Sonic Boom – Sonic 2/Sonic Adventure inspiration, tying in with the show, GamePad usage, crossover with 3DS for unlocks, more
The Guardian has published a new Sonic Boom interview with Big Red Button creative director Bob Rafei and OuiDo executive producer Evan Baily. Topics include Sonic 2/Sonic Adventure inspiration, tying in with the show, GamePad usage, how the Wii U and 3DS versions work tigether, and more.
Head past the break for the full comments. You can also check out The Guardain’s full piece here.
Rafei on the character designs…
“The objective was to make the characters instantly recognisable as being from Sonic Boom. We explored various costume options and quickly found the limits of what works and what doesn’t. Since we wanted to push the characterisation of Sonic and friends to fit our narrative, I thought it more appropriate to make them a touch older by adjusting their head, hand and feet proportions. The athletic tape hints at a team that is ready for any action – it is about practicality rather than vanity. Given they have very clean graphic lines, it was important not to clutter their silhouettes, so any little addition had to be carefully considered. They are designed for an epic action adventure.”
Rafei on avoiding some of the cliches of cooperative play…
“It was one of our biggest challenges. We constantly had to remind ourselves not to fall into the trap of creating babysitting, escort or protection style scenarios where one player is gated by the other simply for the sake of co-op. What we don’t want is forced co-op play resulting in excessive interruption to gameplay momentum. Through extensive play-testing we settled on the right balance of opportunistic moments in combat and co-op environmental puzzles placed at key moments that are meaningful to the player.”
Rafei on what kind of game Sonic Boom is, and how the team was inspired by Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and Sonic Adventure…
“Sonic 2 had a ‘team’ vibe between Sonic and Tails and we wanted to recapture that plus kick things up a notch by adding Amy and Knuckles to the equation. In Sonic Adventure, the game’s structure offered exploration and discovery that opened up more as the player progressed. We believe this is a great approach and modelled Sonic Boom after it. We also love what Sonic Team did with Sonic Generations, giving the player 2D and 3D variations of the same level. Our take was to integrate 2D and 3D seamlessly within the level in a way that made sense, keeping things fresh for the player.”
Baily on how Big Red Button worked closely with OuiDo, using some of the same art/CGI assets, and sharing ideas with Sonic Team’s Japanese heads who oversaw and advised on the whole project…
“There was lots of collaboration on the design side. On the TV side, our director, Natalys Raut-Sieuzac, led the way, along with Sandrine and OuiDo’s team of designers. We had creative sessions in San Francisco, Paris, and Tokyo, with people talking all at once in three different languages. It was very exciting to put our heads together to find a look that felt true to the DNA of Sonic, but also new.“
Rafei on the collaboration between the game and show…
“Characters that were developed for the game crossed over to the show and vice versa. Guidelines we developed with Sonic team for bosses, as example, were carried over to the show in effort to have consistency.”
On GamePad usage and unlocks between the Wii U/3DS versions…
“The GamePad display has given us a great solution for local co-op play. We tried different solutions for our co-op camera, including single split-screen display, but ultimately this wasn’t able to service our game vision. The GamePad also has a look-around mode where the player can scan the environment looking for clues and hints to secrets in the game. As for 3DS, there are some crossover plans between it and the Wii U involving special unlocks for Sonic fans who have both versions.”
