Xbox Live Developer Interview: SEGA, makers of Sonic CD

As our review indicates, I'm a large fan of Sonic 4, the outset Sonic game released on Windows Phone. SEGA is now gearing up to release Sonic CD, a new and improved version of the classic Sega CD game, for Windows Telephone and other platforms. In the latest installment of our Xbox Alive Developer Interview series, we grill Ken Balough, Brand Manager at SEGA, about the upcoming Sonic CD remake.

Hi, Ken. Please tell us about yourself, your many adventures, and your role at SEGA.

Ha, this is unremarkably a question I get at task interviews!

Well, I was born in California, just I really grew up in Due south America—Chile to be exact—and pretty much stayed there until I graduated high school, so came to the US to become to college.

I'm a huge Whitewater rafting fan; virtually weekends in the summer you can discover me in Auburn, CA rafting downward the American River. I'm also a huge nature fan. In fact I take a scar on my right left ankle from where I vicious downwardly a Volcano in Republic of guatemala and bankrupt my leg, although I got off lucky since a few weeks later on the Volcano erupted in spectacular fashion.

My part at SEGA is Digital Brand Manager, where I oversee the Sonic Digital Games as well as some other unannounced projects.

What were your favorite console titles growing up? How about recent games?

Hmm, that's tough correct, so many great games! I think my favorite panel titles growing up were Crash-land & Bound (Intellivision), Advanced Dungeons & Dragons  (Intellivision), Wonder Boy III: Dragon's Trap (Master Organisation), Streets of Rage (Genesis), Super Street Fighter II (Genesis), X-men (SNES), Final Fantasy XII (PS2) recently. And I think most Sonic fans know that I am a HUGE Halo fan. But tin't get enough of those games—I even accept a "Cortana is my Co-Pilot" license plate frame. Simply I'thou also a big fan of Assassin's Creed and Battleground: Bad Company. I like games that have great stories.

How did you become involved in the gaming industry?

Original design sketch for Metal Sonic

We'll I've been wanting to go involved in games since I was a little kid playing Sierra's King's Quest, Space Quest, and Quest for Glory franchises. I loved games, and my Dad taught me that this was the amusement of the future. So when I graduated college, I drove out to where LucasArts was located in San Rafael and started turning in my resume every other day. I was relentless; three times a week I'd drive out and endeavour to go an interview. I would just not take "NO", and kept coming back. Then I went to GDC that year and finally interviewed with them. They ultimately turned me downwardly for the job. I made certain never to go discouraged, and just kept sending my resume. The HR person, probably realizing that I was never going to become abroad, finally helped me out and got me another interview, and I was hired as a Tester. :)

What titles take you worked on since joining SEGA?

I've worked on several SEGA games, including:

Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer  (Assistant Brand Manager)
Sonic Rush Chance (Assistant Brand Manager)
Sonic Riders: Zip Gravity (Banana Brand Manager)
Sonic Chronicles: The Nighttime Alliance (Assistant Brand Director)
NiGHTS: Journey into Dreams (Assistant Brand Manager)
Sonic Unleashed (Associate Brand Managing director)
Sonic and the Blackness Knight (Associate Brand Manager)
Mario & Sonic at the Wintertime Olympics (Associate Make Managing director)
Sonic Colors (Acquaintance Brand Manager)
Sonic The Hedgehog 4 Episode I (Brand Director)
Sonic CD (Brand Managing director)

Mystery Dungeon was my first product at SEGA and quite a trial by fire in my opinion. The game design was really challenging. Basically it was an RPG on the Nintendo DS, where if y'all dice, y'all start from scratch basically. You de-level back to level 1 and lose all your gear that wasn't stored in a warehouse. As an RPG thespian myself, I was like "Wow, that is harsh." Can you imagine playing a Last Fantasy game that way? But the icing on the cake was that later hours of playing countless battles, and managing not to die, you make information technology to the final boss.  And if y'all defeat him, you get to fly on a behemothic gilt condor that retraces your steps. And as you look downward and realize how far you've come, you are taken all the way back to the beginning village, where you lose all your gear and de-level to level ane, and start all over.

