Installing Mods for FS2 Open - Revision history

P4wn4g3: /* Installing a mod */

2025-10-08T16:17:16Z

Installing a mod

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:17, 8 October 2025
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	If you are following this guide, there is no reason to install files into either of the folders mentioned. Installing a mod to Freespace2\data means that FS2 retail and multiplayer will load the mod and probably break.		If you are following this guide, there is no reason to install files into either of the folders mentioned. Installing a mod to Freespace2\data means that FS2 retail and multiplayer will load the mod and probably break.

	What you should do is make a separate folder for ~~every~~ mod within your FreeSpace 2 folder. '''If the mod consists completely of VP files, stick them all in a folder within the root FreeSpace 2 directory and you're done with this step.'''		What you should do is make a separate folder for each mod within your FreeSpace 2 folder such as "C:\FreeSpace\FS2\ExampleMod" and treat this directory as the root FS2 directory the mod instructions are referencing. '''If the mod consists completely of VP files, stick them all in a folder within the root FreeSpace 2 directory and you're done with this step.'''

	If the mod's readme tells you to install to Freespace2\Data, make a new folder called Data within the one you just created and then follow the instructions using this new Data folder as if it were Freespace2\Data (i.e if the readme file instructs you to put a file in Freespace2\data\tables, put it in Freespace2\ModName\data\tables instead).		If the mod's readme tells you to install to Freespace2\Data, make a new folder called Data within the one you just created and then follow the instructions using this new Data folder as if it were Freespace2\Data (i.e if the readme file instructs you to put a file in Freespace2\data\tables, put it in Freespace2\ModName\data\tables instead).

P4wn4g3: /* MediaVPs 4.7.x requires an FSO build 23.2.0 or greater! */

2025-10-08T16:03:55Z

MediaVPs 4.7.x requires an FSO build 23.2.0 or greater!

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:03, 8 October 2025
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	===Manual Installs: Get the latest SCP Build and Launcher===		===Manual Installs: Get the latest SCP Build and Launcher===

	~~====~~ ''' MediaVPs 4.7.x requires an FSO build 23.2.0 or greater! ''' ~~====~~		''' MediaVPs 4.7.x requires an FSO build 23.2.0 or greater! '''

	* Current Required Build is fs2_open 23.1.0		* Current Required Build is fs2_open 23.1.0
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	* Note that this is a HIGHLY recommended place to put your FreeSpace2 files, especially on Vista/Win7.		* Note that this is a HIGHLY recommended place to put your FreeSpace2 files, especially on Vista/Win7.

	'''~~====~~IMPORTANT:~~====~~'''		'''IMPORTANT:'''
	* It's a good idea at this point to also copy fs2_open DEBUG exe into your root Freespace2 install folder in case you later on encounter problems you need to ask about on the forums. This is because the debug builds will create the all important "fs2_open.log" file in "user\appdata\HardLightProductions\FreeSpace2\data" that should always be included in such posts. For more information, please check (all posts!) in [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,56279.0.html The Freespace Troubleshooting FAQ] thread in the [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/board,151.0.html Freespace and Freespace Open Support Forum]		* It's a good idea at this point to also copy fs2_open DEBUG exe into your root Freespace2 install folder in case you later on encounter problems you need to ask about on the forums. This is because the debug builds will create the all important "fs2_open.log" file in "user\appdata\HardLightProductions\FreeSpace2\data" that should always be included in such posts. For more information, please check (all posts!) in [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,56279.0.html The Freespace Troubleshooting FAQ] thread in the [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/board,151.0.html Freespace and Freespace Open Support Forum]

P4wn4g3: /* Manual Installs: Get the latest SCP Build and Launcher */

2025-10-08T16:03:29Z

Manual Installs: Get the latest SCP Build and Launcher

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:03, 8 October 2025
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	===Manual Installs: Get the latest SCP Build and Launcher===		===Manual Installs: Get the latest SCP Build and Launcher===

	~~'''~~ ==== MediaVPs 4.7.x requires an FSO build 23.2.0 or greater! ==== ~~'''~~		==== ''' MediaVPs 4.7.x requires an FSO build 23.2.0 or greater! ''' ====

	* Current Required Build is fs2_open 23.1.0		* Current Required Build is fs2_open 23.1.0

