ps:
If anyone wants to play Syndicate Wars on a win7 pc someone has made a port and it runs great
(you will still need the original cd)

http://swars.vexillium.org/

Oh yeah, this port is really great. But newcomers will get OWNED in this game. It can be extremely difficult, unless you really know what you're doing, what weapons and researches to choose. I seriously recommend Mefistotelis's site which has guides and info on both games!
http://syndicate.lubie.org/

Davros wrote:

ps: If anyone wants to play Syndicate Wars on a win7 pc someone has made a port and it runs great (you will still need the origi […]
Show full quote

ps:
If anyone wants to play Syndicate Wars on a win7 pc someone has made a port and it runs great
(you will still need the original cd)

http://swars.vexillium.org/

It says the original Syndicate Wars CD is required so how does that make it a port? A port should be able to stand alone without having the original otherwise you might just as well play the original game in a VM.

Nope. A port must be able to run with original data files (levels, graphics, sounds). As these files are still copyrighted, it's not that strange that most ports need original games.

There are some ports that can be shipped with data from demos or shareware versions (these files are copyrighted too, but demos and shareware are allowed to distribute), with links to downloads, or with "alternate" data files, but usually no ports are distributed with original data files (except those games that have been liberated by the copyright owners).

Zup wrote:

Nope. A port must be able to run with original data files (levels, graphics, sounds). As these files are still copyrighted, it's not that strange that most ports need original games.

There are some ports that can be shipped with data from demos or shareware versions (these files are copyrighted too, but demos and shareware are allowed to distribute), with links to downloads, or with "alternate" data files, but usually no ports are distributed with original data files (except those games that have been liberated by the copyright owners).

It still doesn't alter the fact that if you own the original CD, then you don't need this "port" to play the game. You can play it in a VM if it it doesn't work in compatibility mode. It was a lot of coding work for nothing.

Oh, and the definition of a port is a game written for one machine originally, but was later released on another. Like if a game was originally released for DOS, but was then later released for Amiga, or one originally written for XBox but later released on PS3, that is a port. The original files do not have to be intact from one version to another because the machine being ported to may have more capabilities than the original and just using the same data sources wouldn't allow for the use of any features unique to the target machine. Would you want to play a game on the Amiga that was ported from a 286 DOS system but still used the inferior graphics and sound capabilities of the original DOS version or would you want one that looked and sounded better on the Amiga because it took advantage of the Amiga hardware?

Going the other way, the target machine may have inferior capabilities to the original and not be able to display the same graphic files or have the same sound quality, in which case the "port" would have to be completely rewritten to the target machines capabilities again, like if you wanted to release the same game on DOS, Amiga and C64. The three machines have different capabilities so just reusing all the graphical, sound and other files across platforms would not work.

Zup already gave a nice description of a port, and no matter how often you write "port" than port it doesn't relief you of checking that what you think is a port is actually considered a port by definition. Please do NOT unnecessarily lenghen these posts with unqualified information and unneeded bashing.

wd wrote:

Zup already gave a nice description of a port, and no matter how often you write "port" than port it doesn't relief you of checking that what you think is a port is actually considered a port by definition. Please do NOT unnecessarily lenghen these posts with unqualified information and unneeded bashing.

My definition is more accurate than any other given and I stand by it. My information is not unqualified. That has been the definition of a port since the beginning of computing. It's not my fault the rest of you are using a wrong definition.

My definition is more accurate than any other given and I stand by it.

But it's wrong.

wd wrote:

My definition is more accurate than any other given and I stand by it.

But it's wrong.

Why? because the almighty wd says so?

Yes, and Syndicate Wars isn't even fully 3d - it's a heightmap with sprites on it and some box buildings and it's not even a first person shooter.

now please bag on every other port in the Release Announcements forum for being pointless because you can dosbox it instead okay keep your weaselin out of here.

leileilol wrote:

Yes, and Syndicate Wars isn't even fully 3d - it's a heightmap with sprites on it and some box buildings and it's not even a first person shooter.

I don't think Xenphor asked for FPS games only. He just wanted to see 3D games on the PC. Syndicate Wars is not fully 3D, but most of the world itself is, which is quite impressive. Oh and don't forget destructible buildings.Nothing like robbing banks 😁!

Yes

Hehe 😀

Does Syndicate Wars not run in Dosbox? It shows up as compatible in the list on dosbox's website.

It does.

pre-Quake 3D with polygons:
Stunts
Test Drive 3
Freescape engine games
...

P.S. This thread is in wrong section.

And slightly above 4 years old.

F2bnp wrote:

And slightly above 4 years old.

It's the retro forum. 😀

Tertz wrote:

F2bnp wrote:

And slightly above 4 years old.

It's the retro forum. 😀

Watch it, Tertz. 😉

PS. Moved.

sliderider wrote:

Oh, and the definition of a port is a game written for one machine originally, but was later released on another.

Like this one, originally written for dos, ported to windows 7x64

There's obviously all the Sega Saturn PC ports, like Bug!, Bug Too, Daytona USA & Deluxe*, Sega Rally Championship (also a rare Direct3D version*), Sega Touring Car Championship*, Manx TT Superbike**, House of the Dead*, Virtua Fighter Remix***, Virtua Fighter 2*, Last Bronx, Virtual On***, Panzer Dragoon***, Sky Target, Virtua Cop/Squad 1***&2*, Sega Worldwide Soccer*, NBA Action 98*...

Games marked * had a Direct3D patch or mode, games marked ** had a 3Dfx Glide mode. Games marked *** had a specific 3D version made for Nvidia NV1 card.