[Polish Pete]

DigitalDuck, on 06 February 2015 - 06:53 PM, said:

Polish Pete, on 06 February 2015 - 06:26 PM, said:

Sonic Team seems to have some strange fetish for that kind of thing. I swear, if those rumors about the next-gen Sonic game are true AND they'll put time travel AGAIN in that game's story, I'm done.

Please put time travel in the next one.

Please put time travel in the next one.

Please put time travel in the next one.

https://www.youtube....h?v=fM54YwntL5Y

[DigitalDuck]

Polish Pete, on 07 February 2015 - 03:49 AM, said:

https://www.youtube....h?v=fM54YwntL5Y

Because I love seeing people get upset at silly and trivial things.

[TimmiT]

Hey man time travel can be cool if it's done well. And if it isn't done well it's usually hilariously badly done. So really time travel is cool all the time.

[Xeal]

Time travel is only a concept that should be introduced in a game if the writers have a clear notion of what is supposed to happen and how it will affect the present/future. Too many times have I seen time travel be used haphazardly in games and it just either ends up ruining the plot by creating large and vague loopholes. Sonic '06 is a prime example of this. If done well it can lead to a piece that is very entertaining to go through. I would like time travel to be introduced again, only if it is decent.

[DigitalDuck]

Xeal, on 09 February 2015 - 06:48 PM, said:

Time travel is only a concept that should be introduced in a game if the writers have a clear notion of what is supposed to happen and how it will affect the present/future. Too many times have I seen time travel be used haphazardly in games and it just either ends up ruining the plot by creating large and vague loopholes. Sonic '06 is a prime example of this. If done well it can lead to a piece that is very entertaining to go through. I would like time travel to be introduced again, only if it is decent.

Once again, the time travel in Sonic '06 was done well. Do I need to bring out that megapost again?

[Xeal]

DigitalDuck, on 09 February 2015 - 06:54 PM, said:

Xeal, on 09 February 2015 - 06:48 PM, said:

Time travel is only a concept that should be introduced in a game if the writers have a clear notion of what is supposed to happen and how it will affect the present/future. Too many times have I seen time travel be used haphazardly in games and it just either ends up ruining the plot by creating large and vague loopholes. Sonic '06 is a prime example of this. If done well it can lead to a piece that is very entertaining to go through. I would like time travel to be introduced again, only if it is decent.

Once again, the time travel in Sonic '06 was done well. Do I need to bring out that megapost again?

Sure. I haven't the slightest clue because I've never heard such a statement before.

[DigitalDuck]

Xeal, on 09 February 2015 - 07:33 PM, said:

Sure. I haven't the slightest clue because I've never heard such a statement before.

Oh hey, I have a fixed version right here:

Spoiler

DigitalDuck said:

Writeup complete. *** WARNING - VERY, VERY, VERY LONG POST ***

First things first, let me explain how I'm analysing the story.

There are several ways of breaking apart time travel chronology; I've chosen timeline reconstruction, which allows you not only to see how a time loop can be stable, but also how it can be formed in the first place. The idea is to start with the “original timeline”, the one that “happened” before any time travel took place, and then follow each timeline as it unravels from there.
Of course, there'd actually be an infinite number of loops before it becomes fully stable, as minute differences in particles happen each time. However, we're only interested in the events here.

Notes:
I'm assuming three time “periods” – 1996, 2006, and 2206. It should be obvious which is applicable to any particular scene.
Only time travel backwards is of interest – time travel forwards is no different than just disappearing for a while.
I'm treating each portal as one “unit” – I.e. everything that enters the portal travels that timeline. It doesn't make any real difference, but it greatly simplifies the writing.
Once backwards time travel has occurred, there is no need to continue the current timeline – it'll be changed by the time travel. Only once a stable time loop is formed should the current timeline be continued.
Under standard alternate universe theory, ALL of these timelines happen. Under predestination/time loop theory, only the final timelime happens. Sonic '06 shows the final timeline.

So, here we go:

TIMELINE 1

1996
Solaris is split by scientists.
Elise's father seals Mephiles in the Scepter of Darkness, and Iblis in Elise using the White Chaos Emerald. – Don't forget, this is the original timeline. Shadow and Silver haven't gone back in time yet. While it may not seem he was up to the task, the Duke seems to be absolutely determined to do whatever it takes to stop Iblis and Mephiles from escaping.

