Topic: How could we make Portrait of Ruin a better Castlevania?

[RichterB]

Biggest thing: Make the portraits into actual "Classicvania" levels with death pits and such like Bloodlines, and expand the castle's size to please both crowds.

[Johnny Alucard]

Take advantage of the timeframe.  One of the things that made Bloodlines so great was that you could easily tell the time period by looking at John's clothing and some of the levels, like the munitions factory.

There was hardly anything like that in Portrait of Ruin, aside from a few enemies using guns and the circus levels being implied to have been torn apart by the war.

[Inccubus]

Olrox, I'm guess, was meant to be "Orlok", which IS Nosferatu.

IIRC, that WAS his name in the Japanese version.

[Flame]

I really wonder why they changed it, when both Dracula and Orlock are public domain. Which is yknow, why they can even use Dracula and Orlock's names and likenesses.

But back on topic; yeah one of my favorite parts of Bloodlines was John's era appropriate clothing, and the nods to actual places in that actual timeframe in the world.

[DragonSlayr81]

I really wonder why they changed it, when both Dracula and Orlock are public domain. Which is yknow, why they can even use Dracula and Orlock's names and likenesses.

I always thought it was just due to bad 90s translations. I mean, especially during that era of PS1, some Japanese games had some really goofed up translations. Orlok became "Olrox" and Konami of the West figured they'd just stick with it for continuity sake. I mean, we've stuck with Trevor all these years. It's not like Konami of the West suddenly decided to stick closer to the Japanese intent and renamed him Ralph. I actually don't mind Olrox, though. It's the CV spin on Orlok, making him obviously inspired, but at the same time, somewhat unique. Kinda like Elizabeth Bartley, inspired by Elizabeth Bathory, but still her own character as well.

[Flame]

Fair enough I suppose.

Funfact: The Dracula novel was public domain in the U.S. since it's publication, due to Stoker apparently not following proper copyright procedures. Everywhere else it became public domain 50 years after Stoker died, in 1962.

[Inccubus]

Interesting. Useless, but interesting. Love this sort of stuff.

As for the translation practices of the past, let us not forget that this same game graced us with the Malachi/Ctulhu name switch AND the completely "made up cause we were bored LotR geeks" LotR references. I think when I did my own translations there was like exactly one LotR sword in the entire inventory of the Japanese version of the game.

[Chernabogue]

Fair enough I suppose.

Funfact: The Dracula novel was public domain in the U.S. since it's publication, due to Stoker apparently not following proper copyright procedures. Everywhere else it became public domain 50 years after Stoker died, in 1962.

This is why Murnau called his vampire Orlok in Nosferatu. He couldn't use the name Dracula, even if Orlok is indeed Dracula.

[Flame]

And he still got sued and Stoker's Estate still won the suit. So apparently that didn't quite work out, now did it?

He got lucky though- that pirated versions of the film survived long past the destruction order, enough to become public domain.

In short, the very existence of the film was saved by Pirates who made copies of it.

CHALK ANOTHER POINT UP FOR PIRATING! *cue you are a pirate song*

[darkwzrd4]

Here's my opinion:

They should have made Brauner a unappreciated human artist who dabbling in dark magic with the intent of enhancing his artistic talent, but ended up turning himself into a vampire who now desires to wipe out humanity for not appreciating his artwork (cheesy I know).  Decides to use his art and now found power to steal Dracula's power.

The sisters should just be two of his victims (no need to save them).

Death should still be trying to eliminate Brauner.

Get rid of that whole whip draining away the life of non-Belmonts who wield the whip.

Neither Jonatan nor Eric should be dead.  We don't need the priest.  It would start out with John and Eric investigating the fact that Dracula's castle has reappeared and seems active.  Tehy hit a snag and realize they can't do it and decide to regroup at the entrance when John's son Jonathan shows up with Charlotte.  Jonathan and Charlotte decide to finish what John and Eric originally set out to do.  At which point, John and Eric decide to stay at the entrance and provide support anyway they can.  John provides quests (more interesting than the ones we are familiar with) ending with acquisition of the vampire killer (no power unlocking needed) while Eric sets up shop.  Both of them offer advice from time to time.

The Vampire killer whip is the most powerful weapon of the game for Jonathan.

Death will not be in a set boss room because we will be constantly searching for Brauner.  During your first encounter with Death, he simply tells you not to interfere with his mission (which is to get rid of Brauner and revive Dracula, the true master of the castle.  He doesn't tell you this though).  In every subsequent encounter, he will fight you and if you can't defeat him fast enough, he will run away.  If you don't defeat Death before fighting Brauner, you will have to fight Dracula and Death at the together in the throne room after Brauner.

This is my vision of how the game should be.

[Dominus]

I think that PoR story was good, poorly...idk...implemented(?), but good

They should have made Brauner a unappreciated human artist who dabbling in dark magic with the intent of enhancing his artistic talent, but ended up turning himself into a vampire who now desires to wipe out humanity for not appreciating his artwork (cheesy I know).  Decides to use his art and now found power to steal Dracula's power.

Ummm...this is waaaaaaay worse than his actual story