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Sonic the Hedgehog 4 - Wii/PS3/360; downloadable episodic release - [Update: $15?]

Novella

Banned
Segata Sanshiro said:
Got it in the Boite Orange, with four other games I hadn't played. Physical copy, of course.
OK.

Would you never ever buy the Tao teh Ching because it has only like 80 pages of "content"?

(Or if that's not your cup of tea [lol] let's say it's just some other short book of reputedly high value -- a classic or a book you heard about that sounded good.)
 
Novella said:
OK.

Would you never ever buy the Tao teh Ching because it has only like 80 pages of "content"?

(Or if that's not your cup of tea [lol] let's say it's just some other short book of reputedly high value -- a classic or a book you heard about that sounded good.)
I can sell back the book, so I might give it a shot. Let me be clear - I didn't say 'never'. But it really takes something very special for me to buy an intangible product at that price, and Sonic 4 isn't it, I can easily say that much.
 

DeVeAn

Member
Diablohead said:
Ruby said that they are extremely limited in what they can fix and edit because it will break all the default stages and acts made, remaking two shitty acts into proper acts has taken 3 months? and we also know 99% that ep2 has yet to fully start.

They are not removing boosters all over the stages

They are not fixing the way sonic moves in the air (let go of direction and you will stop suddenly on the horizontal axis)

They are not changing sonic's floaty jump

But they did add a map screen! and a new intro animation! all is forgiven sega!
I am curious as to why you seem to so badly want to "convince" someone how "wrong" this game is. I mean we know they aren't changing much, especially to your standards. So what interest do you have in continuing to show your disgust with the game? Hell, its not my place to really ask as its your place to post as much as all of us. I am really just curious. Fuck me I know, you seem to be a fan just a really jaded one.
 
$15 would be an incredibly stupid price, that's all I'm going to say on that.

Diablohead said:
and we also know 99% that ep2 has yet to fully start.

Don't take that comment as truth, that was the most amazing bullshit ever. I'm sure Episode 2 was in development before the first episode even leaked, and while they might have delayed it and are doing more extensive revision work given that it's earlier in the project than this previously-completed episode, they sure as hell haven't "just done the story so far" for it.
 

Zen

Banned
Sega probably won't see the sales they're hoping for until they lower the price some. I'll have fun with the demo, but on a student budget I can't justify Episode I at 15 dollars. I'll buy it if it goes on sale at a reasonable price though.
 

V_Ben

Banned
$15 for... the first episode of an episodic game? Jeez, people really should learn from Telltale when pricing these episodes individually.
 

ShadiWulf

Member
Combichristoffersen said:
Any mention of a release date?
No, but SEGA is announcing the release date sometime this week.
They also said they would be revealing the price this week.. lol. I hope they change their mind and reveal the price as $10.
 

Momo

Banned
Amir0x said:
I mean, you can say this thread is not the place to post the Sonic cycle, but it always ends up being true. And the facts have a place in any thread. Sonic hasn't had a good game for ages. It's only natural to be skeptical.

However, merely because it appears this dev understands that we only want Sonic, I hope they understand the unique momentum based platforming/speed is what Sonic is all about too. I can only hope. I want to love Sonic again
:( :(
 
DeVeAn said:
I read 12 acts in addition to 4 bosses and possible Extra Zone if you get all Emeralds.
12 acts, so four worlds with three acts in each one or 12 worlds all together? I can't remember if an act is the world or just the level within the world.

4 bosses is kind of slim. This leads me to believe there are only 4 worlds.

Normally Sonic would be 8 worlds with 2 or 3 levels within each world and 8 bosses one at the end of each world.

Can someone clarify for us?
 

ShadiWulf

Member
Dark Octave said:
12 acts, so four worlds with three acts in each one or 12 worlds? I can't remember if an act is the world or just the level within the world.

4 bosses is kind of slim. This leads me to believe there are only 4 worlds.

Normally Sonic would be 8 worlds with 2 or 3 levels within each world and 8 bosses one at the end of each world.

Can someone clarify for us?

4 normal zones. 3 acts for each zone each with their own bonus zone. 1 boss act for each zone. and then the final zone, which is probably just a boss =P
 
ShadiWulf said:
4 normal zones. 3 acts for each zone each with their own bonus zone. 1 boss act for each zone. and then the final zone, which is probably just a boss =P
So we're basically getting half a normal 2D Sonic game. I guess they weren't kidding about it being episodic.

Thanks for clarifying.
 
Dark Octave said:
12 acts, so four worlds with three acts in each one or 12 worlds all together? I can't remember if an act is the world or just the level within the world.

4 bosses is kind of slim. This leads me to believe there are only 4 worlds.

Normally Sonic would be 8 worlds with 2 or 3 levels within each world and 8 bosses one at the end of each world.

