Topic: New 100% fresh artwork for Castlevania: The Rise of Nosferatu.. Need programmer!

[Belmontoya]

And by the way, the gigantic picture that looks like it was drawn by a 4 year old was really necessary. Thanks for letting everyone know what laughter looks like.

[Dracula9]

MONTOYA STOP STOP STOP I'VE BEEN DOWN THIS ROAD YOU DON'T WANT TO DO THIS.

Uzo knows what he's talking about. TRUST ME. Flaming the guy's one of the worst possible chocies you could ever make, ever. lol PTSD

Uzo's got a lot of experience in C+ programming, and while I stick to GM8 myself, there ARE things that GML is lacking that C+ can perform. I don't know speficially what those are, since I don't know C+, but Game Maker, as good as it is(and it IS when used the right way. Hell, my fangame's in GM8 and it runs pretty damn smoothly, and I've seen exceptional games made in it), DOES have its faults, and I've seen uzo's Dimondsoft CV video from ages back, and it looked fantastic, and I have no doubt he's improved since then. So he knows his stuff.

Java and C+ have a lot more possibilities open to them, since they're not as limited to one or two specific styles like GM is (correct me if I'm wrong, anybody. Don't wanna look like a dick). So, even if he was a total smartass about it, Uzo was right in that post.

And I actually kind of like that pic. js

[uzo]

Good show, D9. I'm honored. Feel free to take a break, I'll handle it from here.

I'm sorry Uzo is something funny?

Yeah, I think that was pretty obvious. I actually laughed out loud when I read it.

Wow, where do I even start... Other than the fact that I have complete control over every single aspect of the program with C++?

The ability to manipulate the graphic processing pipeline alone sets C++ with DirectX a million years ahead of GameMaker. I'll guess GM doesn't have any HLSL support at all, right? Not to mention audio pipelines, custom resource management, window handle controls, specific and customizable multiple monitor interfacing, multiple keyboard/mouse/gamepad interfacing, etc etc etc etc etc. The list goes on and on and on, because the possibilities are limitless. Just even at basics, C++ has a monumental amount of base level language features that GM doesn't even come close to supplying. C# is even more impressive in this aspect.

Not to mention I can port it to XBOX360 in a snap if I felt so inclined. Hell, it could even be a dual build setup.

All of this, by the way, leads to insane potential for optimizing. Run side by side, my engine has incredibly less, to no, lag on older and or cheaper systems compared to say Esco's SotN:H demo. Not knocking Esco though, he did a great job with what he had to work with, but GM's optimization is stunted because of it's general purpose nature along with it not letting you tamper with the real inner workings of the engine, especially graphical processes.

PS. Under typical circumstances; Java sucks for games. It's a pretty versatile language, and portable, but it's slow and inefficient to run making it not viable for high level game programming. It still has distinct advantages over GameMaker though.

And I actually kind of like that pic. js

It does have a certain charm to it, doesn't it? While...

And by the way, the gigantic picture that looks like it was drawn by a 4 year old was really necessary. Thanks for letting everyone know what laughter looks like.

...some people here just have no appreciation for classic reaction images it seems.

[Corpsecrank]

Uzo is actually right I mean that was exactly what I said in my last post in not so many words. Programming from scratch has unlimited potential while using a pre-built engine has limitations which I quickly ran into and really I expected using MMF2. That is why i dumped MMF2 so quickly. I have enough experience with software alone to know that MMF2 is just not going to come close to what I need.

Construct is a hell of a lot better in the fact that is utilizes DX9 etc and that gives you a lot better on screen result. Everything is drawn totally smooth and fluid at all times with pretty much 0 lag. But run that same app on an older machine and you start to see noticeable lag from certain things happening. Construct has to be the best option for building without coding from what i have seen. I tried GM8, The Games Factory, MMF2 Developer and a couple others so far. They only really work for very simple games nothing more. Construct may have the potential to go a bit further but it still has a huge limitation compared to a data driven engine.

