Thanks Jenkins, it's tucked in the corner and blends with the background so no wonder I missed it.
That's pretty epic though, seeing that Sonic goes all that way through the caves.
A toast please…
-
Omni Hunter
- Omnizzy
- Posts: 1966
- Joined: Thu Mar 10, 2005 4:50 am
- Location: MK, Satan's Layby
- Contact:
Ok, here's all the Sonic 3 & Knuckles text, all conveniently lumped together. I guess Sonic 2 is next.. Oh, and I forgot to post it, but apparently Tails was originally going to be a tanuki after all, but because of a tanuki character in another game (they didn't say what) they decided to have him be something else to keep him unique. I guess they forgot about Psycho Fox on the Master System..
Sonic 3 & Knuckles
----------------------------
Angel Island
We started development on "3" with a story in mind, but it turned out we couldn't make it in time without problems. In the end, the game ended up being cut in half (laugh). This stage starts off with a certain impact, as the flame thrower machines set fire to the island and change the color considerably. (Sonic Team, Izuka)
Hydrocity
Thinking we would make a high-speed stage similar the previous games, we based this stage on Chemical Plant. The map size was already at the limit of the MegaDrive's RAM with Sonic 2, but thanks to the efforts of our programmers we were able to make them even bigger. There are also routes made specifically for each character. (Izuka)
Marble Garden
Even though we used this pattern once before, we wanted to do another stage where the ground shakes GAGAGA ever since Sonic 1. In the first Zone, where Eggman is digging for jewels, we wanted that machine to appear and chase after Sonic from behind, something like that, but we didn't get to it this time. (Naka)
* Note: He mentions the first zone specifically, even though Eggman doesn't appear until zone 2. He might be refering to the midboss.
Carnival Night
While developing in America, we would see these portable carnival rides come in around shopping centers, and that was the idea we went with for this stage. When you think of carnivals of course there are ferris wheels and teacup rides, but it seems like generally there were a lot of things that just pushed and spun you around really fast (laugh), my main memory was that they were ususually scary! (Naka)
Ice Cap
While developing, we went snowboarding a lot at a nearby resort. People kept getting injured though... (laugh) Originally this stage was planned to begin after zone 8 (Flying Battery). Sonic was going to break down the door from the airship and make a snowboard out of it on the way down. The other characters can fly, so they wouldn't appear in that event. (Naka)
Launch Base
This is the place where you can see the construction site where Eggman is rebuilding the Death Egg, hidden among the various ruins on the island. You never really see the Death Egg in Sonic 2, but here you can see it quite clearly. This is the climax at the midpoint of the story. (Izuka)
Mushroom Hill
The hand-operated elevators here are a bit different from anything else in the game; if you have a player on each handle they can move you up much faster than normal. When two people play often times Miles tends to miss the various devices when Sonic uses them, so this one was designed specifically for two players. When playing with two players be sure to try it out! (Izuka)
Flying Battery
This zone has particularly distinctive music, doesn't it. With Sonic 1 and 2, we were working with Nakamura-san, so we couldn't get any extra music, but since with 3 we had the music done in-house, we were able to have a whole lot of music made up for us. We picked out from that selection the music that fit each zone best. (Izuka)
Sandopolis
Here's the desert stage, something that hadn't appeared in the series until this point, so we were able to make it relatively free of earlier influences. The ghosts appearing in the second half are the first enemies who weren't made by Eggman. When he infiltrated the pyramid, he must have worked very hard to trap them inside that box. (Izuka)
Lava Reef
This is the last stage a Special Ring appears in. I suppose you noticed that in both acts of this stage, the Death Egg's face appeares. In the act select for Sonic 2 you could see a bit of a scene like this, but this is where you'll see the real thing. (Izuka)
Hidden Palance / Sky Sanctuary
From here on out, it's the holy territory that is forbidden to all but Knuckles. Hidden Palace is where the Master Emerald is stored, and Sky Palace is the sacred precinct in the sky above Angel Island where no one is allowed to enter. I'm degressing, but scaling of the EggRobos emerging from the center is managed internally by the software. (Izuka)
Death Egg
When thinking of space, gravity controls come to mind, so that was the theme behind this stage. We tried to give it a feel you could only have in outer space, how did we do? We surveyed many people to determine if up and down should be reversed when the gravity flips. I guess that it is just easier to have pressing down to crouch feel natural! (Naka)
Sonic 3 & Knuckles
----------------------------
Angel Island
We started development on "3" with a story in mind, but it turned out we couldn't make it in time without problems. In the end, the game ended up being cut in half (laugh). This stage starts off with a certain impact, as the flame thrower machines set fire to the island and change the color considerably. (Sonic Team, Izuka)
Hydrocity
Thinking we would make a high-speed stage similar the previous games, we based this stage on Chemical Plant. The map size was already at the limit of the MegaDrive's RAM with Sonic 2, but thanks to the efforts of our programmers we were able to make them even bigger. There are also routes made specifically for each character. (Izuka)
Marble Garden
Even though we used this pattern once before, we wanted to do another stage where the ground shakes GAGAGA ever since Sonic 1. In the first Zone, where Eggman is digging for jewels, we wanted that machine to appear and chase after Sonic from behind, something like that, but we didn't get to it this time. (Naka)
* Note: He mentions the first zone specifically, even though Eggman doesn't appear until zone 2. He might be refering to the midboss.
