A little real talk first before business goes on. We earlier reported that Sega staff member Patrick Riley was interviewed by forum member Shade Vortex. It looks like he might have been a little starstruck as he was actually not speaking to Patrick Riley at all, but Sonic Digital Brand Manager Ken Balough. Patrick Riley had no involvement with the previous interview and we wish to offer our apologies to the two gentlemen and to you, our readers who put up with us, for the confusion. For future reference:
This is Patrick Riley.
This is Ken Balough, as you truly imagined him. Please beat us over the head if this happens again.
Let’s move on to the video interview goodness after the jump.
During our little downtime (more on that later), Famitsu scans flooded the Internet confirming another level for Sonic Generations, Sonic 2‘s Chemical Plant Zone, and the boss for the stage in Metal Sonic.
From the start, Chemical Plant looks much darker and grungier than its Sonic 2 counterpart, looking like a hybrid of it and Eggmanland from Sonic Unleashed. The double helix paths, Mega Mack-lined tubes and purple water all return in Classic Sonic’s version of the level. If you had nightmares about that one area in Act 2 with the rising water, get ready as it will likely return.
Tee Lopes has uploaded some of his very, very excellent renditions of Sonic 2′s soundtrack. Make sure to give him a hand on the video’s Youtube page!
Tim Harding and Ray Hargreaves of 2P Start have made this short video of Sky Chase Zone in their “Postmortem” series. Sonic doesn’t really think about the consequences of his actions!
Stealth’s Twitter feed might be my favorite just because of updates like these. They always manage to bring a smile to my face, especially today. Why? For the first time since 2004, SonED2, the premier Sonic 2 editor, has received a major overhaul.
Before you start thinking about 2004 and how much of a goof you were then, let’s get to what’s new. Support for Sonic 3 (& Knuckles), Sonic CD, Knuckles’ Chaotix/Sonic Crackers and Sonic 1 Special Stages has been added. In addition, a new level project format allows your custom stages to be compatible with Sonic 2′s versus mode.
Brand new to SonED2 this time around is “ROMulan.” It’s so intense and rad that I will let Stealth explain it.
This game-independent tool simplifies the management of modified data, easing the process of modifying and testing pre-compiled/assembled games through the use of two script file types- “Batch Files”, and “Injector Files”. The “Batch File” lists a series of commands for ROMulan to perform, such as extracting data, copying files, running external programs for processes such as data conversion, and/or calling on the “Injector Files”. The Injector Files describe the layout of a game program/data file in such a way that ROMulan can re-insert the data into the original file regardless of whether or not the size of the data has changed. They provide information on where any data that must be relocated can be stored without damaging other vital data and code, and how it should update the program and other data pointers in order for the game to correctly use the relocated data. If proper script files exist or are created for any particular game, these processes are entirely automated, and can be started by simply opening the appropriate Batch File.
For the full details of the release, head on over to Stealth’s forum, “Organized Chaos.”
Tupac ain’t dead. He playin’ Sonic 2 with Suge Knight in my basement. This photo popped up at Tinycartridge yesterday and it certainly is a moment in time. Three pop culture icons in one photo: the legendary Tupac, Suge Knight (CEO of Death Row Records) and Sonic the Hedgehog in his prime. I just want to know where they were captured playing Sonic 2‘s 2-player mode. There’s some reporter and a bunch of plastic castles everywhere, so I guess he’s doing some charity work at, like, what… a hospital? A play-place? Come on, Tu, let dem kids play! Dey terminally iiiilllllllll…
All I know is that if you’re wearing clothes like that and a gold watch on each wrist, you are not to be messed with.
Sonic Retro News
Sonic/SEGA News
From the realm of “I’m surprised this hasn’t happened already” comes a handy and amazing editor from one of our new tech members, Flamewing. The “Sonic 2 Special Stage” editor is the first known program to allow manipulation of the special stages from Sonic 2. The editor is cross-platform and allows you to edit the following:
However, when editing Special Stages, you cannot edit the background, palette or ring requirements. If you want to manipulate those things, you need to edit the disassembly itself. Yes, you need to use a split disassembly and not a straight-up Sonic 2 ROM.
I can’t wait for “Sonic 2 Special Stage Attack” ROM hacks to start popping up.