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From The Cutting Room Floor
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Build 3944 is a 40% build of the game sent to the press. The build only contains the Amazon and Antarctic levels.


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Text
A
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Textures and Models
B
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Sound and Music
C
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Movies
D

PICKUPS Folder

TFA2004 3944 WIRES.png

The PICKUPS folder also exists in this build, present in the tfa.zip file. However, WIRES.ITF is now an ammo icon rather than a health icon.

Cut Enemies

As of now, it is not possible to load any of these enemies into the game.

Lightning Rod

Lightning Rod has the most data available out of all the cut enemies present in this build. Lightning Rod has a model present that seems identical to a render present in the retail game's extras menu featuring a very early medium and light unit, with the exception of Lightning Rod sporting a boat-shaped head. Lightning Rod's model was manually adjusted to replicate how it appears in the early render and thus, may not be entirely representative of how it would look like in-game. The model is present in tfa\ANIMATION as LIGHTNINGROD.VBIN.

Lightning Rod (Resconstruction) Early Medium & Light Unit Render
TFA2004 3944 WIRES.png
TFA2004 MediumLightUnitRender.png

In the same directory as the model, there are also textures present. Interestingly, the head texture still seems to be based off the early Light Unit's head model, and thus will not fit on Lightning Rod's boat-shaped head.

Lastly, Lightning Rod's stats can be found in tfa\CREATURE.TMD. With a height of 6, these enemies are as tall as a retail Jetsniper. With 200 health, these enemies are as strong as the retail Artillery Unit.

String "False" "ActivationEvent" "" "" 
Float "False" "ActivationProximity" 70 "Radius Uneditable" 
Integer "False" "ActiveRange" 120 "Radius Uneditable" 
Integer "False" "Aggression" 35 " Uneditable" 
Float "False" "ApproxHeight" 6 " Uneditable" 
Float "False" "ApproxRadius" 2 " Uneditable" 
Integer "False" "CombatRange" 75 "Radius Uneditable" 
Integer "False" "CommunicationRange" 50 "Radius Uneditable" 
Link "False" "FirstNode" "" 
Bool "False" "Generate" true "" 
Enum "False" "GenerationDifficulty" "Normal" "[Normal,Hard,Extreme]" 
Enum "False" "GenerationSpawnType" "Always" "[Narrative,Always,LevelDone]" 
Integer "False" "Health" 200 " Uneditable" 
Integer "False" "HealthPickupCount_Large" 1 " Uneditable" 
Integer "False" "HealthPickupCount_Small" 1 " Uneditable" 
Integer "False" "HearingRange" 90 "Radius Uneditable" 
Enum "False" "InitialState" "Patrol_Robot" "[Patrol_Robot,Combat_Robot,Combat_Vehicle,Patrol_Vehicle,DropFromSky,FollowCommandNodes,DropThenFollowNodes]" 
Bool "False" "IsSquadLeader" false "" 
Quaternion "False" "Orientation" 1 0 0 0 "" 
Integer "False" "PatrolRange" 20 "Radius Uneditable" 
Integer "False" "PercentVehicleMode" 30 " Uneditable" 
Point "False" "Position" 0 0 0 "" 
String "False" "PrototypeName" "LightningRod" " Uneditable" 
Integer "False" "ScaleRobotSize" 100 " Uneditable" 
Integer "False" "ScaleVehicleSize" 170 " Uneditable" 
Integer "False" "SquadID" -1 "" 
Float "False" "SuspensionRange" 500 " Uneditable" 
Integer "False" "VisibleAngle" 40 "Radius Uneditable" 
Integer "False" "VisibleRange" 100 "Radius Uneditable" 

Ice Berg

Yep, literal ice bergs. These aren't enemies per se, but since they're included in the CREATURE.TMD file, they're in this category. Ice bergs have three models present in tfa\ANIMATION\MISCELLANEOUS\ICEBERG:

ICEBERGS_01.VBIN ICEBERG_02.VBIN ICEBERG_03.VBIN
TFA2004 3944 WIRES.png
TFA2004 3944 WIRES.png
TFA2004 3944 WIRES.png
Hmmm...
To do:
Is that static mess actually the texture?!

Also in the same file directory, there is a texture present.

