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Ideal Sonic title card style

Discussion in 'General Sonic Discussion' started by RetroKoH, Jan 13, 2012.

  1. RetroKoH

    RetroKoH

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    Which title card, out of the following looked the best to you guys?

    * Sonic 1 font (Looked like some generic Times New Roman-ish font with the circle.)

    * Sonic 2 font (The gaslight font)

    * Sonic 3 font (The Andes font with the Act numbers that had different colored stripes.

    My idea for a font would be to use the font they used for the Act complete screen to spell the character's name... but instead, use it for the act title... and color the 2 colors based on the colors of the zone.

    If any, what ideas do you guys have?
     
  2. Skyler

    Skyler

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    I really like the CD and Chaotix title cards myself. 3D Blast on Genesis was pretty cool, too.

    If I were to make a title card for a Sonic game I'd want it to be abstract yet organized, if that makes sense. Of course, only if the game's art style were to reflect that.
     
  3. Rika Chou

    Rika Chou

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    There are plenty of art deco fonts that would look good.
     
  4. RetroKoH

    RetroKoH

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    Some nice picks... but my only problem with the Sonic CD font is that it only worked for those certain zone titles... they both needed to be two words, and use alliteration for that to work. I'd have to go back and look at what 3D Blast even looks like again... I haven't played it in ages.
     
  5. Black Squirrel

    Black Squirrel

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    I think the idea with the title cards is that they're supposed to help convey this sense that Sonic is a movie. Hence "Act 1" and "Special Stage". So you'd go back to the early days of filmmaking and borrow a font from there.

    Later games dropped this concept for whatever reason.
     
  6. RetroKoH

    RetroKoH

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    One thing I think is important is that the text, or color theme... or at least some imagery should in some way represent the zone you are about to play... make each title card feel different in some way... I think it would be a nice touch that was never really done. The Sonic Advance series was the closest to this concept.

    And I would liken it more to a play in theatre moreso than a movie... since act and stage are used in theatre, and not so much in movies... at least to the viewer...
     
  7. Dark Sonic

    Dark Sonic

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    Honestly my favorite title card was probably the ones used in Sonic Generations. It combines classic Sonic JP stylization with Sonic 2's title cards to produce some pretty good results. Same goes for the score tally for that game. I love the use of shapes and stars and such, and it's kinda like the Unleashed score tally screen, which I also liked.
     
  8. Covarr

    Covarr

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    I don't have one favorite. What I do like, however, is that each game tends to be different. Honestly, the variety keeps it fun.
     
  9. Lambda

    Lambda

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    They each have their pros and cons. I find Sonic 1's to be kind of boring, I do like Sonic 2's, it's simple, but is very colorful and stylish. Sonic 3's is almost a blend between Sonic 1's minimalistic approach, and Sonic 2's style, but more on the minimalistic side. Sonic CD's one is the true compromise, though it's highly stylized nature requires the entire game to have a similar style, in order for it to not look out-of-place. Also, it never covers the entire screen, unlike the others. I guess it really depends on what is required of the game and the game's art style. Sonic 2 is definitely the most iconic one.
     
  10. dsrb

    dsrb

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    You could always mix it up, like those of Sonic 2 Heroes: background from S2, font and graphics (including new per-Zone act-number icons*) from S3&K. Not sure how I feel about that particular combination of elements, but it's a general idea.

    Said game does a similar thing for the end-of-Act tally, although that clashes (more?) due to the mixture of different game-specific bits plus the current custom-made number sprites (the new ones are going to look nice, though! :D).


    * First suggested in the Other Knowledge thread, brought up again in the Sonic 3 Complete thread, and mostly made by Neo; I don't know whether he did the ones for S2H, and in fact don't even recall them being discussed in that thread, but it's probably not too outlandish a guess.
     
  11. flamewing

    flamewing

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    Neo did them all, yes.
     
  12. dsrb

    dsrb

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    Thanks! And good work, you both. :D
     
  13. LockOnRommy11

    LockOnRommy11

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    I like the zig-zag style that they used, and have continued to use recently with the advent of Sonic Colours. The composition should have the zig-zags on the right hand side and below, and sometimes on top, and use blue and/or red and/or yellow.
     
  14. cornholio857

    cornholio857

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    I'm quite fond of the title cards in Chaotix.

    [​IMG]

    Yep, that just screams '90s. :v:
     
  15. Mercury

    Mercury

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    It's Century, or a very close variant, unless I'm dreadfully mistaken.

    This probably isn't the kind of answer you're looking for, but I don't think there is an ideal one. Aside from the obvious outlying case of Sonic 3 and Sonic & Knuckles, no two Sonic games have used the same title card style. Each one is suited to its own particular game and conjures up memories of it specifically. I don't think choosing one of the lot to ape, or making a syncretist mashup of them all are good ways to go, even when your project is a retelling of the genesis era (as I believe is your goal).

    As someone who has been undertaking a similar project for nigh on a decade now, I don't think I've found the right answer either. My best advice would be to just come up with something completely new, but memorable and vaguely Sonicky. With that at least you're being creative and it's very hard to go wrong.
     
  16. Ch1pper

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    I take comfort in knowing that, while each title card can vary between games, every card within a particular title is the same. Just for a bit of consistency.

    Thinking back to Adventure 1/2 and Advance: the title cards have differed by featuring the main color associated with the current playable character, but retained the same style and fonts between them the entire time. That was a neat little touch for the time.

    I'm intrigued by KingofHarts' idea. Even something like associating particular colors or styles, whether of the font or background, with Zones themselves would be a nifty touch if done right. Again, another small difference to shuffle up an overall consistent aspect. Very interesting.
     
  17. RetroKoH

    RetroKoH

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    One thing I was thinking about doing, was incorporating some kind of interactive title card.

    Something that would be active, and show you certain things at your command... or maybe a little minigame even... it would also allow you to be able to wait to start the zone until you pressed START, or something like that...

    I'm also going to have an interactive pause screen, so maybe I'm going overboard with this concept... but just an idea. As Ch1pper pointed out, colors indicated certain aspects of what/who you were playing in certain games, and I will incorporate that much... what do you guys think of the screen being interactive? This is certainly something that I don't believe has been done before.
     
  18. cornholio857

    cornholio857

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    I think it's a neat idea. Going with your idea for a mini-game, a good one would be having a pinball mini-game before you start a casino themed Zone. Perhaps a chance to earn Rings before the Act even starts, or just try to rack up points. IDK, the pinball mini-game may be too much though.
     
  19. Skyler

    Skyler

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    No, but Sonic 3D on the Saturn is clearly inspired by Sonic 2.

    [​IMG]
     
  20. Ch1pper

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    Wouldn't an interactive title card sort of defeat the purpose of it being a title card? Especially if you're going to input a Start button to actually transition from the card/minigame to the stage.

    It's interesting, but unless you purposefully limit it to something like, say, a simple Game & Watch type of deal or as a small distraction while the stage loads (I guess like those in Namco-Bandai games, right?), it sounds a little too grand - unless you just make 'em unlockable minigames to play from another menu outside of the main gameplay.

    Oh, is your game idea using 2D or 3D? Also something to consider, obviously.


    Anyway, keep brainstorming. It's got my brain jogging, at least.