Automated Freelancer installation script with support for HD Edition and Discovery Mod on multiple Linux systems.
- CachyOS (Arch-based with pacman)
- Steam Deck (SteamOS/Arch-based with read-only filesystem)
- Arch Linux
- Ubuntu/Debian
- 🎨 Freelancer HD Edition - Enhanced graphics mod
- 🚀 Discovery Mod - Fan-made total conversion mod
- 📥 Automatic Downloads - Parallel downloads for faster installation
- 🔄 Mode Selector - Choose which game version to play
- 🛡️ No-CD Patch - Bypass DRM/SafeDisc protection
- 🍷 Wine Integration - Automatic Wine prefix setup and configuration
./play_freelancer.shThe script will automatically:
- Install required packages via pacman
- Download Freelancer ISO, HD Mod, Discovery Mod, and No-CD patch
- Set up Wine prefix and install silently
- Show a menu to select which game version to play
Prerequisites:
- Boot into Desktop Mode
- Open Terminal
- Navigate to this directory
./play_freelancer.shOn Steam Deck, the script will:
- Install required packages via
rpm-ostree(SteamOS package manager) - Download Freelancer ISO, HD Mod, Discovery Mod, and No-CD patch
- Set up Wine prefix and install silently
- Show a menu to select which game version to play
Important for Steam Deck:
- The
rpm-ostree installcommand may require a system restart after first run - If "wine not found" error appears after restart, the packages should now be available
- The script will automatically find Proton's wine as fallback
- If still not found after restart, you may need to manually restart or check if packages were installed correctly
./play_freelancer.shThe script will automatically install packages via apt-get.
./
├── play_freelancer.sh # Launcher (auto-installs if needed)
├── install_freelancer.sh # Installation script
├── .gitignore # Git ignore rules
├── download/ # Downloaded files (ISO, mods, patches)
└── wine-freelancer/ # Wine prefix with installed game
./play_freelancer.shOn first run, it will install everything automatically.
After installation, you'll see:
=== Freelancer Launcher ===
Welchen Modus möchtest du spielen?
[1] Freelancer HD Edition (Vanilla)
[2] Discovery Mod
Auswahl [1-2]:
Select your preferred game version.
rm -rf wine-freelancer download
./play_freelancer.shThe scripts automatically detect your system and configure accordingly:
- CachyOS/Arch: Uses
pacmanfor dependencies - Steam Deck (SteamOS): Uses
rpm-ostree installfor dependencies - Ubuntu/Debian: Uses
apt-getfor dependencies - Unknown: Guides you to install tools manually
This should not occur anymore as the script uses rpm-ostree install on Steam Deck to properly install packages.
If you still get this error:
- Make sure you're running from
$HOME(not from system directories) - Check that
/var/lib/rpm-ostreeis writable - You may need to use
sudowhen running the script
The script automatically searches for wine in:
- System PATH (if already installed)
- Steam Deck Proton locations (if on Steam Deck)
- Freshly installed rpm-ostree packages
On Steam Deck:
- The script will try to find Proton's wine automatically
- If
rpm-ostree installwas just run, a system restart may be required for packages to become available - After restart, try running
./play_freelancer.shagain
On other systems:
- Make sure wine is properly installed:
pacman -S wine(Arch) orapt-get install wine(Ubuntu) - Run the script with proper permissions (may need
sudo)
Check the console output for error messages. Common issues:
- Wine prefix not initialized properly
- Missing No-CD patch
- Game directory missing
The launcher uses DSLauncher.exe which provides a proper launcher interface.
Edit the URLs in install_freelancer.sh to use different versions:
FREELANCER_ISO_URL="..."
HD_MOD_URL="..."
DISCOVERY_MOD_URL="..."These scripts are provided as-is for personal use. Freelancer and mods are property of their respective creators.
- Freelancer HD Edition: https://github.com/FLHDE/freelancer-hd-edition
- Discovery Mod: https://discoverygc.com/
- No-CD Patch: From abandonware archives