Some missing game versions

[leilei]

Doom fever was on a high at the time in 1994, no one can resist adding any Doom file to a shovelware!

[MrFlibble]

It's weird though that neither 1.4 or 1.6 has this notification despite them both being labeled as being beta releases in a similar fashion to that of version 1.5 (which makes me think it might have been something some sysop went ahead and added).

I've noticed that the "Official" FAQ v5.7 (which was first included with shareware v1.4, but can be also found in the v1.5 beta package) describes the shareware v1.4 as an official release:

[6-1]: How can I get the shareware release?
===========================================

*6-1-1*: What are the file names?
---------------------------------
DOOM is released in two formats, a two file 1.44mb format, and a one
file 2mb format. The 2mb format is released under the name
"doom1_4.zip". The 1.44mb file names are "doom1_4a.zip" and "doom1_4b.zip."
If you got DOOM before June of 1994, it is recommended
that you upgrade to v1.4 if you wish for modem play and Nightmare mode.
A patch under the file name "dm1_4spt.zip" is available to upgrade the
v1.2 shareware version to v1.4. A patch under the file name "dm1_4rpt.zip"
is available to upgrade the registered version to v1.4. Additionally,
a file named "altdoom1.zip" is available for those people whose computers
do not work with the DOOM DOS Extenders, but only for DOOM v1.1.

Interestingly enough, none of the files mentioned here are included in the historic section at gamers.org. On the other hand, doom1_4.zip can be found here. I haven't checked yet if it is any different from doom14bt.zip though.

[Litude]

I think the official FAQ is mistaken in this case since there was no offiial registered version 1.4 and neither were there any official patches to update the shareware or registered version of the game to version 1.4. I know of an unofficial 1.4 registered patch which might have confused the author. Or more likely, he just changed every mention of 1.2 to 1.4 and didn't bother proof-reading the new text.

[MrFlibble]

Or more likely, he just changed every mention of 1.2 to 1.4 and didn't bother proof-reading the new text.

I also thought of that possibility. Some Googling I did suggests that there were indeed rumours of the upcoming 1.4 release back then, but apparently it slowly developed into 1.5, and then into the 1.6 stuff (like the relevant section of the later versions of the FAQ describe it). What I'm not sure about though is how far and wide the beta versions were distributed. Were they only limited to select beta testers? Or was it more widespread?

[Litude]

AFAIK those three versions were completely public beta releases. The only difference is that registered versions of those builds don't exist and that whoever put the distributions together didn't bother creating an installer for them.

There was an actual leaked beta though, version 1.3 (which is probably the reason that version was skipped), but 1.4 - 1.6 were all released to the public.

[MrFlibble]

BTW, the Warcraft II shareware CD version I've mentioned above apparently includes a VENDOR.TXT file which says:

Everyone can -- and is encouraged! -- to copy, upload and generally pass
around this Program electronically WITHOUT CHARGING FOR IT.

The Program is marked "Shareware" and contains "six playable scenarios". No
right is given by this vendor.txt to copy, use or distribute any other
version, including any version that is registered, or not marked shareware,
or that contains any episodes other than the six original playable scenarios.

I doubt the guys at Blizzard imagined distributing the entire CD ISO via high-speed Internet connections back then, but I think this means that at least technically, the distribution of the entire shareware CD of Warcraft II should be legal.

In addition to this, the shareware demo installer contains the following information:


This suggests that Blizzard really intended this version of the shareware demo to be freely distributed, even if not in its entirety. The demo itself was also published on several gaming magazine CDs, albeit in its incomplete form (no CDA music and no video previews of other games).

[MrFlibble]

Here's a "clean" version of Rise of the Triad shareware v1.1 (no BBS comments or stuff):
http://cd.textfiles.com/goldmedal/volum ... E/ROTT.ARJ

[DOSGuy]

Here's what is definitely a v1.0 demo of Starcraft:
http://elektron-bbs.dyndns.org/files/wi ... scdemo.exe

When I install it I get "Shareware(ED) v1.01".

