SHENMUE II APRIL 11TH, 2001 PROTOTYPE SOLD ON YAHOO AUCTION

Ok folks, I've restored as much as I can from the WBM, with original posters and content. Unfortunately we only had up to 20th May, in terms of posts, so we have lost a good weeks worth of content.

All I can ask at this stage is for our main topic contributors ( @Miles Prower @LanDC @the_phoenix_mirror @Sega_Dreamcast_Info ), as well as anyone else to re-contribute the discoveries and new content they found. A big ask I know, but unfortunately the original posts, bar the ones restored in the past few pages, are permanently lost.
 
Yellow Head Building Differences Part 1:


When Ryo and Ren run into the first Yellow head guard (the one Ren kicks Ryo into), the guard is a different NPC

April build:
proto1.png

Final:

final.png

When Ryo breaks into one of the rooms to fight the Yellow Head members (because Ryo lost the coin flip against Ren) the cutscene has some differences.

To start, the room's door is red and says 'A-1 401', but in the final game the door says 'F-1 510'

April build:
proto4.png

Final build:
Screenshot (27).png

The April build uses an unused angle:
proto3.png

Ryo uses an unused fighting stance in the April build:
proto2.png

Final build:
Screenshot (29).png

When Ryo and Ren are running away from the Yellow Head members, Ryo kicks a piece of wood that causes objects to fall and uses that to create a wall to block the members from getting to them. In the final game it uses Command QTEs, but in the April build it uses the regular QTEs

April build:
Screenshot (34).png

Final build:
Screenshot (35).png
 
Yellow Head Building Differences Part 2:

In the cutscene where Ryo makes it the the 18th floor, the lighting is broken in the April build.

April build:
Screenshot (47).png

Final build:
Screenshot (49).png


One of the rooms Ryo can break into when looking for the Watch Men's Room has different enemies compared to the final release

April build:
proto.png

Final build:
finalA.png

In the final release when Ryo defeats the members, Ryo exits the room and should get a call from Ren telling him he only has 6 minutes to search for the correct room, but in the April build Ryo gets the call inside the room he beat the thugs in, also there are some debug codes in the April build.

April build:
Screenshot (51).png

Final build:
Screenshot (62).png

In the final game whenever Ryo finds a room with thugs that isn't the Watch Men's Room, he defeats them and the game automatically sends you out of the room, but in the April build you have to leave the room manually.

April build:
Screenshot (53).png

In the April build, when Ryo breaks into a room that doesn't have anyone in there, it uses a placeholder room:
Screenshot (54).png
 
Ok folks, I've restored as much as I can from the WBM, with original posters and content. Unfortunately we only had up to 20th May, in terms of posts, so we have lost a good weeks worth of content.

All I can ask at this stage is for our main topic contributors ( @Miles Prower @LanDC @the_phoenix_mirror @Sega_Dreamcast_Info ), as well as anyone else to re-contribute the discoveries and new content they found. A big ask I know, but unfortunately the original posts, bar the ones restored in the past few pages, are permanently lost.
My god, what happened :eek:? Has it only affected this thread?
 
This is a full page of the notepad.
Some of the items are not mentioned due to branching, but almost all of them are filled in.
There are a number of differences from the final ver. but there is no entry about the missing story like in Miao Village.
Also, there are typos and shaky notations.
For example, the words "龍詠街" on page 195.
Correctly "龍影街".
 

Attachments

  • shenmue2_gamejam_memo.rar
    27 MB · Views: 30
REPOST: A wrap up of my Disc 2 findings

Before handing over the $500 to meet Ren, you get a dialogue tree option when approaching Cool J/Z -you can choose whether to hand over the money yet or not. In the final, the cutscene of Ryo handing over the money plays automatically upon approach if you have the money.
screenshot627.png

In the F Warehouse scene, the Yellow Head member that gets knocked out (along with the fight/Duck Races bookmaker Lin Gangfang) differs between this proto and the final! In this prototype it is Wu Anguo, however in the final he was swapped out for Zhu Bao.

