Well, the costume has green eyes, so it has to have been at least 1999.... other than that, I'm stumped. Sega promoting some title? Sonic 2 & Sonic 1 special stage music, too. o_O
I remember a while back that there was a code to load the GUN boss area with a weird layout in Sonic Adventure 2: Battle. I think this was it: From here: H3GF-BJ5U-RE13E Q95B-WV0J-10V85 N0XK-UX2P-VNYVC The weird thing about this area is that if I remember correctly, the camera is completely fixed on one spot. You have full control of your character, but you can't look around. However, thanks to Dolphin and the ability to Free Look, you can get an idea of what the rest of the area has: I have no idea what this could be besides another 'test' map. If I remember correctly, there used to be a topic on CulT with someone going through the object sets in the game and found some other weird stuff. Too bad no one really cares about Sa2 these days. EDIT: If you look closely you notice that there are ring box icons in some places. That was because I hit a item box while using the free camera in Dolphin and that's what caused it to happen - nothing out of the ordinary. :P
Yeah, you're right. :\ I didn't think that they made new map files for the 2P maps that were based on other levels in the game. I went ahead and checked the game to see what files it loaded when loading the map with a code and loading the map normally just to see if at least the set file was different and it appears that loading the map with the code will load the non 2p set (set0058_s.bin and set0058_u.bin) and loading the map in 2P mode will load it with the set0058_2p_s.bin set0058_2p_u.bin set. Comparing the two sets with Hex Workshop shows some differences between the two, but looking at both maps it seems that the only difference is that the music isn't playing (because the match has to start before the music plays). That and the camera angle is different, but that's probably because the camera has to pan to the two players first before changing the camera mode to follow each character on a split screen. That's my guess anyway, but here's the output from Dolphin's logger: Code: Code (Text): 05:10:838 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 29 kB console.prs 05:10:848 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 11 kB al_panel.prs 05:10:852 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 5 kB chaosdrive_tex.prs 05:10:855 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 1 kB text_e.prs 05:10:857 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 1 kB mcwarn_e.prs 05:10:864 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 3 kB pressstart.prs 05:10:869 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 239 kB plcommtn.prs 05:10:917 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 93 kB ewalktex.prs 05:10:947 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 81 kB ewalkmdl.prs 05:10:966 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 2 kB zanki_egg1.GVR 05:10:968 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 2 kB zanki_egg2.GVR 05:10:969 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 23 kB walktex.prs 05:10:980 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 127 kB ewalkmtn.prs 05:11:008 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 10 kB ICON_BNRE.dat 05:11:050 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 1,122 kB se_ch_wk.mlt 05:11:080 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 74 kB b03_ewe.mpb 05:11:095 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 1,158 kB stg58D.rel 05:11:127 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 165 kB objtex_stg11.prs 05:11:169 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 694 kB objtex_stg58.prs 05:11:296 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 70 kB efftex_common.prs 05:11:340 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 242 kB objtex_common.prs 05:11:406 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 3 kB set0058_s.bin 05:11:413 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 0 kB set0058_u.bin 05:11:416 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 0 kB stg58cam.prs 05:11:424 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 0 kB stg58_light.bin 05:11:426 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 0 kB stg58_light_gc.bin 05:11:432 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 7 kB mh0058e.prs 05:11:445 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 3 kB mhsyse.prs 05:11:458 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 577 kB se_ac_ig.mlt 05:11:476 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 13 kB minimal_pen.prs Actual 2P selection: Code (Text): 07:57:951 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 29 kB console.prs 07:57:962 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 11 kB al_panel.prs 07:57:966 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 5 kB chaosdrive_tex.prs 07:57:969 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 1 kB text_e.prs 07:57:970 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 1 kB mcwarn_e.prs 07:57:978 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 3 kB pressstart.prs 07:57:983 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 239 kB plcommtn.prs 07:58:034 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 129 kB twalktex.prs 07:58:070 