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SEGA admits that they've been fucking up for the past decade

Discussion in 'General Sega Discussion' started by TimmiT, Jul 7, 2015.

  1. GerbilSoft

    GerbilSoft

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    Off-topic trash removed. Keep it on topic plzkthx.
     
  2. Lilly

    Lilly

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    [inlinespoiler]If Retro had a "Thank" button like the tSR forums do, I'd be smashing that button right now, GerbilSoft.[/inlinespoiler]

    I think there's a fair chance SEGA means what they say here. Under the new policy, more games than Sonic are allowed time to incubate until the developers feel they're ready for the public. If Nintendo's own success could be founded on quality over quantity, it could do wonders for SEGA's IPs too.

    Think of all the little niggles with Lost World that could have been fixed if the release schedule wasn't so tight? If this works, it won't happen again, or not as severely. Sonic might actually stand a chance at iterating like Zelda or Mario do with each title.
     
  3. TheKazeblade

    TheKazeblade

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    There's so much potential here, and this is one of the first times I've actually started to truly believe that they're meaning what they say. Not necessarily because it's getting repeated, but more because all of the different branches of Sega are saying the same thing. Seriously, I can't remember a time where Sega was this unified in their message. I'm hard-pressed to say they ever were at all; maybe around the time of the Dreamcast when there seemed to be some cohesion. That is what truly has me excited. That, in conjunction with the new guard in Sega of Japan, makes me feel like they may take better advantage of their IP's now.

    They've got their mobile market which, in reality, is a current-day extension of what was always their bread and butter: arcade-y pick-up-and-play titles. Small teams, low overhead, and as Nirolak mentioned in his NeoGaf post, are making a profit. Nice little cash-flow to bolster their AAA efforts.

    As excited as I am for what this means for Sonic particularly, I'm hoping this new sense of consistency in branches will lead to better optimization of their efforts to make games suited for the right platforms. For instance, they probably couldn't get away with full-retail packaged releases for certain IP's like NiGHTS or Panzer Dragoon, but if they were to release mobile titles in those franchies, they have the opportunity to make long-time fans happy as well as continue to put out accessible games with possibilities for monetization. Sega could very possibly have a treasure-trove hiding in their on-rails back catalog. With Nintendo putting out Star Fox Zero, I hope Sega will take note of that and look into it as a possibility in the near future.
     
  4. steveswede

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    Question: What do people here want in this up and coming Sonic game?

    I would love a 2D Sonic 5 but I think that will be very unlikely. If it's the on rails Sonic games we have had in the past then it won't be for me.
     
  5. Beltway

    Beltway

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    Gonna be honest, the quotes about having Sonic "appeal to as many people as possible" (even given the Mario-competing everyman franchise the series was in its heyday) and "bringing Sonic to modern-day gamers" ...I find to be kinda troubling. I'll probably be told that I'm reading too much into their words, but....given what has happened in the past when similar words were uttered...I really dunno about this one.

    ...given how it's all three branches on the same page of PR statements now, I can understand people arguing to give them the benefit of the doubt though.

    The notion of "losing fans along the way" also rubs me the wrong way too, but by this point I'd agree with those who argue its necessary, given the various pre-existing identities the series has had by this point. Though I'm probably just saying this because if the recent statements are anything to go by, the classic portion of the branch (the one identity of Sonic I'm most preferential to) isn't going anywhere.

    Almost agree with you word for word. Recent PR statements and the classic focus for the 25th anniversary does seem to indicate the next title will be based on the classics.

    I'd love a new 2D Genesis Sonic sequel, which given the recent PR seems to be the most likely indication of the upcoming Sonic game, but I hold a lot of doubt that the current team will make a proper sequel following Sonic 4.

    A 3D Sonic game with polished Adventure 1 gameplay / highly retooled Lost World gameplay / some new playstyle based on the classics would also make me pretty happy. I have my doubts either of these cases are plausible though.

    Another boost game wouldn't be my thing. Great for those who want it but I'd just sit it out on the sidelines, if not get my coat outright.
     
  6. Dark Sonic

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    Wow another one of these comments. This is really intriguing. On top of having heard nothing of a new Sonic release in ages, I am legitimately starting to think that they actually give a shit this time and it's not necessarily just PR jargon.

    Please, please be serious. How much pain must you put us Sonic fans through.
     
  7. Azookara

    Azookara

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    If they can just work towards making the elements of the classic gameplay work in 3D like I think SoE was trying to imply, then I think they've struck gold. Longer dev times and higher focus on quality and the "core gamer" audience sound like great things too and I hope they also hold up to that.

    Don't fail me now, Sonic Team.
     
  8. Lilly

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    That's what I love about this news. It's not only a "lol guys we know this sucks we'll do better next time, honest!" kind of promise. It's a commitment across the entire board, so more than IPs than Sonic are going to benefit from this too.

    A next-gen Sonic release on the PS4/One with extra dev time clocked in would be awesome. Even if it turns out to be a divisive game like Sonic CD, it would maintain the quality of the brand better than another Boom or '06.
     
