Are you playing it in forced NTSC/60Hz? That may make it overspeed. Other than that, maybe some adjusts here and there but in general it's already being criticized for being too easy so as a general rule it'll keep the pace. Which is more or less aligned with more modern takes on CV like the recent Haunted Castle remake by Konami itself.
It's nearly done content-wise (except for the soundtrack), but I also plan to port it to latest 2024 version of the engine (it's currently on a late 2023 version). That may help with remaining issues, such as when attacking while moving upstairs/downstairs.
I am also working in original game(s), which I may plan to announce in the future. That's heavily requested. :)
Muito legal, até comentei lá no video quando saiu, valeu! :) De lá pra cá já resolvi aquele problema do boneco as vezes não cair da borda da tela embaixo quando cai na água, entre outras coisinhas. Grande abraço!
Interesting bit about more RAM. There was a similar post some comments below, and it succeeds by using the HDF image file, following a quick guide (pic) that I did.
Also I'd say that the WHDLoad one is the recommended version for easy of use.
Its to run on a CD32 disc, i have no issue running it with fastram using the non crunched version. But the crunched doesn’t want to load, just wondered if there was an issue with it? I got a late 2022 build running on a stock CD32, but seems ram requirements have gone up slightly over the last year and a half, no problems if not possible with the crunched version, just letting you know not working for me.
I wish I could play this. FS-UAE keeps crashing on me and I can't figure out what combination of options I need in WinUAE to get this to load. I tried with an A4000 + 8MB RAM but I still get an out of memory error, even after slamming every single RAM option to its maximum and trying dozens of chip and Kickstart combinations. I'm stumped.
WHDLoad version: WinUAE RAM tab should be 2MB chip and 1MB Z2 fast (or anything actually, up to 8MB there, as you wish). If that still won't go, try the Castlevania AGA HDF, which is a hard disk image with the game pre-installed. Following the guide below on how to use this type of hard disk image.
Soundtrack is incomplete at the moment, only Vampire Killer, Stalker and Wicked Child are final versions (pending possibly some optimization to reduce memory size).
Just a quick one, there are meant to be 2 whip upgrades, which is displayed in level 1 - but once you lose a life you only regain one upgrade. A little on the easy side, maybe some difficulty options could be put in for final release. Brilliant game though, very nice indeed. Love the sprite and the animations too.
Just played and finished. Did it on the Windows version (FS-UAE emulated) So, first, I did not really like the button mapping you chose, so I had to change it around, but I guess that is something debatable.
Here are some issues:
- Losing all health results in an empty bar, only after an extra hit does the player die. - There is some weird tile collision where it seems like the player should hit the tiles but doesn't. - There are some leftover tiles in certain places under the view port, which result in sometimes the player falling and just awkwardly standing there. - Enemies suffer from friendly fire, which makes the game easier. (Could be a purposeful choice). - Hearts carry over, which most probably was done on purpose, but it adds to the overall easy feeling the game has. - When climbing the stairs and stopping, the player still does his walk animation for a few milliseconds. - There seems to be some screen warping on certain lines. - Enemies that jump sometimes multiple jump and end up off screen. - Sometimes enemies just burst into flames by coming into contact with Simon, which, whilst badass, makes the game easier. - There is an overall jankyness to collisions and animations, hard to pinpoint besides everything else I already talked about. - Sometimes weapons trigger with a delay, which is also a problem with the original Amiga ECS version, so it may be the emulator at fault.
The graphics look very very nice, but could use a little more work to be more distinct from Chronicles. The new Simon sprite looks amazing.
The soundtrack is hit and miss. Most tracks are good, some sound a little off.
Thanks for playing and for the detailed feedback. The ones that you marked as "purposeful choice", indeed, they are, to keep this brief.
The ones that are the hardest to fix (perhaps impossible given the current conditions):
- "There are some leftover tiles in certain places under the view port, which result in sometimes the player falling and just awkwardly standing there." << not tiles, there are no tiles under screen edge (map size ends at edge), it just doesn't want to go full offscreen in some places (in my tests, it's on certain key locations, so it was left low on priority since it's an issue that even benefits the player in some situations).
- "When climbing the stairs and stopping, the player still does his walk animation for a few milliseconds." << this one is very frustrating, wish I'd go with the SYMPHONY OF THE NIGHT approach where it simply doesn't has an animation for stairs (would bring back so many days of my life).
- "...more work to be more distinct from Chronicles" << most of the tiles are actually from Rondo of Blood/TurboGrafx-16/highly reworked with even some SOTN here and there (such as mansion/world 1). Most enemies are from Chronicles, though (which may be the issue here).
- "There seems to be some screen warping on certain lines." << Emulator issue/FS-UAE, that doesn't seem to happen on real Amiga.
If you are moving downstairs and starts attacking with whip/chain, it may still keep going downstairs instead of stop and the resulting attack is unreliable/janky (hit detection on that nearest candle will probably miss). You're probably referring to this as an 'overall janky' bit. On FS-UAE, the button mapping isn't "native", it's a mapping on top of a mapping, so you may be losing a few milliseconds at each attack button press that probably won't happen on real Amiga ( I don't know much about FS-UAE and I just provided a solution for people wanting a simple way to play it, but I'm aware that it isn't the best solution regarding input response times).
