Prerelease:Sonic Robo Blast 2 - The Cutting Room Floor (2024)

This page details prerelease information and/or media for Sonic Robo Blast 2.

Sonic Robo Blast 2 has seen numerous changes over its 25 years of existence, with the game effectively evolving and morphing through generation after generation after generation as more technology became available to the Doom modding scene.

In this time, several changes were made which either did not survive the sands of time or are currently unavailable outside of screenshots.

Timeline

• 1993
  • December 10th - Doom is released by id Software.
• 1994
  • September 29th - Doom II is released by id Software.
• 1996
  • October 3rd - Jeff Read releases a mod for Doom called Sonic the Hedgehog Doom.
• 1997
  • March - A.J. Freda (SSNTails) comes across Jeff Read's mod and decides to make his own version of it.^[1]
  • May - Johnny Wallbank (Sonikku) decides to make a Sonic fangame using Klik & Play.^[2]
  • July 4th - Sonikku sends out a message to the alt.fan.sonic-hedgehog newsgroup, which mentions Sonic Robo Blast. At this point, the game is only a three-zone demo.^[3]
  • September 7th - Sonikku releases a new version (via e-mail) with approximately 7 zones and at about 40% completion.^[4]
  • September 23rd - Sonikku posts a message to the aforementioned newsgroup about some Mecha Sonic SFX, so it's likely that Mecha Sonic was implemented into the game at this point.^[5]
  • October - After getting The Games Factory as a birthday present, Sonikku begins to transition development to TGF. SSNTails also begins development of Sonic Doom 2 at this time.
• 1998
  • February 1st, 6:17pm GMT - Sonikku completes Sonic Robo Blast.
  • February 11th - Sonic Robo Blast release announcement made on the newsgroup. The game is published on the Sonic Zone fansite.^[6]
  • Between February and March - SSNTails stumbles across Sonic Robo Blast (being a frequent user on the Sonic Zone). He e-mails Sonikku about making better art for the game. Sonikku accepts the proposal, but decides that it would be for SRB2 later on. SSNTails joins the no-name team.^[7]
  • March 9th - Development on Sonic Robo Blast 2 begins.
  • Unknown - Due to the The Games Factory not being able to handle big scrolling levels that well, the engine is scrapped.
  • July - Stealth creates a custom engine for the game, made in C.
  • September - Due to Stealth moving house, Stealth goes AWOL for a month.
  • September - The idea of using the Doom engine is brought up by SSNTails.
  • October - The game starts being developed using the Doom engine, and a few levels are sketchily made.^[8]
• 1999
  • April 15th - Doom Legacy v1.28 is released.
  • July 15th - Sprites for Sonic, Tails and Knuckles are created.
  • September 13th - SSNTails starts modifying Doom Legacy's source code.
  • October 31st - SRB2 Halloween Test is released, being SRB2's first release.
  • December 24th - SRB2: Christmas Test v0.90 is released by SSNTails, with massive bugs and crashes.^[9]
• 2000
  • February 23rd - Development on Sonic Doom 2 is halted until Sonic Robo Blast 2 is finished.
  • February 24th - SRB2: Christmas Test is quickly updated to v0.92, fixing many crashes and improving gameplay.
  • March 5th - SRB2's source code and WADs at the time are sent to Saxman.
  • March 24th - SRB2: Christmas Test is updated to v0.93, revamping the HUD to look more like Sonic 2, and adding Greenflower Zone as a secret level.
  • April 24th - SRB2: Christmas Test v0.94 is released, further improving the gameplay and changing the font used in the console.
  • Unknown - Greenflower Zone, Act 1 and Greenflower Zone, Act 2 are merged into a single level.
  • September - SRB2: Christmas Test's last release is released on a special CD.
  • September - A trailer for SRB2 is created, showing off an in-development build of SRB2.
  • September - A newer version of SRB2 Halloween Tech Demo is released, containing a second level and adding a 32-bit Windows version.
  • November - Due to the high demand for a new release, SRB2 Demo 1 is quickly released.
