Megathread Sonic Frontiers (2022) | MT | General Discussion (DO NOT discuss leaks here please)

[light-gaia]

3 hours ago, Kazhnuz said:

"Sonic Team" for a long time wasn't even really a studio, it's a team inside a studio that is SEGA CS2. Now things might have changed, but SEGA CS2 was a bit their "catch-all" studio for a long time (the common things about CS2 games in the five last years were using the HE2, as seemingly even Puyo Puyo use it).

Now, since Sonic Studio exists, we have some sort of vertical management existing specifically for Sonic games (and we can certainly thanks the Sonic Boom fiasco for that XD). Now I hope that it'll help avoiding some of the issues, especially the "too many cook" one (but it might remove some filter that the IP had).

Even if I would like seeing SEGA use more their other IP, I feel that for Sonic, they kinda need a studio that do mostly that + not too much other things, a bit like Yakuza. Especially with how well Sonic do compared to their other IP. (Even if they shouldn't force the devs to do only that too :'))

I know, but Sega owns many other studios, even animation studios like Marza Animation Planet and TMS. They also own toy companies. Sega has other things besides Sonic. Furthermore, Sega is big in Japan, and Sonic is not so popular there. Old Sega IPs may be dead, but they have new ones, and other ones they have acquired. Here in the West, the Sonic brand is tidily connected to Sega's reputation, so to the general audience if Sonic is not doing great, Sega is bad. They don't have any other choice, Sonic Frontiers needs to be good if they want to change that perception. And, as far as we know, it's clear that they are trying to do that, this is the first Sonic game with a higher budget since maybe Unleashed? Only time will tell if they are going to succeed...

[phobs]

New very tiny screenshot from Sonic Frontiers was found on SEGA's instagram

 

[Zoomzeta]

21 hours ago, phobs said:

New very tiny screenshot from Sonic Frontiers was found on SEGA's instagram

 

Has it been translated?

There's a lot of talk about Sonic Studios and the current composition of the team itself, yet nothing tangible that indicates how much the team has changed or not beyond what has been scrapped from interviews, internal documents, and leaks of sometimes dubious truth. We are literally spinning circles right now for any info.

The only things I know that are apparently legit are:

-It's an open-world game starring Sonic.

-The dev team currently comprises 200 people, which includes franchise staples.

-Most of the voice cast is returning.

-Ian Flynn is working on the script.

That's it as far as I'm aware.

Edited January 13, 2022 by Zoomzeta

[Kazhnuz]

1 hour ago, Zoomzeta said:

-The dev team currently comprises 200 people, which includes franchise staples.

200 people ? I knew it was > 100 from an interview with Iizuka, where do come the 200 people info ? (If it's true it would kinda be logical and would explain while SEGA CS2 haven't worked on another game since 2019, as even if we don't know how big is SEGA CS2, 200 person is more than previous Sonic games).

[Zoomzeta]

45 minutes ago, Kazhnuz said:

200 people ? I knew it was > 100 from an interview with Iizuka, where do come the 200 people info ? (If it's true it would kinda be logical and would explain while SEGA CS2 haven't worked on another game since 2019, as even if we don't know how big is SEGA CS2, 200 person is more than previous Sonic games).

I think Iizuka mentioned that in a interview once. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Also forgot to mention that localization expanded to 12 language options, which is nice.

[phobs]

Listing for Frontiers was found on the website of UK retailer. Noticeably, the Switch version is priced the lowest. Prices are most likely accurate because SEGA stated in their financial reports that they are planning to price the game "competitively". I also would like to mention that many games are unfortunately priced higher in many countries outside of the U.S. and new Ratchet and Clank (in U was priced the same as current/next gen versions of Frontiers listed here. 

I really-really hope that this can be a sign that there will be next-gen upgrade

 

[Bobnik]

I wouldn't put too much stock in what are essentially placeholder prices for the game. While the store is legit, they like putting placeholder prices just to have an entry in the database I guess 

 

Though it would be kinda funny if the game cost 70 dollars/80 euros on all platforms, that'd be real tone-deaf and also very Japanese company.

[Razule]

$70, eh? Man. Will the average 10th gen game be 80? Maybe it's time to stop improving gaming technology. What do we get out of it anyway? All I see are longer dev times and higher prices.

[Blue Blood]

39 minutes ago, phobs said:

Listing for Frontiers was found on the website of UK retailer. Noticeably, the Switch version is priced the lowest. Prices are most likely accurate because SEGA stated in their financial reports that they are planning to price the game "competitively". I also would like to mention that many games are unfortunately priced higher in many countries outside of the U.S. and new Ratchet and Clank (in U was priced the same as current/next gen versions of Frontiers listed here. 

