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Sonic ERaZor – Fulfilled Edition

Discussion in 'Engineering & Reverse Engineering' started by Selbi, Jun 10, 2011.

  1. Namo

    Namo

    take a screenshot of your heart Member
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    I just do not understand why I keep seeing this. I have only seen one 'modern' hack - Dude's Mushroom Zone. Yes there are a few topics on messing with the modern games like the unused videos in Sonic Mega Collection and all the Sonic Generations resource ripping, which you really can't count as hacking if we're going by the terms of "taking a game and changing it"- people are just ripping out the innards. Everything else I see isn't modern hacking. In fact, take a look at all the topics that have been active in the past month - you'll see Sonic 2 Heroes, The S Factor, Sonic 1 Twisted, etc.
     
  2. MarkeyJester

    MarkeyJester

    Original, No substitute Resident Jester
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    The idea that people are more interested in modern game hacking is something you're misinterpreting, as "total" said, it appears people are more interested in the resources, hidden gimmicks, ideas and stuff that were cut from the game (basically taking an interest in the professional's work and making something of it), after all, you can't really pass judgement on that as it's one of the sole reasons why we're all here (I.e. research, Hidden Palace Zone, beta's, etc). You might also want to consider that some people often play games and/or hacks just for music or graphics alone, and if any of those are lacking it tends to put people off wanting to play or explore the game/hack, hence why many may have never seen the technical and gaming aspects of your project which is further in the game (like your LZ level with the rising and dropping screen of death).

    Attempting to blame the audience for not taking an interest is like a company blaming the consumers for not buying their products, in reality their products having a lack of attention on the packet is the reason, not the consumers, and it is the company's responsibility to provide the interesting covers or advertisements in order to gain the consumers attention that they need, the same would apply for your hack, show them what they're missing. (Having said that "blame" is probably the worst choice of words, but I can't think of anything better to use).
     
  3. 360

    360

    Light Vision Overdrive Oldbie
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    Dude I can totally see your point. You have hacks like Sonic 2 Heroes that is really only based around one slight and simplistic modification that has 42 pages of replies and then you plough two years of work into something of this magnitude and Sonic Retro lets it slide down the page. It doesn't really seem fair. I don't really do this anymore but back in my teens posting about your project and getting meaningful feedback was the only real endgame (and reward) to the completion of the project that really does mean alot to whomever is working on the game.

    When I have more free time I'll give this a shot and write something up for you.
     
  4. Robochao

    Robochao

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    Selbi, there is no need to down yourself. You've done an excellent job here on this hack and the kind words given to you in this thread IMO, are way more valuable than numbers. I've never hacked anything before but if I spent over 300 hours hacking something in which the final product resembles this, I'd be proud. Super proud.

    This is just awesome. I took a break from playing it on my Wii to tell you this. Keep on fighting.
     
  5. Selbi

    Selbi

    The Euphonic Mess Member
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    Sonic ERaZor
    Thanks for the refreshing words guys. It does make me feel like the work didn't go down the drain entirly. After all, I did get about 600 downloads for the third public release alone so far, which created a couple of YouTube videos and that has to mean something.

    After reading that sentence, I thought about something: Maybe it's simply being jealous at hacks like Sonic 2 Heroes getting like never ending feedback, while my thread pretty much died before it became popular. Possibly, this bugfix release was just me being a little attention whore like kid shouting "LOOK AT ME AND NOT THE OTHERS". :v:
     
  6. Hanoch

    Hanoch

    Also known as TheKnock, Birashot Member
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    I agree with you, selbi. Mostly there are only modern games researching threads, and not even a single active hack topic, with the exception of Sonic 3 in 1 and Sonic 2 Heroes. Which to be honest, don't really give anything new. Sonic 3 in 1 is just all games in 1 ROM, and Sonic 2 Heroes uses an existing modern concept adapted to Sonic 2. No really new fresh ideas and achieving new level art/layout/music (with the exception of The S factor, but that didn't get an update for a while, so its kinda lame waiting for something to happen in this forum)

    But remember that all those MD sonic hacks werent started from nothing, it started from a little researching of the engine, which then was followed by awesome hacks that achieved great fame, when new members come here they are possibly ashamed to show their hacks around because you can always do much more, with all the new tools and resources you have now. Like how simple palette edits aren't amazing, unless done beautifly.
     
  7. Hayate

    Hayate

    Tech Member
    I played the new version last night, since I was going through all the music hacks I had and couldn't find ERaZor for some reason. :v: It's great to see that this hack is still being worked on!

    If you don't mind me saying though... could the overworld and narrative boxes be made optional? I really loved just being able to go straight from the end of one level to the start of the next without even a results screen. :)
     
  8. Selbi

    Selbi

    The Euphonic Mess Member
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    Sonic ERaZor
    Hayate! Damn, I've been waiting for your replay the entire time, where've you been? :V

    On a serious note, the result screens are disabled by default, at least to my knowledge. Not sure if I accidently re-enabled them. The story textes are optional in some way. Just press Enter two times and it will fade out (the first one to display the entire text without the writing part / the second one for leaving the screen). To my knowledge, I didn't make the chapter screens skipable.

