Wolfenstein 3D (DOS)

Wolfenstein 3D
Developer: id Software Publisher: Apogee Software Platform: DOS Released in US: May 5, 1992 This game has unused code. This game has a hidden developer message. This game has unused objects. This game has unused music. This game has debugging material. This game has a hidden sound test. This game has a development article This game has a prototype article

The game that still didn't start it all, since Hovertank and Catacomb 3-D came first, Wolfenstein 3D launched an entire genre and kickstarted the PC gaming hardware arms-race when it was released in 1992. Its massive success sent id Software to fame and glory that would only get bigger with the release of Doom...

Sub-Pages

Development Info

Prototype Info

Music Test

Start the game, then hold M as the game starts to open one of three Music Test screens. Each contains six of the game's songs. The first contains "Get Them!", "Searching", "P.O.W.", "Suspense", "War March", and "Around The Corner!". The second one (pictured) contains "Nazi Anthem", "Lurking...", "Going After Hitler", "Pounding Headache", "Into the Dungeons", and "Ultimate Conquest". The third music test contains "Kill the S.O.B.", "The Nazi Rap", "Twelfth Hour", "Zero Hour", "Ultimate Conquest", and "Wolfpack".

"Robert's Jukebox" refers to Robert Prince, the sound designer who composed Wolfenstein 3D's soundtrack.

Version Differences

Please note that many versions of Wolfenstein 3D have been released, and there are differences between the shareware and registered versions bearing the same version number as explained below. Versions 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, and 1.4 are the only known released versions of the shareware game, while the registered versions known are 1.1, 1.2, and 1.4. Version 1.3 was either never created or never released.

(Source: http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~brlowe/faq.htm Adam Williamson, Stanley Stasiak])

Please also note that BOTH versions 1.1 and 1.2 of either the shareware or registered version will display "V1.1" in the bottom right-hand corner of the startup screen. As explained below, there are other ways to determine which version is actually present.

Known releases of Wolfenstein 3D from version 1.1 to 1.4 include:

Apogee v1.1 (exe dated - Jun. 10/92)

Apogee v1.2 (exe dated - Jun. 22/92)

Apogee v1.4g (exe dated - Oct. 1/94)

GT Interactive (exe dated - Sept. 2/93)

GT Interactive (exe dated - Apr. 13/94)

ID Software (exe dated - Sept. 3/93)

Imagineer (exe dated - Mar. 4/93)

Activision (exe dated - Jan. 27/98)

Some releases of version 1.4 lack the ability to use cheat codes. Version 1.4 was first released with cheat codes, then they were taken out in a second release, then put back in for a third release. The third release is known as version 1.4g but the startup screen will still only display "V1.4" in the bottom right hand corner.

(Source: 3D Realms Forums Archive)

Version 1.0	All other versions

In 1.0, "LEVEL" is used on the HUD instead of "FLOOR".

Version 1.0	All other versions

The top of the table has its shading vertically flipped (roughly), and the lit side of the bottom of the table has a shading change to boot.

Version 1.0	All other versions

Again, the shading is flipped vertically, but no other changes.

Version 1.0	All other versions

The base of the chandelier is much larger in Version 1.0. It's slimmed down significantly in later versions.

Version 1.0	All other versions

Rivets were missing on the elevator textures in Version 1.0.

Version 1.0 Shareware	Version 1.1 Shareware

In version 1.0, the player's shirt appears tan when using the knife, the pistol or the SS machine gun. Shareware 1.1 has changed the shirt color for the knife swinging animation to gray.

Version 1.0 Shareware	Version 1.1 Shareware

Like the knife, the pistol sprites were also updated to have gray sleeves in 1.1.

Version 1.0 Shareware	Version 1.1 Registered

The machine gun firing sprites, on the other hand, were not changed until the registered 1.1 and shareware 1.2: it still shows the player without the gray sleeves in shareware 1.1, despite the other two weapons already having been changed by this point. It is worth noting that the end sequence animation in episode 1, as well as concept art of the protagonist throughout the game, always show him wearing a full-sized gray shirt, making the tan sleeves anachronistic in all versions of the game and explaining why they were changed.

