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Proto:Shining Force III/November 1997 Segakore Demo

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This is a sub-page of Proto:Shining Force III.

This cactus is UNDER CONSTRUCTION
This article is a work in progress.
...Well, all the articles here are, in a way. But this one moreso, and the article may contain incomplete information and editor's notes.

A build found on Segakore Sega Bible Mogitate SegaSaturn. Soukangou November 1997, a demo disc featuring games shown off at the Autumn Tokyo Game Show in 1997 (which ran from September 5-7). File dates indicate it was compiled at least a few days after the show had ended.

Hmmm...
To do:
  • Transcriptions, etc., et al.
  • Two completely unused maps fail to load (MONT00.MPD and SHIP2.MPD) due to using the wrong compression algorithm.
  • Also look into BTL04.MPD.
  • Shining the Holy Ark leftovers, including Debug text, helmets, and shields.
  • Medion has an early portrait.
  • See if I can import Irene's model from final, and then see if RYO.SAP plays.
  • X5BTL110.BIN; Add comparison text from final.

Sub-Page

Unused Areas
60 maps are included with this thing, some of which are so early they don't even resemble the final game's art style.

BTL99

Hmmm...
To do:
redo with proper .CHR.

This battle was shown off in Sega's TGS '97 video. It's in the final as well, but inaccessible due to the code attempting to load from the wrong addresses. This version, however, is just barely functional.

It's .CHR file indicates the enemies are: Saraband Soldier, Goblin, Golem, Sniper, and Skull Mage.

Beating the map causes the game to freak out and kick you back to the title screen.

Unused Characters

Hmmm...
To do:
  • Model data seems to exist for Khan too.
  • Compare starting stats to final.

Here's a list of all playable characters defined in the X5 scripts:

シンビオス
ダンタレス
マスキュリン
グレイス
へイワ_ド
オブライト
アイリン
ジュリアン
シバルリー
エルダー
カーン
ゴブじい
ゼロ
呪本15
呪本14
呪本15
呪本16
呪本17
呪本18
呪本19
メディオン
キャンべル
ウリュド
シンテシス
After this it's [呪本24] up to [呪本59]

Through editing game flags via the Debug menu, additional characters can be unlocked, though keep in mind only 6 characters can be used in battle and all of which are filled by default with Synbios-Obright. Zero, Medion, Campbell, Uryudo and Syntesis do not seem to show up during gameplay though certain assets (such as Medion's portrait) are present in the game's files. Sprite files up to Fynnding technically exist, but at this stage they're mostly placeholders, and some characters are missing models, such as Irene. Stat wise, everything up to Eldar appears to be fully defined, while Khan and Grandfather are only partially done. Both are equipped with a Wand and Ankh, are LVs 5 and 12 and have 16 and 7 ATK respectively. The only other thing to note is Irene uses Claws while Cybel uses the standard lance.

General changes

The exit to Balsamo the two soldiers are blocking is functional, but will only send you back to Balsamo.
Striking an enemy plays a different sound effect than final.
The camera does not move when you highlight an enemy for attack.
The path to rescue Bernard in Balsamo Inn is functional, but the wall blocking it remains solid even after the cutscene ends.
Many unused areas contain NPCs that will walk around in circles, occasionally they can be talked to, and their dialogue appears to be loaded from X5SAMPLE.BIN

Debug Mode

Almost completely different to any debug after it, 3602623E 0001 will enable a somewhat crippled debug mode, with only the first three options doing anything of note. Its functions are as follows:

Name Explanation
EditGameFlag Allows you to set in-game flags, A sets it to Off, C sets it On.
SelectScene Same as Scene in the final.
SoundTest Sound Test, only Music and Effects can be played, like the other demos.
Menu4 Does nothing, likely not finished. Selecting it just refreshes menu.
Menu5 ^
Menu6 ^
BirdViewMap The game complains of a General Undefined Instruction at address 6088090
Menu 8 Does nothing, likely not finished.
Menu 9 ^
Kodera Test Doesn't work. Judging by the name, it might have something to do with the .SPR files.

