User:Brinch/Temporary Info/Prerelease Stuff

WIP article about the leaked design documents for Spyro: A Hero's Tail. Don't be surprised if you see missing images or random notes.

The Australian Press Kit disc for Spyro: A Hero's Tail which was released on Archive.org on the 17th of April 2020, has a folder called "Walk Thrus", which contains design documents for each of the game's main levels, as well as a document for the game's task list.

These documents describe the game's design, assets, mechanics and various other things, and it even has a bunch of map images, sketches and a few screenshots.
Each level document contains a brief description of the theme and backstory along with some concept art and references to other games or movies.

All the documents have the author Terry Lloyd, who worked as a designer on the game.

Overall the documents seem very messy when it comes to when in development they were made. Some parts seem to conflict with other parts, as if the documents are amalgamations of many different versions.

Since these documents are not final, many differences from the final game can be found inside them.

To do: There's so much to say about these documents that a lot still remains to be documented.

Early Name & Logo

According to the design documents, the original title for Spyro: A Hero's Tail was Spyro: The Dark Realms or Spyro 5: The Dark Realms. Inside some of the documents, an early logo with this name can also be found.

General differences

• The professor was originally only going to show his head in the holograms.

Whenever the documents describe the Professor's hologram they sometimes specify that it is only his head. In the final game he shows his whole body while in a hologram.

• Fredneck was originally named Frederick.

Example from the Task List document:

Visit Frederick the Frog to raise the Lilly pads.
* Set at the start of the level (1B)
* Check conditions = Frederick the Frog has been visited.
* Task Notes: Visit Frederick the Frog outside his shack, he may be able to help you get back out of the swamp.

• Blink was originally named Blinky.

These documents sometimes refer to Blink as 'Blinky' instead. Given that his name was Blinky in previous games as well, this makes sense.

• "Horn-dive Boulder."

There are rocks you can horn dive in the final game, but they only ever contain gems. Throughout the documents there are multiple mentions of horn dive boulders containing other pickups as well. <put example here>

Task List Entries

General Information

File name: Spyro5_TaskList_Entries.doc
Created: July 23rd 2003
Last modified: July 22nd 2004

This document describes the various tasks the player has to complete throughout the game. It details the conditions for the tasks to appear on the player's task list screen, as well as the conditions for when the tasks are completed.

At the beginning of the document there's an explanation for the text formatting of the different tasks:

Red tasks have not yet been implemented.
Blue tasks have been implemented but have bugs associated with them.
Bold tasks are on from the start of the level and don’t get given by an NPC or other conditions.

Judging by the colors throughout the document it seems the developers had mostly implemented everything until Icy Wilderness.

Differences

• Gnasty Gnorc's Cave likely had multiple electricity-powered platforms instead of one.

The task "Use Electric Breath to get back out" describes multiple platforms instead of just one:

* Check conditions = Used Electric Breath on the platforms.
* Task Notes: Use the new Electric Breath on the electric powered platforms to get out of Gnasty Gnorc’s lair.

• Cloudy Domain is referred to as "Cloud City"

The task is still named "Access the Cloudy Domain" however. In the final game it's instead referred to by its actual name.

Task notes - The Cloud city floats above. Find the hidden entrance somewhere on this level.

• The Supercharge gadget originally required 52 light gems to activate instead of 40.

Power Supercharge Gadget
* Set by the Professor when visited Supercharge Gadget Pad.
* Check Conditions = Player has powered the Invincibility Device
* Task Notes - Collect 52 Light gems to power the Supercharge gadget

In a couple unused voice lines from The Professor, he also tells the player to collect 52 light gems to power the supercharge gadget.

• Red's Laboratory was originally called Professor's Laboratory. There was originally some sort of mini boss before the level as well.

It appears the owner of the laboratory in the last level is actually the Professor himself, and not Red.
This task also describes a sort of "mini boss" before the level, but the final game never has mini bosses.

Access the Professors Lab
* Set at the beginning of the level.
* Check Conditions = defeat of the Mini Boss, and the entrance to the professors lab found.
* Task notes – Find and access the entrance to the Professors Lab, Red is forcing him to build a robot army.

Realm 1-A - Dragon Village

General Information

File name: Spyro5_Walkthrough_Realm1A(HUB)_2003-07-23.doc
Created: July 23rd 2003
Last modified: July 15th 2004

This document contains information about the level Dragon Village and what enemies, items, collectibles etc. it contains.

