I recall reading this somewhere ages ago as an explanation for why there are so little Sonic game (and general) hacks coming from Japan, which usually outputs such immense masses of fan works. So, to use your words, this really is something only concerning “whiny fanchildren”, and less so developers.Ritz wrote:Is this actually a thing in Japan? Care to cite your sources? I mean, Nintendo had no qualms adding new content to their GBA Mario ports, and that alone sort of trounces this idea of games being immutable for fear of hurting someone's feelings! I'd think the notion of disrespect is much more of a concern to whiny fanchildren than it ever would be for any game developer.
Actually, Oshima mentioned some time ago in an interview that he still considers Sonic his dear child; no idea how much this applies to Sonic CD though, or if it only concerns Sonic as a character. Either way, there is a difference between adding additional content to a game—such as new levels or unlockable boni—and tampering with the most essential and characteristic mechanics of a game.This is purely commercial work these people are doing, and the ones who harbor any considerable attachment to their work would likely love to see more content added when no game is ever complete. Only about half of the stuff planned for most games ever makes the cut. Oshima's not going to care about Sega tampering with a game he produced nearly 20 years ago, he has his own shit to deal with.
This really is unacceptably, irrevocably retarded!
Why this matters even if it's just optional, I shall try to use an analogy to explain:Neo wrote:Okay, you understand this. So the original physics are for you. The Sonic 2 physics are for the average Joe Idiot who doesn't know better and frowns upon the quirkier controls and ragequits because of it. The game then sells more copies, future budgets get higher and you're more likely to get HD rereleases of the original trilogy with online multiplayer and stereoscopic 3D.
Stop whining because you're getting all your greatest wishes and a bag of chips.
Imagine you have a girlfriend whom you dearly love (a bit exaggerated an analogy, but bear with me). You don't see each other for a while, but as you meet her again, you discover that she secretly underwent plastic surgery, getting a facelift, blowing up her breasts, and whatnot. She actually looks more attractive now.
Theoretically, you should not care (except worry if she had/has self‐esteem issues), since, though her appearance has changed, beneath her skin she is the very same person you know and love. She's back with you, and that's all that matters. Indeed, you have reason to be even more happy, because she looks even better now (not that you ever had any issues with her appearance)!
Except you are likely to feel betrayed. Not because her appearance changed, but because you feel that she did not understand why you loved her, why you loved her—and, by extension, she never understood you either. She went and underwent cosmetic surgery, to look more attractive, more appealing—but that is something you couldn't care less about, and something only others who have no feelings for her will appreciate.
In theory, you should be happy, or just don't care. It would be no better—or even worse—of you if you actually took this as a reason to leave her and to break her heart over such a superficial issue. But, chances are you will continue to feel that little sting in your heart whenever you look at her, the little doubt in the back of your head, the realisation that you might not be as close as you had long thought you were.
But a video game is not a person, it has no feelings, and it has no value in itself; and thus, I have no shame in simply dumping it instead of forcing myself to play it, knowing and feeling it to be something different, something to appeal to everyone, but nothing whose quirks and peculiarities, whose uniqueness I once learned to love. Just another commercial game.