Sonic X Shadow Generations

Sonic X Shadow Generations
Developer: Sonic Team Publisher: Sega Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch, Windows Released internationally: October 25, 2024 This game has unused areas. This game has unused code. This game has hidden development-related text. This game has unused graphics. This game has unused sounds. This game has unused text. This game has regional differences. This game has revisional differences.

To do: Everything, to be honest, including: Unused content. As well, we believe that the assets for the Sonic 1 emulation in White Space are still present, similar to the original PC version. Pre-release page with info to document.

Sonic X Shadow Generations is a questionably-titled package compiling a remaster of the console/PC version of 2011's Sonic Generations and a new game, Shadow Generations. Taking place during the events of the former game, it brings several elements from Shadow the Hedgehog into the story, including Maria, Gerald, and Black Doom. The overall bundle has become one of the best-received Sonic games in recent memory, with the Sonic Generations remaster avoiding various problems that have plagued Sega's other recent rereleases and Shadow Generations achieving acclaim in its own right.

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Changes from Sonic Generations A whole generation worth of changes, featuring Ian Flynn from the Sonic IDW comic series!

Sonic Frontiers Leftovers

Shadow Generations was built atop the Sonic Frontiers codebase. This has led to some stuff from that game getting left over.

Abilities

Some of Sonic's abilities from that game still exist in Shadow's code but cannot be performed under normal circumstances.

• Drop Dash: Still functional, but it is set to always fail on the first condition. Forcing it to succeed allows Shadow to perform it, though it's missing sound effects. It's also pretty slow; its speed must be doubled to function like it does in Frontiers.
• Light Speed Dash: Present, but unclear if there is a way to restore it at present.
• Spin Dash: The early, unused variant, separate from the unlockable, boost-based one added in the second update. As in Frontiers, this variant causes Shadow to roll for two seconds before stopping.
• Stomp Bounce: The third Stomp Bounce (the one that sends shockwaves) is missing its sound effects but has new particle effects.

(Source: [1], [2], [3])

• Wall Climbing: Wall climbing has also been left over in the game, although it has some unused animations and strange physics. The unique animations imply that it may have been worked on and used at some point.

(Source: InvalidFile)

There are also many moves with parameters left over from Sonic Frontiers in the playercommon.rfl file. These include:

• airtrick
• drift
• driftair
• cloudjump
• driftdash
• parry
• avoid

• Cyloop: While this ability isn't programmed in the game itself, textures and effects for it are still left over in Sonic's .pac file. In addition, the effects for Sonic's combat moves are also left over.

Objects

AirWall

These are the climbable platforms mainly used in Sonic Frontiers. Even though they are unused, they are fully usable.

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To do: Add a video that showcases these objects in action!

SideReel

These are the sideways Up-reels that were mainly used in the 4-3 Cyberspace Stage. These are also fully usable.

Hangglider

This is the Hang glider that is mainly used in the Cyberspace Stages in Sonic Frontiers. Interestingly, it uses the same sound effects as the rocket in the Radical Highway stages, and is fully usable.

DriftEndVolume

This is a volume that was used to disable the Drift ability in Cyberspace.

GoalTrigger

This is an object that triggers the stage to end when touched. This was used sparingly in Cyberspace Stages, and is left over in this game. It is usable, although obsolete due to better options being added in.

Scene Data Parameters

Atmosphere

The dynamic sky atmospheres used throughout Sonic Frontiers are still present in this game, but go unused in favor of cubemap-based skyboxes. Full functionality remains for these, however.

Density

The density parameters that were used for foliage in Sonic Frontiers are still present. However, they don't seem to do anything in this game.

"Disney" tone mapping method

The "TONEMAP_DISNEY" method for stage tone mapping from Sonic Forces still exists in this game, and as with Sonic Frontiers, goes entirely unused in favor for the "GT" method. Despite this, the "Disney" method is still fully functional.

Unused Text

Unused Tutorial Text

QandA_TEXT_15

Black wings that allow Shadow to glide and travel far.
With 100 Rings, press both<image name="button_playerleftstep" /><image name="button_playerrightstep" /> simultaneously.
Rings will be consumed while gliding.

