Rayman 2

[Ilyaman]

[!] Crucial Rayman 2 Info
I Think I Found A New Website!
http://web.archive.org/web/200204020837 ... index.php3
Check out the wiki page I made here: https://raymanpc.com/wiki/en/Rayman_World

Also HQ Rayman Music Found!
https://ericchevalier.com/jeux-video/

Thanks for the content TTK.

[Elite Piranha]

I think RaymanZone has an article too, so it probably makes sense to include notable official websites.

Well, besides being a notable official website, RaymanZone has a history with RPC because of what ARZO did, and many RPC members came from that site.

On the other hand, I'm not sure why something like MetalGearRayman even has an article.

According to what the article says, it was a former affiliate of RPC, so I guess that's why it's there.

[PluMGMK]

Edit: I think at some point I brought up the Rayman O'Meter stuff that is in there, but at the end I didn't know where to add the images and the text.

I just noticed that on the website they said it only worked on Windows. I guess they wrote that with Mac users in mind, but still it strikes me as unusual to see an acknowledgement in the early 2000s that not everyone used Windows…

[Cairnie]

Oooh this takes me right back, and I'm glad WBM managed to catch some scraps of it. Internet in 2001 was a snail pace and that's probably one reason why all those images were in pieces. I did have the Rayometer on an old PC but I think my version of windows didn't really like it, and I was dumb and didn't know how winamp skins worked lmfao.

[Elite Piranha]

Btw, in the Rayman-Fanpage there is a Ly Rayman 2 Screensaver, is this where the gif of Ly juggling some balls came from? If this is true, if it is still possible to extract more animations or the background from the .exe file? I've tried, but with no success.

[TriangulumDelta]

Was the Magician intended to be in the 3D version of Rayman 2? I could have sworn I read somewhere that he was originally in the beta version of the 3D Rayman 2 before being cut.

[PluMGMK]

As I understand it, Polokus's design was originally made for that purpose. It was only later that they turned him into a new character. But maybe I've misunderstood something…

[Hunchman801]

According to what the article says, it was a former affiliate of RPC, so I guess that's why it's there.

It was a former affiliate, but it was also short-lived and not particularly noteworthy. I should probably delete the article to be honest.

[arnoldfranklin]

According to what the article says, it was a former affiliate of RPC, so I guess that's why it's there.

It was a former affiliate, but it was also short-lived and not particularly noteworthy. I should probably delete the article to be honest.

Please don't. That website is cool. Besides, other people could find the website still. It still has valuable information and it is pretty nice.

[Hunchman801]

Please don't. That website is cool. Besides, other people could find the website still. It still has valuable information and it is pretty nice.

Are we talking about the same thing? It was just a collection of images, and it's been down for what, well over a decade now?

[azoo]

I’m really, REALLY late to the “best or worst version” discussion, but I want to pull a wild card and say Nintendo 64 is always going to be the one for me. And no, it’s not just because I grew up with that version (although that’s part of it).

I’m almost willing to wholesale give it to Dreamcast, but I think the English-spoken opening with a nobody narrator is wildly unfitting when the rest of the cast speaks Raymanian, and I’m pretty sure it’s supposed to be Ly there, not a nobody, right? I also think that shoot being on B (the right face button) instead of X (the left face button) feels really wrong, and the Isle of Doors is inferior to the Hall of Doors as far as how mysterious and atmospheric it is. Feels less unique, more akin to Crash Bandicoot than something you can say is undeniably Rayman.

And although it gives room to (and it’s my very next pick), I wouldn’t quite give it to the PC version either! One of my biggest gripes with that one is not only how painfully hard it is to remap the controls to controller (having to use third party tools that don’t really work well), but the cool swirly transitions and musical fade out between scenes in the N64/DC versions are replaced with a quick flashing image and a loading bar. Way more tacky and unbecoming of the “cinematic” feel the console versions of the game carry. Little things like that go a long way in harming the presentation and keeping it from being a good “experience”, if you get me.

Now the reason I truly favor the N64 version most is maybe partly nostalgia, but also because I think the compositions for the game’s opening, and a few of the jingles throughout the game, are legit superior than the ones featured in every other version. The opening especially; the N64 version is this perfectly dreary and intense track that builds you up to an excellent first scene, while the other song is just… idk, it feels like filler you put behind a generic animated film. It’s still fine, and I could see it fitting somewhere else in the game (maybe the title screen / menu?) but the N64 version has it beat. I also think the MIDI arrangements in general do a good job of emphasizing melody and percussion in places I feel the higher quality ones don’t as much. Crows Nest, parts of Woods of Light and Fairy Glade, and the Pirate leitmotif particularly feel like there’s stronger melody or rhythms to follow. I’m guessing that had to be done when they simplified the OST for MIDI arrangement, but limitations inspire some of the best things sometimes! And again, the jingles (the discovery ones and the game over ones, particularly) are superior here. Just all around better. Sorry to fans of the jingles from the other versions.

