Shadow the Hedgehog New Details and Interview

[Baba O'Reily]

Graphic mishap or needless addition to shoe? You decide!

I'd put my money on needless addition. You can tell from the curvature of the opening and the shadow surrounding it. Furthermore, if it is a mishap, I think few people would release such a sloppy pic to the public. And Amy's probably going to be whored up to add to the badassness of the game, so she needs to look sexier. ^_^

What is she, like 8?

[Senbei]

And? Shadow's an old man -- 50 or 60, right? Maybe he's one of those creepy preverted old guys who go out with minors and treat them with gifts. Like Chaos Emeralds and handguns. Besides, I think she's 13-14 now. And how far in the future is this game supposed to take place?

[Gwilym]

Senbei, you really don't know anything about 3D - and let me tell you why. The hole in the boot is a missing polygon. With polygons that big, you would wonder why most of the model looks so rounded and smooth - well, this is because of a process called subpatching which basically takes a big blocky object and smooths it up, adding curvature. As for explaining the other part, of course there's a shadow around it as that's how a render works. Things like how light bounces off surfaces and shadows are an automated part of rendering, so if a polygon is missing, the render agent decides that this must be deliberate and so renders a realistic missing polygon.

Not only that, but it's not stylised enough to be on purpose, and even if it was - who cares for revealed ankles?

[Frieza2000]

Shadow was in stasis for 50 years. His biological age is anybody's guess.

[Senbei]

I know, I know. Bad joke.
And, yeah, I don't know anything about polygons and graphic art. I'd like to learn ... eventually. When I made that observation, I was looking at it with a illustrator's eye. But, if revealing footwear isn't a big deal, then what are low cut high heels for? Of course, I'm not an avid fashion designer, but...

[PSMad]

There are some new previews, movies and pictures kicking about for those who are interested. Apparently the cut scenes are a good plus and the story is shaping up to be one of the stronger aspects of the game. The graphics however are a bit of a let down and we all know what the gameplay is going to be like.

I'm still looking forward to it and it will probably be my last X-Box purchase before moving onto the 360.

[Professor Machenstein]

I think the graphics look pretty good, ecspecially the FMV sequences. You can't deny the game looks infinitely better now than it did when it was first announced back in March. As for the gameplay, I won't judge until I get to actually hold the controller while the game is running.

I don't think the videos provided by Sonic World and IGN don't do the in-game experience any justice. They're just holding up on the thumb-stick and rapidly tapping jump like a lemur on caffine. They're not taking their time interacting with the environments, exploring the levels and discovering new items. They show Shadow blindly colliding head-first into enemies and lasers. The classic Sonic games weren't just about running and jumping; they were about strategic running and jumping, and how to avoid certain obsticles or traps so you don't fall for them again (Example; the infamous spike-pit in Mystic Cave Zone). The people playing Shadow in those videos I mentioned above do not seem to know of this principle. Example, those lasers in Westopolis; playing the level for the first time, it's pretty hard to predict when and where those lasers will hit. But after a few playthroughs, you'll develop a strategy in your head as to how to avoid those lasers. Once you get to know the level design, the gameplay won't be so fustrating after all.

[Esrever]

Oh, those caffinated lemurs. Always holding up on the thumbstick and rapidly tapping jump. When will they learn?

The graphics are HORRIBLE. There is no other way of looking at it. On the technical end: the animations are too rubbery for Shadow and too stiff for everyone else, the textures are terribly blurry, and everything is horribly under-polygonated. And on the stylistic side: the environments are bland and vacant, and the character designs for the aliens and enemies are some of the worst I've ever seen in ANY game. There have been some pretty bad games in the Sonic franchise over the years, but I've never seen any that looked so incompetently made.

Well, except maybe Sonic Blast.

[Senbei]

Oh no. There are chao??

Personally, I don't care too much about graphics as long as what's shown is legible and interesting. Then again, I've been playing on a Dreamcast for the past five years, so my standards aren't too high.

