Team Sonic Racing - Developer Interview

[Bobnik]

This person translated the Famitsu article about TSR. It's mostly what we've already known, except for some tidbits:

- There's a third mechanic called Touch Dash: "Graze nearby slow members to speed them up"

- "In Team Sonic Racing, stats like max speed & cornering are basically determined by types (Power/Speed/Tech). But there are parts that can be obtained and equipped to customize the car. You can even modify the car's looks as well." Looks like they're ditching the mod system for a somewhat more elaborate system, like part (IMO it's awesome)

- "Takashi Iizuka mentioned in the interview that he talked with Sumo Digital "Let's make something together again."

- "BGM is being handled by Jun Senoue as usual" (laughing at "as usual" part)

I posted this here cuz I think it fits here the most, but if mods think a poat would be better in another topic, I'd be glad to post it there.

[Blue Blood]

1 minute ago, Bobnik said:

- "BGM is being handled by Jun Senoue as usual" (laughing at "as usual" part)

Not Richard Jacques

Not interested

[Lord-Dreamerz]

10 hours ago, Sean said:

Speaking on meta terms, I think "it's about fairness" is a lame excuse when the Sonic series is defined by nearly all of its characters being insanely fast and not just Sonic. Even Sonic isn't always running as fast as he does in the boost games. Sega can make the characters as fast or slow as they want to as they always have.

I completely agree.

Personally I facepalm at the old excuse of...

"You can't make a Sonic racing game on foot because Sonic is faster then all the other characters so it would be unfair!"

... I'm pretty sure that is not logic how most good video games are designed around. look no farther then the classic Sonic games to watch all Sonic characters that can run just as fast as Sonic for the sake of gameplay. That is not even getting into how canon wise there is already a number of Sonic characters that can go just as fast as Sonic.... Shadow/Blaze/Metal-Sonic.

If you really wanted badly to be fair storywise then for the races just give the slower characters some wearable racer equipment that powers them up in speed like how Shadow has hover-boots.

However I will also say that there is absolutely nothing wrong with a race car themed Sonic game... but it doesn't need excuses to backup it's existence. If whatever developers want to make a Sonic car racing game then it is perfectly ok of them to do so I say.

Anyways no matter what I feel SEGA is missing out on a possible great on foot different racing game series that would separate them from many other racing game series. In a series based around speedy characters it would just work out way to good in my opinion!

[Marco9966]

4 minutes ago, Lord-Dreamerz said:

However I will also say that there is absolutely nothing wrong with a race car themed Sonic game... but it doesn't need excuses to backup it's existence. If whatever developers want to make a Sonic car racing game then it is perfectly ok of them to do so I say.

They will include a reason in the story.

[Lord-Dreamerz]

4 minutes ago, Marco9966 said:

They will include a reason in the story.

That doesn't matter to me. I just got done saying they don't need reasons in order for it to be fine. Hahaa

If Sonic noticed a car racing event taking place then he simply would want to join in. It's just fun for him.

[Blue Blood]

9 minutes ago, Marco9966 said:

They will include a reason in the story.

They could also include a story reason for Sonic and co to be racing on foot. They didn't include any reason at all for hoverboards to be used in Zero Gravity's plot; Team Sonic just seem to have their boards with them for absolutely no reason. 

I don't mind Sonic driving a car from the perspective of game design at all. If it makes fun, tight gameplay then so be it. But you'll never get past the issue that Sonic, in terms of both gameplay and character design, is about running faster than any regular car. When you see Sonic characters driving cars to race, you can't help but wonder why they're not on foot instead. As a series, Sonic actively goes against the idea of driving. It's always going to feel a little strange that SEGA don't attempt to make a on-foot racing game by adapting existing elements of the series gameplay. Driving cars is a much more tried and tested formula, so it makes sense from that perspective. Character wise it doesn't make sense. This game could be about anyone (which is why driving is a lesser issue in the SEGA All Stars games). 

Anyone trying suggest that cars are needed because "Sonic is too fast" is being intentionally pig-headed.

[Marco9966]

4 minutes ago, Lord-Dreamerz said:

That doesn't matter to me. I just got done saying they don't need reasons in order for it to be fine. Hahaa

If Sonic noticed a car racing event taking place then he simply would want to join in. It's just fun for him.

Exactly!

