[Shadix]

Shadix & MarkEchidna Presents



Hey guys, I'm the promotionals director and corunner of SAGE 2008, along with my buddy MarkEchidna, and I wanted to share some of our plans for this year, as well as inform you guys of different ways you can participate.

Table of Contents (As this post is likely to get pretty long-winded)
---
Section 1: General Expo Information
1.1 - What is SAGE
1.2 - When is it?
1.3 - Registration

Section 2: The Event
2.1 - The Games
2.2 - Special Guest Appearance from Ryan Drummond

Section 3: What YOU Can Do
3.1 - SAGEcasts
3.2 - Workshops
3.3 - Extras
3.4 - Competitions





General SAGE Information



1.1 - What is SAGE?

The Sonic Amateur Game Expo, or SAGE, is an online gaming expo held annually at http://www.sagexpo.org/ to showcase the latest in the fangaming community. Traditionally its main purpose has been to showcase fangames based on the Sonic The Hedgehog franchise, however it is open to any freelance developer that wishes to participate. 2008 marks the event's 13th itineration. In the past we've had many great games introduced, special guests, fun events, and this year will hopefully be the best yet. It's a huge opportunity for fangamers to show off their latest product.

We usually draw in about 5000 unique hits per day, going off 2004's statistics, and the participation continues to grow.

1.2 - When Is It?

August 17th - 24th

1.3 - Registration

When August 4th comes around, we'll be opening up our registration. It will be an automated form that will help you get your game registe quickly and efficiently.

Our game registration this year requires some sort of semblance of the game you will be showing at the event on your booth. It's going to be a direct link to your game, and we will be shifting through these to see what booths work.


The Event


2.1 - THE GAMES

Featured Titles:



2.2 - Special Guests!



2.3 The Entertainment

We have more jam packed shows for you than you can shake a fist at!

Evening SAGEcast Entertainment
Concerts:



What YOU Can Do

3.1 - SAGEcasts

SAGEcasts are returning, and we need some timeslots cove! You can register for as many as you want, all you need to do is send me an email to [email protected] with "SAGEcast" as the subject and I will handle your time requests as needed.

Some of the events being held:
-Karaoke & Competition
-DJ Mixing Shows
-Possible Concert Performance from Taxman's Band, "The Polites"

Some ideas for what you guys can do in this area:

Concerts\Performances: If you have a band or you make teh awesome musics, contact me about possibly performing on the radio during the event.

Multicasts: We have this worked out so it works, if you guys want to, especially the folks here that run the podcast, want to have a live show with multiple hosts. I would just suggest in this instance that you guys get together more-or-less a flow for your show.

Skits: In the honor of Slingerlands SAGE finale show last year, writing a scripted show is also a really cool way to get some attention, possibly with voice acting and the likes.


3.2 - SAGE Workshops

We've actually been lacking these lately, the workshops give individuals opportunities to actually teach their fellow peers something they don't know, or expand on something they do know.

Some example Workshop subjects:
-Rom Hacking
-Level Design Theory
-Background Designing
-Spriting
-Modelling
-Programming

3.3 - SAGE Extras

I am also looking for extras for an extra section to the site which will be explained in greater detail if you chose to participate. Any extra stuff that doesn't fit into a casual catagory, like comics, videos, sekret software releases, contact me.

3.4 - Competitions

The Complete Game Contest: Complete your game by August 8th and get spotlighted on the site.

The Remix Competition: Remix a Tune from Sonic CD, results will be published on the Music Section of the site as well the remixes themselves. Tangible Prizes are still under consideration.

Remix Competition Rules:
-Composition must be at least 2:00 in length.

Judging:
Compositions will be judged on the following criteria

-Arrangement
-Production - This ones pretty self-explanatory, pay attention to your mixing\eqing and use of effects and panning.
-Relevance - While originality is good, it can easily go overboard and you lose what made your source song your source song. Overly-liberal mixes send a bad signal to someone trying to fulfill their craving for nostalgia.
-Originality - Midi Rips are bad. There are ways to keep the original song intact without having your song be the original song.

This post has been edited by Shadix: 04 August 2008 - 03:00 AM

[saxman]

ProSonic's not going to make the deadline. So instead, I'd like to perform one song and have it aired. Would that be fine?

EDIT: Obviously I can't read. I'll send an e-mail. I'm sure that'll help your organization of requests.

This post has been edited by saxman: 18 July 2008 - 01:31 AM

[SephyUK]

Hmm, I might just sign up for something. It'll give me something to do.

[Shoemanbundy]

Quote

the original official voice of Sonic, Ryan Drummond...

That title will always go to Jaleel White in my heart. He's the only one that sounded like he fit with the character, without sounding so...well, acted. Ryan was too fake. If you're reading this Ryan, Urkel beats you bar-none

[Oerg866]

Come back and present a new version of E02, stealth! :P

[P.P.A.]

