Proto:Where in Time is Carmen Sandiego? (1997)

This page details one or more prototype versions of Where in Time is Carmen Sandiego? (1997).

A one-case demo of the 1997 Where in Time is Carmen Sandiego? was put out before the game's release to drum up interest. The readme dates it at May 13th, 1997, exactly three months before the date in the final version's readme, and it's clear that there was still a lot of work left to be done at that point.

The game starts off with a few demo-exclusive live-action clips of Lynne Thigpen as "The Chief" summarizing the plot of the game, followed by the usual Time Tunnel intro sequence and the entirety of Case 1. After completing the case, a few more video clips preview other parts of the game and encourage players to contact Brøderbund for ordering information.

Sub-Page

Chronopedia Entries Find out how your elementary school teacher felt grading history reports!

General Differences

• The demo is 32-bit only, but the final game expanded support to 16-bit Windows systems. The readme was greatly enlarged to accommodate this.

Demo
Final

• The final uses a different set of fonts from the demo. The demo seems to depend on existing system fonts, while the final version installs a set of fonts with the game.
• Most animations other than characters talking play significantly faster in the demo than the final.
• Loading times between screens are extremely short in the demo compared to the final.
• The Time Cuffs are very buggy in the demo. To give just a few examples: Once they're activated, the game will play the activation animation again every time they're picked up and released; picking them up while they're activating will cause a static image of the deactivated cuffs to get stuck behind the animation of the activated cuffs; etc., etc.
• The command text on the inventory bar is also buggy. When using items, it tends to flicker on and off seemingly at random as the cursor moves across the screen.
• The Chronopedia text, aside from being in an early draft state, is extremely poorly formatted. Sentences wind up repeated, cut off, displayed behind images, etc. This is probably part of the reason the game installs its own fonts in the final.
• The Time Tunnel graphics are uncompressed in the demo, but use standard Mohawk engine LZ compression in the final for some reason. There's plenty of room left over on both game discs, so perhaps the developers tried and failed to cram everything onto one CD.

Graphics

Title Screen

Demo	Final
Due to technical limitations on displaying animated GIF files of large file sizes, please click here to see the full-size animated image.

The demo version has a much more elaborate title animation. The final trades it out for a prerendered Broderbund logo sequence and a smaller, more polished Carmen animation.

Time Tunnel

Demo	Final

The preview image of Egypt shown in the pre-case Time Tunnel sequence was redone for the final. Apparently the awkward resizing job to get the boatman in the frame was a no-go.

Demo	Final

Ann Tickwittee's Time Tunnel graphics are slightly, uh, off in the demo.

Demo	Final

Yikes.

Demo	Final

Ann's Time Tunnel exit sequence is just as unpolished as her entrance. Note that the animation shown isn't 100% accurate; Sir Vile's movements are much faster and jerkier in-game.

Demo	Final

The post-case review graphic isn't displayed in the demo, which is good since it's sorely lacking in looking like a sarcophagus instead of a filing cabinet.

Demo	Final

Renee Santz doesn't appear in the demo, but Time Tunnel graphics of her appear in the data files anyway. Naturally, they're mangled similarly to Ann's.

Demo	Final

Here's part of Renee's departure animation – the rest of it seems to have been removed from the demo. The final versions of the entrance animations are more elaborate but less unique.

	This prompt to play again looks like it should be used at the end of the demo, but isn't. Presumably someone realized that anyone who really wanted to play again could just relaunch the game.
	These graphics, which are just copies of parts of the previous animation with inverted colors, may have been meant to provide a smoother transition between the larger and smaller graphics. The similar "take another case?" prompt in the final game, which has identical yes/no graphics, doesn't use these; consequently, they're omitted from the mockup animation above.

Case 1

Demo	Final

The graphic of the torch on the boat was redrawn and recolored for the final to match its appearance in the inventory.

Previews

Demo	Final

The preview pictures from other cases shown at the end of the demo are possibly mockups, judging by minor differences in the positioning of characters, but this is the only one that really contains any changes of interest: a path was added to the mountains on the left side of the screen to make it more obvious that there's an exit there.

