Z.H.P. Unlosing Ranger VS Darkdeath Evilman

This page details one or more prototype versions of Z.H.P. Unlosing Ranger VS Darkdeath Evilman.

To do: Script differences

An early prototype of Z.H.P. Unlosing Ranger VS Darkdeath Evilman was dumped and released by atomic_ on January 18th, 2023. It is dated September 26, 2009, which is four and a half months before the final Japanese build date.

NOTE: This prototype will not run in current versions of PPSSPP; v1.1.1 is known to work.

This prototype is documented on Hidden Palace.

Overall#

• The ICON0.PNG and PIC0.PNG files found in the PSP_GAME folder are taken from the Japanese release of Prinny: Can I Really Be the Hero?. PARAM.SFO also has a title of プリニー [Prinny].
  • Curiously, within SYSTEM.DAT are save icon/backgrounds taken from another game, that being the Japanese release of Disgaea Infinite.
• The game boots to a debug menu from which there is no known way to exit.
• Graphical/text data is very incomplete:
  • The characters whose portraits are available only have one in the prototype data.
  • Many CGs are still not present in the data, and neither are many Script and Message files.

Debug Menu#

As noted in the Overall section, the game boots to a debug menu upon loading. Pressing Start disables/enables the HUD. The text is labeled as follows:

TOP

Map Tool

Script Test

2D Test

Animation Test

3D Test

Movie Test

Reload Data

Network Connection

Drive Settings

Communication Method

Additionally, pressing L makes the player enter a "Camera Mode", which allows them to alter the player's view in the Map Tool and 3D Test functions.

• Left / Right - Rotate on the Y axis
• Up / Down - Rotate on the X axis
• X / Triangle - Zoom out/in
• Square - Rotate 45 degrees
• Analog Stick - Move
• R - Increase intensity

Map Tool#

A tool to view maps.

• Controls
  • Square - Enable hit markers
• Functions
  • LW Load - Seems to ask to load a map?
  • Hit Markers - Doesn't work
  • Database Adjustment - Adjusts room parameters.
    • Random Generator - Attempts to generate a random map, but crashes the game.
    • Database - View parameters.
    • Floor size X
    • Floor size Z
    • Number of rooms
    • Room spawn frequency
    • Room purpose
    • Room state flags
    • Load DAT
    • Load SPT - Doesn't work.
    • Load PAC
  • Fixed character arrangement - All functions don't work.
  • Generator Test
    • Random Generator - Attempts to generate a random map, but crashes the game.
    • Pack load - Tries to load a PAC file.
    • Texture load - Doesn't work.
    • Room model load - Doesn't work.
    • Background model load - Doesn't work.
    • Lighting load - Doesn't work.
    • Color settings - Doesn't work.
  • Color settings - Likely a function to change the lighting and color settings in a room, but none of the options seem to work.
  • File save - Doesn't work.
  • File load - Doesn't work.

Script Test#

A tool to view character animations and sprites. Messages would also be seen here, but these functions don't work.

• Controls
  • Square - Play attack animation
  • L / R - Rotate camera
  • Analog Stick - Move camera
• Functions
  • Script reload - Doesn't work.
  • Message reload - Doesn't work.
  • Attack range reload - Doesn't work.
  • Skill list reload - Doesn't work.
  • Playback settings - Settings for the attack animation
  • Attacking character ID
  • Attacking character equipment settings - Determines the accessories the attacking character is wearing.
  • Attacking character range type
  • Target character ID
  • Direction - Determines the direction the camera is facing.
  • Target direction - Determines the direction the target character is facing.
  • Damage uneffective/effective - Determines whether or not the attacking character deals damage to the target.
  • Processing speed display - Enables/disables a memory viewer on the top of the screen.
  • Terrain - Changes the floor type.
  • Advanced target settings
    • Elevation settings
    • Display settings - Determines whether or not the target is invisible or not
    • Defense settings
    • Target positioning - Enables moving the target around.

2D Test#

Seems to be a 2D sprite viewer, but its functions don't seem to work.

• TXP reload - Asks to load a texture.
• Display position settings - Changes the X and Y positions of a texture.
• Display size settings - Changes the stretching of a texture.
• Hide menu - Hides the HUD.

Animation Test#

Seems to be an animation viewer.

• Animation reload - Asks to load a file.
• File ID settings - Doesn't work.
• Sequence settings - Doesn't work.
• Animation skip
• Send frame - Skips to a specific frame.
• Display position settings - Changes the X and Y positions of the animation.
• Display size settings - Changes the stretching of the animation.
• Palette switch - Scrolls between palettes.
• Group ID settings - Crashes the game.
• Change background color
• Shadow display toggle - Doesn't work?
• Hide menu - Hides the HUD.

3D Test#

Seems to be a 3D model viewer.

• GM3 reload - Asks the player to load a model. Pressing Square switches to a prompt to load model bone data.
• Registration bank
• Unused - Trying to mess with this function crashes the game.
• File ID
• Playback speed
• Palette
• Send frame - Skips to a specific frame.
• Hide menu - Hides the HUD.
• X coordinate
• Y coordinate
• Z coordinate
• X size
• Y size
• Z size
• X rotation
• Y rotation
• Z rotation
• R color
• G color
• B color
• A color
• R background color
• G background color
• B background color

Movie Test#

A function to test movies. Doesn't seem to work.

• Number - ID of the movie
• Start - Start playing

Other Functions#

• Reload Data - A function to reload data which doesn't seem to work.
• Network Connection - Likely a function to test connections between the PSP to the internet or a host.
• Drive Settings - Choose between D: and C: drives
• Communication Method - Likely a function to choose the linking method between the PSP and the host? The available options are as follows: USB, Memory Stick, Wireless LAN, HD and Disc.

Inner Differences#

SYSTEM.DAT#

Absent Backgrounds#

Some CGs/backgrounds were not drawn by the time this build was compiled, and are replaced by duplicates of bg012.txp. They are as follows:

• bg111.txp
• bg122.txp
• bg132.txp
• bg152.txp
• bg173.txp

Different Title Cards#

The title cards for each of the dungeons have a different, more generic design. Some of the chapter titles are completely different, too.

Interface#

Some of the stats use different abbreviations in the prototype:

A different loading screen graphic is used.

Proto	Final

BUSTUP.DAT (Character Portraits)#

The available character portraits are much more zoomed out compared to the final release. Darkdeath Evilman's portrait also has double the width of the others'.

	Proto	Final
Pirohiko Ichimonji
Etranger
Super Baby
Darkdeath Evilman
Medeia Lass
Darkdeath Evilman (true form)
Mitsuo
Anko
Choco
Frank Furt
Chitii Wok
Donnelly Fisher
Noro Chips
Jose Gaspacho
Brick Oldllama
Jean Noire
Nadesico Hanakikyo
Geo Martin
Kyoya Asuma