Descent release date

A forum just for you old time Descent and Descent2 players.
Post Reply
User avatar
MidiV
DBB Ace
DBB Ace
Posts: 52
Joined: Fri Nov 29, 2002 3:01 am
Location: Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation
Contact:

Descent release date

Post by MidiV »

Hello, I'd like to ask \"old skool fans\" of Descent - do you know anything about original Descent release date?

I'm just curious - I know that Interplay released Descent demo on 21st of December, 1994 (I found some press-releases and other info). Full retail version in USA was released on 17 March, 1995 (some retailers were selling it from 15 March 1995).

Also, I've read that Parallax finished demo in February 1994 and then it was selected by Interplay for publishing.

One confusing thing here is that I've found some information about German release in 1994. Here's the link for the box art: http://www.mobygames.com/game/dos/desce ... Id,140383/

Is it was demo or full version? Or it was special promo-version etc? And when (and how) it was released?
Please answer if you know anything about that.

I'm just curious about date that should be defined as \"Descent anniversary date\" - Descent turns 15 this year :)

Thank you in advance for any information provided and thank you all for being such strong community.

Please redirect me to the right topic if it exists already (I was searching for it but with no success).
User avatar
PyroJockey
DBB Ace
DBB Ace
Posts: 21
Joined: Mon May 25, 2009 9:12 am
Location: Pennsylvania

Post by PyroJockey »

I found this information on the Volition website. It shows the first shareware as being released in December 1994, but it doesn't specify exact release date

http://www.volition-inc.com/History/1994
User avatar
MidiV
DBB Ace
DBB Ace
Posts: 52
Joined: Fri Nov 29, 2002 3:01 am
Location: Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation
Contact:

Post by MidiV »

Thank you! That page is interesting.
Unfortunately there's nothing written about Germany-specific version or other releases.
Perfection Through Genetics
User avatar
Foil
DBB Material Defender
DBB Material Defender
Posts: 4900
Joined: Tue Nov 23, 2004 3:31 pm
Location: Denver, Colorado, USA
Contact:

Post by Foil »

I actually remember picking up the original shareware in December '94.

My brother and I were doing last-minute Christmas shopping, and came across a tiny display box at a software store with the Descent logo. They were giving away little Descent shareware packages with 3.5\" diskettes. We picked one up, tried it on our 386, and I've been playing ever since. 8)
User avatar
CDN_Merlin
DBB_Master
DBB_Master
Posts: 9747
Joined: Thu Nov 05, 1998 12:01 pm
Location: Capital Of Canada

Post by CDN_Merlin »

Foil, I was the same way. d/led the D1 shareware in Dec 94 and never looked back.
User avatar
Theftbot
DBB Ace
DBB Ace
Posts: 172
Joined: Sun May 11, 2003 2:01 am

Post by Theftbot »

I picked up the demo disk from radio shack late 94' ended up being a cool game.
User avatar
D3Alien
DBB Ace
DBB Ace
Posts: 74
Joined: Mon Mar 30, 2009 7:09 pm

Post by D3Alien »

Huh, I had thought it was earlier in '94. I guess it was early winter of '95 that a friend gave me the D1 demo discs, and the rest, well, is history.
User avatar
MidiV
DBB Ace
DBB Ace
Posts: 52
Joined: Fri Nov 29, 2002 3:01 am
Location: Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation
Contact:

Post by MidiV »

Wow, that's cool. First time I played Descent in the middle of 1995 as I remember - my friend said that he knows a crazy game about destroying reactors and fighting insane robots :)

Have you ever seen that CD (or may be somebody its lucky owner)?
http://www.mobygames.com/game/dos/desce ... Id,140389/
Perfection Through Genetics
User avatar
akula65
DBB Ace
DBB Ace
Posts: 365
Joined: Mon Sep 20, 2004 6:34 pm
Location: Virginia

Post by akula65 »