Unused tutorial text for Doom Wings. This description states that you needed 100 rings (double the amount compared to the final version) to activate the ability. In addition, rings would've been consumed only while gliding, not for the whole time the ability is active, as in the final version. This text was also found in the QandA.cnvrs-text file.

Unused Demo Text

TUTORIAL_EXP_WINDOW_TEXT_DSURF_2_3rd

Shadow can now move freely on water.
Some areas are inaccessible because they are under development.
Find and fight the boss "Metal Overlord".

A tutorial message that is presumably made for a demo. Found in the Tutorial.cnvrs-text file.

SHOWROM_TIMELIMIT_01

Thank you for playing

SHOWROM_TIMELIMIT_02

Pre-Order Now

SHOWROM_TIMELIMIT_03

Available Now

SHOWROM_DEMO

DEMO

Text used for a demo version of the game. These were found in the ShowROM.cnvrs-text file.

INGAME_ARCACT2_TITLE_3rdROM

Space Colony Arc Act 2

A misspelled version of the "Space Colony Ark" stage was used in a demo version of the game.

INGAME_ARCACT2_TEXT_3rdROM

 This Act is still in development.
 In Act 2, Shadow will get a glimpse of a mysterious new power.
 Complete this stage to move on to the next.

Text for a demo version of the game teasing Space Colony Ark Act 2. These texts were found in the InGame.cnvrs-text file.

Testing Text

There are a lot of text used to test out things in the game.

RichPresence_TEST

Exploring Chronos Island

A test of Shadow Generations's rich presence system for Steam. Found in the RichPresence.cnvrs-text file.

CAPTION_TEST1

 CAPTION_TEST1

CAPTION_TEST2

 CAPTION_TEST2

CAPTION_TEST3

 CAPTION_TEST3

CAPTION_TEST4

 CAPTION_TEST4

CAPTION_TEST5

 CAPTION_TEST5

CAPTION_TEST6

 CAPTION_TEST6

CAPTION_TEST7

 CAPTION_TEST7

These are all self-explanatory. It is text used to test out the caption system. Found in the Caption.cnvrs-text file.

Unused Dialogue

There are a few instances of unused dialogue in the files, although most of it is only slightly different from the final version.

Early Modern Sonic Knuckles Rescue Response

Sonic : Ha! Get in line, Knuckle-head.

The subtitles for Classic Sonic rescuing Knuckles has a leftover early version of Modern Sonic's line from his version of the Knuckles rescue cutscene, in which he doesn't say "Alright!"

CAPTION_METALOVERLORD_PHASE1_1

 You're no match for me.
 I've become the true Sonic! The ultimate lifeform!

CAPTION_METALOVERLORD_PHASE1_2

 At my speed, rubble might fly your way.
 Try not to get hit.

These two Metal Overlord lines were found in the Caption.cnvrs-text file. The first line is a slightly earlier version of the line he says in the beginning. However, the second one is unused.

Unused Enemies

testenemy

Self explanatory. It is a simple test enemy with no assets to go along with it, besides an .aism file.

Unused Audio

Unused Boss Dialogue

Shadow has a few unused lines intended to be played after he beats a boss. These were found in the vo_miller_boss_en.acb file.

	I am the true Ultimate Lifeform.
	The Ultimate Power has already been perfected.
	Hmph. If that's all you've got, you're no match for Sonic, much less me.

Unused Objects

SpringBoard

An unused spring that is fully usable, but doesn't make any noise. Interestingly, it shares the same name as an object from Sonic Frontiers, and is listed in the Cyber object category. You also cannot lock onto it.

DSurfSpinTest

An object used to presumably test out the Doom Surf's spinning physics. Currently, it doesn't really do much when interacted with.

BossModelPreview

An object used to preview the models of all the bosses in the game. Interestingly, it plays the boss' idle animations.

CharacterModelPreview

An object used to preview the models of all the characters in the game. When placed, they are completely static.

Unused Stages

Early Space Colony Ark Act 1

An earlier version of Act 1 for Space Colony Ark was left in the game's files. This version is known as "w01a10" (the final version is known as "w01a11"). Though this was repurposed for the Sonic vs Shadow cutscene, there are still many minor differences from the final version.

