NiGHTS Special Stage Preview

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Cue

ALAM STOP BREAKING THE S
Posted by Mystic on 12-06-2011 05:03 AM.

We’ve been talking about this a bit on the chat and forums recently, but we haven’t actually shown anything on the main page, so it’s time to provide some new information about the upcoming NiGHTS special stages. As with the last preview post, everything you see here is a work in progress and subject to change, so don’t take these screenshots to mean that the final versions will look exactly like this. Click on the images for far more detail.

trans.gif


The new special stages are based on our main single player zones, so the first one is based on GFZ. This area is large and simple, with a low blue sphere requirement, easily shown by the red background in the upper left of the HUD signifying that the requirement is already met. Also, the powerups that were previously invisible while active are now visually represented on-screen for the duration. The helper is now a flicky, which you can see in the middle of all the particle effects in this screenshot.

Special stage 2 is based on THZ, and is much larger, with multiple rooms, and several indoor areas. The difficulty level is still extremely low, so feel free to relax and continue to get a feel for the mechanics.

Special stage 3, following the pattern, is based on DSZ. It’s impossible to drown in the underwater sections, but the level is quite large and has a large blue sphere requirement.

Special stage 4 is a revamped version of Slumber Circuit Zone, retextured to look like CEZ. The track layout is mostly the same, but the object layout is pretty heavily modified, and starts to up the difficulty level a bit.

Like the helper, the super paraloop powerup is shown by a red spark trail for the duration. As an additional aid, the name of the powerup is written out for a few seconds after grabbing it, to clarify what it does. This should help players actually learn what the powerups do, as we’ve found a majority of SRB2 players don’t know what the NiGHTS powerups do.

Special stage 5 is a revamped version of Spring Hill Zone, retextured to look like ACZ. Some of the extra territory has been removed to streamline the map, such as the long loop around the lake, and the stage is now much faster-paced in general. The time limit is also quite strict and the object layout has been moved around a bit in places.

Not shown are special stage 6 (RVZ) and special stage 7 (ERZ), which are both not far enough along to provide screenshots that aren’t missing objects entirely and displaying weird things like time limits of several hours. Expect the difficulty of those two stages to be quite brutal when we do have them completed. While we hope to have NiGHTS special stages included in 2.1, like everything else we preview, they will arrive when they’re actually done. The user interface and HUD improvements are already in 2.1, though, so the cleaner implementation and user-friendliness changes will be included in the next release regardless.
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Wow, Slumber Circuit works better as CEZS than I thought. And having visual aids for the power-ups is a very good idea. Now if only the screenshots weren't so inconveniently taken that you can hardly see those visual aids...

Last 2 special stages are going to be brutal?!
Why yes, of course. The current SS6 and SS7 are also brutal. You don't earn Super Sonic for nothing.

Please delete my post; didn't saw the discussion was in another topic.
Nah, why shouldn't we be able to start a new discussion here? After all, we now get comments with the pictures.
 
There is room for error in the current stages, and I'm pretty sure there will be room for error in RVZS and ERZS. Just not much.
 
.. Night Special stages ? How can it be accessed ? They will replace the 50 ~ 57 maps, which are the bonus maps ? Or will they simply be races ?

Then (I take into account that these levels are not finished), everything looks very beatiful, except perhaps Arid Canyon, but I have no doubt it will be good once finished. Personally, I loved a "The Doomsday Zone", as the good old 2D Sonics. The mechanism of Night mode and Doomsday in S&K is almost the same.

I can not say anything except to keep up the good work ~
 
"NiGHTS" Special Stages will replace the current ones and will be accessed through the same way; grabbing tokens and getting to the end.

In a way it'll look like "Doomsday Zone", except you don't need rings to keep yourself as Super Sonic: You'll be Super Sonic for as long as the timer doesn't reach zero.


Which btw makes me wonder: How are you going to make players getting out of the special stage once the timer runs out?
 
You hit the ground, an obnoxious "Beep beeeep" sound plays, and the stage ends.
 
Now if only the screenshots weren't so inconveniently taken that you can hardly see those visual aids...

nsloop.png

Red sparkles.

nnhelper.png

Flicky.

nlfreeze.png

It's literally frozen.

(No, it's not actually used in ACZS, this was just a quick find+replace job so I could get a screenshot.)
 
Sonic Team Junior hired only the best graphical artists [they could afford] to polish up the look of the NiGHTS HUD. The game might not be in HD, but hell if it's going to look worse than Nintendo DS shovelware.
 
Looks really nice; a pretty unique take on special stages. The power-up idea is also interesting. I'll enjoy seeing them in motion.
 
Yush. Finally, my NiGHTS skills will pay off.
It's really cool incorporating NiGHTS' unique play style in this. I think it's quite a bit more creative than the generic "collect the rings" special stage.
The updated NiGHTS engine is exciting as well. Any way to do a couple laps on a single mare yet?
Really looking forward to these! GJ guys.
 
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I feel like the nights HUD would do well with a similar shadow as the main game HUD (and letters) have -- at least as far as numbers go. As-is they look rather jagged, and the dark color outline doesn't add a whole lot visually.

Now a question: With these 7 zones set as special stages, are we to expect said zones to be the only zones in SRB2? Dark City being canned? I don't mind at all, just wondering.

EDIT:

nightsnumbers.png


1px shadow makes it look so much better :(

shadowdemo.png


...Kind of. Maybe without the original dark outline.
 
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So if i understand this right, Special stage NiGHTS mode triggers the level exit instead of hurting sonic when he runs out of time.
 
Of course not. Have you never touched the ground in NiGHTS?

I did, except that since super sonic was, well super sonic, I thought he couldn't get hurt if he touched the ground.

But are you sure the level exit trigger won't happen if you touch the ground as super sonic? If so, then I'm relieved.
 
So if i understand this right, Special stage NiGHTS mode triggers the level exit instead of hurting sonic when he runs out of time.
Yes. This is because there is no 3D mode in these levels, You start at the capsule and you end at the capsule. Currently, if you check the Ambush flag, the player will die when he transform back to regular Sonic and touches the ground. This works the same, except that you get a "time's up!" instead of dying, just like what happens if you touch a pit or get crushed in the current special stages.

I did, except that since super sonic was, well super sonic, I thought he couldn't get hurt if he touched the ground.
You're also Super Sonic in the special stages.

But are you sure the level exit trigger won't happen if you touch the ground as super sonic?
Yes. At least, it would be stupid if it did.
 
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