Wolfenstein 1.4g?

[PimPamPet]

Hi all, this is my first post here. I finally decided to become a member after reading this board for years. I'd like to start a (hopefully) long and shiny carreer as member here by asking you this.

I've heard about a version 1.4G of Wolfenstein 3D a long time ago but I can't find a patch anywhere that will upgrade my current (1.4) version of the game. So my question is, are there any significant changes between these versions and is there any reason I should get it? And why is it called 1.4G?

Thanks,
PimPamPet.

(Oh, and thanks for the many freeware games you released. I used to play the shareware versions of these games when I was little. Very cool. Keep it up!)

[Joe Siegler]

There is only one single difference between v1.4 and v1.4g. I should know, I put both of them together.

In January of 1993 when v1.4 was first released (was the first thing released after I started working here), it went out. Some time after that, we went through a phase when we hated cheat codes. We stopped putting them in our games for awhile. That extended to Wolfenstein 3D too, we went back and altered the game and removed the goobers command line parameter so you couldn't cheat. Technically it was still there, but the word goobers was changed to 7 spaces. Since you can't enter a space as a command line parameter, it was effectively eliminated.

After we got over that feeling on cheat codes, we went back and restored goobers to Wolfenstein 3D. To differentiate the restored version from the one w/o the cheat codes in it, we called it v1.4g (g for goobers). So technically v1.4g is the same as 1.4 as originally released. But at the time we did that, the version without the cheat codes had been distributed for quite awhile, and we wanted to make the disctintion - would help our customer support people in knowing which was which.

There is NO OTHER difference at all.

[DOSGuy]

Wow. This is news to me. Let me see if I understand.

v1.4 was released, with cheat codes.
v1.4 was re-released without cheat codes.
v1.4g was released, with cheat codes.

Does "v1.4g" appear in the game anywhere? Is there any way of knowing that you have it, other than testing for goobers?

[Joe Siegler]

Originally Posted by DOSGuy

Wow. This is news to me. Let me see if I understand.

v1.4 was released, with cheat codes.
v1.4 was re-released without cheat codes.
v1.4g was released, with cheat codes.

Correct. v1.4g is functionally the exact same thing as the "original" v1.4.

Does "v1.4g" appear in the game anywhere? Is there any way of knowing that you have it, other than testing for goobers?

In the game - no. The only code change between the two "1.4s" was a hex edit to replace the word goobers in the exe with spaces. When we restored the cheat codes, we labeled it as v1.4g, but it's the exact same code as released in Jan 1993. This has been this way for YEARS at this point - I can't recall at the moment when we did that - but if I had to guess, I'd say it was around 1996 or 1997 when we did the "g thing".

The floppy discs we put out around the were labeled v1.4g. The CD-ROM we've distributed for a couple of years now doesn't, but if you got it from CD from us, its "g", as we didn't do that until well after we restored goobers to the game.

This hasn't been an issue for about a decade, so I think we stopped putting the "g" on our for sale media.

Also, for the record, v1.2 of Wolfenstein said v1.1 ingame, because someone here at the time forgot to change it ingame. Only difference there was that in v1.1 the elevator to the secret level in 1-1 didn't actually go there, it went to 1-2. That was fixed in v1.2, but there's no way of telling which is which w/o trying the secret elevator in 1-1.

[Spartan_234]

id also released a version of Wolfenstein 3D that was the same as v1.4g, but it used a DOS extender instead of the old "640k barrier". It's included with the Wolfenstein 3D source code, already compiled as WOLF.EXE. But you'll need RTM.EXE and DPMI16BI.OVL, which are not included, for it to run.

[DOSGuy]

Originally Posted by Joe Siegler

Also, for the record, v1.2 of Wolfenstein said v1.1 ingame, because someone here at the time forgot to change it ingame.