Proto (Wu Anguo):
screenshot654.png

Final (Zhu Bao):
BaoZhu.jpg

When Ren, Sam, Larry and Cool J/Z run away from you, some debug text appears at the bottom of the screen indicating each one's distance away from you (either Norm/Near/Far):
screenshot666.png
screenshot668.png

There's a few instances of Cool J/Z's boom box being invisible -particularly amusing in this scene, where it's invisible one second, only for it to reappear once Ryo grabs it!
screenshot671.png
screenshot672.png

After saying goodbye to Wong, there are some Heavens members hanging around BHW - unlike the final. While most of them are 'background' members you can't talk to, you can talk to this guy - Lu Zhouzhu - and he seems oddly friendly, even giving Ryo directions when asked!
screenshot694.png
screenshot708.png

When saying goodbye to everyone, unlike the final Guixiang is not standing outside the Yan Tin Apartments - you have to go inside and speak to her in her room.
screenshot769.png

Ryo and Zongquan's goodbye to each other meanwhile is a lot less formal than in the final! Zongquan is lying on the floor here, unlike the final where he is standing up. Ryo also doesn't bow to him after they finish talking.
screenshot789.png
 
REPOST: A wrap up of my Disc 2 findings

Before handing over the $500 to meet Ren, you get a dialogue tree option when approaching Cool J/Z -you can choose whether to hand over the money yet or not. In the final, the cutscene of Ryo handing over the money plays automatically upon approach if you have the money.
View attachment 16218

goddamnit... i've wanted the same exact feature for so many years!!
 
REPOST: Let's delve into Disc 3 differences in the Shenmue II Game Jam beta!

Look out Ryo, there's a Yellow Head member on the bus with you!! (namely Wu Bingwei) In the final he is replaced with Lu Kuang (a generic pedestrian character often seen in Wan Chai and Kowloon)

Proto: (Wu Bingwei):
screenshot824.png

Final (Lu Kuang):
kowloon bus final.png

At Great View Herbs, you can't get Ren to comment on any of the items when you lock onto them. Also, if you go back in after the cutscene, Yang is no longer there - in the final you can go back in and talk to him and he tells you to hurry to the Dancing Dragon Bldg
screenshot854.png

Congo's skin is a lot darker in this prototype than the final -
Proto:
screenshot864.png

Final:
CongoMaccius.jpg

In the Thousand White Warehouse, during free quest Yang Lianfei is strangely nowhere to be seen - but she still appears when you trigger the part-time job with Congo.
screenshot909.png

The Iron Head fighter, Su Dongshan has a different design in the protoype compared to the final (much like Bear Norton, they were nice enough to later decide to give him hair!)

Proto:
screenshot876.png

Final:
DongshanSu.jpg

The 'Fighting Place' area is called 'Fights in the Place' on the loading screen. It also uses the Dimsum Qr. day music in this prototype (even at night)
screenshot975.png

The bastard/near impossible to beat arm wrestler, Dory Gordie has a different design compared from this prototype to the final (seems to be just a colour change in his clothes)

Proto:
screenshot994.png

Final:
DoryGordie.jpg

In more dodgy translation hijinks, The sign for the Moon Child Orphanage simply says 'MOON CHAILD' here:
screenshot1083.png

The sign for the South Bird Store in the Three Birds Bldg. is glitched:
screenshot1096.png

Bizarrely, the Ming Ming Bird Shop is called the 'NineNine Bird Shop' in this prototype (and yes, the Nine Birds Shop nearby is still called that!)
screenshot1112.png

When Ryo and Ren are handcuffed and trying to escape in the QTE sequences, debug info appears on-screen:
screenshot1162.png
screenshot1163.png

When Yuan and then Dou Niu confront you in the hallway, the elevator suddenly becomes very confused -this is in the Three Birds Bldg, which doesn't even have a basement! (compare to final where it appears correctly)

