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Power Blade was a NES video game that was released in America in 1991, by Taito. The game was released a year before in Japan (1990), with the name “Power Blazer”: the style was really different from the USA version, more “cute” and most of the levels were redesigned to appeal more to the american audience.. yeah, Americans really love bad dudes that look like Arnold Schwarzenegger in Terminator.
[Article by monokoma]
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Even though the arcade version of Contra was distributed in Europe under the title of Gryzor with its graphical content unchanged, Konami were forced to changed the in-game graphics for the NES version, replacing the human characters with robotic counterparts, when it was released in the PAL region due to a censorship policy in Germany that did not allowed the graphical depiction of humans beings killing each other in video games. Konami changed the game’s title to Probotector (a portmanteau of “robot” and “protector), replacing Bill and Lance with robotic counterparts named RD008 and RC011, as well as most of the human enemy characters.
The subsequent games in the series, Super C for the NES and Contra III: The Alien Wars for the SNES received the same treatment, becoming Probotector II: Return of the Evil Forces and Super Probotector: Alien Rebels respectively. The Game Boy versions were subjected to this conversion as well, with Operation C and Contra: The Alien Wars becoming the Game Boy versions of Probotector and Probotector 2. Ironically, despite the change in the games’ graphics, the plot descriptions in their manuals followed their Japanese counterparts more closely than their Americans to the point that they’re practically literal translations. The PAL version of Contra: Hard Corps, which was simply titled Probotector, was the last game to undergo this conversion. The Mega Drive version of Probotector does not follow the continuity of the previous games and drastic changes were made to the in-game plot.
The first console Contra game to remain intact in the PAL region would be the PlayStation game Contra: Legacy of War (C: The Contra Adventure was not released). Every new Contra game released afterwards in the PAL region, including Contra Advance: The Alien Wars EX (the GBA version of Contra III) were released unchanged and with the same localization given in the American version.
[Info from Wikipedia]
Images:
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[Article by monokoma. Probably with some english errors.]
Too Human is a third-person action RPG / hack & slash game developed by the Canadian software house Silicon Knights. It features twitch gameplay in the form of fast paced melee and long-ranged combat while at the same time maintaining RPG elements, including skill tree progression and dungeon crawling. Too Human was originally in development for the PlayStation as a 4-disc action-adventure game. It was originally shown at E3 1999, but shortly before its completion Nintendo announced an exclusive partnership with Silicon Knights, and the game was moved to the Nintendo GameCube in 2000.
A teaser trailer was shown at SpaceWorld 2000 showing what appeared to be a re-building of the PlayStation game. However, the game was never released. In 2004, after only two games, the company ended its contract with Nintendo. In the May 2005 issue of EGM, Silicon Knights announced a partnership with publisher Microsoft to develop a trilogy revolving around the Too Human universe exclusively for the Xbox 360.
[Article written by Saga Darvulia]
Shining Lore is to the very majority of people a cancelled MMORPG originally to be released early 2003, before it fell into development limbo. However, what most people are unaware of is that Shining Lore Online, as it was to be called, was originally a dating RPG called, simply, Shining Lore (Supposed to be released in 1999 or 2000). This was, obviously, a -very- different game from Shining Lore Online, which shared some elements, but in many ways it was very different (A dark plot instead of a lighthearted one, for example). Many of the characters you were to meet in Shining Lore Online were based on designs of the girls you could date in Shining Lore, although obviously, some of them had seen slight redesigns, or in some cases even sex changes.
Incidentally, a beta version of this game existed, but sadly I never got hold of it. The only “proof” I have of its’ existence is a small capture of the setup program:
There are a series of alternative designs for the main characters, displaying a more mature look than that used in the “final” version of Shining Lore online, even though those designs are largely the same as the finished ones. (Although by a different artist.) I have no idea, however, if these designs are from the early development of Shining Lore Online and thus being closer in style to Shining Lore Offline, or if they are merely designs by a completely different artist. Never the less, it’s an interesting addition.
