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- Feb 1, 2020
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30 years ago, our world entered the Age of Chaos. As two factions battled for dominance over the fantasy lands of Azeroth, gamers experienced the 2nd ever full-fledged real-time strategy on their PCs. While some of them saw it as a mere copycat of Westwood’s Dune 2, others got lost in its dark, magical atmosphere, enjoying the epic storyline and immersive soundtrack. Those, who emerged victorious from the struggle with the clunky interface and notoriously bad pathfinding, found the game to be highly addictive and fun to play.
WarCraft: Orcs & Humans marked the first big success for a small company of video game developers from Irvine, California – a success that would lead Blizzard Entertainment to even bigger accomplishments in the next few years. But most importantly, WarCraft gave start to a series of RTS games that we all love and play to this day (it also paved way for WoW and certain other things, but that’s a whole ‘nother story for another time).
WarCraft: Orcs & Humans marked the first big success for a small company of video game developers from Irvine, California – a success that would lead Blizzard Entertainment to even bigger accomplishments in the next few years. But most importantly, WarCraft gave start to a series of RTS games that we all love and play to this day (it also paved way for WoW and certain other things, but that’s a whole ‘nother story for another time).
WarCraft in the 21st Century
How do I celebrate WarCraft’s birthday, you may ask? Why, by (re)playing the original game, of course! There are multiple ways to do so.
First, you can get the game from a digital store of your choice:
GOG.com:
Warcraft: Orcs and Humans
A bundle that includes WarCraft II Battle.net Edition is also available.
Battle.net:
Warcraft®: Orcs & Humans - Warcraft | Battle.net
Azeroth, land of magic, mystery, and legendary heroes, is beset by the orcish invaders. Take up arms for your king and defend the realm, or lead the Hor...
us.shop.battle.net
Both GOG and Battle.net releases include the unaltered DOS version of the game, so the experience is almost the same as it was in 1994. However, the game now runs on modern systems thanks to the included DOSBox emulator. You don’t need to tinker with settings to launch the game: just download and install it, and you’re good to go.
Another way to experience WarCraft 1 on today’s hardware is to purchase the recently released Remastered version from Battle.net:
Warcraft® I: Remastered - Warcraft | Battle.net
Journey back to the beginning of a 30-year legacy with the first Warcraft® story created in 1994, now remastered with vivid, all-new visuals and moderni...
us.shop.battle.net
The updated release features reimagined visuals (the remaster has an option for switching to original graphics), [slightly] improved controls, support for high-resolution display modes and modern operating systems and some other quality-of-life changes. Whether those are worthy of the original and your money is up to you to decide.
The Remastered game is more or less the same as the original in terms of gameplay, controls and other basic features, but there are some caveats: the current build has bugs, which were not presents in the vanilla version of WarCraft, and the client is prone to crashes and other unpredictable behavior. Some features, like multiplayer mode and animated endings, are missing. I suggest waiting a few weeks or a month for updates and bugfixes, but, if you are so eager to play WarCraft on that expensive 8K display of yours, you are free to give your money to Microsoft whenever you want.
“Warcraft Remastered Battle Chest” bundles the updated game with other updated WarCraft titles: WarCraft II Remastered and WarCraft III Reforged. It also includes “original” (updated for modern PCs, but non-remastered) versions of WC1&2, as well as WC3R “Spoils of War Edition” bonuses (if you care about those).
My friend Zelya, a fairly known WarCraft 1&2 player, is working on a reverse-engineered version of WarCraft for Windows and Android (!):
https://zelya.war2.club/
While the port has some issues in its current state, it is playable on both platforms. You can play through the entire game, and it even supports cross-platform multiplayer!
Are you a Linux or Mac gamer? Do you have patience for setting things up on your computer? Or, perhaps, you are unhappy with the original game’s balance and want to change the formula, while keeping the visuals mostly intact?
