Hey there, I would like to share a hack I have been working on by myself and that said hack is called Sonic the Hedgehog Razor. A very simple and basic hack that replaces a few level and object palettes as well as a few code modifications from Sonic the Hedgehog 1. I aim to improve and make this hack more original rather than keeping this too be Sonic 1 hack 263568262 and will build from the helpful criticism given to this hack. Tools used to make this: -Notepad++ -SonMapEd -Midi2Smps -Hivebrain's Sonic 1 Disassembly -Code modifications from Sonic Retro/SSRG
I don't want to come off as a dick saying this, but you probably should've waited until you had more before releasing it in this state. Right now I'm really only seeing some okay-ish palette swaps, and art changes that have been done a hundred times before. Also that extended camera is as nauseating as it's always been. I don't understand why people use it other than the fact that there's a guide for it.
I'm starting to realise that the extended camera wouldn't suit a hack like this so I'll probably remove it in a more polished build. As for the rest of the hack, I'll try to take more time polishing and adding more original stuff to the current state it's in.
Some people may want to use it if sonic's top speed is increased and their levels are designed with an extended view range in mind when going at speed. The whole point of the extended camera is to make the camera quickly pan when going fast enough to allow you to see obstacles slightly earlier than you would normally. It can be useful for people (like myself) who have slower reaction times. Although I do agree that it can be off putting and annoying especially when they make it so the camera keeps panning back and fourth every time you move instead of only panning when you're running at certain speed.
Then there are other uses that may extend beyond just gameplay function, like cinematics and other visual things one might want to do. Might be cool to see a creative, atypical application of something like that, rather than the usual "see more in front of me".
I do have a couple of things to note, regarding the hack itself: I like the direction of most of the palette changes, and I think the more subtle SYZ edit really stands out. Not a huge fan of Labyrinth's new color scheme (although the greenish tint underwater isn't bad). I really hate the Sonic CD jump sound effect, but I guess that is a preference. Walk-Jump bug is still a thing. There's a tutorial for it over on Retro. Playing Sounds 14-1F in the level select crash the game, for some reason. Yikes, that invincibility music port is rough. Your port of Chrome Gadget almost works, but a few of the instruments need a bit more fine tuning as some are either too loud, or wrong (also, I might be hearing some 'missing DAC' static there in the background?). But yeah, it's a bit early on, perhaps a bit too early to start a thread for. Nevertheless, every project starts somewhere, and it takes guts to put your work out there for criticism, so I respect that! You mentioned wanting to be original, but the project seems a bit aimless to me. One thing that might help with originality, is having some sort of overarching 'concept' or 'idea' for the hack to strive toward. Having something like that will guide you toward making the relevant design decisions on what to add in terms of features, level design, objects, items and whatnot, so you aren't randomly adding things without any real gameplay reason (extended camera, air-rolling, etc.). I would try to be more....imaginative when it comes to what kind of game you're making; don't be afraid of an idea or a game concept being 'too out of the box' or 'too strange' to try out. You might surprise yourself with what you can accomplish with patience and effort!
While the main concept doesn't show in this starting point of the hack it definitely have something going for it, My main concept is to strive for that old feeling old hacks had back in 2009 and 2010 like Sonic Erazor's or Sonic Megamix's earlier releases while also adding things that those hacks wouldn't have had. Although this hack displayed on the thread doesn't really show off that concept, I have something to aim for while developing this.
Well here's the thing, old hacks are old. A lot of the time they aged pretty poorly, especially in the case of Megamix. Being like other hacks 'but with more features' isn't an actual concept or direction that is unique. Don't aim to do what's been done a decade ago, do something new. But as is, I don't necessarily you have the ability to do such. I'm sure you can learn and eventually make something great. But right now what you probably want to do is step back and just do small things to learn how the engine and 68K works.
I almost fully agree; ideas can and should be generated without some 'necessary skill level'. Having ideas beyond what you can do now is a good driver to learn, and at it's best drives innovation. Ideas aren't about ability, and thinking of something new does not require extensive knowledge of how things work. Edit: To echo Iso Kilo, that doesn't really sound like a strong concept, especially considering the nature of said old hacks (emulating them will likely result in replicating their flaws, rather than their fun, and potential). Furthermore, when you release something, it should showcase the main concept front and center, no matter how rough. Right now, I don't think your hack is doing that yet, and that is certainly problematic.
I don't want to sound overly dismissive or judgemental, but your approach to this hack is basically what I've criticised in this thread. "The same, but more" is not in season anymore, I'm afraid, and it hasn't been for well over a decade now. I mean, no one will stop you from executing the ideas you have in your head right now just the way you imagined them and, hey, maybe by the end of it all you may have created something truly impressive! But from the looks of it all, there isn't anything here that hasn't been attempted innumerable times before. And since you brought up ERaZor, let me just say that I don't stand by a lot of its design decisions anymore. Random ideas being tossed in for the sake of uniqueness only goes so far before it starts messing with the gameplay, and at the end of the day that's still what we're trying to create here: entertaining gameplay.
I'm reading my reply about wanting to be old hacks but more, and honestly I agree with what Iso and what Invisible Sun added, those sorts of hacks don't age to be what hacks are today and I should've looked more into what I was saying cause to me it just sounds like I'm making a shit hack and using a concept to excuse the said shit hack to say that "It's a hack from 2007 guys don't bash it!" In fact I'm just going to take Iso's reply no question I actually learn the engine I'm working with and 68K instead of boosting my hack over dated concepts that don't make sense. And don't worry Selbi you don't come off as judgemental or such, instead you come off as everyone in this thread, some experienced hack creators who are fairly criticising a small hack and the creator! Honestly I'll stop half way through the v.2 for this hack and study more about 68K and such rather than a mish mash of code others use and don't succeed off of most of the time.
