This article has a talk page!This page details one or more prototype versions of Blake Stone: Aliens of Gold.
v0.63b was a version for beta testers that was leaked about a week before the game was released. It will not run without entering the password "modem" and will also not run if the system time is after November 1993. The compile date, per running the executable with the -version parameter, is November 12, 1993.
Note that the compile date for the shareware version 1.0 release is November 1. This means that the game engine (which is stored in the executable) was essentially already complete, and beta testing was related to the maps/graphics/music stored in .bs1 files.
Sound differences#
The door opening and closing sound effects were clearly made with mouth sounds. In the final release, these were modified to make it sound less obvious.
v0.63b |
v1.0+ |
|---|---|
Music differences#
The track IDs were shifted around to match the filenames defined in the executable. Most of the tracks were simplified to decrease filesize.
Track name |
v0.63b ID |
v1.0+ ID |
v0.63b version |
v1.0+ version |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Apogee Fanfare |
0 |
2 |
(no change) |
(no change) |
Gene Funk |
1 |
5 |
||
Theme |
2 |
16 |
||
Rac Shuffle |
3 |
13 |
||
Incineration |
4 |
8 |
||
The Way |
5 |
17 |
||
Hiding |
6 |
7 |
||
Jungle |
7 |
9 |
||
Dark Hall |
8 |
3 |
||
Intrigue |
9 |
18 |
(no change) |
(no change) |
Rhumba |
10 |
14 |
||
Gold |
11 |
1 |
||
Searching |
12 |
15 |
||
Time |
13 |
6 |
||
Meeting |
14 |
11 |
||
2100 |
15 |
0 |
||
Strut |
16 |
12 |
||
Freedom |
17 |
4 |
||
Level |
18 |
10 |
(no change) |
(no change) |
Graphical differences#
Blake Stone uses the last 16 colors of the palette for color cycling, mostly for automap objects. Almost every texture and sprite in v0.63b featuring lights uses color cycling. In the final game, all graphics save for one wall (textures 41 and 42) have been modified to only use static colors.
Due to the cycling effect taking dozens of frames to loop, it is not practical to create GIFs of the ripped graphics.
v0.63b |
v1.0+ |
|---|---|
 |
 |
|
|
The elevator sign is the only texture with an otherwise significant modification. The "ELEVATOR" text cycles between red and dark red in the prototype.
Text differences#
Lots of minor spelling mistakes in the episode stories. In game, the final boss is referred to as "Reptilian Warrier." Dr. Pyrus W. Goldfire was original named Dr. Norton W. Goldstern. All text was changed after Apogee was emailed about Goldstern being an evil portrayal of Jewish people.
Map differences#
In the final version, a guard block (object 6C) was added in front of the elevator doors to prevent enemies from entering the elevator.