It was originally supposed to be a very social kind of MMORPG. Apart from the usual dungeon-crawling and quests found in normal online games, each player had his or her own room, which could be decorated as the player saw fit. (Similar to Sims or Animal Crossing) Guilds had access to a much higher degree of customisation for their houses. What really set it apart, however, was an arcade-style… I think it was called “Shining Road”. I can’t remember. It was included in early trailers for the game. It was highly similar to games such as Mario Party, right down to the dice. Minigames were played in much the same fashion. In the near-finished Shining Lore online, these elements were heavily downplayed. The beta included none of the party games. However, I did manage to spot an “out of order” arcade, hinting that they would have been included in the final version.
And, yes, (to some degree translated) beta client and server files -do- exist. However, few people want to run the server due to the massive bandwidth requirements. Even with few people logged on, there is plenty of lag. That coupled with the fact that the game in beta form is highly unbalanced (battles become incredibly drawn-out due to low damage from both the player and the enemies) and several functions are left out makes it somewhat painful to play.
It’s most unfortunate that so few people know about the near-finished game that was cancelled and later became Shining Lore Online. I would personally have downloaded it if it weren’t for the fact that I at the time was on a 56k modem, and the demo was available for download, if I remember correctly, maybe a week or less. A friend of mine managed to download it and play it, and sent me several screenshots. Ironically, however, he has since moved on to buy a Mac, and the fact that my hdd crashed certainly didn’t help much.
I have contacted the developers, and they go as far as admitting that Shining Lore -had- gone through a change like that, but apart from that, they refuse to give out any information. This situation may have changed now, seeing as how Shining Lore is most definitely cancelled, and I will try to get in contact with them again soon.
An interesting note: a music video for the song Darling by the K-Pop band ShinVi, consists mainly of clips from the intro of Shining Lore, along with the group dancing and looking sickeningly cute while holding dolls of some of the enemies found in the game.
This is like the official theme song of unreleased games. Incidentally, I have the complete (as far as I know) soundtrack to the game. It’s composed by Noriyuki Iwadare of Lunar and Grandia fame, so it’s really quite good. You can download it from here!
[Article written by Saga Darvulia]
For more beta screenshots & Artworks: Shining Lore Online Archive
This article is intended to be the definitive comparison between the Trial edition extracted backgrounds which are dated from 1996 to 1997 and comprise of Resident Evil 1.5 and Early betas for Resident Evil 2. Most of these images are likely old to some of you, but are presented here in a coherent format to be compared. The reasoning behind this is to entertain and inform you and also to aid in weeding out faked beta images. So if you’ve seen someone saying they have Beta 1 and they show an image where the door frames are from the Final release or there’s a box that didn’t appear until way later, then you’ll know it’s a fake. This is the first incarnation of this article. The work consists of images provided by Sardeljka and Albert and text analysis by me (Leatherface74).
This article is far from complete and may have errors, as I am only human (for now…). If you find any errors or additions please post them. Also, I did not post any images that I saw as redundant, like different camera angles or untextured rooms. The reason I didn’t do this is because those are clearly beta images and for the most part do not contain any apparent structural changes to the game. This article will only detail rooms that have changed from the Trial until the Final release.
Special Thanks to Sardeljka, for finding the 1.5 images and to Albert, for supplying me with pristine RE2 backrounds to compare with the beta ones (which he also supplied). Images on the left are extracted from the trial edition, Images on the right are from the final game unless otherwise noted. Let’s Begin…
[Article written by Leatherface74 – Thanks for the contribute!]
As the RE2 team began work yet again on the RPD it seems that the structure was not completely planned in advance, as there are doors in the Trial Edition backgrounds that do not appear in the Final and vice versa.
In the first floor Police office in the West wing, a door that appears in the Final is absent in the Trial Edition. The door, which led to the second floor Crow Hallway, has been replaced with what looks like a medicine cabinet.
Trial Edition (left) – Final Game (right)
The next missing door is quite possibly one of the most interesting Trial backround images. There is a door behind the statues in the Statue Pressure Plate Puzzle Hall that simply does not exist or has been referenced (at least to my knowledge) in any other screenshot. The Door is of course missing in the final game. In the same hall, a door that was in the Final (yet locked) is absent in the Trial Edition.
