Sonic the Hedgehog FreeRunner
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Sonic the Hedgehog FreeRunner is a fan game project created by Azukara and 8-Bit Dragon. It is being developed and heavily modified from Damizean and Mark the Echidna's Blitz Sonic engine; which was programmed through Blitz3D.
History
Sonic FreeRunner began under the title of "Project: Freerunner" in January 2010. The game's concept was invented by Azukara, and was originally in the planning form for the previous four years; and finalized enough for announcement of the project's concept. For enough footage to be shown as proof of working being done on the project, Azukara teamed up with programmer Carrierhack as they both revealed several concept shots of the title. Interest and momentum gained for the game's progress as many others joined, including project co-leader 8-Bit Dragon, which without him the game wouldn't be getting nearly as much progress as it was, is and continues to gain.
After several speedbumps and issues over the months of development, Sonic FreeRunner has appeared and disappeared from the public eye, but is still being worked on behind closed doors. Azukara and 8-Bit Dragon are making sure that the game is good enough quality before they show off the game.
A demo is being planned for release on December 3rd, 2010.
Concept
Sonic FreeRunner is aiming to replicate a compromise between the classic whimsy and the modern realism of each era of the Sonic the Hedgehog series. This game also intends to replicate the classic Sonic gameplay of the Genesis/Mega Drive days; where Sonic will function like a speedy platformer that rolls like a vicious blue pinball. The environments are meant to be full of alternate routes and nooks and cranies; with the intentions of either to progress through them directly in story mode, thrive for the highest rank in score attack, race for the highest time in time attack, go back in them to complete mission-based objectives ala Super Mario 64, or just to use the environment as your supersonic playground.
Characters
Sonic the Hedgehog: the world's fastest hedgehog; eh has a heart of gold and doesn't afraid of anything
Miles "Tails" Prower: Sonic's best buddy, sidekick and admirer; also is a mechanic and flight engineer
Knuckles the Echidna: Sonic's rival; protector of the Master Emerald on Angel Island, adventurer, trouble maker
Dr. Ivo Robotnik: A maniacal rotund evil genius that has destined himself to take over the world under his name and make the world a robotic fortress
Gameplay
Sonic FreeRunner is one of the first fangames attempting to completely recreate classic Sonic gameplay in 3D; if not also compromising with some of Sonic's general handling from the Unleashed/Colors gameplay.
Sonic's main moves consist of running, jumping, crouching and attacking.
Running is fairly tight in movement although a little on the slippery side, since it has a high acceleration but low deceleration. Pressing in the opposite direction of current movement makes Sonic skid to a halt, and pressing a backwards-diagonal direction while you skid initiates Sonic's ability to drift, which may help Sonic swerve around tight corners without slowing down too much. Running comes with a speed cap on flat ground that can be partially penetrated when moving down hills, but not by a large margin.
Jumping is obviously Sonic's main method of attack and his basic means of aerial movement. Sonic curls into a ball and spins in midair, allowing him to hurt any enemy that happens to touch him (unless the part of the enemy that touches Sonic is the enemy's weapon and/or projectile). Since targeting an object in midair may become an issue in three dimensional space, Sonic also has the Insta-shield (from Sonic 3 and Knuckles) which gives him a wider attack range from all-around, the ability to rebound off enemies when strategically timed in a jump, and as a deflector of enemy attacks and projectiles.
Crouching is in fact one of the most important factors of Sonic because it introduces one of the leading factors to the speed and spectacle of Sonic gameplay: the Spin attack. When mobile, pressing the crouch button curls Sonic up into a whirling blue ball as he rolls across the ground. In this mode Sonic function likes a heavy pinball; where his acceleration is not affected by input by keys, but the steepness of the slope he traverses across. The steeper the slope the faster Sonic goes down it, and this can be chained to where Sonic can continuously gain speed (since rolling has no speed cap). Rolling can also break through tough surfaces, slide under crevices / inbetween tight spaces, and break nearly every "breakable" object in the game. Also, if you need a quick speed boost, pressing the jump button simultaneously while crouching enables the Spin Dash Attack, which revs up Sonic in a ball form and launches him forward.
Attacking is there for a more standard attack you may want to use to spruce up the gameplay some, but isn't necessary for game progression. Pressing the attack button at a standstill makes Sonic use his sweep kick move from Unleashed, and when mobile makes Sonic slide like from Unleashed/Colors. Sliding functions just like the spin attack, except that it can only stun enemies instead of destroy them, can only push objects out of the way rather than bust them, and doesn't gain speed all too much.
Levels
The levels in the game are as followed:
.Splashing Springs- The first level in the game. A tropical checkered paradise in vein to the usual greenery levels of Sonic yore; also infused with water park and garden valley elements. The perfect paradise. No wonder Sonic comes by these areas so often.
.Magma Acropolis- The first act of this zone is a chilly but refreshing taiga that gets colder as you progress, to where it's almost a snowstacked tundra. After reaching a cliff you encounter act two, where you're suddenly freefalling from the tip of a volcano! You enter here and journey through the dangerous lava pits as you make your escape.
.Dune Relix- This level is a desert canyon filled with ancient relics of civilizations once known. Upon act two Sonic burrows through an S-tunnel to find a beautiful lost, underwater palace under siege by Robotnik.
.Artillery Harbor- Dr. Robotnik's sea fortress / underwater laboratory. This places holds most of his weapons of mass destruction, metallic crafts and more menacing, mecha-like robots in storage.
.Angel Island- Knuckles' floating island; and home of the Master Emerald shrine. Surrounded by a myriad of clouds you traverse across, and in the entrance it is a wonderful rainforest filled with swinging vines and bouncy mushrooms.
.Robotropolis- a cityscape that is filled with party elements, pinball, festivals, and rushing across the tops and surrealistically-warped walls of skyscrapers. A shining neon metropolis on the outside, but it's inner workings are pure robotic nightmare. The center of Robotropolis is a polluted wasteland filled with tons of hazards, smog, clockwork, acids and toxic chemicals. Truly Robotnik's base
.Cosmic Armada- The hard-boiled doctor's space fleet. Take on an asteroid belt while infiltrating the Egg Empire's armies.
Gallery
- FreeRunner logo.png
The temporary logo being used for FreeRunner.
- FreeRunner concept.png
CG concept artwork of the alpha version of Splashing Springs Zone.