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Prerelease:Creatures (Windows, Mac OS Classic)

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This page details prerelease information and/or media for Creatures (Windows, Mac OS Classic).

This page currently only deals with the tutorial video present on the original CD releases of Creatures. It's a pretty useful resource though, being approximately 9 minutes of clear footage from an older version (or multiple older versions) of the game.

The video itself can be seen below:

Object Differences

Some of the objects seen in the video act or appear differently than they do in the finished game, and some of them aren't in the finished game at all!

  • At 0:24, the helicopter toy stays sprung down for noticeably longer before it springs back up.
  • At 0:49, a refrigerator can be seen that is not present in the finished game at all. It is absent in some parts of the footage however, perhaps suggesting the footage wasn't all recorded on the same version. The graphics, sounds, and even scripts are still present in the finished game.

Creatures1 pre refrigerator.png

  • Also at 0:49, an earlier design for the learning computer can be seen. The buttons are laid out completely differently, and aren't labelled at all. It's a pretty safe bet it was changed because it was too confusing to figure out how it worked.
Early Final
Creatures1 pre computerearly.png Creatures1 pre computerfinal.png
  • At 3:15, the Norn that hatches from the egg stays in the incubator for a while before the incubator opens to release it. The incubator animation continues for a bit longer too.

Creatures1 pre incubator.png

  • At 6:55, the submarine doesn't yet have the directional buttons. It also stops moving in a much lower position than it does in the finished game.
Early Final
Creatures1 pre submarineearly.png Creatures1 pre submarinefinal.png
  • At 7:33, the Bed Time Bear can be seen. This object wasn't in the finished game, although the graphic it uses was still included. It was eventually added back to the game officially in Creatures Life Kit #1.

Creatures1 tutorialvideo bear.png

World Differences

Some of the static objects in the world, such as teleporters or plants are positioned differently (or possibly completely absent) in some parts of the video.

  • At 0:49, carrots can be seen stacked on top of the sofa next to the computer. These are not present in the finished game, nor is the sofa set up as a shelf allowing you to recreate this.

Creatures1 pre sofacarrots.png

  • Also at 0:49, the teleporter usually seen to the right of the learning computer above the kitchen is absent. It exists in some parts of the footage however, perhaps suggesting the footage wasn't all recorded on the same version.
Early Final
Creatures1 pre noincubatortele.png Creatures1 pre incubatortele.png
  • At 2:02, the garden is differently arranged from how it is in the finished game. The "Gentian" flower is in front of the lemons, instead of on the other side of the bridge below the treehouse.
Early Final
Creatures1 pre gardenearly.png Creatures1 pre gardenfinal.png
  • At 6:30, the hooch distillery is a bit further to the right than it is in the finished game.
Early Final
Creatures1 pre hoochearly.png Creatures1 pre hoochfinal.png
  • Also at 6:30, the raft, waterfall and harp are all absent.
Early Final
Creatures1 pre noharpnoraftnowaterfall.png Creatures1 pre harpraftwaterfall.png
  • At 6:31, the tomato plant is absent, and the lift has stopped in a slightly lower position than it does in the finished game. It would also appear the lifts in this version of the game are slightly smaller than the ones used in the finished game.
Early Final
Creatures1 pre notomatoplant.png Creatures1 pre tomatoplant.png
  • At 6:36, the wind sock and flag pole usually seen at the top of the lighthouse are absent.
Early Final
Creatures1 pre nowindsock.png Creatures1 pre windsock.png
  • At 6:38, the teleporter usually seen on the canopy above the beach is absent. The platform is also extended a bit in the finished game.
Early Final
Creatures1 pre notelecanopy.png Creatures1 pre telecanopy.png
  • At 6:40, the fish bowl is slightly further to the right than it is in the finished game.
Early Final
Creatures1 pre fishbowl.png Creatures1 pre fishbowlearly.png
  • At 6:58, numerous differences are visible. The lift call button and pulley mechanism is absent. The radio and umbrella are further to the left than they are in the finished game, and the trees in the background are arranged differently. It appears the entire right side of the beach was rearranged and elongated to accommodate for the lift added here in the finished game.
Early Final
Creatures1 pre beachearly.png Creatures1 pre beachfinal.png
  • At 8:40, a teleporter is present on the top floor of the lighthouse, to the right of the telescope. It is absent in other parts of the footage however, perhaps suggesting the footage wasn't all recorded on the same version.
Early Final
Creatures1 pre lighthousetele.png Creatures1 pre nolighthousetele.png

