Sonic X-Treme (found build of unreleased SEGA Saturn platformer; 1996): Difference between revisions
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'''''Sonic X-Treme''''' was | '''''Sonic X-Treme''''' was an upcoming game set to be released on the Sega Saturn in 1996. Sonic X-Treme was one of the many long lost video games dedicated to the legendary Sega mascot, Sonic the Hedgehog. Its legacy is second only to that of ''Sonic the Hedgehog 2'' on the Sega Genesis and became an enigma for many people on the internet. Over the years, many video game enthusiasts and Sonic fans have sought out various pieces of information and leaks to rebuild and learn more about what the game might've been like if it was completed. | ||
==Development== | ==Development History== | ||
[[File:Sonic xtreme promo 1.png|thumb|300px|A screenshot from the E3 1996 Sonic X-Treme promo. <ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ue-jo2qWiFA "Sega E3 1996 Sonic X-Treme Promo Video"]. YouTube. Retrieved September 17, 2019.</ref>]] | |||
Throughout the course of its development, ''X-Treme'' suffered from numerous delays and shifting between different systems. Which resulted in it being stuck in development hell. The game originally started out as a Genesis title called ''Sonic Mars'' (which would've been set in the popular Saturday Morning (SatAM) ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' universe involving Sonic's team and ''Princess Sally Acorn'', one of the Knothole Freedom Fighters) before being completely scrapped and shifted to the ill-fated ''Sega 32X'' and then moved to a short-lived Sega system based on Nvidia technology predating the Saturn, before finally settling on the latter. <ref name="interview">[https://web.archive.org/web/20160408053117/http://www.sonic-cult.org/dispart.php?catid=6&gameid=10&subid=2&artid=2 An archived interview with the producer of ''Sonic X-Treme'' that mentions the short-lived Sega system.] Sonic Cult. Retrieved March 2, 2019.</ref> | |||
According to numerous interviews with the game's creators, ''Sonic X-Treme'' would have involved Sonic battling his arch-foe ''Dr. Ivo "Eggman" Robotnik'' to rescue Professor Gazebo and protect six items known as the "Rings of Order," which is said to be how the Rings Sonic and his friends collect are made. Sonic is aided by a new female character named ''Tiara'' (though her last name is heavily disputed, the common one is "Boobowski"), a female wildcat who would have aided Sonic with the use of a wand, perhaps mimicking how fellow female hedgehog ''Amy Rose'' used a hammer. Confirmed bosses in the game included ''Nack the Weasel'' and a new version of ''Metal Sonic.'' <ref name="interview" /> | |||
The game was quite infamous for its executive meddling and troubled production. The original concept was meant to have two types of gameplay: one for its main stages and one for its bosses. However, when some of Sega of Japan's executives had come in to check up on progress, they were dismayed by the supposed lack of progress for the main stage engine (which was actually an earlier prototype), but absolutely loved the boss engine and asked to use that engine for the entire game. Afterwards, the developers were forced to rebuild the entire game from scratch. Realizing that their game engine was almost similar to another Sega-developed Saturn game that was being worked simultaneously, called ''"NiGHTS into Dreams..."'', the team requested access to that game's engine as a starting point to minimize development time. The request was granted, but was swiftly confiscated after Yuji Naka, the main programmer and producer of ''NiGHTS'' and, ironically, the co-creator of ''Sonic'', threatened to quit. | |||
Unfortunately, the game was indefinitely shelved - internal politics made things a living nightmare for the developers and one of the spearheads of Sega was nearly driven to the point of only having mere months to live lead to the cancellation of Sonic X-Treme. The developers instead created a Sega Saturn port of ''Sonic 3D Blast''. | |||
On November 4th, 2014, | ==Demo Build Leaks== | ||
[[File:Sonic xtreme logo.png|300px|thumb|Early version of the Sonic X-Treme logo from the 718 demo build. <ref name="tcrf" />]] | |||
In 2005, a disc containing a playable demo version of the test engine for the Saturn was sold to an anonymous collector for $2500 USD. Two years later, an animated gif of the gameplay was released to the public and the full demo was leaked on July 17th, 2007. In this demo, the player can control and move Sonic around the terrain of the level. There are no enemies in sight, and gameplay is terminated after five minutes. <ref name="tcrf">[https://tcrf.net/Sonic_X-treme "Sonic X-treme"]. The Cutting Room Floor. Retrieved September 17, 2019.</ref> | |||
On November 4th, 2014, the final build for Sonic X-Treme was found by andrew75. They were only playable on Windows 95 computers and the Nvidia NV1 video card. The following year, Sonic Retro user ''Jollyroger'' acquired the POV file assets from ''Tichua'' and made the build compatible with OpenGL. Alongside with this, Jollyroger discovered and decompiled numerous level editors related to different builds. This includes the binary code for v53's level editor. <ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20150603205320/http://www.senntient.com/forums/viewtopic.php?id=2173&p=1 senntient.com forum that a final build was found.] Retrieved September 8, 2015.</ref> <ref>[https://forums.sonicretro.org/index.php?threads/never-before-seen-build-of-sonic-x-treme-leaked.34255/ "Never before seen build of Sonic X-treme Leaked!"] Sonic Retro. Retrieved September 17, 2019.</ref> <ref name="tcrf" /> | |||
===Builds=== | |||
There are currently six builds that were discovered. Most of them being development builds and two being demo builds. | |||
v001 is the earliest known build (dating November 28, 1995). Founded in the POV archive, this features a ''very'' basic version of the engine that can run on any operating system. But the only thing you can do is move the mouse around. <ref name="tcrf" /> | |||
[[File:Xtreme v32 1.png|300px|thumb|An in-game screenshot from one of v37's levels.]] | |||
v37 and its editor dates back to roughly around the E3 1996 trailer for Sonic X-Treme. The initial release of the build showcased only one level entitled ''"Jade Gully"''. Which was the level showcased in the trailer. But after further releases from ''Jollyroger'', the game had more levels to explore. v40 was both the PC and Saturn version. It was around the time when the game was being rewritten for the Saturn. <ref name="tcrf" /> | |||
The 714 and 718 Demo builds feature more coherent gameplay including a title screen, game over screen, and the previously mentioned ''Jade Gully'' level. It uses Sonic CD music as a placeholder. <ref name="tcrf" /> | |||
The level editor for v53 was also found. Unfortunately, the source code could not be found or decompiled. So the program is stuck being only usable in Windows 98. <ref name="tcrf" /> | |||
===Released Sprites=== | |||
In 2017, Sonic X-Treme’s Lead Artist ''Ross Harris'' published numerous sprite work and original models from the game. These include a fully animated Sonic sprite and sprite work for ''Amy Rose'', ''Tridril'', ''T-Rex'', ''Orca'', and many more. <ref>[https://rharris347.wixsite.com/rhdp/sonicxtreme "SonicXtreme"]. rhpd. Retrieved September 17, 2019.</ref> | |||
It is unknown if Ross Harris still has the other sprites he made. | |||
<gallery> | |||
Sonic xtreme running.gif|Animated sprites of Sonic's movement. | |||
Sonic xtreme model.png|A full 3D model of Sonic. | |||
Sonic xtreme amy model.png|A full 3D model of Amy Rose. | |||
Tridrill model.png|A full 3D model of Trildril. | |||
Trex model.png|A full 3D model of T-Rex. | |||
Orca model.png|A full 3D model of the Orca. | |||
</gallery> | |||
==Videos== | ==Videos== | ||
{{Video|perrow = | {{Video|perrow =4 | ||
|service1 =youtube | |service1 =youtube | ||
|id1 =ue-jo2qWiFA | |id1 =ue-jo2qWiFA | ||
| Line 34: | Line 65: | ||
|id3 =VW_Pd-PTAtM | |id3 =VW_Pd-PTAtM | ||
|description3 =Video of the leaked test engine from 2007. | |description3 =Video of the leaked test engine from 2007. | ||
|service4 =youtube | |||
|id4 =oeoX6M50iCM | |||
|description4 =Jade Gully Zone. | |||
}} | }} | ||
{{Video|perrow = | {{Video|perrow =4 | ||
|service1 =youtube | |service1 =youtube | ||
|id1 = | |id1 =wzvS_beXtXk | ||
|description1 = | |description1 =Cyrstal Frost Zone. | ||
|service2 =youtube | |service2 =youtube | ||
|id2 = | |id2 =zq_iPxQsbm0 | ||
|description2 = | |description2 =Death Egg Zone. | ||
|service3 =youtube | |service3 =youtube | ||
|id3 = | |id3 =aZb7LE6G5Gg | ||
|description3 = | |description3 =Red Sands Zone. | ||
|service4 =youtube | |||
|id4 =OmaDfHU303E | |||
|description4 =A piece of conceptual music titled "Space Queens" by Chris Senn. | |||
}} | }} | ||
{{Video|perrow = | {{Video|perrow =4 | ||
|service1 =youtube | |service1 =youtube | ||
|id1 = | |id1 =Rn0veaksa7A | ||
|description1 =Red Sands | |description1 =A piece of conceptual music titled "Egyptian" by Chris Sebb; intended to be used for the Red Sands boss. | ||
|service2 =youtube | |service2 =youtube | ||
|id2 = | |id2 =9aS9nAuyp_o | ||
|description2 = | |description2 =E3: 1996 Japanese footage. | ||
|service3 =youtube | |service3 =youtube | ||
|id3 = | |id3 =JNCeVNOhdIM | ||
|description3 | |description3 =''Sonic X-Treme'' running on a SSF Sega Saturn emulator. | ||
|service4 =youtube | |||
|id4 =f9EUDlC6vsI | |||
|description4 =''Sonic X-Treme'' OpenGL port, first preview. | |||
| | |||
| | |||
| | |||
}} | }} | ||
==External Links== | |||
# [https://tcrf.net/Sonic_X-treme The Cutting Room Floor's Sonic X-Treme page]. Retrieved September 17, 2019. | |||
# [https://forums.sonicretro.org/index.php?threads/never-before-seen-build-of-sonic-x-treme-leaked.34255/ Andrew75's Sonic X-Treme Thread]. Retrieved September 17, 2019. | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||
{{reflist}} | {{reflist}} | ||
Revision as of 06:27, 18 September 2019
Sonic X-Treme was an upcoming game set to be released on the Sega Saturn in 1996. Sonic X-Treme was one of the many long lost video games dedicated to the legendary Sega mascot, Sonic the Hedgehog. Its legacy is second only to that of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 on the Sega Genesis and became an enigma for many people on the internet. Over the years, many video game enthusiasts and Sonic fans have sought out various pieces of information and leaks to rebuild and learn more about what the game might've been like if it was completed.
Development History
Throughout the course of its development, X-Treme suffered from numerous delays and shifting between different systems. Which resulted in it being stuck in development hell. The game originally started out as a Genesis title called Sonic Mars (which would've been set in the popular Saturday Morning (SatAM) Sonic the Hedgehog universe involving Sonic's team and Princess Sally Acorn, one of the Knothole Freedom Fighters) before being completely scrapped and shifted to the ill-fated Sega 32X and then moved to a short-lived Sega system based on Nvidia technology predating the Saturn, before finally settling on the latter. [2]
According to numerous interviews with the game's creators, Sonic X-Treme would have involved Sonic battling his arch-foe Dr. Ivo "Eggman" Robotnik to rescue Professor Gazebo and protect six items known as the "Rings of Order," which is said to be how the Rings Sonic and his friends collect are made. Sonic is aided by a new female character named Tiara (though her last name is heavily disputed, the common one is "Boobowski"), a female wildcat who would have aided Sonic with the use of a wand, perhaps mimicking how fellow female hedgehog Amy Rose used a hammer. Confirmed bosses in the game included Nack the Weasel and a new version of Metal Sonic. [2]
The game was quite infamous for its executive meddling and troubled production. The original concept was meant to have two types of gameplay: one for its main stages and one for its bosses. However, when some of Sega of Japan's executives had come in to check up on progress, they were dismayed by the supposed lack of progress for the main stage engine (which was actually an earlier prototype), but absolutely loved the boss engine and asked to use that engine for the entire game. Afterwards, the developers were forced to rebuild the entire game from scratch. Realizing that their game engine was almost similar to another Sega-developed Saturn game that was being worked simultaneously, called "NiGHTS into Dreams...", the team requested access to that game's engine as a starting point to minimize development time. The request was granted, but was swiftly confiscated after Yuji Naka, the main programmer and producer of NiGHTS and, ironically, the co-creator of Sonic, threatened to quit.
Unfortunately, the game was indefinitely shelved - internal politics made things a living nightmare for the developers and one of the spearheads of Sega was nearly driven to the point of only having mere months to live lead to the cancellation of Sonic X-Treme. The developers instead created a Sega Saturn port of Sonic 3D Blast.
Demo Build Leaks
In 2005, a disc containing a playable demo version of the test engine for the Saturn was sold to an anonymous collector for $2500 USD. Two years later, an animated gif of the gameplay was released to the public and the full demo was leaked on July 17th, 2007. In this demo, the player can control and move Sonic around the terrain of the level. There are no enemies in sight, and gameplay is terminated after five minutes. [3]
On November 4th, 2014, the final build for Sonic X-Treme was found by andrew75. They were only playable on Windows 95 computers and the Nvidia NV1 video card. The following year, Sonic Retro user Jollyroger acquired the POV file assets from Tichua and made the build compatible with OpenGL. Alongside with this, Jollyroger discovered and decompiled numerous level editors related to different builds. This includes the binary code for v53's level editor. [4] [5] [3]
Builds
There are currently six builds that were discovered. Most of them being development builds and two being demo builds.
v001 is the earliest known build (dating November 28, 1995). Founded in the POV archive, this features a very basic version of the engine that can run on any operating system. But the only thing you can do is move the mouse around. [3]
v37 and its editor dates back to roughly around the E3 1996 trailer for Sonic X-Treme. The initial release of the build showcased only one level entitled "Jade Gully". Which was the level showcased in the trailer. But after further releases from Jollyroger, the game had more levels to explore. v40 was both the PC and Saturn version. It was around the time when the game was being rewritten for the Saturn. [3]
The 714 and 718 Demo builds feature more coherent gameplay including a title screen, game over screen, and the previously mentioned Jade Gully level. It uses Sonic CD music as a placeholder. [3]
The level editor for v53 was also found. Unfortunately, the source code could not be found or decompiled. So the program is stuck being only usable in Windows 98. [3]
Released Sprites
In 2017, Sonic X-Treme’s Lead Artist Ross Harris published numerous sprite work and original models from the game. These include a fully animated Sonic sprite and sprite work for Amy Rose, Tridril, T-Rex, Orca, and many more. [6]
It is unknown if Ross Harris still has the other sprites he made.
Animated sprites of Sonic's movement.
A full 3D model of Sonic.
A full 3D model of Amy Rose.
A full 3D model of Trildril.
A full 3D model of T-Rex.
A full 3D model of the Orca.
Videos
External Links
- The Cutting Room Floor's Sonic X-Treme page. Retrieved September 17, 2019.
- Andrew75's Sonic X-Treme Thread. Retrieved September 17, 2019.
References
- ↑ "Sega E3 1996 Sonic X-Treme Promo Video". YouTube. Retrieved September 17, 2019.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 An archived interview with the producer of Sonic X-Treme that mentions the short-lived Sega system. Sonic Cult. Retrieved March 2, 2019.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 "Sonic X-treme". The Cutting Room Floor. Retrieved September 17, 2019.
- ↑ senntient.com forum that a final build was found. Retrieved September 8, 2015.
- ↑ "Never before seen build of Sonic X-treme Leaked!" Sonic Retro. Retrieved September 17, 2019.
- ↑ "SonicXtreme". rhpd. Retrieved September 17, 2019.