2006
Eggman travels to Soleanna; Sonic follows.
Rouge retrieves the Scepter of Darkness.
After a kerfuffle, the Scepter of Darkness is dropped.
Mephiles is reborn from Shadow's shadow.
Mephiles travels to the future alone. – As Shadow didn't seal Mephiles in the past, Mephiles has no idea who Shadow is, and has no need to exact his revenge on him.
Shadow collects the Red Chaos Emerald. – It's a bit of a stretch, but if Shadow doesn't get thrown about time by Mephiles, he may, in his travels, stumble across the Red Chaos Emerald. It's the only reason I can think of for it being otherwise “freaking nowhere”, and it's the only way it works later on in the analysis. It's improbable, but certainly not infeasible, so I'm sticking with it.
Eggman kidnaps Elise.
Sonic gives Eggman the Blue Chaos Emerald.
Eggman sends Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles to the future.
Shadow seeks Eggman for answers about Mephiles, learns about Solaris in 1996.
Elise, eventually realising Sonic isn't returning, cries and releases Iblis. – And even if it isn't over Sonic, she's bound to start crying sometime in her life.
Iblis does what large fiery demigods do.

2206
Mephiles arrives.
Mephiles collects the Violet Chaos Emerald.
Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles arrive.
Mephiles talks to Silver and Blaze. – More firepower, or just dramatic licence? You decide.
Mephiles travels to the past with Silver and Blaze.

TIMELINE 1A

2006
Silver arrives. Blaze and Mephiles arrive elsewhere.
Eggman travels to Soleanna; Sonic follows.
Rouge retrieves the Scepter of Darkness.
After a kerfuffle, the Scepter of Darkness is dropped.
Mephiles is reborn from Shadow's shadow.
Mephiles travels to the future alone.
Shadow collects the Red Chaos Emerald.
Eggman kidnaps Elise.
Sonic fights Silver.
Sonic gives Eggman the Blue Chaos Emerald.
Eggman sends Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles to the future.
Shadow seeks Eggman for answers about Mephiles, learns about Solaris in 1996.
Silver and Blaze collect the Blue Chaos Emerald from Eggman's Base.
Shadow fights Silver.
Shadow and Silver travel to the past using Shadow's Red and Silver's Blue. – This is why Shadow needs the Red Chaos Emerald. It seems to be established that it takes two Chaos Emeralds to create a time portal.

TIMELINE 2

1996
Shadow and Silver arrive.
Solaris is split by scientists.
Shadow seals Mephiles in the Scepter of Darkness.
Silver helps Elise's father seal Iblis in Elise using the White Chaos Emerald.
Shadow and Silver travel to the future using Shadow's Red and Silver's Blue, leaving Scepter of Darkness and Blue Chaos Emerald behind.

2006
Eggman travels to Soleanna; Sonic follows.
Rouge retrieves the Scepter of Darkness.
After a kerfuffle, the Scepter of Darkness is dropped.
Mephiles is reborn from Shadow's shadow.
Mephiles travels to the future with Shadow and Rouge. – Now Mephiles recognises Shadow, as he was the one that sealed him, not Duke.
Eggman kidnaps Elise.
Sonic gives Eggman the Blue Chaos Emerald.
Eggman sends Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles to the future.
Shadow and Silver arrive. – This will get more confusing as in later timelines they come back from the past they never go to.
Elise, eventually realising Sonic isn't returning, cries and releases Iblis.
Iblis does what large fiery demigods do.

2206
Shadow and Rouge arrive. Mephiles arrives elsewhere.
Mephiles collects the Violet Chaos Emerald.
Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles arrive.
Mephiles talks to Silver and Blaze.
Mephiles travels to the past with Silver and Blaze.

TIMELINE 2A

2006
Silver arrives. Blaze and Mephiles arrive elsewhere.
Eggman travels to Soleanna; Sonic follows.
Rouge retrieves the Scepter of Darkness.
After a kerfuffle, the Scepter of Darkness is dropped.
Mephiles is reborn from Shadow's shadow.
Mephiles travels to the future with Shadow and Rouge.
Eggman kidnaps Elise.
Sonic fights Silver.
Sonic gives Eggman the Blue Chaos Emerald.
Eggman sends Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles to the future.
Silver and Blaze collect the Blue Chaos Emerald from Eggman's Base.
Shadow and Silver arrive. – Yes, now there are two Silvers. But don't worry, that's perfectly normal in a still-forming time loop.
Elise, eventually realising Sonic isn't returning, cries and releases Iblis.
Iblis does what large fiery demigods do.

2206
Shadow and Rouge arrive, Mephiles arrives elsewhere.
Mephiles collects the Violet Chaos Emerald.
Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles arrive.
Mephiles talks to Silver and Blaze.
Mephiles travels to the past with Silver and Blaze.
--- Note that at this point, Timeline 2A repeats itself continuously. Thus, I consider it a Stable Time Loop and continue with the analysis.
Shadow and Rouge collect the Green Chaos Emerald.
Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles collect the Cyan Chaos Emerald.
Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Rouge travel to the past using Sonic's Cyan and Shadow's Green.

