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Frogger (1997)

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Title Screen

Frogger

Also known as: Frogger: He's Back! (NA cover)
Developer: SCE Cambridge Studio[1]
Publisher: Hasbro Interactive[1]
Platforms: PlayStation, Windows
Released in JP: May 28, 1998[1]
Released in US: September 30, 1997[1]
Released in EU: November 1997[1]


AnimationsIcon.png This game has unused animations.
AreasIcon.png This game has unused areas.
CodeIcon.png This game has unused code.
DevTextIcon.png This game has hidden development-related text.
EnemyIcon.png This game has unused enemies.
GraphicsIcon.png This game has unused graphics.
ModelsIcon.png This game has unused models.
MusicIcon.png This game has unused music.
SoundIcon.png This game has unused sounds.
TextIcon.png This game has unused text.
DebugIcon.png This game has debugging material.
RegionIcon.png This game has regional differences.


ProtoIcon.png This game has a prototype article
PrereleaseIcon.png This game has a prerelease article

Frogger, he's back! Also pretty much the last classic-style Frogger game until Frogger Returns and Frogger: Hyper Arcade Edition (and either the best or worst depending on who you ask). It is also absolutely brutal in difficulty, especially when compared to its immediate sequel.

Hmmm...
To do:
Document unused code / debug features. Further explore prototype differences. Document the differences between _WIN95 and normal. (Assets and gameplay other things like menus) Document the raccoon's unused animations, and the fact that it uses the walk animation underwater. (Also check out assets. Talk about Environment Polys (Green Balloon) Document version differences further. Explore the Japanese PSX demo, it has a bunch of unique changes. (Discord: 6/28/2021, #frogger-general).

Sub-Pages

Read about prototype versions of this game that have been released or dumped.
Prototype Info
Read about prerelease information and/or media for this game.
Prerelease Info


Frogger1997-june2psx-GlowWorm.png
Powerups
Did someone order phallic imagery? No?

Unused Music

This track has no identified name, but the game's source code suggests it was for the cut Ruins Zone.

This track originally was meant to play when the jungle zone was completed. Because the credits play when you complete the jungle zone, this track goes unused.

Unused Palette Files

The PC version contains a .PAL (Color Palette) file for each level, along with a palette named "OPTIONS.PAL". These files are believed to be unused because if they are corrupted, there are no visible changes.

Unused Graphics

Unused Demos

Hmmm...
To do:
There are many demos in prototype builds, most are not interesting. Perhaps all of the interesting ones can be recorded.

Tropical Trouble and Frogger Goes Skiing have some unused demos. They can be seen in the video.

Unused Sounds

Filename Sound Filename Sound Filename Sound
CAV_BAT
CAV_FROG_SLIDE
CAV_LAVADROP_BUBBLE
CAV_LAVADROP_FLOORHIT
CAV_ROCKFALLFLOOR
CAV_ROPEBRIDGE01
CAV_ROPEBRIDGE02
CAV_SLIME
CAV_SNAIL_MOVE
CAV_SNAIL_SLIME
DES_EARTHQUAKE
DES_HOLE02
DES_ROCK_ROLL
DES_SANDSTORM
FOR_SWAN_CALL
FOR_SWAN_CALL_FRENZIED
GEN_FROG_FALL1
IND_METAL_SMASH
IND_STREAM_JET3
JUN_BIRD_CALL
JUN_BIRD_CALL_FRENIZED
JUN_BIRD_WING
JUN_BIRD_WING_FRENIZED
JUN_BITE_SWALLOW
JUN_FROG_CROC_MUNCH
ORG_LORRY_HORN01
SKY_BIPLANE_BANNER1
SKY_BIRD_SMALL1
SKY_CROW_CALL_FRENZIED
SKY_FLOCKING1
SKY_GOOSE_CALL
SKY_GOOSE_CALL_FRENZIED
SKY_HAWK_DIVE
SKY_JET1
SUB_DOG_GROWL
SUB_LORRY_HORN01
SUB_LORRY_HORN02
SWP_BIRD_WING_FRENZIED
SWP_CRUMPLE
SWP_NOISY_WATER
SWP_SLIPPING
SWP_STAT_MARSH
SWP_STAT_PIPE_HOLE
SEL_CANCEL
SEL_HI_SCORE_COUNT
SEL_HI_SCORE_COUNT0
SEL_SCORE_FINISH

Unused Models

Unused Animations


Developer Levels

Hmmm...
To do:
Record footage of ISLAND.MAP in an early prototype build since they contain original texture mapping and entity code. Also let's improve the descriptions here to back up the claims.

