Topic: Final Extreme Action Makeover Sexy Castlevania Edition Meets CVDF: Simon's Quest

[Azmodan]

Let's say IGA decided to redo Simon's Quest as part of the Chronicles mini-series. The game dared to try new ideas, but was hindered by poor clues and repetitive landscapes to an otherwise excellent game.

So, what ideas would you implement for an "Arranged" Simon's Quest?

First, I'd assume the graphics would be up-to-date, 2.5D if you wish. To solve the repetition, there'd be better backgrounds, like near Jova the areas would be rolling countrysides with thatched cottages and homes in the distance. Other areas, especially near manors, would be gloomy and foggy. Near Dracula's Castle, the land itself would be rotting, with the landscape barren and desolate.

Also, an extended soundtrack. Give different areas of the land all new BGM.

Finally, redo Death and Vampira with more advanced attack patterns, and a boss per body part. The manors were one the easiest aspects of Simon's Quest; just find the Oak Stake Merchant and stab the orb. Give me a challenge.

[crisis]

Simon's Quest should've been among the games that were part of the Nintendo Classics line of gba games (which included original Castlevania, Zelda, Metroid, etc.)

It seems that IGA & co. spent a lot of time developing DXC. If they were to do Simon's Quest, we probably won't see it for a while. I wouldn't mind updated graphics & engine, though!

[Aridale]

personally I dont want IGA anywhere NEAR my fav game of all time.

Id rather them pawn it off to the ppl that made the Order of Shadows than IGA to "reimagine" it like he did Simon the first time or Trevor or any of IGAs other girly men lil angsty boy heroes.

I can only imagine his remake of CV2 bein like PoR without Charlotte with Simon lookin like a cross dresser possibly takin up the spunky female sidekick mannerisms himself.

I can already picture him posing like Charlotte when she does her special pose lookin more like a gimp than his Chronicles artwork standin infront of the poor old cloaked person that sells him things which has now probably been replaced with a bald black man that looks exactly like Julius.

[AlexCalvo]

In Reply To #3
CoD Trevor if the best, he is not girly at all.  And did you see his cutscenes?  Please tell me what about him seemed angsty at all?  Chronicles Simon looks... odd, I agree.  But atleast now all the Belmont's don't look exactly the same.

[ringo]

In Reply To #1
I am sure he'd make a CV3 Chronicles before he would tackle 2. I would prefer the latter, though, as it much more apt for remaking.

CV2 is just about the only major CV game that I've never finished. I always quit playing due to sheer frustration at some of the game's mechanics. But I see the potential in it. I am sure IGA's team could do a good job on it. After all, the design is already there so there isn't too much that could go wrong.

[Profbeanburrito]

Yeah I agree. Dracula's Curse has a better chance of getting remade than Simon's Quest. I do think that if they do remake SQ it would be better if it was made completely 3-D. I think it would work better for a game like that

[Mooning Freddy]

My opinion that if Simon's Quest is remade, they should make it extremely different from the other games in the series, just like CV2 was different from the original CV.

First of all, I want it either in full 3D or made in Diablo-like graphics (where the view is from above). Second of all, they should give up on the RPG elements to increase the adventure (quest) game elements in the game. The special item you find and buy throughout the game (whip upgrades, holy water, garlic, etc.) would have much more of a value if you won't go up levels all the time.
Also make it much creepier, like a total silent hill atmosphere, with day-night transitions that make your blood freeze. of course, I would like much more cut scenes that would assist in understanding the story, as well as set the atmosphere. For example, I want the first night in the game  to occur shortly while you are leaving the first town, and then there would be a cut scene with the sun setting in the sky, and the townspeople rushing into their houses, doors shutting, all out a feeling of fear and as Simon watches the moon rising in the sky, he would say "What a terrible night to have a curse".
The night should be fearsome, with ghouls appearing from the darkness, skeletons rising from the cold ground, and all out to attack you. As for the castles in the game, they should be views of absolute horror, with tortured men, sounds of women screaming, growls, etc. All throughout the game, you would meet in the most unexpected places people/creatures who would assist you- weird salesmen, dying warriors who would hand you valuable items, witches who would whisper you secrets.
Oh, and did I mention this remake has ought to be M+? Yeah.

[Slayer]

If they were to remake Simon's Quest, they'd have to revamp most of the game altogether.  It is simply not large enough to be released as a Chronicles title without at least some expansive measures.  What would also be killer is if they told the gamer WHERE AND FOR HOW LONG to crouch next to a river/on the end of a valley.

