Difference between revisions of "Chrono Trigger Prerelease Coverage"

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*[[Media:CT Alpha Robo.png|Robo]]
 
*[[Media:CT Alpha Robo.png|Robo]]
  
The scene shifts to the Dream Team, including Sakaguchi and . A brief shot of unreleased Epoch concept art flashes in the background with the rest of the preview.
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The scene shifts to the Dream Team, including Sakaguchi, Horii, and Aoki. A brief shot of unreleased Epoch concept art flashes in the background with the rest of the preview.
  
 
[[Image:CT Alpha Epoch Design.png]]
 
[[Image:CT Alpha Epoch Design.png]]
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*[[Media:CT Alpha Interview.png|Interview 1]]
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*[[Media:CT Alpha Interview 2.png|Interview 2]]
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*[[Media:CT Alpha Interview 3.png|Interview 3]]
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*[[Media:CT Alpha Interview 4.png|Interview 4]]
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*[[Media:CT Alpha Interview 5.png|Interview 5]]
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*[[Media:CT Alpha Interview 6.png|Interview 6]]
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*[[Media:CT Alpha Interview 7.png|Interview 7]]
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*[[Media:CT Alpha Interview 8.png|Interview 8]]
  
 
''From'': [[Chrono Trigger Prerelease]]
 
''From'': [[Chrono Trigger Prerelease]]

Revision as of 22:24, 23 May 2007

General Information

The Prerelease is a "beta" version, with nearly all main features of the game intact and ready for serious testing. But in software engineering, before beta versions come alpha versions, which are stages of the game's rough development. Other betas and alpha version of the Chrono Trigger Prerelease may exist, most likely sent to magazines for review. While the chances are slim that some of these may ever find their way to the internet, two surviving pictures from old previews in magazines depicts such versions. Also displaying the alpha version is a preview video issued by Nintendo, depicting a completely different overworld.

Magazines

One shot illustrates an extra door to the Guardia treasury in 600 A.D. (recall that it did not exist in that era), and pale guards.

Ctbeta600ad.jpg

The second is the more interesting. Crono's hair is different; it lacks the usual spikes. The status screenshot shows a count of "5" for each of the four elements, suggesting that characters may have different charges or levels of elemental power despite having a primary element affinity. The Epoch is flying over the ground, and jet vapor seems to be coming from two exhaust pipes. The details of the Arris Dome are also a little different.

Cebeta.jpg

Preview Video

The V-Jump preview video reveals huge overworld differences between versions and other changes. It's an incredible contribution by Chrono fan Carnivol, and features interviews with Chrono Trigger's creators. The video begins, amazingly, with the Untitled track from the Chrono Trigger Prerelease. Several alpha arrangements of the tracks play throughout, featuring very rough and basic instrumentation.

You can watch the video here, or download it here. To play Youtube's "flv" format files on your computer, you can use VideoLAN, a great freeware tool capable of handling countless types of encoding. The video begins with the title of the game with the "Untitled" music playing.

Title Screen

The preview then shows the announcer talking about the Dream Team, which cuts to a clock background with a spinning Crono sprite.

CT Alpha Crono Sprite.png

CT Alpha Crono Sprite 2.png

The preview then shows the beginning of the game as normal. The overworld is distinctly different; Truce appears larger and more primitive than its future self. The graphics are pretty standard and Leene's Square appears bare save for the bell and a few balloons.

CT Alpha Truce.png

CT Alpha Truce 2.png

CT Alpha Truce 3.png

The Epoch then appears with the exhaust vapor behind as in the magazine screenshot. What's interesting is that the back grill raises and closes during the course of the video, hinting at some other function of the vehicle.

CT Alpha Epoch Grill Raised.png

CT Alpha Epoch Grill Regular.png

The narrative continues as the Epoch flies over 1000 A.D., revealing Guardia Castle (which appears as a normal house) and the Cathedral. As the Epoch flies north, it passes several planes.

CT Alpha Cathedral and Guardia Castle.png

CT Alpha Planes.png

Two battle scenes are then shown. Robo uses his rocket arm and Ayla uses Charm. Robo's sprite is especially unpolished.

CT Alpha Battle.png

CT Alpha Battle 2.png

Two sets of four monsters each appear following the battles. Very minor differences, if any, exist between sprites. The Cave Ape retains the sad face in the Prerelease beta version.

CT Alpha Monsters 1.png

CT Alpha Monsters 2.png

Character art and brief explanations of every character but Magus are then supplied.

The scene shifts to the Dream Team, including Sakaguchi, Horii, and Aoki. A brief shot of unreleased Epoch concept art flashes in the background with the rest of the preview.

CT Alpha Epoch Design.png

From: Chrono Trigger Prerelease