ISLAND.MAP

This file was found in the PSX build. It was created by developer Tim Closs, it was used to test many different things.

One of the main things it was used to test was movement and slopes.

It contains a mud-pit which causes the player to bounce. This behavior is not seen in the retail game.

The map is very unpolished, with lots of holes in the collision grid and outdated textures.

QB.MAP

This odd unused map is likely designed and named after QBert.

The map has no textures, only vertex coloring.

Words cannot describe how strange this map is.

Hidden Developer Comment

In each map file, the comment is:

Maybe this time it'll all work fine...

Out of Bounds Models

Retro Level 5

Frogger-org5-crockhead.png

This model matches the crocodile head model used as an enemy in this zone. However, this is part of the level geometry.

Honey Bee Hollow

Frogger-ForrestStumpHiding.png

The entity that blocks the line of sight of bee swarms, FOR_STAT_TREESTUMP, uses this single-polygon model, which goes otherwise unseen due to these entities being placed underneath the level geometry.

Bang Bang Barrel

Frogger-swp1-flag.png<

This flag looks identical to the flags used in the multiplayer stages as checkpoints. However, it is part of the level geometry, and not animated.

Boom Boom Barrel

Frogger-swp4-box.png

This box model was accidentally put into the map instead of the entity it represents. The entity that was supposed to be placed here would kill Frogger when he touched it, and not display in-game. However, the 3D model was placed there instead.

Unpublished Cheats

Originally, several cheats were published on the Frogger website. Additionally, there is an extra cheat which was not published.

PC: NO MORE TIMEOUT DEATHS PLEASE

When the timer reaches 0, it will remain at zero, but the player will continue playing as normal instead of dying.

It is unknown why this cheat-code was not published.

Build Date

FROGPSX.MWD contains all game files, along with its build date. Some early builds such as the Windows version of Milestone 3 has loose game's files instead of being in one whole MWD archive. The build date can't be found in the files, but instead it's based off of the build's disc creation date.

Version Platform Date
Gold Disc (Milestone 3) Windows Creation Date: Wednesday, 19th March 1997

Creation Time: 02:59:02

PlayStation (NTSC) Creation Date: Wednesday, 19th March 1997

Creation Time: 12:40:46

Gold Disc (Sony Preview) PlayStation (NTSC) Creation Date: Monday, 28th April 1997

Creation Time: 10:32:46

Gold Disc (Alpha Build) PlayStation (NTSC) Creation Date: Monday, 2nd June 1997

Creation Time: 17:13:54

Gold Disc (E3 Build) PlayStation (NTSC) Creation Date: Thursday, 12th June 1997

Creation Time: 20:46:32

Gold Disc (Updated E3 Build) PlayStation (NTSC) Creation Date: Friday, 13th June 1997

