Jump to content
Awoo.

Sonic Maker


NoirSuede

Recommended Posts

When Mario Maker came out everyone pretty much went "Where's Sonic Maker", so I want to ask, how do you guys think a Sonic Maker would need to not completely suck ?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If I remember right there actually was an official Sonic maker through web browser (or something? I never played it haha) some time ago with Green Hill assets and a few other junks

Edited by Wolfy
  • Thumbs Up 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

If I remember right there actually was an official Sonic maker through web browser (or something? I never played it haha) some time ago with Green Hill assets and a few other junks

I find it amazing that a web browser game of all things appears to have closer physics to the classic trilogy than Sonic 4.

The horse is long dead but I shall continue to beat it.

  • Thumbs Up 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

A bit of a "secret" was brought up recently with the release of Mario Maker, that Super mario Brothers wasn't constructed out of blocks, but out of chunks several blocks in size ( I can't remember the specifics) in order to save memory.  I'm not sure what memory it was to save, but the NES sure could run out of it easily.  Anyway, similarly, the Genesis Sonic games were actually made out of chunks, but not the same size chunks in every game.  IIRC, Sonic 1 was made from chunks 256x256, a major chunk of the screen.  That's why star light zone keeps doing that funny thing with the slopes.  Maybe you know the one.  I'm pretty tired, and that bit isn't that important.  These chunks made the level map a lot smaller to store, and they were in turn composed out of 16x16 tiles.  Anyway, where i'm going with this is that it would be a major pain to construct a who level block by block out of 16x16 tiles, ideally with the ability to save and load chunks.  Place a 128x128 chunk, edit some 16x16 tiles on it, and then you can save that chunk and use it elsewhere.  It also needs some sort of tool to highlight surfaces that Sonic will behave "contiguously" on and follow the curvature of.

Physics is a tricky situation, it seems to me that rather than trying to pick a specific game it'd probably be better off to either just pick one or have toggles for various parameters, such as which speed limiters and spin dash to have.  

Probably the biggest challenge might end up being the level specific gimmicks that the old games had, it might need some sort of rudimentary logic programming to really realize its potential.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Physics is a tricky situation, it seems to me that rather than trying to pick a specific game it'd probably be better off to either just pick one or have toggles for various parameters, such as which speed limiters and spin dash to have.  

Probably the biggest challenge might end up being the level specific gimmicks that the old games had, it might need some sort of rudimentary logic programming to really realize its potential.  

Well to make a user friendly logic maker they can just do what Unreal 4 does and make the "code" consist of pictures of the things involved connected with a visual representation of OR/IF's, for example to make a player-triggered elevator, you can have a block which acts as a trigger zone for the elevator, then from the code editor you can highlight the elevator itself and then set the height/delay before activation/direction with a neat looking pop-up, and there you go.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would love a Sonic Maker. Just do the same thing as Mario Maker but obviously have Sonic characters instead of just Sonic and instead of Mario 1,3,World and U just have Sonic 1,2,3 and Knuckles

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would love a Sonic Maker. Just do the same thing as Mario Maker but obviously have Sonic characters instead of just Sonic and instead of Mario 1,3,World and U just have Sonic 1,2,3 and Knuckles

Don't forget CD !

Also, since it'll inevitably run on way more powerful hardware than the WiiU, would a 3D version be feasible ?

  • Thumbs Up 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

It would definitely be tricky to do.  I feel Mario's course design focuses on unique "ideas" for each experience, while Sonic games prefer to focus on the overall identity of a location.  Mario games are sort of like a big spilling of a giant crate of generic lego pieces and that lends themself to more open design, whereas Sonic games are more like a combo pack of several themed lego sets.  The potential for creativity and flexibility are still utterly palpable but ultimately there's a limited number of setups the various one-time stage gimmicks can be used with before they get stale I think.  The question would be whether the designer would be flexible enough to allow you to use all sorts of stage gimmicks in a single stage, but like Mario Maker, would people just create clusterfucks of ideas that don't necessarily flow or go together?

 

There's also the issue that Sonic stages are just simply massive.  You can make a good Mario stage that is only 3 screen lengths long or so and still have a satisfying experience.  A short Sonic stage... I can't really imagine it.  They'd probably end up playing something like the smaller acts in Colours or the side missions in Generations.  Still fun but not as good as a "proper" Sonic stage.  It's why to this day Sonic games usually have about 20 stages and Mario games usually have 80.  There's just so much extra filler to design for Sonic to keep that feeling of speed up.

 

I think making Sonic stages is just simply harder for a variety of reasons.  I mean, case in point, the NSMB games may be boring aesthetically but they've managed to churn out over, what, 400 levels for them if you consider all 5 titles and they're all pretty fun games.  But, according to most of the fanbase at least, Sonic Team can't grasp how to make even 24 fun Sonic levels according to Sonic 4, and Sonic 4 is probably the most creative 2D Sonic game I can think of in terms of the fact that every ACT in those games has a unique gimmick on top of the zone-specific gimmicks.  But they can't get the base design right underneath all that for most fans.

