Topic: should the next reboot have a timeline?

[crisis]

given the controversy the timeline has caused in the last decade or so, do you think the next series of CV games should be set in a specific year/century? or does it really matter because

what i liekd about Order of Ecclesia was the fact that it gave us an ambigious date, "sometime in the 19th century" leaving us to try n pinpoint when it couldve took place (arguments say it takes place around 1830, but thats of course debatable). the positives for having dates is the fact that they can tie into real historical events into the mythos, such as an eclipse in Europe in 1999 and another one in 2035 and i think thats really cool

Lords of Shadow gave us a set date, but they couldve just as easily put "in medieval times" or "sometime during the medieval period" instead. and i dont even think they gave us an exact year for when LoS2 takes place

in an old interview IGA was asked what he thinks the biggest mistake concerning Castlevania was, and he said "probably when we put out the timeline. Because since Dracula only appears every 100 years, we made the whole timeline and ran out of places to put in another game. I made the timeline, but I shouldn't have actually released it, because now it's all official. That was a bad decision."


so should next reboot not repeat this "mistake?"

[Dremn]

I like the idea of each game being contained in it's own universe like Circle of the Moon is. Each game could be a retelling of the same legend in new ways with new characters.

I'm not against a new timeline since I enjoy reading up on fictional lore and histories, but it might save Konami a headache or two by not having to try keeping things consistent that adhere to a timeline or law established like "only the Belmonts can wield the Vampire Killer."

[GuyStarwind]

I've always been a fan of a timeline following the Belmonts.

[Shiroi Koumori]

I am pretty much neutral about this topic. They can create a timeline but it would be difficult to add more games to it as the timeline grows. Or they can just go the final fantasy route.

[Flame]

Don't care.

Give me a one shot, or a new series of games in a timeline, either one works for me.

[TatteredSeraph]

I really like the timeline, it allows for diferent games in the series to be linked together much more easily, than say like in FF.  That depth of family history is one one of the things that I like about the Castlevania games.

[X]

Having a timeline for CV is inevitable I feel and the only time it becomes a mistake is if it gets out of hand as what had happened with the original series. One way or another a consecutive chain of events will happen for any new or rebooted CV. It did with the original series and obviously with LoS too. Having a CV series that does what FF does ie. each new game takes place in it's own universe (including those that have their own sequels) is also a novel idea. And yes it would save Konami much headache in the long-run. They wouldn't have to reboot the franchise nearly so often. However the bottom line that I cannot stress enough as a fan of the series, is that CV is about the Belmont family wielding the vampirekiller against Dracula and his forces. Nothing else.

[Chernabogue]

Give me a one shot, or a new series of games in a timeline, either one works for me.

Pretty much this. However, if the characters/story are good, I'd definitively be happy with more games, like for LoS.

[Nagumo]

They should just focus on developing an arc. If everything is wrapped up nicely in one game then that's great, if it is actually required to add more games then that's great, too. Most "epic stories" suffer from "trilogy syndrome" where they are trilogies for the sake of being trilogies. 

[EstebanT]

I feel timeline is a bad idea. Since many different people will have their take over a period of years... Different visions will make it feel weird. Like bloodlines and portrait of ruin.

[e105beta]

I could care less about a timeline, I just want a lineage.

A BELMONT LINEAGE.

[DragonSlayr81]

I've always believed that the CV series is a series about generations of terror. Dracula is defeated, but eventually rises again while a descendant of the Belmont family has to step forth to put him to rest. The whole concept of family lends itself to a timeline and each generation acts as a means of progression.

You CAN have an ambiguous setting retaining the whole family/generational progression, but you have to be crafty regarding how you reference "so-and-so" Belmont is the father of "that guy" Belmont.

For me, it's not relatively hard to follow a timeline as long as you are a stickler for continuity. That's one of the main killers of a timeline. Even Bryan Singer's been called out regarding the X-Men movie timeline and he's said ALL the movies so far are canon, and whatever inconsistencies there are, "just forget about them". The problem here usually lies with writer/directors that don't take much care inserting stories into an existing timeline, hence the clutter, retcons and continuity errors. I think timelines can be done right if you take the timeline into heavy consideration with each additonal story you create. From what I've seen, especially when you get new writers on board, it seems like they are more interested in telling a new story rather than thinking about how they can fit it into an existing world without going against established canon. That's a problem that I'd wish more writers would consider addressing. If you want to write something new, do it for a new world(establish your own world to do as you please), but when writing for an established franchise with an existing canon, you are bound by the rules. You better school yourself in the existing history of the previous stories and school yourself GOOD! There's no excuse. If any layman fanboy can do it, sure as hell someone within the company, getting PAID to do it can as well. Really, I'm pretty hard on this because I hate when stupid retcons are made for the sake of, "Oops, I forgot THIS event happened differently! My bad!!". There's no excuse whatsoever.

[X]

^
Have to agree with this.

[Dremn]

Like other posts have already mentioned, the theme of family is one of the things I love the most about Castlevania. The Belmont Clan/Lineage is the most interesting part of the entire series for me, I hope that's something that remains a staple of the franchise.

[Mike Belmont]

Another reboot? No, thanks, dood.

...But, i prefer a timeline with the statement (in the "X" century). I see a specific year brings a few problems, with the time neccesary to Dracula to arise... or to a new Belmont to appear...