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).

Rayman 2 underwent a bunch of changes during its development, most which have been found through hacking and from old trailers.

Rayman's Training

Main article: Rayman's Training

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

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, along with characters like the Hunter making an appearance. 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. This came at a worrying revelation, however; the short has no copies known to be online, and is assumed to be lost media.

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 names

Below is a list of all of the currently known early names for levels, locations and characters.

• The Technical Check-up - originally the Emission Control station
• The Teensies - originally Smallbeeings
• Polokus - originally Polochus
• 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

Early plot

In early versions of the story from various sources, there are mentions of an interglactic circus or zoo as one of the main elements of the plot:

• 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".
• 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.
• 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.

Ubisoft Press Kit (1998)

Screenshots

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Ubisoft Press Kit (1999)

• 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 2 Press Kit

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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.

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 Ssssam

Ssssam was originally meant to be metallic.

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  An early, more metallic version of Ssssam.
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  The unused textures applied on a 3D mesh. The model itself is an unofficial recreation.

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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  Storyboard for opening cinematic.
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  Rayman saves Clark in the Menhir Hills.
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  The Menhir Hills' ending.
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  Rayman's final encounter with Razorbeard.
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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.
• The same concept with off angle and readable text, click for translation.
  The same concept with off angle and readable text, click for translation.
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Demo

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

The pause menu in the demo.

Demo 1

Demo 2

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

Differences from Rayman 2

• 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".

Early dialogue

Main article: 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.

Screenshots and artwork

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

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• File:WhaleBay3.png
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Magazine scans

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  GamePro Issue 110 September 1998.

External links

• Rayman Revolution trailer
• Rayman 2 trailer
• Rayman 2 trailer
• Rayman 2 trailer
• Rayman 2 trailer
• Rayman 2 interview
• Royal V music video
• Video showcasing all unused content from Rayman 2
• A playlist of IGN's Rayman 2 early and late prototype gameplay