[Hidden-Palace]Biohazard Betas Released

[Northman]

@MarkGrass:

Thanks, dude.

[Borman]

Those PS1 debug units are relatively cheap and wouldn't be nearly as useful as the PC cards or even one of the PS1 Tool devices (of which someone is selling with two early PS1 controllers, so nice).

[Scream]

That's kind of a neat idea. Maybe, even, remake the entire mansion ala REbirth. There's also that spin-off, that was supposed to take place in the same mansion, only dilapidated (taken over by plants and such, iirc). The only problem is that I have no modeling skills.

IGAS has set the gold standard of what a true restoration project should be, and if I dedicate myself to such a project - not saying that I will or I won't - I go all the way with it. I wouldn't expect any less from a talent pool who may collaborate on such a project either, either.

Besides acquiring the necessary talent, there's the real issue of "Is it really worth it?" and "Will people really be interested?".

Not sure I can answer those questions, but some ideas

- Make it a legitimate expansion to retail RE1 rather than restoration/remake, this way you don't get shackled trying to REmakeinize everything, but you can still use some REmake ideas.
- You could add an extra floor or two to the mansion (similar to the hidden staircase in the main hall in REmake). You can use the same set of keys (helmet etc), and have them unlock more rooms gradually.
- Use the yawn room in beta as the base for a new graveyard area. At least this way you can say your version matches the retail FMV Make use of beta items like the oil can, pick axe etc.
- Add more backstory around the place, corpses of security guard and people from the "itchy tasty" file etc. There's tons of stuff you can do in this department.. more stuff on John, more lab rooms, Wesker's report stuff etc.
- The goal of the project would be to realistically increase the playtime from around 3 hours minimum for rocket launcher to something like 5 or even 6. That would be epic stuff
- Lower resolution backgrounds and lower quality artwork compared to RE2 make it an easier task perhaps.

Geluda: Not sure - I haven't checked the files at all. I'm sure someone else has though

[Scream]

I tried the same techniques on the 2nd build earlier today (before signing off on them) - I agree there's probably not much left to discover.

The shed is a tiny bit different, Chris now reacts to the snake as an enemy and it no longer glitches on the left side of the screen (though the background layers remain incomplete). You can also walk off the screen towards the door and if you fumble about you'll eventually go back to the mansion which is kind of neat, not sure if that was in the first build or not, I didn't check. Too bad there are no additional camera views. Though I did notice that shelf sticks out in the background layer, so perhaps the crank puzzle was already there in this version too?



Tried to restore the map menu.. I could only change the counter, but the actual map did change, although they were blank. I did force it to show some areas I hadn't been to but it was half-glitched up, couldn't be bothered to fix it. They've been ripped already but I thought it would be cool to cycle through the old beta maps in-game (if you remember the courtyard and guardhouse were significantly different with more rooms - would love to see someone's take on the backgrounds for this version of the game).



And I think that's it. Unless someone has found something else?

[Rick Hunter]

Ahh, if only we had real betas, and not "early demos"...

[Scream]

Ahh, if only we had real betas, and not "early demos"...

Indeed. I guess most of what was done and not put on that CD is mostly long gone and reworked somehow. Though I imagine there must be some other later builds somewhere we haven't seen.

Also here's my 2 cents on the whole shed dilemma, just checking the hedge position and shed entrance on both maps:



As you can see it's a little strange the hedge position is different in each map, yet the shed entrance position in the map is the same for both alpha and retail. Maybe they simply intended for a different type of loading sequence when you reached the junction in the shed. I'm guessing all this originally started off as a path to another area (similar to remake), they then changed their mind early on and instead of reworking the background came up with a snake coming through it instead. The space between the wall and the "loading entrance" would be approx the same for both games, so they didn't need to change the map.

So now, the purpose of that alpha shed design was simply to allow the snake to slither in from between the trees, I guess? The tree we see in the hunter FMV is positioned in the middle of the pathway, suggesting to me its not passable. It no longer seems strange we see snakes dropping down in the courtyard. They're also a similar color IIRC..

[MeganGrass]

Those PS1 debug units are relatively cheap and wouldn't be nearly as useful as the PC cards or even one of the PS1 Tool devices (of which someone is selling with two early PS1 controllers, so nice).

My birthday is on the 20th of this month.

