Correct me if i'm wrong, but doesn't this year mark the 20th anniversary of Castlevania? Vampire Killer MSX was released in 1986 so... i wonder if Konami is planning anything. It doesn't seem so as i haven't heard any news of upcoming projects. This saddens me... this coupled with the knowledge that Paul Anderson is the man directing the Castlevania film which will surely suck. Oh how the mighty have fallen...
It would be really nice if they released a new action sidescroller like the originals... or at least announced a new 2d action/rpg for one of the new console systems. It's very doubtful though - as we are already 4 months into the new year with no news to show for any of this.
Also, don't get me wrong - i love what Iga has done with Symphony of the Night and the three other handheld additions... but his 3d ones are lackluster. I think it's about time for the series to head in a different direction.
circuitface wrote:Correct me if i'm wrong, but doesn't this year mark the 20th anniversary of Castlevania? Vampire Killer MSX was released in 1986 so...
You're correct circuitface... well, almost.
26 September 2006 will be Castlevania 20th anniversary, to be exact. But we are celebrating the famicom-disk release... The MSX2 version came just a month later, contrary to popular belief.
(btw, if things stay as they are, there's very little to celebrate)
well isn't there at least a new 2d DS Castlevania in the works?!
The first DS ouing was received very well, so a sequel to would be a welcome way to celebrate the 20th anniversary, right!?
That said a new 2D installment on X360/PS3.REV using nextgen techniques could be the next best thing ever...
Seems like his favorite bit about CVIII was the multiple characters thing.
We here shall not rest until we have made a drawing-room of your shaft, and if you do not all finally go down to your doom in patent-leather shoes, then you shall not go at all.
If Konami scrapped the idea of Castlevania in 3D, I'd be so happy I'd jump. They should spend that cash on the 2D Castlevanias, which always seem to be on a tight budget.
"Sooo, what was it that you consider a 'good salary' for a man to make?"
"They should at least make 100K to have a good life"
...
I bought my first Duo in Japan 9 years ago just so I could play Dracula X Chi no Rondo (people thought I was crazy for buying a system for just one game).
I would commit all sorts of atrocities for another Castlevania like that.
Colorful graphics, 2D parallax scrolling, varied levels (not just inside a castle), maybe muiltiple paths and characters like in Castlevania 3
(Hell, I'd LOVE to see a remake of CV III).
Isn't that what everyone wants? Why don't Konami/Iga listen?
Ceph wrote:I bought my first Duo in Japan 9 years ago just so I could play Dracula X Chi no Rondo (people thought I was crazy for buying a system for just one game).
I would commit all sorts of atrocities for another Castlevania like that.
Colorful graphics, 2D parallax scrolling, varied levels (not just inside a castle), maybe muiltiple paths and characters like in Castlevania 3
(Hell, I'd LOVE to see a remake of CV III).
Isn't that what everyone wants? Why don't Konami/Iga listen?
I think Iga wants to do a remake of either Rondo of Blood or Castlevania III (or both). I'm also pretty sure he's expressed interest in making a 2D Castlevania for a console, but he says it just isn't possible in this day and age.
So, if we get those remakes, they'll be for a handheld.
I heard a rumor a few months back that the God of war team were going to do a new castlevania (in 3D). I guess that fell through since they are doing GOW 2 now.
The next castlevania will be on a newer system and I bet KCET have little to nothing to do with it.
This industry has become 2 dimensional as it transcended into a 3D world.
Ceph wrote:Colorful graphics, 2D parallax scrolling, varied levels (not just inside a castle), maybe muiltiple paths and characters like in Castlevania 3
(Hell, I'd LOVE to see a remake of CV III).
Isn't that what everyone wants? Why don't Konami/Iga listen?
I wouldn't say most people want old-style Castlevania. It would be looked at like a regression for the series. Many people need their stupid RPG elements which does nothing but unbalance the gameplay, stupid amounts of backtracking, and collecting crap. Or in other words, modern replay value.
"Sooo, what was it that you consider a 'good salary' for a man to make?"
"They should at least make 100K to have a good life"
...
Be nice if they scrapped all that for just one game though - but made the game super long, and improved upon alot of the elements that were in the original Castlevania games... like maybe the daylight system that was in Simon's Quest.
Devil may cry is a typical Castlevania style game in 3D, except with guns.
One thing to note is that the CEO of Konami is not a Dracula X fan himself. SOTN sold 250,000 copies in the USA alone on initial release and got a GH release as well. I doubt a 2D console version would sell anywhere near that today. I would like to see a PS2 Guilty Gear X type presentation though, that would rock my house.
This industry has become 2 dimensional as it transcended into a 3D world.
Devil May Cry is usually mistaken for being that way because of it's gothic theme mixed with energetic fantasy action but it doesn't really play anything like one would expect for a really good 3d Castlevania. I guess that's just my opinion though.
Didn't Iga say something about going back to 2D after CoD? Or was that scrapped in favor of the current "home console = 3D, handheld = 2D" business model?
