Looking for old archived versions of programs (Duke3D source ports)

[NY00123]

Note: I'm quoting the post I originally made here: https://forums.duke4.net/topic/12116-lo ... rce-ports/

Hi all,

I want to see if anybody might have at least one early source port version as described here. Archives of these can assist with creating historical git repositories, but even without git, having such archives can still be worthy, say for research.

I don't actually expect to see anyone coming up with an archived copy, but I'm still trying. I do want to comply with the GPL for Duke3D, so I ask either for source or source+binary pairs, but not just for a binary-only archive (of a given version of a source port). I also prefer having original timestamps from the era for the archive (e.g., a zip file) and its contents, if present.

Here's the list in question:
* Versions of duke3d_w32 (Rancidmeat) preceding 19.1.
* In theory, versions 19.3 and 19.5 of Rancidmeat Reloaded (xDuke); In practice, probably never released, with version 19.6 being referred to as the first public release in the xDuke webpage.
* An early port (probably an initial cDuke3D release not yet titled cDuke3D) mentioned in a removed Shacknews page, with the page itself being linked from here (see the very first news posts): https://web.archive.org/web/20071109063 ... dnews.html

[leileilol]

Of the criteria, i've only got a binary of duke3d_w32 b18.1 (duke3d_w32_b18.1_bin.zip, 11-20-2003)

[NY00123]

Of the criteria, i've only got a binary of duke3d_w32 b18.1 (duke3d_w32_b18.1_bin.zip, 11-20-2003)

Thanks for letting me know. Given that b19.1 aimed to be an improved version (and at least partially, a superset of b18.1), maybe there won't be too much of a resistance for having the binary somewhere; Even if not as part of a GitHub/GitLab commit. The experimental one-timer ZDuke binary from 2003 was up for years before the interest leaded to the release of sources, which appear to be a bit later, according to the timestamps.

Additionally, I should probably add Duke3dw and SWP to the list of ports, following this Duke4.net forums post: https://forums.duke4.net/topic/12116-lo ... _p__373684

[NY00123]

Adding a small Duke3dw-related update. While covering just a binary, Forge post about Duke3dw_v 4026.zip (old version of Duke3dw) in the aforementioned Duke4.net thread.

In case I won't hear about something new in the following month, I'll allow myself to create at least one public git repository; Not necessarily exactly after a month from now, so this might come later.

[NY00123]

While not adding any new archive, I want to correct myself about Rancidmeat Reloaded. According to an old copy of the page in the internet archive, version 19.3 was released, at least in binary-only form dating back to 20 Nov 2005. The website said this:

Source Code Free under Gnu. [to come. Need to clean up before]

It also mentioned this, presumably before eventually identifying the following release as v19.5 instead of 19.4:

This version v19.3 is for tester use only. The public release will be the v19.4 and ready in 1 or 2 weeks from now. V19.4 will be released at the same time as Dukesterx v.2.0 that will better support Rancidmeat for netgames. Come soon and enjoy Duke Nukem 3d Netgames!

I couldn't find a separate archived page listing v19.5 as released, but v19.6 became available in January or February of 2006. If January, then the binaries were re-packaged, probably to include an additional file named "null.txt" for Dukester X (1.5 series). The source code was packaged in January 2006, according to the timestamps I have here.