Proto:Ultima VII Part Two: Serpent Isle

This page details one or more prototype versions of Ultima VII Part Two: Serpent Isle.

Ultima VII Part II - Serpent Isle ver 1.07 Beta: I eat Bugs for Breakfast

An internal test build, leaked by Razor 1911 in December of 1992. They, of course, tried to pass it off as the final game.

It's very unstable, the writing is pretty raw, and many events are not yet implemented. Also, at this point in development they had not yet started to cut down the back half of the game, so there's a lot of interesting stuff!

(Source: Point of Origin: Vol. III, No. 31, si.nfo)

To do: There's an entirely excessive amount of text/scripting and map changes, plus more graphical and audio diffs.

General Differences

• Just a plain black loading screen, rather than the blue glow. Always shows a "LowVoo main.c #171" message when it's finished. Press any key to continue.
• No frame limiter.
• None of the new hot keys.
• Won't let you open more than two paperdolls at once or any containers when you have more than one paperdoll up.

Build Date

Created Dec 15 1992 17:54:11

Stored at 473CF in SI.EXE.

Graphical Differences

Title Screen

Prototype	Final

Blue menu text, and the title is a bit off center.

Portraits - FACES.VGA

Wilfred

Prototype	Final

So his tattoo used to be huge green slashes across his cheeks... seems a bit too hardcore for this blowhard.

Skyrise the Phoenix

Prototype	Final

Looks like a bad drawing of a peacock.

Rotoluncia's Scroll

Prototype	Final

Literally half finished, shows up blank in game. Anyway, it's got a blue sparkly border rather than a red one.

Menu Graphics - GUMPS.VGA

Spellbook - Enchant

Prototype	Final

Still the same graphic as in Black Gate at this point.

Spellbook - Smoke Field

Prototype	Final

Boring name, same spell.

Spellbook - Animate Automaton

Prototype	Final

Alliterative.

Magic Scroll - Enchant

Prototype	Final

Representing a missile enchanting spell with a picture of a harp... well, that's one possible reason to change the name.

Magic Scroll - Mist Breathing

Prototype	Final

A graphic for an anti-poison mist spell? The spell for this slot is already Create Ammo.

The final Create Ammo graphic still has IHS (In Hur Sanct) written on it, meaning "Create Wind Protection".

Magic Scroll - Summon Defender

Prototype	Final

A graphic for some kind of summon spell. Has the same runes on it as Swordstrike. Casts Fire Snake.

Oddly, the final's Fire Snake graphic has what looks to be an appropriate incantation for Summon Defender written on it: KS (Kal Sanct), meaning "Summon Protection".

Removed Spells

Blink

Teleports you a short distance in a random direction. It can't get you in or out of a completely walled off area, but it can get you past locked doors.

Also script triggers.

Always does the spell failure animation in final.

Fire Snake

Choose a target to shoot out a trail of fire that ends in an explosion. Occasionally throws a sound effect error.

The base script for the spell in the prototype calls the external script "FIRESNAK 0x829", which seems to have something to do with targeting. The final spell script does not call any externs, even though the targeting script still exists.

Casting the spell in the final just plays the basic spellcasting animation and nothing else happens.

Time Stop

Same as in Black Gate.

Stops all animations and NPCs for a short time. Can also prevent scripts from firing.

Always does the spell failure animation in final.

NONSHIP folder

The prototype has an extra folder for stuff that, well, wasn't intended to be shipped.

WORLDMAP.VGA

An accurate to this build world map. Used by the F3 teleport cheat.

TYPELIST.H

A C++ header file for converting object names into numbers. Some interesting names:

#define Serp_Bracers                     486

The item number corresponds with the Usecode Container, an invisible, weightless chest in the Avatar's inventory, full of Path Eggs used by some scripts as horrible hacky data storage method.

Certainly, like the serpent artifacts it's a necessary item to complete the game...

#define Zot_Wand                         629

The nonexistent "Zot Wand" is listed in the official hint book as a weapon that "shoots poison missiles".

The item number corresponds with the Lightning Wand.

FLAGNAME

A list of names for all of the flags in this build (many more were added later). Used by the Game Flag editor in the F2 cheat menu.

A good few of them are never set or checked in any version of the game.

Unused Flags

Dec	Hex	Name	Note
2	02	$lichetrapped
14	0E	$entrytariffpaid	(there's a script that sets the equivalent flag in the final, but doesn't seem to have anything to do with this name)
17	11	$marstensaidpomdirgun
19	13	$marstensaidgoblins
20	14	$timeforfuneral
23	17	$talkedmarstenpost
28	1C	$foundspektorpotion
29	1D	$spektorsaidharnna
35	23	$postbrendannmet
44	2C	$ceremonyfirsthalf	(near Knight's Test flags)
46	2E	$invitedtoinductin	(near Knight's Test flags)
48	30	$lucillasaidargus
50	32	$lydiasaidselina
51	33	$pickedbearcommand
52	34	$pickedwolfcommand
53	35	$pickedleopardcommand
63	3F	$toldharnnamonks
64	40	$metpostshazzana
65	41	$dupreatwolves
69	45	$duprefights
72	48	$wolf9dead
73	49	$wolf10dead
74	4A	$wolf11dead
75	4B	$wolf12dead
86	56	$lutherdead
90	5A	$senttomarsten
100	64	$shownshmedevidence
141	8D	$askluthercommonshield
202	CA	$filgavetooth
211	D3	$goblgavescroll	(Frigadazzi's goblin servant)
217	D9	$knowseleniafriend
219	DB	$startfedatimer
248	F8	$frelispell
254	FE	$boughtwormheart
362	16A	$hawkfree
377	179	$knowswardrobe	(near Sleeping Bull flags)
448	1C0	$metlorthondo
467	1D3	$seendallas	(next to Vasculio $opencoffin flag, he does look like Dallas Snell...)
479	1DF	$monkstookcantra
488	1E8	$xenkasaidashes
563	233	$metpomdirgun
577	241	$badavatar
581	245	$mstormactive
582	246	$armageddoncast
583	247	$newherospeech
591	24F	$timeshortspeech
600	258	$lookeyespeech

Cheat Mode Differences

Use the PASS or PASS S arguments, same as in 1.02 Final.

F1 - Help Menu

Helpful. Disabled in final.

F2 - Super Cheat Mode

[G]ame Flags

• [I]nspect Flag - Enter the flag name you wish to check, returns the decimal flag number and the current value.
• [S]et Flag - Enter the flag name you wish to set, then pick (t)rue or (f)alse.

Disabled in final.

F3 - Goto Map Location

Prototype	Final

Displays WORLDMAP.VGA.

F9 - Target Report

Displays object info like in Black Gate, as well as the Egg info.

Alt-2 - Frame Counter

Displays current framerate. Disabled in final.

Alt-3 - Sprite Effects

Hey, it actually shows the text!