Post by Radio PARALAX in Castlevania AGA comments

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Thank you very much for the quick update. 🙂 Unfortunately, the problem still occurs with exactly the same error message (tested with the HDF version). Have you really uploaded the new version to Google? Anyway, I used exactly the same configuration and teleported to world 5 with "F5" as before after starting a new game. Then I refreshed my energy with "H". Perhaps there is a problem related to this or with any driver like AHI that is preset in my OS 3.1. (I still can't really believe that it's because of WinUAE, since it supposedly works for you, even with an older version). This evening I will test the game in the regular download version on my real A1200 with Blizzard 1260 (68060 @ 50 MHz, 64 MB RAM), as this is also bothering me, and then complete this text accordingly. I would also like to send you my WinUAE configuration. However, I need your email address for this.

Dante Retro Dev315 days ago (3 edits) (+1)

I did another version, this time I increased the actor count. The error message says that the limit of 32 has been breached, so I increased that limit considerably. You'll see the number on the score panel at the top, right next to the word 'enemy' (it's temporary, just to make sure you're on the right version and can see the actor count). Link here.

(Edit: added new modifications around 03:55 AM GMT, please download again if you got it before).

I had reports about other issues from other players, but nothing on that stage. They're more related to CD32 version, which isn't your case. But let's see what happens with that increased number of actors on this new version I'm sending now.

Your WinUAE config isn't needed now, because I was finally able to make it crash on my configuration too. I also recommend that you avoid leaving too much candles and objects behind (you must destroy as much as possible) because they accumulate on the level and cause the limit to be more easily breached. If nothing works, I may try to compile the project on other versions of the engine, older or newer, until we find a version that works for you. Thanks again!

Radio PARALAX315 days ago (6 edits)

Unfortunately no changes. It still crashes with the same error message. Only the number in the "PC:" line changes after each crash. I have now tested the game in the regular, current download version (LHA) on my real A1200 via a PCMCIA CF adapter and... what can I say? Exactly the same crash at almost the same point in the first level of the 5th world. So it is definitely not a WinUAE problem.

Since I actually tend to avoid certain enemies when using trainers and not destroy everything on the screen, it seems that my gaming style has revealed this bug . 😉 In any case, I wish you the best of luck in fixing the bug and am happy to be available as a tester again at any time. And I also stand by my word when it comes to the final rating of the game. 🙂

Dante Retro Dev315 days ago (1 edit) (+1)

Definitely not your Wb or chipRAM, that were assumptions I took based on the most common errors described. Like an airplane accident, it's generally caused by a conjunction of factors: the limit on number of actors, your play style, and now a new discovery:

The bones launched by the red skeletors were not being removed when they go off screen, so, they were *also* accumulating. So, that was the modification I did on the post edit. But to confirm it further, one more test, this time I removed them completely (applying the Muntzing method):

https://drive.google.com/file/d/15F00WcMoPLme680Ers_JTh0AcENxTuiG/view?usp=shari...

Also in the plane accident analogy, at this point I'm completely exhausted, have put many sleepless hours on this issue, and I'm prone to commit errors at this point. Like exhausted pilots do when under absolute stress. So, I may even put wrong files up for your testing (this time is just the WHDLoad on the link above, to make sure). Sorry, but doing an Amiga game of this scope, for free as a single programmer, no matter how advanced are the current tools, is like swimming against a very strong tide, several miles from any beach on open ocean. All this for a free game on a very niche platform. That's important to have in mind when it's about game rating.

Radio PARALAX315 days ago (1 edit)

I understand that very well and have great respect for so much programming skill, but in the end I always have to base my overall vote on the finished product that I have at the time of the review during a broadcast. Take your time when looking for and fixing errors and give yourself a few days of rest. As you say, this is a hobby project for a free game and there is absolutely no time pressure, especially since the game is actually already finished. 🙂 Apart from that, even in the boom years of the Amiga there were serious bugs in commercial full-price games that could not be fixed with a patch without starting a costly exchange campaign (e.g. Turrican 1). I am very happy that there are websites and projects like this one where the community can provide active help, not just error tests and suggestions for improvement. Otherwise such great games and our live streams would not be possible in the first place.

