Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1

[Barry the Nomad]

Unless the elements override or alter the homing attack, or provide the non-attack perks (like resistance to certain enemies or the ability to draw rings to you).

Thats what I'm really hoping for in the next episode. An evolution of the shield system. Nothing to the extremes of what Colors is doing, but perhaps the homing attack would work differently based on the shield.

[MadeManG74]

Well, that's true. There hasn't been a major 2D Sonic game since Sonic & Knuckles, so Sonic 4 would be the next major 2D release since then.

I would hardly call a cheap, episodic, download-only and oursourced game the next 'Major' Sonic.

[Barry the Nomad]

SEGA sure is calling it that. Also, outsourced is a rather bold claim. Bold I say! Bold!

edit: I returned and saw no reply, so i just want to say i was joking about the above. However, I'd prefer Dimps who have a proven 2D Sonic track record to the current Sonic Team. The 2.5D segments in Unleashed (Wii and HD) were fun, but not worthy of going on to create Sonic 4. At least Sonic Team is overseeing Sonic 4 and it looks to be that they have the Sonic Team art department working on the look.

I'm satisfied with the team they've put together.

[Happy Cat]

Sonic 2 Dimps Edition interview with Ben Kalough

[youtube:dfe521cx]dbqw0zTe7nw[/youtube:dfe521cx]

[Dr. SEGA Monkey]

*sigh*....another stupid "hype" game:

Would you guys like to know only about the biggest updates to the final version of the game, or would you also like to know about the smaller ones? I ask because though not every update is massively game changing, there are some nice minor touches that I think some fans would appreciate. In any case, I'd like to know what you guys think, since you're all quite passionate and engaged. (You too, lurkers!)

Let us know which you'd prefer (only big changes, or all changes) in a post below. I'll be looking over the feedback for a couple days until the end of this Thursday. Thanks everyone!

http://http://forums.sega.com/showthread.php?t=339097

Just give us the list of the changes already! WHY would they be using this as some sort of hype-building advertising campaign. It only brings more attention to the fact that the game was delayed because of NEGATIVE reception.

Just show us the new build as soon as possible so the old build can be forgotten! Jeez....

[Sharky]

*sigh*....another stupid "hype" game:

Would you guys like to know only about the biggest updates to the final version of the game, or would you also like to know about the smaller ones? I ask because though not every update is massively game changing, there are some nice minor touches that I think some fans would appreciate. In any case, I'd like to know what you guys think, since you're all quite passionate and engaged. (You too, lurkers!)

Let us know which you'd prefer (only big changes, or all changes) in a post below. I'll be looking over the feedback for a couple days until the end of this Thursday. Thanks everyone!

http://http://forums.sega.com/showthread.php?t=339097

Just give us the list of the changes already! WHY would they be using this as some sort of hype-building advertising campaign. It only brings more attention to the fact that the game was delayed because of NEGATIVE reception.

Just show us the new build as soon as possible so the old build can be forgotten! Jeez....

I don't see the hype game here...

I was talking to Aaron about this game yesterday and he is genuinely very excited about some of the small changes that have taken placed while he has been away.

He's posing a pretty reasonable question to the kind of shithead fanbase that will whine about everything... like green eyes and stupid fat character models... and hype games...

Just give us the list of the changes already! WHY would they be using this as some sort of hype-building advertising campaign.

Not all of the changes have taken place yet, not everything is set in stone so even if he wanted too they can't just tell you all of the possible changes.

Secondly... Why WOULDN'T they use this as a hype building method?

[Barry the Nomad]

My guess is that they reveal either Lost Labyrinth or Casino Street and in turn show us that the Act 2 stages have been changed to full-on acts rather than gimmick mini-games.

I'd much prefer a stage that began with the mine cart, using controls similar to Sonic 3's snowboarding, and then after about 30 seconds the cart crashes and the stage begins.

[crackdude]

I'd much prefer a stage that began with the mine cart, using controls similar to Sonic 3's snowboarding, and then after about 30 seconds the cart crashes and the stage begins.

Horrible memories of Sonic 2 on the Master System come to mind.

[Dr. SEGA Monkey]

I don't see the hype game here...

I was talking to Aaron about this game yesterday and he is genuinely very excited about some of the small changes that have taken placed while he has been away.

He's posing a pretty reasonable question to the kind of shithead fanbase that will whine about everything... like green eyes and stupid fat character models... and hype games...

Instead of just telling us what has been changed in the game, they're asking us to "choose" which "improvements" we should learn about. This is not some sort of hype game? Just say ALL the changes so the game can be viewed much more favorably. What company would want to suppress positive reception? :|

They've been showing the SAME crappy E3 build for so long now. It's just making the game look worse and worse. Come on now....

And no....I have never complained about green eyes or any stupid minor stuff like that.

Secondly... Why WOULDN'T they use this as a hype building method?

Considering a lot of people have become disinterested with the game and are very disappointed with it, no hype building method will work at all. So they might as well just show the changes made as soon as possible, instead of bringing MORE attention to the fact that the game was delayed due to bad reception.

