Castlevania Dungeon Forums

The Castlevania Dungeon Forums => General Castlevania Discussion => Topic started by: Lumi Kløvstad on January 06, 2023, 07:33:15 AM

Title: An observation on Nathan's languid pace
Post by: Lumi Kløvstad on January 06, 2023, 07:33:15 AM
Having Nathan walk everywhere by default is tedious. We can all agree on that, I think.

But I now believe that was an intentional design choice -- he's not a hyper experienced hunter yet, and when he starts the game, he's down a team member and a mentor, and his powers and equipment are both lacking. The game WANTS YOU TO FEEL THAT, so Nathan inches along slowly and deliberately. He's not rushing headlong against impossible odds. He's moving at a considered pace that gives you (and by extension HIM) time to observe new threats and some of their behaviors before committing to an engagement when traversing an unknown area.

This kind of got reinforced in my last playthrough where I, having fully forgotten the map in its entirety, entered the Chapel and just SPRINTED (like I always do in video games) and damn near constantly either collided with or aggro'd a monster that I would have seen and had time to register had I approached at a walking pace like the game wanted.

Blitzing your way through the Castle is for when you've built up your power considerably and have memorized the layouts of each area (or at least have learned to anticipate some of each areas design choices).

And knowing that? I really feel like COTM is the only portable entry that really understood the design of the NES Trilogy enough to try to duplicate it. Your mileage may vary on how well it actually succeeded, but this is still pretty neat to have realized.
Title: Re: An observation on Nathan's languid pace
Post by: X on January 06, 2023, 08:47:04 AM
Such a thought had never occurred to me in all my play-throughs. But now that you've brought it up, it does make sense. Not just from a game-story prospective but also a designer's choice as well.
Title: Re: An observation on Nathan's languid pace
Post by: LuxKiller65 on January 06, 2023, 04:58:07 PM
coz kcek made good games
Title: Re: An observation on Nathan's languid pace
Post by: whipsmemory on January 22, 2023, 01:47:17 AM
I have a better one, he defintely broke his own boots (or maybe even a bone or two) falling in the catacombs. That's why he starts running again a few hundred meters in as soon as he finds the dash boot :^)

anyway for me Nathan's walking pace wasnt as horrible as Richters's in Dracula XX. I hate how messed up the walking cycle animation is compared to the actual walking speed, it just looks off
Title: Re: An observation on Nathan's languid pace
Post by: X on January 22, 2023, 10:05:21 AM
Probably because it was set at a faster animation cycle then his Rondo counterpart was. But for me it was fine. His speed in Dracula X matched that of the foreground scrolling, much better then it did in Rondo.
Title: Re: An observation on Nathan's languid pace
Post by: Eric Roman on March 17, 2023, 12:48:07 PM
A reasonable evaluation...but a three-frame walk cycle at this juncture, though?  C'mawn, 2001 guys!