Can someone clarify for us?
Actually, Sonic 2 is the only classic Sonic to have 8 worlds. Sonic 1 had 6, 2 had 8, 3 had 6, & Knuckles had like... 8, but three of those were just single levels, and CD had 7.

Total acts by game:

Sonic 1: 18
Sonic 2: 20
Sonic CD: 21
Sonic 3: 12
Sonic & Knuckles: 13

Basically, we're getting a Sonic 3-sized game. Which was half a game, lol.
 

ShadiWulf

Member
Dark Octave said:
So we're basically getting half a normal 2D Sonic game. I guess they weren't kidding about it being episodic.

Thanks for clarifying.
Yup. which is why it should be no more then $10 IMO.
I want the game to succeed so we can get Episode II. Seeing the changes they made in Episode 1 gives some good hope for Episode II.

The new levels they have shown off look much more inspired and less rehashed then the levels they were showing when they first revealed Sonic 4.
 

RobbieNick

Junior Member
Yea, $15 is a bit too steep considering the backlash the game got when videos were leaked. They should have made it $10 at least to boost interest. You catch more flies with honey than vinegar.

That said, no one mentioned that it got a positive review in the scan. But at $15, it may effect other reviews.
 

Zen

Banned
Lijik said:
At double the price!
What a deal!


Although it's not like Sonic 1-3&K were sold for 4.99 when they were made. I guess if Sonic 4 is III episodes that would work out to $45 at $15 each. I still think it should be 9.99 at most; $4.99 would have been killer.

Oh well, Sonic Colors will give me my Sonic fix, and I'll wait for a sale on Episode I.

RobbieNick said:
Yea, $15 is a bit too steep considering the backlash the game got when videos were leaked. They should have made it $10 at least to boost interest. You catch more flies with honey than vinegar.

That said, no one mentioned that it got a positive review in the scan. But at $15, it may effect other reviews.

Another reason that a lower price would be better. Especially as Episode I is a launching pad for the future episodes.
 
$15 seems kinda steep for a half effort like this. But imagine if Sega made a real Sonic 4 with proper physics that continued on in the tradition of the classic genesis games and could stand as their equal. That would be worth $100, easily.
 

Pachinko

Member
Given that this is an episodic release with only 4 stages, it should cost 2/3rds as much as a standard classic sonic game to download. 500pts is basically the most they should expect anyone to pay for it.

Now if maybe they went all stealthy on us and pulled a shantae and this is actually a full game instead of a split up download then 1500pts is a fine price, I'd expect at least 8 3 act stages for that price though.
 
One thing to remember is that the classic sonic games came out at $50 or so, and they've already recouped their costs. Those games wouldn't have made a profit if they sold for $5 when the genesis launched. I don't think its necessarily fair to compare the price of Sonic 4 to Sonic 3 and say that anything over the price of Sonic 3 is too much. Higher resolution graphics cost more and all that. But what bothers me is that I just think a $15 DD game should be a top quality effort, not something half assed. I'm cool with paying $15 for Braid or Shadow Complex, their both amazing games with lots of effort put into them. Sonic 4 doesn't have that kind of love and care put into it.
 

RubyEclipse

Sega of America
Sir_Crocodile said:
The sonic 4 story.

"Robotnik is a bad guy, let's beat him up".

A modern day masterpiece that took long years to craft.

I actually fought really hard to keep the storyline simple. No princesses, no brand new characters, no voice acting or text bubbles - Sonic faces off against Robotnik to save his friends, and that's it. Less is more in that regard.

Honestly, this is one case where I think the story is right where it should be.

Other responses coming shortly, I've not been as active around here as I'd like to be. I'll see if I can answer some questions in the meantime too.
 
Do your thing GAF, let's cause a ruckus until we get this game at $10 bucks! THIS needs a change for sure.

Ironically I'm sure the delay is what pushed this over-budget which now needs a $15 price point to break even :lol

Edit: and holy crap, Ruby's here o_o
Welcome back!
 
RubyEclipse said:
I actually fought really hard to keep the storyline simple. No princesses, no brand new characters, no voice acting or text bubbles - Sonic faces off against Robotnik to save his friends, and that's it. Less is more in that regard.

Honestly, this is one case where I think the story is right where it should be.

Other responses coming shortly, I've not been as active around here as I'd like to be. I'll see if I can answer some questions in the meantime too.

Thank you Aaron for having so much patience with NeoGAF/the entire Sonic community. I really don't know how you do it :lol
 
D

Deleted member 30609

Unconfirmed Member
7echnicolor said:
Thank you Aaron for having so much patience with NeoGAF/the entire Sonic community. I really don't know how you do it :lol
brown-noser
 

OnPoint

Member
RubyEclipse said:
I actually fought really hard to keep the storyline simple. No princesses, no brand new characters, no voice acting or text bubbles - Sonic faces off against Robotnik to save his friends, and that's it. Less is more in that regard.

