Rayman Demos and Betas

[Cairnie]

Step 1: Get rom from here
Step 2: Download Virtual Jaguar , although at times it may only load when it wants to so stay persistent and have your CTRL+ALT+DEL at the ready. It'll also depend on whether or not you use WinXP or how good your comp is.
Step 3: Create a ROMs folder in the same folder as where the actual emulator is, and put the Rayman beta ROM in there
Step 4: Open VJ, click Jaguar and then "Load...", the beta rom should be there and click that. Should load then and there may be shitty sound.
???
PROFIT

But be careful with out how press left and right! As I keep saying, there's a glitch in the 68K that can cause the Rayman sprite itself to freeze and may render the game unplayable. That, or VJ quits itself.

Good luck.

[FAB]

What's a BETA?

[Cairnie]

Beta = early version of a game, application etc that's given to testers to look for bugs and basically shape up the final version. Sonic 2 is notorious for having many betas and early protos like these.

In fact this may explain it better.
http://info.sonicretro.org/Prototype

[FAB]

I don't see the point in releasing early uncompleted versions of a game.

[Cairnie]

The reason prototypes are made is because magazines, TV shows, expos etc need them to be demonstrated long before they're released, and as I said, they need to be tested otherwise games are mega glitchy and that could cost them some good reviews. They're not meant to leave the developers' offices though, but uncommonly they do, and when they do, they're not cheap. One of the Sonic 2 ones costed the dumper $1500.

[spiraldoor]

How do you save in Virtual Jaguar? There's a "memdump.bin" file that has appeared in the folder for some reason...

[Cairnie]

At the moment there are no save states in VJ. If the final of Rayman isn't saving when you step on the Magician's hat try this version:

http://www.xs4all.nl/~shalafi/virtualja ... 080211.zip

[FAB]

The reason prototypes are made is because magazines, TV shows, expos etc need them to be demonstrated long before they're released, and as I said, they need to be tested otherwise games are mega glitchy and that could cost them some good reviews. They're not meant to leave the developers' offices though, but uncommonly they do, and when they do, they're not cheap. One of the Sonic 2 ones costed the dumper $1500.

If a game needs testing then whoever creates that game could test it him/herself.

[Cairnie]

A games company is already so busy on the main aspects of a game and needs other parties to help them improve a game by beta testing. Rayman 1 hardly has as many known glitches and programming errors as say Pokemon Red/Blue has, so you know how well tested it's been before it became a final product.

I find it funny how you dream of making fangames yet fail to understand the need for prototypes.

[Lijik]

If a game needs testing then whoever creates that game could test it him/herself.

You're probably going to miss a lot of flaws this way. Even if you did have all the time in the world to test your own game, it still falls back on the same logic as to why you have someone else read over an essay to give you feedback.

[spiraldoor]

They used to actually pay people to test games. These days they just release betas online for free and ask downloaders to take note of glitches. Clever.

[FAB]

A games company is already so busy on the main aspects of a game and needs other parties to help them improve a game by beta testing. Rayman 1 hardly has as many known glitches and programming errors as say Pokemon Red/Blue has, so you know how well tested it's been before it became a final product.

I find it funny how you dream of making fangames yet fail to understand the need for prototypes.

Hey, no funny! That's an insulte! I understand that now, well, since yesterday.

[Holy Crap]

They used to actually pay people to test games. These days they just release betas online for free and ask downloaders to take note of glitches. Clever.

That would be a truly great job.

[Lijik]

They used to actually pay people to test games. These days they just release betas online for free and ask downloaders to take note of glitches. Clever.

They still do for some games, and the companies that do release the betas in place of testing still spend money. After a game is released, they do tons of market research on the game and this seems to be where the funding for QA testing has gone for some companies.

Ubisoft does both. There was an article in a magazine talking about a market research meeting done after Red Steel's release and pretty much everyone in this one group (made up of different ages, genders and interests) said "The title is Red Steel, but there's no blood and you rarely use the sword. Whats with that?" I lol'd.

[spiraldoor]

*speaking in voice of the Professor from Futurama*

Good news, everyone!

I've actually managed to finish the Dream Forest in the beta! This is what happens: Moskito chases Rayman, like in the original game. The next level starts normally, but when you reach the end of that level Moskito appears in front of you and you fight him there and then. He takes about twelve hits, I think. He uses his three types of spiky fruit on you. When he goes down, you go straight to the map. No Skops. No Betilla. Rayman has the grabbing fist from the start of the game.

I shall explore Band Land soon.

[Droolie]

Watch out for Band Land, I recently got as far as Stacey got with all 3 lives, but that next level is EXTREMELY HARD ( you have the helicopter power, but even then, when you get hurt by one of the many notes, you'll get thrown into a gap, and you'll lose a life )! Especially since that when you get game over, it puts you back at the start of the game. o_O

[Cairnie]

Oh man I couldn't get past that at all. How do you get the heilcopter then, I couldn't last time.

[spiraldoor]

After the first Band Land level you just get the helicopter power. Betilla doesn't give you it. I works by pressing the jump button twice, just like in the final game.

The second Band Land level is harder that a level in a game should be.

I don't suppose there are Gameshark codes or anything?

[Hunchman801]

I haven't even made it so far I guess I will have to play again if I want to write an article about it on RayWiki ^^

[Cairnie]

I already did a section on both betas in the Rayman 1 article but if you wanna make them into separate articles be my guest.