Differences

• Description

The short description of the level is possibly different to what is seen in the final game:

As this is the Dragons homeland, it should have a huge impact on the player to drive home the fact that the Realms have been drastically affected by the Dark Gems. The sacred home grounds is the best place to start to set the scene, create sympathy for the Dragons plight and motivate the player to put it right.

In the final game there is no place referred to as "The Sacred Home Grounds", so it's likely that a completely different intro sequence was planned for Dragon Village.

• Visual Elements/Features

This section describes visual elements which sound different from what actually ended up in the level:

Visual Elements / Features
* Sea, rocks, skyline vista
* Walkways & ramps
* Balconies
* Bridges
* Streams

• The dragon egg near the Professor's Lab was behind a smashable grate.

One of the dragon egg tasks are described like this:

Smash through water grate – (Secret room in area leading to Prof’s Lab)

In the final game the dragon egg is in front of the grate, and it cannot be destroyed.

• The gem amount required to enter Moneybags' shop was 200 instead of 500.

Collect enough gems (money) to buy the Lockpicker Power-up.
* Check conditions = 200 gems collected.
* If so… open gate to Moneybags Shop.

• The lock pick was originally called a "lock picker".

Buy the Lock-picker power-up.
* Check conditions = Lock-picker bought.

• There was originally a horn-dive switch in the level.

This actually exists in the demos of the game, where a horn-dive switch is used to open a gate to the nursery.

...
Horn-dive Switch (on floor)
...

• possibly a health tutorial at some point? (need to check in the game)
• Moneybags would've taught the player about gem containers.

In the final game this is exclusively taught through the tutorial pop-ups.

Moneybags (Outside his shop – door is closed)
* Tells Spyro he needs to collect money before he will let him into his shop to buy things.
* There are loads of valuable gems stored in those containers. Open them and collect as many gems as possible so you can buy things in my shop.

• Completely different opening sequence.

This seems unlike anything in the final game. It is likely a leftover from a previous version of the document, since nothing like this is ever described elsewhere.

OPENING SEQUENCE
* Title Page / Loading Screen (Static)
* Once loaded, Camera orbits around Spyro positioned on the HUB Teleporter. The words ‘Press Start’ appear on screen.
* User has control of Spyro as soon as they press Start.

• Very different shop interface.

Some very early screenshots can be found inside this document showcasing the shop system.

The shop can be seen in a completely different location, similar to one of the game's test maps. Moneybags also has an early design.
300px

There's no triangle button prompt above the pad, instead there's a "Press (Triangle) to start shopping" message.
300px

The shop menu itself has a completely different layout from the final game. There's even an option with a dragon egg, but it's unknown if you were able to purchase one during development.
The health upgrade also costs a measly 700 gems compared to the 5000 gems in the final game. Also, Spyro has entered the shop with only 201 gems, something the document has also previously mentioned.
300px

• Different dialogue for Ember.

It seems Ember had more to say than what ended up in the final game, where she simply tells Spyro to see the Elder in order to smash the dark gem.

A female Dragon NPC (Ember) is standing looking at the Dark Gem and tells Spyro she’s seen more of these Dark Gems around and that she was scared that something sinister was going on. She suggests that Spyro goes to see the Elder in his cave to see if he knows anything.

• Different dialogue for Elder Thomas.

Thomas was also supposed to say more than he ended up saying in the final game.

Before Spyro leaves, the Elder will also urge him to find and destroy any other Dark Gems that he comes across.

• There was a shop pad after Hunter's area.

This was also seen in the demos of the game.

If Spyro heads through the door that Hunter opens for him, he will come to a shop pad in the room leading to the crossroads (L).

• Different first-person button.

In the final game you use the left shoulder buttons to aim.

... Projectiles can also be aimed more accurately in First Person Mode, so hold down the (/\) Action Button, aim and then fire away.

• There were archers (Gnorc Soldiers) in the ball gadget area.

In the final game there are only a few armored gnorcs on the ledges.

Gnorc Soldiers are posted on some ledges and Spyro must time his attacks to avoid their projectiles.

• The nursery is described as a cave.

This makes no sense, so it's perhaps from an older version of the document or they simply decided to describe the room like this.

The Professor will appear and tell Spyro what the pad is for and what he needs to get the Ball Gadget working. He will then hint to Spyro that he should explore the small cave behind him.

