What this man says is, as I see it, the truth. I know you said you're going for the S1/CD method anyway, but here's some positive reinforcement to that end.
Maybe I'm just being overly contemptuous, but as I think about it, I feel like a name change might be in order. Not necessarily from Sonic 4, but rather the subtitle. I feel like Sonic 4 - As I Imagined It, would be more accurate than Sonic 4 - As You Imagined It. I feel like backpedaling to the Sonic 1/2 style over Sonic 3 isn't necessarily what most of us were expecting from Sonic 4, or what Sega would have done back in the mid-90s. That's not to say that I'm not supporting the project, or that I'm not looking forward to it. I certainly am, and I think it's great work you're doing, and I look forward to seeing what else you do. I just feel that the Sonic 4 probably would have evolved from Sonic 3, not Sonic 1/2.
So how about having Sonic 3&K Special Stage Rings, but with ring requirements. For example, If you don't have enough rings, the Big Ring would be gray-colored to show that it is unavailable (with maybe a number inside showing how many rings you need). Perhaps that is a good way to combine both ideas (and somewhat constrict the ease of access for Special Stages present in S3K). If you want to make it even harder, you could have them be one-time use checkpoints. For example, if you don't have the required amount of rings, it would only act as a checkpoint, and will not allow you to return to it for Special Stage access while you are still in that stage. This however, would require them to be something other than Big Rings. Maybe they can be large, ornate Star Posts? Both of these options would maintain the enjoyable nature of the S3K style, while retaining ring usefulness/importance.
Not bad! BUT Then it would be exactly the same as StH2. Except that style would not be retained at all if the mode of entry were changed back to a star post. Why wouldn't you just stick with your initial idea? Why does the requirement of rings and/or functioning as a single-use checkpoint mandate that the entrance “be something other than Big Rings”? If the player lacks sufficient rings, the giant ring is grey and disappears irretrievably after being touched, functioning as a checkpoint only. Otherwise, it's gold and works as it would have in S3&K. Also, yes to what LoS said about the title. Calling it “As [We] Imagined It” will never please everyone and will just lead to another round of bickering and Spinish Inquisitions about who is truly carrying the faith. Change it to “I [Sonica]”, come up with another subtitle (Sonic 4a? I dunno man), or whatever.
Something to clearly distinguish it from S4EP1/2 would probably be in your best interest, preferably something appended to the 4 as a single word just due to the way internet searching/keywording/etc works. Or it'll be complete hell to search for anything related to the project (Youtube, looking at you) down the road. But hey what do I know
How about Sonic A, with the 'A' dressed up to look slightly like a '4'? Then it'd also say 'Sonica', geddit? It's what I hoped for back in the day, and what I hoped for back in 2010, and what I'd hope for now. As ever, different strokes for different folk.
I kinda like this. It's almost like the start of an alternate "numbering" system. Sonic B, Sonic C...
Personally I think having the name like that is trying too hard to be cool. Sonic 4 as I imagined it is perfect due to the controversy Sonic 4 has made and people will understand from the get go what inspired Sonica to make it.
Not the A/4 hybrid I had in mind. Just took 30 seconds to knock up something rubbish. Is it a 4, or an A? Yeah, yeah. It looks shit. This is just a sketch from which to build upon and see if the idea has merit and/or is worth considering.
So Sonica, How about a progress report here? Whats going on? Any engine previews you want to show us? anything at all? C'MON MAN IM STARVIN FOR SOME INFOS HERE!!! Please feed me? .
I've quit on the Game Maker engine. Well, there is simply no point making something so complicated if the majority of people are against it. At the moment I have exams and all the rubbish that comes along with that, so nothing strong in terms of development that I can show nicely. ...But, I will have some basic zone object art to show soon.
I really wanted to make my own because it would feel much more rewarding, but Game Maker is all I can really use. At the moment I am open to anything, but I haven't actually been asking people because I've been getting on with other things.
I know you already have basic stage themes in mind but I wanted to suggest this because I want to. I think it'd be pretty neato to have a Zone where you're basically wandering around a land of sweets, ala Sweet Mountain, only more focused on things like slushies, silly straws, soft drinks, and ice cream. It'd primarily be a water level. You could have a bunch of floating ice cubes as platforms above a river of slushies, and also above lakes of soda. The "loops" of the level could be made from arrangements of gigantic silly straws. When you're in a river of slushies, you could use the little ice chunks inside as platforms, and when you're in a lake of soda you could use the fizzly bubbles to work your way back up to the surface. And as for the ice cream, you could sort of "sink in" to a cone like the sand in Sandopolis, and you could hide some secrets that way, or just suffocate. Basically right now I'm just rattling off things that I think would be neat to see in a Sonic game.
