Proto:Unreal

This page details one or more prototype versions of Unreal.

To do: The rest of the prototypes must be prepared and documented. The cancelled PSX port prototype should also be put onto this wiki. some of the short descriptions should be translated fully into a page, especially the May 07 version, but we need more volunteers for this

Sub-Pages

1995

September 1995 Monster Tech Demo Very, very early build showing characters that were made at the time. These characters are completely different from the ones that appeared in the final game.

November 1995 UnrealED Tech Demo An UnrealED install from November 1995. Map-compatible with December 1995 Level Tech Demo.

December 1995 Level Tech Demo Very early prototype made about two-and-a-half years before the game came out.

1996

0.83 Prototypes Two very similar builds compiled in October 1996. Currently the oldest available prototype made in '96.

0.84a Prototype The other prototype from late 1996. Switch to subtractive world model for the first time, models render on 24-bit mode, but animated sprites don't. Stability issues with input and custom weapons, only basic map and a terrain map avaiable for this.

1997

Build 0.864n The first recovered version of 1997, has a different basic map than 0.864v, hardware acceleration is broken and actually damaging someone crashes the game, but the bounce physics work and don't crash the game unlike the later version. The next couple of versions keep using resources off this one.

Build 0.864v Barebones proto showing off monsters made in May 1997.

Build 0.864y The fixed up version of 864 without any of the problems from previous builds. Was only avaiable as a source code originally but could be easily compiled. Together with 864n was one of the last versions to be found.

Build 0.866q An intermediate version that a custom Emissary build was based off also (or a version close to it), virtually identical to 0.864 in base content, however improvements were made to rendering, this is the first version where true detailtexturing is supported while later versions drop it for some reason.

Build 0.867z From June 1997. Has three weapons not seen in the final game!

Build 0.871d Built in August 1997. Contains four levels, two of which didn't make it to the final game or the expansion.

Build 0.874d From September 1997. Five maps included, mostly Deathmatch, however there is one unseen level similar to Foundry & Toxic from the expansion.

Build 0.88 From November 1997.

1998

February 1998 Beta, engine version 99 A late beta version that was used for a version of the Unreal trailer, showing, among other things, scrapped levels that were eventually converted into levels for the expansion pack. Engine from December 1997 with updates/maps all the way to February 1998, due to version 99 considered to be a stable build.

May 07 1998 Beta/pre-release, possibly version 180/181 Mistaken for a fake due to the build being possibly modified in GT Interactive offices and thus falls outside of Epic's internal builds. Some developers confirmed not to remember the changes. But in the end concluded to be a real version due to other evidence. A strange build with many fixes not included in final release, yet containing major bugs and bsp holes in maps, most maps with minimal changes or changes similar to the strategy guide version(s), some unauthorized changes, but containing also a combined april 1997 version of ISVKran, april version of QueenEnd and DmSolaris, previously lost map, also EndGame the outro map being very different. Content-wise similar to release-version, with exception of some unique and leftover classes that are not really used (such as dispammo, minigunsentry, nitrogenslith, fireslith and KillTheCow game related things).