Concensus on Prototype naming scheme

I'll review all your suggestions:

* Alpha and Beta - this naming system would be (theoritically of course) problematic when a new proto appears (let's hope so!). While it's quite accurate now, it might be difficult to name things that way when eg. a very similar beta to either of those is found.

* Fan-created version numbers - hell no. This is a bad idea. We don't know ANYTHING about the version numbers and the builds count, so it's hard to name it that way.

* Nick Arcade and Simon Wai - not bad, not bad.

* 2006 and 1998 - like I said, theoritically a new proto can appear in 2006, and the Simon Wai's proto didn't surface in 1998, but in fact years earlier (earlier than the final, in fact :P)

* drx & wai - hard to comment on that. as much as I'd like this way of naming the protos - it's up to the community how it wants to name its betas. Plus it can cause confusion if I find a new s2 proto. But drx's Sonic 2 Beta has a ring to it :P

Conclusion - hard to tell. Imho best would be either drx or Nick Arcade. But it's up to you

PS. The menu on the left, on the site - I think it should have two 'sections', one for the Simon's proto and one for the one I released, and maybe some sort of section with comparisons, like timelines or zone comparisons. Just a thought.

 

Now that this site is no longer called Simon Wai's Sonic 2 Beta, we can use up this name for Simon's prototype (SWS2B), and this new could be called Nick Arcade Sonic 2 Beta (NAS2B). Just a suggestion.

I think it would be wrong if we call this one "drx's prototype", since he may give out another proto.

 

I'd call the new one "Nick Arcade prototype", and the old one just "prototype". There wouldn't be any confusion that way, nor wacky fan-made standards.

 

I suggestd calling the old beta the "Sonic 2 Phil Moore is a HEY EVERYONE I AM A COMPLETE ASSHOLE PLEASE MOCK ME Beta" and quickman suggested "Sonic 2 Mariah Carey Sucks Beta" for the newer beta. Let's use that.

 

I was wondering if you were going to suggest that. XD

 

I'm comfortable with calling them the "Nick Arcade beta," and the "Simon Wai beta." They detail exactly which build each is, what era they're from... etc. Either that or the drx beta. But I don't think calling it "prototype" is very specfic - rather, I think it'd be more confusing than anything. Best to keep the correct prefix on the prototype name to keep things organized and easy to remember.

 

Hey, the first two options are winning so let's have drx's alpha and Simon's beta :P

 

I like Alpha and Beta more, though this game really feels like it should be a pre-alpha stage, I mean only 3 unique new levels are in it, HTZ doesn't count because its a rehash of EHZ.

 

I don't really like the idea of calling them alpha & beta. It's already been brought up that it's possible that more prototypes may be found in the future...
I think I'd go with 'Nick Arcade prototype'; it's fairly certain that this version is the one shown on Nick Arcade, given all of the similarities that have been found and the holographic cart label. Still, my suggestion is to wait a while longer before settling on a name, just in case.

 

Seconded. While I would like to call them drx's beta and Wai's beta, we all know that drx is probably going to find more and more protos in the future. So Nick Arcade beta seems the only way to go, even if I don't like it at all.

 

My vote's for Alpha and Beta. It just seems to fit them both well, although this new dump is horribly incomplete. Hell, I renamed the dumped ROM to Sonic 2 Alpha before I even played it.

 

We can't confirm that Wai's beta was taken from The NY Toy Fair, nor can we confirm that Drx's is from nick arcade either (though it seems likely).

personally I like Drx's beta and Wai's beta, Drx deserves it to be named after him, especially if he prefers it.

 

I personally vote for the alpha/beta. I think it can be renembered better then "Simon Wai's beta" and "Drx/nick arcade beta". And, we all know this is not an beta, nor an alpha, something like pre-alpha.

 

What about Nick Arcade Prototype and Stolen from games convention Prototype?

DJ

 

"Early prototype" and "prototype" were already fine, anyway...

 

Actually, it has been confirmed. According to an interview with Naka, the beta was from a demonstration cartridge that was stolen at a toy show in New York in 1992. Akinori Nishiyama has also stated that the leak was due to the lack of security at the time.

Sources
Naka interview
Nishiyama

This interview also mentions what the original purpose of the Hidden Palace was. It would have been a secret level that could be entered by collecting all 7 Chaos Emeralds, implying that Hidden Palace is the place where the Chaos Emeralds originated. After this level was cleared, a cutscene would play showing Sonic gaining 50 rings and turning into Super Sonic.

This however somewhat contradicts with what Craig Stitt said about the emerald being nothing more then a destroyable block. But since Stitt had no knowledge about what Sonic Team was doing storywise, he might have been mistaken. Hell, the emerald could have just been a breakable block. Who knows.