Danganronpa DISTRUST (ダンガンロンパ DISTRUST), Developed during: OCT 2007 - 2009. was a prototype murder mystery visual novel developed by Spike for the PlayStation Portable. The game was scrapped and never released because it was too gruesome, but many elements of the project were redeveloped into Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc, along with the Zero Escape series.
DEVELOPMENT
Before development began on Danganronpa DISTRUST, Spike had two-year period from October 2007 - October 2009 where most of the company's releases were either sequels or adaptations of existing franchises, with very few new original titles. This led to a drive to develop some new intellectual properties.Kazutaka Kodaka gave a game proposal to producer Yoshinori Terasawa, with a general outline of "15 teenagers killing time or our 7 days survival war" (15少年少女殺戮期 もしくはボクらの7日間生存戦争). At this early stage, emails sent between Kodaka and Terasawa show that the idea of "Psychopop Highschool Detective Mystery" (サイコポップ 学園推理ミステリー), the main concept of the Danganronpa franchise, was already formed. The game was a pure visual novel, containing none of the action elements of the final game. Kodaka continued to develop the game into a "High Speed Reasoning Action" genre, with 2.5D motion graphics, and trial system where the students are executed by majority voting. The game featured red blood, and gruesome executions.The game was intended for Sony's PSP because of the lower development costs, and because the system was very welcoming for unique games. However, the low sales figures for PSP games and the niche genre meant that it would be difficult for the game to be profitable.The more gruesome aesthetic of this prototype version of the game and the seeming lack of marketability led to Danganronpa DISTRUST's cancellation, until it was later reworked further into what became Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc.
CHARACTERS
The characters shown in images from a presentation of Danganronpa DISTRUST are prototype designs of the main characters of Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc.
This photo shows the earliest designs for the protagonist and the rest of the students. There's also a very weird thing in the white square that's believed to be the face of the mastermind telling the viewer to hush, given the big black eyes and the single finger over the mouth.The translation say:«Characters, 15 highschool students.
15 students participating in the killing game.
At first they seem like strangers to each other...
And every time the story continues, it becomes clearer...Protag: 2nd year in highschool, male.
Can adapt fast and hates standing out.
Suddenly loses consciousness while on his way home, when he comes to his senses he's in this setting in the killing school.(Right Side)
Examiner
Speaks to the students through the speakers of the school, he seems like the person who's hosting this killing game. What is his goal?»
The characters shown in images from a presentation of Danganronpa DISTRUST are prototype designs of the main characters of Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc.
Some characters were given different names before their final name was chosen:
-Leon Kuwata was known as Kazuo Matsuzaki.-Hifumi Yamada was known as Yuji Ando.-Kyoko Kirigiri was known as Gyaru Kirigiri.-Makoto Naegi was known as Shujinkō (主人公 lit. Protagonist).-Celestia Ludenberg was known as S. Rudenberg (as well as Yasuhiro Isogai).-Kiyotaka Ishimaru was known as Kiyotaka Ishiru.-Mondo Owada had the surname Kurosaki, while their first name was displayed as Kazuo.
Monokuma's original design, known as "Phantom", was distinctly human, with visible internal organs, being made to resemble an anatomy doll. Despite being very different from the bear design seen from Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc onward, the original design still featured the split half-black, half-white design. Despite being humanoid, according to producer Yoshinori Terasawa, Monokuma was always intended to be a robot.
This is the second beta design for Monokuma. It's more closer of the known one we got but with little differences like: Monokuma's body that looks a little bit different, blood on his right side and paws on his hands and feet.
GAMEPLAY
While little footage or materials of the game have been released to the public, some noticeable changes from the final version of Trigger Happy Havoc were visible in the presentation materials:
During Class Trials, a meter called the Trust/Distrust Meter was seen, which gauges how much fellow students trust or distrust the player over five levels. This is likely to be an early prototype of what became the Influence Gauge.
