I have access to the original Sonic 1 assembler source code

Mind sending some proof? I’m interested.

 

Going to recommend reaching out to Hidden Palace.

 

Please release it, it will be very interesting to read how Sega commented the code and what was commented out before compiling (plus we already host many disassemblies and the SA1 Bug Database).

Or, well, just send it to drx and have him release it.

 

Yes, please share this! I've been dying to see the original names and everything!

By chance, how close is the source code you have to what can be seen at Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Nick Arcade prototype)/Hidden content#Source code?

 

I am conflicted, I have personally excused many kinds of leaks (prototype ROMs for instance). However, this one is a bridge too far. Judging by your remarks, you already know it would be wrong to release it and don't need anyone to tell you either way.

Moreover, this would be a HUGE breach of trust if you were to leak. I would fire you in fantastical fashion if you worked for me and I found out.

If I were in your shoes, I would not leak it, nor would I be writing about having it. But that's just me I guess.

 

I'm curious what could be in there... not gonna lie this is interesting. I didn't even know the source code was out there.

At the very least someone who knows what they're doing should be able to comb through the code itself and see what can be built from it. cause at the very least there could be some stuff and/or builds built that are neither Rev00/01 or the prototype we have.

 

Are we talking about, like, the 2010 release?

 

Assuming it is the original source, how did you come across it? Without naming names of course.

 

I appreciate the dilemma of deciding whether to violate trust placed in you like this (although unlike Saxman I don't agree that it's "a bridge too far" - I don't think there's likely to be any trade secrets in thirty-year-old 68k assembly language) but this wouldn't be the first time someone showed up claiming to have something they know has value to us to gain some adulation and then absconded when people challenged them to put their money where their mouth is, so I don't have a lot of patience for vagueposting - if you actually have something to share, get in touch with Hidden Palace.

 

As of me typing this, the person in question has not logged into Sonic Retro since yesterday at 10:26 PM GMT, before the first reply was posted. It's entirely possible the OP simply has yet to check the replies.

 

I've seen this stuff happen too many times in my life. I'm not telling anyone what to do, but I'd ignore this until the guy posts something substantial as proof. If the guy replies with some "Guys I really want to I swear but..." or basically anything without a shred of proof, I'd pack up bags and send this guy off. I'll go back to rocking on my chair and yelling at the clouds.

 

Some may remember (or maybe didn't know) that I was approached by Glu Mobile back in 2006 (?) for a potential working relationship. They had Sonic source code from Sega, and they needed my help in how to read data from it, as well as developing tools to work with it. When I provided level data from the game and explained the format, they told me that the data they had was not formatted the same way. (That's what put the brakes on the proposed relationship.)

I point this out, because clearly there's source code out there. And looking at the Sonic the Hedgehog Glu Mobile port, it looks like it mostly plays like the original game. However, the fact that the data was reformatted suggests that any source code out there probably isn't the "original". If the original code does exist, I would imagine it's probably under lock-and-key.

 

I disagree about "breach of trust" comments, there comes a time when preservation is far more important than the intellectual ownership of a property. Jason Scott from the Internet Archive has talked a lot about how fleeting media and trends can be, and how important creations are lost to time when their formats are no longer relevant, an example he likes to give is old 'zines from the 1950s and 1960s. At the time they were insanely popular, but are completely irrelevant now and would be lost without preservation efforts.

I agree however with other comments that this sounds very "i has teh sonic 1 beata" but there's nothing to lose by being optimistic here.

 

Well their labels are clearly original and the fact they had proto assets, like the UFO also suggests their Source was legit in some form. We don't know where they got it from though. It could be the one Sega handled to M2, which was the Sonic Jam port, so they could take a look at the Spindash code.

 

ChronoZ if you’re being legit than I gotta say, the way you’re going about doing this is very very stupid as I’m pretty sure you’ve just revealed that you were involved in the retro engine mobile ports. U could’ve just quietly leaked the code but instead you’ve left bread crumbs... which could change Sega’s perspective on working with fans. Rn we don’t know what going on w/ Origns and we know we ain’t getting Mania 2 for awhile but there is still a chance that we COULD get more from whitehead and co in the future. DO NOT FUCK THIS UP FOR US. WE WANT MORE FROM THE MANIA TEAM NOT LESS

 

Maybe the only way people will know if it's legit or not is if Yuji Naka sees it if it actually gets shared, after all that video of the old code exists.

Either way, who knows if this is real or not. SEGA haven't gone after anyone for disassemblies. Would they go after the original iPhone port developers instead if it got leaked?

Whether or not they'd have a huge issue with the actual source code is another thing altogether. It's over 30 years old, and SEGA have turned a blind eye to the games getting hacked and presented.

As other people have mentioned, best talking to Hidden Palace first. Would certainly be interesting how the disassemblies could change if the source code gets released, but I am right now doubtful it will.

 

I think the OP isn't talking about the 2013 Taxman remake, but rather the 2005 J2ME port. As Mastered Realm has noted above, certain assets only seen in prototypes as well as labels matching an early build of Sonic 2 can be found in the J2ME version, since it was built off the Genesis original.

For what it's worth, code for the sound driver that Sonic 1's was built off of is available online, so at least that much has been dumped.

I do wonder about the incompatible level data mentioned earlier - are we sure this isn't just the raw collision data versus the final in-game data?