That is exactly why I settled on ORX which allows me to program anything I need directly to the engine in C++ or Objective C or even LUA from what I hear. Because of that and the sheer amount of control over every detail of how the game is built and runs I had to choose it. That means I am committing a lot of time to learning. I am everything BUT a programmer at the moment. I started learning C# and I am just going to continue learning it as I build this game. I only paused learning C# because I couldn't remain interested with nothing to apply what I was learning to. This solves that issue and allows me to learn as I create something new. Awesome!

I also have to agree that java should never be used for games with the exception of simple browser games those run ok with it. I say that because if you look at the PSP emulator written in java it runs like ass even on the most powerful desktop money can buy. Java is a great language but it sucks balls for game programming because it isn't fast enough. I am very partial to Objective C for just that reason it is very fast and it works great for games too. The server I used to run was all C# and it was blazing fast. Just another reason I chose that language. I am the most familiar with it but not exactly proficient in it.

But I'm not taking sides just saying this stuff is totally true. I been there done that with a lot of this myself.

[Belmontoya]

I'm glad you finally wrote something useful on this thread Uzo. I never meant that gamemaker is superior or anything of the sort. I just meant that from what I understand and have experienced with it, it is very geared towards 2d action games (what this happens to be). I was working with a programmer on this very game a while back who was trying to build an engine on Java and it was not coming out right. It took him 10 times longer to create an engine that was 10 times crappier than the one we built on gamemaker. I was basing my statement off that experience. I shouldn't have thrown C++ in the mix, but it is notorious for having a difficult learning curve (congrats on your skills with it).

Being faced with creating this game with a very small team and probably mostly on my own (as it has been); I need something user friendly and efficient to program it with. It's not practical for me to consider programming this on C++ on my own when I have such a huge work load with the art/music/sound (as I will not use any unoriginal creations for this title).

I'm well aware that C++ is incredibly versatile, but this is going to be a 2d action platformer in the style of Castlevania 4 and Dracula X. Do you really think that gamemaker is the wrong choice for this, with all of this considered? The way I see it, it's the only choice unless I can get a person dedicated to just the programming.

I have an idea Uzo. Program for this game and show me how superior it really is for side scrollers. Hahaha (reference your picture to see what this laughter looks like). : P

P.S. is that supposed to be a leg shooting up in the air in that laughter picture? Because it looks more like a crooked elephant penis.

I'm not sayin', I'm just sayin'.

[Corpsecrank]

If you want superior to game maker use construct it is the same type of software but much much better. I am currently tossing together a stage based game just to show that this can do the job. I am pretty confident already that this software can easily handle creating a scv4 or dracX style game in little time. I plan to do just that without putting loads of time into it. I am just going to use existing artwork and music and a few things I have no choice but to create and make it function well as a display of this applications ability.

So far I am having excellent luck with it. Everything works and works well. I have not needed to look at a single tutorial or ask for any real help outside of asking someone on the forum how to create a "frame" called a layout in this application and what you create each stage on. It was kind of tucked away and was the only thing not totally obvious. I find this software very easy to pick up and roll with and without needing any explanations. I may need to ask questions at some point but so far I have made everything happen just by sifting around and finding what I needed in the app and then using it. It is that damned easy.

Quite a difference between this one and MMF2 day and night really. Still not anywhere near as good as a data driven engine coded from scratch but hey for a fast and playable game with half decent quality this is the best choice you have. As soon as I get a couple more things in this and some time I am going to post a video. Hell in a couple of hours I have almost as much content into this game as I had in that video for MMF2 that includes finding my way around new software and creating graphics etc everything basically. Amazingly fast compared to what I was getting done in MMF2 it took almost 3 days to get to this point. Again the very reason I ditched that junk in such a hurry. Time is everything as we all know when building a game.

