How did I end up at '88 Flak?

I have played Freelancer off and on for about 5 years. I've hosted LANs for it, and tried out several mods over the years. In particular, I enjoyed 'discovering' new capabilities in Freelancer. In short, every mod I've tried has left me wanting for more.

Then I stumbled across the '88 Flak wiki. As I read through the features, I realized that all those possiblilities I had imagined were practically all in play here. The 'out of the box' approach this mod takes to actually changing the gameplay experience is brilliant!

First things first.

So I downloaded FLMM v1.3 (I like that one, unless there's a better one someone can convince me of now) and got '88 FLak installed fine. Already, a big thing I noticed: The download size of this mod is smaller than some of the more popular mods out there. Hmm, for all the features boasted about it's a painless download. So how's that work? Because it's worth every MB, that's why. It's newly coded material, and it utilizes predominantly the resources already installed with original Freelancer. I haven't even gotten into the server yet and I'm already getting excited![/b]

First Login

So I get in finally and boom, i'm a little pod. After evaluating the 'rules/info' type items on the n00b station, I understand why and realize I am provided with a perfectly fine ship to start with right there at the beginning station. The mod really put me correctly in my place when I started and was smart enough to have all the nasty particulars worked out for me on login. Like when I first left the station, I had a 'protection n00b license' for security and optional paths to take depending on my skill level.

Taking the normal route, I was hit with no jump gates for the first time...and '88 Flak. This mod, first off, gives you a reason to go out and do stuff. You really want to prosper in this mod since the NPC's are tough! There are rare equipment drops, options to have wingmen come and fight with you, and so many things more it's hard to list them all. Out there in space in '88 Flak, you really are out there and you want all the help you can get. When you are at a station, you really want to stock up and actually have a reason to since you will be faced with real combatants out there. Alternatively, when you are in the open space between stations you will be wanting to practice your skills to improve combat. You'll need it.

So then I met TraderDoju (sorry if I misspelled that) and had a
wonderful combat lesson from him! If that one pilot is any indication of the remaining community of '88 Flak, you can count me in! He was informative, eager to welcome a new player, and generally a good guy.

Later on, when he logged off, I found myself just flying around NY for mapping. Wow, I stopped to shoot some asteroids - way better, and I even had little crumbsnatchers trying to tractor in my goods before i could! So long as I had a license or two (purchased from bases, etc.), wingmen would join me if I was within one of their 'patrol routes.' Again, brilliant. So many things caught my attention that were really useful, and innovative modding ideas I was up until 7AM!!

In Closing

'88 FLak is The Mod to use for Freelancer. The team there has managed to do more things and demonstrate so much more commitment than many other 'higher rated' mods. How? The '88 FLak team:

1- Implemented original code to actually ADD NEW features to the game.
2- Completely changed travel and base dependancy, as well as general ally dependancy.
3- Opened the way for more 'custom pathing' opportunities later.
4- Somehow made an equippable item link to NPC's on their patrol routes - HUGE!
5- Worked efficiently, utilizing already existing Freelancer materials and truly revealing what Freelancer can do!

There is no better mod available for Freelancer, for beyond the initial excitement of new ships and bases and systems there is only the want TO DO MORE. '88 FLak is the one mod that offers that, and has been initially structured correctly to allow for future expansions that CHANGE gameplay. The difference in some of the 'top rated' mods is that they may have added ships, ID's, etc. but then the game is only an effort to get those bajillion ships. '88 Flak offers bigger battles, to actually give a reason for a bigger ship. '88 Flak actually puts those cutting edge encounters in game for you, so you don't just have to roleplay it. It's there.

Long live '88 Flak!

I'm glad you were able to enjoy Fox's (and contributor's) work. Flak is a vastly different mod compared to the rest of them, but sadly is dying. I was actually waiting to catch you online to play since I've been itching to play some Flak again. If you're still around, I'd be glad to show you some more features Flak has to offer, including but not limited to, balance, docking in player battleships, balance, variety of ships available, and balance.

