Lost World Trailer 2 "This looks a bit like *Insert game here*"

[Diogenes]

Is this supposed to be part of the Lost Hex? Is it some alternate dimension? Am I inside some fat guys dream? All I have to identify this location is floating donuts and rainbow licorice.

Where's this?

And who knows, there might be an explanation for candyland. Maybe we are on a trip through Grimmace's subconscious. 

The Lost Worlds equivalent would be removing the background and just have static color with random themed objects floating in the distance.

There's like one level so far that does this. Everything else is identifiable.

[Pawn]

Sonic Heroes is pretty much Lost World now in the sense that most of the levels exist the way they do just because (not being "connected" and instead floating in a void of sorts), and both have fairly realistic games that they are compared to (SA2 for Heroes, Unleashed to Lost world) not to mention taking on a simpler, brighter graphical style which is polarizing for a lot of people.

 

This comparison doesn't really work for me. The difference in graphical style between Unleashed and Lost World is miles greater than with SA2 and Heroes. Heroes still features more realistic textures that you can see in those very screenshots, a consistent element in Sonic for 20 years. Lost World, on the other hand, features a big change for the series' art style in general.

[Indigo Rush]

I think people are forgetting that Sonic isn't on Earth in this game. He's on Lost Hex.. If this alien planet has a donut continent then by all means go nuts with it. I for one would vacation to Licorice Lane. Lol. Go nuts for donuts.

[Nepenthe]

Sonic wasn't on Earth in Colors either and that still more or less stuck to some of Unleashed's aesthetic rules anyway.

[Wraith]

Sonic wasn't on Earth in Colors either and that still more or less stuck to some of Unleashed's aesthetic rules anyway.

 

 

Most of those areas were built by eggman though. 

[Soniman]

Not to mention Lost Hex seems to be more "magical/mystical" in nature rather than just alien.

Edited July 17, 2013 by Soniman

[Indigo Rush]

Eggman designed that theme park, though. For all we know, Lost Hex is a completely natural phenomena in Sonic's universe.

[Nepenthe]

Most of those areas were built by eggman though.

Except for Planet Wisp, which still doesn't align itself more with Lost World's aesthetic than the other Modern games'. Either way, they're not working in a new aesthetic because they're on an alien planet (which strangely has some Earth-like areas anyway. I mean, what are the odds that Windy Hill would look that close to Green Hill?). They're working in a new aesthetic simply because they want to.

[Rusty Spy]

Where's this?

It's in a haunted, dimension shifting mansion where every room turns the place more and more into something out of an Escher painting. But I still understand that I'm inside a haunted mansion, the abstract environments lending to the twisted and demented nature of the location.

 

There's like one level so far that does this. Everything else is identifiable.

Yes fair enough, I can accept that, but it's still a step backwards compared to other Sonic games. The level aesthetic becoming more and more like a stage against a green screen than an actual part of an environment. And again, if it's like that for story reason than fine, but I still prefer having levels that are more connected to the actual environment.

 

My worry is that Sonic Team sounded like they chose this aesthetic direction more for gameplay reasons rather than story, and this design might start becoming the standard.

Edited July 17, 2013 by Rusty Spy

[Vertekins]

Sonic CD IMO had the right idea about design when it came to a magical/mystical planet. The tiniest details in the level art in every single timeframe and act eclipse LW's flat repetitive textures in say, walls and level objects that I've seen so far.

[Autosaver]

It would probably help if we knew how the game was set up. Colors for example had you select worlds to give a bigger context on your location. All we've seen from Sonic Lost World is some demo level select (obviously not final) and trailers. While throwing you randomly in a candy level may be how it ends up, it's not a 100% fair comparison until we see how it ends up.

[Diogenes]

It's in a haunted, dimension shifting mansion where every room turns the place more and more into something out of an Escher painting. But I still understand that I'm inside a haunted mansion, the abstract environments lending to the twisted and demented nature of the location.

But would you have known that just from that screenshot/area? Are you in a ghost mansion, a ghost dimension, a ghost planet, a ghost painting, etc etc etc?

Yes fair enough, I can accept that, but it's still a step backwards compared to other Sonic games. The level aesthetic becoming more and more like a stage against a green screen than an actual part of an environment.

It was already that. Making the green screen background closer or farther doesn't really change that.

And again, if it's like that for story reason than fine, but I still prefer having levels that are more connected to the actual environment.

The level is the environment.

[Scar]

I'm going to try and be brief regarding the visuals:

 

In the same sense that Generations Classic/Sonic 4 missed the point of the classic gameplay, I feel that Lost World is missing the point of the classic visuals. Gens Classic/Sonic 4 tried its hardest to play like the classics, but it failed when it came to capturing the essence of the classic gameplay (physics, rolling etc.). Lost World looks like the classics, with the flat textures and simplistic style, but it hasn't captured the essence of what the classic games' visuals were about. 

 

EDIT:

 

I'm not saying the visuals are bad. Not at all, I think it looks rather pretty, but I think it should stay as a one-time deal.

Edited July 17, 2013 by Scar

[BlueTidalGamer]

UK release is October 18th

Edited July 17, 2013 by BlueTidalGamer

[Nepenthe]

Has anyone stated that one of the goals of Lost World is to actually translate classic art design mantras into 3D? If not, I wouldn't put much relevance in the statement that they're missing the point. They're allowed to miss the point and be their own thing.

[Crazizzle]

Indigo knocked it out of the park, IMO. I appreciate the visual style of Unleashed/Generations more because I dig how a realistic looking world is also cartoonish and absurdist at the same time. I do appreciate Lost World though, because I like the bright colors and personality. It's like a comic book, and I love comic books.

 

 Personally, I'd rather see the game get better detail graphically, but I'm absolutely fine with the design. It has personality, and I like it. I'm not good at discussing why I like graphics, I'm not as knowledgeable about this stuff as most of you guys. I just want the levels to look pretty. And I think Generations and Lost World both look pretty.

 

 The gameplay looks awesome to me. I think it's great that we're getting so many unique levels in this game. Obviously, the levels are sorted into areas like "Windy Hill" and Desert Ruins" but I think it's almost like every level is it's own entity. In Unleashed and Colors, the other levels were either gimmick acts or just walled off sections cut off from the main stage. It's fake longevity. I really, really like what Lost World is doing. This is probably the most diversity in level types we've EVER had in a Sonic title. All other games had levels that shared tropes.

 

Oh, and consider me the rare gamer that loves JRPG's for their gameplay. I like menus, selecting spells and attacks and level grinding.

Edited July 17, 2013 by Crazizzle

[Autosaver]

UK release is October 18th

I remember when UK games released long after NA.

 

Now UK gets EVERY game before NA, sometimes WEEKS before.

 

f

[Straw Hat]

Most of those areas were built by eggman though.

Actually, the theme parks were. But the planets are, well... Planets.

[SuperLink]

UK release is October 18th

Where was this confirmed ?

[Scar]

Has anyone stated that one of the goals of Lost World is to actually translate classic art design mantras into 3D? If not, I wouldn't put much relevance in the statement that they're missing the point. They're allowed to miss the point and be their own thing.

I don't think that anyone has said it was the point, but I think I've seen some people say it looks more the classics than Generations did. Yeah, maybe it does, but that's kinda missing the point.

 

Like I said, I don't think its bad, I just think it shouldn't be a permanent fixture.

Edited July 17, 2013 by Scar

[Crash]

This game is looking amazing! The new powers look cool and I think Zarok is an awesome villain!

[Wraith]

Actually, the theme parks were. But the planets are, well... Planets.

 

Planet Wisp was the only planet that was actually mostly untouched.

 

Aquarium Park and Sweet Mountain didn't actually show much of anything outside of Eggman's work.

[BlueTidalGamer]

Where was this confirmed ?

UK version of the newest trailer.

[Autosaver]

I will shit my pants if that Sonic & Knuckles ghost switch is a gimmick for one of the Desert levels.

 

SURPRISE ME SEGA

[Straw Hat]

Planet Wisp was the only planet that was actually mostly untouched.   Aquarium Park and Sweet Mountain didn't actually show much of anything outside of Eggman's work.

Well, besides the whole planet being 95% water, with marine life swimming about. But stuff like "The Bucket O' Sushi" and the badniks are Eggman's. The same with most of Sweet Mountain being almost completely made out of sweets, and the rest are just candy themed fire power (Giant Missile filled with Jelly Beans). Most of it is natural, but a small bit of it is actually Eggman's.