Sonic 2 HD Alpha Release!

stop!theradio

2[H]4U
Joined
Jul 13, 2007
Messages
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NOTE: I've removed the download links as it's been reported that there is a keylogging software of some sort included in the game executable. Read the following articles for more information:

http://www.sonicretro.org/2012/04/public-service-announcement-keylogger-cleaning-up-sonic-2-hd/

http://www.sonicretro.org/2012/03/guest-editorial-in-which-i-rain-on-the-sonic-2-hd-parade/


Also - as stated, I'm not a part of the team making this - so if you'd like to critique the game in a constructive way, you'll have to get in touch with the team working on it. I simply am not affiliated with them.[/B][/COLOR]

Here's a few screenshots I took while playing (yes, these are actual gameplay shots that I captured):


Untitled-2.jpg


Untitled-1.jpg


Untitled-3.jpg


Untitled-4.jpg
 
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Thanks, Killa, I forgot to add that link! OP is updated. And piscian - yes those are screenshots I took while playing.
 
As someone who still plays Sonic 2 on a fairly regular basis, this is very cool. Though my question is, do they have Sega's blessing? So many of these fan projects get shut down that it's hard to get excited about the final product. I'm definitely hoping things work out, though!
 
I don't think they have Segas blessing. This project has been going on for years now and it's pretty well-known. I'm surprised it hasn't been shut down yet to be honest but here's to hoping it never gets shut down! I'm impressed with this demo so I'm reeeeeeally hoping we see more in the future.
 

It's what you call a false positive. Sonic 2 HD is a legit project and has been featured in the past on many well-known sites and is an active project on a well known Retro gaming forum. Think before you speak...er, type. :rolleyes:

EDIT: and it's not that it "could be" a false positive - it IS a false positive. The .exe is for the demo and nothing else. You know what I did when MSE popped up? Selected "allow". You know what happened? The game ran, nothing else. No strange network traffic, no BS. Malwarebytes didn't pick up a damned thing, either, because it's not malware.
 
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Most likely a false positive. Don't always assume everything it pops up is in fact a virus. The name of it screams false positive as well.

I am not denying that it could be a false positive, however this is probably the first MSE popup I have seen in two years. So it isn't like something that happens all the time and I just brush it off. If other people feel 2shared.com is a totally legit service, more power to them :D
 
I am not denying that it could be a false positive, however this is probably the first MSE popup I have seen in two years. So it isn't like something that happens all the time and I just brush it off.

It has something to do with how the exe is created. The same popup always happened with the program that altered drivers to allow a Nvidia card to work as a PhysX card when an AMD card was installed.
 
It has something to do with how the exe is created. The same popup always happened with the program that altered drivers to allow a Nvidia card to work as a PhysX card when an AMD card was installed.

This is otherwise known as "bad coding practices". If you plan to release anything to the public, it doesn't take long to run it through a few virus scans to see if it throws up and red flags.
 
This is otherwise known as "bad coding practices". If you plan to release anything to the public, it doesn't take long to run it through a few virus scans to see if it throws up and red flags.

...and what would you know about coding practices? Because an unknown .exe accesses certain libraries and throws up a red flag means nothing. It happens all the time with plenty of well known software.

It's a false positive, plain and simple. Nothing else. You're trying to make some kind of point and are failing HARD, cut it out. This is a legit, well-known project with zero malware. If you have a problem, then PM a moderator, otherwise get out of the thread :rolleyes:
 
This is otherwise known as "bad coding practices". If you plan to release anything to the public, it doesn't take long to run it through a few virus scans to see if it throws up and red flags.

No there was some other reason that made sense. Totally forgot what it was though, it was a long time ago that I had use for that driver hack. Something to do with cost.
 
...and what would you know about coding practices? Because an unknown .exe accesses certain libraries and throws up a red flag means nothing. It happens all the time with plenty of well known software.

It's a false positive, plain and simple. Nothing else. You're trying to make some kind of point and are failing HARD, cut it out. This is a legit, well-known project with zero malware. If you have a problem, then PM a moderator, otherwise get out of the thread :rolleyes:

8 years working for a software company.

