This is a sub-page of Proto:Duke Nukem 3D (PC).
Duke Nukem 3D 0.99 is a leaked build of the shareware demo that snuck out onto the internet back in the day. The included readme shows that it was intended for a magazine for previews. Compiled on January 4th, 1996, the game is in a near final state, but it still has many differences.
General#
"BETA VERSION"#
The message "BETA VERSION" is printed on the upper right-hand corner of the screen while playing.
HUD#
The HUD is almost exactly the same as it is in the final. The only difference is that it has slots for 8 weapons instead of 9.
When compared to the released shareware version (which it is a prototype of), it lacks the "ORDER" text replacing the ammo count for weapons unavailable in the shareware version.
The smaller HUD is also in the game and is the same as the final's.
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Prototype |
Final |
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Prototype |
1.0 |
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Menu#
The menu's options are closer to the title than in the final game.
It uses the same font that pre-1.4 versions of the game use.
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Prototype |
Final |
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Prototype |
Registered 1.3d |
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Results Screen#
The results screen keeps the general theme and layout, but has several differences.
- Par Time is called Our Best Time.
- The 3D Realms' Best Time part is missing.
- Enemies killed is simply called Kills.
- Enemies Missed is called Missed.
- Secrets Found is called Secret Areas.
- Secrets Missed is also called Missed.
- "Press any key to continue" is not printed at the bottom.
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Prototype |
Final |
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Difficulties#
The prototype has five difficulties instead of the final's four.
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Prototype |
Final |
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Easy |
Piece of Cake |
Medium, Normal, and Hard are equivalent to the final's Piece of Cake, Let's Rock, and Come Get Some. Easy contains less enemy spawns than Piece of Cake Does, while Headache is the final's Damn I'm Good, but with the ability to use cheats.
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Easy |
Medium/Piece of Cake |
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Automap#
The automap only has the basic outline mode in 0.99. it also lacks the overhead Duke icon that moves as the player does, instead using a small version of one of his third person graphics as a representation of the player's current location.
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Prototype |
Final |
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Prototype |
Final |
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Cheats#
When activating cheats, inputting "dn" will have the message "Type the cheat code!" appear on the top of the screen, which does not happen in the final game.
Input |
Effect |
Image |
|---|---|---|
dngodly |
God mode. |
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dnungodly |
Disables god mode. |
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dnweapons |
All weapons. |
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dnammo |
Maximum ammo. |
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dnitems |
Gives all keys and inventory items. |
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dnclip |
Activates noclip mode. Input it again to disable it. |
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dnwarp(xx) |
Level warp. First number is episode number, second is level number. |
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dnskill(x) |
Skill selector. Input a number between 0 and 9 into the "x". Once the code is selected, the level will restart in the current difficulty. Selecting skill 0 will send the player to a level without enemies. Headache/Damn I'm Good doesn't seem to work properly in that it won't respawn enemies when chosen via this option. |
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dnunlock |
Opens all doors when used. |
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dnview |
Activates the third person camera. Type it again to disable it. |
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dnrate |
Activates a counter containing two numbers on the upper left-hand corner. Typing it again will turn the counter off. |
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dnhyper |
Instantly puts the player under the effects of Steroids. |
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dnending |
Brings up the ending sequence when activated. The results screen will always claim the player has finished E1L5, The Abyss, no matter what level it is activated in. |
Shrunk Player#
The effects shown when the player is shrunk are a lot more primitive than in the final game.
When the player is shrunk, the game will start loading the hands first person sprites, then move the player's view down like he was crouching instead of the visuals used in the final game. There are no visual warnings that the player is going to grow back to normal size soon, and when the player goes back to normal, he will suddenly revert to the regular viewpoint without any special effects.
Enemies can kill a shrunk player when the player is reverting to full size, like in the final game.
Loading a Saved Game#
Loading a saved game tends to produce several errors, such as sprites being replaced with infinitely stretching versions of the first tile in the game's files and crashes.

Swinging Door Speeds#
Doors that open via swinging are noticeably slower than they are in the final game.
Crosshair#
The crosshair cannot be brought up when playing 0.99.
