The Official Sonic 4 on PC discussion topic

[JezMM]

Lower your expectations. Just because there's a PC version doesn't mean people are suddenly going to bother making hacks for it. Especially if the fanbase isn't very fond of the game.

I'm just saying it's MORE possible. Generations is a full 3D game, somewhat trickier to fiddle with I'd have thought.

[Soniman]

You people absolutely love shitting on Sonic 4, don't you? (Not that I blame them or anything)

[Komodin]

You people absolutely love shitting on Sonic 4, don't you? (Not that I blame them or anything)

[JezMM]

Sure. It - as in, Episode 1 - is a bad game; bad games don't deserve no accolades.

Edited January 19, 2012 by JezMM

[Blue Blood]

Oh come on. No it isn't. This isn't Sonic 2006 we're talking about.

It's a GOOD game. It's a BAD sequel to the classics but it's a GOOD game. Great little Sonic platformer, just not one that makes use of physics.

[JezMM]

I dunno, I think the really interesting level design makes up for the shortcomings. I agree up until now it's been overpriced, though, £2 a zone isn't bad really.

I do think the production values were decent enough for a download game, they just made some really boring choices. Sometimes the visual and audio style are lovely but sometimes they totally clash and look bleh.

I can agree to mediocre as a compromise. Plenty of fun but plenty of problems too.

[Blue Blood]

I dunno, I think the really interesting level design makes up for the shortcomings. I agree up until now it's been overpriced, though, £2 a zone isn't bad really.

I do think the production values were decent enough for a download game, they just made some really boring choices. Sometimes the visual and audio style are lovely but sometimes they totally clash and look bleh.

I can agree to mediocre as a compromise. Plenty of fun but plenty of problems too.

Rayman Origins was only a DL title when it was first announced. There are plenty of other DL games with much higher production values than S4E1 too. Being designed for download doesn't really mean anything, except a poor excuse to be lazy really. But yeah, compromise. (Also it still sucks )

[JezMM]

Rayman Origins was only a DL title when it was first announced. There are plenty of other DL games with much higher production values than S4E1 too. Being designed for download doesn't really mean anything, except a poor excuse to be lazy really. But yeah, compromise. (Also it still sucks )

Well, sure. But I do think it's reasonable on the policy that they were developing Sonic Colours and Sonic Generations at the same time.

[Blue Blood]

Well, sure. But I do think it's reasonable on the policy that they were developing Sonic Colours and Sonic Generations at the same time.

Couldn't disagree more. Generations 3DS obviously had a short development time, and definitely wasn't in production between Sept '09 and May '10 (when Needlemouse was announced and E1 was supposed to be released). Colours DS too probably wasn't in development for much of that time that E1 was either.

[JezMM]

Couldn't disagree more. Generations 3DS obviously had a short development time, and definitely wasn't in production between Sept '09 and May '10 (when Needlemouse was announced and E1 was supposed to be released). Colours DS too probably wasn't in development for much of that time that E1 was either.

Oh, I was referring to Sonic Team in general rather than Dimps. Also referring budget-wise, not just time-wise.

[Blue Blood]

Oh, I was referring to Sonic Team in general rather than Dimps. Also referring budget-wise, not just time-wise.

Well S4E1 was developed by Dimps, not Sonic Team. Sonic Team merely oversaw it. Budget-wise... still not an excuse for the visuals being so poor in the way they were or the soundtrack being a total disaster.

[Guest]

Will the PC version was obviously released because it is going to be modded not having fans complain again...

Edited January 20, 2012 by Guest

[Swiss]

Will the PC version was obviouslyreleased because it is going to be modded not having fans complain again...

...say what now?

[goku262002]

Even if Retro isn't interested, we have hackers here as well who would be more then interested in fixing this mess. i'm not going to give up hope in seeing sonic 4 fixed edition.

NOW SOMEONE GO MAKE A MAWDS TOPIC. "make it and they will come" as the old saying goes...

[TheDanimator]

Well S4E1 was developed by Dimps, not Sonic Team. Sonic Team merely oversaw it. Budget-wise... still not an excuse for the visuals being so poor in the way they were or the soundtrack being a total disaster.

[goku262002]

Hey ezodagrom, think its time to rename this topic to "Sonic 4: PC Discussion" do you agree?

[HunterTSF]

So yeah, I have a pretty decent video card. It also comes with some handy dandy software that allows it to force games to render with 16x anisotropic filtering, 32x CSAA anti-aliasing, triple buffering, and all that fun techno-babbley stuff that makes your games look better! It can work its magic on an Japanese MMO with a polycount that rivals the average Nintendo 64 game and textures that look they were ripped straight out of a GBA, all run in the amazingly low resolution of 800 by 600 and still manage to make it look amazing. (Said game being referenced is CosmicBreak, go play it now!)

But... Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I?

I'm not entirely sure how it manages to completely disregard any and all forced settings that I've thrown upon this thing and still manage to look as bad as it does. I mean, look at Sonic! Those jagged lines should not exist! This is 1080p! With all of those crazy technobabbley anti-aliasing and whatnot enabled! I haven't the slightest clue as to what's causing it to look so bad... perhaps Dimps developed a filter to make it pixellated... so you could play a retro revival like you truly imagined it!

For comparison purposes, I've attached screenshots of Sonic 4 and Minecraft running at the same resolution. I never imagined that Minecraft would ever lose at a blockiness contest.

Edited January 20, 2012 by HunterTSF

[Doctor MK]

Seeing as Episode 2 has been confirmed for PC now and that'll likely be the only way I get to play it (and I happened to have a spare £6 sitting in my Steam wallet), I decided to download Episode 1 again for the sake of it seeing as I've only got the downgraded Wii version.

However - it's downloaded and installed, but whenever I click to play it, it comes up "preparing to launch" and then nothing happens. Anyone know a solution to this?

I downloaded Sonic CD at the same time and that's working beautifully, so it's just this one game that's causing problems. As ever

[Blue Blood]

^ No idea what the problem might be there. I'd suggest opening the launcher and adjusting the settings, but the only setting there is resolution...

When you do get the game working, try holding left and right at the same time for a new kind of challenge.

[Doctor MK]

^ No idea what the problem might be there. I'd suggest opening the launcher and adjusting the settings, but the only setting there is resolution...

Just fiddled with the settings and still no luck... hmm... it's as if my computer is doing everything in its power to make me not play the game.

Me: "I wanna play some Sonic 4!"

Computer: "AWW HELL NO!"

[JezMM]

Try verifying your game cache to make sure nothing went wrong with the download (right click game, properties, local files, verify integerity of game cache).

Had a look at the steam forums but can't see your specific problem (though feel free to browse yourself, there isn't a section for Sonic 4 yet so people are just using the Generations forum), have you tried playing it windowed? A lot of people say they can only get it to run windowed.

They kind of went off on a tangent about Sonic CD, but if what they're talking about seems like it might be relevant you could try it anyway: http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2491679

It is a real shame that they couldn't use the iPad version, but oh well. 8C Can't expect the textures to be crisper really, considering the highest 360 and PS3 resolutions are still slightly lower than PC ones (if I recall).

I imagine episode 2 will improve everything since it's being designed from the ground up to be on the HD platforms alone.

Edited January 20, 2012 by JezMM

[Chaos Rush]

Oh come on. No it isn't. This isn't Sonic 2006 we're talking about.

It's a GOOD game. It's a BAD sequel to the classics but it's a GOOD game. Great little Sonic platformer, just not one that makes use of physics.

I haven't played it since October 2010, the month it came out. I beat it once, and never touched it again, ever. I still see it on my Wii System Menu every time I use my Wii, but the thought, "let's play Sonic 4" has never crossed my mind, at all. Does that sound like a good game?

[Guest]

That didn't take long for swapping models.....

Edited January 20, 2012 by Guest

[Blue Blood]

Bwahahahaha! How what that done? When I tried to swap Sonic with Motobug the game crashed. And when I tried to replace anyone except Motobug with Sonic the loading screen would never end.

[JezMM]

I haven't played it since October 2010, the month it came out. I beat it once, and never touched it again, ever. I still see it on my Wii System Menu every time I use my Wii, but the thought, "let's play Sonic 4" has never crossed my mind, at all. Does that sound like a good game?

I dunno mang. In recent-ish times I think Metroid Prime 3, Dead Rising 2 and VVVVVV were all fantastic games but I've not had an urge to play any of them again. That... arguement really means nothing. I mean you finished it didn't you?

All I'm saying is Sonic 4 is a good platformer. It's not a good physics-based platformer, and ergo, is a terrible sequel to the classics, but it's still a good, "generic" (for lack of a better term), yet fast-paced and Sonic-ish, platformer. =\ Can't believe people are so butthurt over a bit of walking on walls that the concept is such an impossibility to accept. Like, not even in a "fair enough, level design didn't do anything for me though, classic-Sonic style or bust for my tastes" kind of way.

Edited January 20, 2012 by JezMM