Rayman 2

[PluMGMK]

If Clark was originally a boss in the Menhir Hills (i.e. where he's first met), that explains why there's no version of his texture without the imprint of the control box on his back.

[Eeeebray]

While digging in some old magazine scans, I found this in the German version of Fun Generation from May 1999.

There was an unused boss pirate, who would always come back and try to attack Rayman.

I translated it.

"Rayman even has to face the pirate Rhop several times. The stubborn boss does not admit defeat and tries his luck again and again. After each defeat, he comes up with something new for the next attack."

The magazine also mentions that Rayman has to ride on rails with a lore through dark caves. But it is certainly "The Top of the World" level.

Thoughts?

[Elite Piranha]

II wonder if Rhop is a scrapped name for the Spyglass Pirate, after all he tried to defeat Rayman several times and failed (with the Biditank, the Robot Dinosaur and by controlling Clark).

[Droolie]

There was an unused boss pirate, who would always come back and try to attack Rayman.

I translated it.

"Rayman even has to face the pirate Rhop several times. The stubborn boss does not admit defeat and tries his luck again and again. After each defeat, he comes up with something new for the next attack."

That's an interesting description. Rhop was the devs' name for the Grolgoth. You can still see this in Raymap: The Crow's Nest map is "Rhop_10", the Grolgoth's family is "Rhop" and its object name is "Rhopars". Perhaps the story was going to be different, with Rayman facing Razorbeard much earlier but he would come back with new abilities every time?

[Hunchman801]

Nice find! Maybe the spyglass pirate was originally the one controlling the Grolgoth, and it was his final appearance?

[PluMGMK]

That leads to the intriguing possibility that perhaps originally Lunette was the Big Bad and Razorbeard was the lackey, which would explain his behaviour in the Animated Series. But then, I don't think their designs fit those reversed roles, so it's unlikely…

[Marx-Y]

in the interviews from the press kit 1998 can see the next.
this is an unknown location, looks similar the Sanctuaries for the walls and floor. but particular those base of the magic spheres has a ray effect that maybe are is connect with other bases. this place probably was just a test level.

this test level can see in one of the early Rayman 2 videos.

in the same interview there is this early logo:

R2 2D logo.png (117.15 KiB) Viewed 3298 times

the style of the logo looks different, the font and the number "2" is in roman and with design for looks like a cage. possibly this logo of "Rayman II" was actually from the 2D prototype.

[Elite Piranha]

Interesting stuff, I didn't know about that R2 logo, thanks for sharing.

Too bad we still haven't found more of that mysterious robo-pirate.

[Flat Earth Society]

Nice finds Marx.

[PluMGMK]

That GIF with all the yellow pyramids looks a bit daunting, but it's funny that there seems to be what looks like a bubble too, as if it's underwater. But then Rayman seems to be standing, not swimming, so I'm not sure what to make of it…

[Hunchman801]

That GIF with all the yellow pyramids looks a bit daunting, but it's funny that there seems to be what looks like a bubble too, as if it's underwater. But then Rayman seems to be standing, not swimming, so I'm not sure what to make of it…

Air swims are a thing in Rayman 2, so maybe walking underwater too?

[PluMGMK]

I'm pretty sure I've seen such a thing performed, but I doubt they'd be advertising such a "feature" in pre-release material

[arnoldfranklin]

That GIF with all the yellow pyramids looks a bit daunting, but it's funny that there seems to be what looks like a bubble too, as if it's underwater. But then Rayman seems to be standing, not swimming, so I'm not sure what to make of it…

Air swims are a thing in Rayman 2, so maybe walking underwater too?

I have a video of a glitch of walking underwater in Whale Bay: (I hope this was okay to share my video here)

[PluMGMK]

Yeah, that's no problem. Nice one getting close-ups of those little round fish, I hadn't even noticed those before!

[Hunchman801]

That's pretty cool, walking underwater is indeed a thing, then!

[The Jonster]

That's a pretty neat find, I wonder if this can be done on other versions or is it just the Dreamcast? This makes me curious

[arnoldfranklin]

That's a pretty neat find, I wonder if this can be done on other versions or is it just the Dreamcast? This makes me curious

I don't know for sure if it is on other versions and it doesn't even show how to get it on this version but there is someone walking underwater on DS.:

This is someone who is underwater but it doesn't seem like the same place but after seeing the word "piranhas," I think it might be the next section of Whale Bay? Also, they mention "pressing the L button when spawning underwater," so I don't know that many places where you spawn underwater if any others:

[PluMGMK]

Yeah, "The Piranhas are coming to take my air bubbles" is the very next section. And yes, I can't think of any other place you spawn underwater. That's interesting!

[Marx-Y]

I think that bubble is for test underwater effects in this test level.
also, in the same test level there is this mushroom that shoot bubbles very fast.

[PluMGMK]

Ah, now it makes more sense! So if this was an effects test room, then there may never have been actual levels with that many pyramids!