Sonic Mania (August 15th 2017, Christian Whitehead, PS4, Xbox One, PC, Switch) - The New Classic

[Lord-Dreamerz]

4 hours ago, Psychicmoose103 said:

If they make a "Mania 2" or something like that, what would you guys like to see in it? New Character? New Shields?

New playable characters is my main want. If we need to stick purely to the classic cast... then I strongly vote for playable Amy & Metal-Sonic. Amy's gameplay I'd want her to play like she does from Sonic Advance 1. Metal to maybe play somewhat like Sparkster from Rocket Knight... What i mean by that is he has a energy bar so he can boost & fly around in short bursts... If not that... then whatever else is fun is fine by me, as long they don't make Metal-Sonic just a reskin of Sonic.

[molul]

Cutscenes were confirmed for Mania. I don't have source but I remember it being already discussed.

[TheOcelot]

What secrets are you hiding 

Launch Base zone for Mania confirmed

 

[D.H]

19 hours ago, Psychicmoose103 said:

If they make a "Mania 2" or something like that, what would you guys like to see in it? New Character? New Shields? Personally, I would love to see Mighty return, with maybe the insta-shield and what he could do in Mega-mix (with the switching and storing shields). As for new shields, maybe like an acid shield that lets you float, or maybe bring back the homing-shield? I'm curious to what you guys think about this!

Honestly, the only things I would want to see in a "Sonic Mania 2" would the %100 new levels, more playable characters like Amy, or Metal Sonic, & some new shields (I like the acid shield idea, too).

 

[Jango]

What secrets are you hiding [emoji14]

Launch Base zone for Mania confirmed

 

From a plot perspective, Launch Base is, right after Angel Island, the most logical choice. There's no real reason for Sonic and co. go to Ice Cap or Hidrocity, EVENTHOUGHT I would love to see these two re-imagined... But Launch Base is totaly awesome too!!! There's so many possibilities to re-invent this zone!

[Salamander]

Ice Cap is kind of encroaching on the entrance to Launch Base anyway, so I've thought about the possibility of doing an abandoned Launch Base that's become iced-over.  That could have interesting interactions with all the water segments in the second act.  That might be a bit too reimagined, though.

I've tried to dig it up again and failed, but there's also a Taxman quote (I think it was on Retro?) where he talked about making the opposite happen in an S3K level to what you expect, and I wonder if he meant that in general or if he was referring to something specific.  I was trying to figure out a situation where that would make sense, and ended up coming up with things like Carnival Night Zone turning to daytime halfway through instead of the lights going out.

[TheOcelot]

20 minutes ago, FFWF said:

I've tried to dig it up again and failed, but there's also a Taxman quote (I think it was on Retro?) where he talked about making the opposite happen in an S3K level to what you expect, and I wonder if he meant that in general or if he was referring to something specific.  I was trying to figure out a situation where that would make sense, and ended up coming up with things like Carnival Night Zone turning to daytime halfway through instead of the lights going out.

Here you go:

"What you would normally expect to happen in a zone from Sonic 3 & Knuckles, something totally different will happen."

Maybe Taxman was talking about the transitions from act1 to act2 (like in 3&K)?

[Jango]

Ice Cap is kind of encroaching on the entrance to Launch Base anyway, so I've thought about the possibility of doing an abandoned Launch Base that's become iced-over.  That could have interesting interactions with all the water segments in the second act.  That might be a bit too reimagined, though.

I've tried to dig it up again and failed, but there's also a Taxman quote (I think it was on Retro?) where he talked about making the opposite happen in an S3K level to what you expect, and I wonder if he meant that in general or if he was referring to something specific.  I was trying to figure out a situation where that would make sense, and ended up coming up with things like Carnival Night Zone turning to daytime halfway through instead of the lights going out.

OH MAN, Launch Base covered in snow makes total sense! Climatic changes is a great way to give zones a new feeling. Some people also suggested that Ice Cap could be affected by the global warming, having much more water now.

This concept reminds me of Crash Bandicoot 2, it happens during winter, so the islands in the game are all covered in snow, and most of the levels have snow or rain.

[JezMM]

I'd really love a water level where rain is an actual major GIMMICK of the level and stuff is done with it.  A simple idea would be that the level very steadily becomes flooded as it goes on, so being in a certain place at a certain time results in a different layout due to various platforms or walls being bouyant, etc.  Using switches that enable or disable gutter systems to create water chutes or water-filled areas etc...  Nothing overly complex of course, mostly just set-dressing for water-based platforming gimmicks, but yeah.