I figured if I could manage a game like that, I could manage Annihilation!

Your adjacent large game is a remake of Sonic CD, which beginning debuted on the sixteen-bit Sega CD platform. Since then, Sonic CD has seldom been released on other systems. What inspired you to bring information technology dorsum afterwards all these years?

I think it was just the right fourth dimension. CD ties very heavily into Sonic the Hedgehog 4, so now is really the right fourth dimension for fans to get reacquainted with this game. :)

Where does Sonic CD fit in the 2D Sonic serial' timeline? Volition tying it in more concretely with established continuity produce any benefits downwards the line?

SEGA has never really made official when Sonic CD happens in the numerical Sonics. Our goal here was to give it some context, and allow the evens of this game to carry over. Sonic 2-three-Knuckles all build off each other. Our goal is to identify Sonic CD before the events of four, and allow elements to comport over into this next Sonic Saga.

Fan-favorite grapheme Metal Sonic (and also Amy Rose) debuted in Sonic CD, just Sonic's sidekick Tails was absent due to the concurrent evolution schedules of Sonic CD and Sonic ii. Does Tails appear in the remake?

He does. :) Once you vanquish the game, you tin can unlock the power to play as Tails in Sonic CD.

Sonic CD was the first Sonic game to allow players to save their progress and resume later, but information technology was yet a largely linear feel. Recent titles, including Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I, have too allowed players to revisit past stages in the order of their choosing by default.  Will this be possible in the new Sonic CD?

Not in the way Episode I did. We built Episode I then you lot could simply go dorsum as nosotros wanted it to be an open experience, but we didn't want to fiddle besides much with Sonic CD. We'd like fans to experience the way CD was intended to be played.

What can you lot tell us most the remake's soundtrack offerings?

Currently we are offering the Japanese soundtrack as the default soundtrack. (The same soundtrack can at present exist purchased on iTunes! - ed.)

The new version of Sonic CD is based on Christian Whitehead'south Retro Engine homebrew projection that recreated Sonic CD for iOS. Many large companies would shut downwardly a project like that upon learning of it. But you guys brought Christian in and turned the project into an official SEGA release, which is incredibly forward-thinking. Please aggrandize on the motivations backside that decision.

I agree; it's a really positive message that SEGA is sending. Social Networking has changed the world in means we are just grasping, and it's allowing people to show off talent in ways previously not possible. And if you desire to stay competitive, you lot have to go outside your comfort zone and seek talent where it lies. While we discourage the unauthorized use of company property, SEGA is always interested in terrific tech that makes the best games.  Christian demonstrated he had AAA skills that we could put to amazing employ, and I think the fans will reap the benefit of our partnership.

Have y'all considered picking upwards whatever other Sonic fan projects – like Sonic Fan Remix   or Sonic ii HD - for official release?

Non at the moment. But SEGA is always looking at talent and that's why we attend GDC and similar events to see what not bad tools people have developed.

Getting back to Sonic CD, the new version expands the field of view to widescreen without distorting the sprites' proportions. How did you attain this?

Original sketch for Amy Rose

That's a merchandise secret. :)

Speaking of visual changes, tin can you lot reveal anything well-nigh the visual filters you're adding? Volition you use the same one equally Guardian Heroes HD or something dissimilar?

It will exist similar. I personally similar playing with the [unfiltered] 16-bit sprites, simply the filters volition be available just like in Sonic'due south Ultimate Genesis Collection.

Did the pick to switch between Sonic CD-style physics and Sonic two and 3 physics brand the cut?

The game runs on the CD mode physics.(In other words, no. But a contempo leaked video does show the option to switch between spin nuance styles, and Christian Whitehead also confirmed the two physics styles are intact. This appears to be an issue with how I worded the question. – ed.)

Volition Sonic CD back up any course of downloadable content? What almost Avatar Awards on Xbox 360 and Windows Telephone?

That's currently being discussed now, actually. :) "Maybe" would be the best answer I can give.

