Shenmue II GAME JAM (Apr 11,2001 Dreamcast prototype)
Spring 1995, Yu Suzuki takes advantage of a moment of respite to continue developing his prototype. The originator of SEGA's greatest arcade hits has an idea in mind. Virtua Fighter has become a strong license of the brand and the Japanese knows that he can use this universe to develop a revolutionary role-playing game. Steeped in ambition, the man and his team attempt a first: The Old Man and the Peach Tree. The program, built with a few algorithms, tells the story of Taro, who is looking for a certain Ryu , a kung-fu master capable of teaching him his art. The title, expected to be for Saturn, offers the exploration of an open world with the solving of puzzles. At 37, Yu Suzuki has nothing left to prove and yet he is about give rise to a work that will crystallize the video game industry for nearly two decades.
The beginning of a long epic, Shenmue!
Since the early 90s (and from his trip to China), Yu Suzuki has aimed to make an RPG that goes beyond Japanese clichés. More freedom, interaction with an organic world, an optimized dialogue system... the creator stopped at nothing. He imagined a story that took place in the 1950s in Luoyang , the ancient Chinese capital. Inspired by a trip to China dating back to 93, the story The Old Man and the Peach Tree contrasted what was usually done in video games at the time.
«A man, who appears to be a martial arts master, is basking in the sun. Taro , who is the player character, asks the man if he knows Master Ryu . The old man then tells him that he only has to bring back a peach to get the answer. So the first part of the quest is to find a peach tree. There is an apple tree not far from them. Taro can't reach the apple, so he borrows a stick from one of the guards and picks the apple which he immediately gives to the man. But the latter explains to him again that he wants to eat a peach, and he gets angry. At the end, children gather around the man and encourage him. Taro quietly approaches and an in-game cutscene begins. The old man skimps on a lake. Each time the stone hits the surface of the water, it stuns a fish. The fish literally float to the surface of the water. The children are very happy to have fish for dinner. The man managed to hit two or three fish with a single stone. After witnessing such a spectacle, Taro is certain that it is in fact Master Ryu. That's the kind of story that we found in the game. This became the basis of the game.»
The Old Man and the Peach Tree has a script and a staging (nothing has been shown but we can guess the scene) totally out of step with its time. However, this prototype allowed the whole team to gauge the capabilities of the Saturn and to push it to its ultimate limits: fully 3D graphics, management of collisions and clipping (late display of scenery), control of characters and the camera, monitoring and consistency of events and puzzles, dialogues in other words, the 32-bit has seen all the colors.
The idea of an RPG on the model of Virtua Figther
After The Old Man and the Peach Tree, the AM2 team decided to turn to a more concrete universe that is, above all, well known to fans of the brand: Virtua Fighter. We move to 1996. The idea is to create an RPG using the characters of the famous fighting game, whose hero is Akira.
Fully 3D and with a cinematic approach, it adds (compared to The Old Man and the Peach Tree prototype) the ability to fight multiple individuals at once; but also, recorded voices give more sense of life and realism to the protagonists of the story. By doing so, Yu Suzuki saved considerable time: he used all the character moves of the famous fighting game (Akira, Pai, Lau, Jacky, etc.), but with the 3D engine. At this point, the developers had a very precise idea of what they want.
That trip to China would have the effect of clarifying many of his desires. For Virtua Fighter RPG, Yu Suzuki designed a document based on his memories, where it is particularly about the story and its guideline. The hero, Akira (funny thing is that in Shenmue, the game code reveals that the character ID remained "AKIR", diminished form of Akira) must face a destiny that jostles his emotions.
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Official Shenmue 1+2 script
First, the grief over the loss of his father; then, the departure for China and the feeling of revenge that animated him (the main antagonist then bears the name of Randi and not Lan Di); then, the fight against the murderer of his father and finally, victory and a new journey with his friends. From this document, Yu Suzuki draws an orchestral suite in four repeating movements. To give more volume to the story, the creator called on a scriptwriter to whom he made listen to the famous piece in order to give him more inspiration. It is from this precise moment that Yu Suzuki began the real writing of the 11 different chapters of the game.
2008, my trip to Guilin
Shenmue Saturn (Shenmue 2)
2008, my trip to Guilin
To give a dramatic feel to his title, Yu Suzuki opted for a romantic approach, in order to make the player feel all the emotions of the hero. And each of the 11 chapters takes place in different locations in China. Suffice to say that Virtua Fighter RPG has created a real base for the future Project Berkley. It is Akira Yuki (when younger), and not Ryo Hazuki, that one finds in the Saturn prototypes. Again, even though these prototypes, by Yu Suzuki's admission, are playable and slumbering somewhere at SEGA in Japan, they are just prototypes, short and intended to gauge the performance of the Saturn. Hence the fight sequence between Ryu and Guizhang or the doe scene from Shenmue II. There is no full Project Berkley or Shenmue game on the Saturn. These are just tests.
The Beginning of the Berkley Project
In 1997, Yu Suzuki was involved in the development of SEGA's future console. The Dreamcast, which would succeed the Saturn, is much more powerful and better aimed at game designers. Logically, the whole team decided to abandon 32-bit support to focus on the future machine which was then called "Next-gen Saturn". Virtua Fighter RPG had been abandoned in turn, resulting in the birth of a new title but which had no name yet, except for the code name Guppy. Built in 45 hours, the gameplay mixed a large number of approaches: cinematics, fights, research and exploration, learning new techniques, interaction between the different chapters and even the presence of "underground dungeons".
In 1998, Yu Suzuki changed the name of the game to Berkley and aimed to introduce the first two chapters in the first adventure. Only then was the ambition of the AM2 limitless and the game growing visibly. Project Berkley became Shenmue Chapter 1: Yokosuka and each game contained only one single chapter, all materializing in the form of a gigantic killer app for the Dreamcast. Given the scale of development (which required about 30% of the total workforce of AM2), Yu Suzuki was forced to redefine the basics of game design. It was at this time that he imagined the concepts of FREE for Full Reactive Eyes Entertainment, and Quick Time Events (QTE) from which he drew inspiration from the game of our childhood, SIMON.
That same year, the SEGA teams were working at full speed to produce Shenmue. At that time, the number of employees working on Yu Suzuki's game exceeded 200. Among those who toiled the most, there are the programmers who set up multiple compression algorithms in order to fit the game on 3 GD-ROMs (without that, it would have taken 50 or 60 CD ROMs to store Shenmue) but also the developers who have been called to the rescue for "NPC life control". Yu Suzuki reveals that this concept was added later, because it was not part of the development stages.
«Each character led their own life. All this was not planned and it has been done and integrated in the meantime. This was quite a heavy task for the staff working on the game. If I add up the NPCs (or NPCs) from Shenmue and Shenmue II , I think there are over 450. We created a background for each character: name, age, weight, height, his/her partner, place of residence, etc.»
Shenmue contains over 300 characters (700 including Shenmue 2). To save time, the team used a formidable technique: it used the names of employees and high authorities of SEGA to personalize this little world. One of the employees absolutely wanted to be an F1 driver. He finally found himself as a simple onlooker near the construction site.
An incredible development
To fully understand how Shenmue was ahead of its time, we are going to make a presentation of the techniques put in place to push realism to its maximum. Unlike other games, the creation of the game did not start with dozens and dozens of artwork. While there were some during the making of Virtua Fighter RPG, the team's real inspiration came from the music.
«The development of the game first started with its music. Then, once I finally had a theme that I liked and corresponded to my desire, I had all my staff listen to it, the project directors, the screenwriters, without telling them anything. They knew the general concept of the project but nothing had really been decided yet. I then asked them to freely follow their inspiration only with this music. Finally, we all exchanged many ideas, in addition to mine. The world of Shenmue was therefore built on his music, without starting with artwork as is usually the case in video games»
Yuzo Koshiro, who participated in the musical composition of Shenmue, visited SEGA studios about once a week. The game was entirely designed through his music, that is to say that the musicians composed the themes by focusing on sketches and models. When you hear the final result, there is something to be amazed about.
All the animations are made in motion capture and the team even went so far as to use an electronic glove in order to faithfully reproduce the movement of the hands and fingers.
Official sculpture (photo by SkillJim)
For the fights, the choreographies were strongly enforced, and Yu Suzuki's perfectionism became almost sickly. The instructions given to the actors were ultra-precise and it was not easy to comply with the demands of the creator, who did not hesitate to lend his hand by showing all the gestures to be performed one by one.
