The Dark Souls franchise may have started almost 10 years ago, but it’s become a staple series in the gaming industry. At some point, many title releases to follow often referenced the series with hot words like “Dark Souls-like gameplay.” Despite its infamous difficulty settings, renown environments and controls, all the work invested into the final product, there was plenty of rejected ideas as well. Thanks to the faithful digging of one fellow fan, plenty of them have been uncovered.

Dark Souls III was a gorgeous game that tested one’s patience and skill. In the end, not all ideas could be implemented, but that doesn’t mean they should be kept unknown. Thanks to Lance McDonald, fans can take a look at the game’s alpha stage. With the help of controlled ceremonies, McDonald walks through all the neat details that didn’t make the final cut. What’s up with those flying serpents? Check it out below:

The ceremony database for is a “set of parameters that Dark Souls III uses to dynamically change the world state or time of day,” according to McDonald. In the video, he digs and focuses on several details left in the game’s alpha that weren’t included in the final cut including some interesting serpents in the sky, some of which he couldn’t explain. However, there are interesting theories for those looking to dive in deeper. The major differences are seen switching between the time of day with details and lighting that completely changes the overall ambiance.

For now, there’s only speculation as to why FromSoftware decidedly replaced these visual differences. There are some pretty neat ideas that would have looked phenomenal if the team had chosen to implement them. What do you think of the flying serpents excluded from Dark Souls III? Would you have liked to see where they would run with it? Let us know what you think in the comments section below or start a conversation on DFTG Facebook page. To stay up to date on gaming news as it happens, follow us on Twitter! Here’s some of our latest:

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Dark Souls III is available to play now on PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4.