Sonic Zoom!

Discussion in 'Showroom Archive' started by LooneyDude, May 2, 2014.

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  1. cheez

    cheez Newcomer Trialist

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    cool hack will you add more stuff to it?
     
  2. LooneyDude

    LooneyDude Back after a long absence! Member

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    Yeah, it's still a work in a progress. Don't worry, it's gonna have more levels completed soon.
     
  3. ElectricSparx

    ElectricSparx Active Member Member

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    Oh boy, it's this hack! I remember seeing this over at Sonic Retro, and I loved it the second I saw the first screenshot. "Sonic Zoom" is a pretty nice name for this hack, though I still prefer "Sonic Toon." :p I absolutely love the cartoon-y art style. Personally, the Bob-Omb Battlefield music doesn't fit a "Green Hill Zone" type level. The fact that Sonic doesn't uncurl when jumping on a spring is a very nice touch, too, though I am partial to the midair recurl. Also, "Sonic has rocked Act 1." That made me chuckle. :L I absolutely love the special stage, it's the first one I've seen with completely custom art, in fact! And the smooth rotation doesn't feel awkward at all, unlike in some other Sonic 1 hacks that didn't bother to change the special stage layout at all. And oh my goodness, GGZ Act 3 is at sunset. I love little things like that, it makes the levels feel more alive. Getting to the boss, oh man, that Robotnik artwork looks sweet! Only problem is, the boss is a little too easy to defeat once you realize you can stand on the edges of the ramp. Other than that, nice little twist on the first boss! On to Hectic Highway Zone... it certainly feels speedy, but the trail of bombs at the end of Act 2 was kiiiinda cheap. The animation when Sonic gets launched up by the see-saw things is nice, though I was expecting a curl like on the spring. Oh dear, the boss. It needs a little more room. I got a game over here... Sooo, time to use level select! Beating the boss this time without dying, on to Casino City Zone. Still feels very Spring Yard. And the music... Why do I think it's Bubsy music? Oh, on to Act 2, and already I've found some garbled graphics:

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    Aaaand some out of place graphics:

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    You probably already know about these, but I thought I'd be good and take screenshots for you. (And yes, Act 3 has the same mis-placed and garbled stuff)

    Anyway, onto the boss. It's a decent challenge, I'll say that. Kinda cheap, though. With that done, off to Crystal Cave Zone. Using music from Sonic 2 8-bit, I see... Water doesn't appear to slow Sonic down, is that intentional? The water-skipping is a nice touch, I have to say. Onto Act 2... Oh my. It already switches to the Tidal Tempest theme. Why not have music-per-act for all the zones? Wouldn't be necessary, but it would be a nice little feature. Speaking of Act 2, wow, that was short. Aaaand Act 3 is unplayable, a few seconds after starting the level, you get stuck in a wall.

    [​IMG]

    Welp, time to use level select again. Molten Madness Zone looks cool. Where is that music from? I recognize it, but can't tell where it's from. :L Act 1 was pretty good, not slow at all. Onto Act 2... erm, I think you miiight want to look at this fireball shooter right here:

    [​IMG]

    It's facing sideways, but shoots fireballs upwards. I think you can see how that doesn't make any sense. Anyway, onto Act 3. Well okay. At the very start of the level, there's a huge thing of lava (which doesn't damage you?) that you can't jump over. I'm serious, not even bouncing off the Buzz Bombers that were at the start helped. Sigh, level select again! Now for the last zone, Frantic Factory. It's basically just Scrap Brain, from what it looks like, but mmm, Sunset Park Act 3 music. Well, since it's basically just Scrap Brain, onto the final boss. ...Ugh. Doomsday Zone, really? That's so overused. The final boss is just Final Zone, aside from the fact the electric orb things come down a lot faster.

    Well, that's my review of sorts for this hack. I'm hoping you won't take my criticism the wrong way, I really want to see this hack improve! :>

    Sincerely,

    ElectricSparx
     
  4. LooneyDude

    LooneyDude Back after a long absence! Member

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    I think you need to remember one thing...

    It's not finished!

    The only reason I released this was for comments and criticism to make sure my hack didn't delve into a road into mediocrity halfway into development. I wanted to make sure what I was doing would be good before I started spending hours completing it just to be ridiculed. So, it's not finished.
     
  5. ElectricSparx

    ElectricSparx Active Member Member

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    I think you might have taken my post the wrong way. I'm aware it's not finished, I'm just giving my criticism since I spent my morning playing this hack.

    But uh... if you're going to have unfinished levels, it would be a huge convenience if you made it so the game automatically skips over unfinished levels. (Or you know, just ends after Hectic Highway or Casino City) Pretty sure there's some guide for that...
     
  6. Crimson Neo

    Crimson Neo I changed a lot. Member

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    Alright, without wanting to control their stuff, but I think perhaps crystal cave could have a theme of ice / snow? Well I would think that can be sounds interesting ... Then, I decided  make a hoax/montage of the crystal cave to illustrate:

    [​IMG]
    That give some ideas for ya?! Well, isn't necessary to take that seriously if you did not like, it was just my opinion and my crazy idea.
     
  7. Pacca

    Pacca Having an online identity crisis since 2019 Member

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    It seems a bit too realistic for what he was going for. It looks nice, though.
     
  8. LooneyDude

    LooneyDude Back after a long absence! Member

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    I love it! I wanted the level to be just an underwater area with crystals, but that's too nice for me to just throw away. Maybe a sequel...?
     
  9. Para_

    Para_ A Ghost Member

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    I'm really liking what you have been putting out, though I really my only "major" complaint is Sonic's waiting and the on an edge animation could be more exaggerated, I don't know it kinda looks like Sonic's a little scrunched up.

    Even so, the detail in some sprites are great :D
     
  10. LooneyDude

    LooneyDude Back after a long absence! Member

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    It's been a while since I last updated, but I've had to deal with doing 11th grader things, getting a new computer, working on other stuff, ect. Some projects I've been working on include:

    • Sonic Zoom.
    • Art in Robotnik Returns (and a few other things for that game).
    • Art for Presto's secret project. (He keeps talking to me on Skype and it's getting to be too much and I want it to stop help).
    • Making fun of myself 7 years ago.
    • Pressing F5.
    Yeah, I put a LOT on my plate. I think now would be the time to update. Since it's been a while, I don't remember everything I've done, but the things I do remember changing/adding these things:

    • Adding my own SSRG screen with temporary music since the one on this site won't work with GitHub.
    • Completed Casino City Act 3.
    • Reworked some of Casino City's art.
    • Modified the waves of Crystal Cave Zone.
    • Modified some of Molten Madness's graphics (may have been from a previous update, but I forget).
    There's probably more stuff, but I can't remember for the life of me. New version on the first post.
     
  11. JoenickROS

    JoenickROS ROS (bug fixing in progress) Member

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    Um you uploaded the wrong ROM this seems to be a very old version of your hack.

    [​IMG]

    Edit: Got this from the first post.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 2, 2014
  12. Pacca

    Pacca Having an online identity crisis since 2019 Member

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    Looking at the altered GHZ pattern makes it look like he uploaded an old version of Dumblemons hack by mistake XD
     
  13. JoenickROS

    JoenickROS ROS (bug fixing in progress) Member

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    Wow Pacguy your right lol
     
  14. LooneyDude

    LooneyDude Back after a long absence! Member

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    That's extremely strange. Oh well, at least it works now.

    Dropbox is very weird...
     
  15. Pacca

    Pacca Having an online identity crisis since 2019 Member

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    Now it redscreens... The rom headers title is the same as a default copy of S1.
     
  16. JoenickROS

    JoenickROS ROS (bug fixing in progress) Member

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    Yep its still an old version of dumblemons hack.

    Edit: maybe make a new post instead of updating the first, something seems to go wrong with the dropbox link when you do that. No clue how, but that's my best guess.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 2, 2014
  17. LooneyDude

    LooneyDude Back after a long absence! Member

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  18. JoenickROS

    JoenickROS ROS (bug fixing in progress) Member

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    There that's better, its the right game now lol
     
  19. Pacca

    Pacca Having an online identity crisis since 2019 Member

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    Ugh, 4shared is so annoying! Anyway, on with the review!!!

