I like the idea of a open world sonic game. I myself have been planing one for years. Unfortunately I don't know how to code, I know how to do everything else. Also I'm well versed in game design, an basic to advanced fundamentals that make a game. I read much of responses into the backyard, and this is where my issues starts.
You can make a safe place area and still be interesting, in your level design. Enter backyard... In all honesty what I've seen so far reminds me of sonic 06 hub worlds mainly the Forrest one. They have land marks there but the world is so barren and repetitive you have to travel from end to end just to get a of something interesting, or interactive, or fun. Much of what is shown in Exodus is hills and flat land and some arrangement of rocks. All with the same repeated and dull textures everywhere. No trees, No plants, no actual environment. Just a sculpted plain plain with one or two set peaces that don't look at all that interesting to begin with. That rock spire looks nice, but the average player wont think twice about it once they collect what's there and moved on. In one of your vids when you showed the land marks all my mind could think was "when I get there, there will be three or four things to jump/run on with the same repeated and sculpted environment I just came from only now, this one has (X) landmark." Sonic 06 did the same thing with Solianna. Beach here, Clock Tower here, fountain here, shrine here, special bridge here, repeated buildings and floor textures everywhere, on a plain. Exodus takes it a bit further but it's still the same difference. The blitz free runner demo stage (see megaGwolf) looks more way interesting by layout alone. That's what a playground should look like, a playground.
Pathways, tunnels, floating objects,
decorations, bridges, slopes, dead ends, walls,
landmarks, hazards, pickups, etc... That is what fuels exploration, Not open space open space with hidden rewards and few objects to hop on. I shouldn't have to look to find my fun, players should immediately look at something and go "that looks interesting/fun to play on. Lets go there." OR "I see the game wants me to go here, but there is tunnel over there, gee I wonder whats in it." OR " I see that item up there, how the heck do I get that item, this pathway I'm supposed to be on leads away from it." Your spire has some of that magic, but a the house and the arch is a grasping for straws moment, where the player sees nothing else, and it becomes their point of interest prompting the "there's nothing else to do so... that's maybe where I should go?"
From what is shown, there is no actual objective as to what I (the player) am supposed to be doing in this game and you're dealing with 3 axises instead of 2, So "here go forward" wont work as well as it did in the 8, 16, & 32bit era without the "tunnel directives" you'd find in all 3d Sonic games or generally games period.
A tutorial space should still be a focused area. Regardless if its a linear learning experience or not. However a Linear is the best and most recommended for teaching, because linear level design doesn't result in some player's trying to learn "multiplication & division" without them being able to first "identify numbers" or "add and subtract", or end up skip the lesson all together without realizing it. Player choice is a huge undertaking, and tackling it means you have to anticipate things from a much larger thinking, What if they do this, what if they do that, and plan accordingly. You are the game master we are your pawns control our fate, but don't force our journey. (that is the ideal)
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I like the idea, but the implementation so far is very unimpressive.
My advice would be to...
Plan out
actual level design on paper complete with set pathways so that environments look interesting and intentional (open world or not you still need a floor plan as what players can and cant do - field with lake here and arch here is lazy, and the same thing you find in nearly every 3d sonic fan game just ask souls and worlds)
Create a story for your environments to give them life complete with concept art or go on deviant art or Google image and look at environment art/concepts and attempt to recreate it in 3d,
Model actual objects and or environments and import them into unreal. If have the time to make a new sonic model you have the time to get adequate models for some real environment detail, stop using generic shapes, and generic sculpted mountain with textures slapped on them or get some from deviant art or the Model Resource (for some reason everyone has the same exact stock loops and rock platforms, your job is to inspire the player. Not have the player's imagination fill in the blanks, that's what books are for. SELL A WORLD)
Add enemies that work - not those stock squares you find all the time in these 3d sonic fan games, actual enemies with Ai (seems all you ever find in these things are spikes)
(in order) Study level design from Mario 64; Mario Sunshine; Sonic Unleashed (day and night); Sonic Jam; Sonic Adventure and Adventure 2 (specifically Sonic/Tails/Knuckles in both both); Sonic Generations (all modern stages); Banjo 1 and 2; Pokemon any verson; GTA 3 and up; and Xenoblade Chronicles both if you can. Pick them apart, and not things ------------
I may sound harsh but for this to be a solid game you need those things. Just trying to help
PS: if you do a vid blog please change the format. show a live demo something showcasing what your DOING with the game NOW, and what IS good about the game. Rather than you just sitting there explaining why this game is GOING to be good, and what you hope will be. Much of us would much rather see the game than your person (no offense), I mean that why we cam to the vid in the first place. don't be like square @ e32015 or worst Peter Molyneux. At the end of the day the game has to stand up on its own and you wont be their to explain.
the worst presenters at e3 did that know who else peter molyneux
This post has been edited by Pulse0: 22 June 2015 - 01:05 PM
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