Topic: Simon's Curse, metroidvania game based on Simon's Quest

[Wanhus]

Hiya!

I will also keep updating this first post as things advance... updated D06.M03.Y2024

Demo availiable here: https://metzgermade.itch.io/simons-curse

The game tries to fix all of the problems that I could think of from the original Simon's Quest
along with additional features, bosses etc etc... And improved graphics made by me using the original style art as a base. It also makes the game more modern metroidvania like, adding things that you are used to form those games.

Whats ready?
Well the full engine is done everything works as it should, items, physics, enemy ai, movement, etc.
Whats not ready?
Prolly about 30% of locations and their graphics,  less than half of the enemies and some minor things.

Story in short:

You are Simon a vampire slayer. After the last battle with dracula you failed to vanquish him for good. Now his minions are gathering his remains in order to bring their master back to life. Festering wounds caused by dracula have cursed your blood making you weaker and when night comes you powers are further diminished. Can you find draculas remains and destroy dracula before the curse withers your life away?

More info about the game:
- Old things generally hated that were removed or changed: Oaks stake and its function, dying in water in cities, obscure npc's, you don't lose all hearts/gold by dying, hearts and gold are separate,
    no need for nintendo power anymore, no long waits during day/night cycles, text flows faster in text boxes, exp no longer locked to heart containers, etc stuff I forgot
- Full controller support
- Keyboard support and remap
- Slopes
- Options
- Jump through platforms
- Whip changing
- Armor changing
- More bosses
- More items
- Armors
- Map
- More enemies
- Changeable whips
- You can use items and attack while on stairs, you also wont fall if hit on the stairs
- Save locations in churches like in other metroidvanias
- 8-bit style graphics but with more color, early pc style
- New Visual effects
- Now with menu pausing
- Garlic is more useful now
- Music by Optomon
- Lots of things I don't remember

Things I might add if I have the time:
- NG+
- More playable characters
- Beastiary

My first attempt at making a video of my game and turning it into a gif, it's buggy and has low fps but i hope you like it.


But hey here is some screenshots not too many so I wont spoil everything... Also those are test screenshots so I'm cheating.





Also if you have any questions suggestions or anything feel free to comment =)

Thanks for reading!

[Claimh Solais]

What in particular would you want help with on pixel art? I could probably do things like enemies, characters, or items. But locations and (maybe) bosses are out of my league, since I've been out of the spriting game for a long time now.

Game looks neat, though. Would love to see more of it.

[Wanhus]

Thanks I would love some help. Location spriting I mean tiles not whole sets.
With enemies I need the most help as most of them are unfinished, and they are mostly mimic works of the originals.
Lots of furniture sprites are also needed. But sure I might show some more screens once I can or maybe a video.

[Claimh Solais]

Oh, I know you just mean tiles. I'm just bad at locations period.

Your Simon sprite seems to be a recoloring of the original Simon's Quest sprite, so do you mean something like that? Just recoloring the original sprites with more colors?

[Wanhus]

Most of them are recolors/alters to save time. I would love if they were all totally new 8-bit style sprites but with more color but I ques I have to do with recolors/alterations to save time.
I just want to get this finished but not rushed.
I have thou drawn almost all the decor, city, nature, items, castle, what ever tiles my self.

[MooMilk]

The town graphics aren't so great, but I really like the rest. I see what you need by wanting help tho. You used the old graphics for the enemies and character sprites but everything else is drawn without a line around them. The Marsh is BOSS. I hope you finish this homebrew.

Curious, did you get the idea to save in churches from me? I rememmber posting that idea in romhacking.net's forums. You don't have to credit me for the idea or anything, just curioius if that's where you got the idea.

[Wanhus]

I just thought the saving my self as there is no other logic place than to save in the church and I don't want to place extra empty save rooms around the map that seem silly. Also all the games I am used to playing from times of old saving happens in the church, just about every sega/nintendo RPG. Also you healed in the church by talking to the priest so I just placed a statue to pray on to get healed and saved. This is not even the first game I have made that has saving in church. But if you do have some great ideas please share them, I want to improve this game.