    However, I did notice a few more bugs I should fix. So I might as well just mash a new option for a story-free game.

    I'm not going to work on any greater extensions for this game though. I was really, really disappointed by the low feedback, my hack generated. Hacking just doesn't feel the same anymore, when nobody, or at least many people, don't give a shit. Read the rest of this topic for more information.
     
  9. Blackhearted Knight

    Blackhearted Knight

    Wolfsbane706 Member
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    I never really took the time to look at this 'til now. I'm regretting waiting. This has potential, that much is obvious. I'm looking forward to playing it later, and maybe I'll have something to nitpick about. Who knows.
     
  10. Hayate

    Hayate

    Tech Member
    Oops - I didn't mean to say I was getting results screens, just that I liked how the previous version didn't have *anything* between the levels at all. :P

    My opinion's always been that the Genesis games tell their stories with cutscenes, not by putting a load of text on the screen.

    Tis a shame you won't be doing much more with the hack though, I would have loved to see what you could do with Star Light Zone.
     
  11. Selbi

    Selbi

    The Euphonic Mess Member
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    Sonic ERaZor
    Start Light Zone was a big plan for this project, but I could never really think of anything good while keeping it entertaining and bug-free at the same time (not to say that Labyrinth Zone is bug-free, the camera system is a mess there, but I don't want to do unpolished things again).

    Anyway, since removing some screen stuff isn't a lot to do, and I still need to find a reason why I won't have my homework tomorrow, I'm gonna work on a special version with all the stuff removed.
     
  12. Selbi

    Selbi

    The Euphonic Mess Member
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    Sonic ERaZor
  13. Blackhearted Knight

    Blackhearted Knight

    Wolfsbane706 Member
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    I actually liked the camera in Labyrinth. It was interesting, going after item boxes only to realize "Whoops, dead end, dude." As for the hard part skipper, the only place I really needed it was in Labyrinth. The other levels weren't quite as frustratingly difficult.
     
  14. Hayate

    Hayate

    Tech Member
    Thank you, I'll check it out right away! :)

    Also, my friend who goes by the nickname WitchChao apparently liked your hack so much he wrote a page about it over here: http://cw.nanako.cc/wiki/Sonic_ERaZor

    Edit:

    Sorry to be a nitpick, but I did want you to keep the intro cutscene (the one with Ken's Theme playing).
    Also, I died in the bottomless pit at the end of GHP, and the game just froze on a black screen after fading out.
     
  15. Selbi

    Selbi

    The Euphonic Mess Member
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    Sonic ERaZor
    This is what I love to see. When people actually take their time to do stuff for my work, it makes me feel like I actually accomplished something. A personal thank you to your friend. :)

    As for the straight version, yep, forgot to include the intro sequence, and also forgot to fix this old bug, which messed up the entire death system. Re-download from the same link, it should be fixed now.
     
  16. Hayate

    Hayate

    Tech Member
    Excellent, now I can have my epic adventures again :D

    Also, a bug report... For whatever reason, it seems that spindashing into the crab boss arena makes two crabs spawn instead of one. Beating the second crab as well isn't necessary and doesn't do anything special other than the understandable glitched explosion graphics, but it did seem to get the palette stuck on white (even without beating the second crab), so I get things like this:

    [​IMG]
     
  17. TheBarAdmin

    TheBarAdmin

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    This is one crazy hack. The music is lovely, and the designs are... so weird, but so awesome as well!

    The general challenge of this game gives a LITTLE too much emphasis on trial and error (Labyrinth Zone :argh: ), but it's mostly entertaining. The cutscene boxes could be a little faster, but I am ok with it.

    It also feels like a *finished* hack. I mean, at least it felt that way to me, but either way, you have my support :) I think the effort that people put into things should be recognised.
     
  18. Selbi

    Selbi

    The Euphonic Mess Member
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    Sonic ERaZor
    Sorry for the bump, but this is a rather important topic for me, so please read:

    A couple of days ago I felt like doing some work on this project again, even though I said I would stop. The main idea was to include Star Light Zone which has never been included at all and I always felt like it was missing. In fact, I already got the basic system ready, but I still need a concept, which is where I currently have trouble with.

    And this is also where I started questioning myself:
    How many people would actually be interested in a continuation of this hack?

    As some of you may know, I was rather unhappy with the amount of feedback I received for the last release, and before I do something that may be wasted time in the end (or at least time that could've been spent in a better way) I'd rather like to hear your opinion on this question: Should I continue this project or should I let it be for good?
     
  19. Herm the Germ

    Herm the Germ

    Hmm, not bad. Well done, doctor! Member
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    MIDI-to-SMPS-conversions, mostly. Takin' requests, too.
    Oh Gott yes please I'd love that veeeeeeeery much : D
     
  20. Animemaster

    Animemaster

    Prison bitch! Member
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    Sonic 1 Revelation
    I wouldn't mind you carrying on with the hack Selbi, but only do it if you really want to.