Might and Magic IV

This page details one or more prototype versions of Might and Magic IV.

In 1992, New World Computing released a non-interactive game demo for their upcoming Might and Magic IV: Clouds of Xeen. While the demo showcased some of the basic features, there are several noteworthy differences from the demo to final release.

To do: https://web.archive.org/web/20231017105936/https://www.triforce-legend.com/site/linkael/jv_hack/mm/Xeen_MapsDL.zip Savegames with demo maps Is there a way to disable the auto demo sequence to allow free movement to see if the rest of the game engine is enabled in the demo and what might be different from the final version of the game? Hack game to see if monster status or anything else is different in the code? Revise article with a little more reasoning on what things were based on an earlier build of the game and what things were likely altered/omitted solely for the demo, probably to reduce the demo to take up the least amount of harddrive space and simply for demonstration purposes.

Early Textures#

To do: https://web.archive.org/web/20231015132900/https://www.triforce-legend.com/site/linkael/jv_hack/mm/MM4_Flr.zip Ground graphics (Demo and Final)

Autoplay demo	Final game

A completely different version of Jon Van Canegham's signature is used in the demo. The final game, as well as its sequel, uses a recolor of the screen used in the previous title.

This doorway leading into a cellar didn't make it into the final game. In fact, none of the five main towns even have any "dungeons" within the cities, unlike the sequel. In addition to these unused graphics, the title of the track on the official soundtrack for the cavern music is "Cavern Below Town" and states in the description, "In the original commission to Tim Tully, this track is titled "Cavern, Below Town"."¹

Autoplay demo	Final game

The final game uses a much different texture for pathways within cities. Also of note, there are no dirt pathways within cities, in the final.

Town#

Autoplay demo	Final game

Autoplay demo	Final game

Autoplay demo	Final game

Autoplay demo	Final game

Autoplay demo	Final game

Autoplay demo	Final game

Autoplay demo	Final game

Autoplay demo	Final game

Autoplay demo	Final game

Dungeon#

Autoplay demo	Final game

Autoplay demo	Final game

Autoplay demo	Final game

Autoplay demo	Final game

Autoplay demo	Final game

Autoplay demo	Final game

Autoplay demo	Final game

Autoplay demo	Final game

Autoplay demo	Final game

Sky#

Autoplay demo	Final game

Outdoor#

Autoplay demo	Final game

Enemies#

In the monster filename system (xxx.MON and xxx.ATT) monsters are assigned to entirely different files between the demo and final game.

Castle Guard / King's Guard has different sprite.

Autoplay demo	Final game

Two unused sprites from the artist's website, that appear to be even earlier versions of the guards. In the final game, both Castle Guard and King's Guard use the same sprite, this seems to indicate that they were intended to each have a unique sprite.

Artist's Website	Artist's Website

Mummy is slightly different.

Autoplay demo	Final game

Unused Harpy Queen sprite from the demo. In the final game the normal Harpy sprite is used for the boss. Apparently all boss monsters may have had their own unique sprites created, rather than a palette change or graphical effect applied to the regular enemy's sprite.

Unused Ninja Leader (actual enemy name unknown) from artist's website. This entire enemy, plus its sprite were deleted from the final game.

These three entirely unused enemies come from a screenshot of an alledged source code leak.²

Called "Ghost" in the filename shown in the original screenshot. Could have been for Winterkill rather than reusing sprites?

Called "Old Snake" in the filename shown in the original screenshot. "Old" could mean an earlier version of the snake enemy that was rejected, or could be referring to "Old" as in an "older" snake or an "ancient" snake.

Called "Troll" in the filename shown in the original screenshot.

Map Icons#

Autoplay demo	Final game

Maps#

World (01 - 02 - 03 - 05 - 06 - 07 - 08 - 10 - 11 - 12 - 14 - 15 - 16)#

Autoplay demo	Final game

Vertigo (28)#

Autoplay demo	Final game

Arena#

Arena is map #56 in the demo, and #85 in the final game. In the demo, the Arena has a ceiling like any dungeon as well as a staircase leading out, but in the final game the ceiling is removed to reveal the sky and there is no exit at all (one must talk to the man in the center to leave).

Autoplay demo	Final game

Differences from Release#

.....New World Computing, Inc. presents the Best in Fantasy Roleplaying.....
Might and Magic: Clouds of Xeen
The fourth installment in the award winning series of Might and Magic games.....

All throughout the demo, except for when Crodo is documenting his plight (due to captioned text), the caption bar repeats this text.

Autoplay demo	Final game

In the demo, you see Crodo actually set his scroll down before opening it. In the final, he just opens it.

Autoplay demo	Final game

The global text font is shaded, much like the font from the previous game. The final game uses a solid-colored font. In addition, the final game uses a darker color for the text on Crodo's scroll. There are also captions on the cutscenes in the final, but the demo just skips over the scroll scene entirely, if the sound card isn't set to Sound Blaster or better.

Autoplay demo	Final game

The default party has three completely different party members, compared to the final game. Although, you can create your own party and those portraits are in the final, so it may just be a custom "demo" party.

Autoplay demo	Final game

It's hard to see in the screenshot, but the party is firing eight arrows, despite only having space for six party members. In the final, you can only have six archers, maximum (or seven, via hacking/hex editing). Since Clouds of Xeen was built using the Isles of Terra game engine, this could simply be a carry-over from the previous game's eight-member party system, or it may be that the final game was intended to have eight party members, as well.

Autoplay demo	Final game

After the demo finishes, it returns to Zardog's Tower (where Crodo is held captive) with the game's logo. In the final game, there's an actual title screen.

Autoplay demo	Final game

Autoplay demo	Final game

Autoplay demo	Final game

Autoplay demo	Final game

Demo-Exclusive Voice Samples#

Within the Creative Labs VOC files of the demo are some lines for location guardians that were recorded exclusively for the demo.

The guardian of the towers sounds completely different in the final game. His voice is significantly less modulated and his voice is a bit more breathy. He's also a bit less chatty.

The demo's line sounds like a blatant sales pitch for the Might and Magic games. In the final, the dwarf sounds much more excited about the mines themselves, his speech mimicking a chipmunk-sounding carnival barker advertising his attraction.

What sounds like a random, half-second laugh can be found as EVILLAFF.VOC. This sound is never used in the demo, nor does it show up anywhere in the final, so its intended use is a mystery.

References#