Back to the game: Unfortunately nothing has changed with the current update, despite the missing red skeletons. The game crashes again in the first level of the 5th world. 🙁

Dante Retro Dev314 days ago(+1)

Well said!

But about the game status, it's "feature complete", that doesn't means it's "complete" as a full release. Perhaps there's a misunderstanding going on. It's technically a beta (all the content is in it, but it's still untested and has issues to solve).

Also worth saying, that the internet today is very biased *against* the Amiga. You can see issues and glitches on full-price commercial console games released (search for "Super Castlevania SNES moonwalk" on YouTube for example) but the internet seems to turn a blind eye to that - if that was on a free Amiga game, its author would be harshly criticized! Because there's a sort of herd mentality, mostly negative, regarding the Amiga today (internet "revisionism"), which is very frustrating and disheartening.

Finally, check the status posted on the devlog, your error has been reported there, work continues:

https://danteretrodev.itch.io/akumajou-dracula-aga/devlog/876838/status-and-repo...

Thanks!

Radio PARALAX314 days ago (2 edits)

Yes, I can understand that and it is sad to know that you have obviously had to go through similar experiences. That's why I admire all the people who are still putting so much effort into it. And of course I don't want to give the impression that I have expectations, I just want to help with testing. If there have been any misunderstandings, I am sorry, because I actually assumed that this was a completed project, as it was announced on Indieretronews, see here: https://www.indieretronews.com/2025/01/castlevania-aga-castlevania-for.html

I wish you the best of luck with the completion and am always happy to help with further bug tests. Just let me know if there is a new version for testing.

Dante Retro Dev314 days ago(+1)

No problem, Neil at Indie Retro News wrote that it was feature complete as the main headline, I know it's easy to confuse and just think that it's fully complete. That's why I did that devlog post here on Itch.io, but for anyone who plays it becomes clear that it lacks testing. :) So, again, thanks very much for your testing, and sorry for my insistence, but here's yet another update for your testing, this time fully concentrated on your world5 problem:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/12XoU88mNCO34DtespfZKbW7JCwB_HPZq/view?usp=shari...

What I did this time was profound, I changed for another version of the engine. It adds other minor glitches in other parts, like for example, the character can slide on your knees if you are walking then press down. But the overall performance may be improved and best of all, it's possible that the world 5 crash doesn't happens. The minor glitches will be fixed in time. Scorpion Engine is an experimental, on-going project, it has several versions and is being constantly updated. I was using a stable one, from a while ago, because it was stable for me. But it is obviously not stable for you. So, it was the recommended action by the friends at Discord: to change to another version and see if it works!

Radio PARALAX313 days ago (2 edits)

Good evening! Good news: I've just tested the latest version and actually, for the first time, it hasn't crashed. I tested it twice and was able to play through the 5th world without any problems. The only things I noticed compared to the official download version were the jumping red skeletons which seems to be a lot more aggressive (wildly jumping around). Furthermore, the main character's whip is also used simultaneously when using the secondary weapon, which was not the case before. I don't know if that's intentional? The screen also takes significantly longer to load when starting a new game or after level warping (around 2 seconds) because the image is "stuck" for a moment. Otherwise, I haven't noticed anything negative, even though I've only tested the 5th world up to the beginning of the 6th. By the way, the "Scorpion Engine" is still displayed when the game loads. Please let me know if you need further tests and feedback. 🙂

Dante Retro Dev313 days ago(+1)

Excellent news, thanks!

Each time I change the Scorpion Engine version, it may add those little glitches that you described. I have a text file list here on my computer with many, which are accumulating. Not actually the engine's fault, that's the nature of game development in general, it's hard and unpredictable. Even more on retro hardware. Also, that's why the majority of Amiga ambitious game projects may never be finished: the motivation wears off as the problems tend only to accumulate towards the project's end!

But, on a lighter note, after this good news, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Crashing like that on world 5 was a serious issue that would harm severely the project, while minor issues here and there are to be kind of expected due to the experimental nature (as an ongoing project) of the Scorpion Engine.