the cutting room mirror

September 3 and 4 Builds

This article has a talk page!
view on tcrf.net

This is a sub-page of Proto:Frogger (1997).

This prototype is documented on Hidden Palace.

A development build of the Windows version of Frogger appeared online in 2017. It was distributed to one of Hasbro Interactive's partners in the late 90s. It is fairly unstable and buggy, and contains a fair number of differences from the retail release. This build was compiled on September 3, 1997.

A similar build for the PlayStation dated a day later was released on April 5, 2021 known as Build 50b.

Another build for the PlayStation identified as Build 50 was located and has the exact same build date as Build 50b with little to no differences between albeit the Game Over music being fixed in Build 50b.

Setup Instructions#

Instructions for setting up this prototype are available here, or alternatively, here.

Bootup (PlayStation)#

Splash Screen
  • The splash screen differs from the final build.
    • The Frogger logo is bigger and stretched slightly.
    • The "Loading" text instead says "Now Loading" and is placed below the logo instead of above.
    • There are no trademarks or copyright info on this screen.
    • Loading takes a tiny bit longer.

Map Changes#

The prototype version contains small changes in many levels, but there is one level which was drastically changed: VOLM, The multiplayer industrial/volcanic level.

Prototype

Release

Command Line Arguments#

  • frogger.exe -M mapid,zoneid This would load any map. For instance: 10,3 loads 'Platform Madness'.
  • frogger.exe -R <0-5> Allowed setting the screen resolution
  • frogger.exe -C Seemingly this functionality was #ifdef'd out at compile time, and it only sets a variable to true, which is never accessed.
  • frogger.exe -P <1-4> Specify how many players are playing.

Multiplayer Menu#

The multiplayer menu is different in the prototype version from the final game.

Prototype

Release

Unused Animations#

Name: GEN_FROG_BOUNCE
Name: GEN_FROG_BOUNCE
Name: GEN_FROG_COMPLETE
Name: GEN_FROG_COMPLETE
Name: GEN_FROG_DEATH A rather odd "death" animation.
Name: GEN_FROG_DEATH A rather odd "death" animation.
Name: GEN_FROG_HOPLEFT
Name: GEN_FROG_HOPLEFT
Name: GEN_FROG_HOPRIGHT
Name: GEN_FROG_HOPRIGHT
Name: GEN_FROG_LCARTWHEEL
Name: GEN_FROG_LCARTWHEEL
Name: GEN_FROG_RCARTWHEEL
Name: GEN_FROG_RCARTWHEEL
Name: GEN_FROG_LEAPFROG
Name: GEN_FROG_LEAPFROG
Name: GEN_FROG_PANT2
Name: GEN_FROG_PANT2
Name: GEN_FROG_PIPESLIP
Name: GEN_FROG_PIPESLIP
Name: GEN_FROG_SINK This may have been used for when Frogger drowned while swimming.
Name: GEN_FROG_SINK This may have been used for when Frogger drowned while swimming.
Name: GEN_FROG_SLIPLEFT
Name: GEN_FROG_SLIPLEFT
Name: GEN_FROG_SLIPRIGHT
Name: GEN_FROG_SLIPRIGHT
Name: GEN_FROG_START1
Name: GEN_FROG_START1
Name: GEN_FROG_SUPERHOP
Name: GEN_FROG_SUPERHOP
Name: GEN_FROG_SUPERSTART
Name: GEN_FROG_SUPERSTART
Name: GEN_FROG_SWIM Used by scrapped swimming gameplay.
Name: GEN_FROG_SWIM Used by scrapped swimming gameplay.
Name: GEN_FROG_SWIMPANT Used by scrapped swimming gameplay.
Name: GEN_FROG_SWIMPANT Used by scrapped swimming gameplay.
Name: GEN_FROG_WAIT2
Name: GEN_FROG_WAIT2
Name: GEN_FROG_WAIT4
Name: GEN_FROG_WAIT4

Early Models#

Model: DES_CRACK The retail version does not fall, and does not have the cracked texture.
Model: DES_CRACK The retail version does not fall, and does not have the cracked texture.
Model: JUN_MONKEY The monkey's tail is broken, unlike the retail release.
Model: JUN_MONKEY The monkey's tail is broken, unlike the retail release.
Model: JUN_PLANT The plant has a dirt mound at its base, which the retail version lacks.
Model: JUN_PLANT The plant has a dirt mound at its base, which the retail version lacks.
Model: SWP_WEIR The retail version procedurally rotates this through code, instead of using a model animation.
Model: SWP_WEIR The retail version procedurally rotates this through code, instead of using a model animation.

Other Differences#

To do:
Document menu changes, and check if there are any changes in demo files. Demo order, debugging features.

Early VIDSETUP.EXE#

This is an early version of VIDSETUP.EXE, offering much more debug-tailored options than the final program.