[uzo]

I never meant that gamemaker is superior or anything of the sort. I just meant that from what I understand and have experienced with it, it is very geared towards 2d action games (what this happens to be).

No. What you said was quite clear; GML can do anything C++ and Java can. This is not remotely true in either case.

Being faced with creating this game with a very small team and probably mostly on my own (as it has been); I need something user friendly and efficient to program it with. It's not practical for me to consider programming this on C++ on my own when I have such a huge work load with the art/music/sound (as I will not use any unoriginal creations for this title).

I'm well aware that C++ is incredibly versatile, but this is going to be a 2d action platformer in the style of Castlevania 4 and Dracula X. Do you really think that gamemaker is the wrong choice for this, with all of this considered? The way I see it, it's the only choice unless I can get a person dedicated to just the programming.

Didn't stop me. Show you have what it takes to make a high quality product, and a team of talented people will come to you. As it is, what you have graphically and conceptually is place holder at best. Build the engine with basic place holder material, and then go find an artist or two with that as your prototype.

I have an idea Uzo. Program for this game and show me how superior it really is for side scrollers. Hahaha (reference your picture to see what this laughter looks like). : P

My estimated rate for that would be $10,000 up front $10,000 after. However, I don't work on projects that I'm not directing if I don't see potential in them. I'll have to refuse.

[Belmontoya]

"I have an idea Uzo. Program for this game and show me how superior it really is for side scrollers. Hahaha (reference your picture to see what this laughter looks like). : P"

You clearly didn't catch my sarcasm. Not interested in working with you. I'm sure you know your stuff, but you have a bad attitude.

Again as I said, I meant that gamemaker is more than capable for 2D side scrollers (which it is). You took that out of context.  As far as my work which you described as "place holder," I already am an employed 2d sprite artist. This is my personal project, but I'll take your opinion for what it is- your opinion. I've had established people in the industry compliment the work I have done for this game (which is still in progress).

[Belmontoya]

Uzo's dimondsoft CV game looks like the programming is smooth and sound. But it's the same old stuff again, re-hashed sprites. I didn't see one original thing in that game. I'm sure there was plenty of time to focus on programming with that project as it was completely unoriginal visually (and no, editing konami sprites does not count as original work). I don't know how many times people on here think we need to remake SOTN. It's ridiculous.

I think the Castlevania 2d franchise has become very stagnant and it's this non stop re-hashing of SOTN to blame for it. At least I'm trying to do something different and I'm actually putting real effort into it, (unlike those shitty Castlevania Zero games). It doesn't look perfect yet, and even when it does, it will take a little getting used to (as we are all so accustomed to the SOTN style). But I'm forging ahead, and I won't stop.

I've been playing and collecting Castlevania games for over 20 years, and I have a unique idea for something new to do with it. I'm going to push forward and get it out, with or without support of certain people on this forum.

[Dracula9]

Montoya, dude, not to prod, but I was being completely serious. You DON'T want to get into an argument with Uzo. I've done it multiple times with the exact same attitude you have now(though in different contexts, of course), and I've lost every single time.

You clearly didn't catch my sarcasm. Not interested in working with you. I'm sure you know your stuff, but you have a bad attitude.

His reply to your "offer" was just as sarcastic as the original post. I'm no employed programmer or anything, so I can't say if twenty grand is appropriate for full-game programming or not (but in this day and age, it doesn't sound extravagent), but I can assure you that he was about as serious as Spongebob on that one.

Again as I said, I meant that gamemaker is more than capable for 2D side scrollers (which it is). You took that out of context.  As far as my work which you described as "place holder," I already am an employed 2d sprite artist. This is my personal project, but I'll take your opinion for what it is- your opinion. I've had established people in the industry compliment the work I have done for this game (which is still in progress).

While I like the potential of your project and am grateful for my involvement in it, Montoya, I've kind of got to be a bit of a dick on this particular one.