The other feat comes from the modeling of the main character. Akira gave way to a certain Ryo Hazuki and the first sketches were drawn by Yu Suzuki himself:
«To get a story that suited me, I needed a hero that matched my expectations. So I first drew sketches of what I expected from the ideal main character. I got what I wanted, both from the front and from the side. But the problem is that the 3D rendering did not correspond to the model at all! I felt like I had another person!»
To counter the problem, the devs would then hatch a genius idea: to use clay to reconstruct the faces of the main characters of the story. These sculptures, made by professionals, were then scanned in 3D to obtain a rendering close to perfection. With such a technique, the faces reached the trifle of 50,000 animations, so the number of polygons had to be shifted down.
For architecture, the AM2 had developed a program that made it possible to structure the layout of the various buildings and rooms. It was enough to input objects such as tables, chairs and others for the software to organize and reposition everything, making sure that the character could cross the area without hindrance. Crazy!
Finally, the change in weather had taken a lot of resources from Yu Suzuki's team:
«Today, everyone knows how to do it, but at the time it was a real challenge. The Magic Weather system allows for programmatic weather and weather control. The brightness evolves correctly according to the time of day. Wind and snow algorithms are also generated. We used Yokosuka's historical weather data for a three-year period starting in 1986, to recreate the game's in-game weather.»
In 1999, Yu Suzuki began his worst nightmare (he hates this part of development): debugging. This phase consisted of playing the game and testing it in every corner to eradicate any form of bug. The cycle took two full weeks, which were grueling. Every day, more than 300 bugs were listed to be then corrected. According to the creator, a team took turns working around the clock, recording videos to target any bugs. At the end of the development, more than 300 people had to be coordinated, which was a real ordeal, because no one had the experience of such a project. Nowadays, developers use project management software, which makes it possible to coordinate all the stages of the creation of a game but also the interaction with the different people and teams. At the end of the 90s, this was far from being the case.
«At that time, there were no project management tools, such as Redmine . So instead we used a command sheet which was just a simple list of measurements in Excel. Because we were developing or testing the game, the number of bars to correct never decreased. And for information, there were more than 10,000! It's scary to think that we managed this project essentially by distributing sheets of paper»
To make Shenmue, the developers didn't get much sleep or rest. If they managed to take turns, each Friday was called "Shenmue Weekend". The team would travel to SEGA's lodge in Zushi (a town of about 55,000 people located 65 km from Tokyo) and work all weekend.
This is what Shenmue was all about. Programmers who fought for months to get the best game in the world. The team of programmers was also split in two: on one side, the employees who worked on the game system, on the other those who officiated on the programming routines due to the countless events. Shenmue is also the dropping of ideas. Originally, Ryo was to start his journey in China (yes!) and the bike came naturally at the start of development. The test was even carried out with Ryo pedaling while speeding through a meadow. At the end of development, a programmer took over the concept to flesh it out and improve it, but the concept of riding a bicycle in Yokosuka did not bring anything significant. The team preferred to remove this element. Tak Hirai even admits that they had fun using different new "features" (and which he wanted to keep as Easter Eggs), such as fast forward and rewind of the day/night cycle or the possibility of carrying an object like a house and swing it.
The presentation of Shenmue 2 at Game Jam
Yu Suzuki had made an appearance at Sega's Game Jam show, in April 2001, to show off the latest Shenmue II goodies, gadgets, and gameplay systems. Suzuki had launched a demo with crowd noise on a busy street in Hong Kong and then showed off the all-new automatic map, which appears and rotates based on the location of Ryo and his direction.
Next, Suzuki opened the options menu, where he checked Ryo's current collection of Gatcha (small Japanese toys). The game had informed him that if he had one more figure, it would complete his Virtua Fighter toy collection, and he could sell the set, at the pawn shop for 500 HKD. Suzuki had taken Ryo Hazuki's character to an alley, where he had played several rounds of a game of chance. Ryo quickly won the mini-game. He then took his new collection to a pawn shop to sell it and collect as much money as possible.
Exposing his twisted fascination with minigames, Suzuki had moved Ryo to a seedy bar, where our hero struck up a conversation with an Italian darts player. The crowd watched in silence as Suzuki played a thrilling game of dart throwing!
Suzuki had also demonstrated Shenmue II's dynamic loading system. When Ryo stands near a door leading outside, the outside area begins to load in the background, just in case it is needed.
The audience laughed at the poor performance of Suzuki, in a QTE sequence, when he tried to cross the narrow bridges in disc 4 as he kept falling and rushing Ryo Hazuki to certain death.
Once the demo finished, a trailer started on the screen to end with the appearance of the actors/dubbers of the actual voices of Ryo and Ren, handcuffed to each other, rushing onto the stage.
First analysis:
By performing an analysis of the contents of the prototype, the build was created on November 6, 2000. Based on the last modification of the files with the GD-ROM Explorer tool, the date is April 14, 2001 at 12:06:38. This Japanese prototype of Shenmue 2 would have been mastered between 3 and 9 months (depending on the date chosen) before the final Japanese version being on July 16, 2001 at 07:21:16. On the GD-Rom it is mentioned "Game Jam", which could suggest that these 4 discs may have been used during the April 2001 event in Japan bearing the same name.
Unused Title Menu
The GD-Rs don't run on a Katana Dreamcast dev kit. The SEGA copyright remains fixed in position. Selecting the Dev Kit bios from the DEmul emulator, it's the same issue.
This prototype has several Debug Menus. If at first glance, these seem basic, we realize that they allow a lot of things in the game. It is however complicated to understand them and to use them.
653 scripts and approximately 150,000 textures were extracted from Shenmue II Game Jam.
Before you start, an aside:
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If you can't play a new game in the main menu, remove the memory card and you should be able to start it. Put the VMU back when you want to save. Ideally, use a blank VMU for this prototype.
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The Shenmue 2 icon on the Visual Memory Unit is not the one used in the final Japanese version. It corresponds to that of Shenmue 1.
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If no memory card is connected, several warning messages (VMU etc.) follow one another. They are 4 in number and not 3 as in the Japanese retail version. One of these messages is new and specific to the build. The number of free blocks needed to save, "22", is not mentioned anywhere. This prototype will require 23 free blocks to save a game.
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The screens with the "SEGA", "AM2" and "CSK Research Institute" logos are not present, the animation with the Phoenix and Dragon mirrors begins directly before arriving at the title screen.
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On the title screen, the copyright under "PRESS START" should mention "©CRI 1999, 2001 Y" and not just the year 2001. A temporary screen (a model?) was found in the game files.
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At the scene of Shenhua with the eagle (Prophecy), by not pressing "START" at the title screen, it starts with 3 windows "Presented By SEGA", the "Y" logo and the spiral of the Dreamcast; this last screen is new. This sequence should directly show the sunset and the eagle flying towards the player. Another interesting point, this cutscene is new and was not known until today. It was certainly cut to be replaced by the one we all know. At the end of it, we finally find the "AM2" logo, but there are still others missing.
"[DISC4] contains "Shenmue I Digest Movie" and "Shenmue II Collection". If you are playing "Shenmue II" for the first time, please watch "Shenmue I Digest Movie"."
Unreleased intro of Shenmue 2 (Prophecy)
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The "Shenmue Collection" and "Digest Movie" submenus are not present in the main menu. "Shenmue Collection" can be opened through Debug Menu 1 by choosing ARENA OMAK with GD-Rom number 4 from the beta.
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By selecting "Option" in the main menu, the penultimate and last sub-options are swapped.
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By loading a game, the image and the map presenting the area of the backup are from Shenmue 1, the port. The map, meanwhile, is an early preview of "Green Market Qr.".
In-game :
Glitch
"Press the open button on the main unit and replace it with [DISC n]. Then load the start file of [DISC n] from [Load&Start] in the start menu."
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Voice dubbing of characters, except during main scenes, is not implemented yet. When chatting with NPCs , there are no voices, only the Japanese subtitles of the conversation.
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The timbre and tone of the dubbing actors' voices are different for certain scenes, especially towards the end of the game. AM2 employees may have lent their voices temporarily to the antagonists of Shenmue 2; just a hypothesis.
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Scenes - some of the new Debug Menu 1 entries (Disc 3/0274 and Disc 4/0514), have a temporary loading screen called "Will Delete Loading Screen". These loading screens would be removed during further development of Suzuki's work.
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Many Glitches (a more or less disturbing programming flaw, sometimes embarrassing, but often comical) are present whether in the scenes or in game. Non-player characters can be invisible during one scene and not the next. While walking around Hong Kong, encounters with NPCs can be quite strange, to put it simply.
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This beta version suffers from major Clipping problems (graphical problem consisting of the display, disappearance or modification of objects). Stand near the fountain of "Pigeon Park", then turn the character to the arrival area with the ship in Hong Kong, then look away. Repeat this sequence and you can make the ship appear and disappear. Will Ryo Hasuki dethrone David Copperfield ?
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The brightness does not diminish as the day progresses (to be confirmed).
Boat arrival scene bug
Combat technique training
Clipping, where is the bulding?
Special entertainment
Provisional text
invisible barrier
Yū Suzuki Hazuki !!!
Remaining Debug log
indoor umbrellas
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NPCs take longer to load, they appear late in the environment (to be confirmed).
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The auto-follow system of characters (Auto follow from Ren in disc 3, from Wong in disc 1 or from Shenhua in disc 4) doesn't seem to work.
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After the disc 3 story is completed, the game will ask to change and insert the next GD-Rom. The following message will appear on the screen "[DISC1] has ended. Do you want to save? Yes No (even video)", but the adventure of disc 1 was over since a long time. The text explaining how to change the disc is on a black background and not with an Artwork in the background.
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Bugs are present during the intro cutscene with the ship arriving in HK.
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One of the last scenes before finishing Shenmue 2, that of Ryo inserting a sword into a base (Excalibur the return) plays out strangely. The background is blue and not that of the environment of the cave in which the hero is.
Unfinished sword scene
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The development of the game is not complete, understandably; it is impossible to access the end of the second episode of the Saga of Shenmue and listen to the majestic musical theme symphony orchestra version during the credits. The prototype will restart automatically just before seeing the 2 huge mirrors of the Phoenix and the Dragon.
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When Ryo learns a new combat move, the name of the martial art technique is basically displayed at the end of the scene and not during it. The sound warning the player that a new move has been learned does not exist.
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Some zone loads do not occur in the same place between the prototype and the American version; Ryo will appear a few meters further. Start a game at "Dimsum Qr. (Disc 3)", then head to "Figths in The Place", you'll get the hang of it!
Prototype Game Jam
US Version
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When playing "Lucky Hit's" mini-games, the US version zooms in more on Ryo's and the NPC's face. The physics of the ball also seems different (to be confirmed). When the hero works for a marble stand, it may bug and the camera behaves strangely.
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The buildings of Kowloon (Walled City) lack dazzle, life. They are not frequented by locals. We won't meet anyone except the main NPCs , who are the owners of the place. Some of them are placed in other locations visited (hostesses of restaurants for example).
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Some dialogue subtitles are mentioned as placeholders.
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There is no trace of the Ducks minigame and arcade game After Burner.
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In this prototype, invisible barriers prevent Ryo from talking in places when he should be able to walk around freely. This can be seen in "Golden Qr.", in the alley leading to the "Lucky Charm Qr." activation.
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Some non-player character animations are new, for example the little girl in front of the herb store in "South Carmain Qr." (TBA). She gets scared and starts running. NPCs jump continuously, which is the default error animation. Many NPCs have basic animations. An elegant woman from "Moon Child Bldg. 6F" should run her hands through her hair; she does not. The NPC who helps Ryo with the book QTE is static and does not sweep in front of the Mao Temple bookstore.
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Objects in the inventory have a more pronounced magnification; they are rotated to the right and not to the left.
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Spelling errors for English names are to be seen, for example on the map of "Fortune's Pier", "Warehouse" is spelled "WherHouse".
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Ryo will be able to buy the building cards from disc 3; they will appear at the bottom right once inside the building. However, they will not be accessible in the map menu of the inventory.
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Scenes are incomplete or buggy, for example the one in the "Man Mao" park (Disc 2/YMQB). After a few seconds of the cutscene, the screen will turn black; it's possible to interact by pressing START only. When playing the QTE sequence in "White Dinasty Qr." (Disc 2/WR00), the QTE freeze scene with the watermelon is not yet added to the prototype.
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When Iwao Hazuki's son opens a door, he may appear in a different place than expected.
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In some parts of Shenmue II Game Jam, those still causing design problems, system information (Debug) is displayed on the screen.
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The NPCs, in certain areas, are less numerous, especially at the starting point of the adventure or in front of combat locations (Free Battle, arm wrestling for example).
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By purchasing zone cards in the displays assigned to them, some will be displayed differently in-game (bottom left of the screen).
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When it's raining outside, the NPCs sometimes take out their umbrellas inside the closed room.
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Ren Wuying 's face is a alternative model. Shenhua Ling, meanwhile , smiles more often in the prototype, his eyes are larger.
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The end credits match those of Shenmue 1.
Vending machine in Yen
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Some parts of Kowloon 's buildings are reserved for cutscenes. Normally they are locked. Ryo can enter it in the Game Jam prototype, however the rooms are empty (example: Room 409 of " Three Birds Bldg. " scheduled for the scene of Ryo and Ren handcuffed to each other before they find the staircase leading to the roof of the building).
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Mini-scenes, such as the plane flying over Hong Kong when Ryo is on the stairs of "Wise Men's Qr.", have no loading screen and launch directly.
Temporary graphic element
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The prototype uses the appearance of drink vending machines from Shenmue 1. The Yen symbol is still present when it should be in HK Dollars. Once the action key is pressed to buy a drink, the dispenser transforms and the $ appears.
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In some scenes, graphic elements are used as substitutes, for example when Ryo enters Dou Niu's office before confronting him on the roof of the building, the door is temporary.
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Some QTEs have been modified since the development of the game. Some simplistic QTEs have become Freeze QTEs.
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Normally, some scenes start automatically. The prototype may ask the player to choose from options that display in a dialog tree in order to trigger the cutscene. This is the case when the hero has to hand over 500 HK$ to Cool J/Z, we can choose to hand over the money or not.
audio
SND files are the MIDI sound files that AM2 created and used for Shenmue. Other Dreamcast games employ the ADX format.
There are 198 different SND files between the Game Jam prototype and the final version. Eliminating those that are just sound effects to focus on the music brings the differences down to around 30 files.
There are a number of SND files in the final version that do not exist in the Game Jam version, the 3 that are present in the Game Jam version but not in the final version are just sound effects. It's not very interesting, just footsteps and battle sounds.
Track 0019_011 was reused in Shenmue 3 as official soundtrack track 49. The version of the song used in Shenmue 3 matches this beta version of Shenmue II, which is different from the version of the song in the final version of Shenmue 2.
When it comes to music tracks, there are plenty that have no audible difference. Sometimes additional songs are missing in the same file or the loop has a different order. In one case, the developers moved a song to a different index in the same file. Here are the ones that have notable differences with the equivalent of the final version.
Game Jam prototype
Final Japanese version
The end credits music is present. Its size is smaller for two reasons:
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The credits music is 25 seconds shorter. It is 5:30 in the final version and only 5:05 in the beta version.
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The move list screen music is missing in the beta.
The beta credits music is track 01 from the unedited Shenmue Orchestra CD album. The final version song adds 25 seconds from track 2 (Sedge Tree) of the same CD in the middle of the song at 3 minutes to make it longer.
Top = Beta, Middle = Final, Bottom = Soundtrack Track 1
Another particularity of this build is the presence of the audio for the dialogue of an unused scene of disc 3. This sequence would be located during the countdown of 6 minutes in the last floors of the Yellow Head Building. Unfortunately, there is only the audio and not the other files needed to view it.
The Debug Menu 2
To open this hidden menu, you must start a new game or load the current game. By plugging a gamepad into port D on the console, then pressing START on controller 4, various options will appear. It will then be possible to navigate in this Debug Menu with this controller. The triggers will allow you to change the main option, the other buttons to activate and modify certain values. It can also be activated during Shenhua's introduction scene with the eagle (Prophecy).
Very few things change compared to Shenmue II Us, which also has this Debug Menu 2.
[EVENT] : Detailed explanation will come later; this option did not work in the American beta.
[TIME] : Increase/decrease the time by one or two minutes. The scrolling of time and hours can be stopped.
[SAVE] : Allows you to save at any time.
[STEP] : Shenmue 2 story progression can be increased or decreased.
