Official versions of Wolfenstein 3D

Add links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Walker222 (talk | contribs) at 10:22, 5 October 2012 (→‎Macintosh: added editions, release date, music note.). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Wolfenstein 3D has been commercially ported and sold on over a dozen platforms, ranging from early releases on platforms such as the Super NES to newer releases on mobile platforms such as the iPad. These ports include the Super NES (1994),[1] Atari Jaguar (1994),[1] Mac OS (1994), Acorn Archimedes (1994),[1][2][3] 3DO (1995), Apple IIGS (1998),[1] and the PC-98 (1998). Later releases include the Game Boy Advance (2002), Steam,[4] Xbox Live Arcade and PSN (2009), the iPhone[1] and iPod Touch (2009), the iPad (2010), and Android (2011).[5]

Some of the commercial ports were derived from other ports and not from the original game.

Summary table of version features

Feature PC PC-98 Acorn Archimedes Gameboy Advance Apple IIGS SNES Atari Jaguar Macintosh 3DO
Released 1992 1994 1994 2002 1999? 1993/94? 1994 1994 1995
Flamethrower & Bazooka x x x x x x x
Wall Resolution 64x64 64x64 64x64?? 64x64 64x64? 32x32 128x128 128x128 128x128
Object Resolution 64x64 64x64 64x64? 64x64 64x64? 64x64 128x128 128x128 128x128
Music x x x x x x x x
Directional/3D Enemies/8 views x x x x x
New Graphics ? ? some also includes some Doom weapons x x
Score/Level/Lives x x x x x x x x

Personal computers

Acorn Archimedes

The source code to the Acorn Archimedes version was released by author Eddie Edwards in 1999.[6][7]

Apple IIGS

The Apple IIGS version was based on the code of the Macintosh port developed by MacPlay.

Macintosh

The Macintosh version was based on the code of the Super NES port and was developed by MacPlay, and released in October 1994. In this port, the game's sprites and textures are redrawn as 128×128 pixel sprites, rather than 64×64 pixel sprites, allowing more detail in the game's characters and objects. However, they are drawn from one angle, like the bosses, eliminating the stealth element of the game.

There are three editions of the Macintosh port:

  • Wolfenstein 3D: First Encounter - the shareware demo including three levels.
  • Wolfenstein 3D: Second Encounter - includes the 30 levels from the SNES port.
  • Wolfenstein 3D: Third Encounter - includes the 30 levels from the SNES port, as well as the original 60 levels from the PC original.

The music in the Mac port is all new, composed by Interplay's resident musician Brian Luzietti.[8] The Mac port and all derivative versions (including the Apple IIGS) are the only ones to use authentic German voices and speech, recorded by native Germans. Other versions contain broken German phrases, with incorrect article and adjective usages, mostly stemming from the misunderstanding of the genders of the nouns.[citation needed]

In the version released for the Macintosh, all the bosses, except the final boss, Adolf Hitler, drop a gold key when killed which opens a door to the end of the level.

PC-98

The PC-98 port of the game was published in 1994 by Imagineer and developed by Infinity Co., Ltd.[9] for the Japanese 16-bit microcomputer. The port is nearly identical in appearance and gameplay to the original. Of note is that this version can play the digitized sounds in the game without a Sound Blaster card installed on the PC-98, though it does support one. Without Sound Blaster installed, all the non-digitized sounds, such as item pickups, revert to the PC Speaker versions.[8] Much of the menu text and end-level text is in Japanese as well.[8]

Consoles

3DO

This version was developed by MacPlay. In this port, the game's sprites and textures are redrawn as 128×128 pixel sprites, rather than 64×64 pixel sprites, allowing more detail in the game's characters and objects. However, they are drawn from one angle, like the bosses, eliminating the stealth element of the game.

The 3DO features enhanced graphics and two new weapons, the flamethrower and rocket launcher. Each of these uses its own proprietary ammunition, much like the weapons in Doom. The 3DO port also features considerably more detailed sprites than even the Atari Jaguar version of the game, along with a new orchestrated soundtrack, the complete "Nocturnal Missions" pack, and an auto-map feature. The "Nocturnal Missions" bosses are replaced by bosses from Spear of Destiny.

Atari Jaguar

The Atari Jaguar port was based on the code of the Super NES port, and was developed by id Software under the cooperation of Atari. In this port, the game's sprites and textures are redrawn as 128×128 pixel sprites, rather than 64×64 pixel sprites, allowing more detail in the game's characters and objects. However, they are drawn from one angle, like the bosses, eliminating the stealth element of the game.

For the Atari port, the graphics for walls, enemies, and other objects do not become blocky or chunky at close range, a problem that all earlier versions of the game (including the PC versions) suffer from.[10] The status bar was removed, with only displays for health, the head of B.J., ammo, and keys. Since there was no score, the treasure added to the player's health. There was also a flamethrower, rocket launcher, pistol and chaingun, which were based on graphics from Doom.

The Jaguar version also features enhanced graphics and two new weapons, the flamethrower and rocket launcher. Each of these uses its own proprietary ammunition, much like the weapons in Doom.

Playstation Network

Super Nintendo

Xbox Live Arcade

Other devices

The Game Boy Advance and iPhone/iPod touch, iPad versions closely resemble the PC version of the game. For the Game Boy Advance version, differences include the removal of music and a change in the save system: players have to complete a floor before they can save, but they can have up to 4 save games on one cartridge. These versions use strong mipmapping which made objects and walls in the distance very pixellated.[citation needed]

Game Boy Advance

Android

iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Gibson, Rob (March 25, 2009). "Wolfenstein 3D Hits the iPhone". PC Magazine. Retrieved February 27, 2012. The game [...] has already been ported to a seemingly endless list of consoles, including Super NES, Game Boy Advance, Acorn Archimedes, Atari Jaguar, and the Apple IIGS. Now it's come to the emerging platform in the world of portable gaming, the iPhone.
  2. ^ Gibson, Rob. "Review - Wolfenstein 3D". Illusions. Acorn Arcade. Retrieved January 17, 2012.
  3. ^ Fountain, Tim (November 6, 2000). "Interviews: Eddie Edwards". Acorn Arcade. Retrieved January 17, 2012. Wolf 3D was a pure-assembly program which involved hand-compiling all the game code which was written in C.
  4. ^ Legendary id Software games now on Steam. Steam Product Release, August 3, 2007.
  5. ^ Android Market: Wolfenstein 3D
  6. ^ Fountain, Tim (July 7, 1999). "Eddie Edwards releases Wolf3D source (2/7/99)". Acorn Arcade. Retrieved January 17, 2012. Eddie Edwards has announced the release of the source code and shareware data files for Wolfenstein3D, the original walkabout shoot'em up. The files are available on his recently updated Powerslave website [...]
  7. ^ Edwards, Eddie. "Wolfenstein 3D Source Code". Powerslave. Archived from the original on September 1, 1999. Retrieved January 17, 2012. I asked Id Software last night and John Carmack told me I could release the source code and the shareware data files.
  8. ^ a b c Brence, Corwin (April 4, 2012). "Hardcore Gaming 101. Wolfenstein 3D - PC, Macintosh, SNES, 3DO, Jaguar, Acorn Archimedes, Game Boy Advance, Xbox 360, Playstation 3, iOS". Retrieved September 27, 2012.
  9. ^ "Work history before the year 2000". Retrieved September 27, 2012.
  10. ^ Siegler, Joe. "Apogee FAQ, Section 2.8.6. Wolfenstein 3D and Spear of Destiny". Retrieved 2011-03-04.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Official_versions_of_Wolfenstein_3D&oldid=516126640"