He took nothing out of context. You said that "GML which can do anything java or C++ could."

I've been working with Game Maker for the last six years, and have dabbled in Java and C+ in the past three. I am obviously more experienced with Game Maker, given my time with it; but there are STILL things about it I don't know, and from the tiny, basic functions of Java and C+ that I DO know, I can and will back Uzo up in saying that GML is a shadow of the two. GML is good for what it is; a simple, easy-interface program designed for simple games. That is NOT to say that Game Maker can't be used for higher-quality games (see: Esco's SotN:Hacked! project, Soldexus by Phenopen, and my own game, Adagio of Decay). I'm not bragging on my game at all, but the physics I've gotten are quite close to replicating the Dracula X games, and I rarely encounter bugs that require immediate fixing. I get enemies-in-walls and stuff all the time and those are easy fixes.

But I digress, I've gotten too off-topic here.

C+'s possibilities, are, well, very damn near to being endless. Can Game Maker port its stuff to a 360? If it can, I would sure as shit love to know how it's done. But I don't really think that's doable given GM's massive structural limitations.

On the note of GM's lackings, I would like to point out its disgustingly limited alarm system. if you use Game Maker, Montoya, you already should know what I'm talking about. My boss's AI is so severely limited that it almost hurts me to look at him. The moves he HAS sequence and work just fine, but the sheer number of them drives me insane. Thanks to the crappy alarm system, which causes the Chance function to fall short as well. Game Maker doesn't have GIANT OH MY GOD WHAT IS THIS flaws, but a TON of little flaws that affect other elements and flaw them. It's a domino effect and that really drags GM's capabilities down.

One day, GM might be at the same level as Java and C+. It's unlikely, but possible. But right now, it's not, and Uzo is completely right in his own regards.

I also really want to know where and how you are employed as a 2D sprite artist. Really. I am not being sarcastic, I have never heard of an actual spriting job in this day and age, aside from getting PayPal'd for custom work. Do you have that, or a legit, 9 to 5, salary-paying job? Because if you do, I seriously frickin' want one, too.

Also, having one group of people shower you with praise does not give your work the essence of pure gold. EVERYTHING has a flaw, Montoya, EVERYTHING. Be it an off-placed pixel, or a support beam that's .07 degrees off, NOTHING is perfect. If anything, you should be thanking Uzo for telling you where your project's shortcomings are, so you know what needs fixing. I know his attitude ain't the most pleasant, because that was the cause of all of our prior arguments, but once you look beyond the somewhat snide comments, there's actually a darn boatload of help just-a sittin' there waiting to be docked. It's taken me about two years to swallow my own immature pride and thank the guy for his non-sugar-coated criticisms, and I've gained an invaluable resource in the process(why is my nose turning brown, wtf is this confounded sorcery). Once you can do that yourself, Montoya, you'll look back on stuff like this and kick yourself for acting like a fool. And you are, and I say that in such self-righteousness ONLY because I've been where you are plenty of times in the past and now see my old tantrums as nothing more than foolish past mistakes.

Just stop arguing with him, because you will lose in the end, and take his opinion for what it truly is(and not "just and opinion" like you called it), a critique from someone more knowledgeable than yourself, and improve your skills from it.

Because getting uppity when someone finds humor in a blatantly ignorant post, or says that your project needs work, will not get you any of the support you both need and even ASKED for.

I also find it amusing myself that you started this thread asking for a programmer, and you just told one of, if not THE, best programmers on this board that you don't want his help. Wow.

[Dracula9]

Uzo's dimondsoft CV game looks like the programming is smooth and sound. But it's the same old stuff again, re-hashed sprites. I didn't see one original thing in that game. I'm sure there was plenty of time to focus on programming with that project as it was completely unoriginal visually (and no, editing konami sprites does not count as original work). I don't know how many times people on here think we need to remake SOTN. It's ridiculous.

