Illbleed Dreamcast and its prototypes: When terror knocked on SEGA's door and invited itself to E3
After a first attempt with Blue Stinger on SEGA's latest console, Climax Graphics returned with a second original title, Illbleed. Released in 2001, the game stands out from other Survival Horror titles for its innovative approach, blending horror, dark comedy and complex gameplay mechanics. Its creator, Shinya Nishigaki, who died in 2004, wanted to offer an experience that combined both psychological and physical horror, but also a certain black humor by parodying the stereotypes of horror films.
Rather than focusing primarily on combat like Resident Evil, Illbleed concentrates more on the psychic effects of fear on the player, hence the idea of integrating systems based on the senses (sight, hearing, smell and the sixth sense) as well as the management of characters' vital signs.
Depending on certain stimuli (sounds, smells, movements), these four sensory elements become more or less excited. This makes it possible, for example, to spot traps (Shock Events, of which there are some 1,500 throughout the game) and avoid them. This innovative idea was designed to encourage players to be on constant alert, not only for enemies, but also for traps and their environment.
Rare Taïwanese version
Illbleed's health system is also far more detailed than in most games of the time. Players must constantly monitor their character's vital signs, including stress levels, pulse, bleeding and adrenaline status. An anxiety attack or severe hemorrhage can result in death.
The story takes place in a macabre theme park called “Illbleed”, where participants can win $100 million if they survive its horrific attractions for one night. The game follows Eriko Christy, a horror-loving high-school student who suffered through traumatic experiences when she was young, with her father testing horrific gadgets on her. Her life changes when her best friends decide to try their hand at the adventure. Having refused to follow them at first, but not seeing them return, she decides immediately to leave in search of them.
The development of Illbleed was complicated by the fact that Climax Graphics was a small studio with limited resources. At the height of the project, only 23 people worked on the game's development. With production deadlines tight, Shinya Nishigaki's team had to make compromises in terms of graphics and optimization. Lack of time and budget also led to less intuitive controls and interfaces than expected, which was one of the main criticisms of the game's release.
An interesting anecdote involves Jörg Tittel, a freelance journalist in the 90s/2000s who covered Illbleed in issue 8 of the official American Dreamcast magazine with a multi-page article entitled “Ticket to Hell”. He was one of the first people outside Japan to take a keen interest in this obscure game. Across the Pacific at the time, Shinya Nishigaki was struggling to find a publisher to release it in the USA. Against all odds, Illbleed captivated Western gamers, and Jörg's writing was pivotal to this craze. Shortly afterwards, Climax Graphics signed with a distributor to market the title in the USA. To thank them for their indirect help, Shinya introduced a new character to Illbleed, named Jorg Baker, who was to represent Tittel in the game. A touching story...
Despite its technical defects and commercial failure, Illbleed has acquired cult status over the years.
Illbleed's E3 prototype from May 1, 2000
Due to the high, ill-fitting difficulty of this demo build, we've put together a few tips to help you get through it. The analysis of the prototype, in addition to dwelling on its peculiarities, has been written as a Guide to the intricacies of this Illbleed E3.
Eriko in the devil's grip
The “Shock Event” chapter lists all the traps encountered in the demo. There is no way to avoid them. There's little interest in using the “Horror Monitor” on them, except to admire the alternative animations/scenes.
All altercations with enemies are indicated in the “Combat” section. You must mark them out to avoid taking more damage than you should. They can all be avoided from outside the building. For other confrontations imposed by the game, locate the shadow of the helicopter and press “B” until the ladder reaches the ground (the way to escape combat).
If you accidentally bump into an encounter without marking it first, press “A” to get down on all fours, then tap “B” as you move to get back to standing. If you don't, Eriko will crawl indefinitely until she's dead.
Journalists criticized Illbleed for the long adaptation time required to really get into the game. The demo further accentuates this feeling, which is likely to bore the majority of players.
General informations
Analysis of the prototype reveals that the build was created on May 1, 2000 at 13:18. This early Illbleed Dreamcast beta (vers. 0.010) was burned some 11 months before the final version (vers. 1.003) dated March 6, 2001 at 20:44:46. It predates by 9 months the only known prototype to date of Shinya Nishigaki's game (vers. 0.400 (Jan 15, 2001)). This Illbleed beta, a demo, was specially designed to unveil the game to journalists during E3 2000, which took place between May 11 and 13.
