[RizZen]

Freelancer review by oldpcgaming.net
German review (auf deutsch)
"I'm not allowed to share the direct links to downloads or the original version. But those articles and the info below should give you a point into the right direction to get a hand on this gem. When you are lucky, you can get/buy an original version on amazon or ebay - but nowadays it is sold expensively overrated and have to be seen as a "collector's" edition. Like an old baseball card. Just for info i have TWO original Disks and the original package and books in my collection. At the moment - a valid value for FL-Original disks is about 80-150 bucks - depends on how "used" and condition of the sale."

So what you have to do in order to play Microsoft Freelancer again / or for the first time?

1. Install Freelancer

Freelancer is official abandonware and inofficial freeware - it can be downloaded on several places for free in the internet. Just type "Freelancer ISO Download" into google and search for the right download link. I'm not allowed to share them directly - yet. But doesn't matter - for my version later you don't need the original anymore.

The technical pre-conditions are limited in the basic game. The maximum native resolution was 1240x1024 (4:3). Nowadays no eye candy to play - see it on screen:

Screensize 50% reduced for forum view

2. Update the original game folder with any HD Widescreen mod for SP Freelancer:
(or a copy of it when you wanna backup the vanilla one)

There are many HD Mods available for Freelancer. Some work better and some less. I like the version from Jeider & Whiskas very much. I modified it a bit for autodetection of screenresolution, here is my HD Widescreen
Mod Version:

Download RizZen's Vanilla FL Widescreen (16:9) HD Mod (original by Whiskas and Jeider)

Download this *.rar - open it and copy the content of the folders to your FL folders. Readme instructions are inside.
Mod Content:
- Official Advanced Widescreen HD Mod v1.1 by Whiskas & Jeider
- RizZen's autodetect edition with SP-savegame for free play without storymode (install readme inside)

Now you can enjoy FL story campaign and single player mods in Widescreen HD resolutions:

Screensize 50% reduced for forum view

[attachment eaten by a Shivan]

[RizZen]

Windows 10 OS
On Windows 10 you just need to mount the ISO or use the original FL CD and run all executables and game files with Windows XP SP2 support. (Right click exe files -> compatibility menu).
When Freelancer is started for the first time it may install/activate DirectPlay - this is technically needed to play Freelancer. It won't take long to do those small changes in the windows settings.

How to install?
1. open the ISO
2. start the setup/install/autorun executable
3. follow the install instructions and install the basic freelancer game
4. it is recommended to choose "full installation"
5. When you would like to mod / update your installation you can use freelancer mod manager (freeware) or drop mod folders manually into your game folders to update your versions. It is recommend to make a copy of the original game folder with an edited name in order not to troubleshoot or crash your working installation later. When you make a backup keep in mind that Freelancer uses two folders to store your game files. First is the common game folder that users are used. The second is in the user's data folders under "... \MY GAMES\Freelancer" - it is recommend to backup those folders, too when you make changes to the original Singleplayer version. When you would like to play the other you can start the FL.exe from specific unmodded backup folder - this way you just need to replace the "MY GAMES\Freelancer\..." user's folder, when you switch back to single-player and campaign story mode. Other mods are overwriting this user folder with your server multiplayer IDs. You should keep an eye on them, don`t share them to others - when other people know your ID they can do changes on your accounts. When you loose the files you maybe in danger of loosing entrance to your existent multi-player chars. I will release more information about freelancer multiplayer IDs later on another place of this board.

When you just want to play the Original Freelancer start the setup from the ISO/CD now and if you like enhance it with smaller or bigger mods you wanna play (Widescreen Mod Download is above - introduces higher resolutions and resolution auto detect / screen resize).

The game can be installed on other OS, too. From Win9x up to WinXP/Vista up to Win7,8,8.1 there are more or less easy instructions how to install it all over the web. When you have found a certain solution or having serious issues your free to communicate here. There are even people who managed to install and play it on MAC & Linux OS systems!

