Super Paper Mario/Unused & Early Graphics & Animations
This is a sub-page of Super Paper Mario.
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Early Graphics
Title Screen
Present in the file spmario.tpl and identical to the final, with two exceptions:
- The copyright year is 2006 instead of 2007.
- Thoreau's spot is occupied by a strange ladder-type Pixl that also appears in early screenshots.
Player Graphics
| GameCube Model | Wii Model |
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When the game was converted from GameCube to Wii, the player models were given a higher resolution (about 50% larger). The GameCube models are still on the disk, under p_(character). The Wii models use p_wii_(character). While most of the textures are identical barring the increased size, some images on the GameCube side weren't quite finished yet.
| GameCube Model | Wii Model |
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The handle on Peach's parasol is properly transparent in the Wii version.
| GameCube Model | Wii Model |
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The image for Peach's alternate hairstyle is an obvious placeholder image in the GameCube file, with the shortened hair being colored over. The GameCube image is also missing the ponytail.
These lower-res models are actually used for the dark heroes in the Shadoo fight, with the exception of Dark Luigi, who uses Mr. L's model instead. However, the textures are blacked out and thus still can't be seen in normal gameplay.
King Croacus
| To do: file paths |
| Early | Final |
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King Croacus has an earlier model found in the game's files. Differences include how his eyelids were meant to be green instead of purple and he had a small heart on his forehead. Given how the heart looks like a placeholder, it is likely that the Pure Heart was to be embedded in his head during the fight.
GameCube Buttons
More GameCube version remnants are found within effect.tpl - specifically, button prompts for the A and B buttons of the GameCube controller, and a prompt for talking with characters. These visuals rotated above the player when in range for the relevant actions. Additionally, wicon.tpl contains a prompt for the C stick to scroll text in menus.
Squiglet
| Early | Final |
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Present in e_octar (Squig's file) are two unused Squiglet body types. The first is an early version of the pink Squiglet...
...While this one uses an odd body color that doesn't match up perfectly with anything used in the final game.
Unused Animations
| To do: Document the animation names/IDs. |
Mario
Mario's player model contains an unused side-view climbing animation, like in Super Mario Bros.. In-game, the player can only see the character from behind when climbing. The other playable characters don't seem to have an equivalent animation. The use is confirmed by using a cheat to trick the game into switching back to 2D gameplay while next to the ladder in 3D. If you then climb the ladder before the camera has time to move to the 2D perspective, Mario will climb using this animation, while other characters will default to a fixed standing position as they do not have the proper animation.
Dimentio
Dimentio's model (e_dmen) contains both walking and running animations despite him only floating around in-game.
Count Bleck
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The model for Count Bleck (e_jigen) has several unused animations, including variants of many of his common animations in which he is beaten up from battle, only a small number of which are used. He also has animations of falling down, getting up, and a non-beaten version of his laying-down pose.
Unused Enemy Graphics
Fly Guy
File Name: e_heiho_p
The first of three unused Shy Guys, this one with a propeller on its back.
Kamikaze Goomba
File Name: e_kami_kuribo
NPC Tribe ID: 528
An odd black Goomba, its full name is found in its animation file. Given its name and appearance, it might have exploded on contact with the player. It exists in the NPC Tribe Table.
Monty Mole
File Name: e_choropu
NPC Tribe IDs: 516, 517
A familiar character in the Super Mario Bros. series, this enemy also appeared in the first Paper Mario. The graphics are also based off of its design in the first Paper Mario game, but with tan instead of white. It exists in the NPC Tribe Table.
Monty Moles would have attacked by throwing rocks and popping out of walls.
Spear Guy
File Name: e_heiho_y
First appearing in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, Spear Guys are Shy Guys with spears. Seems kind of obvious. Spear Guys had already appeared in the original Paper Mario and would later appear in Paper Mario: Sticker Star.
Stilt Guy
File Name: e_heiho_t
Another cut character that appeared in Paper Mario, Stilt Guys are Shy Guys on, get this, stilts!
Underchomp 2
File Name: e_wanwan_3b
An odd monochrome version of the red, blue, and yellow Underchomp mid-boss. It has a similar color scheme to the enemies appearing in Castle Bleck, suggesting that players were meant to fight it again in that area.