Mouselook and Autoaim#
There are no ways to enable mouselook nor disable autoaim in 0.99.
Strippers#
Strippers behave a little differently in 0.99.
When hit with anything, a stripper will play her death scream. In the final game, a stripper will not play a sound when hit, and will only scream when killed.
Strippers cannot be shrunk, unlike in the final game.
The stripper that shows her tits when used has her tit-showing animation play slower in 0.99.
Pod Babes#
Pod babes do not exist in 0.99. Their graphics can't even be found in the files.
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Prototype |
Final |
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Screaming while Falling#
Duke will not scream while falling from a great distance. In fact, the sound file for it doesn't even exist in this prototype.
Boot Up Screen#
The boot up screen for 0.99 requires that the user presses a key before the process begins. The final game starts booting up as soon as the executable is started.
The title at the top also calls this prototype Pre Release "Beta" version .99.
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Prototype |
Final |
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Demos#
This prototype lacks demos.
Exit Screen#
The exit screen is a mix of a message telling the player not to be too harsh on it because it's a work in progress and information that this is not meant to be released to the public and what you can do if you have a copy of it, but aren't supposed to have it.
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Prototype |
Final |
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README.TXT#
The prototype contains a simple readme from George (presumably George Broussard) to a person named Jim. It reveals that the developers believed that network play still needed some time.
Jim,
Run SETUP.EXE
Run DUKE3D.EXE
This version is really stable for single player. We are working the next
week on net/modem and then we should be ready to release the game.
George
Episode and Level Names#
Almost all of the episode and level names are different in this prototype. While Episode 1's level names can only be seen normally, the level names for Episode 2 and 3 can be found in "USER.CON".
Episode 1#
Episode Name#
Episode 1 has the same name that it does in the final game.
Level Names#
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Prototype |
Final |
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The prototype Episode 1 level lists lacks Faces of Death and the slot for user maps. The filler level names are also missing.
Episode 2#
Episode Name#
Episode 2 is called "Cosmic Wasteland" in 0.99, but "Lunar Apocalypse" in the final game.
Level Names#
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Prototype |
Final |
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Episode 2 is missing two maps in 0.99. The levels also have what are clearly temporary names. Interestingly, the flow in 0.99's Episode 2 is different: Duke starts out on a moon base, then heads to space stations. The final game has Duke go through several space station levels before reaching the moon base levels.
Episode 3#
Episode Name#
Episode 3 is called "Shut Down at Ground Zero" in 0.99, but Shrapnel City in the final game.
Level Names#
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Prototype |
Final |
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Episode 3's level list in 0.99 has a lot more to it than Episode 2's.
The list reveals that the order was very different. A hotel level was the first one in the episode instead of the last one before the boss, there was only one secret level, and a subway level was moved back between 0.99 and the final game. A level called "Postal" appears, which is also the name of a level in the final game's Episode 4, though it's unknown if it was the same level as the one seen in Ep4.
Of note is that "Sewage Company" and "The Sewers Below" match two levels created by one of the game's level designers, Levelord, that were not released with the final game, but later on by Levelord himself: Sweeney and Sewers. Sweeney takes place in a sewage company, while Sewers has half of the level take place in a sewer.
The only consistency between the two lists is that there would be a bank-themed level in the second level slot.
Episode 4#
0.99 has listings for an episode 4. What its purpose is cannot be figured out, but the original registered version of the game only has three episodes, not four.
Episode Name#
This episode has no name.
Level Names#
GONETLEVEL 1
GONETLEVEL 2
GONETLEVEL 3
GONETLEVEL 4
GONETLEVEL 5
GONETLEVEL 6
GONETLEVEL 7
GONETLEVEL 8
USER FILE
Almost all of these levels appear to be either temporary or filler. The only one that isn't is "USER FILE", which was presumably the temporary level slot that custom levels would take up when played. In the final game, this slot is in Episode 1.
Changed Text#
Several text strings in USER.Con are different in 0.99.