Oh no!!!! So that's why it's been so *@#&ing hard to find v1.2! I couldn't find a copy anywhere, and when a helpful poster at this forum sent me a copy of wolf12.zip, I tried it and told him that it was v1.1 and deleted it! (Smashes head on keyboard)

Okay, final question about 1.4g. I assumed that it still said "v1.4" in-game, but I was wondering if the readme.txt/fileid.diz or any documents that came with the game referred to it as 1.4g, or if that never used outside of 3DR's offices. If not, it should still be no trouble for me to find copies of wolf14.zip from different eras to test for goobers.

Thanks, Joe.

[GodBlitZor]

Wait, so you got Wolfenstein illegally?

[PimPamPet]

No, I think he's talking about the shareware editions.

Thanks for your answers, Joe.

[DOSGuy]

Originally Posted by GodBlitZor

Wait, so you got Wolfenstein illegally?

No, it's still legal to distribute the older shareware versions. wolf3d.zip, wolf11.zip and wolf14.zip aren't hard to find, but wolf12.zip was the missing piece of the puzzle. I had it and didn't realize it.

[Shielder]

I can still send you that copy of Wolfenstein 3D 1.2 Shareware if you still want it.

[DOSGuy]

I just checked my private messages and I remember what happened now. The file that was supposed to be v1.2 said v1.4 in-game instead of v1.1. The other link you gave me that claims to be wolf12.zip does say v1.1 in-game. Now if someone could just tell me where the secret elevator is, I can confirm that it's actually v1.2.

[TerminX]

Originally Posted by DOSGuy

I just checked my private messages and I remember what happened now. The file that was supposed to be v1.2 said v1.4 in-game instead of v1.1. The other link you gave me that claims to be wolf12.zip does say v1.1 in-game. Now if someone could just tell me where the secret elevator is, I can confirm that it's actually v1.2.

As I recall, in the last room before the exit there is a secret on the right wall near the door you entered the room from. Inside this secret is another secret, and there might be another secret after that. The elevator is in there. I could be completely wrong, however, because I haven't played Wolf3D in many years.

[Shielder]

To get to the secret elevator in Wolf3D, you need to get to the room with the normal exit elevator. Somewhere in that room is a pushwall, and somewhere near that pushwall is another pushwall. Pressing the Use key on both pushwalls should lead you in to the secret exit elevator room. If the game is v1.1 then (as Joe said) if you enter the secret elevator, then you do end up on the next level (1-2), but if it's v1.2 then you end up on level 1-10 (secret level).

I have tested this on my supposed copy of v1.2 (that instead says 1.1 in the corner) and I do end up on level 1-10.

[DOSGuy]

No, you were completely right. I had found the first secret room with the med kit in it before, but not the second secret room inside the first one that leads to the secret elevator. The v1.2 that Shielder directed me to led to level 10, which I had fun beating. The only downside to his v1.2 is that it contains the extracted files, not the original installer.

Then I tried the v1.1 from my site, which has an Apogee self-extracter that claims to be v1.1, but the secret elevator still went to level 10! Then I tried the v1.1 from the site where I got v1.2 (without installer), and it also led to level 10! So it's actually v1.1 that's truly hard to find. Unless the secret elevator in v1.1 doesn't go to level 2.

The search for a v1.1 that doesn't lead to level 10 begins...

Edit: Didn't notice that Shielder had posted after TerminX. Shielder... lol... do you happen to have a copy of "v1.1" that goes to 1-2 instead of 1-10?!

Edit Edit: Confirmed. It was 1wolf11.zip that was incredibly hard to find, because it was only out for 4 days. (v1.1 released June 25, 1992; v1.2 released June 29, 1992). I had never understood why it was so easy to find v1.1, and so hard to find v1.2, which was out for 6 months. People didn't realize that they had v1.2.

[Shielder]

I know this is probably really going to annoy you, but instead of having a copy of v1.1 Shareware, I actually have a copy of Wolfenstein 3D v1.1 Registered. Not that helpful I know, but it shows that v1.1 does exist.

