Freedom Force & Freedom Force Vs The Third Reich now on Steam!

[Previsionary]

Ok, just to explain... Basically Vista enacts extra security measures to anything within the "program files" or "program files(x86)" folders that make the game screwy. Just install it to another folder (I use "C:\Program\") and you're good.

I didn't do that and both games + mods work fine. I think it has more to do with which version of vista you're running (home, premium, etc.), how your computer's manufacturer went about installing it, and possibly the year you got said computer.

[GogglesPizanno]

Ok, just to explain... Basically Vista enacts extra security measures to anything within the "program files" or "program files(x86)" folders that make the game screwy. Just install it to another folder (I use "C:\Program\") and you're good.

I didn't do that and both games + mods work fine. I think it has more to do with which version of vista you're running (home, premium, etc.), how your computer's manufacturer went about installing it, and possibly the year you got said computer.

...And magic. Dont forget the magic!!

[catwhowalksbyhimself]

Argh...You mean I have to buy the game again just to get it to work on Vista?

Well, it's typical that when an older game not compatible with modern systems is released on a download service like this, it is updated to make it fully compatible--but never is a patch released for older versions of the game.

[The Phantom Eyebrow]

A modifiable Freedom Force that works on Vista is excellent news!   

[moni]

Hello there!

I'm one of the newcomers through the Steam sale and I'm currently enjoying the FF campaign. I have started looking at custom skins/meshes and even tried a mod (JLA) a bit to see what I could have fun with once the campaign is over. I have a few questions left unanswered though, and hopefully someone here will be able to help

One big sad moment was when I realized the official mod tools wouldn't install, and I see it has been mentioned here. Sooo... yeah. The problem is obvious and simple : the setups are looking for some registry entries to know where (if) the game is installed, and the Steam version doesn't create these. Question is : can tech-savvy players either export the required registry keys OR zip up the whole thing? FFEDIT and the 3rd Reich tools have this problem :/

When it comes to skins and meshes, I have started gathering some classic Marvel and DC heroes and have already had a few problems of the "this file doesn't exist anymore" type. Seems like many websites have disappeared from the web... Namely, those with base meshes and, probably, some keyframes.
An example is one Batman skin from Alex's FF website (author El Insensatez) requiring Ink's TM_Batman_final mesh. Except the links to it point to nothing . What is the current state of mesh/skin/keyframes availability overall? Have there been irremediably lost files along the way?

Might there be all-in-one packages out there for the newcomers? Or at least something like "the most important X-Men related files" for example?


And finally two "bug" questions about the games, just so I know if it's something known or if it's the Steam version acting up, for some reason :

During my last mission in FF ("wreck jimmies" is all I'll say), Bullet was carrying a car and... couldn't throw it. Ever. I got him unstuck by getting knocked back. Not great :/
I think I had something similar happen in another mission, with another character, and I kept hearing someone (a thug?) say "can't do that, can't do that!" Weird!

Also, a bug in the 3rd Reich demo where the mission got stuck after I turned an enemy into a minion through Polymorph (Green Genie) and having the red arrow point at where this enemy was. I think I killed him as he was still polymorphed.


Hopefully waiting for some answers... and enjoying the game in the meantime Thanks!

[GogglesPizanno]

When it comes to skins and meshes, I have started gathering some classic Marvel and DC heroes and have already had a few problems of the "this file doesn't exist anymore" type. Seems like many websites have disappeared from the web... Namely, those with base meshes and, probably, some keyframes.

Might there be all-in-one packages out there for the newcomers? Or at least something like "the most important X-Men related files" for example?

Its true that a lot of the locations from when the meshes were originally created are gone, but a lot of those missing meshes are available other places (usually Yahoo Groups).

I would start here: http://yearbook.freedomu.info/

If you cant find what you are looking for there, try making a request in the Request forum - you can probably be pointed in the right direction.

All in one packages are frowned upon (unless a single creator is packaging up their creations), as individual creators like to be in control of how things are released and distributed. So its a sort of unofficial board policy to not collect that stuff up and distribute it en masse.