String 0#
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Prototype |
Final |
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< Empty Slot >> |
AUTO AIMING |
String 1#
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Prototype |
Final |
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< Empty Slot >> |
SHOW MAP: OFF |
String 3#
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Prototype |
Final |
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MEDKIT |
PORTABLE MEDKIT |
String 12#
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Prototype |
Final |
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FRY, DAMN YOU, FRY!!! |
USED STEROIDS |
String 14#
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Prototype |
Final |
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COOK EM' GOOD! |
AMMO FOR DEVASTATOR |
String 19#
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Prototype |
Final |
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HEALING! |
ATOMIC HEALTH! |
String 20#
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Prototype |
Final |
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AMMO! |
CROSSHAIR: ON |
String 21#
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Prototype |
Final |
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WEAPONS! |
CROSSHAIR: OFF |
String 22#
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Prototype |
Final |
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FOLLOW MODE |
YOU'RE TOO GOOD TO BE CHEATING! |
String 28#
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Prototype |
Final |
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LOADING QUICK GAME... |
WILL ALWAYS HAVE NO FUTURE |
String 59#
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Prototype |
Final |
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FLAMETHROWER! |
FREEZETHROWER! |
String 60#
Note that this only applies for 1.4 or 1.5. 1.3d has the same string as 0.99.
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Prototype |
Final |
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SHRINKER! |
GOT SHRINKER/EXPANDER! |
String 66#
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Prototype |
Final |
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AMMO FOR FLAMETHROWER! |
AMMO FOR FREEZETHROWER! |
String 75#
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Prototype |
Final |
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AUTO ACTIVATION: PROTECTIVE BOOTS |
PROTECTIVE BOOTS ON |
String 76#
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Prototype |
Final |
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AUTO ACTIVATION: SCUBA GEAR |
SCUBA GEAR ON |
String 77#
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Prototype |
Final |
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AUTO ACTIVATION: SPACE SUIT |
SPACE SUIT ON |
String 79#
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Prototype |
Final |
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YOU CAN ON SEND MESSAGES IN MULTIPLAYER MODE |
BUY MAJOR STRYKER |
String 80#
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Prototype |
Final |
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QUIK-KICK |
MIGHTY FOOT ENGAGED |
String 81#
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Prototype |
Final |
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<msg 81: EMPTY > |
WEAPON MODE ON |
String 82#
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Prototype |
Final |
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<msg 82: EMPTY > |
WEAPON MODE OFF |
String 83#
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Prototype |
Final |
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<msg 83: EMPTY > |
FOLLOW MODE OFF |
String 84#
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Prototype |
Final |
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<msg 84: EMPTY > |
FOLLOW MODE ON |
String 87#
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Prototype |
Final |
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SPACE SUIT |
DEVASTATOR WEAPON |
String 99#
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Prototype |
Final |
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<msg 99: EMPTY > |
REGISTER COSMO TODAY! |
String 100#
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Prototype |
Final |
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<msg 100: EMPTY > |
ALL LOCKS TOGGLED |
String 102#
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Prototype |
Final |
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YOUR COMING WITH US! |
WE'RE GONNA FRY YOUR ASS, NUKEM! |
String 105#
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Prototype |
Final |
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<msg 105: EMPTY > |
PIRATES SUCK! |
String 108#
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Prototype |
Final |
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YOU'RE BURNING! FIND WATER OR DIE |
YOU'RE BURNING! |
String 109#
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Prototype |
Final |
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<msg 109: EMPTY > |
VIEW MODE OFF |
String 110#
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Prototype |
Final |
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<msg 110: EMPTY > |
VIEW MODE ON |
String 111#
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Prototype |
Final |
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<msg 111: EMPTY > |
SHOW MAP: ON |
String 112#
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Prototype |
Final |
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<msg 112: EMPTY > |
CLIPPING: ON |
String 113#
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Prototype |
Final |
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<msg 113: EMPTY > |
CLIPPING: OFF |
String 114#
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Prototype |
Final |
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<msg 114: EMPTY > |
!!! INCORRECT VERSION !!! |
Weapons#
Mighty Boot#
The quick use button for the Mighty Boot works differently in this prototype. When the button is pressed, the player's current gun is lowered, the Mighty Boot kicks once, and then the player's gun comes back.
