Topic: Carpathian Night - Some Legends Refuse to Die!

[VladOfWallachia]

Thanks, you aren't the first person to mention the walk speed actually. I'm trying to keep the lance character close to Simon, but my second playable character, Irina, is still in early stages of design. I do know for a fact that I want her to play very different from the lance hero, and the feedback that keeps coming back is the movement speed. I think I'm going to experiment with her a lot to make sure she fills in the gap of fast playstyle, while keeping the lancer slow and Belmont-like.

I'll be sure to show some videos of Irina once I feel confident that she's a good alternative character.

[Dracula9]

if you're going for a pseudo-retro look and sound, then get rid of the angling-based rotation on that spikeball platform circler

for one the angling rotation isn't going nearly fast enough for how fast the enemy/hazard itself is actually moving, and it draws unnecessary attention to itself

it also just doesn't look very good

it immediately detracts from the intended pseudo-retro vibe (the above plays into this also), which is a problem when everything else seems to know what it wants to be

it's one little geometrically simple spiker enemy--having actual frames for that shouldn't be any kind of trouble, hell even the CV this draws inspiration from had a twoframe for its version of the same enemy

[aensland]

I'll be sure to show some videos of Irina once I feel confident that she's a good alternative character.

A female character lead in a game with "Wallachia" in the name? nice Migami reference there!

[VladOfWallachia]

if you're going for a pseudo-retro look and sound, then get rid of the angling-based rotation on that spikeball platform circler

Okay, I didn't know that people would be distracted by the tween animation. Noted.

nice Migami reference there!

I'm not familiar with their work nor have I ever played their games. I've been asking for feedback for Wallachian Night online since 2016, back when it was just a side hobby project of mine. I'm clearly taking many ideas from other games, but I've been transparent about the source material this whole time, namely Super Castlevania IV, first and foremost. Last year I did an interview describing the various movies and games that have influenced my design of Wallachian Night, and that interview can be found here:

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https://www.reddit.com/r/HorrorGaming/wiki/wallachiannight

“Other than the Castlevania games, Wallachian Night is heavily influenced by horror films, the Dark Souls series, and the historical Dracula. The horror film in particular that has the most influence is Universal’s 1931 adaptation of Dracula. The first act of the movie has an unforgettable atmosphere, one that more convincingly draws me into the haunted Transylvanian countryside more than any other Dracula film I’ve ever seen. Similarly, I feel that the haunting atmosphere of the Castlevania games is a core part of the overall experience. I intend to carry this over into Wallachian Night, using the 1931 Dracula as a huge source of inspiration for the atmosphere. A more modern horror film that I also draw inspiration from is Dracula Untold. I would agree with the general consensus about the quality of the film, but I feel like some of the ideas they had for the story are actually better suited for a video game than a movie. Like Dracula Untold, the story of Wallachian Night will closely combine the historical Dracula with Bram Stoker’s fictional Dracula. Additionally, those who have read the short story Dracula’s Guest should find the opening level of Wallachian Night familiar.”

“Finally, the popular Dark Souls series has played a role in influencing the design of Wallachian Night. One of the aspects I appreciated most about those games is how the pacing and difficulty match the dark fantasy atmosphere. In each game, I would slowly inch my way through the world, carefully watching my step, looking around every corner, and constantly preparing for the worst. The game becomes incredibly immersive when the way the game forces you to play matches the nature of the world around you. I wish to incorporate this element into Wallachian Night. Players that carefully plan their approach will be well prepared to face the challenges that lie ahead.”

[aensland]

I'm not familiar with their work nor have I ever played their games. I've been asking for feedback for Wallachian Night online since 2016, back when it was just a side hobby project of mine. I'm clearly taking many ideas from other games, but I've been transparent about the source material this whole time, namely Super Castlevania IV, first and foremost.

This will be my last post regarding this coincidence since it could be a thread derailment, but that part kinda ticked me off because

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Original post: http://castlevaniadungeon.net/forums/index.php?topic=8213.msg182813#msg182813

Anyways, my point is that you should be careful of people not confuse both project, would harm both of Migami people and you in the end if potential players get confused about which game is which

[VladOfWallachia]

This will be my last post regarding this coincidence since it could be a thread derailment, but that part kinda ticked me off because

Similarly, this will also be my last post on the name as well. So it seems they mentioned a game called Wallachia in 2015, and that's fine. If you consider that the historical prince Dracula of Wallachia has been connected to the fictional Dracula since Stoker's novel from over a century ago, and that Castlevania incorporates the location of the games into the title of the game (Castle+Transylvania = Castlevania), it could only be expected that fan games would have either Transylvania or Wallachia as a setting and within the title to make the tribute to Castlevania clear. In fact, my game development folder for this is still called Transylvania Legends, which was the title of the game before I found out that a mobile game with that exact name already exists on the app stores.

I don't know how the Migami guys feel about it, they may see it as unfortunate that they have to worry about a competing product with a similar name, but that's just the hand we were dealt. With the recent increase in Castlevania's popularity due to the Netflix show and Bloodstained, we can probably expect to see more indie games with similar names to ours. I have only shown kindness to the Migami guys since they first notified me of their game, and I will continue to see them as fellow Castlevania fans more than anything.

But yes, let this be the final post about this, because so far, I've really appreciated all of the feedback I've received and I wish for this thread to continue being primarily for that.