And finally two "bug" questions about the games, just so I know if it's something known or if it's the Steam version acting up, for some reason :

During my last mission in FF ("wreck jimmies" is all I'll say), Bullet was carrying a car and... couldn't throw it. Ever. I got him unstuck by getting knocked back. Not great :/
I think I had something similar happen in another mission, with another character, and I kept hearing someone (a thug?) say "can't do that, can't do that!" Weird!

You will still run into those kinds of quirks every now and again. Usually they are just simple one time things. If you get continual repeating of the same issue you can post a more detailed description in the Technical Issues forum.

Welcome to the Forum

[BentonGrey]

Welcome Moni!  You can find many of the older meshes and skins by downloading some of the classic mods (which are utterly worth downloading to begin with!).  Also, let me suggest Dr. Mike's "Strangers" mod.  It's one of the all-time greats.

[John Jr.]

Welcome aboard, Moni!
I just discovered FF about 3 or 4 weeks ago and this site and Alex's were the perfect places to get started. Most of the classic skins and meshes are on the Yahoo sites and the guys here are very helpful and most of times you will find out what you need.
Check Alex's Hero Files recipes too, they are great to learn about how to make a comics character in FF.  
I recommend the DCU mod (the only i played so far) it is very entertaining and have a lot of great skins.
Tommyboy's site have a lot of great skins and meshes, it's worth a look, too.
http://tommyboymeshes.freedomforceforever.com/index.html

[moni]

Hello, and thanks for all the fis-- I mean, replies

I explored some Yahoo Groups as suggested and have already found quite a few meshes to play with (and make some original characters, yay!). I'll hunt for more famous characters later (Spiderman, the Hulk, ...)

All in one packages are frowned upon (unless a single creator is packaging up their creations), as individual creators like to be in control of how things are released and distributed.

Fair enough! And as has been suggested, mods themselves could act as such packages, so it's all right

Also, let me suggest Dr. Mike's "Strangers" mod.  It's one of the all-time greats.

Will try it too then! I also saw "Navigator" mentioned here or there and lo! It's on the same website! I'll have to check the FFX thing first though.

Any recommendation about FFX by the way? Which version should be installed nowadays? Is it a separate mod or is it mixed with FF?

Check Alex's Hero Files recipes too, they are great to learn about how to make a comics character in FF.

Did so. I'm slowly learning

I recommend the DCU mod (the only i played so far) it is very entertaining and have a lot of great skins.

I think I'll soon need to clone myself or control time itself to be able to try all this! XD But I'm glad there's so much content out there, really


Now the only thing not yet figured out is the install of the official editors. Any news on that front? :/

[Epimethee]

Any recommendation about FFX by the way? Which version should be installed nowadays? Is it a separate mod or is it mixed with FF?

For FF1 it's mixed with the main game – you can download version 2.6 from FundamentZero.com (where you should also grab The Strangers and Tales of the Navigator.) For FFvsTTR it's a separate mod – version 3.3 is the most recent, available from ffx.FreedomForceForever.com.

[moni]

Thanks! I'll try it out soon enough since I finished the campaign yesterday

[Gremlin]

Thanks! I'll try it out soon enough since I finished the campaign yesterday

And you didn't even ask for help beating Shadow. Good job. 

[moni]

And you didn't even ask for help beating Shadow. Good job. 

Haha

Spoiler

She tricked me at least four times before it suddenly clicked in my head. I like that kind of thinking-out-of-the-box mission!

Admittedly, I didn't guess there would be light, I just thought "let's cave in this crazy chick" :p

[BentonGrey]

And you didn't even ask for help beating Shadow. Good job. 

Haha

Spoiler

She tricked me at least four times before it suddenly clicked in my head. I like that kind of thinking-out-of-the-box mission!

Admittedly, I didn't guess there would be light, I just thought "let's cave in this crazy chick" :p

Yeah, that one definitely kicked my butt until I accidentally knocked down a pillar.   Most people have a devil of a time with that mission.

[stumpy]

Same thing here. It's not just that it isn't obvious what needs to be done, but it is also the first (only?) mission in the campaign where you have to do something tricky and you aren't really given clear indications of what it is.