Creation Time: 12:44:01

Gold Disc (Build 1) PlayStation (PAL) Creation Date: Thursday, 19th June 1997

Creation Time: 21:41:12

Gold Disc (Windows 95 Alpha) Windows Creation Date: Sunday, 29th June 1997

Creation Time: 21:12:19

Gold Disc (Build 2) PlayStation (NTSC) Creation Date: Thursday, 3rd July 1997

Creation Time: 09:51:51

Gold Disc (Build 4) PlayStation (NTSC) Creation Date: Thursday, 3rd July 1997

Creation Time: 14:55:28

Gold Disc (Build 6) PlayStation (NTSC) Creation Date: Friday, 11th July 1997

Creation Time: 15:44:11

Gold Disc (Build 7) PlayStation (NTSC) Creation Date: Sunday, 13th July 1997

Creation Time: 18:23:54

Gold Disc (Build 8) PlayStation (NTSC) Creation Date: Monday, 14th July 1997

Creation Time: 15:27:39

Gold Disc (Build 11) PlayStation (NTSC) Creation Date: Thursday, 17th July 1997

Creation Time: 17:12:03

Gold Disc (Chris Down Press Disc) Windows Creation Date: Monday, 21st July 1997

Creation Time: 12:58:53

Gold Disc (Build 17) PlayStation (NTSC) Creation Date: Monday, 28th July 1997

Creation Time: 21:22:57

Gold Disc (Build 18) PlayStation (NTSC) Creation Date: Tuesday, 29th July 1997

Creation Time: 16:04:30

Gold Disc (Build 19) PlayStation (NTSC) Creation Date: Wednesday, 30th July 1997

Creation Time: 20:33:36

Gold Disc (Build 20) PlayStation (NTSC) Creation Date: Thursday, 31st July 1997

Creation Time: 13:41:15

PlayStation (PAL) Creation Date: Thursday, 31st July 1997

Creation Time: 14:28:52

Gold Disc (Build 21) PlayStation (NTSC) Creation Date: Monday, 4th August 1997

Creation Time: 14:17:23

Gold Disc (Build 22) PlayStation (NTSC) Creation Date: Tuesday, 5th August 1997

Creation Time: 21:41:04

Gold Disc (Build 23) PlayStation (NTSC) Creation Date: Wednesday, 6th August 1997

Creation Time: 15:02:53

Gold Disc (Build 24) PlayStation (PAL) Creation Date: Monday, 11th August 1997

Creation Time: 18:52:32

Gold Disc (Build 25) PlayStation (PAL) Creation Date: Tuesday, 12th August 1997

Creation Time: 12:42:24

Gold Disc (Build 26) PlayStation (PAL) Creation Date: Tuesday, 12th August 1997

Creation Time: 15:19:39

Gold Disc (Build 27) PlayStation (PAL) Creation Date: Thursday, 14th August 1997

Creation Time: 20:15:25

Gold Disc (Build 28) PlayStation (NTSC) Creation Date: Friday, 15th August 1997

Creation Time: 16:02:45

Gold Disc (Build 29) PlayStation (NTSC) Creation Date: Sunday, 17th August 1997

Creation Time: 14:37:51

Gold Disc (Build 30) PlayStation (NTSC) Creation Date: Tuesday, 19th August 1997

Creation Time: 09:00:18

Gold Disc (Build 31) PlayStation (NTSC) Creation Date: Wednesday, 20th August 1997

Creation Time: 08:23:14

Gold Disc (Build 32) PlayStation (NTSC) Creation Date: Wednesday, 20th August 1997

Creation Time: 21:04:48

Gold Disc (Build 33) PlayStation (NTSC) Creation Date: Thursday, 21st August 1997

Creation Time: 18:43:20

Gold Disc (Build 34) PlayStation (NTSC) Creation Date: Friday, 22nd August 1997

Creation Time: 12:11:01

Gold Disc (Build 35) PlayStation (NTSC) Creation Date: Saturday, 23rd August 1997

Creation Time: 11:58:55

Gold Disc (Build 36) PlayStation (NTSC) Creation Date: Sunday, 24th August 1997

Creation Time: 13:02:27

Gold Disc (Build 37) PlayStation (NTSC) Creation Date: Monday, 25th August 1997

Creation Time: 15:05:57

Gold Disc (Build 38) PlayStation (NTSC) Creation Date: Tuesday, 26th August 1997

Creation Time: 09:49:02

Gold Disc (Build 39) PlayStation (PAL) Creation Date: Tuesday, 26th August 1997

Creation Time: 20:23:37

Gold Disc (Build 40) PlayStation (NTSC) Creation Date: Thursday, 28th August 1997

Creation Time: 09:45:05

Gold Disc (Build 41) PlayStation (NTSC) Creation Date: Thursday, 28th August 1997

Creation Time: 18:46:41

Gold Disc (Build 42) PlayStation (NTSC) Creation Date: Friday, 29th August 1997

Creation Time: 10:06:15

Gold Disc (Build 43) PlayStation (PAL) Creation Date: Saturday, 30th August 1997

Creation Time: 18:16:22

Gold Disc (Build 46) PlayStation (PAL) Creation Date: Monday, 1st September 1997

Creation Time: 15:22:44

Gold Disc (Build 47) PlayStation (NTSC) Creation Date: Tuesday, 2nd September 1997

Creation Time: 10:21:48

Gold Disc (Build 49) PlayStation (NTSC) Creation Date: Wednesday, 3rd September 1997

Creation Time: 13:21:31

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Demo Disc 04 PlayStation (NTSC) Creation Date: Wednesday, 3rd September 1997

Creation Time: 14:04:22

Windows 95 Prototype (#1) Windows Creation Date: Wednesday, 3rd September 1997

Creation Time: 16:32:42

Gold Disc (Build 50/50b) PlayStation (NTSC) Creation Date: Thursday, 4th September 1997