I think the Castlevania 2d franchise has become very stagnant and it's this non stop re-hashing of SOTN to blame for it. At least I'm trying to do something different and I'm actually putting real effort into it, (unlike those shitty Castlevania Zero games). It doesn't look perfect yet, and even when it does, it will take a little getting used to (as we are all so accustomed to the SOTN style). But I'm forging ahead, and I won't stop.

I've been playing and collecting Castlevania games for over 20 years, and I have a unique idea for something new to do with it. I'm going to push forward and get it out, with or without support of certain people on this forum.

Originality doesn't mean jack shit if the original material is poorly executed or just plain shoddy. Case and point, your own sprites. They're by no means terrible, but they do need considerable improvement if they're to evolve from the static MSPaint line drawings they are now into smooth, fluid graphics.

I'd also rather play a game with re-hashed sprites and spectacular programming than a really shiny, original content game that can't play for shit. Just a thought. My game has plenty of either original graphics or highly edited and/or improved graphics, but right now I'm more focused on bugfixes and getting the gameplay right, because nobody will want to play a gilded game.

Editing doesn't count as original? I call bullshit on that one. If I take Simon Belmont from Castlevania 1 and edit him into a completely custom character to the point that you can't even tell it's SImon anymore, you're telling me that that's unoriginal? Originality as you make it out is blatantly overrated and too many people cry over that than they do decent gameplay, and it really needs to stop.

And the Castlevania ZERO games actually had some good gameplay, the animations were just crap. Which is exactly what I'm talking about. ZERO was quite fun to play, despite its utterly atrocious graphics. Rusty's another good example, and its sprites are just plain crap.

Playing the series for 20 years does not give you the seniority you're implying it does. I am a mere seventeen years of age, and have been playing Castlevania since I was about eleven. Six years. Doesn't mean jack shit to a retro wizard like yourself, right? Who cares. Experience does not constitute ability, not in the way you say it does. My old man's played CV since it first came out, but does he know how to program a fangame of it without a hitch? No. Does he know how to create the monumental amount of work necessary for a fully-original game? Probably not. But that's my point. Your personal experiences with CV and your own personal loyalty to it does not, I repeat, does NOT give you a head up over evryone else here. People on this forum are not here to compete for MY CV KNOWLEDGE IS BETTER THAN YOURS HURR HURR, they're here because they all love the series, and want the company of other fans to gain insights and differentiating opinions on the series, and where it may go in the future. It's not a damn contest, stop acting like it is.

The reason why people want a SotN remake so badly? SotN was a fan-fucking-tastic game, but like all great games, there are a few things fans would have liked en masse to see, but didn't. Maybe somebody wanted a more elaborated relationship between Maria and Alucard. Maybe somebody wanted to have a boss fight with the Master Librarian(actually, that'd be pretty fucking sweet). Who knows. But there's always those two or three things that most fans either wanted or didn't like, and when someone with the talents to fix those things come along(Esco, Esco, Esco!), hell YES the fans will get a bit glompy over them. It's a part of every fandom, get used to it.

I would like to point out, for any reply you give me, Montoya, that nothing I just said was taken out of context. I replied to your posts SOLELY by the tone that your words implied. Just want to make a note of that before theings escalate even further.

[Corpsecrank]

The reason why people want a SotN remake so badly? SotN was a fan-fucking-tastic game

Thank you!

I been playing since CV1 on the NES when I was like 7 I'm 29 so I have over 20 years playing the series at this point. That single statement coming from someone with only 6 in puts a fuckin smile on my face given that sotn was my favorite of the series. When they moved away from stages to a non-linear exploration style it changed the way I play and view the game permanently. I prefer sotn and the gba/ds games to the stage based ones. Not that I dislike those stage based classics but falling in holes and dying or touching spikes and dying is kind of old school isn't it? I mean I played those kinds of game for over a decade and that was enough for me. I like being able to move freely about the castle and save my progress etc. The rpg elements made a great addition because you can change your character at will instead of grabbing a power up. I guess the point is that limited lives and continues and power ups and pits of death/spike traps are like 1990s game mechanics that just aren't as enjoyable as todays mechanics are. Yeah I know not everyone feels that way but I do.

