Reflections About Early "JR" Test Level

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Reflections About Early "JR" Test Level

Post by tatu »

Welcome to another edition of Tatu reflects. I want this post about this so it doesn't get one of those typical "discoveries" that is not written down anywhere.

Today I wanna talk about this double image:
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I am unaware of the source of this image. We don't have an article which feature them nor do we have them separately.

On Discord, Alpharaptor posted an upscaled version of the monorail image:
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On closer inspection, on the right side of the image you can see what appears to be part of the monorail itself. This reminds me very much of the monorail version seen in the early images that was published in the Next Generation article back in 1997:
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This early "test" level had a unique monorail section that was not broken in any way. It was probably some early level to test out foliage density or made specific for marketing. I am positive the monorail station image is from the same level.

As for the Stego image, I believe it was part of another test level. I'll make a post about my reflection of that one after this is done. Lets continue.

In the Next Generation issue, there are two other images posted that I always believed was part of an actually Plains level, but after reflecting about this above image, I have changed my view on it. Lets take a look at them:

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Both these images was posted back in 1997. On close inspection, the sky, the use of an "light" object, the foliage, they all fit with the images above with the monorail. I am pretty sure these images comes from the same level and not Plains. Fun fact: The Stego in the Dam image is the same as the one in the double-image but just mirrored!

EDIT: Due to the similarity in foliage, colours and terrain, I believe these two which are believed to be from an "IJ" version due to the pylon, actually is part of this level as well, as they are different comparing to the other early "IJ" images with the pylon and gravel hill.

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By inspecting the foliage around this pylon, it appears these images were both taken at the same pylon.

What are your thoughts?
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Re: Reflections About Early "JR" Test Level

Post by Draconisaurus »

That first PV imag, at the (pond?) with the branchy horiz pine, I didn't ever realize there was a stego in the background, lol!

Hmmmm. The image with the monorail station, to me it looks like a very different terrain texture. Hard to tell if the foliage is the same.

Huh I think you are right, those last two images look like they could easily be in the same test/market level as the dam.
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Re: Reflections About Early "JR" Test Level

Post by machf »

I had already posted upscaled versions of those images... a really, really long time ago.

The trees in the image with the dam are the same ones that appear in those images of dinosaurs near a lake. That's what's been assumed to be an early version of the Plains.

If you search, you'll find the posts with images where I matched the locations of several of those screenshots...
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Re: Reflections About Early "JR" Test Level

Post by Draconisaurus »

Ehhhh I'm not convinced any of the images on this page are from actual levels, seeing what I have so far...
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Re: Reflections About Early "JR" Test Level

Post by machf »

Calling it a level doesn't necessarily mean the screenshots were taken in-game...
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