Sonic Sandbox game

[Candescence]

Well, the old sandbox topic went with the old forum, SO, I decided to restart it, and I have good reason to do it - more recently, a particularlly noteworthy sandbox game has come out -

Prototype.

I bought Prototype myself, and I found it to be incredible fun. I have never played a game before that had such awesomely fun destruction. The powers, the consuming, the incredible stuff you can do as Alex Mercer... And one thing did stand out for me.

In Prototype, the movement system has been called "extreme parkour", where Alex can just run up walls, jump across buildings, hop over cars and any other objects in his path, all without skipping a beat, not stopping, period. It's so incredibly fluid. One of Sonic's greatest strengths? Fluidity. So, why not have a similar movement system, except with slightly different abilities and more speed? Holding down the right trigger to run is in itself a clever device where you can simply let go to slow down, and perform more precise platforming, then pick up speed again. IMO, it's perfect for Sonic.

But why stop there? The combat system is also rather suitable, and a great way to replace the homing attack, though with not as many powers. Target your foe, dodge strikes, and then smack 'em down with some quick hits. X for melee attacks, Y for spin dash attacks, and B to grab. Perhaps some extra abilties can be interchanged like Alex's powers. It would be even more interesting with different characters.

Anyway, that's more or less the gist of the idea - I don't have that much time right now.

Also, I don't want to repeat how good an idea it would be for Procedural Generation to used in a Sonic game for levels and stuff.

[Rusty Spy]

Oh, I could totally get into that sort of game, and I've had the same thoughts about Prototype in relation to Sonic. I love how they did the wall running and I'd love to see Sonic do that. A Sonic sandbox/parkour game is by far my favorite concept for a Sonic game, given the kind of freedom of movement that would be so much better with Sonic's amazing abilities.

Though the running could easily be accomplished on the control stick simply by tilting it in your direction, and by incorporating slightly slower acceleration to allow for slow movement easily while still being able to move faster quickly by just holding down the control stick in your direction. The combat seems alright, but it seems to be where the flow is broken up from the running. It would be a lot better to find some way to incorporate the combat into the game while allowing for fluid movement forward rather than having to significantly slow down.

The most I can come up with, for the Homing Attack, at least, is to give Sonic the same momentum he had when using the HA after he hits an enemy. Think how Sonic bounces off the balloons in Sonic Unleashed. Even more so, tilting the control stick, or not moving it at all will stop all your momentum and would work much like how the HA does today, allowing for more precise aiming and to strike multiple enemies close to each other.

I could go on all day, but I think I've made my point, and I haven't had breakfast yet.

Edited July 5, 2009 by VirgoTheCougar

[Leon K Fox]

If they get a team who have experience with super powered sandbox games (games like Spider Man 2, Prototype and the likes) then this concept could be all kinds of awesome.

[The Conductor]

The main problem I see with Sonic; Sand Box is that it could end up being restricted to one kind of local (I.E. city) because it would be difficult to make the transition between say...and icy place or a lush hill sort of place.

[Leon K Fox]

The main problem I see with Sonic; Sand Box is that it could end up being restricted to one kind of local (I.E. city) because it would be difficult to make the transition between say...and icy place or a lush hill sort of place.

Not really, place Tails and the tornado in there, and add an option that lets you go to different locations in the world. He did something similar in Unleashed so just take that and make it more open and there ya go.

[azoo]

That's funny. I just was playing Prototype last night and was thinking about this. =P

Anyways; like I said in other topics, I've already contemplated enough on that concept as it is here (also in my sig). Since I've already said my thoughts in that, I think that's all I have to say now.

[Phos]

Re: OP

Sounds to me like you just want Prototype starring Sonic the Hedgehog.

Procedural Generation

Perhaps, but only as a tool to speed up level creation rather than just making the level on it on it's own.

Also, Prototype has none of the simplicity that's so important to Sonic's formula. You all didn't believe me when I said that Sonic's simplicity is a feature unto itself, but guess who agrees with me.

[Rusty Spy]

Re: OP

Sounds to me like you just want Prototype starring Sonic the Hedgehog.

Perhaps, but only as a tool to speed up level creation rather than just making the level on it on it's own.

Also, Prototype has none of the simplicity that's so important to Sonic's formula. You all didn't believe me when I said that Sonic's simplicity is a feature unto itself, but guess who agrees with me.

This is not a topic about "What if Sonic were like Prototype", it's the idea of a sandbox Sonic game with parkour movement. Prototype was just used as an example of the basic gist of the idea.

[Phos]

This is not a topic about "What if Sonic were like Prototype", it's the idea of a sandbox Sonic game with parkour movement. Prototype was just used as an example of the basic gist of the idea.