Hell if you get right down to it I think every game should have some form of online play. Not that limited kind either where only X number of players can join a game that is essentially the single player with more dudes on the screen. I mean all out online multiplayer with it's own features. It just seems like a step backwards to not include what seems like a standard feature these days.

[Belmontoya]

That was quite a rant Dracula 9. As far as taking things out of context, I'm not sure that you did or not, but you would be the first person I have ever met to have 100% effectiveness at extracting tone from mere text. So I have to take your disclaimer with a grain of salt.

I'm not trying to pretend to be an experienced game programmer. I am a graphic designer. As far as what program is superior, it really doesn't matter to me, so that is a useless argument. I am most familiar with gamemaker, and from what I have read and understand, it is well fitted for a 2d action platformer. So we can end that debate here. It was my error to not specify that I made my comparative comments about gamemaker, java, and C++ only in the context of 2d sidescrollers. Even in that context, I'm sure that C++ is more effective, so again, I retract that statement.

Uzo: You may be a talented programmer. But it takes more than solid programming to make a good game. It takes a good concept. Maybe you have that too somewhere, but all that I saw from the clips of your game was SOTN. In fact, you could have told me that was SOTN and I would have believed you. I did read a comment that you were using the SOTN art as "place holder." I hope that was true. And if it was, please, show us what you have.

I am interested in working with programmers who are enthused about creating something new, not remaking SOTN. This is why I have no interest in Uzo. His inability to see the potential in my project is inconsequential. I have received encouragement and excitement from experienced and successful game developers, and they see the potential for this project. If I need programming advice, I can get it from my own sources or even a book. I have absolutely no intention of kissing Uzo's ass just because he's managed to impress people on this forum with his knowledge of C++.

I value original artwork, and original concepts. It's cool to pay homage and have influences. But it is useless to repeat what someone else has done, unless it's a learning exercise. And no, Dracula 9 editing sprites does not count as original work. There is a difference between taking a page of Richter sprites and editing it until it looks like someone else vs staring at blank screen and creating something out of thin air, if you can't appreciate that and recognize it, then your opinions on art aesthetics are questionable to me. This project is it's own seed and given time, the tree that grows from that will stand out all the more as I refine it and hone it. And I'm not talking just talking art here. I'm talking story, characters, music and sound. Not one pixel of this game will have ever appeared in any other game before it, and I am proud of that. If you can't see where I'm coming from with that, we'll have to agree to disagree.

Uzo and Dracula 9: Was it not made clear earlier in this post that my art for this game is still in progress? Please save your final judgements, for my finished project and note the improvements I have made in just a couple weeks. Thank you.

I do not pretend to know anything about CV that I do not know. I have been playing the game since I was old enough to hold a NES control and I am 27 years old. I own every physical copy of every game, from imports to cameo games like konami world. It was my favorite series long before SOTN came around, I've watched it evolve, and plateau in the 2d genre. My motivation for my games concept comes from this perspective, and not a delusion of self grandeur. I'm not trying to take anything away from anyone else's experience with CV over the years. I am simply explaining mine.

Corpsecrank: I need to remind you that SOTN came out in 1997... It is very old school by today's standards (sorry to remind you that we are old). And staged based games are as popular as ever, don't believe me? Read some reviews of Hard Core Uprising (the latest Contra game). It's fabulous. These games took playing chops to beat, not just hours and hours of free time, that's why I love them. And on top of that SOTN was not the first open world Castlevania or the first to allow you to save your progress; in Simon's Quest your progress was saved by means of game codes. But I'm sure you already know all of that. My point is that a stage by stage game is in the same boat as the rpg style; both are old school. The great thing is that games like that still have appeal, and probably always will. I like what say about making the online features more prominent Corpsecrank, and I agree with you that that hasn't been done well in CV yet. I'm excited to learn more about your concepts. And I want to say again that I have greatly appreciated all of your input on my game so far! Thanks.