[CrownSlayers Shadow]

1 hour ago, Diogenes said:

Then the answer is obvious: for the unique aesthetics offered by a character with the ability to keep up with vehicles while not using one. It's a similar line of thought to wanting a character to use a signature vehicle from their game rather than some generic kart; people want something that represents the character in a unique and interesting way. Why did Shadow have a motorcycle in the first All Stars Racing? Because it was a thing he did in ShtH and it makes him stand out more than if they had given him a car like most other characters.

And if you're wondering why people single out Sonic rather than including Knuckles and Tails and whoever else, it's because Sonic is the face of the series and running is his "thing" even more than for any other Sonic character. People probably aren't against some or all of the other Sonic characters also being on foot but Sonic is the most obvious one to talk about.

...

So, essentially because it’s a kart racer and Sonic being able to run at Mach 1 on foot isn’t an excuse for him not to be in a kart like everyone else.

Which I practically answered at the same moment I made a point on it.

Anything that doesn’t fall into that line is completely against the point of it being a kart racer, and is arguing for the sake of arguing.

Quote

I guess if you don't actually care about the reasoning behind anything, sure, everything's a moot point.

Yeah, strawmans like this don’t do anyone any favors.

[KHCast]

It would be funny if they did an on foot racer, sonic acts cockily as if he’ll win no problem, and looses to tails or something and in the next scene just admits everyone’s gotten faster. Boom story reason given for everyone being as fast as him.

[Marco9966]

2 minutes ago, Blue Blood said:

They could also include a story reason for Sonic and co to be racing on foot. They didn't include any reason at all for hoverboards to be used in Zero Gravity's plot; Team Sonic just seem to have their boards with them for absolutely no reason. 

I don't mind Sonic driving a car from the perspective of game design at all. If it makes fun, tight gameplay then so be it. But you'll never get past the issue that Sonic, in terms of both gameplay and character design, is about running faster than any regular car. When you see Sonic characters driving cars to race, you can't help but wonder why they're not on foot instead. As a series, Sonic actively goes against the idea of driving. It's always going to feel a little strange that SEGA don't attempt to make a on-foot racing game by adapting existing elements of the series gameplay. Driving cars is a much more tried and tested formula. 

Anyone trying suggest that cars are needed because "Sonic is too fast" is being intentionally pig-headed.

They already did that with Rivals!!

[Wraith]

I just think that, on a basic level, waltzing into every single discussion about this game and asking why it isn't a completely different game is fucking stupid and leads to massive derails where the game itself isn't ever actually discussed. 

Like...you're not smart for this. Everyone knows Sonic can run fast. Everyone has thought about the on foot racing idea. Even Sonic team. It's why they used to slap it into almost every game with on foot mechanics.

[Blue Blood]

1 minute ago, Marco9966 said:

They already did that with Rivals!!

Rivals is side-scrolling platformer with a 1-on-1 racing system implemented. It's more akin to a full game based on S2's multiplayer than an actual 3D racer such as this. They're completely different beasts.

[Marco9966]

3 minutes ago, Josh said:

I just think that, on a basic level, waltzing into every single discussion about this game and asking why it isn't a completely different game is fucking stupid and leads to massive derails where the game itself isn't ever actually discussed. 

Like...you're not smart for this. Everyone knows Sonic can run fast. Everyone has thought about the on foot racing idea. Even Sonic team. It's why they used to slap it into almost every game with on foot mechanics.

100%, like I ask why isn't Sonic Lost World Sonic Heroes? Sonic has friends right? Why aren't they here?

[Muscles Maximum]

The story reason will literally just be "Oh there's kart racing? Better join in on this fun" Nothing more nothing less.

On that note, I'm really, really, really, looking forward to the banter against teams in the story mode. Team Sonic and Team Dark finally acting like rivals towards each other again. I really hope Shadow is cocky and rude as fuck in this game like he was in SA2.

[Lord-Dreamerz]

1 hour ago, Marco9966 said:

Exactly!

Yeah... I was never against the idea of car racer Sonic games... Just that I would also prefer there to be a separate on-foot racer Sonic game series, because overall it'd be more original and fun to me at least.

 

[Wraith]

58 minutes ago, Bobnik said:

 

- "BGM is being handled by Jun Senoue as usual" (laughing at "as usual" part)

 

Gonna have to echo the disappointment at no Richard Jacques. The last game's soundtrack was flame.

 

On the flipside I haven't even cared for a Jun composition in god knows how long.