The graphic of the leg fully extended also has slightly different shading in 0.99.
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Prototype |
Final |
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Pistol#
The Pistol does 6 damage compared to the final's 8 damage. However, it has a random number between 0 and five added to damage for each shot.
It is possible to reload cancel the Pistol in this prototype by switching to another weapon while the reload animation is played, then switching back to the Pistol. By doing this, the player will be able to bypass the reload animation. The final game changes this so that the reload animation must finish before another weapon can be taken out.
Shotgun#
Duke's Shotgun does the same amount of damage that it does in the final game. It also has a random number between 0 and 5 added to each pellet. Combined with different enemy health in 0.99, this makes the Shotgun far more powerful than it is in the final game, as one close range shot can be used to kill a Pigcop, while a near point-blank range blast kills Octabrains in one shot as well.
Chaingun Cannon#
The Chaingun Cannon does 5 damage in 0.99 compared to 9 in the final. It also does an extra 0 to 5 damage per bullet, but the comments suggest that the extra damage is kept on the low side for balance reasons.
While the lower damage may seem like a nerf compared to the final game, the Chaingun Cannon has a much higher rate of fire in 0.99 than it does in the final game, allowing it to easily compensate for the lower damage. In practice, the Chaingun Cannon is mostly as powerful as it is in the final game, though it can cut down groups of Assault Troopers faster than the final's can.
When fired, it does not eject spent casings in 0.99.
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Prototype |
Final |
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RPG#
The RPG received a small buff between 0.99 and the final game: the 0.99 version does 120 damage, while the final one does 140.
Otherwise, it is the same as the final's.
Pipebomb#
Like the RPG, the Pipebomb does a maximum of 120 damage in 0.99, but 140 in the final.
Shrinker#
The Shrinker is in the game, but can only be accessed by enabling the "dnweapons" and "dnammo" cheats, then depleting ammo for other weapons (in a default install, all one needs to do is deplete ammo for one weapon).
While its first person graphic is missing, its projectiles can be seen because E1L4 has an object that shoots shrinker projectiles.
The angle used when stomping an shrunk enemy is shorter than it is in the final game.
It behaves the same as it does in the final game.

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Prototype |
Final |
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Flamethrower#
This Flamethrower is a weapon cut from the final game, but can be accessed in this prototype. To use it, one must follow the same procedure to access the Shrinker, then use all of the Shrinker's ammo (in a default install).
Contrary to its name, the Flamethrower doesn't actually shoot flames. Instead, it is an automatic weapon that fires hitscan bullets that slightly light up an area while the gun is being fired. Each of these bullets seem to do a good amount of damage. If a target is hit by one of these bullets, he will start to expand in an odd way, with gray "aftershadows" appearing as he expands. A small fire will appear underneath the target as well. Once the targets HP is reduced to zero, he will explode. The fire that existing underneath the enemy before he died will continue to burn for a little bit after its death, which will damage the player if walked into. When the gun is being fired, it will use the firing sound used by the final's Freezethrower.
When a target is being hit with the Flamethrower, the message "Cook 'em good!" will appear on top of the screen and will persist for a little bit when not hitting an enemy.
The player can hold a maximum amount of 99 ammo units at once.
Based on the fact it uses the Freezethrower's firing sounds, it shares the same sprite number that the Freezethrower does, and it has the same maximum amount of ammo that the Freezethrower does, the Flamethrower was likely replaced by the Freezethrower.



Laser Tripmine#
The Laser Tripmine can be accessed by modifying the weapon order in DEFs.CON in order to have it draw after depleting a weapon's ammo supply or adding it to maps via an editor.
It behaves the same as it does in the final game, but 0.99 lacks the sound played when a Tripmine is placed on a wall.
The first person graphics for this weapon are placed lower on the screen in 0.99 than they are in the final game.
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Prototype |
Final |
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Devastator#
No signs of the Devastator exists in this prototype, suggesting it wasn't even started at this point in development.
Enemies#
Assault Trooper and Assault Captain#
Both of these enemies are almost exactly the same as they are in the final. The only difference is that they use the Enforcer's idle sound instead of their own.
