Today we have an exclusive interview with Mj2 the creator of the fan game Chaos Control a very unique game which takes on a very ‘stealthy’ approach to Sonic. I take a peek closer at the past, presnt and future of the game. Interview by FastFeet.

TSS: Welcome to the Sonic Stadium Mj2, I can call you mj2 right?
Mj2: Thanks, sure.

TSS: So you’re main game as far as I know is Chaos Control, tell us a little about the game and yourself.
Mj2: Well, I started Chaos Control 3 years ago. The plan for the game was to make something different, so I wanted to change the gameplay from a normal Sonic game and create a storyline that will keep the player on the edge of his/her seat.

TSS: Well originality is always something to look for in a game, what changes have been made to the game into the lead up to sage this year?
Mj2: I have remade the whole engine. I have made a much more advanced AI for the guards, they now follow you, work in teams and hunt you out. I have also added a lot more to the gameplay such as new player movements, more interactive levels (example, if you hide behind an object, the guards can now shoot the object away) and made the game much harder. One feature I am very pleased with is the ‘Wild-life’. I showed this in the SAGE trailer, the bird flying out of the bushes and waking the guard up.

TSS: Sounds brilliant tell us a little about the story of Chaos Control?
Mj2: The story, this is something I want the player to experience for themself so I cannot give too much away. After the events of Chaos Control 1, Sonic died in a blast at the Dust Hill Zone, he asked Tails for help, however it appeared Tails turned off his radio. Chaos Control 2 (the current game) is set two years after the ‘Dust Hill Event’ and has Tails returning as a leader of a military group. You play as one of the members of this group, a young fox called Raiden. Expect a lot of twists and turns, some I know will shock the player.

TSS: So what sort of secrets or additional features is the game incorporating or going to incorporate into it?
Mj2: Secrets and Additional features, 50 VR missions, 3 unlockable levels, 4 unlockable characters, art gallery, cheats 😛 and a cell shaded mode, something that really changes the look of the game. Then we have the online mode . . .

TSS: This is sounding to be one hell of a game and with 3 years in the making when is the game going to be released?
Mj2: 2004 hopefully.

TSS: I’ve noticed you’ve also contributed your efforts to other games and developer why was this?
Mj2: I started working on Chaos Control Online with Sparks to give the game a ‘team’ feel and I have always wanted to make an online game. CC Chronicles : Revolutions is to give the player a bit of background on whole story of Chaos Control, I had so many ideas what could not fit in a single game. I have also helped out other peoples games as and when they have asked me.

TSS: How long is the game going to be and how many characters can you play as, seeing as there are some completely original characters?
Mj2: The main Chaos Control series will be 3 games long. Chaos Control 1 was very short due to the fact it was basically just an introduction to the series. Chaos Control 2 is much longer, with at least 9 levels, most of these levels are split into 3 parts. Chaos Control 3 I have 7 levels planned at the moment, however I fell that CC3 will end up being the biggest game of them all. You play as Raiden and Maria mainly in Chaos Control 2, you do get to control Hardaway and Viper at some stages, as for CC3, well lets say the characters you control on that game will be a shock. You get to control all the characters from CC2 in CC:Online and in CC Chronicles : Revolutions you control ‘Slither’.

TSS: Very nice indeed. How do you feel this year’s sage has been and what has caught your eye this year?
Mj2: I have been kinda disappointed with the last two SAGE’s, people seem to be making the same old Sonic games, Eggman gets the Emeralds and it is up to Sonic to save them. What has caught my eye? Well I have been waiting (like everyone else) for STA, however I was also kinda disappointed with that, the games that I really want to see completed is Sonic Switch and Sonic XG, Shadow Team’s games look good as well, I am looking forward to seeing how they come on. I have been told SAGE 8 will be something great, so I have my fingers crossed.

TSS: I agree with that very much so. Well we’ve run out of time unfortunately anything else to say to the readers from SAGE-land? ^_^
Mj2: Thanks for all the support and feedback you have sent me, I am looking forward to releasing the game to you all. Thanks again.

No thank you Mj2 it’s been great speaking to you again, hopefully be speaking soon. Watch out for Chaos Control a very good upcoming fan game, not to be missed!

