Dino Crisis 3 was never meant to take place in space...But 9/11 changed that

[Jawmuncher]

Recently Forerunner49 on the Dino Crisis Reddit uncovered some long forgotten information on Dino Crisis 3. As you can see above, the game when originally announced had nothing to do with Space. But rather was going to focus on a modern day setting where dinosaurs and humans were in constant conflict due to the time rifts that were presented in Dino Crisis 2. These time rifts would have effectively transported dinosaurs to numerous different time periods of mankind's development. Which is what Dylan and Regina at the end of Dino Crisis 2 were working on to prevent.

However, it seems the plans changed when 9/11 happened. The idea of a destroyed city apparently didn't sit well with Capcom. During that time, there were other games that changed certain aspects as to not hit too close to home with their american audiences. Dino Crisis 3 from its reveal in May 2001 would've just been in planning. Giving them enough time to shift gears on the setting and the story as a whole. Anyone familiar with Capcom's development knows that especially farther back. It wasn't uncommon for their teams to do a total 180 from their original concept or to make a concept into a whole new IP instead.

What spurred the search was two things. A old japanese comment from Shellfield

"前作『ディノクライシス2』発売から約8ヵ月後の2001年5月には、大都市を恐竜たちが暴れ回るという本作のイメージ画像が発表されていましたが、2001年9月に発生したアメリカ同時多発テロの影響か、当初のイメージとはかけ離れた作品に仕上がっています。"

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Translated

"About 8 months after the release of the previous work" Dino Crisis 2 "in May 2001, the image image of this work that the dinosaurs rampaged in big cities was announced, but occurred in September 2001 The influence of the September 11 terrorist attacks, or the work which is far from the original image is finished.

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and finding this image on the Angel Fire Dino Crisis Timeline Website (Under 2009 and failed mission). This is a very old site. Which is still used by the small but dedicated DC research community to get a hold of the timeline events in the series. There's another instance in the sources where another user mentions the 9/11 connection as well. Since this period of time was still rather shakey when it comes to documentation. This is the most likely scenario until someone asks Capcom directly on the history of development for DC3.

Regardless, it's interesting to think about where Dino Crisis could be right now had the original idea been kept intact. Though now the Dino Crisis 3 we have now at least makes a little more sense as to why it is the way it is. There's nothing further removed from destroyed cities than a game taking place in a spaceship with mutant dinosaur creations.

Sources:
Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/DinoCrisis/comments/83ciwm/dino_crisis_3_alternate_storyline/
itmedia: http://www.itmedia.co.jp/games/gsnews/0105/17/news04.html
CJs Xbox360 Diary (Be wary of some iffy auto-translate): http://blog.livedoor.jp/cj999/archives/50901644.html
Thanks to forerunner49 for finding and piecing this information together.

 

[WingStop Addiction]

I thought the concept in space was cool anyway but the gameplay execution and camera work was so bad, too bad.

 

[UltraGashInferno]

I don't get it, they totally overreacted. Unless the dinos were flying planes into buildings, I don't think anyone would've associated the game with 9/11.

Still doesn't explain the camera angles though.

 

[Caiusto]

I thought the concept in space was cool anyway but the gameplay execution and camera work was so bad, too bad.

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And the weapon's variety was awful.

 

[L Thammy]

Kind of cool to find this out about a game that's often forgotten - and maybe preferred forgotten - but the logic seems bizarre.

 

[YuriLowell]

Maybe they could revisit this idea in a Dino Crisis 4.

 

[Deleted member 1185]

I don't get it, they totally overreacted. Unless the dinos were flying planes into buildings, I don't think anyone would've associated the game with 9/11.

Still doesn't explain the camera angles though.

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I uhhh dont think you remember the climate too well at the time.

Any image of buildings collapsing or people fleeing debris was an instant reminder and there was a ton of caution in the aftermath about how and when these kind of things were depicted.

 

[Deleted member 16876]

I hope Bin Laden gets eaten to hell by a dinosaur in DC4 when Dino Crisis comes back...