TIMELINE 2B

2006
...
Sonic gives Eggman the Blue Chaos Emerald.
Eggman sends Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles to the future.
Silver and Blaze collect the Blue Chaos Emerald from Eggman's Base.
Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles arrive.
Rouge arrives.
Rouge gives Omega the Green Chaos Emerald. – Rouge seems fairly smart to me; I'm sure she could work out, without seeing Omega in the future, that you can just tell a robot to hold on to something and then go to sleep for fifty years.
Sonic rescues Elise.
Silver attacks Sonic.
Without Shadow to save him, Sonic is killed. – Because Shadow is “still” in the future.
Elise cries and releases Iblis.
Iblis does what large fiery demigods do.
Shadow and Silver arrive. – Nice timing. Next time you return from the past you never went to, make sure you do it before the hero gets killed.

2206
Shadow and Rouge arrive, Mephiles arrives elsewhere.
Mephiles collects the Violet Chaos Emerald.
Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles arrive.
Mephiles talks to Silver and Blaze.
Mephiles travels to the past with Silver and Blaze. --> 2A
Shadow and Rouge find Omega on standby.
Shadow and Rouge collect the Green Chaos Emerald.
Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles collect the Cyan Chaos Emerald.
Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Rouge travel to the past using Sonic's Cyan and Shadow's Green. --> 2B
Shadow fights Crystal Meph.
Omega gives Shadow the Green Chaos Emerald.
Omega fights Crystal Meph.
Crystal Meph flees to the past, Shadow and Omega follow.

TIMELINE 2C

2006
...
Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles arrive.
Rouge arrives.
Rouge gives Omega the Green Chaos emerald.
Shadow and Omega arrive. Mephiles arrives elsewhere.
Shadow seeks Eggman for answers about Mephiles, learns about Solaris in 1996.
Sonic rescues Elise.
Silver attacks Sonic.
Shadow saves Sonic.
Eggman kidnaps Elise.
Shadow fights Silver.
Shadow and Silver travel to the past using Shadow's Green and Silver's Blue.

TIMELINE 3

1996
Shadow and Silver arrive.
Solaris is split by scientists.
Shadow seals Mephiles in the Scepter of Darkness.
Silver helps Elise's father seal Iblis in Elise using the White Chaos Emerald.
Shadow and Silver travel to the future using Shadow's Green and Silver's Blue, leaving Scepter of Darkness and Blue Chaos Emerald behind. – And after time has run its course, the once-necessary Red Chaos Emerald is now nowhere at all.

2006
Eggman travels to Soleanna; Sonic follows.
Rouge retrieves the Scepter of Darkness.
After a kerfuffle, the Scepter of Darkness is dropped.
Mephiles is reborn from Shadow's shadow.
Mephiles travels to the future with Shadow and Rouge.
Eggman kidnaps Elise.
Sonic gives Eggman the Blue Chaos Emerald.
Eggman sends Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles to the future.
Shadow and Silver arrive.
Elise, eventually realising Sonic isn't returning, cries and releases Iblis.
Iblis does what large fiery demigods do.

2206
Shadow and Rouge arrive. Mephiles arrives elsewhere.
Mephiles collects the Violet Chaos Emerald.
Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles arrive.
Mephiles talks to Silver and Blaze.
Mephiles travels to the past with Silver and Blaze.
--- Timelines 3A-3C repeat here as 2A-2C did…

TIMELINE 3C

2006
...
Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles arrive.
Rouge arrives.
Rouge gives Omega the Green Chaos emerald.
Shadow and Omega arrive.
Shadow seeks Eggman for answers about Mephiles, learns about Solaris in 1996.
Sonic rescues Elise.
Silver attacks Sonic.
Shadow saves Sonic.
Eggman kidnaps Elise.
Shadow fights Silver.
Shadow and Silver travel to the past using Shadow's Green and Silver's Blue. --> 3
Shadow and Silver arrive.
Sonic and Silver don't make it to the Egg Carrier on time.
Sonic travels to the past using Sonic's Cyan and Silver's White.

TIMELINE 3D (FINAL)

1996
Shadow and Silver arrive.
Solaris is split by scientists.
Shadow seals Mephiles in the Scepter of Darkness.
Silver helps Elise's father seal Iblis in Elise using the White Chaos Emerald.
Shadow and Silver travel to the future using Shadow's Green and Silver's Blue, leaving Scepter of Darkness and Blue Chaos Emerald behind.

