Spoiler-free Sonic Mania discussion thread

They're just promoting a nude-friendly environment. Studies have been done which show that nudity in the workplace lessens work-related stress (such as backpedaling on garbage decisions regarding DRM).

Here's hoping that more than just offline play issues get fixed in regards to the DRM, here.

 

I honestly don't care about this ridiculous tempest in a teacup and never will. This is not going to affect Mania's sales much outside of hardcore gaming forums and their burning hatred of DRM. DOOM sold just fine and just as many people were crying about Denuvo there too.

 

I don't care if it doesn't affect you Frostav. It affects people like me who won't have access to the internet. I don't want to refund it, but what's the point of owning a game that I can't even play. It's also completely unnecessary and will only hurt the game's popularity. Why should we just shrug it off just because it doesn't affect you?

I feel sorry for the Mania devs having to put up with this nonsense.

 

What if this was Sega's plan all along? DRM the game to encourage downvotes so Mania doesn't beat Forces. (muahahaha)

In all seriousness though, this is saddening.

 

I'd say a whole page of negative steam reviews may effect more than just the hardcore gamers - I feel like this kind of thing can have a potential knock-on effect if Sega doesn't handle it correctly. It's not just a case of having DRM - it's not telling the fans in advance, delaying the game to implement it, and then not even allowing them to play the game offline - something that the Switch version and other consoles can do. I feel like the very nature of Sonic Mania is something that harkens back to a classic offline experience. Not to mention Tax and Stealth are certainly against all this as well.

As a PS4 player, I'm not really affected, but I'd hate for the console versions to one day decide they couldn't let me play Mania offline. I guess that's why I feel the PC players' voices are justified from that angle. Yes there are those who, offline play or not, will protest DRM purely because it's DRM of any form. I can't speak for those people as maybe that's more the 'burning hatred' side of things. Personally I feel like some sort of piracy protection should be in place, but not something that's actively screwing over legitimate paying fans.

 

Best explanation for it yet, thank you. Makes me understand the situation allot better.

 

Eh, never underestimate the effectiveness of enough negative publicity.

 

Finished a playthrough of Mania with Sonic and Tails. I haven't had this much fun with a official Sonic game in ages.

I cannot give enough commendation to those responsible for the level design, this is absolutely great material that's been missing badly in Sonic games for years. I just love it.

The graphics are especially great too. The new zones are great but honestly some of my favorite stuff is from the remixed stages.

And it goes without saying, the music is top notch. Especially some of the remixes for the later stages.

Do any of you honestly know how good it feels to sing genuine praises for a new Sonic game? Like....I'm just pure elated.

This is not only a fantastic game, for me it's easily in top three of the best Sonic games.

Massive props to Taxman, Stealth, and the folks at PWG and Sega who helped get this game off the ground.

 

I'm really disappointed in SEGA.

For those of us who take issue with Denuvo's inclusion, I suggest we take to social media to be heard.

 

Anyone else getting a purchase validation error code of 88500006? I'm trying to play the game and window pops up with a link to https://support.codefusion.technology/SonicMania_8ahn2e/?e=88500006&l=english

Anyone else get this error message? I've restarted Steam and my computer. Still the same error code.

 

Remember, you can still refund the game if you've played it for less than two hours and 2 weeks or less have passed since the transaction.

The publisher will be charged fees for refunded games, IIRC. I encourage everyone that is able to refund the game to do so (you can always rebuy it later with the Steam wallet). Be sure to mention DRM as the reason for requesting a refund. Hell, buy the game and immediately refund it, just to cost SEGA some more.

Sorry to Stealth and Taxman, but this is SEGA's wrongdoing and I want them to correct their behavior toward consumers. They're a profit-driven corporation, the only language they truly understand is money, so we need to send a strong message if SEGA is to even remotely reconsider their involvement with Denuvo software.

 

Maybe Denuvo's servers are being overwhelmed with all the new activations? :specialed: This won't be a good look for SEGA, either; it would be hilarious if it wasn't so heartbreaking that it had to happen to Mania.

To add to this, I like working/studying as well as playing games on my laptop no matter where I'm at, and there are very few public WiFi networks I trust, if any. I will not compromise the security of my laptop just to "check-in" with a DRM server for a video game. I don't always have the luxury of a mobile hotspot either, during months where I can't afford cell service. (Sneaky Steam updates like to eat 100MBs of my mobile bandwidth at random anyway.)

At least with my GoG purchases, and Steam games that only rely on Steamworks, I can play them entirely offline if I need to. I will be so cheesed if pirates crack it before SEGA gets the idea and removes it themselves.

 

After a brief controller and window size issue, I've finally crossed to the other side! This online shit is ridiculous though.

 

So I'm really liking the game so far (though I do have some complaints). The most annoying thing is the d-pad on my XBOX 360 controller doesn't work worth shit. It's the 360 controller with the special raising D-Pad. For some reason, Mania thinks up and down are the same buttons. It also thinks left and right are the same buttons. So it makes using the d-pad literally impossible. And the dpad would reeeeallly help me with some things in the game.

Kind of lame that the "PC optimization" was just DRM and not much true optimization / bug fixing, though many of us suspected that was the case.

 

You've got here good points, Luke. And generally - while I'm against DRMs "at all" (well, maybe except cd-keys, those are in my opinion the most "innocent" form of DRM, assuming that it's only cd-key, without connecting with some server or other stuff like that), I admit that steamworks is also some sort of DRM, which I'm able to live with (despite the fact that when I've got alternative, I will buy any title on GOG), this one is annoying for everyone, who have any reason to play in Mania offline (and there are plenty of those - Luke pointed his example, in my case it's about the fact that I want to play on my GPD Win, also outside my home) - it's even more irritating, since Mania doesn't have any online features (not counting leaderboards, if there is any - all modes are playable only on one PC/console).

What a bummer, I'm guessing that Sega won't stop with that one, and that means that I can dream about ANY games of Sega on GOG.

(I've sent of course my opinion/protest to Sega regarding that case, I admit that I'm glad about this mass protest in social media/e-mails/reviews on Steam)

 

There needs to be as much negative press as possible about the DRM so Sega feels forced to remove it. One of my friends who pre-ordered the game even get it to play on his computer. It simply won't start. This is inexcusable. Sega has currently given no indication that the DRM will be removed and that will damage sales of the game regardless of how much negative press it receives. Also, my internet connection can be really unpredictable so this could massively fuck me at my home someday if my internet randomly goes offline.

 

I completley understand where your coming from, I just personally wouldn't like to be the one that gives the story to the press and directly infulences sales, because you would be partly responsible for that (but mainly SEGA in the first place) if they choose to run with the story. Do you get what I mean?

I understand that word would get out and someone else would do it regardless but I just wouldn't like to be the messenger. It's a morals thing for me.

But, I understand why you're pissed and SEGA should definatley sort this out asap.

 

Destructoid posted about the DRM issue:

https://www.destructoid.com/fans-angry-at-sonic-mania-s-steam-drm-requirements-457949.phtml?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter