Sonic Action - the 3D Sonic project

[DeltaSpeeds]

Well it's about time I showed this. As the title says, Sonic Action is a full 3D Sonic fan game. It is currently in it's beta stage.

Edit: Post updated with SAGE 2008 demo.

Features:

- 360 degree slops

- homing attack

- Box fracturing

- bullet physics (real-time physics)

- light dash

- 100% free

- it isn't a mod, so you don't need to buy an additional game

- don't need a good graphics card (GLSL not required)

- can handle over 60,000 polygons on even old (8 year old) computers

- all 3D models are done from scratch

- can run on Windows, and Linux (Mac support is planned)

- high speed collisions (can handle speeds over 126 feet per second)

- compatible with Blender 2.42a through 2.49b.

System requirements:

- only 60MB of Ram

- OpenGL support

Sage 2008 Video:

Old Sage 2007 Video:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=VBUUpM13rUI

Old Images:

- http://uploader.polorix.net//files/418/SDImages/SAgamep1.png

- http://uploader.polorix.net//files/418/SDImages/SAgamep2.png

- http://uploader.polorix.net//files/418/SDImages/SAgamep3.png

(Fixed) SAGE 2008 Demo:

http://uploader.polorix.net//files/418/SAGameContent/SABDemo.zip

[TRD]

I will fucking pay someone to teach me how to model Sonic, that's awesome stuff, but I hope that's not the real physics/speed of the game, it seemed slow.

It might be the recording tool you're using.

[DeltaSpeeds]

I will fucking pay someone to teach me how to model Sonic, that's awesome stuff, but I hope that's not the real physics/speed of the game, it seemed slow.

It might be the recording tool you're using.

Yea the recording tool makes the game run 2 times slower. Plus I have a VERY bad computer.

[LarkSS]

@TRD: He did mention that the frame rate was rather low due to recording in the youtube description. =P

This looks rather interesting. I think the level itself could use a bit of work ( try adding some more gimmicks ), but the engine looks rather stable. I think though that even with the low framerate; Sonic looks like he's drifting through the air. I'm not sure if that's how Sonic NextGen did it, but I don't really like it. =/ [/nitpicking]

I'm kinda interested in what program you used to make this.

Plus I have a VERY bad computer.

I bet you anything my computer will play it even worse.

[TRD]

Ah, I didn't see that.

I'm kinda interested in what program you used to make this.

He used Blender to make the engine.

[LarkSS]

I thought Blender was a 3D modeller. x.x

[Damizean]

I thought Blender was a 3D modeller. x.x

Wich has a game engine built-in.

[LarkSS]

*googles*

...

Oh, I see.

Still though, I thought I remembered it just being a modelling program, not a game engine as well. =/

[DeltaSpeeds]

I think though that even with the low framerate; Sonic looks like he's drifting through the air. I'm not sure if that's how Sonic NextGen did it, but I don't really like it. =/ [/nitpicking]

Yea, it's hard to see on the video because the framerate is so low, but he does do a backwards flip.

I bet you anything my computer will play it even worse.

Out of the all the people I've ever met, I only found 2 people that had a computer that was worst then mine. But it's not really the computer that determines the speed, it's the GL card.

Still though, I thought I remembered it just being a modelling program, not a game engine as well.

You are half right. Before blender 2.0, blender was not free. After blender 2.25, however, it did become free and open source. Not everyone liked this. The person who built the "solid collision library" did not want his work in an open source program so he withdrew it. After 2.25, the collisions in blender were so bad without the solid collision library that the blender foundation had to completely remove the game engine.

Years later, the game engine was brought back in blender 2.36, but it still was not very good. Blender has never fully recovered it's solid collisions but it has made improvements. Blender started to be recognized with the release of 2.40. It had the power equal to that of the Sega Saturn. It was ok, but still far from most game engines.

About 1.5 years ago, blender made a huge come back with the release of Blender 2.42a. In this version blender had the power to make commercial quality games. With a mountain of improvements, 10X faster poly rendering, and the first time blender had ever used the real-time physics engine, "bullet physics".

[ssbfalcon]

Really? Blender can do all that? I might look into it one of these days... (since Irrlicht's being a pain...)

Nice work so far...

[Godmaster]

We'd like to have a demo on SAGE ^^

Good job, but I dislike these boxes

[Serephim]

@TRD: He did mention that the frame rate was rather low due to recording in the youtube description. =P

This looks rather interesting. I think the level itself could use a bit of work ( try adding some more gimmicks ), but the engine looks rather stable. I think though that even with the low framerate; Sonic looks like he's drifting through the air. I'm not sure if that's how Sonic NextGen did it, but I don't really like it. =/ [/nitpicking]

I'm kinda interested in what program you used to make this.

I bet you anything my computer will play it even worse.

Sonic Heroes and Next-Gen decided to use this new gimmick where after you hit a jump speeder, the characters magically have the ability to completely defy the laws of physics.

Its like they hit the speeder, then travel upwards, then magically stop and start falling. Its extremely annoying.

My only advice? Try your hardest to make a 3D level WITHOUT abusing jump speeders. Please god. Its cool when its used right, but after Next-gen i dont want to ever see them again. Its like the new Grinding. Dont want to make a level? Put in jump speeders.

Your engine is looking awesome, btw.

