Rayman Origins (early production)

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A screenshot from an early version of the game, showing Rayman's cut propeller ability and a health bar.

Rayman Origins had a bunch of changes made during early production, most which has been seen through early trailers and by hacking the game.

Announcement

A scrapped life statue.

When Rayman Origins was originally announced it was going to have multiple episodic releases, with the first one being released in late 2010. This was however changed to make the game a more full experience. Originally it was also meant to be a prequel, as can be seen from early trailers, but was later turned into a full sequel. The name Origins was kept as the game was still focused on going back to Rayman's origins, with a gameplay style similar to the original game.

Several features seen from early trailers and screenshot never made it into the final game. A world composed of artwork and art supplies, based on Picture City from the original Rayman game, was planned for inclusion but abandoned during the development of the game. It would have featured references to art styles such as pop art and pixel art. Other cut features include Rayman's propeller ability, which could have been used by other characters as well, such as Globox. The game was originally going to include a similar life and health system to the original game, with a life counter and a health counter. Early artwork also show Big Mama on the top of Mystical Pique rather than in the Land of the Livid Dead. Early footage also shows Lum Kings giving ax x4 multiplier rather than x2.

Originally the game would have featured more returning characters and throwbacks to older games. The writer, Gabrielle Shrager, was a fan of the series and wanted to make a coherent story based on the previous titles. Most of the plot was however scrapped later on during development.

Before the bubble mechanic was introduced for when a player dies, they would turn into ghosts. Similarly, one could still be revived by other players in this state.

The Daily Bubble

The Daily Bubble was a collection of magazine articles teasing several features and characters in Rayman Origins before its release. Several characters shown there were never used in the final game.

Mr Dark

Mr Dark was originally meant to return in Rayman Origins,[1][2][3][4] but he was scrapped from the final game and replaced with the Magician, for which the developers reused his new appearance as a Teensie, with only small modifications such as shortening his hair and removing the swirl on his nose.

Unused script

Bubble Dreamer

You know, I really like the nymphs... They're bodacious bundles of fun, but lousy cooks... Was I talking to you Sorry! You are their best recipe yet!
Bubble DreamerRayman Origins (unused script)
Glutton after my own heart (happy sigh)... I've still got heartburn since our last chow festival! You lay off the sacred plum juice I promised your Mrs... Leave some for me!
Bubble DreamerRayman Origins (unused script)
Bubble Me! Ahhh!!!!! A robo-pirate! Wait a bubble! A mechancial Teensy Lums s-guzzler if I ever saw one... Not very Eco-Logical at all!
Bubble DreamerRayman Origins (unused script)

The Magician

So, I hid a microphone in the tree to start a war! I took all your Lums to power my magnificent machines...Plus, (long snort).. I stunk at magic school... boo hoo hoo...the other kids teased me and

tried out new tricks on me...

The MagicianRayman Origins (unused script)
Let me lift a few Lums... More Lums! More Energy! Ha ha ha! Lums! Beautiful Moolah of the Glade! All mine! Mine! ha ha ha
The MagicianRayman Origins (unused script)
Stop, you are killing me! Oh man! I cannot breathe! Wait; let me get popcorn. I cannot believe you've stayed alive this long! This is great; I have not laughed this hard in weeks! You're still alive. This is way better than the movies! What! Are you, scared? Do it! Do it! Do it! You kill me. I have never laughed so hard. I needed a giggle... I needed a good laugh... Either way, you die or I get more Lums... everybody wins! Don't worry, you'll be fine... probably. You don't need those... Do not make me laugh! Ridiculous! A fool's quest! There will be no more magic when I'm done! My mechas will bring order! Ha ha ha! Grow up! Stop the silliness! Quit joking! Get serious! Bene! Grazie mille! No rest for the wicked... I mean the weary!! I always wanted to be like Mr. Dark: mysterious, dark!...um, dark and mysterious.. Ha-ha!... They ARE as dumb as they look! Try and catch me now! Ha-ha! Rayman IS as dumb as he looks!
The MagicianRayman Origins (unused script)
Oh! The bad guy! It's the magician! No! It's Mr. Dark! Oh! The bad guy! It's a Teensy! The magician, Mr. Dark, Teensy Whoever!... He's getting away!
—Unknown, Rayman Origins (unused script)
Ah ha ha! Yes. Tremble you silly creatures! Order! Reason! The very words are lost on you pea-brained peons! Boo hoo hoo. It was me. Yes. One gave me singing warts and ten-foot toenails that kept growing back...! This is the end of magic! Disappear, fairy dust! Boo! (You're always smacking each other around anyway...) To be fair, you made it easy...! (or you're very guillible) And nobody ever wanted to share my Boogers on a Stick! No worries. I'm here to help!
The MagicianRayman Origins (unused script)

By hacking the game's demo, and later the final version, a script was found, which details with unused dialogue what the game's plot was originally supposed to be. In this scrapped scenario, the Magician's real name would have been Ales Mansay (which translates to "Salesman" in Pig Latin). He was bullied and ostracized by the other Teensies at magic school for his poor magical abilities. Although he helped Rayman to overcome Mr Dark in the original game, he secretly admired the villain's dark and mysterious nature, and wanted to emulate him. He also ended up developing a hatred for the Bubble Dreamer, whose nightmares had repeatedly overcome the Glade of Dreams and were a constant threat to its inhabitants. The Magician concocted a plan. He hid a microphone in the Snoring Tree, so that the heroes' snoring would irritate and ultimately start a war with the inhabitants of the Livid Dead. Although the microphone, disguised as a flower, can still be seen in the game itself, it is never made clear who placed it there.

Throughout the game the Magician pretends that he is still a friend of the heroes, allowing him to collect Lums from them in exchange for Electoons which they can use to reach new areas. In the scrapped plot, he used these Lums to power his mechas: gigantic machines which he was building to take over the Glade of Dreams, imposing order and eliminating the chaos of the Bubble Dreamer's nightmares.

The ways of the dreamer have revealed themselves to us! You must discover what has happened to the missing royals... The clouds have become especially moody, we've never seen this nightmare before! Strange metal objects have been falling from the sky! A fakir was crushed just days ago! Electoons are the stuff of our Maker's dreams, without them we cannot fight off the nightmares for long... Hurry! Or the nightmares will worsen and the fabric of our world will unravel! We will fade like a bad dream if we do not free the Electoons more... quickly! Only Electoons can mend the fabric of the Glade... Save more!! Every Electoon we save brings us closer to ending the nightmare and saving the Glade! Bring more! The nightmare is ripping the Glade apart! Only the magical Electoons can mend the fabric of the dream.... Save more! I will contain the nightmarish forces while you save more! I'll hold off the dark dreams until you free more! Way to go team! We knew we could count on you, Ray! The master is back with us! Heed him, or get spanked!
—Unknown NymphRayman Origins (unused script)
Lums can be quite illuminating, for those who know how to use their energy... And since I do and you don't, I'd be happy to take them off your hands! I imagine he's in the throws of a bad dream again... wonder who's fault that is Ubom Nubamubo Nubarubay ubanuba... And don't forget to grab all the Lums! Gives those to someone who knows how to use them... You beat back the nightmares and crushed my dreams...but the worst is yet to come... Bubble Dreamer is yet to have his worst nightmare... It may be your worst...and last, nightmare! Relive the adventure! 'The dream continues...adventures await!
The MagicianRayman Origins (unused script)
The ways of the dreamer have revealed themselves! You may seek out the missing royalty now... The royals may fallen into the abysal depths of the troubled Dreamer! The fakirs worship them blindly! They welcome the end of magic and chant myopic mantras for a new world of reason and order! We have to get up there, but the Dreamer's Door is shut tight... We must find the members of the royal house of each land of the Glade of Dreams. Only they know the secret songs to opening them! Some dark force has captured them and we haven't seen them since. They haven't raided my fridges for weeks! Not even a single call for room service; that's not like the festive royals! Finally, we can return to the Dreamer's Door and attain the Moody Clouds... At last, we will discover the origins of the strange mechanisms that fall from the sky! We must delve into the depths of the dream, there where our Maker's moods reveal themselves..
—Unknown NymphRayman Origins (unused script)
No! No! No! Don't go in there! Wrong way! Go back! Other way! Danger, danger! If you go there, the clouds will burst in fury and strike you down! I mean it! Prepare to be bubblized!
The MagicianRayman Origins (unused script)
Have you saved my sisters? Each of us has the power to grant you a new power... You will need them on your quest to save the Glade from the nightmare creatures! The fabric of the dream is fraying... I'll hold back the nightmarish forces until you arrive! Meet you at the Rift!
BetillaRayman Origins (unused script)
Bubble me! Rayman's evil clone! My poor Electoons... The Kings are confused.. The piranhas are eating my brain... Where's Rayman when you need him... Let me lighten your load of Lums... Collect all of the precious Skull Teeth...and face your worst nightmare yet... Take that! Dirty Darktoon! I want out! Let me out! Quit drooling on me! Nymphs kick butt!
—Unknown, Rayman Origins (unused script)

