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Proto:Spyro: A Hero's Tail (GameCube, Xbox, PlayStation 2)/Preview Build (August 3rd, 2004)

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This is a sub-page of Proto:Spyro: A Hero's Tail (GameCube, Xbox, PlayStation 2).

Hiddenpalace.org logo.png  This prototype is documented on Hidden Palace.

A preview build was released as part of Project Deluge on Hidden Palace.

Levels

SpyroAHT-ProtoNursery.png
Dragon Village
Includes Gnasty's Cave.
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Crocovile Swamp
Changes to the swamp.
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Dragonfly Falls
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Coastal Remains

Mini-Games

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Ball Gadget
More obstacles than in the final!
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Sparx & Hunter Levels‎

Title

Prototype Final
SpyroAHT-ProtoTitle.png SpyroAHT-PS2Title.png

The title screen has debug text displayed at the bottom, which shows the build date, the version of EngineX used, and the pointer to the starting map. The animations for the title sequence are unfinished, and loops very abruptly. The border around the "Press START Button" text is not present, and the skybox is different.

Prototype Final
SpyroAHT-ProtoLoad.png SpyroAHT-Load.png

The prototype uses an earlier logo on the loading screens, and the radar is missing.

General Differences

  • The map screen has several differences:
Prototype Final
SpyroAHT-ProtoMap.png SpyroAHT-Map.png

The options are displayed on the bottom left of the screen instead of the corners, and the collectibles are at the top left of the map instead of on their own bar at the top. There are no green borders and the map is larger. The arrow is smaller and there are three lines following Spyro's (smaller) marker that were removed in the final. Lastly, the bottom of the map includes an extra location ID.

  • Dragon Eggs and Light Gems have a different sound effect when collected:
Prototype Final
  • 'Restart Point Set!' displays whenever Spyro reaches a save point:
SpyroAHT-Tower.png
  • The fire bombs were remade for the final. In the prototype, they resemble generic red crystals:
Prototype Final
SpyroAHT-ProtoFireBomb.png SpyroAHT-FireBomb.png
  • The chest lid is thrown back in the prototype, but only mildly open in the final:
Prototype Final
SpyroAHT-ProtoChestOpen.png SpyroAHT-ChestOpen.png
  • Spyro can't move while he receives locked chest items in the final, but he can in the preview prototype.
  • Eggs have different textures, some being simple upgrades, others being overhauled:
Egg Unlocks Prototype Final
Ember SpyroAHT-ProtoEgg.png SpyroAHT-Egg.png


  • Hunter's texture was greatly improved for the final, with sharper details:
Prototype Final
SpyroAHT-ProtoHunter.png SpyroAHT-Hunter.png
  • When an explanation screen appears, the preview build shows the name of the last character to speak on top of the speech box. The final removes this.
  • In the final, only the flame breath is said to work on fireworks. The preview also includes electric breath:
SpyroAHT-ProtoDVMessage.png
  • There's no teleportation screen.
  • NPC mammoth's eyes were re-adjusted, and it's textures, part of change compared to this build, was brighter like the mammoth enemy "mammothb", later scrapped for the final.
Prototype Final
SpyroAHT Model Mam Aug3.png SpyroAHT Model Mam.png
Prototype Final
SpyroAHT Tex Mam Aug3.png SpyroAHT Tex Mam.png

Memory Card Icon

The 3D model used for the icon shown in the PS2 memory card browser is different from the final game. The final game uses a simple model of Spyro's head, while the prototype uses an "X" logo, which is likely a logo for the game's engine, EngineX.

August 3rd 2004 Prototype Final Game
SpyroAHT PS2MemoryCardIcon AugProto.png SpyroAHT PS2MemoryCardIcon Final.png

Music Differences

Spyro A Hero's Tail's soundtrack was replaced near the very end of development (read more here). This build was made around the time the final deliverables for the new soundtrack had been received, thus there's exactly one of the early tracks that hadn't yet been removed/replaced, that being "_mus_mfx_realm1z_safe". It can be heard in a boss level after the boss is defeated. Here is the track:

Debug Symbols

The prototype's executable has embedded debug symbols that are very extensive, going as far as documenting structs, enums and function signatures.

Debug features

Hmmm...
To do:
Document the various features present in the XDebug class (though most are dormant in this build).

This build has many debug features enabled which can be accessed through different means.

Cheats Menu

To open the cheats menu, pause the game and hold L1+R1 until a subtle "click" noise is heard, then press X.

