#pinball physics

[sonic7ischaos]

Y'know, talking about 'physics' in Sonic games, Momentum, inertia, pinball physics, slope physics, has become something of a meme in the Sonic community. A little bit an object of ridicule.

And y'know? I get it. We beg for it and criticize Sonic games for lacking it so much that I can imagine that for those of us who aren't even here for that, who picked up Unleashed or Generations or Colors and found their favorite game that hearing "It's missing momentum so it's bad" all the time is really frustrating. Like "NO! This game is amazing and you're just picking it apart because it's not exactly what YOU want!", which admittedly has SOME truth to it.

But I want you to imagine that Mario abandoned its jumping mechanics. Jumping into blocks does nothing but stop Mario's jump. Jumping onto enemies or into Koopa shells damages Mario now, and you're forced to use power ups to deal with foes, which are now just scattered across levels.

From the perspective of someone who grew up with Mario, hell, the average person with a passing awareness of what Mario IS, maybe they enjoy it for a game or 2. "Hey cool, this Mario game really zeroed in on using powerups and combat with enemies! New type of Mario game!" Then 5, 10, 15, 20 years pass and they're STILL doing it, They've alluded to some of the old mechanics here and there. "Hey, jumping on enemies doesn't hurt you now, you can bounce off of them like the old games" But still, the focus is on using powerups to defeat enemies. It doesn't feel like they've "changed things up" anymore, that they've "iterated on the old", it feels like they've abandoned Mario's core design, because they HAVE.

And before Mania, and now Superstars, that's what happened to Sonic. The core idea of Sonic was thrown completely to the wayside like it didn't matter. Imagine growing up with Mario, connecting with it enough that it's a part of your identity, not because you failed to find your own, but in the way that anything you love with your whole heart becomes a part of you, and then having the thing you fell in love with cast aside like garbage, just waiting for it to come back.

You break down Sonic to its very core, remove the imagery, the animation, the character design, attach the character controller to grey squares on grey platforms with grey backgrounds, and you still have what makes Sonic fun. It's in the programming, the design and functionality of mechanics, in the shape and functionality of the environment. Sonic the Hedgehog is merely the name and identity we attached to a game about building inertia and rolling on sloped terrain. And for decades it's been missing.

And listen, I LOVE Sonic Frontiers. It isn't perfect even in the areas where I love it, but it has the rest of the things that make me love Sonic. The stuff that you add on top of the grey squares, the visuals, characters, music, stories, even parts of the gameplay. Still, the game about building inertia and rolling on sloped terrain isn't in there. The last 3D game we got about building inertia and rolling on sloped terrain released in 2001.

There's a part of me that's terrified. That I'll die before I see another one. A modern 3D Sonic game built on that same idea. The grey squares becoming cubes. That I'll die waiting to see what could've been done.

#sonic the hedgehog #sonic team #sega #sonic adventure #sonic adventure 2 #sonic frontiers #sonic mania #sonic superstars #super mario bros #game design #momentum #inertia #slope physics #pinball physics #sonic discussion #discussion #existential terror #sonic is about building inertia and rolling on sloped terrain #games where sonic isn't doing this can still be called sonic games #but they'll always be missing something fundamentally important #in a similar way to how the mario rpgs are still mario games #but expecting anyone to feel the way they do about the platformers about the rpgs is asking for disappointment #it still has mario and the mushroom kingdom in it #but using rpg mechanics is not what i'm playing mario for #like #it's not bad #the mario rpgs are (or were) all pretty good #at least before the 3DS #but it's not what people are thinking of when they say “mario game” #same thing with the boost games

[seven-oh-four]

#pinging marciale #parallel canon #asynchronous rondo #splatoon #side order #splatoon side order #polls #Personally I think Pinging Marciale is just such a cool design #The idea of a boss that's a ball that just moves via ball physics is so cool and they play with it so well #The attack where it shoots out a ring of lasers is so clever because depending on how you've been fighting it #The lasers could be pretty simple to dodge or they could be flying everywhere. But it's always fair #And if you want to hurt it during that attack you will make it harder on yourself #The pinball bumpers are so good #And the fact that the enemies it spawns try to bop it towards the bumpers is insane it's so clever #Incorporating the fact that the battering lento likes to play with the big balls which you learned from previous stages to be a behavior #that they have. By having them now play with this boss which is a giant ball #ITS ALL SO COOL