TFA2004 3944 WIRES.png

Lastly, present in tfa\CREATURE.TMD are some stats. At a whopping 1000 health, these are some of the strongest "enemies" in the prototype (though to be fair, most boss enemies are overwhelmingly weak in this build). The ice berg has 500 less health than retail Tidal Wave, making it the strongest non-boss enemy in the game, beating out both the retail Amazon Heavy Unit boss and Dropship (each having 600 health).

String "False" "ActivationEvent" "" "" 
Float "False" "ActivationProximity" 6 "" 
Integer "False" "ActiveRange" 120 "" 
Integer "False" "Aggression" 50 "" 
LinkArray "False" "CreaturesToSpawn" 0 "" 
Link "False" "FirstNode" "" 
Bool "False" "Generate" true "" 
Enum "False" "GenerationDifficulty" "Normal" "[Normal,Hard,Extreme]" 
Enum "False" "GenerationSpawnType" "Always" "[Narrative,Always,LevelDone]" 
Integer "False" "Health" 1000 "" 
Integer "False" "HealthPercentage" 100 "" 
Enum "False" "InitialState" "Patrol_Robot" "[Patrol_Robot,Combat_Robot,Combat_Vehicle,Patrol_Vehicle,DropFromSky,FollowCommandNodes,DropThenFollowNodes]" 
Link "False" "MoveToNode" "" 
Quaternion "False" "Orientation" 1 0 0 0 "" 
Integer "False" "PatrolRange" 20 "" 
Point "False" "Position" 0 0 0 "" 
String "False" "SpawnList" "" "" 
Float "False" "Speed" 5 "" 
Enum "False" "VisualType" "One" "[One,Two,Three]"

Heavy Tank

Absolutely nothing is known about this enemy other than its statistics present in tfa\CREATURE.TMD. With a height of 12, this enemy would have the same height as a retail Heavy Unit. With 500 health, this enemy would have 100 health more than a retail Heavy Unit.

String "False" "ActivationEvent" "" "" 
Float "False" "ActivationProximity" 70 "Radius Uneditable" 
Integer "False" "ActiveRange" 120 "Radius Uneditable" 
Integer "False" "Aggression" 35 " Uneditable" 
Float "False" "ApproxHeight" 12 " Uneditable" 
Float "False" "ApproxRadius" 6 " Uneditable" 
Integer "False" "CombatRange" 135 "Radius Uneditable" 
Integer "False" "CommunicationRange" 50 "Radius Uneditable" 
Link "False" "FirstNode" "" 
Bool "False" "Generate" true "" 
Enum "False" "GenerationDifficulty" "Normal" "[Normal,Hard,Extreme]" 
Enum "False" "GenerationSpawnType" "Always" "[Narrative,Always,LevelDone]" 
Integer "False" "Health" 500 " Uneditable" 
Integer "False" "HealthPickupCount_Large" 1 " Uneditable" 
Integer "False" "HealthPickupCount_Small" 1 " Uneditable" 
Integer "False" "HearingRange" 162 "Radius Uneditable" 
Enum "False" "InitialState" "Patrol_Robot" "[Patrol_Robot,Combat_Robot,Combat_Vehicle,Patrol_Vehicle,DropFromSky,FollowCommandNodes,DropThenFollowNodes]" 
Bool "False" "IsSquadLeader" false "" 
Quaternion "False" "Orientation" 1 0 0 0 "" 
Integer "False" "PatrolRange" 20 "Radius Uneditable" 
Integer "False" "PercentVehicleMode" 30 " Uneditable" 
Point "False" "Position" 0 0 0 "" 
String "False" "PrototypeName" "HeavyTank" " Uneditable" 
Integer "False" "ScaleRobotSize" 100 " Uneditable" 
Integer "False" "ScaleVehicleSize" 170 " Uneditable" 
Integer "False" "SquadID" -1 "" 
Float "False" "SuspensionRange" 500 " Uneditable" 
Integer "False" "VisibleAngle" 40 "Radius Uneditable" 
Integer "False" "VisibleRange" 180 "Radius Uneditable" 

Debug Stuff

CREATURE Folder

Found in tfa\CREATURE are four images which were likely used in debugging enemies.

Windows Inputmap

Present in tfa\INPUTMAP is a file named WIN32.TSM which maps out which keys on a keyboard corresponds to buttons on a PS2 controller. This file does not indicate that a PC build was being worked on. It was used for debugging purposes.

