So I pretty much 100% Sonic Colors apart from S ranks. Got super sonic etc, even finished an Egg Shuttle run. Going through said Egg Shuttle run made me realize how many exact level locations are reused between acts. Like an act would end in a certain area but another later act begins in that area, same geometry and everything. Or one of the mini acts takes place in a part of one of the bigger acts, with only a heavy object location change. Is each zone and its various acts all one geometry layout file or something? I don't know how the programming of the game works or how it is set up, or what the best terms would be to what I am describing.
Each huge act contained two act levels. Every level in the game did this. And they had a separate entire 2d act for all of the levels as the true act 2. Act 1 contained enough for them to make more acts out of it with layer changes and having a place end where another act began.
I always thought that this was a good thing. It felt kind of like a transition from one act to the next, as though the whole zone was a continuous path. It made game fell less like a compilation of levels and more like a journey of sorts. I think it's kind of unfortunate that only some zones, like Sweet Mountain, did this.
This is the reasons I disliked colours. Every act was the god damn same, albeit the object layouts. Basically, the same level geometry would be used for every act in a said zone. You'd just be in different parts of it, or, like most cases, have a different object layout.
Yes, the real act 2 in the files is just a the 2d level you see in some of the levels. They just rehashed and changed a lot of the layouts. Act 1 usually had enough for 3 acts missions. Two of them being main acts where they cut off where the other one begins. It was just an easier way for them to get more stuff done. Literally Tropical Resort where you end the first act right beyond that wall is the next act. Same with most other acts. They are pretty much right in front of you.
The reused geometry pisses me off. Honestly I would have preferred 3 original acts over 2 original acts rehashed 2 other times each. Sometimes they could get away with it, but other times it just seems lazy.
Exactly my thoughts. This kind of ties in with my disappointment pertaining to level progression in Colors. What was the point of having a Mario-esque overworld if you couldn't choose your path? I would have been much more happy with 3 acts, 3 to five minutes each, with Generations-style trial areas that could use the copied geometry are unlocked based on things you did in the main acts. Like the chao key in SA2! Find secret "keys" in the zones that open up trials, giving even more reason to explore than just the red rings. There was a lot of wasted potential in Colors pertaining to levels and level progression.
That may be looking back on it now - but this was Sonic's step in the right direction. They will hopefully do it better in the future!
I don't remember which act it is, but it's the one in Asteroid Coaster that ends on the little round planet/asteroid thing. If you go Super Sonic and boost off the side of it, and jump before you hit the goal ring, you can fly up to the beginning area of the next act, sans objects.
I was fine with it.....as long as it was used as a way to make the acts feel more connected, like how Sweet Mountain 2 starts off where you ended Sweet Mountain 1. But what I don't like is when they blatantly re-use level geometry that you've already passed through. I'd be fine with this if there were optional, "challenge" acts, but the thing is that you have to play through all acts in an area to access a boss (as far as I know). I would have preferred if the rehash acts were optional, but that just would have made the game way shorter, too short in my opinion.......it seems it's a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation.
This, along with ridiculous and constant saving and loading times, is one of my main problems with modern Sonic games. Pointless filler that you're made to do in order to make the game longer. I'm fine with challenge acts, medal collecting, whatever, but there's no need to make it necessary. I know SEGA are being cheap at the moment, and filling out a game by reusing assets to make it longer seems like a good idea, but fuck. Give me two acts with maybe an extra boss act per zone, with multiple paths to add replay value, and a couple of optional objectives, such as collect X rings and get to the goal, race someone, do it in X time. Then give me the choice to do them, with little rewards like unlockable music tracks, skins, documentaries, etc, and an achievement for doing all of them. For the most recent example, Generations at it's core was a fun game, but it seemed like most of the game was taken up by doing boring challenges and waiting for the fucking thing to save and load. Sonic games don't need to be long, but they do need to be snappy. If SEGA keeps insisting on rushing out Sonic games, then at least offer an install option. That was meant to be more of an idea of what I'd like to happen, but ended up sounding ranty. I apologise.
...you're honestly complaining about Generations' loading times? I had no problem with them whatsoever. If you want to complain about a Sonic game's loading times, go seek out 06.
I play Generations on PC. Never takes more than about 5-8 seconds to load a level. Perhaps it's different on consoles?
No, I have the 360 and PC versions of Generations and while the 360 is slower, it only takes a small handful to load anything. I'd say it's faster or on par to most games for loading times.
Play the PS3 version. MUCH longer times. In fact, it's so bad that stage songs (Typically the modern ones) will take about 5 seconds in to the stage before they'll actually start playing.
how does the load time compare with sonic 06? Not joking, just trying to get a sense of how long it takes.
Sonic 06's loading time is at least 10 times longer and 5 times more frequent. Seriously Generations just loads before and after levels, and before cutscenes, not before and after walking 10 feet.