That said I know it has frame rate issues and lower quality textures/models, but for the former I’m used to N64 game performance lol, and for the latter there’s far worse done on the PS1 version. That’s said the PS1 version is charming, despite its (pretty severe) flaws. I wish things like the callbacks to 1 were in the other versions, and I like how Ly was your guide / a more present force. Im also baffled at the cutscenes in it that aren’t in any other version, it explains so much about the second mask. I feel like that this could’ve been a great version of 2 if they didn’t sacrifice all that content to have disc space for… voice acting. And not good voice acting at that. Yeesh.

And lastly I would give attention to Revolution, because it’s visuals are maybe the best of the bunch (bar that Rayman model, idk what they did to him but something looks off..). and I’m not really one to hate the attempt at a hub world here because I do enjoy myself a good hub, and this one is rather alright at adding to the games atmosphere. But I DO think the game in its original form has such stellar pacing that sacrificing that for a much more aimless progression kinda ruins the flow, and holding abilities behind paywalls is a TERRIBLE idea, no ifs ands or buts about it. But at the same time I do enjoy some of the plot tweaks / addition of the last guardian, and including Moskito was great.

I guess what I’m saying is that every version of 2 is imperfect and filled with their own oddities, quirks, flaws and improvements. The N64 ends up my favorite cuz it’s the PC version with the DC transition effects and a (imo, don’t kill me) better arranged soundtrack, but anyone else’s stake on that is valid. I just wish there was a version of 2 that did it all.. c’est la vie.

[dr_st]

This is a very good analysis. I had no idea there were so many little differences! Guess it's because I never actually played the N64 version - only PC, and Dreamcast/Revolution (via emulators).

[Hunchman801]

I had no idea about those details either! But I certainly agree about the PlayStation version: while flawed, it's pretty charming, and I find its additions a lot better than those of Revolution.

[azoo]

It’s true, all of it! I’ll post comparisons of the jingles and intro between versions:

Intro - N64


Again, I just find it much more exciting of an opening track than the one featured in all other versions. I once saw someone compare it more to Rayman 1’s OST, which I kind of see, since that game id say is more melodic than 2’s OST!

Small Discovery - N64

Big Discovery - N64


These feel more like proper “you did it!” jingles. The sense of wonder of the originals isn’t as present, but I like this just as much because of how it feels less like a Disneyesque storybeat piece and more of a motivating, “keep moving” sound. I can see all four songs (these and the originals) being sprinkled around R2 just fine, for different contexts.

Game Over (Try Again?) - N64


The last one to me is interesting, because it almost got used in Revolution! It’s an unused track in that game, where no other N64 tracks appear. Personally I like this better all around than the original; the apprehensive sneaky sound fits better with the theming of a “great escape”, it captures the game’s tension a lot better in my eyes.

I love all of these songs more than the original OST’s versions, but that’s not all. Many of the songs in the game itself beyond these have good arrangements, which while keeping the songs do handle them differently. For some of these, I did an effort where I put the N64 and OST versions together. Listen to these and see if you can hear the differences!






The N64 versions add a bunch of punch to these songs, I think! Additional percussion and countermelodies that as a kid really got stuck in my head (I’m a drummer so I especially focused on that). When I found out the versions everyone liked better were missing it altogether I was so disappointed, lol, which is why I started doing this. What do you guys think? You’ll probably prefer the originals and that’s fine, but for me this is how I always imagined these songs would sound more fleshed out.

[PluMGMK]

Those hybrids definitely sound good!

Not sure about the jingles… I've never listened to the N64 versions before, and they're so different that I feel they might as well be from a different game, just because I grew up with the PC version. So I guess that really is a matter of which version one grew up with!

