don't click here

Fan Game Sonic Utopia

Comfortably Dumb

Green Hill Zone
Sep 14, 2017
7
8
28
27
Yeah, I'm designing in a bit of a vacuum here and greatly oversimplifying things - I hadn't even considered how level gimmicks would factor into this shape. Glad to hear you place such an emphasis on level variety though; Sonic 1 is actually my favourite of the classics because of how unique each level feels, and how this lends to the game's overall pacing.

Out of interest, are there any levels from the official 3D titles that you consider to have particularly strong design, or that you and Lange are looking to for inspiration, maybe?
 

Trokon Hufnagel

Spineggan
Dec 22, 2017
1
0
6
25
I wonder if this is due to inexperience with Sonic 3D platformers, but here are my thoughts:

Trying to remain on a curved/sloped path is an endless battle for me, as I constantly lose my balance at top speeds and slip off down a lower path. My thumb can never keep Sonic in a straight line when I go up and try to travel on a slope. My thumb nervously slides all over the place when controlling Sonic this way. Maybe it's due to my prior experience with games like Super Mario. Is it just inexperience, or is it me trying to adjust to the control scheme? What is it?
 

Great Lange

The Great Lange
Apr 26, 2017
64
146
74
33
The Land of Waldos
I'm sure a lot of that is due to unfinished and faulty controls. Unity's native input doesn't handle the joystick smoothly and there tends to be a delay when you try to steer Sonic in tiny amounts resulting in sudden jumps to angles a bit farther than desired. Proportions for size and movement are not fully balanced, along with linearly interpolated steering when it's meant to be eased, combined with the joystick lag causes players to struggle moving Sonic cleanly. I see players typically controlling Sonic with little jerky or staircase motions when trying to steer, unable to make subtle changes to direction or maintain certain angles relative to the camera without zigzagging. This problem is amplified at higher speeds given Sonic travels farther between tiny angle changes, making it more noticeable and more difficult to stay on a desired course or narrow pathway. I expected this with the state the demo was in, and sure enough I commonly see this issue and I even do this myself. The best way to handle it is to get used to controlling Sonic and the camera in tandem, makes for nicer steering.

All of this however has been addressed in the current state of the engine. Joystick response is perfect via Rewired plugin, steering is eased much more smoothly, underlying motion and physics are improved, and proportions and movement values are better balanced.
 

Murasaki

Co-Creator of Sonic Utopia
Aug 29, 2017
26
45
38
34
Not only that, but the old camera system was very sensitive, so the deadzone and easing issues would be further multiplied when the camera changes direction to follow Sonic.

The new camera is almost completely different. It's easier and smoother to control, and it follows Sonic in a much smarter way. I think everyone will like it.
 

Karnage

Press Start Screen
Jan 12, 2018
1
1
7
39
Hi Great Lange!

I love it! This is the best 3D Sonic I've ever played. The sense of control over Sonic's movement is unparalleled by any version of 3D Sonic I have ever played and this makes the game so much fun for me. I can literally just run around the demo level for hours and have a blast because of the sense of control I feel while playing, which I feel is the most important part of any game.

FYI I play with a keyboard and mouse. Mouse look is always on and I've mapped jump to left mouseclick and roll to right mouseclick. I love smoothly turning Sonic with a mouse!

One suggestion: get rid of the impaired steering that comes with travelling at very high speed. I know it's more realistic but it deprives you of a bit of that sense of control when you can't make snap judgements/turns on the fly while barreling at high speeds. There were a few times where I wanted to make a sharp turn quickly while moving at a high speed but instead my mouse turns faster than sonic does and he doesn't turn enough and bumps into a wall losing my momentum :/ I think it would be a lot more fun.

Thanks for making this! I'm definitely showing this game to all my friends and I know as Sonic fans they will LOVE it like I do. Can't wait to see the finished product!

Karnage
 
  • Like
Reactions: Murasaki

sarcasticninja4

Press Start Screen
Jan 28, 2018
1
0
6
20
will there be completely new zones or ones existing in other games?


also, would you be able to estimate the year that the project would be finished?
 

ConcreteLlama

Press Start Screen
Jan 29, 2018
1
0
6
35
I just had a go at this and thought it was very fun! I'm looking forward to seeing where it goes.

To anyone playing with a controller, I have a suggestion (don't know if it's been mentioned before). Try playing this as a twin stick game, using the bumper for jump instead of the face buttons. It sounds like a small change but it does actually control very nicely like that as it allows you to do most action orented things without ever moving your thumbs off the thumbsticks (got the idea from Mirrors Edge/Dying Light). If you're used to modern games which generally require you to control the camera and the player simultaneously I think you'll find it more intuitive, and almost entirely removes any potential issues that may come from any kind of automated camera.

