[HeartAttack]

I'm saddened about the projects cancellation, but understand. This project is what got me interested in the sonic fan game scene and I wanted it to succeed. I wish you guys the best of luck with future endeavors and hope that someone is able to decompile LOst's work and pick up where you guys left off. Here's to the future, whatever it may hold.

[dsrb]

Lobotomy, on 18 April 2012 - 07:43 PM, said:

How about instead of giving up so pathetically, you find another lead programmer? It's not like the engine was all that great, and it really isn't hard to find someone else who would be willing to pick up where LOst left off.

Try to think about the logistics of this a bit more. The two main staff members, Vincent and Canned Karma, would have to balance all their usual IRL responsibilities with finding a new programmer and new artists who could drop right into the team and then quickly get up to speed on a project that would have to be restarted from a very early stage. It's not unreasonable for this, coupled with the disappointments suffered over the past two years and greatly intensified recently (thanks to the hysterical media coverage) to divest S2HD of the majority of its feasibility – and enjoyability – for them.

See, this is funny! I've been pretty offhand and dismissive of this project in the past, but I can't help feeling sorry for the way in which it's fizzled out. And on that note…

Vincent: It's great that you gave a detailed and honest explanation. I think your reasoning is fair and understandable. I'm not saying it's a good thing that this happened, but I can't really find fault in your reaction.

This post has been edited by dsrb: 18 April 2012 - 08:25 PM

[Scizor300]

Can't say I'm really that suprised. Either way, best of luck to whatever future products you guys attempt to create.

[steveswede]

Man I am so pissed off my favourite fan project is over that arse hole LOst has destroyed something that would have been an amazing. I wish the best for all the main members with their other works and hope you don't have to deal with this bullshit in your lives like this again.

[TheUltimaXtreme]

Was there ever any doubt? Considering the whole 2 year gap between announcements and releases, I'm not surprised the project fell flat on its ass.

To think it'd get THIS much public response though is staggering. L0st has managed to besmirch the Retro community. What foul luck hath been dealt.

I personally don't see why there was so much speculation for this project, though. It's just a high definition remake of a game we played near 20 years ago. Unless you planned to make it run on a PS3 in 1080p, it seems more like wasted effort just considering the idea in the first place. I don't hate the idea, but it seems so pointless and droll.

Project is dead, though. L0st is an ass. That about sums it up.

[Scarred Sun]

I would implore you all to re-read Vincent's announcement: there's more than just LOst going on, and drawing him as a cartoon villain who destroyed hurr durr precious fangame is a bit annoying.

I have a bit more to say on the subject as someone who's watched all of this unfold in real time over the years, but unfortunately I don't have the time tonight to write a post that would actually do everything justice, so I'll leave it at this: the S2HD team took the best crack at their project that they could, and that is still to be commended.

[TheUltimaXtreme]

Scarred Sun, on 18 April 2012 - 09:23 PM, said:

I would implore you all to re-read Vincent's announcement: there's more than just LOst going on, and drawing him as a cartoon villain who destroyed hurr durr precious fangame is a bit annoying.

Yes well, while L0st wasn't the entire issue, he damn sure was a large chunk of the issue.

In fact, from the post, I gathered that with L0st taking the source code for himself, that does kinda send all future plans and keeping in with the same quality assurance well down the drain.

This post has been edited by TheUltimaXtreme: 18 April 2012 - 09:34 PM

[Knucklez]

I'm willing to bet this news will be on the front page of Retro tomorrow.

[Scizor300]

So just being curious, if the source code is unable to be released, what about the art assets used for the game?

[CesspoolofHatred]

I'm not personally saying that LOst had absolutely everything to do with the demise of Sonic 2 HD, but he DID play a huge role in it, and probably sped up its death.

In fact, I'd daresay his actions are partly why two of the art members resigned. I say "partially" because I do not have enough hubris to suggest that he is THE reason they left. What with contributing to the destruction of Sonic 2 HD's image in the eyes of the public with DRM, and generally being an ass to his teammates and keeping the source code to himself.... A lot of the blame for Sonic 2 HD's failure CAN be pinned on LOst.

Although, again, I'm not going to say he had everything to do with it. Vincent and Canned Karma's real life obligations are likely very separate from the drama that's unfolded in front of us over these past few months.

[LordOfSquad]

Well, saw this coming. Hopefully the folks behind Sonic Fan Remix can get that back on track eventually.

[Cerulean Nights]

Scarred Sun, I won't speak for the whole team, but the reason I left the team is almost completely directly to LOst. I went from putting my all into the project every single day in the beginning to practically not caring about it in the slightest after it didn't release last Jan 15th. Why would I put so much of my effort into something I honestly was beginning to believe would never come out? Once I had that realization, I knew it was time to move on with life. We could have found another programmer, sure (and don't think for a second we didn't talk to many other people about it, including Taxman about using the Retro Engine), but I was so burnt out with the whole ordeal I just didn't care anymore. I know I'm not alone in feeling that way.

S2HD was a great experience for me, it taught me a good deal about game design (both what to do and not to do) and I met some extremely talented people who have become close friends. Even though it didn't turn it to the dream project I felt it could have, it actually helped put me in a position where I was able to follow a different dream! That said, had LOst not been the lead programmer, you can bet that S2HD would have flourished as something truly amazing. There was some more minor drama going with another artist a few years back, but after that got sorted out we as a team were working in perfect sync. All except for one person that is.

So Scarred Sun, I ask you to think very hard about what you post, because chances are anything you've learnt was through hearsay or the odd message from Vince or Canned Karma. I'd hate to see a second rumor about our project stated as fact and posted to Retro's frontpage, the first one stung bad enough.

This post has been edited by Cerulean Nights: 18 April 2012 - 10:01 PM

[LordOfSquad]

What happened with those other programmers you asked? Just no one was interested?

[Scarred Sun]

Cerulean Nights, perhaps I wasn't the most clear in the way that I phrased that, so: I am very aware of everything that went down with the January 15 fiasco—the rush, the flight, the meetings, everything. I know what a blow that was—I'm just saying that while LOst is a part of it, it's not as easy to deduct as "WELP HE TORPEDOED THE PROJECT," and if anything, I'm trying to prevent such generalizations from happening. Fuck, I know I've messed up a few times over the years in things for you guys, which doesn't help.

[steveswede]

Scarred Sun, on 18 April 2012 - 09:23 PM, said:

I would implore you all to re-read Vincent's announcement: there's more than just LOst going on, and drawing him as a cartoon villain who destroyed hurr durr precious fangame is a bit annoying.

He is all the artists would be still working on this if lost wasn't a dick. LOst's actions created a domino effect where two of the main artists got fed up and left that resulted in a quality drop that both Vincent and Canned Karma didn't want to pursue. Can't blame them for getting fed up considering Vincent mentioned that he'd been doing what the fuck he wanted for the past two years.