Welcome back, Needlemouse fans!
If comments are anything to go by, our last community challenge and concept art speak in spades: we’re glad that so many of you were stoked that Project Needlemouse is returning to form. Our playable blue hedgehog’s presence isn’t the only good news we have for you oldschool fans, and we’re almost ready to crack the lid on Project Needlemouse and show you a deeper look at what’s in store.
Before we get into today’s challenge, a cool fact for everyone: When we posted the first piece of concept art two weeks ago, traffic here went so far through the roof that you guys actually broke the blogs – and even some Sonic fansites, apparently. The occasion is worth noting, because it proves just how many of you out there are reading these words and silently hoping that the dreams you have for this game come true. From one oldschool Sonic fan to another, then: keep on reading.
Recently, some of you may have seen the picture below, which is not a real piece of concept art from Project Needlemouse, and was actually created by a fan named Trakker in the same style as our original. It certainly looks pretty good though, doesn’t it?
The Needlemouse Challenge: Part II
So, the folks here at SEGA have only one word to comment on the fake concept art above:
Awesome.
In fact, we’d like to see even more of it. So here’s the challenge: we want you guys to create your own concept art based on your favorite Badniks from the original Sonic games. It can be any Badnik from Sonic 1, 2, 3, Sonic & Knuckles, or any other Sonic games of that era. Pick your favorite(s), draw them up concept art style, and send it our way! (Japanese not required!)
The Challenge: Submit over 100 (total) pieces of Concept Art of your favorite oldschool Badniks to SEGA! Show us which enemies you want to see in Project Needlemouse!
The Reward: If the challenge is met, next week we’ll reveal:
Project Needlemouse’s Actual Name
Concept Art from the first Zone
A very cool extra bonus…
What to use: Alright! Now that we have your attention, on to the specifics. You can create the concept art in Photoshop, on paper, in Microsoft Paint, via crayon, or using pretty much any worthwhile medium that gets the point across. (Create it from something notably awesome – like, say, Oreos – and you will get a bonus spotlight!) The limit is one piece of concept art per person.
Submitting your concept art: Next, send it our way! You’ve got a few options here, so just pick the one that’s easiest for you.
1. Post it here in a comment! Host it on an external site like Photobucket.com, and then comment here on the Blog with a link to your art.
2. E-mail us! If you’re a little shy about showing off your work to the world, you can also send it to us via e-mail:
communityteam@sega.com !
3. PM us! If you’ve got a Forum or SEGA Pass account, you can send a private message to RubyEclipse on the SEGA forums with your art. If you already have a forum account, you’re all set!
If you guys can send in a cumulative total of over 100 pieces of concept art by Monday morning at 10:00 AM, you’re in for a very special treat in the days following. This will be our final community challenge for Project Needlemouse - and it will also be one of the last times we refer to the game by its code name. If you thought the first concept art was cool, then trust us – things are about to get a whole lot more interesting. We will also be updating throughout the week and weekend to let you know how close you are!
New Concept Art #2!
Of course, basing concept art off of only a single piece is kind of difficult, right? We thought so too – so today we’re releasing our second piece of concept art in celebration! Last time we revealed a Badnik that was originally in Sonic 2; this time, we’re going back even further – say hello to an old enemy you should recognize from the original Green Hill Zone! (Click to see the full size image.)
This one is official – and this Badnik will also be appearing in the game!
Everyone has the rest of the week and the weekend to create and share your pieces. We’ll also post the best of the submissions here on the blogs for you all to view / laugh at / be totally amazed by later.
In closing, some parting thoughts that expand on some comments we made in the last blog:
Speed is something that is not given; but rather earned through dedication. Speed is not found by simply pushing a boost button, but by building momentum. It is the reward for skill in the face of difficult challenges – this kind of speed is the most exhilarating, not only because it is fast, but because of the pure perfection such speed exemplifies. This is the truth of the original Sonic games – and this is the truth of Project Needlemouse.
Good luck, everyone!