 

[Deleted member 11093]

It'll never fail to amaze me how 9/11 managed to drastically changed the entertainment medium. Like I was aware of movies, tv shows and cartoons getting adjustments post-9/11 but never heard of it majorly affecting a video game until now, like, I heard of changing quests and characters, but an entire game setting? I'll be damned.

 

[Deleted member 15538]

Didn't even know there was a third game lol.

 

[kc44135]

Really interesting stuff, Jaw. I'm not sure the game would've turned out any better, tho. As bizarre and ill-fitting as the space setting was for the series, Dino Crisis 3's problems were rooted far deeper, within the gameplay itself. From a horrible camera to poor controls and combat, these were the real problems with DC3. Even with a better setting, the core of this game was still kinda rotten Imo, and still would've doomed the series.

 

[UltraGashInferno]

I uhhh dont think you remember the climate too well at the time.

Any image of buildings collapsing or people fleeing debris was an instant reminder and there was a ton of caution in the aftermath about how and when these kind of things were depicted.

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I remember playing Disaster Report less than a year after 9/11 and that game is basically all running away from falling buildings, without dinosaurs

I also remember the media covering "patriotic" people going nuts about anything that seemed a little like 9/11 but not knowing anyone in real life feeling that way.

edit: looks like disaster report was a little over a year after. my dang faulty memory

 

[Amalthea]

Wow, that's actually pretty close to what I expected DC3 to be, before it was announced.

 

[GrayFoxPL]

Damn, that's a shame. Maybe someday they'll do "real" Dino Crisis 3. Not necessary in the city, just not in the fucking space!

Dino Crisis is great, Regina - best SH girl.

 

[Code Artisan]

It'll never fail to amaze me how 9/11 managed to drastically changed the entertainment medium. Like I was aware of movies, tv shows and cartoons getting adjustments post-9/11 but never heard of it majorly affecting a video game until now, like, I heard of changing quests and characters, but an entire game setting? I'll be damned.

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_entertainment_affected_by_the_September_11_attacks#Video_games

also not mentioned here, advance wars got cancelled in japan

 

[antitrop]

I don't get it, they totally overreacted. Unless the dinos were flying planes into buildings, I don't think anyone would've associated the game with 9/11.

Still doesn't explain the camera angles though.

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Still not as much of an overreaction as the 2001 Clear Channel memorandum.

 

[Musubi]

That'ts a pretty interesting bunch of factoids.

 

[Masterspeed]

Son of a Bitch! That sounds so much cooler than Dinosaurs in SppaaaAaaAAAccee.

I really hope Capcom reboot the franchise.

 

[Slime]

So many multi-million dollar projects were altered or cancelled outright in those first couple years post-9/11 because they were worried about disturbing/offending people, and yet now 9/11-esque imagery is, like, a trope in every single big budget action movie.

 

[Hailinel]

I remember playing Disaster Report less than a year after 9/11 and that game is basically all running away from falling buildings, without dinosaurs

I also remember the media covering "patriotic" people going nuts about anything that seemed a little like 9/11 but not knowing anyone in real life feeling that way.

edit: looks like disaster report was a little over a year after. my dang faulty memory

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There was an entire cutscene in Metal Gear Solid 2 that was altered to remove large amounts of destruction in New York.

And Disaster Report 4 was temporarily cancelled after the Earthquake/Tsunami that struck Japan while it was still in development.

 

[JumpCancel]

If it wasn't for JawMuncher I wouldn't know anything about Dino-Crisis.

Thank you Jaw.

 

[Border]

I'm confused -- is there anything to support the idea that the changes in direction were due to September 11? Or is it just someone's speculation?

I don't know who "Shellfield" is.

 

[Jawmuncher]

I'm confused -- is there anything to support the idea that the changes in direction were due to September 11? Or is it just someone's speculation?

I don't know who "Shellfield" is.

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He was a fan of Sugimura (The writer of DC3) who was able to get in touch with him in the past.

 

[Zero-ELEC]

It'll never fail to amaze me how 9/11 managed to drastically changed the entertainment medium. Like I was aware of movies, tv shows and cartoons getting adjustments post-9/11 but never heard of it majorly affecting a video game until now, like, I heard of changing quests and characters, but an entire game setting? I'll be damned.

