[Putmalk]

Hey guys,

So, I recently (like yesterday) picked up SonEd2 and got it fully operational. Developing a level hack for Sonic 2. The editor is intuitive and fun to use, and I've successfully got my maps (currently did EHZ1 and EHZ2). However, I do have a lot of questions, and I've noticed some glitches and stuff that I was wondering you experienced folk could help me with.

1. In EHZ1, I have this weird glitch. When the game starts, the camera begins at the top of the map and slowly descends down to Sonic. And then, when I hit a starpost and then die, the game starts up again in that same position (top left of the map) and slowly scrolls toward where it's supposed to be. I have no idea why this happens on Act 1 only.

2. Similarly, in Act 1, towards the end of the map, I made a series of loops to the end flag. However, above the first loop is a glitchy mess that constantly flickers above the loop. I can't explain why.

3. In CPZ, I know there are tubes the player can zoom across through the map. However, I tried to implement this and the game doesn't recognize the loops. Instead, he falls through the pipe and dies, and it doesn't track where he's been. Is there an object I'm missing that activates the spinning?

4. Would implementing Knuckles into Sonic 2 be a difficult task to accomplish? I've never edited hex. I can try poking around for a tutorial but before I began I wanted to see your input.

5. Similar to #4, could I apply the disassembly process for S2&K and then import the levels I made in the Sonic 2 hack into that, fully playable and all, then rebuild it and get a working hack?

6. My last question, would it be problematic to move around start and end locations? My goal being to extend the level length to whatever maximum that is allowed? I've tried looking for where the bosses are called but they don't seem to be on the maps themselves. Hence, I'm a little worried. Are player start, flag and bosses hardcoded into the levels and I'd have to edit hex in order to get them playable?

The goal is for me to build levels similar to S3&K into Sonic 2. Completely original layouts, with multiple paths depending on what character you choose. I could really use the help, thank you for any that you can give!

Also, if you're wondering what I mean by questions #1 and #2, I might be able to get video of it to show you.

[KingofHarts]

I think I can field this one... I'm going to go out on a limb and say that this didn't need its own topic. You say that you just got SonEd2 yesterday and are using it now...

I'm going to assume that you are not a complete noob, and have an idea of what you are doing. (Unlike me... I'm still a noob when it comes to hacking.)

I'll tell you what I usually do when I get stuck though... There are a ton of help and how-to guides that can probably answer some of these questions. If the problem is SonEd2-related, I do believe the program has its own pinned topic also. There is also a pinned topic for asking these types of questions as well. And finally, you can always ask one of our Tech members. I recommend Tiddles, Flamewing, or MainMemory. (No offense to any of our other Techs... just basing off my own experience)

I'm gonna guess that this topic should be moved as a post to the Q&A topic. I hope this helps. And be careful... some people, especially the ones in charge, are not always as nice about saying this as I am. I know this first hand. I've had a few trashed topics in my early days. Hope this helps at all...
Kind Regards

This post has been edited by KingofHarts: 16 March 2012 - 06:59 AM

[Putmalk]

Hi, thanks for replying to this topic.

I understand I probably shouldn't have made this topic. But I"ve figured out most of my problems now...

I've switched over to hacking S3&K directly, and it's much better than trying to import Knuckles into Sonic 2. It gives me the best flexibility when it comes to hacking maps.

Plus I've been successful in getting maps playable and working in the hacked rom.

I would like to know how to reduce the water levels in some levels, but I'll look around for some tutorials.

Thanks for the help!

[Spanner]

You can port Knuckles to Sonic 2 using the disassembly of KiS2 (available on the Mercurial repository) but you do need to make a few fixes as a number of bugs are present that must be corrected.

Even though you are now hacking Sonic 3 & Knuckles, I thought I might as well post here considering that I did a port of Knuckles years ago, although it wasn't a perfect port because I never bothered to fix some bugs.

This post has been edited by SOTI: 17 March 2012 - 09:34 PM

[KingofHarts]

Putmalk, on 17 March 2012 - 09:25 PM, said:

Hi, thanks for replying to this topic.

I understand I probably shouldn't have made this topic. But I"ve figured out most of my problems now...

I've switched over to hacking S3&K directly, and it's much better than trying to import Knuckles into Sonic 2. It gives me the best flexibility when it comes to hacking maps.

Plus I've been successful in getting maps playable and working in the hacked rom.

I would like to know how to reduce the water levels in some levels, but I'll look around for some tutorials.

Thanks for the help!

This could be completely unrelated to anything you are doing, but since you brought up water levels... lemme bring this up... If you play the Sonic 3 Customizable hack... and you play with Knuckles (w/ Tails) you may find that on Knuckles path of Angel Island Act 2... there will be an instance of flooding the entire area. The reason (I think... I could be wrong... like I said, I'm not much of a hacker) being that when Sonic/Tails reach past a certain point on the x axis in the level map, the water level changes level... So this will leave Knuckles (and Tails) to drown, as there are no bubbles or water shields, since the area normally has no water. Support to my theory is that this never happens with Knuckles alone.

Like I said, this may be completely irrelevant to what you are doing, but I thought I'd throw that note about water levels out there. If you are messing with water and layouts in S3K, which I think you are (unless I am mistaken, I do believe it was your AIZ Act 2 layout map I saw on the General Sonic Discussion board) this kind of thing COULD be something you want to watch out for.

