Prerelease:Tear Ring Saga

This page details pre-release information and/or media for Tear Ring Saga.

Originally known as Emblem Saga, Tear Ring Saga went through many changes late in development. Shouzou Kaga also did an interview in Famitsu where he described Emblem Saga as quite different than what actually came to release on the PlayStation, mostly that it blatantly featured Fire Emblem characters and lore.

Screenshots of the early game were provided, and they are quite different from what we got in the final release.

Character Stat Screen

There is one known image of a character's stat screen, featuring attributes not in the final.

There are "weapon resistance" gauges in the middle of the screen. These apparently function as a gained resistance to a weapon type over time. As the weapon resistance attribute increased for a particular weapon type, the unit would take less damage from that weapon type in battle.

The screen also features a resistance (magic defense) stat, though the final game lacks this stat entirely. In the final, a unit's magic power/strength stat is instead used in calculations for taking magical damage, like in Fire Emblem: Thracia 776.

Prerelease	Final

(Source: Serenesforest.net)

World Map

The world map is very different from the final. The layout, while vaguely similar to the starting area in the final is different. It is also in full color, unlike the final's sepia-colored map.

The stat window shown on the world map reveals a few more differences. The character here has an SP bar. This would have possibly had to do with casting magic, though the exact function of it is unknown. There is no SP bar in the final release.

Also of note the character portrait used in this screen is not in the final release. Though a portrait that looks very similar to it (featuring teal hair instead of green hair) exists in the final game as one of the many (many) unused portraits.

Prerelease	Final World Map	Final World Map Menu

(Source: Serenesforest.net)

Battle Map

Earlier in development the game was apparently done in an isometric angle similar to Tactics Ogre or Final Fantasy Tactics. The final game uses a top-down view much closer to traditional Fire Emblem games.

The screenshot also looks like unit direction would have been important in gameplay. In the final game, units don't face in specific directions when idle.

Prerelease	Final

(Source: Serenesforest.net)