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Prerelease:Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Windows, Mac OS Classic, Mac OS X)
This page details prerelease information and/or media for Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Windows, Mac OS Classic, Mac OS X).
Contents
Videos
This is likely the earliest footage of the game to exist, presented at E3 2001. It shows off many features that ultimately did not make it into the final product. Among other things, it shows that Wingardium Leviosa would have been used to levitate items other than blocks, the player would have had to manually switch between spells via a menu, and the layout of Hogwarts was originally very different. Near the end, there is a demonstration of the Avifors spell, which ultimately went unused.
This trailer was downloadable from EA's official website for the game. It seems to be far closer to the final version, showing only two rooms not present in the final game (about 19 seconds in). The footage seems to be from the same build as most of the pre-release images that have been made available.
Level Changes
Hogwarts Entrance
| Pre-release | Final |
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The camera angle for the first line in the game was changed along with the font for the subtitles. The word "school" was capitalized for the final version. Also, the pre-release shot shows a different door texture (which is technically still used, though difficult to spot in the final game) as well as portraits different from what ended up being there.
| Pre-release | Final |
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Ron's head seems to have been adjusted slightly in the final game. The background shows a door that is not present in the final game and a different texture is used for decoration on the wall.
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George's shirt was changed to green to make the Weasley twins a bit more distinguishable. Also, a comma was added in this subtitle.
| Pre-release | Final |
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Another slight dialogue change, along with the addition of some commas.
| Pre-release | Final |
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The door behind Malfoy and friends looked completely different, using a rather odd texture instead of a normal door graphic.
| Pre-release | Final |
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Yet another dialogue change. The earlier version suggested that Hermione had not met Harry on the Hogwarts Express.
| Pre-release | Final |
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The spell tracing part had a different particle effect, the font is different yet again and the blackboard, desk and chair are absent in the pre-release shot. The pass mark is also different; the final game never has 60% as a pass mark, instead going from 50% to 65%.
Flipendo Challenge
| Pre-release | Final |
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The Flipendo mark looked a bit thicker in the pre-release shot.
| Pre-release | Final |
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The Flipendo block was made slightly bigger and given more detail.
Broomstick Training
| Pre-release | Final |
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The HUD was changed from a rather basic display to one with two gauges for rings and time. Also, the skybox was changed and Madam Hooch was placed in the middle of the path rather than by the side.
Wingardium Leviosa
| Pre-release | Final |
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The particles for the Alohamora spell were changed from red to blue for the final and the texture for the floor was changed.
| Pre-release | Final |
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The shape for Wingardium Leviosa was once an "M" for some reason. Also, the pre-release shot shows a requirement of 25% to pass, while the minimum passing mark is 50% in the final game. Additionally, Professor Flitwick was given a slightly taller object to stand on and the floor texture was once again altered for the final game.
Second Floor Landing
| Pre-release | Final |
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Neville's face seems to have been altered slightly and he was given a Remembrall to hold and show off.
Hogwarts Front
| Pre-release | Final |
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The Hogwarts entrance was redesigned significantly to look less weird, more detail was added to the architecture, and some trees and bushes were added. Ron, Neville, and Malfoy and his friends can be seen standing outside the broomstick training entrance, whereas they come out of the entrance when you reach it in the final version.
| Pre-release | Final |
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The characters' positions for the confrontation cutscene were changed for the final version.
Remembrall Chase
| Pre-release | Final |
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The camera angle was changed for the cutscene where Malfoy returns the Remembrall, a path texture replaced some of the grass near the tree stumps, and the red particles were changed.
Fireseed Caves
| Pre-release | Final |
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The torches in the fireseed caves were given a more fitting texture rather than just being red.
Dungeon
There are two shots of Hermione and Neville in the dungeon level, but their places were taken by other generic students in the final game. Ron was still included in the level but was moved from the purple cauldron to the blue one.
Dungeon B
| Pre-release | Final |
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The Lumos platforms had more dots surrounding them at one point.
Troll
| Pre-release | Final |
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The troll's model was given far more detail for the final, and it originally had a life bar during the chase part. Also, there was a save book in a rather unusual spot and the portrait was changed for whatever reason.
Flying Keys
| Pre-release | Final |
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The Winged Key originally had a trail of yellow behind it before being given one that resembles the trail left by the Golden Snitch.
| Pre-release | Final |
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Ron seems to be absent in the pre-release shot and Hermione was further away from the entrance than in the final. Both of the pre-release images of this level seem to be missing the other Winged Keys that would chase after Harry.
Miscellaneous
A few pictures exist of Harry in what is perhaps an early, entirely different layout of Hogwarts which does not appear anywhere in the final game.
| Pre-release | Final |
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| Prototype | Final |
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These shots seem to come from the same build as the early Hogwarts images above. The build uses the early skSmallHarry model. Harry is in a part of the common room which cannot be seen in the final game, although it is still accessible by using the ghost cheat in the Fluffy level.
The fireplace in the common room was changed to look a bit more realistic.
Several screenshots of a scrapped level that apparently involved avoiding Snape and sneaking around the dungeon for ingredients. Another screenshot of this area is used during the game's installation process, and shows Ron and Hermione accompanying Harry.
A few promotional shots of Harry and friends in a Transfiguration class, which never happens in the final game. McGonagall's head is changed in the final game.
