Sonic the Hedgehog 4

[Octarine]

I'm not easy to annoy, but I can see how grunts, whoops and so on would irritate the hell out of most people, so if that kind of voice acting is present, I'd at least like it to be optional. That said, I'd love to hear Eggman's trademark "OHOHOHOHO!" at the beginning of boss battles. The laughter's presence in CD's boss music (both versions, too) is one of my favourite parts of that game, and it's just too awesomely cheesy to not revisit in some way.

Basically any method of storytelling would be fine for me, from manual + pantomime to Rivals-style to full-on cutscenes. If there's going to be a proper story, though, I expect it'll be presented like the Rush games, with portraits and silent dialogue.

Edited November 23, 2009 by Octarine

[Solid SOAP]

I dunno what I want in terms of voice acting/cutscenes, in fact I don't really care. It'd be nice if we got basic cutscenes illustrating Sonic backtalking Robotnik etc but on second thought, I think cute little character-speach boxes with small voice clips and sound effects added for effect ala Bionic Commando: Rearmed would be just fine for this game.

[Remy]

I think we're a bit beyond the stage where we can just remove the voices in this series.

[Octarine]

I think we're a bit beyond the stage where we can just remove the voices in this series.

Of course, but in a game that's an intentional throwback there's definitely some uncertainty as to whether VA will appear, especially outside of cutscenes. Needlemouse seems to be a special case: unless it's absurdly successful, I don't think it'll be the standard for future games in the series. It's certainly not going to mute Sonic forever.

[Marcello]

I don't really see them using Voice samples. It's supposed to be like the classics so why have more work(not much but still) when most people are going to complain about it anyway? And if they make new samples, they'll have to pay the VA's.

[Rusty Spy]

It'll only be a little bit of a peeve to me if they have cutscenes. Nothing wrong with them, but if they are going to emulate the classic formula, it'd only be for the better if they stayed fresh with the formula and not try to mix things up. Usually doesn't end well with them.

[Yong]

I think we're a bit beyond the stage where we can just remove the voices in this series.

Watch Night of the Werehog again.

[Barry the Nomad]

I'd love for VE Sega Animation Studio to do intro and outro cutscenes, just like in Sonic CD and 32 Blast!

As for voices, I can see voices at the level of Sonic CD or the Advance and Rush games.

[ShadiWulf]

This is old, but it sorta gives a new insight I don't think many people noticed before. It will provide for interesting discussion

There was an enormous amount of discussion recently about a Kotaku article on the future of Sonic, with Sega president and COO Mike Hayes responding to fan backlash towards Sonic Unleashed. Hardcore Sonic fans didn't like the Werehog. Sega knows that. When I spoke with Hayes last week, we picked up where that conversation left off and talked about where Sonic goes from here.

"I think there are two core parts to the Sonic strategy," he said. "The big numbers do come from that big mass market, which is the [ages] 6-12, male-female playing audience. Many, perhaps, have no reference to the original Sonic apart from what their parents tell them and therefore Sonic's pretty cool to have in the household, so that's good. But then also the Sega fanbase and Sonic loyal base is so big, it's important that we also introduce product that we think's going to delight them, as well."

The basic solution, which Sega admitted a few weeks back, is to stop producing Sonic games to try and appeal to everyone. Sonic Unleashed included 2.5D running sections for old school Sonic fans and parts -- like the infamous Werehog -- skewed at a different demographic. Clearly, the hardcore haven't given up on Sonic or they wouldn't be complaining again and again. But Sega has options.

"So whether it's simply retro or whether it's something where we kind of do retro plus-plus or even new ideas," he said, "I think we've gotta be very clear -- we can't put it all in one game, that's just impossible. Because all we're going to do is delight some, upset others and vice versa -- well, not upset, but not deliver on what people want it to be. So I think going forward over the next three to five years, you'll begin to see that strategy coming out."

That's one thing to keep in mind. Whatever lessons Sega is taking away from Sonic Unleashed, it's not necessarily going to roll out in the next few months or even next year. While Hayes couldn't divulge specifics, Hayes three-to-five year timeline suggets other Sonic projects are already in the pipeline and the new direction wouldn't (couldn't) be implemented until those games have been finished and released. But he sounds very serious about change.

"I don't want to say that we're going to go for the mass market at the extent to the cost of our loyalists," he cautioned, "because we think that'd be highly inappropriate, but what we are gonna do is try and split out the style of game that we'll be developing. That doesn't mean we'll be bringing games out head-to-head, but it could be sort of…one holiday period it's gonna be something that's gonna go more for the traditionalist, and then the next it'll be a super-duper mass market, much more younger-oriented Sonic."

