[BlackHole]

Personally, I'd love to do a game which remakes Sonic 1 Mega Drive, with Sonic 1 <SMS>, Sonic 2 <SMS> and generally all games taking place on the floating island known as South Island included, plot and all.

(I'd also include Sonic CD, since I'm convinced Never Lake is on South Island)

[Impish]

This all remind's me of Witeoutking's ancient project Sonic Horizons. It was going to be a remake of all the original sonic games in a kind of platforming rpg nature, but he (or whoever else worked on it) had begun upscaling S1 SMS levels for it, as the first "episode" of it was going to be "South Island" which featured levels from Sonic 1 (MD/SMS) and Sonic 2 SMS. Then it was to go on to Little Planet, then Westside Island, the Angel Island.
After some digging I've found the blogspot with the upscaled levels and the original forum thread.
Blogspot
Original thread

This post has been edited by Impish: 07 December 2011 - 02:37 PM

[Sodaholic]

Shadow Hog, on 07 December 2011 - 01:55 PM, said:

Sodaholic, on 07 December 2011 - 01:27 PM, said:

Really though, what does anyone think of a community project to remake the 8 bit games?

I wouldn't trust it to go anywhere. Even Sonic 2 HD, the most active of the community projects that I know of, went quiet for almost all of November. Not a good sign.

I more so meant that I would be the one creating and spearheading the project, but with a community effort to create resources for the games. I'd do most of the main work, but the community contributing to the project would be very useful.

[Sparks]

Sodaholic, on 07 December 2011 - 03:44 PM, said:

Shadow Hog, on 07 December 2011 - 01:55 PM, said:

Sodaholic, on 07 December 2011 - 01:27 PM, said:

Really though, what does anyone think of a community project to remake the 8 bit games?

I wouldn't trust it to go anywhere. Even Sonic 2 HD, the most active of the community projects that I know of, went quiet for almost all of November. Not a good sign.

I more so meant that I would be the one creating and spearheading the project, but with a community effort to create resources for the games. I'd do most of the main work, but the community contributing to the project would be very useful.

The easist thing to do would be to start small by making the Game Gear/Master System levels from Sonic 1 in the Genesis version, since all that really requires is three more zones and three more bosses (and the gimmicks in between )

[libertyernie]

Just curious, is it possible to port the SMS music to the Genesis?

[Sodaholic]

Sparks, on 07 December 2011 - 04:44 PM, said:

The easist thing to do would be to start small by making the Game Gear/Master System levels from Sonic 1 in the Genesis version, since all that really requires is three more zones and three more bosses (and the gimmicks in between )

That was precisely my plan, I don't want to overwhelm myself with all four games at once, and Sonic 1 would certainly be the simplest one to do. Hell, for the three new zones, I was simply going to edit the existing 16-bit exclusive zones into being the 8-bit exclusive ones, due to their extreme similarity to one another. The other zones wouldn't even need to be touched, besides layout. Well, I'd replace LZ's background due to being blue bricks in the 8-bit version, but besides that, no art in the shared levels would need to be modified.

It's the later games (especially the last two) that community contribution would be needed.

libertyernie, on 07 December 2011 - 05:14 PM, said:

Just curious, is it possible to port the SMS music to the Genesis?

Yes, it is as long as it uses a form of SMPS. Dunno about Sonic 1, but I know Sonic 2 uses it, and the later 8-bit games likely do too, since they run on the same engine.

-------------------------------

But it's no big deal, I think we should keep discussing the Chaotix remake idea.

I think that the existing level layouts could be tweaked to a medium-ish extent (not outright replaced, they're not THAT bad), and the players could have the option to use the original layouts if they so choose. Also, it would be neat if there was an option to select whether the player wants Mighty and Charmy in the cast, or Sonic and Tails. (no point in having Tails without Sonic, no point in having Charmy and Tails in the same cast, since they're both flying characters) Controls would be modified to be given a S3K/S2 feel to them, rather than the sloppy and clunky Crackers-like controls. (again, just an option) With this, Knuckles would feel more like he did in S3K, and therefore play a lot better.

The special stages could do with some enhancement. First and foremost, the view distance could definitely be increased. Secondly, textured polygons wouldn't be a bad idea (not too detailed, just give it something to not look totally flat-shaded). That, and the framerate could be a bit smoother with the better rendering hardware these days.

Although I think it'd be nice to have a no Combi option, that should be an option that is only unlocked when you beat the game for the first time, since one of the main points of the game design was the combi system. Speaking of combi, the other (computer controlled) character should without a doubt be controlled with Tails-like AI from Sonic 2/3k, instead of the stupid delay-based AI like in the Sonic 2 beta.