  9. winterhell

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    Since we have 2 Sonic the Hedgehog's game titles ( distinguished as Sonic 1 and '06 by the fans), why cant we have Sonic 4 by Sonic Team( and call the other version 'DIMPS's ).
    And if the people responsible for the brand actually woke up, that'd be because of the recent poor performance of Sonic Boom which had lower ratings than '06
     
  10. I don't think that naming another game to be "Sonic the Hedgehog 4" would accomplish much. Sonic 4: Episodes 1 & 2 take place after the classic trilogy of Sonic games. Besides, it's simply a name; it isn't like it holds a significant amount of importance compared to the gameplay itself.
     
  11. Dark Sonic

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    Yea screw the numbered naming conventions (Unless it's a remake, then go ahead). Just do what modern Sonic games do and follow the Sonic: Subtitle convention. Or create a new subseries ala Sonic Boom to distinguish Classic Sonic. Maybe Sonic Classic: Subtitle.
     
  12. Azookara

    Azookara

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    Agreed with Dark Sonic. Sub-series sounds best for a classic Sonic branch, though I imagine it'd be made canonically connected and in-line with the main franchise rather than separate like Boom.

    Intentionally fracturing the fanbase even farther just sounds like a mistake is why I say that, but that's just me. I'd rather they just try to reintroduce Genesis elements of control, gameplay, tone and etc into the main series than try to go 100% all-or-nothing to one side or the other.
     
  13. Dark Sonic

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    I wouldn't mind a Classic/Modern split, I mean they already do it with the merchandise. And if they could make a standard for Modern Sonic we would just have 3 branches of the franchise, anyone left on the sidelines (Adventure, Heroes, Shadow etc fans) can quit if they want. As far as timelines go they could use a theoretical alternate timeline from after Sonic returns to his past after Generations. Maybe Robotnik went back in time as well and changed his tactics after learning of Eggman's mistakes over the years. Meanwhile, Modern Sonic can continue on the old timeline, kinda like the Legend of Zelda timeline.

    Plus multiple series within a franchise has worked at least with Megaman. If they can keep it to 3 then I don't think it'd be a problem.
     
  14. TimmiT

    TimmiT

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    Not entirely sure if a Classic/Modern split would be great, seeing how that'd add to the already existing normal Sonic/Boom Sonic split and might make things confusing. Unless they'd just Mega Man it and have the series consist of a shitton of spin-offs. :v:
     
  15. Azookara

    Azookara

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    I guess it could work out sorta like that, though the difference from this and the Zelda timeline or the MM's serieses is that (not counting Boom) classic and modern Sonic are the same Sonic, just with a different character design.

    Kind of makes having a split sort of redundant, right? I mean you could argue that they'd both have really different gameplay or art styles, but considering how Generations brought the art style together and if Sega actually worked out the gameplay to be more like it used to (like they seem to be implying.. maybe..), how much of difference remains for the split to be necessary?
     
  16. TimmiT

    TimmiT

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    Now that I think about it, they have done different designs/styles for Sonic games before with Sonic Battle and Sonic Riders.

    Also, Disney is doing the same thing right now with Mickey Mouse. With them using a more classic (though modern at the same time) design for the new shorts while still using the "normal" design for other stuff.
     
  17. Azookara

    Azookara

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    Right. With that in mind, the series could easily consider them amongst the same 'canon' and everything with no issue, you'd think. Just swapping the design style around depending on the type of game they wanna do.

    Also it'd be kind of neat if we ever managed to see newer characters in the classic style.
     
  18. Conzuh

    Conzuh

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    Something about seeing the words "Sonic the Hedgehog" and "canon" in the same sentence cracks me up but I get you guys. A split series of 2D and 3D games that are stylistically different but still part of a cohesive whole is an excellent idea.

    Sonic's audience is extremely divided and it's impossible to appeal to everyone with the same game, which is what Sega have constantly been attempting to achieve. The only issue with splitting the series up is that we're left with three separate versions of Sonic (regardless of if they can be considered part of the same continuity) which is a bit weird, but I guess could work. The Legend of Zelda, for example, constantly jumps from style to style. Even then though, that series is kept simple with all the games falling into either the 2D or 3D category.

    In a perfect world, we'd have good 2D Sonic and good 3D Sonic (whatever the hell that's supposed to be). No Boom to splinter the franchise further, which then leaves room for experimental spin offs. (Sonic Maker, anybody?)

    I'm not saying Boom can't work, but it's existence is... troubling from a brand standpoint IMO.
     
  19. Retroman

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    As long as they don't set strict deadlines as in games being developed a year later than usual, and prioritize on quality (Bug fixing, gameplay balance, optimizing and fixing performance -> Multiple LOD System, and camera issues, minor bug fixes and under-the-hood improvements, level layouts etc all) more than quantity (Features, Gimmicks -> Which are greatly frowned upon if they work against the core gameplay/UnSonic-like, Abilities, Level design), then I'm sure they'll do better.

    Not sure how the QA team is organized and whether it could be improved such as with set goals, and a checklist (Using redmine to track issues, Github/Google Code/etc for uploading SVN Repositories)

    Because releasing things in a holiday season the same year/next year it's being developed hurts the quality of the game, which hurts it's reputation, and I'm sure you guys already know where I'm getting at with this.

    Marketting is not as important as QA and getting any sort of feedback to continually push the game towards going towards and past milestones in stability and performance.
     
  20. TimmiT

    TimmiT

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    The problem with buggy games actually often isn't with QA.