Are you happy with Seaside Hill Zone?

[Sami]

Not necessarily, haunted-themed levels go as far back as Sonic 2, with Mystic Cave, then in Sonic 3 with Sandopolis Act 2. Red Mountain also had some halloween-themed elements in Act 2, and Sonic Adventure 2 was needless filled with ghost elements. I could see it work as a pretty major trope in the franchise Especially if they brought back the ghosts from Sonic 3/Adventure 2.

I was thinking more of a "Dark/Haunted/Mystical Castle/Mansion/Fortress" type deal. We got Eggman' in ShTH and Hang Castle/Mystic Mansion, but that's it.

[MrMetalloidMan]

Here's my take on the levels; It doesn't help that I already hated the levels in the first place. (Excluding Chemical Plant, City Escape, and Planet Wisp.)

[-Robin-]

Am I happy? Not really. I think Mystic Mansion and Hang Castle would have been superior choices, and could have invoked some real good C. Sonic gameplay with the switch mechanic.

But that's not to say I don't like Seaside Hill. I never really thought of it as a Green Hill knockoff when I played Heroes and I doubt I'll think otherwise when playing Generations. So I'm interested in how it'll be mixed up this time around.

[Ivo the Egghog]

While i'm still very dissapointed with Seaside Hill's inclusion, Sonic Team can redeem themselves a bit, too, if we get Ocean Palace's music over Seaside Hill's. Ocean Palace had one of the best tracks in Heroes. Seaside Hill's music was pretty meh.

Ocean Palace music ftw. When the guitar solo plus brass background kicks in, it really gets me goin' haha. Although I gotta admit I enjoy SHH's music too... just not as much.

On the topic at hand though, Mystic Mansion/Hang Castle are awesome stages in their own right, but SSH just has that Sonic vibe to it. Assuming the levels are going chronologically, they will definitely have increased the difficulty as opposed to the "First Zone difficulty" of the original SSH. I'm also hoping they'll give it some unique flair to contrast Green Hill. For that to work, I feel like Sonic Team should use Ocean Palace as more of an inspiration. We're slowly but surely creeping up on release so only time will tell how the level itself will play.

[Xenos]

Ocean Palace music ftw. When the guitar solo plus brass background kicks in, it really gets me goin' haha. Although I gotta admit I enjoy SHH's music too... just not as much.

On the topic at hand though, Mystic Mansion/Hang Castle are awesome stages in their own right, but SSH just has that Sonic vibe to it. Assuming the levels are going chronologically, they will definitely have increased the difficulty as opposed to the "First Zone difficulty" of the original SSH. I'm also hoping they'll give it some unique flair to contrast Green Hill. For that to work, I feel like Sonic Team should use Ocean Palace as more of an inspiration. We're slowly but surely creeping up on release so only time will tell how the level itself will play.

[Match]

Here's my take on the levels; It doesn't help that I already hated the levels in the first place. (Excluding Chemical Plant, City Escape, and Planet Wisp.)

Rather than explain our opinions, we should all be dicks.

[MrMetalloidMan]

What else is there for me to say?

[Indigo Rush]

What else is there for me to say?

[Neon]

Am i the only one who thinks that ST should re-name Generations' Seaside Hill to Ocean Palace? It really doesn't do it any favours sounding and looking like Green Hill. It's pretty much bait for people to go "Sonic Team just rehash stages!"

[Blue Blood]

Am i the only one who thinks that ST should re-name Generations' Seaside Hill to Ocean Palace? It really doesn't do it any favours sounding and looking like Green Hill. It's pretty much bait for people to go "Sonic Team just rehash stages!"

[Indigo Rush]

Am i the only one who thinks that ST should re-name Generations' Seaside Hill to Ocean Palace? It really doesn't do it any favours sounding and looking like Green Hill. It's pretty much bait for people to go "Sonic Team just rehash stages!"

Edited August 15, 2011 by Indigo Rush

[Blue Blood]

Ehhhhhh not quite.

*video*

They may be off in the background, but they're there. Also, turtles!

Another cool thing about Seaside Hill/Ocean Palace, there are landmasses shaped like whales.

That's awesome.

[Indigo Rush]

The ruins were the entirety of Ocean Palace. You add the rest of it in, and you end up with Seaside Hill again. Essentially that's the difference between the two. Ocean Place was basically Seaside Hill Act 2 anyway, as were all the the even number stages in Heroes the Act 2 to all the odd numbered ones.