• The nursery was guarded by a gnorc.

It seems Spyro would also be able to collect the light gem before the Nanny cutscene played.

Entering the room guarded by the Gnorc Sentry, Spyro will find his first Light Gem.

• There were treasure next to the light gem in the Sgt. Byrd area.

In the final game there's only a light gem.

Once over onto the tall ledge (U), Spyro discovers a Light Gem and a room full of treasure.

• More info on the room behind the smashable grate.

It seems there would've been a room behind the grate in the Professor's secret entrance area.

Entering the stream and charging at the water outlet/grill will reveal a secret room beyond containing a Dragon Egg.

• Map overview.

At the end of the document, a map overview can be seen. It has many differences from the final map.
File:SpyroAHT-DesignDocs-DragonVillageMAP.jpg

• The teleporter is in the middle of the starting area, with paths going out to the different areas around it.
• Despite a building with a purple cloth room being at the bottom of the map, Moneybags' shop is apparently at the top of the starting area, located inside a big cave. At the bottom building there's a 'T' icon which isn't explained, but might be the a teleporter icon. Peculiarly these labels match the final version of the map, even though the map image itself does not.
• The dragon egg at the entrance to Gnasty's Cave is a lot closer to the boss door.
• There are enemies in the bridge area, there are none in the final game.
• There's an enemy in Hunter's area with the label "gem stealer." It's unknown if this is an unused enemy.
• There are no enemies after the bottomless pit area.
• There's only one large gnorc in the ball gadget area near the locked chest. There are two enemies in this area in the final game.
• The ball gadget pad seems to have a cave behind it, its purpose is unknown.
• The light gem in the nursery was originally right in the doorway instead of further inside the room.
• There's a horn dive switch in the Professor's lab entrance area, its purpose is unknown.

Realm 1-B - Crocovile Swamp

General Information

File name: Spyro5_Walkthrough_Realm1B_2003-07-23.doc
Created: Around Janurary 2003
Last modified: July 15th 2004

This document contains information about the level Crocovile Swamp and what enemies, items, collectibles etc. it contains.

Differences

• Visual Elements/Features.

This section describes "Statues of Dragons" which are nowhere in this level in the final game.

Visual Elements / Features
* Distant valley of trees and foliage.
* Large Pyramid (Similar to Mayan pyramids)
* Statues of Dragons, some destroyed or sinking in the swamp
* Large Temple built into the side of a canyon wall.
* Overgrowing leafy canopies to enclose certain areas.
* Murky Swamp areas with bulrushes.

• There were dry vines meant to be burnt.

One of the light gem tasks say:

* Burn away the dry vines (Across the swamp with sinking logs)

This does not occur in the final game.
Another example from further into the document:

* Vines and Weeds – (to be burned away by Electric Breath or Charged)

• There was a smashable pyramid top with a Super Charge pad underneath.

There is nothing like this in the final game.

* Pyramid Top – (horn dive to reveal Super Charge gadget)

• "Horn dive ground."

It's unknown exactly what this refers to, but it doesn't exist in the final game.

* Horn-dive Ground (first introduced on this level)

• There was a charge switch in the level.

It's unknown what is meant by "disguised".

* Charge Switch (on wall) - disguised

• "Spinning blade."

It's unknown what this would've been exactly but it's described multiple times throughout the document:

* Spinning Blade

• Different method of opening the door to the light gem room in the temple.

In the final game the door simply opens when you press the button.

Spyro must press a button on the seal of the other chamber and avoid a spinning blade has it swings down from the ceiling and slices through the seal allowing the doorway to open, revealing another room (O) containing enemies, traps and a Light Gem.

• Different electric switch design.

In the final game, the switches are floating spheres with antennae.

The next room (P) contains 4 strange looking devices (tall pyramid posts with a globe on top) that must be activated with the Electric Breath (Once Spyro has obtained it from the first Boss). Once activated in the correct sequence, the door will open.

• The bridge in the secret area would've been used by the egg thief.

In the final game the thief will never walk on the bridge.

The thief should have his path/pattern take him over the pit in the main cave and also around the column in the smaller room nearby.

• The bridge in the secret area would've possibly moved.

This looks like an afterthought they never got to implement.

Note: Would be nice to have a rickety dynamic bridge in this area that sinks under Spyro’s weight and rocks from side to side slightly.

