Sonic 4: An Explanation to the Madness

[Stasis]

You all remember these. These images are the source of the problem behind the recent backlash from many fans. When SEGA released the first teaser with the Sonic 1 silhouette, and phrases such as 'new 2D adventure in HD' this is what the fans instantly had in mind, especially the first image.

To make matters worse, SEGA then start to release concept art of old badniks. You begin to think of 2D HD sprites of all your old favourties, and pretty soon your hype meter is sky high.

So when the second teaser revealed that it was 2.5D and looked absolutely nothing like the above two images, it was bound to get people pretty riled up. The inclusion of modern Sonic added insult to injury, and that's plain to see in the fan feedback. Yes, it's the fans own fault for expecting something that was never confirmed, but I can understand how annoying it must be.

So here's a question - how would you have reacted had the footage looked like the above screenshot(s)?

Edited February 6, 2010 by Stasis

[azoo]

It would be nice, real nice if it was like the first one :3

The second one, eh, it's cool, but it looks a little realistic for my tastes (especially considering it was entitled as Green Hill Zone).

[Diogenes]

I don't particularly like either of those. The first one's just "okay", though Sonic looks a bit odd, and the second...ehh...

What we got isn't exactly mindblowing, but I think I'll be okay with it.

[EXshad]

If the footage looked like the first pic, it would have been exactly what I originally thought Sonic 4 would be: a sprite-based game with HD graphics. I would have been pleased, though I love the new take just as much.

If the footage looked like the second pic, I would have bitched louder than anyone has about Sonic being modern looking. Why? 'cause it looks ugly as fuck.

[Djawed]

Yea i also imagined it was going to be like the first picture but then less detailed and a better sonic model.

The classic model updated a lot untill it was perfect in the saturn era IMO. http://www.sonicwrecks.com/dep/bgs/jam/jam_dash_800x600.jpg

[Tombi]

Something like the first image would have been good, but it's pretty rare to see an honest-to-goodness 2D "HD" game that doesn't add lots of gimmicks, filters, blurs and general shit like that - and in general I don't think it would have caught too much attention because of that. Maybe it's best not taking the chance in that regard. Second one just looks messy and in motion would send people reaching for their Virtual Boys I'm sure.

I do think what little we've seen looks really pretty, though. If they can pull off a whole game that visually pleasing I'll be very...uh, pleased. Whilst he's still got the proportions and the OMG GREEN EYES of the current games, I do think the presumed cel shading should help give Sonic that sleek sprite look. Let's keep in mind how different things will look in motion though, over-analyzing still pictures is a bit redundant when you'll be seeing something completely different when actually quickly moving around - you may not even be able to make out that it's in 3D.

[EXshad]

Yea i also imagined it was going to be like the first picture but then less detailed and a better sonic model.

The classic model updated a lot untill it was perfect in the saturn era IMO. http://www.sonicwrecks.com/dep/bgs/jam/jam_dash_800x600.jpg

To me, besides the head, that looks just like the Sonic 4 model.... which is why I don't get all the fan-rage over it...

I can almost guarantee if SEGA fixed up the quills and didn't make them quite as long, no one probably would have even complained about it.

[Djawed]

To me, besides the head, that looks just like the Sonic 4 model.... which is why I don't get all the fan-rage over it...

I can almost guarantee if SEGA fixed up the quills and didn't make them quite as long, no one probably would have even complained about it.

Well that's exactly what their complaining about. Black eyes, slightly smaller length and smaller quills and there you have him.

But you got to admit, his quills in that sonic 4 trailer were really exagurating, were they really that big in his previous games?

Edited February 6, 2010 by Jaouad

[EXshad]

Well that's exactly what their complaining about. Black eyes, slightly smaller length and smaller quills and there you have him.

But you got to admit, his quills in that sonic 4 trailer were really exagurating, were they really that big in his previous games?

Yeah, I do admit that, that's the ONE thing that bothered me about it. That's it though. I'm fine with the eyes, and like I said countless times, green eyes were even in Sonic 3. So I really don't get it. Besides, the model might even get fixed up, considering the game still has about 3 months left of development (I think), but if not... I think I'll live

[Djawed]

Yeah, I do admit that, that's the ONE thing that bothered me about it. That's it though. I'm fine with the eyes, and like I said countless times, green eyes were even in Sonic 3. So I really don't get it. Besides, the model might even get fixed up, considering the game still has about 3 months left of development (I think), but if not... I think I'll live

Yea the old and new models are both okay. I don't think people really think the new model is hideous(at least not the one in unleashed and all star racing), they just hoped for a "full" back to roots classic experience. Not just 80 or 60 procent of it.

I agree with them though. Ive seen a lot mentioning an option where you can choose yourself which you want to play with. It would be a smart choice from sonicteam if they would really do that.

I'd love it, i'd choose them both if they polish the modern one into something nicer.

Edited February 6, 2010 by Jaouad

[E.J. The DJ]

Honestly, I wouldn't like it. The current sonic 4 looks exactly like sonic should look now-a-days and I could see my self playing it for days on end like I used to with the Classic trio back in the day, but if it looked like the above image...It would just look like a fan game to me.(I think its because of all the Halo and MW2 and Brawl ive been playing). I don't know about Megaman but the 2D Sonic on main console era has long been gone.

