FreeSpace 2 Source Code Project

Infobox VG
title = FreeSpace 2 SCP


caption =
developer = Open source
publisher =
designer =
license =
series =
engine = Modified
version = 3.6.9
released = September 30, 2007
genre = Space combat simulator
modes = Single-player, multiplayer
ratings =
platforms = Linux, Mac OS X, Windows
media = online download
requirements = FreeSpace 2 retail
input = Keyboard, mouse, (optional) joystickThe FreeSpace 2 Source Code Project is a central source to coordinate development of the game engine for the space combat simulator FreeSpace 2, developed by Volition, Inc. The source code was made open source in 2002, and several projects use the engine. These include "FS_2 Open", which is a FreeSpace 2 update, and projects based on Babylon 5 and 2004 Battlestar Galactica universes.

History

Volition, Inc., the company responsible for developing the game "FreeSpace 2" was bought over by THQ in 2000. With Interplay Entertainment holding the licenses for the "FreeSpace" series, Volition could not continue to develop the series. Without any viable use for the source code, Volition released the source code for "FreeSpace 2"'s game engine on 25 April, 2002. [cite news
last = Sulic
first = Ivan
title = Freespace Source Code
publisher = IGN
date = 2002-04-25
url = http://pc.ign.com/articles/358/358017p1.html
accessdate = 2007-10-25 ] This allowed modders the possibility of modifying the game engine almost without limitations. However, because the source code is under a [http://fs2source.warpcore.org/cgi-bin/cvsweb/cvsweb.cgi/fs2_open/COPYING?rev=1.2&content-type=text/x-cvsweb-markup noncommercial license] , it does not qualify as free software.

To prevent a plethora of different versions of the game from appearing, a single 'umbrella' project (with the unified goal of enhancing the game) was formed. This is to be the "FreeSpace 2 Source Code Project" under the leadership of Edward "Inquisitor" Gardner and Ian "Goober5000" Warfield.

"FreeSpace 2"'s original license agreement in its installer has a peculiar statement, which seems to give the game's purchaser permission to make copies for "friends and acquaintances on a no cost noncommercial basis." [cite book
title = FreeSpace 2
origdate = 1998-10-03
format = Setup application
edition = 1.00
publisher = Interplay Entertainment
isbn = 1-57629-495-1
id = CD-W58-1048-0
quote = The Software, including, without limitation, all code, data structures, characters, images, sounds, text, screens, game play, derivative works and all other elements of the Software may not be copied (except as provided below), resold, rented, leased, distributed (electronically or otherwise), used on pay-per-play, coin-op or other for-charge basis, or for any commercial purpose. You may make copies of the Software for your personal noncommercial home entertainment use and to give to friends and acquaintances on a no cost noncommercial basis. This limited right to copy the Software expressly excludes any copying or distribution of the Software on a commercial basis, including, without limitation, bundling the product with any other product or service and any give away of the Software in connection with another product or service. Any permissions granted herein are provided on a temporary basis and can be withdrawn by Interplay Productions at any time. All rights not expressly granted are reserved.] However there are no such statements in the license agreements installed onto the personal computers for all three versions of the game. Neither are there such statements in the instruction manual or the licenses of the patched game. [cite book
title = FreeSpace 2
origdate = 1999-09-30
format = Instruction manual
edition = 1.00
publisher = Interplay Entertainment
isbn = 1-57629-495-1
id = MN-W58-1048-0
pages = 70
quote = The Software, including, without limitation, all code, data structures, characters, images, sounds, text, screens, game play, derivative works and all other elements of the Software may not be copied (except as provided below), resold, rented, leased, distributed (electronically or otherwise), used on pay-per-play, coin-op or other for-charge basis, or for any commercial purpose. Any permissions granted herein are provided on a temporary basis and can be withdrawn by Interplay Productions at any time. All rights not expressly granted are reserved.] [cite book
title = FreeSpace 2
origdate = 1999-09-14
format = Readme file
edition = 1.00
publisher = Interplay Entertainment
isbn = 1-57629-495-1
quote = The Software, including, without limitation, all code, data structures, characters, images, sounds, text, screens, game play, derivative works and all other elements of the Software may not be copied (except as provided below), resold, rented, leased, distributed (electronically or otherwise), used on pay-per-play, coin-op or other for-charge basis, or for any commercial purpose. Any permissions granted herein are provided on a temporary basis and can be withdrawn by Interplay Productions at any time. All rights not expressly granted are reserved.] [cite book
title = FreeSpace 2
origdate = 1999-11-04
format = Readme file
edition = 1.20
publisher = Interplay Entertainment
isbn = 1-57629-495-1
quote = The Software, including, without limitation, all code, data structures, characters, images, sounds, text, screens, game play, derivative works and all other elements of the Software may not be copied (except as provided below), resold, rented, leased, distributed (electronically or otherwise), used on pay-per-play, coin-op or other for-charge basis, or for any commercial purpose. Any permissions granted herein are provided on a temporary basis and can be withdrawn by Interplay Productions at any time. All rights not expressly granted are reserved.] All of which are more recent than the game installer.