Eriko's father
The level context
Coming Soon
Unused model
Illbleed May 2000 E3 Demo Showcase
The first two rooms of level 1, its introductory text in the form of a newspaper article and the character selection screen make up the demo. Once the player passes through the door after the shower room, or dies, a temporary window with the words “COMING SOON” immediately appears, and the game returns to the title screen.
Only the “It's Too Quiet” music will terrorize players who dare to venture into the prototype.
According to the introduction before the game begins, this demo build is based on the Japanese version of the game. At this early stage in Illbleed's development, a Debug Menu was not yet in use. It will appear in the January 2001 build.
The demo starts up “directly” on Illbleed's title screen, without the traditional Splash Screens with the logos of the development studio and publisher, nor the game's copyrights. This version doesn't last long, but it does contain a lot of information, suggesting that Climax Gaphics used it to check/test various parameters such as enemies and senses. One wonders whether the purpose was not also to attract the attention of publishers for markets other than Japan.
Based on the build's internal version number, this is undoubtedly one of the first playable versions of Illbleed. To present the game to the press, the developers at Climax Gaphics polished this demo as if they were making final adjustments before the game went to market. Graphically, apart from a better brightness setting for the final version, everything is identical to the known level. Nevertheless, one of the doors in the mansion's corridor seems to be open, without anything inside the room. Otherwise, no bugs or glitches on the horizon!
This particularity is mentioned below. This demo prototype displays statistics for sense mechanics that will be removed from the final version, which implies that some characters would have been able to spot traps from further away than others (hypothetical).
Sound effects, for example when Eriko walks/runs or when the player navigates through the various menus, are not comparable to those finally adopted when development of Illbleed Dreamcast was completed. Also missing is the vocal part of the game, e.g. the voices during a trap.
The brief sequence/cutscene when Eriko enters Banbollow's mansion with a terrifying voice and floating camera shot is not yet implemented in the prototype. The cinematics introducing the level are also non-existent.
The location and number of traps and battles vary from one version to the other. For example, the confrontation with the woodcutter will not be triggered in the final version, and the telephone trap in the manor's entrance hall is absent from the demo.
In terms of files, there's not much to say: the E3 version has 226 files, while the final version has 2360. No surprises with unseen content...
Some models are not used in the demo, but can be found in the beta files, notably that of Eriko with her torn clothes (C01A.NJ) and that of Kevin Kertsman, one of Illbleed's other playable characters (C00.NJ or C02.NJ). Kevin's “C02.NJ” model is a duplicate or a Placeholder with the wrong character texture, so in the end this name will belong to Randy Fairbanks'. The developers also changed their names for other versions of the game, so Eriko's standard “C01.NJ” model was later named “C01N.NJ”. The animation of the models appears to be slightly different (to be examined in greater detail).
Prototypes of events like E3 are not easy to document. At first glance, there's nothing special about them apart from the historical aspect, but scratch their surface and they can turn into something amazing.
An E3 build, really?
The handwritten inscription “E3” on the red disc (GD-R) is the only indication justifying a link with the famous convention dedicated to the video game industry in Los Angeles. A video posted on Youtube also shows an “E3” trailer for Illbleed Dreamcast that matches the prototype's content with one exception. The fight against a woodcutter does not engage in the trailer, as Eriko walks straight ahead after clearing the first trap.
Illbleed E3 old footage (Video removed)
Like a game in its entirety and its many prototypes before going GOLD, an “E3” version undergoes several revisions before being able to show it off. The page [Quake 3 Arena Dreamcast and its eight prototypes: when a Western FPS was almost released in Japan] shows the evolution of the development of an “E3” version among three unique builds destined for the Californian event. This Illbleed DC demo could be an intermediary step before the one that will finally be used.
Title screen/Main menu
As mentioned above, the demo starts immediately without the usual information screens. While players are already startled by the sound of thunder, the music is conspicuously absent from the prototype. Are they ready to face the horrors of Illbleed's theme park?