Moreover, their "FIRELASER" projectile causes 10 damages to the player, instead of 7 in the final version.
Pigcop#
The Pigcop has 70 health in 0.99, compared to 100 in the final game. While the HP difference doesn't sound like much, it makes them noticeably easier to kill, especially with the Shotgun.
Recon Car#
The Recon Car behaves the same as it does in the final, but plays sirens when it first notices the player. This was removed in the final game.
Octabrain#
The Octabrain has a measly 75 HP in 0.99, but was buffed to have 175 HP in the final game. This makes him much, much easier to kill.
Also, the Octabrain weakness to rockets that he does in the final game doesn't seem to work properly. This means that Octabrains have a chance of surviving a rocket explosion if it exploded far enough from them, unlike the final game, where they will be gibbed if they take any damage from a rocket exploding.
While the Octabrain's projectile does the same amount of damage that his does in the final game, his melee attack does a measly 2 damage, while the final game's does 11.
Interestingly, the Octabrain is still referred to by his internal name, JELLY, in 0.99's .CON files, while the final game switches it to the proper name.
Enforcer#
The Enforcer shoots fire in this prototype. If the player is set on fire, he will take a large amount of damage over time while the screen flashes with an orange tint and the message "YOU'RE BURNING! FIND WATER OR DIE" is printed on top of the screen.
The 0.99 Enforcer seems to be slightly less aggressive than he is in the final game.
He has 60 HP in this prototype, but was buffed to have 100 HP in the final game.
When killed, he has a chance of dropping ammo for the Flamethrower. This is changed to Chaingun Cannon ammo and the Chaingun Cannon itself in the final game.
A pre-release image shows this Enforcer in action.



Sentry Drone/Snake Head#
This prototype contains an enemy removed from the final game. It is informally known as the Snake Head, after concept art for an unused enemy that matches its internal name, SNAK.
Behavior-wise the Snake head is very similar to the Lost Soul from Doom; it will float around, but will occasionally charge at the player to bite him. After a charge, it will float around again, then charge again, and so on. It has 50 HP.
If the Snake Head is hit with a Shrinker's projectile, it will be killed instead of shrunk.
There is strong evidence that the Snake Head was replaced with the Sentry Drone. The Sentry Drone's sounds have "SNAK" in them, just like the Snake Head's unused sounds in the prototype do. The Snake Head's sound definitions are also in the exact same spot the Sentry Drone's are.

Organic Turret#
The Organic Turret is in the game's code, but still doesn't work properly. However, the game will attempt to play a sound when it sees the player.
Bosses#
Note that all bosses will not instantly kill the player if the player gets too close to them, like they do in the final game.
Battlelord#
The Battlelord is the same as he is in the final, but has 2,000 HP instead of the final's 4,000. This makes him a bit easier to take down compared to his final incarnation.
USER.CON has no definitions for the small Battlelord that appears in the final game.
DUMMYDUKE#
DUMMYDUKE is a boss that does not appear in the final game.
There are two of them: one big, and one small. The small one is slightly taller than the player is, while the bigger one is much larger than the player. The big one has 2,000 HP, but the small one has 1,000 HP. In-game, the big one's health appears to be bugged, as a single Pistol shot will gib him.
Both of them will fire a rapid-fire hitscan weapon occasionally as their primary weapon. However, they have slightly different behavior. The smaller one will occasionally teleport around like an Assault Captain, but with no graphical warning beforehand like the Assault Captain does. The small DUMMYDUKE also seems to prefer getting as close as possible to the player. Meanwhile, the big DUMMYDUKE is very slow and can never catch up with a running player. It doesn't seem to prefer getting close to the player, unlike the smaller DUMMYDUKE.
When a DUMMYDUKE is first spawned, he will appear to be a normal Duke. However, once the player sees him, he will swap his palette to a darker, muddier one, change size (using similar effects as someone being hit with the Expander in the final game would) until he is the correct size, then start attacking the player.
Unlike multiplayer bots, DUMMYDUKEs will not be attacked by other enemies.