[Dracula9]

just a detail clarification, wanna confirm that the other project's been in the works since at least late 2011, but it went by a different name then (setting/plot was largely the same though)

[ProjectDread]

I don't believe that because this game has "Wallachia" in the title and features a female character to play as means he took the idea from Mig, or even that his project was inspired by it. As Dracula9 brought up, it certainly looks like Mig's game has been around for some time, but I don't think that really matters. It's a project heavily inspired by both Castlevania and Vlad Tepes, so it's not unusual that Wallachia or Translvania could be used in the name. It's also possible that Vlad was completely unaware of Migs game.

Seems like a silly thing to talk about, but maybe that's just me.

*shrugs*

[VladOfWallachia]

The second playable character, Irina:

[Briraka]

cool, is she going to be the belmont of the game or something different?

[VladOfWallachia]

cool, is she going to be the belmont of the game or something different?

I'm still test playing various weapons and playstyles for her, so I'm not sure exactly how she will turn out yet. But yes, the whip is one of the weapons I'm considering.

[VladOfWallachia]

Plot and Character details below:

Plot:

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In December of 1476, the war torn principality of Wallachia lost its most ardent defender, Prince Vlad Tepes Dracula. With his death, the empire’s grip on Wallachia and her people strengthened once more. However, this victory was short lived, as death itself could not contain Dracula from initiating his fourth and most terrifying reign over Wallachia.

The undead prince, reanimated by a secretive cult of necromancy, has embraced the fires of Hell as his weapon against the empire and all fellow countrymen who dare defy him. With a new army of the dead and the demonic at his back, Dracula quickly retook the throne in the early months of 1477. Already dreaded in life, the undead prince and his army pushed fear to indescribable heights. The countryside of Wallachia lay riddled with gruesome reminders of his earned title of “Impaler.”

For centuries, the cursed lands of Wallachia have served as a battlefield between the pious and the wicked. With darkness enveloping Wallachia once more, the people pray for the return of the legendary champions of old, the mighty clan of the mountain, the Montebellas. Whenever darkness enveloped the land, the champions of the Montebella clan descended from the snowy peaks of the Carpathian mountains to deliver divine justice. However, in this dire time of need, the legendary warriors of the mountain are nowhere to be found.

One legend dies, and another rises in its place. Two champions heed the call of the people. Vlad the Monk, abbot of Snagov monastery and half brother of the undead prince, takes the blessed family heirloom known as the Dragon Lance, and departs on a journey to undo the wicked magic that animated his brother back to life. The shadowy Order of the Dragon, the same order who bestowed Dracula’s father with the title “Dracul”, has ordered their finest champion to punish the unholy prince. Irina Dracul, who has also been bestowed the honorary title of Dracul for her commitment to the Order, will unleash the purifying flames of the dragon upon the undead prince, as punishment for his betrayal against the holy order.

Off in the distance, atop a towering mountain, sits Dracula’s Castle Poenari. Confident in their abilities and in God’s protection, the two champions step into the shadow of the imposing castle and begin their journey, knowing well the terror that awaits them.

Characters:

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Monk
The pious half brother of the undead prince and leader of the Snagov monestary. He wields the blessed family heirloom, the Dragon Lance, which dismantles the undead in a way that normal weapons cannot. He sees the undead prince as an abomination, and wishes not only to rid Wallachia of his undead army, but to do whatever is in his power to salvage what remains of his brother's soul.



Irina
The finest champion to ever come out of the Order of the Dragon. Like the dragon she represents, Irina can purify the undead through her manipulation of fire. She can conjure various types of fire weapons out of thin air with her pyromancy skills. It is her duty to use this gift to salvage the reputation of the Order by destroying the treasonous undead prince.



Dracula
The feared warlord and prince of Wallachia. After a lifetime of war, Dracula was slain in battle at the end of 1476.



Dracula the Fallen
The prince who was resurrected by a cult of necromancers. With his new undead army, he was able to easily dispel the empire from Wallachia. He resides in his secluded Castle Poenari, and not much is know about his plans for Wallachia and her people.



The Montebella Clan
The whereabouts of the legendary clan of pious warriors are still unknown.

[VladOfWallachia]

I'm making an announcement about a major change in the design of this game.

In a previous reply, I explained that I have changed the name and setting of this game once already. My announcement is that I will once again be changing the name of the game and it's setting. While I feel happy with the progress we've made with the gameplay, art, music, and programming, the story seems to be the one aspect of the game I can't ever find myself satisfied with. I feel like placing the game in a real world setting with real historical figures limits my creative freedom, and every writing sessions feels like I have to stay within self imposed confines.

This game will now take place in a completely fictional world, with a different storyline and characters. Stay tuned for updates on the new name and story.

[VladOfWallachia]

This will likely be my last update before releasing the demo to you guys. Below is a more recent gameplay video showing some graphical improvements and a new section of the opening level:


https://youtu.be/OYSN9HTIef8

Let me know if you guys have any questions or feedback, and thanks!

[VladOfWallachia]

Name change is official and permanent- Carpathian Night. The story will revolve around the fictional Bram Stoker Dracula, not the historical prince of Wallachia. However, like the movie Dracula Untold, I will attempt to combine the fictional and historical Dracula into one.

Update on the game:
I quickly hacked together a simple speed run mode, and streamed my Level 1 attempts on the Castlevania fan group Facebook page a few days ago. I'm going to leave this feature in for the demo.

I lost some dev time over the last few weeks due to personal issues, so unfortunately, the demo will be delayed. Despite the setback, I am very confident that the demo will be ready at the end of April, or beginning of May. End of May at the latest.

Additionally, while I was speed running the game, I felt that some parts of the mechanics need refinement. This is also part of the reason the demo will be slightly delayed.

Stay tuned.