The very least they could do is put up a check sum for the file then tell people they may get a false positive. www.2shared.com is about as legit as Megauload was. People downloading stuff from sites like this and others going "Dude, you won't get a virus, trust me!" is how viruses spread.

Again I am not saying the file will wreck someone's PC, but its better to make people aware of a potential situation before downloading files from shady sites.
 
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8 years working for a software company.

The very least they could do is put up a check sum for the file then tell people they may get a false positive. www.2shared.com is about as legit as Megauload was.

Oh, cool, which software company? :)

In any case - 2shared is one of the mirrors. It's a file hosting site. Are you saying they inject viruses into people's software? Oh and I'm guessing megaupload did the same then, too, right? :rolleyes: There are thousands of file hosting sites on the web, 2shared is just one of them.

What exactly are you trying to do? I mean what is your point here? There's nothing illegal or malicious about anything going on here, but you just won't seem to quit :confused:
 
I am not trying to do anything except let people know the download triggered MSE.
 
I am not trying to do anything except let people know the download triggered MSE.

Yes, you got a false positive. Cool. Thx.

EDIT:

People downloading stuff from sites like this and others going "Dude, you won't get a virus, trust me!" is how viruses spread.

Again I am not saying the file will wreck someone's PC, but its better to make people aware of a potential situation before downloading files from shady sites.

Yeah - but you sort of need an actual virus to begin with in order to spread said virus around. 2shared is not a "shady site". You're making it sound like the file host - by it's very nature - will somehow give you a virus. As if it's some virus lottery and the site chooses random lucky winners and injects a virus into their files. I'm pretty sure the good folks here at [H] understand the gravity of downloading stuff. Obviously if you're recklessly downloading random shit from ANY file host then there's a chance you could get a virus - but there is no "potential situation" in this case as long as people use the mirrors provided by the project leaders. Again, this isn't just any random file - it's a well known, years-long project pushed by the largest Sonic fan site on the web. The file is clean and legit and there is nothing to "inform" people about. You won't get a virus by visiting a site like 2shared - but it obviously goes without saying that you could, however, get a virus by being an idiot and downloading files from NON-REPUTABLE sources (ie: mirror links NOT provided by the project leaders)

EDIT 2: Read up on obfuscated code. It is a method employed by software developers - big and small, legit and malicious - to keep their stuff from being analyzed or reverse engineered. Most developers employ this method in order to keep their software "safe". Take Adobe Photoshop, for example. The reason it doesn't raise red flags is because Windows knows better. The S2HD team has used this method to protect what they've been working on for the past 3 years or so, and with good reason. It's a simple case of "Windows does not know what kind of software this is", so it gets flagged. That's it, plain and simple. The game file is protected from being debugged, that's it. Example - this screenshot is what happens when you attempt to decompile the game:

fuckingohwow.png



You should know this stuff if you've been working for a "software company" for over 8 years.
 
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that looks great! I am looking forward to seeing casino night/chemical plant zones!!! do want. :D
 
I am not trying to do anything except let people know the download triggered MSE.

Lol, and the sky must be falling due to this huh? On a site like this I expect people to be smart enough to know the difference between a false positive and a real threat, I then expect them to know when to create a giant spiel over nothing and not to. :rolleyes:
 
Lol, and the sky must be falling due to this huh? On a site like this I expect people to be smart enough to know the difference between a false positive and a real threat, I then expect them to know when to create a giant spiel over nothing and not to. :rolleyes:

Well I am glad to know that no one on this forum has ever had a virus since they were able to determine if files were infected using mental powers, thanks!
 
that looks great! I am looking forward to seeing casino night/chemical plant zones!!! do want. :D

It does look good. You can play Chemical Plant zone in Sonic Generations though. It's too bad they dont remake the Sonic games with the Sonic Generations engine though; it looks much better than what this remake has.
 
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Great OP thank you. It looks AMAZING 0_0
 
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I just got done playing through it. AWESOME. Why Sega can't figure this shit out is beyond me.

