Duke Nukem 3D BETAs

[laki1234]

If topic like that already exist, then i apologize, i am new here. But i can say i was always interested in old version of Duke Nukem 3D. But, i am not talking here about LameDuke.

I am talking about of older versions of Duke Nukem 3D like 0.99, v1.0, v1.1, v1.3D.. etc..

So here is the summary:

-0.99 - Is first leak of final Duke Nukem 3D game. The game code still contain various enemies and weapons that never seen day of the light in final release. However, enemy called Organic Turret is already start to be abadoned in this mean, although its code does exist. Sentry Drones where called Snake heads and they were behaving more like Lost Souls from Doom, as they didn't explode in your face like in final version and they had less health. Freezethrower we know from final version was actually meant to be flamethrower in first place, but this was last minute change.

-v1.0- is first release of Duke Nukem 3D Shareware episode in public. Game still contains Flamethrower and Organic Turret in code. However, most of physics are changed. Unlike in 0.99, if you fall from high height you can get killed but in 0.99 that isn't a case, as you only lose up to 15-20 HP when that happens. Now something opposite. If you wall to water sector in v1.0 water sector will make your fail easier as you don't lose health, but in 0.99 you still lose health a bit if you walk in water sector from big height. Just like in 0.99, Devastator weapon and Overlord boss aren't coded yet..

-v1.1 - Very minor things are changed in second release of Duke Nukem 3D Shareware episode. AWE32 card glitch was fixed, Crosshair is added for better aiming, Pig Cops health are reduced from 120 to 100 HP, and little turn around is added in E1L3 secret room with Doomed Space Marine easter egg. But still very same as v1.0, there is still nothing coded like Devastator, Overlord boss, Flamethrower still throwing flames, etc..

-v1.3D - This is first version released as Registered Version. It contained all 3 episodes and introduced several more bug fixes, and as well new weapon devastator, replaced flamethrower in freezethrower in last minute, added Overlord boss, and most imporant thing IT REMOVED WORKING SPACE SUIT was working in 0.99-v1.1 versions, in v1.3D Space Suit only serves as decoration in Episode 2 Lunar Apocalypse levels.

Now what is the real summary here? Well... as v1.0 and v1.1 (0.99 as well) were only released as a shareware, how many of us wondered how those pre-v1.3d version would look like if they were released as FULL VERSIONS? We could see Flamethrower and Space Suit in action, and many different Space Station levels than as we see today in v1.3D and v1.5 Atomic Edition. Well, here is that i reccommend: Since warez is forbiden on this forum and i cannot post any modified materials, i can give advice instead. If you want to try out Episode 2 and 3 levels in pre-v1.3D versions of Duke Nukem 3D here is what you can do. First be sure to choose 0.99 or v1.0 since v1.1 has REGISTERED VERSIONS WEAPONS 7-9 restricted from using as they can only be picked up. in 0.99 and v1.0 that isn't a case as you can pickup up them and use them, but you still can't change them by pressing key numbers 7,8,9 on keyboard, but still better than restriction of v1.1 right Well, what i wanted to say is to, take your v1.3D copy, get DUKE3D.GRp from it and copy it to v1.0\0.99 directory. Then to run ep2 or ep3 levels do next, in DosBox or Command Promt or Batch file type next: Duke3D /v2 /l8 or Duke3D /v3 /l3 this way you will run E2L8 or E3L3 in Duke Nukem 3D. However you gonna much incompatibilty such as broken keycard required doors, some static Lizard Enforcers, weapons from 7-9 can't be switched but althought can be used once when they are picked up and more. Now i have done similar thing, althought i did modified levels from Episode 2 and Episode 3 to be fully compatibile with 0.99 executable but as i already said i cannot upload modified version due the forum rules. I can't post warez, but i do can post gameplay videos, i hope Admins will not mind about videos.