[Professor Machenstein]

Oh, those caffinated lemurs. Always holding up on the thumbstick and rapidly tapping jump. When will they learn?

The graphics are HORRIBLE. There is no other way of looking at it. On the technical end: the animations are too rubbery for Shadow and too stiff for everyone else, the textures are terribly blurry, and everything is horribly under-polygonated. And on the stylistic side: the environments are bland and vacant, and the character designs for the aliens and enemies are some of the worst I've ever seen in ANY game. There have been some pretty bad games in the Sonic franchise over the years, but I've never seen any that looked so incompetently made.

Well, except maybe Sonic Blast.

I take you're still looking at the Walk of Game trailer.

[Nova]

I think we should wait until someone plays a full version of the game to start saying this is the worst Sonic related game ever.

[Zeta]

Oh no. There are chao??

I may get it after all, if you can raise Chao! <3

[Senbei]

In the Gamespot picture it looks more like they're hug-attacking him. Could they be enemies? Or do I want to go there?

[Delphine]

Maybe it's part of what makes you good or evil. If you hug the chao, you're good. If you shoot them, you're evil.

...I would never, ever get the hero ending.

[Esrever]

I take you're still looking at the Walk of Game trailer.

Keep telling yourself that if it makes you feel better, man.

Nova, I was only speaking with respect to the visuals. I don't know if it's going to be the worst Sonic game ever, but anyone with eyes can tell that it's going to be one of the ugliest.

[James McGeachie]

I like how despite having proper shadows in their last few titles (on 3 characters in the previous game no less), they've decided to slap one of those incredibly dated circular ones on Shadow for this game.

That really sums up the visual quality and effort going into this game as a whole for me. At least on the actual gameplay side of things.

[Professor Machenstein]

There's a high possibility that the Shadow game could recieve some proper shadowing effects; there were complaints that Shadow's shoes didn't light up when he runs, but in the lastest trailers, they do. Ever since the Walk of Game trailer, I have taken track of this game's development for the past seven or eight months. Graphically, they've changed the HUD (Just look at the Chaos bars), they put in the red and blue aura for the Chaos powers, they reduced the shininess on the character models, the hue on the Black Arms' skin is more darker, and they splurt out green gooey stuff when you kill them instead of some red mist. I think shadow effects would be a priority if SEGA bothered to impliment those other effects I mentioned above. If not, then yeah, that is pretty half-assed. Let's keep complaining (No sarcasm intended).

[PSMad]

To be fair, in the previews I've read the graphics don't seem to be anything super but looking at them they aren't the worst I've seen on the current gen and are on par with, or better than the graphics in heroes which were okay.

It seems to play like I imagined it but like Professor Machenstein said, the new IGN vids are a bit poo... it would be nice to see the game being played by someone who knows what on earth they are doing.

My only major criticism is that the Black Arms and Gun solders seem to fall to the floor when hit in an odd fashion. Maybe I'm just used to things blowing up in a Sonic game when attacked.

[j-man]

You guys all still love Sonic 3, so who gives a fuck what it looks like. As long as it's fun to play, I'm sold.

[Crazy Penguin]

But Sonic 3 looks good!

[j-man]

Hush.

[Wooduck51]

As far as the graphics go I think that SA2 has so far been the best looking 3D sonic game yet, therefore Shadow the Hedgehog looks great to me. Sonic heroes (except for the cut scenes) did not treally improve SA2, and sometimes looked worse.

Hopefully the reason that Shadow the hedgehog has graphics like SA2 is because sonic team is using the memory for needed for better graphics for other more important things, hopefully fine detail, unlockable stuff, etc.

[Frieza2000]

Hopefully the reason that Shadow the hedgehog has graphics like SA2 is because sonic team is using the memory for needed for better graphics for other more important things, hopefully fine detail, unlockable stuff, etc.

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

[Delphine]

What he said.

[Double-S-]

Yeah, that's pretty funny.