GamesCom 09, ASR Interview
TSSZ News’ coverage of GamesCom continues with a video interview TSSZ News readers might actually feel like commenting on. This time it’s the turn of Will Tarratt to step up to the plate and justify Sonic & Sega All Star Racing. Being the senior designer at Sumo Digital, the developer behind the game, you think he’d know his stuff. It turns out you’d be right.
You’ll be glad to know Sumo are attempting to keep all console version of the game very similar. So unlike Unleashed we won’t end up with such a difference between current gen consoles and the Wii. Tarratt also gives some insight into how they decided which Sega characters should appear in the game. Obviously Sega had a say buy Sumo did apparently try to listen to fans. Knuckles making an appearance might have had something to do with that.
He most interesting topic by far is why exactly Sonic is in a car. Will Tarratt brings this up and watching him you feel it’s a question he’s answered many times before. The answer might surprise you; Sumo digital actually experimented with some of the characters running around, Sonic R style; Specifically Sonic running and Beat skating. Other characters who couldn’t move so fast were combined to vehicles such as Eggman’s Monster Truck.
Problems arose when deciding what should happen when people on foot collided with such monstrous machinery. It wouldn’t look good for Sonic to be run over. Also Sumo thought it would confuse players, there being a vast difference in controlling a character to controlling a car. Finally Will decides having Sonic being able to run just wouldn’t be fair so to compete in the race it was decided he’d use a car to slow him down a bit. Looking at his car it should still be one of the fastest in the game.
Take a look at the video below then let us know what you think in the comments section.
Originally posted on TSSZ News
I think that explination will shut up “some” people about such things as “why Sonic is in a car”, ok I’m very confident about this game, this will one of the best games ever like all SONIC GAMES ARE!! 😀
They should make every super star doing a unic move (I’m not talking about the especial “superstar move”) , for exemple when catching rings Sonic could boost (like in Sonic Unleashed), DR. Robotnick could shoot torpedos or something, Tails could fly very high, Knuckles could digg or something, can you understand, I thingks that would be awsome too.
Still if the game continues this way, it will be THE BEST!”!!! 😀 😀
This game does look like a lot of fun. Just hope when they said “old and new characters” that it would also include Ristar. He has to appear in ONE of these games at least….
I’m not that confident. Not at all. I know that you should never expect too much from a game that isn’t out yet.
But I have to admit that it looks good. Just like all other SEGA games before they are out and everyone can’t see how bad it is. But still, I think this will be a great game. 🙂
They could’ve just said it’s RACING game, not a SONIC game.
Geez, I honestly don’t get why that’s such a big deal to people.
See, THAT’S a legitimate answer. They tried it, didn’t work, they said “fuck it, give them all a car”. And of course the almighty excuse of SONIC BEIN’ TOO EFFIN FAST!
Despite my call outs on this merely being a Mario Kart clone, I will look forward to its release, still don’t see too many differences, but there you go.
Didn’t stop them slowing Sonic to snail-pase in M&S at the Olympics, even that lug Bowser could beat him. I guess I am one of those people who will still complain about Sonic’s butt being attached to that drivers-seat. (Super Sonic dosen’t count) It COULD work if you think of Sonic Riders where you run out of air – the board stopped and you ran, if someone ran into you, you were shunted away. Whenever I look at the beautiful scenery in this game it just makes me wish I could run it as the Hegdehog himself. OH – and I’m all for Metal Sonic in this game. Still glad it’s making it on PC.
Oh, right. It wouldn’t look good for Sonic to get squished, eh? It is not like he’s a blue CARTOONY hedgehog after all. I mean, he can’t turn into a pancake or push on someone’s car onfoot? That is such a lame excuse not to have him running. I do not accept that as a good enough answer. That should’ve gone and Sonic R’d it up.
SEGA, where art thou sense? As Malady said, they slowed Sonic down once for the Olympics, why not now?
Because Sumo Digital obviously thought that fact through, unlike the Mario & Sonic devs.
@Paul Street: That is still no good. Here is this for example. Eggman’s monster truck is HUGE. If anything, he could run right past over Sonic without giving him a scratch, and as for other vehicles that are smaller…. What? Is it that bad for them to be competitive and push him fling him into the air and send him under in the engine? I bring up Mike from Monster’s Inc. Remeber that short film featuring him? Stuffed in the freaking engine. My god, is SEGA really trying to treat Sonic realisticly? Screw that. I want the toony Sonic, please. I want derranged cartoon madness. Why? Because it is FUN.
@GREG THE CAT: Exactly ~ if all goes under that Sonic will still be in the car – atleast have an OPTION for Sonic to loose the wheels, or an unlockable. I guess I am just a fan-girl for Sonic’s fast moving feet over-ground, not the gas-pedal.
Besides this – was that Bingo Highway from Heroes? why all the Heroes levels? >_> Hmm, I would say a level I would like to seeee would be, -haha, as much as I liked Spagonia\ Roof-top run, I could hardly see that as a track. Probably Eggmanland? 😀 *shot*
Are some of you REALLY comparing Sonic’s participation in the Summer Olympics, yanno, that slew of events tailored to *atheletic skill*, to a vehicular race where the number one rule of such is that you need a vehicle to even participate, hence it even being called a *vehicular race* in the first place?
