Sonic X-treme STI Engines, Saturn, PC, Win95-PC+NV1, +V37 Level Editor

Related threads:
POV Saturn Build thread: http://forums.sonicretro.org/index.php?showtopic=34255&st=0
Version 001 STI Build: http://forums.sonicretro.org/index.php?showtopic=35534


== V037 Engine release 4 ==
== Jollyroger's FISHEYE MOD for V037! ==


Back in 2015 Jollyroger had backported the fisheye code from V040 to V037. At the time we decided not to release this build believing that it could possibly cause confusion for future generations. In that, some people mistake this modification as being an "as IS" official STI build, When in fact it's basically a mod using the original source code from the 2 build's source.
We're not really sure exactly when the fisheye was introduced into Xtreme, perhaps between V038 and V040.

Anyhow Here it is!
We hope a lot of you diehard Xtreme fans and level modder guys out there will really enjoy this one.

Mega
Mediafire

(Note)
F key to enable fisheye ( Please guys read the Readme file)

Some levels may have the camera distance either too close or too far from sonic,
This is because many of the levels were designed before fisheye was implemented.

(if you want to have some fun, Please check out the .def files using a text editor, and experiment around with some of the setings)
Also most RSRC19 folder levels are pre adjusted.

I left notes in the .def file named Test.def
//========================================================================================
// CAM0003
//========================================================================================
NEW_CAMERA "CAM0003"
{
Value 003,426 //Scale Z Range: 0 -> 256*16
Value 004,10 //Skew Y Range: -512 -> 512

//Custom function coded by Jollyroger to move the camera closer or further away from Sonic.
Value 005,245760 //Camera offset Z default value is 81920
//notes by Andrew75
//ideal multiples: 5120, 10240, 20480, 40960, 81920, 163840, 327680, 655360
//* 81920+20480=102400
//163840+20480=184320
//163840+40960=204800
//163840+40960=204800+10240=215040
//163840+40960=204800+20480=225280
// * 163840+40960=204800+20480=225280+20480=245760
}


Please be mindful the following is not a bug.
Back when the original engine was written, the camera pipeline did not include a Z-Buffer, so you may experience some geometry sorting issues when the fisheye is enabled.


== V037 Engine release 3 ==
== With all 037 levels + More levels ==


Hey guys this is the Biggest release yet! This Mega release includes over 150 levels!
Many of which were never seen by the public before !




For the latest release of Jollyroger's modern Windows port for Ofer's V037 NV1 engine, This release breaks away from the "AS IS" state of our last release by adding:
*the ability to play music.
*Incorporates A camera distance Function which can be tweaked in each .def file to counterbalance level depth scaling differences vs Sonic's distance to camera.
*The engine now has a Global configuration file for Sonic's main physics attributes among other engine settings. (like V038 and above)
*Over 150 playable original STI experimental test levels are now included in the release, however many are duplicate files which
have different adjusted attributes like texture physics settings to help slow or speed sonic up in specific situations. Or are snapshots in time showing a level's development history from start to finish.

Each and every Level.def file that is playable with the release engine had to be edited like so:
*Sonic's main Physics were stripped out.
*Player parameter changed from Static to player.
*New Camera parameters set up and adjusted, to match camera distance between levels that had different depth scaling.
* Some color pallet links corrected.
*Replace all Ring and Enemy Blocks with Actors so that Sonic could pass threw them, and possibly interact with them in a future release.
*Attempted to tweak physics in the new Global file to make the game feel a little more playable.

Besides the modified levels, All of the original Level files and assets are also included in this leak in an unmodified form,
including levels that do not work with our engine since the levels are from older engine builds that we do not have.
There are also partial levels for other builds of the game as well.

Mega
Mediafire



== V037 SONICBOOM Sonic X-Treme Level Editor ==

kudos to JollyRoger on another fine release!
This is another "AS IS Release" so there are lot of bugs and issues as how it was found.