~PeripheralSymbolMaps
{
	~PeripheralConfigWin32 "Keyboard/Mouse"
	{
		16 // Number of button mappings
		"A"			LEFT
		"D"			RIGHT
		"W"			UP
		"S"			DOWN
		"J"			SQUARE
		"K"			CIRCLE
		"I"			TRIANGLE
		"M"			CROSS
		"Return"		START
		"Backspace"		SELECT
		"["			L1
		";"			L2
		"P"			L3
		"]"			R1
		"'"			R2
		"/"			R3
		4 // Number of axis mappings
		"Left-Right"		LEFTX
		"Up-Down"		LEFTY
		"Numpad4-Numpad6"	RIGHTX
		"Numpad8-Numpad2"	RIGHTY
		
	} // PeripheralConfigWin32 "Keyboard/Mouse"
	~PeripheralConfigWin32 "Gamepad"
	{
		16 // Number of button mappings
		"Button 12"		UP
		"Button 14"		DOWN
		"Button 15"		LEFT
		"Button 13"		RIGHT
		"Button 3"		SQUARE
		"Button 1"		CIRCLE
		"Button 0"		TRIANGLE
		"Button 2"		CROSS
		"Button 9"		START 
		"Button 8"		SELECT 
		"Button 6"		L1
		"Button 4"		L2
		"Button 10"		L3
		"Button 7"		R1
		"Button 5"		R2
		"Button 11"		R3
		4 // Number of axis mappings
		"X Axis"		LEFTX
		"Y Axis"		LEFTY
		"Z Rotation"		RIGHTX
		"Z Axis"		RIGHTY
		
	} // PeripheralConfigWin32 "Gamepad"
} // ~ControllerConfigs


Movies

When this build was compiled, it also came bundled with plenty of early cutscene renders from animation studio Buildup. Every single cutscene is different one way or another. Some of them are so early they're made entirely of storyboard images! How 'bout that. Most of the early CGI cutscenes lack any sort of polish including lighting, particles, and other dramatic effects. There are no sound effects and lipsync is non-existent in them. Only the Hot Shot cutscene variants were included in this build, as you cannot play as the other characters.

Atari Intro Screen

Build 3944's is missing the "Atari-to-Autobot" transformation visual, instead staying awkwardly static for a few moments.

Build 3944 Retail

Build 3944's Melbourne House FMV is actually not used, instead being replaced by an image. This image unfortunately did not make it into the retail build, instead being replaced by another FMV. This unused FMV is used in earlier Melbourne House-developed games such as Le Mans 24 Hours.

Build 3944 (unused in 3944) Build 3944 (used in 3944) Retail
TFA2004 3944 AMH.png

Attract Video

Build 3944's attract video is made mostly of storyboard visuals. However there is some gameplay of an earlier build with an old HUD. The levels shown are Deep Amazon with a different atmosphere, scenes from an early Starship, and a Pacific Island where the sun is setting. Gameplay of Pacific Island is then shown, where it's raining. Hot Shot is seen performing some sort of moon jump. Immediately this sequence, a brief scene of the Deep Amazon temple is shown before showing an early preview of Mid-Atlantic where it takes place during the day before flashing back to Starship one last time. To sum it up, everything is different!

Build 3944 Retail

Intro Video

Build 3944's intro video is made of storyboard visuals once again and has an astounding two lines of retail dialogue from Megatron. Optimus Prime audibly struggles when he is choked by Megatron, which isn’t audible in the retail cutscene.

Build 3944 Retail

Amazon Intro

Has a different camera angle on the ruins. The Medium Grunt grabs his weapon differently, with the next scene lacking a proper transition to the next scene. The dropships use an earlier texture.

Build 3944 Retail

Amazon Boss Intro

The Heavy Unit uses a less detailed model and also has some pretty funky camera angles when zooming in on him. Once again, the dropship uses an earlier different texture.

Build 3944 Retail

Amazon End

Compared to retail, Optimus Prime uses a different effect upon exiting the warp gate, with Red Alert being absent from this sequence. The Autobots notably lack animations during their search for the Mini-Cons, choosing to stand still for a scene.

Build 3944 Retail

Antarctica

The Sentry Drone is missing the red scanning visual.

Build 3944 Retail

Antarctica Boss Intro

Starscream's "Prepare for extermination!" line is different, sounding more calm. His entire face is also seen when he's boosting towards the camera rather than just his one eye.

Build 3944 Retail

Antarctica End

Starscream's wing blade is positioned differently, making it look like he was stabbed by it. His face is also more obscured by the snow.

Build 3944 Retail