< < Descendants of Sol > >

Readme

- Introduction -

Descendants of Sol is a user-made FreeSpace 2 campaign, optimized for FreeSpace Open 3.6.12, Medium difficulty setting. Since all the mission files are saved in 3.6.12.'s mission format, a) earlier builds will not be able to run the mod, and b) features not implemented post-3.6.12. official will not be used.

IMPORTANT: Don't use 3.6.12 RC1 because a critical storytelling feature will not work!

Most Recommended Build: 3.6.12r_INF or any, more recent build.

- Disclaimer -

This is a mod for a game, made purely for entertainment purposes. It is not an interactive astronomical documentary or an offline preparatory course in astrography, astrophysics.

- Installation -

Descendants of Sol is tested on FreeSpace Open 3.6.12. This campaign has no deviant installation requirements. If you know how to install mods for FreeSpace Open, you can skip this section. This section was written with users with no or little FS modding in mind. If something is not clear about the installation process, Google "FreeSpace Wiki installing mods for fs2 open". Optimally, you'll end up at an article on the FreeSpace Wiki that deals with installing mods for FreeSpace Open.

Before you begin the installation process, make sure that you have a recent FreeSpace Open build installed (no earlier than 3.6.12 RC2). If you don't know what FreeSpace Open (or the Source Code Project) is, you're running the so-called "retail" version of FreeSpace 2, which will absolutely not run this mod. To get started with FreeSpace Open, Google "FreeSpace Source Code Project".

-- How can I install FreeSpace Open? --
Your FreeSpace Open builds (.exe files) are to be placed in the root FreeSpace 2 folder (Games/FreeSpace 2/ by deafult).
The recommended (3.6.12) build can be found here: http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=70508.0 If you're installing this mod well after Descendants of Sol came out, you'll likely find a newer build on this board: http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?board=173.0 Download one of the archives (7z, zip, or rar), and extract its contents into your root FreeSpace 2 folder. You'll also need a launcher that helps configure your FreeSpace Open installation. Find a recent launcher at the Source Code Project's forum, download it, and place it into your FreeSpace 2 root. Now that you have the open-source version, see if it works without mods. Run the launcher, direct it to the FreeSpace Open build you just downloaded, set up your preferred options (graphics, gameplay). If the game starts without problems, up until at least the first mission launch, you can install user-made mods.

-- How to install the mod? --
The number one rule of installing mods for FreeSpace Open is that each mod must have its separate folder within your root FreeSpace folder. This method is meant to avoid file conflicts, which will result in certain ships not behaving in the way the authors intended them to. Create a folder within your FreeSpace directory root, and name it whatever you wish. The author used a folder named "SolSystem" while creating the campaign, but it doesn't really matter what you name this folder; as long as you can tell which mod is within. Place the downloaded VP (Volition Package) file into this newly created folder (or create a "data" folder inside it and place the VP there). Then, put the rest of the downloaded files into the mod's folder.

Your FreeSoace folder will ideally look like this:
- FreeSpace 2/
-- SolSystem/
--- data/
---- DescendantsofSol.vp
--- documentation/
--- mod.ini
--- SolMODTab.bmp

or you can simply put everything in the mod's folder, without creating a /data/ folder, like this:

- FreeSpace 2 folder
-- SolSystem/
--- documentation/
--- mod.ini
--- SolMODTab.bmp
--- DescendantsofSol.vp

It doesn't matter which directory structure you choose.

Now that you have the mod's data files in the right place, you only need to direct your FreeSpace Open to read this folder's data. Start the Launcher (typically, launcher.exe in the FreeSpace 2 directory root), and look for the MOD tab (typically, the third tab to the right among the bottom tabs). Click on the Select MOD button, find the mod's folder, select it, and click Ok. IMPORTANT: If you decided to put your VP files into <Mod's folder>/data/, don't point the Launcher to the /data folder, only to <Mod's folder>.

If Descendants of Sol's logo and a version number below it come up in the MOD tab, you've been successful.

- MediaVPs -
If you know what the MediaVPs are, and you're sure they're installed properly, you can skip this section.

MediaVPs are fan-made models, textures, and effects that enhance the old, now-outdated versions that came with the official FreeSpace 2 release in 1999. Use of MediaVPs is safe and HIGHLY recommended for most recent campaign releases. While the mod is playable and beatable without the MediaVPs (it has been tested), it will cause some odd graphical issues and the absence of mission backgrounds.

