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"Are you lost too? I've been lost for as long as I can remember." |
The City of Calcite and Adventure was the predecessor name to Mafia Town that was seen in early Steam Greenlight promotional material.
Mafia Boss, and The Coffee Clerk were added into the game during this stage of development. Tim, Tim's Friend, Mafia Cooks, and Mustache Girl from the previous version of the level returned in this stage of development. Additionally, the cut detective NPC uses a placeholder model of Hat Kid instead of Mustache Girl.
Story[]
The following blurb is an early story concept that was found on the "Slagapedia" Wiki:
"Tim used to be a cardboard cutout. When Tim was promoted to ultimate Time Lord of the universe, the previous Time Lord told him before walking out the door: "Just don’t have a meltdown, OK?" From that day forward, Tim would remind himself daily to never have a meltdown. The consequences would be dire if there were no law and order in the universe. He put up a poster in his office to remind himself never to have a meltdown. He would make it appear on his phone every time he used it. He whispered it to himself before he went to sleep. It was only a matter of time before he had a meltdown. His attempts to prevent it, caused it. Now there is no law and order in the universe, and it’s slowly falling apart, one piece at a time. Hat Kid collects these time pieces in the shape of objects scattered around history. If they get into the wrong hands, they can be used for evil. It isn't about saving the universe per se, its the struggle of whether to let the universe go its own way or if we are allowed to manipulate it. Hat Kid is from space and goes around destroying time objects in order to let the universe remain untouched. She does this due to an event in her past. Moustache Girl has lived in the white city all her life and watch it be ruled and tyrannized by The Mafia of Cooks. She wants to take matters into her own hand and save everyone, using the time objects. The game is the struggle between the two. Moustache Girl isn't evil per definition, but she is evil to Hat Kid, and vice versa."
"The first chapter is set in the City of Calcite and Adventure. It is a mountain side city with an upwards-flowing river. They're a chef mafia, and they're bullying the entire town to get the best sea food and promote their own luxurious restaurant. They even demand "protection fish" from the town's citizens and cafés — they're totally mean! Getting into the Mafia of Cooks' restaurant requires a good plan, you must use your assassin instincts to become the enemy. To blend in like never before. Inventor has plenty of ideas for it. In fact, he has way too many! Hat Kid asks for a ladder, gets a gigantic steampunk cannon! Delicious Monster Meal are one of the enemies that Hat Kid will meet in Chapter 1. After the mafia of cooks have been defeated, it's time for a party!"[1]
Locations[]
The Tailor was located directly next to Seaside Spaghetti as opposed to its location in the final game.
Gameplay[]
According to William T. Nicholls, the lead 3D Artist, a scene would have featured a Mafia Goon capturing Hat Kid in the basement of Seaside Spaghetti. Time would freeze, turning the surrounding area monochrome, the Mafia Goon would turn into a cardboard cutout, and Tim and Tim's Friend would give Hat Kid her choice of weapon, all of which would just result in the umbrella. Upon attacking the cardboard cutout, the Mafia Goon would return to normal, and killing him resumed time. This would result in the silhouette of Mustache Girl to appear in a nearby window and ask Hat Kid if she wanted to take down more Mafia.
One of the Acts would have Hat Kid make herself dirty in order to disgust the Mafia Goons blocking the entrance to Seaside Spaghetti, letting her enter and rescue the Coffee Clerk inside. Another Act had Hat Kid help the Coffee Clerk get his birds back.
Mustache Girl joined Hat Kid at the end of Act 1 and could be issued a command that allowed Hat Kid to bounce off of her with a jump boost. After sneaking through Mafia HQ, the Act led to a boss battle themed around a stage drama with the Mafia Boss. Unlike its final incarnation, This version of the fight was a 3D battle. Some of the text from this version of the fight was found leftover in the Alpha Build that was made available to Kickstarter Backers/Slackers :
mafiaboss.int
[battle] intro0 = Let the show... [big][scream]begin!![/scream][/big] sceneb0 = In this scene, we're on our honeymoon! Our love is fruitful and endless! sceneb1 = What is this! You're having an affair!? sceneb2 = I am fueled with endless rage and will now act irrationally with violence!!
mafiatown.int
[act2battle_cutout] cutout0 = Hello, I am your handsome lover. What a pleasant surprise to run into you this fine evening.
Chapter 1 was eventually renamed to Down With The Mafia at some point during this development period.
Music[]
A song named "A City Of Calcite And Adventure", was composed by Edgar Phoete and is available on SoundCloud.
Hourglass/Limbo Hub[]
At this point in development, each chapter featured it's own hourglass HUB area. The main boss would be visible outside of the hourglass, with Chapter 1 featuring a Mafia Goon. The HUB areas would have multiple settings depending on the time period being played, with The City of Calcite and Adventure having 3 planned. These were as follows:
- 1) Past: Oppressed by the Mafia of Cooks
- 2) Present: Celebrating the defeat of the Mafia
- 3) Future: Post-apocalyptic future after plague attack
Each setting would have its own entrance. Chapter 1's HUB area also functioned as a short tutorial, teaching players basic movement controls in one of the early prototype builds.
Tying everything together was a map with doors leading to each chapter's individual HUB area. Ultimately, these individual HUB areas were scrapped in favor of Hat Kid's Spaceship.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- The hourglass HUB area model was later modified and used in the beta exclusive bonus act Beta Hero's Challenge. Additionally the assets for both the Limbo and Hourglass Hub remain inside the final game's files and can be used with the modding tools.
- Some of the assets of this level still remain in the final version of the game in the harbor directory.
| Cut Content | |
|---|---|
| Major Characters | Hat Adult • Moonjumper • Timmy |
| Hostile Characters | The Shapeshifter • Rough Patch • Light Plant • Pink & Yelo Plants • Blob Marley • Moon Kitten |
| Support Characters | Tim, CEO of Time • Tim's Friend • Thor • Oldster • Sandworm • Bird Companion |
| Minor Characters | Science Owls • The Narrator • Sam the Detective |
| Levels | Beta Hero's Challenge • Music Room • Rectangles • Sand n' Sails • Harbor • The City of Calcite and Adventure • Moon Stars |