Heres some interesting things to think about in regards to this Sonic 2 prototype build drx found. As everyone had mentioned already, we can see that everything from the Sonic 2 Nick Arcade prototype is identical to Sonic 2 prototype drx found (should this have originated from the Nick Arcade, there is no proven fact yet other then it everything from the Nick Arcade is identical to the Sonic 2 Prototype drx found). Read this old magezine article from Sega Force July 1992 in which Roger Kean shares his experience when at the Chicago Consumer Electronics Show May 28 1992 here. His descriptions sound familiar and can relate to the Sonic 2 prototype drx found. So here are some possibilities: 1) SEGA at the time was making mass copies of this particular build. Nick Arcade manage to get a copy, the Chicago Comsumer Electronics Show showed a copy, and VG&CE had a copy. 2) This particular build drx found may have traveled to several different places, from the CCES, from the Nick Arcade to the VG&CE. First possibility sounds more accurate though. I doubt a single copy of this build ended up going to several different places. Looking back on the interview with Yuji Naka and Heidi Kemps, you see that Yuji Naka doesn't really specify what was exactly in that Sonic 2 prototype that was stolen other then he talks about HPZ. Thing is, both Simons S2 proto and Drxs S2 proto has the same HPZ layout. Makes you wonder. Was it really Simons copy that got stolen, or was it just another copy of the build like the one drx found in which got stolen. Another interesting thought. In drxs S2 proto, the only actual Sonic 2 levels that are in that build is EHZ, HPZ, CPZ and HTZ. However, EHZ and HPZ in comparison to CPZ and HTZ are apparently more developed although not complete. When you think about it, it almost makes sense why only two levels were more developed. Look at the mock-up pictures of EHZ and HPZ (Aside from the desert zone picture). While the mock-up pictures of EHZ and HPZ weren't exactly from the game, that tells you that they were one of the earliest levels to undergo serious productions into the game while the rest of the levels were still being developed. Has anyone found this yet in drxs S2 proto? If that is in the prototype drx found, I would be very curious about it still. As we've noticed in drx S2 proto, there's a lot of badniks (like the Crocodile badnik, Buzz Bomber etc.) which are accessable (quite a few only being accessable) in HPZ through debug mode. Including the Triceratops which they showed in the HPZ mock-up picture. We're still not quite sure if that wierd patch did relate to the HPZ mock-up background. Now if it did, I'd say I'm starting to see a closer connection between that HPZ mock-up picture and the actual (drxs S2 proto) HPZ as far as what that pictured showed, and what HPZ actually has. Not saying any of those mock-up pictures were from the actual game, but some of the stuff the mock-up pictures show may have really ended up in those actual levels at first (especially HPZ). Interesting how (in drxs S2 proto) the Buzz Bomber can be accessable in a lot of the levels through debug mode. In way, it almost can relate to how the Buzz Bomber was shown in two different mock-up levels (EHZ and that desert zone) in the sense of being placable in different levels. But surely the Buzz Bomber wasn't ment to be in any other level other than EHZ. Same goes for the Triceratops badnik, perhaps it wasn't ment to be in HPZ but was accessable through debug mode.
<!--quoteo(post=149394:date=Nov 9 2006, 12:36 AM:name=Orengefox00)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Orengefox00 @ Nov 9 2006, 12:36 AM) If that is in the prototype drx found, I would be very curious about it still. As we've noticed in drx S2 proto, there's a lot of badniks (like the Crocodile badnik, Buzz Bomber etc.) which are accessable (quite a few only being accessable) in HPZ through debug mode. Including the Triceratops which they showed in the HPZ mock-up picture. We're still not quite sure if that wierd patch did relate to the HPZ mock-up background. Now if it did, I'd say I'm starting to see a closer connection between that HPZ mock-up picture and the actual (drxs S2 proto) HPZ as far as what that pictured showed, and what HPZ actually has. Not saying any of those mock-up pictures were from the actual game, but some of the stuff the mock-up pictures show may have really ended up in those actual levels at first (especially HPZ). Interesting how (in drxs S2 proto) the Buzz Bomber can be accessable in a lot of the levels through debug mode. In way, it almost can relate to how the Buzz Bomber was shown in two different mock-up levels (EHZ and that desert zone) in the sense of being placable in different levels. But surely the Buzz Bomber wasn't ment to be in any other level other than EHZ. Same goes for the Triceratops badnik, perhaps it wasn't ment to be in HPZ but was accessable through debug mode.[/quote] Yes, The HPZ alpha BG piece is in drx's rom. I already checked.
