Talk:Akumajou Dracula X: Gekka no Yasoukyoku (Saturn)/Developer Notes

A few words from the developers of the SS version of Dracula X...

Let's begin with the graphic artists.

Thank you very much for buying our game.

Thinking back, we had our difficulties, but we were somehow able to pull things together in the end. Because the SS version is a little different from the PSX version, a variety of new elements were added to the game, so I believe that those who own the PSX version will be able to enjoy this one, too.

I'll tell you a little story from the developers' point of view. There's actually another version of Maria with a full set of graphics different from the one the player meets in the actual game. It ended up going unused.

It might've been neat if she had been used, though. Because she was a dark version of Maria, the opposite to the light version of Maria, her attacks and such would have been entirely different. Go ahead and imagine for yourselves what she might have been like. (Perhaps, if she'd appeared in the game, she'd have been called Black Maria?)

Feel free to write us a letter or something. In any case, enjoy the game!

Yoshinori Suzuki (Designer)

First off, did you enjoy the SS version of Dracula X Geeka no Yasoukyoku?

Thinking back, the original PSX version could be said to be the ultimate 2D game, at least in terms of the special effects. I think we did a pretty good job of porting it to the Saturn, which isn't very impressive in terms of processing. Another thing we can thank the programmers for. Not to mention the trouble we had forcing the system to handle the effect transformations, transparency processing, and "impossible" specs concerning the additional monsters I was in charge of. However, our efforts weren't for nothing, and I think we ended up with something fun. Don't just kill the additional monsters right away, take your time with them now and then.

Ah, the river is calling...

Graphic Designer Tanabe over and out.

Hello, everyone, nice to meet you. I'm Muraoka, in charge of the game's backgrounds. This project is my first foray into the game industry.

Sorry release ended up getting delayed. We all did our best, but we ran into some issues on the hardware front. [Laughs bitterly] It was a cycle of trial and error. (Really.. Dohoho.)

But, I think our efforts came through and we were able to make a good game. I hope you'll be able to enjoy it.

I wonder if I'll be able to do an original game nextGlitterBerri? *hopeful* I want to make a game that everyone will love. If you have an idea for something that could work, please send a letter to KCE Nagoya. (LOL) Maybe you can prop up my hopes?

See ya next time!

Yasuko Okamura

For this game, our team did their best to put together as many requests and improvements as we could from the people who'd played the game on the PSX. Please send us your impressions of the SS version, if you can. The Dracula series will continue to evolve, fueled by heartwarming letters and relentless encouragement!

Thank you very much for purchasing the SS version of Akumajou Dracula X.

Until next time...

Miyata

Next up, the sound staff!

Man, it was tough. The Dracula series always has a ton of background music, not to mention sound effects. And this one has dialogue, to boot... I was worried about whether it would really all be able to fit on one CD, as I hammered it out, day after day, I started to feel that my efforts were admirable, if I do say so myself. Please listen carefully.

Suzuki the Sound Guy

I'm Iwata, the guy in charge of sound programming. (I actually played the guitar as well!) The PlayStation's sound is really elaborate, so porting the game was really hard work. I'm relieved that we somehow made it work.

Youichi Iwata, Sound Programmer

I was in charge of the creation and arrangement/mixing of 5 of this game's original songs. As I did the music for the port, I attempted to pursue originality while keeping in mind the fact that the game needed to act as a successor to the atmosphere of the PSX version.

I wonder if our KCE Nagoya touch lended a bit of spice to the original title? I look forward to hearing everyone's impressions.

Tetsuya Ozono

Hello there, I'm Junko Shintou, of the sound team.

My main job was to arrange 2 BGM tracks and create sound effects for all the original enemy characters. The songs I arranged are the original stage music for the reverse map (I arranged the song called Bigining [sic] as a techno piece), and the song in the library warehouse with the old man (it's a little different from the PlayStation version!).

I did a bunch of other things too, though...

Every day, I felt a different sort of excitement, knowing my songs would be in a game. My previous work was also on the Saturn, but my time working on this game has left me full of memories of a different sort.

I'd really love it if you were able to enjoy the game right till the end.

I'm Okada, the guy who did 2 of the BGM songs for the SS version of Akumajou Dracula X. I was a fan of the PSX version, so I'm really glad I could participate in the production of the port!!

My appreciation to Suzuki and Ozono, who taught me so much.

Okada of the Sound Department

Lastly, the programmers!

Thank you very much for purchasing the SS version of Akumajou Dracula X - Gekka no Yasoukyoku.

What did you think of it?

This was my first time developing for the Saturn, and have some regrets regarding what I failed to do in drawing out the hardware performance (the game was still delayed regardless.. *sob*), but I think it's a passable port.

Because I, personally, am pretty attached to the Dracula series, there were a lot of other things I wanted to do, but release was delayed, and the PlayStation Best version went on sale...

If you think about it, Maria matured. She really grew up in the last 4 years.

