Sonic Generations
Developers | |
---|---|
Sonic Team | |
Windows | Devil's Details |
Publishers | |
Sega | |
Engines | |
Hedgehog Engine | |
Release dates | |
Windows | November 1, 2011 |
Reception | |
Metacritic | 77 |
IGDB | 75 |
Taxonomy | |
Monetization | DLC |
Modes | Singleplayer |
Pacing | Real-time |
Perspectives | Third-person, Side view |
Controls | Direct control |
Genres | Platform, Action |
Art styles | Cartoon |
Themes | Fantasy |
Series | Sonic the Hedgehog |
⤏ Go to series page | |
Sonic the Hedgehog fangames (series) | |
Sonic CD | 1995 |
Sonic's Schoolhouse | 1996 |
Sonic 3D Blast (series) | |
Sonic & Knuckles Collection | 1997 |
Sonic R (series) | |
Sonic Adventure (series) | |
Sonic Heroes | 2004 |
Sonic Mega Collection Plus | 2006 |
Sonic Riders | 2006 |
Sonic Racing (series) | |
Sonic the Hedgehog | 2010 |
Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine | 2010 |
Sonic Spinball | 2010 |
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 | 2011 |
Sonic 3 & Knuckles | 2011 |
Sonic Generations | 2011 |
Sonic CD (2012) | 2012 |
Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I | 2012 |
Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II | 2012 |
Sonic Dash | 2014 |
Sonic Lost World | 2015 |
Sonic Mania | 2017 |
Sonic Forces | 2017 |
Sonic the Hedgehog (mobile decompilation) | 2021 |
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (mobile decompilation) | 2021 |
Sonic Colors: Ultimate | 2021 |
Sonic Origins | 2022 |
Sonic Frontiers | 2022 |
The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog | 2023 |
Sonic Superstars | 2023 |
Sonic Dream Team | 2023 |
Sonic X Shadow Generations | 2024 |
Sonic Generations is a single-player 3D platformer developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega. The game was intended as a celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise, with it featuring the play-styles and character designs of two different eras of Sonic ("Classic" and "Modern") and levels spanning the franchise from 1991 to 2010.[1]
The PC version of the game was released on November 4, 2011 on Steam, with Europe and Australia exclusively receiving a physical release. Unlike the console versions, the PC version removes the unlockable (emulated) copy of the original Sonic the Hedgehog (1991).
On September 29, 2016, all Steam users received the Casino Night DLC (an in-game pinball mini-game) for free[2].; this DLC was initially an exclusive GameStop pre-order bonus for the console versions that was later made available for purchase on Steam.
Sonic Generations features an active modding community; players have produced a variety of mods for the game’s stages, models, visual effects, audio, and animations. One such notable mod is the Unleashed Project, which ports the 9 "daytime" stages from Sonic Unleashed into the game[3] (replacing the vanilla stages).
Various mods that enhance the vanilla game are highly recommended, even for a first playthrough. These mods include HQ pre-rendered cutscenes, increased shadow resolution, and HUD upscales. See Essential Improvements and Modifications sections for more information.
General information
- Sonic Retro - A large fan website dedicated to the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise. Various mods for all the games can be found here.