[STEP] STEP XX.XXXX : in connection with the previous STEP, the value displayed on the screen shows at which stage of the story Ryo is (detailed explanations available by reading: the release of the Unreleased version of American Shenmue 2). This option is specific to the Game Jam prototype.
[FLAG] : Enable or disable internal flags, mostly for story related stuff etc. (detailed explanations available by reading the release of the Unreleased version of American Shenmue 2)
[SYSTEM METRICS] : Shows useful system information for developers, pressing A accesses other windows related to this option. On emulators, the option works partially. When playing the prototype on a real console, the numbers displayed on the screen scroll.
The STEP option works slightly differently than the US version. By pressing Left or Right of the directional pad (one press), it will increase or decrease by 0.0100 points. Pressing Up or Down will increase or decrease by 1.0000 points. The increase or decrease of the references of this option will not be visible, this time, on the screen. The numbers will not scroll. However , STEP XX.XXXX will be modified with the new values.
Joy appears at STEP 51.0000, then will disappear at number 52.0000 (when next loading the game).
Warning : No research on FLAGs has been done for this build. Some US version FLAGs do not work. There must be new FLAGs .
Debug Log still active in the prototype
Debug Menu (log) remaining active during the climb of the Yellow Head Building with the walkie-talkies
Debug Menu (log) remaining active when Ren and Ryo escape from prison.
Debug Menu remaining (log) active while cleaning the Man Mao Temple; press the right trigger on controller B
Debug Menu (log) remaining active when Ryo has to pursue Ren's gang after his first encounter with them.
Debug Menu (log) remaining active while playing slot machines in casinos
Debug Menu (log) remaining active when Ryo walks with Shenhua in the peaceful forest of Guilin.
[EVENT] Disc 2/WBBK: Ryo must carry books (QTE)
EVENT mode in Debug Menu 2 did not work on Shenmue II US. This Japanese prototype finally allows you to see what this famous option, locked until now, consisted of.
Starting the second GD-Rom, Ryo will have to move stacks of books from the Mao Temple Bookstore outside daily for 5 days. The exercise is not very difficult since the QTEs only include sequences with the directional arrows.
By plugging a controller into port D of the Dreamcast then pressing X (you have to hold it down), the EVENT Debug 1 window will appear. Pressing Up and Down on the directional pad will change the values for "DAY", Left and Right will adjust the number for "Route".
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DAY : allows you to select the working day, 5 to choose from.
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Route : corresponds to stack number XX among the 13 to be taken to the outer courtyard of the library.
For example, by choosing "Route 13", you will only need to carry a stack of books to finish your working day.
EVENT window Debug 1
The game will warn of the arrival of a QTE by writing the warning message "--CHK FRAM" on the screen. When not passing a QTE, only with the EVENT Debug 2 window enabled, the message "Rest: (X) - X" will be displayed in the same place.
By plugging a gamepad into port B of the console and then pressing B, Ryo needs to have a stack of books in his hands, the EVENT Debug 2 window will appear. By moving the hero, some digits on the screen will change. The values of the 0:20.000 line are adjustable with the analogue stick. This modifiable number can be negative or positive; it allows, I think, to modify the flow of minutes that pass in game (to be confirmed).
EVENT Window Debug 2
The Debug Menu 1
The trick to open Debug Menu 1 at the title screen has not yet been found. In order to have access to it, the ISO has been modified. Shenmue II will launch automatically with it; it will appear in the main menu. You will have to reboot the game each time to return to this mysterious menu.
Upon reaching the main menu, the player will have several choices: CONTINUE, SCENE, AREA and ENTRY. With the trigger buttons, you can scroll through several windows: STAFF ROLL, COLOR BAR, OPTION, OUTRUN, HARRIER, HANGON and AFTER BURNER.
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CONTINUE : With a VMU/VMS connected, the game can resume normally at the desired save point (directional pad.
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SCENE : To select either disc 1, 2, 3 or 4 (directional pad).
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AREA : The scenes are coded, by choosing the specific code (directional pad) then pressing START, the game will launch on the desired one.
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ENTRY : This is Ryo Hazuki's spawn point in the chosen AREA (directional pad).
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COLOR BAR : This option has 2 screens, by pressing one of the triggers, the following window will be displayed. No interactions are possible.
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OPTION : Empty colored screen.
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STAFF ROLL : The credits of Shenmue 2.
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OUTRUN etc : From these windows, arcade games can be played directly.
Important : The codes for each scene can be found in the extraction of the discs with the GD-ROM Explorer program. AREAs are registered by default in the Debug Menu. By pressing A, they increase. By pressing B, they decrease. The Y and X buttons have the same function except that the codes do not appear in the data taken from GD-ROMs. By validating them, the game crashes. They must have been used in other earlier Shenmue 2 builds.
Two new Debug Menu 1 options are available on the Game Jam prototype, COLOR BAR and OPTION. A third option was found in the game files which is currently not functional and not available: it is "FREE BATTLE / TIME ATTACK". This new mode attempts to load the 70-man battle code from Shenmue I. It may be possible to make this content playable in the future.
The "ENTRY 99", in the AREAs it exists for, may have something to do with debugging Shenmue 2. For example, try buying a drink from the vending machines in Disc 2's AREA AB00 (Beverly Hills Wharf) or the one on disc 3 Q100 (Thousand White Qr.), it will no longer be possible to cancel the action and return to the game. It is not known if this is a bug related to ENTRY 99 or a Debug function.
OUTRUN
The emulation of the famous racing game Out Run (OutRun or Outrun) is based on the classic model of the arcade cabinet, no adjustments have been made as in the final version (the pretty logo at the start for example). The only way to play it is to launch the game from the Debug Menu 1. Going to the Hong Kong arcade "Pine Game", Hang On will start instead of Outrun.
"Insert Coin" replaces the traditional "Push Start Button!" of the final version. To start a new game, you will have to press X; usually it was START. By pressing X during a game, we will hear the same sound as at the beginning. Engine noise is non-existent. No need to worry about not arriving in time at the next checkpoint, once the time count has reached 0, it will add 10 seconds each time, no more GAME OVER!
Prototype Game Jam
US Version
The selection of scenes and zones
It is possible to modify the variables of AREA from Debug Menu 1. You have to enter codes to start a scene or be teleported to the place of your choice. Ideally, the ENTRY should remain as it is when booting the disc. You can also adjust the values of this option; Ryo will then appear in another place in the selected area. The ENTRY corresponds to the point of fall of the hero of Shenmue. Once the code has been selected, all you have to do is press START on controller 1 to start the game.
AREA entries had been explained in detail, in the page for the release of the Unreleased version of American Shenmue 2. Use the Shenmue II US article as reference; the Debug Menus of both versions are similar. Below, you will find only the specific and particular codes of the Game Jam prototype.
Comparing the Japanese retail version and the Game Jam prototype of Shenmue 2, some folders and files are specific (unreleased) to the build. 15 folders correspond to new AREAs of Debug Menu 1. The AREAs of the US version work differently this time.
The AREAs of the Game Jam prototype:
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Disc 1/KHIN = Game crashes trying to load content. After modification of Shenmue 2, this map looks like VIEW of the American version. The squares are bigger. It's a different Devmap, nothing special.
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Disc 2/KEW0 = Scene of Guixiang teaching Ryo a new fighting technique. He will then have to face a rebel to put it into practice.
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Disc 3/0274 = Scene on the roof of the Big Ox Building before confronting Dou Niu. Lan Di is suspended from a ladder from a helicopter.
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Disc 3/0275 = Scene of Lan Di leaving after Ryo defeats Dou Niu.
Guixiang (AREA Disc2/KEW0)
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Disc 3/0277 = Scene of Ryo saying goodbye to Joy and Wong before leaving for Guilin. The child offers him 2 coins.
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Disc 3/TGLB = The fight in Free Battle against Dou Niu.
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Disc 4/0514 = Scene in the cave with Ryo and Shenhua each holding a torch; she is looking for her father.
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Disc 4/KWA1 = Deep Green Way (in game, Ryo appears there), explanation will be provided later.
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Disc 4/KWA2 = Deep Green Way to the pond ( in game, Ryo appears there), explanation will be provided later.
Ryo and Shenhua (AREA Disc 4/514)
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Disc 4/KWWQ = Scene of Ryo and Shenhua running (VIEW background). They arrive at Crag. The eagle scene begins before it takes shelter in the cave for the night.
