Video footage of Sonic 1 prototype from CES 1991

You're welcome.

Notice the small collision issues, heh.

 

drx and his prototype goodness... will it ever end?? I sure hope not!

 

Excellent find! Amazing to learn how so much could be different in such a small clip.

By the way... I don't hear any differences in DAC samples or music arrangement; the volume is too low to make any sort of solid distinction. What made you think they were different?]

EDIT: Holy shit, did anyone else notice that the monitor next to the ballhog flashes between the Eggman Monitor and a 1-up? I've never seen this before! Is it possible the monitor used to be some sort of random roulette with varying results based on when you hit it?

 

That... was... AWESOME!...

I can't tell but in the first one it looks like Sonic has no lives. The static on the monitor is kinda slow too. And of course the obvious, why is the Ball Hog in GHZ? (is that the right name?)

so... when do we get to play these betas?

 

You have to listen really close, after listening to the title screen music from the US commercial for Sonic 1:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDA_y0n2lzE...feature=related

Also some more facts. The build in question was probably compiled around December/January, because the event itself began in January. The video tape was broadcast in March. This was before magazines even got screenshots/playable builds of the game, so you might be looking at the earliest build in action.

It looks like GHZ was the only thing playable at the event (think Nick Arcade). Some collision problems occur with Sonic running up slopes here and there, but other than that - it's a solid video of a good prototype.

You can watch a better quality video, plus the ENTIRE CES 91 event tape here:

http://www.archive.org/details/ces_2

 

I recognize this sound from when I messed around with it in Sonic 2 Megamix! Interestingly enough, it seems that the original DAC samples used to be played at a lower pitch in-game at first; it's otherwise the same exact sample as the one in the final.

 

BTW still totally willing to donate should you get your hands on one. :v:

 

Also the enemy *that's even in the fucking screen cap* Is not in that level at all. I'm pretty shocked no one mentioned that one.

 

Also of minor note - debug text in the bottom-right. Haven't seen that before.

Well, we probably have (in the upper-left), but not where it is in the screen.

 

looks like the lack of life counter has been overlooked all these years :v:

 

Looks like it, or a similar-looking movement anyway. Interesting.

Who would've thought such short clips could contain so many differences? = ) This footage was an amazing find, drx!

 

The first video shows the apparent debug numbers on the bottom right hand corner but it's not in the second video. The other thing I noticed in the first video was the monitors flashing at a different rate in comparison to the second video. It threw me off into thinking both sets of footage were two different videos at first. Leading me to think the monitors in the first video were like that possibly due to the frame rate of that video until I realized that both sets of footage were from the same CES 1991 video.

I'm quite baffled as to why there are two different builds going on in the event. Great find never the less.

 

Cool, in a way that ball hog robot suits green hill zone, with the purple flowers and all there is no colour clash.

Any sonic 1 beta is good beta to me, best sonic game ever made :P

Sharp eyes, yeah the water in the first one is a deep blue like the sky, awesomesauce.