• Dnamro
  • First Strike Team Leader
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  • Registered: 2007-05-29
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Topic: Thoughts onreleasing the BF2142 game engine for use with First Strike?

Is there a need to make the BF2142 game engine available as a separate download?  It would be a stripped down version of the BF2142 game engine that would only allow support First Strike.

EA abandoned support and sells of the game over a year ago.  BF2142 is only available either on the second hand market.   Even then, you have to know the hacks and work arounds to set up the game, because it will no longer work anymore without those. 

There are plenty of ways to get the game for free.  If you had BF2142 on Origin, you can still download it.   DeathLok clan is running there own account server and has torrent links to download the game.  This site has BF2142 as a free download:  http://oceanofgames.com/battlefield-2142-free-download/   (Which is probably not legal, but since BF2142 is abandonware, I doubt they care).

The other option would be to create an installer that would set up BF2142 for first time use.    The set up for first time use would be a small download and would completely avoid any possible legal issues in the case that GOG, Steam or some other digital download game seller picks up BF2 and BF2142 from EA down the road.  I am leaning towards the installer to setup BF2142 for first time use.  This would set up a generic user profile and replace the installed BF2142.exe file with the hacked one that bypasses the master account server issues.

Thoughts?

  • From: Manchester
  • Registered: 2006-11-03
  • Posts: 9,993

Re: Thoughts onreleasing the BF2142 game engine for use with First Strike?

Those are certainly options, or how about as someone over on ModDB mentioned, making the mod a standalone game? If Project Reality have managed to do it for their BF2 mod, we may be able to ask their team for support in how to do this for First Strike.

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http://stats.fsmod.com/fssig.php?player=Talon-UK
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  • Dnamro
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Re: Thoughts onreleasing the BF2142 game engine for use with First Strike?

I have been leaning towards a a stand alone game.  It is doable and probably the best option.  It eliminates the problem of getting and installing BF2142, which would be a major obstacle to getting new players.

If you already have BF2142 installed, it would be a dual install, which I have done in the past to play BF2142 without the AI Commander issues caused by the 1.5 patch. 

The launcher has a config file that can be updated to point the stand alone location.     

The question is, do we make the game only stand alone?   If we make it only stand alone, then it will reduce installation issues, but increase the over-all download size.    We could always break it up into multiple download parts.   It would only be an issue for those that don't have a fast internet service and want to play only singleplayer.   Right now, that is what the game is being targeted, but it is still possible for multiplayer gameplay using offline accounts on a dedicated server or a LAN.   But with the game no longer available from EA or any reputable seller as a digital download, I really think that making the game stand alone only is the best option to ensure that everyone is playing with the same game engine.

  • From: Manchester
  • Registered: 2006-11-03
  • Posts: 9,993

Re: Thoughts onreleasing the BF2142 game engine for use with First Strike?

I think standalone is definitely the way to go. With regards to the size of the file if it becomes a standalone, I guess we could go with a separate download for Multiplayer and Singleplayer versions of the mod if file size became a serious issue.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v600/TALON_TAW/TALONSIGNEWB-1.jpg
http://stats.fsmod.com/fssig.php?player=Talon-UK
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  • Jackroy
  • FirstStrike Tester
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  • Registered: 2011-08-01
  • Posts: 169

Re: Thoughts onreleasing the BF2142 game engine for use with First Strike?

I'd definitely help test a standalone, I might not be able to help out for more than a few hours on weekends, but I would do my best.

If you felt like it, after you got it working you could make some changes to the engine to make game modes possible that weren't possible before.

  • Kampher
  • Kampher
  • The Savior of First Strike 1.2
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  • Registered: 2006-01-12
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Re: Thoughts onreleasing the BF2142 game engine for use with First Strike?

Go for it! Standalone sounds like a great idea.

http://img95.imageshack.us/img95/3958/kamphersig4si.jpg

7 Reply by Dnamro (edited by Dnamro 2015-09-27 22:52:25)

  • Dnamro
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Re: Thoughts onreleasing the BF2142 game engine for use with First Strike?

thanks for the offer for assistance in testing guys.  I will let you know when I am ready to have you guys test it out.   

In the new beta, I have been testing some ideas for different gameplay.   That is one of the new ideas that goes along with the kit customized to the maps is to have different version of the maps that different gameplay.  I have one version of Hoth as defense map where bots do a decent job of defending the trenches and another version where its a dedicated dogfighting (snowspeeders vs ties). 

I did some asking around and found that AncientMan from BF Project Reality mod was the one that set up their stand alone version with the BF2 engine.   I was told he may take a while to answer back as he as been lately.   It's been over two weeks since I sent him a message asking for any insights.

I have First Strike working in completely separate folder, by copying over all the BF2142 and FirstStrike files.   Now, I have to figure out what I don't need out of BF2142.  Of course I don't need any of the maps.  Then I would want to update the launcher and create an installer that can handle setting up all the game files, the launcher and the offline profile.

Project reality combined the mod files with the BF2 game files and erased all evidence of BF2 as a mod - except the name of the folder does say Project Reality BF2.    They also redid the flash menus so that there is no mod menu.  They have coop, but for some reason, no singleplayer.  It also looks like it only supports english.

Now for First Strike, I don't care about erasing BF2142.  I just don't want to include extra files that are not needed.     It's definitely going to create a larger sized install file, but it will be worth it to have it set up easier for players.    EA has abandoned the game.  EA is all about maximizing profits,  so as long as we don't make any money or cause EA to lose money (which we are not), I can't see any issues.

With Battlefront on the horizon, I am not in any big hurry to finish up the new version.  It would be good to get the installer working as a stand alone game first.   FirstStrike still offers gameplay that is not in Battlefront, such as space battles.    I expect once all the hype over battlefront dies down after the first of year, that would be a good opportunity to relaunch First Strike.