Why does the demo start with driving a car?

[^7ppp^5a^6u^5l^5i^6e^7lul]

I feel like the demo does this game a real disservice. It starts with… driving a car? I get that this is part of the game in a way, but isn’t this supposed to be a spiritual take on 3D Sonic?

It definitely doesn’t help that the car gameplay is imho just.. awful, on top of that drifting didn’t work for me at all, I don’t know why; there’s probably a fix, but my point still stands.

This kept me from buying it. And please don’t go full malding fanboy on me, I’m not here to trash the game. I’m just pointing out something that might hurt sales and the game’s outlook.

[T o o m a]

Well, saying "don't go malding fanboy on me" isnt going to get you positive feedback.
Its a bit odd but ultimately a harmless design choice to let you try the mechanics. You still get to play the normal gameplay so meh, its different. Its also a few minutes Its not like its some massive part you need to drag through. You get more actual levels when yah buy the game

[^7ppp^5a^6u^5l^5i^6e^7lul]

Originally posted by T o o m a:

Well, saying "don't go malding fanboy on me" isnt going to get you positive feedback.

I know i know :/

[FluxCalibre]

like if it makes you feel better the rest of the car stages you can do in the game lets you do them without having to go in the car.

[Null]

I think that section is just there to introduce you more slowly to controls and moving around, but I do agree that it's weird to start the game in the car. But yes, the other car stages are both more interesting and you can just do them on foot (which is faster anyway).

[^7ppp^5a^6u^5l^5i^6e^7lul]

I bought the game since and i'm loving it, it's great, still not a fan of the initial car stage, but at least in the full version my controls are working properly, couldn't even drift in the demo.

[sirknighttitus]

Cool that you're enjoying the game! I found myself liking the game more as I progressed further :)

Originally posted by ^3pppaulиии:

…a spiritual take on 3D Sonic…

The way this game opens with a driving section after that short cutscene reminds me of how Sonic Adventure 2 opens with a cutscene of Sonic jumping off a helicopter, followed by that "urban snowboarding" section in City Escape for ~30 secs before introducing the regular platforming controls.
Personally, I enjoyed the driving parts, they were a welcome change of pace, though I got the impression that there was some untapped potential to make them more intersting.

[plink plonk c:]

the vehicle parts aren't really great but they're few and far between at least

[JonathanR]

I think the demo was just sort of a slice of stuff from what was available at the time. Fepard's process is basically just to make a game one level at a time and not really go back to old stuff as he continues. So you basically just got the beginning of the game since that's what he had finished.

[Cozy]

Much like Sonic Adventure 1 and 2, it was trying something different. Sonic Adventure 2 has two car stages in it.

[Jackistan]

granted SA2 doesn't open with the main sonic gameplay either, if you play the hero story first you have to play on the snowboard for the first third of city escape, and the dark story doesn't have a speed stage until four levels in.

[Gnidex]

Originally posted by Jackistan:

granted SA2 doesn't open with the main sonic gameplay either, if you play the hero story first you have to play on the snowboard for the first third of city escape, and the dark story doesn't have a speed stage until four levels in.

It's completely different because snowboard has the base basic moveset - moving and jumping - and serves as tutorial for those mechanics, while preventing the issue of new players being paranoid about high speeds by being forced to slide downhill quickly and making players used to the speed.