Creation Time: 11:23:19

Gold Disc (Build 52) PlayStation (NTSC) Creation Date: Friday, 5th September 1997

Creation Time: 17:26:21

Gold Disc (Build 53/54) PlayStation (NTSC) Creation Date: Saturday, 6th September 1997

Creation Time: 18:03:06

Gold Disc (Build 55) PlayStation (NTSC) Creation Date: Tuesday, 9th September 1997

Creation Time: 10:23:00

Gold Disc (Build 56) PlayStation (NTSC) Creation Date: Wednesday, 10th September 1997

Creation Time: 16:11:07

Gold Disc (Build 57) PlayStation (NTSC) Creation Date: Friday, 12th September 1997

Creation Time: 10:04:48

Gold Disc (Build 58) PlayStation (NTSC) Creation Date: Friday, 12th September 1997

Creation Time: 19:08:26

Gold Disc (Build 59) PlayStation (NTSC) Creation Date: Saturday, 13th September 1997

Creation Time: 19:53:01

Euro Demo 28 PlayStation (PAL) Creation Date: Monday, 15th September 1997

Creation Time: 13:22:10

Gold Disc (Build 60) PlayStation (NTSC) Creation Date: Tuesday, 16th September 1997

Creation Time: 14:45:41

Gold Disc (Build 61) PlayStation (NTSC) Creation Date: Tuesday, 16th September 1997

Creation Time: 16:46:30

Gold Disc (Build 62) PlayStation (NTSC) Creation Date: Tuesday, 16th September 1997

Creation Time: 22:06:46

Gold Disc (Build 63) PlayStation (NTSC) Creation Date: Thursday, 18th September 1997

Creation Time: 09:36:55

Gold Disc (Build 65) PlayStation (NTSC) Creation Date: Friday, 19th September 1997

Creation Time: 11:14:14

Gold Disc (Build 66) PlayStation (NTSC) Creation Date: Friday, 19th September 1997

Creation Time: 19:14:04

Gold Disc (Build 67) PlayStation (NTSC) Creation Date: Sunday, 21st September 1997

Creation Time: 20:43:35

Gold Disc (Build 68) PlayStation (NTSC) Creation Date: Monday, 22nd September 1997

Creation Time: 09:53:27

Gold Disc (Build 69) PlayStation (NTSC) Creation Date: Monday, 22nd September 1997

Creation Time: 17:36:48

Gold Disc (Build 70) PlayStation (NTSC) Creation Date: Monday, 22nd September 1997

Creation Time: 19:44:27

Retail Release (SLUS-00506) PlayStation (US) Creation Date: Tuesday, 23rd September 1997

Creation Time: 13:03:52

Retail Release (SLES-00704) PlayStation (EU) Creation Date: Sunday, 28th September 1997

Creation Time: 13:05:47

Retail Release (SLPS-01399) PlayStation (JP) Creation Date: Tuesday, 7th April 1998

Creation Time: 09:22:34

Taikenban Disc (SLPM-80241) PlayStation (JP) Creation Date: Tuesday, 7th April 1998

Creation Time: 12:59:11

Retail Release (Build v1.0) Windows Creation Date: Saturday, 15th November 1997

Creation Time: 20:19:27

Retail Release (Build v3.0) Windows Creation Date: Wednesday, 19th November 1997

Creation Time: 18:07:31

Australian PC User March 1998 Windows Creation Date: Wednesday, 17th December 1997

Creation Time: 15:18:30

Debug Text

PlayStation (US)

The file SLUS_005.06 on the PlayStation (US) version of the game contains debug text.

...
...
...

[
  "----------------\n"
  "%jcFROGGER"
  "%jcCOMPILED: 13:01"
  "%jcBUILD: 71"
  "%jc23/09/97"
  "----------------\n"
]; This build information changed during development, and this was shown upon booting the game on debug builds. Unsure what %jc stood for. One guess is that it centered the text and added a newline character.

[
 "----------------\n"
 "Heap: %ld Kb\n"
 " Bss: %ld Kb\n"
 "Data: %ld Kb\n"
 "Code: %ld Kb\n"
 "Version: 59\n"
 "----------------\n"
]; While technically, used, the user will never see this. After initialization, the PSX version calls printf with this text. 