How does the difficulty of Sonic CD's Achievements compare to past Sonic games? Chirapsia the terminal dominate without getting striking in Sonic four was tough!

Hahaha yeah, Sonic Team does like to brand a few crazy ones; I remember Sonic Unleashed had a few notoriously difficult ones. 'Hard Boiled' was one of the rarest ones people unlocked. Even I didn't do information technology.

For CD we have one called 'Statue Saviour,' where you have to find the affections statue in Wacky Workbench… that may be the hardest.

Sonic CD is coming to all iii mobile platforms, including our favorite, Windows Phone. Does the smartphone version utilize the same cracking touch on-screen controls as Sonic four?

I think Sonic CD'due south controls are a bit more precise than those of Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I, just yes they are impact screen controls.

Which (if whatever) of the console versions' bonus features/enhancements won't appear in the mobile version of Sonic CD?

I'yard happy to say that the mobile versions will have all of the panel enhancements. :)

Will the mobile versions launch on the aforementioned appointment as the console versions?

Stardust Speedway in Sonic CD

Well, due to the release schedules for each device, we tin can never have a simultaneous launch on all platforms. That said, mobile usually releases the week prior. I would expect to see Sonic CD to be released on all platforms towards the end of 2022.

On a side annotation, SEGA has partnered with GameStop, and currently, if you purchase a Tablet (Samsung Galaxy, Acer A100, ASUS Transformer) at GameStop, Sonic CD is pre-loaded. So you can really become the tablet version now. :)

Permit'south talk about Windows Phone for a moment. We loved the WP7 version of Sonic the Hedgehog iv: Episode I . Has it met sales expectations?

Absolutely! It's been performing terrifically on the device.

The iPhone got ports of Sonic one and two. Could these games (or any other Sega Genesis ports) make it to Windows Phone as well?

It could happen! :) If people request it, nosotros're happy to look into it.

Clearly fans savor the ability to play classic Sonic titles on mod consoles and smartphones. Just there are two arcade Sonic games that accept never seen a console release: SegaSonic the Hedgehog (AKA Sonic Arcade) and Sonic the Fighters. Do you have an opinion on why they've never been brought home? Since yous're breaking down barriers with the Sonic CD remake, is at that place whatever possibility of either arcade game getting the digital download treatment some day?

There hasn't been a lot of demand for these games, and that may be in part because these were not the most popular Sonic games SEGA has released. At that place may be a vocal minority that likes them, only I played Sonic the Fighters, and to be perfectly honest, it didn't appeal to me.  My feeling is that if you are going to re-issue games, you lot should do the ones that really stand out, and Sonic CD actually hits the mark there.(The lack of requests from fans could be because the arcade games were never released outside of Japan. On the other hand, I forgot about Sonic the Fighters being included in the Sonic Gems Collection. –ed.)

On a similar note, which Sonic games do fans virtually often request for rerelease?

Sonic CD by far is the #i. SEGA has also gotten lots of requests for Duke Chaotix and Sonic Adventure 2 equally well.

Finally, Sonic CD and particularly the latest retail console title, Sonic Generations, have met with incredibly positive reaction from critics and fans alike. Does this year marking the beginning of a new era for the dearest hedgehog?

Sonic Generations' reimagining of Stardust Speedway

Absolutely!

…

Sonic four costs $6.99 on the Windows Phone Market. Sonic CD will likely toll the same cost when it debuts afterward this month.

Images courtesy of SEGA.

We may earn a commission for purchases using our links. Learn more than.

I like 'em large ... I like 'em mesomorphic

These are the best gaming mice for folks with big hands

A great gaming mouse is important for anyone looking to go into PC gaming. Notwithstanding, if y'all take large easily, you may struggle to find a mouse that feels comfortable for you lot. Thankfully, there are plenty of plus-sized mouse options on the market place.

Source: https://www.windowscentral.com/xbox-live-developer-interview-sega-makers-sonic-cd

Posted by: culbertsoncrin1958.blogspot.com

Share this post