NOTES:
If you are missing a DLL, you may need to download the C++ x86 Redistributable. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=40784
The readme file has a little more information on how to work the editor.
We had initially planned to do a PDF guide with illustrations, but seriously lack the time to do something like that these days.
Hoping we can get someone to write up an instruction guide and also someone to do some bug reports. ( there are a lot of issues that need to be documented)

SonicBoom "Sonic X-treme" Level editor for v037 levels. Release 001:

MEDIAFIRE
Mega
Hugefiles



== V40 Engine for PC And SEGA SATURN ==

K guys !
2 new simultaneous releases for Engine v040! The First Release is for the PC. And YES SEGA SATURN TOO!!!! (Again lets thank JollyRoger for his hard work)
Both releases Support Fisheye ! YES I said it Fisheye and SEGA SATURN together! Did I say Fisheye with good FPS! ? !
The PC release generally looks better with more frames of animation for Sonic, enemies and the rings. The PC ver Also sports higher res with better color than the Saturn version which looks a bit washed out, but that is to be expected. Improvements for both 040 versions are planned including frame rate improvements and more frames of animation for sprites like rings for the Saturn build among too many other improvement to list.

Here is the video for 040 running on Sega Saturn!


The video shows the engine essentially unmodified from the way it was found.
As you can see, this is a very early build of the Saturn version. The v40 engine is very different from v37: many features had been removed or simplified to streamline portions of the code and data structures to increase the performance, so that it could run on Saturn at an acceptable speed.
The engine was clearly in the middle of heavy refactoring and basic functionality such as player control and collisions were disabled. The code for those features had not been ported to use the new data structures and functions, and was completely commented out, so it had to be partially rewritten/ported.
The engine was also prone to constantly crashing due to several bugs, so the code has been altered further, but only to make it more stable, no other changes were made to its appearance or functionality.
The level displayed is a test level that was used to debug the engine, and it is the only level that was found with this particular version of the engine. The engine only loads and displays one animation frame every eight, this explains the mostly non-existent animation.

Please keep in mind that there are visual differences between Saturn and PC build of v040 so try them both if you can.
PC Ver. 040 Release 001:
Mega
Mediafire



SEGA SATURN Ver. 040 Release 001:
(Recompiled from source code with fixes for a timing issue causing crashes)
Mega
Mediafire

SEGA SATURN Ver. 040 Release 002:
(Faster FPS But more Bug Prone version)
This is the original raw Binary compiled by STI.

Note: Hold Y until the blue level loads up or you instant crash on a real Saturn.
but, You will eventually crash out no mater what.

Mega
Mediafire

I used ImgBurn for burning the iso.
If attempting the swap trick or installing a Mod chip , please be careful not to bust your Saturn, all parties involved with this release are not to be held accountable.



==== V37 Engine for PC: ====


After you get the game, Please people, read the included Readme file for additional info and how to set up the alternate level with un-modified physics)

First Release Trailer :
for JollyRoger's port of STI's V037 engine.



Mini Documentary about this port of v037.
Credits to Borman.



Before we continue I'd like to give my appreciation and display credits to all who were involved.
Thanks to JollyRoger putting in massive amounts of Blood Sweat And tears to port the original assets over to modern windows making this release and future releases possible for us to experience.
Thanks to Tichua for contributing the source materials.
Thx for Bormon for taking the time to do a mini documentary video in regards to the release.
Also Thanks to Sonic Retro and assemblergames.com for hosting the leak.
And myself for other miscellaneous tasks.

I Don't know about you guys but for me personally, the past 19 years has been a very long wait to be able to play This game, Sure its not finished and only a very early build, and yes that aspect really shows!
However, I believe that if X-treme were finished, It may have been a whole other game than what this early beta portrays. (who knows)
*************************************************************************************************************

Now for the description:
Sonic X-treme's Version 037 engine has been painstakingly ported to Modern Windows and Open GL by JollyRoger, from Windows 95 that also required the NV1 Graphic's card hardware..
This is the real Sonic X-treme, as JollyRoger had acquired it. ( Not some a Fan game) This is a restoration project meant for preserving historical accuracy as closely to how it was found as possible. However If released in the original state the game basically would have been beyond unplayable as code had to be massaged back into a working state.
Basicly this is an almost as is port of the engine (Almost as how the original developers had left it, A snapshot in time "if you will".

