Support NeoGAF

[Captain N]

See where they are? Like, by which stage? I don't THINK so... but it'll become common knowledge after enough plays.

eek! Sorry, I meant can you see what level they are in the menu screens.

 

[Wizpig]

I hate that there's no Shanoa gamerpic.

By the way i finished the game in single-player and we finished it at Hard in CoOp.

 

[SAB CA]

eek! Sorry, I meant can you see what level they are in the menu screens.

Ahhh, when I refer to Level, I mean "Stage", the level that the monsters reside in. There are no levels to the monsters themselves.

Throughout the 6 stages, certain enemies with certain abilities, reside in each. This changes in Hard mode, where they remix the enemy types and layouts some. But that doesn't matter much; you'll probably do most of your spell grinding in "Normal"!

 

[Captain N]

Ahhh, when I refer to Level, I mean "Stage", the level that the monsters reside in. There are no levels to the monsters themselves.

Throughout the 6 stages, certain enemies with certain abilities, reside in each. This changes in Hard mode, where they remix the enemy types and layouts some. But that doesn't matter much; you'll probably do most of your spell grinding in "Normal"!

Yeah I meant what level your spells are..can you see what level they are in the menu.

 

[Rad-]

Yeah I meant what level your spells are..can you see what level they are in the menu.

Yes.

 

[Iron E Man]

I have no idea how to beat chapter 3 on single player.
Other than that I love this game even when I haven't tried co-op and only grinding the first two chapters. :lol

 

[Captain N]

I have no idea how to beat chapter 3 on single player.
Other than that I love this game even when I haven't tried co-op and only grinding the first two chapters. :lol

i don't know if its a spoiler, so I'll just black it out anyway.

Spoiler

you'll see the big ax up above the boss. there is a lever up there and you use it to knock over the boss. If you miss you'll need to go over to the big gear and hit it all the way back.

 

[Teknoman]

Can you just beat up it's knees?

 

[Coldsnap]

I wana beat hard mode, anyone up for it today?

 

[Chauncy Talon]

I wana beat hard mode, anyone up for it today?

I'm down, but my Alacurd is very weak. Also, I have trouble playing with other people on this game.

 

[Scarecrow]

I wana beat hard mode, anyone up for it today?

I'm up for playing for the next hour and a half or so. I've beaten up to level 3 on Hard.

 

[Myomoto]

I'm more concerned with the way they're faking it as real DLC. Just up the price of the game and give me all the content day one. I'm willing to pay for the extra content (well, as long as it isn't an absurd price), but it feels a bit silly to be forced to wait an arbitrary amount of time to be able to play the entire game.

Releasing this stuff at a later date is a pretty sensible business strategy. Even if they release it for free, most news sites will post stories about it, earning them free publicity.

Also, I'm at chapter 2 on hard, so feel free to invite me if you're playing through hard.

 

[vg260]

I think people are confusing held back content with unlock keys again. Held back content, done intentionally, is unfortunate, but it's not like it's sitting there in your copy of the game, waiting for them to release a 128k file to turn it on.

The location of the data is irrelevant if it's content that is complete at launch. Regardless of whether it's sitting on your system or their server, if you want to access it you have to pay for it.

If content is complete at launch, there are two current scenarios:
1) It's sitting on their server. You pay and you can play it after downloaging.
2) It's sitting on the disc/HD. You pay and you can play it after downloading an unlock file.

Is either of the above any better? No. Either way, you have to pay to get content that is done. Heck, if anything #2 sounds better since it saves download time. I think people are missing the bigger point. Either way it's held back content. I guess ignorance is bliss.

 

[drizzle]

The location of the data is irrelevant if it's content that is complete at launch. Regardless of whether it's sitting on your system or their server, if you want to access it you have to pay for it.

If content is complete at launch, there are two current scenarios:
1) It's sitting on their server. You pay and you can play it after downloaging.
2) It's sitting on the disc/HD. You pay and you can play it after downloading an unlock file.

Is either of the above any better? No. Either way, you have to pay to get content that is done. Heck, if anything #2 sounds better since it saves download time. I think people are missing the bigger point. Either way it's held back content. I guess ignorance is bliss.

My main question is: When was this game completed? When was the DLC made?

Xbox Live arcade is a pain in the ass to code for. You have to submit versions and wait until they pass certification. If your game is selected to be part of Summer of Arcade, you have to wait even more for that release window. What do you do in the meantime? Stare at the ceiling? No, you create DLC.