The prototype
The final version
The transparent face of a crash test Dummy/Dummyman, similar to that on the final version's Game Over screen, replaces Michael Reynold's museum image in the background.
The “Load Game” and “Options” options are currently locked. Only “New Game” is operational. “Network” is not yet present.
Pause menu
The Pause Menu is radically different from that of the game in its final form. It looks like a newspaper, with the player's name at the top and the title “CARRYING a HOMERUN BAT”.
Logically, the game does not display statistics for the senses used to identify trauma (Eye sight, Hearing, Smell & 6th Sense):
The window for the level map
- Eye Sight: 95x100%
- Smell: 84x100%
- Hearing: 78x100%
- 6th Sense: 68x100%
Details of current/maximum hit points, adrenalin points, heart rate and bleeding complete the information obtained from the Pause Menu. Although they are present in the final game, their display varies considerably :
- Physical Strength: 150 (maximum life points)
- Hit Point 150/150
- Mental Strength: 700 (Maximum adrenalin)
- Ad Point 350/700 (Eriko starts at half her capacity in the demo)
- Heart Rate 60 (note that the starting heart rate in the final version is 50)
- Blood Type: Rh+B (Not found in final product)
Bleeding 0ml/min (usually cc/min)
- Heart Strength: 65 (not sure if this is a stat as there appears to be no maximum value)
The prototype's Pause Menu reveals, in a different way, information about the money, time and current objectives to be reached indicated on the “Treasure” line. It also includes sub-options redirecting the player to four other screens:
- Item List (not available in E3 demo)
- Insurance (snew sub-option, not present in final version, unfortunately not working)
- Map (the build freezes the map image on the character's position. In the final version, the player can move it as he wishes in the desired direction)
- Other People (officially known as “Character”)
Introduction to the level
Thrill-seekers will play Illbleed's first level “Crazy Killer Banbollow” on this E3 demo, but only two rooms. In the end, the developers will call it “The Homerun of Death” when the game goes GOLD. The requirements for completing it differ from one version to the other:
- Prize money of $4,500 in the demo - up from $50,000
- Clear Time of 1:30:45 in the demo - compared with 50 minutes
- Cleared Trap of over 15 in the demo - up from 25
- Adrenaline value higher than 75 in the demo - compared with 200
- Hit Point value higher than 35 in the demo - compared with 150
- Bleeding value below 30 ml/s in the demo - compared with 20 cc/m
- Heart Rate below 90 bpm in the demo - compared with 120 bpm
The layout of the "Stage Requirements" screen is the same as in the final game, except for the level name "Crazy Killer Banbollow" shown at the top of the screen.
Health care system
Three health bars and an additional adrenaline bar constitute the user interface (HUD). It takes some time to adapt and understand the complex health system devised by Climax Graphics. Illbleed stands out from other Survival Horror games thanks in part to this innovative concept.
1) Life points: The green bar is present in the demo. When it's only a third full, Eriko slows down and limps. When she's taken too much damage, her life points begin to deplete progressively, depending on the bleeding bar. The end is near for her...
2) Bleeding: The red bleed bar is not in the demo. The pause menu includes the bleeding rate, which proves that the device is present and causes a progressive loss of life points. In the final version, standing reduces the bleeding rate, but this does not occur in the demo.
The health bars
3) Heart rate: The heart rate dashboard is unchanged in the demo, except that Eriko starts at 60 bpm instead of 50 bpm as in the final game. Heart rate peaks at 255, as in the final game, but dying in this way is not allowed in the demo. Eriko can therefore only succumb to her injuries if the green bar is empty.
4) Adrenalin: The adrenalin interface is unchanged, although Eriko begins the level at half capacity. When connecting to the “Horror Monitor”, the remaining adrenalin is displayed as a percentage instead of a value. Opening the “Horror Monitor” also costs 1%/5 points (10 points in the final game). Marking “Shock Events” seems to spend 51 points, with no possibility of regaining any.
Controller scheme/Camera
This beta's controller configuration will divide Survival Horror fans. The demo's control scheme is reflected in a few points, notably the fact that players must hold down the “A” button to run. This has a particular impact on combat, and also means that objects - if there are any - are not assigned to a button to interact with.
