[redhotsonic]

Ajavalo, on 17 June 2012 - 03:49 AM, said:

I have a few things to say about the bosses, though: first, the ball shooting rate of the Gem Runway boss gets such a sudden increase, it may look better if it increased proggressively, a little every 2 or 4 hits, for example.

It does. Before pinch mode comes into play, Eggman does start firing the balls a little bit more frequent. I've tried making it as smooth as possible, whilst still giving it the hard factor.

Ajavalo, on 17 June 2012 - 03:49 AM, said:

And about the ARZ boss, does the water raise high enough to prevent Tails from flying up to its belly? That would make the boss even more clever-proof, which looks like it's your idea.

The water can go higher, but I thought this would do. If it goes any higher, then the flames on Eggman's ship will be underwater, and that would look plain stupid =P


Thanks for all the comments, guys.

[Mr. Mash]

I'm really impressed. I had to scroll up and check whether this was in Engineering & Reverse Engineering, or Fangaming.
I think it's ok for the bosses to be pretty difficult, since most of us have been playing Sonic games for 20 or so years.

[redhotsonic]

I have submitted my hack to the competition. I have my eye on one or two trophies, but I won't say what ones otherwise I will jinx it!


Here, is a couple of pictures that the judges are to expect during their main game play (not including stuff accessable from level-select).

Please be aware, that some of these video demonstrations are old and may be slightly different to what it is now. Pictures are practically up-to-date.



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I submitted this game as partial-private. That means only media is avalable to you; the public. I was seriously considering making it fully-public, so you lot can enjoy. But there is only 4 levels that are completed so far. And I didn't want to keep updating the ROM every week like many others. I want to release it in its full potential glory (if that ever comes =P). So until then, here are all the main points to the game so far. What the judges will see and what to expect, what the game contains to this date, thanks and credits, the works.




The High Points

• S3K-RM Object Manager. S3K Object manager with more oomph. The RM stands for redhotsonic and Module. It features the same as S3K but with y-deletion. Module kindly help me port the original manager in, then I added extra checks for the y-deletion and Module fixing a bug, then me fixing another, and now it's perfect. Now, if you move vertically away from an object, it will delete itself; freeing more processing time!
  
  
• S3K Touch Response (Thanks, Module)
  
  
• S3K Priority manager
  
  
• S3K Rings manager, improved! (original guide by shobiz, improved and optimised by me)
  
  
• S3K ObjectMove(andFall) rotuines
  
  
• Improved layer deformation code
  
  
• A huge improvement to the S2clonedriver, and optimised greatly, for details, read on (by ValleyBell)
  
  
• Many, many many optimisations here and there (too many to list).
  
  
• Un-editable SRAM. Saves your progress after each level (or character selection). Loads up your progress when you next play the game. The SRAM in S2R is jumbled and data gets shifted and changed all the time. A lot of the data is dud. If you make an edit yourself to the SRAM, when you next load the game, the SRAM may delete your progress without warning, and you'll have to start again.
  
  
• Extra security to the game, so you can't cheat your way through (RAM changes, code changes, conversion, etc).
  
  
• Underwater mode. When the main character goes underwater, the sound driver changes its properties to make the music and SFX/DAC's sound like you're underwater (ValleyBell). Video demonstration 2
  
  
• New SEGA screen. The SEGA logo is there and shouts, "SEGA!" Then Sonic runs into it, making the SEGA logo break apart. Video demonstration 1
  
  
• SSRG screen, by MarkeyJester, slightly edited for S2R Video demonstration 1
  
  
• Improved fading on the colours (guided by MarkeyJester)
  
  
• Improved fading on the music. Music/PSGs/FMs/DACs are now more balanced when fading in and out. Also, can change the speed of the fade in/out to really fast to really slow(ValleyBell)
  
  
• SFXs are no longer affected by the fading in/out of music
  
  
• SFXs are no longer affected by the 1-up jingle
  
  
• NTSC initially, but compatible with PAL. Music will be the same speed in PAL mode as it was in NTSC mode. Timer is still synced with the game in either mode.
  
  
• Main level music will NOT restart after invincibility music or drowning music, instead, it will resume from where it left off (ValleyBell)
  
  
• And lots more

The game

• Characters are Sonic and Tails, Sonic alone, Tails alone, Knuckles alone, Knuckles and Tails, Sonic and Knuckles, redhotsonic. It's unknown if Mighty will come back.
  
