Post by krystal on Sept 1, 2017 9:35:22 GMT -6
Hey since it's said one of the Bloodstained goals is producing the largest IGAvania castle ever, I think all the rooms/areas will take mostly take place in the castle itself. I would say the game should be 90% to 95% castle (and if they do the SOTN thing, 190% to 195% castle)
Bloodstained castle should surpass all the other castles.
the problem with SOTN castle was that a huge chunk of it took place underground, making its castle actually feel not as large as it could have been.
Bloodstained castle should surpass all the other castles in size and design (without resorting to gimmicks like PoR alternate dimension paintings, which don't even have castle themes to those areas).
Also I feel Bloodstained would be more replayable and the castle would be more interesting if they designed it with more nonlinear progression in mind, so access to bosses can be completed in different sequence and stuff.
Yes, one of the things that might hold back and water down the castle, is too much emphasis on narrative, if they have a set order that story events unfold, that can harm the level design to a more linear and strict progression route, which isn't interesting compared to if the castle from the start opened up to a more nonlinear progression style, which encourages more flexible exploration and progression.
the other thing, is that they might think that with the way enemies and bosses are set in stats, that they feel compelled to force the player in a linear progression, so they aren't overwhelmed by stronger enemies/bosses early on, but I say they could balance things, and should leave it open to players that seek a challenge.
Overall, the castle itself should feel more like a world, than a rollercoaster.
yes we know, with an IGAvania, it opens up and becomes somewhat open world like anyways, though nonlinearity even before things are systematically unlocked, would still contribute more to the game and people an experience it in different ways, than following a set route to beat it all.
Perhaps there will be side areas, and stuff like that, but even core required bosses and areas, should be designed to be completable in a more nonlinear style, so players can experience the progression with their own decisions of where to explore next and stuff.
So overall, there are ways to tell a story, without it forcing progression on rails, and there are ways to maintain a stat balance, without forcing progression on rails either. With this kind of game, people can become overpowered anyways, so it's really a matter of not exaggerating stat gaps between bosses, equipment and other stuff. They can make the balance tighter, so players can still beat any boss in any sequence, survive any area with caution, and still get a challenge based on playstyle.
So how the castle and progression is designed, are key things.
and yes of course, with Bloodstained having the largest castle ever, it should have more bosses than SOTN. it'll be interesting what they come up with, though yes, they really should make it the greatest castle ever in lots of ways,
while avoiding making the game into some movie rental tour path. cause we know even those AAA adventure games with set pieces and stuff, really don't get a 2nd playthrough due to the linearity of those games and too much emphasis on narrative holding hands.
yea Bloodstained has a story to tell, but remember games like Dark Souls also have a plot, but it doesn't funnel the player through a set path, there's lots more ways to progress in it, and people are still intrigued by its world than if it were a straightforward adventure.
and now with Bloodstained, besides ship and village, it has a whole massive castle to explore, so the castle part will be key to the experience,
and it really could be a inspiring place if the developers are more open with it.
Remember, even SOTN and the other IGAvanias were not remembered for their story as much as their gameplay and level design.
and Bloodstained could surpass them all with more open design and a more ambitious castle design with more open progression, amazing bosses, and lots of ways to progress throughout the castle.
Perhaps this time there might not be as much underground areas, they can make all the sections of the castle interesting without resorting to places that don't take place in the castle or are not castle feeling at all. So overall, it would be outstanding if the developers surpass castle expectations. And there's lots of interesting things they can do with the castle interiors and sectors. They can really make its atmosphere incredible and express the massiveness of the castle with the volume of rooms, floors and areas taking place in the castle itself, all the while having great art that give each part of the castle its unique feel.
they can also make some areas of the castle lighter than others. Some really dark, others can have lightning storms flash the interiors, some really eerie, other areas really beautiful, there's so much they can do with the whole design to make it the greatest castle ever created!!
And they already have advantage with Bloodstained castle being planned to be the largest IGAvania castle ever, and with talent and good decisions, they can provide quality within quantity too.
Bloodstained castle should surpass all the other castles.
the problem with SOTN castle was that a huge chunk of it took place underground, making its castle actually feel not as large as it could have been.
Bloodstained castle should surpass all the other castles in size and design (without resorting to gimmicks like PoR alternate dimension paintings, which don't even have castle themes to those areas).
Also I feel Bloodstained would be more replayable and the castle would be more interesting if they designed it with more nonlinear progression in mind, so access to bosses can be completed in different sequence and stuff.
Yes, one of the things that might hold back and water down the castle, is too much emphasis on narrative, if they have a set order that story events unfold, that can harm the level design to a more linear and strict progression route, which isn't interesting compared to if the castle from the start opened up to a more nonlinear progression style, which encourages more flexible exploration and progression.
the other thing, is that they might think that with the way enemies and bosses are set in stats, that they feel compelled to force the player in a linear progression, so they aren't overwhelmed by stronger enemies/bosses early on, but I say they could balance things, and should leave it open to players that seek a challenge.
Overall, the castle itself should feel more like a world, than a rollercoaster.
yes we know, with an IGAvania, it opens up and becomes somewhat open world like anyways, though nonlinearity even before things are systematically unlocked, would still contribute more to the game and people an experience it in different ways, than following a set route to beat it all.
Perhaps there will be side areas, and stuff like that, but even core required bosses and areas, should be designed to be completable in a more nonlinear style, so players can experience the progression with their own decisions of where to explore next and stuff.
So overall, there are ways to tell a story, without it forcing progression on rails, and there are ways to maintain a stat balance, without forcing progression on rails either. With this kind of game, people can become overpowered anyways, so it's really a matter of not exaggerating stat gaps between bosses, equipment and other stuff. They can make the balance tighter, so players can still beat any boss in any sequence, survive any area with caution, and still get a challenge based on playstyle.
So how the castle and progression is designed, are key things.
and yes of course, with Bloodstained having the largest castle ever, it should have more bosses than SOTN. it'll be interesting what they come up with, though yes, they really should make it the greatest castle ever in lots of ways,
while avoiding making the game into some movie rental tour path. cause we know even those AAA adventure games with set pieces and stuff, really don't get a 2nd playthrough due to the linearity of those games and too much emphasis on narrative holding hands.
yea Bloodstained has a story to tell, but remember games like Dark Souls also have a plot, but it doesn't funnel the player through a set path, there's lots more ways to progress in it, and people are still intrigued by its world than if it were a straightforward adventure.
and now with Bloodstained, besides ship and village, it has a whole massive castle to explore, so the castle part will be key to the experience,
and it really could be a inspiring place if the developers are more open with it.
Remember, even SOTN and the other IGAvanias were not remembered for their story as much as their gameplay and level design.
and Bloodstained could surpass them all with more open design and a more ambitious castle design with more open progression, amazing bosses, and lots of ways to progress throughout the castle.
Perhaps this time there might not be as much underground areas, they can make all the sections of the castle interesting without resorting to places that don't take place in the castle or are not castle feeling at all. So overall, it would be outstanding if the developers surpass castle expectations. And there's lots of interesting things they can do with the castle interiors and sectors. They can really make its atmosphere incredible and express the massiveness of the castle with the volume of rooms, floors and areas taking place in the castle itself, all the while having great art that give each part of the castle its unique feel.
they can also make some areas of the castle lighter than others. Some really dark, others can have lightning storms flash the interiors, some really eerie, other areas really beautiful, there's so much they can do with the whole design to make it the greatest castle ever created!!
And they already have advantage with Bloodstained castle being planned to be the largest IGAvania castle ever, and with talent and good decisions, they can provide quality within quantity too.