Dracula 9: Every 2d game that Iga has released since SOTN has been the same concept other than minor differences, and it was a concept that he stole from Metriod to begin with. You have so many SOTN clones to choose from with the Konami release's alone, why the hell do you need to make more? Again I say, it's ridiculous. The fact that they all re-hash the same sprites is only second to the fact that it's the same damn game concept over and over again. Thank god that Iga developed LOI or I would have very few positive things to say about his reign other than SOTN and DOS.

Castlevania has a split fandom. There are those who want to see SOTN over and over again, and there are those of us who want, and welcome something new. Lords of Shadow is a godsend in my opinion, and of course the whole community backlashed at Mercury Steam because their game was different. I am trying to appeal to those who want something new in the 2D genre as well, and trust me, while they may not be the fans that nerd it up on these forums; they are out there and there are plenty of them.






 

[Corpsecrank]

Alright well replace old school in my statement with archaic. Basically my point is that those mechanics are some of the oldest around. Not that people don't still love them and want to play them but I don't after 2 decades of it anyways. Sotn is actually what 15 yeas old now? I keep thinking 12 but that is wrong. Anyhow even 15 years later the game mechanics used are still pretty much the standard. Newer games have built on them just as sotn built on the metroid mechanics. It's a constant evolution. So I prefer newer game mechanics to older ones. sotn is actually the limit though anything older and I have a hard time keeping interested. The GBA and DS games are still using the same old stuff that sotn did and to play them I don't feel like what I am playing is really a rehash of a 15 year old game. So those mechanics still work very well now.

I don't know how well contra would work as an open world game. That series is awfully hard to change without pissing off all of the fans entirely. But I can't say I would enjoy playing more contra today even if it used the same type of mechanics it did in say the alien wars. Even if they improved the control, graphics etc it's still the same to me and I played my fill years ago.

I'm not exactly alone on that either. Most of the people I know as much as they love the classics just can't sit through one today for that reason.

Anyhow to each their own I'm only saying that is how I feel about it and I know there are others like me.

By the way haven't we gotten way off topic here? How is progress?

Also if game maker is working for you stick with it and change to something new next time if you want. There is no reason to use anything other than what is actually working for your project. I mean hell I prefer code to these cookie cutter engines but I am still doing something with one anyhow even if it is nothing spectacular. I am also doing a stage based game though I prefer open world. I do that just for guys like you by the way.

[Belmontoya]

I still think that CV4 offered more sophisticated mechanics than SOTN. It sounds silly but something about that game seems almost realistic. I have gotten more non fans turned on to CV with 4 than any other game in the series. It was one of those magical moments in video games that rarely happen, like FF7. I've said it before and I'll say it again, that game is a huge influence on me.

I'm not sure what you're talking about with Contra as an open world game.. That sounds like a bad idea to me too! You really should check out Hard Core Uprising though. It's really awesome. The online co-op is much better than HOD too.

I've spend a lot of this week working on a tower defense game for a different project. Not so much by choice, but yeah.. I did manage to make some cool costume changes for Enthu- made him look a little more like an assassin. I did a lot of work on the score, and started some sprites for a boss. I probably should have focused more on level tiles as that still remains my biggest weakness.

Oh, and I should mention that my brother is a kick ass C++ programmer. He wants to program this game and is planning on getting on board after he graduates in a couple months (going to school for video game programming). So it may very well end up being a C++ game anyways. He's been involved with the concepts this whole time and also helped with the earlier character designs for Enthu. I probably should have mentioned that earlier, but I'm still not 100% sure if we want to go that route.