As for how to do the water level changing, I have no earthly idea, but I could imagine it is somewhere in the SCHG. Or talk to Tiddles. He knows his way around Sonic 3K, I'm sure...

[Putmalk]

KingofHarts, on 18 March 2012 - 12:41 AM, said:

Putmalk, on 17 March 2012 - 09:25 PM, said:

Hi, thanks for replying to this topic.

I understand I probably shouldn't have made this topic. But I"ve figured out most of my problems now...

I've switched over to hacking S3&K directly, and it's much better than trying to import Knuckles into Sonic 2. It gives me the best flexibility when it comes to hacking maps.

Plus I've been successful in getting maps playable and working in the hacked rom.

I would like to know how to reduce the water levels in some levels, but I'll look around for some tutorials.

Thanks for the help!

This could be completely unrelated to anything you are doing, but since you brought up water levels... lemme bring this up... If you play the Sonic 3 Customizable hack... and you play with Knuckles (w/ Tails) you may find that on Knuckles path of Angel Island Act 2... there will be an instance of flooding the entire area. The reason (I think... I could be wrong... like I said, I'm not much of a hacker) being that when Sonic/Tails reach past a certain point on the x axis in the level map, the water level changes level... So this will leave Knuckles (and Tails) to drown, as there are no bubbles or water shields, since the area normally has no water. Support to my theory is that this never happens with Knuckles alone.

Like I said, this may be completely irrelevant to what you are doing, but I thought I'd throw that note about water levels out there. If you are messing with water and layouts in S3K, which I think you are (unless I am mistaken, I do believe it was your AIZ Act 2 layout map I saw on the General Sonic Discussion board) this kind of thing COULD be something you want to watch out for.

As for how to do the water level changing, I have no earthly idea, but I could imagine it is somewhere in the SCHG. Or talk to Tiddles. He knows his way around Sonic 3K, I'm sure...

Yeah it was AIZ Act 2. :D

And I could use less water for my AIZ Act 1, because I made a new path for Knuckles down below and it's all flooded...It shouldn't be because Knuckles' Angel Island should be floating in midair.

If I could upload a video I capture from my emulator to youtube, I would post one of the levels I made, just to get some feedback...

[Ravenfreak]

What emulator are you using? If you're using Kega Fusion, you have to install the video codec. Just right click the file, press install and you can record videos.

[Putmalk]

Ravenfreak, on 18 March 2012 - 03:14 PM, said:

What emulator are you using? If you're using Kega Fusion, you have to install the video codec. Just right click the file, press install and you can record videos.

I did and have the .AVI. It just won't upload to youtube. And I can't convert it to a .WMV either. The file may be corrupted.

[Ravenfreak]

Have you opened it in Vegas or a different video editing program? When I make videos with KF, I use Vegas to convert it. Works like a charm. If you don't have Vegas try using Windows Live Movie Maker, it's free and it's not crap like Movie Maker is.

[Putmalk]

Thanks for the help.





I could use some feedback. :D

Btw, I love Raven. My favorite character from Teen Titans.

This post has been edited by Putmalk: 18 March 2012 - 08:20 PM

[Covarr]

On the one hand, I think you've done a very good job using level props to mimic the feel of the levels, so these could almost work as additional acts in the original game.

On the other hand, what's with the dick spike placement in AIZ2? Punishing players for not knowing in advance where the safe landing spots are on blind jumps? That's Sonic Heroes style level design, and will generally piss people off. Generally, difficulty should be possible to overcome SOLELY by mastering the mechanics of the game, not by requiring layout memorization.

[Putmalk]

Covarr, on 18 March 2012 - 11:27 PM, said:

On the one hand, I think you've done a very good job using level props to mimic the feel of the levels, so these could almost work as additional acts in the original game.

On the other hand, what's with the dick spike placement in AIZ2? Punishing players for not knowing in advance where the safe landing spots are on blind jumps? That's Sonic Heroes style level design, and will generally piss people off. Generally, difficulty should be possible to overcome SOLELY by mastering the mechanics of the game, not by requiring layout memorization.

You're right. Angel Island was my first foray into SonEd and I was just experimenting. I plan on redoing it.

Thanks for that feedback, it's very useful to hear. Future levels (Hydrocity, Carnival Night, Icecap) don't have dick placements of hazards, but they do have secret passageways that require you to be quick to access them (otherwise you'll fall and won't be able to climb back up). That's why I think they're better. I'll try to record HC2 and CNZ2 and post em.

I think I'm also going to do full level layout changes from now. I think it's better to have an entirely new layout to run around with. I think it'd be an interesting hack to play - the same game with new layouts. It's like playing the game for a new time. I'm currently redoing Ice Cap Act 1 from scratch, this time with a Knuckles path and a Sonic/Tails path from the moment you fall from the snowboard.


One more addition, I am rewarding players with a lot of skill at the game and a knack for exploration. If you're really good with Knuckles you can reach a 1-UP using the second balloon at the start of Carnival Night Act 1....I thought it was well hidden. (you'd have to glide into the balloon just as you hit to generate high height a fast speed quickly).

This post has been edited by Putmalk: 18 March 2012 - 11:58 PM