Special Stage Development

My only current issue with the more recent bombs is that the glow, at that size and speed, just makes them look a bit fuzzy.

Will they be blinking or anything? If they are, the glow could actually look pretty good, but if the bomb is just going to be a static image, then I'd say we opt for clarity.

 

I kind of feel that the glow is that little extra touch of realism and "danger!" that the bombs need. Subtle blinking could work I suppose. Remove the glow and the bombs may kind of lose their shine.

 

Oh wow, all this stuff put together like that looks absolutely brilliant! I wonder how Sonic is actually going to look in the special stages? Same as the rest of the game or a 3D model?

 

3-D model. Not that one, though.

 

There have been several people complaining that the transparent pipe will let you see upcoming obstacles earlier, making the stages easier.

What about making the tube fully opaque and extremely reflective, reflecting the checker pattern behind the camera?

It is already established that there are four, one in each cardinal direction, as evidenced by the fact that whenever the course makes a 90-degree turn, a new checker pattern comes into view.

 

^ I had never even realised that, but the glass looks to fantastic.

Here's an idea for a solution, have it so that the further in the distance it gets the shinier/reflective it looks. That might get rid of that problem, but at the same time look like crap.

 

I think the difficulty or "crippling" of the game really should be considered when the special stages are up and running. Surely the issue with seeing obstacles and rings sooner than in the original should be decided when it's in the final stages of completion.

 

Solution: make the opacity large enough to be nearly opaque after two passes, meaning you'll see the background and the pipe's turns, but not necessarily the contents.

 

If the glass was kept transparent, I seriously doubt anyone would be able to pay much attention to any obstacles in the distance as viewed through the glass in the heat of gameplay. I mean really - the speed is constant in the special stages. It's not like you can decide to slow down real fast and take a gander. Sure, the game can be paused, but really - I don't see people pausing the game before every curve to desperately squint at the tiny pixels that represent objects-in-the-distance.

 

If the blue light on the mines is supposed to be scattered off the track, shouldn't its color vary with each stage?

 

Yep. That's what I would think at least. It wouldn't be too hard to do either I suppose as well. But would it be considered a valid enhancement and fit within the scope of allowable change?

 

It's just lighting, and each special stage will most likely have its own, or there could be one universal lighting scheme. It'll be impossible to test said lighting out until we have a platform to work with, though.

 

Whos going to actually make that? Anyone willing I guess. And at what time will it be needed?

3D classic Sonic... Might look odd, but might not.

 

Well, whenever it's at a state of awesomness, I'd love to see it. It sounds rather interesting!

 

Not anything resembling the actual faux-3D sprite, I assume. 'Twas dazzling back in the day, but really, it's actually quite ugly. Of all the artwork in the original game, it's probably the only thing that really needs a more redone-from-scratch kind of approach.

 

will the mines spin? they seem a bit flat, may look more lively if they spin just as the rings do

 

That's a really good idea, in my opinion. It sounds like a simple task that will give a lot more life to the bombs.

 

Personally, I think it would be annoying, but I don't know. We'll just have to see if that's true if it's implemented.

 

I was digging through some old interviews on the wiki the other day, and read that special stages were originally planned to have full 360 vertical loops, but were cut because of space limits. I feel it would be an excellent idea.