S-rank & Unleashed (Daytime) vs Generations (Modern) gameplay

One thing I have to give Sonic Unleashed over Sonic Generations is that the grading system isn't so... unrewarding.  Honestly, I wonder why S-ranks were literally handed to you simply for completing a stage within a reasonable amount of time without dying in Generations?  You could S-rank any stage with 0 rings if you reach the finish line fast enough.  Meanwhile in Unleashed, you actually get scored properly and unlike Colors (Wii), it wasn't abusive by spamming wisps constantly.  Hmm... either I've never tagged Sonic Colors or this is the first time I've ever spoken about it in this blog.

About 24 hours ago, I set out to get all S-ranks on all the main daytime stages (did not bother with Eggmanland, I can't stand that stage... yet).  Windmill Isle (Act 2),  Rooftop Run, Dragon Road and Arid Sands were S-ranked, so that left Windmill Isle (Act 1 - for the hell of it), Savannah Citadel, Cool Edge, Skyscraper Scamper, and Jungle Joyride.  Honestly... this is what it's all about.

When I check out Unleashed speed runs on YouTube, very commonly I see comments of on videos of people saying, "C?!  He got a C for finishing THAT fast?"  At first, I didn't understand it either, especially considering I started taking this Unleashed gameplay seriously in Generations.  Grading in Unleashed required finishing the stage while meeting certain requirements, and although I do not have how it's calculated down to a science, you cannot overlook the results screen.  Score depends on:

• time completed
• rings collected at the end
• your speed as you passed checkpoints
• how many enemies you obliterated
• and how many trick rings (the rainbow colored ones) you used

I'm quite certain that if you die, your score is resat, making S-rank impossible from certain checkpoints (if not all).  Every stage seems to have different requirements.  Speed running means:

• points in time will be maxed out
• you will most likely skip a lot of rings if not lose some on accident or purposely if it makes you go faster
• checkpoints might be skipped because of their placement or unnatural shortcuts taken
• you will skip lots of enemies and kill only what's necessary
• you will likely skip various trick rings unless you have to go through them

All in all... this means the game has some replay value in it, and being that this is a grading system that takes your overall performance throughout the stage into consideration, that makes it rewarding.  Unleashed also not an easy game.

So, how'd it go?  Well, I don't play Unleashed a lot, but as of late I am definitely appreciating what it has to offer over Generations, but I'll get to that later.  In spite of a bit of frustration, it was rather quite fun and it's always cool to see Sonic get an S-rank and run through these stages.  It was quite the learning experience, though my LB button on my controller seems to be responding randomly.  The casual approach fortunately was more fun than frustrating but... one stage in particular had me on edge and yeah, you guessed it.  Jungle Joyride Act 1.  Oh, I have a lot to say about Jungle Joyride.

Jungle Joyride Act 1 is... so hard.  It makes Act 1-2 look like icing on the cake and when I compared both levels in my mind, I swear - there are only two areas in Act 1 that are actually easier than Act 1-2 and the first one is the 2D section after homing attacking the springs that switch from springs to spikes and the 2D sections before the last Quicktime ramp where you can get squashed.  There might be more but when I run 1-2, it's always a speed run so I take the fastest route across the water (which is hell due to the intense slowdown).  Everything else in Act 1 is hard.  Honestly, I wonder if these stages were switched at birth and given the wrong act.

Eventually, I got an S-rank...  that time!  If I actually speed run Act 1, hell must have frozen over.

