This post will address some stuff regarding this project, from it's conception to today as I'm writting this and what's next; I'll be honest in this post but also make nutshell summaries so I don't over-explain anything that doesn't actually provide any extra context or changes how anything is taken
Due to the release of Sonic Movie 3, I wanted to release a game during the movie's hype (this means, it could be before or after the release of the movie, but DURING the hype), I took this decision when the date for the third installment was confirmed (that means, not long after Sonic 2, so I had over a year, almost two years); I had to choose something simple enough to guarantee myself to be able to finish it in time, so I came up with a typical Sonic platformer but with some spectacle that I won't describe here
As time went on, I was slowly realizing I wouldn't be able to finish it in time, due to works and unexpected events IRL, mid-2024 is when I realized I simply had to think of something else and leave the platformer one for another day, but then what would it be? I was not able to think of anything, so I had no other option but to continue the platformer whenever I could, even though deep down I knew it was already late
Then, eventually, a coworker asked me if I liked Sonic (which isn't something I hide, at all, he was easily able to tell) and asked me what games I played; I answered the obvious, official console games, but then he specified INTERNET games, FLASH games, and brought up FFSX6
.......................... As soon as he mentioned that, childhood memories started flooding in, and a new idea was sparked
What about a homage during the hype of Sonic 3?, just imagine, BlackDevilX getting to see a rework of his creation with dope 3D animations and all, thinking about it made me want to finish it as soon as possible so maybe that person could see it
I progressed it ANYTIME I could, anytime I had "free" time, I'd dedicate it to progressing this project, by that point, it was a race against the calendar, against the clock; I would even progress it during work when there was nothing else to do through remote desktop applications
I had a total of 3 jobs during the start of the fangame and today (March 3rd, 2025), and in all of them, I'd open AnyViewer (or TeamViewer in the initial attempts) in a secondary smartphone, with a wireless keyboard and a wireless mouse, or a laptop, to remotely access my PC at home, and progress the animations in that little screen; I went all out
Had to make the models, the rigs, the animations, REDO the models with a lower poly count and thus redo the rig, continue the animations...
Few months later during development had passed, and a friend of mine messaged me about the news, news from yesterday
The movie did not even released yet
I really wanted him to see this, but from one day to another, it was no longer possible
Even though the circumstances got different, I had to stick to the plan, I had to move on and continue, afterall, this project was never something exclusive for him especifically, it's for everyone and anyone who wants to try it out
It still frustrates me I did not came up with the idea soon enough to have it done in time for him to at least get to see it, because I did had in mind releasing this fangame just few days before the release of the movie, as the hype was there, but I hope this project at least goes to show how much impact he had on this fanbase in us older Sonic fans who were just browsing Flash games in the internet back in the 2000s-2010s
Now, let us dive in the game itself....................... is that it?
Well, yes, and let me tell you: I always intended it to be like that from the beggining: without an opening, without the rest of the cutscenes, without the classic main menu screen, extremely bare bones that mostly recreates just the Battle game and nothing else
That project alone, on it's own as it is, took months to make, and not "few" months, it was so many months I couldn't even finish it by february
I have personal projects of my own, and I never intended to dedicate any years of my life to recreate someone else's work, FFSX6 is not mine, I may do homages and tributes to it but I won't replace it, I CAN'T replace it, and shouldn't even try
I am my own person and as such, have my own projects, just like BDX had his own projects who instead of spending years to remake someone else's work, he spent 2 years for his creation: FFSX6; and that's admirable
I'm currently working all on my own, with no team, I do have friends who lend me a hand in a couple of things and also offer very essential and needed different perspectives, but I'm mostly on my own, so I really hope you understand why I did not and won't ever recreate the entire game
Sadly, I won't progress that Sonic platform game I previously mentioned just yet, my hands are full with responsibilities and have to focus on an insurance system that I should've started by January, I'm behind schedule with plenty of things to do; that new Sonic fangame WILL be worked on, just not yet, not soon
In the following days, I'll keep publishing some of the assets I made for this game and after they're all up, I'd be pretty silent here, but still checking in every now and then to see if there's anything worth reviewing, commenting or reacting
If you read all of this, well, thank you for your time and wish to see you later