[Barry the Nomad]

Considering a lot of people have become disinterested with the game and are very disappointed with it, no hype building method will work at all.

Step outside of the SEGA fansite bubble and you'll find a huge number of folks who are positive about the game. I'm talking general gaming sites and even IRL conventions. I'd say the majority of disinterested people you're talking about are confined to this site and Retro. Sonic Stadium, I've found, is largely positive. TSSZ is still shit.  

[Dr. SEGA Monkey]

There is still some negativity at Sonic Stadium too. And there's even a lot at the official SEGA forums. Yeah, there is positivity of course, but the fact that it's split down the middle is a bad situation itself. (Considering that the original trilogy is universally loved by these fans.)

The fact that Sonic Colors is getting A LOT more positive response from people really shows that Sonic 4 isn't succeeding in what it's supposed to do.

[Sharky]

I don't see the hype game here...

I was talking to Aaron about this game yesterday and he is genuinely very excited about some of the small changes that have taken placed while he has been away.

He's posing a pretty reasonable question to the kind of shithead fanbase that will whine about everything... like green eyes and stupid fat character models... and hype games...

Instead of just telling us what has been changed in the game, they're asking us to "choose" which "improvements" we should learn about. This is not some sort of hype game? Just say ALL the changes so the game can be viewed much more favorably. What company would want to suppress positive reception? :|

They've been showing the SAME crappy E3 build for so long now. It's just making the game look worse and worse. Come on now....

And no....I have never complained about green eyes or any stupid minor stuff like that.

Secondly... Why WOULDN'T they use this as a hype building method?

Considering a lot of people have become disinterested with the game and are very disappointed with it, no hype building method will work at all. So they might as well just show the changes made as soon as possible, instead of bringing MORE attention to the fact that the game was delayed due to bad reception.

Aaron is simply asking if they would like to hear every small detail about and update to the code or just the big changes. It has nothing to do with hype games, its a simple question posed on their forum to their forum members.

God I hate the Sonic fanbase.

[Sharky]

There is still some negativity at Sonic Stadium too. And there's even a lot at the official SEGA forums. Yeah, there is positivity of course, but the fact that it's split down the middle is a bad situation itself. (Considering that the original trilogy is universally loved by these fans.)

The fact that Sonic Colors is getting A LOT more positive response from people really shows that Sonic 4 isn't succeeding in what it's supposed to do.

The fact that Sonic Colours is getting a more positive responce is 1 because it looks like a good game and 2 as much as THOSE Sonic fans wont admit it... Almost all of them got into the series though Sonic Adventure 2 on Gamecube.

Most of the Sonic 4 negitivity is based around some of the most stupid shit like character models, eye colour, 'plastic looking grass.'

The REAL issues that actually matter like physics, jumping and level design is what the whole game was delayed for...

While the mine kart and pin ball levels have very likely been scrapped.

[Barry the Nomad]

I wouldn't say the fan reaction for Colors is a fair comparison with the fan reaction to Sonic 4. I detailed my thoughts on the 2D and 3D series elsewhere on the forums, but basically I see the original 2D series as an excellent platformer whereas the 3D series was an adaptation of the 2D series, with mixed results (I'd call Adventure 1&2 great, Unleashed day stages very good and the rest mediocre to horrible).

Really the 3D series has had so many problems and was at such a low point, that all Sonic Team had to do was to take what fans accepted as good and decent from the previous games, double it and release it as a brief but fun Wii title. Colors doesn't look to break new ground, but it does look like a fun game to complete over a weekend. It also helps that ST threw in a bit of fan service by way of badniks (hey, Sonic 4 does that too!) and Eggman gags.

While Sonic Colors had nowhere to go but up, Sonic 4 is coming off of some of the greatest games of the 16-bit days. I think it's rather silly to assume that 16 years later, SEGA would outdo the original trilogy in a world in which games have evolved well beyond 2D platforming. Really, Sonic 4 has nowhere to go but down, but that is in no way a bad thing. The best Sonic Team can do is bring us a game that is as fun as the old games, with a few new tricks, and a graphical upgrade. Some folks here have labeled that as a "good enough" mentality, but I'd like to inquire what would be more than that?

If you try to outdo the classics both in gameplay and graphics, you risk becoming what the 3D games became. If you match the classics, both in gameplay and graphics, you have something that resembles a good portion of the fan-made games out there (or Mega Man 9 & 10). What I see when I look at Sonic 4 is a good middle of the road solution: It looks like the classics with a touch of the modern in HD.

[MadeManG74]

Most of the Sonic 4 negitivity is based around some of the most stupid shit like character models, eye colour, 'plastic looking grass.'

I find most people (at least on this website) have more problem with the homing attack, speed boosters, overall lazy look and feel of the game (which makes it look like horrendous value for money) and the just plain stupid ideas like the Mine-Cart stage.

Which are all valid complaints, by the way.