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Disc 4/0517 = This is a viewer of 5 different scenes when Shenhua and Ryo run through the forest before nightfall. Playing the game normally, these scenes are interspersed with QTEs in which Ryo must avoid obstacles in the forest.
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Disc 0/0142 = This is a MOTN file that stores character animations for cutscenes. This file was created on Monday "Feb 19 09:46:16 2001". The game crashes.
Wong and Joy (AREA Disc 3/0277)
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Disc 0/0539 = This is a MOTN file that stores character animations for cutscenes. This file was created on Wednesday "Tue 21 22:31:08 2001". The game crashes.
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Disc 3/253E = This is a MOTN file that stores character animations for cutscenes. This file was created on Friday " Jan 26 13:57:18 2001". The game crashes.
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Disc 2/UPLOAD 2 : The developers probably forgot to delete this file. The game crashes.
Miao Village Loading
MOTN files are character animations only, they do not contain scene or camera data.
Off topic : There are still some traces, on all versions of Shenmue 2, of the content of a village having been removed by the developers of AM2. It is not present on this prototype. To access the famous loading of the "Miao Village" which has made us dream for 20 years, enter the code "SM00" as AREA of disc 2, 3 or 4.
The cutscene viewer (Disc 4/0517):
By entering this AREA of disc 4 in the Debug Menu 1, you will access a window with information listed at the top left. These figures correspond to 5 different scenes viewable from this screen. With the left and right triggers, we select the cut-scene to watch then by pressing A or START, it starts. After the scene is finished, the game will return to the main viewer window with the theme music that will continue.
0517A000.c/seqdata0.avb = Scene of Ryo walking with Shenhua, the wind picks up, they start running.
Cutscene Viewer
0517A011.c/seqdata1.avb = Scene of Ryo and Shenhua arriving in front of a landslide. They climb it and continue on their way.
0517A014.c/seqdata3.avb = Scene of Ryo and Shenhua arriving at a pond. He crosses it by crossing a small wooden bridge. The pond can be explored with the AREA KWA2.
0517A012.c/seqdata2.avb = Scene of Ryo and Shenhua arriving in front of a tree blocking their way.
0517A015.c/seqdata4.avb = Scene in which it is raining, Ryo and Shenhua are lost.
The new explorable areas of the prototype:
The Debug Menu 1 of the American version already allowed exploring certain areas was used only for cinematics. The player could freely move the character in places like "Crag, its cave and surroundings (Disc 4/KRC 1)", "Kai's Room (Disc 3/QEEC ENTRY 1)" or the entire map of "Cloud Bird Trail (Disc 4/KWW4)". This prototype makes it possible to discover, again, new playable environments.
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Disc 4/KWA1 : This is a part of Deep Green Way in the forest. This minimap does not have collision. The character will be able to cross the environments.
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Disc 4/KWA2 : It is possible to explore the part of Deep Green Way with the pond. This minimap does not have collision. The character will be able to cross the environments.
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Disc 3/QF39 (Big Ox Bldg. 40 F): The stairs are not barred by a gate. It is possible to go down to the 19th floor. Each floor is similar. The only piece present at each floor is empty. The loading time denotes "Kowloon"..
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Disc 3/QFRR (ENTRY 1) : Normally, this debug menu entry should launch the final disc 3 sequence on the roof of the building. This prototype allows you to play on the roof of the building. An NPC stands where Ryo appears. This non-playable character tells young Hazuki where to find work. Upon wishing to return to the building, Ryo will walk through the door to land in a black background with a loading window designating "Kownloon 5F".
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Disc 3/QSFA : The AREA in Debug Menu 1 of the US and Game Jam prototype loads outside of the intended area. In the US version, once you reach the selected location, the game loads again another environment (the AREA next to this area). In the Game Jam prototype, double loading does not exist. It is possible to walk in "Thousand White Qr." without collision (crossing walls) and without NPC. Once in the correct area, "Former Barracks", the game will proceed normally again.
New playable areas
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The differences
Comparisons were made with the prototype of Shenmue II US. This may not necessarily be absolute; differences may be due to location.
The differences in the video scenes:
The developers of AM2 were never satisfied with the final rendering of the scenes during the development of Shenmue 2, regularly changing the shots of the animations. They were looking for perfection, something they got in the end. Some camera shots are missing, often the close-ups. Sequences are shorter. You have to have the eye to see it. Here are some comparative examples:
Comparative video (DISC 1/0004
Disc 1/0004 (Opening scene of Ryo arriving by ship in Hong Kong) : The color of the water is gray, not blue. The animation of the plane flying in the sky is not set up like the smoke billowing from the ship's smokestack or the wake the ship is expected to leave behind (same for the scene at the start of disc 4). The model used for small boats is the wrong one, it's the same boat that we find at the beginning of disc 4, when Ryo arrives in Guilin. There are less, as well. Ryo is placed in another place on the Titanic. In the prototype, we can see small rudimentary sailboats; they were removed in the final version. The credits do not scroll during this scene.
Comparative video (DISC 2/WBKK)
Disc 2/WBBK (Opening scene of Disc 2 when Ryo has to put away the piles of books in the yard : The camera does not zoom in and does not show the whole room with the shelves of books. The book above the stack of books is a different color. The prototype scene is shorter. During the QTE phase, when Ryo is transporting the books, the doors of the bookstore are not there.
Disc 2/BKW0 (Scene in front of the martial arts school) : The camera is fixed and distant. It does not zoom into the NPC's face.
Disc 2/ABLB (Beverly Hills entrance scene with guards. A showdown with the radio punk will ensue) . Before you can enter Beverly Hills, you must present a lighter to the guard. In this scene, the non-player character is holding the lighter in a different way than usual.
Comparative video (DISC 2/WBWo)
Unfinished Helicopter (DISC 3/0275)
Prototype Game Jam
US Version
Unfinished piece (DISC 3/0277)
Disc 3/QBAA (Scene of Ryo and Ren entering the herb store, Great View Herbs) : The door to this room should be wood, not metal like in the Game Jam prototype. Once inside the room, however, it is made of wood. The name of the herbal medicine store has changed between the 2 versions. The establishment is called "Great View Herd Medicine", changed to "Great View Herbs" on the US version.
Disc 3/0278 (Final scene of Disc 3 when Ryo says goodbye to Lishao : Ryo puts his backpack down at the temple entrance (at 17 seconds). He removes his backpack normally later (at 1:49 ). On the other hand, he picks up his backpack at the same time and in the same place between the 2 versions. On this prototype of Shenmue 2, the sky is slightly cloudy. Once the cutscene is over, the game warns that we have finished the disc 1 whereas it is disc 3. The message asking to change GD-ROM is on a basic black background and not with an artwork.
Comparative video (DISC 3/0278)
Disc 3/0308 (Scene in Ren's Hideout with Wong, Ryo, Joy and Ren looking at a plan to break into Yellow Head Bldg.) : Camera freezes and doesn't know what to do at the end from the scene.
Disc 3/0276 (Scene of Yuanda Zhu sitting at the table in Ren's Hideout. Everyone is there. There is a flashback of Lan Di) : When Yuanda Zhu pulls out his pipe to smoke, it is already lit. In principle, he lights it a few seconds later with a match. The map of China showing Guilin is incorrect: the kanji in the circle at the bottom right means "Provisional".
Comparative video (DISC 3/0362)
Disc 3/0275 (Scene of Lan Di leaving by helicopter after Ryo beat Dou Niu ) : The helicopter is unfinished, its shape and color are basic.
Comparative video (DISC 3/0549)
Disc 3/0277 ( Scene of Ryo saying goodbye to Joy and Wong before leaving for Guilin. Wong offers him 2 coins ) : The coins that the child gives to Ryo are unfinished, there is no pattern on it.
Disc 3/0362 (Scene of Ryo knocking on the door of Xiuying Rooms. Nobody answers, he enters the room. She is not there) : Music and sound effects are not implemented. At the end of the scene, Fangmei walks through the door instead of opening it. Camera shots are missing, some will go unused in the final version.
church (DISC 3/0250)
Disc 3/0549/ENTRY 1 (Bad Ending Scene, Game Over) : There is no sound of lightning and wind. Lightning is not present. The light effect on the phoenix mirror looks different and fades faster. The effects of luminosity and shade on the faces of the characters do not exist (it is the same in many scenes). At the end of the scene, GAME OVER should appear on the screen; in this prototype, we find instead the end credits of Shenmue 2.