SpyroAHT-Proto-DebugMenu.png

  • Level Skip: Opens a menu that lets you skip to any level or cutscene in the game.
  • Scanmode Enable: Setting this to "On" turns on Scanmode (essentially a "no-clip" mode).
  • All abilities: Gives the player most abilities, items and powerups.
  • Lots of Gems: Sets the gem count to 10000.
  • All LightGems: Sets the light gem count to 100. This doesn't actually affect what light gems have been collected, so they will still spawn in the levels as normal.
  • NoDeath: Setting this to "On" prevents the death animation from playing when the player's health runs out - essentially preventing them from dying.

Level Skip

When this menu is opened, the player can choose between several different start points in the currently selected level by pressing up/down on the d-pad. Pressing left/right changes the selected level. To go to the level the player is currently in, they can press square.

SpyroAHT-Proto-LevelMenu-Startpoints.png

Pressing circle switches the options from start points to cutscenes, which allows the player to play any of the cutscenes in the level.

SpyroAHT-Proto-LevelMenu-Cutscenes.png

Scanmode

When Scanmode is enabled, the player can turn it on and off with L1. While in Scanmode, the player can move around freely through level collision and enemies with the following controls:

  • Left analog stick up/down: Moves the player forward/backward.
  • Left analog stick left/right: Rotates the player left/right.
  • Right analog stick up/down: Moves the player up/down.
  • X: Rotates camera up.
  • Triangle: Rotates camera down.
  • Square: Moves player left.
  • Circle: Moves player right.

Keeping L1 held after turning Scanmode on lets the player move extra fast.

Right-Click Menu

By plugging a mouse and keyboard either physically into the USB-ports of the PlayStation 2, or virtually through PCSX2, several debugging features can be accessed while the game is running. Moving the mouse around will reveal a cursor sitting on top of the screen. Right-clicking on the screen will bring up the right-click menu, a debug feature of EngineX.
It unfortunately seems however that the majority of debugging features were not included in this build. A much more comprehensive right-click menu can be seen in the official dev mode for Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy on PC, which uses the same engine.

SpyroAHT-Proto-RightClickMenu.png

  • Level Skip: Opens the menu by the same name in the cheats menu.
  • Test Maps: Gives three options for test levels to load, labelled "Blinky Test 1", "Blinky Test 2" and "Model Viewer". The filenames for these levels are "test_tl.edb", "test_pb.edb" and "model.edb" respectively. Clicking any of these will load that test level. Interestingly, these are the same levels listed in a text file in the final game.

SpyroAHT-Proto-RightClickMenu-TestMaps.png

  • Cheats: A list consisting mostly of the same options from the regular cheats menu, but with a few new ones.

SpyroAHT-Proto-RightClickMenu-Cheats.png

    • Full Health: Gives the player full health.
    • Kill Player: The player takes damage and then dies.
    • All DarkGems: Marks all dark gems as collected and adds 40 to the player's total. This also causes all Dark Gem cutscenes to begin immediately when you get close.
    • All DragonEggs: Adds 100 Dragon Eggs to the player's total (Note that there are only 80 Dragon Eggs in the game).
    • NavMesh: No functionality.
    • Complete MiniGame: If you're playing a minigame, it will instantly be won.
    • Hide HUD: Toggles the visibility of some of the HUD elements.
    • All Realms: Unlocks all realms available with the main teleporter.
    • All Restart Pads: Activates all shop pads in the game, letting the player teleport to them, though only if the map has been unlocked as well.
    • All Chests OneOff: Unknown.
  • Debug Watcher: No functionality.
  • DebugWnd: Shows two debug window options. These windows can be moved around with middle-click and resized by middle-clicking and dragging the bottom right corner.

SpyroAHT-Proto-RightClickMenu-DebugWnd.png

    • InfoTree (I): Can also be toggled with the I-key. Simply shows an empty window. Functionality unknown.

SpyroAHT-Proto-RightClickMenu-InfoTree.png

    • XYZ/Build F3: Can also be toggled with the F3-key. Displays a window with the build date and timestamp, along with the player's current coordinates rounded to integers.