Music

Title Screen

Demo	Final

The title fanfare was redone for the final to accommodate the altered logo sequence.

Time Tunnel

Demo	Final

The Time Tunnel background music was rerendered at a lower volume in the final version.

Case Previews

This piece of music is exclusive to the demo, where it plays over the previews shown after solving the case.

Sound

Demo	Final

The crackling noises in the Time Tunnel were touched up a bit for the final. This effect was given a layer of delay.

Demo	Final

This one was replaced.

Finally, this one was just scrapped outright.

Dialogue

All of the spoken dialogue was re-rendered for the final with some additional processing to normalize the volume and suppress overly loud or crackly phonemes.

Demo	Final

This is one of the more distinct examples. Notice how much more pronounced the "-ed" in "asked" is in the demo compared to the final.

For the most part, the dialogue itself is the same. Only a couple of lines were altered substantially:

Character	File	Subtitles
Ann Tickwittee		Demo	Queen Hatshepsut built many monuments. But when Thutmose III succeeded her, he destroyed most of them. This temple is the only one that will survive to the modern age, where it's considered a perfect monument to Egyptian art!
		Final	Queen Hatshepsut built many monuments. But when her nephew Thutmose III succeeded her, he destroyed most of them. This temple is the only one that will survive to the modern age.

The tail end of Ann's comment about the temple was snipped. Apparently, it's not such a perfect monument after all.

Character	File	Subtitles
Ann		Demo	This little skiff took the ultimate plunge--it transported the dead to the Egyptian Afterlife, called Osiris.
		Final	This little skiff took the ultimate plunge -- it transported the dead to the Egyptian Afterlife.

The end of this line was also cut, this time due to a blatant error – Osiris is the god of the underworld, not the name of it.

Text

Chronopedia

Despite only being a one-case demo, all the Chronopedia entries are in the game, most of them still in draft or placeholder form. See the sub-page for details.

Dialogue

Though there are only a couple of changes to the dialogue itself, the subtitles were touched up for the final. The vast majority of the changes are simply due to proofreading. Generally:

• All capitalized occurrences of "Pharaoh" not used as a proper title (as in "Pharaoh Thutmose III") were changed to "pharaoh".
• Capitalization of "The Book of the Dead" was made consistent throughout the case.
• Most instances of capitalized "Afterlife" were changed to "afterlife".
• Someone attempted to make sure every period was followed by two spaces. However, this seems to have been a bad find and replace job; many sentences ended up with extra spaces, and some words that didn't need them got them anyway.
• Use of dashes was made regular: always a space, two hyphens, and a space (" -- ").

Character	Subtitles
Boatman	Demo	Ah! The very name yields a clue. The word Pharaoh means "greatest house" -- and all the great pharaohs live in splendid houses indeed! Palaces, really.
	Final	Ah! The very name yields a clue. The word pharaoh means "greatest house" -- and all the great pharaohs live in splendid houses indeed! Palaces, really.

"Pharaoh" -> "pharaoh", fixed dash spacing.

Character	Subtitles
Boatman	Demo	With pleasure. I wouldn't be a royal boatman if I couldn't!
	Final	With pleasure. I wouldn't be a royal boatman if I couldn't!

Single space after period changed to double space.

Character	Subtitles
Boatman	Demo	She needs the Egyptian Book of the Dead to prepare her husband's mummy! But the book has vanished!
	Final	She needs the Egyptian Book of the Dead to prepare her husband's mummy! But the Book has vanished!

"the book" -> "the Book".

Character	Subtitles
Boatman	Demo	Some say that a strangely-attired rogue stole the book outright! The theft has sent a shock wave up and down the Nile!
	Final	Some say that a strangely-attired rogue stole the Book outright! The theft has sent a shock wave up and down the Nile!

Same as previous.

Character	Subtitles
Player	Demo	Can you give us a lift to Hatshepsut's temple in your boat?
	Final	Can you take us to Hatshepsut's temple in your boat?

Since player dialogue isn't voiced, the writers were free to fiddle with it more. Generally, the dialogue is a bit more polite and natural-sounding in the final.