Proto:
screenshot1206.png

Final:
three birds elevator final.png

When Dou Niu curses Ryo and Ren for jumping to the other building and getting away, the camera angle is different from the final (and doesn't close up on him at the end of the scene)

Proto:
screenshot1217.png

Final:
dou niu final.png

This scene of Ryo and Ren running into Joy outside the hideout doesn't trigger at all in this prototype (you just go straight to following Ren to Great View Herbs)

When you play the cassette tape, it seems as if most of its audio hasn't been implemented yet - as various bits of audio from Shenmue I seem to be used as placeholders! Hip De Hop plays first!

-There is dialogue between Ryo and someone else about the Mad Angels/Terry (its in Japanese so not sure of exact source in the game/context)
-Then what sounds to be the conversation between Ryo and Fuku-san where Ryo declares his intentions for revenge
-Then, the 'suggestive' phone conversation that turns out to be about a cat (replaced in the EU/US versions by the news report) plays, before the convo between Dou Niu and Yuan that gives you the next lead. None of the other conversations heard on the tape are implemented yet.

There are only two children besides Hongji inside the Moon Child orphanage here (there are more in the final) - and one of them doesn't actually appear in the final (the boy in red):
screenshot1274.png

When following Yuan, he stops to complain to Wang Kang about the price of his wares. In the final, he only appears in this cutscene, and vanishes afterwards. However, in the prototype, he is still there after the cutscene! You can talk to him as well.
screenshot1292.pngscreenshot1294.png

The scene of Yuan speaking to the knife shopkeeper in the Thousand White Bldg. doesn't trigger - you see him go in there, but no cutscene occurs once you enter (and Ren disappears). When you leave however, you see Yuan walk towards Cafe Anna, resuming the scenario.

In the prototype, it is Cafe Anna's owner, Ye Gongzi , who walks past Yuan's table and bows in thanks. In the final, she has been replaced in this scene with one of the waitresses, Yamei Pengcui.

Proto (Gongzi):
screenshot1305.png

Final (Pengcui):
yuan cafe anna final.png

Some Command QTE's haven't been implemented yet - for example, instead of (Down, Y) at the Moon Child Bldg, the QTE to dodge Yuan's sight is simply 'Down'. Also, instead of the (Left, Right A) CQTE when forcing your way into Yuan's room, here it is just 'A'.

Bizarrely, you hear a few seconds of this unused track when the loading screen for Yuan's room pops up, before it plays the correct music for the location upon loading.

The scene of Ren stealing this jewelry box doesn't trigger when you pick it up:
screenshot1315.png

As for the Ghost Hall Bldg...everything turns upside down when you cross the planks, and even if you complete all the QTE's on a plank, Ryo doesn't actually progress- you're sent back to where you were. This appears to make it impossible to actually reach 10F (continued in next post...)
FTljwB0X0AAevx9.png
 
REPOST: I previously reported that it seemed impossible in this beta to get to Zhu's room in the Ghost Hall Bldg- due to the plank walking sequences being so glitchy that you don't actually get across them (I used the debug menu to skip ahead past this part to continue Disc 3)...

However, I had a brain wave and thought I'd try using the famous 'map glitch' to force my way up the stairs to 10F (bypassing all the barriers), and sure enough, that worked! First off just for fun, here is Yu Suzuki's reaction to Ren getting an elevator key to get up there!
screenshot2506.png

The lighting for the room doesn't seem to appear correctly during the cutscene when Ryo and Ren first enter (it corrects itself once gameplay has loaded)
screenshot2513.png

From there, there doesn't seem to be any major differences in this room and the puzzle - one slight quirk I noticed is that the keys are at a strange angle when you view them in your inventory:
screenshot2518.png

Even if you've picked up the Four Heavenly Beasts diagram, you're not allowed to examine it while putting the keys in - this was added in the final via the Y Button. Hope you've memorised/noted down the positions!
screenshot2532.png

Ren's hands are in a weird position compared to the final:

Proto:
screenshot2534.png

Final:
ren five stars corp.png

The keys don't make a clicking sound when Ryo inserts them in the proto. The secret door seems to take a longer time to open than in the final.