Ideally I'd probably have RB as Jump, RT as peel-out and LT as crouch/roll, but unfortunately the controller mapper didn't pick up my controller's triggers.
 

Comfortably Dumb

Green Hill Zone
Sep 14, 2017
7
8
28
27
Are you planning to add a drop shadow below Sonic? If you want to keep a more natural look by having his shadow cast in the same direction as everything else, the PS2 Ratchet & Clank games do a cool trick where they only move Ratchet's shadow directly beneath him while he's in the air. Gives you the best of both worlds - easier platforming without looking unnatural all the time. Hope it's clear from this GIF how the direction of the shadow changes:

 

atomalty62391

Press Start Screen
Apr 10, 2018
1
0
6
33
Sonic Utopia is amazing! I love it so much, I LOVE the fact I can curl up in mid-air and Sonic's animation matches that from the Sonic CD opening video where Sonic jumps off the mountain and throws himself into a ball, I've always loved that, hahahaha, it's the little things I guess. I also LOVE that the camera follows Sonic on loops, corkscrews, and all the bends, I get adrenaline rushes when I roll down a steep hill, roll off the end of a hill, and land on another path still rolling. It's just so much fun and I look forward to what you guys do with this project. 5/5 for the demo from me! :D
 

ninjasonic102

Green Hill Zone
Apr 30, 2018
2
0
21
21
Any chance of adding the option for a homing attack reticle? I think it'd just be nice to have that as an ease of use type thing when you're trying to gauge whether to make a jump or something. I think having the option of a reticle (even if you could, like, turn it off and on) would just make the classic style of gameplay in a 3D space a little bit better, same as adding the homing attack itself.
 

Chopp

a bit of a ghost
Aug 29, 2017
21
18
28
Any chance of adding the option for a homing attack reticle? I think it'd just be nice to have that as an ease of use type thing when you're trying to gauge whether to make a jump or something. I think having the option of a reticle (even if you could, like, turn it off and on) would just make the classic style of gameplay in a 3D space a little bit better, same as adding the homing attack itself.
Its already in the game, but you need momentum/speed to do so (unless you want a gauge to show when you can do it)
 

Great Lange

The Great Lange
Apr 26, 2017
64
146
74
33
The Land of Waldos
One suggestion: get rid of the impaired steering that comes with travelling at very high speed. I know it's more realistic but it deprives you of a bit of that sense of control when you can't make snap judgements/turns on the fly while barreling at high speeds. There were a few times where I wanted to make a sharp turn quickly while moving at a high speed but instead my mouse turns faster than sonic does and he doesn't turn enough and bumps into a wall losing my momentum :/ I think it would be a lot more fun.
It's not a matter of realism. It's both a measure of control and challenge. It would be much worse to control Sonic if he could make hairpin turns at any speed. Wanting to make sudden turns is more so an issue you're having with the demo's level design. That said we're trying out a drift maneuver which might lend more control over turning.

Are you planning to add a drop shadow below Sonic?
Planned since before the first demo.

Any chance of adding the option for a homing attack reticle? I think it'd just be nice to have that as an ease of use type thing when you're trying to gauge whether to make a jump or something. I think having the option of a reticle (even if you could, like, turn it off and on) would just make the classic style of gameplay in a 3D space a little bit better, same as adding the homing attack itself.
There will be a subtle indicator via sparkles appearing on targets, which can be toggled off.

Its already in the game, but you need momentum/speed to do so (unless you want a gauge to show when you can do it)
??
No there isn't and that's not how it works. What are you talking about?
 

CheeseN1P

Green Hill Zone
Jul 9, 2018
1
0
11
32
I am looking forward to see your guys take on the bosses. I have been imagining in my head what they might be like. What kind of difficulty are you going for? or will you be able to select that?
 
Jul 10, 2018
7
1
23
21
Ive heard so much about this. Ive always wanted to work on a fan game myself, since Mania got me curious if it's possible to make this a potential and official game. I wanted to add ideas upon this, but that is up to you. What do you think?
 

Great Lange

The Great Lange
Apr 26, 2017
64
146
74
33
The Land of Waldos
I am looking forward to see your guys take on the bosses. I have been imagining in my head what they might be like. What kind of difficulty are you going for? or will you be able to select that?
No difficulty modes, the game will be as is. Difficulty can vary depending on how you play.

Ive heard so much about this. Ive always wanted to work on a fan game myself, since Mania got me curious if it's possible to make this a potential and official game. I wanted to add ideas upon this, but that is up to you. What do you think?
All ideas are subject to the same discretion. I only apply what I consider is good and works well. I prefer sticking with my own for cohesion and to try and prove my own concepts, and I prioritize the rest of the team over anything by strangers.