Tsioque

This page details one or more prototype versions of Tsioque.

For Windows, there are at least 2 versions of the standalone demo and exactly 14 versions of the demo released on Steam.

The standalone demo for Tsioque was released on July 15, 2015¹ and updated on August 21, 2015². While the original version is no longer available, the updated version can be downloaded here. The executable's date matches the above date, August 21, 2015 which is over three years before the final game's release.

According to SteamDB, there are 14 different versions of the Steam demo that were released between October 12, 2018 and June 25, 2019. Owners of the game on Steam can download them via DepotDownloader.

Revisional Differences#

Windows Standalone#

According to the developer, compared to the original version that was released on July 15, 2015, the updated version from August 21, 2015 makes the following changes:

• A subtitles feature was added which can be toggled in the options menu. Interestingly, this feature does not exist in the final release.
• Extra frames added to existing animations.
• A few bugs were fixed.

Windows Steam#

Note: The version numbers are not official.

To do: Fill in information about differences here. Especially the very first demo seems interesting because there seems to be some cut content.

Steam Windows Demo 1 - October 12, 2018

This version is very similar to the Standalone Windows version from August 21, 2015. The old title screen graphics are used and white text is used that would become golden in later versions. The old narrator voice is used. Worth noting is that compared to the standalone version, the subtitles feature is absent.

Steam Windows Demo 2 - October 12, 2018

This version is much more similar to the final release versions. The new title screen graphics are used and text that used to be white is now golden.

The inventory bag has different sound effects compared to the final release.

While Demo 1 uses an icon for its executable where Tsioque is in front of the wizard's eyes, this version now uses an icon where only Tsioque can be seen in front of a dark red background.

This version is notable in that several debug functionalities have been left active. See the main page for more information. This was most likely by accident since this version got replaced 39 minutes later with Steam Windows Demo 3 which disables the debug functionalities.

Steam Windows Demo 3 - October 12, 2018

This version disables the debug functionalities.

Steam Windows Demo 4 - November 07, 2018

The inventory bag now uses the same sound effects as the final release.

This version removes icons for its executable that are unused since Demo 2 onward.

Steam Windows Demo 5 - November 07, 2018

Steam Windows Demo 6 - November 07, 2018

Steam Windows Demo 7 - November 08, 2018

Steam Windows Demo 8 - November 22, 2018

Steam Windows Demo 9 - November 22, 2018

Steam Windows Demo 10 - November 23, 2018

Steam Windows Demo 11 - February 08, 2018

Steam Windows Demo 12 - November 21, 2018

Steam Windows Demo 13 - April 12, 2018

Steam Windows Demo 14 - June 25, 2018

Differences to the Final Release#

Differences between the updated version of the Standalone Windows demo from August 21, 2015 and the final released version follow:

Desktop Icon#

Proto	Final

Title Screen#

Proto	Final

The entire desk with everyone on it was redone. The crystal ball features a new, more detailed design. Interestingly, in the final version, the crystal ball's old design is still used.

Options Screen#

Proto	Final

As mentioned, the updated demo version has a subtitles feature which is not present in the final release.

Intro Pages#

English#

A lot of punctuation was added for the final version. However, only textual changes are listed here.

Polish#

The difference in this text is the use of "aby" in the demo, compared to "by" in the final. Both words have the same function in the sentence, meaning "to" in this case, detached from the surrounding context, but "by" could be considered to be a slightly more archaic phrasing.

Proto	Final
Translation
It was the court wizard, consumed by ambition, who condemned his soul coalescing with evil to realize his diabolical plan and rule over the minds of men.

Chapters#

The demo shows a black screen that says "Chapter 1". The final version does not use chapters.

Notebook#

The file en.xml contains these two dialogue lines, hinting towards a notebook feature - possibly for telling the player what to do next. However, this does not exist in the final version.

I've already written this down in my notebook.

Already noted.

Room by Room#

Dungeon#

Proto	Final
The skeleton was moved slightly and a poster was added.

• The demo version does not show yellow sparkles before the wizard cutscene starts.
• The demo version does not have the Imp raise a finger after the wizard is finished saying his "How am I" voice line.
• In the demo, you can click on the loaf of bread to make Tsioque climb out of the prison whereas the final version needs you to click on the skeleton.

