The Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Megathread

Correct. Usually the Trial Game contains all the data of the Full Game, with just a restriction put in place (e.g. Outrun Online Arcade Trial Game has all 15 stages included with download; however, you have a 99 second time limit, which doesn't extend at checkpoints, so you only have access to three stages. And obviously, no multiplayer).

So I'm guessing the Sonic 4: Episode 1 Trial Game will let you access Splash Hill Zone only.

 

It will most likely have Splash Hill Act 1, exactly like the demo they already had up on PartnerNet, that was the final version demo at the time, so I doubt they will do it differently now.

 

What continues to blow my mind is that we now have very specific comments from Jun about the music, and I'm the only one talking about it. It's like new info is just a distraction from the debate of weather this game is stupid and bad or not.

 

What are you talking about? There was a few pages devoted entirely to his comments. There's not much more we can say regarding that subject. He was asked by Iizuka to compose for the game, and he tried to get some original equipment but couldn't and we've already heard from a bunch of people here how he could have looked for alternative ways to get a more accurate sound. I mean, what else is there to say about it?

 

Pardon me, I must have missed it. I didn't hear about it until like 3 pages ago, so I guess I missed the initial announcement.

 

With the way this thread moves so fast, I can see how it would be easy to miss.

I can't wait for the next announcement to be buried under caps lock and quote blocks.

 

And another redundant debate about homing attacks.

All I'm interested in seeing now is what Casino Street 2 is getting changed into. The discussion or debates in here at this point are largely ignorable between releases or important news points, like Jun's music stuff.

Hopefully they manage to track down all the necessary equipment for the future episodes, but at the same time, after hearing Mad Gear Zone's music, where I honestly think he hit his stride with the soundtrack, I'd like to hear more... realistic tunes. I'm not talking Jun Senoue Guitar Syndrome, like SA2, Heroes and Shadow, but stuff that's thematic like the stuff in Sonic Adventure.

The works pulled of in SA1, his own included, were fantastic there. I still have Windy and Ripply on my mp3 player because of just how good it is. Then there's stuff like Tricky Maze... Lost World 1 which is completely different from other parts of the soundtrack and sounds fantastic. Likely a different composer, but it shows how important music be themed to a level and not just generic rock instruments.

 

Look at me, I'm Knacker the Hudgehog! Nyoooaaaaaaaooooohhhhhh

 

I know Microsoft mandates that, but does it usually apply for all consoles if one console has a demo?

 

No, usually Microsoft gets a demo, and sometimes the PS3 will get it, then the Wii never get's demos that I can think of.

 

Sony doesn't mandate them so it's a maybe on their service, and demos on the Wii is a fat chance.

Edit: God damn it Jim, you mother fucker.

 

Nintendo's reasoning is financially sound. Let their competitors spend money on hosting and bandwidth for something that isn't making them money (demo), and only bother for the part that actually IS bringing in profits.

Nevermind the fact that most WiiWare games DON'T have demos on XBLA and PSN, and nevermind the fact that people with only a Wii wouldn't get access to a demo and are less likely to make the final purchase. Actually, let's just chalk it up to Nintendo being cheap and lazy.

It seems likely that a Sonic 4 demo would consist of a single level, rather than a time limit as some demos have done. I mean, they could TRY a time limit, but a fast enough player could probably beat individual acts within that limit, possibly even the entire game depending on how long it is.

 

Like already said, the demo for the final version before the delay that was on PartnerNet was just Splash Hill act 1, the new version is %99 likely to do the same.

 

DEMO sounds like a good idea.
Whilst I am planning on buying the game, beit in fragments, or in one piece, I'm beginning to think that I'm probably not gonna have much time to play this game (or Colours)
This is saddening, because I really want to play this game. It looks pretty fun.

If we keep hammering down physics complaints; like the Minecart, things will eventually change.
Obviously, I prefer a more diplomatic approach to such things. Instead of saying:
"Dimps, you fucking suck, and you need to change your shitty-ass physics engine, and get rid of them fuckin' Boosters"
I prefer to say:
"Well, I find that the amount of boosters you have in Splash Hill, to be irritating, as it takes control away from the player. The physics also seem off, as on many occasions, I have found myself sticking to walls at impossible angles. If you could fix that, it would greatly improve our reaction to the game."

Though I doubt anyone actually spoke like the former to the PR (or Dimps themselves)...

 

In regards to finding the suitable equipment, all that is really needed is something like FL Studio and a MD-like soundfont. Maybe take the instruments and enhance them to sound more fitting.
However, some people think that going MD-only wouldn't be appropiate for a game which has non-16-bit graphics. Considering the low filesize that this game apparently has, perhaps there should be a DLC option which provides a MD-like soundtrack rather than using the dying cats.
Also, future episodes need to have at least a few composers on board. Three is adequate, Sonic 3D Blast did this and although only two were heavily involved (Senoue and Maeda), it still provided a great soundtrack as opposed to the mixed bag which is Sonic 4. Mad Gear stands out for the rest for obvious reasons and it is the only zone which I find the music to be fine. The rest are hit and miss.

Also, remember that if delays didn't happen, the PartnerNET product would essentially be out right now and would have caused a lot of bother for SEGA. They say that future episodes are going to have more input on by the fans, more requests that Episode 1 couldn't have due to time restrictions. This better be done. I'm considering buying a Wii for Sonic Colours, so I might as well end up buying this too, even though I find the current product to look a bit disappointing in terms of what it is going to have.

 

Who are you and what have you done with SOTI's vitriol?

Also, with regard to the potential lock-on playing-as-Knuckles-and-Tails-in-the-Episode-1-levels that was a figure of conjecture hundreds of pages back; as far as I recall, there aren't any Sonic-inaccessable areas in Ep1 that would actually make Tails / Knuckles' greater vertical mobility useful from an exploration standpoint.

...so that's probably out.

 

No but it could still be fun, I'm sure there are ways you can break the level design as Tails and Knuckles to get good times in the levels.

There were no Knuckles paths in Sonic 2 either but that didn't stop them from making him playable in it

 

That's a quite crap comparison to make. Knuckles probably hadn't even been conceptualised as a character by that point in time, but he and Tails are now series regulars, and most likely planned for later episodes. So they should be planning ahead for them.

 

If a demo' of Sonic 4 comes out, I'd really like to be able to play some of Lost Labyrinth Zone; Act 2 specifically.

I really like the new gimmick of going around with a torch to light your way, and blowing up dynamite to access parts of the zone looks awesome. I'm just really glad they removed the mine cart as the main level gimmick, and is now only at the end of the zone and not motion controlled.

I might not get a Sonic 4 demo' however seeing as I have a PlayStation 3 and Wii, and people are saying demo's come out mostly for the Xbox 360.