It is v1.1 because when I went to the Secret exit, I ended up on level 1-2. I'll keep searching for v1.1 shareware though.

[DOSGuy]

Originally Posted by Shielder

I know this is probably really going to annoy you, but instead of having a copy of v1.1 Shareware, I actually have a copy of Wolfenstein 3D v1.1 Registered.

LMAO! Well, good. Hold onto it until the day that it becomes legal to distribute. I'm glad to know that it won't be lost to history, which is impressive for a file that (according to the FAQ) was only sold for 4 days.

[Phayzon]

That is pretty impressive

EDIT: Well son of a bitch, I have a registered 1.1 aswell!

[DOSGuy]

Hmm. I'm guessing a batch of v1.1 registered disks were made, and either couldn't be recalled, or it would have been too expensive to not sell them. The shareware version was probably replaced on BBSes fairly quickly, but the registered version may have survived until the next batch of disks was made. Just a theory. I'm sure Joe will know more about it.

[Phayzon]

That could be right. Man oh man, where to get 1.1 Shareware.

[Joe Siegler]

I wasn't working here when the 1.1/1.2 thing happened. I started in Dec 1992, about 3-4 weeks before v1.4 was first released. I know about the 1.1-1.2 thing from talking to techs here at the time I started. But it's been about 14 years since Apogee would have distributed registered Wolf v1.1 - so what we had disc wise from before I started here, I can't tell you.

Also, now that I think about it, I think I may have originally gotten a 1.1 registered way back when. I was a customer of tis company before I started working here, and Wolfenstein 3D was definitely something I bought myself. As I sit here trying to recall this stuff, I seem to think that I too had the reg 1.1 problem back then.

Okay, final question about 1.4g. I assumed that it still said "v1.4" in-game, but I was wondering if the readme.txt/fileid.diz or any documents that came with the game referred to it as 1.4g

Well, the wolf shareware we distribute now has been the way it is now for ages, but I think when we went back to "g" (from the version that had goobers removed), that was only referenced on the registered discs. I think for shareware, we just restored the original distribution file. Been awhile, I don't remember that for sure - I can't recall if the "g" designation was ever made in shareware or not. And as I said, once we moved to CD-ROM distrubtion, the "g" designation was left off, as it hadn't been an issue in years.

Only freaks on websites care about this stuff now.

Having said that, I will look around and see if I can find a copy of Wolf 1.1 shareware - I can think of two places that might have it, but whether or not they still do, I'm not sure.

[Joe Siegler]

OK, the couple of places I thought of online are no longer active, so that's out. I contacted one of our former beta testers from back then who was a packrat, and saved most everything. He MIGHT have it. This was the guy who had saved a beta build of Wolfenstein 3D when it was still an EGA game. So we might find it there.

I'm pretty sure we don't have it in our own archives, because as I said, that was before my time. Even if we DID have it, we were likely to have it in 5.25" floppy discs, and we don't have anything left that could read that, even if I could find it (which I'm pretty sure it doesn't exist).

[oak man]

Man all joes stories make me want to be a game designer in the early 90s

[Funduke]

This has both, v. 1.1 and 1.2:
http://www.doomwadstation.com/idgame...Fsharewares%2F

Greetings
Funduke

[DOSGuy]

Nope, they both go to level 10.

Regarding 5.25" floppy disks: you guys don't have any 5.25" floppy drives? For shame! I have a box full of old 5.25" drives. I wanted to make sure I would never run out once they started to become scarce.

[Funduke]

Here's another source for the v. 1.1:

http://diehardwolfers.areyep.com/bunker/wolf3d.htm

Greetings
Funduke

[DOSGuy]

Also leads to level 10.

[Joe Siegler]

Originally Posted by Funduke

Here's another source for the v. 1.1:

http://diehardwolfers.areyep.com/bunker/wolf3d.htm

Greetings
Funduke

Yeah, Funduke - please check these BEFORE posting links to them.

Originally Posted by DOSGuy

Regarding 5.25" floppy disks: you guys don't have any 5.25" floppy drives? For shame! I have a box full of old 5.25" drives. I wanted to make sure I would never run out once they started to become scarce.

We also are getting close to not having any 3.5" floppy drives in any of our systems either. As we upgrade for newer tech, more and more machines come w/o floppy drives.

[Funduke]

Originally Posted by Joe Siegler

Yeah, Funduke - please check these BEFORE posting links to them.

Hmmm...
Did i miss something that you wrote above?
Possible... - but:
Look at the timestamps, aren't they important in any way?
v. 1.1 Timestamp 1. June 1992
v. 1.2 Timestamp 22. June 1992

Sorry, if i posted something wrong!

Greetings
Funduke

[Joe Siegler]

Play them. That's the only way to know for sure.

[Iron_Man]

Ok... so the only difference between 1.1 and 1.2 is the elevator on E1F1. Got it. But, what is the difference between 1.0 and 1.1 then?

[Phayzon]

Even better, whats the difference between 1.2 and 1.4?

[Joe Siegler]

1.0 - 1.1 & 1.2 - 1.4 are bugfixes if I remember right. I don't believe any game play changes were made, but it has been 13+ years now.

[Phayzon]

Seems like there was a graphics swap somehere between 1.1 and 1.4. NewWolf displays everything wrong with 1.4.

[Frenkel]

1.7 WHAT'S WITH THE VERSION NUMBERS?

The most current version of Wolfenstein 3D is 1.4. The newest version fixes all
known bugs (as did 1.1 at the time, etc.) Apart from that there is not much of
a difference unless it comes to map/graphics editors. --> See 1.8, 1.9 & 4.X
A breakdown of the versions and what the differences are is below.
(If you never played Wolfenstein this will sound meaningless, but then again
if you NEVER played Wolfenstein then where were you this past two years?
NOTE: There may have been some other bugs fixed between the versions which I
don't know about, so if you think you know e-mail me.

v1.0 - First release (05/05/92)
v1.1 - Fixed some secret doors map bugs (on level 7 & 8 in episode 1 there
were secret doors left out) and also some video problems (06/10/92)
v1.2 - Secret level elevator bug was fixed (introduced in 1.1 ) (06/22/92)
v1.3 - Was never released.
v1.4 - Fixed something but I forgot what. It also changed slightly the graphic
backdrop on the opening screen and other menus, changed the interior
elevator graphic and added a calibration routine in the joystick setup
menu. (12/03/92)

The dates next to versions are the file stamp dates of the game .exe file.
They are not the actual market release game dates.

There were other 'internal' changes between versions but they are only relevant
to mapping programs. --> See 4.X

The version numbering of Spear seems to have gone through the same routine,
but currently I only have info on the initial release:
v1.0 - First release (09/28/92)
v1.1 - No information available (yet? call on info)
v1.2 - " " " " " "
v1.3 - " " " " " "
v1.4 - Final release, changes from previous versions unknown
(01/05/93)

WOLFENSTEIN-3D and SPEAR of DESTINY FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

[Joe Siegler]

<- Didn't think to look in my own FAQ area.

Now that I see that, the joystick thing in 1.4 rings a bell. Also, the dates of 1.0, 1.1, & 1.2 are probably correct. They look about right, although it's been far too long to recall that from memory.

[Phayzon]

Is the version numbering the same on ID's side?

[Joe Siegler]

No the "g" thing was only from Apogee. As I said - "g" is the same as the original 1.4 release anyway, which is what id had all along.

You guys are making this into a much more complicated issue than it really is.

[Phayzon]

ah, so up untill 1.4 (without cheats) both companies had the same versions. Correct?

[Joe Siegler]

Yes - I've said that several times already.

[Phayzon]

Just checkin'