Welcome to my blog for the Casltevania: SOTN – Hacked project. Seeing as how I seem to get asked the SAME questions, over and over again, I figured I would create this quick little FAQ to answer the most common ones about what my goal is with my project, as well as addressing many of the commonly asked questions about it.
Please be sure to read this before asking any questions because anyone who asks one of the questions that is located and answered in this faq, runs the risk of basically being ignored on here.
First some quick rules:
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Do not put up more than one post in a row on any topic UNLESS the post is over 3 days old; if you have something extra to add please edit your old post rather than double posting. The first time this is done, I will merely delete the post. The second time you will be called out on it, the third time you get blocked. Please do not spam me; nice and simple.
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Do not say things about me losing interest in the hack and dropping it, or the project getting shut down, blocked, taken over by aliens, etc. That is my problem not yours, and the negativity is not welcome.
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Do not ask for updates or demos for the hack….. PERIOD! You will get them when everyone else does.
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Do not try to add me on MSN, Yahoo, AIM, Facebook, Myspcace, etc. without speaking to me first. Unless you are assisting with the hack, or you are a personal friend to me I will not even consider doing so. You can communicate with me on here; that is what the blog is for. If you attempt to add me anywhere else and you do not fit into the criteria I mentioned above, you will be blocked on the spot without warning. Sorry if this sounds negative, but it is what it is.
The goal of the Castlevania: Symphony of the Night Hacked Engine:
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To reproduce Castlevania: Symphony of the Night using Gamemaker
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To add in FULL GAMES for Maria & Richter; equippables, relics, levels, and all.
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To increase the difficulty of the original game in a way that is about the same as Castlevania III for the Nes; tweaking the game in a way that the player has to use all of his/her options to survive. and cannot just level grind to gain an edge. This also includes things like increasing the amount of enemies, better enemy placements, better enemy AI, etc.
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To make the game a bit more linear. This is Castlevania; not world of wordcraft, or dragon quest, or diablo. If you want open exploration, go play an RPG.
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To greatly balance all 3 characters, all attacks, and remove a lot of redundant trash! Some examples of this would be the tons of backtracking, trying to get one item to drop from an enemy for HOURS, having 40 (YES, there are this many for the base one) of the same sword animation with the only difference being a minor stat change, etc.
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To help cut down how often the player has to go into the menu, and set the player’s weapons up so that more can be used at once and more often (who the hell wants to spend 30000 gold buying 10 shurikens that run out in the blink of an eye?)
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To add in some new age and old school Castlevania surprises and tricks; things like hidden money items, enemies that drop in from above, locking rooms, etc.
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To improve on the 2nd castle; anyone who thinks that the reverse castle ideas was a “creative” one on Konami’s part is WRONG! In actuality it was just a quick, and lazy way for Konami to increase the length of the game, and simultaneously minimize cost.
Now on to the questions:
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I want to contribute: is there some way that I can assist with the hack?
ANSWER: There absolutely is: I need people to rip sounds, put sprites into gamemaker, and I could always use anyone who has artistic skills, or is really good with gamemaker in general. I don’t really need coders (I am the only one who will be coding the game, since besides myself only the developers of the game have all of the extensive knowledge necessary to duplicate all of the stuff in SOTN) but if you have a lot of C++ coding skill you can contact me, and I am sure that there would be many things we could come up with together.
If you want to contribute and are SERIOUS about it, feel free to send me a message here. Not to sound rude, because I appreciate any help that I get (I am actually a very gracious man) but if you volunteer and do not produce, you will no longer be asked for assistance. I have just had too many people offer to help, and then never even finish a single thing and just have excuses
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How is this hack being made?
ANSWER: Initially I was utilizing memhack to find and change things in ram for the PSX version of the game . I graduated to also making ASM changes, and changing things directly in the ISO file from there. However, after over 4 years of working on the thing, it had become apparent that I wasn’t making much ground and that it could take YEARS before the hack could be done.
This was obviously unacceptable; so I began searching for alternatives and found one: recreating the game in gamemaker. This would not only make it possible for me to do WHATEVER I want, but it would also speed things up enormously, greatly improve compatibility and use less resources.
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But Esco, I thought gamemaker was too limited to do a game like this?
ANSWER: absolutle rubbish; it has joystick support, can do 3d models, has much butter particle control, as well as better collision possibilities, scaling, rotation, transparencies, can use mp3′s, etc. etc. Sadly it seems that the reason most of the games out there for GM don’t seem too good is due to a lack of dedication on the game designer’s part or a lack of understanding how to properly use all of GM’s features.
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Will I be redoing/using any of the Saturn things?
ANSWER: I will not be redoing the garden, but I may use the cursed prison. I will not be using Richter’s sprite from the game; it is god awful. As for Maria, she will include all of her stuff from the PSP version, and some stuff from the Saturn version. I will not be including any of the new enemies from the Saturn; 99% of them are god awful and the port sucked in general.
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Will Maria be included in the game?
ANSWER: Yes
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Will there be Japanese voice overs in the game in addition to English ones, or will you use the voices from the PSP game?
ANSWER: As of right now, YES! Thanks to Serio, maker of the amazing Castlevania fighting game (http://serio.piiym-net.com/CVBla/). After spending 10 hours trying to figure out and how to play the at3 files from the PSP game, I spoke with him and he generously provided me ALL OF THE ENGLISH AND JAPANESE DIALOGUE!
Note that although I will use the sounds, I will NEVER actually do Japanese text in game.
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Will I be able to play the “hack” on **insert system name here?**
ANSWER: if your system can run a normal PC gamemaker exe file… then yes. I do not know if there will be a mac version at this time.
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Will I be providing bug fixes/updates after the hack is released?
ANSWER: Definitely! Although I will try my best to find all the bugs that I can, I am not perfect and I recognize that people will probably find stuff that I missed. I see no point in releasing a game if I am not going to be responsible and maintain it.
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Will there be any new areas in the castle?
ANSWER: Yes. I will be attempting to put some in, as well as giving it an upgrade in the effects department. But first thing is first: I want to duplicate and complete the original game before adding in stuff like this that will take time to do.
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Will there be any new items/weapons/bosses?
ANSWER: Yes
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Will Richter and Maria have a whole playable game?
ANSWER: Yes; they will both have an inventory, equipables, relics, and their own unique abilities and spells. They will also be able to fight all of the same bosses that Alucard can fight.
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When will the hack be released?
ANSWER: as I have always said: when it is done
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Can I have an update on **insert something here**
ANSWER: asking for updates, mentioning my project being shutdown by whatever or whoever, or being a troll in general will get you automatically blocked!!!!! All updates are put up on here, and if you are a personal friend then you know of other more private ways to ask me stuff.
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Esco, can you put **insert item here* into your game? I think it would be sooooo cool and I would love you forever, LOLOLOL!
ANSWER: I only take suggestions and requests from people who have contributed to the project and will assist me with making it. If you are not one of them, then the answer is hell no. lol
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Can I be a bugtester for you?
ANSWER: NO…… HELL NO….. HELL MOTHERFUCK NO!!!! Lol. I say this because the majority of you who ask me this are just hoping to get your hands on the game before everyone else, and will not provide me any real play testing data.
In the future, when I do need bug testers, they will only be provided the portion of the game that they are testing. And that will be all, to ensure that they focus on actual TESTING and not on just PLAYING! lol
Hello Esco (sorry if I already asked you on your youtube account)
I just got interested in Castlevania SOTN recently and I’m trying to get a glitched weapon I found many years ago … probably 10 years while playin’ on my PsOne.
And I was wondering if you had ALL the original sprites of the game (extracted directly from the CD). If you do I’d like to check them and see if I can recognise the weapon I’m looking for if it ain’t bothering you.
Thing is I can’t get it again because the glitch was just pure luck, but now I ain’t even trying to get it back. Now I’m trying to figure if this weapon had one original sprite or was it a glitched sprite too because it had quite an epic look.
The glitch occured because of some paper scratchin’ the CD while playin’, it seems I’d have to mess up the game quite a lot ’till I ever get to play with it again.
Or if it does have an original sprite then I might be able to find where it is used and how but first I’d like to know if it’s an original.
All sprites have already LONG since been discovered. There is no hidden weapon sprite.
Also I do not share resources from the engine. They are released to EVERYONE at the same time.
Hello Esco i’m a big fun of Castelvania and i wanted to say that you have done nice job so far.I have one question only.I downloaded the game i played but after i killed dracula the game doesnt seem to go further more and it returns me to the screen menu.Why is what?Did i do something wrong?Please reply to my comment.Thank you
That is the end of the demo.
Hi esco this is by far my favorite game of all time and i cannot figure out how to get it to work! Im not by any means i computer wiz but i got as far as getting the demo to work but cannot figure out how to play the full game? It says i need GM 8.1 but that is 39.99 dollars to download? so i took the source code downloaded it then put it into the file with the exe. but what now? it says cannot open but im not sure either way…please help me i love this game
It is just a demo. Full game is nowhere near done and is still being worked on constantly.