Character	Subtitles
Player	Demo	Can we leave now for Hatshepsut's temple?
	Final	Now can we leave for Hatshepsut's temple?

As above.

Character	Subtitles
Hatshepsut	Demo	All is in crisis! First my husband, Pharaoh Thutmose II, passed from this life. And now I cannot even arrange for his safe passage to the next world because someone has stolen The Book of the Dead!
	Final	All is in crisis! First my husband, Pharaoh Thutmose II, passed from this life. And now I cannot even arrange for his safe passage to the next world because someone has stolen the Book of the Dead!

"The Book of the Dead" -> "the Book of the Dead".

Character	Subtitles
Hatshepsut	Demo	The Book of the Dead is not just any book. It helps us Egyptians prepare a body into a well-preserved mummy. The Book is then entombed with the mummy, to serve as guide in the Afterlife.
	Final	The Book of the Dead is not just any book. It helps us Egyptians prepare a body into a well-preserved mummy. The Book is then entombed with the mummy, to serve as guide in the afterlife.

"the Afterlife" -> "the afterlife".

Character	Subtitles
Hatshepsut	Demo	If not properly mummified, my husband will be vulnerable to evil spirits! Only the Book of the Dead can guide and protect him in the realm of the Dead.
	Final	If not properly mummified, my husband will be vulnerable to evil spirits! Only the Book of the Dead can guide and protect him in the realm of the dead.

"realm of the Dead" -> "realm of the dead".

Character	Subtitles
Hatshepsut	Demo	And who are you, that you do not know? I am "his majesty," Makare Hatshepsut --esteemed pharaoh over the Upper and Lower lands of Egypt.
	Final	And who are you, that you do not know? I am His Majesty Makare Hatshepsut -- esteemed pharaoh over the Upper and Lower lands of Egypt.

Deemphasis of "his majesty", dash spacing.

Character	Subtitles
Head Priest	Demo	We've been hard at work here transforming dear Thutmose into a proper mummy, for his trip to the Afterlife. But all my assistants have run off looking for the thief who stole our Book of the Dead. I can't finish this mummy all by myself!
	Final	We've been hard at work here transforming dear Thutmose into a proper mummy, for his trip to the afterlife. But all my assistants have run off looking for the thief who stole our Book of the Dead. I can't finish this mummy all by myself!

"Afterlife" -> "afterlife".

Character	Subtitles
Head Priest	Demo	Not precisely. He weighs your heart against the Feather of Truth to judge your worthiness! After death, the worthy go on to the Afterlife, while the evil are gobbled up by the ever-famished monster, Ammit!
	Final	Not precisely. He weighs your heart against the Feather of Truth to judge your worthiness! After death, the worthy go on to the afterlife, while the evil are gobbled up by the ever-famished monster, Ammit!

"Afterlife" -> "afterlife".

Character	Subtitles
Ann	Demo	Let's talk to Hatshepsut--she's that lady wearing the whiskers.
	Final	Let's talk to Hatshepsut -- she's that lady wearing the whiskers.

Dash spacing.

Character	Subtitles
Ann	Demo	Hatshepsut's husband needs a decent burial. We need to send the former pharaoh to the Afterlife, in proper mummified form!
	Final	Hatshepsut's husband needs a decent burial. We need to send the former pharaoh to the afterlife, in proper mummified form!

"Afterlife" -> "afterlife".

Character	Subtitles
Ann	Demo	Those hieroglyphs and symbols seemed to be all about mummy-making! I'll bet they can help us get Thutmose II ready for the Afterlife!
	Final	Those hieroglyphs and symbols seemed to be all about mummy-making! I'll bet they can help us get Thutmose II ready for the afterlife!

"Afterlife" -> "afterlife".

Character	Subtitles
Ann	Demo	It's time to catch our V.I.L.E. villain! Let's read Carmen's note to figure out where the thief is hiding. The Chronopedia can help us solve the riddle. Then use the Time Cuffs where you think the thief is hiding!
	Final	It's time to catch our V.I.L.E. villain! Let's read Carmen's note to figure out where the thief is hiding. The Chronopedia can help us solve the riddle. Then use the Time Cuffs where you think the thief is hiding!