- Steam Community Discussions
Availability
Source | DRM | Notes | Keys | OS |
---|---|---|---|---|
Retail | Europe only. | |||
Amazon.com | ||||
Humble Store | ||||
Steam |
DLC and expansion packs
Name | Notes | |
---|---|---|
Casino Night Zone | As of 29/09/2016, all PC Players receive this DLC for free, but is still purchasable. |
Essential improvements
Improved Renderer
Direct3D 9 Ex (Optimized Renderer) |
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- Works with any display resolution. The only limits are your monitor and D3D9. |
Quickstep sound fix
Fix for Modern Sonic's bugged quickstep sound |
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Notes
|
Skip intro videos
Startup logo removal mod[4] |
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Game data
Configuration file(s) location
System | Location |
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Windows | <path-to-game>\*.cfg[Note 1] |
Steam Play (Linux) | <SteamLibrary-folder>/steamapps/compatdata/71340/pfx/[Note 2] |
Save game data location
System | Location |
---|---|
Windows | <Steam-folder>\userdata\<user-id>\71340\ |
Steam Play (Linux) | <SteamLibrary-folder>/steamapps/compatdata/71340/pfx/[Note 2] |
Save game cloud syncing
System | Native | Notes |
---|---|---|
Steam Cloud | Approx. 100 MB available. |
Video
Graphics feature | State | WSGF | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Widescreen resolution | See the WSGF entry for aspect ratios besides 16:9. | ||
Multi-monitor | See the WSGF entry. | ||
Ultra-widescreen | See the WSGF entry. | ||
4K Ultra HD | |||
Field of view (FOV) | See Field of view (FOV). | ||
Windowed | See Windowed. | ||
Borderless fullscreen windowed | See Windowed. | ||
Anisotropic filtering (AF) | See the glossary page for potential workarounds. | ||
Anti-aliasing (AA) | FXAA. Nvidia users can force SGSSAA in Nvidia Profile Inspector with the 0x084010C5 anti-aliasing flag. |
||
Vertical sync (Vsync) | |||
60 FPS | Capped at 60FPS, with cutscenes being capped at 30 FPS. See Frame rate (FPS). | ||
120+ FPS | See Frame rate (FPS). | ||
High dynamic range display (HDR) | Enable the HDR option in the configuration menu in Skyth's Direct3D 9 Ex mod |
Windowed
Force windowed through DxWnd[citation needed] |
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Notes
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Force windowed through Direct3D 9 Ex (Optimized Renderer) mod |
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Notes
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Field of view (FOV)
Change FOV with Flawless Widescreen[citation needed] |
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Hex edit .exe files[citation needed] |
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Notes
|
Frame rate (FPS)
Remove 60 FPS Cap on Gameplay[citation needed] |
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Step 1 - Change Hex Values
Step 2 - Change Binary Values
Notes
|
Remove 30FPS Cap on Cutscenes[citation needed] |
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Step 1 - Change Hex Values
Step 2 - Change Binary Values
Notes
|
Input
Keyboard and mouse | State | Notes |
---|---|---|
Remapping | Keys must be bound to a virtual Xbox 360 Controller. The game will display the matching gamepad buttons instead of keyboard keys in the tooltips. Certain keys, such as ⇧ Shift, Ctrl, and Alt cannot be bound. |
|
Mouse acceleration | ||
Mouse sensitivity | ||
Mouse input in menus | Only for external configuration tool. | |
Mouse Y-axis inversion | ||
Controller | ||
Controller support | XInput controllers only. | |
Full controller support | ||
Controller remapping | See the glossary page for potential workarounds. | |
Controller sensitivity | ||
Controller Y-axis inversion |
Controller types |
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XInput-compatible controllers | ||
---|---|---|
Xbox button prompts | ||
Impulse Trigger vibration |
PlayStation controllers | Use DS4Windows. | |
---|---|---|
PlayStation button prompts | Download HedgeModManager and use this mod | |
Light bar support | ||
Adaptive trigger support | ||
DualSense haptic feedback support | ||
Connection modes |
Generic/other controllers | Enable the other controller support options in Steam's controller controller settings | |
---|---|---|
Button prompts |
Additional information | ||
---|---|---|
Controller hotplugging | ||
Haptic feedback | On by default, no apparent way to disable it. | |
Digital movement supported | ||
Simultaneous controller+KB/M |
Audio
Audio feature | State | Notes |
---|---|---|
Separate volume controls | ||
Surround sound | Auto configures up to 5.1 output.[5] | |
Subtitles | ||
Closed captions | ||
Mute on focus lost |
Localizations
Language | UI | Audio | Sub | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
English | ||||
French | ||||
German | ||||
Italian | Has some translation issues. | |||
Japanese | ||||
Spanish | Castilian. | |||
Russian | Fan translation, available here. | |||
Brazilian Portuguese | Fan translation, available here. | |||
Latin American Spanish | Fan translation, available here. |
VR support
3D modes | State | GG3D | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Native 3D | Side-by-side | |||
Nvidia 3D Vision | See Helix Mod: Sonic Generations for improved support. | |||
TriDef 3D | ||||
iZ3D | ||||
vorpX | G3D User created game profile, see vorpx forum profile introduction. |
Issues fixed
Issues with Nvidia Optimus laptops
Method 1: "Extend Desktop" Fix[citation needed] |
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Method 2: "Config File Edit" Fix[6] |
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Do not manually edit this file, use the configuration tool. NVIDIA GeForce GT 555M \\.\DISPLAY1 1600.900.60 1 1 1 1 0 d7b78e66-4256-11cf-fd56-b424b7c2c535 1515474505 Notes
|
Low FPS
Lag in-game[6] |
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Configuration Tool does not open/crashes
Config tool crashing[citation needed] |
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Notes
|
Crash on startup
Set sound quality to 24 bit, 48000 Hz[citation needed] |
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Other possible solutions[citation needed] |
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|
Critical Error
- Complete error states
The detected configuration does not match your current hardware. Please run the configuration tool.