Take this scneario into consideration: The development team of a game has to finish a game by April 2010, so they can send the game to Microsoft for certification. That certification period can take anywhere from 1 months to 4 months, depending on how much games Microsoft has to certificate and Microsoft's personal interests in the game. The game is scheduled to come out in August, during Summer of Arcade. WHat do you do in the meantime? You create DLC. DLC which you cannot add to the main game anymore, because that would require you to send ANOTHER version to pass Microsoft's certification, which would delay the game even more.

You can, however, post the DLC for certification. Microsoft has a Queue system and will certificate the game first, and then the DLC.

And then you release the DLC less than a month after the game is released.

Where's the "taking advantage of the userbase" in that scenario?


The difference between the fact that the content is sitting either on a server somewhere or on "disk" has meaning because it means that said content was completed in the development cycle of the game, and sent for certification by Microsoft. There's an active mindset in this scenario, which is to "hide" some content from the user to sell it to him, at a later date. In this scenario, you can't deny that the content was done.

In the scenario where the content is sitting in some server and you have to download, you can't know for certain if the content was made during or after the main development cycle. That's why it's more acceptable.


You could use the same argument and say that Blizzard is taking advantage of it's userbase, since they're releasing Starcraft 2 as three separate games, when they could've just jumbled the 3 single player experiences in a single game.

But then that game would take another 30 years to come out, since it's not like that content is already completed.

 

[Wizpig]

So apparently Charlotte is god tier too.
I don't know about Soma and Alucard but i guess they can get pretty strong.

Soo... Jonathan is the one and only useless character in the game i guess?

 

[Sectus]

My main question is: When was this game completed? When was the DLC made?

Xbox Live arcade is a pain in the ass to code for. You have to submit versions and wait until they pass certification. If your game is selected to be part of Summer of Arcade, you have to wait even more for that release window. What do you do in the meantime? Stare at the ceiling? No, you create DLC.

Take this scneario into consideration: The development team of a game has to finish a game by April 2010, so they can send the game to Microsoft for certification. That certification period can take anywhere from 1 months to 4 months, depending on how much games Microsoft has to certificate and Microsoft's personal interests in the game. The game is scheduled to come out in August, during Summer of Arcade. WHat do you do in the meantime? You create DLC. DLC which you cannot add to the main game anymore, because that would require you to send ANOTHER version to pass Microsoft's certification, which would delay the game even more.

You can, however, post the DLC for certification. Microsoft has a Queue system and will certificate the game first, and then the DLC.

And then you release the DLC less than a month after the game is released.

Where's the "taking advantage of the userbase" in that scenario?


The difference between the fact that the content is sitting either on a server somewhere or on "disk" has meaning because it means that said content was completed in the development cycle of the game, and sent for certification by Microsoft. There's an active mindset in this scenario, which is to "hide" some content from the user to sell it to him, at a later date. In this scenario, you can't deny that the content was done.

In the scenario where the content is sitting in some server and you have to download, you can't know for certain if the content was made during or after the main development cycle. That's why it's more acceptable.


You could use the same argument and say that Blizzard is taking advantage of it's userbase, since they're releasing Starcraft 2 as three separate games, when they could've just jumbled the 3 single player experiences in a single game.

But then that game would take another 30 years to come out, since it's not like that content is already completed.

Well, one argument is that parts of the new content is already in the released game, so who knows if the rest was finished in time too. The music for the new stage is already there, and the characters already has voice acting for shouting names for Julius and Maria.

Actually, there's even more speech for shouting various names, so it looks like these might be future characters:

Spoiler

Simon
Hammer
Julius
Maria
Richter
Yoko

Based on the numbering for the stages, it goes from 00 to 09, so maybe we might be getting 4 new stages in total as DLC.

Who knows how much of that content was finished before or after the game is finished. At the very least we know it was all planned, but that isn't exactly surprising or a big deal.

 

[Ridley327]

Out of curiosity, how did everyone react to Versus mode in RE5 largely being a menu that you downloaded?

 

[abq]

Does anyone wanna do hard in an hour or so? I'm going to grind with Charlotte for the next few hours, so send a message or an invite if you want to play.

 

[Cynar]

Out of curiosity, how did everyone react to Versus mode in RE5 largely being a menu that you downloaded?

not good

 

[KibblesBits]

So apparently Charlotte is god tier too.
I don't know about Soma and Alucard but i guess they can get pretty strong.

Soo... Jonathan is the one and only useless character in the game i guess?

I've seen Jonathan's whip hitting Death for 100 dmg a lash on hard mode...

 

[theMrCravens]

Wow.
Joining a game with an Alucard that uses the Valmanway? (Crissaegrim sword) is boring as hell.

Challenge goes out the window.

I hate overpowered items/skills that ruins game like these.

 

[Wizpig]

You guys should definitely check out this bitchin' remix from the egypt level of Portrait of Ruin.
It's going to be featured in the DLC level i guess, but it's in the game already, i use it in level 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CW0Vobg8pQM

I've seen Jonathan's whip hitting Death for 100 dmg a lash on hard mode...

Ok then, looks like every character can get powerful, some are just harder than others and need little tricks/rare equips... like Charlotte.

Wow.
Joining a game with an Alucard that uses the Valmanway? (Crissaegrim sword) is boring as hell.

Challenge goes out the window.

I hate overpowered items/skills that ruins game like these.

Hmmm... i'd say we need a "Very Hard" mode already (free DLC plz), but not that those items ruin the game.

Every Metroidvania, especially SotN and Ecclesia had you start as a poor bastard... and then at the end of the game you are a tank, virtually invincible.

 

[SAB CA]

This is why games like this are better to play with actual friends, rather than randoms. It's great that the characters have such potential. Makes all you time spent playing WORTH it. With actual friends, instead of having a party crasher, you've just earned a guy who'se strong enough to clear a path for the weaker friends to get to unique locations, or to help you achieve quick items funs so that you, too, can get stronger.

And to think, this is the game where everyone complained that there was "no leveling" :lol :lol Jonathan and Charlotte PERFECTLY fit the "leveling" aspect, and "Skill" leveling with the characters is JUST as satisfying, too. I've gone from Charlotte being my "W.I.P pet project" to my most dependable, Hard-mode-viable powerhouse! (especially since she can heal herself!)

Very Hard mode would be a fantastic Idea too. Especially if they introduce new abilities for old characters in the DLC. (Reminds me of the glory days of PSO, heh.)

 

[Cynar]

This is why games like this are better to play with actual friends, rather than randoms. It's great that the characters have such potential. Makes all you time spent playing WORTH it. With actual friends, instead of having a party crasher, you've just earned a guy who'se strong enough to clear a path for the weaker friends to get to unique locations, or to help you achieve quick items funs so that you, too, can get stronger.

And to think, this is the game where everyone complained that there was "no leveling" :lol :lol Jonathan and Charlotte PERFECTLY fit the "leveling" aspect, and "Skill" leveling with the characters is JUST as satisfying, too. I've gone from Charlotte being my "W.I.P pet project" to my most dependable, Hard-mode-viable powerhouse! (especially since she can heal herself!)

Very Hard mode would be a fantastic Idea too. Especially if they introduce new abilities for old characters in the DLC. (Reminds me of the glory days of PSO, heh.)

Sooooooooooo true, well said.

 

[viewtiful_dru]

Hate to be the guy that asks this but I'm on the fence when it comes to buying this game... I like the series a lot but was the $15 worth it for you guys?

 

[Wizpig]

Hate to be the guy that asks this but I'm on the fence when it comes to buying this game... I like the series a lot but was the $15 worth it for you guys?

I bought some cheap points, buying them from Xbox.com in my country means you pay a 1200 game €14.
But i paid it around €11.

Long story short: yes.
Also because of the bold part in your post.
Even for $15... it's worth it.

If you plan to buy 3 SoA games you'll also have 400 points back.

 

[owlbeak]

Anyone have tips on how the fuck you're supposed to beat the Puppeteer on Chapter 2 on hard difficulty? He just keeps pulling out mannequins and we all unload onto it but can't kill it fast enough and we die one after the other.

 

[SAB CA]

Hate to be the guy that asks this but I'm on the fence when it comes to buying this game... I like the series a lot but was the $15 worth it for you guys?

Yes. It's the first 15 dollar Arcade game I've purchased in a while, that doesn't make me feel like it's got artificial, extra padding that replaces actual game design. The fact that each character feels so unique to their own design, plus that each stage really feels like a seperate experience, easily makes the game worth $15, for me. (And the fantastic soundtrack!)

Sooooooooooo true, well said.

Gotta love playing with people you trust, I never even think about how to "break" games in online play... I had way too many experiences with hacked weapons in PSO to ever be that cruel to other players...

 

[SAB CA]

Anyone have tips on how the fuck you're supposed to beat the Puppeteer on Chapter 2 on hard difficulty? He just keeps pulling out mannequins and we all unload onto it but can't kill it fast enough and we die one after the other.

Take hits by walking into him, rather than getting pulled into iron maiden.

Have every Alucard punch the puppet with Jeweled knuckles. It's not damage that's needed on the puppets, just amount of hits, from what I can tell. He can also mist to avoid the puppet, if it gets in.

Have Jonathan use his "limp whip" (hold attack button and spin the controller) move on the puppets. He can rack up hits fast.

Acidic bubbles with Charlotte.

Shanoa can use Pneuma wep or something else that hits alot.

Katars or something with Soma.

 

[Wizpig]

Anyone have tips on how the fuck you're supposed to beat the Puppeteer on Chapter 2 on hard difficulty? He just keeps pulling out mannequins and we all unload onto it but can't kill it fast enough and we die one after the other.

Pneuma with Shanoa, but i have a different opinion from SAB CA (by the way, what's your tag, man? i can't find you in GAFlevania HD): I think you need to damage them.

I say this for a simple reason... I can solo level 2 in Normal with ease now that i do a lot more of damage.
2-3 hits or something and the puppet goes away.
Back when i started the game, even in solo, i doubt you could destroy a puppet with those same hits!

 

[d0c_zaius]

so I bought it!

Hope to play with some good peoples. I've played every Castlevania so I know wassup .

First I need to spend some time getting familiar with the character changes.

 

[AndyMoogle]

It's not a great game. I certainly wouldn't of bought it if I wasn't already buying all other games in the summer of arcade. I couldn't really recommend it to anyone. If they were interesting in the based aspect of the game, I'd tell them to buy Deathspank. If they wanted to play a modern Castlevania style game, I'd tell them to buy Shadow Complex.

I feel the premise of the game is sound but it's execution is weak. It seems like it's being held back by some eastern design choices. In the hands of a western developer, we could see a really great game come out of it.

That said, I am having fun when we play together as a GAF group.

Here's a question to the people that are enjoying it. What's your experience with games like Diablo 2, Torchlight or Titan Quest?

Wow, really? I would definitely recommend this over Shadow Complex or Deathspank. Shadow Complex is a very forgettable experience, and Deathspank... Well the humor is great, but the gameplay gets boring fast.

This on the other hand is a great multiplayer game imo. Just because it's made out of old assets doesn't make it a bad game.

What eastern design choices is holding it back? Other than it feeling cheap because of the old sprites, I can't really complain much. I guess it's a bit heavy on the grinding for some characters.

 

[OnPoint]

Wow, really? I would definitely recommend this over Shadow Complex or Deathspank. Shadow Complex is a very forgettable experience, and Deathspank... Well the humor is great, but the gameplay gets boring fast.

This on the other hand is a great multiplayer game imo. Just because it's made out of old assets doesn't make it a bad game.

What eastern design choices is holding it back? Other than it feeling cheap because of the old sprites, I can't really complain much. I guess it's a bit heavy on the grinding for some characters.

Whoa whoa whoa, let's calm down here... I like Castlevania HD as well, but Shadow Complex was a fantastic game.

 

[Wizpig]

Whoa whoa whoa, let's calm down here... I like Castlevania HD as well, but Shadow Complex was a fantastic game.

Agreed.
Also, Shadow Complex is more like a (Super) Metroid clone, so it's a slightly different game.

Death Spank... eeeh, the demo was pretty meh.
Deal of the week for me.

 

[Dartastic]

Anyone want to game some? My tag is dartastic! Let's playyyy.

 

[Nessus]

Y'know, I really wish they'd do a PC port of this and put it on Steam.

That way I might conceivably have a chance of playing with friends.

 

[Myomoto]

I seriously hope that the new stage is messed up hard, because the powerlevel for characters is through the fucking roof right now. There's a video on the leaderboards of an Alucard soloing Dracula on hard in about 2 minutes, if even that much.

 

[Wizpig]

I seriously hope that the new stage is messed up hard, because the powerlevel for characters is through the fucking roof right now. There's a video on the leaderboards of an Alucard soloing Dracula on hard in about 2 minutes, if even that much.

:lol

It's as i said before! the game needs a Super Hard (and maybe Ultimate :lol ) difficulty level.
I really hope they do this.

Btw tomorrow i'll need GAF's help in order to unlock a few achievements... hopefully we can meet online

 

[Myomoto]

Btw tomorrow i'll need GAF's help in order to unlock a few achievements... hopefully we can meet online

I would really like to get the 'Boned' and 'Grim Synergy' achievements, and they seem like a pain in the ass to get without specifically going for them.

Also, I just got a Muramasa off of the Puppet Master on hard, that thing doesn't fuck around (the sword, that is).

 

[Maaseru]

Damn I've been trying to find a decent team to finally beat lvl 6 on normal for at least 2 days now! arghh It's either unable to join team or I join and get kicked out for no reason. And if I stay on a team for some reason its level 1 all over again!
This is really putting me of this awesome game. So anyone up for a level 6 run?!??!
Marcel San look me up pleeaaase!!!

 

[abq]

:lol

It's as i said before! the game needs a Super Hard (and maybe Ultimate :lol ) difficulty level.
I really hope they do this.

Btw tomorrow i'll need GAF's help in order to unlock a few achievements... hopefully we can meet online

I'm in. I need Grim Synergy and Poetic Justice.

Damn I've been trying to find a decent team to finally beat lvl 6 on normal for at least 2 days now! arghh It's either unable to join team or I join and get kicked out for no reason. And if I stay on a team for some reason its level 1 all over again!
This is really putting me of this awesome game. So anyone up for a level 6 run?!??!
Marcel San look me up pleeaaase!!!

I could probably help you now if you want. Gamertag: qhoang85

 

[Myomoto]

Damn I've been trying to find a decent team to finally beat lvl 6 on normal for at least 2 days now! arghh It's either unable to join team or I join and get kicked out for no reason. And if I stay on a team for some reason its level 1 all over again!
This is really putting me of this awesome game. So anyone up for a level 6 run?!??!
Marcel San look me up pleeaaase!!!

To be honest, Dracula is a LOT easier by yourself.

 

[Coldsnap]

someone invite me

 

[Hige]

Just beat hard mode in a duo. My Charlotte is completely overpowered. :lol

I can help out a few people with chapter 6 I think, should be able to solo it as long as the other person doesn't die. If any GAFers need a hand send me a message. Seems too difficult to do with 5 or 6 people, since the enemies seem to scale a little more for every extra person on the team and there's only so many waters of life on the map. Then it's just a matter of time before the skeletons get KOed and time runs out.

 

[abq]

Just beat hard mode in a duo. My Charlotte is completely overpowered. :lol

I can help out a few people with chapter 6 I think, should be able to solo it as long as the other person doesn't die. If any GAFers need a hand send me a message. Seems too difficult to do with 5 or 6 people, since the enemies seem to scale a little more for every extra person on the team and there's only so many waters of life on the map. Then it's just a matter of time before the skeletons get KOed and time runs out.

I'm doing hard solo with my overpowered Charlotte now

 

[d0c_zaius]

I'm staring a noob group in 10 mins

I'll send out some invites but if anyone wants to add me the GT: Dok Zaius

I added Gaflevania HD just waiting for it to be accepted.

 

[Iron E Man]

No idea there was a gaf tag just sent a request under ra1d3nmgs.

 

[adversesolutions]

Nevermind

 

[Foffy]

It seems some people who have the "DLC" included with the game noticed that when tampering around with the sound files for Julius that he has samples for calling other characters not included in the game:

Spoiler

Simon Belmont, Richter Belmont, Yoko Belnades, and Hammer

If they're actually going to be included down the line, that'd be pretty sweet. But it could also be like Dawn of Sorrow where people found out that Hammer was intended to be a playable character but was canned at the last moment.

 

[Semblance]

Solo farming Death for Shanoa's Pneumas is making me weep. I've been throwing on + Luck gear, even the stupid invisible cape, and I just end up with junk. Nearing 20 runs now and I've only just barely picked up one stone fist lawl.

Anyway, my friends and I were playing through hard and plowed through everybody up until the fourth chapter boss. His ... pinwheel or whatever thing eviscerated us. Any tips for this guy? I know we're missing something here.