Disney's Atlantis: The Lost Empire (PlayStation)

Disney's Atlantis is a very Tomb Raider-y game based on the movie of the same name.

Development Related Text#

Scattered around the SCUS file are error messages with developer notes.

monster running through
update monster without animation structure
Monster checking Line of sight
does not have trigger - See Dave Arnold
CMD_WaitUntilNoMessage command in Animation.cpp without trigger
no vinnie datum found - Add a HT_AnimDatum_Special1 to script ACTN - don't 
know why I bother
no missile datum on player - See Datum required in script MSSL and add it 
to Animation
Particle System using entity that does not exist. GILLLLLLLLCHOOOOOOOOOPS !
backpack with no layers !!!
Non triggered louis... Bye
I need updating to new text system!
ACTION activate allowed but no trigger - See Dave Arnold
GEO_DownLoadGfx SBUF ERROR
TELL IAN.
FRAME-SKIP PRIM ERROR
TELL IAN. (%d)
PRIM MEMORY OVERFLOW (%d,%d)
TELL IAN

Cut Levels/Mini-Games#

By modifying the value which tells the game what stage it's supposed to load (at memory address 0956AE) beyond 16 (Game Completed) and then selecting any level in the Level Select (or setting the value at memory address 095C17 to 6 which automatically forces a reload), it is possible to access several incomplete minigame-type levels. (all mentioned memory address values are in unsigned number format by the way)

Leftover Inventory Items#

There are several unused items in the game that can only be accessed by modifying the inventory data, one of which (Climbing Gear) comes with an unused "INFORMATION" option, though none of these items seem to have any textures assigned to them nor they can actually be interacted with in any way.

Unused Voice Lines#

Several voice lines that ended up being unused can be accessed from within the game files. Some examples include:
Kida talking about the missing piece on Inner Atlantis' mosaic
This one can actually still be heard in the game if one was to get Kida prior to repairing the mosaic, though that is not meant to be possible, which would suggest that the level was either meant to play out differently, but was eventually changed after the line has already been recorded, or they intentionally put it in as some sort of an "Easter Egg" (which is pretty unlikely).
Kida is "shut in" (somewhere)
This one is completely unused, and it sounds like the part of the game it was meant to be in is as well.
Kida talking about "Atlantean Machinery"
Perhaps related to the Aktiraks in some way?
Milo talking about a release mechanism's power being out and needing to charge "power crystals"
Sounds like this one comes from an entirely cut (part of a) level.

Unused Menu Options#

Loaded into the RAM along with the menu options seems to be extra text for a certain "Level Selector" (which might have been a debug feature) and "Difficulty", which suggests the game was meant to have Difficulty options at some point.

Regional Differences#

Apart from the obvious text/voice language changes between the different European releases, there are a couple of distinct differences between them and the North American one.

The label on the can of food was changed for non-English European releases of the game.

English	Non-English

At the second exit of Outer Atlantis (where the last ATLANTIS collectible is for that level), in the North American version the collectible is placed to the left as you come in through the door (to the right of it on the picture below), with the platform made in a way that doesn't allow you to climb back up once you jump down into the water, while in the European releases the collectible is placed above the water, right at the edge of the platform, that's made in a way that allows you to climb back up once you jump down.

North America	Europe

Somewhat related to the above, the total amount of Clear Crystals in the level Outer Atlantis is also slightly different between the NTSC-U (52) and PAL (58) versions of the game.

North America	Europe

References#