Tough Decisions would occasionally present themselves, which would open up branching paths and alternative endings to the story. The choices made would influence the Trust/Distrust Meter, and with a maximum trust level a character would become your ally during investigations. The level of the meter would also determine which murders would occur.
Weak Points appear in dialogue boxes, instead of the floating text seen in Trigger Happy Havoc.
Executions in the style of an unanimated manga strip, rather than the fully animated executions seen later. The strip featured an early version of Junko being decapitated by guillotine. The blood featured is red, rather than the pink used in Danganronpa.
A rhythm trial game featuring bullets with trial information that need to be selected with the correct timing. This is similar to the minigames featured in the final game class trials.
Possibly the most gruesome photo, this features what seems to be early designs of Toko, Kyoko, Leon", and Yasuhiro exploring around a rusted basement that has a box filled with blood spilling out onto the floor, with some blood also splattered against a pillar. The next features a bloody severed head of a girl that is looking at the viewer as blood is spewing from their mouth, placed on box that has the number 15. There's also a bloody severed hand that's still gripping what seems to be a portable mirror. This is possibly the character being sliced into pieces Kazutaka Kodaka mentioned in a interview. The words doubt and caution can be also seen in the image with a scanner code. (The music "Box 15" of the Soundtrack of Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc is maybe a reference of this).
Here's the translation:«Gameplay flowIntroduction > First part > 2nd part > 3rd part > Multiple endings (changing depending on who survived and who killed).Flow of first part : "Blackened gets chosen" (People get suspicious of each other, who's getting murdered? That kind of thrill).A murder happens > Look for the blackened (investigation): You don't know who's your ally, so you'll have to figure it probing everyone. You might end up giving the killer information... and make allies who you can trust.Trials: Everyone has to participate in this vote. Not only will you have to solve this mystery, but you'll have to listen to everyone's opinion while controlling the number of votes.Trials results.»
The whole idea of multiple endings was scrapped completely from the final game, which goes for a heavily linear experience. It also seems that the game was also only in 3 parts (or 3-4 chapters), and the concept of making allies or accidentally giving the killer information as some sort of punishment mechanic was also scrapped.
Translation:«Investigation Part: chasing the blackened! Collect Keywords! Investigate places that stand out... Explore the mysterious school!"This is..." Collect keywords that can become clues in preparation for the trial! You can check the others' whereabouts on with the icon on the map.»
This concept was brought over completely to the final game. The photo also shows a basement with yellow pipes and a dart item, possibly used to commit murder. Both of these are nowhere to be found in the final game along with a early menu.
VIDEOS
Two of the only videos circulating that features in-game footage is an execution of Kazuo Matsuzaki (who would later be renamed Leon Kuwata) after he murdered Gyaru Kirigiri (later renamed Kyoko Kirigiri). This execution is very similar to the final version of Leon's execution, although this version features a scrolling selection instead of the slot machine, notable red blood and Kazuo's visible corpse at the end of the execution.
But during the conference at the Japan Expo in France for Danganronpa V3, an alternative version of the execution of Kazuo Matsuzaki was shown with different music.
It's very likely that the overall look of classroom *5-C" in Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc is a nod to Danganronpa DISTRUST, as it strongly resembles images of a classroom shown in the Danganronpa DISTRUST presentation. This classroom is the only room in the game to feature red blood instead of pink, and Monokuma comments that he "just left it exactly how [he] found it."
The scrapped background images are based off real-life locations. The ruined classroom above is based off the exhibition 'Detroit in Ruins' by Yves Marchand and Romain Meffre, and the general area takes inspiration from the (now abandoned) Saint Margaret Mary's Catholic School in Detroit as well as St. David Catholic school.
TRIVIA
In the Soundtrack of Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc, a music is named DISTRUST in reference of Danganronpa: Distrust.
The idea of the students slowly realizing they're actually connected in some form was brought over for the final game. However, the backstory of the protagonist entering the main setting is different, as in the final game he falls unconscious when entering the school rather on his way home. Secondly, the protagonist is a second-year student, while in the final game, the protagonist is a first-year student.