Topic: Well, I just oredered SFC (the first one) (Read 3796 times)

Towelie · « **on:** October 18, 2003, 05:57:19 pm »

I finally saw a copy of SFC and bought it online. I never played the first one. Anyone else still play it online?

Pestalence · « **Reply #1 on:** October 18, 2003, 08:32:30 pm »

Some people do on Gamespy Arcade, which is it's only online mode...

but first you will have to patch through the series of instructions that i have on my web site in order to get Gamespy Arcade and other players games to recognize yours...

First, you have to patch to 1.03

then you need to replace the shiplist with the one that I am hosting which was made by Taldren after the 1.03 patch.

then you need the registry key that Gamespy Arcade did not incorporate from MPlayer when they were bought out, also available on my site,

then you need to install the bonus mission pack on my site that contains all the missions that were fixed after the 1.03 patch.. also available on my site.

and then if you are running XP and want to play Single Player.. XP had a patch last Dec which renders SFC unreadable (the CD that is) after the game is launched.... so leaves SFC unplayable in single player mode.. I have instructions on my web site and a file to send once those instructions are followed which will enable single player..

however, not listed on my web site, in order to play against NON XP users, You will need to make a copy of your original Starfleet.exe file before applying the file i send to you. This fix file will work with other XP users who got this fix, but ME and 98 and Win 2K users did not need this file and as such, you will need the old Starfleet.exe file from the 1.03 patch.....

i can explain it better once you follow the patching instructions.

SFC Patch page can be located at :

http://www.nightsoftware.com/effhq/sfc12.html

Hope that this helps

Towelie · « **Reply #2 on:** October 18, 2003, 09:36:49 pm »

You got to be kidding! I guess I will find out in next few days when it gets here.

Atrahasis · « **Reply #3 on:** October 18, 2003, 09:51:38 pm »

I might have bad news for you...........it's so old it may not run on a modern platform, especially if you're using win 2000.

Pestalence · « **Reply #4 on:** October 18, 2003, 10:31:46 pm »

Atrahasis, the original SFC should run just fine on Win 2K.. however, since Win Xp is basically Win 2K, NT and ME combined into a single platform, the XP Fix file should work just fine.... the fix file i have is also valid for ME / 98 / 95 / 2K / NT4 / XP home and Pro, however I was told by interplay not to release it to players who do not have XP.. I have not had anyone post or email me anything about SFC not working on Win 2K, but if players can't play on Win 2K, i will send them the file as well in return for the top portion of their Direct X Diagnostic Report showing Windows OS and Build number.

Basically the file is a interplay created CD Crack for version 1.03 EXE...

come to think of it.. I use that file myself, and I have had no problem playing others on ME / 98...

I haven't had to swap the Starfleet.exe file out at all.. but I need to replay the game again to confirm this...

BRB

Pestalence · « **Reply #5 on:** October 18, 2003, 10:55:31 pm »

Well unable to confirm... Everyone on GSA tonight are the one's i sent the file to for XP.. so I guess everyone is using the XP file fix....

oh well.. I'll keep trying over the next week and post back here about that issue... so just Email me Towlie if you plan on GSA play and Single player play and i will get you hooked up...

Seems like a lot of Downloads, but it really isn't.

the 1.03 patch isn't bigger than 4.5 megs, the Reg key is like 10 K and the shiplist takes less than a min on a 36 K modem...

the Bonus Mission pack is only 2.96 megs so just waiting on me to email you the SFC file fix is the only thing I think you would need.. and I send those out as soon as the Email comes in...

so, no worries.. I have you good to play as soon as i can humanly do it....

Hope that this helps...

P.S. my web page is designed for the people not use to PC gaming and I laid out the instructions with more detail than experienced gamers would need to get the game going.. so don't let it upset you with the information that i am displaying...

Thanks again...

Bossman · « **Reply #6 on:** October 19, 2003, 01:13:21 am »

I dropped the game after SFC2 and OP came out. I'll never forget SFC though, it was the first 'naval' game that I was introduced to by my friend, and it also happens to be the first game that made me scream out in utter rage as I got my butt handed to me over and over.

