Whilst DOSBox is running, use CTRL+F11 to lower the cycles and CTRL+F12 to increase the cycles. If you are in a windowed DOSBox window then the number of cycles gets displayed in the title bar of the window. Do this to find the sweet spot for your machine and note down the cycles when you've got it right.

Bear in mind, you will NEVER get the menu animation at the correct speed whilst keeping the main game 3D tactical view up to speed. DOSBox just cannot do that right now as it needs high cycles for the game part and low cycles for the menu. And anyway, the menu with fast animations still works just fine, just the animations are too fast, it isn't game breaking in any way at all (and in fact, some users prefer the faster loading menu animations).

Once you've got your cycles figured out, you need to edit the .conf file for the game. Unfortunately I don't have the GOG version, only my own, so I don't know what GOG have named the conf file. If you've installed to something like C:\Games (i.e. not Program Files which is a protected folder on Vista and above) then the .conf file should be in the game installation folder somewhere. Open it with a text editor (Notepad or similar) and find the row that lists the cycles to use. Just replace with your required number. For me it is 120000 (the most cycles I've ever need to run a DOSBox game).

Yeah, I already figured that out (your tech support submission page helpfully showed me what to do). Report has been filed, along with the dxdiag file. Thanks.
Okay, I understand now (obviously, I'm not a programmer). The GOG version uses the 100% original game run through DOSBox to get it to work...in this case, it's solely DOSBox that is responsible for it running on your PC. Meanwhile the vexillium port basically re-writes the Syndicate Wars code as it's installing it from your CD so it will run on Windows as-is without a third-party program emulating DOS. I hope I'm explaining that right without sounding too retarded.

However, I sure as heck can't tell the difference between how either looks or plays, aside from the glitches! But if GOG can tweak things on their release then I'd much rather play through their version, as playing an official GOG release always makes me feel all warm and squishy inside.

I'm about 6 hours into System Shock 2 right now...Syndicate Wars is next on my list. They have until I finish SS2 to fix things! ;-)

Thanks for the info, bro. I'll play around and try and find that "sweet spot."

BTW, the main reason I'm whining about the menu animation is because it's one of my favorite parts of the game...I would seriously love a real PC operating system that looked/displayed like that! I spend time just randomly loading different menus 'cause it's so damn neat. I know, it's stupid, but whatever. I like it.

It's not the DOSBox conf files but play.bat settings (GOG Games\Syndicate Wars\SWARS).

cycles = max limit 20000
@SMACKPLY.EXE c:\SWARS\QDATA\INTRO.SMK
cycles = max limit 120000
@main /w /g

In normal game every login menu refresh intro was constantly playing so it was placed seperately at the start. First cycles value are for correct audio/video sync, second ones for in-game and menu.

Menu animations aren't that noticeable and cyborgs breathing animation in cryo, as well as projector speed (map, text and stuff) is ok. You can always set projector from fast to slow if menu things, maps and stuff are too fast.

BTW, I just want to take a second to thank everyone that's posted here so far...I've been a long-time GOG customer but I don't really frequent the forums much. It's nice to see how helpful the community can be.

Now if only you guys can help me to get Interstate '76 running... :)
Interesting. Thanks for the knowledge. I will put it to good use.

That's good to know. Usually, from the DOS games I have from GOG, they put the details into the conf file, but in this case they want to dynamically change the cycles after running the intro movie, so they've put the commands into a batch file to change the DOSBox cycles after the intro has played. I never bothered with that with my Syndicate Wars (in fact, I only learned about batch files setting DOSBox parameters a couple of weeks ago), and I never noticed any issue with the intro movie, even at the 120000 cycles I have set up, except for the fact that it restarts if you wait to long to log in, which wasn't that much of a problem.

However, I now use the Vexillium port. The speed issue mentioned about the port is known about (but I haven't really found it to be a problem anyway) and there is a .patch file that can be used to recompile the port's executable to fix the speed by implementing a max fps variable (it is in the community forum from the port's website), so if anyone feels like recompiling it then maybe we can get an improved Vexillium port.

Actually, doesn't setting the projector to fast just essentially turn it off? Whenever I set it to fast the menus just pop up without the neat-o vwizz-vwizz-vwiiiiizzzzzz effects.

Um...I put in the ticket to tech support about my issues days ago and no one ever got back to me like they said they would. Hello...?

So, this still seems to have big problems.

Really frustrated that GOG just slapped DosBox around this game and sold it. People could already do that. No value added.

I still have chronic mouse freezing problems which make this unplayable.

Not good enough, GOG.

Never got the GOG version of Syndicate Wars to work properly. Little to no help from GOG. I'm now using the Vexillium port and I'm more than happy with it.