*(My Views On The Sonic Franchise)*

[Chris Knopps]

I decided to make this thread in response to recent viewpoints towards me that put me in the light of too negative, too overbearing in coming off as thinking my words are an absolute thing, so this will not only explain in detail my views on the Sonic franchise, but also assure members and moderators alike here I'm not as narrow minded/arrogant as I seem to come across in discussions.

To start off with, Sonic BOOM... Recently this was a major chaos bringer and I'd like to point out that Sonic BOOM isn't wholeheartedly bad to me. I played Shattered Crystal and actually enjoyed it a lot from start to finish, and I'm actually looking forward to Fire and Ice. Sure I question its necessity, but I'm not against it arriving on shelves and I'll be one of the few, or many depending on your stance, ready to buy it on launch day.

Revolving the cartoon, yes, I do admittedly detest the first season. It's just too slow paced and fails as a comedy in ways I feel Adventures of Sonic far surpassed it. I don't mind a comedy centric Sonic cartoon, to this day I hold Adventures of Sonic near and dear, but I do mind seeing the cast so laid back. I don't go for the bro-nemy thing they've done between Sonic and co. and Eggman, just doesn't feel right to me. Adventures of Sonic is right between Satam and X in terms of my favorite series and if the BOOM cartoon would follow more of an action packed/fast paced direction as it did, then put in all the comedy you want. Adventure of Sonic practically barfed comedy all over you constantly, yet it still worked for me because of all the speed and action present throughout the jokes and quirks.

Rise of Lyric, never played it but from the general feel of the plot, I wouldn't mind a comedic series that came across as having that slight touch of Satam vibes mixed in as well. This is a highlight of RoL for me and makes it the superior content when put side by side with the cartoon plot/tone wise.

And the toys, yes, I feel they are better suited as advertisement for the games instead of the show because in general I saw and felt more of what the toys put off in the games. This is not a blow to BOOM as a whole, only the cartoon as it is considered a plus to me that the games maintain action in both the game play and the plot despite the comedic focus.

Believe it or not, I genuinely have high hopes for season two of the cartoon, I'm hoping it can finally draw me into the show where season one failed to do so. I hope it takes inspiration from Adventures of Sonic and allows the cast to abandon the hammocks and couches and instead explore their world, build upon it, constantly be on the move in every episode tackling challenge after challenge, making Eggman a true threat, feel like a real villain despite all of the mockery and his, to me, awkward bipolar quirks. The comedy is welcome to stay, I just want the relaxed daily life atmosphere to go.

Now, revolving the main series...

When it comes to modern Sonic, the Unleashed, Black Knight, and Generations titles are three of my favorites that exist. Yes the length and plot of Generations was a letdown to me, but in general I still enjoyed it, I just feel more and more over time the game was just too short for what it was meant to represent and could have offered something better with the plot. When it comes to the wisps, at first I enjoyed them, but like various groups I was expecting it to be a one time feature. I feel that now all they do is give Sonic other characters abilities for the sole purpose of dragging out the Sonic only experience. Yes there ARE a select number of wisps that offer abilities other characters don't have themselves, and to me THOSE wisps are fine to keep, but all of the others that give Sonic the abilities of other cast? Just bring back the other cast instead and let the actual unique wisps stay, that works for me.

And regarding Lost World, time and again I do indeed bring it up, but despite my constant gripes of its flaws, there are aspects of the game I want kept. That being the parkour, the figure 8 blur when running, and the slower speed. Just nurf the odd infa-spindash and the run button. Instead of infinitely spinning, replace it with the super peel out and make the spin dash work as it used to in the genesis/Adventure games. Yes to me the game is wholeheartedly Somario Lost World, and no I don't approve of food worlds in a Sonic game, but that's not to say fantasy locations like that cannot exist in Sonic, look at CD, but a fantasy world that throws away every ounce of realism Sonic is known for just doesn't sit right with me. You can have imaginative worlds of fantasy without losing the realism to create it.

In the Colors/Colours title I just like to think all the food was just metal structures built by Eggman.

I really have no other types of locations to complain about in this franchise, and complaining that Sonic should not have food worlds is not something to be criminalized/demonized for when it is the sole complaint of stage direction for Sonic because of how unnatural it simply feels for the character. Nor does complaining about random objects with faces having no place in Sonic, as to my knowledge it had never been done before until Lost World with the watermelons and just didn't sit right either, that and food worlds are two things I just can't stand to see after my years of growing up playing Mario as well.

