Akumajō Dracula X: Opera of the Red Moon

[Gemini]

General Info
Genre: Metroidvania
Language: Multi 6 (Eng, Ita, Fra, Spa, Ger, Jap)
Developer: NO-Maki! (aka myself)
Platform: Playstation
No. of Players: 1
No. of Discs: 1

Description
This project was created a long time before Order of Ecclesia, and it was going to introduce the first female heroine ever in a metroidvania, but Shanoa stole Maria's spotlight. So what is it now? It's just a prototype with a cool main character who can blow up a demonic castle using only two fingers. Oh no, that was the Saturn version of Maria. This one should be a lot more balanced and a little more complicated. She will be able to use items, and other goodies already implemented in the kernel database. It's also supposed to have a mini-world map, and I swear I didn't copy this from Ecclesia game.
At the moment Sin (character designer) and I are the only ones working on the game. I really need a couple people for all the gfx (many monsters will be ripped from other Castlevania games, fortunately), and somebody else for sound and music. :/ I wanna see Maria in her stabbing pose (she lacks the frames). Feel free to send me a PM if you're interested!

Features

• Maria will be able to use weapons (for the first time ever, woot);
  
• Elemental orbs, used for particular spells;
  
• Special abilities, like the "MEGA! Buster" from Saturn Maria;
  
• Shen-mue/God of War "tap a button!" scenes;
  
• Abuse of the environment or weird strategies to kill some of the bosses;
  
• The "guide" option implemented in the DS Castlevanias;
  
• Many seekitz!
  

Story
First of all, there's no Dracula in here! This game is supposed to be a gaiden, so it will take some elements of the original story, but without making up absurd stuff typical of homebrew projects.
The game takes place 1,5 years before Symphony of the Night, a few months before Richter goes missing. I can't really tell what the story is about, but it will involve some organization called the Zodiac Society, whose base is located in Serbia. How does Maria get there? You will find out as soon as a demo is out. :p

Screenshots

PC build of the engine, used for fast&simple debugging (very limited at the moment).


The real thing running.


Equipment menu.

Sketches:



Links
Blog of the project.

[Deathbringer]

This looks like something I want to be involved in although for what I'm not sure. For the GFX, do they have to be complete or will tilesets works?

[Gemini]

For the GFX, do they have to be complete or will tilesets works?

If with tiles you mean importing objects from the CV DS stuff, that's not really necessary. What I really need is somebody who can draw brand new stuff, doesn't matter if it has to be assembled or not. :p Assembly is recommended only if the sprite sheet is going to be huge, and the more I save for gfx the better.

[Shawn]

Is that Inspector Gadget in the sketches?

Very awesome stuff so far. I'm very interested in this!

im editing an old post lol!!!!!!!!!!

[Gemini]

Is that Inspector Gadget in the sketches? XD

It was originally a random sketch, but now it will be used as a prototype for one of the villagers. The idea of having a city/village like in CV2 will be quite interesting, especially if I can structure it in some twisted manner.

[Chris2Balls [:B]]

^
Definitely :drools:, I think the other CVs definitely miss some of the good points of CV2 (personally I quite like playing it, but most people say it's shit )
I'd like to help in some way. If there's an odd job free, I'll do it!

...
Wait, Sin drew the sketches? They're good

[Gemini]

Oh, you know sin_batsu?

Anyway, the game will have a "little" eater egg for Suikoden II fans. Not-so-clear-hint: the "Inspector Gadget" character.

[PrettyNier]

This actually looks pretty good. How far into the engine/design phase are you, exactly?

[MAZZ0Murder]

oh ho ho! Sounds interesting!

[Gemini]

How far into the engine/design phase are you, exactly?

Still in the early phases. I'm having problems with the damn map collisions, and it seems like my books don't cover the topic at all. I'll have to find a way myself, somehow. >_>

[GrooveMan.exe]

I've just realised that I've left this thread on the wrong board without saying anything.

Moving to Fangames now. I apologise for the delay.

[Vipershark]

^
Definitely :drools:, I think the other CVs definitely miss some of the good points of CV2 (personally I quite like playing it, but most people say it's shit )

I agree so hard on this one
personally I think CV2 is the best castlevania that isn't a metroidvania

anyway though this game looks liek ti'll be pretty good, and I'd like to play it when it comes out.

[JosephSeraph]

i just fell in love with your equipment menu

[Gemini]

Time to post an update here too.

A few pictures:



Basically:

• Sin made several new sketches, and we eve have two prototype artworks. All the in-game dialogues will use portaits made with that style;
  
• Ultimecia will be coloring all the artworks;
  
• I'm gathering some of older enemies of the series that have never been used in newer titles. Suggestions are appreciated;
  
• About 13 bosses defined. Looking for ideas to bring that to at least 18;
  
• Showing a little the new item menus.
  

For more news, check the official blog (link in the first message).

[Gemini]

Bibbidy, bobbidy, bump.



What's new:

• Implemented entities and animations in the FIELD module and child processes (like MENU or TITLE);
  
• Implemented new sound format to replace the useless and unnecessarily complicated VAB;
  
• Working on a rough 3D support to show tridimensional backgrounds;
  
• Support for multiple languages (English, Italian, German, Spanish, and French supported so far);
  
• True color to 16 color tile reduction algorithm for map graphics;
  
• Full Memory Card support with async access;
  
• File archives now replace standard TOC CD access.
  

You can read the full thing here. Enjoy.