Topic: The first sign rises with the full moon.

[theplottwist]

Why do people always say Income has slowed when it has not? We have like 56,000 already for today and it's 9:55 am. We usually get 50,000 by 5pm or 4pm...that has a huge start.

But I think Android is right. These goals are kinda unrealistic comparing to the rate we're going and the time remaining.

[CastleDan]

But I think Android is right. These goals are kinda unrealistic comparing to the rate we're going and the time remaining.

Nope, you guys probably don't follow how kickstarts usually work. There's a huge upkick in the very beginning and very end with BIG kickstarters like this. Mighty Number 9 for instance made over 1 million in the final two days. We are already tracking higher than all the videogames on kickstarter AT THIS POINT....then you couple the fact that we have over 100,000 in paypal money also.

In other words, we will probably hit 4 million by the end of today or early tomorrow and the final two days can bring us easily 4.5 and possibly even 5 million. We need 1,102,000 essentially to reach our 5 million goal and it's been done in the final two days with less successful kickstarters. So we are in very good shape knowing the facts.

[Strider Nemesis]

I think you guys may have misunderstood what he meant by "precision jumps". I'm thinking he was talking about something like the infamous jump in stage 23 of Castlevania X68000, which you can watch here at 11:33:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5c7Ye4A458&t=11m24s

Castlevania is NOT about that. It's about timing your jump so you don't get hit by a Medusa head, or a flying axe, or a some other moving enemy while trying to reach a platform or upon landing. It's not about making pixel-perfect jumps.

[TheCruelAngel]

Wah~ you guys can talk up a storm. But that new bonus, I'm hyped for my Amano poster! If I weren't buying a house I'd up my pledge by another $500 and get it signed, but I'll just have to settle with owning it unsigned. In the update it seems like Amano will be working in sumi-e and charcoal so don't expect some super colorful work like his FF work. I think something between the VHD novel insert images but with the compositions akin his flashier pieces. Man, it's going to be so gorgeous. >.< I hope they release dimensions for the poster soon so I can start frame hunting.

[Gunlord]

That Amano poster certainly kicked up a storm of support. The 10 opportunities for an 800 dollar signed print of it disappeared almost as quickly as it went up. That was like a free 8000 dollars for the KS right there!

Man, the staff on this project alone would make it a better investment than Mighty No. 9. Even if the game itself doesn't turn out to be too good, it'd be worth it for the rewards, like the Kojima artbook or the Amano poster. I don't think Mighty No. 9 had this many famous people helping it; looking at its campaign page the only backer awards I see were all from Inafune (sketches and stuff). Bloodstained definitely seems to have a more balanced, wider base of professional support, even if it's (at this point) just for extras and stuff. And that's not even mentioning how the programmers and devs have apparently already started, and it's already looking like the concept art! I'm feeling good about dis

[CastleDan]

Just some perspective people on how achievable 5 million COULD be. This is from IGA's translator and agent Ben Judd:


All game kick starters will be "left in the dust". Speaking of which the number 1 video game kickstarter was at 3.404 when it had 3 days left. We'll be at 3.85... a whole 450K faster. And it earned around 784K on it's last three days. If we end today around 4 million (including PayPal) and can raise in between what that did and MN9 did... 5 million is possible. But IT WILL BE CLOSE!

You heard the boy... GET THE WORD OUT.

[CastleDan]

Sorry for the double post but seriously it's not moving slow now.

80,000 already today and usually we get 80,000 at nighttime. It's 1pm where I live. 4.5 mill is definitely gonna happen... 5 million there's a real possibility.

[Belmontoya]

Of course we understood what he meant by pixel perfect jumps.

The concern comes from level designs of past Igavania games.

Castlevania absolutely was about close calls sometimes by the pixel. It's those nail biting moments that seem to be absent in his games. His current comments in that video echo some of my past gripes. It's fine though, his games don't have to be about that.


I love the Igavania boss fights though! I can't wait until we get to see more enemies.

[Maedhros]

Super Metriod is proof that precision jumps and difficult platforming works in exploration games. I like have my timing and reflexes pushed as well as memory and exploration.

It would have been nice to have a CV marry those two styles. It could please more fans across the board.

I was hoping for something like that with Bloodstained. That's all I'm saying. I'm still beyond excited for it.

It's all good though. I have a good feeling that something like will come along anyways.

I'm trying to remember a part in Super Metroid where precision platforming was a necessity (not a reward for being a good player). Because the later is present even in Iga games (like you could use the wolf to reach some parts earlier or sequence break).

Nah, I don't agree with this. Super Metroid is just too good in many points, but I wouldn't say platforming is what defines it at all.