Stream_next_frame: Size change - ABORT   ; An error message for trying to play an invalid STR file.
Stream_sync: Timeout in decoding         ; An error message for failing to play a STR.
Stream_open_file: Find Failure: %s       ; An error message for failing to find the STR file specified.
Stream_open_file: Seek Failure:%s        ; An error message saying the CD blocking control method failed.

%jcRECORDING DEMO       ; This flashes on the screen while the user is recording a demo. Potentially in the future we'll be able to get a video of this.
GAME_MULTI_COMPLETE     ; If memory allocation for multiplayer completion data fails, this message will be displayed on-screen in debug mode.
Game outro data         ; Allocation failure message for "JUN_OUTRO_DATA" struct.
game over multiplayer   ; Allocation failure message for "GAME_OVER_MULTIPLAYER" struct. (Contains data showing results / who won.)


ENTITY ROOT
Water wibble vertices buffer
Water wibble vertices
Water wibble distances
Map poly groups
Map poly nodes
SKY LAND VERTICES
SKY LAND QUADS
POLY_GROUP_PRIMS
LIVE ENTITY
ENTITY SPECIALS
FROG POLY PIECE POP
CHKPOINT PTR
FROG POLY PIECE POP
PATH RUNNER
HUD score background polys
HUD TIMER BAR POLYS
HUD CHECKPOINT 2DSPRITE 
SHADOW EFFECT
SIGHTS EFFECT
TRAIL EFFECT
TONGUE EFFECT
TRA_TRIS
POLY PIECES
LEVELMOFS
Select BG polys
FROG ANIM HEADER CONSTRUCTION
HS water points ; HS stands for high-score.
HS riverbed points
HS water prims
HS riverbed prims
HS matrices 4
HS matrices 3
FROG POLY PIECE POP
LS matrices ; LS stands for level select.
; The above chunk are all further examples of allocation failure messages. 

MRAllocMem(%ld, '%s') failed ; This takes the above messages, and displays them.

Retry file: %s       ; XA Audio File lookup failed.
File: %s (%d bytes)  ; XA Audio File was found, and has a particular length.
Start = %d, End = %d ; Reading audio from the given offsets.

%jcTOO MANY POLYGONS ; This message would display if there were too many polygons to render.
%jcCHECKPOINTS COLLECTED ; Removed developer cheat to complete the level.
%jcGOLDFROG COLLECTED    ; Removed developer cheat to capture the golden frog of the level.

[
  "%jc3.DMA  1:11 32345678"
  "%jc2.DMA  1:11 22345678" 
  "%jc1.DMA 0000000000:00s"
]; Dummy level high-score data. Overriden / shown when a level is chosen from the stack.

Internal API Version 1.40 (c)1997 SCEE    ; Information about Millenium Interactive's Engine. The PC version is running 1.43.

MR_MFIXDMRInitialiseResources: No filename information available in .MWI; Used if there was a need for file names, but this was the PSX build, which doesn't include file names in the MWI. (File names were included in the PC version because it made it possible for map designers to load maps directly from disk instead of having to build a new game archive to test every change.)

Failure to load PC file: %s ; If opening a file on disc fails (A debug-only feature), this message will be used.
Failure to save PC file: %s ; Part of the debug-only file-saving method. This is the message used if the file-system fails to create a file for whatever reason.

...
...
...

Regional Differences

There are quite a few differences between the different versions.

  • The Japanese PSX release has a setting option where you could start the game with their selected lives (3, 5, 7).
International Japan
Frogger(1997) MainMenu.png Frogger(1997) JapaneseMainMenu.png
  • The Japanese PSX release uses a different font for the text and the menu selection was wider. and it also swapped the button icons to "O" and "X"
International Japan
Frogger(1997) OptionsMenu.png Frogger(1997) JapaneseOptionsMenu.png
  • In the Japanese PSX version, the Music and Sound volume were located in the sound options menu, as well as the save and load option and high scores are located in the respective options menus.
  • It also has a difficulty selection (easy, hard). Easy mode disables timeout deaths.
  • The PC version starts the player with 5 lives, while all of the other PS1 versions start the player with 3 lives.
  • The US PSX version runs at 30FPS, but all other known versions of the game (besides the prototype) run at 25FPS, including the PC version.
  • Playstation versions have a short drum beat which plays when loading a map, but this doesn't play on the PC version.
  • Various sounds are pitched differently on PC than they are on PSX. It might be due to the framerate differing, but this has not been confirmed.
  • Bugs have a slight glow around them in the PSX versions, however on the PC version there's a "bubble" sprite.

References