The button assigned to the first-person view/“Horror Monitor” changes from “Right Trigger” to “Left Trigger”. There is as yet no command to recenter the camera, which the “Right Trigger” will do later. Nothing to report for the “Horror Monitor”...
The shortcut to open the map window directly without using the pause menu is not attributed to any button. The “Y” will take on this role in future versions of Illbleed.
Comparative photo of default camera and in-game brightness (left: prototype, right: final version)
The “Up” and “Down” buttons on the D-Pad change the camera mode, giving a total of 6 points of view. The commercial version of Illbleed has only four. The default camera setting is closer in the prototype. They behave slightly different from one version to another. Available views in order:
The prototype
Auto Follow Camera 1 Slow
Auto Follow Camera 2 Slow
Auto Follow Camera 1 Fast
Auto Follow Camera 2 Fast
Semi Auto Follow Camera 1
Semi Auto Follow Camera 2
The final version
Auto Follow Camera 1
Auto Follow Camera 2
Nothing
Nothing
Semi Auto Follow Camera 1
Semi Auto Follow Camera 2
Shock Events
The “Shock Events” can be marked with the “Horror Monitor” in the same way as in the commercially released game. However, once activated, they do not restore adrenalin.
If a Shock Event is triggered without first being detected, its execution will proceed as in the final version, including all Eriko animations/scenes indicating the damage sustained - with the exception of a “Shock Event” whose animation/scene will last a little longer than usual.
Any “Shock Event” that occurs without being signaled by the player does not affect Eriko's health bars.
The Horror Monitor interface
Eriko's animation/scene to neutralize a “Shock Event” is distinct, she does an action that suggests she's saying “Whew!” without speaking orally.
If the player marks a “Shock Event” in a room, leaves and then returns, the “Shock Event” is no longer located. The player can mark it again.
The system the game applies to “randomize” Shock Events doesn't work in this demo. They are static and will always appear in the same place and with the same animation/scene. They are as follows:
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To the left of the start area, facing the wall: bricks fly off the wall
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To the right of the starting area, opposite the wall: (bricks fall to the ground
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Entrance to the courtyard of Banbollow Castle: a wooden plank stands out on Eriko - alternative animation/scene if the trap is marked by the “Horror Monitor”, which also appears in the final game but requires hacks to be visualized
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One of the 6 ponds to the left of the courtyard: The water gushes out and falls on Eriko
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The bloody window to the left of the hotel's front door: blood flows out of the window
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Booby-trapped door at mansion entrance: Eriko falls through - alternative animation if the trap is marked
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Banbollow manor reception shelves: Tentatcules emerge from the shelves
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In the wall of the entrance hall opposite the point of appearance in the room: Banbollow's face burns Eriko with the blowtorch - alternative animation if the trap is marked
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Second bulb on the right in the first part of the corridor: Explosion
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Door on the left just after the lamp trap: a face appears and disappears - this sequence was shortened in the final version of the game
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In the area before the shower room, looking at the 2nd rack: Banbollow's hand attacks Eriko - need to check alternative animation
Combats
In the demo, Eriko starts a game with the Homerun bat (Button “Y”) and a handgun (Trigger “R”) as equipment - the controls for these are the same as in the final game.
As Eriko runs by pressing the “A” button, side dodges, normally assigned to this key, do not exist at this stage of Illbleed's development. There's no way to prevent damage.
Enemies start moving as soon as a confrontation begins, meaning that Eriko will suffer inevitable damage when fighting them. In the final version, enemies remain motionless for around 2 seconds, to give the player a chance to avoid taking unnecessary hits.
In combat, unlike in the final release, the arena floor does not periodically flash blue. The developers had not yet placed an indicator on the floor, a kind of green square helipad with a white H printed in its center, which is usually displayed when fighting hostile forces. In a way, the green motif designates the point of escape for evading the actual confrontation. Even so, the mechanics of escape, by pressing “B”, work, as the incessant sound of the helicopter's blades can be heard and its shadow is perceptible on the ground. The escape process is very quick. To achieve this, players need the default “ladder” object.
