Namco’s 1999 Press Kit (2): Ace Combat 3

Last time, I explained how to extract the long-forgotten Namco 1999 Press Kit. Now it’s time to look at the Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere stuff in there!

I later learned from the Load Word Team that they had discovered the disc earlier, but didn’t keep any records. So the disc wasn’t long-forgotten after all!

Beta Screenshots

The folder Ace Combat 3/JPN version/screenshots contains some oddly-named subfolders. DragonSpikeXIII identified that they represent the game during different stages of completion:

1998-10-28: 50%

The alpha version of Expo City (brighter, without its iconic underground airport).

AC01.BMP – a screenshot from an alpha version of Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere, showing the F-22C flying over Expo City AC09.BMP – a screenshot from an alpha version of Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere, showing the F-22C flying over Expo City AC12.BMP – a screenshot from an alpha version of Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere, showing the F-22C flying over Expo City AC13.BMP – a screenshot from an alpha version of Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere, showing the F-22C and the EC-17U flying over Expo City AC14.BMP – a screenshot from an alpha version of Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere, showing the F-22C and the EC-17U flying over Expo City AC23.BMP – a screenshot from an alpha version of Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere, showing the F-22C flying over Expo City

1998-11-20: 70%

1998-12-18: 80%

Expo City is closer to the final version. A cheat mode was enabled, as no damage level is being displayed and the mission timeout is inactive.

10.BMP – a screenshot from a beta version of Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere, showing the F-16XF flying over Comona Island 22.BMP – a screenshot from a beta version of Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere, showing the R-101 dogfighting an EC-17U 24.BMP – a screenshot from a beta version of Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere, showing the R-101 dogfighting an EC-17U 25.BMP – a screenshot from a beta version of Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere, showing F-22C dogfighting an R-101 27.BMP – a screenshot from a beta version of Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere, showing the F-22C dogfighting an XFA-36A 36.BMP – a screenshot from a beta version of Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere, showing the EF-2000E above Expo City 37.BMP – a screenshot from a beta version of Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere, showing the EF-2000E above Expo City 39.BMP – a screenshot from a beta version of Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere, showing the EF-2000E above Expo City 40.BMP – a screenshot from a beta version of Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere, showing the EF-2000E above Expo City 41.BMP – a screenshot from a beta version of Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere, showing the EF-2000E above Expo City 42.BMP – a screenshot from a beta version of Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere, showing the EF-2000E above Expo City 43.BMP – a screenshot from a beta version of Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere, showing the cockpit view from a F-15S/MT above Comona Island 44.BMP – a screenshot from a beta version of Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere, showing the cockpit view from a F-15S/MT above Comona Island

1999-01-23: 85%

Now with character portraits and the subtitle box.

High-Resolution Character Artwork

Drawings of Dision, Erich, Fiona, and Rena in unprecedented quality (up to 1400×1800 pixels, lossless compression).

High-Resolution Video Stills

Stills from the game’s cutscenes in unprecedented quality (720×396 instead of the game’s 320×176, lossless compression).

U505_0.TGA U505_1.TGA IM01.TGA IM02.TGA IM03.TGA IM04.TGA IM05.TGA IM06.TGA IM07.TGA IM08.TGA IM09.TGA IM10.TGA IM11.TGA IM12.TGA IM13.TGA IM14.TGA IM15.TGA IM16.TGA IM17.TGA IM18.TGA IM19.TGA IM20.TGA IM21.TGA