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kiken
Joined: 05 Dec 2006
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 Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2007 9:38 pm Post subject: Re: Dracula X Chronicles |
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| Shapermc wrote: |
| As any “would-be Belmont” knows, the PS1 version of SotN wasn’t the only one released. Recently the Saturn version of the game was lambasted on the 1up Retro Show by Jeremy Parish and crew. But we all know that you’ve been dieing to see these things added to an official version of SotN without the drawbacks of the Saturn hardware. Two new areas, selectable playable characters from the start, and a whole new character, Maria (who I’m told plays a bit like Mega Man, and is possibly the only reason to try the Saturn version). But what does Igarashi have to say when asked about these things getting put on the Chronicles collection? |
There were no drawbacks to the Saturn hardware in respect to this game. The Saturn can do 2D alpha blending just fine (see Astal for some beautiful examples of this). Don't blame a shitty port on the hardware. Konami farmed the Saturn version out to one of their worst divisions. Is it a surprise that the port ended up the way it did?
Also, the extra areas are technically in the PS1 version. They are incomplete but can be accessed through various means (just don't save in any of the coffin rooms in those regions otherwise you'll corrupt your file). So it would make sense to offer the more complete game in a revisionist collection. |
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kiken
Joined: 05 Dec 2006
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| Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2007 1:39 am Post subject: Re: Dracula X Chronicles |
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| Ashura wrote: |
| kiken wrote: |
| Don't blame a shitty port on the hardware. Konami farmed the Saturn version out to one of their worst divisions. |
KCEK, right? |
I got a correction on that, apparently it was KCEN. |
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kiken
Joined: 05 Dec 2006
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kiken
Joined: 05 Dec 2006
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| Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2007 3:06 am Post subject: Re: Dracula X Chronicles |
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| showka wrote: |
| One big draw back of the Saturn hardware everyone forgets is that it could not do one of the resolution modes that was most popular on the SNES and PSX. The worst part about the port is that all the graphics were stretched in order to maintain their original aspect ratio, leading everything to look really blocky. |
The resolution doesn't have to be an issue. Look at other ports that appeared on both pieces of hardware, like Metal Slug. Despite the shift from 320x224 to 352x224, the Saturn version still looks pretty much the same as the PS1 version. Again, chalk this up to a rushed port.
| showka wrote: |
I've heard elsewhere that the Saturn had problems with transparencies, or could only offer them in some limited way or something. Check out Treasure's games: in Guardian Heroes, the dither effect is used for everything except Nicole's cape. Same thing in Radiant Silvergun, when the characters are talking only one has a transparent background, the rests have solid gray backgrounds.
Hell, even Megaman X4 used dithered transparencies for the search lights in the opening stage (and maybe other places too). |
Most, if not all of the issues I've read about Saturn transparencies revolve around 3D ones... which for the most part, were problematic (I think Elan Doree is one of the few that did some really nice 3D transparencies although it used some really weird dual-resolution interlacing effect to handle it... I think Burning Rangers used a similar trick).
The mesh effect with 2D games was normally either unfamiliarity with the hardware (the Saturn hardware was capable of some amazing stuff, but let's face it, it ended up being like a fucking Chinese Puzzle Box in regards to figuring the correct uses out) or laziness. Aside from Astal, look at stage 3 in Soukyuugurentai... you plunge through layer upon layer of transparent clouds without any messing.
| showka wrote: |
Castlevania was a 2D game but it was originally designed and coded for a platform that had no dedicated 2D hardware, so it had to use the 3D hardware. I have a feeling that porting this code to use the Saturn's 2D routines in ways that would allow it to show multiple transparencies would've been nearly impossible unless they re-wrote more code than they had time to do. Although I guess I never tolerate the "they didn't have time" excuse when I talk about IGA, so I shouldn't pardon the flaws. But I'd guess it's less not-excusable than you think. |
The PS1 didn't have any custom 2D hardware. It still had basic 16-bit 2D hardware though.
| showka wrote: |
Also, was Astal any good? I remember seeing it years ago on the demo disc that came with my Saturn and being intrigued. |
Astal is really, really, really pretty. Loads of multi-parallax water-colour backgrounds with glossy animated sprites overtop (which all had later CPS2-levels of animation, not quite CPS3 though). It's a rather short and easy game though. You'll probably be SCCing it in about a day or two. But since it's really cheap, I'd still suggest adding it to your collection. |
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