Aaaaand, we're not done with Jungle Joyride just yet.  Not too long ago, Millernusgaming did a speed run of Act 1-2 to where I responded with a question as to how on earth does one get Sonic to 3D->2D glitch the first 2D section. (Actually I asked on sobatsuyu100's video, which is just below.)  Days later, someone by the YouTube name of SONICADVENTURE1999 left a comment in a Sonic Generations videos of mine I've yet to discuss here about with the how-to on the glitch.  I've only done this glitch on accident and it's not like your usual jump in 3D just before 2D switches over to exploit and expel some time off the clock, oh no.  Who would've ever thought that doing this allowed you the opportunity to go through all of that whole section.  The first time I saw a speed run of that glitch was by SHINTARO917 - and that was made in '09, haha.  I'm sure I've mentioned this before.  But yes, I finally  have the power!  But I swear, to this day, I have yet to truly understand the fastest path over the 2nd water section, but when I do, I will try to make a speed run.  That, and of course I have to get better at what's sometimes the trickiest part of the stage - the very beginning.

Not too long ago, sobatsuyu100 ran the stage...

... into the ground... sub-3 minutes?! o_O

And yes, if you speed run 1-2, it will result in an S-rank.  Why?  Noooooo idea.  Rooftop Run 1-2 might be the same?  Dunno, but either way...

Before I close this, I mentioned earlier what it was about Unleashed that has me appreciating it more than Generations?  In a discussion on the official Sega forums (yeah, I haven't been there since after the release of Ep2) talking about how Generations gameplay can be rewarding, I decided to make a comparison between how this Unleashed gameplay over time has become kind of worse.  Basically:

1. Generations is just a condensed version of Unleashed and Genesis gameplay.
2. Generations offers everything Unleashed needed - improved controls, speedy platforming, less automation, some online modes, etc.
3. Generations lacks a lot of key elements that made Unleashed strong such as an involving 2D gameplay.
4. Generations lack of an involving gameplay for casual players leave something to be desired, thus for casuals to earn a sense of involvement, it means they have to learn how to play the game as it is meant to be played: a speedy platformer.  Unfortunately this means they have to play like skilled speed runners and well... I know how that can turn some people off.

It's the same with Colors Wii, which was just an even more condensed version of Unleashed which had a platforming scheme similar to Sonic CD (which didn't allow for much speed) and lacked an involving 3D gameplay.  A lot of people talk about how "linear" Unleashed is because it's 3D gameplay aspects are mostly trapped in narrow hallways, but if you compare that to Generations, you're basically just running and jumping.  Why couldn't Generations have been a bit more like Unleashed by making better use of Sonic's abilities such as side-stepping and allowing better use of the Light-Speed dash?  And why did they nerf the light speed dash in the first place?  From what I've seen, it seems to work better in Sonic 06! (At least in the 3D view.)  The closest you can get to Unleashed-like gameplay in Generations is the Planet Wisp mission called Action Master.  It is probably the best stage in the game.

In spite of Unleashed's broader use of 3D pre-rendered backgrounds, Unleashed may not be the better looking game technically, but it is the better looking game aesthetically.  I mean, everything else about the graphics is about as absorbing as a 3D Sonic could get on a console.  Generations on the PC is very impressive, but Unleashed... you know, if graphics weren't so ridiculously praised these days, I could get away with saying that the work here is quite memorable.   It is arguably the best looking 3D Sonic game ever made.  I really appreciate how much more dynamic the cameras are in this game.  My favorite use of the camera just  happens to be in Jungle Joyride after the last QTE and Sonic is just running down a slant coming out the forest and pretty much the use of the camera through the trick rings.  Why couldn't Generations have been this thoughtful?

The way I see it, Unleashed was still overall a good game, though the daytime segments were great after you come to understand the game more.  The ranking system was a challenge, the stages were a challenge without the need to speed run them, they were more involving, they looked better, most of them were longer.  I mean, just the overall experience from the Daytime levels felt so much more rewarding than Generations.

But the real question is, will the next Sonic game be another nerfed, better safe than sorry version of Sonic Unleashed daytime?  Or will it be another synthetic successor with Ep2-like "improvements?"  Guess time will tell given Sega's budget.

Windmill Isle Act 2 dominance.

Both sobatsuyu100 and Millernusgaming seem to still be hard at it when it comes to speeding through Windmill Isle.