Ah, memories.
~shudder~
Maybe it's best that I forget about that period of time instead.

Quote:

I finally saw a copy of SFC and bought it online. I never played the first one. Anyone else still play it online?

VelvetAcidChrist · « **Reply #7 on:** October 19, 2003, 04:41:06 am »

i wished that my sfc would patchmbut it doesent since i formatted and put on dx9......be4 it did lol

The Postman · « **Reply #8 on:** October 19, 2003, 06:44:53 am »

I play on a Win 2K machine all the time. The only trouble I have is the video gets jerky at the moment the weapons are fired. Other than that it works great. Any ideas on how to clear up the weapons fire issue? EAW, OP and SFC3 all run with no issues.

and before you ask:
1500 P4
768 RAM DDR
Radeon 7200 64mb

Pestalence · « **Reply #9 on:** October 19, 2003, 07:24:04 am »

Does Win 2K have a compatibility mode for other Windows types?

In XP, you can right click on the Starfleet.exe file and select properties and select the compatibility tab, put a checkmark in run this program in compatability mode for :

then in the dropdown box, choose Windows 98/ME

then click OK, and wham.. the jerkiness is gone, well at least it is on my machine.

If Win 2K has compatibility modes, then try that, if not, then I don't know, I never used Win 2K

FFZ · « **Reply #11 on:** October 19, 2003, 10:24:39 am »

SFC command works fine on Windows XP, it's what I used for my review of the game.

I didn't need to create a DOS shell, nor change any settings at all.

I did notice the slow-up when you launch an Alpha strike, but only when tried at point blank range with the camera begining to swing around.

Pestalence · « **Reply #12 on:** October 19, 2003, 11:37:07 am »

If your machine is up to date.. IE : you have gone to windows updates and apply ALL the security patches for XP that prevent hackers from accessing your machine, then you will notice that XP will stop recognizing your SFC 1 CD.. it is the only game that I know of that this happens to... just so strange..

If your machine is not up to date, then the CD will work fine.. however it is recommended that you switch to compatability mode for Win 98 so the slow down graphic glitches won't be present...

how can you review a game when your machine is not completely up to date? If it was then you would have the Dec 2002 Security update that makes games not recognize the CD, then the Feb 2003 Secrutiy update which is suppose to fix this problem, but SFC is still unplayable in Single player due to game not recognizing CD in drive.. thus the CD Crack by Interplay...

have you not gone to :

http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/en/default.asp

and scanned your machine for current security updates and Windows XP improvements / enhancements / Fixes?

if not, you should.. and do so every 2 weeks.. the link is also found under your start button and labeled as Windows Updates...

How can you assess a game if your machine is not up to date?

this includes Direct X, Macromedia Flash and Shockwave player, Sun Microsystems java 1.4.2, plus other things as well as Anti-Spyware software, Anti-Virus, Registry Cleaners, Etc...

It is one thing to assess a game, it is another thing to do so on a clean, up to date system....

makes me wonder about all the reviews i have read in the past... how accruate are they if Spyware is running in the background causing lag or the machine is not up to date and the game keeps CTD ing...

Hmmmm.

Now I have to rethink every review i have ever read all the way back to the beginning of PC gaming...

FFZ · « **Reply #13 on:** October 19, 2003, 04:10:20 pm »

Not sure if your addressing me here, but if so, my review machine is 100% current with all windows and Norton updates, yet it plays SFC Gold CD without a single problem.

Pestalence · « **Reply #14 on:** October 19, 2003, 04:32:46 pm »

Sorry, you must not be using Fast user Switching with a Restricted Admin account on your system (which is bad security, especially if you are only user.. fast user switching should be off and admin account restricted to make hackers less successful if a hack is attempted)

Here is the issue I am talking about :

Windows Update information web site on security fixes concerning games needing CD CRC verification :

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?displaylang=en&FamilyID=EAE20F0F-C41C-44FE-84CE-1DF707D7A2E9

SafeDisc Windows XP Fix for PC Games
When running a restricted user account with fast user switching under Windows XP, some games will not start correctly. The game requests that the original disk be placed in the drive, even if it is already present. To remedy this issue, download and run this fix.