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 74 kB twalkmdl.prs 07:58:091 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 2 kB zanki_tails.GVR 07:58:093 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 23 kB walktex.prs 07:58:105 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 93 kB twalkmtn.prs 07:58:128 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 93 kB ewalktex.prs 07:58:149 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 81 kB ewalkmdl.prs 07:58:163 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 2 kB zanki_egg1.GVR 07:58:165 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 2 kB zanki_egg2.GVR 07:58:167 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 23 kB walktex.prs 07:58:175 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 127 kB ewalkmtn.prs 07:58:202 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 10 kB ICON_BNRE.dat 07:58:235 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 1,182 kB se_ch_wk_BATTLE.mlt 07:58:251 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 213 kB b03_wk_btl_e.mpb 07:58:257 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 1,158 kB stg58D.rel 07:58:275 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 165 kB objtex_stg11.prs 07:58:312 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 694 kB objtex_stg58.prs 07:58:427 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 70 kB efftex_common.prs 07:58:469 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 242 kB objtex_common.prs 07:58:551 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 3 kB set0058_2p_s.bin 07:58:553 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 0 kB set0058_2p_u.bin 07:58:556 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 0 kB stg58cam.prs 07:58:560 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 0 kB stg58_light.bin 07:58:563 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 0 kB stg58_light_gc.bin 07:58:569 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 7 kB mh0058e.prs 07:58:573 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 3 kB mhsyse.prs 07:58:585 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 577 kB se_ac_ig.mlt 07:58:596 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 13 kB minimal_pen.prs 07:58:614 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 7 kB game2ptex.prs 08:01:809 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 75,003 kB event_adx_e.afs 08:10:853 Src\FileMonitor.cpp:110 W[FileMon]: 1,863 kB btl_ig.adx While we're on the subject, I noticed that in the DC version that while STG00 (test stage) is gone, the camera and set files are in tact. I think the set files in the DC version are in a different byte order though (not sure, I'm probably very wrong). The set files for the test map itself doesn't have anything to load besides that white cylinder that you can pick up, but the set file for the Dreamcast indicates that there's more to it. Also, I noticed in both versions that there is set data and camera data for a STG01 - which doesn't exist in either version. The Dreamcast version also contains camera data for a STG 53/54/55 and light data for a STG 56, but I cant find a STG##.prs file for these - cutscenes or something else? These don't exist in the Gamecube version since as you can see from above, the new 2P mode maps are 46-59. You can take a look at these files here. I'm not too familiar with SA2 since it's been a while since I last played the game. But hopefully someone around here has checked the game out. :P
After converting the GC files to little endian, the SET0001 files are identical between versions. As for the SET0000 files from the DC version, the best way to see what they are would be to convert them with SETswitch and replace the files in SA2B with them.
The only problem is that I can't replace the set files in SA2B with GCMTool since the ones from the Dreamcast version are larger. I can probably shed a few bytes from the set file to make them equal but that may or may not work, and even if it did we'd be removing like half of the objects from the set. :\ Any ideas of what I could try to do?
chaosdrive_tex.prs Why would Chaos Drives be loaded in shooting 2P? It's the only one that doesn't need them!
I got the Dreamcast's SET file to load, but it wasn't easy. This is all that it has: 1.) Adds 6 1UPs 2.) Creates 3 steel boxes near the pit 3.) Adds a ring at the same spot where Sonic spawns If you're curious how I got it to load, this is what I did (this is just for personal reference in case I do something similar again): 1.) Get GCMTool and the DC/GC versions of SA2, something to extract the files from Dreamcast CDI/GDI images a Hex Editor, Dolphin, and the Test Level code 2.) Extract SET0000_S from both versions 3.) Used MainMemory's SETSwitch tool to convert SET0000_S from the Dreamcast version so the Gamecube version to use it. 4.) Open the newly converted SET0000_S file from the switch directory in Hex Workshop or your favorite Hex Editor 5.) Delete everything except for the first 64 bytes and save the file 6.) Open GCMTool, open the SA2B GCM and replace the SET0000_S.bin with the one you just edited in Hex Workshop by right clicking it (say yes to change TOC or whatever, don't think it matters too much) 7.) Open CMD and cd to the directory of Dolphin.exe and type in "Dolphin.exe -d" without the ". This will load Dolphin in debug mode. 8.) Add the Test Level Action Replay code to the Game Preferences in Dolphin (right click the game in the selection window after picking your ISO directory) 9.) Go to the Config window (where you can enable/disable dual core and idle skipping) and select "Enable Cheats" so the Test Level code can work 10.) Load up the SA2B GCM with the changes we made with GCMTool by double clicking on the game, and pressing the Play button right afterwards 11.) Load up the Hero story (preferred if you're playing a new game). If you already have a game save of SA2B, just go to the level select screen. 