Colours is the way forward

[Nepenthe]

The platforming in Colors and Generations doesn't work with the rest of the game's mechanics. Boosting will likely throw you into a wall (if you're lucky) or a pit (if you're not). Quick step? No. Drift? No. Slide? Maybe very rarely. The platforming is generally very barebones, limited to jumping, homing attacking (which is of dubious merit), and the occasional stomp. It's not an expansion of modern gameplay, it's a generic platformer tacked onto modern gameplay.

Traditional barebones platforming has always been there and at odds with Sonic's maneuvering mechanics and the flow of a level, and it's as obvious in Sonic 1 and CD as it is in Colors and Generations which creates the implication of it not being an inherently problematic characteristic of the franchise overall. Also, I think if we're going to go with your idea that platforming doesn't have to be defined merely by a jumping mechanic to overcome pits, rather as a general fight against obstacles and gravity, then it's easy to say that the modern gameplay without Colors' blocks had platforming in spades regardless and it can continue to progress in terms of the development of the level design and Sonic's acrobatic prowess without any great sacrifices to what makes the formula a formula. Hell, it already has precedent in games like Rayman Origins, Donkey Kong, the original Crash Bandicoots, and even the NSMB games-- linear, obstacle laden platforming works fine and is fun.

Because they are incompetent, lazy, stupid, or some combination. When they couldn't (or couldn't be bothered) to get the base gameplay right, it's no wonder they didn't expand on it. But the modern gameplay is their baby, something they are directly responsible for (unless the team's been changed up since Unleashed, I don't know, I don't keep track of that stuff), something they actually understand how to do. So they should have the ability to expand on it, if there's room to do so.

Again, asking the question in terms of Generations' gameplay is very misguided considering the game sought to do nothing exceptional, risky, or revolutionary in the first place, so pointing to the game and saying, "Ha, look at how unevolved the modern gameplay is!" doesn't really help prove the point that it lacks potential to grow anymore than me doing the same with classic Sonic.

[Diogenes]

Traditional barebones platforming has always been there

And I'm not suggesting that it go away entirely, just that we need more than that.

and at odds with Sonic's maneuvering mechanics and the flow of a level, and it's as obvious in Sonic 1 and CD as it is in Colors and Generations

I think there's a significantly bigger gap between them in the modern games as compared to the classics. The increased speed, and the increased focus on speed, make it more jarring in modern games. Plus the physics of the classic games tie into platforming better than the boost-and-dodge mechanics of the modern games.

Also, I think if we're going to go with your idea that platforming doesn't have to be defined merely by a jumping mechanic to overcome pits, rather as a general fight against obstacles and gravity, then it's easy to say that the modern gameplay without Colors' blocks had platforming in spades regardless and it can continue to progress in terms of the development of the level design and Sonic's acrobatic prowess without any great sacrifices to what makes the formula a formula.

I'm not sure that's true. Modern stages are often very flat outside of the explicit platforming sections, and what isn't flat is often platforming on par with a homing attack chain due to the boost granting stable speed.

Hell, it already has precedent in games like Rayman Origins, Donkey Kong, the original Crash Bandicoots, and even the NSMB games-- linear, obstacle laden platforming works fine and is fun.

It's also not what I expect out of a Sonic game, but putting that aside, adding modern Sonic's super high speed to the mix makes it a very different beast. Those games can have more complex and focused platforming because they neither expect nor encourage you to be rocketing forward at 300 MPH while you're doing it. Aside from the occasional autoscrolling level (which are still more generous than boosting) you can take obstacles at the right pace for both your skill and their complexity, while most parts of modern Sonic levels are built for boosting, the obstacles are simple because of it, and the game expects you to have either the reaction time, memory, or precognition to handle them.

[Kuzu]

If the formula's only basis is speed, please explain away why Colors and even Generations are slower and feature a greater abundance of platforming-oriented and vertical level design that's completely impossible to dash through; and remember, that's two out of three modern titles we're talking about here. Pegging the formula down as being incapable of providing anything else but speed is something I can only consider a falsity in light of what we've all actually played before.

Because like Dio said, it's generic platforming tacked onto the Modern gameplay; it does nothing to enhance considering how disconnected the two areas are.

In terms of Generations, I could ask the same question about classic gameplay; why didn't Sonic Team reach into this well of potential everyone claims it has, especially since that was the first time the gameplay was applied to a 3D environment? But I wouldn't ask that question, because it and the obvious implication that not trying equates to no potential is inherently ridiculous when you understand the context behind Generations' existence. It didn't seek to do anything new.

Because these are still the same people who almost buried their franchise 6 years ago, and are notorious for their questionable business decisions.

[Scar]

Because like Dio said, it's generic platforming tacked onto the Modern gameplay; it does nothing to enhance considering how disconnected the two areas are.

That doesn't have anything to do with the formula, more the control mechanisms.

As I mentioned earlier, the Unleashed through Generations games have two-mode control scheme that changes when depending on whether or not you are moving faster or slower than a certain speed. Below, you have good controls as you'd expect them, above and you suddenly change into a missile with barely any lateral control.

That does more to segregate platforming and speed and make the transition jarring, than the boost does. The boost is a function tied to a button that you can opt not to use. The two-mode control set up essentially forces you to use the boost, because the high-speed mode controls the same as the boost, but slower and with no invulnerability. If the control setup wasn't so divided, the use of the boost would be reduced, because better, more physically accurate controls would make the boost much more unwieldly and less spammable.

It would essentially make it a spindash replacement.

Edited June 11, 2012 by Scar

[Alice Twilight]

That doesn't have anything to do with the formula, more the control mechanisms.

As I mentioned earlier, the Unleashed through Generations games have two-mode control scheme that changes when depending on whether or not you are moving faster or slower than a certain speed. Below, you have good controls as you'd expect them, above and you suddenly change into a missile with barely any lateral control.

That does more to segregate platforming and speed and make the transition jarring, than the boost does. The boost is a function tied to a button that you can opt not to use. The two-mode control set up essentially forces you to use the boost, because the high-speed mode controls the same as the boost, but slower and with no invulnerability. If the control setup wasn't so divided, the use of the boost would be reduced, because better, more physically accurate controls would make the boost much more unwieldly and less spammable.

It would essentially make it a spindash replacement.

The 2-mode gameplay you bring up actually isn't all that bad if you think about it. If you take into account how the levels are desgined. I think it'd be pretty hard to control sonic with boost if he's going all over the place moving in 8 directions.

That's just my opinion, hey, it could be implemented in the next Sonic game and it could work.

[Scar]

The 2-mode gameplay you bring up actually isn't all that bad if you think about it. If you take into account how the levels are desgined. I think it'd be pretty hard to control sonic with boost if he's going all over the place moving in 8 directions.

That's just my opinion, hey, it could be implemented in the next Sonic game and it could work.

That's the principle problem though you see.

You're splitting the same gameplay into two halves in order to make the boost easier to use. There is virtually no risk to boosting because the level design has been constructed to allow for its optimal usage.

There is also the fact that it really destroys any sense of fluidity and flow.

[Boostitude]

The 2-mode gameplay you bring up actually isn't all that bad if you think about it. If you take into account how the levels are desgined. I think it'd be pretty hard to control sonic with boost if he's going all over the place moving in 8 directions.

That's just my opinion, hey, it could be implemented in the next Sonic game and it could work.

I actually agree. Would hate for the game to feel like Adventure 1 all over again.

Generations has plenty of flow. A lot of it is found through well timed jumps. It's not always handed to you like it is in Unleashed or Generations Speed Highway.