Syndicate Plus patch for FreeSynd

Syndicate Plus patch for FreeSynd

This replacement file allows FreeSynd to work with Syndicate Plus. FreeSynd is a cross-platform, re-implementation of the game that allows for playing it natively in Windows/Linux (i.e. without DOSBox) as long as you have the game's original data files. Note that FreeSynd doesn't currently support playing the expansion pack ("Plus") missions. Even with this patch, you will be able to play only the game's original missions. Also, FreeSynd might eventually be updated to support Syndicate Plus, in which case this patch will probably no longer be necessary. The current v0.7.5 does not.

FreeSynd setup instructions (if you already have it set up, skip to Step 5):

1. Go to https://sourceforge.net/projects/freesynd/files/

2. Do NOT click on the green button to download the "latest" version, since that button will download an old version. Instead, navigate the folder structure below and download the actual latest version (currently, v0.7.5).

3. Extract it anywhere.

4. Copy all files in the "SYNDICAT\DATA" folder of your Syndicate Plus installation to FreeSynd's "bin\data" folder. If you don't have a "SYNDICAT\DATA" folder, the files may be in "SYND\DATA" or just "DATA". The folder should have 439 files. If you have a DATADISK\DATA" folder, that's NOT what you want, as those are the expansion pack data files (again, FreeSynd currently supports only the original game's missions, not the expansion pack's missions).

5. Copy SOUND-0.DAT from this archive to FreeSynd's "bin\data" folder, overwriting the one that you just copied there.

6. Open bin\freesynd.ini and change "fullscreen" to "true". If you don't, the game will be in an unresizable 640x400 window that'll probably be far too small for most users.

7. Run bin\freesynd.exe.

Note: It's also possible to point FreeSynd to your existing Syndicate Plus installation instead of copying its data files in Step 4. You can do that by opening freesynd.ini, removing the '#' from the "data_dir" line and setting the path to the data files ("." and ".." accepted). You will then still have to copy SOUND-0.DAT over your original Syndicate Plus files, which may or may not affect the game when run in DOSBox instead of FreeSynd.