Unreal Tournament gun sounds. Did they ever change?

[caiusmisus]

Didn't know which UT 99 forum to ask this on so decided to try this one.

I have a question regarding the gun sounds. Ages ago, around the time when the game first released, I played UT. It was most likely a ripped version my cousin got through his friend or something like that, can't really remember as I was very young. Then a lot of years later, I bought the Unreal Anthology, which contained Unreal Tournament GOTY.

However, I distinctly remember most weapons having different sounds from what they are in the GOTY version. From what I remember that for sure sounded differently are:
Bio Rifle Primary
Shock Rifle Primary
Pulse Gun Primary
Ripper Primary
Minigun Primary and Secondary
Flak Cannon pull out sound
Rocket Launcher Primary

also, I think some of the other weapon pull out sounds sounded differently from what they are in the GOTY but I'm not 100% sure on that one.

The probably ripped version I played back then also lacked most music (only 2 or 3 tracks ever played) and high quality textures would cause the character textures to go black (as in missing) in some places of the models when zoomed in and sound would occasionally cut out, especially during Pulse Gun primary fire. But that is besides the point.

My main question is. Have the gun sounds ever changed in the history of UT 99? Internet yielded nothing and everything that shows up are the GOTY sounds. Been wondering for years whether the different sounds have just been a quirk of the weird version I used to play ages ago (sadly lost the disc it was on many years ago), or the sounds did in fact change at some point of the game's history (perhaps with the GOTY release?), but no info can be found about it. I still find most of the GOTY sounds worse than what I heard for the guns originally. There is a mod to bring back old weapon sounds to Unreal Gold, but couldn't find anything like that for UT.

Maybe someone in the community knows. It's been pestering me for years, so I finally decided to ask somewhere. I am 100% sure my mind is not playing tricks on me. And can't really think of a reason why a ripped version would change the gun sounds.

[TankBeef]

Yes, many changes, including sounds, too many to count. Was it maybe the demo or one of the prototypes? Check here: https://tcrf.net/Proto:Unreal_Tournament

[caiusmisus]

Yes, many changes, including sounds, too many to count. Was it maybe the demo or one of the prototypes? Check here: https://tcrf.net/Proto:Unreal_Tournament

I don't think so. It included all the levels and modes in their final form as in the released game. But it was definitely a version without the GOTY content (none of the new levels were in it) so it must have been somewhere from between the release of the original game and release of the GOTY.

The only glaringly missing part was most of the music (one of those that played was Mecha 8..). Not sure if it was because it was a ripped version or the rest simply wasn't present.

But thanks for confirming that the sounds did change at some point. Glad to hear I'm not crazy. Checked the minigun sounds in the version 322 demo showcase and the sound I remember was neither the one used in the 322, nor the final one, present in the GOTY. Couldn't find any video or anything that showcased the sounds I remember.

[UnrealGGecko]

Yes! I think I have the burned CD of that particular version somewhere, it was version 400, only firebr.umx and mech8.umx actually played in maps, and some of the guns did sound different

[caiusmisus]

Yes! I think I have the burned CD of that particular version somewhere, it was version 400, only firebr.umx and mech8.umx actually played in maps, and some of the guns did sound different

Awesome. Thanks for confirming. The thing I remember being surprised by the most when I first played the GOTY was all the music I never heard, besides mecha and one other track (probably the firebr)

Would love to get my hands on that somehow. If not the entire game, then at least the gun sounds. It seems like nobody really remembers them and it's not documented anywhere.

[AlCapowned]

I have v400's extracted assets, and none of the sounds seem different to me. I can't check in-game, so maybe there were code differences that played the sounds at a different pitch or something.

[Delacroix]

No. They weren't.

Also, on my end, I never had this strange music bug. Not on the 222 beta, not on the official demos, not on version 400... nowhere.

The gun sounds changed between version 222 (where many of them sounded dot-for-dot as the 220+ Unreal1 gun sounds such as Automag/Enforcer, Minigun) - and for some U1 220+ sounds survived even till final (such as ASMD, Eightball/RL, Flak, GES). Time is screwing with your memories.

