Doom II 1.666 (files dated 9-20-94) Does it exist?

[DoutorHouse]

Hello all! It's my first post here and i'm starting with a question for the doom experts! I found this forum by chance while looking for some information on Doom II versions and after seeing all the information around i still have a big doubt... Maybe someone here can help explaining this.
Apparently there are 4 different registered 1.666 versions:
-The first one is dated 8-25-94 and it's the old Razor1911 scene release (id software declared this version to be "pirated" and none of the patches work with it).
-The second one is dated 8-29-94 and it's the USA/european (?) version.
-The third one is also dated 8-29-94 but it's the german censored version (id had to remove some swastikas on the secret levels).
-The fourth version is dated 9-20-94 and the only information i have about it comes from the id patch readme file:
PATCH DIRECTIONS
-------------------------
1. Unzip the file PATCH.ZIP to the directory containing the DOOM 2
files.

2. This .zip file contains three patches for DOOM 2. All will
upgrade your current version of DOOM 2 to version 1.7a.

If you have:

Version Dated Use File
------- ------- ----------
1.666 8-29-94 PATCHA.BAT
1.666 9-20-94 PATCHB.BAT
1.7 9-21-94 PATCHC.BAT

CHANGES MADE
-------------------------
* Various level design bugs. (HOM, see thru walls, etc.).
* Sound code changes.

NOTES:
-------------------------
Players using DOOM 2 version 1.7a should not try to play
a net or modem game with players using version 1.666.
-
So, does this fourth version really exist? Anyone knows anything about it? Thanks for your time and any help on this!

[GreyGhost]

Don't have a copy of the 20th Sept. version myself but the datestamp has me wondering if it might be an accidentally released beta of Version 1.7.

[DoutorHouse]

GreyGhost said:

Don't have a copy of the 20th Sept. version myself but the datestamp has me wondering if it might be an accidentally released beta of Version 1.7.

Yeah, probably... I've always thought it could be some japanese or australian release but i still have no idea... Hopefully someone here can solve this mystery! :)

[Dragonsbrethren]

I've never even come across the pirated version.

[DoutorHouse]

Dragonsbrethren said:

I've never even come across the pirated version.

Me neither... until i searched for it on the internet. My first Doom game was a legitimate Doom II 1.666 (on 5 disks, that i eventually used to get a copy of Tie Fighter that same year, and ended up losing).

[Nicknine]

Terribly sorry about bumping an old thread but I was wondering if any new information surfaced about this mysterious v1.666 dated Sep 20 1994. I've searched around and it doesn't seem to be present on any of the official floppy or CD releases and Doom Wiki does not list its EXEs and WADs on the respective pages. id's patch readme is the only reference to this version I could find.

Edited June 23, 2021 by Nicknine

[funduke]

1 hour ago, Nicknine said:

...and Doom Wiki does not list its EXEs and WADs on the respective pages.

 

https://doomwiki.org/wiki/DOOM2.WAD
https://doomwiki.org/wiki/DOOM2.EXE

Do these links help?

 

Greetings

Funduke

 

Edit:

Here is some more talk about it:

https://doom.fandom.com/wiki/Talk:DOOM2.WAD

Edited September 25, 2020 by funduke

[Doomkid]

This might be a bit TOO early, but I have a “compiled” Doom2 beta that uses the 1.6 exe from early August 1994 combined with the D2temp maps from very late July 1994, with most of the crash spots ironed out. If it’s of any interest, here it is - http://doomshack.org/~doomkid/doombeta.zip

 

E: turns out you’re looking for the bootleg I think? I’ll send a PM later since I think posting it here would count as warez.

[M_W]

I swear, I remember having a 1.666 version running DOSBox and I had to update it to 1.9...maybe I'm mistaken?

[Nicknine]

15 hours ago, funduke said:

 

https://doomwiki.org/wiki/DOOM2.WAD
https://doomwiki.org/wiki/DOOM2.EXE

Do these links help?

 

Greetings

Funduke

 

Edit:

Here is some more talk about it:

https://doom.fandom.com/wiki/Talk:DOOM2.WAD

These are the pages I talked about, why would they help? As I said before, Doom Wiki only lists Aug 25 (which was declared pirated by id) and Aug 29 versions.

 

9 hours ago, Doomkid said:

This might be a bit TOO early, but I have a “compiled” Doom2 beta that uses the 1.6 exe from early August 1994 combined with the D2temp maps from very late July 1994, with most of the crash spots ironed out. If it’s of any interest, here it is - http://doomshack.org/~doomkid/doombeta.zip

 

E: turns out you’re looking for the bootleg I think? I’ll send a PM later since I think posting it here would count as warez.

No I'm not looking for a bootleg, that would be Aug 25 version.

[OleBumma]

could that have been in reference to the 1.666 Beta for Doom (1), that's found on the disc for Doom 2?

the dates are on the installer files tho. the files once installed are dated Aug. 30, '94 and the DOOM.EXE is the same as the one you have on every DOOM2.EXE officially released as version 1.666.

 

maybe they'd count it as "09-20-94" knowing it was the date they've packed together "that" installer without realizing the actual files were dated earlier. fun fact is that PATCHB.BAT you'd need to upgrade to version 1.7A, but there's no 1.7 or 1.7A meant for the first Doom... one would be able to update the engine, but I don't know if it would affect the game compatibility on Doom, and that patch is specifically for Doom 2.

 

 

 

Edited September 27, 2020 by OleBumma