  
• Sonic can air-dash (press jump in mid-air). He can also burst (run fast for a long time and he will enter burst mode). He will automatically go into burst mode in certain conditions (speedboots, booster, etc). Video demonstration
  
  
• Tails can fly, and carry other characters. Also, unlike most games, when Tails is flying, pressing the B button will stop him flying and make him drop. Perfect if you want to get to the ground quickly.
  
  
• Tails will now spawn if Sonic is in the water, like S3K. If underwater, Tails will swim, and not fly.
  
  
• If you have Knuckles as a sidekick, he will drop next to you as he spawns, whether you're in water or not.
  
  
• Knuckles can glide and climb as usual (not as a sidekick...yet...)
  
  
• redhotsonic has no special abilities. But there may be a lava level in the future, where RHS will be invulnerable to it.
  
  
• Portal is your home. Here you can enter options to change character, switching time-over on or off, or the sound test. Portal is also responsible for getting you to new levels. Logo 1 is first, and then goes in numeric order. After you've completed logo 4, all logos become available, and the cheat is enabled (press start then A to exit game, and then at title screen, press start whilst holding A, and you're at level select. Picking a level, hold A to enable debug).
  
  
• You can enter the cheat code yourself, good luck getting it.
  
  
• So far, there are 4 completed levels; West Bay Zone, Great Gate Zone, Gem Runway Zone and Chaos Angel Zone.
  
  
• Each level contains two main acts, and a boss act. Gem Runway contains the brand new boss. Chaos Angel has 3 main acts but no boss as yet.
  
  
• Each main level and act will have a "B" logo right at the start. This will take you back to Portal. This means you can go back to Portal at any time.
  
  
• Any original Sonic 2 boss you come across will have a pinch mode, so all bosses will be different in some way.
  
  
• From level select, you can take a peek of what may appear in the future. Please be aware that any of these level can contain bugs and is more than likely not complete-able.
  
  
• 2player no longer exists. All code has been taken out. This includes all checks, which can help improve the speed of the game (barely)

What's new from Sonic 2?

• New level art and designs. Nothing from the old Sonic 2!
  
  
• Multiple routes in many levels.
  
  
• At the end of most levels (some have new transistions instead), instead of the characters running off the screen, they do their celebrations, like Sonic 3. The camera also moves up near the end so you have a better view of the background.
  
  
• Some levels start differently than just the characters standing there. More to come
  
  
• Gem Runway Act 2 has a different route for Knuckles. More Knuckles-only routes to come
  
  
• New badniks here and there (as well as old ones)
  
  
• Brand new boss, Gem Runway Zone. Video demonstration here
  
  
• 2 original bosses, they act the same for the first 8 hits but then Eggman enters pinch-mode (music change) and things will get tougher! Video demonstration 3
  
  
• Boss explosions now move a little bit rather than staying still. This looks better in my opinion. Video demonstration 3. EHZ boss blows up differently too!
  
  
• When boss explodes, nuts and bolts fly everywhere too, similar to Sonic Advance series. Video demonstration 3
  
  
• Eggman occasionally shouts "Ow", "You little..." and "You're going to pay for this!" Changes and additions to come
  
  
• A smooth boss counter
  
  
• Centi-seconds that hits every digit
  
  
• New HUD
  
  
• New music!
  
  
• Underwater ripples
  
  
• Monitor icons on HUD. Similar to how Knuckles Chaotix works. When you get a certain monitor, it will be displayed on the HUD. But, it won't have it's certain location like Chaotix. It will move up and down on the HUD. It will flash when you're running out (like speed-boots or invincibility), or flash when hurt (shield). New video demonstration
  
  
• Random Monitor. Works the same way as it does in Sonic 2's 2 player, except it flashes different images very quickly. And it only gives you certain monitors (like no teleport or no Tails 1-up). Video demonstration
  
  
• New standing animations for Sonic and Knuckles before their waiting animation.
  
  
• In-Progress, new title screen. Video demonstration 1
  
  
• New title cards. Video demonstration 1
  
  
• New layer scrolls. With almost-instant background changes. Video demonstration 2
  
  
• New restart routine. Instead of the title cards loading again, when you die, the camera will scroll back to the beginning or last checkpoint and will start from there (except for Chaos Angel Act 3, Eggman-earthquake during Great Gate act 2, and when you've drowned).
  
  
• Lots of old bugs, gone!
  
  
• A few cut-scenes, explosive passages, underwater movements and challenges, earthquakes, etc.
  
  
• A few transitions from one level to another, more to come

What to expect in the future in S2R

• More new levels
  
  
• More Brand new bosses (I have a couple of designs ready to start).
  
