| |
Before
a game finally hits the shelves it goes through
various stages of development. Through the press
released images from sources such as Rockstar,
Gamespot and IGN some of the alterations that
where made are very evident, such as the change
in Cash
and the way that the Executions
are carried out, there is even evidence of executions
not making the game. Other alterations are noticed
through unlocking the Artwork panels within
the game. Some story related alterations happened
such as a back story to The
Tramp, some gangs where even removed
such as The Lost,
Camheds
or The Clowns
and some characteristics where from removed
gangs where carried over such as The
Jury's hockey masks. During the
release of some promotional videos it was shown
that Weaponry
was even removed from the game, this also proves
that it was removed at a late point in the development.
|
|
|
In
the beta version of the game Cash had
a completely different look. Infact he
may not have been been named Cash. Below
is some of the alterations between the
beta and final versions of Cash.
1.
In the beta version Cash had an obviously
more bulky look. He was much more muscular.
2.
He had a deranged look on his face. Perhaps
from serving time in jail. Also note the
goatee beard he had. He seems to have
maintained the same haircut but his hairline
is evidently different.
3.
He is sporting a vest or "wife beater"
in the beta version of the game where
as in the final he has a "State county"
shirt on and a long sleeved white shirt
with the sleeves rolled up in the final.
4.
Although very similar his jeans are altered
in the beta, in the final one the material
reflects that of the state county shirt
where as the ones in the beta version
of the game look like they are made of
a much tougher fabric. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
The
executions look to have had a slightly
modified look to them also. The
"Rec." is missing from
the top left-hand corner as well
as the TV static from the top and
bottom of the screen. Also missing
is the scanlines that move up and
down the screen as the execution
is happening. The numbers/lettering
from the bottom isn't present either.
There does appear to be some colour
alteration and a gritty like look
in the beta however.
The
below animations are heavily modified
versions of an execution that was
briefly shown in the initial batch
of videos released through the Valiant
Entertainment website. The animation
has been enlarged, sharpened and
the colour heavily altered.
|
|
| In
the execution Cash seems to club
a hunter on the left side of his
face followed by a blow to the right,
he then forced the hunter to bend
over, holding the hunter hunched
over with his left hand while he
smacks him on the top of the head
with his right, after the third
blow the hunter falls to the ground.
The first two sound effects given
off from the execution sound as
though they where caused by a baseball
bat, very blunt sounds, while the
third is a sharp, explosion like
effect as though the hunters head
was either crushed or his neck broken.
It
is clear to see from the image that
Cash appears to have something in
his hand while performing the execution;
presumably he is using either the
blackjack or possibly the piece
of black wood, which also wasn’t
used. It is possible to rule out
the baseball bat as it is unlikely
he is swinging it with one hand.
The spiked bat would have been another
possibility if it had not been for
the blunt sound effects given as
the object collides with the hunters
face. Or perhaps it is the back
of the spiked bat that makes the
first two blows followed by the
spiked side of the bat to finish
the hunter off.
Either
way it is safe to say this execution
did not make the cut, what is also
interesting about the animation
is that Cash comes to the hunter
face on before carrying out the
execution.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other
alterations that didn’t make it
into the final game can be seen through
the Art Panels that where included in
the game as bonus features.
These
Art Panels give us information of specific
gangs or characters that were dropped
from the final version. One thing to notice
is the art panel with information on the
Scarecrow; he could well have been the
bum/tramp we see in the game. The reason
for this is because his information states
that when he doesn't have his Scarecrow
mask on he will be transformed into any
regular bum complete with all the groaning
and drunken rants. The actual story behind
the Tramp has been dropped but the level
in which he is in counted has been left
in. There could possible have been an
additional scene where the Tramp tried
to kill you, perhaps as in a boss level?
More information is below.
The
following was taken from the bio included
with the Scarecrow artwork.
Scarecrow
Bio -
Formally
the head hunter amongst the smiley's Kenneth
Jefferson was stripped of his mask and
rank for being responsible for the Piggsy
debacle now chastised and long past simple
derangement he sleeps rough in the streets
of the areas desperately hoping to find
and kill Piggsy and redeem himself in
the eyes of the commander and his sponsor....
Dressed in rags he resembles any other
derelict until he dons the mask and weapon
of his scarecrow persona.
Weaponry
- Jefferson has a crude yet deadly
home made axe wielding it with savage
intensity.
Audio
- If encountered as a tramp Jefferson
just make indistinct mumblings and typical
drunken rants however when transformed
into the scarecrow his past as a smiley
come to fore and he descends into maniacal
tittering and sibling hissing. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Some
gangs that made it into early versions
of the game where eventualy dropped for
whatever reasons, presumably because of
not enough time to put them in.
The
following was taken from the bio included
with the Binbag and The Lost artwork(s).
The
Lost
- Former
rulers of the scrap yard the lost armour
provides excellent camouflage and protection
at the cost of being heavy and noisy.
