ONM Asks... Sonic The Hedgehog 4

[Barry the Nomad]

This really made me smile:

In your opinion does this game have most in common with the Sonic the Hedgehog trilogy, the Sonic Advance games, or the Sonic Rush games? – spambot404

TI: Of course Sonic the Hedgehog trilogy is the one this has most in common with. With the DS Sonic series, you have various actions like grind or boost. What I am creating with this title is a simple platform action game that you can enjoy with one button.

Of course Super Sonic is in Episode 1 and Tails is in Episode 2. He can't spill the beans just yet!

[Flyboy Fox]

I think that's about the final nail in the coffin for Tails and Super Sonic =P

Nail in the coffin? Looked to me like he all but confirmed them o.o

[Barry the Nomad]

Besides, the achievements and the fact that you earn emeralds in the special stage confirmed Super Sonic.

[Velotix von Skruviktorrius]

And the homing attack does provide a sense of speed the classics didn't have.

Though this is true, is this also not a good argument against it being included in Sonic 4 at all?

Regardless, I object to his implication that the original trilogy feels slow to play. That's blatantly false.

[JaidynReiman]

But he never said the classics didn't have speed. I guess you didn't read what was right in front of your face. He says that the homing attack "grants a speed the classics never had." What does this mean? It is NOT saying the classics had no speed. Its saying that the homing attack greatly increases the speed that is already there. Whether it is true or not is subjective, but Iizuka never said that the classics had no speed (or very little, anyway).

[speedfreak]

Nobody asked about Metal Sonic?! You're a bunch of slackers!

[Doctor MK]

Nobody asked about Metal Sonic?! You're a bunch of slackers!

I'm fairly sure a few people did, but ONM selected just a few of the many questions to ask the developers so it looks like they missed out anything Metal Sonic related.

[Octarine]

Now, Iizuka wouldn't answer all your questions -he couldn't tell us how long there would be between episodes, how long each episode would last for or whether Mecha Sonic would be making an appearance, but he didn't deny that Tails might make an appearance in a future episode!

Yeah, it seems like they asked, but three whole "is this character in" questions would've seemed redundant.

Ah, well. Iizuka's still mildly off his rocker and Super Sonic and Tails are still pretty much confirmed. Le shrug.

[Velotix von Skruviktorrius]

Nobody asked about Metal Sonic?! You're a bunch of slackers!

*points to the below quote*

Now, Iizuka wouldn't answer all your questions -he couldn't tell us ... whether Mecha Sonic would be making an appearance

It was asked, but not answered. :/

EDIT: lulz, beaten to it twice over moving on then

But he never said the classics didn't have speed. ... [He's] saying that the homing attack greatly increases the speed that is already there. Whether it is true or not is subjective, but Iizuka never said that the classics had no speed (or very little, anyway).

To clarify, he seemed to be implying that the classic trilogy's sense of speed was inadequate and that the homing attack is the intended fix to that. If that is the reason for its inclusion, it's a really crappy reason. I don't want to drag up the "speed vs. momentum" arguments again but his justification for the addition of the ability implies that either 1) he's moving away from the classic momentum design completely or 2) he's trying to merge the speed and momentum styles together quietly. It's probably #2 but I'm still very skeptical based on his reasoning.

Edited March 22, 2010 by Velotix Lexovetikan

[BlazingTales]

Though this is true, is this also not a good argument against it being included in Sonic 4 at all?

Regardless, I object to his implication that the original trilogy feels slow to play. That's blatantly false.

I think he meant that it provides a different sense of speed the classics didn't have, not that the classics did not have a sense of speed. You must admit that using the HA is 2D environments is much different than simply jumping on badniks.

(For instance: Perhaps the way the HA will be implemented will take advantage of speed while descending in air or something that was not present in the original games.)

EDIT: Bah, Quick poster quick posted before me! I'm not so sure if Iizuka speaks English, so perhaps the way it was translated was not the best wording?

Edited March 22, 2010 by BlazingTales

[Agent York]

EDIT: OK, will find an appropriate topic for those, those screens were from another magazine with a new article. However, the interview was interesting, also they basically confirmed Tails playable under the same stance as Super Sonic. Versus Mode unsure about though.

