Topic: Castlevania: Umbra of Sorrow (1999 Fan Project)

[Dracula9]

...the main star of the Castlevania show.

...Schmoo?

[theplottwist]

...Schmoo?

Why, certainly. When we get used to him, he looks cuter, after all.

[theplottwist]

OK so, just a tiny tease so the thread doesn't get forgotten and buried in the sands of time:

Alucard got himself a voice actor, and soon you'll be listening to him. You all know him very well from this forum, but I was scared at how good of a voice he actually has.

This could mean a BUNCH of things, for instance:

• The project could evolve into a "radio drama" kinda deal, like "Nocturne of Recollection", and have all of its dialogue dubbed (which pleases me very much);
• The project could have some of the heaps of dialogues dubbed to give an atmosphere to the text;
• ? ? ?

So, it's pratically a 100% certainty that there will be voice-acting involved. And this means I'll be asking for volunteers here and in some other places to lend their voice talents to this in the near future.

There are more things coming, though, but I can't reveal them just yet. So, that's it! Until next update!

[VladCT]

So is he closer to Robert Belgrade or Yuri Lowenthal?

[theplottwist]

So is he closer to Robert Belgrade or Yuri Lowenthal?

Closer to Belgrade. MUCH closer.

I can't stand Yuri Lowenthal. He has a good acting and voice, but Alucard has to have a deep voice. It's the ethereal thing about him everyone grew with.

I remember thinking that this voice gave Alucard both a supernatural quality, and an imposing personality. Him having such a elegant appearance and such a deep voice gives you juuuuust enough of the uncanniness you're supposed to feel from a vampire -- which is explained numerous times on the series that being near Alucard feels strange. Alucard with a suave voice is just... Just another bishonen.

[Shiroi Koumori]

Radio drama!
YES!!!! I can't wait for that.

[Lanforse]

Hmmm... What about making a machinima?

- It's a lot easier than making a whole game
- It gives you a movie/game-like experience
- It can be done in the GameMaker or another user-friendly game engine

You are already have the story, sprites and voices. I just can't see any drawbacks.

[Dracula9]

A Machinima would just make people want a game even more due to having an actual visual representation of how it would go.

Plus, the guy Plot mentioned way back as potentially being interested in programming this is also someone I know, and knowing him it'd be a case of all-or-nothing--either make the whole game or don't. He'd probably think a cut-down version of basically the same work as a waste of what it could be.

[Chernabogue]

All of this sounds super cool.

[theplottwist]

So, I was going to wait for more content to be ready to update, but since this is basically a dev thread, there is not much reason to do so as you'll eventually see everything there is to see.

So, without further ado:

Alucard -- and Castlevania: Umbra of Sorrow's Prologue.

(click to show/hide)

"In the 16th century there existed a seer whose reputation had spread all over Europe. He had named himself "Nostradamus."

Seven decades after the dispelling of Dracula's Curse, Nostradamus made an encoded prophecy -- the rise of the King of Terror for the year of 1999. Unknown to the people at that time, the prediction foretold the complete resurrection of Dracula Vlad Tepes, the Lord of Darkness, who had abandoned humanity in return for eternal life, and had sworn to extinguish mankind.

In the past, the Belmont clan wielded the Holy Whip to destroy Dracula and return peace to the land numerous times. But, after three centuries of relentless battles, they became unable to touch the Holy Whip and went into hiding. It was then that the prophecy was deciphered and I began then the arrangements to prevent its consummation. I became the guardian of their bloodline.

Heeding the call of hearts poisoned by wickedness, Dracula continued to revive in the wake of the Belmonts' absence. Many arose to stand against him and sacrificed themselves to subdue evil. However, with each resurrection, Dracula grows stronger and, eventually, none but a Belmont would be able to stand against him.

Now it's 1999.

