Rayman 2 (early production)

• This article is about the early production of the 3D build of the game. For the original 2D prototype, see Rayman 2 (cancelled prototype).

During its development, Rayman 2 underwent significant conceptual changes regarding its narrative, visuals, and gameplay mechanics.

Much of this early content has been identified through the analysis of pre-release promotional materials, such as the Rayman's training CGI short, E3 press kits and magazine previews, as well as through data mining residual files found in demos and the final retail release. Additionally, the discovery of a beta build in October 2024 provided further insight into early gameplay.

Rayman's training

A screenshot of Rayman's training, showcasing Rayman's earlier 3D model.

Main article: Rayman's training

Before proper development of the 3D game began, a CGI short film using the concepts from the 2D game was created by the name of Rayman's training. The short film stars Rayman battling a living punching bag. It premiered in February 1st, 1998 to the tradeshow/film festival Imagina 1998. After that, it has never been seen in its entirety since.

In various Rayman adverts from 1997 to 1998, there were several instances of "stock footage" of a CGI Rayman, and the most complete instance of this would be the E3 1998 trailer to Rayman 2. For two decades, no one had known where this footage had come from exactly; it was assumed that they were made for the trailer.

In early 2021, it was put together by a number of Twitter users that the pre-rendered scenes in the E3 1998 trailer were actually from Rayman's training. The short was considered lost media until March 12 2022, when a version of the video with no sound was uploaded to YouTube.

Plot

Title

The game appears to have been originally titled Rayman 2: The Door to Great Power (French: La Porte du Grand Pouvoir).

Story

In the original plot, a mysterious association, also referred to as the "mysterious guild", decides to create an intergalactic zoo and recruits a band of unscrupulous pirates to capture rare species, including Rayman and his friends. Some sources conflate the association and the pirates, mentioning a "mysterious robot pirate guild". Sometimes, the term "circus" is used instead of "zoo". Rayman escapes, and he must now free his friends, who will help him in his quest to collect the ingredients for a "miraculous soup that opens the doors to Great Power". Some sources, possibly from a later development stage, only mention the need to find "the keys to the door of great power".

It appears that the ingredients were eventually replaced with the Four Masks of Polokus, who himself replaced the "great power", being no longer a simple magician but the god of the Glade of Dreams. While the idea of Rayman and his friends being trapped in a circus was scrapped from the final game, it was eventually revisited in Rayman: The Animated Series through Rigatoni's flying circus.

Characters

Some of the characters had different names or spellings in the game's early development stages: Globox was Globber, Razorbeard was Razorface, Polokus was Polochus (or Pollochus) the Magician, the Teensies were the Smalbeings and the Robo-Pirates were the Red Rum.

A Chinese magazine also refers to an unidentified enemy called the "Five-Poison Snake God".

Notable mentions of early plot elements

• In Ubisoft's preview of their E3 1998 showcase, the plot of Rayman 2 is described as such: "Rayman escapes an intergalactic zoo and needs the powers of his still-imprisoned friends to open the doors to Great Power."
• In the E3 1998 Press Release, the plot is further elaborated upon. "In Rayman 2, our whirling-dervish hero Rayman confronts his wackiest adventure ever when Robot pirates imprison him and his friends in a strange intergalactic zoo. Rayman escapes, but must free his friends and collect all the ingredients for a miraculous soup that opens the doors to Great Power. Only then will the mysterious robot pirate guild be defeated." The press release also mentions that the Magician would be the one to give Rayman his powers; Ly, who gives Rayman his abilities in the final game, is said to help with her "dexterity".
• In an interview with Pauline Jacquey and Michel Ancel, it is mentioned that the Robo-Pirates intended to sell the inhabitants they capture to an inter-galactic circus.
• In a press release from May 13, 1999, the game is described as "an adventure to rescue Rayman’s friends from an intergalactic circus".
• In a Rayman 2 pre-order form that could be obtained from the Rayman Activity Center box (and also from one of the PC demos), it is mentioned that: "The Mysterious Guild considers Rayman to be the ideal specimen to display in its intergalactic zoo of rare species". The text also mentions that Rayman's friends became the target of "Operation Kidnap", "the Guild's plan to fill its zoo with the universe's peace-loving residents". Similar information appeared in the official Rayman 2 website, however the "intergalactic zoo" was replaced with an "intergalactic circus".
• In an interview with Ubisoft (by the IGN staff), it is mentioned that the mysterious guild recruited the Robo-Pirates to capture rare species from Rayman's planet and create an intergalactic zoo. However, in another part of the official Rayman 2 website, a text can be found that describes the Mysterious Guild and the Robo-Pirates as one single entity, that intended to sell the inhabitants of Rayman's planet to an intergalactic circus.
• In the back cover of the first edition of Rayman 2: The Great Escape: Prima's Official Strategy Guide, the following text is displayed prominently: "There's more than one way out of this circus!".
• The intergalactic circus was also mentioned in magazines and even in box art from one of the first Canadian releases of the game.

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  A Rayman 2 pre-order form from the Rayman Activity Center box.
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  Rayman 2: The Great Escape: Prima's Official Strategy Guide back cover (first edition).

Gameplay

Just like Globox can use his Rain Dance in the final game to harm the Robo-Pirates, Rayman's other friends would also have used their abilities to help him progress through the levels: Polochus the Magician could levitate stones and draw water from ponds, Clark could grab Rayman and throw him and Ly could immobilize characters and objects. Alternatively, it is stated that the Magician, as the first companion Rayman would have had to save, would have appeared on every map to upgrade the power of his "invincible flying fist". Rayman would also have gained the ability to see through walls near the end of the game. Additionally, a demo for the game features a functional telescopic fist ability, a power scrapped from the final game and replaced with the magic fist.

Pre-release screenshots and footage show that level designs underwent significant evolution. A video showing an early version of the Nintendo 64 version reveals an unused area most likely located in the Prison Ship. It closely resembles the alternative path that can be taken in the same level to fill up Rayman's health. Other trailers show more open levels suggesting Rayman 2 was at one point going to go in a more non-linear direction.

Levels

Cut levels

Judging by the content of the PC version, the cutscene in the Prison Ship where Rayman frees the prisoners, which first appeared in the Dreamcast version, was originally meant to appear in the PC and Nintendo 64 versions.

In 2018 it was discovered that the PlayStation version contains a reference to a level by the name the Walk of Bravery, which was meant to appear between the Echoing Caves and the Precipice.

The PC version also has leftovers from several unused levels, being the following:

• Learn_20
• Whale_20
• Astro_20
• Wipe_10
• morbide_tst

There was also originally meant to be a connection between the Fairy Glade and the Echoing Caves in the Hall of Doors .

Early level names

• The Marshes of Awakening - originally the Marshes of the Awakening and the Marshlands of Awakening
• The Fairy Glade - originally the Fairy's Glade (the early name is used in Rayman Revolution)
• The Canopy - originally the Wilderness
• The Sanctuary of Stone and Fire - originally the Sanctuary of Lava and Fire
• The Precipice - originally the Great Rift
• The Top of the World - originally the Roof of the World
• The Sanctuary of Rock and Lava - originally the Sanctuary of Rock and Stone and the Sanctuary of Earth and Stone
• Beneath the Sanctuary of Rock and Lava - originally beneath the Sanctuary of Earth and Stone
• The Technical Check-up - originally the Emission Control station

Visuals

The HUD was at one point drastically different to the one seen in the final game. Purple Lums were going to have a completely different design resembling the other Lums seen in the game.

Unused textures

Many textures which were later used in the PlayStation version can also be found in the files for the PC version suggestion they were originally meant to be included there as well. These include the textures for Antitoons and the stone with Ly's face. Textures from the Dreamcast version were found as well, such as the textures for Eig. Some leftovers, such as controller icons, where found from the Nintendo 64 version.

HUD

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  Oddly enough this doesn't appear in the Fairy Glade during the baby Globox dialogue.

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  Due to Jano not having a health bar, this isn't shown during the battle against him.

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  An unused icon.

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  An unused camera icon.

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  An unused camera icon.

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  A beta health icon.

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  A beta breath icon.

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  An unused energy icon.

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  An unused fist icon.

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  An unused clock icon.

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  An unused icon.

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  An unused icon.

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  An unused icon.

Objects

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  An idle Red Sphere, as it could have appeared, in the Cave of Bad Dreams.
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  The base for a Red Sphere, as it could have appeared, in the Cave of Bad Dreams.

Metallic serpent

The game manual features a purple metallic serpent resembling Ssssam. This metallic serpent originally had different colors and appears to have been significantly larger than Ssssam.

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  An early, more metallic version of Ssssam.
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  The unused textures applied on a 3D mesh. This model was based on leftovers that were found in the PlayStation version.

Font

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  The old font is present in the demo files.

Loading screens and artwork

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  Titled "VigLoadMisc01"
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  Titled "VigLoadMisc02"
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  Titled "VigLoadMisc03"
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  Titled "VigLoadMisc04"
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  Titled "VigLoadMisc05"
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  Titled "VigLoadMisc06"
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  Rayman is oddly enough present on the image.
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  The Rayman E3 1998 model, most notably present in Rayman's training.

