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.
Contents
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 (Alpha vers. 1.1) was released on March 19, 2011; and an update featuring some bugfixes and gameplay changes (Alpha 1.2) was released on March 25, 2011.
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; He 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 movements in Sonic Adventure.
Sonic's main moves consist of running, jumping, and spinning.
Running is fairly tight in movement although a little on the slippery side, since it has a high acceleration but mildly low deceleration. Pressing in the opposite direction of current movement makes Sonic skid to a halt. 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.
Spinning 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 spin 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 spinning has no speed cap). Spinning 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 and holding the spin button at a stand-still enables the Spin Dash Attack, which revs up Sonic in a ball form and launches him forward.
Levels
The levels in the game are as followed:
- Cascade Grove- The first level in the game. A checkered forest-valley filled with waterfalls, flowing streams, greenery and blue skies galore. The perfect paradise. No wonder Sonic comes by these areas so often.
- Alpine Eruption- Here you navigate the chilly bellowing mountains covered in pine trees and the great white. Slopestyle courses are abundant here, but then again so is uncontrollable lava flow! Hopefully the dazzling aurora borealis will keep your mind off your troubles.
- Blossom Springs- Exiting the volcanic mountainsides, we make it to a wonderous place.. filled with cherry blossoms, coy ponds, banzai trees, hot springs... geysers?! The currents are strong in these waters; as they tend to drag you through their own special paths and the like. Water gushes all around as you make it through this beautiful but deadly and aquatic landscape.
- Radiant Ridge- a sweltering, dry canyon with desert windows forming into loop-de-loops. The heat isn't so bad when you grind your way down into the mines, caves and aquifers below, but you have little to make it by on besides a few cliffs and the fragmented railings.
- Relix Speedway- Levitating, mysterious Aztec-esque ruins, surrounded by a myriad of clouds you traverse across, and a neverending highway in the skies.
- Transit Metropolis- A cityscape that is filled with party elements, pinball, festivals, and rushing across the tops and surrealistically-warped walls of skyscrapers. A shining neon utopia on the outside, but it's inner workings are pure robotic nightmare. The center of this place is an electronic database and artillery harboring for all of Robotnik's machinery. Pulsating electricity, smoke and fumes, a cyberpunk dystopia with the doctor's name literally written all over it.
- 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.
- SonicFreerunner1.jpg
Early screenshot of Splashing Springs Zone.
Credits (as of July 15, 2011)
Project creator / Lead game designer: Azukara
Project producers: Azukara (creative department; decision making), EightBitDragon (management)
Programming: EightBitDragon, Morph / SonicFreak94, Twilightzoney
Menu: EightBitDragon
Concept Art: Azukara, Greg the Cat, KKM, Death72, Overbound
Artists: Azukara, EightBitDragon, Death72, Tobbii, Twilightzoney
3D modelers: EightBitDragon, Twilightzoney
Animators: Twilightzoney, Morph / SonicFreak94, EightBitDragon
Music: DJ MAX-E, Carbo / Columind, Ritz190, Mr. Mash
Story: Impish, Tidbit, Volpino
Original Coding: Damizean, Mark the Echidna
Site: angelXwind, ReimuHakurei