Unlike the final the music doesn't change to this track when Yuan and the other Yellow Heads appear - this track keeps playing instead.

Also, the four decoy keys stay in your inventory afterwards if you picked them up - is this the case in the final as well, I can't recall?
screenshot2549.png
 
Also, the four decoy keys stay in your inventory afterwards if you picked them up - is this the case in the final as well, I can't recall?
They don't.

In a sense, it's almost a blessing to have the thread rebuilt: cuts some fat and helps us regroup the key insights. Thanks to everyone doing the heavy lifting here. (This indeed applies to you, @Miles Prower ! I hope you know that, whether it's research like this or organizing S3 names, we're very grateful for your efforts. This is time well-spent and appreciated).
 
REPOST: Disc 3 continued

In the Phoenix Building, the guy attending to the Afterburner machine, Qi Cunyi has a different face compared to the final:

Proto:
screenshot1419.png

Final:
CunyiQi.jpg

When you play 'Afterburner', it actually loads up Space Harrier instead. However, you still win the Afterburner capsule toy afterwards, no matter your actual performance! (I deliberately killed myself on the 2nd level of Space Harrier!)
screenshot1424.png screenshot1429.png

On the staircase leading down to B4F of the Phoenix Bldg, the sign mistakenly says '0' (where it should say 'B4F')
screenshot1450.png

Rod Stunt has a beard in this prototype! He's shaved by the final (also applies to the photograph - you may also notice a difference in Greg's photo, I'll come to that!

Proto:
screenshot1442.png

Final:
rod final.png

Proto:
screenshot1410.png

Final:
street fighter photos final.png

A better look at Greg's jacket - it's a lot more...ahem...kinky in the prototype...here it is from the back...
Proto:
screenshot1461.png
Final:
greg back final.png

And from the front...
Proto:
screenshot1469.png
Final:
greg front final.png

In what seems to be a glitch, the bookie that Ren makes the wager with just sort of awkwardly freezes in place, still standing there even after you've defeated Greg (fixed in the final)
Proto:
screenshot1489.png
Final:
blue dragon garden.png

I managed to access Chunyan's arena without paying! You can get into it via Black Heaven Building 11F here (it's blocked off on this floor in the final), meaning you bypass the guard on 12F! Chunyan's design is the same as the final, and I didn't notice any differences in the cutscenes before and after the fight.
 
They don't.

In a sense, it's almost a blessing to have the thread rebuilt: cuts some fat and helps us regroup the key insights. Thanks to everyone doing the heavy lifting here. (This indeed applies to you, @Miles Prower ! I hope you know that, whether it's research like this or organizing S3 names, we're very grateful for your efforts. This is time well-spent and appreciated).
Thank you, kind sir :)

Now here's a repost of what I think is one of the more intriguing finds in this beta...

The map of the Yellow Head Building Wong gives you uses a placeholder image - which seems to be part of an early map of Wan Chai! Specifically this portion mostly shows the Golden Qr., and suggests originally it may have been possible to explore the other side of the road! (I've flipped the image so it's easier to read)
FUAU9q6XoAETITY.png
Key points:
  • The building that is presumably the 'Grand Hotel' is referred to as the 'Wing Wong Hotel' here (this seems to correspond to the characters used for Golden Qr - 詠黄街 - so it may be intended to be 'Golden Hotel'?
  • The Juk Man Bookstore, which does exist in the final, may have originally been on the opposite side of the road
  • There's a (something) Travel Agency near the hotel
  • There's a shop called (something) Bun Sushi
  • The map makes a point of labelling what is presumably a cafe called Wang-Chai Excellent....something
  • The 'Chojian' area appears to refer to the Green Market Qr. (菜珍街)
Imagine if the full image of this early Wan Chai map existed somewhere in the beta's files - it might even show the road that originally lead to Miao Village in South Carmain Qr.!

