Right, so, there's a beta near the bottom of this post. Read the preceding paragraphs before downloading it lest you make a stupid reply that's already being addressed in this post and have somebody call you on it.
First off, this beta is *not* meant to replace the old one. This one is restricted to
less levels for the sake of trying out a new play-style.
Secondly, said new play-style is based on finishing certain tasks to obtain MacGuffins à la Super Mario 64. You get nothing for just running through a level, or, depending on your reaction to the last beta, watching a level play itself. >_> The MacGuffins are obligatory Emeralds, and there's 14 in this beta. There is no prize for getting them all at the moment, nor is there any sort of save system in yet (I.e. use savestates).
EDIT: If you get all of the emeralds you care for, get stuck, or enter a level accidentally, you can bail out by pausing and pressing A.
For score attack missions, think "modified Sonic Adventure 2". If you can smash it or collect it, it's probably worth points, and invincibility doubles points so be sure to combo badniks like mad or bolt down crazy looping pathways with lots of rings. The time bonus is calculated just as in Sonic Adventure 2, so plan accordingly. The maps from the last beta are still helpful for one mission in each act, although layouts have been modified ever-so-slightly to accomodate the missions. These are the first levels, so all of the missions have quite a bit of leeway and are more about exploration than skill. If I continue with this play-style, they'll get harder as the game progresses, of course.
So, yeah.
Here's the ROM, and I'd very much like opinions on the play style before I decide how to design the rest of the levels. If there are any bugs in the tracking of completed missions, please tell me before I start coding this system for every level. A strategy guide for the current beta might go on the Wiki soon, if I'm not lazy.
Unreleatedly, DNXDelta messaged me last night regarding hacking again, so there might be more to show soon. Also, a big thanks to qiuu for his help over the last few days.
This post has been edited by Thorn: 27 April 2009 - 06:10 PM