Early Development of Cog Headquarters

Unused/Scrapped Content

This article or section contains information on something that was unused, scrapped, or removed from Toontown Online! Information about this article may be limited.

There's no way to prove it now.

This article is missing one or more pieces of important information.

Explanation: Needs further documentation

Game Design Documentation

4/12/2000

A document labeled "Toontown Concepts", created by Chuck Ballew and dated 4/12/2000, narrates several core gameplay ideas for Toontown. Listed under the heading "Ultimate Goal of the Game", there is a section dubbed "Suit Central Towers":

On the edges of Toontown are the main corporate offices for the Suits. These are tall, imposing buildings, in the most dangerous Neighborhoods. They are guarded by phalanxes of Suits, and can only be entered by the most experienced players, who have earned the right with a high score. But a player can't go in alone. They'll need to attack in groups if they stand a chance of winning.

There might be specialized obstacles inside. You might encounter a corridor filing cabinets, the drawers of which are constantly shooting opened and closed. You'll have to use just the right timing to avoid being bashed.

Any players who survive the final battle with the Head Honcho, will be honored in the HALL OF FAME, and will be allowed to battle other Hall of Famers in Pete's Pandemonium Palace.

Most players will never get this far, nor should they feel they need to. This is strictly for the battle-brains out there. Everyone else should have fun hanging out.

Backstage Cog Headquarters Development

2/20/2003

On Febrauary 20th, 2003, The first ever Backstage news post was made on Toontown's website.^[1]

Cog Headquarters is shaping up to be a much larger design than originally anticipated. The team is incredibly excited to finally be working on Cog HQ. We think we will have some really new and engaging experiences to offer when everything is complete.

Current Design

The story concept centers on the Cogs taking Toon prisoners. The Cogs have created permanent embankments on the outskirts of Toontown and are capturing and holding storekeeper Toons hostage. Groups of Toons will need to battle their way through numerous complex and unique areas to reach the final confrontation and rescue the captured Toons.

Current Status

High-level game design is just about finished and we are starting to work on concept art and blocking models for some of the larger elements that will make up Cog HQ. We will start mocking up some of the more experimental game play systems soon, and release them to the test server when we have something solid enough. We will be updating this section periodically in the upcoming months with more details and screenshots of Cog HQ as they are available.

Cog Headquarters will not actually be one building, but rather an entire neighborhood in itself. Outside the main HQ building will stand factories that create the Cogs. Pictured above is a screenshot of a blocking model of the "Arm Factory".^[2] Toons will be able to group up and enter the factories to battle Cogs inside.

[page 2]

Current Status Continued: Factories will not be simple 1-5 story buildings like the Cogs build on the streets, they will be complex arenas filled with traps, conveyor belts, doors, switches, and other surprises.

One of the goals of Cog HQ is to bring some new environments and gameplay challenges to the advanced player. Pictured above are some concept sketches for the building interiors around Cog HQ.^[3] We'd like to provide some areas outside battle that involve a little more action and strategy.

There will be more dynamic and interesting rooms inside Cog HQ that the Toons must navigate and battle through.

Hope you have enjoyed this first behind the scenes look at the Toontown development team. We're working hard to bring these new and exciting features to you - we think it will be worth the wait! We'll post more details about Cog HQ and other features we are cranking away on soon!

- The Toontown Development Team

6/29/2003

On July 29th, 2003, The 5th issue of the Toontown Times details another Backstage post about Cog Headquarters development.

All of the hard work on Cog HQ is starting to come together. We have started creating the interiors of the factory buildings. Each factory will house assembly lines where the Cogs are being manufactured. Toons will be sent on Cog part recovery missions to the factories in effort to stop the Cogs before they can propeller off into Toontown.

As we mentioned in the first issue of Backstage, Toons will work their way through each building, past a series of obstacles -- up and down elevator lifts, across conveyor belts, through doors -- while dodging heavy Cog-building machinery. We are in the process of building the obstacles within the factories and starting to get an idea of how the Toons will navigate their way through.

Robots in their pre-Cog state without their business suits will patrol the streets of Cog HQ.^[4]

In effort to go undetected by Cogs, you will need to think, act, and look like a Cog. To do that you will wear a Cog suit and travel in disguise. New tasks will be assigned for you to recover the pieces. Various Cog parts -- arms, legs, feet, etc -- will be acquired at the final battle in each factory when you will come to blows (or rather pies) with the big-boss-Cog.

Your Toon body will be replaced by the suit, with your head and name still showing.^[5]

Once all of the pieces have been found and your suit is complete, you will be able to gain access to the very well guarded main headquarters building. Don't even think about trying to go in without your suit: security cameras will spot you and Cog Goons will drag you right out the door.

Thank you for following up on the Cog HQ development. We are extremely excited about the progress so far and will continue to keep you updated on its evolution from concept to full-on Toontown neighborhood.