It feels like an insult to both franchises, because it feels wrong for Sonic to be in such stages, and it takes originality away from Mario in the process to me. That's two stage trope gripes I'm against, and that's all I've got to gripe about revolving stages.

As far as the main series and their plots, yes I feel they're lackluster and a devolution after the brilliance I feel SEGA had with both Unleashed and Black Knight, it's a disappointing direction when I felt they were finally perfecting the art between said titles. I'm not demanding another 06 direction, but I would love an SA2/Unleashed/Black Knight direction for the foreseeable future, especially now that BOOM has been created to handle a powerful comedy centric direction. Let the BOOM franchise handle all of that and let the main series have more meat on its bones. Comedy is just as welcome in the main series, but if you're going to have two separate franchises, you've simply got to do more to distinguish them asides mere redesigns and a change of location.

I'm in support of both the main and BOOM franchise continuing simultaneously, I just have higher expectations for both. I want BOOM to draw me in with its comedic quirkiness the way Adventures of Sonic did and I want the main series to draw me in the way it did with both Adventure games, Unleashed, and Black Knight, a game with solid game play and so much meat on its ribs I'm left belching with leftovers, having to come back repeatedly because of how much I felt it offered in the end in more ways than how it simply played.

I'm in favor of a staple game play, of avoiding another 06-Unleashed and Generations-Lost World jump between play styles that simply throw you so far out of the loop you're flying past Pluto. Yes you can add things onto the game play, but why not more carefully? More gradually instead of so instantaneously?

I simply want Sonic BOOM to be an action packed comedy series akin to AoStH, the main series to offer what SA2/Unleashed/Black Knight offered with their plots, and to put an end to the abrupt game play alterations in the franchise.

BOOM shouldn't be cancelled, but both it and the main series need to do more to distinguish themselves and give one another a real reason to exist simultaneously because asides the redesigns and locations, they simply feel too much of being exactly the same to me.

I'm the blunt type, I say what's on my mind and that's it. I ruffle feathers, I fan the flames, but that's how I am in conversations. Most of the time when I'm involved the topic at hand is about something I dislike, and I express that dislike. To quote myself in a recent PM session...

"It's just when a topic is brought up it's generally about aspects I don't like, and when I join in, I take the opportunity to voice my dislike for various things. I have positive thoughts, it's just the fact of topics at hand being about aspects I'm not too favorable towards. By no means are any of my opinions absolute, just as it says in my signature, it's just I come off as apparently seeming as though I think they are when really my only intention is to voice my thoughts my own way as anybody does."

None of my words are ever an absolution, I'm merely set in my ways and have a, lets go with more-than-firm stance on my views as to what makes Sonic an enjoyable franchise. We all have our opinions we'll stick to no matter what, and no matter what others may say to try and change them or prove said opinions incorrect/obsolete, in this regard there are many who can relate.

Just remember, a least I'm far from the green eyes and blue arm folks. Conversations with me may go out there, but at least they'll never be that ridiculous.

(On that note though, seriously, Knuckles needs leg day in BOOM...)

 

[Rey Skywalker-Ren]

Hey man, I've been putting off responding for a while but now that I am free, here I am!

The Sonic franchise is a tricky thing to debate about because the fandom splits itself up according to tastes. But it has become so egregious that fans are willing to form their own little cliques according to an aesthetic that they enjoy (boost fans, parkour fans, adventure fans etc etc). Sometimes, I want to ask, why can't we all just be Sonic fans? Because weather you are a big fan of the Adventure styled games or the modern games or if your like me who is a huge fan of how Sonic played in the Genesis trilogy, we all have one thing in common and it is that some way some how, something brought us to enjoy Sonic the Hedgehog games. Some differently than others but still. 

There is nothing wrong with being blunt or being cynical about the things you dislike about the Sonic series. There is always going to be something a fan doesn't like and I feel they have every right to express that. Also with all the wrong turns Sonic Team has done with the past few games lately and the false advertising for some, many of us get so disappointed everytime, we just say: fuck it. I have. I will freely admit that. Most of us have become very distrusting of Sega and Sonic Team that more often than not, we just don't think that in this current direction, things are going to get better. Being cynical doesn't mean you are trying to ruin the spirit of Sonic for everyone else, it just means you have a distrust and to be honest, cynicalism mixed with optimism are rather good traits together. It's good to protect yourself from being disappointed everytime something hypes you up or even in real life, but it is also good to look on the bright side at the same time. This is coming from someone who is perceived to be one of the most cynical people on the board, especially when it comes to the blue blur. 

