1
Gaming / Re: What are the best emulators for directly capturing video?
« Last post by louiseadams on Yesterday at 08:56:33 am »I have watched some of your YTB videos. Interesting. I love your videos in Japan.
Recent Posts
2
VGMaps Social Board / Sonic 3 Unlocked, Act Transitions, A Blog Series
« Last post by Cyartog959 on July 16, 2025, 09:33:37 pm »There may be a load of technical talk here, but I came across an interesting blog series about the depths of how Sonic the Hedgehog 3's coding works, its very interesting details about its coding operations, some oddities, and more of all, the knowledge of how Sonic 3's stage segue from one to another!
The series on that blog, Sonic 3 Unlocked, centers on how Sonic 3's acts instantly segue from Act 1 to Act 2 in a Zone, then to the next Zone via in-game scenes after the stage score tally finishes, the likes of which was from Sonic 1 did so at Scrap Brain Act 2's ending after finishing that act, where the game segues from the results to an in-game scene showing Dr. Robotnik sending Sonic to Act 3, but entirely expanded to encompass the WHOLE GAME, WITHOUT each Zone's Acts fading out and in from one to another.
It's all from the whole game, including its split halves.
For those that don't know what the word "Segue" means, and its applicable to video games, it means to make a transition directly from one section to another. Ergo, finish one level, instantly continue to another without fade-outs.
I was completely AMAZED about how that game managed to pull off such seguing within the Genesis' capabilities! Made me think at times, "Why can't other games like Sonic 3 do that kind of thing?". That kind of thing didn't happen for YEARS, until Freedom Planet later on, which its stage structure followed Sonic 3's act seguing formula, before it got slightly modified as it changed from a Sonic fangame to an indie game, and Sonic Mania would resume it suitably.
The coding was all done by Assembly, mind you. And, I'm kinda sure that kind of stage-to-stage segue coding was replicated into other programming languages, if I could only know how to adapt that kind of thing into said languages.
Well, Sonic 3 Complete's fixes did take care of very minor inconsistencies from music placement in select Acts & such, but still...
It's divided into eight posts, starting from August 28 2017, and ended on September 6 2017. They cover everything on how the Act transitions work, including how Icecap's maps instantly segue to the next before facing the miniboss, Big Icedus, there. I'm sure those who may be interested in seeing the inner workings of its coding.
Here they are, from Sonic 3 Unlocked's blog posts...
Act Transitions Part 1: The Beginning - https://s3unlocked.blogspot.com/2017/08/act-transitions-part-1.html
Act Transitions Part 2: Angel Island Zone - https://s3unlocked.blogspot.com/2017/08/act-transitions-part-2-angel-island-zone.html
Act Transitions Part 3: Icecap Zone - https://s3unlocked.blogspot.com/2017/08/act-transitions-part-3-icecap-zone.html
Act Transitions Part 4: Whither Offset? - https://s3unlocked.blogspot.com/2017/08/act-transitions-part-4-whither-offset.html
Act Transitions Part 5: Horizontal Underflow - https://s3unlocked.blogspot.com/2017/09/act-transitions-part-5-horizontal.html
Act Transitions Part 6: Deferred Execution - https://s3unlocked.blogspot.com/2017/09/act-transitions-part-6-deferred.html
Act Transitions Part 7: Putting it Together - https://s3unlocked.blogspot.com/2017/09/act-transitions-part-7-putting-it.html
Act Transitions Part 8 (FINALE): Sandopolis Zone - https://s3unlocked.blogspot.com/2017/09/act-transitions-part-8-sandopolis-zone.html
That kind of coding knowledge can be useful when re-adapted to other languages for games that may need that kind of seamless seguing in stages, even their maps.
And it felt too good not to share this with the rest of the VGMaps community, even those that may be thinking of seamlessly making maps from one stage to another for their games... so, I needed to, and did.
Drop by sometime, and give it a good look! You may find this very amazing and interesting to know the process and how you could use that kind of knowledge for those into level designing and more.
The series on that blog, Sonic 3 Unlocked, centers on how Sonic 3's acts instantly segue from Act 1 to Act 2 in a Zone, then to the next Zone via in-game scenes after the stage score tally finishes, the likes of which was from Sonic 1 did so at Scrap Brain Act 2's ending after finishing that act, where the game segues from the results to an in-game scene showing Dr. Robotnik sending Sonic to Act 3, but entirely expanded to encompass the WHOLE GAME, WITHOUT each Zone's Acts fading out and in from one to another.
It's all from the whole game, including its split halves.
For those that don't know what the word "Segue" means, and its applicable to video games, it means to make a transition directly from one section to another. Ergo, finish one level, instantly continue to another without fade-outs.
I was completely AMAZED about how that game managed to pull off such seguing within the Genesis' capabilities! Made me think at times, "Why can't other games like Sonic 3 do that kind of thing?". That kind of thing didn't happen for YEARS, until Freedom Planet later on, which its stage structure followed Sonic 3's act seguing formula, before it got slightly modified as it changed from a Sonic fangame to an indie game, and Sonic Mania would resume it suitably.