  
• New badniks
  
  
• Time-attack mode. Show us your fastest times in S2R.
  
  
• More cut-scenes!
  
  
• More thrills that other Sonic hacks can't bring to you.
  
  
• A proper story line, as there isn't one at the moment.
  
  
• Brand new special stages

The team

• redhotsonic - creator, programmer, designer, beginner-artist
  
• ValleyBell - musician, sound programmer
  
• StephenUK - Artist

People I'd like to thank

• ValleyBell and StephenUK, helping making this game go to the next level.
  
  
• All the creators of programs that I used in the creation of S2R.
  
  
• SMTP, even though I haven't spoken to him properly for a while, he helped me with this many years ago. And frankly, this hack wouldn't have got far without him.
  
  
• Module, for the guidance he gave me.
  
  
• flamewing, for his advice and tips
  
  
• Zana, for creating Gem Runway's background art
  
  
• Jamie Bailey and Dragon XVI, for permission to use the midi for Gem Runway act 1 (act 2 remixed by ValleyBell)
  
  
• Sonica and jasonchrist for permission to use their monitor art

Special thanks

• MarkeyJester, PsychoSk8r, KingofHearts, Soti/Spanner, and anyone else I may have forgotten (let me know)
  
  
• OrdosAlpha and the other SSRG admins; for giving me my own webspace so I can show the world S2R
  
  
• My girlfriend, Kate; for putting up with me being on the laptop creating this game. And for supporting me, of course! And her brothers for testing the game out and my siblings for testing the game out.
  
  
• And at last, but not least, the members of SSRG and SonicRetro, for your support.

Since the submission for the hacking contest, all I've done is edited the art of the HUD (from the shading tip from StephenUK), and change the centiseconds from 0:00:00 to 0'00"00. Here is a typical screenshot to demonstrate:





And until the results of the contest, I am going to take a little break from hacking. Not the forums itself, just hacking in general.




Well, I hope you liked these stats. Any question and/or comments, always welcome.


And now, I leave you with a list of changes ValleyBell has implemented to the game:

Quote

; Sonic 2 Clone Driver
; --------------------
; with comments from the Sonic 1 SVN Disassembly
; and many fixes and mods by Valley Bell

; Updates:
; - fixed Modulation on rests
; - PSG Noise Type is now restored after 1-up
; - fixed PSGSetVolume sending volumes >= $10 (usually during fade in)
; - added Underwater Mode
; - added custom DAC driver
; - added PlayPCMSong
; - added DAC-features to existing coordination flags:
; -> volume change
; -> key displacement (for >= 5F sounds)
; -> frequency displacement (-> custom pitches)
; - added PlaySFX_DAC
; - made SFX play while fading
; - fixed SFX reading instrument pointer from A6 (FF00) instead of A5 (track RAM)
; - ported SetLFOData from Ristar
; - ported PSG envelope flags from Ristar and made a few custom ones
; - fixed fading to not ignore the current envelope value
; - made address pointers (track pos, modulation data pos) keep the unused bits 24-31
; - made 2 new Note Fill modes
; - moved DAC bit from GlobalRAM[008] to TrackRAM[01]
; - made FM6 and DAC turning off each other
; - fixed a bug where playing sounds with index >= E0 causes crashes
; - made a proper music index extenstion (music is 01-9F, SFX A0-F3, Special F4-FF)
; - Restructured UpdateDAC to work similar FMUpdateTrack and PSGUpdateTrack
; - DAC Frequency Modulation
; - added optimized PAL mode
; - replaced SpeedUp Mode with a better implementation
; - Improved 1-up-return routine, so that SFX are still processed in that frame
; - Made new coord. flag EE: send YM2612 command and FD: Set SSG-EG
; - wrote own fading routines with more balanced fading
; - made new fading ignore SFX
; - moved the addresses of some Global Variables around
; - made Drown-Timer jingle unaffected by PAL and SpeedUp
; - made multiple Music Layers for 1-up and Invincibility
; (Plan: e.g. 1-up ends, Invinc. fades in, Invinc. runs off, BGM fades in)
; - added background music loading (I.e. 1-up is playing and Invinc. gets loaded without stopping the 1-up)
; - added FadeToPrevious sound ID and support for custom fading data
; - added F7, which prevents fading back to Invinc. instead of main BGM
; - changed add to or in WriteFMIorII to fix some bugs with the new fade in routine
; - small speedup for SetFMVol by caching FMSlotMask instead of the feedback/algorithm

[minichapman]

I hate to ask but do I see some Puggsy inspiration here with the seashell and anchor or is that straight from the game?