Extra space added after "V.I.L.E.". Probably an accident caused by mass find and replace of periods followed by one space with periods followed by two spaces.

Character	Subtitles
Ann	Demo	I'll activate the Time Cuffs straight-away! Once they're active, use them on the hiding spot indicated in Carmen's note. And remember -- the Chronopedia can help us figure out what the Carmen note means!
	Final	I'll activate the Time Cuffs straight-away! Once they're active, use them on the hiding spot indicated in Carmen's note. And remember -- the Chronopedia can help us figure out what the Carmen Note means!

"Carmen note" -> "Carmen Note".

Character	Subtitles
Ann	Demo	The Time Cuffs are inactive. We'll need all the pieces of the Carmen note before I can juice them up!
	Final	The Time Cuffs are inactive. We'll need all the pieces of the Carmen Note before I can juice them up!

"Carmen note" -> "Carmen Note".

Character	Subtitles
Ann	Demo	Sounds like the caper of a V.I.L.E. villain!
	Final	Sounds like the caper of a V.I.L.E. villain!

Same double-space-after-V.I.L.E. issue.

Character	Subtitles
Boatman	Demo	That small sack carries precious embalming elements that I must bring to the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut.
	Final	That small sack carries precious embalming elements that I must bring to the temple of Queen Hatshepsut.

"Temple" -> "temple".

Character	Subtitles
Boatman	Demo	I thank you for carrying my provisions on board. It will be darkest night by the time we land. So please take one of my spare torches from the boat--you'll need it!
	Final	I thank you for carrying my provisions on board. It will be darkest night by the time we land. So please take one of my spare torches from the boat -- you'll need it!

Dash spacing.

Character	Subtitles
Ann	Demo	This ability to create calendars and predict the flooding of the Nile helped convince ancient Egyptians that the Pharaohs were gods.
	Final	This ability to create calendars and predict the flooding of the Nile helped convince ancient Egyptians that the pharaohs were gods.

"Pharaoh" -> "pharaoh".

Character	Subtitles
Ann	Demo	Cool. The hieroglyphs on that jar really do mean "oil."
	Final	Cool. The hieroglyphs on that jar really do mean "oil."

Period spacing.

Character	Subtitles
Head Priest	Demo	Welcome! Have you come to help me prepare the deceased pharaoh for his mummified voyage to the Afterlife?
	Final	Welcome! Have you come to help me prepare the deceased pharaoh for his mummified voyage to the afterlife?

"Afterlife" -> "afterlife".

Character	Subtitles
Ann	Demo	The Egyptians prepared for everything. Food and drink were placed in the tombs of the dead for their long journey to the Afterlife.
	Final	The Egyptians prepared for everything. Food and drink were placed in the tombs of the dead for their long journey to the afterlife.

"Afterlife" -> "afterlife".

Character	Subtitles
Ann	Demo	The Time Cuffs are active now! Let's read the Chronopedia to deduce the hiding spot described in the Carmen note. Then we can use the Cuffs on that hiding spot!
	Final	The Time Cuffs are active now! Let's read the Chronopedia to deduce the hiding spot described in the Carmen Note. Then we can use the Cuffs on that hiding spot!

"Carmen note" -> "Carmen Note".

Character	Subtitles
Ann	Demo	Sorry. No scoundrel spotted.
	Final	Sorry. No scoundrel spotted.

Superfluous space added after the period (probably another find and replace issue).

Character	Subtitles
Ann	Demo	The Time Cuffs aren't charged up yet--we'll need all of Carmen's note first. Then we can use the Cuffs where we think the thief is lurking!
	Final	The Time Cuffs aren't charged up yet -- we'll need all of Carmen's note first. Then we can use the Cuffs where we think the thief is lurking!

Dash spacing.

Character	Subtitles
Hatshepsut	Demo	Careful or you'll singe my false beard! I need this ceremonial beard to prove I'm Pharaoh!
	Final	Careful or you'll singe my false beard! I need this ceremonial beard to prove I'm pharaoh!

"Pharaoh" -> "pharaoh".