The PC hardware is practically incompatible with modern day PCs, even with the proper adapters - I'd seriously doubt that the drivers are compatible with anything past Win98... but, I'd definitely be willing and able to find an old PC. One can only dream.

Not sure I can answer those questions, but some ideas

- Make it a legitimate expansion to retail RE1 rather than restoration/remake, this way you don't get shackled trying to REmakeinize everything, but you can still use some REmake ideas.
- You could add an extra floor or two to the mansion (similar to the hidden staircase in the main hall in REmake). You can use the same set of keys (helmet etc), and have them unlock more rooms gradually.
- Use the yawn room in beta as the base for a new graveyard area. At least this way you can say your version matches the retail FMV Make use of beta items like the oil can, pick axe etc.
- Add more backstory around the place, corpses of security guard and people from the "itchy tasty" file etc. There's tons of stuff you can do in this department.. more stuff on John, more lab rooms, Wesker's report stuff etc.
- The goal of the project would be to realistically increase the playtime from around 3 hours minimum for rocket launcher to something like 5 or even 6. That would be epic stuff
- Lower resolution backgrounds and lower quality artwork compared to RE2 make it an easier task perhaps.

Geluda: Not sure - I haven't checked the files at all. I'm sure someone else has though

1 - Using ideas and such from REbirth would only make me want to make a full REbirth 'restoration' to the original Bio Hazard. I know that it wouldn't be as pretty to look at, but could be neat, never-the-less.

2 - As for adding an extra floor to the mansion, see above

3 - I wouldn't want to use any placeholder items/materials, but realizing the full potential of canned items could be a nice challenge. And, it should go without saying that it should include the graveyard area. The oil-can could certainly be reused to set zombies on fire (ala crimson heads).

4 - Certain creative liberties would have to be taken with a project like this, unless I was aiming for a straight REbirth (de)port. I certainly wouldn't want some bizarre fan fiction with the characters, though. And by that, I mean "Chris and Jill set at the bar for a drink..." stuff.

5 - Increasing the overall gameplay time would be a major goal, yeah.

6 - Lower resolution, than what is already presented?! Ehh... I dunno about all that. I hate to admit it, but some of those prerenders just don't stand the test of time.

[Eteponge]

I remember waaay back in the late 1990s, actually seeing screenshots of the door leading to the graveyard in the PS1 version of the game, and many other beta screenshots that seem to be lost to the internet now (including images of the trevor's letters file on screen and showing their in game locations). These were in a section of a RE website discussing the development of the game and the many changes that went through it, and the many planned areas that were scrapped. I do recall I saw these on the internet BEFORE the remake on gamecube came out, and when that version came out, I recall going "Oh, theres the door leading to the graveyard like in those early development screenshots, badass!" I searched a few years ago for these photos again, combing every RE 1 prototype sectioned website, and found none of them. Anyone else recall these? I remember being shocked that the door I saw leading to the graveyard were not in the early demos.

[Scream]

For the resolution, I meant RE2 has a higher res, does it not? So compared to the IGAS restoration project, you would be working with a lower res.

Now that I think about, the graveyard from the main hall like remake probably works better. The shed does sort of seem designed from the start for the snake so you can't just run past it - on the 2nd build there's an updated invisible collision box around the center of the junction which is more intruding than the first, though you can still walk around it. I don't believe the snake was just added to that part of the demo for the hell of it, though it's possible I guess.

[Upaluppa]

@MarkGrass:
Sorry to bother you with this, but I was just going to try your modified PSX.EXE's to see the config menu for myself.
For some reason I can't seem to get it to work.

I used CDMage to replace the original PSX.EXE file with your modified one, saved the image and loaded it up in pSX 1.13, yet pressing Select does nothing in either of the two alpha builds. The only noticeable effect I got from replacing the exe of the 2nd alpha build was that the item menu no longer works when I press Start, Select still does nothing.

I know it's just some minor and rather useless feature, but I'd really like to get the config menu working, just for the sake of it. ;)
I used the CDMage B5 build provided in this thread and the images are the original files I grabbed back, when hidden-palace was still working, in case that matters.

[MeganGrass]

For the resolution, I meant RE2 has a higher res, does it not? So compared to the IGAS restoration project, you would be working with a lower res.

Now that I think about, the graveyard from the main hall like remake probably works better. The shed does sort of seem designed from the start for the snake so you can't just run past it - on the 2nd build there's an updated invisible collision box around the center of the junction which is more intruding than the first, though you can still walk around it. I don't believe the snake was just added to that part of the demo for the hell of it, though it's possible I guess.

