Topic: Where did the specific years in the Castlevania timeline come from?

[Nagumo]

The issue of Konami magazine that came after the one that had the timeline said something like (and this a free translation): "That timeline was developed for Symphony of the Night, it was not made with Legends in mind." This was when the game was still in development, so already in the early stages somebody at Konami (probably IGA) protested against it being part of the timeline. I suppose the game wasn't "offically" removed when IGA became producer, which was in 2000. In the article you can see a timeline from that year that lists Legends as a "alternate universe story". 

[Koutei]

http://castlevania.wikia.com/wiki/Konami_Magazine
Konami Magazine is a Konami's free magazine ~

As long as I saw, here is most Konami magazine Castlevania page scans.

I'm the one who wrote that article, hehe. I made sure to have everything sourced so I think it's all very reliable. 

Probably, there is no article more detailed than this article about IGA's timeline.

[crisis]

Some1 please ask me this question:
what's the difference between "alternative universe" and "alternative timeline?" can't both terms be consideration same thing? o.o;

if a game is branched off from an event in 1 timeline, therefore creating a new/separate one, wouldn't that already be considered an "alternate universe" since it takes place outside the canon timeline? o.o;

[RichterB]

Whoa, nice Castlevania 64/LoD art extras in that Konami magazine. I've never seen some of that artwork before. There's even some unused villain shots. But...alas...all of that was disavowed to a "alternate timeline" as well. (Or was it? IGA brought in Cornell to Judgment. Hmm...)

Some1 please ask me this question:
what's the difference between "alternative universe" and "alternative timeline?" can't both terms be consideration same thing? o.o;

if a game is branched off from an event in 1 timeline, therefore creating a new/separate one, wouldn't that already be considered an "alternate universe" since it takes place outside the canon timeline? o.o;

You've got a point. They're the same thing basically. However, the distinction may come from something like LoS being cut from a completely different cloth, whereas some of these branch off of pre-existing games. Err, maybe.

[Inccubus]

Yes. The reason why they are stated to be sisters in DXX is most likely because Maria calls Anette "onee-chan" in Rondo. This can mean "big sister" but also "miss". So Maria was actually calling her "Miss Anette", but this got misinterpreted. 

 
I'm the one who wrote that article, hehe. I made sure to have everything sourced so I think it's all very reliable.

Not to mention that onee-chan is a really common term of endearment between girls, too. And as we all know RoB was the first CV game to try to inject a little anime flavor into the series.

[Chernabogue]

Some1 please ask me this question:
what's the difference between "alternative universe" and "alternative timeline?" can't both terms be consideration same thing? o.o;

if a game is branched off from an event in 1 timeline, therefore creating a new/separate one, wouldn't that already be considered an "alternate universe" since it takes place outside the canon timeline? o.o;

I'd say alternate universes may cross, while alternate timelines may not.

[Nagumo]

Some1 please ask me this question:
what's the difference between "alternative universe" and "alternative timeline?" can't both terms be consideration same thing? o.o;

They're the same thing, just different types. I thought it was important to make the distinction. For example, for the Pachislots any pre-existing canon (LoI, CV3 etc.) still happend, it's just what happens afterwards that is different. Games like LoS just trash the canon altogether. RichterB got it right. 

Whoa, nice Castlevania 64/LoD art extras in that Konami magazine. I've never seen some of that artwork before. There's even some unused villain shots. But...alas...all of that was disavowed to a "alternate timeline" as well. (Or was it? IGA brought in Cornell to Judgment. Hmm...)

Cornell from Judgment is from a different world than the other characters. You should think of the Castlevania series as a multiverse. You have various stories that are spread out over several worlds. Judgment is a work that brings all these worlds together.         

[Chernabogue]

Games like LoS just trash the canon altogether. RichterB got it right. 

As it's set in a different universe and timeline, LoS didn't thrash anything. Sorry, but you're just raging here...

[Nagumo]

I wasn't raging. I just meant to say LoS ignored previous continuity and started its own. I wasn't being malicious or anything.