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Sonic Mania (Switch, PS4, Xbox One, PC...Netflix?)

Discussion in 'General Sonic Discussion' started by TimmiT, Jul 23, 2016.

  1. JcFerggy

    JcFerggy

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    I think its because the press/general public just does not know the history of PagodaWest. Like on their site there is no mention of their past working on Sonic 2 HD, but I assume they want to distance them selves from that now they are a proper company. Most probably think they are just doing the music because of Tee Lopes.
     
  2. TheOcelot

    TheOcelot

    Scooty Puff Jr sucks! Member
    Yeah, 2015 seems about right.

    I remember seeing a tweet from PagogaWest Games posing with Taxman. This was at E3 2015. I guess a deal must have been in place around that time. I think it was at the end of last year that Stealth said he was working on a new project.


    https://twitter.com/PagodaWestGames/status/611330487764824064

    Spring finishes officially around June. So I think a May release in 2017 is more likely.
     
  3. TheKazeblade

    TheKazeblade

    "Our Life is More than a Side-Effect" Member
    A lot of Sonic 2 HD's accomplishments were overshadowed by the fallout of the hack detection demo. Doesn't take away from how qualified they are, but I wouldn't be shocked if they've purposefully distanced themselves from their most relevant experience for that reason.
     
  4. qwertysonic

    qwertysonic

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    Since Sega, and most definitely the Taxman and Stealth, are watching this forum to gauge responses, I'd like to offer my opinion. I would much rather prefer new levels to ported levels no matter how revamped they are. I am loving what I'm seeing, but Studiopolis made me 100 times happier than GHz remake. I wouldn't mind adding an extra character (like Amy or Mighty if they play pretty much the same to Sonic, tails, and Knuckles) but I don't need one. I love that the graphical mistake in Sonic 1's GHz was put into this along with other nods to the past games. That being said, guys, keep up the good work.
     
  5. Hez

    Hez

    Oldbie
    So I think I might know why this feels like a fan-game to some folk, and here's my opinion. Classic Sonic game's followed a sort of progression. When Sonic 1 went to Sonic 2, you had Tails. You had redrawn graphics, new sound effects, etc. Most everything was new besides your basic ring effects etc. There was a sort of formula. When you went from Sonic 2 > 3. You had the same thing happen. New sound effects, new graphics all around, etc. Sonic CD was the same way with the exception of Sonic's sprite.

    Fan-games follow the path of rehashing old graphics. E.G. taking Sonic's 1, 2, or 3 graphics and adding more shading, more frames, etc. Sonic Mania seems to more follow this path in a grab for nostalgia points. You have rehashed levels, new levels, etc.

    I'll say this now, ITS NOT A BAD THING. It's just why people feel the way they do. Had they redrawn Sonic's sprites, or what not, it may had felt more like a progression. This feels to me more like an addition, a welcome one at that.
     
  6. darylbaxter

    darylbaxter

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    Love this.

    But they raised a good point: The Special Stages.

    Could they possibly be an expansion of Blue Spheres 2 of what Stealth spoke of in his S3K Remastered post? Would be a natural progression I imagine.

    But. I don't really mind what it is to be honest. They've got it going well from what I've watched so far.
     
  7. Beltway

    Beltway

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    The only way Mania wouldn't get the "rom hack" / "fangame" label is if it was being done as a major studio project with a fresh team (speaking in terms of experience here), rather than the small passion project by Sonic community contributors it currently exists as. No pixel sprites (HD artwork and sprites or 2.5D look), a larger ratio of original levels (if not necessarily in level tropes --I.e. another "green" Sonic level-- , definitely in level identities --I.e. another Green Hill--), and generally a much larger group of staff getting the project off the ground--even if it meant being unable to use the Retro Engine as it stands and more people who aren't as familiar with the Genesis games putting their hands on the project (Sonic Advance and Sonic Generations can be applied as two examples of this in action).

    These issues don't translate to the likes of Nintendo's NSMB and Retro's DKC games; which graphically are made for today's generation and are mostly made by people relatively new to the formula (with those that are familiar with the formula --Miyamoto and Tanabe-- usually spearheading the games' direction). NSMB and DKC both reuse level identities, and in terms of level design do deviate from the original games, but they're not described as feeling like ROM hacks or fangames; they're instead considered a different author's take on the original source material. When you have only have a small group of people working on it that all also come from the same pot of working with fanmade products, it is going to be much more difficult avoiding the former label and instead getting the latter label.

    In a lot of ways, that's something of the trade-off of having Mania exist as it is, by having people of this background work on the project with this limited scope. If you're looking for a new classic Sonic game that doesn't (entirely) evoke what you've previously seen in fanmade works and/or visually looks to be made in today's climate of 2D platformers like Rayman Origins or Kirby's Return to Dreamland, you're likely going to be a little disappointed. But at the same time if you're looking for a classic Sonic game that is precisely on the nose in terms of the getting the essential gameplay components and controls correct, you couldn't really be in better hands. Personally, I'm hoping that Mania's success does lead to a new classic Sonic developed as a major project--as much as Mania is hitting all of the right notes for me in terms of bringing the Genesis Sonic experience back, I do hold out hope for a new classic Sonic project that can go toe-to-toe with Nintendo's 2D revivals--not just in faithfulness to the original gameplay and overall quality, but scope as well.
     
