Warcraft: Orcs & Humans

Warcraft: Orcs & Humans is more or less the genre definer of the RTS genre and one of the first games to feature online multiplayer. Its massive success spawned a series a sequels that would eventually lead to the most infamous MMORPG known to mankind.

Sub-Pages#

Prototype Info Prerelease Info

Unused Graphics#

Two unused icons:

Wounded Unit

• The first one is for a wounded unit. According to the game's manual, this icon is used for a unit that is incapacitated and must be healed. In actual gameplay, a wounded unit has 5HP and is neutral until a player's unit is brought close enough to rescue it, even if healed from a distance.
• The only instance of wounded soldiers are found during Human Campaign Mission #4. Wounded soldiers have their own unique unit (ID# 0x10) with an Archer portrait, but no command lists. When rescued, they become Archers. The only one that is not changed is Lothar who uses his own name and icon, regardless of condition.

Unknown

• The second one is very basic.

The graphics for the unused Fireball attack.

Hidden Text#

There are some hidden dev/build text (file listings) in DATA.WAR. Entries 393 and 394 in the data file contain what appears to be MS-DOS directory listings.

Entry 393:

 Volume in drive C is BIG DRIVE  
 Volume Serial Number is 2A6B-08F3
 Directory of C:\WAR\ART\DIALOG

.            <DIR>         10-27-94   1:50p
..           <DIR>         10-27-94   1:50p
save         <DIR>         10-27-94   1:50p
makefile            10,850 10-28-94   6:31a
test                 2,983 10-27-94   1:52p
test2                2,983 10-27-94   1:52p
        6 file(s)         16,816 bytes
                     962,691,072 bytes free

Entry 394:

 Volume in drive C is BIG DRIVE  
 Volume Serial Number is 2A6B-08F3
 Directory of C:\WAR\ART\DIALOG

.            <DIR>         10-27-94   1:50p
..           <DIR>         10-27-94   1:50p
save         <DIR>         10-27-94   1:50p
makefile            10,850 10-28-94   6:31a
test                 2,983 10-27-94   1:52p
test2                2,983 10-27-94   1:52p
        6 file(s)         16,816 bytes
                     962,658,304 bytes free

Unused Abilities#

Attack 0x0B is a fireball. It is located between melee (0x0C) and the Water Elemental's attack (0x0A). It may have been intended for the Daemon or Fire Elemental at some point during development.

Unused Units#

Units 0x14, 0x1D and 0x1E appear to be placeholders, but have sufficient data to be used in the game, albeit they cannot do very much.

Name: Dragon
HP: 250
Magic: No
Build Time: 0
Gold Cost: 0
Lumber Cost: 0
Tile Size: 1x1
Selection Box Size: 15x15
Range: 1
Armor: 0
Attack: 0 Minimum, 0 Random
Attack Type: Melee
Portrait: Ogre
Command Structure: Basic Orc (Move, Stop, Attack)

Unused Code#

Many units and buildings that cannot be constructed/trained have their own gold and lumber costs.

On a related note, the Keep and Spire have the same command lists as the Human and Orc Town Halls (Peasant, Road & Wall).

Developer Message#

Version 1.22h has this message hidden in WAR.EXE, hex address 4C410:

DO NOT call our tech support line to get the cheat codes.  In fact...  GET OUT OF THE EXE!