Tails.jpg


Tails is looking awesome.
 
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Yeah I'm loving how Tails looks! I saw some of the concept stills for Tails but seeing him in action is just awesome. I'm glad they went with extended animation frames for the characters.
 
I found the instructions in the Read Me and game manual pdf. After beating the demo you can hold down the start button and whatever button you have mapped as the "B" button at the main screen and you'll start the level as Tails.

In the release thread at Sonic Retro, they've mentioned there are other little "secrets" in the game that they are leaving to us to find. So far I haven't discovered anything else :(
 
Physics seem slightly off, you're a bit too slow and sometimes you don't quite pop right off hitting an enemy / box.

edit: it's weird how I haven't played Sonic 2 in a million years and can still feel something being off
 
Physics seem slightly off, you're a bit too slow and sometimes you don't quite pop right off hitting an enemy / box.

edit: it's weird how I haven't played Sonic 2 in a million years and can still feel something being off

Agreed. I notice when I hit a yellow spring to jump up to a platform with a star post that I dont quite make it. I have to try two or three times and time it just right. It's only slightly off but still off.
 
Yeah that is epic...it's a shame they never finished the project. THAT was MY Sonic 4. But instead I had to deal with...Sonic 4 from dimps :mad:
 
Uhhh not to add to the fire but it seems there is seriously some drama going on with the development team on this project and for now .. it would be wise not to download this.

From Kotaku :

After receiving this notification, we conducted our own independent tests and found that there is indeed a keylogging program as part of the Sonic 2 HD alpha software.

And they are recommending you remove it :

Because this vulnerability has been found, we are strongly advising that the software be removed. You will need to delete the files included with the Sonic 2 HD zip, as well as the registry keys hooked at HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/NakaSMK (if you are unfamiliar on how to do this, go to Start->Run.., type regedit, follow the folder path, and then delete the NakaSMK folder.)

I think I'll be passing on this , sad though. Looks like it would have been pretty awesome.
http://www.sonicretro.org/2012/03/guest-editorial-in-which-i-rain-on-the-sonic-2-hd-parade/

That link has a long story about the drama behind the scenes on this development.
 
Good link. Good story. At first I thought the author was just bitching and moaning about a community project. It wasnt until I sat through his exhaustive article that he finally got to the point near the end. They really should ditch the Lost guy and find a new lead programmer.

Kinda messed up that the error screen talks about licensing. This guy planning on selling a community project for profit after its built? THAT is what seems shady.
 
The graphics look really good and clean and what I'd consider completely adequate and appropriate for an HD upgrade. I'm impressed that they appear to have created completely fresh assets and it all fits together.

Too bad that the lead programmer appears to be a crazy ; I guess Sonic Retro's screening process has its holes. MSSE didn't warn me about anything in the game and I don't remember having to give it any elevated permissions when running but I'll have to check it out when I get home. At least they haven't seen it phoning home yet.

EDIT: Looks like people that ran the 64bit version don't see the problem. I'm guessing I ran the 64bit executable.
 
I would avoid this for now. Some shady shit going on with regards to suspicious registry entries and the like as linked above. This project has been mired in drama for a long time because their programmer is an immature and paranoid child with mental illness.
 
Uhhh not to add to the fire but it seems there is seriously some drama going on with the development team on this project and for now .. it would be wise not to download this.

From Kotaku :



And they are recommending you remove it :



I think I'll be passing on this , sad though. Looks like it would have been pretty awesome.
http://www.sonicretro.org/2012/03/guest-editorial-in-which-i-rain-on-the-sonic-2-hd-parade/

That link has a long story about the drama behind the scenes on this development.

Nobody worry, KayossZero, stop!theradio and Derangel all said the file is OK and I was just in here trying to stir up trouble! Special thanks to stop!theradio for going out of his way to let me know I didn't know what I was talking about.

Heck, looks like I get to quote myself now:

People downloading stuff from sites like this and others going "Dude, you won't get a virus, trust me!" is how viruses spread.
 
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