Techno Hill Zone: Throughout History (1998 - 2019)

Techno Hill Zone's appearance has been changed wildly in the last few years, but its earlier years contained changes which were just as drastic. In this video, you'll see scrapped betas, 20-year-old builds, lost enemies, and forgotten tracks.
This video wouldn't have been possible without Glaber supplying me with the Demo 2 betas and his resource pack, which enabled them to run.
...Honestly, part of me misses the green THZ. It looked far too similar to Greenflower Zone... but I still yearn for the wild colors of the older builds.

[@DylanDude]

Timestamps: 0:29 - SRB2 TGF (1998) 5:53 - SRB1 Christmas (1998) 9:13 - Demo 2 (2001) (Includes scrapped betas of Act 2 and Act 3) 12:10 - Demo 3 (2001) 13:46 - Demo 4 (2001) (Includes hidden beta of Act 2) 17:00 - Final Demo (2003) 21:16 - Version 2.0 (2009) 24:57 - Version 2.1 (2014) 29:57 - Version 2.2 (2019) (Includes Techno Legacy Zone) 36:06 - ??? (2001)

[@mariomuncher44]

DylanDude , how much are you finished with Deep Sea Zone's history?

[@DylanDude]

@@mariomuncher44 It should be out within a week.

[@mariomuncher44]

@@DylanDude It has already been several weeks now. 🤔

[@DylanDude]

@@mariomuncher44 That's college for you. I'm currently trying to cram it out before midterms hit. All that's left to do is ensure the Demo 2 beta footage is sufficient.

[@rolee0707]

13:46 and how to public to the game? (act 2)

[@johnathonturner2279]

I like to imagine that over time, Techno Hill went from being an ordinary hill to getting more and more polluted and taken over by technology, which led to it becoming what it is now.

[@warpear3330]

Well, i guess it fits more the 'techno' part.

[@nottwiggy8708]

The Wikipedia does say it's polluted in 2.2

[@_Tzer]

I wonder if someone could take the concept and apply it through the whole level like your starting at the edge of greenflower and it slowly gets corrupted

[@lukewood2662]

@@_Tzer you can see in the scenario. The flowers were from natural and healthy to gray and weak to mechanic flowers after the natural ones certainly died.

[@twotailedfox3349]

@@lukewood2662 also in act 1 there's a metal platform that floats on the goop in 2.1 and in 2.2 its on the bottom of the goop lake, while its probably just a fun little detail and reference to the 2.1 version, i like to think that it somehow fits in the lore or something idk.

[@lustree_]

Gosh, even in its earlier days the music is still bangin'.

[@ashisharky]

i agree

[@dabluepittoo-aqua4213]

Unlike most tracks, the MIDI music fits in with the melody of the song. Being mostly composed of dramatic piano notes and electronic music, it's composed of what MIDI music's advantages are.

[@Rydax]

The note at the beginning of the video says the early version didn't have music, so they added in music from later builds.

[@alexthejapanfan7905]

@@dabluepittoo-aqua4213 and different synths too no less.

[@Helicopter7]

Ikr

[@5nesta]

It's surprising how much of the level layout went unchanged throughout the years.

[@Maxi_P.]

Its amazing how you can kind of recognize the modern layout in the past versions; totally different but you can still see it.

[@sfvmexe]

It's weird how that purple sludge stuff went from being toxic to being a walkable liquid.

[@joaofilipegracaferreira7375]

and now in 2.2 with the recreation of THZ act 2 they had to make the liquid on the remake green

[@jackhumphries1087]

It even started as just being reskinned water in demo 2, then became a simple hazard in demo 3, and later down the line turned into floaty jello

[@JosephRobinsonSMBX]

The zone is certainly better now, but I really like the pre-2014 version of Techno Hill with its transition from Greenflower into an industrialised area.

[@TeriosSonic2440]

I love how Christmas SRB1's Techno Hill theme is just a remix of Hill Top Zone.

[@quackersencheese5081]

It's amazing that despite all the changes, some parts in act 1 were so iconic they got to stay, such as the intro, the metal silo across the liquid, and the final factory. Greenflower 1-3 and Techno Hill 1 are the levels that have stayed the most consistent across SRB2's development in my eyes.

[@tearlach47]

I know I must've played 2.0 or 1.09.4 back in like middle school or something because when I rediscovered this game in 2017, I avoided the mad mack chemical water assuming it would hurt.

