Dark Cloud

Dark Cloud
Developer: Level-5 Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment Platform: PlayStation 2 Released in JP: December 14, 2000 Released in US: May 28, 2001 Released in EU: September 21, 2001 This game has unused areas. This game has unused graphics. This game has unused items. This game has unused text. This game has debugging material. This game has a hidden sound test. This game has a hidden level select. This game has regional differences.

Dark Cloud is a mixture of dungeon crawling with Zelda-like gameplay with weapon-breaking mechanics and has a town building simulator.

To do: Document the debug enabled version. Cover debug menu options and search for unused levels. Check to see if Flapping Duster properly appears in the PAL version. Cover several other dummied out items. Make a comprehensive list of monsters/items that only appear through exploring the Demon Shaft.

Debug Modes

Applying the below codes for your version of the game will enable the debug options in the below sections.

Master Codes (only needed for cheat devices):

USA / PAL	JP / JP Demo
90116A20 0C045A30	901163D8 0C04589E

Run-time debug menu codes:

USA	PAL	JP	JP Demo (PAPX-90501)
00141A48 00000007 201412E0 10000005	0014198C 00000007 20141208 10000005	001410D0 00000007 20140A28 10000005	00141138 00000007 20140A28 10000005

Dungeon debug menu codes:

USA	PAL	JP	JP Demo (PAPX-90501)
D1C749C2 0000FFFD 202A35EC 000000DC	D1C772C2 0000FFFD 202A5F0C 000000DC	D1C56F02 0000FFFD 20286360 000000DC	D1C56C82 0000FFFD 202860E0 000000DC

Item debug menu codes:

USA	PAL	JP	JP Demo (PAPX-90501)
D1C749C2 0000FFF7 11D9EC08 00000005	D1C772C2 0000FFF7 11DB1D78 00000005	D1C56F02 0000FFF7 21DB2558 00000004	D1C56C82 0000FFF7 21DB22D8 00000004

The following debug options only work outside of dungeons.

Press L3 for debug camera codes:

USA	PAL	JP	JP Demo (PAPX-90501)
D1C749C2 0000FFFD 202A2730 00000001	D1C772C2 0000FFFD 202A5040 00000001	D1C56F02 0000FFFD 20285508 00000001	D1C56C82 0000FFF7 21DB22D8 00000004

Press X for debug levitate codes:

USA	PAL	JP	JP Demo (PAPX-90501)
202A273C 00000001	202A504C 00000001	20285514 00000001	20285294 00000001

Disable HUD codes:

USA	PAL	JP	JP Demo (PAPX-90501)
202A2734 00000001	202A5044 00000001	2028550C 00000001	2028528C 00000001

Hide player model codes:

USA	PAL	JP	JP Demo (PAPX-90501)
202A2738 00000001	202A5048 00000001	20285510 00000001	20285290 00000001

(Source: Original TCRF research)

Run-time Debug Menu

This menu will appear when first starting the game. This enables you to view events, jump to any map, enter dungeons, change the language of the game, or simply start the game normally.

The option, interior doesn't work on the international versions as it is trying to load a map with the ID of 0x63 that's not on the disc anymore. This is only present on the original Japanese release version of the game. Entering this option will send you to an unused map which you cannot exit. When forcefully removing the debug menu so you can exit, it will load nothing and send you to a blank void.

Dungeon Debug Menu

Pressing L3 in a dungeon map will enable the use of this menu. This enables the ability to turn on debug information, turn off collision, fully open the mini-map, and more. You can also listen to music and sounds. Press R3 to exit the menu.

• Turning the COLLISION option off will allow you to pass through walls. You can also hold Square in this mode to increase running speed.

Item Debug Menu

Press Start button while in the item menu to enable this. This enables you to instantly obtain any item.

Pressing Select here will either enable debug information, or allow you to view the item model. Using the Right Analog Stick will rotate the model. It is best not to press Select in this menu at all, as it will likely make the game crash at some point.

Debug Camera

This can only be used outside of dungeons. Press L3 to enable it. Once in this mode, pressing D-Pad Up / Down as well as the Right Analog Stick will move the camera.

Event Debug Camera

A debug camera option made exclusively for event scenes. This allows you to move the camera anywhere as well as move characters around on the map.

USA Code:

L3 to Enable Debug Camera. R3 to Disable.
20170250 00000000
D1C749C2 0000FFFD
002A2A28 00000001
D1C749C2 0000FFFD
202A1F24 00000001
D1C749C2 0000FFFB
002A2A28 00000000
D1C749C2 0000FFFB
202A1F24 00000000

Controls:

• L1 pans left.
• R1 pans right.
• D-Pad Up once to enter character placement mode. Pressing D-Pad Up again will allow you to change the camera focus point. Pressing D-Pad Up once more will return to free camera mode.
• D-Pad Left / Right to cycle through selectable objects in character placement mode.
• Triangle to center camera on the currently selected object.
• Hold X to increase camera speed.
• Hold Square to increase selected object speed.
• Select will try to open a file called debug.txt from host0:debug.txt which doesn't exist.