I really-really hope that this can be a sign that there will be next-gen upgrade

 

 

2 minutes ago, Bobnik said:

I wouldn't put too much stock in what are essentially placeholder prices for the game. While the store is legit, they like putting placeholder prices just to have an entry in the database I guess 

 

Though it would be kinda funny if the game cost 70 dollars/80 euros on all platforms, that'd be real tone-deaf and also very Japanese company.

Yeah, listen to Bobnik on this one. GAME are the biggest gaming retailer in the UK (like GameStop in the USA), but all they're doing here is putting up no-deposit pre-orders so that it's in the catalogue. Don't put any stock in what they saying yet, when the release date is still 10 or 11 months away yet. Retailers use placeholders prices and dates all the time. 

[Coz483]

On 1/16/2022 at 10:56 AM, Razule said:

$70, eh? Man. Will the average 10th gen game be 80? Maybe it's time to stop improving gaming technology. What do we get out of it anyway? All I see are longer dev times and higher prices.

After a PS6 and XBOX uh after series X I feel like any new consoles aren't gonna improve much, and honestly it will suck because I feel like these companies will keep making you buy games only for new consoles

[light-gaia]

On 1/16/2022 at 1:56 PM, Razule said:

$70, eh? Man. Will the average 10th gen game be 80? Maybe it's time to stop improving gaming technology. What do we get out of it anyway? All I see are longer dev times and higher prices.

The prices are always going to increase over time because there is inflation. $60 in 2006 wasn't worth the same as $60 now.

_______________________________________

About Sonic games not being full price for a while: as far as I know, Sonic Forces was the only mainline 3D Sonic game that wasn't full price. Sonic Lost World was full price on the Wii U and 3DS, so was Sonic Generations, so was Sonic Colors (on its original release).

A funny thing I have noticed in the fanbase. There were some problems in Sonic Forces that weren't on the other past Sonic Team games, but people act like Sonic Forces represents how the entire franchise is. For example: Sonic Forces lacks good animation, but people forget that before Forces there was Sonic Lost World that is one of the most polished 3D games when it comes to animation.

Sonic Forces was the first 3D Sonic game that wasn't released with full price, then people act like the whole Sonic franchise has always been like that.

Other funny thing is the dramatic discussions about the Sonic Forces' model in Sonic Frontiers. Sonic's model always changes, so did his sprites in the classic trilogy. Sonic Forces wasn't the first, and it's not going to be the last adjustment they will do in Sonic's design.

So to me, people being really mad and dramatic about that, it's like when people used to complain about Sonic having green eyes.

[Zoomzeta]

35 minutes ago, light-gaia said:

The prices are always going to increase over time because there is inflation. $60 in 2006 wasn't worth the same as $60 now.

_______________________________________

About Sonic games not being full price for a while: as far as I know, Sonic Forces was the only mainline 3D Sonic game that wasn't full price. Sonic Lost World was full price on the Wii U and 3DS, so was Sonic Generations, so was Sonic Colors (on its original release).

A funny thing I have noticed in the fanbase. There were some problems in Sonic Forces that weren't on the other past Sonic Team games, but people act like Sonic Forces represents how the entire franchise is. For example: Sonic Forces lacks good animation, but people forget that before Forces there was Sonic Lost World that is one of the most polished 3D games when it comes to animation.

Sonic Forces was the first 3D Sonic game that wasn't released with full price, then people act like the whole Sonic franchise has always been like that.

Other funny thing is the dramatic discussions about the Sonic Forces' model in Sonic Frontiers. Sonic's model always changes, so did his sprites in the classic trilogy. Sonic Forces wasn't the first, and it's not going to be the last adjustment they will do in Sonic's design.

So to me, people being really mad and dramatic about that, it's like when people used to complain about Sonic having green eyes.

I'm really trying to make sense of how a whole discussion of the model used for him came about from a STILL IMAGE. 

[Razule]

8 minutes ago, Zoomzeta said:

I'm really trying to make sense of how a whole discussion of the model used for him came about from a STILL IMAGE. 

The fanbase is starving for news for right now, and the model beef has been bubbling up for a while.

[MH MD]

On 1/16/2022 at 7:56 PM, Razule said:

$70, eh? Man. Will the average 10th gen game be 80? Maybe it's time to stop improving gaming technology. What do we get out of it anyway? All I see are longer dev times and higher prices.

It's not about advance in technology, otherwise swtich games would be cheaper

 

Companies -mainly Sony- just pushed the $70 price tag for more profit, even though they don't have to, they aren't really starving for money, in fact they already have the highest profits in their history

 

1 hour ago, light-gaia said:

About Sonic games not being full price for a while: as far as I know, Sonic Forces was the only mainline 3D Sonic game that wasn't full price. Sonic Lost World was full price on the Wii U and 3DS, so was Sonic Generations, so was Sonic Colors (on its original release).

not sure about lost world Wii U, but i do recall Generations and Colors were sold at $50 day one, higher than Forces price tag, but lower than full retail price

[Zoomzeta]

56 minutes ago, Razule said:

The fanbase is starving for news for right now, and the model beef has been bubbling up for a while.

That's really a terrible way to start an argument.

[Natie]

2 hours ago, light-gaia said:

So to me, people being really mad and dramatic about that, it's like when people used to complain about Sonic having green eyes.

It really is similar, being a minor detail that isn't hated so much for how it looks rather than how it represents a specific era they don't prefer.

[Razule]

59 minutes ago, Natie said:

It really is similar, being a minor detail that isn't hated so much for how it looks rather than how it represents a specific era they don't prefer.

Except instead of an era, it's one single medicre game. I think it's also people thinking that if they're reusing assets, they're cutting corners. 

[Kazhnuz]

3 hours ago, MH MD said:

It's not about advance in technology, otherwise swtich games would be cheaper

 

Companies -mainly Sony- just pushed the $70 price tag for more profit, even though they don't have to, they aren't really starving for money, in fact they already have the highest profits in their history

It's not a question of advance of technology, but it's a question of console power and of the whole market economy.

The more your console is powerful, the more it cost to make a game up to these standard. Companies are pushing this line to earn more profit sure, but also because cost of development are rising, partially related to console/PC power (and to the sheer ambition of games becoming ridiculous). The market is gearing toward bigger developpement cost for the "important title".

( And TBH, if the Switch is less advanced than PS5/XBSX, it's not less advanced than PS4/XBO. It's less powerful. I would say that in some way, the Switch is more advanced, having for instance a better power-to-consumption ratio, thanks to having an ARM chip that are generally better on that matter. Equating technology advancement to sheer computational power is a mistake the whole economy of computing/console is making us make. )

[BubbleButt TV]

On the topic of this model fiasco all I'm gonna say is that I think this is something that's been blown out of proportion, by both sides of the debate.

People obviously aren't actually upset that Sonic's quills are 2cm shorter, like come on get real lol. 

It's an animation thing and people believe that the Forces model is inherently not conducive for good character animation. You either have an eye for this kinda thing or you don't.

We've not actually seen it in motion though, so I think people should reserve judgement until then.

 

These tweets explain it in smarter ways I think:

 

Hypo and Jordan(PoX) are very skilled animators so I trust their opinion on this a lot. They know what they're talking about here.

If they think the Forces model and everything about it leads to lackluster animation work, then I trust that they know what they're talking about because they have the knowledge to back up these claims.

[light-gaia]

9 hours ago, MH MD said:

not sure about lost world Wii U, but i do recall Generations and Colors were sold at $50 day one, higher than Forces price tag, but lower than full retail price

I don't remember about Sonic Generations, but I pre-ordered Sonic Lost World for both my Wii U and my 3DS. The Wii U version was $60, and the 3DS version was $40 (3DS full price games used to cost $40).

[StaticMania]

3 hours ago, BubbleButt TV said:

People obviously aren't actually upset that Sonic's quills are 2cm shorter, like come on get real lol. 

I am upset by Sonic's spikes being shorter by a fair amount.

I'm for real.

I. Am. For. Real.

[Razule]

4 hours ago, BubbleButt TV said:

People obviously aren't actually upset that Sonic's quills are 2cm shorter, like come on get real lol. 

I've absolutely seen people upset about that specific thing.

[light-gaia]

4 hours ago, BubbleButt TV said:

People obviously aren't actually upset that Sonic's quills are 2cm shorter, like come on get real lol.

They are, I've seen people complaining about Sonic's quills and his color in videos and comments on social media. Even Tails Channel and SpeedSuperSonic have posted videos about that discussion.

[Iko]

The quills are the new green eyes, things never change.

[light-gaia]

4 minutes ago, Iko said:

The quills are the new green eyes, things never change.

People are acting like it's the end of the world. The game is going to be bad because Sonic has shorter quills, and a different shade of blue.