UI Differences

  • At 1:06, the "Which is my Norn" text displayed when hovering over that button instead says "Identify subject".
Early Final
Creatures1 pre identifysubject.png Creatures1 pre whichismynorn.png
  • At 1:19, the "File" dropdown menu can be seen. "Export current creature" and "Import creature" are both not yet present.
Early Final
Creatures1 pre filemenu.png Creatures1 pre filemenu final.png

Owners Kit

At 5:09, an earlier version of the Owners Kit can be seen. It features several differences:

  • The Kit has icons for the different tabs instead of the words "Register the birth", "Photo Album" and "Certificate".
  • The "Register the birth" page is laid out differently, and again has no text next to the icons.
  • The "age (hh:mm)" field is absent.
Early Final
Creatures1 pre owners1.png Creatures1 pre owners1 final.png
Early Final
Creatures1 pre owners2.png Creatures1 pre owners2 final.png

At 6:00, the "Certificate" page can be seen, with a few differences:

  • The "Mother" and "Father" fields are replaced with simply "Parents".
  • The "Date" field says "Today" rather than actually stating the current date.
  • The "Time" field at the bottom left of the certificate isn't yet present.
Early Final
Creatures1 pre owners3.png Creatures1 pre owners3 final.png

At 6:08, the 'Photo Album" page can be seen, with a few differences:

  • The "Save as", "Delete", "Take Photo", "Back" and "Next" buttons are all unlabelled and just use icons.
  • The photo frame seems to be slightly wider.
Early Final
Creatures1 pre owners4.png Creatures1 pre owners4 final.png

Creature Graveyard

At 8:08, an earlier version of the Creature Graveyard can be seen. It features several differences:

  • It only displayed the date the norn lived from and to, the time is absent.
  • The background of the page is completely different. This version of the background was accidentally included in some versions of the game and can be seen in full on the main article.
  • The layout of the page is different. The "Make Headstone" button is to the right of the text box instead of at the bottom left of the page, and the text box itself is less wide to accommodate the different background image. The text box also covers the entire plaque rather than expanding as the player types.
  • The music played while the kit is open is completely different. A heart beat sound is present.
Early Final
Creatures1 pre graveyard.png Creatures1 pre graveyard final.png

Performance Kit

At 8:24, an earlier version of the Performance Kit can be seen. It features several differences:

  • The "Performance page" tab uses an icon instead of text, much like the Owner's Kit.
  • On the "Performance page", the counter graphic seen underneath each piece of text wasn't implemented yet, and a different font was used.
  • The text "Incubator Eggs" was changed to "Hatchery Eggs" in the finished version of the game.
  • The scrollbar seen underneath the page of icons is absent.
  • The "Breeders Score" is higher up the page and laid out differently, and is also represented with text instead of a counter graphic.
Early Final
Creatures1 pre performance.png Creatures1 pre performance final.png

Sound Differences

There are numerous differences to the sounds heard in the video compared to the sounds heard in the finished game.

  • Throughout the entire video, an earlier version of "Norn speak" can be heard. The sounds used here are actually still present in the finished game.
  • At 0:19, an earlier Norn snoring sound can be heard.
  • At 2:14, an earlier Norn shivering sound appears to be heard. The game window can't actually be seen at this point in the footage however, so it's impossible to say for certain.
  • At 2:19, an earlier Norn sneezing sound appears to be heard. The game window can't actually be seen at this point in the footage however, so it's impossible to say for certain.
  • At 3:23, as the Norn exits the incubator, the usual BING! sound used in the finished game is absent.
  • At 3:35, a different tickling sound can be heard. It's a bit more soft sounding than the one used in the finished game.
  • Also at 3:35, the Norn laughing sound seems to cut off earlier than it does in the finished game.
  • At 3:40, a different smacking sound can be heard. It's a bit less soft sounding than the one used in the finished game.
  • At 4:01, a different eating sound can be heard. It sounds like the creature is taking several small bites in quick succession rather than one big bite.
  • At 4:20, a different sound can be heard when the teleporter is used. It's shorter and a bit differently pitched.
  • At 4:26, a slightly different sound can used when the lift is used. It seems to have a droning sound played quietly beneath the sound used in the finished game, giving it a more mechanical feel.
  • At 4:48, a different ambience can be heard in the underwater dome.
  • At 7:21, a different sound can be heard when the learning computer is used.