Dragon Lore: The Legend Begins

Dragon Lore: The Legend Begins
Developer: Cryo Interactive Publisher: Mindscape Platforms: DOS, 3DO, PC-98 Released in JP: April 19, 1996 (PC-98) Released in US: December 1994 (DOS V1), 1995 (DOS V2), 1995 (3DO) Released in EU: 1994 (DOS), 1995 (3DO) This game has unused areas. This game has unused objects. This game has unused music. This game has unused sounds. This game has revisional differences.

Dragon Lore: The Legend Begins is the first entry of a two-game series.

The game's initial release was soon followed by an enhanced release featuring much more music (the original release only had one full-length theme) and lots of alternate, improved, or new animations.

To do: There is likely more unused dialogue, especially related to Heleynea. I haven't checked version 2 of the game, but, unless I'm doing something wrong, at least in version 1, there seems to be a bug that prevents you from engaging in combat with Heleynea and the game thinks you've surrended to her instead. I'm not sure if she could be defeated by throwing objects at her, but I could only defeat her by editing a save state to reduce her HP to 0, causing the battle to instantly end, thereby being able to hear what seems to otherwise be unused dialogue. Get images of inventory icons for unused items. All unused spells and weapons also have unused animations. Get images of these and add the filenames to the "Unused Graphics" list. Cover the differences between ths original (V1) and gold enchanced (V2) versions. Investigate whether it is actually possible to kill the Carnivorous Plant, even if using some sort of unused item or hacked method. The FMV of the plant being destroyed is present in BOTH version 1 and version 2 (whereas version 2 drops all other unused FMV). There is also a second special map location assigned for the region if the plant is destroyed. I have not been able to discover any way to remove the plant, and there's nothing in the official guidebook or any online walkthrough mentioning the possibility...

Unused Enemy Data

Each region is allowed the presence of only one NPC (friend or foe). The data for all of these are combined into a single list. Regions without NPCs still have placeholders. However, some regions were clearly intended to have NPCs, but the graphics were dummied out, causing that NPC not to appear. Therefore, it is not certain which particular NPCs was assigned that region, but only that there was one. Editing the game data to actually load any graphic file with the NPC, will allow the NPC's movement pattern to be seen in the region.

HEX	Region	NPC	Notes
13	Castle: Beds #1 (LITS)	unknown	NPC paces up and down the room.
20	Castle: Red-Carpet Hall (HALL)	Formar Thain?	If this NPC is interacted with, the dialogue for Formar Thain is called up. Either Formar was originally located at the castle, or the dialogue pointers changed later in development after this NPC was removed.
2A	Castle: Servants' Chamber (DOCA)	unknown	The data here seems very different compared to other NPCs. Either the data is corrupted, or reflects a different bit assignment earlier in development.
5A	Labyrinth #5: Red Room (LYB5)	unknown	Movement doesn't seem correct.
5F	Heleynea's Spire: Ground Level (HELE)	unknown	Defined movement pattern along the main path.
60	Cliffs (FALA)	Skeleton	This is the entirely unused area whose files are entirely removed from the game's data.

Unused NPC Graphics

("Y" indicates whether the unused files are still present in the game data.)

HEX	Name	FILE	V1	V2	Notes
07	Trogg	TROG0001.HNM	Y	N	File only exists on Disc 2 of version 1. Monster is mentioned in the game's manual.
13	Axle von Wallenrod	DADY0001.HNM	Y	N	File only exists on Disc 2 of version 1. Only appears in prerendered cutscenes in final game. Strangely has battle and death animations, even though there are absolutely no situations even remotely suggesting that this NPC would appear in any sort of combat.

Unused Items

There are lots of unused, normally unobtainable items. Many of these are weapons that were obviously intended to be dropped by certain NPCs after they were killed, but those particular NPCs don't actually have them in their inventory to obtain. Since there are two versions of the game, I have indicated in which the items seem to be unused in each, as this differs slightly. ("Y" indicates whether the item is actually unused in that version of the game.)

