Spyro: A Hero's Tail

Spyro: A Hero's Tail
Developer: Eurocom Publisher: Vivendi Universal Games Platforms: PlayStation 2, GameCube, Xbox Released in US: November 3, 2004 Released in EU: November 12, 2004 (Xbox), November 26, 2004 (GCN) Released in AU: November 9, 2004 This game has unused animations. This game has unused areas. This game has unused enemies. This game has unused objects. This game has unused modes / minigames. This game has unused graphics. This game has unused models. This game has unused music. This game has unused sounds. This game has unused text. This game has a prototype article This game has a prerelease article

Spyro: A Hero's Tail is the fifth main-line entry in the Spyro franchise, and Spyro is yet again tasked with saving the world.
Throughout the game you can take control of other beloved characters, such as Hunter, Sgt. Byrd and Sparx. Blink, a newcomer to the series, is there too.

To do: Regional/console differences. Unused enemies/objects. Unused text (scour through "text.edb"). More unused audio. Unused models and textures (there's a lot).

Sub-Pages

Prototype Info

Prerelease Info

Unused Maps A surprising amount of testing environments and unfinished maps.

Unused Character Audio Lots of dialogue that never gets spoken.

publisherlevellist.txt

A text file listing the files to load in a publisher-only build of the game. Publisher builds are usually meant to show the publisher current progress on the game and to see if various milestones on the game's development have been hit.

//
//
//
// Level list - files included on a publisher build..
//
//

Test_TL.edb,START,"Blinky Test 1"
Test_PB.edb,START,"Blinky Test 2"
model.edb,START,"Model Viewer"

The Model Viewer is actually an extra feature present in the final game, which shows most if not all of the models used in-game (excluding unused ones). The map mentioned in this text file does not seem to have anything to do with this feature however.

Both of the test maps mentioned feature gameplay assets meant for Blink, who at this point in development was referred to as "Blinky".

filelist.txt

To do: Check if this is on the PAL version as well, and also check the Xbox version.

The game stores all of its assets within a file called Filelist.000. Usually there's only a Filelist.bin file next to it, which lists all the files so the game can find them. In the GameCube version, a .txt file and a .cfi file was added alongside the .000 and .bin files, simply named Filelist.txt and Filelist.cfi respectively. That means this version of the game essentially contains a full list of all the files in the game in an easily readable format. This file is very long, so only an excerpt is shown here:

x:\spyro\binary\_bin_gc\albatros.edb                                    : Len      52000 : Ver  240 : Hash 0x01000076 : Ts 0x00000000 :  Loc           0:000
x:\spyro\binary\_bin_gc\archer_s.edb                                    : Len     156192 : Ver  240 : Hash 0x01000078 : Ts 0x00000000 :  Loc        f800:000
x:\spyro\binary\_bin_gc\asm4lrg.edb                                     : Len     228000 : Ver  240 : Hash 0x010000e6 : Ts 0x00000000 :  Loc       4f000:000
x:\spyro\binary\_bin_gc\asm4med.edb                                     : Len     129600 : Ver  240 : Hash 0x010000e7 : Ts 0x00000000 :  Loc       97000:000
x:\spyro\binary\_bin_gc\asm4sml.edb                                     : Len     168640 : Ver  240 : Hash 0x010000e3 : Ts 0x00000000 :  Loc       d0000:000
x:\spyro\binary\_bin_gc\ballgdgt.edb                                    : Len     340256 : Ver  240 : Hash 0x010000a8 : Ts 0x00000000 :  Loc      10b800:000
x:\spyro\binary\_bin_gc\batfodde.edb                                    : Len      68704 : Ver  240 : Hash 0x010000e2 : Ts 0x00000000 :  Loc      160800:000
x:\spyro\binary\_bin_gc\bentley.edb                                     : Len     169056 : Ver  240 : Hash 0x010000b1 : Ts 0x00000000 :  Loc      173800:000
x:\spyro\binary\_bin_gc\blinknpc.edb                                    : Len     226496 : Ver  240 : Hash 0x01000089 : Ts 0x00000000 :  Loc      1bb800:000
x:\spyro\binary\_bin_gc\blinky.edb                                      : Len     563680 : Ver  240 : Hash 0x01000088 : Ts 0x00000000 :  Loc      216000:000
...

Unused Music/Sounds

Much like previous Spyro games, A Hero's Tail has unused tracks that can only be heard by ripping them from the game. These are actually leftovers from the demos of the game. (see demo Music & Audio Differences)

• _mus_mfx_ball_gadget_1.sfx is an unused Ball Gadget track. In the demos it was used for the first Ball Gadget stage, but the final game simply uses the Magma Falls theme instead.

• _mus_mfx_challenge_lost.sfx is an unused challenge lost jingle.

• _mus_mfx_challenge_won.sfx is an unused challenge won jingle.

• _mus_mfx_minigame_sgt_1.sfx is an unused track for the Sgt. Byrd mini-games.

• _mus_mfx_minigame_spy_1.sfx is an unused track that would've been used in Spyro's turret mini-games.

• _mus_mfx_realm1z_death_2.sfx and _mus_mfx_realm1z_death_3.sfx are unused death themes. In the final game, only _mus_mfx_realm1z_death_1.sfx is used.
  

_mus_mfx_realm1z_death_2.

_mus_mfx_realm1z_death_3.

• _mus_mfx_realm1z_safe.sfx is a completely unused track. Judging by the file name, it was meant to play in Gnasty's Cave.

• _mus_mfx_realm1z_victory.sfx is an unused victory theme. Judging by the file name, it was meant to play in Gnasty's Cave.

Unused Sparx State/Controls

Normally, Sparx can only be controlled through specific on-rails shooter sections. However, using hacks/glitches, it's possible to freely control him and even play as him outside of the mini-games.

Upon entering a Sparx level, he will be floating in place. From there, the player can move him around in all directions, but he will be unable to shoot. Additionally, pressing the charge button will make him go slightly faster.

If Sparx is injured, he will return to the on-rails state. If he runs out of health and the player leaves the mini-game, they will still be in control of Sparx in the hub level. He can talk to NPCs, but can not interact with teleporters or gadgets, and can not attack. He also doesn't make any noises in this state, which is more noticeable outside of his mini-games. Finally, if Sparx runs out of health in a hub level, the game will softlock on a black screen.

Cut Fifth Hub

One of the game's music files is named _mus_mfx_realm5b_roam.sfx, suggesting that a fifth world was eventually cut while in development. This track, however, corresponds to the Hunter section of Dragonfly Falls.

Enter the Dragonfly Leftovers

The Spyro model used in Enter the Dragonfly is present in this game's files as spyro.edb. The Spyro model used in-game is spyronew.edb.

To do: This is not true, spyro.edb is used in-game, spyronew.edb is an unfinished model of Spyro. Document this.