184 replies to this topic

[SuperLink]

I thought this was finished? But people are still blaming one person for all of SEGA's problems?

I'm not sure I can even be bothered anymore =_=

[redmenace]

Simon Jeffery is a joke. If he actually cared about the quality of Sonic, then Sonic Chronicles would of never been released.

I wouldn't say he's a joke nor it's his fault the game isn't good, but it surelly didn't make a good image for Sonic. I'm surprised it didn't get more backlash from fans and reviewers. Probably because it has Bioware slapped on the cover instead of Sonic Team.

I'm not saying the game sucks or that people have bad taste, but that's not Sonic, and it certainly brought no improvement to the franchise. Unleashed, even with all of its flaws, it was a step in the right direction. Chronicles... I'm not even sure exacly what it is.

Jeffrey was good at licencing stuff and making games and money out of them. Keeping the SEGA legacy alive, not so much. Hayes done both things at the same time. Bought Creative Assembly, Sumo, got Football Manager and Total War under SEGA's wing, revived a lot of older franchises as well, like HOTD or Outurn. He expanded the business, got killer games and kept SEGA's spirit alive. I don't hate Jeffrey but I say Hayes was far better, and it's no wonder that SOE has a better image than SOA has. Profits and 3rd party in EU, going head to head with EA and Nintendo. In America, this would be a miracle at this point.

Edited by redmenace, 17 June 2009 - 10:30 AM.

[blackherox]

May'be we should just wait and see what happens?

[PSI Tornado]

^ Best Idea i've heard on this topic.

[lounge]

Sega of Europe's awesome. They even allow fans to come to their building (NiGHTS Community & SSMB). Communication with fans online (AAUK).
Sega America on the other hand is mean. ("Oh sorry, you're not allowed in the building") You should see their new HQ. It sux ass. Location is ugly, and interior isn't inspirational at all.

[Metal Gear (sting)RAY]

I find it odd how disconnected different divisions of a company can be.

[SuperLink]

I guess SEGA's problem with actually getting on with each other played a part in their management problems and downfall?

It's no wonder SoA/SoE can't get any influence on Sonic Team if SoJ and SW are so divided.

[ShadiWulf]

Yeah... SEGA America seriously isn't anything special anymore Only good thing about them is the awesome community team, and the other awesome employees there that aren't normally seen

Top 2 floors

[Gabz Girl]

I don't care that Simon isn't President anymore. He was ok, but nothing special. *shrug*

Anywho, let's wait and see how Mike does, like BlackHeroX said! ;3

[redmenace]

I guess SEGA's problem with actually getting on with each other played a part in their management problems and downfall?

It's no wonder SoA/SoE can't get any influence on Sonic Team if SoJ and SW are so divided.

SOE sounds and acts very independent though. And why would they influence Sonic Team? That's SOJ division. If SOE / SOA think they can do a better job than them, then they're allowed to do it. Sonic R / Sonic 3D / Sonic Chronicles... *shrugs*

[SuperLink]

SOE sounds and acts very independent though. And why would they influence Sonic Team? That's SOJ division. If SOE / SOA think they can do a better job than them, then they're allowed to do it. Sonic R / Sonic 3D / Sonic Chronicles... *shrugs*

They're not though. Simon himself wasn't happy with the way new Sonic was being done, and if SoE/SoA actually had any power over Sonic Team they maye have done something about it much sooner.

Apparantly Sonic Team basically had to be begged in order for Chronicles to be developed.

[Metal Gear (sting)RAY]

I don't see why Sonic Team would have to be "begged" to let Sonic be in an RPG. It's not like they were going to put Sonic into an RPG themselves so there's no real competition like there was with STI or anything like that.

[Patticus]

I don't see why Sonic Team would have to be "begged" to let Sonic be in an RPG. It's not like they were going to put Sonic into an RPG themselves so there's no real competition like there was with STI or anything like that.

I think it was possibly more than they had to be begged to let a whole other company take Sonic on a serious adventure, something that previously had been solely their domain. They probably wouldn't have even thought of doing Sonic as an RPG either, so there would've been that dubiousness too.

Or it could've been outright jealous overprotectiveness. Didn't Sonic Team in Japan kick up a huge fuss when SoA was handed X-Treme?

[SuperLink]

It's not about competition, I just think ST are overprotective. But then again 2 Rivals games were made so I dunno...
SW should really make a Sonic game.

[Phos]

I don't see why Sonic Team would have to be "begged" to let Sonic be in an RPG. It's not like they were going to put Sonic into an RPG themselves so there's no real competition like there was with STI or anything like that.

I think it was possibly more than they had to be begged to let a whole other company take Sonic on a serious adventure, something that previously had been solely their domain. They probably wouldn't have even thought of doing Sonic as an RPG either, so there would've been that dubiousness too.

Or it could've been outright jealous overprotectiveness. Didn't Sonic Team in Japan kick up a huge fuss when SoA was handed X-Treme?

Sonic Adventure was originally conceived as a Sonic RPG. Luckily, it seems that someone vetoed Iizuka's hair brained scheme. I guess Chronicles was started back when Iizuka still had some clout within Sonic Team.

Edit:

SOE sounds and acts very independent though. And why would they influence Sonic Team? That's SOJ division. If SOE / SOA think they can do a better job than them, then they're allowed to do it. Sonic R / Sonic 3D / Sonic Chronicles... *shrugs*

They're not though. Simon himself wasn't happy with the way new Sonic was being done, and if SoE/SoA actually had any power over Sonic Team they maye have done something about it much sooner.

Jeffry was pretty clueles when it comes to Sonic. He thinks that Unleashed's 2D sections are classic styled just because they're 2D.

Edit 2:

Both Sonic 06 and Sonic Unleashed had one particular problem, design, with the latter, even after being told about it by SEGA America and SEGA Europe to NOT include the werehog, Sonic Team still decided it was the best to include the werehog. I don't like to excuse Sonic Team for their own mistakes again and again, I like to blame them for what they did wrong again and again, just not long at what would make a good game.

Got a source for this? If it's true, it's absolutely delicious.

Edited by Phos, 17 June 2009 - 11:38 PM.

[Metal Gear (sting)RAY]

Both Sonic 06 and Sonic Unleashed had one particular problem, design, with the latter, even after being told about it by SEGA America and SEGA Europe to NOT include the werehog, Sonic Team still decided it was the best to include the werehog. I don't like to excuse Sonic Team for their own mistakes again and again, I like to blame them for what they did wrong again and again, just not long at what would make a good game.

While I don't think the Werehog was a good idea, this was not a mistake they "made again." Each time they end up making very different mistakes, so I can't entirely blame them for trying something drastic.

[ovarloard]

Sega America on the other hand is mean. ("Oh sorry, you're not allowed in the building") You should see their new HQ. It sux ass. Location is ugly, and interior isn't inspirational at all.

I'm just glad I can say that I live near SoA headquarters. Maybe I could get a job there.

[Dr. SEGA Monkey]

Got a source for this? If it's true, it's absolutely delicious.

It's from a Japanese interview with Sonic Team. A Japanese member on the SEGANerds forums translated a small bit where this is mentioned.

This is roughly what one member of Sonic Team said:

"Oh, yes. Sega of America and Sega Europe were against the idea of the "Werehog", they said only Sonic stills better, wanted Sonic in 2D(2.5D) sections... but we wanted new challenges, using the same formula again and again was not a good idea for us."

http://www.seganerds...start=45#p19043

And here's the full interview:

http://www.inside-ga.../325/32507.html

So yeah, SEGA of America and Europe were totally against the werehog and wanted just a regular Sonic game. But SEGA of Japan ignored them and put the werehog in anyway.

And I second what SuperLink says about letting SoA or SoE make a main Sonic platformer. After all, Sonic is only popular in the west, and was made with westerners in mind. It makes sense for a western developer to have a try at making a main Sonic platformer.

[Phos]

"Oh, yes. Sega of America and Sega Europe were against the idea of the "Werehog", they said only Sonic stills better, wanted Sonic in 2D(2.5D) sections... but we wanted new challenges, using the same formula again and again was not a good idea for us."

Oh wow. Yeah, Sonic Team needs to go, the problems facing the franchise are deeper than I thought. I already knew they were schizophrenic, both Hashimoto and Black Knight director guy have said they hear Sonic's voice, but this is a whole new paradigm.

And I love the bit about "new challenges". Is ripping off God of War really so hard?

[SuperLink]

Yeah, that's a big problem with the franchise. Since SoJ and SW are so out of sync, SoJ have no idea what is well received and what isn't. They need to learn to target the right audience, meaning the western gamers who actually care about the series, rather than the Japanese audience who couldn't really care less.

Jeffry was pretty clueles when it comes to Sonic. He thinks that Unleashed's 2D sections are classic styled just because they're 2D.

Pretty much the whole of SEGA would class Sonic Rush as "classic styled", but you still wouldn't agree with that would you?