[MrFlibble]

Sorry, that appears to have turned out to be a blunder on my part I've thought that shareware v1.01 was released later than in 1998.

[Litude]

Here's a "clean" version of Rise of the Triad shareware v1.1 (no BBS comments or stuff):
http://cd.textfiles.com/goldmedal/volum ... E/ROTT.ARJ

It's an .ARJ, Apogee games were distributed in .ZIP files. But seriously, trying to find original archives without comments or any appended files is an impossible task. Even if you find an archive that looks clean, there's no guarantee that someone else didn't remove some extra BBS comments/ad files themselves.

[MrFlibble]

It's an .ARJ, Apogee games were distributed in .ZIP files. But seriously, trying to find original archives without comments or any appended files is an impossible task. Even if you find an archive that looks clean, there's no guarantee that someone else didn't remove some extra BBS comments/ad files themselves.

For now, I'm mostly interested in authentic dates on the archives - not the original date stamps on the files inside (that goes without saying), but the dates of the archives themselves, which are probably not the same as their original release dates, but they do come from that time, and as such are authentic. I don't like external comments and other unnecessary files that could be added to an archive, so I usually would remove them myself, but that, of course, ruins authenticity.

Come to think of it, archives with comments and/or files from a specific BBS could also be a subject of collecting too

[MrFlibble]

When I install it I get "Shareware(ED) v1.01".

The Starcraft Shareware CD is also v1.01 ("Shareware(CD) v1.01"), even though it says "Version 1.0s" on the actual CD (assuming that the photo comes from the same CD as its image).

[MrFlibble]

Duke Nukem 3D
Found a Computer Gaming World exclusive one level demo version of Duke Nukem 3D. No idea why it was produced since the shareware version had already been released.
CGW 1-Level Demo Version 1.1 - Files

Now that's weird! Any idea why they did that in the first place? Have you tried asking Joe Siegler about it?

[Litude]

There's some additional documentation included when installing it (it's available in the May 1995 issue):

Code: Select all

With special thanks to FormGen and, in particular, to Mark Shander, we are delighted to bring you a Duke Nukem 3D demo made exclusively for CGW and our readers. Thanks, Mark!

Duke Nukem 3D
In addition to advancing the state of the art of 3D action games with sloping surfaces, underwater combat, wonderful explosions and politically incorrect gratuitous violence and sex, DUKE NUKEM 3D has the richest environment of any of the so-called DOOM clones. Its true 3D engine enables greater freedom of movement, including crouching, looking up or down, jumping, swimming and flying. There are good sound effects and amusing digital audio quips like, "Who wants some?," and "Holy @#%*!" The screen size, resolution, gore and cheesecake can be scaled to suit your taste and system performance. 

See the whole report from Ken Brown in the Hands On section of the April magazine.

To order your copy of Duke Nukem 3D (the boxed version, expected to ship by the time you receive this demo) call, the toll-free number  1-888-FormGen.

INSTALLATION
Duke Nukem 3D can be installed from either Window 95 or from DOS. To install the demos, simply click on the INSTALL button. This will install the files to your hard drive (usually C:) in a DUKE3D directory. From DOS, type:

SETUP 

at the DUKE3D directory to begin the demo.

If you install from Windows 95, the installation may be relegated to the task bar.  Click on it and the installation will proceed normally.

Since CGW quite often had exclusive demos with very different content from that of the regular demos, I'm assuming that someone over at CGW requested to get an exclusive demo of Duke Nukem 3D with a level or something that wasn't present in the normal shareware. But somewhere down the line the message probably didn't quite get through and they ended up with this weird demo which just includes the first level.

They did realize their mistake though, since the very next issue includes the normal 1.1 shareware version of Duke Nukem 3D.

[leilei]

You mean May 1996?


Duke3D in 95 would be an interesting curiosity as it was even smuttier.