Holding Z will allow you to clip through walls, and if holding Z while in a battle, instantly clear said battle, sending you to Shop Test. X+Y+Z will freeze the game, and pressing L or R will enable a printout display. Pressing Start will unfreeze the game.

(Source: [1] Knight0fDragon)

Controls

Pressing X+Y+Z together will pause the game. In this mode, pressing any button other than L, R, or Start will advance the game 1 frame, pressing L will enable some printout information and R will disable. To exit, press the Start button. Holding Z will disable collision, allowing you to cross out of bounds. In battle, if you hold Z while an enemy or character ends their turn, the battle instantly ends, or instead you can kill specific characters/enemies by holding Start while ending their turn. Finally, pressing R during a cutscene will skip dialogue, and L will disable it. Pressing it multiple times can sometimes advance through scenes slightly faster, though this can crash the game at certain spots.

Controlling Enemies

Setting the bit 0128-6 in EditGameFlag. will allow you to control enemies during battle.

Fight Menu

Setting 0128-0 in EditGameFlag will enable a fight menu, with slightly different options compared to final, but is far less stable. The game seems to always crash at the end of a battle wile using it. These options are as follows:

  • CNO - Unknown, cannot be changed.
  • ACT - The options are: Fight, FAR F. ItemC, and Magic,
  • NO - Goes from 0-101, its use depends on what ACT you selected. I.E., what spell the character uses if you select magic.
  • LV - Level of attack, likely only for Spells.
  • HIT - NRML, S--H, N--H, SUKA(Guard), and CRTC.
  • KAI - If HIT is set to CRTC, this selects what critical attack plays.
  • HAN - Unknown.
  • D - Attacks, D1 D2 and D3. By default, D2 is always set to -1, and the whole thing seems fairly unfinished. Can softlock your game.

Note: Printout must be enabled in order to see the display, otherwise you'll just be staring at a black screen.

Debug Flags

Using the EditGameFlag option it is possible to enable extra debug functions, format is "Address-Bit" and they are as follows:
0108-2 - window layer disabled
0108-7 - sprites disabled
0110-0 - Slow mode
0110-3 - Disables the backgound layer
0130-0 - Hitbox display (Overlays a wireframe around collision.)
0130-3 - Camera Tilting or alternatively, Drunk Mode

Unused Audio

  • KING.SAP
  • OTAMA.SAP

"Otamaaaaa Desho!"
This can be heard if you manage to access the Battle debug, though the game often crashes while using it.

  • RYO.SAP

"HAO! Shoukouken!"
Likely developer placeholder for Irene.

Unused Graphics

  • Early Julian
Prototype Final
SF3JulianEarly.png SF3JulianFinal.png

A rougher version of Julian's portrait.

  • 3D Model
Prototype Final
Julian SF3Segakore.png Julian SF3 Final.png

The final adds a brace to his right leg.

  • Khan

Khan SF3 Segakore.png

Khan's default model(X8PC10A.BIN) has an Ankh baked into the model. In the final, the weapon is instead a giant knuckle.

  • Early Benetram
Prototype Final
SF3EarlyBenetram.gif SF3FinalBenetram.gif

ID:0076
An earlier design for Benetram. Has a very strange walk cycle, almost as if he's supposed to have been wounded.

  • Treasure Chest

SF3TreasureXBTL99 0 0.gif
ID:0199
Early Treasure Chest, stored in XBTL99.CHR.

  • Shogun Centaur(Tybalt?)

SF3Shogun.gif
ID:0109
Loaded in XBTL102.CHR is this odd sprite. It doesn't appear to be used in the battle as is (the battle in question appears to have been in the middle of a rework, as the enemy position and camera do not appear to fit the map in question), and its ID suggests it wasn't an enemy in the first place, as Enemy sprite IDs, even in this early stage start at 201. The ID suggests this may have been originally Tybalt, or at the very least a placeholder of him, though it could just as easily be an early design for General Varlant.

  • Imperial Mage
Segakore Final
SF3ImperialMageSatkore.gif SF3ImperialMageFinal.gif

ID:0255
XBAL_1.CHR

  • Irene
Segakore Final
SF3IreneSegakore.gif File:SF3IreneFinal.gif

ID:0006
Quite a strange recolor, though this only applies to the pre-promotion, the promoted sprite is already close to final by this point.

Removed From Final

File:SF3SatkoreOldWoman.gif
ID:0083
An old woman.

File:SF3SatkoreAssassain.gif
ID:0084
The Assassain lying on the ground, defeated. Used in the final cutscene of demo battle 104.

File:SF3SatkoreSaraband.gif
ID:0085
A Saraband Soldier sitting. Used in the room where Rock and Waltz are in the final.

Items/Spells

Hmmm...
To do:
Get a proper comparison up.
Prototype Final
Satkoreitems.png
Scenario 1 sprite listUS.png

At this point in development only the basic weapons and items have been implemented. Being mostly taken from the previous game, the majority of spells are present, but their functionality varies. The only way most of these can be obtained is through Memory editing a character's inventory. Item shops only carry Herbs and Antidote, while weapon shops are non-functional (talking to the one in Balsamo gives you an excuse for why they're closed while the one in Shop Test crashes the game).

  • Shining the Holy Ark Leftovers

SF3SKLeftover1.png
SF3SKLeftover2.png
All but two of these are "末設定" (NOT SET). However, the first two shields are called シミタ一 (Scimitar) and グラディウス (Gladius), the latter of which is unused even in the final game, but the former is equipped on the non-functional Mask Monk enemies found on Saraband Bridge.

  • Daggers
Proto Final
SF3Dagger1FSS.png
SF3Dagger1Final.png
Proto Final
SF3Dagger2FSS.png
SF3Dagger2Final.png
Proto Final
SF3Dagger3FSS.png
SF3Dagger3Final.png

The first three daggers are entirely different. These designs would last until the Flash! Sega Saturn demo before being remade, though the third dagger was retained and slightly touched up for the unused Sneaky Knife (シーブスナイフ).

Proto Final
SF3Dagger3FSS.png
SF3Sneaky Knife.png
  • Spells
Proto Final
SF3QuestionSK.png
SF3Question.png

??? once had a proper icon, which was removed from final, but also comes from Shining the Holy Ark. The final however still attempts to read from where it used to be, leading it to produce garbage data. The slot it's in becomes Tiamat in the final.

Unused Text

X5DREAM.BIN

The lines starting with a glitch character oddly appear to be related to Shining the Holy Ark, as they mention locations such as Desire Village, the first village of that game.

スト_リ_テラ_のお言葉
みなさんお待ちかねェ_
█0プロロ_グム_ビ_
█0ゲ_ムのはじめから
█0ロ_ディ戦から脱出延突入
█0デザイア村
█0スクリュ_効果
█0鍾乳洞を探索
█0アボリジンの洋館
█0普通にプレイする
█0掲影用:プロロ_グイべントまで
█0掲影用:アボリジンの洋館のみ

X5BTL110.BIN

The entire scene for the train battle is in the game, though it can't be seen as the game crashes if it is selected. Of note is that this particular file seems to be earlier than the others.

手下を可愛がってくれたそうだな?

お前が�このべネトレイムを狙う
ダスティ村の盗賊�シラフ親分だな。

ぐふふ�その通り�オレがシラフだ
さすがは�べネトレイム代表国王
ずいぶん腹が据わっているようだな。

シラフ親分に頼みがあるのだがな
どうだ�話に乗ってもらえないか?

話だと・・・命乞いじゃないのか?
それなら残念ながら乗れないな。

・・・・・・。

オレが盗賊稼業を続けられるのも
帝国とウラでつながっているからよ。

ここで�お前たちを見逃してみろよ
こちとらまで狙われちまうってもんよ
残念だが観念して倒されちまいなよ!


こうなれば�ヤツらを倒すまでのこと
ひと暴れしましょう�シンビオス様!

・・・・・・。

ゼロ�お前は切り離された車両に行け
そして�乗客たちを盗賊から守るのだ。

うわっ�シラフ親分が倒された
とても�オレたちには歯が立たねぇ
戦闘はやめだ�みんな引き上げろ!

うわっ�シラフ親分が倒された
とても�オレたちには歯が立たねぇ
戦闘はやめだ�みんな引き上げろ!

やられちまったのか�このオレ様が?

オレが死ねば盗賊を束ねる者がなくなる
・・・大陸に無法者があふれかえるんだ
後悔するんだな�べネトレイム・・・。

死ぬ前に教えてくれ�シラフ親分よ
この和平会議が失敗することを・・・
事前に知っていたのではないのか?

な�なぜ�そう思う�べネトレイム。

我々がサラバンドを逃亡する間もなく
ダスティの盗賊が活動を開始したのは
あまりに�手回しが良すぎるのだよ。

ウワサだけはあるな�べネトレイム
大した洞察力だと�ほめてやるぜ。

お前たちがどんなにあがいたって・・・
例え共和国に戻れても助かりはしない
・・・全ては動き出しちまったんだよ。

真相さえつかみ�皇帝を助け出せれば
・・・戦争は回避しなければならん
帝国にも・・・理解ある者もいるのだ。

くくく�メディオン王子に期待するか?
果たしてバ_ランドにたどり着けるかな。

例えレリアンス将軍に巡り会えたとして
シ_ゲイト号は無事には航海できないぜ
覚えておきな�王子は邪魔者なんだよ!

・・・・・・。

べネトレイム様�頼みますよ
お気を確かに�お持ち下さい
このままじゃ�汽車が・・・。{ENDBOX}

そうだな�私がへこたれていたのでは
共和国は・・・いったいどうなるのだ。

ダンタレス�急いで運転手と話し
汽車は停車するように要請するんだ。

邪教ブルザム教団・・・
ヒュ_ドルの目覚め・・・
アロガント帝国王子か・・・。

Sound Test

No jingles or voices are present (though some voices are in the game; see Unused Audio), 10 slots are completely missing, and another 12(!) are duplicates.

Duplicate tracks are in bold, while italics indicate songs not in this build.

Track Name Final Track
0 Silence Silence
1 Ishahacut's Room Soldier of the Republic
2 A Distant Journey Hero of the Republic
3 Flying Dragon of the Battlefield Soldier of the Empire
4 Flowing River, Light Of The Moon Hero of the Empire
5 Confrontation Monsters
6 Main theme A Formidable Enemy
7 Main theme The Mercenary Soldier
8 Main theme The Mercenary Soldier
9 Soldier of the Republic The Mercenary Soldier
10 Soldier of the Empire Soldier of the Republic
11 Monsters Main Theme
12 Monsters Ishahacut's Room
13 A Peaceful Early Afternoon A Life Of Harmony
14 The Ramshackle Village A Peaceful Early Afternoon
15 A Life Of Harmony Sorrow
16 A Town Full Of Life The Ramshackle Village
17 Main Theme Conspiracies of Bulzome
18 Main Theme The White Swan Castle
19 Main Theme Church Prayer
20 The White Swan Castle A Town Full Of Life
21 Church Prayer Song Of Soul's Rest
22 Council of war Accident
23 Main Theme Flying Dragon of the Battlefield
24 Main Theme Confrontation
25 Sorrow Flowing River, Light Of The Moon
26 Song Of Soul's Rest An Afternoon of rest
27 Main Theme Peaceful Times
28 Conspiracies of Bulzome Council of war
29 Main Theme The Blacksmith
30 Main Theme A Slightly Drunken Mood
31 An Afternoon of rest Tiger of Honesty and Affection
32 Peaceful Times A Distant Journey
33 Accident The Final Battle
34 Tiger of Honesty and Affection A Powerful Force
35 N/A Wind of Despair
36 N/A Dignity And Pride
37 N/A World Of Mystery
38 N/A And the Legend Begins
39 N/A Shining Force III (the demo uses TOSHI.SAP)
40 N/A Unused (early version of "The Lone Wolf")
41 N/A The Shadowy Onlooker
42 N/A An Eerie Silence
43 N/A A Time of Rest
44 N/A Ending Title Song