P4wn4g3: /* Manual Installs: Get the latest SCP Build and Launcher */

2025-10-08T16:03:08Z

Manual Installs: Get the latest SCP Build and Launcher

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:03, 8 October 2025
Line 15:		Line 15:
	===Manual Installs: Get the latest SCP Build and Launcher===		===Manual Installs: Get the latest SCP Build and Launcher===

	'''====MediaVPs 4.7.x requires an FSO build 23.2.0 or greater!===='''		''' ==== MediaVPs 4.7.x requires an FSO build 23.2.0 or greater! ==== '''

	* Current Required Build is fs2_open 23.1.0		* Current Required Build is fs2_open 23.1.0

P4wn4g3: /* Manual Installs: Get the latest SCP Build and Launcher */

2025-10-08T16:02:43Z

Manual Installs: Get the latest SCP Build and Launcher

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:02, 8 October 2025
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	===Manual Installs: Get the latest SCP Build and Launcher===		===Manual Installs: Get the latest SCP Build and Launcher===

	'''MediaVPs 4.7.x requires an FSO build 23.2.0 or greater!'''		'''====MediaVPs 4.7.x requires an FSO build 23.2.0 or greater!===='''

	* Current Required Build is fs2_open 23.1.0		* Current Required Build is fs2_open 23.1.0
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	* Note that this is a HIGHLY recommended place to put your FreeSpace2 files, especially on Vista/Win7.		* Note that this is a HIGHLY recommended place to put your FreeSpace2 files, especially on Vista/Win7.

	'''IMPORTANT:'''		'''====IMPORTANT:===='''
	* It's a good idea at this point to also copy fs2_open DEBUG exe into your root Freespace2 install folder in case you later on encounter problems you need to ask about on the forums. This is because the debug builds will create the all important "fs2_open.log" file in "user\appdata\HardLightProductions\FreeSpace2\data" that should always be included in such posts. For more information, please check (all posts!) in [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,56279.0.html The Freespace Troubleshooting FAQ] thread in the [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/board,151.0.html Freespace and Freespace Open Support Forum]		* It's a good idea at this point to also copy fs2_open DEBUG exe into your root Freespace2 install folder in case you later on encounter problems you need to ask about on the forums. This is because the debug builds will create the all important "fs2_open.log" file in "user\appdata\HardLightProductions\FreeSpace2\data" that should always be included in such posts. For more information, please check (all posts!) in [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,56279.0.html The Freespace Troubleshooting FAQ] thread in the [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/board,151.0.html Freespace and Freespace Open Support Forum]

P4wn4g3: /* Installing the Media VP files */

2025-10-08T16:02:10Z

Installing the Media VP files

@@ Line 10: / Line 10: @@
 While installing mods for FreeSpace has never been hugely difficult, [[Source Code Project|FS2_Open]] has made considerable improvements to the way that they are handled. Under retail, installing more than one mod involved either installing several copies of FS2 or tiresome dragging and renaming of folders and files. Under FS2_Open, less than a minute's work when installing a mod can mean that you can swap between mods with nothing more than a click of a button.
-== Installing the Media VP files ==
+== Manually Installing FS_Open and the Media VP files ==
-To truly take advantage of FS2_Open's modding features, you should install the [[MediaVP|media VP]] files to a subfolder of your FreeSpace 2 folder. Although you can call this folder anything you like, the assumption that will generally be made is that if you have put them in a folder it will be called ''mediavps'', so it is probably best to stick to that. Now that you have put the media VP files in that folder, you must go to the mod tab on the Launcher and select "mediavps" as your mod when running FS2. If you don't do this, FS2 will run with none of the media VPs' features. It will be like playing retail again.
+To truly take advantage of FS2_Open's modding features, you should install the [[MediaVP|media VP]] files to a subfolder of your FreeSpace 2 folder. At the forum link, [https://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=99050.0 mjnMixael's post] (paraphrased below) is a good source of info for how to get these installed.
 Using the MediaVPs for user-made mods that make use of retail ships is possible. However, standalone mods specifically require you to NOT use the MediaVPs to avoid file conflicts.

Wookieejedi: update with KNet

2024-02-19T15:32:51Z

update with KNet

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:32, 19 February 2024
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			== '''Recommended Method Using Knossos''' ==
			The easiest and most effective way to install mods for FS2 Open is by using the Knossos Mod Manager (link https://wiki.hard-light.net/index.php/Knossos_(mod_manager) here]).
			Knossos will guide you through the process of installing, updating and launching mods, all of which just takes a few clicks within the launcher. Thus, Knossos is the recommended way to install FS2 mods. The rest of this article discusses installing mods either manually or using older launchers.