[sci-fi]

did streaming ruin everything? possibly, but social media also ruined everything

#i’m turning into a boomer with how jaded i am about technology overtaking everything #let’s just go back to physical media and playing space pinball and reading the newspaper please #luke.txt

[redeyeflyguy]

Wonderful Things That May or May Not Be Wonderful!!! Pinball tables are rad. Simple concept. Keep ball out of hole, More points equals better. Physics is both your friend and enemy. Straightforward but all the bells, whistles, and licensed IPs make it all the sweeter. Always wonderful to pop in a quarter or seven in!

#wonderful #pinball tables #arcade #radical #skill #physics #games #licensed IPs #tilt #flippers #electronic #fun

[baalzebufo]

confession: one of the main reasons I got back into my weird al phase was because before this I was in one of my many pinball hyperfixation episodes and discovered the Al pinball table and was so enamoured it sparked a full-scale Return To Al in my brain

I have this habit of bouncing off one fixation into something loosely related to it a lot actually. much like. much like... a pinball-

#if you somehow arent aware of the weird al pinball table. well. look it up its pretty great #its where I first heard germs. actually. because germs was one of the featured songs slash game modes! which is surprising in hindsight #its not what id call one of his more popular songs when it comes to mainstream appeal #but then. I doubt the kind of guy who would buy a weird al pinball machine is exactly mainstream to begin with.. #the best part abt the Al table is its a P3 module which is like. one of the more affordable pinball table things. still expensive but #its kind of my dream to own A Physical Pinball Table someday and the p3 is creeping up that list in terms of practical options

[youngpettyqueen]

a lot of the time when I get BJ on the brain I tend to loop around to thinking about Period of Adjustment so while I'm on the topic of BJ's anger I do wonder how much of his meanness from that point onwards is his attempt to redirect his anger so that he doesn't physically harm anyone again

#mash #bj hunnicutt #I'm into s10 and so far he hasn't had another violent outburst besides like. hitting the pinball machine in Wheelers and Dealers #besides that he's made maybe a couple of threats #so I do wonder how much of his meanness is him trying to not lash out physically like that again #BJ hates violence so I don't think it's a stretch to assume his actions in that episode probably shook him up #not to mention the aftermath #he moves a bit too quick near Hawkeye in the scrub room a couple days later and Hawkeye flinches back from him #just for a brief second he looks at him with alarm and his black eye hasn't quite healed yet #before he relaxes and makes a joke to cover it up and dismiss it #but BJ is left there with the guilt consuming him instantly #so he promises himself he's never gonna let anything like that happen ever again #not to anyone and especially not to Hawkeye #but promises don't fix the anger growing inside of him every day so he turns mean #because sure it's not better to be mean than to be violent #but at least nobody looks at him with fear #again I ask where was my BJ and Sidney episode

[thevegetablewhichnoonedaresname]

I'M SUING NORAGAMI FOR EMOTIONAL DAMAGES, BURNING MY CROPS, RUINING MY SKIN, ETC.

#noragami #pickle pontificates #I've started several long and coherent things about it but idk if I'll ever finish #bc I'm back at school now and personal life stuff is kicking my butt #but man #i have physical chest pain from this series and I'm upset #in a good way (?) because the writing is great #I'm mentally wrapping EVERY character in blankets and giving them the little forehead kisses they deserve #EXCEPT for the miserable excuse for a feces stain causing problems who I'm mentally shoving through a pinball torture machine #AND I STARTED THIS ON A PURE SHOT IN THE DARK. LITERALLY KNEW NOTHING BUT THE TITLE.

