Prototype Screenshots


	The following are screenshots scanned from magazine previews, reviews, and advertisements, showing versions of Ecco the Dolphin 2: The Tides of Time long before release. On the left is the scanned screenshot, and on the right is what it is being compared to, be it the final version or the known prototype. Below each pair of images is also an explanation of what exactly is different. If you find more, please submit them to Epicenter! Thanks! Most comparison screenshots courtesy of Sandman. Thanks for the awesome work!

Gamers Magazine (Spanish) Preview Screenshots

On the left we see Ecco swimming by a ship, with his Ecco 1 sprite, indicating this is still far before release. The level is what would become "The Lost Orcas" in the final version (right).

Here is a shot of some falling shells, just like the in the final version, except for Ecco's sprite and an odd gray square on the left side of the image, the origin of which is yet to be ascertained.

The prototype screenshot shows a shark in this location, but upon searching for this location, with a jellyfish in this proximity, we turned up nothing in the Final version. So, this level was clearly not entirely completed. On the right is the next best thing, a shot of a final version shark, showing the new 3D sprite was indeed complete in the magazine prototype.

There is no Pulsar out in the open like this anywhere in the Final version whatsoever. They are just found up against walls and in caverns like the one shown on the right, from the Final build.

The code for other creatures to follow you was complete by the end of Ecco 1, but the Ecco Team really seemed to want to show it off in the sequel. Here we see Orcas that follow you have been implemented in this build, they were not in the known prototype. It is unknown if Ecco can have more than one follow him at a time in this build, however. On the right, is a shot of the same area with an Orca following you.

The fact that whoever was test-driving this game was going for a second Orca seems to insinuate that multiple-Orca following was implemented. But, there isn't any concrete evidence at this time to be sure of it.

Ecco charging through a field of jellyfish and past a ship, with an Orca following him. Ecco's sprite aside, this is congruent to the Final version.

Here's an odd one. It's hard to tell because of the old Ecco 1 sprites, but this is the same area where you are met with your mirror image in Home Bay. Except in this prototype build, your mirror image is lagging behind. Perhaps he was slowed down to prevent CPU lag, because in the known prototype, the mirroring was perfectly implemented as it is in the Final version, making this a very interesting inconsistency. What's just as interesting, if not more so-- How did Ecco take damage here? This indiciates the Home Bay had some means of damaging Ecco or he was still able to drown with the Asterite's power in this build.

Ecco chrarging up past a school of fish. Note how in the prototype, the fish are left over from Ecco 1, not the new ones used in Ecco 2.

Ecco is balancing on some rocks here, with his old sprite. One minute difference is that the sand tiles on the island in the background appear to be placed in a different order (note the location of the dark spots, rocks or pices of wood on the shore.) And what's with that gray square over on the left doing there again?

This 3D stage is congruent to its level of completion in the known prototype, that is to say, mostly complete. This is a bit cleaned up since then-- Ecco has no air meter (as in the final build) but his Ring counter is missing. Pausing displayed a debugging console at the top of the screen in the known prototype, here, that has been disabled, as you can see by the fact that the status bars are turned on their side in the magazine screenshots.

About the same deal as above, and you can quite clearly see, the debug menu has been turned off. It wouldn't have looked too pretty.

Gamers Magazine (German) Advertisement Screenshots

This early screenshot does appear to be from the known prototype, or one built very close to it. The odd purple color seems to be an image processing error due to other images from the publication having a hue shift, but it is possible the color palette was messed up in this build. It seems unlikely, however, that the Ecco Team would leave it in such a state before release. The introduction is from Ecco 1, and is (basically) same one present in the known prototype (see the screenshot on the right)-- the dolphins' old Ecco 1 sprites are present. match up, as well as the new rock tiles along the bottom of the ocean. Note though, how elements of the underwater background seem to be missing, and the dolphins seem to be moving in different patterns (I couldn't seem to catch them in the same position they were shown in the magazine), which suggests it might be a slightly earlier or later build than the known one.

Another very early screenshot, this is about the same as the known prototype (see right)-- again, perhaps a bit earlier or later. It appears to be 3D Stage level -2. Compare that to the screenshot from the prototype version on the right. Note the presence of an Air bar that was later removed, the total lack of a Ring counter, and the bright red bubble on the right-- a palette glitch in this stage makes all bubbles appear as extremely bright red.

Screenshots from Sega Magazine, July 1994

The magazine this shot was published in, Sega Magazine in the UK, was printed in July of 1994, so it makes sense that the Good Future levels would be further developed than in the known February 1994 prototype-- and that's undoubtedly the reason I could find this location in that prototype. On the right is the closest thing I could find, from Level 18 of the prototype, which shares similar rock locations (on the left) and a similar background, also the tube in the correct place. But the tube in the magazine shot has a texture that fades out as it climbs that isn't present in the prototype, different rock shapes, and the sky is an odd yellow color (And the gradient is messed up). The artist must've been experimenting with a new sky style at the time of this build, as it looked mostly complete in the prototype. It is possible, though seemingly unlikely, that the sky is a printing/scanning error-- I say it is unlikely because color accuracy on the rest of the image is very high.

Click the image on the left to view it at full size!

These shots look the same as the respective levels in the 2/94 prototype. However, notice something different? ... If so, you're damned observant. The life/air bars are different! Let's take a look.

The bars used in the 2/94 prototype are the same as those in the final version (except for being shifted to the left and not the right). The ones in this prototype, however, don't match the 2/94 bars, Ecco 1 or Ecco 2 Final's bars. They have a 3D-ish, embossed style. Perhaps they looked too prominent and were changed back after this build. Aaaand that's about it for these!

Final Packaging Screenshots

This is a weird one-- a screenshot from the development of Ecco 2, still with the old Ecco 1 sprite, found on the final European box! Thanks to Kitnee for picking this one out. Compare that to a screenshot on the right taken in the same location of the known prototype. Entirely identical!

This screenshot, again found on the final European box, appears to be from relatively late development. The level it seems to take place in is "The Lost Orcas". The backgrounds are about the same, but the fish don't seem to be in the same location, and there is no air bar! Ecco clearly hasn't lost his powers yet! It seems like at this point, the level order was different and "The Lost Orcas" took place BEFORE Ecco loses his powers, not much later in the game as it occurs in the final version.

This screenshot ALSO found on the final European box is from 3D Stage -1. The clouds look a bit different from the final version, and the Ring bar is not implemented yet. Development stage is unknown; the 3D stages were mostly finished pretty early.

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