The problem with 2D outside of fighters is that it takes an age to draw all those levels and sprites. You could say the same about 3D as well, but 3D games sell rather well.
It would just be a huge risk to make a full blown 2D game that SCEA would consider a $20 sale.
Konami could make a crap 3D castlevania that would sell more copies than a great 2D variation of the game.
This industry has become 2 dimensional as it transcended into a 3D world.
The problem is more with developers than anything else. If devs wanted to make 2D games on consoles, they could release 'em on Microsoft or Nintendo consoles if Sony said no to them. And who says that Sony is more likely to say no to blockbuster 2D games? Nobody has tried to make one. Is it proven that Microsoft or Nintendo are much much more old school friendly? Most of the 2D games Sony says no to are stand alone re-releases of 5 years or older games. If the next big Castlevania was 2D, I've no doubt SCEA would approve it and at full price. Even Alien Hominid managed to sell for 40.
"Sooo, what was it that you consider a 'good salary' for a man to make?"
"They should at least make 100K to have a good life"
...
Still far too risky imo.. If I was Konami I would let it happen if it was outsourced to someone like Treasure and they took all the hit on development costs.
A Castlevania with Guilty gear visuals and animation, add in the size of game that SOTN is, you've got so much drawing to do that most of the game would be tiled and boring.
Also, alot of studios have cut down the staff required for 2D games. A blockbuster 2D game would require hundreds of people to make it groundbreaking. A DS/GBA game only requires 5 man teams because the handheld uses old coding routines. You could not apply those standards to a new Castlevania game unless you wanted it to look like a GBA game.
This industry has become 2 dimensional as it transcended into a 3D world.
Maybe if Konami could put together a new 2d CV game but give it a special catch to draw in customers. How many times has a 2d sidescrolling mmorpg been done? I honestly cannot recall even one... but i may be wrong.
In the case of Castlevania though, i feel that they could easily find a way to make it work.
Imagine that you have the entire Transylvanian countryside to roam around in a setup similar to Simon's Quest but with gameplay like SotN.
With the right customization, expansion, interaction, and marketing elements i think Konami could spark a large interest in something like that. I'd say it would work best on the handhelds - but there are way too many size issues.
Of course, that idea is hindered even moreso by the limitations listed earlier - having to constantly draw out new areas of the game for expansions would be a real pain in the arse among many other things. Konami probably wouldn't even give this idea the time of day.
I don't know a thing about game creation, but I don't think a quality 2D game would cost nearly as much as some of the 3D monstrosities out there. Konami could probably create 2 or more 2D castlevanias on the PS2 with the cash they use to make a Metal Gear game. If 2D is too expensive to make, they could make it 2.5D like Contra Shattered Soldier! Konami is so bad. All I wanted is to play a new console Castlevania (not so-so 3D games on PS2.)
"Sooo, what was it that you consider a 'good salary' for a man to make?"
"They should at least make 100K to have a good life"
...
Well the development cycle of a 3D game is very different from a 2D game.
With 3D you have frame rate issues to worry about (usually), but also you can use textures over and over. So you could have a canyon rock texture for 20 mins of a game and never change it, you just shape the level with polygons and apply texture.
With a 2D game, you can tile the game so the scrolling element repeats several times, or you can load in one huge tile (or background) that has unique art on it.
In a fighter more details are put in because its a closed arena that only scrolls 2 screens wide. Multiply that by several thousand like SOTN and you have a pretty expensive game.
Konami outsourced Gradius to Treasure and Castlevania is said to be an outsourcable property also. I'm pretty sure KCET has no 2D talent inhouse. Capcom also axed their whole 2D crew after the arcade division closed down. So whatever happens, if a 2D castlevania is in the works it won't be on a console, maybe a GBA/DS title.
This industry has become 2 dimensional as it transcended into a 3D world.
Never gonna happen but my new Castlevania would be a low res 2D arcade style game. Old Castlevania style music and atmosphere. Metal Slug quality animation and scenery. CV4 weapons, whips and swinging with Osman/Cannon Dancers control level.
You know it makes sense.
As everyone well knows console/arcade 2D is generally pretty screwed. So everyone can look forward to another metroid em up or a 3D wander about em up.
"When we were talking to one of the executives at the BBC. And he said, 'Now hold on, this man is so incompetent why wouldn't he be fired?' and I said 'Go and take a look around this building. Just go and knock on a few doors.'" - Ricky Gervais
Dandy J wrote:Didn't Iga say something about going back to 2D after CoD? Or was that scrapped in favor of the current "home console = 3D, handheld = 2D" business model?
IGA has said that he's always wanted to do "something" 2D but that due to business reasons, there isn't any chance of that...unless all the fans bombard Konami with emails saying they want 2D (which is like what IGA suggests in every interview where he's asked whether he wants to make a collection/port/2D CV), which won't happen.
circuitface wrote:Maybe if Konami could put together a new 2d CV game but give it a special catch to draw in customers. How many times has a 2d sidescrolling mmorpg been done? I honestly cannot recall even one... but i may be wrong.
theres been a few but i don't recall their names. a couple of them were on mobile platforms though.
