Sega’s been showing a lot of love to PC owners as of late with releases of Sonic Generations, Sonic 4: Episode 1 and Sonic CD to the platform. But what of Sonic Unleashed, the game which kicked off Modern Sonic’s current breakneck speed style (and included the highly divisive Werehog)? If anything, those Unleashed stages may soon be making their way as a patch to the PC version of the game.
Forum members Dario FF, Twilightzoney and Chimera have been hard at work trying to bring Unleashed‘s stages over to Generations’ engine. In one week, they went from bringing in the stages without any sort of collision and usage of Global Illumination Ambiance (GIA), the system used in both Unleashed and Generations to give some dynamic lighting to the levels, to the above video. So far, Windmill Isle Act 2, Dragon Road Act 1 and Cool Edge Act 1 have all made a partial conversion. The group admits that while progress is going well, there is still much work to be done.
“Well shadows ARE casting on stuff like Sonic or the objects. It’s there, it just isn’t casting on the terrain for some reason(and it’s not some Terrain -> Terrain thing, Sonic and the objects don’t),” Dario FF said with regards to missing shadow effects. “The only technical explanation we got is, we don’t effing know. But hey, a week ago I wouldn’t even have dreamed of seeing GIA data correctly working, let alone the high-quality DLC one.”
For comparison, check out this run of Windmill Island Act 2.
For more on the progress of their work, check out this topic. If you can’t see it, here’s a lovely gallery of photos of their work so far.
38 Comments on this post
Leave a CommentSounds cool.
I’m interested in this porting process. Wonder if KAKIPI1000 can break these levels…
Comment left on 1.31.2012 by Aero
Will you make the Night-Time stages for classic sonic?
Comment left on 1.31.2012 by Artista-AF
Nothing concrete there yet. Good question, though.
Reply left on 1.31.2012 by GeneHF
Two words….HAWT DAMN!
Comment left on 1.31.2012 by Shadowbane2009
This is great. At first I thought this would be DLC for Sonic Generations, but I like what they are doing so far.
Comment left on 1.31.2012 by TheGuyWithTheGames
There’s something about Holoska…that makes it look more amazing than the original…
Comment left on 1.31.2012 by Cheddly
@GeneHF and Artista-AF, Dario asked me that actually and the idea seems good, but for one thing Classic was built for 2D and I don’t think we want anyone spindashing off to their death by accident
On top of that, it’d require some creativity to whore out objects to make the night stages even playable in the “Classic” formula. So the answer isn’t yes or no, it’s “We want this to happen.”
Comment left on 1.31.2012 by Chimera
I’ve never played the 360/PS3 version of Unleashed. I only have the PS2 version, the one with 5 times the Werehog levels. Exactly how many hours of game time will this be adding when you’re finished?
Comment left on 1.31.2012 by KHaren
I haven’t a clue how this is possible if Unleashed wasn’t even released for PC.
Comment left on 1.31.2012 by n00neimp0rtant
n00neimp0rtant, Sonic Generations was built off of Sonic Unleashed. A large percentage of things in Sonic Unleashed were preserved in Generations, while another percentage of things were just converted to a different format for some reason (probably because of the whole 360->PC port job). Nevertheless, it’s not exactly the hardest thing in the world, but due to inconsistancies between Unleashed and Generations it could prove to be very annoying.
You’re welcome btw. (Also to avoid confusion our man Dario FF is the one doing almost all the “hard work;” Zoney and I are just making collision meshes and sprucing up the levels to be playable. To be fair, Cool Edge is one of the buggiest pieces of shit because of all the custom objects in it, and I got “assigned” to it, so wheee).
Comment left on 1.31.2012 by Chimera
I’m sure it plays more nicely as well with the tighter Generations controls.
Comment left on 1.31.2012 by Lambda
Yeah, Dario FF has been working hard at this. I’ve just been having a hard time with tearing apart the levels(Since the other two don’t have great computers to handle a full entire stage in max), really frustrating to make sure you get it down to the bare bones and remake everything from scratch.
Adabat is one of the toughest ones I’ve done, since I got all these stages down to the basic buildings of what they should be like. Those two just spruced it up to work better for collision.
Either way, its fun yet hard work for all of us. We are enjoying this and getting stuff done.
Comment left on 1.31.2012 by Twilightzoney
Classic sonic in Windmill Isle and Dragon road anyone?
Comment left on 1.31.2012 by PhotonTH
I is drooling! Damn! That looks awesome!
