RUNNING SW WITH DOSBOX

USING DOSBOX TO RUN SYNDICATE WARS ON NEW COMPUTER

DOSBox is an open-source emulator of PC with DOS system. It emulates DOS with slow, but very complex way. If you experience problems with the VDMSound emulation, or you have fast enough computer, you should use this method. Also, DOSBox has a version for Linux systems.

You can configure DOSBox by creating a copy of its *.conf file, and modifying it in text editor. I have already done this, so you can download modified config file here:

Download DOSBox 6.5 optimal config for Syndicate Wars

Place the config file in DOSBox directory, then create a shortcut for DOSBox.exe, view the shortcut "Properties" page and modify the shortcut target to:

"C:\Program files\DOSBox\dosbox.exe" -conf dosboxSyndWars.conf c:\swars\play.bat

(of course, you must use your own directory paths)

The "Working path" should be set to DOSBox path.


If the sound is not working, try adding a line: "setsound" to your "c:\swars\play.bat" file, like this:

setsound
@main /w /g
exit

After running your previously created shortcut, Sound Setup should appear. Select "Configure Automatically". If this will fail, choose "Configure manually" and select "Sound Blaster 16", 16-bit DMA=5, DMA=1, IRQ=7, Address=220h.

If you still can't get sound working, edit "swars\sound\dig.ini" with notepad and make it look like this:

;
;Manually edited config file for Miles Sound System
;

DEVICE      Creative Labs SoundBlaster 16, AWE32, AWE64, or SBLive!
DRIVER      SB16.DIG
IO_ADDR     220h
IRQ         -1
DMA_8_BIT   -1
DMA_16_BIT  -1

If it still refuses to play sound, install all patches available in "Paches and mods" section.

When the sound configuration is complete, you can remove the "setsound" line from "c:\swars\play.bat" so the sound setup won't appear at game start.


If the game works too slow or something, see DOSBox instructions:

DOSBox Emulator information

If you want to hear CD Audio Music and Tension sound, see this:

How to install game from original CD disc under new OS

(you need to have an original disc or CD image which contains audio tracks to make game work with music)

Speed control tips by Habzial

You can speed up DOSBox by doing the following. Close every process and programming running that you can. Open Task Manager and monitor your CPU usage. Press CTRL-12 and up the processor cycles until Task Manager indicates you hit 100%.
Warning: If you continue to increase processor cycles AFTER reaching 100% DosBox will run SLOWER. After you close Task Manager, you'll be using less CPU, so DosBox will really be running at just under 100%.

You can also increase game speed by pressing CTR-F8 to increase frame-skipping.