As for the music, Vampire Killer, Stalker, boss fight and Wicked Child are done by a professional musician. The rest is a (desperate) attempt by me (no proper musician) to have at least a placeholder so the level will not be silent or "it has the wrong music" (as it happened before).
And lastly, bear in mind that I'm a "generalist", I do a bit of everything, on spare time, so there'll be always loose ends here and there if you can't afford a team of full time "specialists" in each area like Konami did in their glory Castlevania days.
Thank you for your answers. Well I did have fun playing it!
Yeah that "tile" issue is just a little awkward, but it doesn't detract from the game.
Don't worry about the stairs, the climbing animation is too good to sacrifice!
About sprites, you are right, I just personally would like to see more distinct ones.
As for music, any way to convince the original musician to do the rest of them? ^^'
Finally, FS-UAE was basically the best option I could find for someone who doesn't own an Amiga. If there is a better emulator, I'll hapilly switch over...
Thanks. Btw, I just updated it this morning, fixing a number of reported issues. The bottom edge of screen ("tiles") issue might be fixed now. About the music, there's also the musician that did the tunes for my version of Green Beret (Rush'n Attack) who is also very skilled. The problem is that skilled musicians are always busy with professional/paid projects. They are hard to allocate to fan games and hobby projects. But let's cross our fingers!
Wow this is amazing. I like the new Simon sprites.
There is a little problem throwing the knife (other weapons maybe also) . The animation is too slow. The knife already hits the enemy while Simon is still busy throwing it.
Edit: With PUA 2021 core with RetroArch it's better!
Great to hear it's better with PUA 2021 core! I've made it throw it instantly at button press (shoulder button on CD32 pad) instead of waiting the last frame of animation (for best possible responsiveness: gameplay first).
You'll thank me after you try a version that throws the knife only at the last frame, believe me, it gets in the way! :D I might do only one frame, though, that would work too. Thanks for playing!
Added a WHDLoad version among the downloads (the 3rd one). Just open its folder and double click in the CastlevaniaAGA icon. Thanks! P.S.: it'd need some other RAM, or FastRAM, as usual for WHDLoad.
Hi, I am currently using a laptop, connected to a second monitor as my main monitor; However, the game is maximized on the wrong screen. Is there a way to avoid this from the emulator?
Hi, if the emulator is WinUAE, you can go to WinUAE's folder, then Configurations > Host. There's a couple of files there that you can edit (opening on Notepad: Fullscreen.uae), where gfx_display=0, you can alter to 1 or other values. Save, test, try values of 1 or 2 until it displays on your correct screen.
If you're on the FS-UAE one (the Win64 build), then you may also download the FS-UAE launcher that has the launcher window (the little button at the corner let you choose the screen):
In reality, I had opted for the friendlier version (PC/Windows, pre-set embedded emulator), since I’m unfamiliar with the system. And it seems that there’s no way to configure the parameter you mentioned from here. However, I don’t want to bother you, so I think it’s better to change the screen order from Windows when I want to play. Thank you very much for your time! 😊
Very good work, thank you.It's interesting to watch as game development progresses and the game gets better all the time.I also included it in my February 2024 New Games On Amiga video.
Wow, nice job! Good game, you can praise it. I'd rather complain a little. The protagonist's flashing is annoying. He always flashes when he's hurt, and he's always hurt, so he flashes a lot. It's not good to play with your character flashing. Another small thing that bothers me: The candles flicker too fast. One more thing, the protagonist's moaning became quite boyish, not manly. That's all I have to complain about, everything else is great! The ending music is beautiful.
Thanks for your feedback. Your complaints are easy things to fix, just reducing frequency of candles flashing and things like that. It's all part of polishing, which is next project phase. As a rather big project for a solo dev, specially on a retro system, priority was to attempt to fit all levels and bosses before losing energy and motivation (solo devs tend to lose motivation before all levels are in place, you can see many stalled projects with about 1 to 3 stages at max). By the way, nice avatar! I really liked Another World / Out of this World and sometimes it figures in my top 10 games of all time (not just Amiga). And thanks again for playing Castlevania AGA to the end!
Thanks!I i want to add it to my Amiga Mini, as always. But i'm not sure how i have to modify the xml file... i changed the "game filename" tag, but i suppose i have to modify additional tags and lines, am I right? Probably the name tag? And the subpath? I noticed that inside the .lha file, the scorpion loader file ins't present anymore.
Please can you provide me the new text i have to add into the xml file? The right is the working xml file for the previous Castlevania release, the left is the new one i have to modify...
Hi! Both are correct, the right is the working one so keep it safe as backup. I mean, as a rule of thumb, any name you type inside the quotes (" ") that you highlighted in yellow, will be the screen name that will appear when you browse the games list on the mini. In theory, it can be anything you type, like "Castlevania AGA latest version" or the like. Thanks!
