Freespace 2

[Alexander the Pretty Good]

NOTE: The link to a download later in the thread was approved by .Org forum staff. I'll discuss it more later, but don't post downloads of full games without a similar approval from the staff.
-----------------------------

I don't know how many of you have heard of this excellent space shooter/sim, but I think you should. It was released in 1999, and had limited commercial success despite it's excellent quality. Since then, the source code has released, and a dedicated communit (http://www.hard-light.net/)y has created open-source enhancements as well as dozens of mods for this already excellent game.

Freespace 2 has incredible gameplay, and can be quite challenging. In between frantic space battles, the game tells a well-developed plot with tons of quality voice-acting, debriefing, and movies. I'd highly recommend the original game.

However, better than the original game is the Freespace 2 Source Code Project (http://scp.indiegames.us/news.php). With tons of graphics and gameplay enhancements, you'd think you were playing a very newly developed game. Well, I think. My lappy can't handle graphics over the "low" setting. :sweatdrop:

You'll need an installation of the original Freespace 2 to use the SCP - and that can be a problem. Copies on eBay are selling very high and eBay is kinda hit-or-miss. Interestingly, the FS2 EULA allowed you to give copies to your friends, as long as you didn't charge for it.

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/karajorma/FAQ/FAQ-Images/Freespacesetup.jpg

The quote from the screenie reads:

You may make copies of the Software for your personal noncommercial use home entertainment use and to give to friends and acquaintences on a no cost noncommercial basis.

As such, I have been granted explicit permission from .Org staff to post a link to a torrent that contains:


-Freespace 2 full install
-Freespace 2 Cutscenes
-SCP 3.6.7, CVS Build 1/25
-3.6.8 Media VPs
-DerelictSCP MOD (which Voices)
-FS_port MOD (which Cutscenes)
-Hi-poly Apollo for FS_port
-Awakenings (which voices) and Destiny of Peace campaigns inside fs_port mod.
-Low-end 3D Shockwaves
-Hi-Poly Ursa
-Hi-poly Hi-res Lucifer

All compresed to 1.76GB .rar file.

The post (from another forum) with the torrent can be found here:
http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=38283.0.html

Info on torrents can be found here (http://www.bittorrent.com/) and here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bittorent).

It's a blast, and I recommend the DL!

[Xiahou]

Looks interesting, but Im a little fuzzy still. Is this open source or something less than open source?

Looks to me like someone just packaged all the various open source peices into one package, right?

[Divine Wind]

This game was incredible. One of the most immersive single player games ive ever played, i highly recommend it! Do you need a joystick to be able to play this still? I lost mine many years ago, and the only reason i havent taken it up again is because im joystickless!

Id love to take up my old Valkyrie fighter again, riding with the Blue Lions while protecting the mighty Colossus. :jumping:

[The_Mark]

Did they already implement Newtonian physics in the project, btw? Or in some other plug-in project?

[Big King Sanctaphrax]

Sounds great Alex. I love space-flight sims of this type, it's a real shame it's a dead seemingly dead genre. I'd give anything for a modern update of TIE Fighter, or such like.

Is this download all we need to play the game, or is there other stuff?

[Crazed Rabbit]

Hmm, the torrent wasn't DLing at all yesterday. Is it working for anyone here?

Crazed Rabbit

[David]

10 kb/s now, only 2 days left :juggle2:

[BelgradeWar]

Played it, still got it on 3 CDs somewhere in the house...it was devastatingly good when it was released...I didn't manage to finish it, got stuck in some low-profile hiding & scouting mission...every reccomendation.

[The_Mark]

I love space-flight sims of this type, it's a real shame it's a dead seemingly dead genre. I'd give anything for a modern update of TIE Fighter, or such like.
Try I've Found Her (http://ifh.firstones.com/). Babylon 5. Free game. With Newtonian physics. A bit short but still good.

[Alexander the Pretty Good]

Looks interesting, but Im a little fuzzy still. Is this open source or something less than open source?

Looks to me like someone just packaged all the various open source peices into one package, right?


Is this download all we need to play the game, or is there other stuff?

Guess I shoulda made that more clear. You need the original install, which the source code project .exe runs off of. The package includes an original install and the source code files, which are enough to run the game. It also includes some mods/user-made campaigns and media .VP files, which are used to upgrade graphics and such.

The_Mark - I am unaware as to the availability of a Newtonian phyics patch or plug-in, and the standard SCP install does not have it.

EDIT: It took me a long time (days?) to DL, probably a total of 20 hrs. I'll try to seed it whenever I can, though.

[Divine Wind]

Alexander, are there any mods which allow the use of just mouse and keyboard as i dont have a joystick.

[Alexander the Pretty Good]

You can play the standard game without a joystick (check the options, or hit F2 at any point). Not advisable, but quite possible. I feel your pain - my stick has a broken rudder control. I have to disable stick-controlled rudders to play any flying game. :embarassed:

[The_Mark]

The_Mark - I am unaware as to the availability of a Newtonian phyics patch or plug-in, and the standard SCP install does not have it.
Gah. Well, one can't have everything.

[TigerVX]

I've played the game beforehand, and I have to say its my first flight sim in any genre and I love it. The story is very good, and with the graphic's upgrades made from the source code, it looks extremely good for its age. I play with the mouse and keyboard (A laptop even!) Its hard, but it's still fun. I'd highly recommend it. Its a shame it didn't sell well, its one of the better games I've played.

Its a shame about the company, I think the game should have done far better. It actually -isn't- abandon ware, but none the less it is posted on many abandon ware sites and the owners don't seem to care. Freespace appears to be a gem wandering through cyberspace now. Its hard to find a hard copy, so downloading is your best bet.

It really makes you feel like you're in a Sci-Fi Militaristic Novel/Film. You're such a small fry, and the large scale battles are just fantastic. The new graphic's mod really makes a world of difference. It's almost like being in an episode of Battlestar Galactica, with flak and tracers filling your screen. I'd highly recommend it. Its a shame it didn't sell well, its one of the better games I've played.

[English assassin]

Whoop, I loved this game when it came out, and I STILL HAVE MY DISKS. Looks like a reinstall is in order. Excellent thread, thanks a lot ATPG

[Alexander the Pretty Good]

It's almost like being in an episode of Battlestar Galactica
I think they have a mod for that, too. ~;) Apparently with some of the best graphics ever, or so I've heard.

[Divine Wind]

Just found my old three Freespace disks in a dusty old box, so im nipping round to my mates house now to borrow a joystick and give this old girl another whirl !

Im so excited :laugh4: