I have no idea what this means as Mania will be the first game I've played on the PC with a controller in like 16 years. I got my father-in-law to buy me an X360 wired usb controller, but technology is so good these days that there are USB adapters to older game controllers? Like is this possible?: https://www.amazon.com/Mayflash-Drive-Genesis-Controller-Adapter/dp/B00QRZ1HVS/ref=sr_1_4?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1481136022&sr=1-4&keywords=sega+genesis+usb+controller I totally still have my Genesis controllers. Would have saved only $5 though, XD.
There are several reasons someone might want an older controller. First and foremost, the X360's D-pad is complete ass, not good for 2D platformers at all, unless you really like accidentally hitting diagonals and constantly putting Sonic into roll. The newer wireless model with the updated rotating d-pad is better, but still not great. For comparison, the Xb1 controller's D-pad is better, and the PS4's is better still. But the Genesis and Saturn both had 8-directional pads that are less frustrating than most anything on the market today. But beyond that, there's a certain nostalgia to play a Sonic game with a Genesis/Saturn 3- or 6-button controller that feels like what we played the originals with as a kid. This aspect isn't really functionally important at all, but one cannot deny the emotional impact of such a thing.
What about the issue of latency with wireless controllers. Correct me if I'm wrong, but one of the issues I've had with modern Sonic games is that I feel he doesn't respond quick enough. Maybe it's in my mind, but while playing Sonic Generations on a wireless PS3 control this seemed to be a real problem. I've also noticed this with 2D platformers, or am I imagining things??
For me, there is a noticeable difference between using a Saturn-inspired USB controller and an original, first-party Saturn controller with that Mayflash adapter I linked. I always go with USB adapters and the real deal controller over a direct USB equivalent.
It depends on how sensitive/observant you are to the input lag. (PS3 controllers have as much as 50 milliseconds of latency, iirc.) Technically, it's a marginal amount. Some people don't notice latency at all with wireless controllers, my cousins play Dark Souls on their PS3s like it's nothing, and I can't seem to notice the lag myself. I'd be fine with an Bluetooth 8bitdo, but others wouldn't be, such as yourself. You might opt instead for a USB adapter and the original controllers, which is the most authentic route anyway. When I made a homemade Genesis pad adapter for the printer port as a teen, based on Internet tutorials, Taxman's Sonic demos felt awesome if not perfect with that. How far we've come now that Taxman and Co. are working on an official full game.
I'll be playing with the Steam Controller. It's not perfect, but it played Sonic CD and Freedom Planet pretty well so im not complaining.
This may sound boring, but I'm going to play the Steam (and PS4) versions with my Dualshock 4. I find it so much more comfortable (along with the Dualshock 2 & 3) compared to any of the Xbox controllers. Will try other control-pads at some point. On a different note. In terms of bonus content for the game; along with time-attack, debug mode and a boss-rush mode, I'd like a developer diary with detailed insight into how Mania came about (how it was pitched) and design choices including why they chose each specific classic stage to re-imagine.
I'm probably going to play with keyboard, as the only USB controllers I have at the moment are SNES, N64, and PS1. Actually, never mind. I'm playing Sonic Mania with an SNES controller and nobody can stop me.
That depends on the controller (and in some cases on PC, also on the bluetooth adapter), but for the most part it's hard to see the difference with any modern wireless controller tech. Sonic Generations on PS3 has serious latency problems anyway, which are only compounded by the game's 30fps cap and the high latency on the average television. Playing with, say, a wireless 360 pad and the official adapter for it on Windows, and on a game that doesn't already have latency problems of its own, is bound to be a far better experience.
Aside from getting ads on trains and malls, Japan is also getting their own Mania merch too. The Sonic Channel site has posted a hoodie, a blanket, and a bandanna that will soon be available to be order online from the regional Sega Store or Amazon site. (Pictures below are artwork mockups, pictures in the spoiler are zoomed-in shots of the actual merch). Spoiler Speaking of which. Between the above announced clothing merchandise (as well as the Mania T-shirts made available by Sega West), the pre-order exclusive Collector's Edition (which quickly sold out in most --if not all-- territories it was made available in), and the adverts inside malls and Sonic-specific trains/cafes that Slingerland posted in Japan some pages back... ...for a game that's only been confirmed for digital distribution so far, Sega has been giving it quite the marketing push. For comparison's sake, both Sonic 4 episodes didn't get this much support (I only remember Episode I getting digital clothing merch for the Xbox 360 avatars and the PSN menu theme; whereas Episode II got...um, that one billboard poster somewhere in San Francisco?). Even Lost World's promotional stuff was mostly regulated to in-game/DLC content like the NiGHTS/Nintendo levels and Amazon's additional 25 lives bonus. Surely Sega at this point is giving some serious consideration towards giving Mania a retail release in some form? I hope so...
Given it's possible to mass-produce Mega Drive carts again (Even if not entirely officially), it'd be fairy crazy awesome to get some kind of compilation pack of all the Mega Drive titles, and Mania on some other physical medium. Call it Ultra-Super Dooper Emerald Collectors Pack & Knuckles, retail it for $999USD. Of course, SEGA'd never take the bait in realizing people would genuinely pay that much for a bundle. One can dream crazy, however. :specialed: On a much more serious note, I am actually genuinely surprised by the amount of marketing being done, particularly in Japan. It's particularly very common for a (presumably) digital-only title to be hyped in this way.
Just a random thought. I have always been slightly disappointed that Sonic's sprite are based of his Sonic 1 / 2 look as it feels like it's going backwards and I prefer the Sonic 3 sprites. However, I just realised how much more bad ass the Super Sonic sprites from Sonic 2 look over Sonic 3's >: ) Looking forward to getting all those chaos emeralds :specialed:
Sonic 3's sprites were OK. I think judging by how they used Sonic 1/2's sprites in Sonic Crackers (Which very well could have become Sonic 4 had it not gone in the Knuckles Chaotix route), I'm guessing they would have used a variation of them again.
I don't know, Crackers always felt like a parallel project rather than a mainline Sonic game, and looking at how original Knuckles' sprites ended up being in Chaotix, I can only imagine that Sonic's sprites would have looked different from anything used previously as well.
IGN put up a couple of new gameplay videos. They're Studiopolis and Mirage Saloon again, but some new routes are shown off (including a Knuckles-only route in Mirage Saloon): Studiopolis Mirage Saloon (Also speed shoes music can be hear in this one at 02:45)
Bugger. I'd really love to watch those clips, but IGN's POS player refuses to load more than the first half second without crashing. I'll just wait for YouTube.
The video quality is stuck on the lowest setting for me. I can't even make out Sonic and Tails. I guess I will wait as well