(Source: Original TCRF research)

Dark Cloud Debug Build

This video demonstrates in detail the contents found within the Dark Cloud Debug Build and it's debug contents. Link to the video detailing the Debug Build

Alternate Character Names

@201
 "TORAN"
A Young Boy who has the unique
ability to extract 
"fragments of the world".
@202
 "TORO"
Training to be hunter,Toro lives
in the Village of Mataragi.
@203
 "SEIDE"
A mysterious warrior with a ma-
gic sword.He has an extreme ap-
preciation for the God of Magic.
@204
 "RUBY"
A sorceress imprisoned inside
a lamp.Her magic is very power-
ful.
@205
 "UN-GARA"
A strong warrior of the desert
people.Has the power to control
the winds.
@206
 "SHIAO"
A young girl magically trans-
formed from a cat to a human be-
ing.She has the ability to 
change back into a cat.

One of the txt files in the game's DATA.DAT archive contains the names and descriptions of several main characters. Several names differ substantially from the final names seen in-game:

• TORAN became Toan.
• TORO became Goro.
• SEIDE became Seda.
• UN-GARA became Ungaga.
• SHIAO became Xiao.

Additionally, Seide's description refers to a "God of Magic", which is never referenced in-game. As several press outlets also referred to Toan as Toran prior to the game's release, these names are likely a result of a then-incomplete localization, rather than being typos.

Unused Character Portraits

Some unused character portraits are left over in the game's data. Notably, an earlier portrait of Ruby showcasing a previous design, a cat form for Xiao, and a portrait for Seda; who was later replaced with Osmond.

(Source: [[1]])

Prototype Georama Menu

An early Georama menu that was leftover on the game's disc.

Leftover Georama Elements

A cactus can be found in the Norune Village's Georama tileset, which implies that you were able to place cacti down.

Unused Village Icons

Within the game's files there are several village title cards that go unused:

Unused text for scrapped weapon icons

In the game's files is unused text that describes two weapon stats that went unused they are as follows:

Growth +1 Growth +2 Growth +3

Obtain greater experience by attaching to a weapon.

Luck +1 Luck +2 Luck +3

Increase luck by attaching to weapon.

Unused weapon icons

When going through the game files an unused weapon attachment icon can be found. It appears to be an insect buster or anti-insect as it is in the form of a bee. This implies that there was once a weapon stat to defend against insect enemies.

Unused Items

There are many unused items that are left in Dark Cloud’s files, the game lists them as follows:

• Medusa Powder: Petrifies Enemies for a while.
• Hardening Powder: Can harden a bottomless marsh.
• Powder of Teleportation: Lets you teleport to a different location on the same floor.
• Early design Fishing Rod.
• Worm Fishing Rod.
• Prickley Fishing Rod.
• Pedometer: Counts Every Step.
• Save Book: Allows you to save when moving to another floor.
• Early design Pedometer.
• Early design Save Book.
• Magical Lamp: A Lamp for summoning Ruby the Genie.
• Unknown.
• Shell Ring: A memento of Rando and the Queen.
• Early Fire Crystal Design: Stone with the power of Fire. Causes flame-based damage in dungeon.
• Early Thunder Crystal Design: Stone with the power of Thunder. Causes thunder-based damage in dungeon.
• Early Ice Crystal Design: Stone with the power of ice. Causes ice-based damage in dungeon.
• Early Wind Crystal Design: Stone with the power of wind. Causes wind-based damage in dungeon.
• Dran’s Horn: Lets you ride on Dran to another map.
• Moon Flute: A flute that can call the moon boat.
• Early Gourd design.
• Unused Spirit Water: Water from the Spring of the Spirit. Fully quenches your thirst.
• Healing Water: Water from Miraculous Peaks. Recovers your body.
• Siren's Tear: Fully recovers your body.
• Early Design for Queens Hook: Gatekey.
• Early Design for King’s Slate: Gatekey.
• Unused Gold Statue: Gatekey.
• Unused Flame Key: Gatekey.
• Unused Flame Dungeon Key.
• Unused Flame Backfloor Item.
• Early Design for Flapping Fish: Backfloor Item in Shipwreck.
• Early Design for Rotten Flapping Fish: Yuck, it’s rotten!
• Early Design for Sun and Moon Temple Dungeon Key.
• Unused World Map: Use to teleport to new areas.
• Early Design for Water.
• Unknown.

(Source: [[2]])

Unused Enemies

This lizard/dragon enemy was found only in the Japanese version of Dark Cloud within it's files and goes unused. The animations of this enemy has yet to be found or deleted entirely. This monster's model could be found amongst the enemies for Norune Village. It's unknown what this enemy was planned to do, or where it would have been found, though it is speculated it may have been a part of the scrapped Fire dungeon.

Inaccessible Area

The Flapping Duster, the back floor key for the Gallery of Time, is unobtainable through normal gameplay in the US and European versions. This renders the Gallery of Time's back floor entirely inaccessible without the use of cheating devices. Romhacks do exist for the US and European versions that restores the working behavior of the Flapping Duster from the Japanese version of the game, which then allows the player's access to the Gallery of Time's back floor.

Regional Differences

The Demon Shaft is a 100-floor dungeon that is unlocked after completing the main story or starting a new game with a completed game save on the same memory card. This dungeon is exclusive to the US and European releases. This exclusivity extends to all monsters, bosses, items as well as boss monster that only appear in the Demon Shaft.