If your answer is “yes” to any of these questions, then War1gus is right for you. In addition to Linux and Mac, it also works on Windows. Strictly speaking, War1gus is a not a WarCraft port, but a new game using a different engine (Stratagus engine). Nevertheless, original game data (from the GOG release or original CD) is still required to install War1gus.
I recommend downloading the latest pre-release portable build, since it offers most features and improvements, and is easy to run on modern Windows systems (I had some strange difficulties while trying to make a non-portable build work on Windows 10 due to the way how my system reacted to the game’s settings being stored in the Documents folder):
Release master-builds · Wargus/war1gus
Automatic builds from the master branch. Built on every commit (regardless of what the date says above)
github.com
War1gus review by @MickCraft
Instructions on setting up widescreen resolutions:
From Hive with Love
If you played the original so many times that you have the pixels burnt into your retina and you want some fresh experience, while the remasters are not your cup of tea, don’t worry – the Hive community has got you covered with custom campaigns and more!
- Yesterday, @AkulaSubmarine released his fantastic overhaul of the WC1 Human campaign. The first part of Warcraft III: Origins features stunning hand-drawn artwork, three playable sub-factions (each offering unique playstyle), and reimagined missions with new challenges and objectives.
- For a more faithful remake of WC1 in WC3’s engine, look no further than @LordPerenolde II 's excellent recreation of both Orc and Human campaigns. Did I mention that it’s a faithful remake of the original? Well, not quite: while the missions, units, structures, and upgrades were ported straight from WC1, there are some exciting new features and improvements to the original formula. “Roads? Where we're going, we don't need roads”
- Ever wondered how exactly the Orcs emerged in Azeroth, or what the meeting between Medivh and Gul’dan looked like? Then check out WarCraft: The Saga of Azeroth Part 1 – The Coming of the Horde by Deicide. A relic from the old days of WC3 map making, this campaign still stands strong among the best custom campaigns ever made. Unfortunately, Part 2 never came to be, but what Part 1 has to offer deserves the highest praise and recommendation!
- How does the idea of a WarCraft point-and-click adventure sound to you (no, I’m not talking about the cancelled “WarCraft Adventures Lord of the Clans” game)? Throw in some role-playing elements, add high-quality terrain, cinematics, and custom assets to the mix, and you’ve got Lore & Legends: The Last Guardian by @OutsiderXE . This campaign is based on the novel by Jeff Grubb, and thus includes some minor and major retcons introduced to the lore of WarCraft 1-3 by the said book.
N.B.: Some of these custom campaigns work well with Reforged, while others were made for older versions of WarCraft 3 and may not work correctly with the latest patch. Be sure to look for recommended game version for each campaign on their respective page!
- Got your fists itching for some hot orco a mano action in multiplayer mode? WC3: Orcs & Humans Melee by @loktar gives you exactly that with a WC1 twist! Gameplay follows the standard formula of WarCraft 3, but the tech trees of Orc and Human factions are based on their WC1 counterparts. Each side gets new units, heroes, structures, and upgrades.
Do you want to make your own WC1-inspired map/campaign/mod? Here are some cool resources made by Hive members:
(kudos to @deepstrasz for suggestions)
(kudos to @deepstrasz for suggestions)
Models by @Stefan.K
Models by @loktar
Model by @supertoinkz
WC1 Cleric
2nd model 1st upload Well mah first model for my Wc1 map :D I know the uv wrapping is bad :C Also the filesize is bit tad high Credits if used Steps I made: I remove the Necro's daggers, head, staff, and book borrowed Human Mage's staff and merged the cross doodad onto the top I...
www.hiveworkshop.com
Models by @Tauer
Blackhand
Whew, I made it :) I almost gave up on this guy, after running into serious problems exporting him. But I did it :) As the title suggests, it's a model of Blackhand the Destroyer, Warchief of The Horde during the First War. He was a joy to make, a nightmare to export. Because of complications...
www.hiveworkshop.com
GaronaHalforcen
My latest model, Garona Halforcen. This is not my best work to be honest, but it did turn out better than I'd feared it would. I wouldn't bother complaining about anything other than serious bugs as I got a little sick of this one in the end. I've included a version of the model without...