Although Taxman told me that the Retro engine is for private use only at the time, I wonder if he'd be willing to allow the use of it for a Chaotix remake, for whoever decided to do so? (I probably wouldn't want to bother, I'd rather focus on the 8-bit games)

This post has been edited by Sodaholic: 07 December 2011 - 05:23 PM

[GT Koopa]

The Sonic 3 2P stages.

I had this idea that would be cool for Sega to do. Chance of them doing it? Highly unlikely. But here goes.

Turn the Sonic 3 2P stages into full fleshed out zones. Make it a Wiiware/PSN etc game with Sonic 4 HDesc graphics, but with better physics closer to the originals. But the layouts would be designed like Sonic 2's 2P mode, so it is still a versus race. Have a extra boss act at the end of each zone, (if doing a single zone versus the boss would be a tiebreaker act) Didn't the rivals series have a system like that for boss battles? Whoever got the most hits in wins? Honestly I never played either game. But yeah. No CPU players at all. Strictly 2 human players splitscreen. And on the top of all that add two new zones "F" and "G" to make 7 zones total. Either way, it is just a big "what if" and even then SEGA would screw it up somehow, I just know it.

[Turbohog]

I've honestly been fantasizing about remaking all of the 8 bit games into 16 bit for a while now via rom hack. Some of the later 8 bit games such as Sonic Triple Trouble actually have decent level design if I remember too.

On Chaotix, would it really be worth it? I don't think I've ever played it, but if it's anything like Sonic Crackers, I'm not sure it would be very enjoyable anyway.

[Sodaholic]

Turbohog, on 07 December 2011 - 06:23 PM, said:

I've honestly been fantasizing about remaking all of the 8 bit games into 16 bit for a while now via rom hack. Some of the later 8 bit games such as Sonic Triple Trouble actually have decent level design if I remember too.

I'd be glad if you're willing to help on such a project.

Turbohog, on 07 December 2011 - 06:23 PM, said:

On Chaotix, would it really be worth it? I don't think I've ever played it, but if it's anything like Sonic Crackers, I'm not sure it would be very enjoyable anyway.

Besides Techno Tower, it's not that much like Crackers. Least Crackers-like levels to me would have to be Amazing Arena (actually not that bad, in my opinion) and Marina Madness.

Quick question, do all the boats float at the same height to each other in the Marina Madness levels? If so, I think we can confirm they were supposed to be at the height of the level's water height, if it was to have water.

[E-122-Psi]

Bubble and splash sprites are inside Chaotix's memory suggesting water was meant to be in the game. It would admitely be the best way to add a new innovation without altering the level designs too much (plus it was planned for the game in the first place).

As for porting SMS music to the Genesis, I'm not sure, I know either way though, good renditions can be made on it's soundchip:





I remember, StephenUK was toying with the idea recently. I don't know if it's still planned but he at least made some nifty screenshots that were placed somewhere here. Gave you a nice idea what the levels could look like in 16 bit.

This post has been edited by E-122-Psi: 07 December 2011 - 08:14 PM

[Sodaholic]

E-122-Psi, on 07 December 2011 - 08:08 PM, said:

I remember, StephenUK was toying with the idea recently. I don't know if it's still planned but he at least made some nifty screenshots that were placed somewhere here. Gave you a nice idea what the levels could look like in 16 bit.

Mind linking to those screenshots?

Also, can anyone answer my question about marina madness? Do the boats in the level always stay at the same altitude as each other?

[W.A.C.]

I once saw a screenshot someone posted in the General Project Screenshot/Video Thread that had a mountain background similar to the first level in Sonic 1 GG. Having that go to good use in a Sonic GG 16bit edition would be pretty epic. I forgot who made it but you might want to contact that person. Maybe it was StephenUK.

[Turbohog]

Sodaholic, on 07 December 2011 - 06:37 PM, said:

I'd be glad if you're willing to help on such a project.

I'd help as much as time allotted. First thing to figure out would be the sprite ratio from 8 bit to 16 bit so the levels can stay intact.
Edit: Perhaps a topic in Reverse Engineering should be started?

This post has been edited by Turbohog: 09 December 2011 - 01:47 PM

[Sodaholic]

After doing a couple calculations, I've determined 1.5 by 1.25 to be good, if the wide pixel aspect ratio is taken into account. This is based on Sonic's sprites between the 8 bit and 16 bit versions, while taking the screen aspect ratio differences into account.

Edit: I'd rather start a topic there when it's actually been started.

This post has been edited by Sodaholic: 09 December 2011 - 01:50 PM

[Frodo T. Baggins]

W.A.C., on 06 December 2011 - 06:54 AM, said:

[LINK]

If they're allowed to include Mighty in a poster for City Escape in Generations and can use Mighty in the Archie comics, why can't he be in a Chaotix remake?

So, you essentially want them to complete the original STH 4? I'm all for it.

I made a post suggesting this a while back on the official Sega forums and got ripped apart over it. Nasty PM's and everything. I think a "Sonic Chaotix" would be sweet.