2006
Silver arrives. Blaze and Mephiles arrive elsewhere.
Eggman travels to Soleanna; Sonic follows.
Rouge retrieves the Scepter of Darkness.
After a kerfuffle, the Scepter of Darkness is dropped.
Mephiles is reborn from Shadow's shadow.
Mephiles travels to the future with Shadow and Rouge.
Eggman kidnaps Elise.
Sonic fights Silver.
Sonic gives Eggman the Blue Chaos Emerald.
Eggman sends Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles to the future.
Silver and Blaze collect the Blue Chaos Emerald from Eggman's Base.
Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles arrive.
Rouge arrives.
Rouge gives Omega the Green Chaos Emerald.
Shadow and Omega arrive.
Shadow seeks Eggman for answers about Mephiles, learns about Solaris in 1996.
Sonic rescues Elise.
Silver attacks Sonic.
Shadow saves Sonic.
Eggman kidnaps Elise.
Shadow fights Silver.
Shadow and Silver travel to the past using Shadow's Green and Silver's Blue. --> 3
Sonic arrives.
Shadow and Silver arrive.
Sonic rescues Elise from the Egg Carrier.
Sonic and Silver don't make it to the Egg Carrier on time.
Sonic travels to the past using Sonic's Cyan and Silver's White. --> 3D
Silver and Blaze travel to the future through the same portal.
Crystal Meph collects Yellow Chaos Emerald.
Shadow fights Crstal Meph II.
Crystal Meph steals Shadow's Green Chaos Emerald during the fight.
(Anything that happens past this point is part of the last story, which I've previously mentioned messes everything up.)

2206
Shadow and Rouge arrive, Mephiles arrives elsewhere.
Mephiles collects the Violet Chaos Emerald.
Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles arrive.
Mephiles talks to Silver and Blaze.
Mephiles travels to the past with Silver and Blaze. --> 3A
Shadow and Rouge find Omega on standby.
Shadow and Rouge collect the Green Chaos Emerald.
Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles collect the Cyan Chaos Emerald.
Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Rouge travel to the past using Sonic's Cyan and Shadow's Green. --> 3B
Shadow fights Crystal Meph.
Omega gives Shadow the Green Chaos Emerald.
Omega fights Crystal Meph.
Crystal Meph flees to the past, Shadow and Omega follow. --> 3C
Silver and Blaze arrive.
Silver fights Iblis.
Blaze seals Iblis within her and sends herself to another dimension using the Cyan and White Chaos Emeralds.

And there you have it. Anything you feel needs expanding upon, feel free to let me know.

EDIT: >2000 words. That's it, my next fifty posts are all one-liners about breasts.

Have fun.

[Xeal]

Ok. You did a great job combing through this, and I vastly applaud you for doing so, but that entire analysis is why I say 06 has it bad. If it was well written there would be no need whatsoever for that analysis to have been done. You wrote 8 different timelines and were able to fit everything into a finalized form at the end (excluding the last story because that just screws everything up), but again to reiterate myself, if it was good, it would be simplistic and there would be absolutely no need for such monotony in order to explain the story if such was the case. Does everything make sense as in your Timeline 3D final? Yes. Should you have needed to do any of that? No. That is the point I'm trying to make.

[DigitalDuck]

Xeal, on 09 February 2015 - 09:27 PM, said:

Ok. You did a great job combing through this, and I vastly applaud you for doing so, but that entire analysis is why I say 06 has it bad. If it was well written there would be no need whatsoever for that analysis to have been done. You wrote 8 different timelines and were able to fit everything into a finalized form at the end (excluding the last story because that just screws everything up), but again to reiterate myself, if it was good, it would be simplistic and there would be absolutely no need for such monotony in order to explain the story if such was the case. Does everything make sense as in your Timeline 3D final? Yes. Should you have needed to do any of that? No. That is the point I'm trying to make.

Did I say I needed to do that? The analysis isn't necessary - it shows that it works in every major theory of time travel. You said "Too many times have I seen time travel be used haphazardly in games and it just either ends up ruining the plot by creating large and vague loopholes. Sonic '06 is a prime example of this." and I'm showing that it isn't; there are no "loopholes", it's entirely self-consistent (ignoring the last story nonsense).

The only thing that needs to be presented is the last timeline, because that works as-is. And hey, that's what the game presents to you; it even makes it easier by giving you the each of the three main characters' stories in their own personal chronological order. The fact that it can work in every major theory of time travel is a bonus, really.

ANY story involving time travel involves this when unravelling it. 8(-ish) for Sonic '06 (ignoring the last story nonsense) is good, considering it takes 16+extras for Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure (ignoring the introductory nonsense), and a good few more for FAQ About Time Travel (ignoring the ending nonsense) and Timecrimes. 11 Minutes Ago requires upwards of 60, The Lake House and The Time Traveller's Wife uncountably many, and most other time travel stories simply do not unravel in a coherent manner at all.