You mention that you will make the game less linear because this is not wow or whatever. But this is sotn. And a majority of people will want the exploration in it. It’s one of the things that made the game fun to replay for multiple times.
Now my question is: by more linear, do you mean that the game will have a standard route that makes the items you find make more sense, and it is recommended to follow this route, but will still allow a lot of sequence breaking and total end game freedom through the castle, or will it just be a few straight roads with alternate routes choose from like c3?
To continue working at this for this long is quite impressive. Keep at it! :]
I like to ask, would there be a new game+ feature that’s been featured in the more recent Castlevania games?
Thanks. And unfortunately I cannot answer your question at this time.
Hi Esco!
First of all, I simply love your game. Being a GM novice I admire your coding and all that.
This may sound stupid, but I would really like to use your engine and source code – it has always been my dream to make a Castlevania game of my own. GameMaker seems powerful enough as a tool to do so, but since I’ve never really been into programming and stuff, my understanding of GM is quite limited. I managed to get a bunch of things working but it is still very sloppy and glitchy.
Now on to my question; you wouldn’t write any documentation of how to customize your engine to suit the users needs would you? I guess you’re busy doing your stuff anyway but it would be a huge step forward to me.
If you can’t or don’t want to, that’s fine and perfectly understandable though.
Regards, Es-Ypsilon
This is an excellent question: I actually just rewrote a lot of richter’s code, and the controller related coding. I felt that the originals were WAY too hard to follow, even for me. I do plan to eventually document a bit more, and in fact just recently did so. But there is only so much that I can document too. The biggest thing that I am trying to do is standardize how I code and where I place things. For example, if code is only used by one object, I would just place the code directly under that object, rather than making a separate script file. And if some bit of code is used many times, I would make a function out of it. But since the game is in development this is all of course still WIP.
I am glad you are undertaking this project! I have been playing the PSP, saturn & original playstation versions today to get back into the game, and so far determined that I want to play the saturn version for alucard (speed boots!? about f-ing time!) and maria (unique playstyle in this version i hear).. The PSP version for the vastly improved audio to the psx original and the changes that made it into that version/portability. The original PSX version has the nicest graphics of them all but besides that not much else.
It will be nice to (eventually) play a version that incorporates the best of all worlds ^_^
Good Luck!
i was wondering if you knew of any good tutorials for putting in options like equipping weapons on characters summoning pets i know you said you didn’t want to make an open exploring castlevania game but you inspired me to learn to use game maker i want to make a game like castlevania symphony of the night using the lvl up system and items gather and going out side the castle but in a 2d world not like order of ecclesia where the maps where only long lines but i having trouble just using the yo yo games tutorials also i not sure what you mean by To use the source code YOU must have the full version of the game installed do you mean castlevania symphony of the night for psx eulator or do you mean game maker also i will gave you proper credit for help me with my game esco.
Sorry but I do not know of any tutorials; much like myself you are on your own here.
Also about the source code, you have to have MY engine installed it means. Since it uses some external files from it.
You mention that Maria and Richter will fight all of the same bosses that Alucard fights. Does that mean that Doppelganger 10 and 40 will still be based on Alucard, or will Maria and Richter fight Doppelgangers of themselves?
Also, will Maria as a playable character be based around her PSP or Saturn counterparts in any fashion (in terms of the powers that she’ll eventually get throughout game play), or do you plan on changing her play style up considerably?
To answer your two questions:
1)This is an excellent question. Everyone will have ONE doppelganger fight; that is all I can say for now.
2)Read the faq.
As hard as Castlevania 3 on NES? Really? Isn’t that game known to be way too hard?
Only to crybabies, pussies, faggots, and women!
Amazing to see the game, very good work!
In terms of Richter and Maria having their own equippables, does that mean Richter will be able to use alternative weapons to the vampire killer?
Yup!
does that mean i can access to the shop buying items / weapons and skills playing as richter or maria ?
When the game is completed, of course.
Having worked with GM before, I completely understand how tedious it can be to add the sprite animations in. I could certainly help out with that if you want me to, as I have a lot of downtime where I watch TV or something – the sprite thing is something that can easily be done while multitasking.
There may be additional ways that I can help out, as I have some degree of artistic skill (both drawing and musical, but sadly not with spriting), and I have a fair amount of experience with ripping voice clips, music, and sound effects from games.
My question is, how would I go about helping you with adding in the sprites? Is there a way to merge projects in GM? I can’t imagine you’d want to start throwing your project files at random people.
Not really sure what I could help with in terms of graphics. I don’t really know what you’re looking for. Sorry…
As far as adding in sprites, that will work just fine for me. Go ahead and tell me what you want me to do
Graphics wise, mostly sprite edits and touch ups.
Ok, sprite wise please get the bat, black panther, warg, and fishman done. The sprites are on spriters-resource. Please do not just place them all into ONE file for each enemy; please separate them by animation as if using them in a game (ex. for bat: he should have an idle, shaking to open, and flying animation) in the correct order, centered and cropped.
Please send me a link to them once they are complete and if you want to do more then, I will gladly send you them. Thanks for your help.
Im afraid the game will feel different than the original, because of game maker. Could you comment on this?
Sure I can…………. you’re insane and should be locked away in a dark padded cell, while being fed a constant dose of horse tranquilizers! lol
Well im not sure id like being thrown into a cell on horse tranqs but I guess you’re trying to say is that the game will feel exactly the same as the original.
That online multiplayer x360 castlevania feels like a flash game, ugh, the horror.
por fa si lo hacen les doy todo mis ahorros en dinero porfa haganlo yo se que pueden es una obra que vale la pena jugarlo de nuevo desde bolivia oliver de villazon suerte amigos
oh didn’t understand thats what you meant @ 13 sorry
well i have a bit of skill in animation thats why i was curious regarding the alt-costumes / animations etc.
If you have a link to some examples of your work, and are interested in helping please provide it. If I like it, I may consider asking you to do some stuff. I can always use more spriters.
just realized there was an FAQ spot so i wanted to ask a few Qs for some As
1 . im not sure if game maker can do this but…. if it is possible, would you consider multiplayer? i know it deviates from the SotNess of it all, but i kinda always wanted 2 players, especially after Portrait of Ruin, nothing MMO local even would be sweet
ANSWER: NO
2 . Considering other characters once your done?
ANSWER: WAIT AND SEE
3 . Maria n Richter, are they gonna start out beefed or are you gonna strip them of their stylish skillz n make them have to “relic” them to reach new heights?
ANSWER: GUESS?
4. Should someone provide alt costumes, would you painstakingly add them in as a cheat code option? like say Judgement Al or Maria, or Old school Rich n Maria
ANSWER: NO
5. Are familiars gonna be expanded upon i.e. equipment or skills or something? or just as is? i kinda liked Innocent Devils and hoped those would inspire a bit
ANSWER: YES A LITTLE, BUT NO NOT LIKE INNOCENT DEVILS
6. QUESTION REMOVED DUE TO ILLITERACY AND EXTREME STUPIDITY
ANSWER: MENTION SOMETHING LIKE THIS AGAIN AND YOU ARE BLOCKED; READ THE FAQ AGAIN SINCE YOU OBVIOUSLY MISSED WHAT I SAID ABOUT THIS. >:(
7. I understand the Saturn’s extras were not … extraordinary…. but should one come up with suitable replacements for those areas/enemies…. would ya add em? IMHO i think that little save room in the entrance always was a source of imaginative curiousity… i think you could add in your own crazy world down there n no one would mind
ANSWER: You will just have to wait and see what i come up with won’t you?
COPIED FROM THE FAQ SINCE YOU CANNOT READ YEAHRIGHT:
Do not say things about me losing interest in the hack and dropping it, or the project getting shut down, blocked, taken over by aliens, etc. That is my problem not yours, and the negativity is not welcome.
…………………. this is your only warning. Please do not do this again. -Esco
So are Maria and Richter going to fight Dracula or is it going to end at shaft like the original?
also are you going to add the maria fight in the clock room from the saturn and psp versions?
Check the faq for the answer to you r first question. As for the second question, yes, I want to do so. But we will see.
no enrealidad son enemigos de unas fases que aun no publico si me das tu e-mail te los paso o dime tu como quieres que te los envie,por que como son fases sin publicar aun no estan en ninguna parte y solo yo los tengo
Bueno; te mando un mensaje por tu direction de email.
hola yo estoy diseñando unos enemigos y fases para el castlevania online,de kotai y tenia unos enemigos hechos a base de los originales del cv sotn por si te interesa,personalmente son muy buenos
salu2.
Bueno; cual enemigos tu tienes? Tu tienes una pagina con picturas de los enemigos?
You’re going to make WHAT in WHAT so you can WHAT!?
I wish you the best of luck, the demo of the PSX hack with Dracula turned up to 11 is the most impressive thing I’ve seen in any edit of any game ever.