[autevi]

been thinking about that post i reblogged recently about object of desire archetypes and i think jack quaid as live action boimler is helping me form a new one

as much as i enjoy the idea of 'that man is smaller than me and looks pretty frail', i think i like 'that man is bigger than me and looks pretty frail and is CLEARLY easy to fluster' more

#autevi #the show made it clear that he was flustered by una for non-sexual reasons but consider #rebecca romijn is only an inch shorter than jack quaid physically but has several feet on him in terms of Vibes #you know the 'i hate to see you leave but i love to watch you walk away' thing #for boimler it's 'it's fine if you want to leave and i will greatly enjoy you careen against the walls like a terrified pinball'

[riggedbones]

i am playing game jam games on itch.io :)

#lucky.pdf #remembering my irl friend's game jam game about doing surgery with pinball. it fucked #like except for the extremely broken physics but thats what happens when u make a game in 2 days

[sonic7ischaos]

Sonic Unleashed would've been better as an inertia based, 3D physics platformer. In the day stages.

Not in an "I don't like the boost gameplay" kind of way, it's not my favorite but Unleashed and Gens are still good games, I mean for the sake of consistency of control. You teach the player in Windmill Isle how Sonic controls in this one, X to boost, A to jump, B to stomp/slide, LB/RB to side step, LT/RT to drift. Sonic controls like a tank you have to use these tools to guide him like a missile through reaction challenges in 3D, and platforming challenges in 2D. There's more to it, but that's the core right?

Ok, now forget literally all of that because the only thing we're keeping from any of it is that A is jump. Here's a God of War-esque combat system with...weirdly good 3D platforming sections and light, Adventure 1-esque puzzle solving?

Ok, now give Day Sonic the same level of 3D control as the Werehog and his basic mechanics from the Adventure games, polished up a little so scripted loops and corkscrews aren't necessary, then make the transition. NOW, it feels less like you're playing 2 separate games stapled together, and instead, you're playing 1 game which changes up its pacing with puzzle solving and combat mechanics. Aside from Unleashed level themes just seeming really fun to do Sonic style physics platforming in, it makes the whole package more cohesive, the night stages becoming an extension of the gameplay of the day stages, rather than something fundamentally different from the other half of the game.

Generations would benefit from a change like this too, though at least there, there's a conceptual reason to differentiate them mechanically, you want to really emphasize the difference between Modern and Classic Sonic, so one gets the Unleashed style boost mechanics, and one gets an admittedly VERY imperfect take on the 2D style physics gameplay. If the Modern stages were essentially 3D takes on the classic inertia gameplay, they'd get to JUST BE 3D, with none of the 2.5D stuff to allow Modern Sonic to do actual platforming challenges, which would mean Classic stages would have more meaning as the only parts of the game that play out in 2D.

Been watching gameplay from Sonic Dream Team, and it got me thinking about the good boost games (my feelings on Colors are complicated, but mostly middling to negative, and I would murder Forces with my bare hands if it were a person). Sort of killed most of my excitement for the gameplay of it, but on the bright side, the presentation elements all seem to be top notch and it still looks to be a solid take on the boost gameplay, sort of demonstrating even better than Frontiers did that THAT type of gameplay works a lot better when you give the player full 360 degrees of movement and good control over the camera.

It's just not a physics based Sonic game, so I care a lot less, and feel a lot less bad about not being able to play it without Apple stuff. Might pick it up anyway if it gets ported to Switch, to satiate my curiosity and get a more thorough understanding of it for discussion purposes.

#sonic the hedgehog #sonic unleashed #sonic generations #day stages #night stages #classic sonic #modern sonic #boost formula #momentum physics #intertia sonic #physics gameplay #slope physics #pinball physics #sonic dream team

[princeoftenderness]

.

