Forums → Programming Forum → Sonny: Genesis [Sonny Fan Game]

Back when the first Sonny hit the internet I was hooked;
I didn't develop games back then, but it's one of those games
that sparked my interest for the profession.
Now, it's time for me to create a tribute.

Sonny: Genesis is the next big project I've set for myself.
It'll cover much unexplored territory for me,
and is a perfect opportunity to grow as a developer.

Sonny: Genesis
The game takes place in the same universe as the original
flash games, but will feature a brand new cast of characters.
This doesn't necessarily mean you won't see familiar faces

The gameplay will be very similar to the flash games, with the
addition of some new battle mechanics. This means it'll be
characterised by turn-based combat, and broken up by 'roaming'
sections where you'll be able to outfit your characters and
purchase new gear.

Sonny: Genesis is being developed as a standalone
game for the PC platform; this means it won't run inside
a browser like the originals. Porting the game to HTML
or mobile is not something I currently plan to do.

Planned Features
- 3 (Playable) classes with unique skill trees and playstyles:
The Combatant, Illusionist and Sentinel.
- 5 Story Zones + Post-Game Content
- Side quests
- Fully voice-acted
- Illustrated story cutscenes
- Online leaderboards and achievements

Community
I love involving fellow fans of the series in the creative process.
That's why I encourage anyone to post their ideas and suggestions;
several have already made it into the game!

I'll also be holding multiple creative contests throughout development;
winners of these contests will see their name and contributions added
to the final version of the game!

Previous contests:
Armor Design
Winners: @spaceskeleton @jonathannanhu and @Koshionos

Very early Screenshots & Artwork:

All of these are subject to change!

(Inventory)

(Ability screen)

(Base character)

(Idle Animation)

(Healthbar)

(Skill Icons)

I need Playtesters!
As a playtester you'll recieve unfinished builds of the game
in various stages of development, with the task of helping me
find bugs & glitches and providing feedback.
I'll try to strip these builds down to include as few story elements
as possible, in an effort to minimize spoiling the finished version.
I can't promise that they will all be spoiler-free though.

At first it'll mostly be about trying to find the most enjoyable
game loop and working out any bugs and quirks on different machines.
Then we'll move on to balancing the different classes and abilities.
I fully realise everyone's got a life, so there are no deadlines
and you can always take your time.

I need an Artist!
As you've probably seen, my art is mediocre at best.
That's why I'm looking for a skilled artist that's willing to help
me bring this project to life, and speed up the development!

Again, there will be no set-in-stone deadlines; as this is a fan
project and everyone's doing it on their own time. You'll of course
be credited for your work, both in-game and on the forums.

If you're interested in bringing this project to life,
you may send samples of your work to: SonnyFanGame@gmail.com
If you know anyone that might be interested,
you may refer them to this thread.

Keep in mind that the story will be spoiled for you;
because you'll mostly be working on the art for the cutscenes
in-between zones!

Q&A
Will it be free?
Of course the game will be 100% free.
Besides obvious legal reasons, I always intended to create
a tribute to the games for the community; and I feel the
best way to do this is to not charge anything.
Once the game is released, I may consider adding
the option for people to be able to donate something;
this won't give you any in-game rewards or benefits,
but it allows people to support me if they want to.

What are the system requirements?
I'm always trying to optimise the game where I can,
in order for it to run smoothly on a wide variety of machines.
Final system requirements are TBD and depend on the feedback
from the playtesters.

Will players be able to duel online?
Network programming is something I sadly have very little
experience with.The closest thing to an 'Online Mode' I could
implement would be something similar to the PvP-mode
from Sonny 2; which I'm currently not focussing on.
I am planning to add online leaderboards and achievements
to the game.

What is the release date?
There's currently no release date.
You can stay up-to-date on the progress
by keeping an eye on this thread.

Feel free to ask any questions, provide feedback
or post ideas in the comments!