[muteKi]

Ah, that.

[clibinarius]

I doubt it was programmed. Why? Simple: We have no evidence of Sonic 2 existing before the NA proto. And that one shows graphics consistent with the released games, not the mockups.

Yes, they're mockups. Every interview I've read says they're mockups.

And we simply don't know the plan of the game. I'm not convinced so much that Dust Hill was different than Mystic Cave. Who's not to say that the two levels weren't merged? Fine, I'll have to look over the concept art again. That's the thing about concept art-the actual implementation of the levels might've brought the levels together. We don't know what was in the "Dust Hill" zone aside from the background and the badniks-which might not have been level specific (and weren't)-they might've decided the obstacles involved fit a cave far better and thus...

I still think its worth a bit of argument. For one thing, the Dust Hill Zone has been dead for about 18 years now. Memories might be hazy, documentation scant and at times contradictory. For all we know Yuji Naka might do an interview and completely contradict this.

Moreover, this admission causes more questions than answers: Fine, the Dust Hill was a desert level, let's assume that. We know the desert level was intended. What on earth was in it? We have NO CLUE what this level really is, still. And its still assuming that Dust and Desert as words weren't confused-Dust and Desert have very similar letters in them. I think jumping to conclusions isn't prudent: don't say for sure what anything was, since there's once again no evidence really for anything.

[roxahris]

Chances are, Mr. Naka's memory is no better than Yasuhara's.

[drx]

Quote

We have no evidence of Sonic 2 existing before the NA proto

Yes we do, solid evidence in fact. Check one of my topics about Sonic 2 NA, it's full of cool info that proves Sonic 2 before NA.

Plus, don't forget that they likely had HPZ done on 256x256.

[Tweaker]

clibinarius, on Sep 28 2008, 03:33 AM, said:

And we simply don't know the plan of the game. I'm not convinced so much that Dust Hill was different than Mystic Cave. Who's not to say that the two levels weren't merged? Fine, I'll have to look over the concept art again. That's the thing about concept art-the actual implementation of the levels might've brought the levels together. We don't know what was in the "Dust Hill" zone aside from the background and the badniks-which might not have been level specific (and weren't)-they might've decided the obstacles involved fit a cave far better and thus...

Yasuhara said it was a scrapped level. Therefore, it was a scrapped level.

It's not much more complicated than that, honestly. =P

[ICEknight]

muteKi, on Sep 21 2008, 10:28 PM, said:

Eosian sphere? WTF? The only results that phrase returns are this site -- what am I missing here?

I was wondering the same, actually. What's an "eosian sphere", exactly...?

[theSTHguy]

ICEknight, on Sep 29 2008, 02:18 AM, said:

muteKi, on Sep 21 2008, 10:28 PM, said:

Eosian sphere? WTF? The only results that phrase returns are this site -- what am I missing here?

I was wondering the same, actually. What's an "eosian sphere", exactly...?

Ayla, on Sep 22 2008, 04:31 AM, said:

sonic 3, giant red rotating ball thingy only found in aiz in debug =P

In short, this:
http://www.sonic-cult.org/dispart.php?cati...d=2&artid=4

[ICEknight]

You didn't get it. Only two or three sites in the whole internet refer to eosian/eoisian balls, and only speaking of those things in Sonic 3.

So where did that denomination come from and what does it mean, exactly?

[Overlord]

*shrugs* The first time I saw it was on Sonic CulT...

[Phugolz]

Ok, I've been an avid debater of this subject, so let me chime in.

What has been discovered: The desert stage at one point was called dust hill.

Now, the nick arcade prototype uses the sonic 1 stage select. It does not contain the desert level. It does contain Mystic Cave Zone, which is the level listed as Dust hill in the Simon Wai prototype. The NA proto is also VERY early in development, a stones throw away from being Sonic1. I doubt there was any of the DHZ put into the code prior to this.

The Simon Wai Prototype lists dust hill in the stage select. It does not contain the desert level. The only evidence of the name entirely is from the Simon Wai Level select, and from a few old magazines. Those magazines probably got them from the sega PR folks.

The screenshot mockups were obviously built from tiles that were already drawn. So it can be assumed the idea was written, the sprites were at -least- started, the name was decided.

As for the Simon Wai prototype having the name in the level select, at one point this game was code. That code was compiled to create the ROM. So that stage select listing was put together and put in the code. I don't think it suggests that it was ever in the ROM. Genocide City Zone was in there as well. It's unlikely they would use that as a stage name. It's really long, and offensive.

My opinion is that there was never a point where the desert level was compiled in any working ROM.

[Metal Man88]

That is actually the part I wonder... with more and more prototypes of Sonic 2, we still can't seem to find any actual Dust Hill remnants. Just a name.

Was it ever implemented in software beyond a slot and a name?

[Phugolz]

Quick fix: saz reminded me that MCZ wasn't in the NA proto

[Tweaker]

PACHUKA, on Oct 3 2008, 11:21 PM, said:

Quick fix: saz reminded me that MCZ wasn't in the NA proto

It isn't, but drx is aware of a "post-NA" build which is very similar to the NA build, except that it also has Mystic Cave in it. I don't know exactly how much later it is than the NA build, but I imagine it can't be too much older.

[muteKi]

Now, if we see a version of the game with title cards enabled as in the final with Mystic Cave listed as DHZ in that title card, that might be enough evidence to sway me to the idea that MCZ was intended to be called DHZ.

Still, it IS odd that there isn't any DHZ art anywhere.

[Overlord]

PACHUKA, on Oct 4 2008, 04:08 AM, said:

My opinion is that there was never a point where the desert level was compiled in any working ROM.

Honestly, I agree with this. Dust Hill == Desert Level, but Dust Hill != a playable level.

Can anyone honestly say otherwise at this point?