And yet:

In Prototype, the movement system has been called "extreme parkour", where Alex can just run up walls, jump across buildings, hop over cars and any other objects in his path, all without skipping a beat, not stopping, period. It's so incredibly fluid. One of Sonic's greatest strengths? Fluidity. So, why not have a similar movement system, except with slightly different abilities and more speed? Holding down the right trigger to run is in itself a clever device where you can simply let go to slow down, and perform more precise platforming, then pick up speed again. IMO, it's perfect for Sonic.

But why stop there? The combat system is also rather suitable, and a great way to replace the homing attack, though with not as many powers. Target your foe, dodge strikes, and then smack 'em down with some quick hits. X for melee attacks, Y for spin dash attacks, and B to grab. Perhaps some extra abilties can be interchanged like Alex's powers. It would be even more interesting with different characters.

So, basically the same movement system, same controls, same combat. The only difference is abilities.

[Rusty Spy]

And yet:

So, basically the same movement system, same controls, same combat. The only difference is abilities.

No where did he say, what if Sonic played like Prototype. I assume the title of the topic would suggest just a sandbox game, rather than Prototype with a Sonic skin.

[Phos]

The only difference he mentions is abilities. He specifically mentions a similar movement system using the same controls and using similar combat mechanics.

[turbojet]

I would like Sega to keep some consistency before experimenting eventhough I loved Prototype.

[Candescence]

I wouldn't want it would be exactly the same as Prototype, let's be serious, quite a lot of what I haven't mentioned about Prototype in this topic wouldn't suit Sonic. But what I did described works, and with some modifications here and there, it can work well in a Sonic game, IMO. The combat would be focused on speed and chaining attacks, methinks.

Perhaps, but only as a tool to speed up level creation rather than just making the level on it on it's own.

Even just that is a good thing on its own, if it means making several miles of a level a lot quicker, that is very good, still, I think it has a lot more potential than you think, with the right tools.

Also, Prototype has none of the simplicity that's so important to Sonic's formula. You all didn't believe me when I said that Sonic's simplicity is a feature unto itself, but guess who agrees with me.

Edit: Whoops, forget I said anything before.

I would like Sega to keep some consistency before experimenting eventhough I loved Prototype.

Just to note, Sonic Team HAVE been consistent since Sonic Adventure, if you discount the genre changes. In fact, if anything, Unleashed and the Storybook games have more or less been the biggest departures in regular Sonic gameplay. I would list Heroes and Shadow, but those are just SA gameplay with ability switching and guns. If these games, if you threw out the genre changes, you didn't like, then clearly the consistent route isn't working.

Edited July 6, 2009 by The Sniper

[Phos]

Newsflash, dude, that guy isn't the be-all-to-end-all of how to make a good Sonic game

Stopped reading. Check where my link actually goes this time.

Edited July 6, 2009 by Phos

[Candescence]

Stopped reading. Check where my link actually goes this time.

Bah, I thought it the link to that OTHER site where this guy seemed to be giving out his thetis on his opinion on what makes a good Sonic game... Forget I said anything about that part, I'll respond to it properly later when I read the page properly. Sorry about that.

[azoo]

Bah, I thought it the link to that OTHER site where this guy seemed to be giving out his thetis on his opinion on what makes a good Sonic game... Forget I said anything about that part, I'll respond to it properly later when I read the page properly. Sorry about that.

Lol, did you mean my website, "Project : FreeRunner"?

Really, now to go into detail, I really do believe Prototype did have good use of the "extreme parkour" movement, and I do really think that this would work for a Sonic game. However, that doesn't mean it has to use the exact same layout. It can be simple. Really simple. All it takes is speed.

If any of you have noticed, Alex Mercer on Prototype has context-sensitive movement controls. Barely pressing on the L Stick makes him walk slowly, pressing down completely makes him move as fast as he can while walking, and holding the R Trigger makes him run at top speed, even if he's at a standstill. This allows him to do this extreme parkour immediately as you hold the R Trigger and jump towards a wall.

Sonic, on the other hand, has always required acceleration (bar Unleashed, which DOES use the context-sensitive movement). In both the Genesis games and Sonic Adventure, Sonic would start off walking, then jogging, then running, then sprinting, then dashing, as he gets faster and faster the longer he runs in one direction. This adds a whole new level to how Sonic can use this parkour; when moving slowly, Sonic wouldn't have enough momentum to keep him clinging and running up a wall. After gaining enough speed, Sonic can easily be able to do such things as wall-running and wall-dashing, and other things such as that.

I don't see why it couldn't happen. After all, it gives more reasoning to "speed = reward" (one of the key essentials to why Sonic games are so exciting).

Edited July 6, 2009 by Azukara