Hayes categorized Outrun Online Arcade for Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network -- which Sega considered a success, by the way -- as a "retro plus-plus" game. It's possible that Sonic could be part of a retro plus-plus game, too.

"Well, it's too early to say on Sonic, but we're kind of looking at all the options at the moment," he said.

The message is clear, though: Sonic is going to diversify.

"Let's not try to do everything in every game, we need to be far more specific," he said. "I think Sonic big enough and popular enough and famous enough to be able to do that as a company."

It might take a little time, but Hayes seems to have the right idea. What do you think?

http://g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/698738/sega-discusses-the-future-of-sonic-and-how-to-fix-his-hardcore-image.html

[Cortez]

Thats not an excuse to justify anything. 6-12 year olds buy Sonic for Sonic, I sincerly doubt the Werehog was what made Unleashed a 'must buy' for anyone. If they didn't compromise the entire foundations of the franchise EVERY FUCKING GAME they wouldn't be in this state, Rush and Rush Adventure are the only two Sonic games to have consistant gameplay styles since 2001 (or 1994 if you feel SA2 was too different to SA1 to be considered consistant). A new character and a new gameplay style that is completely different to Sonic's every game is NOT a selling point; Shadow the fucking Hedgehog had ONE gameplay style and sold 15 million copies, WHY DIDNT YOU LEARN AT THAT POINT? If they want to please everyone start making games that don't introduce completely random new shit 'just because we can' and try to justify it by telling us 'KIDS LOVE IT!!!!111!', you cancelled your lincense with McDonalds and released ShTH and STH06 to stop the franchise from getting too kiddy so don't use kids to justify anything. [/RANT]

[ShadiWulf]

Thats not an excuse to justify anything. 6-12 year olds buy Sonic for Sonic, I sincerly doubt the Werehog was what made Unleashed a 'must buy' for anyone. If they didn't compromise the entire foundations of the franchise EVERY FUCKING GAME they wouldn't be in this state, Rush and Rush Adventure are the only two Sonic games to have consistant gameplay styles since 2001 (or 1994 if you feel SA2 was too different to SA1 to be considered consistant). A new character and a new gameplay style that is completely different to Sonic's every game is NOT a selling point; Shadow the fucking Hedgehog had ONE gameplay style and sold 15 million copies, WHY DIDNT YOU LEARN AT THAT POINT? If they want to please everyone start making games that don't introduce completely random new shit 'just because we can' and try to justify it by telling us 'KIDS LOVE IT!!!!111!', you cancelled your lincense with McDonalds and released ShTH and STH06 to stop the franchise from getting too kiddy so don't use kids to justify anything. [/RANT]

They've done research and focus groups.

Kids like Werehog better then Sonic himself lol. Werehog is here to stay.

Should be happy they want to make the hardcore gamers happy, most companies wouldn't care.

[azoo]

...Wow. I had no idea they wrote that all word-for-word. Maybe there is actually is hope in this.

And if what that guy said was correct; one year we'll have Sonic 4, the next year we'll have Sonic and Shadow: World Adventure Heroes 3: The Secret of the Black Knight's Rings. Then we expect Sonic 5 in the next year.

[Rusty Spy]

They've done research and focus groups.

Kids like Werehog better then Sonic himself lol. Werehog is here to stay.

Should be happy they want to make the hardcore gamers happy, most companies wouldn't care.

So by that logic they are essentially placing pure platforming stages in RTS games because kids like the platforming more than the RTS itself?

You probably mean something else, but as it stands I do not understand that logic.

As for the article itself, it does sound like a cool idea, but it still doesn't promise better gameplay, let alone no more pointless gimmicks.

It doesn't matter whether it's classic style or new age style, 2D or 3D, if the gameplay is going to continue being littered with gimmicks and other padding to lengthen the game, they really aren't going anywhere with this new strategy.

Edited November 24, 2009 by Black Spy

[Remy]

Watch Night of the Werehog again.

And yet when we got Unleashed...

[Sean]

I don't understand why there's so much differentiation from the higher ups (and some fans) between "appealing to traditional fans" and "everyone else". Considering how well Genesis re-releases fare, you'd think making a game in traditional Sonic gameplay style would still appeal to everybody... Oh well.

[Cortez]

Kids like Werehog better then Sonic himself lol. Werehog is here to stay.

I doubt that somehow, though SEGA would never admit it, they've spoken out about poor reception of their Sonic gimmicks too many times before. The idea that you HAVE to have shitty gimmicks to appeal to kids is ludicrous, Mario doesn't have to turn into a fucking werewolf to appeal to kids.

