Last Resort prototype version

[BBH]

As of MAME 0.172, a prototype romset of Last Resort was dumped and is now playable. It's a pretty interesting prototype in that all the levels are in the game and it's playable from beginning to end, but there's a number of changes in every level. Overall this prototype version is lacking some balance issues that were fine-tuned in the final - certain parts of the game are kinda ridiculous and ended up being toned down. Some popcorn enemies that show up in large numbers end up taking multiple shots instead of one shot too, things like that. It's an interesting insight into the development of the game IMO.

I made a video detailing a side-by-side comparison of the two versions, hopefully some people find it interesting:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkflWf1ozmM

[Doctor Butler]

Good stuff.

[monouchi]

Very cool, I love Last Resorts style.

[MintyTheCat]

That's great. I had not heard about this prototype before. It would be well worth diffing the two ROMs.

Thanks for the video and for putting the effort in.

Reminds me I am still looking for a poster/flyer for LR, I found this on EBay but seriously, that's a lot of cash. I remember paying very little for my R-Type Leo and doggyuun Flyers:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Last-resort-C ... SwnH1WYAeZ

Has anyone made a decent poster or managed to find the flyer for less?

[trap15]

Some basic interesting take-aways:

In the final, enemy bullets are all about half speed compared to the prototype.
I'm assuming the proto has the player dealing less damage overall, though I'm not sure if that's from a weaker pod shot or if it's universal on all player shots.
In the final, many enemy deaths have the pilot eject out; in the prototype no enemies have this.
Different point valuations it seemed like?

The first two points are the most interesting to me, especially the first one. I wonder why they did those.

[BIL]

Always found the crowds of tumbling enemy pilots just a tad goofy. It's offset by a superb example of the Gigantic Shooter Dick™, though.

Spoiler

[boagman]

In the final, many enemy deaths have the pilot eject out; in the prototype no enemies have this.

Some enemies did...just not the ones at the beginning of Stage 1.

To the OP: thank you for the video. LR is a fave for me, so seeing the prototype was a nice thing for me, especially side-by-side with the finished product.

[trap15]

There are a lot of enemies in the final that have guys pop out, none of which I saw having dudes pop out in the prototype. Got a timestamp of an enemy in the proto that has it?

[boagman]

There are a lot of enemies in the final that have guys pop out, none of which I saw having dudes pop out in the prototype. Got a timestamp of an enemy in the proto that has it?

8:32. Second stage. They're popping out all over the place at that point.

[trap15]

Oh huh. Those might be the only enemies that do it then. I guess someone at the loctest was super excited when they saw that, so they ended up just making most enemies do it.

[boagman]

Oh huh. Those might be the only enemies that do it then. I guess someone at the loctest was super excited when they saw that, so they ended up just making most enemies do it.

You actually made me question myself as to what I'd actually seen. Fortunately, it only took about 30 seconds to find an instance of it by loading up the video and randomly checking places. Bingo on the second selection...and I'd honestly thought I'd seen it in Stage 3 (and maybe I saw it there, too!).

[kid aphex]

Interesting bit at the end about the high score table...

[boagman]

I have an untested theory about the red enemy that comes out at the end of a stage after the boss has been beaten. I'm thinking that it may have to do with who scored the most (or didn't) in a given stage, and may be oriented around 2P games. That is, when you both are playing and the boss is defeated, the red enemy will surround either the higher scoring player, or the lower scoring player, every time. Again, I don't have any real evidence, but it seems like a possibility to me.

[rtw]

Thank you for putting this together, appreciate the effort, also nice sleuthing on the hi-scores

[dpful]

That red guy is a timer- if you take too long, he comes out to put the pressure on.

[boagman]

That red guy is a timer- if you take too long, he comes out to put the pressure on.

Really? I've never seen him do that, to my knowledge.

[MintyTheCat]

That red guy is a timer- if you take too long, he comes out to put the pressure on.

Really? I've never seen him do that, to my knowledge.

Yes, if you do not clear a given state within an amount of time he appears.

This is not true for all bosses though as he appears fairly early for the first level's boss.

I have never seen more than one appear though.