[@UltraEpicLeader10020]

It bounces you this time.

[@lukewood2662]

Me too. Also the bridge in the middle of the river at the end of greenflower act 2. Makes me think "oh, that really happened, it's not me mixing memories with my imagination or some dream again"

[@Pinkio]

Old THZ vs New THZ is like: - a Nostalgia vs Improvement battle -actually shows how the world contamination works

[@KamiJoJo]

I remember playing 2.1 when it came out back in 2014, that was one hell of a change.

[@awesomenate3058]

I never really started with 2.0 or lower (embarrassing, I know.), but I can imagine that the change in 2.1 probably took some time for a lot of people to get used to.

[@ABUltra64]

Then 2.2 was even more of a change

[@Can-uj5pv]

Childhood PTSD intensifies: 19:15

[@palpamemer]

I always went the crusher route even though the PTSD route was so much easier.

[@supahsta400]

I love that old MIDI of the original song Something about it can't be replicated fully on the 2.2 version Still love the newer song but the MIDI is just too good for me

[@rafael44642]

You can change the game music to midi by going to the sound options and turn on midi sound.

[@XaneMyers]

I think the pre-2.2 act 1 OGG version might be the best (unlike any other some, I'm which v2.2's improved versions seem superior). It just has that…sound to it! Speaking of the MIDIs, they really need to update them to match the v2.2 OGG versions of they haven't already.

[@sahonsarma8384]

@@XaneMyers they did, all the way back in may

[@XaneMyers]

@@sahonsarma8384 Ah, I just updated my SRB2 and listened to the new MIDIs! That's great, now they are all improved and consistent.

[@Beansman-gp3ws]

@@sahonsarma8384 Well, most of them. Techno Hill was one of the few they didn't change.

[@edcola6671]

I love how Techno Hill went from Greenflower Zone with purple water and texture alterations to a Palmtree Panic Bad Future remake.

[@Rosy-uz5ld]

I love your determination and hard work for doing this "spin-past" eh? Just jk, keep doin your amazin investigation, happy new year!

[@DylanDude]

Queen Thank you, and Happy New Year!

[@Pinkio]

19:49 how to forget the first real nightmare i remember dreaming

[@formerlyyaboitom10]

After playing the SRB1 remake, I salute the person who played the TGF portion for being able to control Sonic (AKA Earless) so well that whole time.

[@WasifBoomz]

You can still see bits of the current version in the versions from the early 2000s

[@TKBold]

Yep. This was where I stopped in the 2014 version. I don't know if it was the controls, or the angle, or just not feeling the gameplay, but I got as far as fighting the zone boss and decided, I wasn't jammin' with the game, and I put it aside as a cute novelty. Then I come back a few years later, and it was like a night and day difference. For one, I was actually having fun! The music tracks blew me away! Everything felt like it had finally come together! I went from just appreciating the creativity of the game, to actually legitimately enjoying the whole experience!

[@SF41991]

Who knew the slime was bad now it’s not a pain

[@porcinosama2017]

I am quite confident that SRB2 2.2 revolutionized the game, I hope it has a new start full of news.

[@KingSandvich1]

Dropped a subscribe. I need to look more into SRB2's history and this was a great place to really get introduced! Can't wait for the next one!

[@DylanDude]

KingSandvich Which should be out relatively soon, depending on how midterms go this week. Thanks for the subscription!

[@KingSandvich1]

@@DylanDude No problem! I hope midterms go well for you!

[@DylanDude]

KingSandvich Thank you!

[@take_2-tt]

my favourite Zone in SRB2 is Techno Hill, just like Chemical Plant -my favourite level in any video game- has the best soundtrack to Act 2! I jam to it just to realise it took them 19+ years to remaster a masterpiece!

[@snoogleflorp9237]

Neat. Demo 2 THZ2 is really annoying, I never remember where i'm meant to go.

[@DylanDude]

Snoogle Florp Most of Demo 2’s scrapped betas are like that.

[@snoogleflorp9237]

How do you access those anyway?

[@DylanDude]

@@snoogleflorp9237 SSNTails released them back in 2010, but the link went dead years ago. Glaber was nice enough to supply me with copies. They're also available as part of SRB2: The Past, but I wanted to be as authentic as possible.

