This game was first one I played on PC so it's still no.1 for me. First version (V1.0), as I recall, actually fit on one CD (700MB) and installation was smooth and fast (despite CD Check nagging window). Few years later managed to grab hold of Platinum Edition - contained main game, ET and Wolf3D. But it was on 2CD's. Why 2? Guess it was smarter to put 1.1GB on 2CD's instead on 4.7GB DVD. Anyway, the CD Check was there and another annoyance: "Please insert the Return to Castle Wolfenstein - Platinum Edition CD 2 into the CD-ROM drive and press the OK button." Later on you would have to switch back to CD 1 to complete installation, right? Well, not anymore.
I've made this, lets say conversion, with no Insert CD or CD Checks, using the Wise tool that made original install. Recreated Wise script and compiled it into EXE, so it's 99 if not 100% same as the original (unless you counting the small modifications I made to make it better looking, which I'll explain later on). With that said, let's get started:
1. Make New Folder, name it
WOLF (it's optional what name you'll use) and copy everything from
wolfplat_1 CD into that folder.
2. Make another New Folder, name it
WOLF2 and copy everything from
wolfplat_2 CD into that folder.
3. Open folder
WOLF2\Setup\Data, copy everything, then paste it into
WOLF\Setup\Data.
WOLF folder should now be around 1.1GB. Delete
WOLF2 folder now.
4. Delete
KeyCheck.txt and
KeyCheckDLL.dll inside
WOLF folder, they are no longer needed.
5. Now to replace EXE file.
5.1.
Option A (RTCW only): Download
Rtcwplat rebuilded, open archive and move
setupcw.exe into
WOLF folder. Window will pop up to ask you if you would replace file. Click Yes.
Small difference between original and rebuilded version, besides those pop up checks, is a better arranged dialog text.
Rtcw_dialog.jpg
5.2.
Option B (RTCW and ET): Download
Rtcwetplat modified, open archive and move
setupcw.exe into
WOLF folder.
Window will pop up to ask you if you would replace file. Click Yes. Do the same with
setupet.exe.
Next is to open folder
WOLF\Setup\rsrc and delete
art and
sound folder. You will then move
art and
sound folder from archive into
WOLF\Setup\rsrc.
Official Guide.pdf must be placed in
WOLF\Docs\Help\Manual.
Rtcwplat.dbd,
demo32.exe and
Wolf.ico are optional and it's not necessary to replace your originals with them.
Rtcwplat.dbd and
demo32.exe are Splash screen files and they will only add music to your Splash screen (it's the music you hear when you are in the main menu of the Single Player game).
Wolf.ico just replaces original autorun icon, you can make your own if you like.
Unlike original and rebuilded version, this one has simple progress dialog with billboards (like V1.0 has) instead of whole screen progress dialog.
Rtcw_progress.jpg
As for the ET, it just adds graphics on dialogs.
ET_dialog.jpg
Note that non-English files (like the ones in Manual folder) aren't included in the installation of RTCW or ET (you might as well delete them). In
Option A they are still present.
6. Test the installation before burning it to DVD. Just open
WOLF folder and run
setupcw.exe (or
setupcw.exe and
setupet.exe if you choose
Option B). If installation ends successfully, try to run the game itself (just to make sure that all files are present). And then test uninstallation (via Control Panel, Start Menu or Uninstall folder inside game folder).
7. Time to burn it to DVD, to be correct - making the ISO image (wouldn't be wise to burn it directly, only 1.1GB on 4.37GB).
I use Nero for this. It allows me to enter only 16 characters in Disc name field (WOLFPLAT for example). Or you could open
autorun.inf file inside
WOLF folder and under the icon=... type or copy/paste
label=Return to Castle Wolfenstein (you can type whatever name you want).
Little warning: Just like the original installation this one will check if you already have Platinum Edition installed on hard drive. If you do, it will stop with installation. The issue may occur if you manually delete the game and not in 3 ways described above (using UNWISE.EXE). If this happens, Splash screen will show Play option even if the game files are missing, so you'll need to go to
WINDOWS directory and delete
Rtcwplat.INI. Same goes for
setupcw.exe and
setupet.exe. You will have to open
Registry Editor and look for
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Activision\Return to Castle Wolfenstein - Platinum Edition] and/or
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Activision\Wolfenstein - Enemy Territory] and delete
InstallPath string value.
I think that covers everything and more.
And I hope the links are shown properly.