Here's a thought. How about unique transformations sounds per character? Knuckles = S&K sound Tails = S3 sound Sonic = S2 sound Or, if you haven't already done this, the sounds could be different per transformation. super transformation uses S3 version and Hyper transformation uses S&K version.
If it's mentioned already, I apologise. But will you fix Knuckle's FBZ boss so it's Egg-Robo you're fighting?
Yay you put in the intro cutscene. I didn't really get why that wasn't in the original S3+K, it gave some basic point why he's running around chasing an Egg Robo.
It's not written very well for being level-agnostic - there are quite a few absolute level coordinates thrown into the mix for subobjects, restart positions and the like. I've had to take it away from S&K Mushroom Hill to put it into Angel Island, so perhaps out of the two, they just wanted it in the standalone version since more people might play it that way. That said, if I hadn't been keen to save space, it really wouldn't be difficult to make it suitable for either location - like many things in the game, it seems like a relatively small amount of effort could have made a more polished product, which is kind of my aim here. I didn't even have to do a thing with palettes to get it working in that part of AIZ. I did have to fiddle with screen/event stuff a little, but for the most part that was only making things valid for Knuckles that previously were in place only for Sonic and his cutscene.
I must say I'm a big fan of this hack, and has now become one of my favorites. I know it's pretty basic in comparison to some others out there, but it definitely accomplishes a huge goal. It's Sonic 3 the way it should've been! I've always liked the vast majority of the Sonic 3 sounds over the Sonic & Knuckles ones. They just seem more fitting to me. I'm not sure how far you plan to take this, but for the ultimate "what a complete Sonic 3 would've been" experience I would request/suggest the following: For music/sound effects: -Use the S&K miniboss theme as the default for minibosses -----If you examine the released Sonic 3 more closely it's made somewhat obvious this was planned as a boss theme ----------Evidenced by its appearance in the sound test and accidental occurrence during the Hydrocity Zone miniboss (if you almost drown and then resurface it plays instead of the Robotnik theme) -----Use the S3 miniboss theme just for the Knuckles fight...it's just so fitting for it that this should be the only occurrence IMO -----I'm thinking this was the original intention, but when the team realized that Sonic 3 had to be split into two games they rushed to change the music around so that the two games would feel more unique from one another (and forgot about the HDZ miniboss) -----P.S. I know there's an IPS patch that does just this, which I utilized, but it's just my thinking that this is the way the Sonic team would've released it (which is what you seem to be going for with this hack) -----Another alternative might be to use both themes for minibosses...using the S3 theme for the early ones, and reserving the S&K theme for the tougher bosses in the later levels (Sandopolis onward). As someone else mentioned hearing the S3 miniboss theme music to the Sandopolis or Death Egg minibosses is almost humorous. Doing this would also make the S3 miniboss music for the Knuckles fight (towards the end of the game) stand out a little bit more. Zone transition suggestions for moving Flying Battery zone between Carnival Night and Ice Cap: -Carnival Night to Flying Battery -----For a "quick and dirty" release I'd say just have the cannon fire you up there by chance :D (no work needing to be done for the transition scene) -----Have Knuckles do the same (currently uses a teleporter to go to Ice Cap) -----At some point port in the Flying Battery from Mushroom Hill...might be tricky with the pallets I'm thinking though -Flying Battery to Ice cap -----Don't have to do much of anything I don't think...they fall off the ship and into Ice Cap -----Would have to alter Knuckles start in Ice Cap...just go with the same start as Tail's by falling in (instead of coming in through a teleporter) -Mushroom Hill to Sandopolis -----Simple enough I would think...just remove the flying battery and have the character run and jump off the ledge to the right...into Sandopolis -----Maybe have the start of a desert transition at the end of MHZ to make it a little more believable Give the Knuckes version of the Launch Base Zone "super-boss" a similar atmosphere to the one Sonic & Tails face -Dark atmosphere, final boss music, etc. -It just seems more fitting that way -Possibly release an IPS patch to remove the boss completely for Sonic & Tails, and revert any other LBZ changes -----I know there was some work put in to adding it in, but I'm not sure if it's what would've been originally intended or not -----Each character already faces two bosses in the level anyways, and if FBZ is re-positioned this isn't really mid-game anymore -----I'm sure on this part specifically there's some thoughts either way But yea, I'm sure I'm just one of many mindsets on all of this. It's almost purely subjective analysis. S3&K has never looked so good though. Thank you very much for all you have done. In short, keep up the great work on a great hack!