Carnival Night
While developing in America, we would see these portable carnival rides come in around shopping centers, and that was the idea we went with for this stage. When you think of carnivals of course there are ferris wheels and teacup rides, but it seems like generally there were a lot of things that just pushed and spun you around really fast (laugh), my main memory was that they were ususually scary! (Naka)
Ice Cap
While developing, we went snowboarding a lot at a nearby resort. People kept getting injured though... (laugh) Originally this stage was planned to begin after zone 8 (Flying Battery). Sonic was going to break down the door from the airship and make a snowboard out of it on the way down. The other characters can fly, so they wouldn't appear in that event. (Naka)
Launch Base
This is the place where you can see the construction site where Eggman is rebuilding the Death Egg, hidden among the various ruins on the island. You never really see the Death Egg in Sonic 2, but here you can see it quite clearly. This is the climax at the midpoint of the story. (Izuka)
Mushroom Hill
The hand-operated elevators here are a bit different from anything else in the game; if you have a player on each handle they can move you up much faster than normal. When two people play often times Miles tends to miss the various devices when Sonic uses them, so this one was designed specifically for two players. When playing with two players be sure to try it out! (Izuka)
Flying Battery
This zone has particularly distinctive music, doesn't it. With Sonic 1 and 2, we were working with Nakamura-san, so we couldn't get any extra music, but since with 3 we had the music done in-house, we were able to have a whole lot of music made up for us. We picked out from that selection the music that fit each zone best. (Izuka)
Sandopolis
Here's the desert stage, something that hadn't appeared in the series until this point, so we were able to make it relatively free of earlier influences. The ghosts appearing in the second half are the first enemies who weren't made by Eggman. When he infiltrated the pyramid, he must have worked very hard to trap them inside that box. (Izuka)
Lava Reef
This is the last stage a Special Ring appears in. I suppose you noticed that in both acts of this stage, the Death Egg's face appeares. In the act select for Sonic 2 you could see a bit of a scene like this, but this is where you'll see the real thing. (Izuka)
Hidden Palance / Sky Sanctuary
From here on out, it's the holy territory that is forbidden to all but Knuckles. Hidden Palace is where the Master Emerald is stored, and Sky Palace is the sacred precinct in the sky above Angel Island where no one is allowed to enter. I'm degressing, but scaling of the EggRobos emerging from the center is managed internally by the software. (Izuka)
Death Egg
When thinking of space, gravity controls come to mind, so that was the theme behind this stage. We tried to give it a feel you could only have in outer space, how did we do? We surveyed many people to determine if up and down should be reversed when the gravity flips. I guess that it is just easier to have pressing down to crouch feel natural! (Naka)
Thanks, G.Silver ^_^
The last of the Sonic Team commentaries:
Sonic 1 commentaries
Marble
Spring Yard
Labyrinth
Scrap Brain
Sonic 2 commentaries
Chemical Plant
Aquatic Ruin
Casino Night
Hill Top
Metropolis
Sky Chase/Wing Fortress
Death Egg
Sonic Artwork commentaries
These discuss various pieces of Sonic artwork that appeared in the Japanese Sega Magazine (All the artwork has been released on the net before, but I can scan them if anyone wants to see them again). I don’t know if the comments contain anything interesting.
