176 replies to this topic

[animejosse]

Wohoo! I'll happily do it, it's the least we can do TRAViS thank you!

[Bonzi77]

Yay Travis!

[DiGi Valentine]

Just pasting what i said on the previous page just so some people don't miss this post.
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Ok people. TRAViS has just told me he's going to go for it and buy it. So, this community is about to own the Beta version of NiGHTS into Dreams, something we've dreamed of seeing for over a decade now.

I think, to say thank you for TRAViS doing this for us, we should help pay him back some of the cash. I noticed some of you were going to pool money together but TRAViS decided to go it alone because it may have been too much trouble to get that all sorted out in time to reach the deadline. So, if you were going to put some money towards the Beta, instead put your money towards TRAViS. I think it will be a nice way to help say thanks to him.

Once the game is in TRAViS' hands and it's all in working order, TRAV can give us his paypal account details and we'll donate some money to him.
I think it's fair. TRAV was going to buy this for the community anyway. His entire savings is going on this so i think, as a fanbase, we should help pay him back. TRAV may own the disc but he's doing this for the fanbase and he's promised me to provide us with everything he finds and i trust him.

So, can we have some of that community spirit up in here and help get some of Trav's money back to him, yeah? I don't even have much money left but i'm still gonna send some money his way, too. smile.gif

Encore to TRAViS. Thank you for doing this, man.

[Sairus]

Jeez, nice goin' there TRAV, Sai'll definatly be throwing some cash your way if you drop us a paypal address.

[Hime Blue]

Good for you, TRAViS! This is an excellent day for the NiGHTS community in general.

Now, to scrounge up money. *rummages in desk drawers*

[JaxTH]

What about the other Beta? No one is going to buy it?

[DiGi Valentine]

What about the other Beta? No one is going to buy it?

There's no point. It's a near complete version of the original game and it's hardly going to have anything in there when compared to this Beta (probably).
I would rather help pay TRAV off for his effort tonight than put some money towards another disc that will most probably contain less than what TRAV is about to purchase.

Also, we will probably do that Ekairi. We'll get some funds together now for him, then when he starts sending us stuff to show us of the Beta we can make a page about it and can have a link to donate money to him, too.

[Exploding-Man]

Well its less there is no point and more that we are scraping the bottom for money for this one so it is a better gamble than the other for finding nifty stuff.

[TRAViS]

Ok people. TRAViS has just told me he's going to go for it and buy it. So, this community is about to own the Beta version of NiGHTS into Dreams, something we've dreamed of seeing for over a decade now.

I think, to say thank you for TRAViS doing this for us, we should help pay him back some of the cash. I noticed some of you were going to pool money together but TRAViS decided to go it alone because it may have been too much trouble to get that all sorted out in time to reach the deadline. So, if you were going to put some money towards the Beta, instead put your money towards TRAViS. I think it will be a nice way to help say thanks to him.

Once the game is in TRAViS' hands and it's all in working order, TRAV can give us his paypal account details and we'll donate some money to him.
I think it's fair. TRAV was going to buy this for the community anyway. His entire savings is going on this so i think, as a fanbase, we should help pay him back. TRAV may own the disc but he's doing this for the fanbase and he's promised me to provide us with everything he finds and i trust him.

So, can we have some of that community spirit up in here and help get some of Trav's money back to him, yeah? I don't even have much money left but i'm still gonna send some money his way, too.

Encore to TRAViS. Thank you for doing this, man.

It really is like a dream come true. I can't believe this is happening.

The transaction is taking place tomorrow afternoon once I get the cash into my debit account. It's going to drx who's then going to send it my way.

It feels really good having finally given something back to the community. I may not have been here very long but I was determined to leave my mark. This will most definitely be it. As DiGi said, this is going to be tough for me to foot and any amount of money that can come my way after tomorrow will be much appreciated. I'll give out the details once everything's cleared.

I can't wait for this. This is surreal.

[drx]

This is great. If everything works, we will have preserved a truly one-of-a-kind gem. Kudos to TRAViS!

I'm glad I signed up on this forum :)

[Sairus]

I think everyone bar TRAViS's wallet is glad you joined! XD

[NNR07]

Thanks TRAViS 8DDD. I gonna have to rape you now >: *SHOTSHOTSHOT*.

I do hope there's something about Selph in there... and that it's legitimate. At least we find something new 8D!

Although, I do have to agree with what Yami said above. XD; I did have the money for it, but I didn't say anything because I wouldn't be able to get the money out of the bank in-time (Some wacky interest thing where I'd get penalized), so therefore I didn't want a lot of people getting mad at me about it >8[. It's money more for other things, anyway. Like a house.

Ooh.. XD I'm getting like a little fanboy now. Hell, I'm getting like a little fangirl 8DD *Fangirl squee* *SHOT*.