www.hiveworkshop.com
Young Anduin Lothar
A simple retexture I should have made ages ago. A young version of Anduin Lothar, for use in First War maps. Link to the original model.
www.hiveworkshop.com
Icons by @Artork312
Icons by @Scias
BTNGarona
Based on MrTuercas' Garona Halforcen model, and based off of Blizzard's Thrall icon (trying to match the colors and style a bit) The Alt version is based on Garona from Warcraft movie Fel version uses colors picked from Fel Grunt icon, was thinking of changing her expression also, but too much...
www.hiveworkshop.com
BTNNecrolyte
Made for loktar's Necrolyte (WC1) I originally remade the wc1 icon but then I realized it doesn't fit the model well, so I made a more fitting version, I'll post the wc1 one since it could be used as an ability maybe or a upgrade. Wc1 Necrolyte:
www.hiveworkshop.com
This is not WarCraft in Space!
And now, for something completely different, but not quite so (but still different
). Do you have a digital copy of StarCraft II on your B.net account? Here’s a good reason to keep it installed:As of 2024, the project remains unfinished, but you can play through the entire WC1 Human campaign and check out some early Orc levels. By the way, StarCraft II is free-to-play on Battle.net, and you can also get it for free with Microsoft PC Gamepass (though the service itself is paid subscription-based).
Heroes of WarCraft
Hive exclusive!
Read my lengthy Interview with Gregory Alper, the original composer of the music of WarCraft: Orcs & Humans
Interview with Gregory Alper, the original composer of the music of WarCraft: Orcs & Humans
The history of WarCraft as a video game franchise and as a fictional universe has known many heroes: noble knights, mighty warchiefs, wielders of all kinds of magic, legendary artists, musicians, code weavers, and storytellers. Some of them are well-known and famous, while others stay in the...
www.hiveworkshop.com
Bill Roper, one of the creators of the WarCraft franchise, recorded a special audio message only for Hive!
A special audio message from Bill Roper for Hive
This is a special audio message recorded by Bill Roper exclusively for Hive Yours truly humbly asked the ex-Blizzard legend to record a few words for the members of Hiveworkshop in his iconic voice. And he delivered! \m/ Enjoy this gift to our community from the former Vice President of...
www.hiveworkshop.com
Welcome to the world of WarCraft!
Did I forget to mention any cool community-made projects inspired by WarCraft: Orcs & Humans? Leave your suggestions in the comments below.
Also, be sure to share your experience playing WarCraft 1! Tell us about the first time you played the game.
I will keep this thread updated with more WC1-related stuff for at least several days.
Stay tuned for some exciting news and surprises!
Stay tuned for some exciting news and surprises!
__________________________________________
Essential reading and recommended links:
1) “The making of Warcraft” by Patrick Wyatt, Producer and Lead Programmer of WarCraft: Orcs & Humans:
Part 1: The making of Warcraft part 1 - Code Of Honor
Part 2: The making of Warcraft part 2 - Code Of Honor
Part 3: The making of Warcraft part 3 - Code Of Honor
2) Dissecting WarCraft and its early demo, which had various differences from the final product:
3) Warcraft: Orcs & Humans page on the Warcraft Wiki:
Warcraft: Orcs & Humans
Warcraft: Orcs & Humans (also known as Warcraft I; sometimes abbreviated as O&H) is a real-time strategy game (RTS) and the first video game in the Warcraft series developed by Blizzard Entertainment. The MS-DOS version was released on 15 November 1994 and quickly became a best seller. The game...
4) WarCraft page on Mobygames.com:
Screenshots of DOS, Mac and PC-98 versions: WarCraft: Orcs & Humans screenshots - MobyGames
Concept-art, promo materials, and pre-release screenshots (rare stuff!): WarCraft: Orcs & Humans promo art, ads, magazines advertisements - MobyGames
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