Rance IV:Cut Content

This page details content cut from Rance 4.

Type 100 Spy Plane
A key object called the "Type 100 Spy Plane" exists in the game's data, with the following description, fully translated into English by the English patch.

A debug fighter the imperial army uses to scout out maps. With this, the map can be explored freely. (Equipped with two 20mm cannons.) If used, Rance will claim he is riding the fighter, at which point the game will softlock. If the code involved is corrected, the game will make an equally faulty attempt to get key input from the user (which will fail), at which point Rance will return from "scouting" with no changes. There is no attempt to actually use the input from the user, even if it were correctly handled.

It is possible that the plane was used (or was intended to be used) as a level select tool at some stage, but all code related to its function was removed (or never implemented).

Unused Equipment
Several unused equipment items are present in the game's code. These include:
 * Darkness Stick: A Dark-Aligned staff with 12 ATK and 20 STR. Notably, this would be the most powerful Staff in the game if it had been included (Freak's Rocket Punch, technically a Staff, has higher ATK but much lower STR).
 * Sefran Clothes: 10 DEF.
 * Priest Clothes: 8 DEF. Resist Dark.
 * Steel Armor: 27 DEF.

Mysterious Paper
While not cut content, this "feature" is easily missed. The "Map" option available from the dungeon right-click menu is actually tied to the "Mysterious Paper" item given to Rance by Sill at the start of the game, which the Item menu tells you is a map. Sure enough, if Rance tosses the paper, not only will he never get it back, but the Map feature will cease to work without any explanation from the game (the menu item essentially does not function).

In an oversight of sorts, throwing away the paper also makes it impossible for the player to check the current time, as the time is only displayed when you check the map.

Odd Code
The Okayu Fever has an error in its coding: it has no default sprite location in data. Like several other enemies in the game, it appears on multiple sprite sheets, but neither of these is considered the "default." This never becomes a problem because it has "variant" code for all possible sprite sheets. This odd coding tweak may imply that the Fever was removed from its original default map at some stage in development, but it could just as easily be a simple flub.

Green Hannies can become "Happy Green Hannies" worth bonus EXP if they land a 1-in-100 roll when spawned. But for some reason - possibly to discourage RNG manipulation? - the game breaks Alicesoft coding conventions and goes out of its way to check for a roll of "5" out of 100, no more or less.

Unused Monster
Tucked in alongside the monster combat sprites is a sprite of a girl holding a pair of shoes and chuckling. No data exists for this enemy in the code. Given the difference in art style, this was either intended as a rough sketch or doodle, or as a bonus enemy similar to Shivan (who not only stylistically resembles her, but is stored right next to her on the sprite sheet).

Notably, this appears to be an early version of the Shoe Thief (くつとり女) enemy from Mamanyonyo/Widenyo, released a whole ten years later.