The coding was all done by Assembly, mind you. And, I'm kinda sure that kind of stage-to-stage segue coding was replicated into other programming languages, if I could only know how to adapt that kind of thing into said languages.
Well, Sonic 3 Complete's fixes did take care of very minor inconsistencies from music placement in select Acts & such, but still...
It's divided into eight posts, starting from August 28 2017, and ended on September 6 2017. They cover everything on how the Act transitions work, including how Icecap's maps instantly segue to the next before facing the miniboss, Big Icedus, there. I'm sure those who may be interested in seeing the inner workings of its coding.
Here they are, from Sonic 3 Unlocked's blog posts...
Act Transitions Part 1: The Beginning - https://s3unlocked.blogspot.com/2017/08/act-transitions-part-1.html
Act Transitions Part 2: Angel Island Zone - https://s3unlocked.blogspot.com/2017/08/act-transitions-part-2-angel-island-zone.html
Act Transitions Part 3: Icecap Zone - https://s3unlocked.blogspot.com/2017/08/act-transitions-part-3-icecap-zone.html
Act Transitions Part 4: Whither Offset? - https://s3unlocked.blogspot.com/2017/08/act-transitions-part-4-whither-offset.html
Act Transitions Part 5: Horizontal Underflow - https://s3unlocked.blogspot.com/2017/09/act-transitions-part-5-horizontal.html
Act Transitions Part 6: Deferred Execution - https://s3unlocked.blogspot.com/2017/09/act-transitions-part-6-deferred.html
Act Transitions Part 7: Putting it Together - https://s3unlocked.blogspot.com/2017/09/act-transitions-part-7-putting-it.html
Act Transitions Part 8 (FINALE): Sandopolis Zone - https://s3unlocked.blogspot.com/2017/09/act-transitions-part-8-sandopolis-zone.html
That kind of coding knowledge can be useful when re-adapted to other languages for games that may need that kind of seamless seguing in stages, even their maps.
And it felt too good not to share this with the rest of the VGMaps community, even those that may be thinking of seamlessly making maps from one stage to another for their games... so, I needed to, and did.
Drop by sometime, and give it a good look! You may find this very amazing and interesting to know the process and how you could use that kind of knowledge for those into level designing and more.
3
Map Gab / Re: Eternal Daughter
« Last post by JonLeung on July 16, 2025, 05:30:45 pm »I recently realized there is a missing key item in the water cave, above mermans (see attachment). It was there at some point, but I mistakenly removed it while patching that area.
I assume the process of updating a map involves sending it again via e-mail? I wonder if it's even worth it.
You absolutely should send in a correction. We like to have accurate maps here on VGMaps.com.
4
Map Gab / Re: Eternal Daughter
« Last post by KoBeWi on July 16, 2025, 02:48:29 pm »I recently realized there is a missing key item in the water cave, above mermans (see attachment). It was there at some point, but I mistakenly removed it while patching that area.
I assume the process of updating a map involves sending it again via e-mail? I wonder if it's even worth it.
I assume the process of updating a map involves sending it again via e-mail? I wonder if it's even worth it.
5
Gaming / Re: About "Hatch Tales"...
« Last post by Cyartog959 on July 16, 2025, 03:49:06 am »I haven't ever played "Hatch Tales" but it sounds interesting. Where can I find it?At present, Nintendo Switch's eShop. I'm sure you'll have a good time with it. Just endure a bit of repetition in level variety.
6
Gaming / Re: Spark the Electirc Jester... Played it?
« Last post by Cyartog959 on July 16, 2025, 03:47:39 am »Your review of "Spark the Electric Jester" is more interesting than the game itself. I tried it, but wasn't too impressed.Oh, don't worry. Impressed or not, you'll still have some fun. Just don't get too frustrated in the later, longer stages, especially when you're trying to find your way to the end.
7
Gaming / Re: About "Hatch Tales"...
« Last post by rachelhawk on July 16, 2025, 01:13:44 am »I haven't ever played "Hatch Tales" but it sounds interesting. Where can I find it?
8
Gaming / Re: Spark the Electirc Jester... Played it?
« Last post by lindsaytinney on July 15, 2025, 10:27:56 pm »Your review of "Spark the Electric Jester" is more interesting than the game itself. I tried it, but wasn't too impressed.
9
Maps Of The Month / Re: 2025/07: Legend Of Mana (PlayStation) - mechaskrom
« Last post by JonLeung on July 15, 2025, 01:08:15 pm »Happy 26th birthday to Legend Of Mana!
It came out on this day (July 15) in 1999 in Japan.
I guess since Japan is 15 hours ahead of where I am, it's already past 4 AM on July 16 right now... oops. Happy belated!
It came out on this day (July 15) in 1999 in Japan.
I guess since Japan is 15 hours ahead of where I am, it's already past 4 AM on July 16 right now... oops. Happy belated!
10
Maps Of The Month / Re: 2025/02: Kirby's Dream Land 3 (Super NES) - Jackster
« Last post by jackharrison on July 04, 2025, 07:45:36 pm »How long did it take Jackster to map out all the stages and document the Heart Star conditions?