[Colonol Dekker]

This topic is wonderful as I do own a hardcopy of the original game but it's buried in my loft beneath god knows....


One vote to have it stickied please

And thank you for taking the time to write this all up.

Also slightly off topic....but on forum topic, I remember seeing freespace ships in freelancer a long time ago.... Was there a mod for it or were they in one of the mega ship packs? 😜.

[Commander Zane]

Also slightly off topic....but on forum topic, I remember seeing freespace ships in freelancer a long time ago.... Was there a mod for it or were they in one of the mega ship packs? 😜.

I think the mod was WTS? I still do Discovery once in a blue moon.

[0rph3u5]

What are the options for localisation? - I own a german version and its one of the technically worst localisation jobs I've ever seen (seriously, did they have no director for the VA sessions?)

[RizZen]

Options for localisation? VA?

Kannst auch gern auf deutsch fragen vll versteh ich dich dann 

[0rph3u5]

Localisation = Translation plus X of a game/movie/etc from its original language/cultural or market context into another; because there might be some alterations beyond the mere lingustic translataion (such as cutting content based on local laws and customs) it is its own thing

VA = voice acting


Basically I was asking if the free version comes in different languages...

[RizZen]

The voice acting is still better to me than Siri or Alexa...

---

My mod will be released in English only. Even the German elements you see in my screenshots won't be shown to other players later.

There are multiple native original ISOs in the web so that people are able to install it in the language they like. The language code of all
my mod content i set to 0 (all languages) - so it will be shown on all versions with individual languages - but in English.

This is possible to do this way cause i don't edit the original game files - i just expand them or write new ones.

[CKid]

Got as far as installing it using VirtualCloneDrive. Unfortunately it's asking me for the game disc to start playing. Not quite sure where I went wrong.

[RizZen]

What OS your using? Did you MOUNT the ISO?

[CKid]

Windows 7. Yes, I mount the ISO by right clicking on it and selected Mount. Doing so brings up the autoplay box and I select "run setup.exe". I install game with no issues. Once that is done however, when I try to start the game it's asking me to insert the CD-ROM. Sorry for the late response.

[BlueFlames]

Microsoft released Freelancer as freeware and it became available for anyone.

That doesn't sound much like Microsoft to me.  Is there somewhere we can read the original announcement (or some other documentation) of the free release?

[Nightmare]

Wikipedia article doesn't say anything about that; Google search tells me that MS doesn't sell it anymore/cares about it so it's some sort of abandonware.

[RizZen]

There had been announcements back in time. You will see it when i find smt. - had same issue with MechCommander, microsoft too - but after speaking with Mitch Gitelman, the head CEO of the developer team everything was cool. The creators of those games like how they get distributed in a non-profit oriented manner.

[Nightmare]

If only FS would be available that way too

[Novachen]

I am actually curious about that 'freeware' thing, too. I mean if this game is freeware, than it would be available on much more official sites instead of shady Abandonware sites only (which only offer the english version, too)

Allegiance was handled much more differently by Microsoft. It was available from Microsofts official sites after their official declaration you can still found on MS' websites. It was available right in the Windows Store with its introduction in Windows 8 and is also on Steam nowadays.

So i do not have a clue, why they should treat Freelancer different...

[Nightmare]

So i do not have a clue, why they should treat Freelancer different...

To give SC backers an impression what the reality/ambition of Croberts looks like.

[RizZen]

I know that Freelancer got released on several platforms back in the days. Each computer-magazine i bought had it on disk as fullversion one day. On Microsoft it was availalbe, too for some years. But it seems they simply forgot about it. The last information i have about FL is that MS lost the source code and they have no big interest in develop this one any further.

[Nightmare]

Would be interesting to know though, Wikipedia doesn't say anythings; probably the article hasn't been updated for a while.

[Colonol Dekker]

 Or here..

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/how-to-still-get-freelancer/aa7c5608-f6ba-4bd8-9990-0d417fa1f3b7?auth=1


They do refer to star citizen being released back in 2014 through 2017 though