My ideas on how to improve the boost.

[Shiny Gems]

I decided to share my ideas on how to improve the boost gameplay, which I love personally, by the way. Now I know some people don't like the boost at all, and would prefer it not to be in the series, and I don't think these ideas will change those people's minds about the boost. Regardless, I would like to share these ideas with you all, whether or not you are a fan of the boost. So, without further ado, here we go. I have three ideas, by the way.

1. You know how you accelerate to top speed with the boost by a press of a button? Well, this idea makes it so that you don't need to hold down the boost button to maintain momentum. Just press the boost button, let go, keep holding forward and you'll still have momentum and speed as you go along. This allows for running through loops and on walls or down hills (provided they aren't scripted), all without the boost. It would also be possible to gather and maintain momentum without the boost altogether, but should you press the boost button, you don't need to constantly hold it down to keep your momentum, thus you can do momentum based stuff like in the classics without constant boost. You might go faster without the boost even if you are skilled and able to maintain momentum while avoiding obstacles. You obviously don't get the invincibility with the boost, by the way.

2. In terms of having the boost mode from Sonic Advance 2, Sonic can have boost mode while boosting, but only when the boost button is held down. When not held down, whether the boost button is tapped or not pressed at all, the player will just need to hold forward for a certain time, and after that, the player enters boost mode and continues until an obstacle is hit or when an enemy hits Sonic, or if Sonic slows himself down. Sonic still gains momentum, whether by just holding forward or by tapping the boost button once, but it will take some time either way to achieve boost mode.

3. Now, with the boost, Sonic would accelerate to a high speed. Not a maximum speed, but high enough. Sonic would accelerate instantly when using the boost, and he'd maintain the same speed as long as he is boosting. He could also reach that high speed by hitting a dash pad.

However, for running to build up speed, and rolling, and perhaps spin dashing, that is a different story. The following applies to building speed or even rolling, especially down hills in the case of the rolling. When Sonic builds up speed, the player will notice accelerating effects seen as Sonic runs forward through the level. This acceleration would not be noticed when the boost is used. When Sonic reaches max speed, he can run as fast as he can in boost mode. But when running or rolling down ramps and hills, either way, Sonic would accelerate quickly as he runs down them, like how the rolling worked in the classic games. Sonic will not only accelerate faster, but when he is going down those ramps and hills, he can even speed up to a speed faster than the speed Sonic goes while boosting!

So, basically, while the boost is still fast, the accelerating and speed done when NOT boosting would feel more rewarding, and perhaps more thrilling. Unlike when not using the boost, Sonic goes the same speed, even when going down hills.

I know this may seem complex to some, but I figured, in regards to these ideas, that with the boost being tap-able and not needed to maintain speed, and mixing some momentum based mechanics from the classic games, those who want one of both, everyone wins. Well, almost everyone, maybe. This doesn't cover scripted/automatic sections altogether, but that is a different story for another time in terms of ideas of how to fix them.

So, what do you guys think?

 

[Jar Jar Analysis 1138]

At moment I’m busy but all I can add is that I’d rather keep the current boosting mechanic, just tweaked around it. 

I like controlling my base and maximum speed at a moments notice. I don’t mind different ways in gaining speed but there needs to be more mechanics introduced than what people are used to for Sonic.