Well Tom, simply because a plot is there doesn't mean people have to bother
with it unless they wish to.
Take the mega man series for instance. There is extensive information on
every single robot master, what order they wer ebuilt, what their
personalities are like, what purpose they bwere originally made for etc.
For instance, Metal man, in Mega man 2 was created as an improved clone of
Cut man in the original game, though was givern an incredibly haphazard and
slapdash personality by wily sinse his intelligence circuites were cobbled
together later.
This sort of information was revealed both in later games, and through books
like the famous perfect Works source books, which reveal heavily detailed
back stories on game series and are a staple of any long running or highly
popular game in japan.
If you had historically significant and interesting bosses in a castlevania
type arcade game, either have the character discover an item such as a
scroll or book which sat in their inventory and was chosen to read or not at
leasue, ---- or just write a highly comprehensive manual with extensive boss
information. I'd prefer the first option, sinse finding the info in game
would also mean the player could read up on each boss before fighting
her/him in game, --- thus making things very immediate and avoiding
spoilers, ---- but if this sounds like cluttering up the inventory too much,
you could just include a bestiary file in the game detailing enemy and boss
historical information, ---- which obviously only the most interested
players would read.
This is again something which would be great in audio games, sinse however
much information can be gathered about an enemy's nature and attacks from
sound (and I admit this is a lot), there are details you can't gather.
For instance, if you had marsial sue as a skseltal boss, ---- other than by
reading information, theere's no way the player could know he was wearing
the remains of a french army uniform, ---- however good sounds the ratling
of his bones, and jingling of his medels made.
Reading this information would be no advantage in game, ---- being as the
game was an arcade game, and of course up to the choice of a player to read
or not as they pleased.
Beware the grue!
Dark.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Thomas Ward" <thomasward1...@gmail.com>
To: "Gamers Discussion list" <gamers@audyssey.org>
Sent: Saturday, November 21, 2009 7:00 PM
Subject: Re: [Audyssey] Castlevania was: Developer time was: My Opinion of
Q9
Hi Dark,
Hmmm...That's an interesting suggestion. If there is one thing I like
better than programming it is studying and researching history. As long as
I could remember I've always had an interest in archeology, history, and
anthropology. That's why movies, books, and games like Indiana Jones,
Rogue Angel, and Tomb Raider are so appealing for me. They give me a
chance to look into the passed, even a fictional one, and combine history
with action and adventure.
As a game developer with a passion for history and historical figures I
could easily see myself writing a game based on some important historical
person such as Joan of Ark. In terms of historic heroes Joan of Ark
definitely stands out. From what we know about her combat skills and
leadership ability she basically shows up one day in 1428 at the palace of
Charles VI and tells him she has a message from God that France will fall
if the English are not defeated at Orleans. Where upon Charles gives her
command of the French army, and she proceeds to break the six month long
siege at Orleans in nine days. Afterward she goes on to have several more
stunning victories before she is captured and burned at the stake for the
eronious crime of wearing mens clothing. A lot of people think she was
exicuted for witchcraft, but that was a roomer started by the English to
attempt to discredit Charles VI's claim to the thrown by associating him
with a mystic or witch.
Anyway, getting back ontopic, I'm sure I can dig up some kind of historic
figures for the game to use as lower bosses if I wish. Still since this is
suppose to be an arcade game loosely based on Castlevania adding too much
historical information, creating new bosses, etc would probably be
overkill. All I really wanted to do was create a nice generic clone of
Castlevania that captured the same great play and fun.
Cheers!
dark wrote:
True indeed Tom.
Actually, sinse many developers, ---- particularly for arcade games
rarely do their homework as far as research goes, you might even improve
upon things.
For instance, instead of just cobbling together a skeletal horseman boss
and giving him a good name, ---- as was done with Raodane, why not have
him be an actual resurrected skeleton of a historical character, brought
back as a skeleton under the vampire's control?
imagine one of the three musqiteers as a skeleton, ---- or martial su of
The napolionic wars?
That would be both a cool boss, and an interesting bit of plot, ----
and not one included in original castlevania.
Even if the boss was just a smack and avoid affair in the best arcade
tradition, this could make things much more fun!
Beware the grue!
Dark.
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