The Making of Ecco the Dolphin
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 10 ก.พ. 2025
- This episode is centered around one of SEGA's more unique series: Ecco the Dolphin.
///Support the channel:
All your views, likes comments and shares are really appreciated! My making of videos are part of bigger project. I set up a patreon for those who would like to financially support it:
/ strafefox
For more info about the sealife featured in Ecco check this great blog by Aggro Sky
www.1morecastle...
//Music and Sources
For the complete track-listing with time-codes skip to the end of the video Sources used for this video are also listed there.
Narration by Chase McCaskill
This video features rearrangements from the album Stream of Time by Viper Fox
/ vf-music
Defender of the future gameplay by Sonicfreak94 / sonicfreak94 - เกม
I have one story about the Dreamcast version of Ecco from when I worked at Sega. The main development was managed by SOE and when the team were asked who they thought should narrate the intro they wanted Doctor Who's Tom Baker due to the fact that SOA had got Leonard Nimoy for the US version of Seaman. So one morning the producer went to the recording studio to oversee the recording. He came back to the office late that afternoon and gathered everyone around because he had something he wanted us to hear. After Tom had read out the intro speech to the game he then ad-libbed "I know this, because I was there." Amazing meta comment that got left on the cutting room floor.
Thank you for this story. Congrats on your journey with Sega. I hope it was a good one
I find the third entry terrifying. Twenty years ago I turned off RE: Directors Cut to play it on Dreamcast. Then I discovered Vincent Price...good times! 👍
@@MarzimusI had the Sega CD version back in the day and it was super creepy.
@@christophermoody6840 Welcome to the Machine.
And you know this because you were there
It’s so hard to express just how important these videos are. You should submit these to gaming publications for many reasons. Sega continues to be downplayed due to the trajectory they took in the console industry, but their contributions to gaming are far too numerous to name, from Virtua Fighter’s 3D and utilization of early motion capture, to the rise of cutting edge polygon pushing arcade hardware that was years ahead of the competition.
Your videos capture the ingenuity of the Genesis era, which is also now continually being downplayed in terms of the exceptional games and visuals it had. You literally not only clearly explain the way both are pushed thoroughly, but also the artistic, audio and marketing aspects of the Genesis era. Even the awesome way that you bring the box art into the discussion. Thank you for your incredible contributions to gaming. These are top notch videos.
ikr? When he mentioned "iron curtain" and "the 80's" I thought "Wait, wasn't the Genesis era in the 90's?" But then I remembered that the Genesis was released in 89, and it wasn't even trying to compete with the SNES, because it was still ONE YEAR AWAY from release. Sega truly was a company ahead of it's time.
I've been saying this for years. Nintendo's hold on video game producers and publishers as well as the market share in Japan and North America and pop culture in general in the mid-late 80s can not be overstated. But, at the same time, Sega wasn't twiddling their thumbs. Sure, hardly anyone knew or heard of the Master Sysrem let alone owned one in North America, but when the Sega Genesis came out, it changed the game forever. The courageous risks that Sega, particularly Sega of America took in order to get a foothold on the market meant some of the most unique, original and creative games yet seen were allowed to be developed, such as Toejam and Earl and Ecco the Dolphin, as mentioned in this video, but also games like Road Rash and Rocket Knight Adventures. And renowned developer Treasure might not be a household name today had it not been for the Genesis/Mega Drive providing them an outlet to out forth their creations, as well as serving as publishers. Sega even embraced Code master's Game Genie and grander them a license to release the device.
Despite all this, all people choose to remember about Sega and its 16-bit system are the lesser titles, the poor decisions made by Sega of Japan, the casualties of the GEMS sound driver, the fact that by most accounts the Genesis was technically inferior to the SNES (a console 2 years younger than the Genesis, which was designed to compete with it just as the Genesis was in competition with the NES), the failed add-ons, and their own biases from having grown up with 2 Nintendo consoles. This is reflected even now with the endless stream of rooms, hacks, homebrews, mods, merchandise, etc. for Nindendo and its various games and consoles, whereas finding anything for Sega in its hayday is virtually impossible. I'm just thankful for this channel and several others for illustrating the significance and cultural impact Sega had and continues to have made. Perhaps, with more videos/channels like this, and the success of the Genesis Mini, Sega will finally begin to enjoy the respect it truly deserves and has earned.