Also, the N64 intro reminds me a little of the final boss theme from BG&E…

[Marx-Y]

The PS1 version is good although is considered the most inferior version?
Almost people say that the PS1 version is the worst compared with other versions, and yes the PS1 version is the most inferior (don't counting the DS and 3DS version that I considered the worst versions).
but for the system the release that was the PS1 is fine? we know that the PS1 is a weaker than the N64 (most notable the graphics) but the music is the CD audio from the PC version although the full soundtrack is incomplete in this version. about the levels that were altered like for be shorter or fusion some levels like Whale Bay and The Sanctuary of Water and Ice.
but the add of voice acting that is pretty well, and play the 2D prototype as a extra, maybe are fine points for this version.
Considering the PS1 limitations is fine, but yeah is the most inferior version of the game, oh well the most inferior version made specifically for a home console.

[Adsolution]

Now the reason I truly favor the N64 version most is maybe partly nostalgia, but also because I think the compositions for the game’s opening, and a few of the jingles throughout the game, are legit superior than the ones featured in every other version. The opening especially; the N64 version is this perfectly dreary and intense track that builds you up to an excellent first scene, while the other song is just… idk, it feels like filler you put behind a generic animated film. It’s still fine, and I could see it fitting somewhere else in the game (maybe the title screen / menu?) but the N64 version has it beat. I also think the MIDI arrangements in general do a good job of emphasizing melody and percussion in places I feel the higher quality ones don’t as much. Crows Nest, parts of Woods of Light and Fairy Glade, and the Pirate leitmotif particularly feel like there’s stronger melody or rhythms to follow. I’m guessing that had to be done when they simplified the OST for MIDI arrangement, but limitations inspire some of the best things sometimes! And again, the jingles (the discovery ones and the game over ones, particularly) are superior here. Just all around better. Sorry to fans of the jingles from the other versions.

I agree with what you said about the opening track, I think it's way cooler and more unique than the original version (which is why I remade it a while back). I also agree that the percussion in the N64 version rocks a bit harder in a lot of places. My favourite example of the N64 version kicking more ass is here:

versus the original (at 0:41):

which is a hard decision though because the PC version's sounds really interesting and bizarre too, the clicky melody instrument evoking what it's like to use the shoddy machinery of the pirates.

Over all though I still prefer the original soundtrack because in virtually every case where a distinct "note" isn't being played and it's more of an effect, it's just omitted completely with nothing to replace it (other than slightly more present percussion). For example, one of the hybrids you made actually:

Is totally missing the pipe instrument (0:19), which to me was always the defining part of this track next to the bass line:

Another example that's just hard to argue with to me is the MIDI guitar vs the real guitar used in this track... like I think the N64 version just sounds terrible honestly :

OG (0:23) - this is also a case where the original has way more present percussion:

And lastly I would give attention to Revolution, because it’s visuals are maybe the best of the bunch

I'd actually disagree here too about half the time. I think the lighting looks a lot more saturated and cartoony in a lot of places:

r2light-rev.PNG (486.56 KiB) Viewed 3883 times

which takes away from the beautiful more painterly colour balance the original often had:

r2light-pc.PNG (439.18 KiB) Viewed 3883 times

[azoo]

I like the addition of scenery props and objects in Revolution more than anything else it offers honestly. The colors in Revolution are definitely more saturated, and I like them more than the original on some days, less on others haha.

But yeah agreed with your thoughts on the 64 ost and where it’s lacking. For the machinery track, the woodwind part is a big deal that’s missing, but also the woodwind sample that appears in the N64 version is a part that sticks in my head and is missing from the original version.

I’d just like a “perfect” version of the OST that keeps all the good parts from both. By the way I think I said it on YouTube a bit back but I LOVE your remake of the 2 n64 intro, it’s fantastic! Dreaming of a day I get to play R2 on PC or Dreamcast with that opening lol.

[Adsolution]

Oh yeah that was you ^^

Dreaming of a day I get to play R2 on PC or Dreamcast with that opening lol.

Easy as pie, just drop this in the Rayman 2/Data/World/Sound folder!

It doesn't line up 100% for some reason, I think it's just an issue with the PC version queueing the intro track like a second late, but it's close enough.

[Hunchman801]

Considering the PS1 limitations is fine, but yeah is the most inferior version of the game, oh well the most inferior version made specifically for a home console.

One thing I'm not sure about is why exactly the game was cut short: I remember reading in magazines that it was because because of the console's limitations, but while this obviously explains the downgraded visuals, I'm not sure how this could affect the length of the game. If it were a matter of file size, then CDs can actually hold a lot more data than your typical N64 cartridge, so there's more to it. Maybe the decision to have (poor) voice acting in that version ended up filling the CD to the brim and they had to cut some content? Sounds like the stupidest tradeoff ever.

Anyway, I still like the PS1 version more than Revolution. What's Grolem 13 when you can have Ninjaws?