Dark Seed (DOS)

Dark Seed
Also known as: Darkseed Developer: Cyberdreams Publisher: Cyberdreams Platform: DOS Released in US: 1992 Released in EU: 1992 This game has unused music. This game has unused text. This game has revisional differences.

This article is a work in progress. ...Well, all the articles here are, in a way. But this one moreso, and the article may contain incomplete information and editor's notes.

To do: Hopefully have a better recording of unused music, search TOSTEXT.BIN in a text editor like notepad++ for unused text. Also probably of interest are non-English versions with different dubs and even a Korean version with a modified title screen.

Dark Seed is a game where you play as Mike Dawson, an advertising mogul turned science fiction writer who has just moved into a new house. Too bad he had a nightmare that leaves him with a monster headache and three days to solve the mystery behind it. The game is most well known for its high res (for 1992) graphics and using art by Swiss surreal H.R. Giger, known for his work on the Alien franchise.

Unused Text

TOSTEXT.BIN

Within TOSTEXT.BIN is all the text for the game, however there remains some text left unused.

The game usually doesn't give you any description when Fido (The Dark world dog) mauls Mike to death, so this line is left unused

Fido takes a chunk of your head.

The following line of text are used to describe Fido. However, since the game won't let you examine the dog, the following line are left unused

Compared to this creature, Delbert's dog looks tiny. Not to mention a lot more friendly.

The following lines describes the Drekketh guard (creature outside the alien archive and spelled Dreketh in floppy version of the text), the game doesn't let you examine the creature so these lines are also unused

You see a grotesque creature, which once might have passed for human, but no longer.

The Drekketh guard does not have any hands left to shake with. Nor would he want to if he did.

The following lines of text are supposed to be used with the alien in the Dark world police station lobby, but since Mike gets shot within the instant you enter when he's on screen, the lines are left unused

That would be very considerate, if the alien could read!

Floppy	CD
The alien has no use for money.	What use would an alien have with money?

Earth time is irrelevant to aliens.

Unused Music

Within the game is an unused variant of the music used for within the Normal world house, appropriately titled HOUSE.SIT. This file contains a melody to the track which is heard in later ports of the game.

Revision Differences

The CD version rewrites much of the dialogue from third person to first person. However, the way it's done is quite awkward.

Floppy	CD
Drinking while showering can be dangerous.	I shouldn't drink while showering. It can be dangerous.

Floppy	CD
You see the old trenchcoat. Wouldn't be caught dead in that thing.	Here's an old trenchcoat. I wouldn't be caught dead in that thing.

Floppy	CD
The wooden planks creak under your feet.	Those wooden planks creak a lot.

Floppy	CD
The entrance to your house must have seen countless guests come and go, but it's just you now.	The entrance to this house must have seen countless guests come and go, but it's just me now.

Floppy	CD
A chilly draft blows through this decrepit living room.	That's a chilly draft blowing through this decrepit old living room.

Floppy	CD
Gothic artwork. Not your style, but it came with the house.	Gothic artwork. Certainly not my style, but it came with the house.

Floppy	CD
You touch the artwork. Looks old and, yep, feels old too, and not even a hidden safe behind it.	The artwork looks old and feels old too, and not even a hidden safe behind it.

Floppy	CD
If you drop the hairpin, you'll lose it.	If I drop the hairpin, I'll lose it for sure.

Floppy	CD
Don't put that there. You may step on it.	I better not put that there. I may step on it.

Floppy	CD
You wouldn't want to eat anything coming from this kitchen until the cleaning lady has disinfected it!	I better not eat anything coming from this kitchen until the cleaning lady has disinfected it!

Floppy	CD
The stove hisses ever silently. The faint smell of gas tells you the pilot light is out.	This stove is hissing, and there's a faint smell of gas here. I bet the pilot light is out.

Floppy	CD
Solitary drops of water rhythmically tapping on the rusty sink remind you that time is quickly passing.	The sound of water dripping on that rusty old sink reminds me of how fast time is passing.

Floppy	CD
The leather bound books remind you of your extensive collection still in storage. A comforting, yet unsettling feeling.	These leather bound books remind me of my book collection still in storage. That's kind of unsettling.

Floppy	CD
An attic full of useless items left over from the previous owner. Some of the windows look like they need to have the glass replaced.	This attic is full of useless items left over from the previous owner. Some of the windows need to have the glass replaced.

Floppy	CD
A majestic view of town from up here. But the wooden railing looks as though it has seen better days!	What a tremendous view of the town from up here. But the wooden railing looks as though it has seen better days!

Floppy	CD
Outside, a calm surrounds the neighborhood. Your house seems somehow, out of time, a relic of a dark past, or perhaps a dark future.	It's a calm neighborhood out there. My house seems somehow out of time, a relic of a dark past or perhaps a dark future.

Floppy	CD
You're relieved to see there are no pictures of anyone you know here.	At least there aren't any pictures of anyone I know here.

Floppy	CD
A quaint general store with a little bit of everything for day to day existence.	What a quaint general store with a little bit of everything for day to day existence.

Floppy	CD
You look at the fountain and suddenly feel very thirsty.	Looking at the fountain makes me very thirsty.

Floppy	CD
That would be very impolite, the sort of thing your former co-worker Larry would've tried to do!	That would be very impolite, the sort of thing my former co-worker Larry would have tried to do!

Floppy	CD
Not a good place to stash the blue prints.	Probably not a good place to stash the blueprints.

Floppy	CD
A very quiet part of the library. You could hear a pin drop.	Sure is quiet here. You could hear a pin drop.

Floppy	CD
Are you trying to "pay" your respects?	What am I doing, trying to "pay" my respects?

Floppy	CD
You see a ramp which leads to a raised platform. From the machinery, a low hum pulses and vibrates, setting your teeth on edge.	There's a ramp that leads to a raised platform. That machinery hum sets my teeth on edge.

Floppy	CD
A sharp, cold wind runs through your bones. A low hum emanates from the machinery, setting your teeth on edge.	I feel like a cold wind just ran through my bones. That machinery hum sets my teeth on edge.