The Okage disc (edit to clarify: the localization prototype disc in the dump) has a file (in Japanese) logging somebody’s work on the localization. They’re all signed “Onitama”, who I assume is Yasuhi Takeda, who is credited as “Onitawa” and was the coding director for the game. Not really much to see.
Here are the first two updates:
2001/3/28 (onitama)
Update:
This is the first test for the U.S. version.
English test message data is implemented for Tenel and Field 1.
Luca’s (U.S. version) model (both field and battle) is implemented. [This is referring to the modified eyes given to Ari for the U.S. release]
All Japanese messages are garbled or blank.
I’ve implemented a transluscent background for the menu for the U.S. version (I’ll remove this if it causes any problems).
I’ve implemented a title song for the U.S. version.
I fixed a bug that caused a VRAM buffer overflow (debug2).
Updated PME data (Debug2)
2001/4/19 (onitama)
Update:
All English dialogue has been implemented (except for Stan’s quiz)
New NPCs added/replaced.
Replaced the treasure chest data displayed in the battle screen
Changed the formula for calculating combat experience.
Changed some values in Excel data.
Replaced movie files.
eta:
There’s also a file called “macro.H” which is filled with event flags, most with comments (in Japanese) describing the event or just a random comment (“Who took this old woman’s hat!?”).
This old title screen left on the Okage disc (all versions) has a credit for Sony’s second-party development house Sugar & Rockets, who went defunct in late 2000 (prior to the game’s release in any region). It seems like they just had a supervising role since Zener Works had no prior experience working with the PS2 (Okage started out on the 3DO M2 before the M2 was cancelled for the consumer market, so people from Sugar & Rockets were probably assigned to supervise the project to make sure they got it done and to assistant with any issues related to their inexperience with the PS2).
It was Animal Crossing that made it to release on 64DD, then was updated for GameCube. According to Japanese Wikipedia, Cubivore was initially developed for the N64 (doesn’t specify DD), was mostly complete (they started creating the manual and the packaging), but they decided to cancel that because the N64 was at the end of its life and they postponed it for the GameCube.
As a part of all these Metal Max games they’re announcing they had an anniversary stream where they showed off the design document for the cancelled PS1 Metal Max 3, and a video of the cancelled Dreamcast Metal Max Wild Eyes:
