Dear Akumajo fans,
After Operation: Akumajo was approved for clanhood last week, I decided to ask the Kickstarter campaign just a few lingering questions about Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night. Im pleased to announce that I have some new information to share with all of you! Here is the latest message, *slightly* edited for a clean Q & A format. Enjoy.
Message from the Kickstarter campaign
Many apologies for the late response--we were checking everything with IGA and the team. They've gotten back to us with the answers as pasted below.
Again, thank you so much for your support during our campaign--it's been much needed among the chaos of running the actual Kickstarter. Hopefully this will help us clarify some of the gray areas, although as you said, everything is still entirely tentative this early on, so the team hesitates to make promises as we don't want to break any promises. We'll be listening to feedback, however, as we progress along development over the next year and a half, so we hope you'll enjoy the process.
Questions asked by Cecil Kain
Answered by IGA and the Development Team
Q. Will Bloodstained have candle-slashing gameplay, with drops like hearts and money?
A. There will definitely be breakable candelabras. As far as what will come out of them, probably not hearts but definitely having breakable items in the background helps set the game pacing and tempo so its an element I want to keep in this game.
Q. Will Bloodstained have a classic Subweapon System (separate from the magic system)?
A. I currently do not plan to add sub-weapons in the main game.
Q. Will Bloodstained have traditional experience, attribute, and level up systems?
A. Whether it is exactly like SOTN or not, I dont know yet. But there will definitely be a level-up system in the game.
Q. Will Bloodstained have equipment, like helmets, body armor, capes, and other accessories. And if so, will the player need to Craft all of their equipment from raw materials, or can the player also find equipment laying around the Castle?
A. Im still thinking on what types of equipment to put into the game and actively listening to the backers to see what interests them. You wont have to create all the equipment. There will be some special equipment that you find in the different areas and some you must purchase. Whether fully crafted equipment drops from enemies or not is still something Im discussing with the main game director.
Q. Will Bloodstained have magical relics, or will character abilities (like double jump) be tied to some sort of a magic system --like Aria of Sorrow's Soul System?
A. My currently thinking is that abilities will tie directly into the magi-crystal system.
Q. Will Bloodstained have breakable walls hiding secret rooms and corridors?
A. These will probably need to be in the game. Its kind of a rule to Igavania games by now.
Q. Will Bloodstained have "Key Items" to unlock new stages and advance the game?
A. Im currently thinking about whether to use Key Items or Magic as a way to open up new areas. I may be both or even a new system. I still need to think through it.
Q. Will Bloodstained have a shop to buy and sell items, weapons, and equipment?
A. Thats what Im thinking.
Q. Will Bloodstained have Save Points, or will there be auto-saving checkpoints?
A. It may be out-dated but I like to put the responsibility on the gamer to remember to save. This will probably have manual save points.
Q. Will Bloodstained have a New Game + replay mode?
A. Well, since you have unlocked the Pyrite Coin
I guess you know that answer. Im glad you did too because it wouldnt feel like and Igavania game without New Game Plus.
Q. Will Bloodstained have online shops for players to trade items and equipment?
A. Thats the current plan as it stands now.
Q. Will Bloodstained have Leaderboards?
A. Yes, it will.
Q. Can you please clarify the 2nd Playable Character stretch goal. Is this a replay mode, or some kind of a partner system?
A. Until I have locked down all of the key characters that will appear in the game, I dont like to rush these decisions. Sometimes the best second playable character is one that just looks fun to control and a lot of that is determined by the character design. And of course sometimes, its nice to control the bad guy or a demon too. Ill try to announce this to the backers as soon as I possibly can so Im really working hard on locking down the main game scenario.
Q. Can you please clarify how the magic system will function?
A. Sometimes out of the different enemy drops, you will obtain magic power from an enemy. Using Alchemy you can forge this into a Magi-crystal that, when equipped, will give you a variety of different powers. This is the base system. Youll also be able to combine this crystals with other items. For example if its an item that relates to hair, fusing it with a magi-crystal may give you a boost to your intelligence parameter. We still have some thinking to do on the core system because my games really rely on a robust RPG elements but this is the current direction we are headed in.
End of Q & A
