Humans in Sonic Games

[Blue Blood]

Okay, so the human characters in the Sonic series have pretty much had the most inconsistent design styles out of anything. They were absent from the classics, appeared like anime characters in SA2, were realistic in 06 and Shadow (more or less realistic in SA2 too) and come Unleashed they made a big thing about the new tone of the series and how they were now going to appear like Disney or Pixar characters. Now there's a little bit of a problem for Generations. Some of the games have given human characters an important role- the President in SA2, Elise in '06 and Prof. Pickle in Unleashed. It wouldn't be too out there to guess that some of them might appear in this game with several more random NPCs in the background for extra detail. How do you want to see them handled?

Personally, I'd like them to include human characters and their most recent style from Unleashed. Any of the important ones should mostly retain their appearance, only adapting them ever so slightly so they don't clash horribly with everyone else. Any NPCs should look like Unleashed characters regardless of where they appear. Badniks are all using their mos recent designs, so why not? Not to mention the Unleashed style is my favourite.

[CrownSlayers Shadow]

I'd like them to come back like they were in Unleashed. I liked the individuality and variations each human character had for themselves as opposed to looking very generic. Prof. Pickle is one of the best humans aside from Eggman that we've ever had if I do say so myself.

Although, I would like a bit of a blend. Namely because of GUN; you wouldn't want a fictional military to be too goofy looking to where they don't look like they could handle anything, but you don't want them to be so real that they clash with the Sonic cast.

We could go the way of Advance Wars or Megaman in the aesthetics of a human military, and that wouldn't stand out from the Sonic cast while still having that strength factor for them.

And seriously, how cool would the GUN Commander or the President look in Unleashed style?

[Diogenes]

Eggman aside, there aren't any humans that are so important as to be vital. They could sidestep the whole issue of the different styles by simply not using any existing human characters.

Although, I would like to see human NPCs show up, whether they're returning characters or generics. If there are any, I'd like them to use the Unleashed style or something similar; cartoony is always going to be better than realistic. I'm not really sure what to do about human characters from before Unleashed; on the one hand, the game clearly doesn't mind mixing the two different styled Sonics, and keeping their original styles would be more accurate...but on the other, most of the early humans were ugly and/or poorly fitting, and if we have to see Elise again, I'd rather she look like a character from a Sonic game than a Final Fantasy reject.

[PeanutButterDimond]

I wouldn't mind them. They were great in unleashed. They were also very unique. Just make them likable and optional to talk to. Also I want more Professor Pickle.

Edited June 6, 2011 by PeanutButterDimond

[Blue Blood]

Also I want more Professor Pickle.

You're not a true Sonic fan if you don't want more of him.

But yeah, whether or not the human characters from games X, Y and Z actually do anything or simply cameo in the background, I really hope Pickle is somewhere too.

EDIT: @ PBD: Fix'd

Edited June 6, 2011 by Blue Blood

[Tatsumaki]

Unleashed Humans. In fact, I think everyone here wouldn't mind Unleashed Humans in future Sonic games.

[CrownSlayers Shadow]

Unleashed Humans. In fact, I think everyone here wouldn't mind Unleashed Humans in future Sonic games.

Not true, there are a number who don't. But out of respect, I'm not going to be listing them.

[Sami]

I like Unleashed's the most. The people in SA2 just looked odd (though mostly because if the crappy CGI), and 06's art style was an absolute travesty.

[MobileChikane]

I might be alone here. I prefered SA styled humans.

I did like the stylised Unleashed humans but what killed it for me, was the messed up proportions. There weren't any consistencies between the characters. Toning them down a bit would be great.

(For me)

Athough i still prefer SA humans.

Edited June 6, 2011 by MobileChikane

[Djawed]

Animal npc's for the win

[Blue Blood]

Animal npc's for the win

That's nice, but has fuck all to do with the discussion. This is about the human NPCs who already exist and their potential to reappear in Generations.

[Sapphire]

I definitely would like Unleashed-style humans were we to see them at all in Generations. Too realistic-looking humans in Sonic games is just... weird. They clash too much with the obvious cartoonish style of the rest of the Sonic characters.

[Nepenthe]

If humans are to appear in any way, I would like for them to appear as they would in that particular game, although technologically-limited designs would be upgraded. I keep reiterating this game is a celebration of the entire franchise, thus I would like Sega to honor that by sticking as close to the artistic approaches of the respective games as possible instead of glossing over the known fact that, yes, Sonic games fared a bit of aesthetic inconsistency for a number of years.

[Djawed]

That's nice, but has fuck all to do with the discussion. This is about the human NPCs who already exist and their potential to reappear in Generations.

Oh yeah humans? As long they don't play a role in the story, i'm fine with them

PS: Animal npc's for the win

[PeanutButterDimond]

You're not a true if you don't want more of him.

But yeah, whether or not the human characters from games X, Y and Z actually do anything or simply cameo in the background, I really hope Pickle is somewhere too.

Not a true?

But yeah, anyway, I do hope the humans look like they did in Unleashed. It actually fit really well.

[EXshad]

Keep the same designs for the people. So far, Colors and Sonic 4 have been consistent with Unleashed in terms of design, and I hope they keep the trend with this game, including when it comers to designs of the people.

[ProfessorZolo]

Unleashed's humans were pretty good, but if they were to include some of the humans from 06 or Adventure onwards...

Actually, I'd like to see Sonicman come back. Hey, you could even unlock an outfit of him for your avatar on the 360 and PS3 versions or something.

Now, if Sonic Team WERE to bring him back, then I'd want to see him in more of less his original proportions and style, but with the Unleashed colour saturation.

That'd work for pretty much any of the past humans, right?

[Silverfang]

Meh, I like humans in unleashed, but they looked to pixar-ish to me. The humans from SA1 where ok too but lacked in detail due to technological limits and were too copy and paste anime-ish. I really don't know what I would want, maybe a combination between the 2.

[CrownSlayers Shadow]

Oh yeah humans? As long they don't play a role in the story, i'm fine with them

So I guess Eggman's out then...

Seriously, what's so bad about letting them play a role in the story? What is it that being human means they should be barred from any influence when the animals outnumber their roles 80% of the time. Not that I assume they will in Generations, but when they do how is their humanity a problem where as being an animal isn't?

Edited June 6, 2011 by ChaosSupremeSonic

[The Man On The Inside]

I'd rather there were no humans at all.

[CrownSlayers Shadow]

I'd rather there were no humans at all.

Edited June 6, 2011 by ChaosSupremeSonic

[SchemingMinor]

I'd rather there were no humans at all.

[Blue Blood]

So how do you explain Eggman being around, since he's a human?

Or are you just looking for a reaction?

[CrownSlayers Shadow]

I'm guessing he means "no humans other than Eggman" cause that's exactly what other people mean when they say no humans.

[Djawed]

So I guess Eggman's out then...

Seriously, what's so bad about letting them play a role in the story? What is it that being human means they should be barred from any influence when the animals outnumber their roles 80% of the time. Not that I assume they will in Generations, but when they do how is their humanity a problem where as being an animal isn't?