I can hardly believe that this is still an issue, much less one where people will insult the collective intelligence of a company in the process. I’m even more floored that this asinine non-issue needed to be addressed by anyone on the dev team. Again, Sonic’s in a car because it’s a vehicle race, keyword being vehicle.
VEHICLE.
@Bliz
VEHICLE is the main issue here. It hurts to see my child-hood hero scrape his knees.
@Malady and Greag: Oh my Miyamoto… Don’t you understand!? They are all in vehicles because it’s a racing game! It’s that easy! And if you prefer a running hedgehog, this isn’t the game for you!
As blunt as Werehog put it, I have to agree with him. I don’t think the question of why is he in a car has to come into question if it’s a racing game. I have not heard one person in my lifetime question why Mario or Crash being cars, and I don’t think Sonic should be an exception.
I mean the one thing that can almost out run him in a car is a formula one car as displayed in Sonic X, and that’s a shit ton faster than any monster truck or motorbike.
They slowed him down in M&S@OG? That was more of an issue than an excuse for this game, that was Sonic, the fastest thing alive, capable of being beaten – on foot, no less – by everyone. Shadow and probably Tails were understandable and Eggman (as the classics have taught us lol), not EVERYONE.
I mean, they at least TRIED having him on foot anyway, you gotta give them some credit for that.
Meh, stop complain. Only because Sonic is in a car it dosen’t mean that the game is bad. I’m going to buy it. But don’t know which console.
WEREHOG! Are you going to get this game for you Wii!?
No wait I just send a message to him. And I agree with Werehog there to. If you don’t like it, it isn’t the game for you.
iI’m still baffled my the fact that Sonic being in a car somehow makes this game suck.Sonic R is on ft and that games sucks, so where’s the logic? They gave the reason why he’s nt and whether you chose to accept it r nt is up to you. However they at least tried and answered the question directly,So you shuld be thankful fr that. Why are peple als cmparing this too M@S? Thats a counter argument! ALL THE CHARACTERS WERE BALANCED IN THAT GAME, with some slight tweaks in characters fr events t make it FAIR. How is that different to this game? It like saying you want Sonic in a car n a track event, but n fot in a grand prix?
Sonic R doesn’t suck! That’s my childhood your talking about :p
I got Sonic R this christmas and it was pretty fun! 🙂
FOR JESUS SAKE! All these fanboys keep complaining >.> is it so hard to understand? geez! its a grand prix a RACING GAME! it would be too different and it would feel weird, they MUST be in cars! if u cant accept sonic being on a car (even knowing THEY TRIED) then just go and buy some other sonic game x.X perhaps mr werehog will make u feel better …
@ Paul Street: I agree. It isn’t so bad as many people say. It was one of the first Sonic games I’ve ever got. And I don’t think it is so bad. I’ve been having “much” fun with it. But it’s not the best though.
EVERYBODY SUPER SONIC RACING… 😀
Ok. I like his answer as to “Why Sonic drives a car?” Another anwer could be accepted and has to deal with Sonic’s Profile in Sonic Jam (Saturn)(or any other Sonic games), in the profile it says “Likes: Fast things” a car (or more specifically a race car) is a fast thing, granted that a car may (or may not) be as fast as Sonic, but since Sonic likes fast things therefore he likes cars and likes (if not loves) to drive them. PERIOD. Quite frankly I’m tired of all the fans bickering and complaining about Sonic driving a car, BIG DEAL, if Sonic wants to drive a car then he should, just because he’s “the fastest thing alive” doesn’t mean he can’t drive a car. If you take the time to read what i just wrote I should make perfect sense.
“We listen to the fans on the fourms.”
– We can see that in this game, then just add Alex Kidd in it and Knuckles…
SONIC & SEGA ALL-STARS RACING will be AWSOME!!! 😀 🙂
lol “they”* and we saw that in Unleashed too
Wow. This looks very promising. As for other characters, I wonder….maybe NiGHTS would have some kind of a moon, and Shadow the Hedgehog would bring back the motorcycle…This is gonna be interesting. If anyone aquires the knowledge as to who is going to be in this game, please email me at kitsuneaku@yahoo.com. thanks!
To Greg and Malady: Sometimes games are played best when logic and common sense are thrown out the window for once. Play the games when they come out and keep the senseless “Sonic in a car!? WHY?!” complaining away from here.
I was wondering about the “Why Sonic Is In the Car” deal myself. Now that that is answered, I am totally looking forward to the game. I also hope the innovation and the non-logic is really good too.
Ristar is probally the only character i want in the game that hasent been confirmed
I’d like to see Vectorman. I haven’t played his game but I want him in. He’s that awesome. 😀
I guess it does make sense why he has a car in terms of the gameplay, but what I really care about is if it makes sense in terms of the story.