• In version 1.0, if you do a regular load to a save when you've cleared some of the floor, your score resets to what it was when you first entered the floor.
• In version 1.0, you get an extra life for every 20.000 points. In version 1.1 onwards, you get one every 40.000 points.
• After changing the screen size, the appearing pop-up says "Computing..." in versions 1.0, 1.1 and 1.2. In version 1.4 it's changed to "Thinking...".
• In versions 1.0, 1.1 and 1.2, you need to push a key to advance from the PC-13 screen. Version 1.4 advances automatically after a small moment.
• Shareware 1.1 still has no clipping mode.
• Version 1.1 adds a digit when going over a million points so the last digit goes halfway in "LIVES" part of the HUD, in 1.4 the counter just goes around.
• Normally, if killed by an enemy the screen will rotate to center on the enemy that fired the fatal shot. If killed by a dog in shareware 1.1, the screen will rotate but not center on the fatal dog. This is corrected in shareware 1.2.
• A bug exists on Registered 1.1 causing the secret elevator on Episode 1, Map 1 to send the player to Map 2 instead of Map 10 as it normally should. This bug is not present on Shareware 1.1 due to a workaround. Registered 1.2 has this bug fixed.
• In version 1.4, the music at booting the game up won't start until you've pressed a button to advance from the first screen.
• Version 1.4 has a different background on the start screen. Also "c" has been changed to "© COPYRIGHT".
• The elevator's switch and the dog's bite and death only use OPL sounds in the Shareware version, where they have digital sounds in the Registered.
• Version 1.0 has one wall in Floor 7 and one wall in Floor 8 not marked as a secret wall in Episode 1. (You still get 100% secrets though.) Shareware version 1.1 has the one in Floor 7 fixed. Same conditions apply to Shareware version 1.2. Meanwhile, Registered 1.1 has already fixed both. With sharewares, in version 1.4 they are both finally fixed.
• Apogee versions of the registered game have an extra screen on startup warning that the game is not shareware.
• Apogee versions of the game will have a "Read This!" option that isn't present in non-Apogee versions. This displays the storyline, controls, and ordering information.
• Apogee versions of the registered game have a large ANSI screen which displays upon exiting the game. It has ordering information and a cheeky message about not sharing registered software. The GT Interactive version is heavily truncated, simply thanking the player for playing.
• A bug exists on Shareware 1.0, 1.1, 1.2 and Registered 1.1, where if the player activates a pushwall and saves the game prior to the pushwall being completed, upon reloading the save the pushwall will be stuck in a "half open" state and not allow the player to pass. This bug is fixed in Shareware 1.4 and Registered 1.4.

Source

• A bug exists in Registered 1.1 on Episode 4, Level 4 where one of the doors can be freely walked through without opening it first. If the player opens the door normally then the bug goes away. This bug is fixed in Registered 1.4.

Source

Debug Mode

There are two different ways to activate the debug mode, depending on which version of the game you have.

Version 1.0

Start the game with the parameter line wolf3d.exe -next. Start up the game and go into a level. Anytime during play, press Ctrl + Tab ↹ + ↵ Return to activate Debug Mode.

Version 1.1 and Above

(Note that this is disabled in some versions of v1.4 distributed by Apogee)

Start the game with the parameter line wolf3d.exe -goobers. Start up the game and go into a level. Anytime during play, press Left ⇧ Shift + Alt + ← Backspace to activate Debug Mode.

Now you've activated some nifty little shortcut keys!

Commands

• Tab ↹ + B - Select a border color.
• Tab ↹ + C - Statistics
• Tab ↹ + E - Automatically complete the current level.
• Tab ↹ + F - Position Info
• Tab ↹ + G - God mode
• Tab ↹ + H - Hurt Yourself
• Tab ↹ + I - Free Items!
• Tab ↹ + M - Memory map
• Tab ↹ + N - No Clipping (Version 1.0 and in Shareware 1.1 only). Apparently caused horrible things like game corruption if played around with incorrectly, and hence removed in later versions.
• Tab ↹ + O - Map of level (Prototypes only).
• Tab ↹ + Q - Quit the game entirely.
• Tab ↹ + S - Slow Motion
• Tab ↹ + T - Debug Information.
• Tab ↹ + V - Add extra VBLs, or Vertical Blanking Signals. Has no effect for most players, except maybe altering game speed.
• Tab ↹ + W - Level Warp! Warp anywhere between levels in the episode you're in.
• Tab ↹ + X - Extra Stuff. Doesn't have any noticeable effects.
• Tab ↹ + Y - Change screen size (Prototypes only).
• Tab ↹ + Z - Kill yourself (Prototypes only).

Tech Support Parameters

The developers included a number of command-line parameters to aid tech support in diagnosing problems over the phone.

• HIDDENCARD - Disable checking for video card.
• NOJOYS - Disable checking for joysticks.
• NOMOUSE - Disable checking for mouse.
• NOMAIN - Disable checking for main memory.
• NOEMS - Disable checking for EMS memory.
• NOXMS - Disable checking for XMS memory.
• NOAL - Disable checking for Adlib.
• NOSB - Disable checking for Sound Blaster.
• NOPRO - Disable checking for Sound Blaster Pro.
• NOSS - Disable checking for Sound Source.
• SST - Disable checking for Tandy Sound Source.
• SS1 - Disable checking for Sound Source on LPT1.
• SS2 - Disable checking for Sound Source on LPT2.
• SS3 - Disable checking for Sound Source on LPT3.
• NO386 - Disable checking for 386.

(Source: 3D Realms)

Scrapped Contests

A sign saying "Call Apogee say Aardwolf" is hidden deep within the terrifyingly huge pushwall maze (there's over 175 of the buggers!) in E2M8. Since map editors, trainers, and sprite viewers were made within days of the game's release, the contest was scrapped. In some re-releases and ports, the art file is modified to replace this graphic with a duplicate of the "pile of bones" sprite.

A high score contest was also planned, using the codes on the high score table next to the top score, but it was scrapped for the same reason.

