Sonic 1 Special Stage Editor

v1.02 by Mercury (us.mercurysilver@gmail.com)

Change Log

v1.02
v1.01

Introduction

Sonic 1 Special Stage Editor is an uncomplicated programme with an uncomplicated purpose: to edit the Special Stage layouts in Sonic the Hedgehog for Sega Genesis / Mega Drive. It is meant to be used complementarily with a split disassembly of the game, rather than directly editing the ROM itself. Multiple split disassemblies of Sonic the Hedgehog can be found at Sonic Retro.

Handling Files

Special Stage layout files need to be compressed in Enigma format in order to be compiled in a Sonic the Hedghog ROM. Therefore, S1SSE allows you to import and export in Enigma format. When Opening and Saving files, you will be prompted whether or not to decompress / compress the file.

Note: If you choose to decompress an already uncompressed file, it will fail to load.

The File Menu

New
Clears the layout so that you can start afresh. If changes have been made to the layout, you will be prompted first.
Open...
Allows you to specify a layout file to load from using the standard Windows open file dialog. The current layout will be lost, so if changes have been made to the layout, you will be prompted first.
Save
Saves the layout file that's being edited. If no file has been specified, it will "Save As..." instead.
Save As...
Allows you to specify a layout file to save to using the standard Windows save file dialog.
Exit
Closes S1SSE. If changes have been made to the layout, you will be prompted first.

Editing

Navigation

Use the Cursor Keys to scroll through the layout. Hold Ctrl while doing so to scroll more quickly. Page Up and Page Down jump to the vertical extremes of the layout, while Home and End do the same for the horizontal extremes.

You may also navigate with the mouse. Hold Ctrl, and click anywhere on the layout to drag it around.

Object Placement

Use the RMB to delete objects; click and drag to delete many objects without having to re-click. (This will be considered one action, and will be undone as a group.)

Use the LMB to place objects; click and drag to place many objects without having to re-click. (This will be considered one action, and will be undone as a group.)

Hold Shift and left-click any object in the layout to aquire its type. It will become the type of object that is placed with the LMB.

The Object Palette

On the left-hand side of the display is the Object Palette. Use the LMB to choose objects to place in the layout.

Note: Not all objects in the palette are used in Sonic 1 Special Stages; some of them are depreciated objects or mappings that shouldn't appear in layouts. Unless you know what you are doing, don't place them in your layout!

At the bottom of the Object Palette, the id of the object the cursor is over is shown.

Undo & Redo

You can Undo and Redo actions with either the Edit menu or Ctrl+Z and Ctrl+Y. S1SSE stores up to 128 Undo actions!

In Closing