Delete config files and re-run config tool[citation needed] |
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|
Crash when trying to play online ranking mode
Instructions[citation needed] |
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|
Modern Sonic's Quickstep sound doesn't play
See Quickstep fix in Essential Improvements section |
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Other information
API
Technical specs | Supported | Notes |
---|---|---|
Direct3D | 9 | |
Shader Model support | 3 |
Executable | 32-bit | 64-bit | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Windows |
Middleware
Middleware | Notes | |
---|---|---|
Physics | Havok | |
Audio | Criware |
Modifications
- Various mods provide gameplay and graphical enhancements that are strongly recommended, even for a first play-through.
- Users of Nvidia GPUs utilizing the Turing architecture will encounter issues with some stage mods.[7]
Mod Managers
HedgeModManager
- Mod manager for all Hedgehog Engine titles. Required for all non-exe mods.
- Features more functions than SonicGMI, such as a code loader and ability to automatically update mods.
- Compatible with DLL-based mods, eliminating the need of additional modified game executables.
- Some older mods have issues running in HedgeModManager. If this is the case, use SonicGMI instead.[8]
- Ensure "Enable save file redirection" is checked in HedgeModManager so that the mod uses its own save file called "cpkredir.sav", instead of "sonic.sav" which is linked to the Steam Cloud. That will avoid save file progress being accidentally overwritten or lost.
- Older mods may still be able to run in HedgeModManager by editing the "mod.ini" file inside mod folders. The "IncludeDir0=" code is what causes older mods to not run in HMM. When that code tries to specify a location, for example (IncludeDir0="./mods/Sonic 2006 Voice (Sonic)") it won't run because the location specifications is made to work with SonicGMI and not HMM. Changing it so it only shows (IncludeDir0=".") solves the problem and makes the older mods fully compatible with HedgeModManager.
SonicGMI
- Compatible with older mods that have difficulty running in HedgeModManager.[8]
- Not compatible with mods that inject custom code into the game.
Recommended for a first play-through
- The following mods enhance the vanilla experience without bugging aspects of the game.
HD pre-rendered cutscenes
- Replaces the PC version's 480p pre-rendered cutscenes with the PlayStation 3 version's 720p ones.
- Requires the "1280x720 Media Player" code to be enabled from HedgeModManager, as a simple file replacement will crash the game.
- Video demo from author available here.
Missing Cutscene for Casino Night DLC
- Restores the missing intro cutscene for the Casino Night DLC, which was present in the console versions but absent from the PC version.
- Video demo from author available here.
High-Res HUD
- Remasters the HUD elements for higher resolutions.
PlayStation Prompts
- Replaces the Xbox controller button-prompts with their DualShock equivalents, as well as voice-clips & video files referencing the Xbox buttons.
- Utilizes the official icons, voice files and video files ripped from the PlayStation 3 version of the game.
High-Resolution Shadows
- A hex modification to the executable which increases the game's shadow resolution.
- Only applies to shadows cast by dynamic objects, not those that are baked into the textures themselves.