Now these videos i have recorded with Bandicam along with gameplay in DosBox, so they are very lagg and i apologize for that, but i don't know how to fix this problem. Here is YOUTUBE links:


Gameplay video 2: www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuO7_HatHuw
Gameplay video 3: www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVHsxvMRnrA
Gameplay video 4: www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNFIrgAyEOg
Gameplay video 5: www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNL74LhGpI0
Gameplay video 6: www.youtube.com/watch?v=th5LOttV71E

Thanks you for your attention guys. BTW, i forgot to mention that v1.3D also recolor switches in colored room, in same color the rooms are. However in v.99-v1.1, switches don't change their pal color even if entire room is palleted to any color..

[Hallfiry]

You missed the Duke 3D 1.1 CGW demo.
http://www19.zippyshare.com/v/MOwDBQmH/file.html

[laki1234]

Oh my bad. Thanks for sharing. Yep, that is v1.1+ version, here Devastator was already implemented but called Cycloid Weapon at that time. Nice research, thanks again. Well most of these versions can be downloaded from various links:

Duke3D 0.99 BETA [Leak] : http://dukertcm.com/knowledge-base/down ... ta0.99.zip
Duke3D v1.0 Shareware [First public version] : http://dukertcm.com/knowledge-base/down ... D1.0SW.zip
Duke3D v1.1 Shareware [Second public version] : http://dukertcm.com/knowledge-base/down ... ke11SW.zip
Duke3D v1.1+ Shareware [One level demo that sits between v1.1 and unreleased v1.2] : http://www19.zippyshare.com/v/MOwDBQmH/file.html
Duke3D 3-level demo [weird version from some French magazine] : https://forums.duke4.net/index.php?app= ... ch_id=5718
Duke3D v1.3D Shareware: [Last public shareware] http://dukertcm.com/knowledge-base/down ... ke13SW.zip

BTW, this link contains some concept ART and early BETA material and as well Levelord's scrapted levels SEWERS and SWEENEY that originally planed to be levels of Shrapnel City episode i think...

[Hallfiry]

Be aware that the zippyshare link will not last forever.

The v1.3D appears on multiple CDs:
CGW (146) 09/96
PC Gamer #2.04
Joystick CD 073 (probably the french magazine you mentioned)
CGW (143) 06/96
CD-ROM Today #24 (Windows Part)

[laki1234]

To be honest, i didn't heard most of those magazines and i do not posses any of them. I only know about them from Duke4.net forums and other Duke Nukem 3D forum communities. By the way that french magazine edition actually do contain all 6 levels from shareware episode but USER.CON file has been edited that way, when E1L3 is completed, you are sent back to E1L1 with title TOXIC DUMP, same for E1L5, it's a Hollywood Holocaust titled with THE ABYSS. But in all other times it's same version as v1.1. While 1.1+ althought it does contains 6 levels, only first is accessible. However, it is also possible to play E1L2, however to do that you have to "trick" the game. Once DEMO of E1L2 is played in title screen, press F2 and save the game. Then load the game and you pick up where demo left off. I tried myself and it did work. However when i finished E1L2 it finished the episode and disallowed me to keep fuhrer to E1L3. Now as v1.1+ stand between v1.1 and v1.2. I heard v1.2 was only released for short period of time, but for some legality reasons it was removed. Developers of 3D Realms only made some minor changes and officially released v1.3D.

BTW, here is the stable link of v1.1+ CGW version: http://dukertcm.com/knowledge-base/down ... 1%2bSW.zip

[MrFlibble]

Oh my bad. Thanks for sharing. Yep, that is v1.1+ version, here Devastator was already implemented but called Cycloid Weapon at that time.

Hmm, I never noticed that before, I've always assumed that the CGW demo is identical to regular v1.1 based on the fact that the GRP files are the same (IIRC; I remember doing a very brief comparison which was probably incomplete).

I heard v1.2 was only released for short period of time, but for some legality reasons it was removed.

The official story from the 1.3D readme states that there was a leak which resulted in v1.2 being canned:

What's new in Duke Nukem 3D v1.3D?
==================================
* Why version 1.3D and not 1.2? There was a minor leak of version 1.2, so
we bumped the version number. V1.2 is NOT official and if you have it,
delete it, it's illegal, and get v1.3D.
* The major addition to v1.3D is that the full version of the game is done as
well.