Both DUMMYDUKES are referred to as "BOSS2". In the final game, the Cycloid Emperor is BOSS2 and all traces of these bosses have been removed.
(Source: High Treason)






BOSS3#
In 0.99, BOSS3 is a clone of the 0.99 Battlelord in terms of behavior, right down to having the exact same HP.
If the final game's art is loaded into this prototype, BOSS3 will mostly use the Cycloid Emperor's tiles, but will occasionally revert to using the Overlord's, and will become an Overlord permanently when killed (though it will not use the Overlord's proper death sprites).
The Overlord is named BOSS3 in the final game, but there are no signs of it being in the game in this prototype.
(Source: High Treason)



Items#
Unless otherwise stated, the items are the same as they are in the final game.
Alchohol(sic)#
An item called "alchohol" (presumably a misspelling of alcohol) can be found in DEFS.CON in the section dealing with inventory items. This is the only instance of it appearing in 0.99.
Of note is that the code for it in DEFS.CON has been commented out.
Atomic Health#
Atomic Health is simply called "Healing!" in 0.99 when picked up. Otherwise, it is the same as it is in the final game.
Space Suit#
Code for the Space Suit exists in this prototype. It indicates that the Space Suit would last as long as the Jetpack does.
Shrinker Ammo#
Shrinker ammo gives the player one Shrinker charge when picked up in 0.99, but 5 in the final game.
Fuel Ammo#
Fuel ammo is a type of ammo cut from the final game. It is used by the Flamethrower, which was also cut. When picked up, it gives 25 ammo units for the Flamethrower. Incidentally, ammo pickups for the Freezethrower also gives 25 units of ammo per pickup, giving more evidence that the Flamethrower was turned into the Freezethrower.
Changed Graphics#
Title Screen Background#
The title screen's background doesn't have the "WARNING: ADULT CONTENT" message at the bottom of it. However, Duke's mouth is a little bit messed up.
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Prototype |
Final |
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Episode 1 Ending Animation#
The ending animation for Episode 1 has a few differences compared to the final's. The Battlelord does not spew blood when killed. Duke shoots the Battlelord in the head once, then rapidly unloads three more shots into his head in 0.99. The final game only has Duke shoot him in the head once.
Episode 1 Ending Screen#
The screen shown after the Episode 1 ending animation is missing in 0.99. It doesn't even exist in the prototype's files.
Crosshair#
The crosshair was initially much bigger, but the developers decided to shrink it down for whatever reason.
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Prototype |
Final |
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Scuba Gear Overlay#
The scuba gear took up the entire screen in the beta, making it a bit difficult to see anything on the sides. This was resolved by having Duke only put on the mouthpiece.
This overlay appeared in a pre-release screenshot.
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Prototype |
Final |
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Scuba Gear overlay |
Pre-release Screenshot dated November 1995 |
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Scuba Gear overlay |
Pre-release Screenshot dated August 1995 |
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Bloodless Death and Pain Sprites#
Most of the pain and death sprites for the enemies and players do not have blood drawn on them yet. The exception is the Pigcop, which has a little bit of blood, but not nearly as much as in the final game.
Duke Nukem#
Duke's death animation also seems to have been re-rendered at a different angle between 0.99 and the final game, in addition to lacking blood.
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Assault Trooper/Assault Captain#
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Pigcop#
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Prototype |
Final |
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Octabrain#
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First Frame for Duke's Death Animation#
The first frame for Duke's death animation is completely different. Instead of his with his mouth open and a hand near his mouth, 0.99 has him looking closer up with his mouth closed, his gun facing upwards, and no hand near his mouth.
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Different Help Screens#
The backstory for this game has yet to be placed in.
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The help screen was much more rudimentary, contained non-existent key bindings and was likely a holdover from an earlier build. There also were no controls for the multiplayer mode nor the map mode... nor the items. Thankfully, this was fixed in the final version.
Shareware Sell Screens#
The sell screens used to entice and inform the player on how to purchase the full version of the game are much more simple in this prototype. Most of them consist only of black text, with rarely an image or two.
The wording on all of them is quite different as well, but it communicates the same ideas.
