Jampack Summer 2001 Demo Disc

This is a sub-page of Proto:ICO.

'Disc Version' listed as June 8th, 2001, this early prototype is found in Jampack Summer 2001, a demo disc from the Jampack series.

Subpages#

Debug MenuFull of unique developer options and cut animations that can be previewed in-game.

Differences From US Retail Release#

AI#

Birds#

Jampack Summer Demo	US Retail Release

• Birds are allowed to fly through, and land in an area submerged by, water. In the US retail release and onward, they take flight in a different direction the moment they touch the surface of a liquid.

Shadows#

• Instead of knocking him to the ground, attacks from the shadow creatures push Ico to one side as he remains on his feet.
• Rather than shying from Ico when he stands in their way, all enemies are inclined to attack him directly, even when he blocks them.

Yorda#

• Yorda does not run to Ico's side when he hurts himself via a moderate fall.

• Yorda does not follow closely behind Ico in the moments after combat concludes.

Character Design#

Ico#

Jampack Summer Demo	US Retail Release

• In this build, the leftmost loose end of Ico's bandages has a lot more length.

The Queen#

• Though not normally visible, the Queen is present beyond the boundaries of the Main Gate map. And not only does she have a very different look to her cloak and headdress, but her face saw changes as well.

Controls#

• In order to successfully guide Yorda across a gap, the player must hold the R1 button down. If the player lets go of R1 just as Yorda jumps, she can fall without grabbing onto Ico's hand.
  Furthermore, if the player, after catching her, lets go of R1 before helping her up, Ico will drop her.
  
• The ✕ button does not allow Ico to let go of ladders and chains. He must descend to the bottom naturally in order to dismount.
• The R2 button does not zoom the camera in. If the player is moving the right analog stick in an attempt to direct the camera, these inputs are ignored (and the default camera angle is instantly restored) if R2 is pressed and/or held down.
• Ico begins the demo with a stick weapon already equipped. Because he cannot manually unequip a weapon (he can only swap it out for a different one), players cannot perform a shove attack in this build.

Cutscenes#

• The demo's advertisement (also known as 'attract mode') plays an entirely different sequence of clips, compared to retail releases. Some of these include the sequence of Ico being taken to the castle and lifted into his sacrificial capsule. However, those complete cutscenes are not viewable in the demo.

• The game starts with the cutscene of Ico being dislodged from his confinement. Because Ico begins the demo with a stick, it is present for this scene.

• The demo does not include the cutscene of the dream Ico has. He instead recovers consciousness in just a few moments after he hits the ground.

• A cutscene where Yorda runs forward, entering the Main Gate stage before the player, is included after opening the idol doors found in the Windmill stage. This reflects behavior she exhibits before you see the Main Gate in retail releases, when you open the idols in the Drawbridge stage.

• The cutscene at Main Gate is cut short just before the Queen's appearance. Another advertisement video plays afterwards.

Encounters#

• The shadow nests are far more gray and translucent. [Note: The above screenshot is from the US Preview, but the appearance of the nests is just the same between builds.]
• Players can initiate a fight, such as the one in Dark Room, leave the room with Yorda, then return to the room without her, and find the shadow creatures are still present. In retail releases, shadow creatures do not reappear where you left them if Yorda is not present in the map with you.

• Yorda sinks very swiftly into shadow nests, remaining visible for about 6 seconds. For the next 13 seconds before a game over initiates, she's completely obscured. The only indication of her presence is a series short gasps she makes every 4 seconds while she's in the nest.

• The effect for a successful Yorda abduction is very different, and does not turn Ico to stone.

Spiral Stairs#

Jampack Summer Demo	US Retail Release

• The first combat encounter features only one shadow nest, rather than two.

• Two shadow creatures fly down from above to capture Yorda in the first combat encounter, rather than just one shadow emerging from the floor.

Levels#

• The internal layout of the castle has been drastically altered to provide a compact experience. The player navigates through the Altar, Warehouse, Spiral Stairs, Dark Room, and Windmill stages (in that order) before initiating the first cutscene at the Main Gate. After which, the demo ends.

Altar Room#

Jampack Summer Demo	US Retail Release

• Capsules on the opposite end of the room have their entire texture reversed, rather than just the rune with the kneeling figures.

Jampack Summer Demo	US Retail Release

• All the ladders in this area have hooked ends that extend much further than in the retail versions.

Jampack Summer Demo	US Retail Release

• The slot above Ico's toppled capsule is missing a capsule of its own.

Warehouse#

Jampack Summer Demo	US Retail Release	EU Retail Release

• Warehouse has four barrels on a high shelf. This resembles the object placement of the four pots that would later occupy this room in the Japanese and European releases. In the US retail release, however, no objects are found here.

Jampack Summer Demo	US Retail Release

• Boxes in the corner of the room have slightly different proportions.

