Whoa; this was unexpected.
So, apparently Chykka, Dark Samus II, and Emperor Ing
at the very least got their fights simplified some time before release?
Couple that with a ton of cut enemies and combat mechanics.
I'm really wondering how rushed this game was.
edit: oh shit, I didn't realize how old that post was; I kinda vanished for a while, sorry. Uh, lemme try to dig something up so that I can justify this post?
well, if nothing else, here's the old Spider Guardian scan date, revealing its (stupid) original name
Morphology: Spiderling
Spider Ball Powered Darkling.
Creature uses Spider Ball to cling tightly to walls. Disruption of local magnetic field can dislodge it, exposing it to attack.
This darkling Pillbug has absorbed the power of the Spider Ball. It can travel over magnetically-charged surfaces at will; removing the charge will cause it to fall, exposing its vulnerable belly. Before that, its exoskeleton will be impervious to any attack.
More interesting: sounds kinda like a Quad? Describes a fight that's not like anything in the final game, though. I'm pretty sure that the enemy described here is what turned into the Quad, but it's certainly shifted more than a bit from the original plans.
Except, uh, the Quad scans are present as Splitters? I don't know; I'm confused.
Mechanism: Ingkiller
Rogue Termination drone.
Powerful security unit armed with beam weapons. Target limbs to disable them and damage the unit.
The Ingkiller was designed to protect points of entry within the Luminoth Fortress from the Ing; it now seeks to eliminate all living things. Its four attack limbs can be disabled, forcing it to use a secondary beam attack to defend itself. The beam system requires sensor updates to function; a vulnerable detection unit will extend periodically to search for targets. Destroy it to take the beam offline.
Oh, and another old guardian entry - Jump Guardian. Which, apparently, came after you got the Light Beam.
Morphology: Jump Warrior Ing
Space Jump Powered Ing.
Powerful metamorph with enhanced jump abilities. Vulnerable to Light Beam attacks.
This Warrior Ing has absorbed the power of the Space Jump Boots. It can leap incredible distances and heights, and uses this ability to great effect in battle. As with all Ing, they are fearful of pure light energy. Use this to your advantage.
Speaking of things with funky names, the logbook entry for Metroid calls them Alpha Metroids. No, it doesn't describe actual Alphas.
edit:
...0_98a748c4.STRG in NoARAM.pak is, uh, interesting. As in "holy shit, how many versions of the Emperor Ing fight did they go through" interesting.
Morphology: Emperor Ing
Ruler of the Ing Horde.
Target has absorbed large amounts of Phazon. Unstable biostructures detected; target crystalling masses to damage enemy.
Bioscans indicate that this is the eldest, strongest Ing in the Horde, the alpha and the omega. It has absorbed enormous amounts of Phazon into its body, energizing and mutating it in the process. Strangely, some of the Phazon has become unstable as a result; target clusters of crystallized Phazon to damage the enemy with feedback from their destruction.
So, not only is there a version that got pared back from its original (very long, presumably, given how long the fight already runs) form to produce the present version - and that late enough that the initial US release has the wrong scan data! - but there's apparently
this one as well.
I wonder if there's anything left of this version of the fight?
Oh, no, wait. Look what I found at 0_80a9b07d.STRG. It's not a different Mutated Emperor Ing, it's just a completely cut phase of the fight. The current version (or at least what they cut to produce the current version) was still there at the time.
Morphology: Emperor Ing
Mutated Ruler of the Ing Horde.
Further phazon mutation has occurred. Ability to form protective energy barriers in place. Opposite-polarity beam attacks will breach them. Once the barriers are down, target exposed weak areas to inflict damage.
Further exposure to Phazon has mutated the Emperor Ing. It is now capable of shielding its vulnerable areas with energy barriers. Beams of opposite polarity can damage these barriers, however. Heavy damage to the barriers will cause them to drop, exposing the creature's weak spots. Target the weak spots to immobilize and damage the enemy.
Early Emperor Ing! A boss's boss! A boss's boss's boss! A boss that apparently had like thirty different phases! Gee, I wonder why they changed that?
Also, the chrysalis only had 8 weak points.
Also, you know why the Boost Guardian is such an asshole? Because, apparently, it wasn't what they were originally planning for that fight. 0_29f9d821.STRG:
Morphology: Boostlet
Boost Powered Inglet.
Boost Ball ability grants great speed to enemy. Lure it into destroying crystals in area; the energy within will damage the creature.
This Inglet has absorbed the power of the Boost Ball. It is capable of energizing its body and boost-blasting it toward its enemies as a weapon. The presence of the Boost Ball has made the Inglet nigh-invulnerable; only pure light energy can damage it now. Expose the creature to pure light to destroy it.
In general, Metroid Prime 2 really should've gotten a traditional Nintendo Delay.
Hey, guess what?
Morphology: Emperor Ing
Unstable Ing Biomass."Central "heart" mass is vulnerable to attack. A sonic disruption field is fouling your lockon sensors. Recommend Echo Visor for targeting."
Phazon disruption has left the Emperor Ing an unstable mass of biomatter. Its "heart" is vulnerable to attack, though it scrambles most lock-on systems. It emits a high-frequency signal, however - the Echo Visor can detect this. Engage the "heart" to damage the enemy while evading attack from its minions.
0_18c767d3.STRG has a scan for yet another cut Emperor Ing phase! Haha, what the fuck. I seriously think they left more of this fight on the cutting room floor than they included in the final game.