• The secret brick door was originally a cracked wall.

In the final game you have to hit a secret switch to lower it.

Back out of the Temple and through a connecting tunnel (R), a cracked wall can be charged through to discover a room containing a Light Gem.

• Different level design and cut enemy.

In the final game you simply jump across a few sinking logs to reach a light gem.
This section also describes the Liz-Hards (only found within Sparx' minigame levels in the final game) as an enemy that Spyro has to engage with.

Spyro proceeds into a large swamp area. He must navigate a series of sinking platforms to reach a Light Gem behind dry swamp vines and bulrushes that he must burn away with his flame breath (T). Loads of Liz-hard enemies will be positioned on the platforms and will lash out at Sparx with their long tongues. Spyro must time his jumps across from platform to platform, defeat the Liz-hard’s and Venomous Vines and get off the platforms before they sink and drag him down with them.

Further description of the Liz-Hard. It appears it would've caught Sparx, leaving Spyro with one hitpoint left.

Other enemies will need to be placed in combination with Liz-hards to create the challenge for Spyro. For example: if Spyro is not careful and allows a Liz-hard to catch Sparx he will then have to try to survive the area and avoid other enemies without taking a further hit or he will die and be returned to the last re-start point. If so, Spyro will then have to attempt the Liz-hard/platform section again.

• Cut light gem location near the Elder's house.

In the final game, no such cliff face with a light gem exists.

After collecting the egg, Spyro should be able to see an opening in the cliff face close by. It is obscured quite a bit and requires the player to be observant and explore alternative avenues from the tree. The reward is a load of treasure and a Light Gem.

• Blink would've been held captive by a Crocovile.

In the final game he simple stands safely in the cage, being as useless as ever.

Blink (X) is being held captive (and tormented) by a Crocovile.

• Blink would've dug down a molehill upon accepting the minigame.

In the final game the screen simply fades to black and the minigame starts.
Additionally, this section states that Blink is the first playable alternative character, even though Sgt. Byrd was already playable in Dragon Village.

At this point, if Spyro accepts the offer, Blink will dive down a nearby Mole-hill and the player will take control of Blink as their first alternate playable character.

• The tunnel to Fredneck would've had spiders on the ceilings.

In the final game they are only in the little alcoves in the sides of the cave.

Cobwebs and dark alcoves can be seen as Spyro cautiously walks through and Spiders pop from the alcoves and ceiling to take him by surprise.

• Map overview.

At the end of the document, a map overview can be seen. It has a few differences from the final map.
File:SpyroAHT-DesignDocs-CrocovileSwampMAP.jpg

• The beginning rooms were originally a lot longer and intricate. It's unclear what exactly would've been inside them. The final game cuts this part down significantly.
• The light gem near the Elder's tree is in a different position, possibly in the cliff face that was mentioned earlier in the document.
• There would've been a large gnorc in the secret egg thief area.

Realm 1-C - Dragonfly Falls

General Information

File name: Spyro5_Walkthrough_Realm1C_2003-07-23.doc
Created: July 23rd 2003
Last modified: July 15th 2004

This document contains information about the level Dragonfly Falls and what enemies, items, collectibles etc. it contains.

Differences

• Sharks

There are numerous mentions of sharks in the piranha-infested waters with the sinking platforms. This is a cut enemy which can actually be found in the demos of the game in the same area.

This is one of the light gem task descriptions:

* On the Buoy (use rafts to cross Shark infested waters).

In the final game, the light gem is placed on an island, not a buoy of any kind.

Here, the shark is mentioned under the "enemies" section:

* Shark (for when Spyro goes too far out to sea)

Here's the shark described in the same location they are seen in the demo.

Most of the water in this lower area (O) is quite deep and infested with Piranha’s and Sharks.

• The pillars at the last dark gem were instead a rock.

This is one of the dark gem task descriptions. In the final game, the dark gem makes 3 pillars collapse.

* Dark Gem 4: Remove twisted piece of craggy rock to create shortcut.

This rock was actually used in the early demo of the game.

• Pole spin would've been used in this level.

The document list pole spin as one of the abilities required in the level. In the demos, there's a single spin pole used to access the secret area.

• A cut gadget named Aqualung.

This gadget is also mentioned in an early sketch for Crocovile Swamp, and can also be partially enabled through hacking in the demos.