Only the shadow of the helicopter on the E3 build
Enemies do not benefit from infinite health in order to defeat them. Their health points seem to have been significantly increased in the demo.
If a fight is marked by the “Horror Monitor”, the player will not receive any adrenalin if they emerge victorious. If undetected, Eriko will fall onto her back. Moving around in this state will accelerate her heart rate by 1 bpm each time. In the final version, Eriko is immune to this side effect (other people are not).
The boss of the 2nd level
Once on the ground, Eriko crawls indefinitely in the Illbleed E3 build, unless you press the “A” button to get her on all fours. Movement in this position is slower than in the final version, but doesn't accentuate the heart rate. By moving, still in this bad posture, and tapping the “B” button, Eriko finally seems to stand up. Later in the development cycle of Shinya Nishigaki's game, Eriko will automatically stand up on her own after a certain period of time.
It's impossible to pause the game during a fight, and curiously so afterwards, unless Eriko moves first.
The demo consists of a succession of “Shock Events” and battles, three of which are unmissable. A list of all available confrontations:
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In the middle of the courtyard, straight ahead from the starting area: a woodcutter with his axe for splitting wood
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On the left at the bottom of the courtyard, to the left of the children's horizontal swing: a Dummyman with his double wrench
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Near the tombstones on the left of the courtyard: the Queen of Worms, the boss of the 2nd level
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Near the tree at the top of the courtyard and to the right of the mansion, where the “Horror Monitor” is located in the final game: 3 Monkillers, some vermin...
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Between the picnic benches on the right of the courtyard: a Meat Man, it's disgusting
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In the middle of the hotel hallway: Banbollow himself, the boss of level 1
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At the beginning of the corridor with its decrepit walls: obligatory fight against 2 Woodpuppets, living spinning tops
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Near the door leading to the changing rooms: obligatory battle against 2 Woodcutters, who like to spin around at the speed of light
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After the corridor, just before entering the shower room: obligatory fight against 2 Crash Test Dummies, nothing can scare Eriko
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In the shower room: second confrontation with Banbollow
At E3 2000, journalists were given a glimpse of the Illbleed Dreamcast bestiary, in which some monsters and bosses appeared in the first level of the game, despite only appearing in subsequent levels for the final release.
Conclusion/download
The demo used by Climax Graphics to promote their upcoming game at E3 is cleverly produced. It provides an excellent overview of the game's mechanics and the concept behind Illbleed Dreamcast. Shinya Nishigaki no doubt planned a higher difficulty at the outset of the project. This was later lowered. Between May 11 and 13 2000, did any journalists - gamers above all - manage to beat this short demo build? If so, they deserve a round of applause, or even a medal of honor!
Above all, I'd like to thank jasoneatscake for his expertise and invaluable help in documenting this Illbleed Dreamcast prototype. He succeeded in getting through this E3 demo!
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You can download this build of Illbleed E3 Dreamcast below
Special Thanks to:
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Neil Riddaway proofreading the english version.
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Hicks proofreading the french version
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jasoneatscake for his expertise and analysis of the build content
Prototypes of special events (E3, Toy Faire etc.): Bomberman Online Dreamcast (Toy Fair) - Jet Set Radio Dreamcast (E3) - Metropolis Street Racer Dreamcast (E3) - Outtrigger Dreamcast (E3) - World Series Baseball 2K1 (E3) - Quake III : Arena Dreamcast (E3) - Agartha Dreamcast (E3) - Castlevania Resurrection Dreamcast (E3) - Shenmue 2 Dreamcast (Game Jam) - Scud Race Dreamcast Tech Demo (New Conference Challenge) - Tower of Babel Dreamcast Tech Demo (New Conference Challenge) - Sonic Adventure Tournament Disk Dreamcast (The Sega Dreamcat Mobile Assault Tour) - Samba de Amigo Dreamcast (E3) - Seaman Dreamcast E3 - Skie of Arcadia Dreamcast (E3) - Illbleed Dreamcast (E3)
More than 300 prototypes have been dumped, all of which are available for free download in the section “Dreamcast prototypes (not only) available to download”.