MidiV,

You need to speak with ObiWanKenobi/Gold Leader and have a look at his collection. He frequents a number of Descent-related boards (this one included), and he has made posts like this one (his pictures seem to be missing in the following thread, but trust me he has a HUGE collection):

http://www.descent2.de/forum/viewtopic. ... highlight=
User avatar
PyroJockey
DBB Ace
DBB Ace
Posts: 21
Joined: Mon May 25, 2009 9:12 am
Location: Pennsylvania

Post by PyroJockey »

You can see ObiWanKenobi's/Gold Leader's collection on his thread at the Interplay forum.

http://www.interplay.com/forums/viewtop ... f=42&t=912

It's huge, may need some time to load al the pic's
User avatar
NUMBERZero
DBB Ace
DBB Ace
Posts: 288
Joined: Tue Sep 08, 2009 3:12 pm
Location: Florida
Contact:

Post by NUMBERZero »

Or you can view his video. He will have more than what is shown.


\"PUT THE BALL INNNNNN!!!!!!\"--What I was screaming on 3/7/09 PD Reunion Monsterball game
Descent 3 Anarchy: \"Just you, your ship, and a whole bunch of weapons to turn your enemies into slag.\"--TopGun
User avatar
MidiV
DBB Ace
DBB Ace
Posts: 52
Joined: Fri Nov 29, 2002 3:01 am
Location: Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation
Contact:

Post by MidiV »

Thank you very much! I've found that CD in ObiWanKenobi's collection (what a collection!) and also I've found small article written by him.
Perfection Through Genetics
User avatar
D3Alien
DBB Ace
DBB Ace
Posts: 74
Joined: Mon Mar 30, 2009 7:09 pm

Post by D3Alien »

*waves hand*

Those are not the release dates you are looking for.
User avatar
MidiV
DBB Ace
DBB Ace
Posts: 52
Joined: Fri Nov 29, 2002 3:01 am
Location: Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation
Contact:

Post by MidiV »

Yes, you're right but alongside with that I've found some press releases and now I assume December, 21 (1994) as release date for Descent (shareware).
Perfection Through Genetics
User avatar
PyroJockey
DBB Ace
DBB Ace
Posts: 21
Joined: Mon May 25, 2009 9:12 am
Location: Pennsylvania

Happy Birthday Descent

Post by PyroJockey »

To the best of my knowledge today, December 15th 2009, is the 15th anniversary for the release of the first shareware version of Descent.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DESCENT! :D
slaytanist
DBB Cadet
DBB Cadet
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Sep 02, 2010 10:31 pm

release date

Post by slaytanist »

THE REALESE DATE IS MARCH 17 1995

DESCENT 2 IS MARCH 13 1996

thanks every 1
There is no heaven, WITHOUT A HELL!!!!
User avatar
Ferno
DBB Commie Anarchist Thug
DBB Commie Anarchist Thug
Posts: 15012
Joined: Fri Nov 20, 1998 3:01 am

Post by Ferno »

slay: i know you're new here, but we have some standards that you need to know.

First, don't post in all capitals. It looks like you're yelling and frankly, it's annoying.

Second, you need to improve your spelling. \"thanks every 1\" does not qualify.
User avatar
Sirius
DBB Master
DBB Master
Posts: 5616
Joined: Fri May 28, 1999 2:01 am
Location: Bellevue, WA
Contact:

Post by Sirius »

Hm. Two posts, first of which shows no understanding of the OP, second necroes a year-old thread to tell people something they already know.

Things are looking up, I'd say.
User avatar
Glowhyena
DBB Captain
DBB Captain
Posts: 621
Joined: Mon Feb 27, 2006 10:14 pm
Location: Chernobyl NPP
Contact:

Post by Glowhyena »

Caps lock makes your comment looks you talk like a kid.
User avatar
Stroodles
DBB Ace
DBB Ace
Posts: 406
Joined: Sun Jul 05, 2009 11:36 am
Location: Right Behind You

Post by Stroodles »

Woah...for some reason I thought that post was from the Spring...weird.
Amg! It's on every post and it WON'T GO AWAY!!
Post Reply