I think you guys may have misunderstood what he meant by "precision jumps". I'm thinking he was talking about something like the infamous jump in stage 23 of Castlevania X68000, which you can watch here at 11:33:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5c7Ye4A458&t=11m24s

Castlevania is NOT about that. It's about timing your jump so you don't get hit by a Medusa head, or a flying axe, or a some other moving enemy while trying to reach a platform or upon landing. It's not about making pixel-perfect jumps.

Exactly. Thank you for this example.

Of course we understood what he meant by pixel perfect jumps.

The concern comes from level designs of past Igavania games.

Castlevania absolutely was about close calls sometimes by the pixel. It's those nail biting moments that seem to be absent in his games. His current comments in that video echo some of my past gripes. It's fine though, his games don't have to be about that.


I love the Igavania boss fights though! I can't wait until we get to see more enemies.

It seems like you want the wrong game (or a different from what it purposes). This is a game that's more like SOTN and the GBA/DS titles. Not a classicvania. Castlevania was about many things in the past, but from SOTN onwards, they weren't about precision platforming.

Also, there is a Classic mode though, so maybe that'll satisfy your needs.

[shelverton.]

The hardest jumps in the series for me was always in Castlevania Adventure. Though it was not because of clever level design. I swear, that game...... 

EDIT: oh, and the first few times in Super CV4 with the collapsing staircase tower. Jesus. Christ. That was a huge shock for me as a child. I died so many times.

[Charlotte-nyo:3]

It's not even a matter of difficult jumps, it's a lack of death causing traps in levels in general. Some of you are saying that most classicvanias don't have difficult jumps, but the games are riddled with death pits and spike traps alike. Even when the jumps are easy, a misstep had dire consequences if not instant death. I like being kept on my toes with danger all around. And I think it makes sense in an evil castle. When Iga said he "hates that kind of stuff" that's what I think he meant because there just aren't moments like that in his games.

Well a lot of us are just going by the generic definition of a precision jump. I agree that the classicvanias were definitely about death pits and spike traps all around with relatively makeable jumps but jumps which you don't want to get lazy on or else one slip up can cost a life.

But that's what classicvanias are about man! It's interesting he was a fan of the game in the first place if he doesn't care for that sort of thing. Just sayin.

I can see it. You can be a fan of a series but not like absolutely everything about it, or sometimes other areas which you really love about the series make it so you can tolerate other factors you don't like much. Some people's gaming skills have also atrophied a bit to the extent that they'll like games they grew up with that have bottomless pits, instant death spikes, finite continues, etc but not really necessarily want to see that in a new game they'd play in 2015 or they'd want it toned down a bit.

For what it's worth I think Shovel Knight did bottomless pits well for the more casual player or those whose skills have atrophied in that it took awhile for them to ramp up the danger the pits posed so the player was used to the game enough to not be too daunted by them by the time the more difficult situations appeared. The check points helped keep players from dropping out due to despair while more skilled players could break the checkpoints for added reward.

I wonder a bit what the challenge level will be in the classic mode of Bloodstained. Perhaps something on the level of Castlevania: The Adventure Rebirth? Since that was the only classicvania with new level design that IGA produced. Although like with all the games it's hard to tell just how much involvement he had because it seems like there are definitely some games where he has deeper involvement than a typical producer but you never know if for some of them he took a more hands off approach. OoE for example feels a bit atypical of IGA in the gameplay department, like he left its gameplay more to the devices of his team.

[Belmontoya]

Let me just say too that while I'm hoping the levels have challenging and intriguing designs, you guys are absolutely right that Igavanias are not about that. And Bloodstained being it's own thing and not a Castlevania game shouldn't have to follow any old traditions or expectations.

I'm going to let Bloodstained be it's own thing in my mind and separate from Castlevania. That after all is what it is. Without the shackles of CV I'm sure I'll appreciate it even more as an exploration game.

I gotta say again... I'm so happy I have a vita! I was bummed MOF wasn't on vita until I actually played it. Getting Bloodstained is 100 times better!

[Claimh Solais]

So Bloodstained has officially surpassed Mighty No. 9 in how much the game raised. MN09 had $3,845,170 when the project ended, and at the time of writing, this game has $3,849,303 with 3 days left on the clock. MN09 funded 427% to goal, with Bloodstained at 769%.

Gotta say, I love the sound of all that. Not even that significant of information, but I do.

[Maedhros]

New Update:

Bonus stretch goal: New Game Plus

IGA will be a boss in the game. He was actually reluctant to put himself into the game, but in the end they convinced him.

Special weapon will be a Katana, since Katana Clan won.

[Somanyte]

Yeah! Clan Katana, we won!
PS: Dat Iga boss