[@ChillyTheDog21]

Good thing that Glaber had released the SRB2 the Past with the TGF version of SRB2 up to the Latest version of SRB2 which is Version 2.2

[@dragonick2947]

15:22 SRB2: The Past references this by making you squish a DLL file on a conveyor belt before letting you access the level :3

[@xweirdxdannyxhollowxboi7943]

I like the new version, but for me it's always the final demo, I prefer the tracks and the level, but it doesn't mean the new are bad, just not that nostalgic 😂😂❤️❤️

[@Sparkette]

There's a sound at 14:32 that I swear, sounds like it's coming from inside my computer case instead of my speakers on the desk. And it sounds like the kind of noise I wouldn't want to hear coming from there, like the kind of noise a hard drive would make when there's a problem. It's definitely part of the audio though, as it's always at exactly the same spot and gets louder and softer with the volume. Very weird.

[@DylanDude]

It’s just a rendering error.

[@weaponizedestrogen]

theres another one 2 minutes before

[@ZaGorudan]

Nice to know that the setpiece of approaching the factory was always there. That was always my favorite moment of the level.

[@levisjammin]

I think Techno Hill is legitimately the one stage that has changed the least throughout time.

[@midi_feline]

If you're talking about act 1 that is

[@levisjammin]

@@midi_feline Obviously.

[@msgameandcake628]

I remember going to this game's website as a kid, probably around 2006-2008, and seeing one of the preview pictures for Techno Hill being the big factory entrance where you get launched upwards via pipe exhaust. Its a very stunning visual, suddenly going from a still grassy, if polluted, area to a hard shift into a metallic factory setting. I couldn't get the game to work on my computer back then, but having finally come back to the game for the first time last year it was cool finally getting to play the section, especially now knowing how that particular moment hasn't really changed since its inception!

[@romineblox0115]

i like modern THZ, it looks so cool!

[@901Rayman]

The Christmas one sounded like a mix of Super Mario Bros NES 1-2 and Sonic 2’s Hill Top.

[@WonderfulFlashTV-PLUS]

Nope it's from ojamaio doremi

[@Kribyking]

I like how the dirt in green flower looks like green hill, but the dirt in techno hill looks like emerald hill!

[@CheddarVG]

Detons in the past: Pff, you'll never get me. Detons now: OHGODOHF-

[@phj9894]

I still remember the rapid firing fireball tower in one of the early versions. Thank god they removed it later.

[@DylanDude]

Hate to break it to you, but... 32:53

[@phj9894]

@@DylanDude I didn't encounter that tower in the recent version, I think I went to the alternative route. But appearantly it got nerfed a lot compared to the old version.

[@therealinferno161]

@@phj9894 It's on the straight-forward path at a path split. It's main nerfs is the time it takes to get to the killing button and the fact that the button is now shielded.

[@CoolDudeClem]

27:32 Hi Tails, Bye Tails!

[@RandomTomatoMusic]

Nyoooooom

[@clonefighter1996]

20:51 Dat speed tho

[@rapidloaf]

Imagine Eggman saying "Nyoom!" to himself while he does that

[@thewolfgabe3656]

Techno Hill Pre 2014 Present/Past Techno Hill 2014 onward Bad Future

[@captainkg5910]

This video makes me feel *O L D*

[@dreambyte7926]

Me as well. I used to play Final Demo 1.08 and lots of things have apparently changed since. Back in the 2000s, I used to play that game in OpenGL mode which had nice filtering. From what I remember, the old SRB2 ran on Windows NT4, even! :)

[@shady4108]

yeah, same here, it feels like 2.0 was released just yesterday

[@mariomuncher44]

Are you starting on Deep Sea Zone's history?

[@DylanDude]

Spyro the Dragon 2020 Spyrofan Yep!

[@gamerlunayt]

He’s uploaded it. kzbin.info/www/bejne/paO7eJ2Hptl-jLM

[@alieneko_nyo]

I want to cry qxp..♡

[@BlazingHamzaX1]

I discovered this game in 2020 and I played and Techno Hill Act 2 is took me around 10 minutes but game is AWESOME

[@RXGTP]

5:53 Christmas Theme - Sonk 2

[@jacknation1141]

12:56 *_*smacks lips_*

[@DiagonalTanooki]

Glad to see that you are back

[@DylanDude]

Macho Thanks.

