if you are using an onboard video card or intel chipsets i810 or i815 this kind of flicker with distorted letters and screen happens . you can download fix patch from here http://eoa.seriouszone.com/louvadeus.php#quickfix

look for the file saying freelancer hardware update. just down load the file and place it in your c/programfiles/microsoftgames/freelancer/exe file and that should do the trick. but if you change mods a lot or reinstall freelancer you must replace the file again.

this also fixes SiS igp/gpu chip set problems as well.