Last I saw, sobatsuyu100 did a 1:25 in Act 2, but with some new tricks - some which are more obvious than others... he's down to 1:20.  Miller thinks he can bring it down to about 1:17.

As for Miller himself, it seems he's been able to throw in that nice M-speed jump in the first section as well.  Both of these guys are really putting in a lot of effort to go faster.


Sega's presence at E3 with Sonic unfortunately didn't bring out any news towards Sonic Adventure 2, but it did promise a nice true super sonic blue Nascar Impala with none other than Danica Patrick for the new TRANSFORMED game.  People also got some hands-on time with the game as well.

I'm not too sure about this move for the sake of advertising, but you have to admit, for once recently, it's quite a bold move by Sega.  That's something we haven't seen in quite some time.  The only thing that really brings uncertainty to it is who they chose to use.  Although I'm a racing fan, I'm not much of a Nascar fan (I prefer Formula 1 and other circuit racing events that don't involve driving in an oval) one wonder was Danica the best choice?  I don't believe she was a bad choice, but when the word Nascar comes to mind, is her name at the top of the list?  Either way, we get one of the prettier faces who will be animated in the game, and I'm looking forward to it.

Effort.

I read somewhere in a YouTube comment someone (it was posted by one of the speed runners I track, no worries - except that I don't recall exactly which one) said, quote...

"It takes diligence to speed run."

That is pretty obvious, yes.  But it made me think about my efforts toward Seaside Hill.  Every other stage that I did a speed run for (except Speed Highway), I put a lot of time into before I had my PVR.  Green Hill... I ran for a long time since the Generations demo as the whole Havoc engine was still new to me.  Sky Sanctuary, I ran for at least two weeks.  City Escape... I don't remember though my first serious time which was top 50 may have taken at least two days and a few more days to top ten.  Crisis City... MONTHS, and I loved every bit of it.  Seaside Hill - 5 days from scratch with minimal hours of play.

Honestly, I don't know why I was in such a rush considering I had previous experience in other stages.  This was the quickest I've ever learned a stage, and simultaneously... it's the highest I've ever put myself on a Sonic leaderboard.  It really was a stage I could have simply been patient towards. Perhaps a part of me was convincing myself that the actual stage wasn't as hard as I thought it was... or maybe I'm getting better at the game... or both?  Maybe I created my own sense of urgency to make a recording of it by always talking about it?  Who knows.

After I had finished uploading the video to YouTube, I just watched it... over and over.  When I had to leave the computer, I was watching it over and over.... over my phone.  My brain was feeling some sort of release from the experience.  That was probably the stress of practicing it a few days ago being liberated.

I saw some missed opportunities in the run (at least the last 2D and 3D sections where I dedicated the least amount of time to) but in the end - it made the music sync with what was going on quite well from start to finish.  Didn't even have to move the track.  I just started it when the video started.  Must give thanks to my good friend for throwing that song in my direction.  Again, in the end, it's not so much about having the fastest time more than a good looking run with some nice music... and I'm glad just how well it turned out.

From the exception of Crisis City Act 2, that one mission where you hit the music notes and Action Master, every other stage that winds up recorded from this point on in Generations will be from scratch.  By that, I mean every stage up to now will be taken seriously for the first time.  So when I start Unleashed.... man... there's probably going to be a lot of downtime in between Generations and Unleashed, let alone between Unleashed itself.  I've BARELY scratched the surface with that game.


Speaking of Sonic Unleashed, lately I feel like I haven't been sharing enough speed runs from other people, and I want to throw this one in because it's a stage I never really liked (at least the non-DLC version of it).  But I think I've changed my mind now.

Man, Unleashed is so fast.  Miller states in his description that it took him over 5,000 tries and he's very proud of this.  I don't know how accurate that statement regarding the number of tries is, but hey... can't say I don't relate to him about how he feels in the end.  It's just the love for the game... and when it comes to love towards anything, in spite of how frustrating it is and how many fails you have to stack up before you succeed, you just don't know how far you can go...

