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Sonic-related pet peeves?


Aero

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I'm probably going to get some flak for this, but this has always bugged me:

 

Why is it that when any Sonic game (Colors, the handhelds, any Sonic game with 2D levels) shows up, everyone acts like they're somehow "just like the Classics" even though anyone who pays close enough attention would realize that they play very differently/don't even LOOK like they are Classic except perhaps on the most superficial level? How does a high speed boost or super blocky platforming translate into "THEY ARE LIKE DA CLASSICS"? I mean granted there are instances of slow platforming in the classics, but I'm still not seeing how the comparison can even exist when it clearly isn't accurate.

 

It's mostly from people who don't really know the series that well. Anything 2D is automatically going to resemble the roots more than the 3D of like Unleashed or 06 or Shadow or SA2 or whatever 3D game simply because Sonic's roots are in 2D games, despite how different the games are from each other when played or examined more closely. It's just one of those things.

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I'm probably going to get some flak for this, but this has always bugged me:

 

Why is it that when any Sonic game (Colors, the handhelds, any Sonic game with 2D levels) shows up, everyone acts like they're somehow "just like the Classics" even though anyone who pays close enough attention would realize that they play very differently/don't even LOOK like they are Classic except perhaps on the most superficial level? How does a high speed boost or super blocky platforming translate into "THEY ARE LIKE DA CLASSICS"? I mean granted there are instances of slow platforming in the classics, but I'm still not seeing how the comparison can even exist when it clearly isn't accurate.

 

Well also, some people just flat out refuse to give the games a chance as well. People immediately think of only the genesis games and anything that isn't like them is automatically a bad game. Even ones that try and be like them with modern twists are looked down upon because  they are not the genesis games EXACTLY. It does get old real fast, because to me it doesnt matter if its 2D or 3D. Its still a Sonic game and its sort of a similiar concept in both ways, just done a bit differenly. Some just simply don't care though and hate on them to hate.

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I'm probably going to get some flak for this, but this has always bugged me:

 

Why is it that when any Sonic game (Colors, the handhelds, any Sonic game with 2D levels) shows up, everyone acts like they're somehow "just like the Classics" even though anyone who pays close enough attention would realize that they play very differently/don't even LOOK like they are Classic except perhaps on the most superficial level? How does a high speed boost or super blocky platforming translate into "THEY ARE LIKE DA CLASSICS"? I mean granted there are instances of slow platforming in the classics, but I'm still not seeing how the comparison can even exist when it clearly isn't accurate.

Well, I don't know.  I'm not saying the 2D games are "just like the classics."  Because they're not.  There are many differences, some for better some for worse.

 

But in my opinion personal opinion, I usually find them close enough to the classics.  Like various people may mention some minor fact about the classic games that no one was ever paying attention to and say that the newer 2D games are terrible because they lack that one specific feature.  To each their own, but I honestly don't care.  It's close enough to satisfy my 2D Sonic craving and that's pretty much, but not exactly, all I'm asking for anyway.

 

Of course, I do think it's ridiculous that anyone would say the 2-D sections of Colors, for example, are even remotely like the classics.  They don't play like the classics at all.  They look and feel like they were made on a 3D engine, unlike the handheld 2D games which you can tell by playing were made specifically for a 2D game.

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How Sonic is so happy all the time and can never be angry or sad. It gets to the point of being annoying. Then there's also that cheesy stuff that make him say a lot of the time.

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All the various fanon used to explain away various plotholes around Blaze, the Sol Dimension and things from '06 grate on me because they're often nonsensical and have little logic to it other than "time-space magic".

 

Blaze got her fire powers from Iblis? Well explain those fire powers she had since Silver's first level, her name and how her soul is lit with flames.. which is how she was able to absorb Iblis to begin with.

 

Blaze was sent to the Sol Dimension? Well explain how the hell she became a princess of a whole dimension AND guardian of said dimension's Cosmic Keystones. I don't care if it's another world, in monarchy princesses are born, not made. And making someone leader of an entire world AND guardian of the most powerful things in said world solely because they have weird fire voodoo is pretty much a stupid idea. And it adds a dark twist to things that makes her battles with Recolournik really hypocritical - him taking over the world is bad while everyone surrendering to her/whatever they did and making HER ruler of the world is A-OK. Also, why wouldn't she remember Sonic when seeing him in Rush? And why would she be there if the reset negated her going there?

 

Blaze lost memory of '06 as a result of Iblis/dimensional travel? That's pretty much 100% making shit up. If Iblis causes amnesia, why wasn't Elise affected?

 

Blaze still has Iblis inside of her? Then how the hell did '06's Last Story happen while she keeps Iblis? And why doesn't she make it a point that there's a fucking fire devil inside her at all?

 

Iblis/Solaris are the Sol Dimension/Emeralds? Just... what? This is just throwing stuff at the wall, seeing what sticks and using "time-space shit" as an excuse for nonsensicalities. Kind of like these fan theories.

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Blaze was sent to the Sol Dimension? Well explain how the hell she became a princess of a whole dimension AND guardian of said dimension's Cosmic Keystones. I don't care if it's another world, in monarchy princesses are born, not made. And making someone leader of an entire world AND guardian of the most powerful things in said world solely because they have weird fire voodoo is pretty much a stupid idea. And it adds a dark twist to things that makes her battles with Recolournik really hypocritical - him taking over the world is bad while everyone surrendering to her/whatever they did and making HER ruler of the world is A-OK. Also, why wouldn't she remember Sonic when seeing him in Rush? And why would she be there if the reset negated her going there?

 

Another thing to add onto this; Eggman Nega directly states that Blaze has been a member of the royal family that has guarded the Jewelled Scepter which has had generations of previous rulers. Blaze is therefore established as being descended from a long line of rulers of the Sol Dimension, which completely shoots theories of 'She just randomly took-on the position of royalty' in the foot and undermines them as the groundless crackpot fan theories that they are.

 

Besides, Iizuka's already said that Blaze originates from the Sol Dimension not Silver's future. Word of God, end of story.

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Now that I think about it, the mere idea of Blaze being sent to the Sol Dimension is irritating. First off, the cutscene where it supposedly happens continues '06's power asspulling. Oh hey, Silver can seal people into different dimensions now. Didja know? Oh, and since Blaze does it in the end, she has that power too! Who'da thunk it?!

 

Second, if Blaze was able to seal herself into a different dimension, why the bloody hell did she ask Silver to do it?! Wouldn't that make Silver not do it? Or worse, make him feel guilty about it for the rest of his life? She of all people should know that.

 

Third, how is she still in the Sol Dimension despite the reset negating the transfer in the process?

 

I honestly think that she was meant to get killed in that scene, but when they learned Blaze's backstory was FUBAR, they changed the dialogue to attempt to make the 15th Anniversary game a strange prequel to a mostly throwaway DS side game and reconcile the two backstories the best they could.

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I had always thought Blaze was always a royal family member of her universe. I had honestly never heard of hear just suddenly being placed as a leader in that universe. That honestly doesn't make much sense at all. Unless they had said somewhere that she had just appeared there and been made a leader, it is obviously implied that she was  born there, raised there and has always been a member of their royal family.

 

 

As for the Sonic can't cry bit, I've always thought that was annoying yes. I can understand them not wanting him to look uncool and bawling like a baby, but barely being able to show much emotion at all at times just to keep him in that cool state is a bit too far obviously.

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There's a difference between having him cry and having him go all waterworks about it.

 

It's not that him not ever crying is why people like me have issue with since I'm okay with just couple tears when it's appropriate, but the obsession that he needs to bawl his eyes out for every scene that is suitable for the situation is nothing but a cheap way to make an emotional scene or to make tough upstanding characters more "emotionally broken."

 

You want to take a character out of his/her comfort zone and show other emotions? Do it with taste.

Edited by DarkLight
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It's not that him not ever crying is why people like me have issue with since just couple tears is appropriate, but the obsession that he needs to bawl his eyes out for every scene that is suitable for the situation is nothing but a cheap way to make an emotional scene.

 

Indeed.

 

Archie in particular has hardly ever acknowledged that there is more to the more negative emotional states than crying and clearly makes characters look like broken fountains in order to compensate for shit writing that fails to make the audience emotionally invest in the characters. So you see stuff like this instead;

 

Example one; A single excerpt from the extremely well-done Royal Signet story in issue #120;

 

tumblr_mn44r0L9YR1s9pusko1_500.png

 

Example 2; BAWWWING for no compelling reason and exaggerated beyond all reason for the clear sake of eliciting sympathy from the reader instead of competent writing making the reader sympathize with the character.

 

tumblr_mn44r0L9YR1s9pusko2_500.png

 

 

It's idle storytelling, a cheap way of getting an audience to feel that the story and/or characters is/are more emotionally complex than it/they really are. It doesn't work and for me, ellicits the opposite response; Contempt for how the story is trying to manipulate my feelings in such a weasel-esque way and amusement at the exagerration.

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There's a difference between having him cry and having him go all waterworks about it.

 

It's not that him not ever crying is why people like me have issue with since I'm okay with just couple tears when it's appropriate, but the obsession that he needs to bawl his eyes out for every scene that is suitable for the situation is nothing but a cheap way to make an emotional scene or to make tough upstanding characters more "emotionally broken."

 

You want to take a character out of their comfort and show other emotions? Do it with taste.

 

Of course, that's what I mean. Seeing sonic bawling as I said isn't something you have to see but it does seem like at times that he isn't even able to feel sad sometimes. You can feel sad without crying yes, but it also depends on what has happened. Its one thing to have lost a home or to have lost some property. On the other hand, its totally different to have lost a friend or family member, yet it seems like he isnt allowed to show the differences between these. He definately doesnt need to be crying his eyes out all the time of course, but he could show a little more emotion I think.

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Example 2; BAWWWING for no compelling reason and exaggerated beyond all reason for the clear sake of eliciting sympathy from the reader instead of competent writing making the reader sympathize with the character.

 

tumblr_mn44r0L9YR1s9pusko2_500.png

 

I'm guessing we have different definitions of "BAWWWWWWING", cause when I see that word, I imagine streams of tears flowing from a character's eyes, not a few teardrops being wiped away.

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  • 2 weeks later...

The placement of Dashpads before loops. From Sonic Adventure to Sonic Generations there has always been dashpads right before you run a loop in the games and its just freakin' redundant. Why? Because the loop would be either automated or you would be able to run the loop at your current speed.

 

 

This I feel is unnecessary and just makes it feel like the programmers need to put help where its not needed. Every loop in Sa1, Heroes, ShtH, 2006, and Colors are all automated so what's the point in having them there? Each loop in Sa2, Unleashed, and Generations can be easily gone through by normal running speed or Spindashing/Boosting which also makes the boosters pointless.

 

 Its very clear that Sonic can run fast enough to go through a loop by himself(despite what Classic Sonic from Generations may have you believe)So why the boosters. Sonic can use momentum to actually go through loops, corkscrews, and run up walls with just his speed alone.

 

 

 

Sa1's Final Egg level allows me to test that his physics in that game work exactly like they do in the classics and if he builds up enough speed by spindashing through that rotating pipe he'll be able to go all the way around and lose just enough speed by way of running against it that he'll go back to normal speed. Sonic Colors Boss 1, Boss 4(Planet Wisp), and Asteroid Coaster act 6 all allow Sonic to be in one giant loop, a loop that if he gets to the airplane/ninja arms speed he'll go around the loop no problem and do it consistently. Generations puts Boost pads inside loops as well as in front, but whats the point he can use the boost to make the loop fully.

 

 

 

This just bugs me, and it will now forever irk me because of recent observation. The only 2 games that can be exceptions are Sa1 because of early collision detection issues and Sonic 2006 because of a whole bunch of things that are just stupid.

Edited by Chrononego
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I guess they do that because it gives the illusion that it's not automated.  It's not a very good illusion, but if you're playing the game the way Sega expects you to, I can see how it might work.

 

But yes, it really is a stupid design choice.

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It's not a very good illusion, but if you're playing the game the way Sega expects you to, I can see how it might work.

 

That's pretty much all it needs to be summed up as, really. It's the way they want you to play the game; something that had been a problem all the way back since Sonic Adventure, and remained one of those 'safe' design choices even in recent years that they refused to let go just because they let it become that standard.

 

If it's any indication by the ongoing use of them, we've still got it to deal with in Lost World and probably quite a few titles to come as well... if they even let go of it, ever.

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I'm guessing we have different definitions of "BAWWWWWWING", cause when I see that word, I imagine streams of tears flowing from a character's eyes, not a few teardrops being wiped away.

 

Not to mention Sally's SINGLE tear was from the joy of finally defeating Eggman once and for all after all these years(at the time) and the one with Elias was when he thought fucking ANTOINE was killed (hell if anything extremely minor tears is pretty strong willed for a supposed death of a friend).

 

It seems the criticism is less like "no overdramatic waterworks" and more like "never cry at all ever"

Edited by Soniman
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Forget if I already said this, but the way some games like Rush call the final story something like "Extra Mode". It makes it feel less like "this is the big ultimate grand ending!" and instead like "oh yeah, and this was a thing that happened next, I guess".

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I guess when it came to automatic loops, I've never really noticed or cared that they are automatic. As long as it feels like the normal game, I guess it just isn't something a normal person playing may really notice. As long as it doesn't break up the gameplay, I see no real problem unless you are trying to go backwards in the level and if forces you back forward again maybe.

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I guess they do that because it gives the illusion that it's not automated.  It's not a very good illusion, but if you're playing the game the way Sega expects you to, I can see how it might work.

 

But yes, it really is a stupid design choice.

But its very clear that the loops are automated. My problem was mainly doing it with the loops that weren't automated. I can see where automation would be necessary in certain areas, but every loop that isn't automated has a dashpad in front of them. Its only these games without automated loops Sa2, Unleashed, and Generations.

Edited by Chrononego
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The claim that Storybook Sonic is all-consumed by goody two-shoe mannerisms.

 

tumblr_msxbkp9kTJ1s9pusko1_500.png

 

No. No he isn't. I'd say that the compassionate and jokey side of his personality is nicely contrasted by his ruthlessness and apathy regarding what he does and makes for a well-balanced character in terms of portrayal.

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The claim that Storybook Sonic is all-consumed by goody two-shoe mannerisms.

 

tumblr_msxbkp9kTJ1s9pusko1_500.png

 

No. No he isn't. I'd say that the compassionate and jokey side of his personality is nicely contrasted by his ruthlessness and apathy regarding what he does and makes for a well-balanced character in terms of portrayal.

 

 

Does the story ever address Sonic as being wrong tho.

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Does the story ever address Sonic as being wrong tho.

There's a difference between being addressed as wrong and acting ruthlessly. Sonic isn't perfect goody two-shoes in the Storybook games and he is actually criticized such as when Lancelot, Caliburn and Arthur rightfully point-out his sloppy swordsmanship and admonish him for it and he reacts negatively to that.

Sonic's characterization doesn't revolve around whether or not his actions are going to be made out to be 'wrong' and the Storybook games aren't bad just because they don't do that. I for one can't wait to see how Lost World handles Sonic's impulsive action though.

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