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

[MooMilk]

There wasn't crumbling blocks in the original, is that the replacement for the bricks you pass through? If so, good idea. I don't got time to holy water all the floors anymore.

[Wanhus]

MooMilk kinda yes and kinda no.
There are still holy water block but not in that stupid way that you need to check what is not real.
Only as in secret passage.
There are falling brick in many places, they are common in other Castlevania games so I think this game needed them.
There are many new things like I told in my first post, like slope movement, jump trough platforms, etc etc.
Making this more adventure platformer game than the original ever was.

[BloodyShadowoftheDarkness]

This is a very cool project.
I hope you manage to finish it some day.
The graphics reminds me of an old PC game like Sharp x68000.
So it feels like a nice remake.
I'm very excited about this, and I'm looking forward to it.

[Wanhus]

Thank you.
I'm making this game almost daily and often whole day.
But one has this thing called life that hinders things such as this. =D
So it will get finished, and I'm planning to release a test version ( short demo ) at some point soonish...
First need to finish a few things and give it to few people to test.

[chainsawmidget]

And yes the doors will close in boss rooms, boss defeated orb drops ( no need for oak stake, removed it permanently ) then you get the item reward.

I liked the wooden stake.  I just think it needs more uses.  I've always felt the series needed more wooden stakes given the themes. 

no long waits during day/night cycles,

What exactly do you mean by this?  is this no more day/night cycle?  An item that can change day to night, or what?  I've always thought traveling along and getting stuck at night, fending off an assault of monsters while you prayed for daylight to be one of the charms of the game. 

1. Would you like enemies to spill blood if hit? ( if the enemy is the type that does drop blood )[/b]
I wouldn't go to gory, but an occasional enemy that bleed when killed would be cool. 

2. Metroidvanias often limit heart max, would you like to see heart max locked to level in Simon's curse? ( so you don't farm 500 hearts for every boss. Remember gold and hearts are different, buy with gold. )[/b]
Don't care. 

3. Would you like to see armor items in game? ( old one had resistance that increased by level )[/b]
I wouldn't mind them as long as they were sparse.  Four to five types of armor max. 

4. Would you like Simon's curse to have very hard to know secrets/easter egg items or/and places? ( Well you know how these things work )[/b]
Of course!

5. Game better very hard or just normal difficulty? (I'm not adding difficulty slider, harder new game+ MAYBE)[/b]
NES style game so give it NES style difficulty. 

6. Thing you would like to see in this game? ( items, enemies, bosses, places, characters, etc)[/b]
More bosses, a longer ending sequence,

I'm also a sucker for cameos and references.  For example, if it were me, I'd find a way to stick in cameos or references to the mysterious woman mentioned in the manual, Selena and/or Linda Entwhistle, and Tim from the Worlds of Power book.  Even having hidden apperances by Captain N or Konami Man could work. 

7. Would you like there to be rare hp potions that cant be bought only found in secret places max 3 carry? ( how much they would heal? I dunno that has to be balanced, currently thinking 30%-50% hp )[/b]
Nah. 

[Wanhus]

Hiya and thanks for writing.
Of course there is still night time, did you look at the screenshots?
Also I out in this ugly (will try to make it look cooler at some point) looking day night cycle indicator on the upper right of the hud.
Night transition now is smooth, similar to many other games (darkness fades in and out).

Well when you defeat a boss a red orb will drop like in other Castlevania games.
I saw no means to then destroy it with a stake that costs you extra 50 gold.
People said they don't like to grind too much so this would add more grind or if it was free it would be pointless.
I also though it as a powerful weapon but a thrown oak stake that does insane damage felt silly as all would always buy those for bosses forcing more grind.
It was in the game but now its hidden in the code with a mysterious // (commented it out).
If i come up with a nice idea to add it its as simple as removing //.

Thanks for replying to my questions =)

I think ill share a screen for you...

[MooMilk]

By long day/night transition he means when the game stops so the text can spell out on screen and then the pallette change. It pauses gameplay.

[chainsawmidget]

That's the part I wasn't getting. 

I can understand why people don't like that, but I always thought it was kind of memorable. 

If you're going to take it out though, could you work "What a horrible night to have a curse" in there somewhere though?  maybe as an NPC dialogue.

[Wanhus]

it has been my plan to add a text box with the line or a similar line.
But the game wont be paused during that time.

