Rayman (early production)

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An early version of Candy Château can be seen in the Japanese PC back cover.

Over the years, a considerable amount of information regarding the early development of the original Rayman game has been unveiled, mainly through beta versions leaked to the public and Rayman Designer hacking. An interview also revealed that Rayman had had his limbs removed due to technical limitations, and that a Sega 32x port was going to be released.

General

According to an advertisement poster, a similar plot from the cancelled SNES version was supposed to be used in the Atari Jaguar version. The original plot followed a boy named Jimmy who created a world on his computer called Hereitscool. When Hereitscool became infected with a virus, Jimmy entered his virtual world and took on the persona of Rayman in order to defeat the virus.[1][2] In other magazine publications, Jimmy will alternatively named Kevin.[3] Reasons for this plot being scrapped are unknown.

Concept art

Unused sprites

Unused animations

Unused objects

The following objects remain unused across all versions of the game:

  • TYPE_BTBPLAT (18)
  • TYPE_INTERACTPLT (24)
  • TYPE_BIG_BOING_PLAT (68)
  • TYPE_BIGSTONE (80)
  • TYPE_UNUSED_114 (114)
  • TYPE_LIDOLPINK2 (144) - unique Electoon command (DO_ONE_PINK_CMD)
  • TYPE_GRAP_BONUS (148) - gives Rayman the ability to grab (DoGrapBonusRaymanCollision)
  • TYPE_CYMBAL1 (168) - unused behavior (DO_2_PARTS_CYMBAL)
  • TYPE_CYMBAL2 (169) - unused behavior (DO_2_PARTS_CYMBAL and DO_COLL_RAY_CYMBALE)
  • TYPE_VITRAIL (247) - unused behavior for the final boss (DO_VITRAIL_COMMAND)
  • TYPE_SLOPEY_PLAT (254) - unused behavior (DO_SLOPEY_PLAT_CMD)
  • Unknown (255)

Atari Jaguar early prototype

On 25 August 2008, a YouTube video showing an early prototype of the Atari Jaguar version was uploaded. Two months later, this was leaked to the public along with 19 prototypes or other Jaguar titles. Along with this leaked prototype, there is also an early demo version, which displays even more differences between the final version.

This version begins with Rayman dropping down in a Dream Forest level, and getting stunned the second he hits the ground, which he does when falling from great heights. Not all objects have collision detection, such as hunters and Moskito. Interestingly, Rayman can also perform handstands and attack with his feet, and his fist can be charged up to be more powerful, which is displayed with an icon at the bottom left corner with the word ‘Nova’ next to it.

There is also a very early looking heads-up display which is centered rather than to the left and right, there are more hit points than normal and the word ‘POW’ is between that and the lives counter. An icon of an Antitoon is displayed instead of the Tings icon, and apparently it counts and represents how many enemies have been defeated. Only the lives counter and five of the hit points made it into the final game. No game over system has been implemented either, meaning that when all lives are lost the counter cycles back to 99.

Unlike any of the other known ROMs for the game this one includes a reference list where each block of referenced data is names, ranging from functions to animations. Image data exists for the tentacle flower, but the data to parse it or any of the animations are not included. Mr Stone also appears, and although he has several referenced animations they all lead to the only one included in the ROM, which includes placeholder graphics.

Other differences include the small powers which have a variant which flashes between red, yellow and green. This versions also includes a different type of gendoor which can spawn multiple enemies at random. This was not included in the final game due to the newly made multi-platform engine only allowing a set amount of objects per level, unlike the Jaguar engine which allows objects to be spawned in after the level has been loaded. The Magician now also holds a staff, which can be seen in the intro of the final game.


Maps

Sprites

Animations

Atari Jaguar early demo

The world map, as seen in the early Atari Jaguar prototype.

This version is a later build from the prototype, now including proper collision and all the worlds in the ROM as in the final version. Functions to load levels from all worlds exist, but only the first two have actual maps. Leftover graphics and other data is however available for other worlds.

Several differences between this prototype and the final version are present, as well as glitches which may render the game unplayable.