Either that, or Gecko should honestly PM me with an iso of his v400.

[UnrealGGecko]

Will see if I can find that CD on friday, my dads friend gave us a whole box of random discs (mostly burned cds , but there were a few actual games in there) and one of them just happen to be that burned UT version LOL. It could indeed be just a change of pitch on the sounds cuz its been YEARS since I last checked that disc, but I do remember specifically the minigun sounding different.

[Delacroix]

Then maybe it isn't a burned CD but the UT Beta? You're Lithuanian, so basically next door to me (Poland) and we both had these bootleg vendors on bazaars selling CDs... and it just so happens that UT, version 222, in fact, still uses the U1!patched Minigun while the official demo and retail version sounded completely different than that.

[caiusmisus]

Time is screwing with your memories.

I am a 100% sure that is not the case. They did sound different. However, if the reason was actually different sound files or the sounds were just played differently, I have no idea.

Or as I said, it could have been a quirk of the ripped version itself. Some sounds were cutting off (like the Pulse gun primary, whenever a salvo of the projectiles impacted a wall), the minigun sounded weirdly, it was not a consistent sound but always TRRRRRT-pause-TRRRRRT-pause. Minigun secondary was the same as primary, just higher pitch etc. And neither of them had that annoying high-pitched spinning sound that is in the GOTY.
Ripper primary was just a *THWOOP* sound without the blade effect. Come to think of it, it might have been that the sounds were getting cut before they played in their entirety or something. But then again, shooting weapons like Flak (except the pull out sound), Enforcer, Hammer, Sniper and Redeemer sound exactly as I remember.

As I said earlier, the high quality textures were not working properly so it could be entirely possible, that they were some lower quality sounds or something. Can't really remember as it was a really long time ago. It was definitely a RIP because just copying the game from the CD onto a PC would be enough. No install required. But gecko confirming that only 2 music tracks ever played in levels (the same ones I remember too) means it is highly likely, it was a rip of the 400 version. The missing music was definitely the most notable thing about it. No intro music, no menu music, nothing besides Mecha8 and FireBreath would ever play. Would be funny if gecko, by pure chance, happens to have exactly the same ripped version as I did back then. I'm from the Czech Republic, so also not that far

[UnrealGGecko]

YES! Same exact quirks with that CD. I dont even need to send an iso, I can just drag everything from the CD and zip it to Del. Like I said probably just some weird torrented version.

[TankBeef]

Weird, that is the word. Cause here is the thing (and here come some "noob" questions). Is this 400 version after the demo? Cause I started with the demo, with Turbine as the first map I ever played. And the six maps all had the same umxs as the retail version. So, why would they, after the demo and before retail, release all the maps, but also remove all the umxs and leave only two? And then put them back in for retail? Does not make sense to me. Unless of course, like you say, it is a bootleg, and they want to save space to fit the CD? Yes, that could be it. We would have to confirm then that it is indeed a bootleg.

[UnrealGGecko]

They arent removed, otherwise the maps wouldnt work, its just that they dont play at all.
Ah the wonders of bootlegs will surprise ya for sure, I have numerous Russian versions of games, on PS1 I have a few 3in1 CDs, and most of the time to save space they do tricks like remove some of the music, CGI videos, or even try to reuse music from the other games on the disc.

[Delacroix]

If any of the two of you is ready to send me this rip, my PM box is open. It'll be interesting to research it.

[caiusmisus]

YES! Same exact quirks with that CD. I dont even need to send an iso, I can just drag everything from the CD and zip it to Del. Like I said probably just some weird torrented version.

I would love to get my hands on it too, if possible. I absolutely did not expect anyone to know about this ripped version, let alone stumble upon somebody who actually HAS it on hand. I've been regretting that I lost the CD with it for probably more than a decade now. I might just burn it onto a blank CD again just for nostalgia purposes. It's the version that I'd played for many years before I finally got the Unreal Anthology like 15 years ago. That is why I remembered all the differences quite well. Noticed them instantly the moment I first played through the GOTY. All of the sounds have been pretty much ingrained in my memory so hearing different ones when I shot the weapons felt very... "weird" at first.