And this is correct as the old version is completly different from the new one: the left is the old one and the right the new one. I have to modify additional lines into the xml file, but i don't know how to do that... :( Can you help me please? thank you!
Question: did it works if you leave everything default? Like unchanged scorpion_dev as name and also filename? I'm a bit in the dark at the moment but a wild guess looking at your pics is that it may not be accepting brackets or parentheses ( ) and I'd also avoid spaces as a general rule in computing (that's why text is usually connected by the underscore _ character).
i tried in both the following ways (i changed the filename only into the first screenshot, and both filename and name into the 2nd screenshot) and i renamed the game in: "scorpion_dev.lha", but it doesn't work ... :(
Did it ever worked with the default xml text? Without any attempt of rename? That's the 1st thing (to check if it's working AT ALL). If it is, then we could mess around with screen names.
Thanks for the feedback! Game is entering Beta soon, having all the stages and bosses as well as the ending but that's the phase of polishing issues here and there, like this one.
hey man great game i love how you added the hdf version works alot better i featured this game as the first video in my new youtube series im starting keep up the updates 9.2 out of 10 the graphics could be what you try to work on next like possibly a CD32 version with super high enhanced px or (pixels) ;)
I downloaded the mini version. I read the text files, I put my game in the folder with the rest of my WHDload games, I edited the xml file. I saved, etc. etc. etc. Yet the game does not show up in the game list. How is this even possible? The file is there, the folder even shows a file size for it. If I double click the lha, it even opens. Am I in the Twilight Zone?
The mini stuff is kinda tricky indeed, I'm very sorry about that. I'd suggest not editing the xml file and just accept it as it is (scorpion_dev file name), browse to that file and run it. Don't forget that it's the red button in the controller to *select it* and the *HOME* button to actually play it.
Not sure what happened, but none of my WHDload games work now, they were working last time I edited the file. Anyhow, with or without the XML edit, the game still does not show up in the list. I've never had this happen before. So strange.
Please make a backup of the contents of your USB stick, to your PC hard disk. So, next time you will be able to recover. This stuff is like walking on thin ice.
Don't forget that you have to drop the scorpion_dev.lha from inside the compressed file downloaded here, into your mini. Not the whole actual file obtained here. :)
Using FS-UAE it keeps telling me "CD32: XBox360" needs to be configured, even when I select it from the controllers through F12. Is it missing a config file?
Edit: it might work now, as follows (Xbox360 pad): green attacks, red jumps, blue or right shoulder fires secondary. This can be changed by editing Default.fs-uae inside FS-UAE\Configurations. Start the game (through Run Game.bat) with the controller already plugged.
Hi, I know it supports a CD32 controller but it's my wired XBox360 controller I've attached to my PC it doesn't seem to recognise at all. It basically keeps giving me a message saying it needs config for the XBox360 controller.
Try downloading it again (Win64), I might have fixed its config now. I'm also testing with the USB Xbox 360 , start the game with the controller already plugged. The controller setup can be changed by editing Default.fs-uae inside FS-UAE\Configurations.
Hello, Thank you for your magnificent work on our dear AMIGA. I am French, I apologize for my English (google translate)!!
I discovered a BUG in the game, When the time is up, all subsequent lives are lost because the timer remains "out of time". So that is until “Game Over”.
Hoping that this can help if this bug had not already been discovered and that it can help the developers.
Thank you very much for this report. I did a quick fix for the bug. Download again and now it'll probably stop losing lives after the timeout. Thanks again!
Merry Christmas and thank you very much! I kindly ask you a question abouyt the settings you suggest for the emualtor in your latest release: i'm not able to find those options in FS-UAE emulator. Are they releted to a different emulator (WinUAE?) Thanks!
Hi! Yes, they're for WinUAE. But that issue should be corrected now regardless of the emulator settings since I've re-uploaded all the builds with a fix. Thanks for playing and Happy Holidays!
thank you very much! Just another question: is the game now almost complete or do you want/need to add additional features/stages and so on? thank you very much!
In terms of levels, yes. But it's missing items and secrets, many songs are still placeholders, final boss doesn't has its map screen yet, and need to balance the boss fights. Final push to finish a game is tough, like being tired at the final part of a marathon so it's the hardest part.
Thank you! And thanks for posting the ending, which means that it's working fine all the way to the end (I was worried because under certain emulator settings, the final boss may fail to appear). I've posted the fix for it in the news, below the commands list.
Thank you and thanks for the video, much appreciated! Also, if the final boss fails to appear again, I've posted a possible fix (just download the game again, it's been quickly updated this Xmas eve).
This is more fun to play than the original versions!. Very excited for the final build. If possible, I would also like to request a homebrew version of "Cosmo Gang" (1992). A very under appreciated Galaga game by Namco, which only got a Super Nintendo version in Japan.
Thank you very much! The gameplay is kind of inspired by Super Nintendo's Super Castlevania IV, in a way that you have some control of your jump, among other things. Perhaps that makes it more fun and accessible. Cosmo Gang looks great, thanks for the heads up, although people are asking for original games instead of ports. :)
I also like how the doors open instantly too, no waiting around for a few seconds lol. in my opinion these ports are more interesting than original titles. There is no shortage of original homebrews for these old Comoodores, but few ports/remakes. Most "original" titles fail to do anything truly unique anyway, and just copy off of what is already known and popular. Like how many indie "Metroidvanias" and "roguelikes" are being produced every month.
I find it more admirable to restore games that few have heard of, but could use another chance at life. Games such as Cosmo Gang, or underrated X68000 titles like "Red Riding Hood Chacha" that barely anyone has even heard of, but offers something memorable and unique. It it also interesting to see how far these old systems can be pushed. There never was a true Castlevania for the Amiga, but here you are making it happen!. That is more "original" to me than seeing Joe Shmoe's version of Metroid for the millionth time. These are just my thoughts, anyway.
The game now looks insanely good and is making damn good progress. The gameplay and the level of difficulty are also right. We even love the multiple Parallax-Scrolling. Our German-language review can be found in our recorded livestream starting at 01:55:07. Automatic subtitles should be available soon (switch on, if necessary). Subscription to our YouTube or Twitch channel is welcome. 🙂
thanks! I'm trying the version for FS-UAE: i put the CastlevaniaAGA_WHDLoad.lha file into my rom folder, pushed Update Game Database and Update File Database, but the game isn't detected...do you know why? Is it necessary to create a specific COnfig in order to correctly run it? thanks!
Thanks! I tried it on AmigaMini, it works correctly. But if i try to rename the scorpion_dev.lha file in a different name (for example Castlevania (Aga)", the game doesn't work anymore.. do you know if it is possible to rename the game file? Many thanks
Thanks for playing! I did the same too (attempted rename, didn't work). I think it has to do with the config XML file which has this line <game filename="scorpion_dev"> so I guess changing the name between the quotes might work. But for adding more than one Scorpion Engine game, probably would need another block of text there with its own name between the quotes.
thanks, it works in this way! So i have to do same thing for others Scorpion games, if i want to rename them? I have another question: is it possible to change the button mapping? thanks
Nice! I think that for multiple Scorpion games on the same device, it'd look like the picture below (showing 2 different games with example names, each with their own configs).
For controls remap, select the game in your mini device pressing "A" on the mini's gamepad. Then press the menu button on gamepad, and go to "map gamepad". You may also wish to use "joystick port 2" as CD32 pad because you can use X (green button) to instantly shot the weapons such as knives and axe when you pick them.
ah ok! So i have to rename the <name> tag too? I renamed the <game filename> tag only...I would like to rename Turrican 2 AGA too, but i haven't done it. So i need to rename both the tag <game> and <game filename>?
This looks fantastic! With the Scorpion Engine still in development, I hope things like bob / sprite scaling and zooming will be introduced as well as things like 'rope physics'. I discussed this over at BitBeamCannon, and they will probably look into it. Back to topic; hopefully CDDA tracks will be supported in the future, as this really screams a CD32 version; its that good!
Also, is a chance there will also be a version after this based on the MSX release of 'Vampire Killer'? I always preferred that one over CastleVania on NES; it's got a bit more exploring.
Thanks and indeed! Worth saying that my real hardware right now is my CD32 (since my main A1200 needs recap and I'm afraid to switch it on lol).
About Vampire Killer, it has the keys to open doors and allows backtracking/free roaming, which is a thing I'd probably add here (specially on ladders, as jumping from one in a 'bottomless level' results in losing a life and that's not intuitive despite being what happens in the NES original - difference there is that you can't jump from a ladder but you still manage to fall from them sometimes :) as shown in the linked video below)
← Return to game
Comments
Log in with itch.io to leave a comment.
I noticed the game's enemies and the speed in general seems very fast, will you slow it down a little in the future?
Are you playing it in forced NTSC/60Hz? That may make it overspeed. Other than that, maybe some adjusts here and there but in general it's already being criticized for being too easy so as a general rule it'll keep the pace. Which is more or less aligned with more modern takes on CV like the recent Haunted Castle remake by Konami itself.
Hows the work coming along on this one Dante? :D
Thanks for the interest!
It's nearly done content-wise (except for the soundtrack), but I also plan to port it to latest 2024 version of the engine (it's currently on a late 2023 version). That may help with remaining issues, such as when attacking while moving upstairs/downstairs.
I am also working in original game(s), which I may plan to announce in the future. That's heavily requested. :)
Amazing port🤘🏻 looking forward to hear about your original game.Will it be for the Amiga?
Thanks for your words, JTB81. :)
Any new game will most likely have an Amiga version down the road.
Gameplay
Muito legal, até comentei lá no video quando saiu, valeu! :) De lá pra cá já resolvi aquele problema do boneco as vezes não cair da borda da tela embaixo quando cai na água, entre outras coisinhas. Grande abraço!
Vielen Dank für dieses großartige Spiel! :-)
Danke fürs Spielen! :-)
Some serious amount of work has happened since the last time I took a look at this project. Well done and look forward to seeing the end result.
Thank you very much!
Having no luck with the game-crunched.exe file does it require a new de-cruncher, or what existing one will work with it?
What file are you using?
stock version, with the crunched file. Also tried with more ram just to check and still wasn’t loading it.
Interesting bit about more RAM. There was a similar post some comments below, and it succeeds by using the HDF image file, following a quick guide (pic) that I did.
Also I'd say that the WHDLoad one is the recommended version for easy of use.
Its to run on a CD32 disc, i have no issue running it with fastram using the non crunched version. But the crunched doesn’t want to load, just wondered if there was an issue with it? I got a late 2022 build running on a stock CD32, but seems ram requirements have gone up slightly over the last year and a half, no problems if not possible with the crunched version, just letting you know not working for me.
I wish I could play this. FS-UAE keeps crashing on me and I can't figure out what combination of options I need in WinUAE to get this to load. I tried with an A4000 + 8MB RAM but I still get an out of memory error, even after slamming every single RAM option to its maximum and trying dozens of chip and Kickstart combinations. I'm stumped.
WHDLoad version: WinUAE RAM tab should be 2MB chip and 1MB Z2 fast (or anything actually, up to 8MB there, as you wish). If that still won't go, try the Castlevania AGA HDF, which is a hard disk image with the game pre-installed. Following the guide below on how to use this type of hard disk image.
Thanks so much! I finally got it to work with the guide!
Is it possible to have the soundtrack as a separate download?
Soundtrack is incomplete at the moment, only Vampire Killer, Stalker and Wicked Child are final versions (pending possibly some optimization to reduce memory size).
Just a quick one, there are meant to be 2 whip upgrades, which is displayed in level 1 - but once you lose a life you only regain one upgrade. A little on the easy side, maybe some difficulty options could be put in for final release. Brilliant game though, very nice indeed. Love the sprite and the animations too.
I will be doing a preview on my channel shortly.
Thanks, and yes, it's purposely on the easy side at this point so the people can see that it already has beginning, middle and end.
Thank you very much, loved it and left a commentary, a like and a subscribe there. :)
Just played and finished. Did it on the Windows version (FS-UAE emulated)
So, first, I did not really like the button mapping you chose, so I had to change it around, but I guess that is something debatable.
Here are some issues:
- Losing all health results in an empty bar, only after an extra hit does the player die.
- There is some weird tile collision where it seems like the player should hit the tiles but doesn't.
- There are some leftover tiles in certain places under the view port, which result in sometimes the player falling and just awkwardly standing there.
- Enemies suffer from friendly fire, which makes the game easier. (Could be a purposeful choice).
- Hearts carry over, which most probably was done on purpose, but it adds to the overall easy feeling the game has.
- When climbing the stairs and stopping, the player still does his walk animation for a few milliseconds.
- There seems to be some screen warping on certain lines.
- Enemies that jump sometimes multiple jump and end up off screen.
- Sometimes enemies just burst into flames by coming into contact with Simon, which, whilst badass, makes the game easier.
- There is an overall jankyness to collisions and animations, hard to pinpoint besides everything else I already talked about.
- Sometimes weapons trigger with a delay, which is also a problem with the original Amiga ECS version, so it may be the emulator at fault.
The graphics look very very nice, but could use a little more work to be more distinct from Chronicles. The new Simon sprite looks amazing.
The soundtrack is hit and miss. Most tracks are good, some sound a little off.
Thanks for playing and for the detailed feedback. The ones that you marked as "purposeful choice", indeed, they are, to keep this brief.
The ones that are the hardest to fix (perhaps impossible given the current conditions):
- "There are some leftover tiles in certain places under the view port, which result in sometimes the player falling and just awkwardly standing there." << not tiles, there are no tiles under screen edge (map size ends at edge), it just doesn't want to go full offscreen in some places (in my tests, it's on certain key locations, so it was left low on priority since it's an issue that even benefits the player in some situations).
- "When climbing the stairs and stopping, the player still does his walk animation for a few milliseconds." << this one is very frustrating, wish I'd go with the SYMPHONY OF THE NIGHT approach where it simply doesn't has an animation for stairs (would bring back so many days of my life).
- "...more work to be more distinct from Chronicles" << most of the tiles are actually from Rondo of Blood/TurboGrafx-16/highly reworked with even some SOTN here and there (such as mansion/world 1). Most enemies are from Chronicles, though (which may be the issue here).
- "There seems to be some screen warping on certain lines." << Emulator issue/FS-UAE, that doesn't seem to happen on real Amiga.
If you are moving downstairs and starts attacking with whip/chain, it may still keep going downstairs instead of stop and the resulting attack is unreliable/janky (hit detection on that nearest candle will probably miss). You're probably referring to this as an 'overall janky' bit. On FS-UAE, the button mapping isn't "native", it's a mapping on top of a mapping, so you may be losing a few milliseconds at each attack button press that probably won't happen on real Amiga ( I don't know much about FS-UAE and I just provided a solution for people wanting a simple way to play it, but I'm aware that it isn't the best solution regarding input response times).
As for the music, Vampire Killer, Stalker, boss fight and Wicked Child are done by a professional musician. The rest is a (desperate) attempt by me (no proper musician) to have at least a placeholder so the level will not be silent or "it has the wrong music" (as it happened before).
And lastly, bear in mind that I'm a "generalist", I do a bit of everything, on spare time, so there'll be always loose ends here and there if you can't afford a team of full time "specialists" in each area like Konami did in their glory Castlevania days.
Have a great weekend.
Thank you for your answers. Well I did have fun playing it!
Yeah that "tile" issue is just a little awkward, but it doesn't detract from the game.
Don't worry about the stairs, the climbing animation is too good to sacrifice!
About sprites, you are right, I just personally would like to see more distinct ones.
As for music, any way to convince the original musician to do the rest of them? ^^'
Finally, FS-UAE was basically the best option I could find for someone who doesn't own an Amiga. If there is a better emulator, I'll hapilly switch over...
Overall, this is an amazing feat! Congratulations
Thanks. Btw, I just updated it this morning, fixing a number of reported issues. The bottom edge of screen ("tiles") issue might be fixed now. About the music, there's also the musician that did the tunes for my version of Green Beret (Rush'n Attack) who is also very skilled. The problem is that skilled musicians are always busy with professional/paid projects. They are hard to allocate to fan games and hobby projects. But let's cross our fingers!
Wow this is amazing. I like the new Simon sprites.
There is a little problem throwing the knife (other weapons maybe also) . The animation is too slow. The knife already hits the enemy while Simon is still busy throwing it.
Edit: With PUA 2021 core with RetroArch it's better!
Great to hear it's better with PUA 2021 core! I've made it throw it instantly at button press (shoulder button on CD32 pad) instead of waiting the last frame of animation (for best possible responsiveness: gameplay first).
You'll thank me after you try a version that throws the knife only at the last frame, believe me, it gets in the way! :D I might do only one frame, though, that would work too. Thanks for playing!
Hi, why not make whd-load install? Boot without-startup sequence is kind of boring. Thanks for a great game and keep on the great work!
Added a WHDLoad version among the downloads (the 3rd one). Just open its folder and double click in the CastlevaniaAGA icon. Thanks! P.S.: it'd need some other RAM, or FastRAM, as usual for WHDLoad.
That was very nice of you! Work great from WB on my A4000 now using whd-.load version. The gfx, sound is amazing! Thanks
Hi, I am currently using a laptop, connected to a second monitor as my main monitor; However, the game is maximized on the wrong screen. Is there a way to avoid this from the emulator?
Hi, if the emulator is WinUAE, you can go to WinUAE's folder, then Configurations > Host. There's a couple of files there that you can edit (opening on Notepad: Fullscreen.uae), where gfx_display=0, you can alter to 1 or other values. Save, test, try values of 1 or 2 until it displays on your correct screen.
If you're on the FS-UAE one (the Win64 build), then you may also download the FS-UAE launcher that has the launcher window (the little button at the corner let you choose the screen):
In reality, I had opted for the friendlier version (PC/Windows, pre-set embedded emulator), since I’m unfamiliar with the system. And it seems that there’s no way to configure the parameter you mentioned from here. However, I don’t want to bother you, so I think it’s better to change the screen order from Windows when I want to play. Thank you very much for your time! 😊
Is there going to be a cd32 iso of this great game
Thanks for your words. I hope so, it's worth saying that I have a CD32 too. :)
Ooooh! Here's hoping for a CD 32 version!
Very good work, thank you. It's interesting to watch as game development progresses and the game gets better all the time. I also included it in my February 2024 New Games On Amiga video.
Thank you for your words and thank you very much for including it in the February 2024 video. Cheers!
Wow, nice job! Good game, you can praise it. I'd rather complain a little. The protagonist's flashing is annoying. He always flashes when he's hurt, and he's always hurt, so he flashes a lot. It's not good to play with your character flashing. Another small thing that bothers me: The candles flicker too fast. One more thing, the protagonist's moaning became quite boyish, not manly.
That's all I have to complain about, everything else is great! The ending music is beautiful.
Thanks for your feedback. Your complaints are easy things to fix, just reducing frequency of candles flashing and things like that. It's all part of polishing, which is next project phase. As a rather big project for a solo dev, specially on a retro system, priority was to attempt to fit all levels and bosses before losing energy and motivation (solo devs tend to lose motivation before all levels are in place, you can see many stalled projects with about 1 to 3 stages at max). By the way, nice avatar! I really liked Another World / Out of this World and sometimes it figures in my top 10 games of all time (not just Amiga). And thanks again for playing Castlevania AGA to the end!
Thanks!I i want to add it to my Amiga Mini, as always. But i'm not sure how i have to modify the xml file... i changed the "game filename" tag, but i suppose i have to modify additional tags and lines, am I right? Probably the name tag? And the subpath? I noticed that inside the .lha file, the scorpion loader file ins't present anymore.
Please can you provide me the new text i have to add into the xml file? The right is the working xml file for the previous Castlevania release, the left is the new one i have to modify...
Hi! Both are correct, the right is the working one so keep it safe as backup. I mean, as a rule of thumb, any name you type inside the quotes (" ") that you highlighted in yellow, will be the screen name that will appear when you browse the games list on the mini. In theory, it can be anything you type, like "Castlevania AGA latest version" or the like. Thanks!
unfortunately it doesn't work.
And this is correct as the old version is completly different from the new one: the left is the old one and the right the new one. I have to modify additional lines into the xml file, but i don't know how to do that... :( Can you help me please? thank you!
Question: did it works if you leave everything default? Like unchanged scorpion_dev as name and also filename? I'm a bit in the dark at the moment but a wild guess looking at your pics is that it may not be accepting brackets or parentheses ( ) and I'd also avoid spaces as a general rule in computing (that's why text is usually connected by the underscore _ character).
i tried in both the following ways (i changed the filename only into the first screenshot, and both filename and name into the 2nd screenshot) and i renamed the game in: "scorpion_dev.lha", but it doesn't work ... :(
thanks!
Did it ever worked with the default xml text? Without any attempt of rename? That's the 1st thing (to check if it's working AT ALL). If it is, then we could mess around with screen names.
Thanks for the feedback! Game is entering Beta soon, having all the stages and bosses as well as the ending but that's the phase of polishing issues here and there, like this one.
Awesome!
Thanks for the video as always, Saberman! Much appreciated.
Thanks for the video and thanks for playing! Much appreciated.
I downloaded the mini version. I read the text files, I put my game in the folder with the rest of my WHDload games, I edited the xml file. I saved, etc. etc. etc. Yet the game does not show up in the game list. How is this even possible? The file is there, the folder even shows a file size for it. If I double click the lha, it even opens. Am I in the Twilight Zone?
The mini stuff is kinda tricky indeed, I'm very sorry about that. I'd suggest not editing the xml file and just accept it as it is (scorpion_dev file name), browse to that file and run it. Don't forget that it's the red button in the controller to *select it* and the *HOME* button to actually play it.
Not sure what happened, but none of my WHDload games work now, they were working last time I edited the file. Anyhow, with or without the XML edit, the game still does not show up in the list. I've never had this happen before. So strange.
Please make a backup of the contents of your USB stick, to your PC hard disk. So, next time you will be able to recover. This stuff is like walking on thin ice.
I did, no worries. Will keep tinkering.
Don't forget that you have to drop the scorpion_dev.lha from inside the compressed file downloaded here, into your mini. Not the whole actual file obtained here. :)
Using FS-UAE it keeps telling me "CD32: XBox360" needs to be configured, even when I select it from the controllers through F12. Is it missing a config file?
Edit: it might work now, as follows (Xbox360 pad): green attacks, red jumps, blue or right shoulder fires secondary. This can be changed by editing Default.fs-uae inside FS-UAE\Configurations. Start the game (through Run Game.bat) with the controller already plugged.
Hi, I know it supports a CD32 controller but it's my wired XBox360 controller I've attached to my PC it doesn't seem to recognise at all. It basically keeps giving me a message saying it needs config for the XBox360 controller.
Try downloading it again (Win64), I might have fixed its config now. I'm also testing with the USB Xbox 360 , start the game with the controller already plugged. The controller setup can be changed by editing Default.fs-uae inside FS-UAE\Configurations.
Hello, Thank you for your magnificent work on our dear AMIGA. I am French, I apologize for my English (google translate)!!
I discovered a BUG in the game, When the time is up, all subsequent lives are lost because the timer remains "out of time". So that is until “Game Over”.
Hoping that this can help if this bug had not already been discovered and that it can help the developers.
Thank you.
Thank you very much for this report. I did a quick fix for the bug. Download again and now it'll probably stop losing lives after the timeout. Thanks again!
Merry Christmas and thank you very much! I kindly ask you a question abouyt the settings you suggest for the emualtor in your latest release: i'm not able to find those options in FS-UAE emulator. Are they releted to a different emulator (WinUAE?) Thanks!
Hi! Yes, they're for WinUAE. But that issue should be corrected now regardless of the emulator settings since I've re-uploaded all the builds with a fix. Thanks for playing and Happy Holidays!
thank you very much! Just another question: is the game now almost complete or do you want/need to add additional features/stages and so on? thank you very much!
In terms of levels, yes. But it's missing items and secrets, many songs are still placeholders, final boss doesn't has its map screen yet, and need to balance the boss fights. Final push to finish a game is tough, like being tired at the final part of a marathon so it's the hardest part.
understood, thank you very much for this great game!
Merry Christmas and fantastic work!
Amazing work!
Thank you very much!
Thanks for putting so much effort and dedication to this project, enjoy it a lot
Thank you! And thanks for posting the ending, which means that it's working fine all the way to the end (I was worried because under certain emulator settings, the final boss may fail to appear). I've posted the fix for it in the news, below the commands list.
Wonderful - as usual!
Thank you and thanks for the video, much appreciated! Also, if the final boss fails to appear again, I've posted a possible fix (just download the game again, it's been quickly updated this Xmas eve).
This is more fun to play than the original versions!. Very excited for the final build. If possible, I would also like to request a homebrew version of "Cosmo Gang" (1992). A very under appreciated Galaga game by Namco, which only got a Super Nintendo version in Japan.
Thank you very much! The gameplay is kind of inspired by Super Nintendo's Super Castlevania IV, in a way that you have some control of your jump, among other things. Perhaps that makes it more fun and accessible. Cosmo Gang looks great, thanks for the heads up, although people are asking for original games instead of ports. :)
I also like how the doors open instantly too, no waiting around for a few seconds lol. in my opinion these ports are more interesting than original titles. There is no shortage of original homebrews for these old Comoodores, but few ports/remakes. Most "original" titles fail to do anything truly unique anyway, and just copy off of what is already known and popular. Like how many indie "Metroidvanias" and "roguelikes" are being produced every month.
I find it more admirable to restore games that few have heard of, but could use another chance at life. Games such as Cosmo Gang, or underrated X68000 titles like "Red Riding Hood Chacha" that barely anyone has even heard of, but offers something memorable and unique. It it also interesting to see how far these old systems can be pushed. There never was a true Castlevania for the Amiga, but here you are making it happen!. That is more "original" to me than seeing Joe Shmoe's version of Metroid for the millionth time. These are just my thoughts, anyway.
Looks and feels very good. This time I played level 15, the last level, and made a video about it, I also added it to my October Amiga gaming video.
Thank you very much for showing it on your video. It is much appreciated.
Great demo - as always!
Great video as always! When I saw that you played it from start to end, I knew all was fine, it works. :)
A great new demo!
Thanks for the full playthrough, awesome job as always!
You can also skip to the new stages by pressing the F4 key.
The game now looks insanely good and is making damn good progress. The gameplay and the level of difficulty are also right. We even love the multiple Parallax-Scrolling. Our German-language review can be found in our recorded livestream starting at 01:55:07. Automatic subtitles should be available soon (switch on, if necessary). Subscription to our YouTube or Twitch channel is welcome. 🙂
Thank you very much for your words and your video! Much appreciated.
Update august 12!
Thanks for playing and thanks again for the video! :)
thanks! I'm trying the version for FS-UAE: i put the CastlevaniaAGA_WHDLoad.lha file into my rom folder, pushed Update Game Database and Update File Database, but the game isn't detected...do you know why? Is it necessary to create a specific COnfig in order to correctly run it? thanks!
Great work. Amiga fans like it.
Thanks! I tried it on AmigaMini, it works correctly. But if i try to rename the scorpion_dev.lha file in a different name (for example Castlevania (Aga)", the game doesn't work anymore.. do you know if it is possible to rename the game file? Many thanks
Thanks for playing! I did the same too (attempted rename, didn't work). I think it has to do with the config XML file which has this line <game filename="scorpion_dev"> so I guess changing the name between the quotes might work. But for adding more than one Scorpion Engine game, probably would need another block of text there with its own name between the quotes.
thanks, it works in this way! So i have to do same thing for others Scorpion games, if i want to rename them? I have another question: is it possible to change the button mapping? thanks
Nice! I think that for multiple Scorpion games on the same device, it'd look like the picture below (showing 2 different games with example names, each with their own configs).
For controls remap, select the game in your mini device pressing "A" on the mini's gamepad. Then press the menu button on gamepad, and go to "map gamepad". You may also wish to use "joystick port 2" as CD32 pad because you can use X (green button) to instantly shot the weapons such as knives and axe when you pick them.
ah ok! So i have to rename the <name> tag too? I renamed the <game filename> tag only...I would like to rename Turrican 2 AGA too, but i haven't done it. So i need to rename both the tag <game> and <game filename>?
I think that just the game filename must match the actual name of the downloaded file. But it's a case of trial and error.
very good
Man that's just amazing work you've done here! Very impressive!
Thank you very much!
This looks fantastic! With the Scorpion Engine still in development, I hope things like bob / sprite scaling and zooming will be introduced as well as things like 'rope physics'. I discussed this over at BitBeamCannon, and they will probably look into it. Back to topic; hopefully CDDA tracks will be supported in the future, as this really screams a CD32 version; its that good!
Also, is a chance there will also be a version after this based on the MSX release of 'Vampire Killer'? I always preferred that one over CastleVania on NES; it's got a bit more exploring.
Awesome job!
Thanks and indeed! Worth saying that my real hardware right now is my CD32 (since my main A1200 needs recap and I'm afraid to switch it on lol).
About Vampire Killer, it has the keys to open doors and allows backtracking/free roaming, which is a thing I'd probably add here (specially on ladders, as jumping from one in a 'bottomless level' results in losing a life and that's not intuitive despite being what happens in the NES original - difference there is that you can't jump from a ladder but you still manage to fall from them sometimes :) as shown in the linked video below)
https://vimeo.com/847869122