Day Two of SAGE: A New Beginning, Sonic Ultimate: New Beginnings that is! Today we have an interview with Ultrasonic the creator of this fabulous game, read on to see more info on Ultrasonics game…

TSS: Good afternoon Ultrasonic it’s a pleasure to have your company today ^_^.
US: It’s a pleasure to be your company today. Now on with the questions!

TSS: This is the first time we’ve spoken to you on Sonic Ultimate, now titled Sonic Ultimate: New Beginnings. My first question would have to be why the change in name of the game what’s so “New” about this game?
US: Well, “The New Beginings” is less telling of something new then that it actually means I went to a new begining. During mid development, my computer went to heck and I lost the game in the process. The New Beginings basically means that I started basically back at sqaure 1 with very little of an engine left.

TSS: I see, so what is left of your game engine and is there any major changes that have been implemented into the new beginnings version?
US: Well, the new beginings actually retained much of the original engine, which by the way I can’t take credit for. A few modifications have been made, such as a slightly better spindash, and the original had no sound. None, rings didn’t ring. Supersonic is being implemented but is early right now, but a nice flame effect is finished for him but more spriting is necessary.

TSS: So what sort of a storyline have you cooked up for us in the game?
US: Well, I wanted something extremely basic. Not as detailed as some of the other things out there. The story was also cooked up to represent the random levels system in game. Eggman has found a chaos Emerald, which he has used to power a machine which changes zones. Sonic now has to find his way to eggman without knowing wheres he’s going. The random levels system amy be simplified due to space restrictions. One level and it’s already about 5 megs.

TSS: That does present problems for people who want to download it. I’ve noticed that there are some secrets already included in the game such as the Hidden Palace Zone can we expect to see similar secrets in the full game?
US: Oh god without secrets my game would be like all the other games out there which have failed! I’m planning a ton of secrets which may end up also linking to my comic series The Sonic Chronicles. Supersonic is a given, and you may find some TSS favorites including one of my good buddies Dread. I’ll be in there as well, and many more secret levels are also planned.

TSS: Ah so nothings to be leaked until the release ^_^. The game handles fairly nicely when played what sort of improvements could you inflict upon the game in the near future?
US: Well, probably an easier wall jump. Dread seems to say it’s hard to do but it’s easier. I also noticed it takes 500 miles just to stop from braking, and you get flung miles away when you get hit. I’m also considering a completely new set of graphics. Sonic’s has already been completed but other then Sonic I have no clue about new graphics everywhere.

TSS: So any new characters for the furture at all?
US: Well, plans for Tails and Knuckles are being made, and many secret characters are also being planned. No details on them yet because they’re on paper at the moment.

TSS: I see very interesting I shall have to watch out for any new developments.So how long and how big should I say is the final product going to be, and is there any sort of release date at all?
US: Release date? I’m not going to give a release date because I have no clue. The way I see it is it’s released when it’s released. You’l know when, but expect the final product to be huge at the rate it’s going. Not just game wise but size wise. It’s already 5 megs!

TSS: Well I’m looking forward to the final product just last couple of questions, what have you thought of this years sage compared to previous years?
US: Well, I’ve only been to one othe a few years ago, and I only went there to see SRB2. This could be considered my first SAGE in most ways.

TSS: Anything else you’d like to share with us about Sonic Ultimate: New Beginnings?
US: There’s a chance that something huge will happen with it soon, but theres also a chance of it not happening. Chances are getting higher, but trust me that you’ll definately know if it happens. The SSMB will definately know because I’ll brag myself to death if it happens.

TSS: Good good, Ultrasonic it’s been a pleasure chatting to you about Sonic Ultimate New Beginnings, hope we can do this again some time.
US: Me too. You’ll be chatting with me again about something else should that big thing happen. Trust me.

Our first peep to interview about this SAGE on is Myst Hedgehog, who is the developer of Sonic: Eternal Rings. We spoke to him last year about the same game, and you can read it back in the SAGE archives. This year we catch up with the dude about progress on the game, new additions and feelings on the current event…

TSS: Myst Hedgehog, it’s a pleasure to meet up with you again to have this cosy lil’ chat.
M: My pleasure really.

