[CosmicFalcon]

Depends on the game.  I wouldn't say TA53 is necessary for adv2, but you have to do sufficiently different stuff in Adventure that full completion would work.
...
I'd be pro a full Knux run through S3&K, actually - his routes are sufficiently different.
...
Not just for speed, no.  We want it to be interesting and demonstrate skill.

Agreed on all these counts. I am personally undecided on the 2P co-op control being used, though.

[The T]

I'm indifferent to the Tails control. I'm not for it, but I wouldn't be offended if we went with it.

CF, are you interested in pursuing Advance 2 without going to the final zone? I dunno, just seems weird to me to say, "Complete these games, but don't complete these ones."

I would not be opposed to a Knuckles run of S3&K, but only if we can fit it in with all the other games. IE, Knuckles should not take the place of any other Sonic games.

Same thing with Knuckles in Sonic 2, just because... it's kind of cool.

[douglas]

I'm indifferent to the Tails control. I'm not for it, but I wouldn't be offended if we went with it.

CF, are you interested in pursuing Advance 2 without going to the final zone? I dunno, just seems weird to me to say, "Complete these games, but don't complete these ones."

I would not be opposed to a Knuckles run of S3&K, but only if we can fit it in with all the other games. IE, Knuckles should not take the place of any other Sonic games.

Same thing with Knuckles in Sonic 2, just because... it's kind of cool.

If we're going for absolute completionism then I can pull out runs for all the adv2 chars and do TA53, although I'm not looking forward to re-learning the special stage routes if I'm honest (actually, can I have a crack at a pure-speed run too?  I reckon I could bring it home in under 30 minutes total time, which would make for a pretty sweet-looking run :).

Wait what - this topic has got me itching to play adv2 again.  DAMN YOU ALL AND THE FREE TIME YOU'RE GOING TO COST ME

[The T]

I think including a full run and a "speed" run at the same time would be out of place. I still recommend you try doing a speed run for SDA or something, though.

[CosmicFalcon]

Ok here's how we could avoid TA53 without creating double standards.

Look at S&K (S3&K): You can do Mushroom Hill (Angel Island) to Doomsday in one run, from a blank file. In Sonic Advance 2 you cannot do this. I say we go from booting up games with no save data to whatever the game has as a 'finish line'.

So in Classics, get the Emeralds too. Just because it's cool. However, in the case of a cock up and not all Emeralds are gotten, no restarting. Just live with it. Or don't do it. (Side note: much practicing beforehand).

In Advances, play Sonic's story. If it is feasible to get him into an extra stage without having to back out of the game and back into it, great (Adva1? I don't know how that one flies). If not, tough luck.

In modern home console games, each story is significantly different. So we play all of 'em. Heroes... well... if we get a lot of younger Sonic fans watching they'll love that anyway <_<

In various discussions around GM.com and the like, it has occurred (and been told) to me that trying to make your first marathon huge success is not very feasible. So I think we should consider making the Sonic marathon a long term goal: Sonic is what we do, this is why we're getting into the marathon scene, we won't necessarily stick around (at least as one whole unit) after it is done. To this end it might be an idea to come up with some 'warm up' marathons so to speak. Get used to doing the whole thing, get some experience, get to know the software and hardware inside out.

Relatedly, I implore you all to watch as many marathons as you can, especially ones done by different groups. It's like if you want to write: read a lot. Want to do marathons? Watch a lot.

[The T]

I guess that sounds like a plan. Leave the Advance games to be "lesser", and only cover Sonic's story in them [well, in Advance 3 I don't think there'd be any issue with switching characters around whenever the player feels like it, but]. Heroes, though, yeah. Kind of fits into both categories there. Each one has it's own "story' but each one is also exactly the same, so... it can bo either way, only covering Team Sonic's story or covering all 4.

I think that, if we stir up a lot of commotion before hand about how many games we'll be doing, if we post on forums and make a name for ourselves, things like that, it shouldn't be hard to get at least 50 people in when the run "begins" and more as it goes on. But that could be wishful thinking.

[Combo]

I'm indifferent to the Tails control. I'm not for it, but I wouldn't be offended if we went with it.

CF, are you interested in pursuing Advance 2 without going to the final zone? I dunno, just seems weird to me to say, "Complete these games, but don't complete these ones."

I would not be opposed to a Knuckles run of S3&K, but only if we can fit it in with all the other games. IE, Knuckles should not take the place of any other Sonic games.

Same thing with Knuckles in Sonic 2, just because... it's kind of cool.

If we're going for absolute completionism then I can pull out runs for all the adv2 chars and do TA53, although I'm not looking forward to re-learning the special stage routes if I'm honest (actually, can I have a crack at a pure-speed run too?  I reckon I could bring it home in under 30 minutes total time, which would make for a pretty sweet-looking run :).