Quick Info
File Name:
updatesecdrv.exe

Download Size:
55 KB

Date Published:
2/1/2002

Version:
1.0

Overview
When running a restricted user account with fast user switching under Windows XP, some games will not start correctly. The game requests that the original disk be placed in the drive, even if it is already present. To remedy this issue, download and run this fix.

This software will not alter or patch any component on your system, it will only change the startup state of the system component needed to start your game from start on demand (on game load), to start at boot (on Windows XP start).

SafeDisc Windows XP Fix for PC Games
English
Download

Related Resources

Shop for Microsoft Games
Microsoft Games Home Page
Expert Zone Community Site
Focus on Gaming and Windows XP

System Requirements
Supported Operating Systems: Windows XP

You must be logged in as an administrator to run this application; it only runs under Windows XP; it is not needed for Windows 2000/95/98/ME.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Instructions
Click the Download link to start the download.
Do one of the following:
To start the installation immediately, click Open or Run this program from its current location.
To copy the download to your computer for installation at a later time, click Save or Save this program to disk.

Again if you are not using Fast User Switching or have a non restricted Admin account, then I do appologize...

If you are using these things, how did you get by Microsoft's screw up in SP 1 and subsequent Security updates?

I would really like to know in order to post this information for those of us running secure machines....

FFZ · « **Reply #15 on:** October 19, 2003, 05:31:54 pm »

Hmm, not being much for programing, all of that is a bit much, but I will try and find out the info your looking for.

I can tell you my system is less than 30 days old, is a Athalon 2500+ with 512 Ram and 120 GIg seagate HD, and I run a Radeon 9600 graphics card. I do have a Zone Alarm firewall, and so far, nobody has been able to pierce my system's defenses, at least not more than getting a worm, which was easily detcted by Norton and destroyed.

The Gold SFC command CD loaded and worked right from the start, with nothing added.

I have played a campaign with five of the six races, so that means a lot of game time, never had a problem running the game.

The only difference I can think of is I have a partition of my HD, XP, Norton and my messenger systems are loaded on a 10 GiG "C" Drive, and I store all my games on a 110 GIG "E" Drive. I do this so that I have a very large virtual memory to work with, this greatly helps with game play on many games, as I'm never short of resources. I'll try and find out about the permissions things your looking for though.

Jim · « **Reply #16 on:** October 19, 2003, 07:59:04 pm »

Hey, congratulations on getting the original SFC... it had some great campaigns in it. Not to mention LOTS of cool user=made missions (I still have over 40 extra missions I wrote myself for SFC on my website (below) if you are interested, including an 8 mission Hydran campaign and an 8 mission pirate campaign). You should check them out.

Jim

Stormbringer · « **Reply #18 on:** December 22, 2003, 11:29:09 pm »

I am interested. I think I've got most of your stuff already but just in case. Hey do you have the old sound mods by the old timers? I'm looking for the photon sound (Pop! Sizzle!) from the arcade cockpit game from the period the first few TMP movies were out in the early eighties.

Pestalence · « **Reply #19 on:** December 23, 2003, 02:06:35 am »

You may want to contact Chris Jones to see if he has that... he had several mods that includud several sounds.

Magnum357 · « **Reply #20 on:** December 23, 2003, 03:39:01 am »

I still play SFC1 often on GSA (can't seem to play SFC OP online for some reason) but SFC1 is still a fun game to play against people.

I still use a Win98 OS so I don't run into the problems that other people do when they install the game. Yes, installing the game is a pain in the butt if you want too play other people, but its not that bad if you take it step by step.

The thing that scares me is what are we going too do if Taldren/Interplay don't support SFC1, 2, OP anymore? Although I would love to stick with Win98 (like it much better then XP) but I bet MS will force me to upgrade. And I must admit, will these games still be able to run with newer OS's that come out in the future? After all, since Taldren can't make any more SFC games based on SFB rules anymore (heck, no SFC games period!) will we still be able to play these great games?

Towelie · « **Reply #21 on:** October 18, 2003, 05:57:19 pm »

I finally saw a copy of SFC and bought it online. I never played the first one. Anyone else still play it online?

