[Shadow Wedge]

I'll donate $30 towards this, as I'm rather interested in the GBA games.

[Sik]

I take that, this is the most successful fundraiser so far, we went past the target in one day

Let's hope this ROM contains something interesting.

[Techokami]

Well in that case... drx, I'll be PayPaling the money to you hopefully on Thursday.

[Kail]

Is there anything really of value within the advance games? I mean, they weren't a HUGE part of the Sonic series, not to the extent that any secrets within the SA2 cart would have a huge impact on the fandom the way the discovery of Simon Wai's Sonic 2 Beta cart had. I'm not trying to be a debbie downer about everybody chipping in to get this dumped, who knows there could be something interesting, but what exactly could we fathom there to be in there?

[Tanks]

It's a prototype. Whether it has anything of value on it is inconsequential. We're the Brotherhood of Bytes: We back up and store anything on a disk or cart for research and archival purposes.

[Shakidna]

This ought to be interesting, as this is the last Sonic game to include any of Yuji Naka's code.

[Turbohog]

Kail, on 02 October 2011 - 08:08 PM, said:

Is there anything really of value within the advance games? I mean, they weren't a HUGE part of the Sonic series, not to the extent that any secrets within the SA2 cart would have a huge impact on the fandom the way the discovery of Simon Wai's Sonic 2 Beta cart had. I'm not trying to be a debbie downer about everybody chipping in to get this dumped, who knows there could be something interesting, but what exactly could we fathom there to be in there?

Most prototypes aren't as valuable as the Sonic 2 Beta anyway. Personally, I'm mostly interested since Sonic Advance 2 was perhaps my favorite 2D Sonic game after the genesis games.

[Lanzer]

Shakidna, on 02 October 2011 - 10:36 PM, said:

This ought to be interesting, as this is the last Sonic game to include any of Yuji Naka's code.

Can you clairify on that? first I've heard of it.

[Rika Chou]

So what's the paypal address to send money to again?

[LOst]

drx, on 01 October 2011 - 03:57 AM, said:

Never played the retail game, but maybe someone did and cares.

It is one of the best games in its own universe. If Sonic was to strip all platforming action, and just go for racing and speed, it is a pure success. Some very interesting techniques are used in it. The players are Sonic Advance 1 with better acceleration, so that they never need to use spindash, they just run through loops if you hold the direction button. A new camera that removes the running/spinning away from camera by your own accord, and does it with the help of speed boosters (also hidden sound barrier effects) instead. The game's quality is pretty much on the thin thread, where they have abused the power of the GBA to the very limit, and one of the bosses has a nasty bug that kills you even if you had rings at that time (you will drop rings and die at the same time).

A prototype of the game would probably show how fast the development of the game was, as well as have more Sonic Advance 1 styled music instead of the techno (which felt like a last moment replacement). In the final, bosses's backgrounds are not programmed, and some backgrounds are completely shut off on multiplayer mode because they take too much CPU.


This is Dimps wasting CPU and GPU power. Just like they did with Sonic 4. But Sonic 4 is such a failure. Sonic Advance 2 is a success (in its own world). It was the beginning of the end as some people say. I play it from times to times (and hack it of course), as I like the level design (not layout, especially objects!).

[Sik]

LOst, on 03 October 2011 - 06:04 AM, said:

This is Dimps wasting CPU and GPU power.

No GPU power since the video hardware is similar to that of 16-bit consoles =P

That said, didn't the Advance games use 96×96 chunks? Which means that to retrieve which chunk is at a given coordinates you have to use division, you can't use bit shifting, and the processor in the GBA can't do division in hardware (it needs to be done in software, which is really slow in comparison).

[Twimfy]

If it's come from a magazine it's quite likely to be final review code, I wouldn't get too excited.

[drx]

Twimfy, on 03 October 2011 - 09:49 AM, said:

If it's come from a magazine it's quite likely to be final review code, I wouldn't get too excited.

I've gotten alphas and even earlier versions from magazines before. Not saying this is gonna happen with this one but yeah.

Ok, the target sum has been met. Please paypal the money to [email protected] As soon as $250 is collected I will paypal the money to the seller and he will send the cart to Techokami for dumping.

Thanks to everyone for contributing. Also thanks to Techokami for offering to dump the cart (not the first time IIRC).

If anyone who pledged can't send me the money this week, please tell me instead of disappearing on me.

This post has been edited by drx: 03 October 2011 - 10:05 AM

[MathUser]

I sent a extra 5 that I hadn't used in case not everyone pulls through.

[Skyler]

It may take a few days, but I'll send you my chunk.