Anti-Cheating

While Wolfenstein 3D does have plenty of cheat-codes, it also detects externally-modified savegames. When you try and load a save, the game takes a checksum of the file and compares it to a checksum stored in the save's last four bytes. If they don't match, a message will pop up telling you the jig is up, and the game makes some modifications to your game state upon loading as punishment.

Specifically, your score is wiped to zero, all but one of your lives are removed, and your weapon loadout is reset to the starting default of a knife, pistol and eight rounds. Strangely, it doesn't take away your keys, which is either an oversight or an act of mercy...

(Source: WL_MAIN.C)

Unused Objects

There are actually four locked doors instead of two, but these extra ones can't be opened by any means except by awakened enemies, because the key objects for them don't exist anymore. They can be put in a map by using these wall IDs.

They were dummied out probably because it would be very confusing to have four locked doors and four keys that looked the same. Notably, Door IDs are hard-coded while normal walls have their IDs corresponding to textures.

There's also code for other 2 key pick-ups in the source code (bo_key3 and bo_key4), but there are no map objects linking to them.

• 96 - Locked Door 3 (Vertical)
• 97 - Locked Door 3 (Horizontal)
• 98 - Locked Door 4 (Vertical)
• 99 - Locked Door 4 (Horizontal)

Like other enemies, there are map objects for the dog standing in the source code, but the frames do not exist.

• 134 - Dog standing easy (East)
• 135 - Dog standing easy (North)
• 136 - Dog standing easy (West)
• 137 - Dog standing easy (South)
• 170 - Dog standing medium (East)
• 171 - Dog standing medium (North)
• 172 - Dog standing medium (West)
• 173 - Dog standing medium (South)
• 206 - Dog standing hard (East)
• 207 - Dog standing hard (North)
• 208 - Dog standing hard (West)
• 209 - Dog standing hard (South)

Unused Music

Yes, this game contains a few unused songs, but they're quite short and simple so it's pretty obvious why they're unused.

Songs listed as in FloEdit II IMF chunks:

• 266 - Hitler Waltz (used in Spear of Destiny at the copy protection prompt):

• 271 - Salute (used in the prototype during the title sequence):

• 274 - Victors:

Interestingly, in the "Wolfstone 3D" easter egg in Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus, these unused tracks were finally utilised to replace the original game's two renditions of "Horst Wessel Lied". "Hitler Waltz" plays on the title screen, while "Victors" replaces the "Nazi Anthem" track played on E2M1.

Unused Sounds

• SELECTWPNSND
• SELECTITEMSND
• HEARTBEATSND
• NAZIHITPLAYERSND
• NOITEMSND
• WALK1SND
• WALK2SND
• TAKEDAMAGESND
• GAMEOVERSND
• HITENEMYSND
• GOOBSSND
• BOSSACTIVESND

TAKEDAMAGESND is the only sound with a VOC equivalent.

Hidden Message

"Kill the S.O.B." (INTROCW3.IMF), the music for Episode 3 Floors 1 and 5, includes a Morse code message playing in the background for most of the tune, manually inserted by composer Robert Prince. This is a message to our hero to (of course) eliminate Hitler, the episode boss, complete with callsigns and a Morse code abbreviation. Note that the music also plays in Episode 6 Floors 1 and 5, where the message makes less sense because Hitler never personally makes an appearance in Episode 6.

Music
Code

Transcribed
- --- -... .. --. -... .- -.. .-- --- .-.. ..-. / -.. . .-.. .. - - .-.. . .-. . -.. .-. .. -.. .. -. --. .... --- --- -.. / . .-.. .. -- .. -. .- - . .... .. - .-.. . .-. / .. -- .--. . .-. .- - .. ...- . / -.-. --- -- .--. .-.. . - . -- .. ... ... .. --- -. .-- .. - .... .. -. ..--- ....- .... --- ..- .-. ... / --- ..- -
Converted	Translated
TO BIG BAD WOLF DE LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD ELIMINATE HITLER IMPERATIVE COMPLETE MISSION WITHIN 24 HOURS OUT	To Big Bad Wolf. From Little Red Riding Hood. Eliminate Hitler. Imperative. Complete mission within 24 hours. Out.

(Source: Video Game Music Preservation Foundation)

Beta-Testing Message

In the Wolf3D source code release, in the file WL_MAIN.C, code that checks for a preprocessor definition called BETA is present. If the definition is set, and the game is ran after September 30, 1992, the game will exit to DOS with the brilliantly spelt message:

Sorry, BETA-TESTING is over. Thanks for you help.

Windows CD Leftovers

Activision released the game on CD in 2001 to help promote the release of Return to Castle Wolfenstein. It included the original registered DOS version with a Windows-based installer. There were also some leftovers on the disc...

The Bin folder on the CD (which contains the installer's frontend) has a file named Wolfimage copy.bmp, which is a poorly compressed, double resolution version of the game's title screen.

Download Wolfenstein 3D (Windows) Help Project Files File: Wolfenstein 3D 2001 Windows HPJ.zip (37 KB) (info)

And when you install the game, the Microsoft Help Project files and bitmaps used to create the game's Windows-based .hlp file are also included! These can be found in the Program Files\Wolfenstein 3D\Readme folder.