Orenge.. those tiles are in the game data yes, but unused in the game (yes in this new prototype).. in fact they're sitting right before the other tiles they just posted, like I just said :P
I'd run a search on the GoodGen set for some of those unfamiliar used graphics like Nemesis did to find Chiki Chiki boys, but I have no idea how I would go about automating it.
I could see if this dump went to Nick Arcade, with its fancy holographic cart label. I don't think they'd apply anything other than a cassette label for any build. Boy, how I would have loved to be a few years older. That could have been me playing the game on Nick...
<!--quoteo(post=149398:date=Nov 9 2006, 12:39 AM:name=Crysta)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Crysta @ Nov 9 2006, 12:39 AM) a precursor to Metropolis zone? or CPZ animated art that hasn't been added yet? (Note: this is using CPZ's pallete)[/quote] Whoa, what the shit? This looks like it might be another case of the cart being burned over another game entirely... it just doesn't seem like it would be art from a Sonic game. And even if it was, I can't think of what it would be a part of - usually you don't start making art for objects/levels like this unless they were already being developed in some way. EDIT: The top tiles look like part of the animated patterns in the background in the wai beta/final. [/quote] Keep in mind though that this prototype drx found was intact and not pirated so the possibility of the data being burned onto a different game would be pretty slim but then we don't know for sure. Otherwise as Rika mentioned, it could have been stuff that was being developed.
You are wrong there... The Chiki Chiki boys data was also on the original S2 beta cart that, sadly, we do not have. This beta could very well have been put over some other game. That data had nothing to do with the pirates. When they were transferring data to the EPROMS for things like this, it was MUCH cheaper to reuse them back then.
aren't thsoe unused tiles from Wing Fortress? Or some Sonic 1 level with fans... that I can't think of right now.
Wing Fortress wasn't even in the conceptual stage at this point - it wasn't thought of PERIOD, actually. This beta is way too early in the development cycle.
they could have known they were going to use those fans though... I mean aren't things like that in other Sonic games... god IM trying to remember where but I KNOW I've seen them >_<
"Hey guys, let's make a bunch of steampunk artwork and jam it in the ROM on the offchance that we may use it later!" "What good will that do?" "Gives us something to do, and something for the guys who buy this at a vastly overinflated price in fifteen years' time to chew on!" "Awesome. Who's in charge of putting the cryptic source code and symbol table in there?" "That's Mike. He's kinda under the weather at the moment, don't talk to him."
HAHA yeah okay I get it, but it looks familiar so Im sure it wasn't just jammed in there for no reason. I think they planned on using it because I swear aren't those fans in the game... maybe im confused BTW, is it possible to make the tubes in Chemical Plant work though hacking?
Ah ok, I did not know that which why the post was uncertain although I should have said "I" not "we". Otherwise thanks for the clarification. Just to add from how it may not have been the case as far as the Triceraptops badnik ending up in HPZ; I have to take into consideration the pallets. EDIT: scratch the question I had earlier, all my thoughts and curiosities have been cleared up for now ;p
note: you can get chemical plants loops semi working by placing layer switches around the place, same for ramps etc.
At this point, it's clear that this topic needs to be split apart. If you wish to carry on a significant discussion about this beta please create a topic specifically for that purpose. Thank you.