- May impact performance.
- Included as a toggleable code in HedgeModManager.
Not recommended for a first play-through
- The following mods increase visual fidelity at the cost of breaking certain visual aspects of the game. Better FxPipeline is the main graphical overhaul mod for Generations; the mod's developer Skyth states on the mod page: "As time goes on, all the problems will eventually be fixed."
Better FxPipeline
- Aims to fix the leftover Sonic Unleashed renderer found within Sonic Generations's files.
- Enables support for features that the vanilla renderer does not support, such as true directional shadows and light-shafts.
- Minimal-to-no performance impact.
- Features the ability to toggle between the Sonic Unleashed and Sonic Generations shader styles.
- Still receives updates (as of 2021)
- Currently breaks certain visual aspects of the game; such as character portraits not appearing in the collection room, the "color restoration" effect of hub-world being broken, and a blur appearing in front of Sonic when FPS is not equal to 60.
Soft Shadows
- Requires Better FxPipeline.
- Features two levels ("Soft" and "Softer")
- May impact performance.
Graphics Overhaul
- Alternative to "Better FxPipeline" (doesn't contain the same bugs, however contains considerably less improvements & features, and is not being worked on anymore)
- The game renders generic shadows at 90° angles; this mod enables true directional shadows and light shafts, among additional graphical tweaks.
- Minimal-to-no performance impact.
- Also includes a version for the "Unleashed Project".
- Lighting is inconsistent, with some areas making Sonic appear far too dark (e.g. Chemical Plant: Act 2)
- Hub world is given an emanating, bright glow (straying from the original style).
Miscellaneous
Unleashed Project
- Ports the 9 "daytime" stages from Sonic Unleashed into the game, replacing the original Generations stages.
- Features graphical and gameplay tweaks, as well as a custom hub-world.
- Does not work out-of-the-box on NVIDIA Turing GPUs. However a workaround has fixed this.
System requirements
Windows | ||
---|---|---|
Minimum | Recommended | |
Operating system (OS) | XP, Vista | 7 |
Processor (CPU) | Intel Pentium Dual-Core T4200 2.0 GHz | Intel Core i5 2.66 GHz AMD Phenom II X4 3.0 GHz |
System memory (RAM) | 2 GB (XP) 3 GB (Vista, 7) |
3 GB |
Hard disk drive (HDD) | 11 GB | |
Video card (GPU) | Nvidia GeForce 8800 ATI Radeon HD 2900 512 MB of VRAM DirectX 9 compatible | Nvidia GeForce GTX 460 ATI Radeon HD 5850 1 GB of VRAM |
Notes
- ↑ When running this game without elevated privileges (Run as administrator option), write operations against a location below
%PROGRAMFILES%
,%PROGRAMDATA%
, or%WINDIR%
might be redirected to%LOCALAPPDATA%\VirtualStore
on Windows Vista and later (more details). - ↑ 2.0 2.1 Notes regarding Steam Play (Linux) data:
- File/folder structure within this directory reflects the path(s) listed for Windows and/or Steam game data.
- Games with Steam Cloud support may also store data in
~/.steam/steam/userdata/<user-id>/71340/
. - Use Wine's registry editor to access any Windows registry paths.
- The app ID (71340) may differ in some cases.
- Treat backslashes as forward slashes.
- See the glossary page for details on Windows data paths.
References
- ↑ Sonic Generations announced - last accessed on 2021-07-17
- ↑ Casino Night DLC now free for all Sonic Generations owners - last accessed on 2021-07-17
- ↑ Sonic Generations: Unleashed Project Mod Released, March 19, 2013 - last accessed on 2021-07-17
- ↑ Steam Community :: Guide :: Mods for Sonic Generations
- ↑ PC Gaming Surround Sound Round-up
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Setting Up, Troubleshooting, Configuring and Optimizing the Game – Noob & Pro Guide
- ↑ Unleashed Project • Issue #42 • thesupersonic16/HedgeModManager • GitHub
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 What's the difference between HedgeModManager and SonicGMI? :: Sonic Generations General Discussions