Topic: Alternate ways to play CV games+Docta needs help

[DoctaMario]

i dusted off SotN and decided that I finally want to have a game file that has all the rare drops, has all the gear, and even do some glitching on it as well. I've also been trying to use more of an Intelligence/Magic based build with things like the Mojo Mail and using the Monster Vials+Duplicator as a means of attack. It makes the game a lot of fun. Do you guys ever give yourself different challenges as ways to sort of "extend" the life of any of your favorite CV games?

I also, however, screwed up and did the Sword Brothers glitch before I'd completely explored the map and am missing .1%. I have been scouring online maps comparing them to mine and I can't for the life of me figure out what I'm missing. Anyone have any ideas? I'd appreciate it.

[redrum]

i've made it to 234.1% with all items/everything maxed out, but that save file is long gone...
screwed up my psp3000 fixing the sound channel from bugging out (headphone jack & disc reader don't work, but they're not necessary to play from the memory stick once it's hacked) but i've been playing sotn on it, attempting to retain my former glory.
picked up a new 3000, so i can play on my teevee.  gonna give my old one to my girlfriend.

anyways, as they say in gradius 4, ɢᴏᴏᴅ ʟᴜᴄᴋ ᴛᴏ ʏᴏᴜ!
i'll be playing maria mode in the mean time

[Aceearly1993]

I choose to try as higher difficulty as possible in my favorite games. If not enough I'll limit my character's equipment, weapon/gear/anything else, low% beat clear in pure new game, and some other choice

Besides your map was missing here:

[Reinhart77]

One of my favorite modes of play is "No Saves".  Essentially, I'm not allowed to use any save points except for the ones at the very beginning of an area or right before a boss.  I like this better than Hard Mode because it kind of feels like the difficulty is the same as the original game, I just have to "last" longer than normal.

Of course, a number of additional "rules" need to be worked out.  I prefer to use no using health restorative items unless they "just" dropped and am very happy to stumble upon a Heath Up item and use it.

[DoctaMario]

i've made it to 234.1% with all items/everything maxed out, but that save file is long gone...
screwed up my psp3000 fixing the sound channel from bugging out (headphone jack & disc reader don't work, but they're not necessary to play from the memory stick once it's hacked) but i've been playing sotn on it, attempting to retain my former glory.
picked up a new 3000, so i can play on my teevee.  gonna give my old one to my girlfriend.

anyways, as they say in gradius 4, ɢᴏᴏᴅ ʟᴜᴄᴋ ᴛᴏ ʏᴏᴜ!
i'll be playing maria mode in the mean time

Good luck to YOU as Maria in the PSP version is a tough go, but definitely a lot of fun otherwise! I've only ever had a PSP1000 but man that was probably the best system I ever owned after I'd hacked it.

I choose to try as higher difficulty as possible in my favorite games. If not enough I'll limit my character's equipment, weapon/gear/anything else, low% beat clear in pure new game, and some other choice

Besides your map was missing here:

Man, thank you SO MUCH! Good looking out. I guess that's what I get for buying the stupid map from the Librarian because I thought that bit was already explored. Seriously thank you, that was driving me nuts.

Do you usually play through the second and or third rounds of the classic CV games? If so, how many of them have you gotten through?

One of my favorite modes of play is "No Saves".  Essentially, I'm not allowed to use any save points except for the ones at the very beginning of an area or right before a boss.  I like this better than Hard Mode because it kind of feels like the difficulty is the same as the original game, I just have to "last" longer than normal.

Of course, a number of additional "rules" need to be worked out.  I prefer to use no using health restorative items unless they "just" dropped and am very happy to stumble upon a Heath Up item and use it.

Dang, that would almost make the game survival horror in a sense, lol!

[Aceearly1993]

Man, thank you SO MUCH! Good looking out. I guess that's what I get for buying the stupid map from the Librarian because I thought that bit was already explored. Seriously thank you, that was driving me nuts.

Do you usually play through the second and or third rounds of the classic CV games? If so, how many of them have you gotten through?

Castlevania Chronicles for more than 99 rounds (more to know details of the game itself, than to find more difficulty: the difficulty increase stops at about 8 or 10 rounds so It's  meaningless, it's myfavorite video game of all time after all) 

Beaten hard by second round of Castlevania and Castlevania III but since there' re not much round difference from round 3 or more It's not a big loss

Super Castlevania IV for three rounds (Actually I want to reach the score count's maximum but failed, the score count is MUCH more than I originally thought)

[DoctaMario]

Wow, 99 rounds?? You're a machine mate! How does the difficulty ramp up when you get to 8 or 10 rounds?

[Aceearly1993]

Wow, 99 rounds?? You're a machine mate! How does the difficulty ramp up when you get to 8 or 10 rounds?

More enemies
Bats goes for lightening speed
Increased amount of medusa heads if stay in the same side too long
hordes of skeletons in block 7
Giant bat didn't stop fireball and moving continuously in block 8
Skeleton dragon didn't stop flame breath
Everything else under classic vania's rule. (player can take 4 hit, etc)
I think there're already some reference videos on youtube but if needed I'll upload one in 2~3 days.

[redrum]

another way to go is for a low map percentage.
i'm not sure what the record is there, but it would be interesting to see!

[DoctaMario]

More enemies
Bats goes for lightening speed
Increased amount of medusa heads if stay in the same side too long
hordes of skeletons in block 7
Giant bat didn't stop fireball and moving continuously in block 8
Skeleton dragon didn't stop flame breath
Everything else under classic vania's rule. (player can take 4 hit, etc)
I think there're already some reference videos on youtube but if needed I'll upload one in 2~3 days.

That sounds wild. I don't think I've ever completed a second round game of any of the classicvanias.

another way to go is for a low map percentage.
i'm not sure what the record is there, but it would be interesting to see!

That would be pretty cool!

[mgfcortez]

haven't played in a long time but i like to play a mode i call takenot i put my name in as takenot and i go threw the game without taking anything but for plot items th only money i take is a 100 gold to buy the door opening thing makes it hard just using your fists i got to death and couldn't beat him but i kinda got off on other games i only died a few times if i keep trying i'm sure i would beat him but my ps3 has gone out now and i downloaded my sotn off psn and i forgot my password for my account and my email as well lol very sad still got my sotn disc but got a hole in it need to buy a new one lol and try it again love this game

[zangetsu468]

I've done a Richter Run with no saves through both Castles. I've almost made it to the last save room, but always died over those corridors in Olrox's Quarters (Inverted) where you get endless spikes. I've always wanted to go back to completing this run.
I think the world record is 6 minutes, I made it to where I did in around 15-20 before dying.

Also the Luck mode changes your stats and increases the game's difficulty by a bit.

As for other CV games:

- Harmony of Dissonance with no accessories equipped, no whip tips, no upgrades (avoided all HP & MP Plus), nothing but the Vampire Killer and Subweapons through the whole game.
- POR Level 1 hard (new file)
- POR Sisters Level 1 hard
- POR Richter/ Maria Level 1 hard (up to Dracula)
- OOE Shanoa Level 1 hard (new file)
- OOE Albus Level 1 hard (Up to Dracula)
- Vampire's Kiss, true ending (Yeah, it's hard enough to be listed here)

[Lelygax]

Last crazy run that I remember doing more than 4 years ago was a self-imposed challenge in SotN. I could and should kill only 1 of each enemy (Ex.: Not more than 1 fleaman) unless really needed. I had this idea because this way you wouldn't gain a lot of exp and still would be able to complete the bestiary, in fact the rules are to kill one of each.

So you would need to kill the first enemy of this type that you find, causing you the need to evade a lot of enemies and take extra care to not kill them, scaling more and more later in the game and becoming a hell until you get bat or mist. It was extra fun and in the end I endend killing more than one some times, but less than 5 of each I think, also I was lucky enough to get a Werebane for the first time on this run, I used it for almost if not the entire game.

I was planning to mix this rule with a "no equips" rule too, but never started it.

[zangetsu468]

I was planning to mix this rule with a "no equips" rule too, but never started it.

I was thinking about a SOTN run with no equips in luck mode, but damn it, beating Galamoth would probably make me insane.

I was also tempted to do zero HP/ MP plus upgrades in Richter/ Maria L1 Hard Max Cap in POR. However, the game was trying enough, and I actually figured out something: You can't use Richter's Holy Cross subweapon with the amount of HP that you start with on Level 1. Therefore if you never collect any MP Plus' Richter is banned from using this move. You could probably survive most of the game without it, but you really need it to beat Death/ Dracula. (by using Maria and summoning Richter's holy cross subweapon then cancelling him out, the cross rotates around Maria while she's moving and acts as a barrier of protection from Dracula's normal fireballs, while hitting Death.)

[DoctaMario]

I was thinking about a SOTN run with no equips in luck mode, but damn it, beating Galamoth would probably make me insane.

I was also tempted to do zero HP/ MP plus upgrades in Richter/ Maria L1 Hard Max Cap in POR. However, the game was trying enough, and I actually figured out something: You can't use Richter's Holy Cross subweapon with the amount of HP that you start with on Level 1. Therefore if you never collect any MP Plus' Richter is banned from using this move. You could probably survive most of the game without it, but you really need it to beat Death/ Dracula. (by using Maria and summoning Richter's holy cross subweapon then cancelling him out, the cross rotates around Maria while she's moving and acts as a barrier of protection from Dracula's normal fireballs, while hitting Death.)

I did a "Richiter" only run of PoR and it was a lot of fun. I think that's probably the most fun version of him in any game, but I wasn't able to take out Dracula and Death (and lord knows I tried lots of times.) I wish they'd had him or some other Belmont in OoE, that game could have used a whip wielding alternate character.