Item 1 – It features Sonic surrounded by the English mottos that appear on the Japanese boxes (available here)
Item 2 – A new version of the Japanese Sonic 1 box art
Item 3 – A new version of the Japanese Sonic 3D artwork
Item 4 – A new version of the Sonic Jam box art (available here)
Oddly enough, the tankui-like animal friend from Sonic Rush looks very similar to Tails. Perhaps it is another instance of Sonic Team reusing scrapped ideas.Oh, and I forgot to post it, but apparently Tails was originally going to be a tanuki after all, but because of a tanuki character in another game (they didn't say what)
The last of the Sonic Team commentaries:
Sonic 1 commentaries
Marble
Spring Yard
Labyrinth
Scrap Brain
Sonic 2 commentaries
Chemical Plant
Aquatic Ruin
Casino Night
Hill Top
Metropolis
Sky Chase/Wing Fortress
Death Egg
Sonic Artwork commentaries
These discuss various pieces of Sonic artwork that appeared in the Japanese Sega Magazine (All the artwork has been released on the net before, but I can scan them if anyone wants to see them again). I don’t know if the comments contain anything interesting.
Item 1 – It features Sonic surrounded by the English mottos that appear on the Japanese boxes (available here)
Item 2 – A new version of the Japanese Sonic 1 box art
Item 3 – A new version of the Japanese Sonic 3D artwork
Item 4 – A new version of the Sonic Jam box art (available here)
-
Green Gibbon!
- BUTT CHEESE
- Posts: 4648
- Joined: Fri May 21, 2004 11:39 am
- Location: A far eastern land across the sea
- Contact:
Oops! Here is the Star Light commentary. There isn’t a commentary for Death Egg in Sonic 2 – I was confusing it with the Sonic & Knuckles one.
I’ll post the art scans before the end of the weekend. ^_^
I’ll post the art scans before the end of the weekend. ^_^
Sonic 2 will be next!
Sonic the Hedgehog
-----------------------------
Green Hill
This is the stage that took the designers the longest to get properly arranged, and from the beginning of development the graphics were probably redone 4 or five times. The art and maps for this zone alone took half a year to produce! At the time, we were aware of computer graphics, but we tried to get that look by hand (laugh) -- (Sonic Team, Naka)
Marble
Early in production, Labyrinth Zone was going to be the second stage. But Labyrinth is much harder than the early stages, and it would have been a sudden spike in the difficulty. Sonic is really a different sort of action game compared to anything that had been made at that time, so we really wondered if it was ok to have him running through every stage so quickly, so we wanted there to be a moment for the player to catch his breath. (Naka)
Spring Yard
This map was the first one to be drawn and finalized. Wanting to bounce around on the pinball-like bumpers in this stage really can't be helped! Because the star-patterned bumpers make a "Bo-bin!" sound when you bounce on them, in Sonic Team lexicon we call them bobins (laughs). (Sonic Team, Ohshima)
Labyrinth
As for the air bubble idea, we were thinking of ways to make the character more unique, so we thought giving him some sort of weakness would be a good idea, and since there was a water stage, why not have him sink? So what to do when he gets in the water stage, we wondered, and after some deliberation we came up with the air bubbles. (Naka)
Star Light
While designing stages, I had the image in mind of something like outer space, or a starry night sky. I was thinking there should be a place where you run through a scenic night-time location. By the time we were done with these last three stages, Labyrinth, Star Light, and Scrap Brain, we had a really good understanding of the system and had become somewhat fanatical about elaborate moving platforms. (Ohshima)
Scrap Brain
Instead of going straight to the boss in the end, you get dropped down a level, and we wanted that feeling of fighting your way back up. I would have been nice to draw a specific background just for the final stage, but due to space and time constraints we just changed the background color and made the basement level the same as Labyrinth Zone. (Naka)
Sonic the Hedgehog
-----------------------------
Green Hill
This is the stage that took the designers the longest to get properly arranged, and from the beginning of development the graphics were probably redone 4 or five times. The art and maps for this zone alone took half a year to produce! At the time, we were aware of computer graphics, but we tried to get that look by hand (laugh) -- (Sonic Team, Naka)
Marble
Early in production, Labyrinth Zone was going to be the second stage. But Labyrinth is much harder than the early stages, and it would have been a sudden spike in the difficulty. Sonic is really a different sort of action game compared to anything that had been made at that time, so we really wondered if it was ok to have him running through every stage so quickly, so we wanted there to be a moment for the player to catch his breath. (Naka)
Spring Yard
This map was the first one to be drawn and finalized. Wanting to bounce around on the pinball-like bumpers in this stage really can't be helped! Because the star-patterned bumpers make a "Bo-bin!" sound when you bounce on them, in Sonic Team lexicon we call them bobins (laughs). (Sonic Team, Ohshima)
Labyrinth
As for the air bubble idea, we were thinking of ways to make the character more unique, so we thought giving him some sort of weakness would be a good idea, and since there was a water stage, why not have him sink? So what to do when he gets in the water stage, we wondered, and after some deliberation we came up with the air bubbles. (Naka)
Star Light
While designing stages, I had the image in mind of something like outer space, or a starry night sky. I was thinking there should be a place where you run through a scenic night-time location. By the time we were done with these last three stages, Labyrinth, Star Light, and Scrap Brain, we had a really good understanding of the system and had become somewhat fanatical about elaborate moving platforms. (Ohshima)
Scrap Brain
Instead of going straight to the boss in the end, you get dropped down a level, and we wanted that feeling of fighting your way back up. I would have been nice to draw a specific background just for the final stage, but due to space and time constraints we just changed the background color and made the basement level the same as Labyrinth Zone. (Naka)
-
Light Speed
- Sexified
- Posts: 2529
- Joined: Sun May 23, 2004 4:08 pm
- Location: Park City, Utah
- Contact:
-
Green Gibbon!