#i keep rambling in the tags of various posts #like i’m just finding so much food for thought on various posts it’s really cool #idk i’m like enjoying several different shows and ships at once lately so i’m just kinda bouncing between them like a happy pinball #like will graham *ding* morpheus *ding* whatvever fanfic I’m reading (at the moment it’s geraskier despite me not having seen s2 yet) *ding* #plus i’m getting a little bit of creative ideas again #still very little energy to actually Do stuff #but i think the surgeries have made me definitely less poorly #bc i can think better for the first time in a very long time #which means there is a veritable smorgasbord of special interest backlogs #somewhat ironically my physical spoons are much worse than before panproctocolectomy + ileostomy surgery #but i also still have an ongoing deep open wound that isn’t really healing #plus i’m barely managing to eat #so there’s like A Lot going on #but thankfully i can enjoy more things rn #and soon i won’t be immunosuppressed anymore #so i will be going out out very very soon hopefully #so excited #i don’t even care (mostly) if i can’t dance yet #they have seats where i’m going so i can sit down drink lemonade and listen to music #and like chat to people in person who aren’t medical professionals doing (often very unpleasant) procedures on me #like just socialising for fun! at a gay bar! #like i’m so looking forward to it #literally the first night i can manage to go out i’m going #fully vaxxed and boosted and still gonna do some social distancing stuff

[xviruserrorx]

Trying to make my brain write for a fandom while I'm hyperfixating on another is like a child clinging to the playground and I'm yanking at it's legs with no avail...

#fandom #my brain is a pinball machine #virus rambling #i'm trying to write this merlin fic #but my brain is like #*shoves in face* Romancek? Nygmobblepot? sabriel? midam? klarker? #and then i toss it all away #but find myself only able to write for mordred and Daegal #they are literally the only reason i'm digging my claws in and hanging to the edge of the merlin fandom XD #i'm a mess #re-watching 10+ shows all at once is not good for my health... #i'm reading at least 6 books at the same time right now also #i can't concentrate on one thing it's physically impossible #i have over 200+ wips in my docs #I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO!!!! #okay #i'm good #hopefully

[ultramantr1gger]

wjat do you think about sonic pinball

i like it i like the games thatt are just pinball with sonic because im autistic about sonic and im also autistic about pinball. it works. i never got past toxic caves though bc im kinda bad

#the 2 physical things i like pinball and motorsports #chaos-posting #|hyper key|

[cuntofficial-archive]

this guy worded this like he’s a character from a bible it’s just sonic calm down

#he’s talking about #sonic’s pinball physics.

[hauntingblue]

Luffy taking off his chanclas THIS IS GETTING SERIOUS

#this one is so funny ahdkajdk just doing raspberries on his arm #see how mingo laughs.... well it's about to become hilarious i know it... #the white smoke around him hehe i know what is coming #this form is kinda perturbing...... #disturbing???? #'while reforcing his skin with haki his tension augments' learning physics with doffy #'he is nothing more than rubber' talk about that with enel lmao #luffy needs to grab mingo and throw him into his cage and either he dies or takes it down to survive.... this is my design #talking tag #watching one piece #episode 726 #luffy sounding like a pinball machine.... #DOFFY IN THE ROCKS CRUCIFIED LIKE WHEN HE WAS A CHILD!!! I GOT THAT REFERENCE #now to confront HIS sins against the people #the commentator blushing when he realizes who luffy is ahdkajs #'are you mugiwara no luffy?' 'eh? huh.' #luffyyyy noooooo :((? #THE FUCKING BRUGESS GUY I WILL KILL YOU #KOALA FINISH HIM #SABOOOOO!!!!!!!!!! END HIMMM!! I WANT HIM CHARRED!!!!!! OBLITARATED!!! TURND TO ASHES!!!!! #now the citizens turn on him!!! disgraceful!!!! #FUCK OFF AND DIE ALREADY MINGO!!!!! FUCK OOOOFFFF #episode 728 #MINGO DIEEE ALREADYYYYY #the commentator!!!! omg!!! #i cant see luffy like this i am not strong enough #'it's ace's life. i don't hold a grudge' YOU DON'T????? #i guess thats why you didnt go to impel down to save him.... okay i get it..... #luffy being so relieved sabo got ace's fruit 😭😭 #episode 729

[mothribcage]

Just saw my doctor and said my ears have been ringing for hours at a time and she was like “oh you might be getting sick” then she checked me and found nothing. So then she said that it could be an early sign of hearing loss! Hahahaha I’m fine! Love having new potential health issues!

I mean it’s not completely unfounded because I have family history of hearing loss but oh boy I wasn’t expecting that today!

#physical health #I just keep racking up conditions like it’s points on a pinball machine lol