Pestalence · « **Reply #22 on:** October 18, 2003, 08:32:30 pm »

Some people do on Gamespy Arcade, which is it's only online mode...

but first you will have to patch through the series of instructions that i have on my web site in order to get Gamespy Arcade and other players games to recognize yours...

First, you have to patch to 1.03

then you need to replace the shiplist with the one that I am hosting which was made by Taldren after the 1.03 patch.

then you need the registry key that Gamespy Arcade did not incorporate from MPlayer when they were bought out, also available on my site,

then you need to install the bonus mission pack on my site that contains all the missions that were fixed after the 1.03 patch.. also available on my site.

and then if you are running XP and want to play Single Player.. XP had a patch last Dec which renders SFC unreadable (the CD that is) after the game is launched.... so leaves SFC unplayable in single player mode.. I have instructions on my web site and a file to send once those instructions are followed which will enable single player..

however, not listed on my web site, in order to play against NON XP users, You will need to make a copy of your original Starfleet.exe file before applying the file i send to you. This fix file will work with other XP users who got this fix, but ME and 98 and Win 2K users did not need this file and as such, you will need the old Starfleet.exe file from the 1.03 patch.....

i can explain it better once you follow the patching instructions.

SFC Patch page can be located at :

http://www.nightsoftware.com/effhq/sfc12.html

Hope that this helps

Towelie · « **Reply #23 on:** October 18, 2003, 09:36:49 pm »

You got to be kidding! I guess I will find out in next few days when it gets here.

Atrahasis · « **Reply #24 on:** October 18, 2003, 09:51:38 pm »

I might have bad news for you...........it's so old it may not run on a modern platform, especially if you're using win 2000.

Pestalence · « **Reply #25 on:** October 18, 2003, 10:31:46 pm »

Atrahasis, the original SFC should run just fine on Win 2K.. however, since Win Xp is basically Win 2K, NT and ME combined into a single platform, the XP Fix file should work just fine.... the fix file i have is also valid for ME / 98 / 95 / 2K / NT4 / XP home and Pro, however I was told by interplay not to release it to players who do not have XP.. I have not had anyone post or email me anything about SFC not working on Win 2K, but if players can't play on Win 2K, i will send them the file as well in return for the top portion of their Direct X Diagnostic Report showing Windows OS and Build number.

Basically the file is a interplay created CD Crack for version 1.03 EXE...

come to think of it.. I use that file myself, and I have had no problem playing others on ME / 98...

I haven't had to swap the Starfleet.exe file out at all.. but I need to replay the game again to confirm this...

BRB

Pestalence · « **Reply #26 on:** October 18, 2003, 10:55:31 pm »

Well unable to confirm... Everyone on GSA tonight are the one's i sent the file to for XP.. so I guess everyone is using the XP file fix....

oh well.. I'll keep trying over the next week and post back here about that issue... so just Email me Towlie if you plan on GSA play and Single player play and i will get you hooked up...

Seems like a lot of Downloads, but it really isn't.

the 1.03 patch isn't bigger than 4.5 megs, the Reg key is like 10 K and the shiplist takes less than a min on a 36 K modem...

the Bonus Mission pack is only 2.96 megs so just waiting on me to email you the SFC file fix is the only thing I think you would need.. and I send those out as soon as the Email comes in...

so, no worries.. I have you good to play as soon as i can humanly do it....

Hope that this helps...

P.S. my web page is designed for the people not use to PC gaming and I laid out the instructions with more detail than experienced gamers would need to get the game going.. so don't let it upset you with the information that i am displaying...

Thanks again...

VelvetAcidChrist · « **Reply #28 on:** October 19, 2003, 04:41:06 am »

i wished that my sfc would patchmbut it doesent since i formatted and put on dx9......be4 it did lol

The Postman · « **Reply #29 on:** October 19, 2003, 06:44:53 am »

I play on a Win 2K machine all the time. The only trouble I have is the video gets jerky at the moment the weapons are fired. Other than that it works great. Any ideas on how to clear up the weapons fire issue? EAW, OP and SFC3 all run with no issues.

and before you ask:
1500 P4
768 RAM DDR
Radeon 7200 64mb

Pestalence · « **Reply #30 on:** October 19, 2003, 07:24:04 am »

Does Win 2K have a compatibility mode for other Windows types?