  • The game begins with no title screen, but straight to the world map which has been shrunk to fit the whole screen. Instead of Rayman, an Electoon pinpoints his position.
  • There is no text in the game other than ‘ACTION’ and ‘GAME OVER’.
  • The game uses a different walk cycle for Rayman, making him look as if he is jogging.
  • When Rayman is hit by an enemy, the throwback is a lot longer than normal, and he squeaks.
  • When Rayman runs up to an exit sign, he does not pose, but rather the game fades to the next stage or the map.
  • The lives counter displays a single digit.
  • Some enemies appear to float across the screen due to broken collision detection.
  • The bullets shot by the hunters do not withdraw a hammer.
  • Rayman's body moves differently when he receives a power from Betilla the Fairy.
  • The Magician can be found and is paid with Tings as normal, but instead of a normal bonus level, he takes the player to the Breakout game.


Maps

Sprites

Animations


Atari Jaguar

Unused animations

PlayStation demos

An early Japanese demo on PlayStation from December 9, 1994 from the Japanese DemoDemo PlayStation Vol. 3 collection has some major differences from the final release. There are only 2 levels available, one from the Dream Forest and the other from the Blue Mountains. Both levels feature unique level design not seen in the final game.

  • The world map is the same as from the Atari Jaguar beta version with an Electoon moving on the map. There is also a point on the giant, floating present, although it can't be accessed.
  • In the files, Band Land is referred to as Chromatic Skies (with the code name being "Skies" rather than "Music") and Picture City as Image City—almost literal translations of the original French names Le Ciel Chromatique and La Cité des Images.
  • Early loading screen images are used.
  • Early sequenced music is used.
  • When falling from high places Rayman will appear stunned.
  • The lives counter displays a single digit.
  • Rather than getting Electoon markers on a medallion upon breaking a cage the player now has to collect the Electoons from it with a separate counter being available for that, replacing the tings.
  • The Big Powers use an incorrect palette for parts of their animation.

A second Japanese demo, from the Japanese DemoDemo PlayStation Vol. 6 collection features the third phase of Moskito's Nest. The gameplay is near final, although the level index matches that of the later Atari Jaguar prototype. It also uses the same tileset palette as on Atari Jaguar, which was also used in the final Japanese PlayStation release.

Maps

Unused sprites

Unused animations

PlayStation

Unused animations

Sega Saturn

The Sega Saturn versions of the game has several unused map layouts (with the object data missing). Most of these are early beta maps using the same layout as the Japanese PlayStation and Atari Jaguar versions. One in the Cave world however is an unused bonus map with slippery platforms. It does however use an older tilemap, thus the graphic tile indexes don't match.

R1 Saturn Cave 13 Collision.png


PC

Maps

The following maps are from a demo for Rayman Gold.

Unused objects

The PC version added support for an additional object type, named TYPE_SLOPEY_PLAT in the code. This acts like a solid platform which will tilt as the player stands on its edges, causing it to become slippery. It was never used in the final game and the PC version's ports don't include the code for rotating the sprite graphics as that was written in assembly specifically for the PC version. It is not confirmed for which sprite this type would have been used, but the bottle cap shown below remains unused while being added for the PC version and is within the sprite size which the game's rotation code expects, so it is likely to have been the one.

Unused sprites

Unused animations

The following animations appear in the various PC releases and are also included in its ports, such as Rayman Advance.

Game Boy Advance

The Game Boy Advance version would have originally featured a multiplayer mode in the style of "capture the flag". It was marketed and mentioned to be included in the preview versions of the game, but was never finished for any release of the game. There was going to be one map per world for this mode, with them all still being on the game ROM. Only the first few maps were however finished, with the rest lacking any objects.

The multiplayer mode as it would have appeared


Rayman Designer hacking

Main article: Rayman Designer hacking

Rayman Designer hacking allowed players to find unused textures and events which were probably meant to be in the final version but soon removed. Such sprites include a giant lava rock, clouds with a face and a strange portal.

External links

References

  1. The Crawdaddy Page, File:Jimmy.jpg
  2. GamePro #64 (October 1994), File:GamePro Issue 64 (October 1994).png
  3. VideoGames: The Ultimate Gaming Magazine #70 (November 1994), File:Kevin.jpg
  4. YouTube, sm21657890 + sm21628083 + sm21657890 -【非売品】ブルートプレス Vol 17 1994年12月号, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4VN-nHzyEk&t=3305