Installation instructions and troubleshooting are abundant at the FreeSpace Upgrade Project's forum at Hard Light Productions Forums; use Google to find it. You can download the most recent MediaVPs here: http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=70736.0 Note that in the future there may be other, better MediaVPs available.

If you do want to play the campaign without the MediaVPs, open the mod.ini file that comes with your Descendants of Sol download, open it using any text editor and edit the following line from:

secondarylist = mediavps_3612;

to:

secondarylist = ;

IMPORTANT: Notice the semicolons (;) and make sure that you save the file in a text-only format!

-- Notes on future MediaVPs releases --
Starting from MediaVPs 3.6.12, the FreeSpace Upgrade Project no longer recommends you override the old MediaVPs with the new ones in the same mediavps/ folder, but every time they release a new version, it should have a new folder. Accordingly, MediaVPs 3.6.12 are instructed to be installed to mediavps_3612/. The next official release will be 3.6.14, which will go to mediavps_3614/. Make sure that the "secondarylist" mod.ini line points to the right folder.

- Notes on Gameplay -
For more information, please see the accompanying GameplayInformation.doc in <Mod's folder>/documentation

In Descendants of Sol, corvettes can be killed by fighter lasers, unlike in the main FreeSpace 2 campaign, where bombs and beams were required to inflict that much damage. Destroyers, however, are still resistant to fighter lasers.

Your fighter class choice will affect some aspects of the mission. See the accompanying Walkthrough.doc for more information.

Every mission was extensively playtested on its default loadout settings. 

Every mission in Descendants of Sol feature custom hotkey assignments that are the following:
F5: Friendly fighters (default loadout) (see notes below)
F6: Friendly bombers (default loadout) (see notes below)
F7: Hostile fighters (This is likely the most important one!)
F8: Hostile bombers
F9: Mission critical craft (large ships you have to defend or destroy to complete a mission goal)
F10: Sentry guns
F11: Containers
Note: Changing fighters to bombers and vice versa in the Ship Selection screen will not automatically change the given ships' (or wing's) default hotkey assignment.

Warship turrets are classified in three categories: anti-fighter turrets (denoted by "AF Turret" in the target view), conventional all-around turrets, and anti-warship turrets ("Main Turret"). Some anti-warship turret types fire at fighters, some don't.
There are no beams in Descendants of Sol. However, turrets are much more powerful. Bear in mind that front shields occasionally let shots through, and damage your hull even if you have 100% shields. It is recommended to keep moving all the way while attacking warshps, from a distance. MX-70s and Patriots are useful against turrets from long range.
Keep managing your shields using the arrow keys or whatever you bound those functions to.
Unlike in FreeSpace, you are not meant to engage cruisers on your own. Use your wingmen and defend friendly warships from enemy bombers if the mission requires it.

Primary weapon classification is done by three values:
- Sustained Damage: How much damage it inflicts in the long run (Useful against bombers and above).
- Burst Damage: How much damage it inflicts in the short run (Most useful against fighters).
- Specialization: Against what it is the most useful against (Shield, Armor, Subsystem).

Two weapons require additional treatment in this readme:
SDC-100: This is the Akheton SDG's equivalent
Cataclysm: Morning Star + Lamprey + Circe equivalents, with increased armor damage. The Cataclysm's firepower has become bearable, but its push effect is less powerful than the Morning Star's. 

- Troubleshooting -

It is HIGHLY recommended to start the campaign with a new pilot file that you use exclusively for this mod, as older pilot files may cause unexpected trouble. It's also very important not(!) to run on pre-3.6.12 builds. Older builds will not be able to read some critical files like missions.

The mod was made and tested only with the English version of FreeSpace 2. The German version has caused some trouble to the Ancient-Shivan War campaign. 

Here are some specific problems that came up during testing. # denotes the question, hyphens denote a possible answer.

#The game won't even start up. I receive some weird error message(s).
There are simply too many possibilities to solve this problem and even more to create it. Some recommendations:
- Firstly: Make sure you do not have any non-retail VPs in your FreeSpace 2 root folder. This is the most frequent cause of errors.
- Double-check if you have indeed installed the mod properly. Try running both with the VPs in <Mod folder> root and with them being in <Mod folder>/data.
- Have you extracted all the VP files from the downloaded archive?
- Try a different build. 3.6.12 RC3(r) is recommended. Debug (indicated by a "d" in the file name) are meant for developers. Players are highly advised to use the "release" (r) build.
- See if other mods crash the game. If they do, the problem is somehere in your data structure. You may have changed something in your FreeSpace/data/ folder that affects all other mods. I suggest you move all the files in FreeSpace/data somewhere else, say, FreeSpace/data/data-backup. For more information on FreeSpace data structure, Google for "FreeSpace Wiki Data Structure".