Their weaponry is gathered from assorted
shite of their environment. Shard of rusty
steel, broken pipes ect.
Bin
Bag - The pack leader
for the lost, bin bag made it to an early
model before the lost gang lived up to
their name emerging from the shadows of
the scrap yard roaring like fucking madmen. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
And
then some characteristics of gangs was
carried over to other gangs. Such as the
hockey masks from The Jury that eventualy
where given to The Skinz.
The
following was taken from the bio included
with the "Jury" artwork.
The
Jury
- Hocky
masks are a classic killer design and
although the Jury were dropped as a gang
the masks had to be kept and were adapted
to the skinz gang. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
The
Camheds is an interesting one; no reason
is given for the exclusion of the Camheds.
They where presumably dropped because
the team decided that it was the wrong
direction to take the game. Of all the
gangs that made or didn’t make the
final cut they are the only ones that
can be seen as not being believable, this
was likely the reason for their exclusion.
There is no evidence of them making it
into any incarnation of the game, in all
likelihood they never made it past the
concept stage.
Look
- Each member has a camera for a head;
presumably this was an early idea to allow
the Camheds to film Cash as he went around
killing hunters. It is unclear if the
cameras where to act as their head or
if it was a mask of sorts. Going along
the lines of the cameras functioning as
their heads it may give us indication
to the reasoning for them being dropped.
One thing that is known, it would have
been extremely interesting to have seen
a hunter executed through his eyes, this
was possibly the thinking behind the Camheds.
Their
clothing is of interest since they are
all nicely presented in suits, this is
a far cry from the look of the rest of
the hunters which all wear customised
raggedy clothing all the way to simplistic
tank top and jeans. Perhaps they where
business men that looked for thrills during
the night in Starkweathers productions?
Weaponry
- One Camhead has a spiked
bat in the artwork drawing and another
appears to be holding a lead pipe, both
of which are references somewhere else
in the game files, these weapons could
have possibly been exclusive to the Camheds
and where dropped once the Camheds where
removed from the game. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
The
Clowns seem to have made is far into the
concept stage of the game, if they where
ever included in a build is unknown. The
reason for them being dropped is presumably
because of too much resemblance between
them and the Smileys. It is referenced
in the artwork that the Clowns and Smileys
had a rivalry and that the Smileys where
the superior hunters. All isn’t
lost however, within the Innocentz group
there is a faction by the name of the
‘Babyfaces’ wich seem to take
reference from the Clowns face paint.
It is a pity that the Clowns never made
it into the game they seem like a really
interesting faction.
The
following was taken from the bio included
with the "Clowns" artwork.
The
clowns are the full in-hunt pack that
the player meets and are as extreme as
the hunt allows. Laughing and shouting,
they pursue runners mainly for the entertainment.
Clowns are the most high-ranked pack within
the hunt at present due to the barring
of the smileys for gross disobedience
feirce rivalry exists between the two
gangs and although the smileys are regarded
as the superior pack, the clowns are not
to be laughed at.
Audio
- Demented
laughter and shouted threats of violence.
Special
Ability
- Extreamly deadly but possessing no special
talents beyond the fact that they are
expert hunters. The clowns often snort
amphetamines and other stimulants during
the hunt, whether or not this enhances
their performance is debatable. The clowns
don't care if this enhances performance
or not, they just like the crack of it.
Sponser
-
James W. Gacy - Head of cities art galleries
and museums. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Even
weaponry wasn’t exempt from omission,
for whatever reason the spiked bat shown
below was removed. This screenshot was
taken from the first released TV trailer
for the game. The trailer was scheduled
to be shown in the US and was only sent
out a week before the games release.
What this tells us is that the spiked
bat was removed very close to release
of the game.
Chances
are the animations and bat model as
well as all appropriate sounds are still
present on the game disk. From
scanning the game disk other weapons
can be found that seem to have not made
the cut such as:
Ice
Axe -
There is also something named ice pick
throughout the files, although this
is probably the same thing, just named
differently by another texture artist.
Likely had the same animations as the
glass shard or possibly the crowbar.
Black
Wood
- The black wood was probably from broken
fences and such. The weapon was likely
introduced at the start of the game
and continued through the junkyard scenes.
Hunting
Knife –
This was likely just an alternate knife,
sounds and animations unlikely vary
from what is already in there. Possibly
taken from Ramirez?
Scythe
- Presumably had the same execution
methods as the sickle.
Some
weapons are referenced but no textures
or models can be found on the game disk
of them such as:
Metal
Pipe – The metal
pipe seems to have gone as far as the
spiked bat, in all likely hood this
would have the same execution methods
as what the black wood would have had.
There
are also images of what appear to be
alternate glass shards, strangulation
wire and a secondary sniper rifle. The
sniper rifle alteration is most likely
just appearance, one probably belonged
to the War Dogs while the other to the
Cops.
Certain
guns where named differently throughout
the files, once again most likely due
to the fact that different people name
them differently or it could be due
to copyright reasoning. |
|
|
|
|
