Topic: The first sign rises with the full moon.

[piscesdreams]

There's almost no other way for low budget games to survive these days. IGA specifically said in an interview recently what everyone already knows: the recycling done on the CV titles was to cut down on the budgets of the games to keep the games above the unprofitable line, i.e. the death line. Huge, high selling franchises are what can afford all new assets every game, and even they probably reuse a lot of stuff people wouldn't notice or that feels natural to carry over. For example, CoD probably reuses gun meshes and textures because why remodel the same model of gun for each game? Also generally games like that only have a tiny enemy variety because they're limited to humans by the setting, so that helps them in a way something like CV couldn't take advantage of. In CV we expected a huge enemy variety and the only way to keep the budget low and still have it was the plumb the depths of past games for assets.

Wow, I like that more than the official art. I'm still "okay" with the official art though, although I do wish it was darker, but maybe it won't make too much of a difference for what the model looks like in-game, which is what matters. In-game models will often look a bit different than the concept art (although less so in 2.5D).

I am fine with recycling enemy types and general bestiaries. Hell, Castlevania had always done this. I am just saying if they do, add new attacks if they reuse enemy sprites. Freshen it up. Don't just copy and paste an enemy.

[crisis]

i agree that is awesome artwork your friend did LoneChild. it evokes a reminiscence of Circle of the moon artwork, which is very underrated

[TheCruelAngel]

Pretty awesome redesign, though I noticed your friend switched her gauntlet arm and her sword swingin' hand. The design aesthetic is what I imagine Ms. Kojima would pen, something that feels more historically appropriate.

As for the J-pop design of the original...I don't see it? Are you just complaining because the skirt is a little poofy? Not enough zippers and belts to appease a Nomura-fetish? I mean, these are all J-pop stars and their outfits (some of them promotional) so...yeah. Maybe layoff the slightly-racist crack?

[Dengo vlad tepes]

Pretty awesome redesign, though I noticed your friend switched her gauntlet arm and her sword swingin' hand. The design aesthetic is what I imagine Ms. Kojima would pen, something that feels more historically appropriate.

As for the J-pop design of the original...I don't see it? Are you just complaining because the skirt is a little poofy? Not enough zippers and belts to appease a Nomura-fetish? I mean, these are all J-pop stars and their outfits (some of them promotional) so...yeah. Maybe layoff the slightly-racist crack?

....this looks nothing like what we got on Miriam

[Nagumo]

If it's a design less grounded in reality = anime/J-pop according to the internet because people don't know how to properly label it.

[X]

To be honest I don't see what's so J-pop-ish about Miriam's design. J-pop is not clothing, it's a type of music that is heavily influenced by western pop music and given a Japanese flavor.

[TatteredSeraph]

The redesign is quite nice, but there are a few issues.  The side of the coat-dress without a strap would be unlikely to stay up without some sort of strap.  Not for when fighting.  Secondly, that mini dress is so short it would be waaaay too short without shorts on underneath to protect her modesty (as seen in the official design).    The J-fashion influences in her outfit that I can see are themselves inspired by Victorian fashions.  This makes sense considering the time setting of this.  They look like short, frilly bloomers.  I would prefer a longer outfit on Miriam, but hey, I still like it.  Besides, Miriam is not Shonoa, and never will be.  She is a brand new character in her own right, and Shonoa belongs to Konami.


As for the certain voice of dissent regarding Yamada's presence in the game, and Miriam's design, we are damn lucky to be getting this game.  Plus Yamada's preview track is brilliant imho.  Music tastes is subjective.  If you dislike everything you're seeing, then don't back it. Simple as that.  You're coming across as rather entitled here sorry to say.  Just because you're clearly coming across as hating so much about this game we have to boycott it?  Overall, I have seen a huge amount of positivity about the stuff you're complaining about, including here.

[Castle34hk]

Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night  NEW Interview about KICKSTARTER:

http://www.thejimquisition.com/2015/05/bloodstained-ritual-of-the-night-interview-koji-igarashi/

[CastleDan]

Regardless the artwork has looked quite cartoony compared to this -





Vs

one looks like gothic artwork the other like a cartoon.