Disc 3/0250 (Scene of Ryo waking up in a church after three days in a coma (Three Days Later). He sees Xiuying Hong : During the scene, a nun will enter the church. In her hand she should hold a candle. This object is not implanted (similar problem among many other scenes). The entrance door to the chapel should have stained glass designs and there is nothing at all like in this prototype.
door (DISC 4/KWW4)
Disc 3/0200 (Scene of Ryo's departure from Hong Kong heading for Kowloon, the bus arrives at its destination) : The signs designate other names than in the American version.
Comparative video (DISC 4/0504)
Disc 4/0504 (Drowning goat scene, first time Ryo sees Shenhua) : The sound effects and light effects of the storm are non-existent. Elements of the decor suddenly appear or disappear (clipping). Sometimes it stops raining. The close-up of Shenhua's face as she dives into the river is not present.
Disc 4/552E (Scene of a falling tree) : This scene has no sound. The falling tree at the end is not yet modeled. The font centering and size of the start "Loading" and the window with "Retry" is somewhat different.
Comparative video (DISC 4/552E)
Disc 4/KKW4/Phoenix Mirror (Play from this passage until the end of the game) : The model used for the receptacle in which to place the phoenix mirror is not the right one; I personally prefer this. Camera shots are missing, some are prototype-specific. This scene is complicated to dissect. The game not being finished, it will reset before showing the 2 giant mirrors.
Disc 4/KKW4/Father's Letter (Play from here until the end of the game) : When Shenhua finds her father's letter on the cave table at the end of the game it is smaller than usual . The inscription on the paper differs. The lamp next to it is a different model than the final version. Before arriving at this scene, the two accomplices will open a door. On the prototype, this door has bars, we can see what is behind them; normally a wooden plank prevents you from looking at what is in the next room.
Comparative video (DISC 4/KKW4)
Disc 4/KSH1 part 2, 3 and 4 (Shenhua's house, talk to him towards the tree to trigger the scene) : The first part of this scene has no problems (flashback of baby Shenhua). The rotating, overhead camera shot featuring Shenhua's house for Part 2 is missing (there are other differences). For part 3, some camera shots are not the same, also note the different cup model used at the end of the cutscene.
Comparative video (DISC 4/KSH1 part 2)
Comparative video (DISC 4/KSH1 part 3 and 4)
Disc 4/KWW1 (Dath Though a Wood (in game, Ryo's appearance there) + scene): The auto follow on Shenhua is problematic. The young girl remains blocked for a few seconds against a rock. The camera no longer knows what to do, it films close-ups of the sets instead of the faces of the characters.
Disc 3/QKBT (Scene of Ryo exiting the elevator and arriving at Big Ox Bldg. 3F. He discovers Master Baihu's battle arena): The loading points to "Tiger Gate Bldg. B3". The Baihu Arena location is normally called "Big Ox Bldg. B3". The NPC that we see fighting against the martial arts master is not the one who gets knocked out on the American version.
There are other scenes which play out strangely, in particular in the rise of the floors of the "Yellow Head Bldg.". I leave you to discover them!
The differences in play
As with video scenes, the differences are many. The more we play, the more we see. Shenmue 2 is big, listing all the peculiarities would take a considerable amount of time, probably a whole year. Here are some examples, on the left the Japanese Game Jam prototype, on the right the American version:
Disc 1/WN00: The panel showing the neighborhood map of "Lucky Charm QR." does not correspond to the one we know.
Disc 1/AR02: When leaving the temple of "Scalett Hill's", the store name is written in two languages. It should only be in Chinese.
Disc 1/AR02: If the name does not change, the color is white and not yellow.
Disc 1/AR02: The street "King's Road" is named "King's St" in the prototype.
Disc 1/WN00: The restaurant "Dou Jiang Diner" is called "Dau Jian Diner" here.
Disc 1/WK00: The advertising poster of Man Mo Travel is not yet vandalized and torn.
Disc 1/WS00: In "Green Market Qr.", many names on the panels have been changed. "To-Let" is inscribed in Chinese.
Disc 1/CWON: When Wong returns Ryo's stolen bag, the card he gives him is an earlier representation of it.
Disc 2/AB00 (Beverly Hills Warf: Along the pier, the containers are arranged in a different way.
Disc 4/KSH1: Shenhua stands in another location in this Game Jam prototype.
Disc 1/WN00 (florist close to "Yan Tin Appartments"): In the Game Jam version, the 2 Gatcha distributors are similar. Comparable differences will occur throughout the game.
The Lucky Hit's Job (Use a FLAG): The money icon, bottom left, should evoke a green wallet (that of the owner). the prototype uses the same symbol as the in-game money.
Disc 2/WK00 (South Carmain Qr.): Man Mo Antique's is written in lowercase, not uppercase. This difference is visible elsewhere.
Disc 3/QEDJ (Yuan's Room): The front door patterns are basic, with no color. The wardrobe evolved between the 2 prototypes.
Disc 2/WEG0 (Pine Game Arcade): Where Ryo spawns, the order of the floors on the panel is reversed. The arcade is called "Pine Game Center" and not "Pine Game Arcade". The illuminated "Arcade" sign is red, not blue.
All playable areas in the forest: When playing disc 4, the entrance to the areas on the mini-map on the left is represented by a cross and not an X. Its color is orange and not pink. The choice and colors of the markers are also different.
Disc 2/WET0 (Tomato Convenience Shop): Small and large shelves are reversed. The prototype has restocking problems, the shelves are empty!
Disc 4/OMAK: The presentation of the "Shenmue Collection" menu includes some changes such as the location of the keys and their usefulness. The color of the submenus is not present.
Disc 3/Q300 (Dimsum Qr.): Joy's motorcycle mirrors are red, not black.
Disc 3/: For some buildings, the name in Chinese and English of the building it designates is reversed.
Disc 3/QA00 (Three Birds Bldg. 2F): On the floors of the building, the door numbers are illuminated. They may have wanted to save electricity for the American version!
Disc 3/Q300 (Dimsum Qr.): The layout of small shops on this street in Kowloon is not the same. The vendors in the prototype are selling counterfeit Fabergé eggs!
Disc 3/Q300 (Dimsum Qr.): This sign may read from right to left in the prototype! The name of the restaurant is similar between the 2 versions.
Disc 3 (Former Factory Site): The steel beam that blocked the passage on the left is not installed. We can visit some new square meters!
Disc 3/QF01 (Yellow Head Bldg. 1F) : Elevators should be barred by railings with "No Admittance" signs.
Disc 3/QF39 (Big Ox Bldg. 40 F): The stairs are not blocked by a gate. It is possible to walk down the building to the nineteenth floor.
Disc 3/QAE6 (Three Birds Bldg. 6F): The sign on this floor reads different.
Disc 3 (Dragon St.): The building has been changed in the final version.
Disc 2/WSG1 (A Vacant Lot): Normally there should be no door. In the prototype, the door is centered and not on the right as in the American version. The table with the objects to choose from is not available.
Disc 3/QA11 (Three Birds Bldg. R): In the US version, it was too windy, the developers added a metal wall, the young girl was disheveled! Looking away, the 2 elevator doors are open (bug).
Disc 3/QUG0 (Underground B2): The map of Yellow Head Building that Wong gives to Ryo must be temporary since it shows a district of Hong Kong. This map is build specific.
Disc 3/QC06 (Thousand White Bldg. 6F): In "Tiger Gate Kung Fu", the students practicing martial arts are not there. The master jumps, he thinks he's a frog (this is the default error animation).
Disc 3/Q300 (Dimsum Qr.): BBy purchasing the Dimsum Qr. in Kowloon, she is depicted slightly differently, in-game, lower left.
Disc 2/Q200 (Stand Qr.): The barrels are not finished or is another model used? Kowloon is definitely special!
Disc 3/ QDKJ ENTRY 1 (Five Stars Corp.): Exit the room, you will be on the tenth floor of "Ghost Hall Bldg.". Exploring this floor, you will come to a room with one wall that is black. As you approach, you will be able to cross it slightly and see a new part of the building, perhaps secret. This black wall could correspond to a corridor cut and blocked in the final version by a real wall.
Disc 1/AK00 (Fortune's Pier): The NPCs were smuggling the Game Jam prototype as they hid, presumably merchandise from "Kowloon Walled City".