[@kitsunedotexe3587]

the music has been solid as fuck since the begining? wow

[@SMPandanic]

the levels (in my oppinion) needed the revamp they got in 2.2

[@georgetubby4367]

Man I missed the green old techno Hill zone the act 2 music , someone needs to make a mod for it

[@dr3ad698]

since 98 still having that fucking Music

[@jmas2593]

I love 2003 the most

[@ChaliceMovingXIV]

Man they really tightened up the graphics on level 3.

[@test10565]

In 1998-2009 remember the sky was blue

[@QuadFactor21]

19:51, Vietnam flashbacks...

[@aegishdaego]

So i started this game near 2001 ? I feel fcking old now ;c

[@RandomTomatoMusic]

And nobody's gonna mention that Meadow Match is based off of the beta designs for this Zone?

[@VyxtheBat]

10:26 It's SHADOW!!

[@mewtube47]

Me trying to figure out where the music for techno hill came from cuz Ik damn well they didn't make this, just like the title screen

[@DylanDude]

Everything except the title screen theme (and part of the credits) is original. Even most of the title theme was remixed to be original in 2.2.

[@mewtube47]

@@DylanDude really? I'm actually extremely surprised by that because this song is too good for a 1998 sonic fan game

[@RefriedBeanie]

The theme of techno hill sounds like the cantina theme in star wars

[@snowob]

27:12 how are the pipes that detailed?

[@midi_feline]

And most importantly, why did they downgrade them in 2.2?

[@knockknocked475]

i just realized detons were built off imps

[@tetrasonic91]

Wtf are detons

[@epicredhot5675]

the flying bomb balls

[@BlueCollaredK9]

So Techno Hill is basically just Mecha Green Hill + Chemical Plant combined? Hmm ok. Makes sense.

[@porcinosama2017]

I am curious to watch the video from other zones.

[@Kirbsuno]

What's wrong with that glitchy spring near the end of THZ2 in the TGF/SRB1 Christmas Buildsl? XD

[@_Tzer]

i wonder if someone could combining these i.e the place getting more polluted the further you go

[@gstvv]

0:00 can you guys please hear this with headphones?

[@rmcoutinho]

The demo 4 cismas sound like the angry video game nerd

[@nilixstar830]

It does, now that you've said it.

[@rmcoutinho]

@@nilixstar830 yea

[@phauloriquelme2657]

Techno Hill Zone Music for SRB2 in 1998-2001 has High Pitch

[@BrianFan7650]

Same.

[@Catman-lb3qc]

Nice vid I just subbed keep up the good work ;)

[@DylanDude]

Catman 567 Thank you!

[@Catman-lb3qc]

It's alright :)

[@craftypixel4113]

I had no idea how the original SRB looked like.

[@benitak5199]

Sonic Sprite Flickered 13:02 (Put in full screen or slow down to 0.25)

[@sparx0414]

must be your monitor cuz it looks fine on mine

[@SonicntZane]

Man. 2.2 changed *everything.*

[@BrunoGamesBlogsBrasil2]

because its the real final version

[@tetrasonic91]

@@BrunoGamesBlogsBrasil2 no 2.3 is coming

[@BrunoGamesBlogsBrasil2]

@@tetrasonic91 link?

[@tetrasonic91]

@@BrunoGamesBlogsBrasil2 its not released imbecile

[@BrunoGamesBlogsBrasil2]

@@tetrasonic91 you fool no one can realease the game i 2.3

[@taymalnasiri7153]

his run animashon is so cute

[@midi_feline]

English

[@alexthejapanfan7905]

Why are the comment sections of your GFZ History Video Taken Off this time?

[@BluelightAmelia]

What Soundfont you used for the midis?

[@DylanDude]

I don’t think you understand. I didn’t port these levels. They’re all running on their original versions. Therefore, I didn’t touch the MIDIs at all.

[@BluelightAmelia]

@@DylanDude I meant the Soundfont on the tgf footage. It didn't sound like the conventional midi Soundfont included with Windows

[@DylanDude]

STG3 Those aren’t MIDIs. That’s music from the Demo 1 Audio CD I edited in for the sake of having any music at all. You can find it on the Archived Versions section of the website.

[@DeskoDev]

@@DylanDude Actually, I'm pretty sure the Demo 1 audio CD didn't have THZ music. I do recall its version of GFZ being close to the Final Demo one compared to the very original tracks featured on the site.