And Guess what ?!
This port of X-treme is out there right now! Ready for YOU to download and enjoy!
Go to www.assemblergames.com FOR YOUR VERY OWN COPY!

However, We'd like to point out that this is a single level release.
This first public release consists of a Jungle level, which I like to refer to as "The E3 Jade Gully level" since it was shown in one of the E3 96 Promo videos.
Other levels are playable and all , but they are not featured in this teaser release. Rest assured they will be released in the final release that also addresses some bugs.

Fun Facts:
*The next port to be done will be of version 040 which has the fisheye lens effect. V040 can also run on Sega Saturn hardware. ( with a good FPS mind you) There is also a mysterious build by the now defunct Point of View studios. POV's build version is for Sega Saturn as well and uses 100% original code separate from the STI's code.

*JollyRoger had to massage much of the code back into place to restore functionality since some code had been commented out due to being in mid engine re-wright by STI or POV.

*The game ran on the NV1 GPU by Nvidia, supported true Quad polygons (Like Sega Saturn) instead of quads made up of 2 triangles.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Nvidia_graphics_processing_units

*Currently this port of v037 lacks true quad polygon rendering, *check out the sides of slopes where the textures look distorted*
Future releases may or may not incorporate true quad like rendering to fix the issue.

*The level data file itself had to be edited to improve physics to the point of playability, As well as remove ring collisions so the level could be explored properly. ( rings would push sonic off ledges if he walked near them)

*The Bouncing ball effect when sonic Lands can be disabled. Which allows for better playability, but in this case it was kept to better match the E3 Videos.

*You guys can tweak physics quite easily by opening the .def files in your text editor of your choice.

*I had attempted to fix up the Sonic Magnetic effect so as to help Sonic better when rotating the level in ball mode. This was tried so that it wouldn't sling shot sonic over the edge of sharp angles when rotating the levels.
I did have it fixed so that the slingshot no longer happened, but it caused other issues with Gravity, and gravity relative to jumping (causing low jump heights), Jumping near walls and celling would cause sonic to stick to objects incorrectly.
Many of these could be remedied by counter balancing with other tweaks, however after 3 days worth of trying, I just could not find a sweet spot that replicated the feel of the E3 video gameplay clips without the rotation sling shot flying issue.
(so we had to give up fixing the Magnetic level rotations in favor of better play Mechanics. ( perhaps one of you may be able to find that sweet spot)

* More Builds and levels to come !

PC Ver. 037 Release 002:
•Fixed palette management
•Initial implementation of scrolling backgrounds (no quadratic distortion)
•Fixed foreground objects transparency issues (For when Sonic moves behind objects like rocks)
•Gamepad Support Added
•Windowed mode EXE added
Mega
Anonfiles
Hugefiles
Mediafire

PC Ver. 037 Release 001:
Mega
Anofiles
Hugefiles
Mediafire


NV1/Win95 (The Original) 037 Release 001:
Notes:
*Old Win95 computer with NV1 Diamond Edge 3D graphics card required.
*The archive needs to be unzipped directly on C:\, so that it decompresses into a folder called "SONCBOOM".

Edit: Updated links to include unmodified level files that will work with the original engine.
Mega
Mediafire

 

I posted links above. Hope its okay with retro!

 

Hell yeah, its been one hell of a Journey, not just for me , but for everyone else waiting for another build! Now we just need the other Boss engines ( Besides the green hill like level that leaked a few years back(Project condor) and Offer's later build, I think after that point we can almost close the door on X-treme.
And yeah JollyRoger has a lot more engine versions to get working and out the door. I'm actually excited about the POV build now that we've seen some screens of it.
Sonic sprites display 8 run directions instead of just 4 as seen in build 037, Rings are also collectable from my understanding.

Anyhow Modding the .def file is very easy and simple. I'm sure someone will figure out all the ins and outs just as I have threw modifying some parameters.
You can Cancel Sonic's Landing bounce effect for example which really helps playability of the level. If you guys get a good physics setup going, please do share here. I'm very interested to see what some of you come up with.