Sonic 2: Advanced Edit Release 3 beta, ===DOWNLOAD=== Options

[Rika Chou]

I've decided to release a beta of my hack. For many reason, this will likely be the last release I make. I am handing over the entire source code to Tweaker to use however he wants.

This is only a three level demo. The three levels should be completable without using debug mode. Other incomplete levels that I was planning to replace are accesable from the level select. There's bound to be a lot of bugs.

Special thanks to:

Tweaker
Stealth
StephenUK
SMTP
drx
Puto
Esrael
BadCopNoDonut
Perfect Chaos (I don't remeber his new name...)

and many others who I can't think of right now.

Now to the good part!:
====DOWNLOAD====
http://sonicresearch.org/hacktube?400

I am moving on to work on the "Sonic 4" Project, so I will still be actively working on something. I wish you all would be more open to this project, but whatever.

This post has been edited by Rika Chou: Dec 13 2008, 03:07 AM

[grap3fruitman]

Wow, awesome stuff. Gonna try it out right now.

Edit: Been playing it this entire time. Holy fuck this thing is awesome.

This post has been edited by grap3fruitman: Aug 31 2008, 09:02 PM

[Shade]

I've been looking forward to this one for a long time now, glad you decided to release it; though I'm equally sorry to hear you will no longer be working on it. However, the Sonic 4 project will certainly have gained a great asset

[LordOfSquad]

I wish you all would be more open to this project, but whatever.

Imma miss this hack. It was always one of my favorites. Hopefully it's spirit lives on in Sonic 4.

*goes to play*

[Hitaxas]

Perfect Chaos (I don't remeber his new name...)

It's Varion Icaria.


On topic, This is the best looking hack I've played in a long time.

[Shade]

I actually have a tear coming out of my eye. Thats how amazing this hack is.

Incredible level design, possibly the best I've seen in a hack thus far, with equally impressive art. Completely blown away, I did NOT expect this much of a leap in progress.

This post has been edited by Shade: Aug 31 2008, 09:27 PM

[Tweaker]

I can't even describe how brilliant every single bit of this hack is. The level art is absolutely brilliant, pushing the Genesis video hardware to its limits and then some, proving that you don't need millions of colors to create something visually pleasing. The environments are tride and true to the Sonic formula, fitting the common level cliches and even more obscure ones.

The level design is extremely well thought out, taking advantage of all the unique characters' abilities—Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles, respectively—in multiple branching paths, well balanced gameplay, and containing many well thought-out level gimmicks. Most hacks I see have some pretty solid level design, but seldom does it make use of all the gimmicks like the original games did—spinning platforms, collapsing platforms, strategic enemy placement, you name it. This is what really makes the Sonic experience authentic.

I'd comment on how well the music fits, but of course, I was the one who did it (=P). I'll explain my reasoning, though; see, when I played through this hack, I scoured through my SMPS VGM collection on a case by case basis with the counsel of a friend of mine, DJ Squarewave. I would propose a level theme and we would explore the SMPS library trying to find songs that would fit the levels perfectly. The first level's music was my choice (I had previously used it in Megamix), as was Garnet Garden and Robotic Ruins' music. Dusty Desert was a recommendation from DJSW, Roof Top was something me and Rika mutually agreed on (it took a lot of manual editing of the source tune to get it to loop right), as was Crystal Cavern (after all, who can go wrong with Ristar? =P). The invincibility music was chosen in the same reign—I found it interesting particularly that it used a very similar chord structure to a lot of Sonic invincibility music, so it fit the bill nicely. The boss theme was just plain awesome.

The presentation here, overall, is of the utmost quality. You actually feel like you're playing a legitimate Sonic game, and while most hacks are extremely fun to play, they simply don't even live up to the calibur and standard of quality that Sonic 2: Advanced Edit sets. I wouldn't even place Megamix that high up—it wouldn't be fair. There was an immense amount of effort and skill put towards to creation of this hack, and for that I diligently commend Rika for his hard work. If anything could truly be called Sonic 4, I'd give that title to this hack.

It's an immense, crying shame that this hack has to go down the drain for something as mundane as Sonic 4. I'll contribute to the project every so often, sure, but in no way does it ever deserve to overshadow this magnificent piece of work. I'll do my best to not let the effort put into this hack be in vain.

[LordOfSquad]

Tweaker, I'm looking forward to seeing what you do with this hack. I want to see it finished more than anything else (especially Garnet Garden). It really is amazing.

Kudos Rika. The few quick minutes I played with it are already enough for me to say that this is pure brilliance. It's beautiful. Thank you.


"This hack is what all true warriors strive for!"

This post has been edited by LordOfSquad: Aug 31 2008, 09:41 PM

[Tweaker]

Tweaker, I'm looking forward to seeing what you do with this hack. I want to see it finished more than anything else (especially Garnet Garden). It really is amazing.

I don't know if I'm necessarily going to work on it, persay, but I'm going to make sure the materials don't go to waste. I'm not really feeling like working on another project after Megamix—I don't really have the motivation nor the desire.

[LordOfSquad]

Tweaker, I'm looking forward to seeing what you do with this hack. I want to see it finished more than anything else (especially Garnet Garden). It really is amazing.

I don't know if I'm necessarily going to work on it, persay, but I'm going to make sure the materials don't go to waste. I'm not really feeling like working on another project after Megamix—I don't really have the motivation nor the desire.

I see. Well, in any case, it's great to know it's in good hands.

[ddrmaxromance]

I've never been more impressed! This is beyond an amazing rendition of Sonic 2. I cannot wait to see the final product.

[muteKi]

I found that the various elements of the first zone didn't really fit in well together -- like the elements didn't transition well. That said, the layouts are overall pretty impressive.

This post has been edited by muteKi: Aug 31 2008, 09:52 PM

[Dark Sonic]

Why must all the awesome projects die? Seriously, what awesome hack lately has been seen to completion? The last hack I remember that was finished was Sonineko, which was trash in my opinion.

[Jayextee]

I had high expectations of this, and when I played it I was let down.

You see, there's not enough of it. This was way better than I could have imagined. I loved how the layouts would tease with 1-ups that were in sight but hard to figure out the route to, and the layout change of ARZ's boss was more than enough to make a genuine difference to the way it played. Music was great and totally fitting, the art was amazing (And indeed the initial impetus for my old Sonic One, now S-Factor work). The Sonic 4 project obviously has a talented guy working on it. Which is good, unless you're some sort of cynic not looking forward to the idea of an accomplished PC fangame; a camp I'm in, since I emulate on a mac or a DS, meaning ROMs are sort of more multi-platform for me.

No sarcasm here when I say that this would have been the best hack ever.

[muteKi]

I've already posted elsewhere why it is that hacks are so rarely fully completed. Honestly, most games probably aren't completed to the developer's expectations (hence the phrase, "You never finish, you just run out of time") / still have some bugs, it's just that saying that it's not completed as much as they wanted isn't good for sales.