Just adding some notes on my Ubuntu 20.04 experience using github.com/mefistotelis/swars - mefistotelis's updated port.

1. Getting the ISO and the music was relatively easy in a terminal (using `bchunk`, `sox`, and `oggenc`)
2. Building 'release' worked, however 'debug' build instructions were slightly faulty.
3. I could change the scaling in the source code ... but only multiples of 640x480; so i run at 1280x960.
4. There are a few bugs but overall the game seems playable!

Firstly, I converted the GOG data to .iso and .cdr using bchunk

: bchunk game.gog game.ins swars_cd

I got output like swars_cd01.iso, swars_cd02.cdr, ..., swars_cd04.cdr.

I figured out I needed to convert the .cdr files to .ogg files named track_01.ogg, etc. The simplest approach I found was via sox and oggenc

: sox --endian little swars_cd02.cdr track_01.wav
: oggenc track_01.wav track_01.ogg

I found I had to use `--endian little` via trial-and-error with sox, I couldn't be bothered RTFM to work out why.

I then mounted the swars_cd01.iso (I used either Disk Image Mounter or mount -o loop at the terminal), and followed the build instructions on GitHub. Because I wanted to do local install I used the --prefix=<the local directory> argument to the configure script. Then make, and make install.

I then ran the `util/install` script to get the game data for the port:

- I had to set the execution privileges for util/install: chmod +x util/install)
- There was also an issue (for me) with the CRLF, i used vi to set unix format: vi -c "argdo set ff=unix | update" -c "qa" util/install
- I used the -M option (no music) otherwise it would abort because audio tracks weren't mounted.
- I set the target via -t <the local directory>/share/swars - this is to match the prefix I set when I ran configure.

I then put the .ogg files into <the local directory>/share/swars/music

Then from <the local directory> I ran bin/swars ...

Success!

Well - sort of. Working on some small bugs related to menu screen transitions still, but the missions work.

Right now, changing resolution properly is not as high hanging fruit as before, though several things still need to be fixed:
- objective text area seem to assume line width of 640
- some items should be positioned in more dynamic manner, ie. minimap should be at bottom of the screen
- interface elements should be drawn with scaling
- we could also make a collection of higher resolution sprites for the menus
- and the resolution option should be in a config file (there are many video modes predefined, but it is possible to add a mechanism for registering new modes, so any resolution is really achievable)

See here for some details:
https://github.com/mefistotelis/swars-re-helpers/issues/1#issuecomment-1140129551

Thanks! I'll take a look. I wish Bullfrog would do a proper remaster of both Syndicate and Syndicate Wars in an updated Graphics engine.

This worked for me - thank you!

Installers for further updated versions are built automatically. Though they use NSS rather than Inno. And they don't have CD tracks included.

Anyway, the installers are available on Github, stable versions in "Releases", and bleeding edge builds within "Actions":
https://github.com/swfans/swars

I downloaded the latest version and for the life of me, of my I cannot the music tracks to work. I installed it from the GOG version.

When you're writing on a forum to get help, you may want to explain the issue in detail. Especially, which version you have and what exactly you tried.

.. unless you just wanted to share you experience, then that's ok.

Ripping failed?
You have music in OGGs, but the game remains silent?
AFAIK the latest installer does support ripping tracks from CD image shipped with GOG release.

I have the tracks in OGG format, I can even play them using windows media player, but they do not play in game, the tension music isn't there either. I installed the port from the GOG files. I did not mount a disk image. Have I done something wrong in the Installation? I have version 0.3.6.1624.

Tension and OGG music are mostly separate, so it is surprising that both don't play.

1. Check your error log

You will find `error.log` file in the game folder. Check it, look for messages starting with "Error:", and those which relate to music. You must do that after a run where you encountered the issue - log is overwritten on each run.

2. Check your volume

The game has separate volume sliders for music and tension. Check that in options - make sure they're not muted.

3. Try playing single map

When playing single map, the default options will be used (unless you override that). So, try:

```
swars -m 1,48
```

Check if you have music and tension while playing this way.

Ok This is a little weird, but when I start the game by double clicking it from the directory, it has music, even tension music, but when I start the game from the desktop shortcut there is no music.

I did check the error file but I didn't find any errors relating to music, just errors relating to save files not existing, Is that normal?

Looks like there are two different approaches to paths used. One is taking the path from registry, the other is taking it from the CWD.

Set the working directory properly and it should work.

Still this is lack of consequence in code, therefore a bug. You can file an issue on github.

This was my bad, it's due to an odd way the NSIS installer works when it creates icons. If you check the desktop icon properties in Windows they will have the "start in" property set to the Syndicate Wars\Language directory, which is wrong, and breaks finding the music. Just remove the "language" part of the path on the icons and save and it will work.

This was fixed a while ago and is definitely fixed on the recent pre-release installer versions, so if in doubt use them to install/re-install.

Great work on this. Really looking forward to trying this out but unfortunately can't at the moment due to a major issue compiling on Linux, at least Kubuntu 24.04, but possibly all Ubuntu-based x64 distros, so just a heads up for everyone.

The problem seems to be related to the 'libsdl1.2-dev:i386' package, so not the code itself, but it will most likely destroy your OS installation. It seems to want to remove a lot of important x64 packages, not just dev versions of them.

Here's an example of just some of the things it removed from my kubuntu before I noticed the problem:

kdenetwork-filesharing kubuntu-desktop kubuntu-notification-helper
kubuntu-settings-desktop language-selector-common memtest86+ netplan.io network-manager
network-manager-openconnect network-manager-pptp networkd-dispatcher nvidia-settings orca os-prober
pastebinit plasma-distro-release-notifier plasma-firewall plasma-nm plymouth-theme-kubuntu-logo

I'm a bit of a Linux noob so don't know what a lot of the things do, but I know that the things I've highlighted in bold are pretty important.

This is just a small selection of what it removed. Essentially installing this package will destroy your OS allowing you to only boot into a TTY session but you'll have no network do I don't think it would be possible to salvage anything from there anyway.