Disc 1/AR02 (Worker's Pier): Sleeping in "Free Stay Lodge", the homeless person is in another position. There is also a display to buy a map of the area.
Disc 1/AR02 (Fortune's Pier): When getting off the boat, one of the vendors should offer grilled corn and not anything else. We find this difference in other places.
Disc 3/QE00 (Moon Child Bldg. 2F): When entering the different rooms of the buildings, the layout of the rooms differ. The "Magic Room" generating furniture layout does not look random here.
Disc 2/WE00 (Golden Qr.): Windows from this shop are represented by maps (provisional textures?).
Disc 2/WE00 (Golden Qr.): This shop must have gone bankrupt between the prototype and the final version, the sign has disappeared!
Character differences:
Disc 2/WS00 (Green Market Qr.): The NPC model holding one of the neighborhood Lucky Hits has been modified between the US version and the prototype.
Disc 2/AR02 (Worker's Pier): Bear Norton that Ryo can face in an arm wrestling match has an alternate design.
Disc 3/QSF (Construction Base): Su Dongshan has a different design. His hair grew between the prototype version and the retail version!
Disc 3/QTB4 (Fighting Place): Dory Gordie, who is impossible to beat at arm wrestling, in other clothing, perhaps felt he was more so strong!
Disc 3/QRoo (Dragon St.): The seer from the Dragon St. district shows another character in her crystal ball, never believe a fortune-teller!
Disc 3/QJBT (Phoenix Bldg. 1F): The man standing next to the After Burner arcade machine is younger on the Game Jam version.
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Rod Stunt, one of the 3 martial arts masters to fight, has a beard! Normally he is shaved. He decided to change his look between the few months that separate the prototype and the final version. Greg, a colleague of Rod, wears a different costume than the one he usually dresses.
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The first black-suited guard Ryo encounters on the third floor of Yellow Head Bldg. is Yang Wangyan. Zhu Kangda is the person the young hero should see. When Ryo searches for the coin with the elevator key on the 18th floor of Yellow Head Bldg., the gang members in room 1804 are not the same as the player is used to seeing. The developers made a lot of NPC adjustment in this passage of Shenmue 2. In practically every floor there are changes.
There are so many differences that I cannot name them all. You will have a brief overview of those that exist. Miles Prower went more in depth than me on this prototype, you can find his analysis on this Shenmue Dojo forum thread.
Differences in loadings
Some loading screens differ from the final Japanese version. We find them, for some during the scenes, for others in play.
Game Jam
Da Yuan Appartement
One Days Later
Tow Days Later
Figths in The Roof
Cloud and Bird Trail
The Prison
Black God Bldg.
Figths in The Place
Western Fashion's Clother
Boat People
Dosshouse
Stonepit
Rocky Tract
Great View Herb Medicine
Former Soldier Lodgings
Yan Tin Appartment
Da Yuan Appartment
Bix Ox Bldg. B3
Japanese final
Xiuying's Room
The Next Day
Two Days Later
Roof Top Figth
Cloud Bird Trail
The Cell
God of Whealth Bldg.
Figthting Place
Western Fashions Clother
Wong's Boat
Freestay Lodge
Stone Pit
Rocky Area
Great View Herbs
Former Barrack
Yan Tin Appartments
Da Yuan Appartments
Tiger Gate Bldg. B3
Hidden Lucky Hit's loading screens in Kowloon (Bronze Room, Silver Room, and Dural Room) do not exist in the beta.
Differences in place names or on signs
Many place names or inscriptions on the panels that Ryo will encounter during his journey have undergone changes, here are some examples without comparative photos.
Game Jam
Barber's Shop
Fu Hoi Kitchen
Shing Store
Shing Store
Slot House XX (on the map)
The Ster to See Place
Kai Yun Restaurant
Langhushop
MOON CHAILD
NineNine Bird Shop
Japanese final
Zhangyu Barber's Shop
Fu Hoi Diner
Sign Store
Tore Store
Slot House W (on the map)
Star Gazing Point
Fortune's Eatery
Langhui Shop
Moon Child Orphanage
Ming Ming Bird Shop
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The signage of the buildings "Moon Child", "Black Heaven", and "Golden Flower" is very different from the final version.
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A sign reads "Man Mo Apartment" as opposed to "Apartments". This difference also applies to "Yan Tin" and "Da Yuan" apartments.
Miao village
The Miao Village, this name has haunted Shenmue fans since the publication, in 2002, of previously unseen images showing an area of Shenmue II having been cut during the development of the game. Like playing Shenmue Saturn, being able to explore the environments of this area rural is a dream we all covet, a Grail we await for so many years!
For 20 years, the community has tried to locate the Miao village and to understand its screenplay by making various hypotheses based on the testimony of developers or on files found on the GD-Roms of the final version, digital video archeology!
Switch from the "Phantom River" site had written, before the release of this prototype, an excellent detailed analysis about the areas and cutscenes cut from Shenmue 2 : https://www.phantomriverstone.com/
Since the public release of Shenmue II Game Jam, some pieces of the puzzle are coming together, new clues come to corroborate the thesis of Switch. Build-specific dialogs, related to the Miao village, have been discovered. The contours of the zone's scenario are gradually taking shape. Map location is almost confirmed. The game speaks to us or should I say, we make the game speak!
The mystery surrounding the Miao village is not yet resolved. As this is an interpretation, based on the text only, a certain reserve must be maintained. We will have to wait for a playable prototype with this passage cut or an official confirmation from an AM2 developer in order to be completely sure.
We can thank the members of the Shenmue Dojo forum (especially LanDC ) for this discovery, you can read the complete analysis of the dialogues here: Many Mysteries Of Miao Village Finally Unfold
The hypothetical village scenario:
Ryo was to seek out a character named Luo Kongzheng to borrow the Wulinshu from him. He discovers that Kongzheng is in the Miao village, the access being in Hong Kong from "South Carmain Qr". Once there, he learns that Luo had been killed two weeks before. Hazuki must find the mayor of the village who has the key to Kongzheng's house in order to obtain it and continue his investigation. He comes across a photo of Luo's son, a young man named Zhengye. While searching for the boy, the clues will lead him to "White Dynasty Qr." where Zhengye is believed to currently be. The boy may be talking to Ryo about the Wulinshu (to be confirmed, there are gray areas). Thereafter, Ryo will continue to question the Miao villagers about the Wulinshu until being told the direction of the Miao Guang temple whose priest is the famous NPC "Osy YunHai". Ryo will receive the second volume of the Wulinshu book.
Voice data for Ozy is also hidden in the prototype files.
ぽめalso established, on the basis of the data he found, a summary of the course of events related in the Miao village (literal translation from Japanese for some names):
During a conversation with Zhang, Ryo learns that the Wulin Book contains a secret about the Phoenix Mirror. The Wulin book obtained at the "Man Mano Temple" does not contain the expected secret, the existence of the lower scroll is revealed there. Zhu Yuan and his friends learn of the existence of a second volume of the book which had been entrusted to a man named Luo Kongxing from Miao Village. They decide to go there. Along the way, they help a girl and then an elderly man asks them to deliver medicine to an old lady called Zong. She lives in Miao Village. Since they had to go, they agree to do the old man a favor. While talking to the temple monk "Miao Guang", Ryo learns that Luo Kongxing is dead and had a son named Zong Ya.
A few lines of dialog from the area:
Ryo: 村長さんの家へは… (About the village mayor's house...)
Yunhai: 寺を下りて、左に行きなされ。 (Go down to the temple, and turn left.)
Ryo: 村長さんの家はどっちですか？ (Which is the village mayor's house?)
Yunhai: 馬長老の家なら、寺を下りて左に行きなされ。(At Elder Ma's house, go down to the temple and take a left.)
Ryo: わかりました。ありがとうございます。 (I understand. Thank you very much.)
Ryo: 羅孔征さんはなぜ、襲われたんですか？ (Why was Luo Kongzheng attacked?)
Yunhai: さっぱりわからんのう。(I have no idea.)
Yunhai: わしに言えば、助太刀してやったものを。(If he'd have told me, I'd have been able to help him out.)
To read all the dialogues of the Miao village, go to the forum of the Shenmue Dojo site .
