UPDATE: The Beta has ended and the files removed. You can download the MediaVPs 2014 Final hereYes, this is actually a thing that is happening right now.
After a long long wait, we've finally decided to release a beta version of the current MediaVPs as they exist in our svn. There's a lot of stuff in here, and I am not going to list everything that went in here, but suffice it to say that at a whopping 4GB for the whole thing, this is the largest MediaVPs release yet.
Things included in hereA lot of new models for the Shivans and Vasudans, as well as long-awaited updates for the Colossus and Arcadia for the Terrans. We've also corrected most of those pesky LOD warnings recent FSO builds have been giving out.
How to use this new goodnessFirst, you will have to do a whole lot of downloading. The first package you absolutely have to get, since it contains a lot of data that is simply used to set the groundwork for the rest. All of the other packages are optional; However I do recommend getting at least MV_Assets, MV_Effects, MV_CBANI and MV_Music, as these represent the bulk of the changes.
Also provided is an additional package called mv_beta. This contains assets that are not fully tested yet, and which we'll need your feedback on.UPDATE: Beta 2 has been released on 12/7/13. The only files updated are the ones marked by **. If you previously downloaded Beta 1, those are the only files you need to update.NOTE: MV_Beta is no longer supported in Beta 2. Please delete it.**
MV_Root - This includes all of the necessary housekeeping the mediavps do. Included are updated mission files for the FS2 main campaign, and a few table files that ensure an optimal MediaVPs experience.
**
MV_Effects - This package includes updated effects for weapons, particles and a lot of other stuff.
**
MV_Assets - This package consists of all the marvellous new models
MV_Music - This pacvkage contains remastered music tracks for your enjoyment.
MV_CBANI - This is actually 2 vps, both containing redone Command Brief animations, using higher resolutions and the new models
MV_Animglows - This package contains animated glowmaps for a few ships (mostly shivan ones)
**
MV_Advanced - This package contains high resolution textures for a few select ships.
MV_Beta -
The central piece of this public Beta. This contains assets that still need some testing before they can be integrated properly; If you encounter issues with this release, you will need to take note of any errors, then test if these errors persist if you remove this file. REMOVED IN BETA 2.InstallationOnce you've downloaded everything you want, unpack all of the 7z archives. You should now find a folder called "mediavps_2014_beta", containing several .vp files, a mod.ini and a launcher graphic. Copy this folder to your FreeSpace directory, select it as the active mod in your launcher of choice, and start playing. Please tell us if anything breaks.
Technical requirementsFor the basic package (MV_Root, MV_Assets, MV_Effects, MV_CBANI, MV_Music) any reasonably recent PC with a midrange GPU will be more than sufficient. MV_Animglows and MV_Advanced can cause drastically lowered performance on weak hardware (Laptops without dedicated GPU, integrated graphics chips).
Miscellaneous remarksHow can I use these with a custom campaign?You will need to open that campaign's mod.ini, look for the mediavps or mediavps_3612 entry, and change it to mediavps_2014_beta.
Why didn't you provide a .torrent download for this?Two reasons. One, this is a beta, and so updates may happen. Two, it already took me a couple hours to upload these to the fsmods FTP; A torrent upload would take longer.
This post does not seem very professional. There are no colours in it.I am not Zacam. Deal with it.
Your install instructions are hard to understandI am sorry about that, but as this is a beta, I chose to forego the ultra-detailed approach to those instructions a full release will get.