Spoiler

And, since I didn't take El Diablo the first time I tried going through and The Ant's acid bombs don't affect non-characters, there was no one with an explosive or area power that might accidentally take down the pillars. Meanwhile, I had tried things like knocking out all of the candles in the cave, thinking, "Well, you can't generate shadows without light..." But, I hadn't even realized that the pillars were attackable.

[Of course, that's actually how I ended up at FR. After a couple runs at it and taking Shadow down to zero health and having her come right back before she finally wore the squad down, I started googling for some clues and saw a reference for an answer that was in the FAQs section here. (I think. It's been a long time and I don't recall if that was here directly or if there was a link to "Ender's Resources" or something.) Anyway, I lurked for a while and then finally had a question about trying to add tiers to a HERO file and I registered and posted.  ]

[moni]

Spoiler

To be honest, I also tried over-breaking all her mirrors, killed some candles and looked for her coffin behind the throne XD... It's not like it was immediately obvious

[Tomato]

Spoiler

See, I never had that much trouble if I recall correctly, probably because I enjoy blowing things up first anyway.

[BentonGrey]

Spoiler

Yep, I definitely tried the candles too.  Ha, I was CONVINCED that they were the key!

[Reepicheep]

Spoiler

I made the mistake of asking at the FF community (MyFF, I think it was called then?).

Challenging her to scrabble and hiding all the Q's is not good advice, Cardmaster... where ever you may be.

[The Phantom Eyebrow]

Ah that was a good one all right.  Luckily I had El Diablo, the King of Collateral Damage, with me on that one.  The solution just presented itself!   

[Epimethee]

Went for the candles and mirrors too at first, but IIRC, I had an eurêka on second or third try (so not too bad, I guess). And forget that choleric hothead Diablo – Mentor is the best pillar-basher ever. 

[Gremlin]

Went for the candles and mirrors too at first, but IIRC, I had an eurêka on second or third try (so not too bad, I guess). And forget that choleric hothead Diablo – Mentor is the best pillar-basher ever. 

That's true. I think I recall his energy melee attack being phenomenally effective there. When it hits it does a boatload of damage but it's so dang slow. Luckily pillars don't move.

[Spitfire]

Hey, does anyone know of any good lists of programs to make meshes, skins and animations for Freedom Force and Freedom Force Versus the Third Reich? I've just been able to buy and download the two games and I'm already wondering on making a comprehensive database of Meshes and Skins to put on a creative commons licence to make it easier for people to distribute the stuff.

I mean, being able to get all the various costumes of Batman in one place would be pretty damned neat.

[GogglesPizanno]

Hey, does anyone know of any good lists of programs to make meshes, skins and animations for Freedom Force and Freedom Force Versus the Third Reich?

If you want to make animated characters, you are pretty much limited to 3D Studio Max 4 and 5, as those are the versions that the official exporters work with. If you want to make just static 3D Objects you can use almost any 3D program that will export OBJ or 3DS formatted models. Once in that format, you can import them into the nifskope program and save as a nif.

I've just been able to buy and download the two games and I'm already wondering on making a comprehensive database of Meshes and Skins to put on a creative commons licence to make it easier for people to distribute the stuff.

I mean, being able to get all the various costumes of Batman in one place would be pretty damned neat.

As for your project to get everything in a database, this is something that comes up every now and again, and I think there are a few people (Vertex comes to mind) that may have even started working on something... the problem is that the sheer amount of meshes and skins (in the thousands) that are scattered all over the place makes tracking them down, and maintaining such a list an incredibly daunting task. Especially when websites hosting the things go away, or get moved. There is the master mesh list (see the stickied thread) which is a good resource, but its incredibly outdated, especially in this age of skoping.

A final issue is that most of the creators like to retain control of how and where their stuff is distributed. So a link to their site is fine, but if you were thinking of trying to collect everything in a centralized location for downloading, you probably will run into a lot of people who wont want their creations distributed in such a way. There are also a lot of creators who have left the community and we respect their wishes about modifying and distribution unless someone can contact them and get permission.