Wiggler
File Name: e_hana_body / e_hana_hed
NPC Tribe ID: 522, 523 (both are for e_hana_hed only)
This would have been Wiggler's first appearance in the Paper Mario series, but it got cut. It seems pretty okay with that. A Wiggler is later used as a significant NPC in Sticker Star, but with redone graphics. It exists in the NPC Tribe Table.
Smorg
| To do: Fact check this |
File Name: e_moa_a/e_moa_b
Despite being a boss in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, the Smorgs still somehow got ported here, even with a new filename, signifying it's a normal enemy. In the previous game, they were only fought as a swarm, and as minor annoyances in other places, but never in a proper battle.
The mystery keeps on going...
Other Unused Graphics
| To do: Add full file paths |
Early Yold Town Residents
The residents of Yold Town had different designs in early promo material for the game. The rigs and textures are still in the files. They're stored in the files n_stg1_boy, n_stg1_girl, n_stg1_child, and n_stg1_young_man, respectively.
Interestingly, the girl's file contains a pre-built example graphic with a different design.
Blank Koopa
The files e_nokoteki_j and e_nokoteki_j2 have copies of the standard Koopa sprite with the color drained. These were likely used by the artists as a reference.
Fracktail's Headgear
Interestingly, the Fracktail model has what appears to be a fake palm tree on his head, at the same location as his antenna. This was probably used for an earlier introduction for the boss. While the tree is removed from the Super Smash Bros. Brawl trophy that uses the same model, the textures are still included. The textures are named zun_tree, zun_s_yasiha, and zun_yasinomi (the trunk, leaves, and coconut respectively).
zun_s_yasiha
zun_tree
zun_yasinomi
Unused Partner Models
| To do: Images. |
Every partner from Paper Mario and its sequel has a Catch Card obtainable in the Flopside Pit of 100 Trials (for Paper Mario) or Sammer's Kingdom (for The Thousand-Year Door). These cards feature updated versions of the partners' models new to this game. Interestingly, the models can be found in the game's files, and are rigged for animations despite never being seen outside of their Catch Cards.
Unused Items
| To do: IDs/names |
Of the four unused items, the pink Cooking Disk is a functional item, but it doesn't add any pages to the Dining Specializer. Its item ID 63 (comes after the other Cooking Disks) and is called "Cooking Disk PI" in the US English text and "Cooking Disk 1" in the UK English text and uses the standard description. It's likely that the built-in page was once obtained via a Cooking Disk. This also explains why the purple Cooking Disk is called "Cooking Disk PU" instead of simply "Cooking Disk P".
The Boo's Sheet item from The Thousand-Year Door.
A pink Cooking Disk.
An unused key with a unique design.
What appears to be an alternate design for the unused key.
Early Francis
The pre-built example graphic in Francis's texture files, e_kamere and e_kamere_adg, uses an early design. Here, his head is bigger compared to the final, his tail has a natural round curve and is smaller, and his hands have a simpler design. I'm sure he'd be the first to point out all these differences.
Early
Final
Early Nastasia
The pre-built example graphic in Nastasia's texture file, n_nasta, uses what appears to be a preliminary version of her design. She has a tuft of hair that extends below her glasses, which are semi-transparent revealing her eyes (which also have a slightly different design). Her hands are also a green color as opposed to blue like her face in the final design.
The extra tuft of hair, as well as the unused DS Lite and stylus pictured below, are present in her model as well, with their associated meshes being hidden in-game.
Pen and Device
Located in Nastasia's files is a Nintendo DS Lite console and stylus.
NPC Shaman
n_rebear contains what appears to be an unused NPC, looking similar in appearance to Merlee and Merluvlee. Also has a close resemblance to Merlimbis, one of the four Tribe of Ancients. The word “rebear” is most likely a mistranslation of the word “reveal”, given that V and B, and L and R are pronounced the same way in Japanese. Perhaps this character would have replaced Merlee or Merluvlee, or is an early design for one of them?
Ice Block
MOBJ_ice_block contains a strange Ice Block.
Burning Bush
MOBJ_burn_reef_a contains three frames of this burning bush.
Wood Sign
MOBJ_Arrow contains an unused wooden sign.
