Anyways, to be honest my major concern here is the "arcade" game design, which is definitely not the same you'd expect from a home console!. Since I'm working in a "just spinoff" sequel to another game we released back in 2015 called Mobius Evolution, and that dev timeline is so short I don't think we'd achieve >20 minutes of first-time gameplay (like many others), I'm taking the opportunity to do as many "experiments" as I can, to better analyze the public's reception at the end. I'm not a great artist either, but the best I can do is keep the gameplay as refined and "fun" as I can
In short, the main differences against the classic Sonic games (and Mania) are:
- Not much time for testing the remaining level maps (are big, need to test every detail...)
- More emphasis on the bosses, and maaaybe some storytelling
- Could try "scripted" levels (such as avoid/destroy missiles on Sonic's plane until you arrive to Eggman's plane), that makes the map shorter
- Higher difficulty, albeit switchable (through service menu on Arcade and options menu on Home)
- Per-level time that's shorter than 10 minutes, make counter go backwards so player notice the difference easier
- More emphasis on elemental shields to get to easier paths, you can collect and "save" all 3 within HUD and pick which you want
- Move the enemies and gimmicks faster, demand some more than usual from player's reflexes
- Since Arcade games seemingly have to be quick to learn, pick and play, I'd add a tutorial like this
- In the case of Arcade system's release, continues would be unobtainable from bonus stages; continues = credits.
Both systems have their pros and cons, at least from dev's point of view. The MegaPlay is almost 1:1 to original MD hardware, plus extras (additional Z80 to handle game/service menu + overlay over VDP); requires little effort to get it to run, and is also cartridge-based. The System C2 lacks the Z80, but in return the MainCPU is clocked to faster speed, service menu can be written in 68k, has a wider color palette and combinations, an automatic ADPCM player, and there's actual documentation. The only "documentation" on the MP however is MAME's driver's code, which is guesswork and doesn't always work right. I can use a Sonic 2 MP Disassembly and MAME as reference, but the final ROM would also be guesswork, aw. For C2 there's more differences and more edits to be done to code (more time), and I don't know if because not being cartridge-based makes it harder to be playable on HW. I CAN'T AFFORD -ANY HW- FOR NOW.
On the "arcade style", I also have a couple doubts... like, why every screen needs a timer? or why high score tables are usually based on initials?
... unless none of this was a good idea?