HEX	NAME (English)	NAME (French)	V1	V2	NOTES
0E	The Moon Mace	La Masse de la Lune	Y	?
0F	The Sun Mace	La Masse du Soleil	Y	?
11	The Neptune Mace	La Masse de Neptune	Y	?
39	A Spiked Club	Un Bâton … Pointes	N	Y	Zombie drops it in V1. Unused V2.
3E	A Club	Un Gourdin	Y	N	"ROGO" drops it in V2. Unused V1.
46	A Spiked Club	Un Gourdin … Pointes	Y	N	Zombie drops it in V2. Unused V1.
4F	A Two-Headed Morning Star	Un Fléau … Deux Boules	Y	?
83	A Healing Spell	Un Sort de Régénération	Y	?	An appendix in the official guidebook says that this may be obtained on the body of some dead NPC, but this doesn't seem to be the case (at least in the final version of the game).
85	A Lightning Bolt Spell	Un Sort d’Eclair	Y	?	Although the scroll itself isn't used, due to a programming error, this can be accessed in the spell book after the "Teleportation" spell is added (at least in V1), by flipping backwards (it will turn to the "Lightning Bolt" page instead of the intended "Open Door"). An appendix in the official guidebook says that this may be obtained on the body of some dead NPC, but this doesn't seem to be the case (at least in the final version of the game).
87	An Ice Ball Spell	Un Sort de Boule de Glace	Y	?

There are two other items that are obtainable, but don't seem to serve any known purpose:

HEX	NAME (English)	NAME (French)	NOTES
7C	A Red Bottle	Une Bouteille Rouge	Found in the Castle Nursery.
7F	A Crystal Ball	Une Boule en Cristal	Received from Addlepate

Unused Dialogue

There's quite a bit of unused dialogue. Some lines seem to have been simply missed due to programming oversight, other lines show a change of concept/story during development. There is both a text and audio version of the dialogue. ("Y" indicates whether the unused line is still present in the game data in either text or vox format.)

FILE	DIALOGUE	TEXT (V1)	VOX (V1)	TEXT (V2)	VOX (V2)	NOTES
VOXAF05B	I am not your real father, boy, even though you’re like a son to me. Your father put you in my care when you were knee-high to a grasshopper.	Y	Y	Y	Y	Farmer. Programming error?, should directly follow VOXAF05A ("There's something I got to tell you...")
VOXAF05C	That’s how it’s always been with your family. Today you’re eighteen years old. It’s time for you to leave the farm to discover your past... and forge your destiny.	N	Y	N	Y	Farmer. Programming error?, should directly follow VOXAF05A & VOXAF05B
VOXAF08A	I’ll miss you, boy. Your road is hard, too hard maybe. But you’ll pull through!	Y	Y	Y	Y	Farmer. Programming error?, should be called directly before VOXAF08B
VOXAF08C	You’ll need this. I’ll whittle myself another after I’ve fixed the pail	N	Y	N	Y	Farmer. Exact duplicate file of line VOXAF08B for unknown reason
NA	And Diakonov controls the vote of Urban the Seneschal, who is in his power.	Y	N	Y	N	Arthus. Should have followed VOXART07 ("Only the pact of peace...") Urban is nowhere else mentioned in the game, manual, or filenames. It could have been the early name of "Kuru the Senechal" or another character altogether. But Diakonov doesn't control anyone's vote at all in the final game...
VOXSLV09	That flower you’ve just eaten is the most interesting of them all, but it only works where the mushrooms are.	N	Y	N	Y	Arthus. Very helpful hint for an otherwise obscure puzzle. (Note: While Arthus' dialogue is contained with "ART" files, his original graphics are titled "SLV" (the name of another character), revealing a serious change during development.)
VOXHEL04	Prove your courage to me. We shall fight each other here and now.	N	Y	N	Y	Heleynea. This should have played before VOXHEL05 "We won't break the Pact of Peace..."
VOXMAG12	We’re not going to discuss this all day. Just go and get the Armor, boy! (text) vs. "Get the armor, boy!” (vox)	N	Y	?	?	Addlepate. Although this line is heard/seen, the audio version is much shorter.
VOXDIA19	Yann of Sysigia, how do you vote?	Y	Y	Y	Y	Diakonov. Final voting scene. No character of this name otherwise exists in the game, manual, or filenames.
VOXDIA27	Klaus von Straupzig, how do you vote?	N	Y	N	Y	Diakonov. Exact duplicate of file VOXDIA24.
VOXDIA29	Welcome to our Brotherhood, Sir Farmboy!	N	Y	N	Y	Diakonov. While this line is heard, it is merely an edited fragment of a longer line "VOXDIA23", which is used.

