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Prerelease:Day of the Tentacle/Item Differences

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This is a sub-page of Prerelease:Day of the Tentacle.

Removed Items

The original design document[1] mentions several inventory items that didn't make it to the finished game. Most of them had their functionality replaced by something else (such as the Dentures replacing the Wax Lips), but some of them simply ended up with no use at all as puzzle designs changed.

Tupperware Container

The Tupperware Container would have been found in a cupboard in the Kitchen (presumably in the Present). It would have been used to safely transport the Contract through time.

Bird Bath

The Bird Bath still exists in the finished game, but it can't be picked up and even gets destroyed during the course of gameplay. It was going to be used to trap the Chattering Teeth, rather than the conveniently placed Grating in the finished game.

Something Sticky

The player would possibly be required to put something sticky or viscous in the Bird Bath, like jello, to further impede the rampaging Teeth.

Another Hamster

There was going to be two Hamsters in the game. One in Weird Ed's room (as in the finished game), and one running on the Generator in the Secret Lab in the Present.

Jail Keys

There is no information about the Keys, other than that they would have been used to unlock a jail cell. Their functionality was replaced by the Switch which disables the Forcefield in the finished game.

Bag-O-Laughter

The laugh in the Human show was going to be provided by a Bag-O-Laughter found somewhere in the Present.

Wax Lips

The teeth in the Human Show were going to be Wax Lips found somewhere in the Present.

Tentacle Styling Gel

The Tentacle Styling Gel would be available in the Building Superintendant's room. It would have been used to style the Silly String for the Human show, in conjunction with a Comb.

Comb

There is no information about the Comb, other than that it would be used to style the Silly String for the Human Show, in conjunction with the Tentacle Styling Gel.

Silly String

The "hair" in the Human Show was going to be Silly String rather than Spaghetti. It would have been styled with Tentacle Styling Gel and a Comb, rather than the Fork. Concept art of Dead Cousin Ted shows him wearing the Wax Lips and what appears to be the styled Silly String hair[2].

Dott pre ted lips hair.png

Item Differences

Some items had their functionality changed a little during development.

Lab Coat

The Lab Coat could seemingly be flushed to other characters at some earlier point in development, as seen on a screenshot in the July 1993 issue of Video Games and Computer Entertainment magazine[3] which shows it in Bernard's inventory. In the finished game, this item is only available in the Past, where Hoagie is trapped.

Dott pre bernardlabcoat.png

Videotape

The Videotape could seemingly be flushed to other characters at some earlier point in development, as seen on a screenshot on the back of the game box[4] which shows it in Hoagie's inventory. In the finished game, this item is only available in the Present, where Bernard is trapped.

Dott pre hoagievhs.png

Dinner Certificate

The Dinner Certificate could seemingly be flushed to other characters at some earlier point in development, as seen on a screenshot on the back of the game box[4][5] which shows it in Bernard's inventory. In the finished game, this item is only available in the Future, where Laverne is trapped.

Dott pre conventionhall.png

Human Chart

The Human Chart on the wall in Doctor Tentacle's Office could originally be picked up, as seen in a pre-release screenshot of the game in Lucasarts Adventurer Magazine Issue 5[6], and on a monitor in some Consumer Electronics Show (1993) footage[7]. There is still a Boot Parameter present in the finished game that starts the player with a useless version of this item, with no inventory icon.

Adventurer Magazine Scan CES Video Screenshot Zoomed In CES Video Screenshot
Dott-human-chart-icon.png Dott pre ces humanchart.png Dott pre ces humanchart clearer.png

References

  1. Maniac Mansion 2: Day of the Tentacle Design Document - wilmunder.com, Feb. 24th, 1992
  2. Day of the Tentacle Remastered - doublefine.com, Mar, 22nd, 2016
  3. Video Games and Computer Entertainment, July 1993 archive.org, Jul. 1993
  4. 4.0 4.1 Day of the Tentacle (Cover Art) - mixnmojo.com, Jun. 1993
  5. Day of the Tentacle (1993) Box Cover Art - mobygames.com, Jun. 1993
  6. The Adventurer, Issue No. 5 (Fall 1992) - blogspot.com, Fall 1992
  7. Consumer Electronics Show 1993 - archive.org, 1993