Jump to content
Awoo.

Boost gameplay = Sonic only?


8ther

Recommended Posts

Coming from Lost World's mixed reception and poor sales Sonic Team very well could lose their nerve of trying new things and return to Boost centric gameplay of Unleashed/Colors/Gens, which i'm not personally against however the boost trilogy's the emphasis more on speed and less on platforming fits Sonic more so than his friends while the slower paced platformer-centric gameplay of SLW was the perfect(though missed) opportunity for Sonic Team reintroduce Sonic's friends as playable characters which makes me fearful, as i'm sick of all these Sonic only games, so here the question. If the Boost gameplay were to return, would it kill any chances that the Parkour gameplay of SLW set for Sonic's friends being playable?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I dont know but i want the boost to come back. Just because Sonic can boost doesnt mean no playable friends. Sonic Dash everyone had a boost.

 

Let Sonic be Sonic and let him boost. (and yes I perfer Sonic only doesnt matter boost or no boost)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Since I don't own a Wii-U, I've only played the demo a few times at GameStop. Maybe I need to spend a little more time with the game but it felt weird having to hold a button down just to make Sonic run fast. We've never had to do that before, so it doesn't make a lot of sense.

I would have no problem if the boost returned in the future, I loved it. Some hate the boost because "omg boost to win", but that's nonsense. It takes skill to execute the boost properly and look like a bad ass while doing it. Not to mention it feels great, and looks awesome. I feel Unleashed did it better than Colors and Generations though.

Maybe Lost World would have sold better if it wasn't exclusively on a failed console.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Since I don't own a Wii-U, I'be only played the demo a few times at GameStop. Maybe I need to spend a little more time with the game but it felt weird having to hold a button down just to make Sonic run fast. We've never had to do that before, so it doesn't make a lot of sense.

I would have no problem if the boost returned in the future, I loved it. Some hate the boost because "omg boost to win", but that's nonsense. It takes skill to execute the boost properly and look like a bad ass while doing it. Not to mention it feels great, and looks awesome. I feel Unleashed did it better than Colors and Generations though.

Maybe Lost World would have sold better if it wasn't exclusively on a failed console.

Finally someone who gets it (the boost thing I mean).

 

As for sonic returning to boost gameplay, I wouldn't mind it but I would prefer if sega continued to try and improve the new gameplay whether than scrap it especially since it has a lot of potential and its not as if I don't like the boost or anything (in fact its my favorite gameplay) but there isn't much to really be done with it now and the parkour gameplay has alot of potential so I would love if they continued on to improve it (maybe even implement it into another boost centric game too).

  • Thumbs Up 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The gameplay is not the reason that we're not seeing other playable characters. The reason we're not seeing other playable characters is because people bitched about them as a scapegoat for so long that Sonic Team probably believes they are a PR risk. Get rid of this shitty attitude and you will get other playable characters back regardless of what the gameplay is.

  • Thumbs Up 9
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Boost-Gameplay probably won't be coming back. Sonic Team may have played it safe for the first time in years with the Boost-Trilogy, but they've already shown they are ready to make a move. Chances are they will take Lost World's engine and change it until the controls aren't ass.

  • Thumbs Up 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't see why other characters couldn't mesh with boost gameplay.  In fact if they didn't have the boost, maybe for once it'd actually make a game where they're somewhat balanced and Sonic isn't essentially "hard mode" since the other characters would have to get past obstacles usually bypassed with the boost their own way.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The gameplay is not the reason that we're not seeing other playable characters. The reason we're not seeing other playable characters is because people bitched about them as a scapegoat for so long that Sonic Team probably believes they are a PR risk. Get rid of this shitty attitude and you will get other playable characters back regardless of what the gameplay is.

I agree that this isn't the reason we aren't getting other playable characters, but at the same time I really don't think the boost gameplay is very conducive to having them to begin with. I love Generations as much as the next guy, but it seems too formulaic and inflexible to build upon. Abilities like Tails' flight and Knuckles' gliding/climbing wouldn't really have a chance to shine in stages designed around constantly moving forward and split-second reaction time.

 

I don't see why other characters couldn't mesh with boost gameplay.  In fact if they didn't have the boost, maybe for once it'd actually make a game where they're somewhat balanced and Sonic isn't essentially "hard mode" since the other characters would have to get past obstacles usually bypassed with the boost their own way.

