73 replies to this topic

[Prime]

Fandom's really good at cherry picking the shit they don't want to hear and blowing it out of control (and context.)

This.

And when you give them proof that counter's their claims, they like to pretend that proof doesn't exist.

[Uncle Ben]

They always like to Pretend to have proof be nonexistent. its them being reluctant in saying: Yup, we screwed up

[SBaby]

It wasn't a threat. It was obviously not a threat, it was the opposite. What he said was "if I didn't want them around, I could have gotten rid of them any time I wanted. The fact that I haven't should be some evidence that I want them around." Fandom's really good at cherry picking the shit they don't want to hear and blowing it out of control (and context.)

I'll make a deal with you. When he apologizes for banning people that correctly guess what he plans to do with the comics, then I'll believe that he didn't imply that comment about the characters as a threat. Somehow, I doubt this will happen though.

[Uncle Ben]

I think we all think that he's lying

[fishtheimpaler]

When he apologizes for banning people that correctly guess what he plans to do with the comics . . . .

HAHAHAHA
Really?
Given my history in this thread I'll assume "not really" until further confirmation, but that's hysterical if it's real. If only the Lost writers had this at their disposal they could have just banned the smartest fans at Season One Episode Four and stuck with the whole "they're all dead and the island is purgatory" thing

[bwrosas]

More from Ian, he added this to his recent journal :

More from Ian: http://ianpotto.devi...-Mill-333572974

Right, so, there's been a lot of talk and discussion on Sally's redesign. Some of it has been good: folks understanding the situation, the thinking behind it, and the over-all nature of the book. There's also been some bad: LOTS of rumors growing out of control, and a lot of what I've said being misinterpreted. And some of that is, ultimately, my fault. I can't talk about a lot of what's going on behind the scenes or what our long-term plans are, and so my vagueness is causing confusion. So here's some added info that will have to be taken at face value, and then I've got to drop the topic. I don't want to make a mess of things.

Sally's now going to be younger/immature/too happy/too different/not enough different
Once again - this is rough concept art meant as a teaser. It is not meant to unify the entirety of her subplot into a single image. When we revealed the original Mecha Sally design last year, did it betray her redesign, weaponization, and entire subplot? Of course not. I can see where folks spinning out their theories, but it's mostly conjecture. These "facts" are all fan-theory at this point.

Yeah, well, the reveal ruined the surprise!
I'd say "yeah, well, you're the one who looked" but this is the internet. Dodging bullets is easier than dodging spoilers. But, again, when we did the teaser reveal of Mecha Sally, did that spoil the entirety of her subplot? I'd think not, given it's still going on. Does this one teaser say when, how, and at what cost she'll change back? Nope. And c'mon - who seriously thought she wouldn't change back? The alternatives would be to keep her a robot (which would wear out the novelty) or kill her. Look at the explosive reactions to her getting a design change. I think the internet would explode if we'd killed her.

Is this set in stone? For sure? I want to rejoice/lament/bomb your house
I honestly don't know. I like it just fine, but there's been a LOT of scrutiny, and I think some folks have made some good and/or interesting points. And I'm not the only one who listens to fan-input. So maybe it will be tweaked. Or maybe this is the final design. You'll have to wait and see.

Are the new clothes coming from parental complaints over Sally's nakedness?
For pity's sake no! Yes, there are people out there who would object, but they are of the smallest minority (and need a new hobby). People getting hot and bothered about "nude" cartoon animals (both for and against) are the furthest thing from my mind. These aren't fully realize anthropomorphic entities, they're colorful cartoons with passing likenesses to human anatomy. For the love all things sensible, would somebody think it racy if I put a couple of parentheses next to each other? ( ( - woo! Scandalous!

Is there a level of hypocrisy in how nudity is treated between male and female cartoon characters? Sure. Is it unique to SONIC? Not by a long shot. Folks can debate all they want about the morality or political repercussions, but on our end it's very simple: SONIC-females are fully clothed, ergo Sally now wears clothes.