And here's a shot from the final for comparison, showing the correct map for the Yellow Head Bldg:
yellow head map.png
 
REPOST - Yellow Head Bldg. differences

In Room 222, the attendant of the Hang On machine, Gao Shun isn't standing in the correct position - he's meant to be standing next to the machine, but here he is facing away from it.
screenshot1708.png

Like Afterburner in the Phoenix Bldg, you automatically win a prize regardless of your performance. However, Gao Shun is magically replaced by Qi Cunyi (the guy in the Phoenix Bldg.) in this cutscene! Also, he gives you the Afterburner capsule toy as a prize, not the Hang On one.
screenshot1714.pngscreenshot1717.png

In this proto, the first black suit you encounter on the third floor is Yang Wangyan. In the final, he's been replaced by Zhu Kangda.
Proto (Wangyan):
screenshot1719.png
Final (Kangda):
zhu kangda.png

When you reach the fifth floor, the loading screen simply states 'Kowloon' rather than Yellow Head Bldg:
screenshot1749.png

When you find the 5th floor room where you fight the thugs and get the walkie talkie, the door sign mistakenly says 'A-1 401' in the cutscene (which would refer to room 401 in the Dancing Dragon Bldg.). In the final, this is corrected to say 'F-1 510'.
Proto:
screenshot1755.png
yellow head bldg room 510.png

The camera angles in the cutscene where Ren finds the walkie talkie are different.
Proto:
screenshot1771.png
Final:
walkie talkie.png

As with 5F, when you get to 7F, the loading screen simply states 'Kowloon':
screenshot1818.png

When you kick the wooden beams to block the thugs chasing you on 8F, these are not CQTE's in the proto - you just have to press A.

When one of the groups spots you on 8F, the camera angle is different:
Proto:
screenshot1843.png
Final:
yellow head 8F.png

When this group spots you, the camera angle also differs between the proto and the final:
Proto:
screenshot1847.png
Final:
yellow head 8F(2).png

After the QTE battle sequence following Ryo and Ren splitting up, the thugs are no longer lying on the floor, making it look like Ren is complimenting Ryo about nothing. This is fixed in the final:
Proto:
screenshot1886.png
Final:
yellow head 12F.png

The music for the Yuan battle doesn't play in the proto.

In an amusing glitch/oversight in the prototype, the garbage is already spilled everywhere in the elevator before Ren actually kicks the bin at Yuan:
screenshot1939.pngscreenshot1940.png

The Yellow Head thugs that confront Ryo and Ren after Yuan has been defeated differ between the proto and the final. In the proto it is (left to right) Tai Shizi, Jiang Yiqu and Fan Yang:
screenshot1948.png

In the final, this is changed to (left to right) Huang Fusong, Yan Liang and Zhang Yang:
yellow head 17F.png

Credit to @the_phoenix_mirror for spotting this one- while Ryo is looking for the room with elevator key on 18F, the Yellow Head members in room 1804 change between the proto and final:
Proto:
FUAaKA7XoAUkwQO.jpg
Final:
FUAaMhoXoAEG45k.jpg

In the elevator watchman's room (1824), there's one extra Yellow Head to fight - he was removed in the final.
Proto:
screenshot2017.png
yellow head room 1824.png

The cabinets you open to power the elevators look a lot more basic in the proto, and do not have any Roman numerals inscribed on them - this was added in the final (so there's no clue to what the correct key is to use!)
Proto:
screenshot2034.png
yellow head elevator.png

The puzzle works differently-you have to go into your inventory to pick a key, unlike in the final where the keys appear to cycle through.