The only people downplaying Sega are people who stopped playing games. Sega publishes a lot of great games these days.
@ArtofZen Digital - Amaizing words of yours , I could write better !!
I wish could pin this comment on the wall so much.
Such an underrated channel
definitely. I'm always impatiently waiting for more videos from this channel
It's the most underrated gaming channel on TH-cam, by far.
And an underrated game series.
When I'm feeling tired
She pushed food through the door
And I crawl towards the crack of light
Sometimes I can't find my way
Newspapers spread around
Soaking all that they can
A cleaning is due again
- a good hosing down
The lady whom I feel maternal love for
Cannot look me in the eyes
But I see hers and they are blue
And they cock and twitch and masturbate!
Black windows of paint
I scratched with my nails
I see others just like me
Why do they not try to escape?
They bring out the older ones
They point in my way
They come with a flash of light
And take my family away
And very later I have learned
To accept some friends of ridicule
My whole existence is for your amusement
And that is why I'm here with you!
To take
Me with
You're right
This channel provides some of the best video game content on the internet. Thank you.
Thanks so much!
I don't know how they don't have millions of subscribers yet.
I couldnt agree more with you ! I love this channel and their great work !!
Said absolutely_nobody... And everyone else. Lol
Probably one of the most impactful games in my life. Still listen to the soundtrack to this day.
You may want to check out the game Rain World. Like Echo, Rain World is a 2D game about an animal that has been separated from its family. Both are about survival in the hostile environment of nature with a gradual supernatural element introduced. Rain World's tone is a little different. Bit less fantastical and more existential.
@@Pan_Z *Ecco
Ecco was huge to me during my childhood. The graphics are still beautiful today.
"It's imperative for a creative industry to have developers find success with concepts drawn from sources outside the current trends to form a rich mixture of entertainment products."
Couldn't agree more
85 emails, this on top.
Screw everything else.
Ha! :) Thanks and good luck with your 85 emails
Dude me too I have the day off work and and a long list of house and yard work plus watching the baby. So now thebyardwork is waiting and I'm watching this with my son!
Literally stopped what I was doing to check out on this!!
Me too
same
Me too
Same
I didn´t think twice.
Ecco is one of those transcendental works of art that should be cherished and celebrated until the end of times.
Too bad the game sucks on ice to play
I love the game. Ecco the Dolphin and tides of time are two of my favorite games ever. But the Dreamcast one sucked. They need a new 3D Ecco
Imagine if they made echo the dolphin today and how realistic it would look. They should totally do it.
@@Goldun-nahit would be breathtaking
I'm at work, but I'm going to go take a 16 minute and 38 seconds break. Strafe - your content is soooooo good!
Same.
I just realized why I find this channel so compelling, its like watching a video version of Gamefan magazine with its extreme attention to visually engaging backdrops and overall presentation. It shows a true love of the industry.
I miss the care and effort that used to go into gaming magazines. Especially when there was more hand drawn visuals in the magazines. Thanks for reminding me of GameFan think I'll look up some magazine scans.
I'm glad someone remembered Ecco 🐬
Ecco is that weird niche game, it didnt explode on the mainstream but it will probably have a solid following for a long, long time
It was never forgotten mate. We're 2024 and people are still playing it
Has someone already told you that you make the best educational and interesting old-school gaming related content on the internet? Yes? Well, I don't care, I'm saying it again: You make the best educational and interesting old-school gaming related content on the internet.
Ha! Thanks :)
i love how much you go in depth while using appealing animations to keep the entertaining value high in your documentaries strafefox
Thanks!
@@strafefox You're welcome dude. Looking so forward to more of your stuff.
@@strafefox Seriously how do you get this brilliant Animated CGI and Animations done in such a short time??
@@TheFormalFools It usually takes me 3 months to make an episode. It helps that I can re-use some design work and 3d models from older episodes :)
@@strafefox Ah, cool :)
always wanted to know...
The soundtrack of Ecco 1 and 2 is one of the most impressive accomplishments on the Sega Genesis/megadrive.
It's weird how the 2 teams created almost opposite soundtracks. Most of Spenser's tracks are the chilliest music ever created while their FM counterparts are usually raw nightmare beats.
I'd say the Streets of Rage trilogy and Time Trax take the cake
Have you heard the soundtrack for Ecco Defender of the Future? It's gorgeous.