Both Bio1 and Bio2 use 320x240 prerendered backgrounds, if that's what you mean. The difference being the amount of detail that went into each title, where Bio2 especially excels. Even so, I still don't have the skills to model anything... I'm positive to think that if I put enough time into it, sure, but my passion is with programming and such.

I don't believe that the snake was added to that part of the alpha just for the lulz, either - most likely an early design that was just canned and relocated.

@MarkGrass:
Sorry to bother you with this, but I was just going to try your modified PSX.EXE's to see the config menu for myself.
For some reason I can't seem to get it to work.

I used CDMage to replace the original PSX.EXE file with your modified one, saved the image and loaded it up in pSX 1.13, yet pressing Select does nothing in either of the two alpha builds. The only noticeable effect I got from replacing the exe of the 2nd alpha build was that the item menu no longer works when I press Start, Select still does nothing.

I know it's just some minor and rather useless feature, but I'd really like to get the config menu working, just for the sake of it. ;)
I used the CDMage B5 build provided in this thread and the images are the original files I grabbed back, when hidden-palace was still working, in case that matters.

No bother at all.

Honestly, I didn't use CDmage for the task - I rebuilt the ROM/ISO with every modification to the code.

And the executable I provided is meant only for the first alpha - I'm extremely surprised to learn that it would boot with the second.

The rebuilt ROM is fairly small, so I'll just recompile and upload it. I suppose that I could do the same for the second alpha, as well.

[imacwesker]

That's kind of a neat idea. Maybe, even, remake the entire mansion ala REbirth. There's also that spin-off, that was supposed to take place in the same mansion, only dilapidated (taken over by plants and such, iirc). The only problem is that I have no modeling skills.

I would love to help, if you want to create your own version of RE Dash. God knows I love RE1 (check SurvivHor ;) ) but after playing countless time the Westerner version, the Japanese version, the Saturn version, REDC and Rebirth, I think it is time to let it rest ;)

Working on Dash would also let you play more freely with the design of the Mansion (and the other buildings), with the cemetery, etc. And I would love to play an old RE without a stress-monster à la Nemesis like we faced in RE2, RE3, RECV, Rebirth, RE4, well, you see what I mean ;)

While I was in college, I wrote a few scripts based on the RE universe (to create more or less a web series) and I could adapt some of them to create a script for a video game. Because I followed the development or RE1 and RE1.5 since almost day one, I don't have the attachment to the characters that gamers coming with RE2 or after, have. In RE1, half of the STARS died before the gamer starts to play. We don't know anything about Chris and Jill. In RE1.5, the surviving STARS members are in a hospital and the gamer starts fresh again, with Leon and Elza. While Dash is supposed to bring back some STARS members "a few years after the RE1 incident", I always thought that these STARS members would be again 2 unknown members. It would be interesting to have 2 rookies send in the remains of the Mansion to investigate some gruesome murders...

Anyway, enough rambling, let me know if you are interested.

[News Bot]

Dash was supposedly mentioned by Okamoto in 1995, before BH1 even released. Still hoping someone can cough up the actual source for that.

[Scream]

Both Bio1 and Bio2 use 320x240 prerendered backgrounds, if that's what you mean.

Hmm, not sure what I was thinking of then.. maybe RE3?

Whatever happens I'd love to see a RE1 project someday. A new original RE1.. can't possibly beat that. Though personally, I really wouldn't go the way of creating new main characters or a entirely different mansion. You increase the workload too much.. And if the characters are dumb or you don't convey them properly you lose your core audience. Game over.

You could do a new RE0 that covers the mansion just prior to the arrival of Jill/Chris. Add a back entrance and some more outside scenes, so the characters are looking into the mansion through windows and stuff. That would be kinda cool, and you can use original assets still.

[Scream]

Found something very cool in build 2 just now - unlocked the camera angle of the other side of the shed, feels great just walking around it

Edit: Unfortunately, I only found 2 camera angles the rest just crash (I imagine these were ripped out-of-game before? but first time i've seen it playable). I didn't check build 1, not sure I'll port that code if its just the same.



Here is hunter fmv for comparison.



One last thing... I was trying to trigger stuff in puzzle rooms, but I don't recall seeing the background below before? Can anyone confirm?