  8. DefinitiveDubs

    DefinitiveDubs

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    Super Bunnyhop weighs in on what the whole "fangame" thing means for the franchise:

    https://youtu.be/omKGDC4JaMU

    EDIT: Disregard this, did not see it was posted.
     
  9. Turbohog

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    Not really a fan of that video. That guy definitely understand less about the history of this game then most members here. (He also kept acting like the Genesis grants had a ton of issues, which I disagree with).

    Anyway,I hope they do something new with the special stages. I'm expecting them to do something that the Saturn would have been capable of. Maybe something similar to 3D Blast or Knuckles Chaotic special stages?
     
  10. Aesculapius Piranha

    Aesculapius Piranha

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    I just heard about this today. I'm really really happy with the art style. The sprites are superb and so are the levels look.

    If the soundtrack matches, then I honestly cannot wait.
     
  11. Josh

    Josh

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    Eh, I liked it well enough, though I definitely agree that his criticisms of the Genesis versions, PARTICULARLY the slowdown, don't really hold much water.

    I was actually brainstorming doing a video on the same topic when I kept seeing so many people having no idea who Taxman & Stealth were, so much as I like Super Bunnyhop, it was bittersweet to see this one come up. Of course, if I were doing it, I'd have taken the next week and a half researching, writing and re-writing the script, and collecting footage, and I'd be lucky to have it out by September. :v: Timeliness is not my strong suit.
     
  12. Jason

    Jason

    *Results not lab tested. Member
    If we're gonna talk reception of the game with unfound criticism.
    http://youtu.be/-_niaJ8gWhk
    Keep in mind these people proclaim that they haven't really cared about Sonic since Sonic 2. Arguably one of the major target audiences.
     
  13. Blue Blood

    Blue Blood

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    Enjoy
    http://youtu.be/NiB2fA6F1iI
     
  14. Miles3298

    Miles3298

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    I feel bad for posting only to ask this, but I'd love to know: Anyone have any clue if AI Tails is or might be a thing? Is it safe to assume not if it hasn't been seen yet?

    For me personally, so far this game is a ton of steps forward and hitting just about all the notes I want hit (to the point of possibly competing with Sonic 3 & Knuckles of all games, even), but the exclusion of that feature would feel like one little ol' step backward after Sonic 2 mobile did it so well. That is my one and only potential worry with the whole thing; I'm completely loving every single other detail, even the old zones because they apparently aren't just carbon copies as Green Hill rather gracefully demonstrated.
     
  15. RhikoruNa

    RhikoruNa

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    Both Android/iOS ports of Sonic 1-2 had the option to have Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Sonic + Tails, so I don't see any reason why Mania wouldn't. It makes sense to leave it out of Sonic CD because of the time travel mechanic (at least I presume), but since this is straight up classic Sonic gameplay it should be relatively certain to see in.
     
  16. big smile

    big smile

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    I hope Sonic & Tails is an option, as it feels lonely playing as Sonic by himself.

    I also hope they bring back "Knuckles & Tails" and "Tails & Tails" with a cheat code. That was a neat glitch from the original Sonic 1 Remastered and I was sad that they took it out.
    "Tails & Tails" is just so cute!
     
  17. JcFerggy

    JcFerggy

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    Honestly, they could easily implement a partner system in a similar vain to Sonic Classic Heroes, with Tails and Knuckles flying in, and Sonic jumping up from below the screen. It just comes down to what they have planned/have time to implement before release.

    One thing I really hope Mania has are some unlockables or extra content. Like even a partner select would be a worthwhile thing to strive for. The classic Sonic games games didn't have such a thing, more relying on sound test codes, but mobile ports did and that is an aspect of them I really enjoyed. Having Knuckles gated behind a full emerald run in Sonic 1 or unlocking the Stage Select or Sound Test in Sonic CD. Even Sonic Advance 2 had something similar for unlocking Amy (*Nudge nudge*). Not only does it add replay value for multiple runs, but having a reward for being good at the game is something that current games don't do any more. Most games nowadays are more likely to have their extra content be purchasable dlc. I miss games like GoldenEye where you got cheats for beating levels under a specific time, or the insanity of unlocking Tofu in Resident Evil 2.
     
  18. Dark Sonic

    Dark Sonic

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    "Knuckles is too future for me."

    The fuck?
     
  19. Ayu Tsukimiya

    Ayu Tsukimiya

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    What's mostly getting me is that people are just now talking about how you don't have time to react to the enemies in 2D Sonic games like it's always been a huge problem. Did a popular youtuber say that and people are jumping on the bandwagon or something? Is there a virus going around that gives people the reaction time of a snail? Because I've never seen those complaints before the past year or so.
     
  20. Rosie

    Rosie

    aka Rosie Member
    People don't seem to understand that a large part of Sonic's game design stems from having to play the same levels over and over again, as your familiarity with the game improves, so does your time. I find that a lot of popular complaints about the classic games are contradictory, such as expecting to be able to blast through the levels with no consequences, but moaning both when the games "play themselves" or when things slow down for platforming.

    Basically, these people grew up with Mario, when I try to play Super Mario Bros and run everywhere I fuck up a lot and die.

    I wonder if familiarity has something to do with the whole "fangame" thing that's being thrown around: As in, this feels odd because it's classic Sonic but the level designs aren't burned into my brain.

    Annyway... I'm not inclined to start asking for features, but I would like to say that I'd be totally down for a boxed copy of this game.