RTCW: Enemy Territory Beta (2002-2003) ?

(Tyrlop) #1

Hey everyone on Splash Damage, its been long time since I last posted here.

For a very long time, I’ve been wondering about the Beta version(s) of Enemy Territory, back before it was released free multiplayer game (in November 2003 to be exact)

There was an Wolfenstein Enemy Territory Test Map release in November 2003 also, but this version reminds alot about the one we play today, it included the Fuel Dump map almost identical to the one we know now, (except for a different loading picture)

Here one of the pictures that made me wonder, a totally different and early version of the Fuel Dump map based on a RTCW Single Player map:

The classes also seemed to look different:

wolfenstein-enemy-territory-wallpaper2.jpg1024x768

So I set out on a quest, I started searching through the google for any .exe files or beta information, until now I have found little.
Then I started searching the forums here, with success I found some really interesting threads, published before the release, from users coming with ideas and questions. Most of the threads back then were answered by the CEO(former?) of Enemy Territory: Locki. In one of the replies he writes:

[QUOTE=Locki;1447]Hi Creampuff, (hehe! what a greeting!)

One of the problems with RtCW was that it’s character class models used a large amount of memory which meant that having a lot of visual variation was difficult.

However, for Enemy Territory we’re developing a new model system that allows character class models to share animation data, which means that the character classes can be more unique, while saving memory.

The result is that (time allowing) we plan on having campaign specific uniforms for the different campaigns in Enemy Territory. This should mean we have around 30 unique-looking characters that are appropriate to the the surroundings for the different campaign locations, such as North Africa where it’s hot, Central Europe which is temperate and Northern Europe which is icy.

Paul/Locki.[/QUOTE]
Source: http://forums.warchest.com/showthread.php/228-Variable-Unis-and-custom-vsay

(You can check out the old threads from back then, by going to page 327 (the last page) on this forum section.)

So what do you think? Do you think it is possible that somehow, someone has the a beta version of Enemy Territory?

Tyrlop

(Ododo) #2

The only beta i know with these skins ( http://image.jeuxvideo.com/images/pc/r/w/rwetpc010.jpg , http://www.jeuxvideo.com/screenshots/images/00009/00009636_018.htm )
Can be downloaded here
This demo was released on 30-05-2003

Also some links refer to a file named ET_MapTest10.exe but all the links seems to be dead.

(acQu) #3

[QUOTE=Ododo;487882]The only beta i know with these skins ( http://image.jeuxvideo.com/images/pc/r/w/rwetpc010.jpg , http://www.jeuxvideo.com/screenshots/images/00009/00009636_018.htm )
Can be downloaded here
This demo was released on 30-05-2003

Also some links refer to a file named ET_MapTest10.exe but all the links seems to be dead.[/QUOTE]

Wow. Been looking for these skins for soo long, but never found them (thought they were kind of lost somewhere on a SD shelf). Currently downloading, i hope they are in. This is great!

And 30 different characters for different campaigns? I am all in for that :smiley:

EDIT downloaded and it is an exe. Is this an installer? I die for these skins, please give me them. But am on Linux for quite some time now :frowning: Tried p7zip “Error: Can not open file as archive” …

(Mateos) #4

Go Wine! (the software, heh)

(Tyrlop) #5

I ran /wolfet_JeuxVideo.com_5752.exe
it is just ET 2.55
it also says in the description (of the file if you right click) that it was last edited friday the 28 may 2004. so someone has replaced the old beta with a newer version. also the site says the file is 258 M, when it in fact is 270,3 MB on my desktop

(Mateos) #6

Usually in France we use Mo instead of MB, that could be why the number is different, but can be the same files

(Ododo) #7

damn >< …
there is also the 103.12 mb file et-linux-test-2.32.x86.run
http://www.gamefront.com/files/910906 , http://www.atomicgamer.com/files/27821/et-linux-test-2-32-x86-run
don’t know if it’s the beta you are looking for or not
EDIT:windows one http://returntocastlewolfenstein.filefront.com/file/Wolfenstein_Enemy_Territory_TEST;13132

(Tyrlop) #8

[QUOTE=Fluffy_gIMp;191506]

[QUOTE=.Chris.;191440]

[QUOTE=unf4z3d;191436]w00t,

wonder if we’ve been good enough to get a present this year? XD

crosses fingers for the unreleased maps’ source.

:)[/QUOTE]

He means the maps that didn’t make it to the game.[/QUOTE]

The sad and dirty truth is we can’t find them :([/QUOTE]
source: http://forums.warchest.com/showthread.php/18019-Wolfenstein-Enemy-Territory-Six-Years-Old-Today?highlight=wolfet

RTCW:ET Test map was released on 31/02 2003. That was an open “Beta” test, but not the beta test we are looking for. It was released after the announcement that the game would be free, and as soon as it was released thousands of people downloaded it and tested it.

after searching some more i have figured out that Wolfet.exe seems to be version 1.00 released about a month later than the “Test map”, wolfet.exe (usually 258mb) includes the mappack as we know it: Goldrush, fueldump, battery etc…

What we need to find is something from before 31/2 2003, some beta testers or developers must have uploaded it somewhere

EDIT: http://forums.warchest.com/showthread.php/17038-ET-nostalgia?p=180484#post180484 (Info)

http://forums.warchest.com/showthread.php/16741-Wolfenstein-Enemy-Territory-Five-Years-Old-Today
http://forums.warchest.com/showthread.php/16856-Wolfenstein-Enemy-Territory-Map-Source-Files-Released?p=178841#post178841
http://forums.warchest.com/showthread.php/16802-MAP-Mine-Assault?p=178385#post178385

(Nail) #9

I’m pretty sure I have it on a backup from my site, I’m out of town atm but I’ll look when I’m back

(Tyrlop) #10

Thanks! I hope that you got some interesting files, Are you sure it is not just the RTCW:ET Test Map i described before?

I have been reading some more, and I’ve found an article from November 2002 that describes the Single Player mode and Multiplayer mode in what was then the to-be-Enemy Territory: http://www.ign.com/articles/2002/11/22/return-to-castle-wolfenstein-enemy-territory
It’s an really interesting article, the guy describes how they tested the multiplayer maps: Goldrush, Siwa Oasis and a map called “Nora Order” that happends to be one of the unreleased maps:

Here is a previous discussion on the matter of releasing old files: http://forums.warchest.com/showthread.php/15844-W-ET-Single-Player

(acQu) #11

So are you still out of town?

Kinda want these skins, not the maps haha :smiley:

Althought i believe the skins are pretty much non-available AKA never gone public in any way … anyone knows some info on that? Maybe they went on in one of the first beta packages …

(acQu) #12

Some new information regarding the classes posted in #1.

acQu > They were made by the former Maddoc Software (now absorbed into Rockstar), as you might recall they were working on the single player portion of WolfET which was cancelled. As I recall they were fairly basic reworks of existing RtCW SP textures.

So i guess the only way is to contact Maddoc Software about them. But i have no hopes on this one actually.

(acQu) #13

Some “new” information regarding the classes posted in #1 and #2.

acQu > They were made by the former Maddoc Software (now absorbed into Rockstar), as you might recall they were working on the single player portion of WolfET which was cancelled. As I recall they were fairly basic reworks of existing RtCW SP textures.