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So the Xereos project is an attempt to create a FLOSS replacement Bioware's Aurora. This would allow you to play usual suspects like Neverwinter Nights and Knights of the Old Republic, but potentially also ones like Dragon Age, The Witcher (different developer, same engine) and Jade Empire.

However, there's one Bioware RPG that hasn't been overlooked, Sonic Chronicles

https://xoreos.org/b...cles-1-slash-3/
https://xoreos.org/b...cles-2-slash-3/
https://xoreos.org/b...cles-3-slash-3/

Here Xereos developer Sven Hesse (DrMcCoy) post about his initial work in getting areas and models from Sonic Chronicles displayed in the Xereos engine, not easy work when it the game is so different from the usual Bioware RPG and obviously uses some DS specific code, but he surprisingly finds some things in common with work he's already done, such as some similar Bioware file format.

He seems to be doing a "breadth first" approach to development so right now he's going to focus on getting the same work done in all the other Bioware engines before returning to Sonic Chronicles, but for now it's fascinating to see the work done and the similarities to other Bioware RPGs.

Thought you guys would be interested in it. He mentions how he came to work in the Sega Technical Institute, his work on Comix Zone and the soundtrack album he recorded live for it, a bit about Virtual Sonic, and some other stuff from the era.

http://bitnotefm.com/?ep=BitNote_Ep130

In college, we learned assembly programming on Motorolla 68k chips, and were told they were very common and easy to get. I later learned that they used the same chip in the MegaDrive, which was kinda exciting, but also confronted me with the notion that the MegaDrive's "brain" was actually a common off-the-shelf component. The console didn't run fairy dust, or ancient magic, it was just straightforward hardware. Anyway, I was wondering, if the main processor is common, could all the chips used in a MegaDrive be obtained? And if they could, does that mean someone could actually build their own working MegaDrive, that would theoretically work better than any othe form of emulation since it's using original hardware?

Hey, I posted details of this in another Sonic message board, but I thought you guys would be interested too.



Essentially, it's a Play-a-Sound book, you read the illustrated story, and press the buttons to accompany your reading with various sounds. The story's kinda interesting and fun, one thing is that it takes aspects from the games, and both Sonic cartoons that were out at the time, to make a story about Sonic being in a race to get something that looks strangely like a Bitcoin.

I've more photos of the book's pages here:
http://sofoxcentral....und/thumbnails/

And I also recorded some the sounds (after getting new batteries):
https://www.youtube....h?v=iwIWgs2gNtw

Thought you guys would like it.

While we have slightly discussed this in that other thread, we need to focus on what the first level of this game is going to be like.

We've decided that it's going to be themed on an English Countryside, but now we need to flesh the concept out a bit.

Level design and themes have always been important in Sonic games, we need to focus on the experience we want to get across, and the environment of the level will be key to that.

So two things we need:

1- We need some concept art of the level. This to establish theme, style and aesthetics. It'll also help in deciding whether we want to go surreal or more realistic, bright and sunny or dark and raining (it is England after all), green fields or stark cliffs. Like any concept art, we may need to go through a revision or two as we try to find the best level style possible.

2- Level design. Basically the route (or multiple routes) that Sonic will take through the level. If we have any cool level design gimmicks or ideas, that would be a good to mention. But also ideas about how the gameplay style could change over the level and exactly what the default gameplay should be (racing or platforming?). I'd say there should be a mix of styles. Starting relatively easy at a moderate pace, then mild platforming, some open fast sceninic routse, some more tricky environment, then a final fast stretch to the end.

So if anyone is interested in contributing to either of these two areas, just post in the thread. We may split the conversation into separate threads if they get confused, but right now they are both joined in contributing to the experience of the first level