Edit: Please incorporate real physics into your game, more like SA1 and 2. The odd glitchy float gravity thing sonic did on Next-Gen while falling needs to die with it. If your going to make a huge jump, make sure sonic moves fast enough to actully make the jump. Dont decide he can jump off a pillar and magically fly over to the other side a mile away going 10 miles an hour.

[DeltaSpeeds]

Good job, but I dislike these boxes.

lol, yea. Would you want me to use the boxes from Next Gen? I was going to replace them anyways.

My only advice? Try your hardest to make a 3D level WITHOUT abusing jump speeders. Please god. Its cool when its used right, but after Next-gen i dont want to ever see them again.

I haven't played Next Gen, so I can't really mimic the gameplay. Plus, I based it off of Sonic Adventure 2 just with more speed.

[Serephim]

Well great job!

Only complaint about the engine? Try to make jumps more controlled. The gameplay feels alot smoother when you can hit a speeder and land exactly where your supposed to. Sonic Heroes and Next-Gen abused what felt like scripted jumpspeeders to bloody hell.

All im saying is, when you hit a speeder and make the jump, try to set the speed so that he lands his jump almost perfectly without too much airtime, unless you just want it that way.

Your game is looking really good btw, hope it gets finshed.

Edit: i hate to use someone elses fangame as an example, but this is what im talking about.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8SuCZqu6zY&mode=related&search=

You see how when they work right it keeps the speed going?

[DeltaSpeeds]

You see how when they work right it keeps the speed going?

Thanks, I see what you mean now. That shouldn't be too hard to mimic. I did something similar for locking spring paths.

[DimensionWarped]

Reminds me of my last DW build. Right before I opted to redesign the entire thing from scratch for being no fun.

[abhinav]

Wow nice work. Keep it up.

[Mark the Echidna]

Saw the screens and watched the YouTube video, and I can say that it seems to play nicely... I can't really determine it because of the low framerate, but you've got the 360º physics to work on 3D, and that's nice. I don't know what are the Blender Game Engine's graphic capabilities, But I recommend you to put more effort on graphics:

• Use higher resolution textures;
  
• Use different textures for ground and walls;
  
• Place grassy areas under the bushes;
  
• Lightmap the whole stage, with radiosity; (Not sure if this is possible with Blender)
  
• Place shadows under Sonic, rings and enemies; (They don't need to be REAL shadows, but at least try adding ball shadows)
  
• There are some UV Mapping problems;
  
• Avoid using additive blending for water, it will look like ice;
  
• Make water animated, if it isn't already;
  
• Add some weak blueish fog to the level, to have an atmospheric feel; (RGB(92, 132, 223) is probably a good pick)
  
• Many models (Specially that wooden bridges and Sonic) look flat, like if set to full bright;
  
• HUD needs to be redesigned;
  
• Use more spark and shine effects. Homming Attack looks weird without them.
  

You can probably make it look great even with the possible engine limitations. For example: Blitz3D wasn't the best engine in terms of graphics, but I could achieve some interesting effects with it, using the right blending modes and multitexturing.

Also, it may be just me, but the color scheme you're using is predominantly gray. It makes the level look sad, dark, wet and cold. I'm not sure if this is exactly the feeling you would want for a Sonic game...

If you still want to keep the color scheme, I would recommend adding some elements to balance the feel it gives.

[DimensionWarped]

but you've got the 360º physics to work on 3D, and that's nice.

Very questionable. What we saw was one area where Sonic conformed to the terrain. That doesn't necessarily equate to any particular nuances of the physics engine.

[HeroSublime]

Impressive artistic critique, I think you hit the nail on the head, Mark.

[MetalSonic]

Meh. I thought blender was just for modelling.

Looks good. Especially the sonic model animations.

[DeltaSpeeds]

-Use higher resolution textures;

-Use different textures for ground and walls;

-Place grassy areas under the bushes;

-Lightmap the whole stage, with radiosity; (Not sure if this is possible with Blender)

-Place shadows under Sonic, rings and enemies; (They don't need to be REAL shadows, but at least try adding ball shadows)

-There are some UV Mapping problems;

-Avoid using additive blending for water, it will look like ice;

-Make water animated, if it isn't already;

-Add some weak blueish fog to the level, to have an atmospheric feel; (RGB(92, 132, 223) is probably a good pick)

-Many models (Specially that wooden bridges and Sonic) look flat, like if set to full bright;

-HUD needs to be redesigned;

-Use more spark and shine effects. Homming Attack looks weird without them.

Mark is right on a few things, I just haven't gotten around to implanting them yet. By the way, Blender does have radiosity.

What I thought was odd, is that no one said anything about the homing attack rotation glitch in the video. That glitch is fixed now, by the way.

-Use different textures for ground and walls;

-Place grassy areas under the bushes;

-There are some UV Mapping problems;

-Avoid using additive blending for water, it will look like ice;

-Make water animated, if it isn't already;

These have been already implanted into the game. Some may not have showed up on the video or I implanted them after the video.

Edit: What 3D gimmick would you to see besides the ones I already have?

[Asuma]

What gimmicks do you have already?

[RGX]

I hope this makes it far in development, I don't want this to end up like Sonic GL.

[Sindarin]

Oh man, please don't use STH robots. Where are the cool SADX badniks?