In XP, you can right click on the Starfleet.exe file and select properties and select the compatibility tab, put a checkmark in run this program in compatability mode for :

then in the dropdown box, choose Windows 98/ME

then click OK, and wham.. the jerkiness is gone, well at least it is on my machine.

If Win 2K has compatibility modes, then try that, if not, then I don't know, I never used Win 2K

FFZ · « **Reply #32 on:** October 19, 2003, 10:24:39 am »

SFC command works fine on Windows XP, it's what I used for my review of the game.

I didn't need to create a DOS shell, nor change any settings at all.

I did notice the slow-up when you launch an Alpha strike, but only when tried at point blank range with the camera begining to swing around.

Pestalence · « **Reply #33 on:** October 19, 2003, 11:37:07 am »

If your machine is up to date.. IE : you have gone to windows updates and apply ALL the security patches for XP that prevent hackers from accessing your machine, then you will notice that XP will stop recognizing your SFC 1 CD.. it is the only game that I know of that this happens to... just so strange..

If your machine is not up to date, then the CD will work fine.. however it is recommended that you switch to compatability mode for Win 98 so the slow down graphic glitches won't be present...

how can you review a game when your machine is not completely up to date? If it was then you would have the Dec 2002 Security update that makes games not recognize the CD, then the Feb 2003 Secrutiy update which is suppose to fix this problem, but SFC is still unplayable in Single player due to game not recognizing CD in drive.. thus the CD Crack by Interplay...

have you not gone to :

http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/en/default.asp

and scanned your machine for current security updates and Windows XP improvements / enhancements / Fixes?

if not, you should.. and do so every 2 weeks.. the link is also found under your start button and labeled as Windows Updates...

How can you assess a game if your machine is not up to date?

this includes Direct X, Macromedia Flash and Shockwave player, Sun Microsystems java 1.4.2, plus other things as well as Anti-Spyware software, Anti-Virus, Registry Cleaners, Etc...

It is one thing to assess a game, it is another thing to do so on a clean, up to date system....

makes me wonder about all the reviews i have read in the past... how accruate are they if Spyware is running in the background causing lag or the machine is not up to date and the game keeps CTD ing...

Hmmmm.

Now I have to rethink every review i have ever read all the way back to the beginning of PC gaming...

FFZ · « **Reply #34 on:** October 19, 2003, 04:10:20 pm »

Not sure if your addressing me here, but if so, my review machine is 100% current with all windows and Norton updates, yet it plays SFC Gold CD without a single problem.

Pestalence · « **Reply #35 on:** October 19, 2003, 04:32:46 pm »

Sorry, you must not be using Fast user Switching with a Restricted Admin account on your system (which is bad security, especially if you are only user.. fast user switching should be off and admin account restricted to make hackers less successful if a hack is attempted)

Here is the issue I am talking about :

Windows Update information web site on security fixes concerning games needing CD CRC verification :

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?displaylang=en&FamilyID=EAE20F0F-C41C-44FE-84CE-1DF707D7A2E9

SafeDisc Windows XP Fix for PC Games
When running a restricted user account with fast user switching under Windows XP, some games will not start correctly. The game requests that the original disk be placed in the drive, even if it is already present. To remedy this issue, download and run this fix.

Quick Info
File Name:
updatesecdrv.exe

Download Size:
55 KB

Date Published:
2/1/2002

Version:
1.0

Overview
When running a restricted user account with fast user switching under Windows XP, some games will not start correctly. The game requests that the original disk be placed in the drive, even if it is already present. To remedy this issue, download and run this fix.

This software will not alter or patch any component on your system, it will only change the startup state of the system component needed to start your game from start on demand (on game load), to start at boot (on Windows XP start).