Sonic MD is progressing at snail speed, so don't count me in until at least next year.

Also Sonic Frenzy Adventure looks stunning.

This post has been edited by P.P.A.: 18 July 2008 - 09:26 AM

[Dark Sonic]

What's this? A possible NEW demo of Sonic Frenzy Adventure. I've been waiting years for that.

Any word on the other big games like Retro Sonic XG and Nexus? I believe that SCD has a project they're working on.

[Ritz]

Wouldn't it be cool if Sonic Nexus didn't suck this time around? Yes, it would!

Also, just how many questions can you even ask of Ryan? I seem to recall people running on empty even before the last conference was over. There really isn't much ground left to cover there, unless he plans on taking voice requests.

This post has been edited by Ritz: 18 July 2008 - 02:59 PM

[Shoemanbundy]

Ritz, on Jul 18 2008, 02:58 PM, said:

Wouldn't it be cool if Sonic Nexus didn't suck this time around? Yes, it would!

More like if a single game didn't suck. Not only does everyone only have demos for eternity, nothing ever is good if completed. SAGE usually just shows how many games disappeared from last time. Watch some games get a "new" demo that is just the same level as before but *gasp* it's got a new HUD, or something no one can even notice

Excuse my hostility towards that shithole :P

[Shadix]

Ritz, on Jul 18 2008, 02:58 PM, said:

Wouldn't it be cool if Sonic Nexus didn't suck this time around? Yes, it would!

Also, just how many questions can you even ask of Ryan? I seem to recall people running on empty even before the last conference was over. There really isn't much ground left to cover there, unless he plans on taking voice requests.

I've actually had the same fear, in fact I felt like we weren't going to have much for him before he came in last year. :\

[Slingerland]

Quote

Wouldn't it be cool if Sonic Nexus didn't suck this time around? Yes, it would!

Don't worry. ;D

Quote

Any word on the other big games like Retro Sonic XG and Nexus?

RSXG isn't coming, sadly.

This post has been edited by Slingerland: 18 July 2008 - 05:14 PM

[DimensionWarped]

Just wondering Ritz, which build did you play? Was it the horribly rushed thing that we put out early on or the fixed up one?

Also, I'd like to hear your issues so that I can figure out what your beef with the game was and if we should keep those issues in mind while we continue production.

This post has been edited by DimensionWarped: 18 July 2008 - 05:11 PM

[Ritz]

I really don't know of any individual builds, I only played what was on display during last year's SAGE the day it was available. The experience isn't exactly fresh in my mind, but those water stages were just a serious pain- Sonic moved absurdly slow, the physics seemed a bit off, the stages themselves were a tad too long, and the lag throughout didn't help any. I wanted to enjoy it, really, but it was probably the most tedious experience I've ever had with a fangame.

It was way better than XG, though. Holy fuck, XG. Way to drop the ball, XG. Way to drop my balls, XG.

This post has been edited by Ritz: 19 July 2008 - 09:49 AM

[Krigo]

Maybe SAGE wouldn't be fan game with a new HUD and no differences from last year style if they allowed to just have trailers of the game rather than just builds that way we would see NEW things rather than able to play them with the bugs and poor collision.

This post has been edited by Krigo: 19 July 2008 - 10:37 AM

[DimensionWarped]

Ritz, on Jul 19 2008, 09:48 AM, said:

I really don't know of any individual builds, I only played what was on display during last year's SAGE the day it was available. The experience isn't exactly fresh in my mind, but those water stages were just a serious pain- Sonic moved absurdly slow, the physics seemed a bit off, the stages themselves were a tad too long, and the lag throughout didn't help any. I wanted to enjoy it, really, but it was probably the most tedious experience I've ever had with a fangame.

It was way better than XG, though. Holy fuck, XG. Way to drop the ball, XG. Way to drop my balls, XG.

Would you mind playing the updated version and perhaps the previous year's beta (non-water stage) so that I can get an accurate opinion? Oh, and you might be happy to hear the innacuracies of the physics have been greatly aided thanks to more than just a little help by Taxman... which will be showcased along with a surprise once we get the next demo out, which won't be any of the other stages that have been showcased (because we too find it fucking stupid to show the same level in two different years).

http://www.soundmage...onicnexusD.html

Since you probably played the rushed as hell demo, let me just apologize, as I dropped the ball there in a lot of ways :M. Starfish too fast, bubbles fuck up a lot (albeit, thats still an issue in that build, just the spawn rate was increased), lots of screwups with the terrain... Yeah, it was a mess. I'm pretty sure the one in that link came a week or two later, and a good number of issues are at least tweaked with.

Still, it is a water level, and those tend to be a tad... evil. But depending on route choices and your underwater eficacy, the first act can actually be completed in under one minute.

This post has been edited by DimensionWarped: 19 July 2008 - 11:01 AM