[Aridale]

In Reply To #4

I dont mean that all of them are angsty that mostly applies to Soma =D But more how the Belmonts theyve "updated" are absolutely nothing like they were before.

[Munchy]

Changes I'd want them to make:

-SEPARATE MONEY FROM HEARTS, GODDAMMIT
-Maps
-More expansive, intricate mansions with real bosses (possibly ala Zelda)
-More variety in music, countryside
-A save system that isn't long-ass passwords (if this were a Chronicles game, this feature would probably be a given)
-If it were to be full 3D, for the love of God, give it to a different team than the CoD team (or outsource development to a team that actually knows what they're doing). I'm not against another 3D game, provided it isn't the flat-ass budget crap we've grown accustomed to.

[Dark Nemesis]

Changes I'd want them to make:

-SEPARATE MONEY FROM HEARTS, GODDAMMIT
-Maps
-More expansive, intricate mansions with real bosses (possibly ala Zelda)
-More variety in music

Now this what i like to see also on new Castlevania Games. New maps with expansive stages and new places with new bosses. Not PoR Style.

[A-Yty]

I've talked the topic so many times, but here are the main points:

- Full 3D.
- The mansions are excellent for platforming and traps..
- ..while Transylvania itself should be a huge area to explore, perfect for combat. I'm talking forests, graveyards, caves, water areas etc.
- Horses can be used to move around. They cost money, though, and you can't fight very well while riding. The monsters may attack or kill the horses, too (This would force the player to find a safe place for the animals, as they are needed to complete the game fast). The horses could also warn Simon of nearby monsters. They can and sometimes, have to be, used for storing items and weapons.
- Money and hearts are two different things. Heart gives mana.
- A new kind of combat system. Some monsters may grab you, choke you or swarm on you.
- Separate stamina, energy and mana meters. Spells, food and resting can be used to regain them.
- Realistic time flow.
- An array of weapons and armors. They could be bought from the towns and you could bring the materials to a smith, who would forge equiment for a price. You could customize your weapons too.
- Spell system
- The curse enables Simon to use some unholy magic, stemming from Dracula himself (Simon is slowly turning into a vampire). Overusing the abilities would affect the story. Some abilities: temporary invicibility, super-speed, morphing into a monster
- Each body part and artifact is guarded by a boss.
- Cutscenes, mainly for refining the storyline.
- Different endings. The curse and the time used would play a major part in this.
- Loads of details. You could see the sun setting, the ghost of Dracula in a mirror and perhaps even finding the slumbering Alucard.

[Mooning Freddy]

- Horses can be used to move around. They cost money, though, and you can't fight very well while riding. The monsters may attack or kill the horses, too (This would force the player to find a safe place for the animals, as they are needed to complete the game fast). The horses could also warn Simon of nearby monsters. They can and sometimes, have to be, used for storing items and weapons.

Horses for the win! How didn't I think of that? Great idea for exploration.

- The curse enables Simon to use some unholy magic, stemming from Dracula himself (Simon is slowly turning into a vampire). Overusing the abilities would affect the story.

Great idea. Dark magic is good. Like, a spell that allows you to control lesser enemies. Or drink blood to regain HP/MP. Or other stuff like that.

All of the things you listed here are unquestionable, fine by me. Then again, we need some original stuff for game's engine, so it would be original and not a copy of 1000000000 of other similar RPGs.

We sure do set high expectations from a game we don't even know will be made, don't we, A-Yty? 

[Long John Silver]

I thought the curse was just preventing Simon's wounds from healing, so he was gradually getting weaker, not turning him into a freak vampire.

[A-Yty]

In Reply To #14

I know. I made that up.

It might be too much, come to think of it. Perhaps it would be better if Simon feels he has nothing to lose. "Hell, I'm going to die anyway. Why not use some kickass dark magic before that?".

That, or he simply has to, since he hasn't got much time to destroy Drac for good. He needs to cut some corners.'

SQ remake seems to gain more and more support as time goes by. You may have a good point, Freddy. So many fan ideas are so kickass that I fear that if SQ Redux ever happens, it can never live up to the expectations. Then again, the same can be said of the 1999 game and that is pretty much certain to happen in the future.

Either way, I personally really want to see the game remade some day. It has so much potential to rejuvenate the whole damn series.