[Sa-chan]

TRAViS, you are a hero. You shall go down in fanbase history. Yes. <8D
I'll do what I can to help pay you back.

[Xenon]

HOO-WAH!!! *glomps TRAViS*

I knew you would do it man X3

*makes note to help repay TRAViS*

I can't wait to see what's gonna be on this disc.... X3 *fansquee*

[TheLostSkeleton]

Hi guys - first post here. Registered here... couple months ago? Never posted until now.

Skimmed most of the thread.

To those of you who are saying this may not be worth it and that it may not even work - of course it'll work. 40% would generally mean that most of the core gameplay is probably there (how NiGHTS controls, etc.) and probably early versions of most if not all the levels. Game design basically works like this:

Stage 1: Design document and conceptual. This is where gameplay, drawings of characters and levels are all planned out ahead of time. Almost everything is planned at this stage - bosses, their attack patterns, enemies, and how the game will look and play, down to the finest details. A good example of detailed game concept art can be found at Chris Senn's Sonic X-treme website.

Stage 2: Engine development. A test level (or test levels) are created in order to help develop the engine based on the concepts presented in the design document. This is called an Alpha. There's basically no game at this point, just an engine.

Stage 3: Once the engine is to a point where most of the features have been written, content production begins. Textures, enemies, models, levels... all begin production in large volume. Most places don't just work on one level at a time, either - depending on the size of the development team, three or more levels can be in production at any given time. This is most likely especially true on a short, somewhat simple game like NiGHTS.

Stage 4: Content creation winds down and by now, most of the concepts from Stage 1 have been transfered in to the game. Everything is tweaked and polished and obsessively tested to make sure it's fun and works properly. I've heard it's this process that usually makes up the bulk of a game's development time and that Stages 1-3 are actually the shortest and easiest parts of making a game. This stage in game development is called a Beta. Hence the widely-used term "Beta Testing". Usually, when you first see a game in a magazine or on a website, you see it at the tail-end of Alpha or the very beginning of Beta.

Stage 5: With the game properly tested and all of the biggest, nastiest bugs corrected, the game is finalized and "goes gold". Packaging is finalized, the manual is finalized, the discs enter mass production and are shipped to stores.

In most terms, "40%" doesn't sound like a lot - but in videogame terms it means that a considerable portion of the game is probably playable (just not finished) - we'll potentially end up getting a tantalizing (but buggy!) peek at lost levels, enemies, and who knows what else that was cut from the game before it hit retail shelves.

[ayamemaiden]

This is awesome! Omg, I don't have words to say right now!

Squeeeeeeee!

Although I have to wait until next paycheck to donate. D:

[Kori]

Whoo! Way to go TRAViS! Congrats on making your mark, we won't forget you for this! :3 I work for the bank, and I know how big an investment this is. Going by TheLostSkeleton's post, I'm betting this baby's gonna be worth it, and we'll do everything we can to pay you back!

Can I get a chorus of fansquees, dreamers? YEEEE!!

[The wise Kitsune]

TRAAAAAAAViiiiiiSSSSS!!!!! YOU ARE THE LIGHT AT THE END OF MY TUNNEL! (That is a really good thing)

[ayamemaiden]

Whoo! Way to go TRAViS! Congrats on making your mark, we won't forget you for this! :3 I work for the bank, and I know how big an investment this is. Going by TheLostSkeleton's post, I'm betting this baby's gonna be worth it, and we'll do everything we can to pay you back!

Can I get a chorus of fansquees, dreamers? YEEEE!!

YEEEEE!

[Sairus]

we'll potentially end up getting a tantalizing (but buggy!) peek at lost levels, enemies, and who knows what else that was cut from the game before it hit retail shelves.

Why'll what you've said is true, I think it's also important that people don't raise their hopes too high over this. There is a strong chance there will be nothing of interest on the disk, so it's probably better if people don't start assuming this the the Holy Grail of NiGHTS fandom.
It still is awesome though, so again, fair f**ks to you, TRAV.

(And remember guys, TRAViS is pretty much always in the chatroom, so head in and give him some love! XD [/shameless plug])

[TRAViS]

Tomorrow can't roll around fast enough. I'll be at my bank first thing in the morning after class and I will literally drain my life's savings ($1700 in the account as of right now). It's worth every penny. I'll keep this thread updated on what happens starting tomorrow.

I want to thank drx for coming to the forum with this offer. I want to thank DiGi and TRiPPY for their support behind me this entire time. And I want to thank every last one of you for giving me a reason to get this. If I never found this place I wouldn't be the addict I am today and would've let this slip as if it were nothing.

I'm so glad this is all happening. Soon we're all going to be able to take a look at one of the rarest pieces of software in gaming history.

[Exu]

Just as well Travis showed up, because I haven't won the lottery yet. (SOME DAY, CAMELOT!)

I owe you a pint.

[charlie]

Congrats Travis!!!!!!!! That is truly an awesome and super rare find! I will gladly make a paypal donation when the details become available. You must be wired! I wouldn't be able to sleep tonight if I knew I was getting a beta version. Amazing!!

[liquidcross]

Wow. Just...wow. I can't wait to see this!

[Niraven]

Tomorrow can't roll around fast enough. I'll be at my bank first thing in the morning after class and I will literally drain my life's savings ($1700 in the account as of right now). It's worth every penny. I'll keep this thread updated on what happens starting tomorrow.

I want to thank drx for coming to the forum with this offer. I want to thank DiGi and TRiPPY for their support behind me this entire time. And I want to thank every last one of you for giving me a reason to get this. If I never found this place I wouldn't be the addict I am today and would've let this slip as if it were nothing.

I'm so glad this is all happening. Soon we're all going to be able to take a look at one of the rarest pieces of software in gaming history.

I think we should make a nice ceramic NiGHTS award/trophy and paint it gold and give it to TRAViS, especially after a picturesque speech/thanks like that! Seriously, I mean it!

[Tsunami]

TRAViS, you're awesome. The fandom owes you one!

[TehLazyOne]

oh god....

(cries) you have NO IDEA how much it hurts to say that i currently have nothing to contribute...

god i feel so utterly USELESS...

i have soo many money issues, including the shut down on my bank account from somebody hacking into it... im so sorry...

but i swear... when i get the chance... i will help...

Thank you so much TRAViS... (salute)

[DethManX]

Very sincere thanks to you for stepping up, TRAViS. I'll be sure to donate what I can once the PayPal link is up.

[striker0]

Oh man Travis, a thousand thank yous! Once my job situation clears up, I'll do my best to pay you back with what I can, regardless if my mom freaks or not . But as I said, a thousand thank yous. I would kiss you, but I'm not that kinda guy. So perhaps a man hug instead.

[Peter]

Congratulations - this is a most rare find indeed.

[Xay]

I probebly would help TRAViS Refil that Stupidly Big ammount of Cash he has just spent... But i neither have the money (And even if i did it'd be a Measly 20 quid anyway...) Nor i doubt would my Dear Parents let me anyway, considering it'd have to to be THEIR Paypal i'd use... But that aside;

Thank you So Much TRAViS for doing this for the Community. Im quite into Beta's of games myself (I always did find that kind of thing interesting) and the NiGHTS Beta sounds Terriffic!

[JadeMare]

OMG

OMGOMGOMGOMG *SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEE*

Incredible, absolutely frikkin incredible. PROPS TO TRAViS.

Goddamn, I wish I had something to contribute. T_T I'm completely broke.

[Tangocat777]

Hmmmm. 40% Beta? I can't imagine that it would be on a Saturn disc. Surely this means that Travis bought an uncopywrited (perfectly legal for use on an emulator) file with incredible amounts of NiGHTS history stored, correct?

Am I the only one who thinks that Travis has earned his own page linked to our main page?

[Exploding-Man]

Hmmmm. 40% Beta? I can't imagine that it would be on a Saturn disc. Surely this means that Travis bought an uncopywrited (perfectly legal for use on an emulator) file with incredible amounts of NiGHTS history stored, correct?

Eh, prototypes are a bit of a gray area. Odds are SEGA will not go after anyone's ass for it though. Don't think they busted anyone for the abundant Sonic 2 prototypes ever.

[Tangocat777]

Dang, you replied quickly.....
It could be a problem considering Sega keeps coming to this site. Last time I checked, the final version is copywrited, everything else is fair game.

[Exploding-Man]

I'm sure if they really wanted to try it there is copyrighted data on the prototype.

But I would go as far to say that SEGA would have to be extra spiteful to actually try it.

[drx]

SEGA owns the copyright for every NiGHTS file, everything worked on during the development, not just the final version. So without SEGA's permission it's technically illegal to distribute that. I have tried getting SEGA to permit me to do stuff like this before (with Sonic prototypes), but my friend at SoA told me it wouldn't be possible.

The disc also is also technically owned by SEGA (as are all prototypes) so I wouldn't brag about a proto (especially a proto like this) in front of SEGA, as they might just sue you and take the prototype from you Not that it has happened before, but it's a possibility.

That said, there shouldn't be any problems as nobody at SEGA currently cares about old games like this one =P

BTW, aside from being a prototype hunter, I am somewhat skilled in hacking and I know SH2 ASM. I will probably tackle finding hidden stuff in the game once it gets dumped. My question is, is there anyone else here who knows hacking and has hacked NiGHTS before?