Metroid: Other M

To do: Document the game breaking bug that's the Pyrosphere door glitch. Tidy up the unused text section, as the \ characters appear to just be indicators for the start and end of a message, and the ^ character is used to represent a new line. Maybe also add the other languages' versions of the lines as well.

Metroid: Other M is the direct sequel to Super Metroid, in which Samus has ninja reflexes and emotions. Also, friends.

Early Models#

All the assets in the game are merely labeled with numbers, starting at 0 and going up well over 4000. Since the filenames aren't very useful for searching, assets are organized into groups, starting with character models. However, most of the models near the beginning of the list are actually earlier versions of props used in some of the game's earliest scenarios.

• 2 is a model of the Queen Metroid's stomach. This is never used, as the Queen's model includes the stomach in it.
• 3 and 4 are models of the forklift and containers used in a flashback. The final cutscene uses a single model, numbered 334, that contains the forklift and containers together.
• 6 is an early version of the standard Item Box, which is file 1427.
• 7 is a pre-posed version of the scientist corpse found before fighting the first boss. The final model used for the scene, 1526, is fully rigged for animation. The early model has a higher resolution copy of the main texture used.
• 8 is the other scientist corpse, found in the Biosphere. The only difference between it and the final model, 1631, is the higher-resolution texture and lack of jagged tears in the alpha channel.
• 10 is a whole version of the entire Kihunter nest and has no animations associated with it. In the final version, it is split into multiple files.

Art Models#

Two models were left in the game that were used to render some of the official artwork for the game. Both models have most of their rigging removed and have a scene animation to set up the camera. They lack any sort of collision models, unlike the rest of the models in the game.

Model 5 is a high-poly, pre-posed model of Anthony Higgs with a whopping 28,388 polygons. It was used for this image. As a bit of trivia, the name tag on his shoulder belongs to James Pierce, as it is the only high-resolution name tag texture used in the game.

Model 9 is a pre-posed model of Phantoon, made from the in-game model. However, the particular art this model produced was never released, because Phantoon's design was subsequently changed. The eyestalk was changed from a thick tube with half of the eye exposed to a thinner tentacle with a claw-like structure holding the eye. The eye texture used on this model has more detail around the middle than the final model, though the same normal map created for this version is used for the final model.

Test Animation#

One of the many animation files for Anthony is a rigging test, which transitions between a standing and squatting position, testing the major bones. Unlike every other animation in the game, it has no semblance of natural movement.

Test Rooms#

A whopping 26 test rooms can be found before the regular level data. Most of them are designed to test a specific aspect of gameplay.

File	Model Name	Info	Image
842	mipmap	A featureless square room with a metal plate texture. Copies exist as files 860-862 and 865-867.
843	teststage01	A series of long narrow platforms with very few walls. It was most likely designed to test basic platforming.
844	teststage02	A nearly-complete version of the avalanche room in the Cryosphere. The snow is not textured.
845	athletic01	A room with a lot of pillars of various heights. It was probably used to test both platforming and lighting.
846	speedbooster	A long hallway for testing the Speed Booster in various situations. There is also a vertical shaft in the ceiling.
847	target	Very similar to speedbooster, but with a raised platform in the center. Presumably, it would have been used to test weapon aiming.
848	teststage_(00-12)	A set of very simple, textureless rooms that assemble to form a complete map. It was probably for testing multiple rooms. The image here is a best guess at how the rooms would have been assembled, assuming that the rooms were not rotated. As is, it seems impossible to fit together completely.
849	teststage07	An open box with a pool of water and a sky dome. Based on the textures, it was used to test sky and water effects.
850	camera_route	A textureless road resembling a race course map.
851	hologram	A doorless room with a holographic environment. It was probably used to test the hologram rooms used throughout the game.
852	biosphere_34	An early version of the long water room in the Biosphere. It is considerably narrower than the final version.
853	step01	A long hallway with a staircase.
854	biosphere_15	An early version of the large hologram room with a purple sky dome. It has high square walls and is roughly double the file size of the final version.
855	gravity	A simple chamber with upside-down stairs and a ramp to test the reverse gravity effects.
856	slope	A cubic room with a single ramp and a small tunnel for morph ball travel. Also some lights.
857	volcanic_island_47	A textureless early version of the sand tower room in the Pyrosphere.
858	volcanic_island_47	A later, but still early, version of the same room. The main difference is the taller tower.
859	test_stage17	A plain rectangular room with a grid texture. Yep.
863	rtm_teststage00	The first boss arena from Ninja Gaiden II, Team Ninja's previous game. It's complete with textures for the helipad and helicopter but no tower. It was used to test the real-time motion cutscene animations.
864	rtm_teststage01	The sky for the previous scene, featuring a beautiful night skyline over Tokyo.
888	main_sector_b06 main_sector_b07	Very early versions of a couple of files managed to get left behind in the main bulk of final rooms. The only textures included are ambient occlusion maps.
930	biosphere_ab13 biosphere_ab14 biosphere_ab15	The same case as above. However, unlike the above rooms, the designs of the rooms changed considerably, especially room ab13. The final version has it full of large test tubes. More interestingly, the door layout of ab14 has changed significantly.

