Topic: Castlevania harmony of despair coming this week !

[affinity]

Releases like TES Oblivion, Borderlands, etc. had their DLC spread out among months, and many people still bought all the DLC anyways.

 Waiting for DLC isn't going to turn off people because

1. they would still own Castlevania HD, so they can play it whenever they want, and there's plenty fun even after maxing everyone and obtaining all items.  Spaced out DLC releases can actually have people come back more often over the months than sucking all the content dry the first weeks.

2.  when the DLC is available, they can still buy it and use it whenever they are not playing other things.   

look at Xmen Arcade, people still play that on PSN, even without DLC updates.   So how DLC released isn't going to affect things negatively.  XBLA users most certainly bought Chapter 8, 9, 10 and 11 and the other characters despite how long it took.   The minute they release, they are already available to expand it further, so people don't need to "wait" in a way, just enjoy what's there and look forward to the other DLC when available.   

And also, mainstream consumers usually look down on 1st day DLC unless it's free,  so stacking up the launch with all the DLC, could turn off buyers more than releasing it in waves. 

[Nagumo]

And also, mainstream consumers usually look down on 1st day DLC unless it's free,  so stacking up the launch with all the DLC, could turn off buyers more than releasing it in waves. 

Yes, that must be the reason why they are still going spread it out.   

[Kusanagi]

Releases like TES Oblivion, Borderlands, etc. had their DLC spread out among months, and many people still bought all the DLC anyways.

 Waiting for DLC isn't going to turn off people because

1. they would still own Castlevania HD, so they can play it whenever they want, and there's plenty fun even after maxing everyone and obtaining all items.  Spaced out DLC releases can actually have people come back more often over the months than sucking all the content dry the first weeks.

2.  when the DLC is available, they can still buy it and use it whenever they are not playing other things.   

look at Xmen Arcade, people still play that on PSN, even without DLC updates.   So how DLC released isn't going to affect things negatively.  XBLA users most certainly bought Chapter 8, 9, 10 and 11 and the other characters despite how long it took.   The minute they release, they are already available to expand it further, so people don't need to "wait" in a way, just enjoy what's there and look forward to the other DLC when available.   

And also, mainstream consumers usually look down on 1st day DLC unless it's free,  so stacking up the launch with all the DLC, could turn off buyers more than releasing it in waves. 

Its more around the fact that its a port xD Some people won't be as patient as every singe part of the game has already been shown off on the 360 version before. Although I can't say if that's just a spoiled minority, or that they're tired of waiting (though they probably will buy the DLC anyways, that's just how we fans are xD). And of course this will be new to a good number of PS3 users so that shouldn't be too much a factor. One problem many had with Harmony of Despair is because of how short it was, and the DLC remedies that to an extent. Some characters like Shanoa can't reach their full potential without the DLC as well...

Now Im not familiar with those games you had mentioned, but was their release multiplatform or were they separate? (like one was on 360 one year exclusive or something).

All that said, I do much agree with your points xD Makes much more sense with your points now that I think about it.

They announced Castlevania Harmony of Despair to come out some time in July, so they had about roughly 2 months to work on it, plus spacing out the DLC with the reasoning you mentioned. So what will they be doing inbetween those times of DLC I wonder...? Probably on something else, but it doesn't hurt to hope for new DLC to be added to the game (initial sales again probably will play their part if ever this is to happen).

[Dominus]

Releases like TES Oblivion, Borderlands, etc. had their DLC spread out among months, and many people still bought all the DLC anyways.

Im just assuming her but I think that those games DLC actually required more than just copy+paste

[KaZudra]

hey, stacking HD with the expensive DLC for the PS3 wa a super smart idea... Cause chapter 7 was a complete waste, once I got my Miser rings I never went back, it wasn't fun.

[affinity]

Chapter 7 is fun, IMO.  It really stands out with its one of a kind enviornment, lots of floors and rooms to go around beating enemies, picking up treasure, bypassing traps, and the first boss to be resistant to things like Valmanway (yes people found other ways to exploit a quick victory, but Astarte really gave a lot of groups plenty of new challenge until they adapted.)   

Especially the first times without guides, it can take longer to reach the boss than, say, Chapter 3, 4 or 5, and there are no easy Soma exploits to reach the top without the elevator switch.      

Overall very nice, fun and varied chapter that adds more flavor to the selection. 

[Kusanagi]

Chapter 7 is fun, IMO.  It really stands out with its one of a kind enviornment, lots of floors and rooms to go around beating enemies, picking up treasure, bypassing traps, and the first boss to be resistant to things like Valmanway (yes people found other ways to exploit a quick victory, but Astarte really gave a lot of groups plenty of new challenge until they adapted.)   

Especially the first times without guides, it can take longer to reach the boss than, say, Chapter 3, 4 or 5, and there are no easy Soma exploits to reach the top without the elevator switch.      

Overall very nice, fun and varied chapter that adds more flavor to the selection. 