I don't want to go on too much about me but I, like you, is also very blunt with my opinions and I tell it like it is. Yes there are times people think I am too much of a party pooper, but I am just so disappointed and so frustrated with the current direction of the series that I just do not think it's going to get any better, especially if things do not change. I wouldn't be suprised of Sonic died tomorrow. That's just how I feel.

Back to the original intent of this thread, though there are times I have no idea where you come up with your opinions, I still respect them and I have alot of respect for you. I respect those who aren't afraid to tell it like it is, even if there is no way in hell I would agree with them or if they are negative or they just do not care as long as they have intelligent reasons to back up those opinions. So as for the opinions on the Sonic franchise, I respect your opinions and it's reasonings.

[Sami]

Maybe it's not my place to say this because I stopped being active here months ago and don't know what your shtick is or what the drama is like on here these days but I don't see how this clarification is necessary. If people are are saying you're overbearing or arrogant or whatever it's probably your attitude and the way you present yourself that's the problem, not whatever opinion you happen to have. 

I don't think a 1000 word thesis on why you don't actually hate Sonic is going to change how people see you. Speak through actions instead.

My two cents.

[Chris Knopps]

24 minutes ago, Sami said:

Maybe it's not my place to say this because I stopped being active here months ago and don't know what your shtick is or what the drama is like on here these days but I don't see how this clarification is necessary. If people are are saying you're overbearing or arrogant or whatever it's probably your attitude and the way you present yourself that's the problem, not whatever opinion you happen to have. 

I don't think a 1000 word thesis on why you don't actually hate Sonic is going to change how people see you. Speak through actions instead.

My two cents.

It's not meant to change how people see me really, just to assure many I'm not wholeheartedly negative/spiteful of the franchise, be it revolving its past or current form. How people see me in general isn't a concern but I did want to assure I do find enjoyment out of various aspects of Sonic to this day, both revolving the main franchise and the BOOM franchise, to assure I may not care for certain things presently but I do have hope for improvement in the future.

By no means do I outright hate either franchise, that was my only point in this.

[shdowhunt60]

People are criticizing you, because you constantly exhibit incredibly flawed logic and hyperbole, not to mention you get incredibly defensive when someone calls you out on it. It's not because they think you're overbearing or arrogant.

I actually find it rather aggravating myself, because I agree with a lot of claims you make, but the rhetoric you use to uphold it is so full of obvious holes that it completely undermines whatever the hell it is you're trying to argue for.

Like for example, I do agree that Sonic in Boom is far too fucking keen on sleeping around and being generally disconnected from the world around him, but that's because that contradicts what it is that we KNOW who he is, and even contradicts what Boom itself established in its own fucking character profiles. It's not bad, because... Pontac and Graff or whatever, it's bad because it's disconnected from who Sonic is as an individual.

This is a pretty frequent thing with you. You make a claim that I might agree with, but you argue it incredibly badly.

[PandoloFox]

Pretty much what shdowhunt60 said, not that im one to talk since im guilty of being floaty and incoherent with my thoughts at times myself. But what I noticed the most was that you resorted to going after another member on a more personal level because he challenged your views. You doing it with pride and saying that you happily would recieve a strike for doing so isnt exactly inspiring people to see your side of the argument. It rather sends the message that you know you are doing something wrong, but doesnt care anyway. Even if I agreed with the points you bring up I would feel little sympathy for you when called out for your actions.

Again, I have gotten angry and made mistakes myself. But I never show pride in it and I strive to improve myself. I think if you just try to improve your thoughts and dont make things personal you will do fine.

[Rey Skywalker-Ren]

Ever heard of this quote?

I do feel that you should be more open minded to others thoughts as well. Something we all should benefit from anyway. (note: this post is directed at everyone Sonic wise, not just the OP)

[Chris Knopps]

Hmm...

Well, asides responses to my methods here, I'd also like a response to the rest of the post in general revolving the franchise and the points I brought up.

Not finding anything wrong with critique on myself, but at the same time, I'm interested in reading about more than that.