[Blue Blood]

Whoops, brain fart. My bad.

I was just trying to say that Ocean Palace and Seaside Hill are mostly interchangeable in terms of location... the big differences are music and name, but being on the ruins more than the grass or sand isn't too big of a difference if the first part was half ruins to begin with.

[Indigo Rush]

Okay Indigo, I hate you. I hate you for making me realise they could have remade both variations of Lava Reef in this game. *will never forgive*

So I should shut up about the Hidden Palace and Sky Sanctuary possibilities?

[Blue Blood]

So I should shut up about the Hidden Palace and Sky Sanctuary possibilities?

People have mentioned those before. It's not as cool the idea of both Lava Reefs.

[Patticus]

Seaside Hill would make sense, considering it's original intention was to be Green Hill Zone Plus (I refuse to say 2.0, that belongs to Emerald Hill) however levels like Speed Highway or Rooftop Run, explanations please?

If it's only being added because the original intention was to make it, as you put it, "Green Hill Zone +," why include it in a game which already has what we can only deem to be "Green Hill Zone +++++"? That makes no sense. I can only conclude that they must really want to push the ruin aspects of the stage, perhaps mixing it up with some Aquatic Ruins- or Rusty Ruins- style things (as they seem to be mixing elements of similar zones from various eras together). At least, that's what I'm hoping for.

If it literally does just end up being "Green Hill Zone +," it's only going to show Sonic Team up to have a distinct lack of creativity and ambition. Stage variety is one aspect of the Sonic games which they have never disappointed us on. I don't want them to lose that.

[Johnny Boy]

Remember when I said how sega might incorporate aspects from aquatic ruins and Labyrinth zone? Well since seaside hill/Ocean palace is also a ruins level, does anybody think that it will also incorporate aspects from Lost World?

[Your Vest Friend]

I still think it was included because it's iconic to the franchise in a major way...and because I was bored out of my skull, I was able to stumble upon proof.

The following is Dust Golem's text description of an audio interview conducted in lieu of Sonic and SEGA All Stars Racing, circa August 2009;

Right now writing what I hear from the Summer of Sonic Q&A session. Mind you Piano Music is playin in the way...

-One guy apparently reads forums and is in charge of bugging the developers to put in as many SEGA fanboy stuff in as they can. They think about the main characters, the characters who would be cool or awesome to play as and fan requests. Ristar a shoe-in?

-Characters not put into Tennis they wished were in: Huge list; Originally planned 108 characters into Superstar Tennis. (XD) Knuckles only example though.

- Design and art style Go for newer and old Sonic, they like them to clash a little with the originals and newer ones. They said the last one they used Green Hill, and they can't do the same thing again, so they thought what was the next remembered stage like that; Seaside Hill.

-They approached the game with their "Sunshine" Engine, and build the game from the ground-up and think what they want from the game and what the fans want and build.

-Talk about it being compared to Mario Kart. They said they didn't try to, they tried to make it like Outrun, so it's more like Outrun than Mario Kart.

-Weapons weren't initially planned and put in later for more varied matches.

-Based it more on Sonic R than Riders or Drift.

-Accidentally confirmed NiGHTS, and apparently they went to the biggest NiGHTS fansite and asked what they wanted from the game, and tried to please them, they like to put in characters to please all the fans, but they can't put in everyone.

-Chose Big on a tiny bike because it was kinda' cool.

-Say they try to balance type of characters, like have enough females or recent characters or retro characters or famous characters or cult characters; and make a varied and awesome cast.

-For the Vehicles, they made most of them, but sometimes Sonic Team or SEGA or sometimes the original designers of the characters even made the vehicles for the game!

-ONLINE CONFIRMED FOR WII!!!

-Richard Jacques working on the soundtrack for Superstar Racing, original music in along with some surprises...

-Apparently in October they are going to reveal some character that the developer wishes he had that characters vehicle. Also someone drives a tractor...? o.o

-They apparently are planning to make more Superstar Games after this, some game decisions they choose but sometimes SEGA asks them to make a game. Also some characters they have to talk with the developers because some developers like to put them, "In-Character" so they have to make sure they don't displease the makers.

-SEGA Superstar Brawl confirmed...? XD Nah, they are interested in making a fighting game.

-Fan Requests: Ristar (asked twice), Opa-Opa, Vectorman, Reala, Jackal, Phantasy Star Online racing course, Metal Sonic, Mario (XD), Outrun Girlfriend (the developers rip on this guy that she would be useless and bitch slap people), Kintobor, Axel from Street of Rage in a SWAT Car (freaking awesome the developer says), Mephiles, Landee from Sehnmue, Ryu in a Forklift Truck (they both seem to laugh at this... hmn?), and they hint at the end of this list some of these series and suggestions may already be in (8D).

I think that's it. There we go!

A LITTLE LAG AND A FEW PROBLEMS, BUT RIGHT NOW UPLOADING THE AUDIO FOR WHOEVER MISSED IT TO LISTEN IN, BE UP SHORTLY!!!

Just throwing it out there for speculation.

[Indigo Rush]

If it's only being added because the original intention was to make it, as you put it, "Green Hill Zone +," why include it in a game which already has what we can only deem to be "Green Hill Zone +++++"? That makes no sense. I can only conclude that they must really want to push the ruin aspects of the stage, perhaps mixing it up with some Aquatic Ruins- or Rusty Ruins- style things (as they seem to be mixing elements of similar zones from various eras together). At least, that's what I'm hoping for.

If it literally does just end up being "Green Hill Zone +," it's only going to show Sonic Team up to have a distinct lack of creativity and ambition. Stage variety is one aspect of the Sonic games which they have never disappointed us on. I don't want them to lose that.

I was talking about why one member hated the level being in Generations, none of the above stuff.

[Ninjice]

I don't mind at all, but I would prefer Sky Fleet, one of my favorite Levels in Sonic Heroes. The only thing I'm afraid if it will resemble too much Green Hill Zone.

[KrazyBean]

I don't mind at all. It's all in the level design anyway.

[Blue Blood]

I don't mind at all. It's all in the level design anyway.

If the level design is all that matter then all the stages might as well look like the Sonic Simulator.

[KrazyBean]

If the level design is all that matter then all the stages might as well look like the Sonic Simulator.

What I mean is that, Seaside Hill can be very unique even though it has a similar trope, thanks to it's level design.

Seaside Hill has some great level gimmicks anyway...Sonic Team can make some great underwater sections and crazy platforming with the moving ruins (they could even do some platforming sections like Lost World, playing with gravity and running on walls and all sorts). Seaside Hill looks like it's focusing more on the ruins to be honest.

Let's just wait and see it in action before people argue some more about tropes.

EDIT: Also, I wouldn't mind if the level looked like the Sonic Simulator if it played like HD versions of Unleashed...Colours is a 2D game as far as I'm concerned and the 3D sections were as bland as hell.

Edited August 16, 2011 by KrazyBean14

[BakingBluePotatoe]

hmm.. I'm not really THAT dissapointed in the levle list... but, not to say that I wouldn't've changed a levle or two...

Planet Wisp? Fuck no. That levle's so BORING. At least in the DS Version. (All I've played) I would've picked Aquatic Park. It's an underwater maze IN SPACE!

And I would've added Ice Cap Zone somewhere. probably after the classics and before the Dreamcast. I imagine the scenario to transition from the classics into the dreamcast era (seeing as both eras had it) I wouldn't have replaced any levles with it, but just... added it.

I have mixed feelings about Seaside Hill. I don't have any problems with that levle, but I would've added either Frog Forest or Mystic Mansion somehow since they add some of thier own interesting elements. especially MM. HAUNTED CASTLE FTW. Heck, if you had MM you could add elements from FF and even add elements from... uh.. what's it called again? Mystic... shit, I forget the name, but that one levle in Sonic 2. The one that's like a haunted mine/forest or something?

I'm just glad they added City Escape! I mean, just look at it! THE GUN TRUCK IS BACK WITH A FUCKING VENGEANCE! That's just to epic for words! (what other level or we gonna be able to say "HOLYSHITFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU-") (although... running down a building twice in one game? kinda takes away from Speed Highway, don'tcha think?) (Still, you can't argue with a MONSTER TRUCK OF DEATH! Crashing through buildings? giant killer buzzsaws? FUCK YEAH, BABY!) I mean, I like nearly every levle in SA2, but NONE compare to City Escape!

Now that I think about it, an awesome transition between Speed Highway and City Escape would be.... at the VERY end of SH, you quickly look toward the building you ran down and you see the fucking truck crash through it! (If I'm not mistaken, in C's CE gameplay, it chases you the whole time, right?)

Edited August 16, 2011 by Baking Blue Potatoe