Types of modifications

The modified "FreeSpace 2" engine has the following advantages over the original engine, including (but not limited to):
*Pixel shader version 3.0
*Vertex shader version 3.0
*Normal mapping
*Parallax mapping
* Transform, clipping, and lighting, allowing models of considerably greater complexity. (Used as fall-back mode for older systems.)
* Detail boxing, allowing models of greater complexity. It is an extremely efficient LOD-ing (level-of-detail) method, allowing real-time rendering of models in the several-hundred-thousand-polygon range.
* Non-vertical turret axis allowing turrets (and other animated subobjects) to be mounted on the sides or non-flat surfaces of ships/models.
* Extended animation support allowing complex subobject animations.
* Jpeg and TGA texture compatibility, to eliminate the engine's dependence on 256 colour pcx files.
* DDS texture compatibility, to utilise efficient video memory usage.
* EFF container format, for animated effects with the ability to optimise the animation frame-by-frame, can use DDS, Jpeg, TGA texture formats; the only requirement is for the frames to be of the same dimensions.
* Glow, Shine and Environmental Reflectivity maps; all in with 8-bit RGB channels, that allow giving a specific sheen and rougness to a surface, essentially a rudimentary material system. (FS_SCP 3.7 promises a true material system with pixel-shader support.)
* Dozens of additional Sexps for controlling the game.
* Multiple docking (the original only allowed 2 ships to be docked) to model complex cargo/rescue/capture scenarios.
* Persistent variables for complex campaign management, allowing carrying over data from one mission to another mission.
* Scripting in the Lua language.
* OpenGL Support (now a standard feature)
* Linux and Mac OS X support
*OpenAL positional audio support
*OGG support for Vorbis compressed audio files

In addition, content update packs have been developed which take advantage of the upgraded game engine. These packs include higher-poly models and higher resolution textures. The end result of this project is to create a graphically superior (and far more flexible) game engine, while still retaining all of the gameplay elements that made "FreeSpace 2" successful.

Notable projects

The primary project "FS2_Open" takes advantage of the upgraded engine for "FreeSpace 2". Most of the other projects are based on science-fiction television shows or movies. "Beyond the Red Line" tells a side story based on the humans and robotic Cylons of the "2004 Battlestar Galactica" television series. Both these projects are implementing partial Newtonian flight physics. Another science fiction television series-based projects is "The Babylon Project", based on the critically acclaimed "Babylon 5". The demo of "The Babylon Project" was downloaded 100,000 times within two weeks of its announcement, and was reported on Apple.com and in France's Joystick game magazine. [cite web
author = Joe Blancato
title = Gaming's Fringe Cults
publisher = The Escapist
date = 2007-06-19
url = http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/issues/issue_102/565-Gamings-Fringe-Cults
accessdate = 2007-10-25 ] A "Star Wars"-based project, Imperial Alliance is also in development. There are several projects to recreate established video games using the "FS2_Open" engine, these include "Shadows of Lylat" for the "Star Fox" universe, and "Wing Commander Saga" for the "Wing Commander" universe.

Tools

Most of these tools are freeware, with several being open-source as well. Most of the tools initially used for developing "FreeSpace" projects are derived from the tools used for creating mods for the "Descent" series. Tools such as AniBuilder and AniViewer allows creation and editing of the animation files. The image editing tools (for editing textures) tend to be free, such as GIMP, or Adobe Photoshop for those who can afford it. To create models for ships and other objects for the game, Caligari trueSpace 3.2 and Blender are the most popular. A commercial choice is 3ds Max, although LightWave is the premier albeit most expensive option. The resulting model files are then converted to the game's POF format with POF Construction Suite, ModelView, or directly from 3ds Max, with the community-made exporter plugin. Recently the community has almost universally adopted the new 2.0 version of the POF Construction Suite. It is the only model conversion utility both under active development and support. It promises to mend all the shortcoming of earlier utilities while implementing new functions. The prime reason for the fast adoption of the converter is the promised increased stability of its in-game models compared to earlier tools. The free FreeSpace Editor 2 (FRED2) is the premier choice for the modders to create and edit missions for their projects. It has been described as stable, easy to use, and possessing deep potential.cite web
author = Nick Breckon
title = Mod is Dead: Beyond the Red Line
publisher = Shacknews
date = 2007-07-31
url = http://www.shacknews.com/featuredarticle.x?id=489&page=1
accessdate = 2007-11-09 ] [cite web
author = Jakub Wojnarowicz
title = Freespace 2 Review
publisher = FiringSquad
date = 1999-10-12
url = http://www.firingsquad.com/games/freespace-2/
accessdate = 2007-10-25 ]

References

ee also

*
* Vega Strike

External links

* [http://scp.indiegames.us/ Official FreeSpace Source Code Project website]
* [http://www.fsoinstaller.com/ Freespace Open Installer] A project to compile the source code into an installer
* [http://www.gamespot.com/pc/sim/freespace2/download_2862847.html "FreeSpace 2" source code]
* [http://www.hard-light.net/ Hard Light Productions] A current community centre of "FreeSpace 2".
* [http://www.game-warden.com/forum/index.php Game Warden] Hosts numerous "FreeSpace" projects including the "Starfox" and "Battlestar Galactica" total conversions
* " [http://ia.emperorshammer.net/home/ Imperial Alliance] " Based on the "" in the "Star Wars" universe
* " [http://www.wcsaga.com Wing Commander Saga] " Based on the "Wing Commander" universe
* [http://www.sectorgame.com/f2s "FreeSpace 2" Sector] Host to "Lost Souls" and "Twisted Infinities"
* [http://www.hard-light.net/wiki/index.php "FreeSpace" Wiki] The complete "FreeSpace" reference Wiki