SafeDisc Windows XP Fix for PC Games
English
Download

Related Resources

Shop for Microsoft Games
Microsoft Games Home Page
Expert Zone Community Site
Focus on Gaming and Windows XP

System Requirements
Supported Operating Systems: Windows XP

You must be logged in as an administrator to run this application; it only runs under Windows XP; it is not needed for Windows 2000/95/98/ME.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Instructions
Click the Download link to start the download.
Do one of the following:
To start the installation immediately, click Open or Run this program from its current location.
To copy the download to your computer for installation at a later time, click Save or Save this program to disk.

Again if you are not using Fast User Switching or have a non restricted Admin account, then I do appologize...

If you are using these things, how did you get by Microsoft's screw up in SP 1 and subsequent Security updates?

I would really like to know in order to post this information for those of us running secure machines....

FFZ · « **Reply #36 on:** October 19, 2003, 05:31:54 pm »

Hmm, not being much for programing, all of that is a bit much, but I will try and find out the info your looking for.

I can tell you my system is less than 30 days old, is a Athalon 2500+ with 512 Ram and 120 GIg seagate HD, and I run a Radeon 9600 graphics card. I do have a Zone Alarm firewall, and so far, nobody has been able to pierce my system's defenses, at least not more than getting a worm, which was easily detcted by Norton and destroyed.

The Gold SFC command CD loaded and worked right from the start, with nothing added.

I have played a campaign with five of the six races, so that means a lot of game time, never had a problem running the game.

The only difference I can think of is I have a partition of my HD, XP, Norton and my messenger systems are loaded on a 10 GiG "C" Drive, and I store all my games on a 110 GIG "E" Drive. I do this so that I have a very large virtual memory to work with, this greatly helps with game play on many games, as I'm never short of resources. I'll try and find out about the permissions things your looking for though.

Jim · « **Reply #37 on:** October 19, 2003, 07:59:04 pm »

Hey, congratulations on getting the original SFC... it had some great campaigns in it. Not to mention LOTS of cool user=made missions (I still have over 40 extra missions I wrote myself for SFC on my website (below) if you are interested, including an 8 mission Hydran campaign and an 8 mission pirate campaign). You should check them out.

Jim

Stormbringer · « **Reply #39 on:** December 22, 2003, 11:29:09 pm »

I am interested. I think I've got most of your stuff already but just in case. Hey do you have the old sound mods by the old timers? I'm looking for the photon sound (Pop! Sizzle!) from the arcade cockpit game from the period the first few TMP movies were out in the early eighties.

Pestalence · « **Reply #40 on:** December 23, 2003, 02:06:35 am »

You may want to contact Chris Jones to see if he has that... he had several mods that includud several sounds.

Magnum357 · « **Reply #41 on:** December 23, 2003, 03:39:01 am »

I still play SFC1 often on GSA (can't seem to play SFC OP online for some reason) but SFC1 is still a fun game to play against people.

I still use a Win98 OS so I don't run into the problems that other people do when they install the game. Yes, installing the game is a pain in the butt if you want too play other people, but its not that bad if you take it step by step.

The thing that scares me is what are we going too do if Taldren/Interplay don't support SFC1, 2, OP anymore? Although I would love to stick with Win98 (like it much better then XP) but I bet MS will force me to upgrade. And I must admit, will these games still be able to run with newer OS's that come out in the future? After all, since Taldren can't make any more SFC games based on SFB rules anymore (heck, no SFC games period!) will we still be able to play these great games?

News:

Topic: Well, I just oredered SFC (the first one) (Read 3796 times) var addthis_config = {"data_track_clickback":true};

Towelie

Pestalence

Towelie

Atrahasis

Pestalence

Pestalence

Bossman

VelvetAcidChrist

The Postman

Pestalence

Pestalence

FFZ

Pestalence

FFZ

Pestalence

FFZ

Jim

Pestalence

Stormbringer

Pestalence

Magnum357

Towelie

Pestalence

Towelie

Atrahasis

Pestalence

Pestalence

Bossman

VelvetAcidChrist

The Postman

Pestalence

Pestalence

FFZ

Pestalence

FFZ

Pestalence

FFZ

Jim

Pestalence

Stormbringer

Pestalence

Magnum357

Topic: Well, I just oredered SFC (the first one) (Read 3796 times)