For example, Back to the Future does not work as a time travel story. It is inconsistent with itself even in the first film alone (among any other things, apparently time travel can erase people from existence... but not change their memories), and the other two films make that worse. It's a great film, but only because it's silly and doesn't try to present the time travel as the point of the film. The Futurama film Bender's Big Score, Hot Tub Time Machine, and Blackadder Back & Forth are exactly as you expect in this regard too.

The Butterfly Effect films fail when they repeatedly remove the reasons for time travel in the first place, yet also involve going back to the same body at the same time multiple times, thus being workable in exactly zero models of time. About Time fails here too (also, what is it about Rachel McAdams and playing the wife of a time traveller? That's three films now).

The first Terminator film posits itself as fixed time; the second one contradicts this entirely. The third runs consistently with the second in the sense that it's no longer fixed, but the first film cannot happen without it. The less said about Salvation the better.

Source Code works, but explaining why would spoil the ending; all I'll say is that it belongs in this section.

Timelime's time machine is illogical in the way that it works, much like TMNT3, A Sound of Thunder is complete bollocks, Premonition doesn't even make sense if you assume the main character is completely crazy and play it in chronological order. And Primer can't even stick to its own rules (going back in time creates a temporal duplicate, except when it doesn't).


I could go on, but I think you've got the idea. The point is that Sonic '06 works, whichever theory you want to throw at it; something I can say about very few other things. As for complex?

Sonic's story:
- Elise kidnapped
- Save Elise
- Elise kidnapped again
- Save Elise again
- Get sent forward in time
- Find Chaos Emerald
- Go back in time
- Elise kidnapped again
- Fail to save Elise
- Go back in time again
- Save Elise

Shadow's story:
- Evil Shadow appears
- Get sent forward in time
- Find Chaos Emerald
- Go back in time
- Investigate Evil Shadow
- Go back in time again
- Learn how to stop Evil Shadow
- Go forward in time again
- Stop Evil Shadow

Silver's story:
- Large fiery demigod appears
- Evil Shadow says "Sonic's fault"
- Go back in time
- Try to attack Sonic
- Go back in time again
- Learn how to stop large fiery demigod
- Go forward in time again
- Stop large fiery demigod

They're not complicated stories at all, and that's more-or-less exactly how they're presented to you when you play the game.

I suggest 11 Minutes Ago if you want to see what a complex time travel story (that works) looks like.

[Xeal]

All right. I concede. Both of my arguments have been easily picked apart here and I can clearly see as too how and why. My earlier statements were thoughts I've always had about 06 without me ever really bothering to truly internalize them and check them (how hypocritical and foolish of me, as that is something I say should always be done concerning any type of argument). I thank you for this.

[DigitalDuck]

Xeal, on 09 February 2015 - 10:50 PM, said:

All right. I concede. Both of my arguments have been easily picked apart here and I can clearly see as too how and why. My earlier statements were thoughts I've always had about 06 without me ever really bothering to truly internalize them and check them (how hypocritical and foolish of me, as that is something I say should always be done concerning any type of argument). I thank you for this.

No problem, and it shouldn't affect your opinion on the rest of '06 because ahahaha it's '06. :D

[Cyberguy]

This argument sounds like it needs another topic, just for it.

(Though I'd love to see the Little Planet and the Time Stones come back if Time Travel was going to be a thing in a new Sonic.)

Edit: Ninja wrap up. Forget it. (Though, considering the Cyan emerald got locked into a self-perpetuating time loop, I really fail to see how any 06 timeline could even exist in the first place without wrecking the other Sonic games.)

This post has been edited by Cyberguy: 09 February 2015 - 11:17 PM

[Qtheman]

DigitalDuck, on 09 February 2015 - 09:08 PM, said:

Spoiler

DigitalDuck said:

Writeup complete. *** WARNING - VERY, VERY, VERY LONG POST ***

First things first, let me explain how I'm analysing the story.

There are several ways of breaking apart time travel chronology; I've chosen timeline reconstruction, which allows you not only to see how a time loop can be stable, but also how it can be formed in the first place. The idea is to start with the “original timeline”, the one that “happened” before any time travel took place, and then follow each timeline as it unravels from there.
Of course, there'd actually be an infinite number of loops before it becomes fully stable, as minute differences in particles happen each time. However, we're only interested in the events here.