If I'm still around? I'm just getting settled in here I'd love to see it. Yeah, I was REALLY siked about the dockable battleships, etc. I didn't mention any in my initial post since I didn't encounter any yet. I wanted merely to give some new guys a good introduction, based on a pure and fresh experience of the mod. I would like to analyze the mod further, in game and post a follow-up!

P.S. I've GOT to get a good picture of Freelancer '88 FLak up on my 46" SOny LCD before I move my PC back to the desk too!!

if i see you ill jump on too

Excellent first post. Your experience closely mirrors my first impressions on the mod as well. When I first starting reading about it, it sounded like everything I always wanted done in Freelancer. Particularly in terms of balance and ship list.

And yes, Doju is a good indication of the rest of the community. Whenever a new character shows up on the server, anyone nearby is more than willing to help. Without fail.

Welcome aboard, Karma Capsule. Great to see new faces around here, and I'm glad you're enjoying the mod so far. =D

Man, Who485, those renders you did are amazing! I see that you were having a problem getting those into Milkshape intact. I know enough to get me in trouble, but is it possible to get those into 3DSMAX and then imported into Freelancer (intact)?



Thanks, FOx, on so many levels!

If you can get them into Milkshape intact, the rest is standard procedure for putting them into Freelancer. I don't know anything about exporting from 3DS to Milkshape though. I imagine it would be easier though considering that 3DS is more widely used than Lightwave 3D.

Ah, maybe I misunderstood the problem. Out of the post you made in your other thread:


I was assuming it was a loss from Lightwave -> Milkshape. As a workaround, I didn't know if you could go from Lightwave -> 3DSMAX -> Milkshape withouth losing the quality. Just a brainstorm, I'm dangerous with those

I really like your attitude Karma

Frank if we can somehow help you, tell us. What exactly is the problem. Is it that you can't export the model to ms or is it the losses?

I've already tried every export path I'm aware of. Including using "middle man" paths like the 3DS one that Karma suggested. I can get the models into Milkshape in various ways, but something is always lost in the translation. The best I've gotten is the model fully intact, but with the UV maps completely destroyed.

Sojourn claimed he was able to get a model into Freelancer from Lightwave, but I don't know how he did it, and I haven't seen him around these forums in a long time.

If you look on Sojourn's profile page, he has AIM. Maybe you could try contacting him that way.

Yeah, I still see him on once and a while, but I'm usually doing something, so we don't talk much (unless he directly asks me a question etc.)

I see him on, but I only just got Flak up again (on my *other* partition).
I haven't seen anyone online in the Green and Black on in a loonngg time tho.

I'm a 'retired' WoW veteran, and since I was on a private server I got tired of the blatent exploits/cheating going on, I just wanted some fun without all the lamers.

Hence, 88 Flak. Fast paced combat without the bitter aftertaste.
I haven't exactly played it yet (still going through regular SP) but I've installed a few mods and have been messing around a bit on my own to 'customize' my experience. I've been *in stiches* laughing so hard with the 'Destructible Universe' mod available from the SWAT portal (only place I could find a DL of it). You guys should host it here as well so that there's an alternative for those who have blacklisted the SWAT portal due to some issues I won't go into here.

But god I love this game, Freelancer. I'm going to do my best to convince a few of my WoW guildmates to join me on the server. If it becomes fun enough, you guys may see 20+ people online at a time, and maybe more (depending on how many want to install any other game but WoW). The best thing about WoW is the community and I do believe my guild would 'convert' to Freelancer once they see how awesome this mod is.

So if any of you vets were shy about playing, GET ONLINE and get your FRIENDS to join you! Populate the damn servers so that when my guild becomes a clan of pirates (or bounty hunters) then we can have something to shoot at that isn't an NPC! ^_^

UPDATE:
Destructible Universe v1.0
NOT CREATED BY ME!
Full credits listed in the description prior to download.