I would probably have more fun with the second image rather than the first though. XD

EDIT: Regarding the new model old model option, It would be a complete waist of time and money on SEGA's part. that's like having sonic 1 where you can chose between sonic and...uh...sonic!(not were sonic, not super sonic, just sonic) point being is if they did go about doing that, they should at least add different moves for the two models: EX:modern sonic keeps spin dash while classic sonic gets super peel out, or insta-shield or whatever).

Edited February 6, 2010 by streetballa

[EXshad]

Yea the old and new models are both okay. I don't think people really think the new model is hideous(at least not the one in unleashed and all star racing), they just hoped for a "full" back to roots classic experience. Not just 80 or 60 percent of it.

But...that's what SEGA did in the Genesis days...compare the Sonic 1 sprite to the one from Sonic 3, for example. They look fairly different. I really don't get it =/

[Badnik Mechanic]

So here's a question - how would you have reacted had the footage looked like the above screenshot(s)?

People who are moaning... the majority... are the same bloody people who moan at everything or who are notorious for moaning about something.

Had this trailer shown fallout 3 they would be moaning... why... because thats how they bloody are. They always moan, always have moaned and when I got around every Sonic forum and look at those complaining... sure enough it's the same crowd of people.

Go around the mainstream videogame forums and the reaction so far has been quite good.

Had the footage looked like the screens, I would not have reacted any different to how I did when I originally saw it.

[Djawed]

But...that's what SEGA did in the Genesis days...compare the Sonic 1 sprite to the one from Sonic 3, for example. They look fairly different. I really don't get it =/

IMO the model was just getting more polished with the years and people aproved. I mean everyone can agree that sonic looked lame in sonic3d even though it is a classic model.

The new modern model has larger quills green eyes and is slightly taller. THese 3 things have a huge impact in some way. I mean just look at him in sonic 06, he looks even more taller and has larger quills. Why do people think he's ugly if he is just taller and has larger quills? Because he just is XD

Edited February 6, 2010 by Jaouad

[Chooch]

The three seconds of footage we've seen looks better than both of those damn pictures.

I'm sick of seeing Orioto's work plastered all over the place with people yelling 'THIS IS HOW IT SHOULD LOOK'. So you're saying it should look like shit then?

[EXshad]

IMO the model was just getting more polished with the years and people aproved. I mean everyone can agree that sonic looked lame in sonic3d even though it is a classic model.

The new modern model has larger quills green eyes and is slightly taller. THese 3 things have a huge impact in some way. I mean just look at him in sonic 06, he looks even more taller and has larger quills. Why do people think he's ugly if he is just taller and has larger quills? Because he just is XD

I don't think so... it looks consistent with Sonic Unleashed, which I thought was great. It's a pretty nice model, sans those big floppy quills of his. And he's not much taller, in fact, he's pretty proportional to the pic you posted. So I still don't get it.

[JezMM]

Am I the only one who thinks that the envioronments DO look like the top image?

Sure the characters are in 3D, but they're still pretty rounded and cutsey like the graphics of old.

[Djawed]

I don't think so... it looks consistent with Sonic Unleashed, which I thought was great. It's a pretty nice model, sans those big floppy quills of his. And he's not much taller, in fact, he's pretty proportional to the pic you posted. So I still don't get it.

I think it's a matter of taste. I hated the sonic 06 model and thought it looked weird from every angle.

I saw this in the SEGA forums, look how much impact it has when you just shorten his quills a bit.

[EXshad]

I think it's a matter of taste. I hated the sonic 06 model and thought it looked weird from every angle.

I saw this in the SEGA forums, look how much impact it has when you just shorten his quills a bit.

That looks fantastic

Now send it to SEGA so they can get it right!

Edited February 6, 2010 by EXshad

[Djawed]

That looks fantastic

Now send it to SEGA so they can get it right!

You'd better thank this guy here

http://forums.sega.com/showpost.php?p=5538119&postcount=19

Edited February 6, 2010 by Jaouad

[Stasis]

I think it's a matter of taste. I hated the sonic 06 model and thought it looked weird from every angle.

I saw this in the SEGA forums, look how much impact it has when you just shorten his quills a bit.

I made this one earlier today but looking at the one you posted, the longer legs don't actually look that bad. It must just be the quills causing the problem:

[Djawed]

I made this one earlier today but looking at the one you posted, the longer legs don't actually look that bad. It must just be the quills causing the problem:

Your one has fat tiny legs XD.

I personally would make him slightly more shorter than mine, a bit taller than yours for a perfect design. But that's me, i like total perfection!

[Stasis]

Haha, well, I guess the legs are a little too fat, but if you look at this image, the characters had short legs

[Djawed]

Haha, well, I guess the legs are a little too fat, but if you look at this image, the characters had short legs

Yea that's true but i mentioned earlier that i liked the classic model the most in the saturn era (sonic jam/R)

And there he was a little bit taller. Though I wouldnt mind a short sonic like in your picture in sonic 4 .

[Dejablue]

I don't think I've ever seen these images before until recently. I don't quite understand how that second one could be a cause of backlash. The backgrounds are really well detailed though. It's surreal style...not quite sure how that would work out in an actual game.

Edited February 6, 2010 by Dejablue