[Lelygax]

You can always make it appears only for the first day to night and then night to day transitions, pausing the game only once for each of these 2 messages would make it a homage to the original while also not enraging anyone afterwards with subsequent pauses.

1. Would you like enemies to spill blood if hit? ( if the enemy is the type that does drop blood )

Yes, obviously only if they have flesh.
2. Metroidvanias often limit heart max, would you like to see heart max locked to level in Simon's curse? ( so you don't farm 500 hearts for every boss. Remember gold and hearts are different, buy with gold. )

Yes like in the old games its better to have a limit, more than 99 hearts on the start of the game isnt a good idea since you could spam sub-weapons.

3. Would you like to see armor items in game? ( old one had resistance that increased by level )

Yes, but balance enemies and bosses with these armors in mind, otherwise it would be too easy or too hard.

4. Would you like Simon's curse to have very hard to know secrets/easter egg items or/and places? ( Well you know how these things work )

Secrets are very important, if you could add a area with a secret enemy or boss it would be even better, otherwise just a NPC?

5. Game better very hard or just normal difficulty? (I'm not adding difficulty slider, harder new game+ MAYBE)

Normal difficulty, but no so easy like in SotN. Try to do something like Order of Ecclesia nearing Circle of the Moon.

6. Thing you would like to see in this game? ( items, enemies, bosses, places, characters, etc)

Simon's house and Belmont's Graveyard.

7. Would you like there to be rare hp potions that cant be bought only found in secret places max 3 carry? ( how much they would heal? I dunno that has to be balanced, currently thinking 30%-50% hp )

Yes, would be a good homage to MSX Vampire Killer's hidden shops but as some users stated, beware to not make bosses too easy because of this. These should be like a reward to less skilled players to be able to finish the game, while doesnt making it a "cake walk".

[Wanhus]

Thanks for answering my questions.
I don't think I would pause the game for it but yes ill add some transition text box notification.
Currently even going in the inventory wont pause the game (it does stop time flow same as entering buildings).

Right now I'm working on: Game pad control scheme settings, background forests, whip selection
Might sound boring but like wrote before the whole engine is done only drawing mostly and new stuff i come up with or get ideas from someone else.
Thou drawing is the slowest thing for me...

[zangetsu468]

Those faces in the background of the stained glass reminded me of Mario 2 where you'd obtain the key and then have to dodge until using it... Ever thought about injecting some Mario 2 into your Castlevania 2???


.....



Just kidding 
I like Simon's hair and colour scheme btw.

[Lelygax]

Thanks for answering my questions.
I don't think I would pause the game for it but yes ill add some transition text box notification.
Currently even going in the inventory wont pause the game (it does stop time flow same as entering buildings).

Right now I'm working on: Game pad control scheme settings, background forests, whip selection
Might sound boring but like wrote before the whole engine is done only drawing mostly and new stuff i come up with or get ideas from someone else.
Thou drawing is the slowest thing for me...

So its possible to get hurt while choosing items?
Also it can be boring but important, you're doing a good job.

[Wanhus]

zangetsu468 yeah i don't know what i was thinking with the stained glass window.
I tried few things with the window but they did not look good due to pixel limits for that size sooooo then i just settled for that one.
Tried adding like death to it but it was too small and unclear. Then i tried to add a big skull with stuff around it sadly could not make it very large.
So that had to do i think its okay not the best but okay =D

Thanks I tried to capture Simon's more modern red haired version.
Simon's hair is also longer and a bit more animated.


Lelygax yes currently you can get hurt when choosing items thou if you use gamepad you can swap items with those buttons above triggers.
Never bothered me so far that it does not pause as lots of items work automatically like crystals you only need to approach the area and it activates the "machinery".
Like the lift in the first dungeon or the water drain in the second, there is like this power stone pedestal that gets activated if you have the crystal.
Also Dracula's nail, etc are passive and shield (rib) has its own button.
So at least for me so far there has been no need to pause game. Maybe ill add pause later, time still stops while in inventory or inside building like in the original so you can still afk in safe spot =D

Also thanks for the cheering up =)

[Lelygax]

Lament of Innocence had something similar with its inventory system, so it can surely work while also adding some emotion to it. Like when you need to reach a item in your inventory but before needs to dodge a attack xD