... unless you are willing enough try and keep trying.

There's a war going on in Windmill Isle Act 2.

As this week, my youtube feed has been filled with so many speed runs of Windmill Isle Act 2, I can barely tell whether they are different or the same.  What I've come to find is that throughout the month ,sobatsuyu100 and Millernusgaming have posted quite a few speed runs of that stage and it's DLC sister 2-2 that have caught the attention of other players.  However, it is sobatuyu100 who's leading me through the recent confusion as yesterday I discovered he had ran Windmill Isle 2 just under 1:30... and he did it again... in the DLC stage... and he did it again in the normal stage... and 6 hours ago... he did it again taking off about 4 seconds from the initial sub 1:30 run.

Although it seems that the times improvements are largely due to the use of M-speed jumps, I'm not too convinced that those jumps are the whole story to his success as there's a lot of stomping going on in his last video.

Do check out these guy's latest efforts in tearing down the stage.

Millernusgaming: Act 2 | Act 2-2

sobatsuyu100: Act 2 | Act 2-2

Also, while I'm at it... check out this vid by Miller which he so rightfully titled, "Messing With The Game" as it is his celebratory vid for him earning his 100th subscriber.

Wow, there's so much going on today with Sonic...

When he landed on that rail, my jaw dropped.  That was soooooo godlike!

Pretty entertaining video. :)

Missions.

mis·sion

   [mish-uhn] noun - 16. an assigned or self-imposed duty or task; calling; vocation.


After watching a playthrough of Final Fantasy X-2 and not watching a playthrough of Sonic The Hedgehog 06... I hate the word.


And I was really hoping to add some more Sonic Generations speed runs to my collection of speed runs.  Fortunately, I stumbled (again) upon the YT user Millernusgaming who has been on an effortless mission to posting his effort of speed running the missions of SG.

And he has a ton of them.  He also appears to be the fastest at a lot of them.  Sorta wish I subscribed to him sooner, but better late than never.




I also came across what appears a newly discovered exploit in Unleashed by Romanemul.  Apparently, he's got his eyes set on showing just how far he can take his newfound way of doing level shortcuts.  It's almost like the Genesis era shortcuts have returned!  If you check his channel, the guy's no slouch at speed runs, either.


So that is all.  Must get back to my mission of playlisting and sorting all these... missions.

"Wooo...!"

Thanks to my love for speedruns, I've grown an appreciation for the enthusiasm found in Sonic's Japanese voice actor.  Strangely enough... it reminds me of Jaleel White's work, though unlike some fans, I don't think he is the end-all to Sonic voice actors.  STILL - *switches voices to Japanese in his Unleashed/Generations games*  Personally, I find a lot of the other languages for Generations more interesting during gameplay than English.  4Kids?  No comment~

Lately, people have been breaking Kakipi1000's Unleashed Records (not the above video, though this particular play did beat his Savannah Citadel 4 record).  It makes me wonder if Kakipi will go back to Unleashed?  I've been doing my best to keep track of the fastest Unleashed and Generations speedruns on youtube and just recently it's been like these monster speed runners are taking the top spots.  Even Kakipi himself seemed shocked.

For those of you who may not know, Kakipi1000 is probably the most popular youtube Sonic Unleashed/Generations speed runner for his ability to execute some of the fastest times in some of the latest Sonic games.  Though he has performed some outrageous exploits, at times it's usually not him who finds them (he'll credit those who have). He will however do his best to take advantage of such exploit in a speed run.  Right now, there is no other player (that I've found) who has proven to be as precise with combining the two.  Not to mention, he's also pretty good with providing his own soundtrack to mesh with his gameplay.  One wonders what he was doing to Sonic games before YouTube... if he was playing them.

On a side note, I think it's really cool that people have become quite creative with their own speed run ideas in Generations to challenge others.  Seriously, you guys are awesome for finding alternative ways to enjoy the game instead of just following the story/missions and be done.

That's all for now~