SpyroAHT-Proto-RightClickMenu-XYZBuild.png

Viewer

EngineX has a built-in menu separate from the game itself called the "Viewer". It appears more or less completely functional in this build by using a mouse and keyboard. In this menu, you can browse through all the assets stored in the .edb files. We know how the menu is supposed to work, thanks to the same debug features appearing in Sphinx, as previously mentioned.
Using the following patch, the game boots straight into the Viewer upon boot:

//Viewer Mode: Enable on boot
patch=1,EE,20309b28,extended,34120001

SpyroAHT-Proto-Viewer.png

There are three sub-menus in the Viewer. File lets you browse between all the .edb files present in the filesystem. View lets you choose what type of asset to view within the file. Display only has one option, "reset", which resets the viewing camera's position.
Under File the following lists are found:

  • All Files: All files in the filesystem listed alphabetically.
  • Anm Files: Files containing animation data.
  • Map Files: Files containing map data.
  • ABC Files: Lists for each letter of the alphabet to find filenames with a specific starting letter.
  • Err Files: Files with the error flag set upon being exported from Eurocom's editor EuroLand. There are 20 such files in this build.
  • Old Files: Files with outdated edb version numbers. This build uses edb version 236, but there are no outdated files in this build's filesystem, so this list is empty.

There are two more options under File: Game, which is supposed to reboot the app and launch the game (However, when using the patch this just boots back into the Viewer again), and Restart, which just reboots the app.

Once a file has been chosen, the View menu will show lists of assets to display, such as entities (3D models), animations, scripts, maps etc. While viewing an asset, there are multiple controls you can use:

  • You can browse between the different entries in the same category with the L1/R1 buttons.
  • Right-clicking on the screen during an animation/script will pause/resume it.
  • While viewing everything that isn't a map, the left analog stick will pan the camera around, and the right analog stick will rotate the camera around the object's center. While viewing a map, the left stick will move the camera around horizontally, and the right stick will rotate the camera. Clicking and dragging has the same function as the right analog stick.
  • D-pad up/down or the mousewheel will zoom the view in/out.

Example of viewing an animation:
SpyroAHT-Proto-Viewer-Animation-Example.png

Example of viewing a map:
SpyroAHT-Proto-Viewer-Map-Example.png

Skipping Cutscenes

Cutscenes cannot be skipped in the final game, but in this build they can be skipped with the square button. This appears to be a bit of a hacky implementation, as this can come with buggy side effects. The game will crash if the square button is pressed on the title screen.

Cutscenes

Intro

Many cutscenes have rendering issues, or different lighting compared to the final.

Prototype Final
SpyroAHT-ProtoCutscene1.png SpyroAHT-Cutscene1.png

Gnasty Gnorc's area is missing from the prototype cutscene. He enters a void instead.

Prototype Final
SpyroAHT-ProtoCutscene2.png SpyroAHT-Cutscene2.png

This cutscene uses a much brighter blue, despite Red cursing the land. Red also possesses a much less detailed pendant and strap.

Prototype Final
SpyroAHT-ProtoProf.png SpyroAHT-Prof.png

There's an extra pipe near the Professor, which was removed in the final.

Moneybags' Shop

Items are unnamed in the prototype, and several items have a different description:

Prototype Final
KeyChain for Sparx Lockpick so you can carry 3 Lockpicks. Keychain - Allows you to carry up to 3 Lock-Picks for Sparx.
Restores you to full health Butterfly Jar - Restores Sparx to full health.
Powerup that doubles the value of all Gems. Double Value Gems - Power-Up that doubles the value of all Gems.
Increases the range of the Horndrive shockwave. Shockwave - Increases the range of the Horn Drive to give it a large concussive shockwave.
Teleport to a previously activated restart pad. Teleport Pass - Allows you to teleport to a previously activated Remote Shop Pad.
Ammo for ice breath secondary fire - press R1 to use. Ice Missile - Ammo for Freeze Breath secondary fire - press R1 to use.
Magazine for flame breath secondary fire so you can carry 5 more. Fire Bomb Magazine - Magazine for the Flame Breath secondary fire so you can carry 5 more.
  • The Shockwave costs 5,000 Gems in the prototype, but 10,000 Gems in the final.
  • The Extra Health Unit costs just 500 Gems in the prototype, but 5,000 Gems in the final.
  • When using the Teleport in any main level, you can only teleport home for some reason. The teleportation scene does not occur.
Prototype Final
SpyroAHT-ProtoMoneybags.png SpyroAHT-Moneybags.png

The items are less faded in the prototype, lacking the green tint, and the purple glow highlighting the selected item. The boxes for Buy & Exit are smaller, and all have a grey tint instead of green. The price text is a little larger.

Some shop names have changed slightly:

Prototype Final
Main Depot Village Depot
Elders Tree Elder's Tree

Unused Cutscenes

Using the debug level skip, you can find some unused cutscenes.

Note: Titles are posted as they appear on the Level Skip menu. Several of the options include typo mistakes.

