Savannah (lost build of cancelled Xbox 360 Kinect prototype; 2006-2007)
Savannah was a Xbox 360 prototype made in 2006 by Rare Ltd. This was one of the many Rare prototypes made for Microsoft to test out their new motion camera for Xbox, which later became the Kinect. It was also one of several Rare prototypes that were made, but were either canned or never greenlit in the process. Savannah was the brainchild of artist Phil Dunne, who worked on such previous works as Donkey Kong Country 3 and Killer Instinct 2.
Gameplay
In Savannah, you controlled a lion cub, from birth to adulthood, with many challenges and survival and social tactics along the way for you to survival in the more realistic wilds of the African savanna. It is said to be a natural simulator of sorts (a few elements were set in stone at the time), some even go as far as to say it is like a "realistic Viva Pinata." They were going for a more realistic style to the animals and was said to have "great graphics", like giving the lions and hyenas a custom shell system. The team didn't know how good the camera was, but tried to work with the motion camera anyhow.[1]
Cancellation
Finally, after a little more than a year in production, Savannah was turned down by Microsoft. Microsoft wanted their new motion camera (later called the Kinect) to be more fitted and costumed to children rather than a more mature audience. There were also plans to make a "hybrid motion controller" (which was mainly just a one button controller with a tilt thing on it) for this Kinect game, but that was canned aswell.[2]
Availability
Aside from some pictures, and a couple videos uploaded to Dailymotion, there is almost nothing about the game on the internet. Some of their work might have been reworked into the Kinect game Kinectimals, but that is just a speculation.[3]
There was also a prototype theme song that was uploaded to YouTube (by JO ThumbsUpMaster) and Soundcloud (by Steve Burke, another ex-staff member from Rare). The final version would have had a proper orchestra and choir. Sometime though between 2012-2017, it was blocked off on YouTube. On August 15th, 2017, though, it was unlisted and back onto YouTube. The Soundcloud version is also still up.[4]
Gallery
Videos
References
- ↑ The Unseen64 article on "Savannah." Last retrieved 14 Aug 2017
- ↑ Another Eurogamer interview Chris Seavor, who talks about Savannah and its "hybrid controller". Last retrieved 14 Aug 2017
- ↑ A Kinect website talking about Savannah. Last retrieved 14 Aug 2017
- ↑ The Soundcloud upload by Steve Burke. Last retrieved 15 Aug 2017