Sonic Feedback?

[NotooFast]

Can we get a feedback site for Sonic please?

 

When it comes to Sonic, we know SEGA doesnt always know what they are doing. At this point, some fan games are showing they have the potential to be better than the originals. So what if fans could properly voice their opinion on everything Sonic? This could be used to see what everyone wants for the 30th Anniversary or even comics and shows. All Im saying is, it would be great to have a Sonic Feedback site so SEGA could start listening. It's been shown that the concept could work, they have done it in Minecraft even. Why not do it here?

 

*constructive criticism appreciated*

 

Minecraft Feedback: https://feedback.minecraft.net/hc/en-us

[Catallena]

I don't think minecraft is a good example because it's mostly a service in the sense that most of the content is generated by the players so feedback comes in a rather practical sense whereas feedback for sonic becomes a lot more subjective and contentious

[iambitter21]

Well, it would be a good idea for sonic team do that... but, here's the thing, I'm sorry I gotta agree with the poster above me: 

the sonic fanbase is WAY too divided for that stuff

do you know how many people like sonic 1 and 2? do you know how many people hate them? well, ask that for nearly all of the games (other than sonic generations and sonic 3) because sonic the hedgehog divided itself to oblivion. for example: I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE sonic adventure 2, but people like Jimmy Whetzel, Implant Games and ProJared Completely despise every fiber of that game. this can be the same for Sonic Unleashed, Sonic advance 1, 2 and 3, Sonic Colors, Lost World, Heroes and every other sonic team game that isn't 3 or generations. some people have different views on sonic team themselves. on one hand you got people like Roger Van Der Weide (no offense) or Knux333, or GamerGuyd, or Twip or PremyDaremy (or rando's in the comment section). People who have absolutely no faith that sonic team even knows a morsel on what they're doing, people who describe sonic team as an incompetent, unchangeable, pathetic mess that should NEVER be trusted, NEVER be believed in to hold this franchise again. and on the other, there's people like BC Media, or Sam for Sam Procrastinates, or me, people who still have even the slightest grasp of hope that sonic team DOES know what they're doing, that they know what they did wrong and actually think they WANT to change, WANT to succeed, and WANT to see their franchise rise up like they did in the 90s and early 2000s. so let me ask you a question:

can sonic team take all of this division? does sonic team know what to do with this fanbase? can sonic team even recover this mess of a fanbase? is a feedback site the best thing to do about this?

as long as the fans keep arguing, the answer to all of these are not really.

[Badnik Mechanic]

Well...

Whilst this is a random percentage I think you'll get my point.

95% of gamers, do not know how to give feedback in which developers can act on.

Your opening post for instance. To what specifically are you referring to? Gameplay? Controls? Story? Sound effects? Music?

And which game? Specific moment? And can you explain that in a manner that a development team will understand.

 

But this point specifically.

At this point, some fan games are showing they have the potential to be better than the originals

Well wait... you sure about that? We have seen some very impressive proof of concepts from fans when it comes to 3D work. One such project (Might be Sonic Utopia or Sonic Islands I genually can't remember), has some great proof of concept and physics work in it...

But in terms of making levels? Multiple ones? Ones that can have their own style and identity?

 

Nobody has done that. In fact one of the guys who made one of the more popular 3D sonic engine demos has said that his demo is not at all a level but more a playground and proof of concept.

So what specifically in terms of fan projects are you referring to?

[JezMM]

I feel like this is the 5th time I've pulled these posts out on this forum but unfortunately that's the nature of being in the dark depths of a fanbase when it comes to discussing these sorts of things.

I recommend reading this post by a game developer regarding feedback from players, and how, basically, us players who are hardcore enough to join a message board about Sonic to discuss Sonic make up about 5% of the people who are actually playing Sonic games: https://askagamedev.tumblr.com/post/149466049419/80-20-5

(This follow-up post too: https://askagamedev.tumblr.com/post/189593562986/so-ive-read-your-posts-on-paper-mario-80205

 

In theory there isn't any harm in allowing an avenue for detailed feedback on Sonic, but to be honest, if the developers want it, they've already got it.  Social media, message boards, analysis videos and their comments on youtube, it's all out there for them to browse and get an idea as to what people think in-depth about Sonic.

I think the harm that COULD come from this however, is the fanbase becoming even more jaded because Sonic Team give them a direct way to feedback, the fanbase uses it and assumes everything they say will be taken as gospel and prioritised when it comes to making the next Sonic game... and then it doesn't.  Or they ignore it entirely because there's no consensus on the things they want feedback on.  The hardcore fans would feel more ignored than ever because SEGA decided to make a product that sadly, doesn't cross over with what the hardcore fans want (but might have a broader appeal that makes them money).

I think, at this point, the developers are well aware that the hardcore fanbase wants Sonic Adventure 3, that the hardcore fanbase wants Sonic Mania 2 etc etc.  But it may just be that it isn't profitable enough for them to make every Sonic game for us, and unfortunately this is the reality you have to accept when you invest in a product, which is what Sonic is.  Of course it is a product with artistic merit too, but still a product.

[Diogenes]

I don't think a lack of feedback is really the problem. Sonic Team has already responded to fan feedback in some ways, just...not usually in good ways. There's probably more communication between the fans and the developers than ever before with the social media team being some degree of go-between. And Mania is a game literally born out of the fanbase, and they're obviously aware of how it went.

As far as feedback goes what they need is people who can listen to it and pick out the criticism worth considering, but who are also capable of rejecting it and working without it. Try to get a general sense of what's working and what isn't, but don't let the inmates run the asylum.