Comment left on 1.31.2012 by ShockeyRai
I wonder if they will port the other acts or the night stages. it would be crazy to see modern sonic in werehog levels (make those tightrope walking bits grindable)
Comment left on 1.31.2012 by jackelbeaver
Lambda they sure do, trust me. Cool Edge is a lot more fun with the lack of slipping off the stage. It removed the feel of running on ice, but I’m sure we can call it snow and call it a day :p
I know I’ve been commenting a lot and I’m sorry :v but I just wanted to say I find it funny how you ordered Dario, TwilightZoney and I in your post and how you ordered the current stage imports (and how Dario ordered them in the video), because they repectively go together with who’s been working on the stage’s collision and XML data. And the leangth of showtime in the video for each stage also reflects the amount of work done to the stage / its playability / importance of the person in the group :specialed: yeah Cool Edge isn’t nearly done yet.
Symbolism is everywhere~
Comment left on 2.1.2012 by Chimera
With regards to Cool Edge, all you need to say is: Icecap, both in Sonic 3 and SA1, never had slippery mechanics. You're honoring the original Sonic gameplay style. :V
Reply left on 2.1.2012 by GeneHF
if this was somehow put into the XBL market place as DLC it would be a dream come true.
Comment left on 2.1.2012 by sprong4
I’m awaiting for the entire Sonic 3 & Knuckles remake on Generation in some future.
Comment left on 2.1.2012 by Valet2
I knew this would happen eventually, and I’m glad it did. Maybe they could even replace the extra missions with the extra missions from unleashed? But that might be pushing it. Still, looking forward to this!!
Comment left on 2.1.2012 by MetalShadowChaos
Gene lol true.
TwilightZoney… >Me >Not good computer
The hell are you smoking I have an nVidia graphics card with 6BG of RAM and an i7, I think I’m good. ;P I appreciate you getting rip of the excess though. I really do. Everyone should give TwilightZoney a hug when possible :3 *hides*
Comment left on 2.1.2012 by Chimera
This is awesome, any chance this could be done on consoles too?
Comment left on 2.1.2012 by Ploggy
Generations has way better control than unleashed but playing them side by side, I feel that generations doesn’t have the same feeling of speed. Generations improved on the 2D aspect of modern sonic dramatically as well as his 3D game play (sonic doesn’t feel as slippery) but I think those straight forward boost frenzied moments just don’t have that sense of dick twisting speed.
Comment left on 2.1.2012 by Thundercock the Lion
I played the Wii version, so for me the fact that you're pretty much boosting at every opportunity, so the speed isn't as 'fast' to you as it would be if you has to conserve boost more.
Reply left on 2.2.2012 by MetalShadowChaos
Looks like PS3/360 Sonic in PS2/Wii Levels (not the level design but the lack of lighting). I had no idea of the impact the difference could make on the game.
Comment left on 2.1.2012 by SonicNKnux
I hope SEGA keeps Modern’s gameplay style around for a while, because as this video shows, there’s still a lot of potential with the Generations build.
Comment left on 2.1.2012 by tenchibr
I’m down with the idea of Nighttime levels for Classic Sonic if it ever happens, just wondering though is it possible to port levels from Sonic Colors too? what about Sonic 2006?
Comment left on 2.2.2012 by sonictopfan
Sonic goes A LOT more faster now than in 06. Sure you might be able to port it, but you're not going to like playing most of the stages. No Bounce Attack, No Camera Control, good luck.
Reply left on 2.5.2012 by Cheddly
oh god this would revalidate my PC purchase of generations, and invalidate my console purchase.
Comment left on 2.2.2012 by GHNeko
So w/the pc version i can play those awsome as heck levels with better drifting, sigh, I have to get the pc version of this game
Comment left on 2.2.2012 by sonicplayer
I hope this is true, I love Unleashed but my PS2 stopped working
It would be great to get back to playing this game again!
By the way, when this is finished where can I get it?
Comment left on 2.2.2012 by The Barrel
Just stay tuned to the blog right here! As this develops, we'll keep putting up more major milestones.
Unless this has quietly motivated Sega to make an Unleashed PC port~
Reply left on 2.3.2012 by GeneHF
Thanks, I will. haha, I hope saga sees this as well, But I’m still getting this whenever it’s finished.
Comment left on 2.3.2012 by The Barrel
Generations was sooo worth it.
OH MY GOSH THE SCENERY IS SO AWESOME OH OH OH I THINK I’M CHOKING ON MY BISCUIT YAAAAAAAAAA-
Comment left on 2.3.2012 by Star and Moon
It would be awesome to see “Classic” takes on these stages.
Comment left on 2.3.2012 by Mystical Ninja
Sega should make a downloadable content with a bunch of levels from the lesser known games, I.E. Sonic 3D Blast or Sonic Advance 1/2/3.
Comment left on 2.3.2012 by Star and Moon
I really wish they would either release a PC version of Unleashed or make the stages DLC for Generations. I own a PC version of Generations and a Wii version of unleashed, it’s good, but nothing compared to when i played the xbox 360 version of Unleashed!! I want the stages!!
Comment left on 2.6.2012 by Jolt
This has me wondering could the Wii/PS2 ver of the daytime stages work?
Comment left on 2.6.2012 by Firgo