Should be happy they want to make the hardcore gamers happy, most companies wouldn't care.

Most companies wouldn't fuck up their games to point where the kids and longtime fans are seperate demographics.

[ShadiWulf]

in the SEGA france video.

SEGA said they don't care about review scores for their Sonic games that are aimed at kids. They said they do specific research to make sure those games will be a hit with kids and don't care what the press says.

If you didn't notice, kids bash 2D sonic alllll the time, so if SEGA switched back to 2D sonic, that would piss off all the kiddies, which they don't want to do.

[azoo]

in the SEGA france video.

SEGA said they don't care about review scores for their Sonic games that are aimed at kids. They said they do specific research to make sure those games will be a hit with kids and don't care what the press says.

If you didn't notice, kids bash 2D sonic alllll the time, so if SEGA switched back to 2D sonic, that would piss off all the kiddies, which they don't want to do.

*mind blown*

.......

So that explains why Sega kept on making bad-ish games even though Sonic was becoming the laughing-stock of the industry. Still doesn't help the fact that they'd sacrifice quality and gameplay for appeal.

If Sega could stick to going from classic-style to modern-style and back over and over, then maybe we might be able to have a steady balance in the franchise again. Do you guys remember back when the franchise was still successful? Ah, 1999~

[Cortez]

If you didn't notice, kids bash 2D sonic alllll the time, so if SEGA switched back to 2D sonic, that would piss off all the kiddies, which they don't want to do.

I didn't notice because a few whiny fans on YouTube and the SEGA forums don't equal all kids. I know loads of kids in my family who adore the Rush games and as already said why the fuck do rereleases of the classics sell so well? Again, SEGA is a very misguided company if it feels that Sonic can never appeal to fans and kids at the same time (although this does raise the question of why ShTH and STH06 even exist considering they were rated 13+ and did nothing to appeal to the fans).

[CrownSlayers Shadow]

Shadow the fucking Hedgehog had ONE gameplay style and sold 15 million copies,

15 Mil? The fuck?

Though I agree with what you're saying. They've been nosediving off the cliff with a blindfold and go along with any idea they happen to land on.

Kids overall are only interested in a fun game, and regardless of if the game is not what's going on in their imaginations they'll still find something fun in the game as long as it is just that: FUN!

They don't necessarily need a game with several different play styles to have fun, and while they can enjoy a game like that they can still enjoy a game with one gameplay style. If you were going to add in more play styles than just that one, a better idea would be to make those styles optional so that those who don't care for them can easily skip them and go for what they really want while those who would take the time to try them out could do so without being hindered from reaching the end because they didn't play as X character they didn't like.

[Yong]

And yet when we got Unleashed...

Just stating a recent example of how we can easily transition back to voiceless again, by just doing it.

[Rusty Spy]

Still doesn't help the fact that they'd sacrifice quality and gameplay for appeal.

And what makes it even more sad is that they promise quality for their secondary franchise on a second rate platform.

C'mon Sega! What are you doing!

[CrownSlayers Shadow]

I seriously doubt we'll get voices in this game, but if we do I don't think it'll be any more than a few phrases and such or it'll probably just be text-speak.

[Nepenthe]

Kids buy Sonic for Sonic indeed, yet people seem to forget Sonic has been just as synonymous with having a multitude of playstyles as he has been for his classic gameplay style considering this has been going on for over a decade. The aesthetics of the shtick may be forever changing, but the shtick itself isn't, and kids have enjoyed this type of gameplay amalgamation from its Adventure origins even if it wasn't to the tastes of the more conservative fans. This is all that they're really saying, and such a plan doesn't imply that they've released shit or will do so in the future only on the basis that they can actually get away with it. I believe they're simply going to up the quality of both styles of Sonic games so that they can better cater to and satisfy both of their target demographics. Nothing wrong with that, I say. <3

[azoo]

Kids buy Sonic for Sonic indeed, yet people seem to forget Sonic has been just as synonymous with having a multitude of playstyles as he has been for his classic gameplay style considering this has been going on for over a decade. The aesthetics of the shtick may be forever changing, but the shtick itself isn't, and kids have enjoyed this type of gameplay amalgamation from its Adventure origins even if it wasn't to the tastes of the more conservative fans. This is all that they're really saying, and such a plan doesn't imply that they've released shit or will do so in the future only on the basis that they can actually get away with it. I believe they're simply going to up the quality of both styles of Sonic games so that they can better cater to and satisfy both of their target demographics. Nothing wrong with that, I say. <3

Exactly what I say. This is good news, guize. =3