[drx]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9H3edAcnZ4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2l4IPW6fkJw

These two short (sadly) video clips come from CES 1991 and were taken on March 7th, 1991. Sonic 1 final was built on May 1st, so this build is at least almost two months early (it could be older, due to delays of postage etc, think Nick Arcade).

Apart from the obvious differences (which are really really nice to see), there are different DAC samples.

I also examined videos from CES 1993 and CES 1994 but found nothing interesting.

Big thanks to evilhamwizard who came up with the idea in the first place.

PS. I have some other stuff regarding Sonic 1, and there are some things in progress, so hopefully I can get a working prototype some shiny day. Before that day comes, enjoy a small helping of video goodness.

[evilhamwizard]

You're welcome.

Notice the small collision issues, heh.

[NoNameAtAll]

Nice find, drx. This is some good stuff, even if it is short.

Any findings of Sonic 1 Prototype footage is great, really.

I'm already intrigued by the first video.

[Ayla]

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

[Tweaker]

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?

[Quexinos]

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?

[drx]

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?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIIagVIQEpg

This has a different DAC sound, so maybe I'm biased. There's a louder 1-second sound only chunk somewhere earlier where the *thump* sounds are more audible, but maybe I'm just wrong :p

[evilhamwizard]

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?

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

[Tweaker]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIIagVIQEpg

This has a different DAC sound, so maybe I'm biased. There's a louder 1-second sound only chunk somewhere earlier where the *thump* sounds are more audible, but maybe I'm just wrong :p

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.

[drx]

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?

Interesting. The first monitor also flashes from 1-up to ring at the last frame it's on. The second monitor I *think* goes from ring to static then to Robotnik.

[Quexinos]

PS. I have some other stuff regarding Sonic 1, and there are some things in progress, so hopefully I can get a working prototype some shiny day. Before that day comes, enjoy a small helping of video goodness.

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

[Commadoo]

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.

[Shadow Hog]

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.

This post has been edited by Shadow Hog: 13 September 2009 - 01:03 AM

[Jen]

Wow, these videos are so interesting! I can't belive how different they are from the final game, especially the Ball Hog being there.

Is it just me, or are there actually two different builds going on here, one in each of the original videos drx linked to? In the first video the water is the same colour as the sky, whereas in the second video it's pale blue like in the final game. It's already been pointed out that Sonic has no lives on the counter in the first video, but, he has 2 lives on the counter in the second video.

[Cinossu]

Is it just me, or does the ballhog look like it's doing this in the video..

..?

This post has been edited by Cinossu: 13 September 2009 - 06:55 AM