[KHCast]

It feels like they just throw Jun into whatever these days

[Blue Blood]

7 minutes ago, KHCast said:

It feels like they just throw Jun into whatever these days

He's taken a back seat to the Sonic franchise in recent years for whatever reason, working on side titles or remixes mainly while Ohtani has taken the reigns as lead more often. It's a mixed bag honestly. Senoue composing for this game is a let down because I've not been all too keen on his recent works in Sonic games, though the same could also be said for Ohtani. Jacques is always awesome though, and I'd like to hear some other composers work on the series too.

[Jango]

3 hours ago, Blue Blood said:

Not Richard Jacques

Not interested

Sir Richard Jacques is a god and should return for this. 

Jun? Well... Indeed sounded like him, a 12 seconds loop track

Hopefully Ohtani and Hataya could be involved too, or, you know, ALL the other composers you have at your hands, SEGA? You guys remember the last soundtrack Jun composed all by himself, right?

[Celestia]

Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't Senoue usually in charge of the sound department in general even when he's not composing? That's what I took from "as usual," at least. I hope he's not the only composer but it won't surprise me if that's the case, given recent Sonic games usually only having one composer for most of the soundtrack, if not the entire thing.

[Blue Blood]

1 minute ago, Celestia said:

Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't Senoue usually in charge of the sound department in general even when he's not composing? That's what I took from "as usual," at least. I hope he's not the only composer but it won't surprise me if that's the case, given recent Sonic games usually only having one composer for most of the soundtrack, if not the entire thing.

Not these days, no. He's sometimes provides instruments or plays a technical/production role, but the composition and direction is usually handled by someone else. Senoue's roles in the series right now are pretty minimal.

[Jango]

17 minutes ago, Celestia said:

Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't Senoue usually in charge of the sound department in general even when he's not composing? That's what I took from "as usual," at least. I hope he's not the only composer but it won't surprise me if that's the case, given recent Sonic games usually only having one composer for most of the soundtrack, if not the entire thing.

I actually don't have an issue with sole composers. As longs as it's Tee Lopes or Richard Jacques

But just Jun? Eeeeew. Surprise me.

Man, I miss Naofumi Hataya, Kenichi Tokoi... Goddamn it Sonic Team.

[Plasme]

To be fair, all of Richard Jacques compositions for Sonic since Transformed, which came out in 2012 I'll remind you, have all been for the Boom games and were absolutely awful and uninspired. 

I would be wary of him being back unless I heard something by him which was amazing.

[Blue Blood]

17 minutes ago, Plasme said:

To be fair, all of Richard Jacques compositions for Sonic since Transformed, which came out in 2012 I'll remind you, have all been for the Boom games and were absolutely awful and uninspired. 

I would be wary of him being back unless I heard something by him which was amazing.

I'd argue that the Boom soundtracks were a product of the games in general being bland. He was brought on board to make typical, generic adventure-platformer music for all three games, which were only designed to be TV show tie-ins. The soundtracks aren't without some nice pieces, although I'll agree they weren't the best by any standards. I still hold the man's work in high regards, particularly for the Sonic series. He does an especially nice job when it comes to remixes, which we'l no doubt be hearing plenty of in this game.

[Dr. Detective]

5 hours ago, Blue Blood said:

Anyone trying suggest that cars are needed because "Sonic is too fast" is being intentionally pig-headed.

I don't think anyone was saying that specifically. The question thats always asked is "Why is Sonic in a car?" 

Of course, the obvious answer to that question is that if he weren't in a car and everyone else was, then he'd be cheating because its a kart racing competition.

Discussion about an all Sonic racer on foot where every character is running is a different subject matter entirely and not really something I saw too many people bring up as an impossibility because Sonic is faster than all the other characters "on foot". That idea is also pretty silly. I haven't seen or heard anyone say that. Maybe you have though.

People mostly just ask why Sonic himself is in a car, which I suppose could be taken to mean that everyone who asks this thinks the other characters DO need cars... but that too might just be a subconscious thing that no one seems to be putting an iota of thought into. Its like the people who were shocked that Tails was driving a hovercar in Zero Gravity because he's a child, only to feel dumb when its pointed out that he regularly flies a bi-plane, which is significantly harder to master.

Also, while its true that the brain will naturally find seeing these characters in cars odd, I just prefer it this way. There's a part of me that won't help but think that if you're going to make a game where you get to play as all the characters on foot it'd be better served being worked into a platformer instead.