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Sonic Mania dev Stealth launches Kickstarter for Vertebreaker, an action platformer [Update: Campaign Cancelled]
- Thread starter Lant_War
- Start date
OP
OP
It's one dev, and you're seeing a very early version of the product.
There's a big difference between an entire development team funded by a giant company and one guy, but ok.
It's not even the first time they did that. Sonic Colors and Generations finally found a working 3D Sonic formula, despite their flaws. Instead of using that as a base, they do Lost World and then Forces -- which is basically a years-too-late follow-up to Generations except much worse.
It's kind of amazing how Sega continually doesn't understand their own franchises.
They decide to bring back Super Monkey Ball in the form of an HD remaster. Obviously, they would go with the beloved original two games on GameCube, right? No, instead they go for the mediocre Wii game that many fans disliked.
Sonic Mania is considered by many to be the best post-Genesis Sonic game, with some fans claiming it to be the best Sonic game. But no sequel.
The fan base would have been so damn happy with Generations 2 or Mania 2 because there are still so many old games they can pull from and do unique zones with. Instead, they do nothing.
It's more than one dev (read the Kickstarter description), though yeah you still shouldn't expect too much from an early build.
OP
OP
Oh dang, you're right. The Son of a Glitch dude is working on it too, that's surprising.
That's nice and all, but goddamn Sega, why aren't you paying these guys to make Mania 2? It's not like Sonic Team are great at making good Sonic games anyway.
If these guys not working on Sonic Mania 2, maybe Whitehead's new studio (Evening Star) is.
Anyway, the gameplay looks promising.
Anyway, the gameplay looks promising.
Tried the demo. The game looks and sounds great. But the design and movement are pretty rough. It's in the very early stages though so far things feel off. The character feels way to slow and the grappling doesn't gel as well with the environments and level design as intended.
The heck...?
Just got an email saying headcannon had cancelled this campaign and more info will come soon on this.
What happened?
Just got an email saying headcannon had cancelled this campaign and more info will come soon on this.
What happened?
Probably realized that they weren't going to meet their goal at the rate it was going.
I'm guessing the funder didn't go that well and he picked up another project with a team. I guess it could be that an indie publisher picked it up instead, seems unlikely.
The campaign was failing hard, unfortunately. Only $13K pledged out of a $275K goal after more than a week. There was basically no chance it was going to make it, and I guess the devs decided to cut things short and (hopefully?) move to a new plan. It will be interesting to see what they have to say in the next update.
Seems odd to me, though. Proven dev who made a well-liked game, solid demo that shows the potential of this one... What more did people want?
Seems odd to me, though. Proven dev who made a well-liked game, solid demo that shows the potential of this one... What more did people want?
Sonic Mania is in my Top Five Games of this generation, and is, IMO, the best 2D Sonic game of all time. Other than the pinching mechanic and a couple songs that don't hit the highs of others (and no Shadow for kicks), it's pretty much ... dare I say it.. perfect.
If Sega isn't funneling money to these guys for Mania 2, they really are lost.
If Sega isn't funneling money to these guys for Mania 2, they really are lost.
Heartbreaking and hits too close to home personally.
To quote someone from the youtube comments:
That is just so depressing.
That video really made me sad. Sonic Mania meant a lot for me, it's a magical game. I would have backed this project if I knew about this... would really like to help the people who made me so happy.
Is amazing to me that Sonic Mania doesn't have a greenlighted sequel in the works or that Sega didn't get the team to work on another 2D platform.
It's sad that the cancellation is the first time I'm even hearing of this.
And outrageous that Sonic Mania was handled as "contract work" where the developers get no share of the game sales whatsoever.
I'm sure that happens more than people realize, but Sega should be ashamed.
And outrageous that Sonic Mania was handled as "contract work" where the developers get no share of the game sales whatsoever.
I'm sure that happens more than people realize, but Sega should be ashamed.
Could another publisher go to them for a new 2D platformer? What retro franchise would their skills with SM lend themselves to outside of any Sega properties?
I hadn't heard about the KS either and would've been totally on board, especially for $15. I pledged a small amount to his patreon - I can't do large recurring amounts right now but I figure it's a situation where even $2/month helps. I hope they're able to find their way to something that leads to perpetual revenue.
Sad about the guys, they made the best 2d Sonic in years and a commercially successful game. Mania 2 should already be a thing.
Imagine creating one of the most successful and well reviewed games in the Sonic IP in years and Sega not wanting a sequel of it.
A game that probably cost a 1/10th of what a 3D Sonic Team does and easily can sell as much.
It just blows my mind.
A game that probably cost a 1/10th of what a 3D Sonic Team does and easily can sell as much.
It just blows my mind.
I didn't think this KS game looked very good, but ffs the fact that Sega seemingly kept almost all the profits on Sonic Mania is absurd. Those profits should have funded Mania 2 made by the Mania 1 team.
But how does this even affect ST? It's not like they're making 2D Sonic games on consoles anymore. This just seems like an easy layup for Sega in general. By all accounts Mania sold well, and it's the most critically acclaimed Sonic platformer in several decades.
Man, I really, really should reach out to Stealth after this, since it's been so long. I'm so upset at some of the comments that he had to deal with that he mentioned in the video, that's its absolutely frustrating...
This thread barely got to two pages, not a lot of press and not a lot of buzz from audiences
You will still hear about the big ks projects going forward. For now most of them are either still in or are finishing up development (shenmue 3, psychnauts 2, etc), working on stretch goal stuff (shovel knight, bloodstained, etc.), have funded sequels with profits from the first ks game (yooka laylee, hollow knight, etc.), or were so badly received they've been abandoned (ie mighty no 9).
Damn....that video is not a good way to start the day.
2 things.
1) I wish everyone on the team the best, and look forward to backing whatever they got when the time comes. As a fan from way back, Sonic Mania meant so much to me and if a pattern/Kickstarter is a better way to support these folks than buying the 3 copies of SM that I did? Sign me up.
2) Just gonna add my voice to the chorus of "fuck the games industry". It's not often you're given a pulling back of the curtain like this on the lives of contract workers, and as a freelancer myself my heart goes out to them. While I get it, there was a contract, and they agreed to it, it's fucking depressing. You want evidence of "boostraps/sweat of your brow" style stuff being a myth? Well here you go.
2 things.
1) I wish everyone on the team the best, and look forward to backing whatever they got when the time comes. As a fan from way back, Sonic Mania meant so much to me and if a pattern/Kickstarter is a better way to support these folks than buying the 3 copies of SM that I did? Sign me up.
2) Just gonna add my voice to the chorus of "fuck the games industry". It's not often you're given a pulling back of the curtain like this on the lives of contract workers, and as a freelancer myself my heart goes out to them. While I get it, there was a contract, and they agreed to it, it's fucking depressing. You want evidence of "boostraps/sweat of your brow" style stuff being a myth? Well here you go.
I would love to know which publishers have a propensity to green light projects based on their own personal taste in projects versus what the numbers tell them will be a financial success. Anyone notorious for that?
Fuck this "Weird Sega is back!" thread where people argued that licensed games like Shenmue 3 and Street of Rage 4 or outsourced projects like Sonic Mania was proof that Sega was great. Well, the Mania dev is broke and Sega doesn't give a cent to those licensed games.