Sonic 2: Ubaru Edition. Version 1.1 Released

All I have managed to do so far is mess with the HUD a bit and replace the "SEGA" startup voice with a voice rip from Bubsy (which I find quite giggle worthy). Arguably, I also have had it running with a custom soundtrack, but that really doesn't count (though I still spent most of yesterday getting the song selection perfect. "Frakenstein" by the Edgar Winter Group on Metropolis Zone = pure awesome). I'm working on a custom layout for Emerald Hill that doesn't fuck up like it did when I tried last year (it turns out the camaera doesn't autoscroll when you add tiles), and I've got it running fine simply by building it all above the normal level.
Progress so far:

You cannot imagine how difficult it was to get the lives counter centered. Especially considering how easy it was to do everything else.






Current Release: Version 1.1
Current Features: All levels renamed. SEGA intro palette altered. SEGA intro sound changed entirely. HUD repositioned and centered. Emerald Hill completely redone, with a more sea theme.
New to This Release:
Fixed tile that caused death before second underground section. (Act 1)
Fixed blatantly amateurish waterfall section. (Act 1)
Made it so red spring from V1.01 actually works now. (Act 1)
Modified platform to prevent cheap hit after hitting above spring. (Act 1)
Fixed wall bug at end of level. (Act 2)

Known Bugs:
Half loops at top of Act 2 randomly still don't work.
Bridges at beginning of Act 1 disappear after you move one screen to the left.

Previous Releases:
Version 1.0

Hack more levels into Sonic 3 and Knuckles. I'd play that.

Not gonna happen unless I seriously study up. I know of people who could probably code for a living who are given problems by Sonic 3. The way the levels are designed makes the tiles seem weird, and the compression used trips many up as well.

Level 1 is completed, and I will post a link to an upload tomorrow.

Uploaded.

Version 1.0-Known Bugs:
Half loops at top of level randomly work and don't work.
Bridges at beginning of Act 1 disappear after you move one screen to the left.
Area right after final star posts occasionally locks you out.



Please report any bugs or glitches found.

I'll check it out later tonight.

Version 1.1 out. Link is in the first post. Please report any glitches/comments/admiration. Thank you.

It doesn't feel like a true Sonic level... it is not fast enough, there are too many enemy placements that suck and some jump springs are wacky.

I also couldn't hear sound, but I'm sure that's my problem.

Name suck enemy placements and wacky spring locations please. I'm guessing one of them is the triple springs after the loop, and one of the enemy ones is the sharks on the lower bridge near the end of the act after the launcher, both in act 1, yes?
About the level layout as a whole, I went for the whole exploration angle, ala Sonic 3. For Act 1, try going along the bottom of the level for the fastest time (I got 40 seconds, which is only a few seconds faster than the original level was if you didn't take advantage of the glitchy tiles). I actually did very little to the bottom area of the level in Act 2, so any poor areas there is Sonic Teams' fault (though, through the secret level exit you can end the level in 27 seconds, maybe faster. The secret exit in act 1 may not be as drastically fast, though). In any case, I have figured out how to import the tunnels as seen in Hill Top Zone, so I'm going to work on those for Act 2 and the next release.
Also, I report no sound glitches over here. You mean no sound at all, or no BGM?

I'll give you more exact positions tonight. For the springs, it was Act 1 when you have a yellow spring diagonal going to a red spring... you wouldn't hit the red spring.

Yeah, that came about from when I was mucking with spring type. I've actually changed very little (the diagonal red spring was a yellow spring), but the offset for the red spring is different so I screwed it up.

Quickie edit:
The loops seen in Hill Top will not be placed in Emerald Hill. I got 'em working, but the graphics are a garbled mess when transported.

The fact you can even do this stuff is amazing enough for me. I don't think I have the mind for it, but then again, I've never tried. I'll try it out when I have some extra time and let you know what I think.

Version 1.15
Current Features:
All levels renamed. SEGA intro palette altered. SEGA intro sound changed entirely. HUD repositioned and centered. Emerald Hill completely redone, with a more sea theme.
New to this Release:
The red spring works now. Honest. (Act 1)
Came to my senses and completed the spiral loop at end of act. It did look less cool than I thought. (Act 1)
Fixed half loops along the top of the level. (Act 2)
In other words, Seaside Hill is actually all complete now for stuff that I actually know how to fix and/or have noticed is wrong.
Known Bugs:
Bridges Still Disappear. I'm looking into it though.

Version 1.2

Current Features: All levels renamed. SEGA intro palette altered. SEGA intro sound changed. HUD repositioned and centered. Emerald Hill completely redone, with a more sea theme. Level order rearranged to a order that I think flows better.

New to This Release:
Fixed “fall off of bridge” glitch done by going left in beginning. (Act 1)
Cleaned up beginning section a bit. (Act 1)
Modified how exit from beginning section is accomplished. (Act 1)
Modified diagonal spring on final spiral loop so it actually gets all rings. (Act 1)
Rearranged some monitor and enemy placements (Act 1).
More-or-less ended the appearance of the bridge glitch (yay!) Act 1).

Known Bugs:
Bridges still disappear, but it is much harder to do now than before, so it really isn't a high priority (Act 1).
Some spotty collision in the boss area (Act 2).

Plugging away at this still, with a release coming within the next two weeks. Just posting to say that I may have figured out a way to get it so I can do private instruction as a course this year, which would mean I could work on my game during school hours as a class credit. So updates and revisions may be more forthcoming now.

How did you manage that one?

I brought forward my insatiable need to drop Broadcasting (which I have 8th period) to my Principles of Engineering/CAD teacher. He said he didn't have any classes than that I could take that period, but he could get it so I do an independent study with him over a project. At first I thought of working on my Mag-Lite laser, but I realized that it wouldn't take up the minimum of half the year to do. So he suggested working on a game, and said the one that I was already working on would probably suffice (he having known it was being worked on since I started). I would get to work on my game, write it off as a Technology course, and would get help on whatever I needed when it comes time to do the serious coding stuff. All I have to do is write a proposal to the school guidance counselor and principal detailing what I would be doing and what I would get out of it, and the tech teacher would help me get it approved.
So, basically, my Technology teacher is the most awesome guy ever.

Version 1.5

Current Features: All levels renamed. SEGA intro palette altered. SEGA intro sound changed. HUD repositioned and centered. Emerald Hill completely redone, with a more sea theme. Level order rearranged to a order that I think flows better.

New to This Release:
Cleaned up Seaside Hill a bit (both acts).
Worked on Cybernetic City (Chemical Plant), giving it a more "Sonic Advance 2" quality. Act 1 completed.
Redid some names level select screen.
Reordered level select screen so the level order follows that of the rest of the game.

Known Bugs:
Occasionally going to fast in Act 1 of Cybrnetic City causes Sonic Adventure-style fall through the level and die glitches.
Level select level icons incorrect for the level they represent.