Ecco used to creep me out. Something about being in the ocean. And the stage where you see the aliens scared the shit out of me lol
I think that was their intention.
Same still scares me till this day
My sweet childhood memories.... Remember playing this with my sister and brother, I don't even know where are they now. Hope they watch this video and remember the same thing *Crying
Best making of Ecco I've seen. Very well done and accurate!
And BTW, the Voyage of the Mimi was Ben Affleck's first role as an actor!
Really cool to hear! and thanks for making such imaginative and awesome games! I hope Ecco III will get funded someday or possible a remake of the original with updated graphics in the style of Zsolt's painting of Trelia and the Asterite, that would be amazing :)
Thank you for making these games. Looking forward to Dolphin Quest too
I love that Ecco is just a regular dolphin, no special designs or anything crazy to make him stand out or "mascotize" him. Just a plain old dolphin on a mission to save the world from aliens like any other
A fine day when these are posted.
indeed !
Thanks for the video! This games was remarkable and brings so many good memories when i was a kid. I wish could knew all of this in that time. The soundtrack is something out of this world, amazing!
If only ten TH-cam channels should be kept for the rest of life, this one should be among those. Absolutely fantastic work in every single ways (content, presentation and all!). Keep it up!! 👍
Stopped my life to enjoy the best TH-cam retrogame channel ever created. You guys are so amazing!
Thanks so much! :)
If there's ever to be game history lessons in schools, this channel would be the material to show at students. Top notch
This had the most complex names I had to pronounce in any Strafefox video thus far, but Jeroen was great about providing references. :)
Great video, Jer! Can't wait to voice the next one!
sorry but you still failed all of them novotrade names:)
Amazing video! It's great to see that people are still interested in Ecco!
Unreal. I never expected to see additional Ecco content covered here. Your first two videos is how I found your channel to begin with. Tides of Time will always be top tier Genesis for me (the cartridge OST is definitive for me). Thanks for the time invested.
Cool to hear that you discovered my channel through Ecco. I also love the cartridge soundtrack to Tides of Time!
Everyone rightly comments on the production values, but the passion and love behind these is just as great. People notice it, for sure, but the combination is what makes this one of the best TH-cam channels. Thank you.
The making of one of my favorite Sega series by the hand of one of my favorite youtube channels, what a great day!
Been wondering when Ecco will be talked to. Wasn't disappointed, thank you~
You never fail to amaze me. This channel is so underrated that it pissed me off on why you didn't make over a million subscribers while bad TH-camrs and Clickbaiters make more revenue?!
I've been waiting for a new video from you. They're always great.
This channel is the official History Channel of video games!
well, 90s History Channel.
Still listen to the soundtrack for the first game for the SEGA CD all the time!
You should definitely listen to Defender of the Future's OST too!
It is probably the best in the series, composed by the legend himself Tim Follin and truly follows the style the previous CD versions established.
Another great work, guys! The video was amazing to watch
Marvelous work as always, Jeroen!
Every time I go to like this just to find out I've already pressed the like button!
The seven dislikes are the scuba divers with harpoons that didn't make the Box art
I'm usually a silent subscriber, but I had to comment just to tell you how much I appreciate your incredible content. I'm going to support your channel as soon as I can. Keep up the amazing work!
Awesome! Thanks :)
I legit pop my Sega CD copy of this into a cd player just to hear that gorgeous atmospheric music some times. Love these videos, so interesting and professional level of quality. Please keep making these.
God, these are so well done. I love the visual design of these so much.
Ecco 1 also has a truly great tutorial level. Because there's no tutorial. The very first section has no monsters or traps (although it is still possible to drown) along with a number of obstacles and tunnels to explore. The player can fool around in this area as long as they like, learning the controls in a safe environment. The game proper only begins once the player discovers how to speed-boost and high-jump out of the water, which is one of the trickier moves. Basically, it's a completely invisible skill check, and that's awesome design.
.
(And on top of that, it's plot-relevant! Ecco survives the alien attack because he happened to be out of the water at the moment it began. That's some seriously smart story/gameplay integration for a 16-bit side-scroller!)
I love the aesthetic of this channel, literally my first click unto one of your videos was due to the colors and the theme being videogames, your content is documentary-style which is comfy as hell, i have always wondered how teams manage to make the games i discover in my teens (i was born on 95).
