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Proto:Ecco: The Tides of Time (Genesis)/Ecco II Build X11

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This is a sub-page of Proto:Ecco: The Tides of Time (Genesis).

This cactus is UNDER CONSTRUCTION
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.
Hmmm...
To do:
LOTS
  • Document levels, graphics, music, text, etc. and compare to final version if applicable.
  • There are a lot of unused objects that need to be rediscovered (robot dolphin from previous prototype, ecco 1 leftovers, etc.)
Download.png Download Ecco: The Tides of Time (Apr 13, 1994 prototype)
File: Ecco_-_The_Tides_of_Time_(Prototype_X11_-_Apr_13,_1994)_(hidden-palace.org).bin (2.0 MB) (info)

This unfinished version of Ecco II: The Tides of Time has the designation "X11" and was built on April 13, 1994. It has many dramatic differences from the final version of the game, and never-before-seen stages, music, enemies and more.. It was released by drx on March 30, 2008.

(Source: hiddenpalace.org)

Sub-Pages

Cactus.png
Levels
YOU MAY NOT PASS YET, BECAUSE NOT ENOUGHT ASTERITE GLOBES.
Cactus.png
Early and Unused Text
YOU ARE GREAT, WE ARE FREE

General Differences

  • The title screen uses the music used in the Sea of Darkness level as opposed to the final game's unique title theme.
  • Unlimited health and air are enabled by default.
  • Pressing A when paused toggles the music on and off; however, it also overwrites whatever music was playing before with Track 01.
  • There are no level title cards.
  • Barrier glyphs make no sound when collided with, nor do key glyphs play their jingle when activated.
  • The top and bottom rows of the screen are cut off, as in the previous prototype.

Password Screen

Proto Final
Tragically, TCRF doesn't work as a valid password. Ecco2final-password.png

Passwords are five letters long, as opposed to eight like in the first game and the final version of Ecco II. At this point in development, there are no sounds on the password screen at all, and moving over a letter in the password itself causes the screen to flash to the fish palette as long as it remains highlighted. The final nudged the position of the entire interface up a few pixels.

Debug Menu

The debug menu can be accessed by pressing C eight times when the game is paused on Ecco facing the screen.

Proto Final
Ecco2x11-debug.png Ecco - The Tides of Time Genesis Debug.png

The prototype's debug arrangement is slightly different and is missing the options to force hard mode and change the game difficulty.

Graphical Differences

Dolphin

Proto Final
Weird grainy dolphin. Sleek and shiny dolphin.

As with the Playable Preview prototype, the dolphin sprites are reused from Ecco the Dolphin, albeit with the final Ecco II's bluer palette.

Magic Arm

Proto Final
What is this? Better, but I still don't know what this is.

The head used by a myriad of segmented alien enemies is completely different in the prototype. It also doesn't really look good in any palettes it uses; the final version just uses Ecco's palette instead.

Atlantis Crab

Proto Final
Parasites of Cthulhu. I'd rather be shiny.

Similarly, what appear to be gigantic lice in Atlantis were changed to slightly more fanciful alien-crabs in the final.

Vortex Worm

Proto Final
No head, no problem. Mushworm.

The brown vortex worms are made entirely out of body segments in the prototype, while in the final they have a distinct head and tail.

Music

Most of the game's soundtrack is present, but not all; the title theme, Two Tides, Trellia's Bay, Big Water, Inside, and Fish City themes are missing at this point in development.

Removed Music

There are three tracks which are used throughout this prototype, but were completely removed by the 0429 prototype, and the music slots they occupied remain empty in the final. They all play off of each other's motifs in some way, and also bear some resemblance to the song used in Crystal Springs in the final.

Track 01

Track 02

Track 07