[dsrb]

Yarr.

redhotsonic, on 07 May 2012 - 03:19 PM, said:

dsrb, on 07 May 2012 - 02:59 PM, said:

Is that beach level from Puggsy?

Some of it is, like the shells and anchor and clouds, but the sand was done by StephenUK, and some others are a bit from Advance. You're not the first to point out, "is that Puggsy?" =P

Edit:
—

Also, in order to not ignore redhotsonic's entire giant post: This looks good! Seems you've made quite a lot of progress with art, and I like a lot of the changes you've made to the mechanics: from significant ones like new bosses and the great DAC samples of Robotnik, to things like scrolling back instead of blacking out during a restart (which I look forward to seeing in action), even to small things like the enhancements/edits to the HUD. So, I look forward to the eventual release of the next version – but do enjoy your time off first! :V

This post has been edited by dsrb: 02 August 2012 - 10:18 AM

[minichapman]

Of course. I'm a derp. Trash Plz.

EDIT: and of my course, my previous post on this topic too.

This post has been edited by minichapman: 02 August 2012 - 10:11 AM

[KingofHarts]

I started to update the wiki this afternoon. Don't have a lot of time to do too much right now, I'll get more done this week though.

[DeoxysKyogre]

Looking good! Seems that you've been working hard after the last release too, and that you haven't given up. I like the art, it's very pleasing to my eyes. I also see you've worked on new bosses, which is a great thing too. Overall, a very nice thing. Keep up the good work!

[Mike Arcade]

SO glad this game is coming back, love RHS's "abilities", though the lava part would be interesting...

Also I recommend putting Mighty in, why? Cause he's awesome...okay that's not an exact reason, with his wall kick ability I think it makes him a middle ground between Sonic and Knuckles, a jack of all trades, he can climb walls (so to speak) but can't glide, he's faster then Knuckles but not as fast as Sonic can be, it would be really nice to see him in and that's my reason for it.

[KingofHarts]

Mike Arcade, on 11 August 2012 - 01:34 PM, said:

SO glad this game is coming back, love RHS's "abilities", though the lava part would be interesting...

Also I recommend putting Mighty in, why? Cause he's awesome...okay that's not an exact reason, with his wall kick ability I think it makes him a middle ground between Sonic and Knuckles, a jack of all trades, he can climb walls (so to speak) but can't glide, he's faster then Knuckles but not as fast as Sonic can be, it would be really nice to see him in and that's my reason for it.

I second this. How about also giving him an ability to break walls while spinning? Also should he have Sonic's jump height or Knuckles??

[redhotsonic]

JUDGED TROPHIES


Lava Reef Trophy – Best Level Layouts
Sonic 2 Recreation by redhotsonic

Carnival Night Trophy – Most Innovative Feature
Sonic 2 Recreation by redhotsonic

Crystal Meth Trophy – Most Replayable Hack
Sonic 2 Recreation by redhotsonic

Casinopolis Trophy – Most Entertaining/Fun Hack
Sonic 2 Recreation by redhotsonic


Dust Hill Trophy – 3rd Place
Sonic 2 Recreation by redhotsonic




It looks like Sonic 2 Recreation took home the most trophies!

This was my first ever submission to the contest, and I am extremely pleased with the results. The two trophies I was expecting, we didn't get (D.A Garden and Eggman trophy), but the other four came to a shock.


Then, we got awarded a fifth, 3rd place! I wasn't even aiming for that, but who's to complain?





Thanks to all the judges who voted for Sonic 2 Recreation! And I would also like to congratulate all other hacks and their creators for the competition. Truly deserved.

And I would also like to thanks ValleyBell and StephenUK for helping create this project, and to all others that have given advice, help and support.

[Kharen]

If you don't mind my asking, how much of this do you want to get done before releasing a public demo? After seeing how much praise the game's gotten, I'd like to try it, but it was submitted as partial-private.

[KingofHarts]

I had tried to vote this hack in for the DA Garden trophy... only to find it not on the list...

This post has been edited by KingofHarts: 14 August 2012 - 04:06 AM

[MainMemory]

It was submitted as partial-private, how can you accurately judge a hack you've never played?

[KingofHarts]

? Kinda an unfair assumption to make... I know it is listed as Partial private. I was asked to help test it though. So, that said, I CAN fairly judge it. That being said, everyone is in for a REAL treat when it comes out! :D

This post has been edited by KingofHarts: 14 August 2012 - 04:08 AM