Would removing the boost really be okay, though? Going for the best time and blowing through everything is kind of the point of those games. Without it, you're meant to feel naked- you WANT to keep collecting rings and moving forward to shave seconds off your time and not break the flow. It's a rewarding feeling; a reward that probably comes too easily, but I digress.

 

Without the boost you're just playing a normal platformer with kind of bad controls.

  • Thumbs Up 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree that this isn't the reason we aren't getting other playable characters, but at the same time I really don't think the boost gameplay is very conducive to having them to begin with. I love Generations as much as the next guy, but it seems too formulaic and inflexible to build upon. Abilities like Tails' flight and Knuckles' gliding/climbing wouldn't really have a chance to shine in stages designed around constantly moving forward and split-second reaction time.

 

But this doesn't really explain why platforming-centric Colors was such the critical success when even boost speeds are negligible compared to its higher-tier brethren, and it also serves to undermine both the traditional and reactionary platforming present in both Unleashed and Generations. I really think people don't give these games enough credit for being able to service slower gameplay. I would've liked to have seen what Sega would have done with the formula had they thrown other characters in the mix, especially whether or not they would've at least tried to attune them to the general high-speed pathos of these games (get the fuck out of my face if you don't think fast and nimble aerial Tails would've been amazing <3), but alas.

Edited by Nepenthe
  • Thumbs Up 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I actually can see other characters working with the boost gameplay quite well but it would somewhat be centered around the team mechanic.

  • Thumbs Up 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I figured Shadow and Blaze (heck, even Tails) were just as capable of using a boost-styled move as Sonic is. They don't have to be as fast, but it's not as if they need to be slowed down to a point to where the gameplay style differentiates too much.

  • Thumbs Up 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Playing with Tails or Knuckles' abilities with boost gameplay has already been done.  Hover Wisp and (sort of) Spike Wisp.  Imagine being able to use these powers freely (within limitations) instead of being only usable in areas specifically tailored around them.

 

 

Don't get me wrong, I imagine we'd need some kinda Sonic Adventure type deal where the levels are a little re-arranged so maybe the non-Sonic characters only have access to a certain portion of it that is designed with all character types in mind (coz yeah Sonic's stages need to be several miles long with boost gameplay), where even if you follow Sonic's route to a tee, eventually a "Sonic only" hazard like a bit you must air boost across presents itself and you are forced to use your ability to take a new path designed just for that character to the end of the level.

 

But yeah I think the fact that boost gameplay was built around Sonic doesn't mean it can't be altered.and refined even further than Generations did.

  • Thumbs Up 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I like to consider knuckles being more refined than the spike wisp, for instance lets say that when using knuckles he has a moderate speed that isn't too much slower from sonic but not as fast, he can use his glide which has better speed in the air than tails' flight but you can't go up and you are constantly going down instead of up. He can also quickly dispatch enemies with a melee attack which if landed in a good way can actually increase his speed after successfully destroying said enemy (this move can be done in succession too so it could be used to gain speed quick), He can also climb walls but he will have a stamina bar so that he can't continuously climb for an infinite time.

 

As for tails, he is the slowest between him, knuckles, and sonic but his flight can work similarly to an air boost but you can go upward for a set time, constantly going up will tire him out quicker but good management will keep him in the air longer and in the end will be faster than him running on the ground. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

But this doesn't really explain why platforming-centric Colors was such the critical success when even boost speeds are negligible compared to its higher-tier brethren, and it also serves to undermine both the traditional and reactionary platforming present in both Unleashed and Generations. I really think people don't give these games enough credit for being able to service slower gameplay. I would've liked to have seen what Sega would have done with the formula had they thrown other characters in the mix, especially whether or not they would've at least tried to attune them to the general high-speed pathos of these games (get the fuck out of my face if you don't think fast and nimble aerial Tails would've been amazing <3), but alas.

I've always felt that everything about the way Sonic controls in the boost games, from his acceleration to his jump, was based around moving at a high speed. This made the platforming in slower sections feel awkward and uncomfortable to control, especially in Colors. Yes, the game could service slower gameplay, but not through traditional platforming. The Wisps were the only thing that made it really interesting, despite being pretty shallow, gimmicky and context sensitive. Not gonna lie, when I replayed Sonic Colors recently, I didn't think it was that good. 