	==Important Note==		==Important Note==
	Before 3.7.0, it was recommended to create a new pilot for every campaign that you played. That is, one pilot for the main campaign, one for FSPort, etc. This would in most cases avoid the dreaded pilot file corruption problems that cropped up sometimes. Since FSO version 3.7.0, the pilot file format was completely overhauled and there should no longer be any problems caused by switching mods.		Before 3.7.0, it was recommended to create a new pilot for every campaign that you played. That is, one pilot for the main campaign, one for FSPort, etc. This would in most cases avoid the dreaded pilot file corruption problems that cropped up sometimes. Since FSO version 3.7.0, the pilot file format was completely overhauled and there should no longer be any problems caused by switching mods.

Bryan See: /* Important note regarding post-MVP 3.6.10 */ Update regarding the latest MediaVPs

2015-01-27T05:14:30Z

Important note regarding post-MVP 3.6.10: Update regarding the latest MediaVPs

← Older revision		Revision as of 05:14, 27 January 2015
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	==Important note regarding post-MVP 3.6.10==		==Important note regarding post-MVP 3.6.10==
	The official installation instructions for MediaVPs 3.6.12 require you to place each official MediaVP release into its own folder, following the naming scheme "mediavps_3612" where "3612" is evidently the version number. Since mods that come before this paradigm shift presuppose your MediaVPs are in the "mediavps" folder, you have to open the [[mod.ini]] that comes with the mod and edit it to parse the appropriate "mediavps_3612" folder instead of "mediavps". See below on how to edit the mod.ini.		The official installation instructions for MediaVPs 3.6.12 require you to place each official MediaVP release into its own folder, following the naming scheme "mediavps_3612" where "3612" is evidently the version number (since 2014, the version number has been replaced with the year it released, for example "mediavps_2014" where "2014" is the version year). Since mods that come before this paradigm shift presuppose your MediaVPs are in the "mediavps" folder, you have to open the [[mod.ini]] that comes with the mod and edit it to parse the appropriate "mediavps_3612" folder instead of "mediavps". See below on how to edit the mod.ini.

	== Installing a mod ==		== Installing a mod ==

AdmiralRalwood: It's a wiki article, not a forum post.

2014-09-25T05:52:15Z

It's a wiki article, not a forum post.

← Older revision		Revision as of 05:52, 25 September 2014
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	==Important Note==		==Important Note==
	~~When installing/playing a mod~~, it is recommended to create a new pilot for every campaign that you ~~play~~. That is, one pilot for the main campaign, one for FSPort, etc. This ~~will~~ in most cases avoid the dreaded pilot file corruption problems that ~~crop~~ up sometimes.		Before 3.7.0, it was recommended to create a new pilot for every campaign that you played. That is, one pilot for the main campaign, one for FSPort, etc. This would in most cases avoid the dreaded pilot file corruption problems that cropped up sometimes. Since FSO version 3.7.0, the pilot file format was completely overhauled and there should no longer be any problems caused by switching mods.
	~~EDIT -- this is not needed any more since~~ FSO version 3.7.0 ~~(see [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=86813.msg1734738#msg1734738 here])~~.

	== Improvements upon Retail ==		== Improvements upon Retail ==

Jr2: Forgot unparenthesis

2014-09-24T03:01:41Z

Forgot unparenthesis

← Older revision		Revision as of 03:01, 24 September 2014
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	==Important Note==		==Important Note==
	When installing/playing a mod, it is recommended to create a new pilot for every campaign that you play. That is, one pilot for the main campaign, one for FSPort, etc. This will in most cases avoid the dreaded pilot file corruption problems that crop up sometimes.		When installing/playing a mod, it is recommended to create a new pilot for every campaign that you play. That is, one pilot for the main campaign, one for FSPort, etc. This will in most cases avoid the dreaded pilot file corruption problems that crop up sometimes.
	EDIT -- this is not needed any more since FSO version 3.7.0 (see [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=86813.msg1734738#msg1734738 here].		EDIT -- this is not needed any more since FSO version 3.7.0 (see [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=86813.msg1734738#msg1734738 here]).

	== Improvements upon Retail ==		== Improvements upon Retail ==