Four old-school legends of the Sonic the Hedgehog online community are “getting the band back together” to reminisce about the origins of classic Sonic game research and modding at an upcoming retro gaming convention.

Andy Wolan, Rlan, SSNTails and Saxman – each of them original alumni of the Sonic Stuff Research Group (SSRG) website that has been in operation since 1996 – will be guest speakers at two panels during the Retro World Expo in Hartford, CT.

One panel will focus on the history of the SSRG website (which is generally considered the birthplace of classic Sonic game modding and research) and the journey it has gone through over the last few decades, while another will be a general overview of modding and the origins of community efforts to research classic Sonic titles.

While the panels should be interesting for anyone who wants to know more about the Sonic modding scene of the late 1990s and 2000s, the guests themselves are also noteworthy for their contributions to the Sonic online Community.

Andy Wolan was the co-founder of SSRG, as well as the creator of early-2000s popular retro game website Emulation Zone, while Rlan is best known as the creator of Sonic Fan Games HQ and current operator of the ‘Sonic the Hedgeblog’ social media accounts. SSNTails is the co-creator of Sonic Robo Blast 2, arguably the most iconic Sonic fan game ever made, while Saxman is the creator of many famous modding guides for Sonic 1, Sonic 2 and Sonic 3 & Knuckles.

If you’re interested in turning up, the Retro World Expo takes place on August 26-27 in the Connecticut Convention Center. Tickets start at $40 for Saturday and $30 for Sunday attendance, with various packages available.