System Shock vB3.0S (leaked beta)

[673f2fec0c03fGawain]

I just found beta version of System Shock from old games collection. This is a pirated version leaked before release.
I couldn't find any topic about this.

Attached file contains some comparison screenshots I took against SSP.

Summary of differences in screenshots:

• Ingame menu.
• Items are in different positions at neurosurgery closet.
• No sprite upsampling.
• Different wall textures and decals.
• Objects are moved to avoid rendering order issues (In SSP).
• Small differences in map.
• Old starfield texture.
• Some decorations (corpses etc.) are different.
• Grating has fewer rods.

Other differences:

• No force bridge extending animation. It just appears and dissappears.
• Platform/elevator physics are more aggressive in beta. It makes player jump and slide etc.
• You can push enemies.
• No resolution or rendering quality settings in menu.

I had all difficulty settings set to zero, but couldn't go to 2nd level. (In SSP you can use the elevator). I event tried to destroy the CPU nodes but it didn't help.

Newest file in beta is dated 25.8.1994 01:23. It is about a month before release (22.9).
This version is before the new starfield was made. Interesting story about the starfield can be found in the 20th anniversary stream.
It seems sprite upsampling was also added during the last month. This is also interesting because MAC version doesn't do sprite upsampling.

There are also some data changes:

• OBJPROP.DAT contains different damage etc. values on some objects.
• ARCHIVE.DAT object instance data structure is different.
• There is atleast one 3D object in beta that is removed from the release version. I can provide screenshot of that if someone is interested.

I tried to use my Unity importer and I managed to import everything else but the object instances in map. Maybe I will someday try to reverse engineer the instance structure.

I can provide playable version if someone is interested. I had to manually combine and decompress the data files because the installer didn't work in dosbox.

It would be awesome if someone could make thorough playthrough and document the differences.
Maybe the cutting room floor (tcrf.net) is interested?

Does anyone know exact date when the demo was released?
[sshockBetaComparison2x.png expired]

[673f2fec0c274voodoo47]

sure, zip it up and attach to your post (preferably unmodified), we'll dissect it.

I've almost jumped when reading the first couple of lines, thinking/hoping for the SS2 beta. ah well..

[673f2fec0c3c7Gawain]

Files are too big to attach. Here's dropbox link instead: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/9mofyh34y114sl9/AADHsS5tMW9fBqpleXw8kCPPa?dl=0

System_Shock-FIRM.7z contains the original zips (zip per disk)
SS vB3_0S playable.7z is the playable version.