Edited March 22, 2010 by Dusk the Biohazard Keeper

[Doctor MK]

^^ Images above

Those are not from ONM. There's no preview in ONM until their next issue, which is due out sometime in April.

[Velotix von Skruviktorrius]

I'm not so sure if Iizuka speaks English, so perhaps the way it was translated was not the best wording?

I'm hoping he was somehow mistranslated because he's being very vague in that entire interview. He's also clearly not aware of how much the fans know already, or he'd not be trying to keep Super Sonic a secret.

Edited March 22, 2010 by Velotix Lexovetikan

[Octarine]

I'm hoping he was somehow mistranslated because he's being very vague in that entire interview. He's also clearly not aware of how much the fans know already, or he'd not be trying to keep Super Sonic a secret.

There's also the matter of the delay between the interview taking place and being published, and I can't imagine him acknowledging a major leak in a magazine anyway. His answers did look a little awkward, though, so I wouldn't be surprised if the translation was somewhat shoddy. A misplaced word here or there that makes all the difference for us might not mean much to a translator, I guess.

My personal crackpot theory is that Dimps are just keeping him locked in a cupboard somewhere and trotting him out every once in a while so they can claim to have talent from S3&K's development team on their side.

[Aquaslash]

Nail in the coffin? Looked to me like he all but confirmed them o.o

That's what I was saying =P

[Flyboy Fox]

That's what I was saying =P

Then I'm not sure why you'd use a phrase that means "the end of that idea", as in the idea being dead and buried =P So you confused me there ^^; Sorry.

[Aquaslash]

Then I'm not sure why you'd use a phrase that means "the end of that idea", as in the idea being dead and buried =P So you confused me there ^^; Sorry.

Let's call it the end of the idea of them not being in the game XD

[SykoTech]

A solid, but uninformative read. The only thing new I got from it was that there will be no grinding and the game's played using one button. Hope this doesn't mean being forced to become Super Sonic again.

[speedfreak]

A solid, but uninformative read. The only thing new I got from it was that there will be no grinding and the game's played using one button. Hope this doesn't mean being forced to become Super Sonic again.

Sonic 3 was one button too. I really don't think they'll go back to the Sonic 2 way of transforming.

[Blue Blood]

Sonic 3 was one button too. I really don't think they'll go back to the Sonic 2 way of transforming.

Sonic 3 forces you to transform (not as badly as S2 though) because it removes your ability to use the insta-shield. There's no reason why they shouldn't map transform to just one of the face keys, or even a trigger. But I can so see them not doing that.

[Doctor MK]

Sonic 3 forces you to transform (not as badly as S2 though) because it removes your ability to use the insta-shield. There's no reason why they shouldn't map transform to just one of the face keys, or even a trigger. But I can so see them not doing that.

Maybe because the game is only played with one button, they'll use a different button for transforming? I mean, transforming isn't technically "playing the game" (not in a proper sense, anyway).

Knowing SEGA though they'll keep it all to the same button, if only for apparent nostalgic reasons

[Rusty Spy]

In Sonic 4 the Homing Attack is added, and this provides sense of speed that none of the classic series have.

Megamix style homing attack confirmed?

Either it means the HA will simply be a way of gaining speed ala Megamix, or it will be a way of letting the game play smoother which lets the player make lesser stops, thus gaining more speed and keeping it longer.

Every time I read an interview from Iizuka, it always has SOME questionable statement that sounds unsettling. I don't think trying to add speed to the game is necessary, nor is the homing attack the best, or even a good way of achieving it if Megamix is anything to go by. Though if it is a jump dash that can gain you speed, they had better nerf the shit out of it, maybe so that it boosts you at around half the normal running speed.

But knowing Sonic Team, I highly doubt it.

[Phos]

AND HERE IT IS!!

*reads*

EDIT:

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/cott1200/choose_your_next_sentence_carefully.png

"No sense of speed" my arse. Having a guy like that in charge of the franchise explains so much. ._.

I love how so many of the answers that Iizuka provides to questions about why they did things are basically just recounting what it is that they did.

And rarara, homing attack makes speed meaningless and all that.