Please be sure to play as Maria, too. *laughs*

Takagi, in charge of the system, backgrounds, etc., over and out.

Thank you very much for purchasing the game. I'm Y.M. I was mainly in charge of certain game devices.

The walls behind bookcases, the moving floors outside the walls... ???

Thank you very much to the people who bought and sold our game. And, to the people involved in developing the game, good work. 2D action games are a rare genre these days, but I think that means it's Konami-esque. The inside of the castle is pretty expansive, but I'd really like you to be thorough in your search and aim for a 100% clear.

If you have ideas such as "I want to play this type of game," or "I wasn't too happy with this part," please write us or join Konami and work with us. *laughs*

Shimiz, the guy in charge of the players

Nice to meet you!! I'm Imai the programmer.

It's been just about a year since I joined Konami. I wanted to make something in 3D, but I end up on the staff of a 2D action title, the SS version of Dracula X. I was mainly in charge of the enemy characters (was it really just the enemy characters?). There were probably around 200 of them, if you really narrow it down.

Which enemies did you enjoy? The one I had the most trouble with was the Auroch. It took me 2 weeks. The programming for its pre-transformation and post-transformation was nothing to sneeze at. There are probably around 5 small fry. I had other people helping me out, but, in the end, I was in charge of doing the small revisions. It was tough.

Perhaps because of that, I ended up missing out on summer holidays, New Years, and my TV dramas. When we were writing New Years cards, I told my wife that I'd be finished soon, just to make her happy, but now the sakura are blooming. It's already April.

It was sad! Painful! The schedule was demanding! The department head had us in a death grip (much love!)! Even the police were merciless!

Now I'll pass on something I learned from working on this project. The title is "Parking on the Street Is a Terrible Thing".

It was a rainy morning in March. I'd spent my weekend staying at my wife's parents' house (I had to work on Saturday and Sunday as well, you see). Because we had a (1 year old?) hamster at our house, I had to bring it with me, and, naturally, I drove over in my beloved Cariboo. When I went to my wife's parents', there was always the implicit understanding that I'd park on the backstreet behind the house. Because it wasn't forbidden to park on that street, I didn't think anything of parking there and going off to work. On Saturdays, that wasn't a problem (though, to be honest, it should have been okay no matter what the day). Then Sunday came along. Stressed out by work, I returned home and fell asleep in a daze. Monday soon followed. I awoke to the voice of my mother-in-law telling me "You're parked illegally!"

"What?!" I exclaimed. "That street isn't illegal to park on!" I had a bad feeling about this. When I went down to my car, ???, but it was clearly different from ???. ???. The note explained how the police had come by prior to 8 the night before, and again at 5 that morning. There were traces of chalk on the tires (no small thing). I visited the police station right away. The receptionist indicated that I hadn't commited a parking violation, but that I should go down to the traffic division. "If it wasn't a traffic violation, then what the hell?!" I said to myself. A little while after I was shown to the traffic division, one of the people in charge there came out and began to take notes. "Why are you taking notes?" I asked in confusion. "Mr. Imai, this isn't a traffic violation we're dealing with, ???. We won't be fining you, but the penalty fee will have to be decided in court. The cost should come to less than 200,000 yen, but you will have to appear in traffic court. By the way, the fee has never been lower than 50,000 yen. If you can't pay the amount they decide on, you will have to do forced labour for 5000 yen a day." ??? As a bonus, after taking down the notes, the person added "The perpetrator of this violation has deeply reflected on his wrongdoing, so please grant him leniency in your judgment."

"What the hell did I do?!" I thought to myself. "Bad luck!" the police officer told me. I was dumbfounded. I was stupified. To think that something like this had occurred after I just so happened to visit my in-laws' house. It would have been better if they'd towed me. In the end, I paid 50,000 yen for the good of my country (likely more with tax), but more people than me have suffered under this ???. Be forewarned: If you treat curbside parking lightly, you'll suffer a sorry fate.

If you want to do the right thing, kiddos, become someone great!

This has been a report on Imai's present circumstances.

From the Developers of KCE Nagoya's Dracula X For the Saturn

- GlitterBerri 19:46, 24 June 2012 (EDT)

Finishing the translations here
I think that for the following passage, the missing piece can be translated to something like this, though I would like to have it checked over by someone else first.

お買い上げありがとうございます. 主にゲーム内の仕掛けを担当しましたＹ．Ｍです.

本だなの後ろの壁、外壁の動く床．．． こんな、ゲームを遊んでいた時は気づかなかった仕掛けがあちらこちらにあって、 何度か泣かされました. あんまり目立たない物もありますが、気づいてニヤリとしていただけると嬉しい なぁ.

プログラム担当Ｙ．Ｍでした

Thank you very much for purchasing the game. I’m Y.M. I was mainly in charge of certain game devices.

The walls behind bookcases, the moving floors outside the walls… These little things in the game weren't noticed much, and I was moved to tears once or twice. When people finally noticed some of them and smiled, I was very happy.

Y.M. – Programmer