I always thought since they were racecar driving, the would be disqualified or something if they got off their vehicle. maked sense in the 1st sonic riders not so much in zero gravity (they didn’t have an actual race until the last track story wise) =/
“VEHICLE is the main issue here. It hurts to see my child-hood hero scrape his knees.” — Malady
Give me a break. This is pure melodrama, nothing but the usual Sonic fan baww.
Your childhood memories are *only* precious to you, nor should you be so sensitive about their lack of being honored by a population not obligated to do so, so as to feel anguish every time a company uses their mascot (read: *their* mascot) in an innocent way that goes against some irrelevant moral obligation you’ve built up about this non-issue.
Even then, Sonic’s speed is still irrelevant. He can participate in race without sullying his oh-so precious good name, or shall we start questioning and decrying every other spin-off in existence that skews with a character’s abilities for fairness and gameplay balance? Heck, why not look at canon games! For a character that can run past the speed of sound, Unleashed’s top speed of a paltry 300 mph must’ve made your blood boil. How dare Sega miss the mark! We must lead the charge!
Oy vey… xP;;
Bliz- “How dare Sega miss the mark! We must lead the charge!”- You sir, win the award for best 2nd best sarcasm of the year.
But in all seriousness, why complain about Sonic in a car? I mean Mario done tons of spin-offs in sports, racing, rpgs, and… jeez just about almost all genres (expect the first person game and shooter genres).
@Bliz
I am sure they are precious to myself and other Sonic fans around the world. :V And hey – woah there, not saying the game is going to be bad or anything – I am actually looking forward for the PC version. Why would I be angry at Sonic’s speed in Unleashed? his so called “cannon” speed is 765mph – looks like I would be angry at every Sonic game in existance. >_> Which I certainly am not.
Besides all the banter, looking forward to having a look at this game, there is sure to have something to please all. (lurves Crab-Meat cameo)
If they decide to put in Jack Cayman in the game, I’m getting it [or the version that’ll include him (even though I know this is a hopeless dream)].
@ Malady– Your specific childhood memories are only precious to you because you are the only one who’s experienced them and they have no possible intrinsic value to anyone else. Thus no one, even those with similar sentiments, will ever *truly* empathize with your pain whenever your beliefs over a fictional character are ever desecrated somehow.
And I’ve not made any attempt to call out your impressions about the game as a whole and don’t particularly concern myself with whether you think ASR will be good or not. Good on you for having faith in it, though, but regardless, that’s not what I’m going on about. I’ve specifically been engaging the “Sonic in a car” complaints which irk me, if it weren’t obvious enough.
And of course you would logically have to be angry at every canon game, hence why that was sarcasm. xP;;
Anyways, I suppose I should divulge my thoughts about the game: Its Rare-esque, arcadey stylings and heavy-looking handling remind me quite a bit of DKR, which is one of my faves. If it ends up faster though, I’ll certainly be a happy camper. My only major complaint is that we continue getting Sonic-based areas from Heroes in the All-Stars series when there’s tons of Sonic games, both realistic and imaginary, to take inspiration from. Irregardless of locales, I’m hoping this will be a nice kart racer, at least nice enough not to suffer from excessive ridicule from merely existing in a post-Mario Kart world.
@Bliz
Mm -yeah I agree, why all the Heroes levels? I wouldn’t mind seeing some of the classics. Kart-Race from SA2? c: *shot*
One other thing that bothers me… the way they jump and flail around in the car with pelvic thrusts and the rest, I know it’s ment to be free- and crazy, but christ. xD
I love the fact that NOBODY addressed the issue of Sonic STEALING a bumper car and using it to drive through Twinkle Park…..
And hey! Sonic likes to drive stuff! Just look at what he did in Holoska!
And it’s pretty cool with Sonic in a car… 8)
@Werehog: Man I like you comment hog, I have a really good point there hehehe, but before S&SASR we had already Sonic Drift 1 and 2 and in that time nobody haf complayne “about why Sonic is in a car”, In my own opinion that a very very silly question for “some” Sonic Fans to ask about!
If you ready what I wrote earlier in this comment section you will see
Gotta Juice… 😛
SU: Yeah, you got a point there. 😉
Translation: We didn’t want the tiny babies playing this game to whine when Sonic got run over by Eggman’s monster truck.
Whatever. Just gimme some Vectorman.
@Viewtiful Jeff: Uh huh… Sounds accurate to me.
I still see this game as being good, but I still am not pleased that they didn’t keep with him doing a Sonic R and running.
And as for Holoska, Twinkle Park, SA2 multiplayer race (You forgot that kart racing too, huh?) and then I see that you have some good points. But even then, it was to have an attitude and the sort. I mean snowboarding through Ice Cap was fast and fun, while jacking that car in Twinkle Park from that enemy robot totally said attitude and Sonic. But still…. I wonder who even enjoyed the kart racing in SA2 anyways. It was boring. So not the reason why I played that game.
Then again, you guys might be onto something. I mean, ever since Sonic 3, the hog jacks anything that says fast and furious so yeah…. Still, he is more faster than a car. I still can’t shake the feeling that something here is familiar about this Sonic in a car business. Something along the lines of clasic Sonic 3 concept art from a certain disc for PC.