It is unknown why this plot was scrapped from the final game, and all that is left of it is the posters on the walls in the Magician's headquarters, indicating that the part about him being an admirer of Mr Dark still holds true.

Developer script

In 2020, it was discovered that an update to Just Dance 2016 included an early script for Rayman Origins with the original developer notes included. The most notable new discoveries from this are the mention of an unused map, titled "Don't Shoot the Dead", which was a flying level meant to appear right before The Mamma of All Nightmares and the fact that Big Mama might have intended to be the Bubble Dreamer.

Unused levels

Two unused levels have been found in the PC version's files. Both levels are very short and without any background. The first of the two levels features a group of flying platforms and the second one a group of Lividstones. Both levels have the old exit sign textures, although not functional, and no end. They also feature a template terrain texture, known as "Basic Ground", with the distance being shown in squares of 2 square meters.

Unused subtitles

The files from the PlayStation Vita version show unused subtitles for the origin cutscenes which are unlocked by finding relics.

They say Rayman was once as bald as a full moon on Rayday.

And Raynette loved him that way.

Meanwhile, the Mini-Villi set out in search of their promised land.

After centuries of wandering, desperate and delirious...

They came upon a snoozing couple...

A glorious sun rose over a land of perfect proportions...

‘Eureka!' said the mini-villus mini-king upon discovering Ray's shiny egg-head...

‘Home at last!!' cried the Mini-Villi, who threw down their bags and took root right then and there.

The Mini-Villi threw down their bags and took root then and there.

‘Eeek!' shrieked Raynette at the unsightly ‘do...

‘Ahhhh!' screamed Ray at the mini-invasion...

N/A

Running Rayman right over a cliff.

To his doom.

Or not. ‘Phew!', sighed Ray.

‘Your welcome!' replied the Mini-Villi, as Rayman glided into the sunset with Glade's best head of hair.

—Cutscene subtitles, Rayman Origins (unused)
One day, the ever-insatiable young Globox was stuffing himself silly with the delectable fruit of the blubue buberruby bubush.

Little did he know that his buffet was home to a venomous blubue bubeastubie...

... and the bubeastubie wasn't giving up its eye without a fight!

Finally, greedy Globox just went ahead and popped the whole bubeastubie down his gullet.

As he soon discovered, blubue bubeastubies tend to travel in swarms...

Singularly savage swarms, at that.

The blubue bubeastubie's buddies finally cornered the Shubamuban and really let him have it.

Poor Globox stumbled home covered in nasty bubeastubie buboils.

The buboils healed, but the damage was done. The bubeastubie venom had turned young Globox a permanent shade of blue, and the magic peoples learned a valuable lesson: Always beat a buberruby bubush before stuffing ones belly...

—Cutscene subtitles, Rayman Origins (unused)

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