Demo Graphics Downgrade

Yet people have gotten impatient and are demanding a specific release date.....I say that'd be a very very bad choice. I say that because, if they did and had to delay for ANY reason no matter how small/big, people would lose their minds and it'd be yet another fiasco. They will let us know when they are confident the game is in proper order.

That being said, I agree that this delay is a good thing and can't wait to see what happens, going forward.

I don't think that it is "impatient" to ask for a release date. How many more years must we show patience before we are allowed to inquire about it? This project rarely shows any real progress updates, so many of us who supported it are mostly in the dark about it. And we want to play it. I understand that on this forum (and perhaps elsewhere on the internet), the prevailing attitude seems to be "take as long as you need." But I hope that people will not make caricatures of those of us who are confused or concerned by the moving target. Yes, I want the graphics to look better. We're told that they will. But it doesn't make someone like me impatient when I wonder where we stand and what we can expect.

"Release is tomorrow and so is the shipment to all out backers" < I would like to see this when its time.

That will do just fine.

Hi, after a long time finally played the e32018 demo, and I am feeling a mix of worry and sadness. I have seen a lot of not so great technical things, more common in prealpha and alpha states than in a near finished product. I am a technical artist at a video game studio, and have been working on UE4 for 3 years now. In this post I'll try to address some of the graphic problems I noticed.

Personally, I think the graphics are not polished at all. I assume Its because the need of launching in such different platforms plus the lack of experience of the team with 3d assets and the engine, but whatever it was, it affected very negatively on the final quality. I think the 3d approach over the traditional 2d castlevania is now a more evident detriment than when the project started.

The game 3d models are very low poly, textures are excessive flat, colorful and non cohesive. The animations are robotic and not fluid at all. Even the scenery layout seems rushed( you can clearly see the camera flat color background in some areas near the castle that are supposed to be underground, or the fact that even the foreground trees are simple planes, with even the trunk waving like leaves). In fact, the most of the trees weren't even aligned with the ground and seemed floating. This are only a couple of examples of why the environment doesn't seem cohesive, and in many cases dificultes a lot the player immersion.

The lightning also plays a big roll, the game relies only on a very flat directional light for the most of the rooms and a heavy exponential fog to hide the backgrounds. It creates the feeling that the entire map is a unique room, with some spaces having different colors than others instead reflecting different moods on each room and stage.

The locked 720p menu images of the characters gives a poor impression, and its more noticeable on 1080p and up. The modern cheap graphic techniques of post process in which UE4 heavily depends for image quality are somehow lacking (as basic things as SSAO or tone mapper).

Even with the recent delay, I don't know if the team will be able to fix all the important problems that the game have today(not only the graphic ones). And the silence from the team about the current state and the planning to address the problems, is at least, very uncomfortable.

PD: The main menu theme is an awesome orchestrated piece, and its a heavy contrast with the rest of the game sound, breaking even more the mood.

Is there any posibility to allow the comunity to mod the game ? With an open engine is not hard to do, such as many other UE4 indie games did, Im sure many backers will thank such feature.

Well, I think they've heard your concerns--in the latest update IGA explicitly said that one reason they're delaying the game to 2019 is to improve the graphics and aesthetics!

I certainly do know how you feel. If it seems to be a team quality problem--and it might be--hopefully 505 has some resources or personnel on hand who might be able to give the team guidance. 505 is good at what they do, and I don't think they would have signed on to publish Bloodstained if they didn't believe it could reach a satisfactory level of quality at some point and with a measured but not limitless amount of help.

You have done well in pointing out audio three times: "looks and sounds dull", "environment and music", "auditory splendor". You certainly have realized the tremendous importance of sound in these games. Well, I have two words which will shine your day: Michiru Yamane.

Don't you see? 50% or more of the feeling was secured in this project by the very beginning. Backing It was so easy, as easy as repeating a two words mantra. It's very very hard to fail a marathon when you can begin halfway. Or, put It like this if you want: the graphics team should double or triple their efforts in negative, before even putting a dent into Yamane's magic.

Don't be snippy, Estebant. Anyways, while I agree that it's possible to listen to too much fan feedback, Pure Miriam, in this case it's probably wise for IGA. Given the comparison screenshots that were shown elsewhere, the difference in graphical quality was noticeable, and a delay to address it was most likely advisable.