  • December - A trailer for Demo 2 is uploaded several months before its official release.
• 2001
  • March 5th - Demo 2 is released, adding the rest of Greenflower Zone as well as the first act of Techno Hill Zone.
  • June 23rd - Demo 3 is released, adding lots of multiplayer content, introducing game modes, and adding Knuckles.
  • December 25th - Demo 4 is released, adding Castle Eggman Zone as a secret, along with the special stages.
• 2002
  • January 6th - Demo 4 is updated to Demo 4.1, adding sprites to Knuckles.
  • March 28th-April - Demo 4.1 is updated to Demo 4.32, 4.33, 4.34, and 4.35, updating the Doom Legacy engine to v1.32 and adding a character selection screen.
  • April 4th - Sonikku leaves Sonic Team Jr.
• 2003
  • March 9th - SRB2 2k3 (Tournament 2003) is released (as part of SAGE 6), a Final Demo beta containing mainly multiplayer levels and the new Chaos mode.
  • June 19th - Final Demo 1.01 is released, adding all of Techno Hill Zone, making Castle Eggman Zone a normal zone, and an update to the "Ringslinger" modes.
  • June 19th - Final Demo 1.01 is updated three separate times to v1.04, fixing several bugs.
  • Unknown Date - Version 1.1 development starts.
• 2004
  • January 1st - Final Demo v1.08 is released, fixing various bugs and making Sonic only able to do one thok per jump.
• 2005
  • September 11th - Final Demo 1.09 is released, fixing several bugs and adjusting the gameplay.
  • December 26th-January 5th - Betas of v1.09.2 are released, labelled as "Final Demo 1.09.1".
• 2006
  • January 7th - Final Demo v1.09.2 is released at the beginning of the year, fixing issues with Knuckles' gliding, removing Chaos mode and finishing Super Sonic's sprites.
  • April 19th - Like Final Demo 1.09.2, Final Demo 1.09.4 gets betas labelled as "Final Demo 1.09.3".
  • August 19th - Final Demo is updated to v1.09.4, being the latest version of the Final Demo development cycle.
• 2008
  • February 21st - A beta of Version 1.1 is released to the #SRB2Fun IRC channel to test the new Ringslinger gamemode.
  • Unknown Date - A contest is held by SSNTails and Mystic for new Arid Canyon Zone textures.
  • November 26 - A teaser trailer of Version 1.1 is posted on YouTube.
• 2009
  • Unknown Date - A video of Arid Canyon Zone is posted on YouTube.
  • July - Version 1.1 is renamed to Version 2.0.
  • July 24th - Version 2.0 comes out, adding an almost complete campaign, a new ringslinger, full Knuckles sprites, extra levels and removes date-exclusive secrets.
  • July 24th - SSNTails leaves Sonic Team Jr. Mystic takes over the game.
  • August 6th - Version 2.0 is updated to Version 2.0.4, fixing bugs and improving the level design.
• 2011
  • June 26th - Previews of Version 2.1 begin to be published.
• 2013
  • September 10th - Version 2.0 is updated to v2.0.7 with bug fixes.
• 2014
  • March 15th - Version 2.1 is released, expanding the campaign, changing Knuckles' sprites, adding Lua scripting, new emblems, and more extra levels.
  • Unknown Date - Work starts on Version 2.2.
  • December 31st - Version 2.1 is updated 13 times to v2.1.14, fixing lots of bugs and adding options.
• 2016
  • February 12th - Lots of v2.2 previews are released.
  • May 19th - v2.1.15 releases, bringing support for slopes with it.
  • September 6th - v2.1.15 is updated to v2.1.16.
• 2018
  • March 9th - A trailer is uploaded to Sonic Team Jr's channel for SRB2's 20th anniversary.
• 2019
  • August 17th - Version 2.1 is last updated in August, with v2.1.25
  • December 7th - Version 2.2 releases, overhauling many textures, finishing Arid Canyon Zone, and adding Fang, Amy, and Metal Sonic as playable characters.
• 2022
  • March 6th - v2.2.9 is updated to v2.2.10, fixing several bugs, improving sprites, and revamping the tutorial.
• 2023
  • May 19th - v2.2.10 is updated to v2.2.11, adding support for the Universal Doom Mapping Format and allowing bigger characters to clear Egg Rock Zone.
  • September 7th - v2.2.11 is updated to v2.2.12, allowing saving the game with addons loaded and adding a color gird.
  • September 9th - v2.2.12 is updated to v2.2.13.