To do: Document Aqualung somewhere

Gadgets
* Ball
* Aqualung

• Ice breath would've been required in the level at some point.

It's unknown exactly what it would've been used for, but it might have been intended to freeze a geyser and reach a collectable, as seen in an early sketch for Dragonfly Falls.

New Breath Types
* Ice

• The wooden platform used to reach a light gem cave would've been floating.

* Floating Platform (raises after pressing switch)

• The are with the two cannons would've had columns instead of rocks to blast.

This was also seen in the demos of the game.

* Rock Column (with Cannon sat on top)
* Rock Column (sat on top of platform to be shot away)

This cannon can then be used to destroy a rock column that has another cannon sat on top. When the rock is destroyed the cannon (H) will fall to the ground.

Spyro must then destroy another column (releasing concealed gems) and create a platform to reach the other side.

• The vultures would've had other behaviors.

The enemies section mentions two types of vulture. In the final game, only the circling/dropping rocks type is seen.

* Vulture (perched / swooping)

Continuing through the narrow canyon Spyro will encounter Vultures that fly from posts towards him and must be flamed or charged to defeat.

• Vulture (circling / dropping rocks)

• A lot of crocovile enemies have gnorc sentries in their place.

Climbing up a series of ledges and past a couple of Gnorc Sentries, and can see a ledge nearby that houses a Locked Chest containing a Light Gem.

Spyro will come to a cave guarded by a Gnorc Sentry. Charging at the cracked wall leads into the cave and onto the first Dark Gem of this level

• The beginning walkways would've hugged the canyon wall.

In the final game, the beginning areas always have open space on both sides.

As Spyro proceeds, he comes across some narrow ledges that hug the canyon wall and occasionally open out into areas with water pools below (D).

• Mountain goats would've been introduced differently.

In the final game, they simply start out in the open and charge the player immediately.

Blocking the path is a large boulder that will be destroyed by a bad-tempered Mountain Goat. (This gives the player a clue that boulders can be destroyed using the Horn-dive move).

This also mentions large boulders which can be destroyed with horn dive, but no such thing exists in the game.

• The mountain goats would've been in more locations.

In the final game, they are only seen in the cannon area.

There are also further Mountain Goats in this area that are commanded by a Shepherd to attack Spyro in two’s.

The goats also only attack Spyro one at a time in the final game, not in twos.

• Different platform types in the first vulture area.

This type of platform isn't seen in the final level.

Other platforms will rise and lower requiring clever timing on Spyro’s jumps.

• Entirely different secret area.

Almost nothing said here is in the final game.

Spyro can make a series of jumps up a shallow stream fighting Gnorcs along the way. If Spyro falls off the platforms down into the shallow water he will be pursued by a couple of aggressive Gnorc Warriors. At the end of the platform sequence Spyro must jump through a waterfall to progress further and reveal a room (K) containing a Dragon Egg on a bridge. When Spyro approaches the Dragon Egg, an Egg Thief will appear and steal the egg (and becomes a Egg Thief pursuit).

• Possibly different minigame entrance.

This might have something to do with the cave system found in the early demo.

The next cave along the cliff face is in near darkness and the entrance is very narrow (M). This cave can only be navigated by Sparx.

• Different method to access the last dark gem.

In the final game, you ride a floating platform over to the dark gem.

Spyro must jump across a series of teetering platforms and destroy the Dark Gem (U) to remove a barrier (a twisted piece of craggy rock) which then leads him back out near the narrow mountain pass (F).

• Map overview.

At the end of the document, a sketch of the map made in FreeHand can be viewed. It has tons of differences from the final map.
File:SpyroAHT-DesignDocs-DragonflyFallsMAP.jpg

• The treasure room near the beginning would've been closer to the first dark gem.
• The mountain goats are much more spread out throughout the level.
• There's a different series of platforms next to the cannon leading up to the walkway.
• The area after the first cannon area has a very different layout.
• The rock that would normally block the way forward in the vulture area, instead blocks the way to the dragon egg.
• The entire secret area is massively simplified compared to the final game.
• The dragon statue area only has 3 platforms in the middle.
• There seems to be a narrow walkway at the Sparx minigame.
• The light gem in the piranha area is on a wooden platform instead of an island.
• Instead of a fence blocking the way out to sea, there's a cut shark enemy which will eat Spyro if he goes past the reef.