Honestly, this is one case where I think the story is right where it should be.

Other responses coming shortly, I've not been as active around here as I'd like to be. I'll see if I can answer some questions in the meantime too.

I couldn't agree more about the story. Less is absolutely more and will hopefully remain that way in each episode that gets put out.

I do have a question, though. I know you said you were lobbying to get some things changed a while back, but we seem to be in a place where we've lost track of what has and what hasn't been tweaked. Aside from the two re-designed levels and running animation, what else is different in the final build?

I'd like to know if the price is actually going to be $15 as well, but I'm sure you can't talk about that. After you reveal it, will you be around to discuss the decision? I'm curious and would like to shoot a few questions your way.
 

RubyEclipse

Sega of America
Diablohead said:
Ruby said that they are extremely limited in what they can fix and edit because it will break all the default stages and acts made, remaking two shitty acts into proper acts has taken 3 months? and we also know 99% that ep2 has yet to fully start.

They are not removing boosters all over the stages

They are not fixing the way sonic moves in the air (let go of direction and you will stop suddenly on the horizontal axis)

They are not changing sonic's floaty jump

But they did add a map screen! and a new intro animation! all is forgiven sega!

The two new levels were the biggest things, but there was actually a lot more. Blogs here and here highlight a few of the other changes that may not be as big as the level design, but I think are still really important to the overall feel of the game. We also have another update blog coming out soon that will go into more detail about Casino Street Act II, among other things.

There are also some minor improvements made to the game that we won't be revealing on the blogs. I'd bet only the really hardcore followers will notice them, but it should further bolster the fact that we tried to buff up as much as possible with the time given.
 
RubyEclipse said:
I actually fought really hard to keep the storyline simple. No princesses, no brand new characters, no voice acting or text bubbles - Sonic faces off against Robotnik to save his friends, and that's it. Less is more in that regard.

Honestly, this is one case where I think the story is right where it should be.

Other responses coming shortly, I've not been as active around here as I'd like to be. I'll see if I can answer some questions in the meantime too.

I think keeping it as simple as the classics is just fine and what most people here want for Sonic and many other platformers from its era. Sometimes keeping a character mute rather than giving him/her a voice or inner monlogue (cough cough Other M) seems to be the best way to go. Let the player build up their own idea of what the character they're playing should be.

I am glad there isn't any real dialogue in the game. :) I'm looking forward to it.
 

Alpha_eX

Member
Why can't Sega just get a 16yo fanboy to program Sonic so he moves properly. Just remove the hspeed = 0 line and replace it with something that fucking works.

I thought the huge delay was to fix the stupid momentum problems, it really can't take THAT long to change it? Or wait, is it planned as DLC content "classic gameplay mode 800MS"

So frustrating!
 
Alpha_eX said:
Why can't Sega just get a 16yo fanboy to program Sonic so he moves properly. Just remove the hspeed = 0 line and replace it with something that fucking works.

I thought the huge delay was to fix the stupid momentum problems, it really can't take THAT long to change it? Or wait, is it planned as DLC content "classic gameplay mode 800MS"

So frustrating!
Not 16 years old but when the community, or one lone coder who is a sonic fan can do this, you have to question sega and wtf they are doing.
 
D

Deleted member 30609

Unconfirmed Member
Diablohead said:
Not 16 years old but when the community, or one lone coder who is a sonic fan can do this, you have to question sega and wtf they are doing.
that's a port, dude. it's not like he re-wrote internal logic.

I don't think Sonic 4 looks like anything much of anything worthwhile, but getting personal and saying "WHY DON'T YOU JUST CHANGE A LINE OF CODE LOL" is childish bullshit.
 

Alpha_eX

Member
Diablohead said:
Not 16 years old but when the community, or one lone coder who is a sonic fan can do this, you have to question sega and wtf they are doing.

My point exactly. I'd like to know why Sega are leaving it as it is and just ignoring the biggest complaint about the game. It really isn't a big thing to fix, it won't change level design or anything, it'll just make everyone happy and result in more sales.
 

jman2050

Member
Diablohead said:
Not 16 years old but when the community, or one lone coder who is a sonic fan can do this, you have to question sega and wtf they are doing.

To be fair, porting any of the Sonic game engines is basically child's play nowadays.

Although I guess why Sega can't just do that is beyond me.
 

Alpha_eX

Member
jman2050 said:
To be fair, porting any of the Sonic game engines is basically child's play nowadays.

Although I guess why Sega can't just do that is beyond me.

I thought Sonic CD Port was using the Retro Engine, I assume that was built ground up?
 
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