  • Thumbs Up 7
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would love a Sonic Maker. Just do the same thing as Mario Maker but obviously have Sonic characters instead of just Sonic and instead of Mario 1,3,World and U just have Sonic 1,2,3 and Knuckles

There is literally no difference between the assets of Sonic 1 and 2 and CD, and there's no difference between 3 and Knuckles. You might as well say make it exclusively Classic Sonic.

The way it should be done is Sonic 1, Sonic 3 & Knuckles, Sonic Advance, and then maybe Sonic Generations Classic Style.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The key, imo, would be just to make several unique assets available and make it not a pain in the but to build levels. Iteration would also be important, so giving a player the ability to quickly playtest levels without lag or too much loading would be paramount. It would also be cool to be able to drop in whatever character you want. Mario maker seems restricted to just Mario. Being able to drop in Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, BLAZESALLYBUNNIECREAMNICOLE, would be great for a different experience per level.

Oh! And some sort of story, like having to rebuild the world because Eggman did something, would also be pretty cool.

All in all I would buy the hell out of this game.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We got hacks for that one. You can download a Sonic game maker and make a level. Thats what most people on Retro do.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We got hacks for that one. You can download a Sonic game maker and make a level. Thats what most people on Retro do.

Well hacks are a pain in the ass to setup and have insanely unintuitive coding process.

  • Thumbs Up 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well hacks are a pain in the ass to setup and have insanely unintuitive coding process.

thats true. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So if there's an official level editor it'll be way easier to code and make levels.

I can make my own Sonic 4 :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If there would be Sonic maker I would like it to have similar different styles like in Mario Maker, like Sonic 1, 2, 3 and 4 because I would really like to see a new 2D HD Sonic game. Of course I would like to have Mega Drive style physics but I think that Sonic 4 episode 2s would be fine.

Of course the interface would be very important and what do you get to create with. Of course there would definetely be some thing missing.

But seriously if Sonic is the only playable character in game like that I would probably skip the game just out of principle (not to mention that I personally would probably buy it to mostly play other peoples levels, I'm not very creative). I mean, nostalgia and emulating the feeling of old games are probably an important part of games like Mario Maker (I'm just speculating because I haven't played that game) and different playable characters were in the end quite important part of Mega Drive games, in Sonic 2 it started and at least to me S3&K is the best 2D Sonic because it makes me want to play the game at least 3 times.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

But seriously if Sonic is the only playable character in game like that I would probably skip the game just out of principle (not to mention that I personally would probably buy it to mostly play other peoples levels, I'm not very creative). I mean, nostalgia and emulating the feeling of old games are probably an important part of games like Mario Maker (I'm just speculating because I haven't played that game) and different playable characters were in the end quite important part of Mega Drive games, in Sonic 2 it started and at least to me S3&K is the best 2D Sonic because it makes me want to play the game at least 3 times.

I dunno, I think S3&K is the only Genesis Sonic where multiple characters really "matters". S2 had Tails, but he was basically just Sonic's Luigi at that point. And of course S1 and CD didn't have any other playable characters.

  • Thumbs Up 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Maybe do it like the Advance series but without better Sonics? We can pull it off can we?

Other then that I am all for Sonic-only. Maybe Sonic Maker (in the future) can allow us to create his moveset. Hahahaha the possiblities 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The way it should be done is Sonic 1, Sonic 3 & Knuckles, Sonic Advance, and then maybe Sonic Generations Classic Style.

 

I don't think Sonic Advance or Sonic Generations. Sonic Advance is a Gameboy game and Sonic Generations they would have to make like 9 different level backgrounds if they put in all of his levels from Generations. If they put in maybe 2 level backgrounds from Generations I would say Chemical Plant and City Escape.

Also, since it'll inevitably run on way more powerful hardware than the WiiU, would a 3D version be feasible ?

How would it run on more powerful hardware than the Wii U?? I thought it would be a Nintendo exclusive. No other system has a touch screen sort of thing and I thought you would need a touch screen. If it is a Nintendo Exclusive probably not because if they haven't put Mario Maker on 3DS they probably won't be able to put Sonic Maker on it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

….why is that a problem?

I'm not saying Sonic Advance is a bad game. I love it. But there are so many better games they could use instead of Sonic Advance.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

I don't think Sonic Advance or Sonic Generations. Sonic Advance is a Gameboy game and Sonic Generations they would have to make like 9 different level backgrounds if they put in all of his levels from Generations. If they put in maybe 2 level backgrounds from Generations I would say Chemical Plant and City Escape.

 

How would it run on more powerful hardware than the Wii U?? I thought it would be a Nintendo exclusive. No other system has a touch screen sort of thing and I thought you would need a touch screen. If it is a Nintendo Exclusive probably not because if they haven't put Mario Maker on 3DS they probably won't be able to put Sonic Maker on it.

Because Sega isn't bound to selling the game on the WiiU ?

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.