Pre-Halloween Test Screenshots

These screenshots were uploaded by SSNTails to an SRB2MB thread in 2018. They depict a much more Doom-like version of SRB2.

Early 2000 Build

These screenshots were uploaded by SSNTails to the SRB20YA Discord Server after a Sonic Doom 2 developer gave SSNTails several files from the era, along with the source code of an unreleased build and maps like Greenflower Zone acts 1, 2, 3, and Techno Hill act 1 with everything dated in March 2000.

• See Also

  Sonic Robo Blast 2 - SRB2 WikiSRB2 v2.2 Released! [Latest Patch: v2.2.10]Versions - SRB2 WikiSonic Robo Blast 2 - The Cutting Room Floor

SAGE 2000 Trailer

This trailer from September 2000 is a "missing link" between SRB2 Christmas and "Demo 1", the first released main SRB2 version.

General

• Sonic's sprites and Tails' sprites still haven't been fully completed yet.

Greenflower Zone

• Greenflower Zone's walls use a different texture in this version.

• The bridge in Greenflower Zone Act 1 is not present in this version.

Deep Sea Zone

• Deep Sea Zone Act 1 is completely different to its earlier development iteration.

SAGE 2000-Era Screenshots

On the old STJr page you could see several old screenshots of Demo 1 looking more like those of the September 2000 trailer:

• See Also

  SRB2 v2.2 Released! [Latest Patch: v2.2.10] [Archive]

Demo 2 Preview

A preview of Demo 2 created 45 days before Demo 2's release.

• This version uses Doom Legacy's fullscreen mode, similarly to Demo 1.

2.0 Beta Trailer

A trailer made a year and 3 months before the release of 2.0.

The most notable differences are:

• The HUD is identical to the Final Demo 1.09.4 HUD.

• The Crawla Commander is still present at the beginning of Techno Hill Zone Act 2.

• Deep Sea Zone 2 starting stone textures are different using the brittle brick textures

• The Deep Sea Zone boss is more difficult and different with smaller platforms and being deeper, besides the electric sound is replaced by a lightning one (used in CEZ)

• There are no enemies in the trees in Castle Eggman Zone Act 1.

• Red Volcano Zone seems to be identical to its Final Demo 1.09.4 version.

• Arid Canyon Zone doesn't exist in this trailer.

• Egg Rock Zone Act 1 has a very different texture and decoration style, in the end looking more like Techno Hill Zone.

Arid Canyon Zone 2.0 Preview

A trailer made 3 months before the release of 2.0.

There are really not many differences with the final version, although they do exist.

The Eggman monitor at the beginning does not exist, and the false sky had not yet been set.

2.1 Preview Screenshots

Since 2.1 never had a trailer, many screenshots of its development have been posted:

• The HUD is the same one from 2.0.

• Knuckles still has his 2.0 sprites.

General

• Both screenshots have fewer emblems than the final 2.1, which contains 160 emblems.

• In the earlier screenshot, Dusty Wasteland is listed as "Parched Sands".

• In the earlier screenshot, all emblems have the same design with different color.

• In the later screenshot, the emblems have their respective designs but with different colors.

Techno Hill Zone

• The toxic water still uses its old texture.

• Several parts of the map have not yet been changed.

• The structure below Tails had not yet been replaced with vegetation.

• The underground route was completely redone thanks to the new slime.

Techno Hill Zone Act 2 was originally going to be updated to be easier, although it was redone for 2.1 and 2.2 due to the new slime. Instead, the old layout was moved to unlockable called Techno Legacy Zone.

• A route was added to avoid dying in toxic water.

2.2 Preview Media

Throughout the 5 years of development, many previews have been shown to the public.

February 2015 Screenshots

• Instead of a slope to get up, three springs are used instead.
• The cactuses to the right are missing.
• The tint given to the area is missing.
• There is a roof above the area.
• The "3" on the lives counter is less rounded.