Wizard#

Armory#

Proto	Final
Stuff was moved and colors refined.

• The cat does not jiggle its tail and does not blink in the demo.
• You cannot click to walk left in the demo. In the final version, you can, making Tsioque shake her head.
• The final version has an extra barrel that can be clicked to play an animation. This barrel is absent in the demo.

Tomb#

• At the tomb, the spiderwebs are less transparent in the demo.
• At the close-up of the tomb, the light does not flicker in the demo.
• Clicking on the other tomb makes Tsioque shake her head in the demo and causes an animation in the final version.
• You cannot click on the two chandeliers in the demo. Clicking on them in the final version plays an animation, respectively.

Stairs#

• This room features a much blacker background in the demo, compared to the more blue-ish background in the final.
• In the demo, the spider is not shown when entering the room.
• You can use the blanket of invisibility when the guards come close in the demo, making Tsioque say "It's too late." The final version does not let you do so because the cursor will change into the cogwheels animation.
• When Tsioque hides under the cape, a white outline of her is visible in the demo. In the final, she is completely invisible.
• The spider hangs slightly further down in the final.

Proto	Final
In the demo, you need to click on arrows. In the final version, there are no arrows and your cursor itself becomes an arrow depending where it is aligned next to Tsioque.

• Tsioque does not make any sound when jumping or ducking in the demo.

Kickstarter Screen#

After the Stairs room, the demo shows the exterior part briefly before it fades out to black, while showing information about the Kickstarter campaign. There would be another room added before the exterior section in the final version.

Misc. Graphics#

Some item icons have slightly different colors, and the title screen orb features a different design.

Proto	Final

Courtyard#

Some differences are due to how stuff is broken up and organized differently in the SWF files. Other than that, there are the following changes:

• A torch was added next to the guard room's door.
• The entrance to the pantry was added.
• An emblem was added above the Great Hall's entrance.
• More shading was added and optimized.
• The castle's entrance gate has a higher density of wood pegs.

Proto	Final

Background Music#

A lot of the background music was refined. Only some of the more significant cases are listed here.

Dialogue#

The English dialogue is contained in the file en.xml in the Demo version and in en.xlg in the final version.

The file also contains explanations by the developer on how the file is structured. Some of them only exist in the Demo version:

This is associated with the Chapter 1 text mentioned above. The concept of chapters and therefore this explanation, too, were removed in the final version.

As mentioned before, this is a feature that was removed in the final version. You cannot use the blanket of invisibility on Tsioque when the enemies get close.

This is associated with the notebook feature that doesn't exist in the final version.

This also doesn't exist in the final version since there aren't situations where you can't reach an item because of something being in the way.

The English dialogue itself also went through some changes:

Something is missing here...
I have to find the missing part.
There seems to be something missing here...
Hmm...

There seems to be something missing here...
Looks incomplete.
I have to find the missing piece.
Something is missing...

It does not fit here. 
There must be another way. 
I have to try something else. 
I can't do that. It won't work. 
I've had better ideas... 
It's no use. 
This won't do anything. 
I don't have time for such experiments! 
It won't help me. 
No. 
I won't go very far like this... 
It'd be a waste of time. 
I don't think this is a good idea. 
I won't achieve anything like this. 
There must be a smarter solution. 
This is pointless. 

Not a good idea.
This won't work
It doesn't fit here.
There must be another way.
No, we have to try something else.
And what should I do with it exactly?
This won't work here.
I had better ideas than this...
And what will this accomplish?
Nope.
This won't help.
I don't think so.
I'm wasting my time here.
I have no idea what I'm doing.
Let's try this... ah, no.
What am I trying to do here?
No. Come on girl, think.
That doesn't seem like a smart thing to do...
This won't do.
This doesn't make sense.
I have no idea why I thought it would work.
Um... no.

Nothing else here. 
There's nothing else here to take. 
I don't see what else I can take from here. 

Nothing here anymore.
My work here is done, I think.
Nothing else interesting here.

I don't think there is anything else to do here. 
I did everything there was to be done. 

My work here is done, I think.
Nothing else interesting here.

Misc.#

• Right-Click won't open your inventory in the demo version.
• When zooming in right before a screen transition, the demo version zooms in where the mouse cursor is. In the final version, the game zooms in where the destination is.

References#