[TheOcelot]

Regarding the number of zones in Mania. I'm going to guess at 12.

Taxman said it's bigger than Gens and the other new zones (so there will be at least two more new) will be made up of completely new aesthetics (no Wood zone etc). Which means there will be at least four new zones. I'd guess at two re-imagined levels from Sonic 1, CD, 2 and 3&K (3&K to have one remade stage from the Sonic 3 half & one from S&K). 

So Mania would be about the size of 3&K which would be a decent length.

On 11/12/2016 at 11:17 AM, JezMM said:

I'd really love a water level where rain is an actual major GIMMICK of the level and stuff is done with it.  A simple idea would be that the level very steadily becomes flooded as it goes on, so being in a certain place at a certain time results in a different layout due to various platforms or walls being bouyant, etc.  Using switches that enable or disable gutter systems to create water chutes or water-filled areas etc...  Nothing overly complex of course, mostly just set-dressing for water-based platforming gimmicks, but yeah.

It would be interesting to see what effect heavy rain/thunder storms could have on dry-land and not just water rising. So lets say we get a tropical rain-forest stage where the ground is so slippery that Sonic can lose his footing when he runs/spindash's too fast which causes him to slide/start skidding (with some funny animations added in). How about large chunks of water (which collected in thick trees) fall from above which can damage/disable badniks. 

[Psychicmoose103]

Honestly, you know who I would like to see return?

Ray The Flying Squirrel (He could even appear with Mighty!)

 

5 hours ago, JezMM said:

I'd really love a water level where rain is an actual major GIMMICK of the level and stuff is done with it.  A simple idea would be that the level very steadily becomes flooded as it goes on, so being in a certain place at a certain time results in a different layout due to various platforms or walls being bouyant, etc.  Using switches that enable or disable gutter systems to create water chutes or water-filled areas etc...  Nothing overly complex of course, mostly just set-dressing for water-based platforming gimmicks, but yeah.

Rainy level would be awesome!

 

18 hours ago, Jango said:

 

 

OH MAN, Launch Base covered in snow makes total sense! Climatic changes is a great way to give zones a new feeling. Some people also suggested that Ice Cap could be affected by the global warming, having much more water now.

 

This concept reminds me of Crash Bandicoot 2, it happens during winter, so the islands in the game are all covered in snow, and most of the levels have snow or rain.

That sounds awesome! It would be a cool surprise, people would go into ice cap, "Ok, time for the ice leve- WATER?!" And for Launch Base being coated in snow, that would be awesome to look at! I Hope this happens!

[TheOcelot]

There's a new Sonic 1 fan-hack called; Sonic 1: Mania Edition.

http://shc.sonicresearch.org/sonic/entry/2

It features Sonic's lighter turquoise design from Sonic Mania, including the Sonic 2 beta fast-running animation and the Drop-Dash move which works well. Also has Sonic's Mania animation when he looks up. The first two acts of Green Hill copy the design from Mania's first act of GH. The rest of the zones are just the normal design.

The only annoying thing is that when you complete a special stage you have to continue from the nearest check-point in the act you just finished! Other than that it's good. Definitely worth playing the first two acts of Green Hill!

I've upload a quick playthrough:

 

[Spooky Mulder]

On 11/11/2016 at 4:36 PM, BenderMania said:

Here you go:

"What you would normally expect to happen in a zone from Sonic 3 & Knuckles, something totally different will happen."

Maybe Taxman was talking about the transitions from act1 to act2 (like in 3&K)?

Angel Island sinks/floods instead of catching fire in Act 2?

[Celestia]

On 11/11/2016 at 2:36 PM, BenderMania said:

"What you would normally expect to happen in a zone from Sonic 3 & Knuckles, something totally different will happen."

See, that's what I'm really excited to see with the returning levels. It'll be fun to see how they surprise us by subverting expectations long term fans will have from playing those levels many times over the years.

[Psychicmoose103]

 

On 11/12/2016 at 9:20 PM, Celestia said:

See, that's what I'm really excited to see with the returning levels. It'll be fun to see how they surprise us by subverting expectations long term fans will have from playing those levels many times over the years.