When an NPC is interacted with, an interaction pointer table is called up. hx03 is never called by any NPC. Editing the game data to call up this pointer will result in the game freezing. Either whatever this pointed to was deleted from the game's data, or it was never implemented.

Unused Areas

Unused areas, may be accessed via save state hacking. ("Y" indicates whether the unused files are still present in the game data.)

HEX	Title	Filename	V1	V2	Notes
60	Cliff	FALA	N	N	A pointer exists for this map, but all associated files have been removed from the game data. It could have been an earlier/alternate version of "FALI/FAA2/FAI2" region... Although the enemy list assigns a "Skeleton" (SQUE) to the FALA region which is not present in any of those.
75	Carnivorous Plant Area #2	CAR2	Y	Y	A version of the plant area without the plant monster! Since there is no way to actually remove the flytrap from the garden and the way to bypass it makes little realistic sense, it causes one to wonder if removing it may have been possible at some point in development.

Unused FMV

This is a list of unused FMV. There may be a few more...

("Y" indicates whether the unused files are still present in the game data.)

FILENAME	V1	V2	Notes
ANICABAB	Y	N	Merely an isolated half (though slightly longer) of "ANIMA07".
ANIMA8B	Y	N	Unused duplicate of "MORTCARN" (Death of Carnivorous Plant)
MORTCARN	Y	Y	Death of Carnivorous Plant.
PATANI1	Y	N	Werner (third person perspective) walking from the cow pasture back to the doghouse.
PANANI1	Y	N	Merely an alternate version of traveling from cow pasture back to the doghouse.

Anomalies

Some of the game's internal filenames have some strange pecularities, hinting at a different version of the game earlier in development.

FILENAME	Notes
ALEX	Although most of Klaus' dialogue goes under "KLA", his graphic files name him "ALEX" (short for Alexander). However, Alexander is a completely different character in the final version of the game (a strange siamese twin with Sylvan).
SYLV	Although most of Arthus' dialogue goes under "ART", one of his unused lines, his graphic files, and a prerendered cutscene name him "SYLV" (short for Sylvan). However, Sylvan is a completely different character in the final version of the game (a strange siamese twin with Alexander).
TOME & JERY	The graphics and dialogue files for the two thieves, Heinie and Herman, suggest that their original names were a homage to the cartoon pair "Tom and Jerry."

Apart from the fact that the game was designed by a French team, unless there's something unknown as to why the designers named the characters, the following FILENAMES may also reflect changes:

• Heleynea's dialogue files are "HEL" but her graphics are a baffling "EVER"
• Herg's dialogue and graphic files fall under "ERGU", suggesting a possible alternate earlier name.

When the player arrives at the top of the tower/spire, a pre-rendered cutscene of a woman riding a dragon plays, followed by Heleynea appearing on the summit (implying she was the one riding it and dismounted). Although the cutscene is very pixelated and the character small, an observant viewer will detect that the the dragonrider is actually Tanathya, not Heleynea, showing an interesting change somewhere during development. (This is true in version 1 and 2 of the game.)

When traveling from the Flower Garden to the Labyrinth Building, the pre-rendered cutscene shows the building with a sign reading "Find the Missing". However, after the cutscene ends, the sign disappears (it's not part of the background of that area). This discloses an earlier render of that location. (This only happens in version 1, as the video was fixed by version 2.)

Version 1 vs. Version 2 Differences

• The mouse button used to access the inventory screen was changed.
• Many more FMV sequences were added to version 2.
• A few FMV sequences were deleted from version 1 (mostly unused ones, but also some that were used). Some of these are the three farm flyover FMVs at the start of the game that play behind the menu screen, which were strangely entirely removed from version 2, and the death sequence was longer in version 1.
• Some FMV were altered, such as the Labyrinth Building (see "Anomalites), and cranking the dragon fountain.
• Ending FMV was entirely re-rendered and changed. The shots and panning are entirely different, and locations visited are different. Version 1 has Werner riding in his normal attire, version 2 has him in his gold chrome dragon armor. Version 1 retains the flight through the Mushroom Forest, whereas this is entirely removed from version 2. Also of note, version 2 ends the scene with Werner flying dragonback to some otherwise unknown city.