12.) Load up any Sonic stage by selecting the stage you want to play, select the mission, and as soon as you select the mission hold D-pad up and the test level should appear 13.) Once you're in the test level, go to the Memory tab in Dolphin's debugger and dump the memory (I just dump both) 14.) Exit Dolphin and go to the User/Dump directory and open ram.raw in Hex Workshop 15.) Now we need to find where in the memory it loads SET0000_S.bin, so open SET0000_S.bin from the Gamecube version and select a large amount of bytes (that are more specific and not just a bunch of 00s) and find those bytes in the memory dump. 16.) You should find one address depending on what you looked for. 17.) Count the amount of bytes it would take to get to the first byte of the SET0000_S.bin file, this is the address where the file starts in memory. For me, this was 00D471## or something. 18.) Now we have to make a "patch", open the game's configuration file in User/GameConfig (NTSC-U SA2B is GSNE8P.ini) 19.) Add a space the part below "[OnFrame] Add memory patches to be applied every frame here." and start creating a patch. This is the most difficult and tedious part of the process. Basically what I did was hand type every single byte address plus the changes that are going to be made at that address that aren't 00 in the original SET0000_S.bin file - which in this case for 131 ADDRESSES. I spent a whole hour hand typing addresses and bytes to change, and this is what I ended up: http://pastebin.com/MagHJjSx According to the memory dump, the memory region that we're working in is mostly 00s, we don't have to type each address if the value is going to be 00 so this saved me a lot of time. The reason why I replaced the original file with GCMTool before was so that I can shave off a few minutes typing each address. I understand that it probably wasn't the best idea and I could've saved much much much more time with some other method - but I love torturing myself. But anyway... 20.) After you write up something that looks similar to my pastebin (if you knew what you were doing) save the ini file, open Dolphin, activate the patch, run the game and try to get into the test level again and you should see your changes after you walk around a bit (you need to walk around for the stuff to pop up for some reason, whatever). I know, this was a little bit insane to do. But whatever. Save your nitpicks. :P
I think his death sprite is also the old one, as happens with Tails' flying sprites. But I do wonder if there's any differences between the small Knuckles sprite and the final proper sized one...
^ Fun Fact: I used to call it "the Batman Font" pre-Internet because I saw it in the show before I saw it in Sonic 3. There look to be some respectable lowercases in that shot, as opposed to the Andes variant where the lowercases are the normal-looking letters and the uppercases are all loopy and horrible.
So Sega of Japan still maintains catalogue pages for the old Sonic PC games http://sega.jp/pc/soniccd/ Sonic CD http://sega.jp/pc/sonicsc/ Sonic the Hedgehog the Screen Saver, which was released in 1996 and not 1997 as the wiki used to say (and was released alongside the Sonic CD port, interestingly) http://sega.jp/pc/sonicknu/ Sonic & Knuckles Collection I can't read Japanese so IDK what any of that says but ok. The full list of PC games has some more old stuff.
The "Warning" alarm is the same one later used during the Final Boss of Sonic 4 when Eggman drops the final hit.
They seem to have a bunch of stock, background sound effects that have been reused for years. Isn't the pot breaking sound in Unleashed and other new titles the same one from SA2?
The giant vertical laser beams in Shadow the Hedgehog make the button activation sound from PSO. I think that's as weird as it gets.
They have catalogues for everything they released in Japan. The ones that show up in the header of the page you linked. PC A few more lists that aren't directly shown: Gamecube Game Boy Advance Xbox Dreamcast And the remaining Sega consoles: http://sega.jp/archive/segahard/ (click on the console on the left and in the next page, the third button of the banner). If only the international site was that organised.
I've been going through those as well. There's several incomplete arcde pages to boot. What I notice is that quite a number of third party published games for the non-Sega consoles appear on Sega's list. Does this indicate Sega is just a distributor? Or co-publisher?
If you look on the non-Sega consoles lists, you'll see entries with the icon (this reads "Partners"); the name field shows the publisher on the top line and the game on the next line(s). For instance, the first entry on the GameCube list is THQ's Cars. ...SS? Are you looking for third-party games in the archive/segahard lists?