Brellom
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[Blog] Vampire Killer Beaumont Engine - November Update #01
🕑 Added 2022-11-04 02:22:08 +0000 UTCSince the start of November, I've been doing game development a bit each day (sometimes all day) instead of drawing. It's nice to be productive in other ways besides drawing, but I still feel uncomfortable because, like... It feels like I'm not working and I will upset the consumers.
Anyway, here's some recent developments concerning the Beaumont Engine.
Stairs Detection Range
Stairs are very particular in the classic Castlevania games, with so many interesting details I hadn't considered until I started to actually study them. Even then, I have come to notice a detail I forgot about.
In CV, holding up / down within range of a staircase will cause the character to auto-walk to the staircase. Only when they reach a certain point will they start to enter the staircase state, in which they can ascend or descend. Although I've had this feature a long time now, my range was completely off.
In the screenshots below, you will see two characters by a staircase. Their positions represent the closest distance required to "auto walk."
My Engine:
While the left distance is reasonable, the right is not. That's way too far away from the staircase - almost an entire block away from the entry point. This is a problem if you're trying to do any other type of action, like crouching to avoid taking damage. Imagine trying to engage in combat, only for the hero to turn around and face their back to an enemy that's attacking you.
For reference, here is the range in the games serving as our inspiration:
Castlevania | Castlevania 3: Dracula's Curse | Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon 2
The second position is much closer to the staircase, at the halfway point of a single staircase tile - between the first and second steps.
Although it took a bit of work (because my staircase system is poorly designed), I managed to accomplish that in my engine. The circles represent the detection range, and I've moved the collision mask of the stairs to the corner of the tile.
Duct Tape Solution
Despite this, I am still afflicted by the dreaded "Skywalker Bug," in which the player can climb into the sky indefinitely. I've created a solution, but it's a BAD solution - like slapping duct tape onto something that's falling apart, and you can still see the cracks spread out from under the tape. Now I understand how Bethesda must feel...
So, I'm sure I'll have to rewrite my entire staircase system. But it may require more advanced techniques than what I'm currently capable of...
My current solution is: "if you're not in this orange square, you can't be in the stairs state." This doesn't necessarily fix the bug, it just shuts it down before the player can ascend into the sky, so you can still see the character TRY to do it. I don't like how I'm now relying on 5 separate objects to make stairs function either... Those objects add up and the stairs will break if I forget to include all 5 for EACH staircase.
That's discouraging.
The Beginnings of a Sprite
Creating pixel art sprites feels a bit like painting in some ways. I need to get used to the reduction of detail however, since these images are very small, almost the size of any of the individual letters in this sentence. That means some detail won't show up or they'll make the image harder to read.
The sprites still need more work, and they can take a long time (especially since I'm not actually skilled at pixel art). It's a little sad though, because I've gone through over 30 different variations, but it's difficult to show just how much work this one sprite is because it doesn't look like a whole lot of work...
Anyway, that's it for now. Don't forget to eat & sleep.
Comments
Simon Penni
this is so cool to see
Daybreaker Rein
Fair enough. I think it might have been in a speedrunning documentary somewhere. I know when it comes to unintended manipulation of mechanics, those videos usually explain how the function works and how it is being manipulated. A lot of it goes over my head to be honest so it is probably something that you already know tbh lol
brellom
I understand how the stairs work well enough to recreate the system, as I have. It's just that my method of handling it isn't ideal due to the scope of my knowledge with the programming language. So unless that stuff you heard was, like... Someone else having recreated the system and showing their logic, it might not be that much of a loss to not remember it/
Daybreaker Rein
It is interesting to see and hear about how development goes. The staircase issue I recall being explained to me on how it works, but for the life of me can't remember where I heard it from. If I did I would totally send it your way, cuz at least an explanation might solve some of the current issues. I think the current sprite looks good for what it is so far! I also understand the struggle of trying to make pixel art. Way back when I was trying to make a RPG using a old, janky version of RPG Maker, and the only sprite I ever managed to make was just one for the main character. Even then it was not perfect and not as representative of the character I would've like to portray. Definitely have mad respect for the craft, because as you said it certainly is not easy.