[@DylanDude]

Desko Looking on the Wiki, you appear to be correct. The one on the website must have been the original compositions, then, since it’s obviously not the Christmas Demo CD either, and audio from it was used prior to Demo 1.

[@idkmyhandle]

In 2001 sonic team junior created ??? ?!

[@YoshiPro767]

I found out that Srb2 TFG I think It was made in clickteam fusion

[@midi_feline]

WOW

[@gmoneythestickman]

pretty sure it’s made in The Games Factory (read the first letters of the 3 words)

[@YoshiPro767]

@@gmoneythestickman the games factory is clickteam fusion but with a different and older name

[@knowyourchances]

Jeez Dylan...

[@DylanDude]

What's not to love? I was told to do this for every level, and dog-gone it, I'm going to try.

[@mysteriousmr.j9420]

@@DylanDude Egg Rock will be hilariously dull because of its lack of meaningful changes since release in 2.0 it was released in 2.1 a section was removed from erz2 in 2.2 another section was removed from erz2

[@DylanDude]

@@mysteriousmr.j9420 You're omitting the scrapped Demo 2 beta, and changes to Black Core Zone, which would be included.

[@mariannmariann2052]

THZ1 MIDI is a j a m

[@rmcoutinho]

Wow

[@Крут-какникогда]

Как говорится из грязи в князи

[@DeskoDev]

I see you remapped the controls in the TGF versions.

[@DylanDude]

Desko Yep. Sorry for the lack of a jump sound, but I am not pressing enter to jump through all of TGF.

[@DeskoDev]

@@DylanDude Don't worry, it's fine. I've actually been working on a source port of TGF which takes the original "code" and moves it over to the latest version of the engine (Fusion 2.5), but it seems that there's too many engine-based differences for the gameplay to be ported accurately. I fixed the jump sound there, though.

[@ym2612girl]

@@DeskoDev Hope it gets released soon!

[@DeskoDev]

@@ym2612girl I did release it! It's in the SRB2 server, though thanks to Fusion 2.5's engine changes that I mentioned there's some issues with the gameplay. Think of it as sort of a SADX'd TGF. I was working on an update to reprogram the physics and such to fix the major issues introduced in my update, but I put it on an indefinite hiatus to focus on other projects. I'll return to it sometime in the future and rework it into a better state.

[@BrianFan7650]

How Do I Get Those Scrapped Betas?

[@Leeeg]

yo, where the Jeremiah slaczka interview go?

[@DylanDude]

It’s always been unlisted. I can provide the link if needed, but it can also be found pinned in the Drawn to Life: For All Discord server.

[@Leeeg]

@@DylanDude oh shoot sorry, I must've found it there. I was in the middle of watching it, legendary moment.

[@DylanDude]

TheManGuyFella It’s fine.

[@BrianFan7650]

How do i Access Act 2 and Act 3 on Demo 2?

[@reilly5005]

are all these made by the same dev?

[@DylanDude]

Yep, the same dev team.

[@tailskidgaming5565]

10:44 how to get techno hill zone act 2 in srb2 demo

[@tailskidgaming5565]

10:44 Techno Hill Act 2 11:36 Techno Hill Act 3 even how to get techno hill 2 and 3 in srb2 demo

[@oliveryoshi7209]

10:27 SHADOW?

[@rebeccasiddons8452]

why i getting system shock vibes here...

[@skoopercantdraw]

I hate the music in this stage, its horrible imo please dont attack me for saying that

[@lucianothewindowsfan]

Did your game go into development hell?

[@joaofilipegracaferreira7375]

it's not his game

[@lucianothewindowsfan]

@@joaofilipegracaferreira7375 So who's the creator?

[@DylanDude]

LucianoTheWindowsFan2008 is back Sonic Team Jr.

[@nilixstar830]

It's not his game, you fool.

[@lucianoigoa928]

11:04 11:05 11:07 11:08

[@IDHLEB]

SRB2 is a better 3D Sonic game than SA and SA2

[@ohitsleswift]

HA HA

[@tailskidgaming5565]

i only one to doo

[@tobiaszoccolino5827]

Oye no te conjinte las caos emendas mieda xddd

[@spriteearthworm6463]

Techno hill the worst zone in robo blast

[@jonasalmeida7472]

Parte 21:20