0.99's sell screens has a slide that was cut from the final game.

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Rocket Sprites#
The rocket fired by the RPG in 0.99 has a dark gray body, has smaller exhaustion, and is slightly tilted. The final removes the tilt and makes the body a light gray.
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Gray Wall Texture#
A gray wall texture found at Tile 227 is darker and lacks some shading compared to its final incarnation.
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Alien Wall Texture#
The alien wall texture at Tile 1097 keeps the basic design used in the final, but is inverted and has the circular graphics moved up to make space for something at the bottom resembling a kick-guard. The proto graphics seem filthier and more in-line with the earlier post-apocalyptic protos.
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"Hot Hot Hot" Poster#
The "Hot Hot Hot" poster has a model with longer hair. Her face was also lowered a little bit.
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Prison Chapel Sign#
The "Silence. Discipline. Remorse." sign in Death Row had the "Discipline." part of the sign redrawn a bit between 0.99 and the final game to correct a typo.
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OJ Simpson Chase Graphics#
The animated OJ Simpson chase graphic lacks the car on the left side of the screen in 0.99.
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Switch#
The lights were completely redrawn to make them more visible and it looks like it got a bit of a damage removed too. There's also a bump below the lights that was removed too.
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Results Screen Duke#
Duke's right boot (his right, not yours) was slightly redrawn in the final game on some of his frames in the results screen.
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Restricted Area Sign#
The "restricted area" sign is darker and has a larger warning stripe on the right side in 0.99.
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Paw Graphic#
The paw graphic occasionally used in the final game is completely black and has no shading.
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Rib Gib Graphics#
In 0.99, the rib graphic used for generic gibs has a darker rib and lacks the orange shading that the final game's rib gibs have.
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Blood Splotches#
Some blood splotches are darker in 0.99.
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Smashed Enemy#
One of the graphics used to represent an enemy smashed by a door had a single pixel changed between 0.99 and the final game. Wow!
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Brown Wall#
An odd red pixel was removed from a brown wall texture in the final game.
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Blue Font Textures#
Four textures in the blue font texture set were changed between the prototype and the final games. One hyphen graphic was moved up, another equals sign was moved down, while a single pixel was changed on both the comma and period graphics.
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Battlelord Firing Graphics#
The loincloth on some of the Battlelord's firing sprites is darker in 0.99.
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Death Row Map#
The dot on the map found in Death Row is darker in 0.99.
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City Sky Texture#
The city background is a bit messy and incomplete at this point in development as the rightmost side is made out of lazily copy-and-pasted artwork. There is an inverted N or S and a vaguely visible "Union 0" to the lower right of the Hollywood sign that got removed from the background in the final version.
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Starry Night Sky Texture#
This starry background actually had an ocean visible, but it was edited out in the final version. This would have looked great in Death Row and Toxic Dump, but would have looked out of place in the rest of the maps with this background, so it was removed.
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Unused Art#
0.99 has some graphics that go unused in the prototype itself. Most of these were removed in the final game.
Art |
Art ID(s) |
Description |
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27 |
While there are Laser Tripmines in the levels in 0.99, there is no way to pick one up, so this graphic goes unused. This is the only graphic in this section that is used in the final game. |
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32 |
It seems like the game would have displayed its rating upon starting, but it was dropped for whatever reason. |
982 |
The game does have fire hydrants placed in the levels, but you never see them at this angle. It was deleted in the final version anyway. A similar sprite was also in LameDuke's art files, lacking much of the detail present in this sprite. |
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1275 to 1277 |
Pieces of junk? |
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1393 to 1397 |
There is code for drawing these graphics in the final game's source code, but there are no signs of what it would be used for. Note that the "//" graphic appears in the final game's files and is still unused there as well. |
Sounds#
Removed Sounds#
Duke says this when he starts up the hidden movie projector in Hollywood Holocaust. This was removed completely from the final game.
Duke says this when he flips the switch in the high room of the first building in Red Light District and displays the texture #776 in the distance with the message "Duke Nukem must die!". This was removed completely from the final game.