Notes:
I'm assuming three time “periods” – 1996, 2006, and 2206. It should be obvious which is applicable to any particular scene.
Only time travel backwards is of interest – time travel forwards is no different than just disappearing for a while.
I'm treating each portal as one “unit” – I.e. everything that enters the portal travels that timeline. It doesn't make any real difference, but it greatly simplifies the writing.
Once backwards time travel has occurred, there is no need to continue the current timeline – it'll be changed by the time travel. Only once a stable time loop is formed should the current timeline be continued.
Under standard alternate universe theory, ALL of these timelines happen. Under predestination/time loop theory, only the final timelime happens. Sonic '06 shows the final timeline.

So, here we go:

TIMELINE 1

1996
Solaris is split by scientists.
Elise's father seals Mephiles in the Scepter of Darkness, and Iblis in Elise using the White Chaos Emerald. – Don't forget, this is the original timeline. Shadow and Silver haven't gone back in time yet. While it may not seem he was up to the task, the Duke seems to be absolutely determined to do whatever it takes to stop Iblis and Mephiles from escaping.

2006
Eggman travels to Soleanna; Sonic follows.
Rouge retrieves the Scepter of Darkness.
After a kerfuffle, the Scepter of Darkness is dropped.
Mephiles is reborn from Shadow's shadow.
Mephiles travels to the future alone. – As Shadow didn't seal Mephiles in the past, Mephiles has no idea who Shadow is, and has no need to exact his revenge on him.
Shadow collects the Red Chaos Emerald. – It's a bit of a stretch, but if Shadow doesn't get thrown about time by Mephiles, he may, in his travels, stumble across the Red Chaos Emerald. It's the only reason I can think of for it being otherwise “freaking nowhere”, and it's the only way it works later on in the analysis. It's improbable, but certainly not infeasible, so I'm sticking with it.
Eggman kidnaps Elise.
Sonic gives Eggman the Blue Chaos Emerald.
Eggman sends Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles to the future.
Shadow seeks Eggman for answers about Mephiles, learns about Solaris in 1996.
Elise, eventually realising Sonic isn't returning, cries and releases Iblis. – And even if it isn't over Sonic, she's bound to start crying sometime in her life.
Iblis does what large fiery demigods do.

2206
Mephiles arrives.
Mephiles collects the Violet Chaos Emerald.
Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles arrive.
Mephiles talks to Silver and Blaze. – More firepower, or just dramatic licence? You decide.
Mephiles travels to the past with Silver and Blaze.

TIMELINE 1A

2006
Silver arrives. Blaze and Mephiles arrive elsewhere.
Eggman travels to Soleanna; Sonic follows.
Rouge retrieves the Scepter of Darkness.
After a kerfuffle, the Scepter of Darkness is dropped.
Mephiles is reborn from Shadow's shadow.
Mephiles travels to the future alone.
Shadow collects the Red Chaos Emerald.
Eggman kidnaps Elise.
Sonic fights Silver.
Sonic gives Eggman the Blue Chaos Emerald.
Eggman sends Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles to the future.
Shadow seeks Eggman for answers about Mephiles, learns about Solaris in 1996.
Silver and Blaze collect the Blue Chaos Emerald from Eggman's Base.
Shadow fights Silver.
Shadow and Silver travel to the past using Shadow's Red and Silver's Blue. – This is why Shadow needs the Red Chaos Emerald. It seems to be established that it takes two Chaos Emeralds to create a time portal.

TIMELINE 2

1996
Shadow and Silver arrive.
Solaris is split by scientists.
Shadow seals Mephiles in the Scepter of Darkness.
Silver helps Elise's father seal Iblis in Elise using the White Chaos Emerald.
Shadow and Silver travel to the future using Shadow's Red and Silver's Blue, leaving Scepter of Darkness and Blue Chaos Emerald behind.

2006
Eggman travels to Soleanna; Sonic follows.
Rouge retrieves the Scepter of Darkness.
After a kerfuffle, the Scepter of Darkness is dropped.
Mephiles is reborn from Shadow's shadow.
Mephiles travels to the future with Shadow and Rouge. – Now Mephiles recognises Shadow, as he was the one that sealed him, not Duke.
Eggman kidnaps Elise.
Sonic gives Eggman the Blue Chaos Emerald.
Eggman sends Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles to the future.
Shadow and Silver arrive. – This will get more confusing as in later timelines they come back from the past they never go to.
Elise, eventually realising Sonic isn't returning, cries and releases Iblis.
Iblis does what large fiery demigods do.

2206
Shadow and Rouge arrive. Mephiles arrives elsewhere.
Mephiles collects the Violet Chaos Emerald.
Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles arrive.
Mephiles talks to Silver and Blaze.
Mephiles travels to the past with Silver and Blaze.