Keep it up dude, i want to make an indie game and i find a lot of motivation and ideas from your videos, hope i can release my game one day and i could put you in the credits as inspiration, honestly i dont think the game will be a success, but atleast i hope you find motivation on these paragraphs to continue with the great content.
Best wishes.
Another strafefox vídeo!!
Gonna watch right now!!!!
Congrats buddy
Thanks! I dropped everything to watch this immediately! Very high quality program and wonderful to watch for us Sega and Ecco fans!
Top quality content. As usual.
Such a beautiful series and so under rated, I still get chills from defender of the future!
Thanks for another great episode! I found the part about the involvement of the Hungarian developers really interesting, especially that talented pixel artist and the inspiration he drew from a Hungarian paleontologist. Can you imagine a team of young programmers and artists having inspiration so rooted in nature and history now?
This channel deserves at least 500,000 subs. The quality and effort put in these videos is the best on TH-cam. I always learn something and am thoroughly entertained in the process.
It does indeed. It unfortunately wont get that far because its not a loud obnoxious lets-player following the latest trend. I still try to get others into this, Game Sack, Jeremy Parish, etc despite the uphill battle.
your videos are a work of art. This game was one of the first video game I played and therefore is very nostalgic for me, but you managed to make it even better than what I remember of it
I'm always in awe of your amazing production values and the quality of the content and narration as well.
The editing on this was on fire. Really well done
Breathtaking video as always! Thanks for the effort on it!
love these videos
Awesome stuff man. Ive been recently re-playing ecco and out of sheer coincidence, you release this brilliant video.
Xeno Falcon Hows the Playthrough going? Are you using save states? Is it still hard as balls |:I
DROPPED EVERYTHING AND CHEERED SO GLAD YOU'RE BACK
I' ve just discovered your channel, I' ve just suscribed!! This is amazing content right here, excellent information very professionally presented and very complete and entertaining as well. I love Ecco the dolphin! I have great memories playing this game when I was a kid. Thanks for the video and greetings from Argentina 👍👍✌
I had to put this on hold for a 4 weeks while I was busy with life, but man I am so glad I came back to check this out. You are a truly legend for making these videos.
I feel so educated of what I always watch from you. It's nice to know the backstory, development, and what the developers do after the game is over. It's so interesting! Thanks for making my day! :)
There seriously needs to be more Ecco the Dolphin content.
Stunning stuff, _as always._
Thank you! We love you for your amazing work!
This channel is my happy place. I understand why it takes so long for you guys to produce videos. But waiting sucks. Yet so worth it.
HE'S BACK, HES BACK, HES BACK.
MA GAAAWD
Fascinating stuff. Great research!!
I will never not click on these videos.
True words have never been spoken
Absolutely love your videos. They’re leagues above the usual video game retrospectives you find on TH-cam. Keep up the great work!
The best doc about Ecco the Dolphin franchise that I already saw! Congratulations! I have absolutely sure that the old Ecco's sites and communities, like Caverns of Hope and Dark Sea are very proud of this rich work. Again, congratulations for you job! Greetings from Brazil! :)
Ecco is a masterpiece, plain and simple. The music and general atmosphere of the game are beautiful, with slightly uncanny and mysterious undertones, and the art style is fantastical while still being grounded into reality. It’s like if a Biology textbook had a baby with Lisa Frank.
Every precise detail is amazing. I loved hearing about the floppy disk thing used to compress video for the Mega CD
Really enjoyed this doc. Every one of these Splash Waves is compelling to fans of the game. Excellent work. Glad 90's SEGA has inspired you develop such a wonderful channel for fans to grasp all the talent they had then. Your extremely professional work building these documentaries is captivating.
I looked forward to getting home and watching this video. I was not disappointed. It was unsurprisingly well done and informative. Shine on you crazy diamond!
So much Quality in your Videos, i'm really enjoying them!
Oh man, I was waiting for this. Ecco is such a good game.
I have been waiting for a new video to be uploaded! You sir, did not disappoint! Ecco is one of my fav megadrive games. Im so excited to learn the history behind it. Please keep up the amazing work!