While Ryo waits for the elevator, he notes that the elevator stops briefly, however here the display doesn't change, it stays stuck on '18'.

When you get to B3 - the loading screen reads 'Tiger Gate Bldg.' - which is where Baihu was originally going to be located before this location was scrapped and he was moved to the Big Ox Bldg:
screenshot2069.png

Unlike the final you can hear cheering during Baihu's fight -some black suits are behind the fence, and appear to be the ones cheering. This is likely a leftover from when Baihu was just a 'regular' street fighter that you had to defeat along with Rod, Greg and Chunyan (I'm guessing it wasn't originally black suits cheering - probably some hasty character model swapping going on before the scene was fully revised to fit into the Big Ox Bldg. instead!)
screenshot2088.png

Baihu's opponent before Ryo differs between the proto and the final-
Proto:
baihu opponent (proto).png
Final:
baihu opponent (final).png

The group of black suits with Baihu differs between the proto and final - firstly, Chen Shou is replaced by Yang Wangyan in the final (presumably changed as it wouldn't make much sense for Shou to get here that quickly after being defeated by Ryo on 18F!)
Proto (Chen Shou):
screenshot2095.png
Final (Yang Wangyan):
baihu black suits(1).png

And then, Yue Zhou is replaced by Sun Jianpo (probably changed as Yue Zhou needs to be on the roof assisting Lan Di with the handover of Zhu!)
Proto (Yue Zhou):
screenshot2123.png
Final (Sun Jianpo):
baihu black suits (2).png

When travelling in the elevator with Joy, the floor numbers don't display correctly - it starts at 'B0' before displaying '30' once they've reached the 40th floor:
screenshot2128.pngscreenshot2132.png
As @Sega_Dreamcast_Info pointed out on the release page, the stairs going down to 39F are not blocked off in the proto. You can go all the way down to 19F, each floor is essentially the same with just one empty room and the elevators.
screenshot2146.png

When going into the room where you fight the black suits, this door design seems to be used as a placeholder, instead of the large doors that should appear:
screenshot2151.png

When going up the stairs to the roof and the QTE sequence starts, the scene lacks the proper sunset lighting (this corrects itself if you have to retry the sequence):
screenshot2179.png

Once again, Yue Zhou is somewhere he shouldn't - this in particular doesn't make sense, as you're literally about to see him with Zhu and Lan Di once you're up the steps! He's replaced by Chen Shou in the final-
Proto (Yue Zhou):
screenshot2183.png
Final (Chen Shou):
ShouChenKangdaZhu.jpg

Lan Di's helicopter is not yet textured, and doesn't have a pilot - Lan Di is also not holding onto the ladder properly:
screenshot2200.pngscreenshot2202.png

Similarly, Dou Niu is not holding onto Wong properly:
screenshot2209.pngscreenshot2210.png

Continuing the no contact theme, Wong isn't actually biting onto Dou Niu's arm here!
screenshot2217.pngscreenshot2219.png

(continued in next post due to attachment limit...)
 

Attachments

  • screenshot2060.png
    screenshot2060.png
    12.9 KB · Views: 0
  • screenshot2237.png
    screenshot2237.png
    420.9 KB · Views: 1
REPOST - Yellow Head Bldg. continued

For whatever reason, a group of black suits once again differs slightly between the proto and the final-
Proto:
screenshot2237.png
Final:
black suits rooftop.png

This bizarrely appears before the fight with Dou Niu:
screenshot2248.png

This prototype is a lot harsher with retrying - if you lose the battle against Dou Niu, or fail one of the QTE's after the battle, you're sent all the way back to the stairs up to the roof QTE sequence!!

In the QTE sequences after the fight, Dou Niu only has dialogue for the first one - he doesn't say anything for the next two.

And that about does it for the Yellow Head Building! (phew!)
 
I'm curious, has anyone looked if Wen Chengxiao is at Kowloon Dentist in this prototype? Or is Zai Hongen still there?
 
Back
Top