Beta Chao Findings [BETA CHAO STAGES DISCOVERED]

[Crash32]

I think I've done my share of contributing for a while ;)

[Mamkute]

How did you come across Beta Chao garden pictures?
It looks very interesting.

[Crash32]

I was browsing through the interwebs, and I came across these deep within Sonic Retro.

[Crazo3077]

I believe I have been shown pictures like these before, just not entirely sure where. I'm also confident that Mooncow probably has them somewhere on his computer. One of these days we should get the guy to put all his Chao stuff in a folder and send us a zipped version.

[Twiddle]

Some are from this page on the site for Sonic Adventure.
I've actually had the one where he's throwing a Chao saved for a while, for comedic reasons.

[Mayo]

Either Sonic is really short, or those Chao appear bigger than in the final version o_O

[Crash32]

I just noticed the Chao don't really have any expressions on their faces, the all look the same o.O

[Crash32]

Bumpity bump bump

In this prototype video, this 3D model of a Chao is shown. This is proof that at some point they were yellow/blue, before they made the odd decision to make them green/blue like in the final. It was changed back later in other games.
Also notice that the wings are much different, they're not lieelt pink ones like the final.

In the prototype video we see some Chao Adventure animations from the VMU game. When the Chao meets Sonic, Sonic's animation is very different from the final. For comparison, the final one is stuck to the side.

Aren't I good at digging through the Internet and old sonic websites? :3
Anyway, there is a Beta Chao from a prototype video of SA, and beta VMU shot of Chao Adventure.

I also found these:


It is an image of Tails in a beta version of Windy Valley. I am posting this here because it looks a lot like the beta Chao Garden.

Another pic of the beta Windy Valley that looks like the beta Chao Garden.

I'm not sure if they are on the site yet as I haven't checked.

[Omelet]

Interesting.

Find more please.

[JHock115]

These are interesting. I wonder what SA2 is hiding deep inside SEGA's files

[Zacmac74]

Interesting.

Find more please.

[Crash32]

More beta findings: These are lost beta Chao emoticons (the ball above their head would have changed to it briefly like the heart or tornado).

Yay for me finding more beta stuff.

[Omelet]

Why couldn't they use those? :(

[Zacmac74]

^
This.


Those are so cool. Great find.

[Mayo]

They probably thought the final swirl and heart emotions to be more effective in portraying emotions, maybe also for simplicity's sake. Having to program different emote ball changes for specified events would be tedious enough if the ball could change five ways.

Is it just me, or do those beta gardens and the way it's spaced out remind anyone of the Nightopian gardens in NiGHTs: Journey of Dreams where you actually care for a bunch of Chao-like creatures known as Nightopians and Mepians? Wouldn't be suprised if that game used a similar engine as a basis for that feature.

[Omelet]

Crash, I got bored so I hope you don't mind if I post some stuff.


That Blue/Teal Chao looks like a N/F offbreed

http://www.sonic-cult.org/sadxb/chaocard2.png
Supposedly gave access to something called Chao Stadium 2 (DX)

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a118/ ... ntspot.png
Chao Christmas? (DX)

[Jeffery Mewtamer]

Nightopian gardens in NiGHTs: Journey of Dreams where you actually care for a bunch of Chao-like creatures known as Nightopians and Mepians? Wouldn't be suprised if that game used a similar engine as a basis for that feature.

I do not know the full details, but the Nightopians and Mepians from NiGHTs into Dreams for the Sega Saturn are generally considered the forerunners of the Chao. Of course, it is my understanding that the A-Life systems from both NiGHTs into Dream and Sonic Adventure Dreamcast are downright primitive compared to what is found in the SA2 and Gamecube versions.

@Omelet, it should be noted that there was a large amount of DLC for the Dreamcast games that did not make it into the Gamecube remakes. Would not surprise me to find beta leftovers hinting at incomplete ports of this DLC in the Gamecube remakes.

[Crash32]

Sure thing Omelet, I guess we could turn this into the Beta Chao Findings thread.

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a118/ ... ntspot.png
Chao Christmas? (DX)

Pretty much what Mewtamer said, it was DLC in the original games but maybe there are remnants left in DX.

[Mayo]

Beta Chao animations?

[Omelet]

^ Where did you find that?

[Crash32]

http://info.sonicretro.org/images/c/ce/ ... sue169.jpg
(too big to post)
This was featured in an old issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly. It gives basic tips on raising chao, but it has quite a bit of different stuff in it.

http://info.sonicretro.org/images/2/2b/ ... ue-116.jpg
Here's another magazine scan, this time from the official Sega Dreamcast premier magazine.
It gives some good tips on raising chao.

[Omelet]

"Gamma is stingy and will give him nothing"

I lol'ed

And if that magazine is official, then the plural for Chao IS Chaos *mind blown*

[Crash32]

http://info.sonicretro.org/images/5/53/ ... ue-117.jpg
http://info.sonicretro.org/images/6/67/ ... ue-118.jpg

I missed the fact that there are 3 pages on raising chao in the official Sega Dreamcast premier magazine. Here's the rest of it :)

I also noticed that there is an 'online chao trading' option using the Internet, specifically the 'Sonic Network'. Can you do that in the final game? I wouldn't know because I don't have a Dreamcast :/

EDIT: Here's another section on Chao in the Dreamcast magazine:
http://info.sonicretro.org/images/3/3a/ ... ue-104.jpg

Beta Chao images from another magazine called 'Japon Previews' (not Japan, Japon):
http://info.sonicretro.org/images/b/b2/ ... les_02.jpg

Some incorrect info in this magazine, called 'Computer and Video Games' from the UK:
http://info.sonicretro.org/images/3/3e/ ... 215p61.jpg

More chao stuff in an earlier issue of the same magazine:
http://info.sonicretro.org/images/a/ae/ ... 208p14.jpg

SA2 Style, from a magazine known as the Dreamcast Magazine. It appears to have beta chao gardens in it:
http://info.sonicretro.org/images/c/ca/ ... 1%29_5.jpg

You better be thanking me for this boatload of beta chao stuff, guys! :3

[kantu]

http://info.sonicretro.org/images/c/ce/ ... sue169.jpg
(too big to post)
This was featured in an old issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly. It gives basic tips on raising chao, but it has quite a bit of different stuff in

How do you take your chao on an adventure walk??

[Crazo3077]

I seriously hate how even professional magazines didn't stop to think for a second that perhaps using "Chaos" as a plural was a bad sounding idea. Unless they all thought it was pronounce "Kay-Oh" instead of "Chow". But to think that suggests never playing the game themselves. Though I like how one refers to them as A-Life as if that's their name.

The one with the Amy character art might be my favorite for actually sounding like they know what they're talking about. The one where they're compared to Pokemon is also a decent one.

http://www.sonic-cult.org/sadxb/chaocard2.png
Supposedly gave access to something called Chao Stadium 2 (DX)

This actually reminds me of how fewer races there are in SADX and could have been a means intended to unlock more races. Perhaps it is meant to be taken to the Chao Garden.