TIMELINE 2A

2006
Silver arrives. Blaze and Mephiles arrive elsewhere.
Eggman travels to Soleanna; Sonic follows.
Rouge retrieves the Scepter of Darkness.
After a kerfuffle, the Scepter of Darkness is dropped.
Mephiles is reborn from Shadow's shadow.
Mephiles travels to the future with Shadow and Rouge.
Eggman kidnaps Elise.
Sonic fights Silver.
Sonic gives Eggman the Blue Chaos Emerald.
Eggman sends Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles to the future.
Silver and Blaze collect the Blue Chaos Emerald from Eggman's Base.
Shadow and Silver arrive. – Yes, now there are two Silvers. But don't worry, that's perfectly normal in a still-forming time loop.
Elise, eventually realising Sonic isn't returning, cries and releases Iblis.
Iblis does what large fiery demigods do.

2206
Shadow and Rouge arrive, Mephiles arrives elsewhere.
Mephiles collects the Violet Chaos Emerald.
Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles arrive.
Mephiles talks to Silver and Blaze.
Mephiles travels to the past with Silver and Blaze.
--- Note that at this point, Timeline 2A repeats itself continuously. Thus, I consider it a Stable Time Loop and continue with the analysis.
Shadow and Rouge collect the Green Chaos Emerald.
Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles collect the Cyan Chaos Emerald.
Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Rouge travel to the past using Sonic's Cyan and Shadow's Green.

TIMELINE 2B

2006
...
Sonic gives Eggman the Blue Chaos Emerald.
Eggman sends Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles to the future.
Silver and Blaze collect the Blue Chaos Emerald from Eggman's Base.
Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles arrive.
Rouge arrives.
Rouge gives Omega the Green Chaos Emerald. – Rouge seems fairly smart to me; I'm sure she could work out, without seeing Omega in the future, that you can just tell a robot to hold on to something and then go to sleep for fifty years.
Sonic rescues Elise.
Silver attacks Sonic.
Without Shadow to save him, Sonic is killed. – Because Shadow is “still” in the future.
Elise cries and releases Iblis.
Iblis does what large fiery demigods do.
Shadow and Silver arrive. – Nice timing. Next time you return from the past you never went to, make sure you do it before the hero gets killed.

2206
Shadow and Rouge arrive, Mephiles arrives elsewhere.
Mephiles collects the Violet Chaos Emerald.
Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles arrive.
Mephiles talks to Silver and Blaze.
Mephiles travels to the past with Silver and Blaze. --> 2A
Shadow and Rouge find Omega on standby.
Shadow and Rouge collect the Green Chaos Emerald.
Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles collect the Cyan Chaos Emerald.
Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Rouge travel to the past using Sonic's Cyan and Shadow's Green. --> 2B
Shadow fights Crystal Meph.
Omega gives Shadow the Green Chaos Emerald.
Omega fights Crystal Meph.
Crystal Meph flees to the past, Shadow and Omega follow.

TIMELINE 2C

2006
...
Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles arrive.
Rouge arrives.
Rouge gives Omega the Green Chaos emerald.
Shadow and Omega arrive. Mephiles arrives elsewhere.
Shadow seeks Eggman for answers about Mephiles, learns about Solaris in 1996.
Sonic rescues Elise.
Silver attacks Sonic.
Shadow saves Sonic.
Eggman kidnaps Elise.
Shadow fights Silver.
Shadow and Silver travel to the past using Shadow's Green and Silver's Blue.

TIMELINE 3

1996
Shadow and Silver arrive.
Solaris is split by scientists.
Shadow seals Mephiles in the Scepter of Darkness.
Silver helps Elise's father seal Iblis in Elise using the White Chaos Emerald.
Shadow and Silver travel to the future using Shadow's Green and Silver's Blue, leaving Scepter of Darkness and Blue Chaos Emerald behind. – And after time has run its course, the once-necessary Red Chaos Emerald is now nowhere at all.

2006
Eggman travels to Soleanna; Sonic follows.
Rouge retrieves the Scepter of Darkness.
After a kerfuffle, the Scepter of Darkness is dropped.
Mephiles is reborn from Shadow's shadow.
Mephiles travels to the future with Shadow and Rouge.
Eggman kidnaps Elise.
Sonic gives Eggman the Blue Chaos Emerald.
Eggman sends Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles to the future.
Shadow and Silver arrive.
Elise, eventually realising Sonic isn't returning, cries and releases Iblis.
Iblis does what large fiery demigods do.

