The original Warcraft: Orcs and Humans seems to only have the MIDI music available, though it does have an intro movie if I remember right. This is based on the version included in the Warcraft Battle Chest, though.

Your answer is most welcome, wildweasel! 😎

From what I've heard, I only had 2 thoughts :

#1 - It was a different version from the one I have

#2 - Maybe a "pirate" version where they added the audio tracks (as a normal audio CD) but with the game included in the same CD... I've seen so many crazy stuff that I won't discard any possibility at first 😀

Can anyone else share their thoughts?

p.s. - Warcraft BattleChest... I seem to remember that... Isn't that a compilation with WarCraft: Orcs & Humans, WarCraft II: Tides of Darkness and the expansion WarCraft II: Beyond the Dark Portal? I bought mine separately so I don't know if there's any difference...

Just found a game music database with some very intriguing information...

It says there's 2 digital audio soundtrack versions and 1 MIDI 😮

Does anyone have any of the other 2 soundtracks?

I wonder why my original CD doesn't feature DA soundtrack and instead has only MIDI?

Was it some sort of "collector's edition" released at the time?

They are probably played on a sound module and later recorded. I don't think there any original Warcraft: Orcs and Humans discs with cd audio. There just aren't.

njaydg wrote:

My CD version only has the movies and the "midi like" music, so is there another version or what?

My CD has CD tracks, but it only plays MIDI music in-game.

Thanks for that info, KAN! 😎

So it's actually true... I only wonder, if the audio tracks exist (at least in some of the CD versions), what was their purpose other than being used while playing the game? Is there any hint on your box, manual, panflet or readme, that might explain as to why the soundtrack was included (if it was for listening like a normal CD audio or something)?

My only concern here, was if the version you have allowed you to play with the audiotracks instead of the MIDI music. If I knew that was possible (and originally supported) I would rush out the get another copy ASAP...! 😁

p.s. - * wondering if I inquire Blizzard support, will they give any information at all...? *

interrersting. Perharps there is a bug in our emulation. Makes little sense to include cd audio tracks and not use them, as playing them is rather simple and takes no cpu power.

I guess the best way to verify that would be testing a Warcraft 1 CD with the audio tracks in a real DOS machine and try that out...

Could even use my own CD (by making an image and adding some audio tracks manually 😀 ), but I no longer have a real DOS machine. 😦

Any further ideas about how can one verify this information?

it could be just a ost of the music to show thanks for thos that bought the game? like just a added bonus for you to listen to on your cd player.

it wasnt uncommon back then to include bizarre extras.

Still having that same doubt, franpa.

But due to the lack of a proper database (like Mobygames) that lists the differences between DOS (and other operating systems) games (floppy/CD versions...), I'm really determined to find out what was the purpose of this soundtrack.

Just received an automated response from Blizzard letting me know they got my e-mail with this question. Let's just hope they can enlighten this whole matter.

njaydg wrote:

So it's actually true... I only wonder, if the audio tracks exist (at least in some of the CD versions), what was their purpose other than being used while playing the game? Is there any hint on your box, manual, panflet or readme, that might explain as to why the soundtrack was included (if it was for listening like a normal CD audio or something)?

Er, I bought the CD in jewel-case only --somewhere in Singapore. I don't think it is a pirated version, though, because:
1) I bought it in a store that sells boxed, original game
2) frankly speaking, I've never seen any pirated software stall in Singapore (unlike in Jakarta, where everything is pirated 😁 )

As for in-game hint, nope, there is none. All the in-game menu only allows you to enable or disable the music (and the sound effect as well), but so far I've never found anything that enables me to choose between MIDI and CD audio.

It strikes me odd too. See, I also have Sandwarriors (a DOS game that uses CD audio soundtrack), and in that game, there IS an option to choose between MIDI and CD audio. 😖

Frankly speaking, until you posted this thread, I always thought that I'm the only one who cannot enable CD soundtrack in WarCraft 1.

njaydg wrote:

I guess the best way to verify that would be testing a Warcraft 1 CD with the audio tracks in a real DOS machine and try that out...

I still have a real DOS P100, but it is on my mom's house in Bandung. I plan to visit her this weekend, so maybe I could try testing it.

That would be great, KAN! 😀

If you happen to have the chance to test it on a real DOS machine, we could then be (almost?) sure that it's not a DOSBox CD emulation issue. From my side, all I can do is hope (eventually) that an answer from the Blizzard folks can clarify this.

I have original Warcraft CD. I bought it in US as a part of Warcraft pack (Warcraft, Warcraft 2, Warcraft 2 add-on). The game is in version 1.21 and contains 7 audio tracks with following lengths 0:47, 4:11, 3:46, 3:42, 3:49, 3:38, 3:57. I don't remember if they are used in game, but I can check it tomorrow.

Game files are dated mostly 1996-09-06.

EDIT: I played it a little using VDMSound with sapucdex and it looks that the game uses MIDI music only. I checked both digital and analog modes of my Cd-drive.

Your help is most welcome, Zebius! 😎

But I'm still wondering if there's any purpose other than "for your pure listening pleasure only" to that soundtrack... Maybe if other folks also inquired Blizzard support about this they would reply faster, as there isn't much available information about it. 😉

Here's what Blizzard Support had to say about this:

Thank you for contacting Technical Support. I apologize for the inconvenience, but you will have to contact our sales departmen […]
Show full quote

Thank you for contacting Technical Support. I apologize for the
inconvenience, but you will have to contact our sales department for further
assistance. Shop online http://shop.blizzard.com or call: (800)
953-SNOW (Domestic) (949) 955-0283 (International). You may also e-mail them
at Sales@Blizzard.com

If you have any Technical Issues, feel free to give me an e-mail.

Best Regards,

Kenneth
Blizzard Entertainment
Technical Support
http://www.blizzard.com/support

Guess I'll forward my question to Sales@Blizzard.com...

The crusade continues!

perhaps it was indeed intended to be heard in game but due to time constraints was never added into the game but was still included just because it can be included or that they were working on a patch that added support for it but the project got canceled.

So this isn't a technical issue?

Very good point there, franpa! 😉

As I just forwarded the e-mail to the Sales Department with all previous mail correspondence included. Also asked them to inform about the proper procedures to activate audio soundtracks in-game, IF in fact that gets confirmed.

DosFreak,

That's exactly what I'm trying to figure out, and as you can see in the e-mail, they neither confirmed or denied if it's a technical issue.

I already got the automated response confirming they received my mail. Just hope they'll be faster than Blizzard Support...

Update: I'm in the city Bandung now, staying in my mom's house for the weekend, and I have tried the WarCraft CD on my old, Pentium 100 computer (booted in DOS).

The answer is no; no CD music at all. And the CD drive didn't play either when I was playing the game. And I have tried Sandwarriors; an old DOS game with CD soundtrack, and the CD audio played percectly.

So I think it is confirmed; it is not DOSBox problem.

By the way, like I said, there is simply no option to choose 'CD Audio' as in-game music in the 'Game Options' menu (by pressing F10).

I'll return to Jakarta on Sunday, so I still have time to try it again. However, I don't think it'll be any different.