Didn't chapter 7 also have its own unique stage clear theme? A tiny detail, but I did like that touch on the chapter. Also looks rather interesting in general.

Hmm, another thought occurred to me recently, another possibility apart from new DLC is possibly re-tuning the current characters of the game. Perhaps more skills, or maybe rebalancing of some weapons and such. I can't really say if the characters do need it or not though. the best I can say is excluding Soma, Johnathan and Charlotte, the other characters could use a bit more variety in terms of moves/weapons. That or at least ensure their stats balance out in comparison to the 3's mentioned variety. All of that however is just based on my readings into the characters, so that could all just be my speculation (I'll need to play the game first to really know xD).

[crisis]

They won't redraw Juste's sprite, it's too much work (which is ironic since they included Simon's 8-bit sprite anyway)

I would like to see Trevor, Sypha & Grant added and maybe Albus. Hell, throw in Old Axe Armor too and we have ourselves a brand new game

[Kusanagi]

They won't redraw Juste's sprite, it's too much work (which is ironic since they included Simon's 8-bit sprite anyway)

I would like to see Trevor, Sypha & Grant added and maybe Albus. Hell, throw in Old Axe Armor too and we have ourselves a brand new game

Pretty sure you already said this on the first page ^^" And like I said earlier, Simon's 8 bit form was for nostalgia's sake. Any other character inclusion will need to be redrawn so that they can be consistent with the other sprites in terms of quality. The characters from SOTN, Dawn of Sorrow, POR, and OoE have the best shot of being in the game because their sprite quality is very similar. Juste and Nathan could be added as they are (not that I have any problem with that at all), but some may not like that because its HD for a reason.

[affinity]

Pretty sure you already said this on the first page ^^" And like I said earlier, Simon's 8 bit form was for nostalgia's sake. Any other character inclusion will need to be redrawn so that they can be consistent with the other sprites in terms of quality. The characters from SOTN, Dawn of Sorrow, POR, and OoE have the best shot of being in the game because their sprite quality is very similar. Juste and Nathan could be added as they are (not that I have any problem with that at all), but some may not like that because its HD for a reason.

It's understandable. Most fans would accept them either way as long as they are playable, but consistency makes it tricky unless they are treated as an exception like 8 bit Simon.   There's still a good amount of remaining DS series characters they can add, including Hammer, Albus, Stella and Loretta.

[crisis]

Why Stella & Loretta? They are gimmick characters that float around.

[Chernabogue]

Albus should have totally be in.

[affinity]

Why Stella & Loretta? They are gimmick characters that float around.

How dare you say such things!  ><; 

Stella and Loretta are important characters in Portrait of Ruin, and they are practically the first villains in the series history to have their own story-driven playthrough, which is a playable prologue that is canon to the main story!!!!   

They even included character interaction scene before and at the last part of their gameplay walkthrough, so it isn't just a tacked on mode like Richter mode in SOTN.   Sisters mode perfectly adds more to the story and its a rare to offer a complete playable prologue through most of the locations like this.

I admit the stylus gimmick was a bad design choice for Sisters mode (the STYLUS is the gimmick, not the characters),
but the mode still technically counts Stella and Loretta as part of Castlevania's long list of playable characters in the series with meaningful and unique story background on top of that, and characters that played the role of BOTH protagonists (in their own story) besides antagonists in what's possibly the most tragic story in the series history!!!!    

They really deserve more credit from Castlevania fans, it's great they are included in the top of this page along with the other Castlevania heroes.   They are more than NPCs, and more than bosses.   They are also Castlevania heroes that tried their best to rescue someone important to them.

There are many good ways they can adapt their gameplay into HD.   For one thing, flying can be rebalanced so it can't be used as often or as long as it could be used in Sisters mode.  It could drain a lot more MP than before and could be used as a Personal Skill in short bursts.

Replacing the insane attacks they had using the stylus, Stella could be given her boss-based slash/wind specials as Hunter Skills, and Loretta could be given multiple ice spells as her own Hunter Skills.  (yes there are already characters that use ice, but they can design it so Loretta is a master of ice, so she could be given a unique spell or two.) 
And they could have their own unique Dual Crush together.   They already have sprites that can be used as ducking and dive kick type actions.  And adding a slide animation wouldn't require a lot of editing.

[Puwexil]

I thought there was nothing more frightening than Affinity talking about Hodespair's many virtues but I guess I was too quick to judge.

[thernz]

Well, okay. Barring story, they're gimmick characters who can fly.
And when including story, their mode adds hardly anything to it. Their perspectives are completely generic. The events shown are already known about in the main story. There's no character development at all to them. Even the floating gameplay is at dissonance with how they're human.

It's really nothing to write home about that they just decided to include two or so menial cutscenes to an extra mode. If there is, you should be doing it about Dawn's Julius mode then. I mean, Portrait of Ruin's Sisters Mode has an ending with dialogue as a point over Dawn's Julius mode if anything. But again, it just recaps things you already know about, and adds nothing of value to what we already know.