 

And that's my problem; I don't think modern Sonic games are really good platformers. It's not because they shouldn't have regular platforming, but because I don't think they're really handled all that competently in that regard. It's not what makes them stand out. Generations is a lot of fun to me, but I'm definitely not enjoying it the most when doing traditional platforming. That's why I feel like Classic Sonic is much less fun to play. 

 

And yes, a fast and nimble aerial Tails would be fantastic, and I'd be lying if I said that weren't near the top of my wish list of things that need to happen in this series, but I'd like to see it happen in a new engine rather than such a flawed one.

 

To be completely clear here, when I say that I don't think other characters would work easily in a boost game, I'm not strictly talking about any game where Sonic can use the boost, but rather one that uses a similar engine/controls/design philosophy to Unleashed and Generations. 

  • Thumbs Up 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Would removing the boost really be okay, though? Going for the best time and blowing through everything is kind of the point of those games. Without it, you're meant to feel naked- you WANT to keep collecting rings and moving forward to shave seconds off your time and not break the flow. It's a rewarding feeling; a reward that probably comes too easily, but I digress.

 

Without the boost you're just playing a normal platformer with kind of bad controls.

In a Sonic game Speed and consistent flow is the general reward for playing through a level well, the Boost is not a reward its just a standard game-play mechanic that was never really used interestingly and made the games far easier than they should've been. Getting the best times with the Boost isn't hard, since you can abuse it easily and there's no real negative for doing so.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In a Sonic game Speed and consistent flow is the general reward for playing through a level well, the Boost is not a reward its just a standard game-play mechanic that was never really used interestingly and made the games far easier than they should've been. Getting the best times with the Boost isn't hard, since you can abuse it easily and there's no real negative for doing so.

I wouldn't exactly say its easy, it still takes pretty good degrees of skill and level knowledge in order to get some of the best times in the boost games. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Being in a boost-centric game doesn't mean every character has to boost. Let that power be Sonic's unique thing! With a little bit of work, I see no reason each level couldn't be designed with different paths accessible only to each character (or character 'type' if you also want characters like Shadow, Rouge etc - I'll touch more on this in a bit). 

 

Each character should have differing gameplay aspects and styles while sharing basic fundamentals.

 

A short while into a level, you find a section with a giant pit with a loop going from one side to the other. Only Sonic can cross using the loop because of his speed; Tails and Knuckles aren't fast enough to defy gravity like that in this game. Or it can be a string of enemies you need to homing attack, or whatever. The pit is too far to fly or glide over, but the wall next to it is a perfect height to fly on top of! Oh look, the wall also appears cracked! Looks like it's weak enough for someone strong to punch through. Every shared level contains common areas throughout the level while also having several divergent paths. These would be in addition to character specific levels, so everyone has a chance to strut their stuff. It's hardly an original idea, basically a modern S3&K or single character Heroes, but still a good direction which could cater to a fantastic Sonic experience as well as having a bunch of other characters in there who have their own unique play style implemented equally as well.

 

As for other characters, as every game since '06 has underlined with increasing emphasis, if this large pool of characters aren't going to be utilised for gameplay (or at all!) then there is literally no point in them existing. Obviously they don't need to shoehorn every character into every game (once again looking your way '06 and Heroes), especially ones like Silver or Knuckles who should only really be used in specific circumstances, but even then I'd rather have tons of shoehorned in characters to play as (even optionally) than a completely neutered and arbitrary appearance like anyone who isn't Sonic in Generations (somewhat forgiveable as it was an anniversary title to celebrate Sonic, but because of that the more characters who appear the better), or Knuckles in SLW who basically spent the entire game in the background, waving and yelling at the camera "Hey! Remember me? I STILL EXIST!!"

  • Thumbs Up 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't know, if you have Sonic the boost then the other characters stages would be SOO much longer compared to his, especially if you wanted areas that all the characters go to. Weren't Unleashed's levels around 8 miles of so long? While Sonic could complete them in around 1-2 minutes everyone else would be normal running speed and probably take 5-8 minutes to finish the same amount of level. Alternatively if you have them a similar time frame to complete the level you would only give them about a third or so of the actual level that sonic could complete. I can't decide if it would be better either giving everyone the boost to some extent or just not using it at all

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I could definitley see Blaze boost because after all she was from Sonic Rush.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

You must read and accept our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy to continue using this website. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.