Another superb video. These have to be the very best gaming documentaries available anywhere! I loved Ecco back in the days of Sonic the Comic here in the UK. The stories each fortnight actually helped me understand what was going on in the game- It was pretty tough when I was years old or so. I've still never beaten it, although I really must put some time into doing so. I loved the Dreamcast Ecco too, although again, I didn't get very far. I've actually never played Tides of Time. This video might inspire a purchase and an Ecco binge might be coming up over the next few weeks. Thanks StrafeFox :)
Thanks for giving so much love to Sega's Genesis/Megadrive. It was my first system and holds a special place in my heart.
Ecco actually creeped me out as a kid, but I still enjoyed it. Spectacular video as always. Keep up the great work and I look forward to more.
These videos are always so excellent and well-researched. Thank you for continuing to make them :)
I'm still in awe of how well these videos are made. Absolutely stunning work.
The production quality of these videos is incredible. And I learned some things I didn't know about two of the games I played a lot in my childhood. Awesome! 👍
Got the Patreon notification about this whilst on vacation. Only just managed to watch this when i got home, but before unpacking 🤣 Amazing as always. Love your videos.
Ha! Cool to hear and hope you had a great vacation :)
I remember how difficult this game was; I couldn't finish it since I had the version before the set point introduction! Thanks so much for these videos; you return us to the old good days!
I finally got around to watch this. Despite being Hungarian and having been read a good many interviews about Novotrade, the video still were full of completely new info for me. You are magic.
Never seen such an incredibly diligent documentarian on the internet! These videos are both classy and amazingly produced, it really does wonders to indulge and elaborate on my nostalgia! Keep it up man!!!!
You are doing such an amazing job here! Thank you for all your effort! Please keep doing what you doing!
Why did it take me so long to find this channel. This is so good!
Thanks for another great video of video game history. This game is very unique and your contributions may help people get a good insight into how things happened behind the scenes and the struggles they went through to make the game come out
I can't believe this didn't pop up in my notifications 5 days ago. Well better late than never as this is yet another triumph from strafefox
Your videos are so good they're among my favorite ever on TH-cam.
There's something special about games that stick completely to their original vision throughout the entire development process.
Weer veel nieuwe dingen geleerd en wat zit het weer geweldig professioneel uit. Ook elke keer weer leuk om die Nederlandse magazines te zien :D
Dank je :) en ja dat zijn mijn oude magazines :) Mega Force was het eerste SEGA magazine dat ik kocht. Ik heb ook toen nog een keer mee gedaan aan een design wedstrijd om een mascotte te ontwerpen voor een magazine (ben de naam even kwijt, maar hij zit ook in deze video, iets met Pro), mijn inzending zat bij de laatste 10 maar was het helaas niet geworden, vanwege een late inzending die eerlijk gezegd ook veel beter was. :)
@@strafefox Tof dat je die nog hebt :) Heet dat Pro magazine niet gewoon Sega Pro Magazine? Mijn eerste was Power Unlimited, de eerste jaargangen waren niet echt profi, maar wat heerlijk vermakelijk. Hoop ze ooit nog digitaal te bemachtigen op de een of andere manier. Sega XS was ook erg leuk.
Wat betreft Ecco, heel erg mooi, maar wel frustrerend haha...
Ja Sega Pro was het inderdaad. en Ja de PU was altijd lekker goedkoop, ik kocht ook wel eens Mean Machines of Sega Power maar die waren al snel 12 gulden of zo iets.
This is incredible! Ecco has always been my favorite game since I was in 7th grade but hearing the backstory and what all went into the production is amazing! I really wish PS4 or something would take on the Ecco story and do another game. I know a game about a dolphin is not the most popular concept but once you start playing and get immersed in the underwater worlds there's no denying this is one of the best games ever made.
these videos are always amazing, such high production values and really great information. keep it up! also i really really like ecco...
This is what I needed today
I can notice your dedication in every video that you make, and that is incredible! Im always hopping to see a new video every time that i turn on the youtube!
Thanks! and the new video is almost ready :)
What an amazing video. Kudos for the time invested in this investigation.
Amazing work as always, every one of these videos are such a delight to watch and they deserve so much more attention.
Yes!! Can't wait to watch this when i get in from work!
Knocked it out of the park once again. Fantastic job, keep them coming!
I just can't get over the production quality in your videos. And it's the little things too... listing at the end all the music featured in the video? That's just classy. Stay awesome.
Thanks! :)