Joy's motorcycle
Yu Suzuki was very fond of vehicles, special care was taken to create Joy 's red motorcycle. In partnership with Honda, he brought the bike (a HONDA CBR1100XX) to Sega's headquarters to gather all the information needed to model it. The sound of the motorcycle exhaust is of course real to underline, once again, the attention to detail brought to the universe of Shenmue.
Story Board Cutscene with Helmet
Originally, Joy wore shorts. The model of Joy in shorts is in the final version. Following a complaint from the motorcycle manufacturer, AM2 had to remove the Honda brand from the game. Ryo and the young American woman do not wear helmets in the cutscenes, it is also not recommended to ride a motorcycle in shorts. It was impossible for the development studio to add a helmet to the characters, however Joy's shorts were changed to long pants and remained as they were.
The bike !
We know that one of the discontinued features of Shenmue was the bicycle. Ryo Hazuki could get around Dobuita and maybe even Hong Kong with a bicycle. This feature was probably removed because Ryo was able to run around faster.
Animations of Ryo pedaling had been extracted from the demo disc "What's Shenmue" (see video).
After careful analysis of this Japanese Shenmue 2 prototype, an unused model of the bike was found. The bicycle corresponds with that of the famous photo of South Carmain. Even more surprisingly, the code for this function is also present on this beta.
No references to a bike in Shenmue 2 unlike Shenmue 1 which has around 15.
Without the input handler, we have no way of replicating the original design, for example, how hard one can cycle forward by pressing the "action" key.
The bike function, if executed correctly, generates a bike and loads Ryo's animations, etc...
The first thing we need to know is what we need to give the bike function. It needs something but we don't know what, all we know is that it has something to do with the starters.
Because the bike code is not used, we don't know what it needs to work 100% correctly.
After weeks of figuring out how the script works and modifying the game accordingly, it turned out that the purpose of the code was only to spawn the bike... or we've got it all wrong.
Looking closely at the model of the bike, the cranks to which the pedals are attached are transparent. Which suggests that this bicycle must indeed be in motion.
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If you want to try spawning a bicycle, download the modified build "Shenmue 2 create a bicycle build" and select the "VIEW" AREA from the Debug Menu. By pressing the A button, a bike will be created. Be careful, if there are too many bikes on the screen, the game will crash!
If a former AM2 developer would like to help us, to guide us... you never know:)
Download
Shenmue II Game Jam (Apr 11, 2001 prototype) (Disc 1/2/3/4) : Original GD-R dump in Raw format (BBA method).
Shenmue II (Apr 11, 2001 prototype) with Debug Menu 1 (Disc 1/2/3/4) : The game has been modified to have access to debug menu 1 at the main menu.
If you want to play Shenmue 2 normally, the original dump is better.
You can download Shenmue II Game Jam (JP) (Apr 11, 2001 prototype) in GDI below:
Original dump au format Raw (BBA méthode)
Shenmue II Game Jam (JP) (Disc 1)
Shenmue II Game Jam (JP) (Disc 2)
Shenmue 2 hack for Debug Menu 1
Shenmue II Game Jam Debug Menu (Disc 1)
Shenmue II Game Jam Debug Menu (Disc 2)
Debug window mod:
These messages are usually only seen by developers. The Dev Kit Katana debug window has been emulated to work on the DEmul emulator.
This system information helps to understand how the game operates. This feature also works for the American version.
Once the patch is downloaded, launch Shenmue 2 on DEmul. Open Cheat Engine then select the "Select a process to open" icon next to the folder icon at the top left. Choose DEmul's Dreamcast spiral symbol. Next, click on Memory View. At this screen go to "Tools" and click on "Inject DLL". Choose the downloaded file "sm2_demul_logger", then the mod will be effective.
You can download the "Shenmue 2 Debug Log" Mod created by LemonHaze below:
Shenmue II - DC - Game Jam - The Yu Suzuki Build
In all professions, we love to joke around with co-workers, bothering each other or bragging. In a development studio, the jokes apparently often happened in-game, in the programming. Remember Luigi in Sega GT Dreamcast or modeling a No Cliché developer's face for an Agartha NPC.
Play with Yu Suzuki instead of Ryo
These Easter Eggs, if we can call them that, were not intended to be seen, to be found by everyone. They were intended for internal use, for delirium, a memory of a Team. They were erased during the pressing of the final version.
Discovering a wink in a video game prototype is always a great moment, we laugh inside saying to ourselves "No, it's serious, they did it!".
AM2 did this by modeling Yu Suzuki in Shenmue. By swapping and renaming files in game folders, the player will control Yu Suzuki Hazuki instead of Ryo Hazuki.
You will have a good opportunity to start a new game of Shenmue 2!!!
You can download The Yu Suzuki Build below
Shenmue II - DC - Game Jam - The Yu Suzuki Build (Disc 1)
Shenmue II - DC - Game Jam - The Yu Suzuki Build (Disc 2)
Update : "Shenmue often presents developers as NPCs (read the introduction on the development of the Cult Saga). Yu Suzuki , on the other hand, appeared in Shenmue II as a hidden character. I had a good laugh when I was Showed him late at night. The game's big development boss discovered him and then put him on hold. This feature was not accepted, so it was canceled. If Shenmue 2 had been released with this character hidden, it would have caused a stir. It was planned to discover it while walking through the forest of Guilin."
Mod object detection distance etc.
To play with this mod created by LemonHaze, launch the game on DEmul then open Cheat Engine. As with the previous mod, choose the Dreamcast spiral from the emulator. Then select, at the bottom right "Add Address Manually". In the window that will open, paste the code "2C2763E0" in the "Address" box, then choose "Float" in "type" then confirm by clicking OK.
You will return to the main Cheat Engine screen, the number you entered previously will be there. By double clicking under "Value", you can choose the value of the code to modify the detection distance of objects. By decreasing it (try to put 1!), you remove the objects visible on the screen, by increasing the value (put 1000000 or the default one for the zone), you will see all the objects and scenery in the game. You will be able to fix the clipping somehow.
If you like reverse engineering, you can read the work of LemonHaze, on the Dreamcast prototype of Shenmue II Game Jam, in this article: "Shenmue II Scripts - with sample decompilations!"
Research on this prototype continues. There are still a lot of things to do like:
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Investigate the use of Yu Suzuki's model found in an AREA and certainly linked to an event
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Make the Debug Menu of arcade games accessible
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Create a Cutscene Viewer to view all Shenmue 2 cutscenes
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Make "Free Battle" playable
However, we are ready to share our research work with you and make the ISOs of this remarkable Shenmue II prototype available to everyone.
Have fun and do not hesitate to share your discoveries with us in order to complete this release.
Thanks :
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to SkillJim (Shenmue Dojo), Sappharad, LemonHaze, Iniche for participating in the acquisition of the prototype.
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to all the Team for the research of several months carried out on this Shenmue 2 Game Jam.
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to LemonHaze of the "Shenmue: Dragon & Phoenix Collection" project for the painstaking digging and long Reverse Engineering work undertaken.
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to Switch of "Phantomriverstone" for his expertise and assistance.
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to Jérome Firon for the correction of the French text.
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in Iniche for the correction of the English text.
Release made in preview and hosted by SkillJim on Shenmue Dojo's Twitch channel
Live video
Source :
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Introduction: Régis Monterrin and his article "The Making of Shenmue: the creation of the Dreamcast's cult game".
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Game Jam part: IGN and their 2001 article about Shenmue II and the Gam Jame: "GameJam: Shenmue II and Yu".
Prototype related to Shenmue: Unreleased US version de Shenmue 2 (Sep 14, 2001 prototype) - Shenmue Face Demo (Jul 19, 1999 Dreamcast prototype) - Shenmue II Game Jam ((Apr 11,2001 Dreamcast prototype) - Shenmue 2 JP (June 07, 2001 Dreamcast prototype) - Shenmue 2 PAL (Oct 03, 2001 Dreamcast prototype
Prototypes of particular events (E3, Toy Faire etc.) : Bomberman Online Dreamcast (Toy Fair) - Jet Set Radio Dreamcast (E3) - Metropolis Street Racer Dreamcast (E3) - Outtrigger Dreamcast (E3) - World Series Baseball 2K1 (E3) - Quake III : Arena Dreamcast (E3) - Agartha Dreamcast (E3) - Castlevania Resurrection Dreamcast (E3) - Shenmue 2 Dreamcast (Game Jam) - Scud Race Dreamcast Tech Demo (New Conference Challenge) - Tower of Babel Dreamcast Tech Demo (New Conference Challenge)