Trial Edition (left) – Final Game (right)
It is possible that the door in image 1 was intended to lead into the door Sherry crawls under in the Final, but Capcom realized that placing the door there made the layout of the hallway a structural impossibility since it would technically be going through the STARS office; Therefore, the door was moved to it’s correct location as is present in the final. Also note that the door does not have a hole at the bottom for Sherry to crawl through like it does in the Final, possibly meaning that it hadn’t yet been scripted at the time the backround from the Trail Edition was created.
The title of this chapter refers to differences between Trial Edition backgrounds and Final backgrounds. These differences do not include missing doors or missing items (unless otherwise stated), they only include architectural changes. This chapter will have sub-sections as there are many architectural changes between the backgrounds.
Upon exiting Kendo’s Gun store, one can see a building looming in the background. In the Trial Edition, the building continues unbroken and has no windows. In the final, the building ends mid-way and has a window. The color of the pipe has also changed from a rusty red to a green.
Trial Edition (left) – Final Game (right)
In the 2nd image, a building that looms in the background of the final is absent in the Trial Edition. A pipe has also been removed from the left wall in the final, but it is present in the Trial Edition.
Trial Edition (left) – Final Game (right)
Upon reaching the basketball court several differences are instantly apparent. In the Trial Edition, the graffiti in the court reads “Murder on the dance floor” but in the final it is replaced with “Above the Rim.” The dance floor graffiti was recycled and placed on the wall across from the the “Above the Rim” wall. Another difference is that the building above the court is missing a section in the Final that is present in the Trial Edition.
Trial Edition (left) – Final Game (right)
Ok, the following change is subtle, yet major. Under the fire escape past the basketball court, there is a red brick facade on the first floor wall in the Trial Edition. In a strange move, the wall was made completely into a flat gray wall in the final. On analysis, this seems like an error from a 3d modeler who shifted the Grey brick wall from the Trial Edition (where it sits just slightly behind the red brick wall) forward and just never put it back. This is supported by the fact that all the architectural details (window sills and such) are still present but the window outlines are not.
Trial Edition (left) – Final Game (right)
The most famous altered setting in the game is the alley leading to the RPD, since it is playable in the Playstation version of the game with a gameshark code. There’s not much to say about this drastic change other than the obvious fact that it reduces the time it takes to get to the RPD considerably. Likely, Capcom decided late in development to extend the path to the RPD as it was just too easy to get the RPD.
Trial Edition (left) – Final Game (right)
The room that was most drastically changed in the RPD is easily the Media Conference Room. The Layout and size remain almost identical, but the decor is completely different for both rooms. Also, note the absence of any puzzle elements in the Trial Edition backgrounds.
Trial Edition (left) – Final Game (right)
The window shutter hallways also went through considerable changes. In the Trial Edition, the shutter hall with the Licker has normal windows with no shutter equipment attached. In the other shutter hall, the windows have been boarded up.
Trial Edition (left) – Final Game (right)
The hall with the door Sherry crawls into in the Final has been altered from the Trial Edition. In the Trial Edition, the wall on the left contains an electrical panel of some sort and the door does not have the hole for Sherry to crawl through like in the Final. In the Final, the electrical panel has been placed on the opposite wall and the left wall contains lockers.
Trial Edition (left) – Final Game (right)
Ah yes, we all remember the first time we first set foot in the RPD Lobby and were amazed by it’s sheer scale and grandeur. Minor changes are strewn about in this area, mainly in regards to doorways. In the Trial Edition, the doorways are simple and their frames are small, but in the Final some of the doors have been made bigger and their frames more elaborate. This was likely because the old doors and frames were were too boring and simplistic. One other notable change is that the fire escape is missing from the Trial Edition, likely because it had not been thought of at this point.
Trial Edition (left) – Final Game (right)
The Helicopter Hallway leading to Cheif Irons’ office had alot more damage in the Trial Edition than in the Final. The Trial Edition damage seems more realistic (the hallway was not only hit by a helicopter, it was blown up as well), but it was likely lessened after realizing that it made the hallway too tight and cluttered. Also note that the color of the hallway in the Trial is very cartoony and resembles the style of RE1. The Door to Irons’ office is also different.