Spiral Stairs#

• Birds are found within this map. In the retail releases, they aren't present here.
• All the ladders in this area have much smaller hooked ends.
• Yorda's cage is already lowered when Ico enters this stage.

Jampack Summer Demo	US Retail Release

• A pointed fence does not secure the path to the overhang.

Jampack Summer Demo	US Retail Release

• The ladder leading to the titular stairs is broken, making the upper bounds of the map inaccessible. Additionally, the fence circling the stairwell does not have pointed tips.
• The exit is dark, rather than providing a preview of the Old Bridge map. This is due to the change in castle layout for the demo.

Dark Room#

Jampack Summer Demo	US Retail Release

• The rails are slightly taller with sharper ends.
• The upper level's door frame has a more pronounced shape.
• Additionally, the upper platform's damaged end extends much farther.

Jampack Summer Demo	US Retail Release

• Flame particles from the candelabras rise much higher.
• The other side of Dark Room has already seen its floor raised when Ico enters.

Jampack Summer Demo	US Retail Release

• No chain is present to raise the floor, or even swing on.

Jampack Summer Demo	US Retail Release

• The chain to climb up to the upper level has been severed, making that part of the map inaccessible.

• Additionally, three pots can be found on the shelf below the severed chain.

Jampack Summer Demo	US Retail Release

• The entrance is dark rather than bright, due to the change in castle layout.
• An older version of the box object is present by the entrance. To solve this version of the puzzle, players must push the box up against the ledge at the other end of the room to help both Ico and Yorda reach the top of it.
• A strip of darkened bricks extend across the floor. They stem from a slightly altered staircase at the entrance.

Jampack Summer Demo	US Retail Release

• The center strip leading out from the entrance, as well as the edges of the floor below, have ridges that restrict where the box can be pushed.

Jampack Summer Demo	US Retail Release

• On the upper level, in all four corners of the room, there are bas-reliefs embedded in the stone walls. In the Jampack Demo, the reliefs each depict a 'foliate head' also commonly known as 'The Green Man'. It is a mysterious architectural motif of Europe that dates far back in history and spans many cultures.¹ Its symbolic meaning remains a subject of speculation and debate.

This particular depiction's form seems to be directly lifted from a carving on the side of a wood pew in the Church of the Holy Ghost in Crowcombe, Somerset (UK).² The head spews stems and branches from its open mouth, as mermen, each bearing clubs, burst from the ears.

Jampack Summer Demo	US Retail Release

In all later versions of the game, this texture would be replaced by a, comparatively bland, patterned stone relief. Both textures were named 'face.tm2'.

Jampack Summer Demo	US Retail Release

• A collection of 8 pots can be found along the wall in the lower end of the room.

Jampack Summer Demo	US Retail Release

• The rubble found in this part of the room was altered.

Windmill#

• The stage's Highlight Color values have been lightly adjusted, resulting in a different look to the surroundings.

Jampack Summer Demo	US Retail Release

• The distant model for the mainland is much taller.

• The east reflector (along with much of the detail on the edge of its islet) has not been added to the distant model of East Arena yet.

• Foliage had yet to be added to the scenery surrounding East Crag's distant model and a lower cliff area.

Jampack Summer Demo	US Retail Release

• The islet holding the tower with Spiral Stairs is barren of foliage and reduced in width.

Jampack Summer Demo	US Retail Release

• The windmill fan blades spin in the opposite direction compared to the final game, and feature handles that Ico can grab onto and ride all the way to the top.

Jampack Summer Demo	US Retail Release

• Ico can still climb the side of the windmill's structure, but he can't grip onto the wood beams of the fan blades. He must grab the handles to progress.

Jampack Summer Demo	US Retail Release

• The staircase leading up to the ledge of the windmill doesn't have a fence along its side.

Jampack Summer Demo	US Retail Release

• The top of the distant Spiral Stairs building was made brighter on one side to account for the sunlight hitting it.

Jampack Summer Demo	US Retail Release

• The stone sofa isn't present.

Jampack Summer Demo	US Retail Release

• Along the descending platforms a thin, tall spiked fence was yet to be added. Additionally, the environmental shadows and lighting surrounding the idol doors was not yet finalized.

Main Gate#

While nothing about the events and motion within the Main Gate cutscene are altered, the surrounding environment does have differences.

Jampack Summer Demo	US Retail Release

• The puzzle of this area has already been solved before Ico and Yorda arrive. So all the torches are lit with fire.

• Two torches seen in the final game are missing, though flames still appear over where they should be.

Jampack Summer Demo	US Retail Release

• The finials beside the gate have a different design, and the spheres themselves were once darker in appearance.

Jampack Summer Demo	US Retail Release

• The material lighting applied to the gate itself seems to be different.

UI#

Jampack Summer Demo	US Retail Release

• Pausing the game does not place a dark tint over the game view.

Jampack Summer Demo	US Retail Release

• Options for 'Key Config' is missing. The word 'Brightness' is slightly stretched out.

References#