[Gojira007]

Well that certainly addresses most of what I complained about in his previous response. I'm sure it won't do anything to sate most of the fans currently unhappy, and I'm sensing a little bit of bet-hedging (the "this may not necessarily be the final look" thing in particular), but for the most part it answers a lot of the weaker spots I felt were in his previous response.
There's still a somewhat cynical bent to his reasoning to me, though; he acknowledges up front that, despite all the gravity the book tried to place on it, there was basically no chance of the Mecha Sally story-arc panning out any other way than this, which bugs the crap out of me for a LOT of reasons, not the least of which being the idea that the sole thing he apparently valued about the story-arc was its "novelty". Likewise, his admission that the double-standard of clothing exists but who honestly cares rubs me the wrong way.
Still, at least he KNOWS about it, and isn't trying to actively defend it, is a sight above just sort of pretending not to know it exists. Likewise, I do think there's a slightly greater sympathy in this response to fan feelings, most notably his mentioning that fans ARE being listened to based on how they received the design.

[Shadow]

Yet he never did give a good reason why Sally needs to have new clothes in the first place. At least Bunnie still wears her fucking leotard.

[bwrosas]

Yet he never did give a good reason why Sally needs to have new clothes in the first place. At least Bunnie still wears her fucking leotard.

I think what he means, when he says on "their end", I think he means not just Archie and their higher ups, but most importantly, SEGA

[Shadow]

Sega really doesn't care about Sally.

[Prime]

Are the new clothes coming from parental complaints over Sally's nakedness?
For pity's sake no! Yes, there are people out there who would object, but they are of the smallest minority (and need a new hobby). People getting hot and bothered about "nude" cartoon animals (both for and against) are the furthest thing from my mind. These aren't fully realize anthropomorphic entities, they're colorful cartoons with passing likenesses to human anatomy. For the love all things sensible, would somebody think it racy if I put a couple of parentheses next to each other? ( ( - woo! Scandalous!

Is there a level of hypocrisy in how nudity is treated between male and female cartoon characters? Sure. Is it unique to SONIC? Not by a long shot. Folks can debate all they want about the morality or political repercussions, but on our end it's very simple: SONIC-females are fully clothed, ergo Sally now wears clothes.

There we go, Ian has answered this one himself and are you happy now? Or are you still going to insist that those soccer parents are out to ruin everything?

[RedAuthar]

Yeah, well, the reveal ruined the surprise!
Does this one teaser say when, how, and at what cost she'll change back?

Anyone else a little worried about that line right there?
Specifically at the what cost part. Is he hinting at something bad is going to happen to someone else now? Interesting....

[fishtheimpaler]

Yeah, well, the reveal ruined the surprise!
Does this one teaser say when, how, and at what cost she'll change back?

Anyone else a little worried about that line right there?
Specifically at the what cost part. Is he hinting at something bad is going to happen to someone else now? Interesting....

Yeah, that's what he's hinting, but to be honest I don't really care, or believe him
They did a spoiler, they're getting backlash, and it's like "whatever don't worry I assure you that even though you already know the ending the story will be really dramatic and cool for reasons I cannot explain"
Which, you know, makes sense, but then why pop the ending? You didn't need have a problem trotting that out. Maybe you should have just kept your mouth shut in the first place
I don't think there's anything necessarily wrong with either changing Sally's design or de-roboticizing her in story, but geez they are not handling this well

There's still a somewhat cynical bent to his reasoning to me, though; he acknowledges up front that, despite all the gravity the book tried to place on it, there was basically no chance of the Mecha Sally story-arc panning out any other way than this, which bugs the crap out of me for a LOT of reasons, not the least of which being the idea that the sole thing he apparently valued about the story-arc was its "novelty".

I guess when you just write Mecha Sally as a mindless kill-bot who doesn't present any significant new threat, novelty is all you got

Edited by fishtheimpaler, 22 October 2012 - 08:58 AM.

[Uncle Ben]

Yeah, well, the reveal ruined the surprise!
Does this one teaser say when, how, and at what cost she'll change back?

Anyone else a little worried about that line right there?
Specifically at the what cost part. Is he hinting at something bad is going to happen to someone else now? Interesting....

I am... SOMETHING is gonna happen