Wolfeinstein 3D (original DOS) patches

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szemi
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Wolfeinstein 3D (original DOS) patches

Post by szemi »

So, as I've checked WOLF3D.EXE can be uncompressed with UNLZEXE, and found the main menu texts for example (just like in Keen). It also means Wolf3d should have a W3DPATCH.EXE.

I tried to build W3DPATCH.EXE with Turbo Pascal, but I'm sooo stupid that I gave it up. Will Wolf3d be patched in the future? Because I need it so.
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Post by DoomJedi »

Why is that important?

Wolf3D source is publicly available...and there is even Wolf4SDL...

Are you starting with Wolf3D modding? You can ask Wolf3D forums for help.
Why to patch if you can just edit and compile the original source?
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Post by NY00123 »

ANOTHER POST EDIT (later on the same day): Yep, turns out there's enough I haven't known as I'm not sufficiently familiar with the Wolfenstein 3D scene. Added a few notes about Wolf4GW.

===

I think it won't be that useful. It may be a good idea to give a little background (or at least as much as I understand it, because admittedly I'm not as familiar as others with this title).

You see, the source code of Wolfenstein 3D / Spear of Destiny has been publicly available since 1995, so there really hasn't been a need for patching.

It is true, though, that it took a while before a source port using the original renderer appeared. There are ports like WolfGL and NewWolf, which seem to use alternative GL renderers somewhat different from the original software rasterizer. This may explain why most Wolf3D/SOD mods have been source-mods for long.

Then Wolf4GW appeared, with an early test version uploaded on 2005. It's still for DOS, but it's a port of the original 16-bit codebase made with Borland C++ in mind to 32-bit using Watcom. Such a 32-bit app takes advantage of a simpler-to-handle memory model (at least for the coder) not that different from what's commonly found in currently used platforms. A lot of ASM code was further replaced with C equivalents. This was a major step in what was to come.

Following that, and based on Wolf4GW, an initial release of Wolf4SDL appeared on 2007. Like Wolf4GW, this port should be much closer to the original DOS executable in "look and feel", although there are a few fixes and other modifications. While it seems to be abandoned by the original developer, it is still widely in use and may even have a few unofficial updates, here and there. A lot of mods for DOS (mostly source-mods I believe) have been converted to the Wolf4SDL codebase, and new mods are probably taking advantage of this port, too.

There is also ECWolf, which originally started on 2008 and had an initial release on 2012 using Wolf4SDL and ZDoom sources. While there's still enough work to do, ECWolf aims to give modders the means to make mods without modifying the ECWolf sources.
Last edited by NY00123 on Fri Feb 06, 2015 22:34, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by szemi »

DoomJedi wrote:Why is that important?

Wolf3D source is publicly available...and there is even Wolf4SDL...

Are you starting with Wolf3D modding? You can ask Wolf3D forums for help.
Why to patch if you can just edit and compile the original source?
1. I want to translate it like Keen.
2. Graphic (signs) are already modificated except some that takes time for me.
3. I just realized it UNLZEXE works with it + if somebody is a beginner and want to use patches, then that's all. And like I said I'm not a programmer, but I mentioned it in my comment.
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Post by DoomJedi »

szemi wrote:1. I want to translate it like Keen.
Fonts can be edited with ChaosEdit for example.
But not in-game texts.
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Post by szemi »

I don't have time, I'm not in the mood, I have no energy for programming but for modding and kinda patching, that's why I want the patches for Wolf3d. I unpacked WOLF3D.EXE. I know the source code has been released, but for the Wolf3d translation I only want to edit the help texts, end text and with patch codes the main menu and various texts since it has been one of my translation projects.


Maybe I seem to be lazy and stupid, but it's the truth.
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Post by NY00123 »

What I can tell for sure is this: Modifying a few texts in the original Wolf3D sources is MUCH less difficult than adding support for another game to the set of CKPATCH tools. The latter can be done, but you basically need to know a few technical details about the game EXE, get somewhat familiar with the general structure of the CKPATCH sources, etc. Oh, and yeah, grab and install a compatible copy of Turbo Pascal for building the new CKPATCH EXE.

On the other hand, with the Wolfenstein 3D sources you just need to do the following:
- Grab the sources.
- Edit a few texts.
- Follow a few instructions that you can find online for building the sources. It's not that difficult once you have the instructions. An example: http://fabiensanglard.net/Compile_Like_Its_1992/

Note that the sources as originally released should be, as far as I know, compatible with Wolfenstein 3D as originally published by ID Software, GT Interactive and Activision. This includes the game as currently available from Steam, but does *not* include the game as published by Apogee Software, Ltd. / 3D Realms. The Shareware release is not covered, either. A source port like Wolf4SDL or ECWolf may be compatible with any of these.
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Post by szemi »

Cool!! I'll check it.
Yeah, piece of cake!
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