These suggestions sort of go beyond what Sonic 3 and k was represented as, but might be really rad reguardless: --> Would it be possible to make it so the Super Metal Sonic fight is a part of Sonic's Sky Sanctuary Zone boss? (Without ruining the end of act Death Egg event) --> Also what about making Knuckles' Marbel Garden Zone as a "Form 1" in Sonic's Marble Garden Zone? (might work for the drill chain boss to replace the final "Eggman pops out of the ground" event in Sonic's level after the s&k path split in act 2...fight him like knuckles would, run through the collapsing part of the level, then fight the flying boss at the end) Having those two other bosses added in might really give extra "punch" to Sonic's game without feeling like there's too much there. (I put alot more weight in these first two suggestions than the others, as I really think they could add alot to the overall experience of Sonic's game.) ------- --> This one's a little excessive/probably a waste of time/disreguard it if you want but would you be able to fix the issues with getting Sonic into Knuckles's angel island zone specific path via debug? There's a death block...thing and the level is mostly run off the screen and underwater, I think there's a few other issues with debugging into other character specific paths, like Knuckles' launch base....again this is probably abit much but it's just a little wishlist thing. --> Also no one probably cares about this one but I always kinda disliked how there were still two screens ontop of eachother in the competition mode if you play it single player, probably not anything that can be done about that though... --> Any possible way to make it so you can switch to controling P2 Tails without switching controllers? Maybe a toggle or pause thing or something? --> One thing that MIGHT be really cool would be if the 8th special stage from sonic 3 were somehow integrated back into the game...maybe for the master emerald itself? If you think about it there was probably an idea to just up the emerald count from sonic 2. 6 to 7, 7 to 8, plus an average non super pro play could easily get all the emeralds before fighting the icecap boss....like they balanced the giant rings intending you to get your 8th emerald in launch base zone or so but didn't rebalance it after bumping it back down to 7. But that's really just conjecture I guess... Just a couple things that I kinda always hoped for... (Really like the additioal bosses thing, would be kewl) Oh yeah and kudos for putting in Knuckles's opening again. Always hated that that wasn't in there. ------- About the LBZ2 boss add-in, I love the idea of fighting him again there (plus s&k levels that follow sort of start to pile on bosses as you go, if you count the satelite, laser room, and constant ghost barrage in the pyramid...might be a stretch) but I'm not too wild about him being toned down... Also I always felt that the shield/super sonic limitations were sort of a "by design" sort of decision to create an edge of "risk/reward" to the system. You'd have to use your transformation at the right time. Having 50 rings and the shield meant that you would have more of a reason to keep yourself from getting hit because the shield allowed you to keep your super transformation safe for when you really needed it. Edit: This one might be impossible, but during the midboss fight in launch base zone act 1 you see 3 capsules but only one opens. is there any way to say...set it so after you destroy the one that the other two open and you fight two at once like in the knuckles version of the fight? Basically using all 3 capsules in a 2 stage miniboss. I always wondered if that was concepted, since it's wierd that such a boss exists for knuckles, but while sonic has the indicators (the two other capsules), he doesn't actually engage in that type of battle himself.
One thing is include things from other game versions and correct bugs and etc... Other it's just messing around with new stuff, doesn't make much sense to me for an "Sonic 3 Complete". But hey just my opinion, the modification isn't mine so...
There's no such thing as a "death block". The screen is dynamically resizing itself for the boss fight, and since Sonic is technically below the bottom edge, he instantly dies. There's is no sensical way to "fix" this, it's doing exactly what it should do.
Is there any way to extend the bottom of the screen during act 2 so you can visit knuckles's section? Most of it goes off screen so you just end up dead.
Here's an idea: (might be a bad idea) Is it possible to like...make a tails solo game or a knuckles game play different tracks for levels (the pc tracks) while say, the sonic game retains it's music? (Dunno if it'd be even possible to import said music...) would be an interesting way to add flavah to playing as tails or something of the sort. (afterall his personality is different than sonic's and his game is a little less dynamic, so it might be kinda cool if he had "unique" themes)
Ok, enough with the (poor) suggestions and failing to read the readmes. This isn't supposed a brand new game folks.
The bottom border is puposedly cut high above so the camera focuses on the action rather than filling half of the screen with the ground below. Yeah, you can stop making suggestions any time now. Folks?
Ya know, there's one thing I've been meaning to ask about since I found this hack: This thing right here. How hard would it be to bring back "Super Tails" from the <a href="http://info.sonicretro.org/Sonic_the_Hedgehog_3C_(prototype_0517)" target="_blank">Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Complete prototypes</a>? Is the coding still in the game? Would it be hard to jury-rig something that looks and acts the same as the Flicky-less Super Tails did? Or would it all be pointless considering how much more powerful the final Super Tails is compared to either Hyper Sonic or Hyper Knuckles? (Those Super Flickys mean business!)
Well, not necessarily. Every Super form is practically the same (increased speed and invincibility) while every Hyper form has a special unique ability: Hyper Sonic can Double Jump, causing all enemies on screen to die instantly. Hyper Knuckles when gliding at top speed, can ram a wall and cause an insta-kill. In theory then, Hyper Tails' ability COULD be the Flicky's, as they can kill any enemy on the screen from any position (as long as they are on the screen).
I don't know, I always thought that Tails' lack of a Chaos Emerald transformation was fitting, what with his flight and whatnot. Though you're granted a sort of "easy mode", the tradeoff is that you have to put in an extra effort for a Super form. Also, it helps explain away Tails' lack of a Super form in Sonic 2.
Also... Tails is the weakling of the group, after all, so it even makes some sense that he needs more external power in order to become super.
This right here. This is exactly why they also added a seventh emerald in Sonic 2, they cared about continuity back then. Nowadays they just stick them in yellow bubbles and call it a day. :E
To the last three posters: Your ideas are intriguing to me and I wish to subscribe to your newsletter. Okay, but seriously, this does make a lot of sense to me. I change my vote for "forms for both sets of emeralds for Tails" to a vote for neutrality leaning toward "Super Emeralds only for Tails". Thank you for your swaying responses!