• The rails in the beginning are different.
• There are a few terrain differences. These usually consist of extended terrain, missing terrain, and different routes.
• The Doom Zone section is slightly different, with an extended sliding section near the end. Half of this sliding section would be removed, and later re-used in Radical Highway Act 1.

Development Stages

There are a lot of development stages listed in the game's master.levels file. They are listed as being in the "stage/develop" directory, which is unavailable in the public release of the game.

Unused Graphics

Collection Logos

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The Sonic Battle logos that were unused in the original Sonic Generations return in this remaster in higher quality. The Japanese logo can be seen in the Sonic Battle promotional art unlockable in Shadow Generations, but in that instance it's baked into the artwork and doesn't use the individual logo graphic.

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The Japanese and international Sonic Rush logos from the original are present here, again in higher quality. These go unused due to Leaf Storm's theme, "Right There, Ride On" (which was associated with Rush in the original), being replaced in this remaster.

Shadow Generations' Internal Name

According to the .acb and .awb banks for Shadow Generations' original music, Shadow Generations is internally referred to as miller. This name is also present in the metadata of the Sonic X Shadow Generations reveal trailer. It appears to follow a trend of remasters and side projects using codenames pulled from beer breweries, with Sonic Origins using Hite and Sonic Superstars using Orion. However, it was erroneously speculated to be a reference to Tim Miller, the executive producer of Paramount's Sonic the Hedgehog film series, and producer for Shadow the Hedgehog's CGI cutscenes.

Version Differences

Regional Differences

To do: More regional differences to cover. Document the differences (if any exist) between the NA/EU and JA/Asia releases of Dark Beginnings

Game Select

Japan	International

The console/PC version of Sonic Generations has the subtitle White Space-Time in Japan to distinguish it from the 3DS version, which was subtitled Blue Adventure. This is reflected as such in the game's logo shown in the Game Select menu in the Japanese version.

Platform Differences

• Sonic Generations runs at 60 FPS on all systems except for Nintendo Switch, which is instead locked to 31.5 FPS. The reason for this is unclear, as using a 60 FPS cheat shows it is often able to maintain it. Shadow Generations, on the other hand, is locked to 30 on all systems except for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
  • The PC version has an option to allow the game to run at 120fps. This is not present in the other versions.
• The PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S add an option for Shadow Generations to switch between Quality (2160p30) and Performance (1440p60) modes, while the PC version naturally has more graphical settings.
  • The PC version also has the game render at a fixed resolution that depends on what size is chosen. The console versions instead use a dynamic resolution.
• As with Sonic Forces and Sonic Frontiers, the Switch version of Shadow Generations utilizes lower-polygon meshes, reduced texture quality and simpler post-processing to help keep the frame rate consistent.
  • In handheld mode, some post-processing effects are disabled entirely, such as screen-space ambient occlusion and reflections. This is most noticeable in the White Space hub.
  • For reasons unknown, the Chaos Island-themed dash panels lack their emission map in this version, which results in them lacking a glow effect. Despite this, the standard dash panels still have theirs intact.
  • The Sonic Generations half of the game keeps the asset quality the same as the other versions, though anti-aliasing appears to have been disabled in handheld mode.
• FMVs for Shadow Generations are in 720p on Switch. They are in 1080p in all other versions, with additional 4K versions if the console is set to that resolution.
  • Sonic Generations, meanwhile, has the FMVs at 1080p on Switch, and 4K in all other versions regardless of resolution.
• The PlayStation 4 and 5 versions have a free DLC add-on that has the animated prequel "Dark Beginnings", which also comes with a special animatic version of the prequel.
• When the menu for selecting an act appears in White Space, the Nintendo Switch version changes the background from what's being rendered in-game to pure white. This does not occur in any other version of the game.
• Analog stick movement appears to be more sensitive in the Nintendo Switch version.

Revision Differences

December 12, 2024 Update

• Released on all platforms. Adds support for the Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Movie DLC pack.

January 13, 2025 Update

• Released on PC only. Moves some dash panels in Space Colony ARK Act 2 to prevent a soft-lock that can occur in the stage.