That's why I think it is okay for there to be more Re-imagined then New! I'd rather have more new myself, but I bet, besides Green Hill Act 1 (The tamest of them all) All the other returning zones will feel completely new!

[Milo]

Mania confirmed to be playable at the upcoming PlayStation Experience event next week. Other Sega/Atlus games that will be at the event are Persona 5, Yazuka 0, and Hatsune Miku: Project Diva Future Tone.

Also, @chibilola on Twitter (according to her profile, she's a producer at Sega and part of the Sonic social media team) posted what's apparently a joke mockup of Eggman she got from the dev team (in a Sonic 2 Emerald Hill mech).

May not be what Eggman actually looks like in the game, but it does give us an idea of what they may be going with. (For example, they're actually giving him his blue spectacles he has in the classic-era Japanese/current artwork and in Generations. Previous depictions in the Genesis games showed him with his black dot eyes instead, akin to the classic-era Western artwork.)

[Lord-Dreamerz]

27 minutes ago, Gabe said:

Previous depictions in the Genesis games showed him with his black dot eyes instead, akin to the classic-era Western artwork.)

Umm... I don't think they were black dot eyes on the in-game art, it was more they choose to color his glasses dark for the style.

[Diogenes]

They were blue in Sonics 1 and CD, even. They tweaked his palette in 2 to remove a few colors but otherwise reused the same sprites so I don't think he was ever intended to have the western Robotnik "evil black void" eyes.

[YuTwo]

 

Sonic Mania Day is today. I think that they most likely got the name from this advertisement only.

 

[Badnik Mechanic]

6 hours ago, Gabe said:

About 90% sure she is the producer on this game, recognise her from an earlier interview.

[molul]

I hope it's not Eggman's final design. It looks... kinda blurry, doesn't it?

[StaticMania]

Well...blurrier than usual for pixel sprite art.

[Diogenes]

Well it's a jpg image (jpg compression murders sprites, muddies the colors so bad they're unusable), and it's also about half the size of the original drill car. It's really not at all indicative of the game's art.

[Celestia]

I wonder if that sprite and others in the same style will be used for something in the game. The only idea that comes to mind is something in the menus--maybe on the level select screen you can see chibi versions of each level's boss? That'd be cute.

[TheOcelot]

My curiosity has piqued regarding Eggman's boss-fights and his visual appearance in Mania. In terms how he might look, we can expect something more detailed akin to his design in Knuckles Chaotix and with the blue spectacles. 

 

 

Hopefully we'll see Eggman running at some point (no doubt out-running Sonic :V) so that we get to see his full-body design. If the portrait in Mirage Saloon act2 is definitely a re-imagined Egg-Robo (certainly looks like it), then I wonder what Eggman's body might look like, whether there are any beta designs they could take inspiration from? 

Speaking of beta designs, it would be nice if this very early concept-art is referenced in one of the zones:

 

As for the boss fights, I see no reason why they shouldn't stick with the traditional eight-hits against Eggman. It would be interesting to change-up the fights, for example; Eggman might have a weapon which shoots-out fire, so the Elemental fire shield would be ideal protection for Sonic. However, halfway through the fight, Eggman changes his weapon so that it now shoots an electrical/lightning attack, so it would be better if Sonic had the lightning shield. In other words changing up the boss-fight so it's not so easy to predict, you have to make a judgement as to which shield is ultimately of more help to you. Maybe Eggman could team up with Metal Sonic/Egg Robo (in a large boss arena) so that you have to avoid two lots of attacks at once?

My only concern regarding Mania at the moment is how difficult the bosses will be. I know Knuckles' boss-fights were more challenging when playing through his story in 3&K. I think I'd prefer it if Sonic, Tails & Knuckles' boss-fights all have an equal level of difficulty.

Stealth & Taxman's boss in Hidden Palace was a neat idea:

 

Having to lure Eggman to get him in-line with the bomb he dropped on the ground, so that when it explodes it creates a gush of water which causes Eggman to land temporarily allowing Sonic time to attack. Hopefully we'll get more creative bosses like this.

I'd like to see the unused R2 boss design from Sonic CD and Taxman's R9 Final Fever boss concept implemented in Mania.

On 11/24/2016 at 0:12 AM, Mayor D said:

About 90% sure she is the producer on this game, recognise her from an earlier interview.

Yeah, her name is Lola Shiraishi and she's Sonic Mania's producer.