Proto:Serious Sam: The First Encounter/Publisher Evaluation Build/General Changes
This is a sub-page of Proto:Serious Sam: The First Encounter/Publisher Evaluation Build.
Contents
Alterations
A default installation of this prototype shows it has been tampered with. The default profile is called "JamesKX2", the username of the leaker's brother. The "Fatalerror" text file included with it the prototype also shows that the person that ran it before it was put online has a folder called "Trevor", the real name of the leaker's brother.
According to the documentation provided with the prototype, the game comes with silent MP3s, but it plays music from the final game when you play through it. Another sign that someone has altered it before it was released.
Menu
This prototype uses a completely different menu system. Options are surrounded in 3D bubbles that wil rotate once the player selects them. The controls option has 3D models that represent each key on a keyboard and mouse button on a mouse, while the final defaults to the usual text that all games use. The bar used to adjust sound is also fully 3D.
When you select another option in the menu, the game will either make the buttons turn to the side if the layout of the new menu matches the old one, or have the new old menu hop into the background, then have the new one appear on the screen if the design is vastly different between the two menus.
The background shows a patashe of various pre-release screenshots that have been tinted gray and with a rippling water effect over it. The upper corner has Sam's logo on it, while the lower right-hand corner has an earlier version of Croteam's logo.
The final game strips all of these quirks out in favor of a traditional, text-based menu. The background has been replaced with a green cloudy background.
The top of the screen has the text "Evaluation version for Croteam_test" on it.
This menu can be seen in the "TechTest" file included with Test 1.
| Prototype | Final |
|---|---|
 |
 |
Level select
In this prototype, all of the levels can be selected by default. The final game requires you to unlock them before you can select them in the level select.
The level select menu itself has a small bug. The first page of the level select will have small speck in the middle of it. This speck is actually the up arrow icon used for the next menu. Going to the next page, then going back to the first page, will make the up arrow disappear properly.
Documentation
This prototype comes bundled with a guide written by one of the developers. It discusses the keys, how to play, and its compatibility with various graphics cards at the game it was developed. Most interesting is the part that discusses what hasn't been added to the game or is fixed. It suggests that the game was supposed to have a loading screen (which is replaced with the NETRICSA screen when loading between levels in the final game), end of level tallies (which appear in the final game), and that you can get stuck in between two slopes.
Other documentation includes a basic breakdown of the console (which is also printed if the player uses the Help command in the console), the technology test file included in the Test 1 prototype, and a guide to the editor.
HUD
The HUD is significantly different from the one in the final game. The bottom of the screen has a blue streak that contains the player's health and armor on the left side and ammo count with an ammo icon to its left, in the center. All icons are fully colored, such as the one that shows your current weapon and the score icon, while the list of weapons on the right-hand corner seen in the final game is missing in this prototype.
The font uses is a rounder, more cartoony design than the one used in the final game. In addition, the font will change based on the player's status. If the player has the maximum amount of ammo, the font for the ammo count will be a mint green and will get darker the more ammo the player uses. If the ammo count is very low, the font will turn dark red. The final game removes this entirely. Health and armor operate on the same principle, but the game will only show the mint green color for health and armor if the player is at 200 health or armor.
| Prototype | Final |
|---|---|
 |
 |
Player model
The player model is completely different in the prototype. The proto model is much chunkier than the final version's. Of note is that Sam's gloves have “Cool” on them when viewed from close-up, which can be seen on the weapon view hands in an early pre-release screenshot.
| Prototype | Final |
|---|---|
 |
 |
Dying
If you die, you cannot hit the fire or jump keys to load your last save. You must either load the save manually or restart the level from the level select menu to try again.
Negative health
If the player takes damage after dying, the game will display it in the form of negative health. If you set it up so that Sam constantly takes damage after dying, such as being smashed by an automatic door or sitting in damaging liquid, the player's health can reach into negative 100 thousands.
Third person view
Third person view works properly in this prototype. Test 1 disables it, while Test 2 and the final game re-enable it.
Editor
This prototype comes packed with both the Serious Editor and Serious Modeler tools the developers used to make the game. However, Serious Modeler is called "Modeler" and Serious Editor is called "WorldEditor". Both editors have different icons than they do in the final game.
Trailer
This prototype comes with the original The First Encounter trailer included with it.