Test Objects#

A number of cubes were used for testing actions in the game. Excluding the last one, they are all textureless, white cubes. They are all located before the map objects.

• 1390: test_cube
• 1391: test_cube_climb_weak_edge
• 1392: test_cube_no_climb
• 1393: test_cube_no_edge
• 1394: test_cube_edge_only
• 1395: test_cube_weak_edge_only
• 1396: test_texture_anime - Unlike the other cubes, this one has a skybox texture and the frames for the hologram fading effect. It was probably used to test turning on and off holograms.

face_ian#

The main executable references a face graphic for Ian Malkovich in the characters menu. This is never used because his model is only used in one of the pre-rendered cutscenes and is not present in the game, although the texture for this graphic can be found with the other story recap assets in file 3572.

Unused Text#

Download message_all.dat File: Metroid_Other_M_In-Game_Text.7z (159.52 KB) (info)

A very large amount of unused text, mostly related to the game's storyline, is present on the disc under a file called message_all.dat. Some of it hints at scrapped dialogue:

\Samus, can you hear me?\
\Looks like power's been restored to the facility.\
\Why don't you head back to the observation room.\

This dialogue (0x22176) is supposed to be used by Adam when Samus is redirected to the "observation room" after restoring power to the Bottle Ship, but never used.

\Fire, Samus! Fire!\
\Go! Go! Go!\
\Whoa!\
\Like that? Huh? Like that?\
\Change targets!\
\It's still alive!\
\Yeah, that's right! Come on!\
\Take 'em down!\
\Damn it...!\

These lines (starting from 0x22903) are intended for Adam and the 07th Platoon marines when battling with the Burg Mass. Some of these features one of the marines uttering "Damn it...!"

\This Biosphere Test area... What kind of place^was it, and why had Adam sent us here?\
\I wondered if there might be an important clue hidden nearby^that would explain why the facility was created.\
\Any objections, Adam? \
\Leave this area to me.\
\What in the hell happened here?\
\I dunno...\
\I bet Maurice has just about finished his analysis.\
\Would be nice to find some survivors, but...\

Probably intended for the Biosphere Test Area, when Maurice is finishing his "analysis" while Samus is questioning why Adam sends them there; but never used. Interestingly, the line "Any objections, Adam?" was spoken by Samus in the final version before she activates her Space Jump and Screw Attack. (0x22C76)

\Samus, we suddenly aren't hearing from Anthony. \

This (0x23292) would fit Adam when he and Samus lost contact with Anthony, but he doesn't use this line.

\I want everyone, including you, to head straight ^for the geothermal electric-power generator.\

In this text (0x232C6), Adam was intended to send Samus and the platoon to the Geothermal Power Plant, but he did not say this line.

\Samus. The monster has stopped moving. ^Find its location and see what's going on.\

Again, another scrapped text (0x233A7) from Adam, ordering Samus to find the Mystery Creature's location.

\What?!\
\What is THAT?!\
\Samus, join the troop immediately! I repeat.\
\Join the other troop immediately!\

This text (0x26A2A) suggests that Adam orders Samus to "join the troop" (or the "other troop"?), referring to the 07th Platoon, when they were attacked by an unknown creature. Adam never does this in the game.

\Samus! Stay back! Don't come near me!\
\What?!\
\Behind you!\
\Over here too!\

This unused text (0x26AAB) states that Samus is attacked by an unknown monster while in pursuit of an unknown person...?

\Did that THING do this...?\
\What's going on around here?!\
\Man, this isn't for the faint of heart...\

These lines (0x26C66) are intended for after Samus and the marines found Lyle's body, but they are not used.

\Use your wall jump to climb back up.\

This line (0x2187A) was said by the Head Quarantine Officer during a training session, since "wall jump" refers to "Kick Climb". In any case, it's unused.

Navigation Booth#

\Currently, only the registration sequence is running. ^Shield-recovery sequences are offline.\

\Powering down... Recovery function suspended.\

These lines (0x226BA and 0x22758) are intended for Navigation Booth stating that restoring the player's health and missile is not possible when powered down or offline. None of them are actually used, though.

P.A. announcer#

\Experiment escape confirmed. \
\All personnel are instructed to avoid areas^around the experiment tower and areas of dense forest.\

Two lines (starting from 0x222FA) intended for the public address announcer of the Bottle Ship when going to the Biosphere, but it doesn't say any of these.

\There is a high probability of a new^enhancement experiment control breach. \
\Please remain armed and stay alert to your surroundings.\

Another two lines (0x225FF) intended for the P.A. announcer when going to the Pyrosphere. Again, those lines are not used.

Regional Differences#

Each regional version has different language options.

• The Japanese version has options for Japanese and English text and voices. The subtitle setting is "on" by default.
• The North American version has English voices only, likely due to licensing issues with the Japanese voice actors. It does keep the text setting for Japanese or English (default) and the subtitles are set to "off" by default.
• The European version also has English voices only, but adds French, Italian, German and Spanish text options. Like the North American version, the text (English) and subtitle (off) defaults remain.

Build Date#

What may be a build date is present in file 4167. It seems like all the different regional versions were built at the same time.

References#