• The room is darker.
• The texture used for the holes in the bridge is a rocky texture.
• Tails is using his sprites from Version 2.1.
• Most of the textures in the room are different in some way.
• The rings use their Version 2.1 sprites.

• Knuckles uses his Version 2.1 sprites.
• The christmas trees here are less geometric, looking a lot more like real ones.
• The skybox is mirrored.

February 2016 Screenshots

• The standard GFZROCK texture is used for all of the walls here.
• GFZROCK is the same as in Version 2.1.
• The grass is the same as in Version 2.1.
• Sonic uses different sprites here, later being released as "FSonic".
• All of the flowers and trees are gone.

• There is a ring monitor on top of the platform on the left.
• The standard GFZROCK texture is used for all of the walls here.
• The flowers, Crawlas, and fences use their Version 2.1 sprites.
• The skybox uses a more blue color and does not have any mountains.
• The line of three rings has one more ring here.
• There are less bushes and no trees.

• The flowers use their Version 2.1 appearance.
• The castle is farther away from the skybox viewpoint.
• The slope on the right is missing.
• More of the stage is able to be seen.

• This section is very different, now being outdoors and not using any of the new textures or gimmicks added in Version 2.2.
• The cactus sprites still use graphics from Sonic 2.
• There is a rope leading to another pathway not seen in the final game.
• Instead of some platforms with springs on spikes on them, this version uses a bridge.

September 2016 Screenshots

• The crawlas now use their Version 2.2 appearance.
• The bridge texture has flowers on it.

• The bridge texture has no nails on it.
• There are slopes on top of the dirt wall.

November 2016 Screenshots

• The skybox has been changed to a lighter shade of blue.
• Sonic's spawn position is slightly moved.
• The title cards use their Version 2.1 appearance.

• The sunflower to the left is missing.
• GFZROCK now uses its final version.
• There are no trees.

• The positions of the pillars are all different.
• The room is darker.
• The vine texture still uses its Version 2.1 appearance.
• The tree is missing.

• The entrance to the room was moved to the right.
• There is a ring monitor instead of a shield on one of the pipes.

• Parts of the room were flipped.
• The floor uses a brown texture instead of a metal one.
• Parts of the walls have dirt used instead of bricks.
• The roof and floor textures are slightly different.

• The arch leading to the room is lowered.
• There is 1 box in front of tails.
• The pipe and box textures use their Version 2.1 appearance.
• Tails now uses his final sprites.

• A platform after the waterfall was removed.
• The waterfall itself is thinner.

• The skybox uses a slightly different, more simplistic texture.
• Most of the Deep Sea Zone textures have been changed to their final versions.

• The fence texture is less detailed and resembles the fences in the Halloween Test demo.
• The chains are thinner.

• The stage and assets are all the same as Version 2.1.

November 2017 Screenshots

• The title screen looks the same as it does in Version 2.1.
• The "Control Setup" graphic uses a different font and says "Setup Controls" instead.
• Reset Camera is mapped to the equals key.
• Look Up, Look Down, Look Left, and Look Right all say "Camera" instead of "Look".

• The addon selection menu uses forward slashes instead of backslashes.

• Techno Hill Act 1's level select picture uses its Version 2.1 skybox.
• Trees are now present in Greenflower Zone.
• All of the stage select icons are different.

20th Anniversary Trailer

A trailer uploaded to YouTube on March 2, 2018 showing off a development version of v2.2.

General

• Sonic's sprites are different in this version.
• Knuckles still uses his 2.1 design.

Greenflower Zone

• The fence on the sides of the bridge has pink flowers on it.
• There is a set of 3 rings underwater not present in 2.2.
• The 3 rings on the bridge are missing.

• There are less trees on the left.
• Many of the walls have a different texture in this version.

• There are less trees and flowers in the middle.

• The rings of rings are missing.

• The skybox is more basic.
• The piece of ground on the left goes on for longer and has less trees and flowers.
• There are less trees in the middle.

Techno Hill Zone

• The button to raise the slime at the end of act 2 is in the shape of a square and not a circle

Deep Sea Zone

Castle Eggman Zone

• The spike area in a tower was completely redone.

Frozen Hillside Zone

Version 2.2 Beta 6

Sources