Escape 2 Changelog

Changes from v1.6x to 1.7 (1 Jan 2006)

• Version 1.7 is the first Win32 port of E2, it is also the first release for 8 years!
• Converted the code to run under Win32 using the Allegro game programming library.  The entire game has been ported from real-mode Borland TC v3 for DOS while keeping the look and feel identical to preserve the game's heritage.  This took some doing but its great to play it again.
• Changed the 2 player keys and added full on joystick support for both players.  This works especially well when using PS controllers via a special PC adaptor!
• Recorded new demos because the file format has changed somewhat (demo files are now compressed too).
• Added quick save/load F6/F7.
• Fixed a whole ton of bugs and optimised loads of stuff.
• Combined the intro (the scrolling maps and demos are mixed together).
• Basically the game looks and plays the same but is totally different underneath.

Notes

The saved game and demo file formats have changed which is hardly surprising!

Changes in Version 1.6

• The wave file memory limit is now fixed at 96,000 bytes
• There are 2 new monsters (Auto Laser Defences)
• A lot of levels have been altered
• There are a lot of new sounds
• There are ambient sounds (not for PC Speaker)
• There is no longer a noise at the menu while using PC Speaker
• There are different types of terrain (i.e: snow, grass and mud etc)
• The map file format has changed
• You now how much "cloaked" time you have left
• Doors have tracks underneath them
• The minimap no longer requires a stupid amount of memory
• A lot of numerous bug fixes
• There are 2 new weapons, the Gatling Gun and the Pump
• The weapons feel very different. You now hold down the fire button. Each weapon's rate of fire is time controlled in real time
• Weapon selecting is different. You now change up and down weapons using two keys rather than having a key to select each weapon
• There is a different intro
• There are now some 3D spinning dialogs
• Doors close after a while
• There is an "info screen" on the status bar
• Keys are now Access Cards
• The are now radiation leakages about (The nasty green floors)

What follows is not in the beta release and is under construction

• Much improved PC Speaker sound support (wave audio comes out of the speaker)
• Fix the 2 player cloak bug

Notes

• BAD NEWS:
• The saved game format has changed!
• Demos are no longer compatible!

Latest News

• There is talk of a version 1.7 with IPX and/or serial multiplayer support.  This may include more than 2 players!  (2006 note: Play M2!)
• Version 1.7 may also include sound mixing (2006 note: it does!)
• A 3D version is planned (2006 note: yeah right)

What's new in Version 1.52?

• Improved dialogs and menus
• Loads of new sounds
• Blasts now have owners (this makes the kills count accurate in 2 player)
• A lot of map changes (too many to detail) (there are now 15 maps)#
• There are now different kinds of terrain (grass, snow, mud etc.)
• Removed the count of monsters killed (now just "Monsters Remaining")
• There is now a memory limit for wave files (currently 100,000 bytes)
• Added Up/Down bring back what you typed support on the console
• You can no longer pick up items that have not re-appeared
• The "blast" system has been re-coded. The game does not stop for blasts anymore

Version 1.21 changes

• Projectiles now appear on the minimap
• Players now appear on the minimap
• Players now take each others damage in team games
• Kills are now issued to player 2 in team games
• Disabled to "LaunchGame" console command due to problems
• The sound code is now much better. Most wave files are now loaded into memory. This makes the sound playback a lot faster.
• Added the "sliding sound"
• Modified some of the maps
• Fixed some problems with the "Shifters"
• Monsters and projectiles can now travel through "Shifters"

Problems

There are still problems with the kill count. This also effects the count of the total monsters on the map. If a monster or players is killed by a projectile it is known who fired it because all projectiles have an "owner" signature. But when a player or monster is killed in a blast or explosion there is no signature. In time blasts will be given owners.

Version 1.2 changes

• Improved  the water animation and made it faster
• New menu background
• Sliding menu stuff
• Introduction of "Shifters" (teleporters)
• Added the "shifter" sound
• Disposed of all the unused data files, this makes ESCAPE2.WAK a lot smaller
• 2 new maps (levels 3 and 4)
• Changed "Drop off Point" and "Dark Castle"
• Added the "LaunchGame" console command (undocumented)
• Launching the game has changed a little
• It is now quicker to build a tile colour map so starting the game is faster
• Added some new vars to ESCAPE2.DEF
• Had a play about with the keyboard code
• Tile animation can now be disabled in ESCAPE2.DEF
• The animation speed can also be changed the same way
• Sorted out the irritating line across the intro/demo screen
• The console now has no green text at all!

Notes

• Save games and demos are still compatible.
   

Version 1.03 changes

• The Green Blobs now fire "green" blobs!
• The new "green" blobs are a little faster!
• Level number is now on the status bar
• Console command help added (use "help .c" in the console)
• When the game is complete the game now actually ends properly
• "MAPTITLES" console command added
• "WARP" console command added
• There is now a defs file ESCAPE2.DEF, have a peek, edit at your own risk!
• The -SLOWRATE parameter has been removed because of the defs file
• Added a menu background screen
• Added an age rating screen
• Added the "READDEFS" console command, this reads the defs file
• Changed the player colour to 14 (yellow) (can be changed in defs file)
• The console is now 50 lines instead of 25
• The console is no longer green
• removed the Head to Head map menu due to problems
• The "Red Blobs" are now "fizzlely" green and called "Blobs"
• The "Green Blobs" are now called "Giant Slugs"
• The "Turrets" ate now called "Armoured Turrets"
• Upgraded the dialogs code, i.e menus, messages etc
• Added another couple of console commands (See "2 Commands Quiz" (below) )
• Added some new monster sounds
• When things explode they do not always leave smoke anymore! (for speed)

Notes

• All file formats including Saved Games and Demos are unchanged!
• But that may change!
• This should be the final version (except for more maps!)

Other Notes

• The joystick code does still not work properly! You can have a try if you like at your own risk. The undocumented console command "JVAL" may help.
• Mouse support has been disabled! This caused problems when playing through
  DOS with no mouse driver installed! The mouse support was useless anyway!
• Running under NT has been found to be odd. The speed of "things" can be all over the place.
• TWO player games are split screen only! There is no network/net/modem/serial support. So nobody will ever know!
• The sound code is SLOOOOOW. It reads WAV files directly from disk! Use a disk caching utility like Smartdrive if you are running the game though DOS.  This ought to speed things up a little. Use SNDSETUP is accordance with the "SLOWRATE" console command to fine tune the speed. You can use the defs file to set a "slowrate".
• Beware: Demos eat disk space like there is no tomorrow!