#I have no weapons in the first mission!
- Per above, it is recommended to run the campaign with a new pilot file
- Or restart the campaign in the Campaign Room

#I have no weapons in one particular mission!
- If the mission allows you to change your loadout, go to Ship Selection and press Reset (along the right side of your screen)
- If it doesn't work, see above

#I have no or only a few weapons in a particular mission, and I know I'm supposed to have more.
- If the above doesn't work, and you have used the same pilot file for other mods, then you have to restart the campaign and keep in mind not to start another campaign with it! FreeSpace Open doesn't like the same pilot file used for different mods.

#I (and/or some of my wingmen) don't receive a starting craft!
- If the mission allows you to change your loadout, go to Ship Selection and press Reset (along the right side of your screen)
- Turn on the "Use models for ship selection" feature in Launcher --> Features --> Gameplay

#Some missions - most notably ones with asteroid fields - slow down my computer very fiercely.
The old MediaVP asteroids are unoptimized.
- Update your MediaVPs. The newest version comes with lower-poly asteroids.
or
- Enter the Graphics options and tone down the Ship Details from 5/5 to 2/5. This will make the engine display a less detailed version of the asteroids. (Google "Level of Detail" for a more technical briefing.)

#Some friendly wings don't show up at all in the mission!
- If you are sure that they must be there on start, quit the mission and re-enter the ready room, or the simulator room.
- Alternately, restart the whole game (not the campaign!) and try again.

#Some ships are either invisible or completely white
The given ships' textures are missing or your FreeSpace Open builds are unable to read the textures
 - You may try to update your MediaVPs or verify if they're installed properly AND the mod.ini points to the right folder. If you do play without the MediaVPs, they're known to happen.

#One of the (earlier) missions doesn't start! I receive a crash-to-desktop while loading the mission.
- Try running the mission some more times. It *will* load eventually.

#One of the missions suddenly crashes to desktop. The error message said it was looking for some kind of .pof file.
- This is known to happen very rarely in one particular mission. This error will not come up the second time around.

#There's an unbeatable mission in the campaign
- All the missions have been tested extensively with the default loadout, on all difficulty settings except Insane, and without issuing orders to wingmen.

- Credits -
This is the list of mods that were used in the campaign. Everything that's not listed here is made by TopAce.

If something is missing from the list, or some authors were miscredited, please contact me, and I'll fix it.

Models
Hi-poly Apollo: FreeSpace Port team
GVF Reshef: 0rph3u5
GTCv Cobra: TrashMan
GVC Mafdet: Akalabeth Angel
GTB Rhea: Col. Fishguts
GTF Ezechiel: Venom (Nico)
GVD Hedetet: Stratcomm and TrashMan
GTC Blade: TrashMan
GTC Ticonderoga: Hamano
GVCv Wepwawet: 0rph3u5
GTI Bretonia: c914(?)
GTVA Titan: Vengeance (model), Admiral Nelson (coder and remaker of the Titan Rebellion campaign)
GTD Sirona: c914
GTD Raynor: Dragon (updater)
"Survivor Vessels": Ancient-Shivan War team

Music
FirstRoundKnockout: D. DiFonzo, Scott P. Schreer
Under: Andrew I. Mendelson, Scott P. Schreer
The Polis: Tillman Sillescu
Rainy Day Way: David Flavin
Duress: blackhole (Erik McClure)
Evil Intentions album: Tillman Sillescu

Graphical Enhancements
Moon: NASA
"Yartis Orbit Nebula" by Lightspeed
"Yellow Nebula Pack" by Durandal
"Planet in Intro Mission" by Herra Tohtori
"Bardyn" by Aardwolf
Earth bitmap by NASA

Authors Failed To Be Tracked Down:
New weapon sounds by Left4Dead from ModDB (?)
Loading Screen Image

Please contact me, and I'll update this document.

- Contact -

The creator of the campaign can be found most easily at Hard Light Productions Forums (Google it), under the nickname "TopAce". If you are a member, please find the campaign's release thread (search for the thread title "RELEASE: Descendants of Sol") and submit some feedback (Some user-to-user troubleshooting can be found there).
The mod has a Mod Database entry; please submit your feedback there. The more detailed, the better.