Concept art

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  Other mounts where considered before walking shells were implemented.
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  An unused scenario that was conceptionalised for gameplay, click for translation.
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Early builds

Demo

The pause menu in the demo.

There were two different demos made for Rayman 2, both of them including two parts from the Fairy Glade.

• Demo 1
• Demo 2

Although the demos are very similar and include the same levels, there are some minor differences.

The differences with the final game are:

• Rayman falls into the level after the Robo-Pirate animation in the first demo, instead of afterwards like in the final version.
• The total amount of cages show 0 in the first demo, instead of 7 like in the final version. Cages can however still be broken and will result in it showing 1/0 etc.
• The heads-up display can't by triggered to show by pressing "J".
• The transparency doesn't work on all textures.
• Rayman starts with the upgraded fist from the Canopy.
• The Hall of Doors uses the French name "Mapmonde".

Beta

In October 2024 a beta version of the game was dumped. It had originally been given out as part of a contest held by certain gaming magazines in Italy in order to gather feedback for the game.

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The beta launcher

The beta contains two levels, titled "Morbide P" and "Mapkit Foret". These can only be selected from the launcher when starting the game and neither level has a proper ending. The game contains many notable differences from the final version, such as the ability for Rayman to throw his telescopic fist.

Morbide P

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  The start of the level.
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  Rayman charging his telescopic fist.
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  Rayman throwing his telescopic fist.
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  The drowning animation.
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  The no-clip mode.
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  The wireframe mode.
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  A Robo-Pirate attacking Rayman.
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  Another Robo-Pirate, showcasing how the model is missing some textures.
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  A Murfy can be freed from a cage, like in the PlayStation version.
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  A Teensie freed from a cage.
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  A yellow Lum, with the same design as in the PlayStation version.

Mapkit Foret

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Controls

Button	Action
Arrow keys	move
A	jump/move up in no-clip and free-cam
Space	shoot
C	disable most other inputs
D	toggle wireframe mode
B	toggle no-clip
Z	move down in no-clip and free-cam
Numpad 1	enter free-cam mode
Numpad 2	exit free-cam mode with centered camera
Numpad 6	exit free-cam mode
Numpad 7	lock camera
1	telescopic fist
2	energy shots
F11	restart map
F8	take a snapshot
Shift	speed up no-clip
Ctrl	strafe/move backwards under water

Early dialogue

Main article: Rayman 2 (early production)/Early dialogue

Early versions of the game dialogue has been found in the PC version's two demos. Some unused dialogue also exists in the final game.

Miscellaneous

The cheat code "GETELIX" is mentioned along with the other known cheat codes in the PC version, but it appears to be unused. It was most likely meant to give the player the Elixir of Life before entering the Cave of Bad Dreams.

Screenshots and artwork

A bunch of screenshots and artwork have been found from early versions of Rayman 2.

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Concept art

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Press kits

Ubisoft Entertainment: Digital Press Kit: E3 Atlanta 1998

• Videos - gameplay clips and interviews
• Interview
• Press release

Screenshots

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Characters

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Sketches

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Team

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ECTS 1998 Ubi Soft Entertainment Press Kit (Europe)

Promotional Video

Logo

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Screenshots

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Team

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Work in process

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Ubisoft Digital Press Kit 99 U.S.A./North America (USA)

• Videos - trailer and Q&A
• Interview
• Information
• Timeline

Screenshots (Nintendo 64)

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Screenshots (PC)

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Work in process artwork

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  Rayman saves Clark in the Menhir Hills.
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  The Menhir Hills' ending.
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Ubi Soft Digital Press Kit Herbst-Winter 1999

Trailer

Screenshots (Nintendo 64)

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Screenshots (PC)

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  A slightly earlier cover than the final version.

Rayman 2 - The Great Escape (USA) (Digital Press Kit)

Screenshots

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Sketches

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  Storyboard for opening cinematic.
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  Rayman's final encounter with Razorbeard.
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Magazine scans

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  A sneak preview article in Nintendo Power issue 117 (February 1999)
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  An article mentioning the early plot of Rayman 2, which is not present in the final game
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  GamePro issue 110 (September 1998)
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External links

• Video showcasing all unused content from Rayman 2
• A playlist of IGN Rayman 2 early gameplay (N64, 1999)
• Gameplay, with numerous changes, from early press presentations (E3 1998/1999)
• Rayman 2 interview with early footage (1998)
• Royal V music video with early gameplay
• The Making of Rayman 2 (1998)