Re: Whatever happened to Wolfenstein IIGS???

[spec@vax2.concordia.ca (Mitchell Spector)]

In article Rubywand <rubywand@swbell.net> writes...

>     Wolf-3D's history is, putting diplomatically, somewhat convoluted.

    That's putting it lightly, it has been "in the works" for nearly
5 years now! :-)

>A very-nearly finished version was sent to me by someone involved with
>the development team more than two years ago. It looks and plays almost
>exactly like the PC version,

    Not quite, the PC version uses 256 color graphics, adds more steps
between scaling pixels and overall has a much faster and smoother frame
rate. The current graphics in the Apple IIgs version were so poorly
converted it almost appears as if it were in Double-Hi-Res! (thankfully
though, Clue of Ninjaforce completely redid the graphic--and although
different from the PC version--they do look quite stunning).

>On any accelerated GS, it's a darn nice game.

    Yep, it is still fun, though you absolutely need a fairly fast
accelerator and will want to reduce the screen size down a couple
of notches (with my 15/64 ZipGS it is still a bit slow and choppy
at full-screen).

>Whatever, perhaps when finally released, the GS version of Wolf-3D will
>be a much different, much better game than the original.

    Than the original PC version? I wouldn't say that when you compare
the frame-rate and smoothness of the two. There is one advantage over
the PC version and that is the digitized sound effects, or at least in
the leaked beta version from Vitesse (the final official version will
have a completely new set of sound effects btw).

>If it is, I would expect that the developers will, as they should,
>_sell_ the thing in order to obtain a tangible $$$ benefit for their
>work.

    The problem is they can't. id Software specifically said they
must release the GS version as freeware or not at all, that is the
main reason Vitesse dropped it. They may charge for an optional
CD-ROM filled with live music recordings for the game, or bundle it
with a commercial game somewhat along the lines of LemminGS (you
would get Wolfenstein 3D free _if_ you bought another game).

    In the meantime the new graphics are done and Sheppy is working
on (or has already finished?) the loose programming ends. Whether
it gets released or not depends on what Logicware decides to do.
The options are: Release it as freeware. Bundle as a free bonus
gift with a new commercial game port (which currently does not
exist) or in a worse case...cancel the whole project and let it
sit on a shelf. Maybe if we're lucky we'll get it by Xmas as an
FTP'able freeware game. :)

Mitchell Spector
spec@vax2.concordia.ca