TSS: So, the last time we spoke – which was back about March 2002’s SAGE, you were showcasing Sonic: Eternal Rings. How did things go for the popularity of the game after the SAGE event, after I interviewed you?
M: Well, the game got some good comments, some bad comments, nothing too special. There’s also the fact that I didn’t release anything between that SAGE and this SAGE, apart from some buggy engine tests and some screenshots.

TSS: Sonic Eternal Rings in this year’s SAGE went a makeover in engine, didn’t it? How much of the game did you change since your last SAGE appearance?
M: Since last SAGE, Sonic Eternal Rings as changed a lot. And by a lot, I mean A LOT =P! There have been plot changes, sprite changes, gamplay changes, I went through several different engines… you get the point.

TSS: Explain a bit more about the engine. What was it about the old S:ER engine that you felt uncomfortable with? I thought it wasn’t too bad myself.
M: Well, I didn’t feel satisfied with the engine at the time, because I was constantly playing games whose engines were a lot better than mine. Also, the engine was made in TGF’s pre-built platform movement, and was too limited for what I had in mind for the game. Also, I heard at the time about this type of movement called static, which was apparently much more powerful than platform. And I wanted to check that personally =P

TSS: Cool. Anything that you can reveal about the story of the game? You say also that you have changed plot elements of the game, but does that mean you’ve completely rewritten the story too, or just parts?
M: Well, I just made the plot a little more complex. I really didn’t have a good excuse to include the Eternal Rings in the game at it’s early stages, and since I couldn’t find a better name for the game, I thought I’d better come up with an half-decent storyline. As for details on the story… Well, it’s kind of related with the story of S3&K, because it deals with the events after the fall of the Death Egg. And that’s all you get from me.

TSS: Heh, ok fair enough. While playing the game I noticed that there were unbreakable walls in the demo (I was playing it just now, BTW ;P). Does that mean there will be another character? Are those walls for Knuckles to break, or perhaps a new face? Or does it even contain unlockable secrets? We must know! ^_^
M: Hehe, I thought about explaining in a readme, but I was too lazy and thought it would be better if people found out all by themselves. Actually, you can break the walls in the demo. I’m going to give you a little tip. Next to the first wall of the level, there should be a spring. Use it to go to a platform a keep walking right from there until you find… you’ll see =P

TSS: Ahhhhh… sounds very interesting ;P You mention gameplay changes. Care to tell more about this aspect of the game? Or does it simply mean more baddies and better bosses and level design?
M: Well, it’s basicly what you pointed out, but I’m trying to include original features in every level, much like in S3&K, to add more variety to the game. This is basically your oldskool game. Oh, and there’s grinding too, don’t forget =P

TSS: Ah, I see. How well do you feel that S:ER is progressing? Do you see it being finished soon?
M: Well, I think the game is progressing really well. Some level layouts are already done, the engine just needs some fine-tuning. Not sure when it will be done, but maybe sometime next year. Only time will tell.

TSS: I’ll be waiting for that. Will there be any other characters playable other than Sonic in the final version? And how long will the game be roughly, in stages? Average Sonic game length?
M: Tails will be a playable character in the full game, maybe even in the next demo. I’d include Knuckles too, but I can’t fit him in the storyline so far, but we’ll see… as for stages, yes, it’ll be your avarage Sonic game length, with 7 zones and one hidden zone you can only access if you have the 7 Chaos Emeralds =P

TSS: Tasty. Finally, as we are coming to the close of the interview, what do you think of SAGE this year? Any favourite games on show that have caught your eye?
M: Oh yes, SAGE was much better this year than it has been in the past year. We really got some nice games like Sonic & Ice, Sonic XG (my favorite), and Sonic Slash. And of course there was Sonic Time Attacked. The concept for this year’s SAGE was interesting too, and mostly unexpected =P

TSS: Sonic XG was very good, as was STA. Any last words about your game you’d like to say before we depart?
M: Well, watch out for the game next SAGE, as there are some MAJOR changes taking place right now, and not involving just my game, but another TKgames game. And I’ll leave you at that =P

TSS: Myst Hedgehog, thanks an awful lot for sharing your time with us.
M: Hehe, no problem.