    GLAZED GRASS ZONE:

    The extra small flowers in the grass are a nice touch, but they feel cut off. Try adding some texture to the tops, to make them look less flat.

    The boss music is unchanged. WHY!?!

    The ending area in Act 3 which transitions to the next level is miscolored, due to Act 3 having seperate palettes. This has been an issue for a while now, but I thought it would get fixed...

    HECTIC HIGHWAY ZONE:

    The shadows of people in the buildings is still setting the wrong mood for me, maybe replace them with recognizable shadows of other sonic characters?

    The entrance to the boss area at the end of act 3 presents a blind jump. If you don't jump at a high enough speed, you die. Try putting a falling platform to fix this.

    You should change the art for the starlight posts...

    The boss here is ball crushingly hard. The mixture of midair antics, falling spike balls, and large death pits results in a lot of dieing. I'm not saying that's bad, it just seems like a bit much for a second boss.

    CASINO CITY ZONE:

    The background art is stylized in a similar fashion to the beta shots for "The Shining Zone". I like that :3

    The lower part of the spikeball arts is very, very blue. I see that your trying to go for a reflection here, so try a lighter blue, the particular shade you chose pops out as rather odd.

    I love how virtually all the artwork has been changed. It looks fabulous, IMO.

    I love the custom roller artwork! I LOVE IT!

    The red art blocks look like their missing something. I see that they're based on CNZs art, but that particular zone placed slot machines there...

    Act 3 has some really wonky looking loops! Not sure if you can fix that, but if you can...

    Holy shit this zones boss is scary!!! Very hard!

    CRYSTAL CAZE ZONE:

    Oh, how I love to see this zone again. This is arguably my favorite zone in any hack ever, just from looks and music alone. It's magical how you managed to turn labyrinth zone into this hacks "starlight zone" (my definition of that being a smooth, easy, mid game zone that gives the player a break of sorts from busting badniks and jumping the sharks).

    The labyrinth zone blocks still look like owls. It shouldn't be to hard to make into a square block of crystal...

    YAY I CAN PLAY ACT 3!!!

    The background just cuts off at one point at the y-loop points of act 3. Just make the background crystals meld into the background with an extra chunk or two, and it will look great.

    I got stuck early in act 3, here's a savestate

    MOLTEN MADNESS ZONE:

    Still incomplete, but much better looking. Heck, with some art changes, I'd say act 1 and 2 are just about done.

    FRANTIC FACTORY ZONE:

    WHY YOU NO EDIT SCRAP BRAIN! Seriously, this is one of my favorite sonic levels, I absolutely have to see your spin on it!

    SPECIAL STAGES:

    These are great. My only complaints are that some uncovered goal blocks in the fifth and possibly sixth special stage feel dickish, and that they're kind of easy to me (though I love the S1 special stages, I'm sure their are others out there who'd find this challenging just cause they're the S1 special stages, essentially)

    I wasn't able to find nearly as many issues as I usually find in hacks, this feels very official and complete (at least, the parts that are supposed to be complete do XD).
     
  20. LooneyDude

    LooneyDude Back after a long absence! Member

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    All the cool kids were using it.

    Yeah, I can fix those up.

    I've been looking for someone to make an SMPS of Eridan's theme, but nobody's willing to do it!

    Mmm...good idea.

    JEHSUS, WHY CAN'T I PLEASE ANYONE WITH THAT SECTION OF THE LEVEL!?!

    Another person said it was way too easy...

    I tried adding regular loops to that level, but it didn't work.

    Act 3 wasn't even supposed to be playable until I finished it, I uploaded the ROM, but then remembered about CCZ3. However, I just thought, "Eh, they'll know it's a WIP!" Guess I was wrong...

    Actually, I wouldn't say the second act is done? Notice the jarring lack of rings? Wrong object subtypes? Yeah, that level's only about 65% finished.

    I thought I already said this, but here I go again.

    I'm saving that level for last because I want it to be the best one (even thought I think people would still prefer Crystal Cave Zone due to its uniqueness).
     
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