Dragon Village

CO3j - Moneybags teleport to pad alternate is an unused line by Moneybags. Although lacking a cutscene, Moneybags informs Spyro that, Even if you don't want to buy anything, there are still ways to give me money. For example, you can pay me to teleport you to any of the shop pads you've already visited..

CO3G - return to shop Alt is an unused cutscene of Moneybags informing Spyro that he can now use the pass. Spyro, I can now let you teleport to previous shop pads you have visited. Just enter the shop and select the transport pass.

CO3H - is another cut Moneybags line. Outside the store, he tells Spyro: Check back regularly, I have new items delivered all the time!. Likely removed as his stock never changes at all.

CO3F - return to the shop after meeting nanny contains another brief scene with an unused line: Go inside and see what er, strikes your fancy, Spyro.

CO4D - Dark Gem destroyed Alt is a cutscene that was seemingly removed before this version of the game was shipped. Once selected, nothing plays, and you end up at the start of Dragon Village (the default location for all Dragon Village cutscenes displayed through this menu).

CO9B - Talk to Moneybags again is another cutscene that no longer functions.

CO9C - Moneybags has something new is, again, another unused cutscene that fails to load anything. The same items are present at all times in the final game, suggesting that at some stage, the items would change.

CO9D - Moneybags wants to draw attention

CO9E - Moneybags has something new ALT

C12B - Talk to prof after opening door contains an unused line from the Professor in his lab. I'm... kind of busy sciencing right now... why don't you go to the swamp and bug the dragon elder there?

C12E - talk to prof afer Gnasty Alt contains what was presumably meant to be an alternate version of the 'Moneybags' teleporter's smaller' line spoken by the Professor in a mocking tone. Selecting the cutscene brings up a dialogue box, with nothing else.

Crocoville Swamp

C18B - Spyro Fails the challenge is an unused scene of Fredneck criticizing Spyro.

Ice Citadel

C47C - Exploer the Cave ? is an unused scene featuring Hunter. Whilst fully animated, it features a gradient background. The voice clip is equally unused in the final, but remains in the final game files. Uh, should I search the cave for you, Spyro?.

C47E - Additional Dialogue is another unused quick scene featuring Hunter. Again, it's animated, but this time features the correct background. As before, it uses an unused line, You want Hunter to go in there again, right?.

C49C - More Banter is an unused scene for Elder Astor. It's complete, and uses the unused line of I've been the least helpful dragon elder so far, haven't I? Don't answer that!. As with the other unused lines, this is also found in the final, where it goes unused.

Cloudy Domain

C34D - Banter 2 is an unused scene featuring Elder Titan. Okay, Spyro, better not stand around all day. Looks like you've got to save the world... again... and I've got to go eat my pudding, I like pudding...

C35B - Generic Question is an unused Sgt. Byrd scene. Right! Should I get airborne, captain?

C35C - Try again is another unused scene with Sgt. Byrd, using the unused line of Shall I give it another go?.

Sunken Ruins

C306 - Reminder Alt is an unused 'scene' featuring the Professor. The actual scene never loads, but the text, Now Spyro... you know I need 24 light gems to power this thing! Come back when you have all the light gems I need. is displayed but no voice clip plays. Despite this, the clip is there, and made it to the final where, like the other clips, it goes unused.

C31C - try again is an unused clip of Sparx making a disappointed noise before asking, Should I try again, Spyro?.

Coastal Remains

C29C - Try Again is a short clip of Blink asking Should I try again?.

Magma Falls top

C60A - Prof Holo, C60B - Standard Question and C60C - Question Alt are all unused lines, seemingly all related to the Professor.

C61C - Try Again is Sparx asking, Shall I try again, Spyro?.

Dark Mine

C62C - try again is another unused Blink scene, asking another variation of Should I try again?.

Professors Lab (Red's Lab)

C66D - BANTER 3 is an unused scene from Merg, using the unused line, Why is it I never get to go outside? The others are always going out! Maybe I should put in for a transfer to the cannon fodder wing.... Curiously, despite being fully animated, the text box shows up blank.

C66E - BANTER 4 is another unused cutscene from Merg. If you wanna get to the other end of this machine, you will need to be indestructible.

C66F - BANTER 5 is yet another unused scene featuring the Merg. A friend of mine got crushed in that machine. You would need to be indestructible to get through there.

Red's Lair

C70A - END is a clip from a scrapped ending, where Red would be trapped within a jar in the Professor's lab. Curiously, the small scene appears more polished than it does in the final, suggesting that this was worked on more before eventually being completely scrapped.

Cutscene 03 is a near-identical copy of the first cutscene in this list. It's slightly less glitchy, though.