Trial Edition (left) – Final Game (right)
As a far as I can tell, there are only three architectural differences from the Trial Edition and Final Basement:
In the hall leading to the Jail Cell and Kennel, the door through which you enter is different and there is what looks to be an air conditioning shaft on the right wall added to the Final. There is also an electrical panel across one of the jail cells in the Trial Edition. It is missing in the Final.
Trial Edition (left) – Final Game (right)
In the electrical room, the switch puzzle has been altered.
Trial Edition (left) – Final Game (right)
At first the door to the Evidence room was electronically locked, as shown in the two images on the left (the first is missing the keycard reader). In the Final, it is a regular door.
Trial Edition (left) – Final Game (right)
Ok, this one is really subtle, but it is a definate change. The blood spatter next the doorway is different in the Trial version than in the Final. It also seems like another layer of grime was added to the walls.
Trial Edition (left) – Final Game (right)
Weapons Storage
The Lockers in the Trial version look new while the ones in the Final are wrecked.
Trial Edition (left) – Final Game (right)
As RE2 evolved into it’s final form, many items were either moved, replaced by other items, or were simply removed from the game. This list catalogs those items.
One of the coolest missing details in the game are the body bags. They appear in the morgue in the Trial Edition, then in a later beta they appear again only empty, but in the Final game they are just gone. It’s a shame as they looked pretty cool. There is also a stretcher and a yellow piece of equipment (top right corner of morgue) missing in the Final that did appear in the Trial Edition. There are some details that were added to the Final that did not appear in the Trial Edition, including some gas canisters, a table, and some missing pipes on the wall.
Trial Edition (left) – Final Game (right)
Originally, the basement hallway was littered with stretchers. As with other changes, they were likely done to reduce the onscreen clutter.
Trial Edition (left) – Final Game (right)
Also, the yellow sign for the Weapons storage has been moved.
Trial Edition (left) – Final Game (right)
A shelf has replaced the pipes from the Trial in the Final game.
Trial Edition (left) – Final Game (right)
There are a pile of Boxes in the Trial on the top east corner of the second floor balcony. They are Replaced by a puzzle in the Final.
Trial Edition (left) – Final Game (right)
A book is present on the couch in the Trial and not in the Final.
Trial Edition (left) – Final Game (right)
A box is in the security office in the Trial but not in the final.
Trial Edition (left) – Final Game (right)
There is detailing missing in the Trail that is present in the Final.
Trial Edition (left) – Final Game (right)
A bench from the Trial is absent in the Final. Also note that the door to the Media Conference room has changed due to the room being redesigned.
Trial Edition (left) – Final Game (right)
The office remain almost identical, the only difference being that many items are missing or unfinished and the couches have been moved and replaced in the Final game.
Trial Edition (left) – Final Game (right)
A flourescent light fixture is missing in the Trial.
Trial Edition (left) – Final Game (right)
A locker is present in the Trial Edition but not in the Final.
Trial Edition (left) – Final Game (right)
This chapter covers anything which did not fit in any other category or just anything in particular.
Notice the use of RE 1.5’s Lobby couches in this Image.
This image was amongst the extracted images. It is likely from a really early beta created before they had the actual statue model ready, since this one is clearly the statue from the Art Storage Room.
The Weapons room has the same dimensions (as does most of the RPD basement) of its RE 1.5 counterpart. Note the recycled shelf models on both sides.
Ah yes, we all remember the infamous Coca Cola look-a-like signs that appeared in both the beta and early release versions of the game. For those who don’t know, Coke threatened to sue Capcom, so all the references were removed in later releases of the game.
Copyright Infringement! Woohoo!
That’s pretty much all I have for now, more will be added or fixed as it is needed. I hope you enjoyed my massive waste of space and time!
[Article written by Leatherface74 – Thanks for the contribute!]
If you have some questions, comments, more infos or theories about this article, you are welcome to join us in the Unseen 64 Forum!