Wait what - this topic has got me itching to play adv2 again.  DAMN YOU ALL AND THE FREE TIME YOU'RE GOING TO COST ME

I wanted to do a SS speedrun :(. I wouldnt like to try to learn the paths for the Special Rings but it might be fun O.o . Also glad to know your going to start playing adv2.

[ChaoRC]

I wanted to do a SS speedrun :(. I wouldnt like to try to learn the paths for the Special Rings but it might be fun O.o . Also glad to know your going to start playing adv2.

I've memorized the pathways for the SP rings in Advance 2. Should I do it? :o

[Shadow Jacky]

I wouldn't have a problem playing heroes for that long >_>

[CosmicFalcon]

From the sounds of what we hope to achieve, setting the goal at 100 hours doesn't seem too farfetched.

I personally will try to get involved in at least some kind of broadcasting before this goes off... I want to get to know what's going on well.

Tentative Sonic-a-thon date: On or around 23rd June. If you don't get why, look it up (and shame on you).

[SonicAD]

Obviously, because June 23rd is my birthday.  >_>

[Groudon]

Because June 23rd is the day that TSC will be 68 months old, duh!

[Shadow Jacky]

*avoids the obvious*

[Taillow]

Rolken's anniversary?  No wait, that was 7/7...

* Taillow shot.

Also I agree with what CF said about game details.

[The T]

CF, I looked back at the original post, and I just wanted to say that, personally, I much prefer the idea of doing the games in release order rather than some semi-arbitrary "chronological" order. With that said, I see it much more likely that the order won't really be very exact with multiple groups playing. People need to sleep at different time zones and meh.

[CosmicFalcon]

CF, I looked back at the original post, and I just wanted to say that, personally, I much prefer the idea of doing the games in release order rather than some semi-arbitrary "chronological" order. With that said, I see it much more likely that the order won't really be very exact with multiple groups playing. People need to sleep at different time zones and meh.

I've been thinking about this. Release order is nice because we get to 'see' the development of the series from the classic games to the not-so-classic games to the downright crap.

When I concocted that chronology though, I quite liked the alternation of handheld/home console titles. Keeps it varied. But I guess we'll still get something to that effect in release order? I shall check the list again.

[Spinballwizard]

To answer what T said earlier I wouldn't mind doing Mean Bean somewhere. </waylate>

[The T]

I'm for adding Mean Bean and Pinball Party if people want to do them.

[Combo]

mean bean was a fun game.

[Shadow Jacky]

I only beat Mean Bean once...I suck at it.

[Spinballwizard]

I don't.

[yse]

Wait.

SBW.

Not sucking.

SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT.

[P.P.A.]

Phh, that isn't that impressive. I also beat Satan multiple times in Puyo Puyo.

[General Throatstomper]

I'm in on this, if nothing else I'll provide color commentary and police the channel...though if we've got some folks in the Northeast forming a group, I'll show up.

If it's just me by my lonesome, I'd take it upon myself to clear classic as Sonic in Brawl (...maybe intense boss battles and tt's too? Perhaps I could get in contact with a pro Sonic for a few dittos or even a token Mario/Sonic standoff, I understand we want to keep Smash's bit short and sweet, but all the same I think it would be entertaining) since that's more of a diversion and doesn't necessitate the presence of a congregation, while at the same time not running into more complex things other players will be doing.

Anyways, this is meant as an exhibition, so we should consider the audience and more clearly define our goal. Right now, we're at an unhealthy middle of "flashy with skills but raw completion too". Seeing someone clear Sonic Advance 2 as Sonic in a flash is great fun, as is watching Sonic explore the subtler nuances of the game, but the hackneyed combination of "watch Sonic run as fast as he can on a rigidly described route and then excrutiatingly clear several special stages" isn't so hot. Pick a crowd, and stick with it.

On the note of games requiring multiple playthroughs as different characters to unlock the final bosses: why not have a few players synchronize their runs with game saves at different points upon which each character is unlocked? For example, in Advance 2 one player would run through Leaf Forest as Sonic from the beginning while another has a file with Leaf Forest Zone completed and simultaneously plays through the game, yet another playing with Tails loading from Ice Palace, etc. with a split feed broadcasting everything...for a really trippy effect, each run as a different character could begin exactly when the Sonic player 'unlocks' them by clearing the zone in which they appear. If nothing else,  I think the idea of premade saves should be carried over for 'last' stories in the like, nothing's lost in transition just because one or two bits of grinding weren't done.

I'd say more, but I'm drained, and I hope it shows.

[CosmicFalcon]

Can we get some thoughts on completion times for each game? For games where we haven't yet finely defined "completion", give an array of times for different levels of completion, if you will.

[Axon]

I can do Tails Adventures. Here's one of my runs.

http://www.justin.tv/axon64/b/302334525