Topic: Thoughts on post-apocalyptic CV?

[Nagumo]

This has probably been brought up before but I want to know people's opinions about it. Just imagine, everything has seriously gone wrong, the world has been destroyed by a nuclear war. Fast forward several millennia, demons and other supernatural creatures roam the earth, ruled by the vampire lords who reside in their ancient castles containing lost magic and technology. The surviving human population live in small isolated communities frequently terrorised by these vampires, taking maidens from their homes and feeding on their blood. The people trust the vampire hunters with the duty of hunting down and slaying them.

Pretty good set-up for a Castlevania plot, right? And yes, I totally just described Vampire Hunter D. However, it's such a well-suited setting for a Castlevania game I'm surprised any of the old teams or IGA never attempted to do something similar. I'm willing to bet developers most likely considered doing it at some point.

One of the reasons I like this idea is because it would bring the series to the future but at the same time retain the theme of "lone creepy castle in the woods" that's pretty much perfect for any scary story. It would probably result in more interesting and new areas. I suppose it's difficult to imagine if you don't know Vampire Hunter D but you'll know what I mean after seeing a few pictures. The beauty of it is that the game could play out like any other Castlevania game without having to twist itself in weird ways to accommodate the setting.

I would definitely like to see a spin-off series revolving around this concept. It could perhaps bring new attention to the series, too.

[zangetsu468]

This could even work with the old canon, post-Sorrow series.

Alucard would still be alive, and there'd certainly be descendants of a Belmont or some such involved.

The stages could be making your way through different parts of the city (or cities) to get to the final destination - a towering skyscraper filled with demons.

[darkwzrd4]

This could even work with the old canon, post-Sorrow series.

Alucard would still be alive, and there'd certainly be descendants of a Belmont or some such involved.

The stages could be making your way through different parts of the city (or cities) to get to the final destination - a towering skyscraper filled with demons.

Just no. Need I reminder you of how bad the city sections of LoS2 were. Keep CV in the past. If we want a post-apocalyptic game that is like CV, it should be based off of Vampire Hunter D, not CV.

And yes, I'm a big fan of Vampire Hunter D. I've read the first 10 volumes of the book series.

[Shiroi Koumori]

Not bad. I could accept that plot and it would certainly be interesting to have that Vampire Hunter D vibe.
But I am personally itching for something of the setting in Trinity Blood, maybe it is just the gothic shoujo fan in me.

[Chernabogue]

I don't think CV fits a modern sitting. LoS2 disappointed me a bit with the city sections.

[zangetsu468]

Just no. Need I reminder you of how bad the city sections of LoS2 were. Keep CV in the past. If we want a post-apocalyptic game that is like CV, it should be based off of Vampire Hunter D, not CV.

And yes, I'm a big fan of Vampire Hunter D. I've read the first 10 volumes of the book series.

Haven't played LOS 2 so I can't comment.

I too am a big fan of VHD

[TatteredSeraph]

I'd also say just do it as a VHD game, even though they do have some elements in common.  I'm also a fan of VHD - I have all of the translated books up to 'Scenes of an Unholy War', and the 'Kan-oke' artbook.  I'd do it as an original storyline and not something based off of one of the books or a retelling of part of Bloodlust, as was the VHD game which was made.

[Shinobi]

I'd also say just do it as a VHD game, even though they do have some elements in common.  I'm also a fan of VHD - I have all of the translated books up to 'Scenes of an Unholy War', and the 'Kan-oke' artbook.  I'd do it as an original storyline and not something based off of one of the books or a retelling of part of Bloodlust, as was the VHD game which was made.

We already have a VHD game for PS1, some say it's a bad game but I enjoyed it.

[Morning star]

Sounds good. If the series had maintained its strict method of seeking only excellence, i would say no. But at this point, what do they have to lose. And the plot does sound good. The return to ruins and pre industrial society is a perfect fit.

[e105beta]

Having just played Lords of Shadow 2, my first response is:



However, having just beaten The Last of Us last night, it's actually a pretty intriguing idea. It is possible to create beauty in a post-apocalyptic landscape, the problem is game developers tend to go the easy route and either set their games DURING the apocalypse, which means lots of rubble, fire, smoke, and charred buildings, or in a dry, flat, brown world to get the whole "THE APOCALYPSE HAPPENED, CAN'T YOU SEE" statement across. The Last of Us chooses to focus on the "post" rather than the "apocalyptic". Darksiders also had the right idea, blending the modern cityscapes with overgrown foliage and fascinating demonic landscapes.

I think it could be a very well done game if designed right, but the artists would have to steer away from the urge to pull the (yes, I know this is sacrilege) always night, Gotham City look, or the desolate Fallout look. Make a game about vampires and other monsters? Sure, then actually play with the concept of nighttime and daytime to make nighttime that much more terrifying. It was probably one of the best things about Simon's Quest, and setting your game in perma-night is always going to look duller and greyer if the setting takes place outside, because that's what night does. Light makes things colorful, night makes things not colorful, because color is reflected light.

[GuyStarwind]

So, would this be like Simon's Quest where you travel around a lot or would it be like a normal CV taking place in a giant castle and not really caring about the outside world?

[Nagumo]

Just like a normal CV I'd imagine. Basically a mix of the occult and sci-fi, with the former still given the most precedence of course. Like for example, you start out in a traditional CV entrance hall, red draperies everywhere, lightning flashing outside, etc. Perhaps small hints of modern technology and there, walls with cracks in them, exposing energy cables or something like that. The next area could be like the lab area from DoS or the Frankenstein area from LoS1, which both had hints of futurestic elements but where still definitely gothic. The entire game would reflect that style.

[Munchy]

I would be all over that in a heartbeat. Not in the sense of going super-boring modern like LoS2, but having a lot of dilapidated, ruined and varied environments not only void of humanity but crawling with evil shit. And you don't have to make everything brown and gray; have stuff overgrown with nature, or repurposed by demonic forces. Have visible remnants of a pre-apocalypse society while hearkening back to a time when man was fucking terrified of going in the woods because of evil spirits. Nausicaa meets Berserk meets Mad Max? (Okay, maybe not so much Mad Max.) There's a lot of untapped potential in not-strictly-castle locales.

Now, the main challenge with this kind of setting is finding a developer who could give it that ethereal, artistic beauty that the series is known for, rather than just The Walking Dead with vampires and a whip guy.