- BUTT CHEESE
- Posts: 4648
- Joined: Fri May 21, 2004 11:39 am
- Location: A far eastern land across the sea
- Contact:
-
Brazillian Cara
- Posts: 1729
- Joined: Sat Aug 07, 2004 5:30 pm
- Location: On a never-ending quest to change my avatar.
-
Light Speed
- Sexified
- Posts: 2529
- Joined: Sun May 23, 2004 4:08 pm
- Location: Park City, Utah
- Contact:
-
Tsuyoshi-kun
- Posts: 946
- Joined: Tue Sep 07, 2004 11:33 am
- Location: Philadelphia, PA, U.S.A.
It's still the weekend in America, right?
Here are the art scans:
Artwork 1
Artwork 2
Artwork 3
Artwork 4
^_^
Artwork 1
Artwork 2
Artwork 3
Artwork 4
Yes - the 34MB size was actually mentioned as selling point on the Sonic & Knuckles PAL box. Although I'd imagine a significant part of that 34MB size contained duplicated data due to the repeated assets that were on both the S&K and S3 cartridges.So both together (S3&K) are 34mb?
^_^
The Japanese have a weird sense of onomatopoeia in general. See any manga ever.FlashTHD wrote:Then either they or I must have defective hearing. Sounds more like "PING!" to me. If you want "Bo-bin!", tag a lamp post.Because the star-patterned bumpers make a "Bo-bin!" sound when you bounce on them, in Sonic Team lexicon we call them bobins (laughs).
-
Cuckooguy
- LEGEND
- Posts: 761
- Joined: Thu May 27, 2004 12:27 am
- Location: Southern California
- Contact:
While unrelated to sound effects, this thread taking place reminds me of when my sisters and I called the purple/magenta teleporting thing in Sky Sanctuary a "pe pe pe." It was called that so randomly and abruptly that it just stuck with us, and we'd all jokingly call it a pe pe pe. The term is so engraved in my memory, that I might subconsciously call it a pe pe pe out loud while watching someone playing Sonic & Knuckles, and the person would probably look at me like some kind of freak. We'd also excitedly yell out "Bubbles!" whenever one of those flying blue pufferfish in Marble Garden appeared (except Bubbles wasn't a made-up term)
So, did anyone else have any made up terms for objects or weird habits when playing Sonic games?
So, did anyone else have any made up terms for objects or weird habits when playing Sonic games?
-
Frieza2000
- Posts: 1338
- Joined: Sun Jan 23, 2005 9:09 am
- Location: confirmed. Sending supplies.
At the end of act 2 in every stage of Sonic 2, after jumping on the capsule I'd stand on it facing right and crouched (and if I was playing with my brother, whoever was Tails would do the same) and exactly as the score started counting down I'd start a spin dash and release it once it finished. Nothing inspired this ritual; it just sort of happened.
-
Zarathustra
- Douche Banned
- Posts: 199
- Joined: Thu May 04, 2006 9:28 pm
- Location: The nuclear waste land... Argentina for those not in da Groove
-
Omni Hunter
- Omnizzy
- Posts: 1966
- Joined: Thu Mar 10, 2005 4:50 am
- Location: MK, Satan's Layby
- Contact: