Sonic Boom (Working Title)

[Zaysho]

You know what the annoying part is, if Boom is successful we'll have a portion of fans bitching how the games should be like it.

 

I would think it's the other way around... I mean, before the reboot, Archie!Sonic seemed to get this a lot... But then, now everyone misses the old canon, so perhaps that's not the best example.

Edited January 5, 2014 by Zaysho

[Kuzu]

I would think it's the other way around... I mean, before the reboot, Archie!Sonic seemed to get this a lot...

 

It goes both ways really.

[Badnik Zero]

It's not that there's a pressing need to replace the game canon with anything. But I can't think of anything the games have uniquely done in a long time. The Werehog? And the Wisps, three years ago. At least a new series would bring new material to the table. What if the show meshed well enough with the game universe? Would it be so bad to cross over original ideas? I think we are just allergic to crossing mediums because we all imagine stuff like Princess Sally in the games and how bad that would be. What about this character? Does anyone object to Old Man Owl?

 

[Nepenthe]

There's so much material- characters, places, enemies, lore, and time lines- inherent to the games that we could continue exploring that I'd argue we don't need a new show to bring anything. We need Sega to take a risk on actually writing better stories.

[Jovahexeon Jax Joranvexeon]

Oh shit the deadly six. I didn't even think about them.

 

I think I'd rather them let those guys sit for a bit, but sega seems to be pushing them pretty hard lately so we probably will end up seeing them.

Really? Outside of Lost World and Dash, where's that really been apparent? Not that such news doesn't delight me!

[Zaysho]

It's not that there's a pressing need to replace the game canon with anything. But I can't think of anything the games have uniquely done in a long time. The Werehog? And the Wisps, three years ago. At least a new series would bring new material to the table. What if the show meshed well enough with the game universe? Would it be so bad to cross over original ideas? I think we are just allergic to crossing mediums because we all imagine stuff like Princess Sally in the games and how bad that would be. What about this character? Does anyone object to Old Man Owl?

 

 

I think crossing over/adapting to fit the SEGA!Sonic standard is one thing and could be a potentially cool way to expand the universe of the games. Completely replacing it (the part of the rumor people are taking issue with) is where we start to have problems.

 

That said, to piggyback off of Nepenthe--SEGA should make an actual effort to work with all the existing material they've created specifically for the games over the last two decades, and there's a ton of material from that universe alone to work with. We can only really blame that overly vocal minority that bitched about Sonic's "shitty friends" and "games don't need story" for the lousy scraps we're getting now and SEGA for bowing to them.

[Tani Coyote]

It's a given this show, even if good, will end up dividing the fandom. How?

Simple. If it's its own canon separate from the games, it will develop a cult following like SatAM and tension will ensue. We can just be thankful that it (presumably) doesn't have an original female lead, so we won't see anything like the Sonally/Sonamy Wars. Like SatAM, there will surely be a fair number of folk brought into the fandom by the cartoon, young and old, who will care more for Sonic Boom than Sonic the Hedgehog. It's an inherent danger of split continuities or I'd say even split media in general (as the way a cartoon and game are made are very different).

On the other hand, if SEGA decides to make the game canon match the cartoon in some way... well, it goes without saying that's going to start fires.

I consider myself fortunate I'm not one of the "this canon only" folks; Sonic is Sonic to me, whether Archie or Fleetway or the games, or even X and Underground. It features a blue hedgehog and a varying amount of familiar faces... which is good enough for me.

Though as an outside observer I see this cartoon as liable to create divisions. My sole consolation is that if it's a hit at least my SEGA stocks go up.

[Chaos Incarnate]

It's a given this show, even if good, will end up dividing the fandom. How?

Well, not trying to sound dismissive, but this is the Sonic fanbase after all. Is there anything it won't ever be divided about, regardless of quality?

[Badnik Zero]

There's so much material- characters, places, enemies, lore, and time lines- inherent to the games that we could continuing exploring that I'd argue we don't need a new show to bring anything. We need Sega to take a risk on actually writing better stories.

 

Understood and agreed.

 

But why would Sega do that? The show is a better bet. If successful, it's possible Sega will steer the games towards whatever new demographic they've found. I'm beyond expecting Sega to take creative risks with the games.

 

Unleashed was probably the last time they did that. I loved it. It got them crap reviews.

[Kuzu]

I'd like to imagine this is Sega experimenting with something different and testing the waters to see how it goes. If it is successful, then it can lead to a rebooting of the games, If not, then we can be assured that it is its own canon and will not affect the games.

 

I dunno, maybe Sega just wanna wipe the slate clean and just startover. I really can't see any other reason why they would make up a show so drastically different from the series norm.

[Zaysho]

Understood and agreed.

 

But why would Sega do that? The show is a better bet. If successful, it's possible Sega will steer the games towards whatever new demographic they've found. I'm beyond expecting Sega to take creative risks with the games.

 

Unleashed was probably the last time they did that. I loved it. It got them crap reviews.

 

I kinda don't see why SEGA doesn't just take more creative risks (maybe not replacing the current game canon with "Boom" but something that builds on what "Unleashed" introduced and so on). The general public's perception of this franchise and its status as a punching bag amongst most professional critics means that, no matter what they do, they'll get shit. May as well do something interesting instead of trying to please a group of people who won't be pleased.

[Diogenes]

I'd be more interested in seeing competent and motivated writers be tasked with creating new material around a coherent vision than trying to make something with the various scraps left behind from Sonic Team's scattershot approach to the series.

[Dejimon11]

I kinda don't see why SEGA doesn't just take more creative risks (maybe not replacing the current game canon with "Boom" but something that builds on what "Unleashed" introduced and so on). The general public's perception of this franchise and its status as a punching bag amongst most professional critics means that, no matter what they do, they'll get shit. May as well do something interesting instead of trying to please a group of people who won't be pleased.

Because they're trying to please everybody

[Nepenthe]

Understood and agreed.

 

But why would Sega do that? The show is a better bet. If successful, it's possible Sega will steer the games towards whatever new demographic they've found. I'm beyond expecting Sega to take creative risks with the games.

 

Unleashed was probably the last time they did that. I loved it. It got them crap reviews.

 

Why would they do that? Because it's counter-intuitive from a business perspective to spend God knows what on a new CGI show that is already being met with Unleashed levels of backlash in order to consolidate your canon when you could just take those two writers you began freelancing a few years ago and allow them to write better. This isn't rocket science. 

 

And what "new" demographic have they found? Kids? The same demographic they've been mainly targeting since the series' inception?

[Tani Coyote]

I think targeting kids for a cartoon might have different results than doing the same for a game. A game has to be purchased and played, whereas you only need to turn on the TV for a cartoon. In that way, a cartoon is more widely-accessible than a video game, so it very well could be an excellent marketing move.

 

Quite frankly I'm surprised SEGA doesn't sponsor regular cartoons instead of the erratic schedule they've got; if you want to lure kids into your fanbase, cartoons are probably the best way to do it. How many games do little kids play versus watching cartoons?

[Badnik Zero]

Well Sonic X was quite a while ago, so yes kids, but kids in 2013 not kids in 2005, or the ones that caught reruns. Cartoons appeal to teens as well, if you can reach Adventure Time or MLP status, although they're probably not going for that. Ogilvie is right to say there's a broader audience in TV. We complain that Sega doesn't advertise ever. A cartoon is plenty exposure for Sonic, he will sell better. Of course like SatAM (to a lesser extent Sonic X because no one gives a damn about Chris Thorndyke) there will be disparity between the universes. I can't stand reboots, but like I said setting, character, and other cues from the show would be welcome from me in an otherwise bland as hell current Sonic universe. I bet they'd do it smoothly too, debuting characters at the same time in both media. Right now is a good time to shake things up. Even Archie is back to point zero. I mean who else wants something fresh right now?

[Tani Coyote]

I'm all in favor of something fresh. Though that said, what I find tragic is that an action-comedy cartoon is probably going to have a more coherent plot than the games ever will. Short as these episodes are, I imagine there will be more continuity between them than the actual game series; sure it has the advantage of being written in close sequence, but we've been over why SEGA really has no excuse.

[PSI Wind]

I would hate a series/canon reboot. I've been obsessed with this series' canon for awhile and for all of that just to mean nothing in the end would give me the same feeling as 06's ending.

[Wraith]

I think a reboot would ultimately benefit the series immensely if done right, It's pretty clear sonic team as a whole doesn't really give a fuck about continuity as a whole so maybe a more clear and consistent direction would strengthen the brand.

[Soniman]

I still think Sonic Unleashed was already a partial reebot and therefore there's zero need for another one, they just barely done anything with the new canon they created. A reboot should be reserverd for properties that amassed convoluted histories over the years and Sonic….hasnt. We haven't had anything confusing, complicated, or convoluted for the past 5 years, so really, what's the point? Just work with what you have now.

[Nepenthe]

If Sonic Team doesn't care about continuity (and Sega's not going to enforce that they care), how would a reboot necessarily motivate them or their hired talent? I feel like we're circumventing the problem.

[Tani Coyote]

I think what Sonic Team needs more than anything is a "Bible." It's ridiculous that Ken Pontac had to read Wikipedia to know what the hell Sonic was about. You'd think a game company... no, a company with one of the most famous video game characters of all time under its belt, would actually have some sort of short document at this point with all the key elements. Sure, we get stuff like rings, loops, etc. but it seems kind of odd they don't keep tabs on plot developments or characters or anything of the sort and just make it up as they go.

 

But more on topic... I don't think they'll do a reboot regarding Sonic Boom... though at this point it'd be hard to tell the difference if you're not a diehard fan.

[Wraith]

Plot developments in the series hardly even lasted between games. I'd honestly be more surprised if sega HAD been keeping tabs on everything. 

[Nepenthe]

Granted, it's not as if the lack of continuity has resulted in a totally contradictory mess impossible to comprehend. What we have is merely a series of episodic events in the life of Sonic- each of which are easy to understand on their own or taken together (by memory; I don't know why you'd need to write them down)- all based upon a simple foundation of conflict between him and Eggman. I genuinely like it because it gives the developers a lot of creative leeway to use lots of settings, tones, and plot devices. So in short: Sonic is like Tom and Jerry Canon than Tolkien Canon. With the exception of Generations, I'm less of a reference nut and more of a "make these ideas matter in the context of their appearance" nut. That's really all I desire from this blasted series. xP 

[Tara]

I guess it's because I care more about character interactions than I do narrative flow, but I can forgive many of the most gaping plotholes and narrative clumsiness if the characters at least act reasonably themselves and fit well within the tone of the series.  With that said, my ideal type of continuity is one that is subtle, meaning small changes happen to a character overtime rather than a dramatic event happen that changes their entire perspective in the span of one episode.  In addition, I feel a product with the scope of Sonic the Hedgehog, I've always felt having a loose-knit, but nevertheless prevalent, continuity that is flexible enough to where it can be broken for gags and fun events but still has to adhere to some sense of logic is the best.  It makes it easier for all audiences to follow, and it makes the series accessible no matter what episode you start from.

 

That and I'd hate for there to be fun little things to not be added because they contradict a relatively small plot point.

 

That's the kind of thing I'd love if both this show and the games had.  But that probably won't ever happen. @3@