I think that some people have suggested that in reality, the 1.2 version number was simply skipped in order to have the first registered version have the number 1.3D (for the 3D part of it). Either way, TerminX appears to have found a registered v1.2 in the 3DR archives, as suggested here. This may or may not prove that shareware v1.2 existed as well.

Also IIRC TerminX or Hendricks266 mentioned somewhere else that a shareware v1.4 was also found but for some reason 3DR had either cancelled its release or never completed it in the first place. I'm not sure about that now though.

[laki1234]

Interesting. Thanks for sharing the news about v1.2. As Hendricks explained, v1.2 that normal Might Boot kicking just like in v1.4\v1.5, so i don't understand why it was glitched later in v1.3d? But really it would be nice to see v1.2 shareware at least, too bad 3DR pointed it as unofficial and illegal. It would be also nice to see any unfinished assets of Duke Nukem 3D FULL VERSION either v1.0 or v1.1 but too bad they only released demos and made v1,3D first full version. it looks like Hendricks, TerminX and some other guys from Duke4.net community are posseing those old unreleased versions. I hope one day they will share

[MrFlibble]

it looks like Hendricks, TerminX and some other guys from Duke4.net community are posseing those old unreleased versions. I hope one day they will share

TerminX and Hendricks266 do not own these resources, they were granted access to them by rightful owners (first Frederick Schreiber/3DR then Randy Pitchford/Gearbox), and there is permission to release something to the public, which is being done gradually. Just browse through that thread at Duke4.net if you haven't already, there's a lot of previously unreleased and even unknown stuff there.

It would be also nice to see any unfinished assets of Duke Nukem 3D FULL VERSION either v1.0 or v1.1 but too bad they only released demos and made v1,3D first full version.

I don't think that any "full version" was complete by the point shareware v1.0 and v1.1 were released. There were certainly development builds and yeah, the 3DR archives appear to have everything preserved. One day this content might be released to the public.

-v1.1 - Very minor things are changed in second release of Duke Nukem 3D Shareware episode. AWE32 card glitch was fixed, Crosshair is added for better aiming

It's a little bit more complex than that. Version 1.1 not only added crosshairs but the entire system of mouse aiming which is activated by pressing U. Version 1.0 only allows for walking and turning with mouse, similar to Doom. The readme included with v1.1 states that mouse aiming was added "by popular demand", and there is evidence from newsgroup messages that players requested this feature based on their experience with Bethesda's The Terminator: Future Shock (released in late 1995) that has mouse aiming as default control scheme. Samples of such newsgroup messages can be found here.

Yeah, back then people referred to mouse aiming as "Terminator: Future Shock controls"

[laki1234]

Nice resaerch, i didn't knew the thing about mouse as i didn't paid attention to that detail. But yes, like they released BETAs from Shadow Warrior, i hope they will also release Duke Nukem BETA as well such as 0.60, and 0.99 FULL, v1.0 and v1.1 in full form, i can't wait for that to happen. To bad i have feeling that will not happen in soon time.

[LEOTCK]

Btw I just want to say one thing. We dropped itsgreen.mid into the 0.99 beta and guess what?

It actually does play during the end after you beat battlelord and throw the switch to end the level. This behavior is broken in later releases. Though I haven't tried it with 1.1 or 1.0..

[MrFlibble]

Cool find! BTW, I like how It's Green sounds somewhere halfway between Duke3D and Rise of the Triad

[Bugnotnotthegreat]

Wasn't there a build that was released a year after the games release dated a few weeks before launch?

[jimmsta]

Wasn't there a build that was released a year after the games release dated a few weeks before launch?

IIRC a year after Duke 3D was released, 3DRealms released what they called LameDuke, which was essentially the earliest playable build of Duke 3D.

[LEOTCK]

It wasn't the earliest, but I guess it was the earliest one that felt like what duke3d became..more or less.

And I guess it was an important milestone.

[T02my]

Various numbers of screenshots coming from November 95 build of Duke Nukem 3D can be found on this page https://duke3dmaps.tumblr.com/tagged/Prototype-Content

[Akyra]

I didn't know they published it. Is it a little secret? There used to be a source leak in 2003, but somehow I missed it ..
The source code for Duke Nukem 3D from 2020
https://archive.org/details/dukenukem3d-master