In this build, the Recon Patrol Vehicles have their sirens going off. This was likely removed due to how annoying they are.
First door sound that was not selected.
Changed Sounds#
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The bar music has more percussion in the background. It's also somewhat louder than the final game, resulting in a whooshing sound that is louder and it being somewhat harsher on the ears.
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The sound of the shotgun when fired is different from the final version. It is simply the same sound of the first gun (pistol.voc) used with different properties within the file USER.CON.
This Remote Ridicule taunt was cut from the full game, and replaced with, for some odd reason, Duke's "screaming while falling to death" sound.
An intensely loud report (possibly an artifact of playback startup from magnetic-based media or microphone feedback) followed by wind. Purpose unknown.
What sounds like a short buzzing sound, or a radio squawk. later replaced by the "monitor.voc" sound and was used for the "DIPSWITCH" switch.
An alternate version of the Assault Trooper choking while begging for mercy.
A drinking sound, probably meant to play when Duke drank from the health-replenishing water sources.
A low-quality sound of glass breaking.
Ambient sound of rotor, which looks quite similar to the final version.
Fairly heavy fall sound.
Lower Quality Sound Clips#
These sound clips differ from the finals only in sound volume and quality:
Hehehe, what a mess.
Bitchin' !
That's one doomed space marine.
Ambient sound.
Duke gasping for air.
Come get some !
Holy cow !
Holy shit !
Damn, I'm good.
Hm, don't have time to play with myself.
What, there's only one of you ?
Yeah, piece o'cake.
Who wants some ?
(Source: Hendricks266)
Useless Definitions With Blank Sounds#
definesound DUKE_OPENING_SODA blank.voc 0 0 2 0 0 // supposed to be played while picking up the "COLA" care item but does not produce anything. Probably a reference to LameDuke.
definesound DUKE_JUMP blank.voc -64 64 4 0 0 // supposed to produce a sound when the player makes a jump, but does not play anything.
definesound BOSSTALKTODUKE blank.voc 0 0 255 0 0 // replaced by the first boss talk (Battlelord) "Who the hell are you?" !boss.voc 0 0 255 0 0
definesound START_FANFARE blank.voc 0 0 0 0 0 // unknown use! Probably intended to be played for the start of the introduction.
definesound DOOR_OPERATE4 blank.voc 0 0 0 0 0 // replaced by the sound edoor11.voc -256 0 0 0 0
definesound GENERIC_AMBIENCE12 blank.voc 0 0 0 0 0 // replaced by the sound drip3.voc 0 0 0 0 0
definesound GENERIC_AMBIENCE20 blank.voc 0 0 0 0 0 // replaced by the Duke quote "Hmm... looks like I have the con." con03.voc 0 0 0 4 0
definesound GENERIC_AMBIENCE21 blank.voc 0 0 0 0 0 // replaced by the alien talk "Hahaha... too late Nukem, we're in control now." !prison.voc 0 0 255 4 0
definesound FEM1_SPEECH blank.voc 0 0 255 0 0 // the strippers were apparently supposed to speak and the use of such sounds remains a mystery.
definesound FEM2_SPEECH blank.voc 0 0 255 0 0
definesound FEM3_SPEECH blank.voc 0 0 255 0 0
Double Definitions Sounds#
definesound DOOR_OPERATE3 tekdoor.voc 0 0 0 0 0
definesound DOOR_OPERATE5 tekdoor.voc 0 0 0 0 0
Exactly the same sound file used and with exactly the same properties. "DOOR_OPERATE3" has been replaced by the sound edoor10.voc -256 0 0 0 0, while the definition "DOOR_OPERATE5" has been completely removed from the final version.
Levels#
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Hollywood Holocaust#
Red Light District/Mean Streets#
The switches that destroy a building are out in the open. Watch on YouTube
Death Row#
Toxic Dump/Toxic Beach Head#
Watch on YouTubeYou start off in a completely different area from the final.
Into The Abyss/The Abyss#
Launch Facility/Bonus Level: Spaceport 2000#
Watch on YouTubeThere is an extra path around the slime pool at the start of the level, that leads to the same forcefield as the original path.


