Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 1:54 am Post subject: The Lost Levels... IN 3D!!!!!
Up to this point, The Lost Levels has concentrated primarily on 8-bit and 16-bit prototypes that were never commercially released. My question is this... when are we going to start seeing all the cancelled games that were originally planned for systems like the Saturn and Playstation? Heck, there are even a handful of games for the Playstation 2 that were shelved before they could be finished, like Midway's Crank the Weasel (who I'd confused with Spanx of Whiplash for the longest time) and Capcom's short-lived 3D fighter.
Joined: 26 Aug 2003 Posts: 4192 Location: Oakland, CA
Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 2:28 am Post subject:
Because I really really love Crank the Weasel and want everyone to know how brilliant it is, here's the "strip club" portion of the design document:
Quote:
Basics
Strip clubs are tucked-away somewhere in every 3rd level (one in Downtown, one in Midtown & one in Uptown). Weasel Vision will display the club’s entry fee and an arrow pointing to the door of the strip club. Each club requires a substantial amount of cash to enter (adjustable per club). Weasel enters a club by standing in front of its door and pressing the “action” button (door opens up and Weasel automatically walks in). “C” wipe to black, then “W” wipe into club interior. Weasel is seated at a little front row table. Weasel has a minimal amount of control while the performers are onstage (explained below). Each show always concludes with Weasel being thrown out just before the peeler’s “big finish”. If Weasel doesn’t have enough cash to enter the club, a negative buzzer noise will sound.
Peelers
There are 3 different “peels” (one per main district). Each peel uses the same music (“The Stripper”). Each peeler performs a suggestive burlesque routine (fan dance, umbrella dance, Rockette) while Weasel watches from his stage-side table. Weasel, along with the rest of the crowd goes wild for the peelers. The routines last for around a minute or so (dependent upon final length of music edit). Each peeler will perform a routine that starts out mild (demure & conservative) but finishes wild (suggestive & scantily clad). The last stage of a peeler’s routine will have her teetering on the edge of “showing it all” (a few strategically positioned fans or half-closed umbrellas are all that remain). Just as the peeler is about to “take it all off” the stage curtain lowers and the spotlights go out.
Weasel & the Peelers
While watching a peeler’s performance, Weasel, hoots, howls, whistles, pounds the table and makes a genuine ass of himself (“action” button). The more Weasel reacts, the longer he gets to stay and watch the show. A HUD graphic will indicate that the player must repeatedly press the “action” button. An elongated “bouncer’s arm” slides in from off screen toward Weasel. Rapidly pressing the “action” button will push the bouncer’s arm back off screen. If Weasel manages to successfully press the “action” button fast enough, he will get to see the conclusion of the peeler’s routine. Once the curtain lowers in front of the peeler, the lights go out and a fistfight breaks out (a flurry of fight graphics fly all over the blackened background). Fade to black. “W” wipe back outside the strip club’s door as Weasel comes sailing out, landing on his face (resume gameplay). If Weasel fails to press the “action” button or doesn’t press it fast enough the hook will slide in from off screen toward Weasel, yank him out of his chair by the throat, and pull him off screen. “C” wipe to black. “W” wipe back outside the strip club’s door as Weasel comes sailing out, landing on his face (resume gameplay).
Mr. Helpful’s Act
Mr. Helpful is the opening act before each strip club’s main performance. He has three different routines to perform: 1) ventriloquist, 2) bagpipes, and 3) tap dancer. He’s terrible and furiously hated by the audience. While seated at his usual front row table, Weasel, along with the rest of the crowd, jeers, boos and hisses Mr. Helpful (“action” button) as soon as the curtain rises. The audience soon begins throwing dangerous objects at Mr. Helpful. Eventually, he’s killed near the end of each routine (fork in the head, flattened by a stage light, shot in the dark). The audience falls silent (crickets are heard as an uncomfortable single cough emanates from the crowd), then an upbeat finale tune is played (the audience unenthusiastically applauds) and the curtain lowers. Mr. Helpful is left onstage just in front of the lowered curtain for a while as the following peeler act performs. Eventually, a hand reaches out from underneath the backstage curtain and drags Mr. Helpful’s limp body offstage (very slowly).
The Late Mr. Helpful
1. Mr. Helpful is killed by a fork in the head near the conclusion of his ventriloquist act. The fork is thrown from somewhere out in the audience, striking Mr. Helpful dead center of his giant forehead. Mr. Helpful freezes up like a deer caught in the headlights (no struggling, no reaction). He sits straight up, wide-eyed and staring directly ahead. His ventriloquist dummy (Lil’ Help) turns it head to stare at Mr. Helpful. Suddenly, Mr. Helpful flops forward face first onto the stage floor (knocking his stool out from under him). Lil’ Help, still being held straight up by Mr. Helpful, turns to face the crowd and without warning, an arrow is shot from the audience into the dummy’s forehead. The dummy swiftly collapses face first into the stage.
2. Mr. Helpful is crushed by a falling stage light near the end of his bagpipes performance. The stage light smashes Mr. Helpful facedown onto the stage on top of his bagpipes. The weight of the stage light slowly decompresses the bagpipes (a horrible wailing is heard). Mr. Helpful is struggling to cling to life (his exposed hand is shakily reaching and clasping for help). The heavy stage light finally crushes both Mr. Helpful and his bagpipes. Mr. Helpful’s hand struggles one last time and falls motionless. Seconds later, the stage light sinks down one last time, expelling a little gas from Mr. Helpful.
3. Mr. Helpful is shot near the conclusion of his tap dance number. As Mr. Helpful is readying for his “big finish”, the strip club’s lights go out (it’s pitch black). Seconds later, “BANG!” a gunshot is heard as the muzzle flash briefly lights the club again. In that instant we see the hand holding the smoking gun (extended in from off screen), and Mr. Helpful with a look of shock and confusion on his face as he clutches his chest. The lights come back on again. Mr. Helpful is fighting to maintain his composure while stumbling around the stage. He attempts to sit down on a stool with no luck and finally drops to his knees and lists to one side, sprawling out on his back. This scenario should be very realistic and horrible. The only thing funny about it is that it’s happening to a guy whose head is too big for his body.
Weasel & Mr. Helpful
While watching Mr. Helpful struggle and bomb onstage, Weasel, jeers, heckles, boos & taunts (“action” button). All the while Weasel is heckling Mr. Helpful, the audience is throwing objects at Mr. Helpful (objects crash onstage and against the backdrop). The thrown objects (knives, forks, bottles, fruit) increase in number as Weasel continually heckles Mr. Helpful. Repeated heckling will cause Mr. Helpful to be occasionally struck by incoming objects (frequency of “direct hits” increases as Weasel persistently heckles). When struck, Mr. Helpful will simply continue performing like a true professional. If Weasel doesn’t heckle at all during Mr. Helpful’s act, Mr. Helpful will make it to the end of his routine without being struck by an object, but will still be killed all the same.
I guarantee I'll have something on Crank eventually.
Joined: 28 Aug 2003 Posts: 2103 Location: I hate you.
Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 4:44 am Post subject:
There's a PS2 thing I could maybe someday get started on possibly, but I'm not much of a writer and I'm afraid of dude I'd need to get into contact with. Very afraid.
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