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Yeah, at most I'd heard how they took out some cutscenes in like MGS2, or games being delayed or not coming out, but affecting the game's scenario completely?

 

[bulletyen]

Never played it, but that piece of concept art in the OP really captures the imagination... Lost World vibes.... didn't seem like it would have mattered though, seemed like the setting was the least of that game's problems.

You want to cash in Capcom? Set the reboot in an amusement park.

 

[sfortunato]

This is the only known material of the original version of DC3?

 

[Deleted member 12790]

I don't get it, they totally overreacted. Unless the dinos were flying planes into buildings, I don't think anyone would've associated the game with 9/11.

Still doesn't explain the camera angles though.

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Bro, in the aftermath of 9/11, they banned the episode of the Simpsons where Homer goes to the WTC for years afterwards.

Anything dealing with NYC was very sensitive after 9/11 for quite a while.

 

[Akibared]

Holy shit I wish we got that!

 

[litebrite]

Bro, in the aftermath of 9/11, they banned the episode of the Simpsons where Homer goes to the WTC for years afterwards.

Anything dealing with NYC was very sensitive after 9/11 for quite a while.

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I remember after 9/11 hearinng Biggie's song Juicy lyrics "Time to get paid/Blow up like the World Trade" completely removed and silent after the "Paid" part whnever the song was played

 

[SpankyDoodle]

Bro, in the aftermath of 9/11, they banned the episode of the Simpsons where Homer goes to the WTC for years afterwards.

Anything dealing with NYC was very sensitive after 9/11 for quite a while.

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I feel like I remember seeing a list of songs that radio stations were temporarily banning too? I don't remember if that was just a rumor or what though.

 

[Hikari]

Wow, I never knew this. I didnt hate dino crisis 3 but I sure as hell thought the characters were related to Regina and Dylan as a kid. They truly disappointed me in the end.

 

[Arklite]

The change seems understandable but still strange how they went so far off into a different direction. They could've tweaked the setting and kept grounded survival themes. Instead they switched gears completely to concepts of a shape shifting starship and jetpack gameplay. Maybe the team would've made an awkward action game regardless.

 

[UnNamed]

Dino Crisis 3 always reminds me that plots with horse in the space or in a submarine in Notting Hill.

 

[Jawmuncher]

Some more info was found on the original concept by Forerunner here.

Google Translated
"The aim is to rescue people in the facility from a group of dinosaurs.This time, using a system that can attack dinosaurs with multiple partners, various human drama will develop according to how to play."

So once again. No mention of space or anything else as the original post I made stated.
It's interesting to think about where the series would've been had things gone to the original plan. The multiple partners thing sounds interesting. Perhaps something like Rainbow Six games during the time or Resident Evil 0 perhaps? Human Drama would've meant more focus on the characters in the story.

 

[sfortunato]

Some more info was found on the original concept by Forerunner here.

Google Translated
"The aim is to rescue people in the facility from a group of dinosaurs.This time, using a system that can attack dinosaurs with multiple partners, various human drama will develop according to how to play."

So once again. No mention of space or anything else as the original post I made stated.
It's interesting to think about where the series would've been had things gone to the original plan. The multiple partners thing sounds interesting. Perhaps something like Rainbow Six games during the time or Resident Evil 0 perhaps? Human Drama would've meant more focus on the characters in the story.

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I'd think something similar to RE0 might have been under works. Also, didn't Outbreak also have a cooperative attack?

 

[SkyMasterson]

They really did overreact. I appreciate them trying to be respectful though.

But man, it is interesting to see how things would have been different. Had the original plan stuck, the game woulr have released on PS2 and probably would have been a hit, thus continuing the series. That is a damn shame.

 

[Kyle Cross]

Wow, crazy but not unexpected. I remember the Twin Towers were a set piece in Sam Raimi's Spiderman, they were featured in the movie poster too. But the film got delayed and they cut those scenes out, changed posters, and I believe had to digitally alter out the towers in city shots.