Does anybody have a clue what this is? [Carnival Night Zone]

Okay... so why does it rise?

 

Ignoring the possibility that this may have been brought up... One time I played through Carnival Night and made a platform drop to the ground. The thing wouldn't go up again because the balloons on the bottom popped I believe.

 

What puzzles me more than the damn balloon platform is why there's a fully-functional carnival city on an almost-entirely uninhabited floating island in the first place.

 

First, I must explain why the platform sinks as you stand on it. The balloons create an upward force, but the downward force from Sonic's weight overrides it, causing it to move in a net downward direction. Only when the weight is removed (by jumping) can the balloons push the platform up. Besides, if you observe the platform, you'll notice that the balloons don't deflate immediately. They will continue exerting an upward force on the platform for about a second before they return to their default level of inflation (which, by the way, is sufficient to counter gravity exactly and create a net movement of 0).

 

Bah, the old goofball at church was right. All the wonder's gone when you actually explain how shit works.

Now that I know this I'll be thinking about balloon physics and gravity and net movement rather than thinking amused thoughts about WTF is that whenever I play through Carnival Night Zone.

So thanks for killing my inner child, you bastard.


+ - Disclaimer: the above statement is not meant to be taken seriously or as an insult, but rather to be taken as a good-natured jab. Due to the nature of communicating exclusively by text and emoticons, this disclaimer is necessary to make up for the fact that I can not relay the above sentiments in a humorously mock-angry tone of voice. Thank you for reading this disclaimer before lashing out in anger and banning me.  

 

Count me in with the people who thought it was some sort of lava. I never really gave it much thought. It was just, oh there's that platform with the lava bubbles underneath. It wasn't until just a few months ago when I realized it was supposed to be balloons.

I still think this is a better explanation of how it works though.

 

>thread derails into nipples and the anatomy of balloons
Never change Retro.

 

I got the satire in your post just fine without the disclaimer. No worries.

 

But you didn't get the satire in the disclaimer? I am disappoint.

 

No, no, you misunderstood. I can see how, obviously ignoring various forms of friction, it can have a net movement of 0, ending up where it started, but it doesn't.

When Sonic lands on it, it goes down. When Sonic jumps off, it goes up... HIGHER than it was before Sonic was on it. That's not a net movement of 0.

 

Wow, that's incredible. The designers are also inventors of highly scientific things. Now all it needs is a name.

 

Why does everyone assume that the island is uninhabited? The intro cutscene at the beginning of Knuckles's game in S&K confirms that there are animals indigenous to the island, and it's already been established that the animals in the Sonic universe are intelligent enough to drive adorable, tiny little cars. They could build a city if they really wanted to, give or take about a century.

Flubbercunts.

 

...What... the hell...?

 

I always put this thing down to a mutated jelly construction.

 

Could it just be Robotnik's retarded attempt at artificial chaos?

 

I thought it was a sponge.

Oh sir, this diagram is a complete fake, I mean, that moisture vaporator is clearly the antenna from Luke Skywalker's house.

 

I used to think the white platform was the balloon and the red was inexplicably contained magma. S/T/K stands on top and the pressure somehow generated extra heat. This was when I was 5, people.

 

It's a cork. Sonic CD got the look right, but then added the conundrum of why does the cork move left and right when I walk on it...

 

*opens up s3k in skepticism*

<a href="http://\&quot;http://img44.imageshack.us/I/screenshot20100419at835.png/\&quot;" target="_blank"></a>

Nope. Hyper Sonic says it's bubbling lava, and he doesn't have a clue how/why it's floating. Or why it melts when you step on it.

This was the hardest I've laughed in a while.

 

Am I the only one who just sees warts there? Not balloons or magma; just nasty red warts.