Things I might add if I have the time:
- NG+
- Other characters

But yeah I would love all graphics to custom made but this game will take another 4 years or more if I want that to happen or if I'm making them my self.

Yeah the town looks pretty much the same but not all towns do...

[eryson]

I've liked the Marsh's graphics. its very surprising.

[Wanhus]

Thanks you, this is still in development so everything can improve still.
I always like feedback negative or positive as long as it makes sense =)

I will try to improve Jova's setting once I get some decent ideas.
Most of them come from gothic architecture to maintain castlevania style.

[MooMilk]

Yeah, not hard to come up with the saving idea, cause in the metroidvania games you always save and replenish your energy in the same spot. So having the priest ask  if you want to save is a pretty easy thing to figure out.

[ProjectDread]

I just thought the saving my self as there is no other logic place than to save in the church and I don't want to place extra empty save rooms around the map that seem silly. Also all the games I am used to playing from times of old saving happens in the church, just about every sega/nintendo RPG. Also you healed in the church by talking to the priest so I just placed a statue to pray on to get healed and saved. This is not even the first game I have made that has saving in church. But if you do have some great ideas please share them, I want to improve this game.
...

I completely disagree. Not only is this a video game, this is a Castlevania video game where you play as a loin-cloth totting barbarian who walks around killing spooky scary skeletons with a whip. It's not logical, and it doesn't have to be. No player has ever seriously questioned why save points exist throughout a game, they are purely there for player convenience and should be treated as such. Just my two cents though!

[BLOOD MONKEY]

I started making this and never got around to finishing it. If you like it, you can feel free to use it. If you want me to upgrade any enemies or characters and items just shoot me a pm.

[X]

That's a bad@$$ spritesheet Bloo! I think it would go well with this fangame. Once finished of course 

[Wanhus]

ProjectDread it is logical to place them in churches, no one was talking realistic. Towns are the hub points and safe havens ( until nigh falls ) for you to buy and heal also they are placed between each other with a decent distance. Logic is not the same as realism as you are comparing it to realism. And the saving still exist for only players convenience as its logical to do so. As password mechanics takes longer to make and removing saves would make it too hard for most.
Just a minor error in your comment all good =)

Bloo thats a very nice sprite sheet but I already did one for Simon, made hair longer and red, added fur boots like he has, recolored his clothing and skin. I used this as my base point
 
If I decide to add sliding and climbing ( sliding already in as code along with double jump, etc ) I would love to use them and would credit you for using them.
Also yes I do need help with enemies and characters so I will definitely contact you once I get to next enemy add point, which will come soon. Thanks =)

By the ways this is what the game looked like 2 years ago, but I did not like it...

[mgfcortez]

ProjectDread it is logical to place them in churches, no one was talking realistic. Towns are the hub points and safe havens ( until nigh falls ) for you to buy and heal also they are placed between each other with a decent distance. Logic is not the same as realism as you are comparing it to realism. And the saving still exist for only players convenience as its logical to do so. As password mechanics takes longer to make and removing saves would make it too hard for most.
Just a minor error in your comment all good =)

Bloo thats a very nice sprite sheet but I already did one for Simon, made hair longer and red, added fur boots like he has, recolored his clothing and skin. I used this as my base point
 
If I decide to add sliding and climbing ( sliding already in as code along with double jump, etc ) I would love to use them and would credit you for using them.
Also yes I do need help with enemies and characters so I will definitely contact you once I get to next enemy add point, which will come soon. Thanks =)

By the ways this is what the game looked like 2 years ago, but I did not like it...

I'm not going to say anything bad about it because you have done a great job and i know how much work go's into making a game but not my thing I'd play the nes one before i played this i feel like if you going to remake a game make it look better i like the way your game use to look with the sotn look I'd play that not saying it looks bad but its like castlevania 1 was on the nes this would be what vampire killer is on the msx cool but not updated enough for me to get into plus i don't like changes i like update music and looks but not to change to much game play now if it was a game with a new story might play threw it even with the outdated nes look this is just me tho i'm sure everyone else here would love it just because it looks like the nes game and great job drawing all the backgrounds and sprites very good work wish you luck on your game