It was 13 years ago, nearly 200 years after the Belmonts vanished, that the efforts employed by an old friend and I bore results -- The return of the Belmont blood to claim the Holy Whip once more became a reality. The fear of a confrontation against the Lord of Darkness could now be challenged.

With all the pieces falling into place, we expect now to prevent Dracula's resurrection, ridding the world of his evil once and for all."

Voice acting by Dracula9
Soundtrack by Chernabogue
Writing by me

Please, leave your feedback. We want to know what you Dungeonites think and use this feedback to improve.

Many thanks to Chernabogue and Dracula9. These two are talent incarnated.

Hmmm... What about making a machinima?
You are already have the story, sprites and voices. I just can't see any drawbacks.

Sorry, I forgot to address this response. Though there is no need -- Dracula9 summed it up.

A machinima would require me to create assets that would be much better used in a game. So, if I can give the people a game, why not make a game? And yeah, the mystery programmer is down to make it into the coolest thing ever, and also wants a game out of this whole thing.

[Dracula9]

Welp, cat's out 'da bag finally.

[VladCT]

Dang, should've known it was him. I mean, his usual voice is pretty deep to begin with.

[TatteredSeraph]

*Applauds*  WOW!  Just seriously... just wow.  That was bloody AMAZING work from al of you.  Shivers were running down my spine as I listed to this, and between you guys, you've simply nailed it.  Even if it remains as a story (it could be an amazing audiobook if it doesn't go as far as an actual fangame), this just works.  I love it.  I love your narration, and the background music just is the final finishing touch.

[theplottwist]

*Applauds*  WOW!  Just seriously... just wow.  That was bloody AMAZING work from al of you.  Shivers were running down my spine as I listed to this, and between you guys, you've simply nailed it.  Even if it remains as a story (it could be an amazing audiobook if it doesn't go as far as an actual fangame), this just works.  I love it.  I love your narration, and the background music just is the final finishing touch.

Well, it shouldn't be me to be thanking you, but thank you!

I hope to find here more actors to help in this endeavour -- including actresses! This project has a fair share of female characters, so talented women will be needed.

Thank you again, Seraph :3

In another note, I have tied some loose ends on the plot. Mainly, how exactly does Charlotte learn about the legend and the power to control the gods. Previously, Charlotte simply Deus Ex Machinae'd her way to learning about it. Now she's continuing the research done by Alucard.

Alucard is said to be the one who was researching for a way to destroy Dracula MUCH before Charlotte, in his ending in Judgment. So, now he both learns about the prophecy AND did the initial research based on the rumors Maria spawned on the west. However, with Dracula's early revival in OoE during the 1800s, Alucard is forced to halt the research and return to Romania, where he becomes the guardian of the Belmonts and works with Shanoa. Once there, he is unable to leave, so the research is halted -- Until Charlotte later retakes it and gives it closure by tracking the rest of the rumors now-turned-legend and travelling to Japan herself.

You can check all of this on the first page of this thread, on my post about the timeline.

[Shiroi Koumori]

I finally had the time today to listen to the mp3.
OMG! It's amazing! I need more~ I'm a sucker for drama cds.

In another note, I have tied some loose ends on the plot. Mainly, how exactly does Charlotte learn about the legend and the power to control the gods. Previously, Charlotte simply Deus Ex Machinae'd her way to learning about it. Now she's continuing the research done by Alucard.

Alucard is said to be the one who was researching for a way to destroy Dracula MUCH before Charlotte. So, now he both learns about the prophecy AND did the initial research based on the rumors Maria spawned on the west. However, with Dracula's early revival in OoE during the 1800s, Alucard is forced to halt the research and return to Romania, where he becomes the guardian of the Belmonts and works with Shanoa. Once there, he is unable to leave, so the research is halted -- Until Charlotte later retakes it and gives it closure by tracking the rest of the rumors now-turned-legend and travelling to Japan herself.

Oh was this the one that we talked about before? or you've added more stuff to it?