 for FS2 Open, which includes the original Silent Threat expansion +(optional the Silent Threat remake)
+ FS2 Open.

 

[Nobbynobbs]

Oh, man. Freespace 2.

Yeah, basically just installed hardlight or whatever it's called, the graphics upgrade, and go for it. Freespace 2 is a great game, it's one of those I feel nostalgic for. The music, and the nebula levels which were creepy and kind of scary.

 

[poocolator]

Slugging it out before discovering shields was great fun in Freespace 1.

 

[Nobbynobbs]

Yeah well I played Dwarf Fortress when it didn't even have ASCII graphics

 

[poocolator]

Coolstorybro

 

[Data4]

It's installing just now, and I'm just wondering about play order/mods before I jump in.
Is it worth playing with the Freespace 2 Open project from the start?
What exactly is FS2 Open to the player, other than something you need to play a lot of mods - graphics improvements?
Finally, there seems to be a Freespace 1 remake for FS2 Open, along with a fan remake of a FS1 expansion campaign that bridged the gap between the two - is it worth playing them all in order?

THANKS FOR HELP BROS

FS2 is one of those topics that pop up here from time to time and you're just now getting it? Get Open and just go. Don't get so tied up in figuring out what additional mods to get that the mod hunt becomes the game. Just play it and play it soon. Addons can come later.

BTW, anyone know if anything ever came of the Beyond The Red Line mod? I played the asteroid field level with the Cylon Scar and wanted MOAR.

 

[Freelance Henchman]

best BEAM WEAPONS evar :firinlazor:

Damn, now I want to play it too.

 

[praetor]

from what little i remember, the original Silent Threat expansion was really shit and the goal of the remake was not only to port it but also to improve it and i remember that even the first version succeeded in that (so it's probably even better now. but keep in mind i haven't touched anything FS in a quite a few years so i may be remembering it wrong.. except for the part where the original ST sucks). so yeah, play them in order

 

[Achilles]

Just bought Freespace 2

Massive incline of Admiral Jimbob! Enjoy one of the best games ever made

 

[Quilty]

The mod's great, but I suggest you don't use it on your first playthrough. If you can stand the original graphics (and you should, they're really not that bad, while the mod's graphics seem to me less atmospheric and somehow more...generic in a way) definitely experience it in it's original glory. You won't even notice it by the third mission, except maybe when you ram into another ship and this huuuge hilariously low-rez texture slaps you across the face. But then you're back into action and devil-may-care stunts and you forget all about the poor models

Also, you are not a man if you can't memorize all 500 shortcuts for all the actions and orders you can give out.

 

[Tycn]

Fuck, reinstalling.

 

[Admiral jimbob]

Also, you are not a man if you can't memorize all 500 shortcuts for all the actions and orders you can give out.

http://isometricland.com/keyboard/keyboard.php

By yours truly. Thank me later.

One comes with the ZOG version

Anyway, following the general advice and playing through the full series of semi-official (with Silent Threat Reborn) campaigns with the graphics upgrade. Looking forward to it... as soon as I drag myself away from DKS, anyway.

 

[Severian Silk]

One comes with the ZOG version

?

 

[Admiral jimbob]

There's a full controls reference card with the Good Old Games version.

Anyway, played a couple of missions and decided to hold off until I get a joystick. It's playable without for now, but it seems far more fun with one.

 

[Achilles]

Good call.

 

[Quilty]

Joysticks are for dudes who value their gay hands too much to use the keyboard for everything and then cry themselves to sleep, their hands a mangled ruin of pus and bone shards. A mouse is not allowed. And yes, you have to use the numpad for movement with the axis or whatever reversed so 2 rolls the ship up and 8 makes it go down etc.

 

[Severian Silk]

I was able to beat it with a 16 button gamepad.

Use the triggers for cycling weapons and targets, the d-pad for movement, the right-hand buttons for firing weapons/auto-target/match speed/etc.. Use the keyboard for everything else.

Worked OK, though I would have appreciated a little more fidelity when maneuvering.

I have a joystick too but my desk is just too tall. The top of the joystick just about touches my nose, whereas I can hold the gamepad in my lap.

 

[Data4]

Joysticks are for dudes who value their gay hands too much to use the keyboard for everything and then cry themselves to sleep, their hands a mangled ruin of pus and bone shards. A mouse is not allowed. And yes, you have to use the numpad for movement with the axis or whatever reversed so 2 rolls the ship up and 8 makes it go down etc.

For years I played Flight Simulator with the keyboard. It's doable but I felt like a retarded monkey frantically tapping the numpad just to land a plane. Adding combat flying into the mix is just fucking stupid.

 

[Tycn]

FS2 is actually easier with the mouse, I think. The added precision helps aiming and you only need 2 axes for movement. Still feels better with a joystick though.

Finished FSport and am starting on Silent Threat: Reborn. It is as good as I remembered, but I had forgotten how much I hated those 500m/s 'lasers'.

 

[LusciousPear]

I deeply, deeply miss Space Opera Joystick games.

Anyone play Privateer 2? It has Christopher Walken. Yessss.

 

[Tycn]

I've almost finished Silent Threat: Reborn and I am quite impressed. I haven't played the original but I'm having more fun with this than The Great War. Voice acting is good if idiosyncratic compared to the official, story is excellent and the missions are all flavourful in terms of both gameplay and narrative.

 

[CreamyBlood]

FS2 is actually easier with the mouse, I think. The added precision helps aiming and you only need 2 axes for movement. Still feels better with a joystick though.

You could be right, I think it's the only flight/space sim I've ever played that worked well with a mouse and keyboard. I never did try it with a joystick though. Maybe I'll give it a shot soon, it's one of those games that makes you want to play when you read about it.

 

[ortucis]

I recommend playing without mods (but then again, I usually recommend that with most good games).

Also, things a sci-fi lover should play (in specified order, top to bottom):
- Descent 3
- Freelancer
- Freespace 2
- Darkstar One (mixed Freelancer and Descent 3 but story and voice acting is meh)

- Homeworld 2
- X3 Terran Conflict


All these games work fine on Windows 7 x64 and can be played with mouse & keyboard combo just fine.