2206
Shadow and Rouge arrive. Mephiles arrives elsewhere.
Mephiles collects the Violet Chaos Emerald.
Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles arrive.
Mephiles talks to Silver and Blaze.
Mephiles travels to the past with Silver and Blaze.
--- Timelines 3A-3C repeat here as 2A-2C did…

TIMELINE 3C

2006
...
Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles arrive.
Rouge arrives.
Rouge gives Omega the Green Chaos emerald.
Shadow and Omega arrive.
Shadow seeks Eggman for answers about Mephiles, learns about Solaris in 1996.
Sonic rescues Elise.
Silver attacks Sonic.
Shadow saves Sonic.
Eggman kidnaps Elise.
Shadow fights Silver.
Shadow and Silver travel to the past using Shadow's Green and Silver's Blue. --> 3
Shadow and Silver arrive.
Sonic and Silver don't make it to the Egg Carrier on time.
Sonic travels to the past using Sonic's Cyan and Silver's White.

TIMELINE 3D (FINAL)

1996
Shadow and Silver arrive.
Solaris is split by scientists.
Shadow seals Mephiles in the Scepter of Darkness.
Silver helps Elise's father seal Iblis in Elise using the White Chaos Emerald.
Shadow and Silver travel to the future using Shadow's Green and Silver's Blue, leaving Scepter of Darkness and Blue Chaos Emerald behind.

2006
Silver arrives. Blaze and Mephiles arrive elsewhere.
Eggman travels to Soleanna; Sonic follows.
Rouge retrieves the Scepter of Darkness.
After a kerfuffle, the Scepter of Darkness is dropped.
Mephiles is reborn from Shadow's shadow.
Mephiles travels to the future with Shadow and Rouge.
Eggman kidnaps Elise.
Sonic fights Silver.
Sonic gives Eggman the Blue Chaos Emerald.
Eggman sends Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles to the future.
Silver and Blaze collect the Blue Chaos Emerald from Eggman's Base.
Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles arrive.
Rouge arrives.
Rouge gives Omega the Green Chaos Emerald.
Shadow and Omega arrive.
Shadow seeks Eggman for answers about Mephiles, learns about Solaris in 1996.
Sonic rescues Elise.
Silver attacks Sonic.
Shadow saves Sonic.
Eggman kidnaps Elise.
Shadow fights Silver.
Shadow and Silver travel to the past using Shadow's Green and Silver's Blue. --> 3
Sonic arrives.
Shadow and Silver arrive.
Sonic rescues Elise from the Egg Carrier.
Sonic and Silver don't make it to the Egg Carrier on time.
Sonic travels to the past using Sonic's Cyan and Silver's White. --> 3D
Silver and Blaze travel to the future through the same portal.
Crystal Meph collects Yellow Chaos Emerald.
Shadow fights Crstal Meph II.
Crystal Meph steals Shadow's Green Chaos Emerald during the fight.
(Anything that happens past this point is part of the last story, which I've previously mentioned messes everything up.)

2206
Shadow and Rouge arrive, Mephiles arrives elsewhere.
Mephiles collects the Violet Chaos Emerald.
Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles arrive.
Mephiles talks to Silver and Blaze.
Mephiles travels to the past with Silver and Blaze. --> 3A
Shadow and Rouge find Omega on standby.
Shadow and Rouge collect the Green Chaos Emerald.
Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles collect the Cyan Chaos Emerald.
Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Rouge travel to the past using Sonic's Cyan and Shadow's Green. --> 3B
Shadow fights Crystal Meph.
Omega gives Shadow the Green Chaos Emerald.
Omega fights Crystal Meph.
Crystal Meph flees to the past, Shadow and Omega follow. --> 3C
Silver and Blaze arrive.
Silver fights Iblis.
Blaze seals Iblis within her and sends herself to another dimension using the Cyan and White Chaos Emeralds.

And there you have it. Anything you feel needs expanding upon, feel free to let me know.

EDIT: >2000 words. That's it, my next fifty posts are all one-liners about breasts.

Not gonna lie, I love this post. Glad to see it again

[DigitalDuck]

Cyberguy, on 09 February 2015 - 11:15 PM, said:

(Though, considering the Cyan emerald got locked into a self-perpetuating time loop, I really fail to see how any 06 timeline could even exist in the first place without wrecking the other Sonic games.)

Oh, one disclaimer I had before (and something that was brought up again recently, actually): I always assume each game/location has its own set of Chaos Emeralds, and for the most part Sonic just throws them away ("WHEEEE!") at the end of every game because he's an idiot.

[Elston87]

I'm actually currently playing through Sonic '06 myself. As aforementioned, having friends along for the ride makes the game more fun, especially all of the glitches that are thrown into your face before and on Wave Ocean.

On the other side of the page, I actually enjoyed Shadow The Hedgehog more than most people probably did. I like the game; it has its flaws but I wouldn't label it as a "bad" game.