[Aiddon]

I think the critism of IGA during that time was mostly because of Metroidvania fatigue. And of course around 2009 Dave Cox was spreading stories to anyone who was naive enough to believe it that LoS was going to be totally like SCIV but in 3D for the real fans, and as someone already mentioned in this thread, launching a smear campaign against the Metroidvanias. Couple that with the fact that MoF was a very pathetic replacement to the previous handheld games, which are all gems in their own right, and Konami's currently salting the earth while retreating their way out of the console industry, I think I can understand why people here are welcoming IGA back with open arms.

That would be me (in bold). I never understood the bizarre contempt people showed for Iga out of nowhere. There is not a single bad Metroidvania. SotN through OoE are all either incredibly well-crafted or outright classics and none of them are even close to bad. It reminds me of how people tried to justify the attempt at a Devil May Cry reboot a year ago, basically claiming that the old games were never good to begin with and that Dante was never cool. And then it backfired because they had pissed way too many people off and because the designers were revealed as a bunch of hacks with incredibly large yet fragile egos. Goes to show how far arrogance will get you in the world. And that's before we get into the legions of contrarians who seem to think liking something is stupid and use the word "fanboy' as a pejorative, but that's for another time.

To be honest I don't see what's so J-pop-ish about Miriam's design. J-pop is not clothing, it's a type of music that is heavily influenced by western pop music and given a Japanese flavor.

Because people like using anything relating to Japan as an insult.

Anyway, looks like things have slowed considerably, but I can see the game hitting at least the $3 million mark by the end of the campaign. A Wii U version is thankfully a stretch goal and will probably be my system of choice. I hope they do interesting stuff with the Gamepad.

[Castle34hk]

Update 8 is up now   https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/iga/bloodstained-ritual-of-the-night/posts/1239627

[Dengo vlad tepes]

Cartoon,Cartoon, J-pop, J-pop

people..like seriously...I don't know what to say, but can you freaking like the art style as it is ? you need to accept that the artist is not Ms.Kojima it's someone with a different style and different view stop comparing and looking back a lot..it's so disgusting. if you see something beautiful like it for it's beauty and stop comparing with something else, this goes for different matters in life. I really got sick of people comparing the art style with Ayame's...ok Ayame has an amazing style and fits this genre well ! but she's not the only one who can draw in this whole planet she got busy and she can't participate with this project so they got someone else who's doing a flawless job imo..

[piscesdreams]

BeingtheHero got a question answered in the new AskIga.

http://youtu.be/2clrGu-ecec

[TatteredSeraph]

Cartoon,Cartoon, J-pop, J-pop

people..like seriously...I don't know what to say, but can you freaking like the art style as it is ? you need to accept that the artist is not Ms.Kojima it's someone with a different style and different view stop comparing and looking back a lot..it's so disgusting. if you see something beautiful like it for it's beauty and stop comparing with something else, this goes for different matters in life. I really got sick of people comparing the art style with Ayame's...ok Ayame has an amazing style and fits this genre well ! but she's not the only one who can draw in this whole planet she got busy and she can't participate with this project so they got someone else who's doing a flawless job imo..

This exactly.   Yes, it's a different artist, with their own style, so of course it looks different.  Bloodstained is its own entity, it's not Castlevania, although it's as close as we're going to get in the foreseeable future, sadly.  Yes, it would be amazing to have Ayame Kojima's involved, but hey, she's busy. That's completely excusable and understandable.  Different artists have their own styles, doesn't make them inherently better or worse than others.  The art style here is a little less intricate in the tiny details, but it's still pretty.  Heck, just look at that castle vista!  It's stunning.  It reminds me a little of the castle in The Neverending Story.
I remember a time when one of the complaints about the Metroidvanias was that Kojima's character designs were too feminine, too bishie pretty boy, and not buff, ripped manliness, like in the older games.  Yes, we've been a bit spoilt by having such amazing artwork from Ayame Kojima's, and the artists for LoS, but it's still good. Heck, it's less anime styled than the art for Rondo, or for PoR, and DoS.  Even then, anime comes in so many styles.  Just look at the gorgeous Vampire Hunter D Bloodlust, or Hellsing Ultimate, and compare it to the overly cutesy, stereotypical anime styles such as in say, Cardcaptor Sakura (which I admit to having a soft spot for).

[Lelygax]

BeingtheHero got a question answered in the new AskIga.

I came here exactly because of that. Congratulation Beingthehero, now that senpai noticed you, use your charm to bring him to our dungeon