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[Derek]

I wish Snake or pixeltao had done the graphics for this, because I am enjoying it. They're pretty good, but expectations for NES-style graphics should be very high these days!

[vinheim3]

The thing about the no death run is that if you quit the stage and reload, you can try it again. It's not like it ends the moment you die (except on map encounters, which you may want to avoid). So it's easier than it sounds.

You are allowed die in map encounters. Getting sent back is like quitting to the main map. My deaths for some minibosses and stages were not counted when I checked with the witch. Your deaths only count if you finish a stage to the end which means only the deaths in the non-moving stages count, if you beat it after dying. So this feat is a lot easier.

Just be cautious with the NG+ run, specifically the boss rush. Stock both your ichors with full heal pots, get dynamo armor and remember that every 2 minibosses gives you full heal. Practice a bit with each boss before actually using ichors. The 2 bosses you need to be wary of is polar knight and the one that throws exploding pots everywhere.

Polar Knight can be abused by jumping repeatedly on top of him until he hits you giving you i-frames that let you stand on spikes so that you can safely hit him with the charged sword attack from dynamo armor, and you can rinse and repeat this for a short while and still have a lot of health left. For the pot thrower, focus on hitting back the pots and pogo-ing on him ONLY if he's recently thrown a pot. You can also abuse chaos orbs and phase locket.

[DJFloppyFish]

@derek: on a related note, am I the only one that found king knight's stage absolutely hideous? Its a shame because I think the later levels look considerably better.

[Derek]

Yeah, it's pretty hit or miss with the level graphics in a lot of ways (quality, detail, etc.).

One thing I noticed is that they didn't put black shadows under the platforms to give them depth. It's actually very flat-looking. Which is strange, because those shadows are used extensively in Mega Man and DuckTales (and tons of other NES games):









Unfortunately, there seems to be a correlation between really understanding and being talented with pixel art and having trouble finishing a game. Maybe it has to do with the anal and capricious qualities that go into being a good pixel artist or something, I don't know.

Shovel Knight is certainly one of the better-looking and better-playing retro games I've played, so I don't want to bash it too hard. It's one of those things where they got so close I wish they had pushed it a little further.

[SundownKid]

It might have something to do with the shadows looking weird when combined with the 3D effect on the 3DS.

[Alevice]

Disbale shadows for the 3ds port then! :p

[Sik]

Honestly I had never thought about NES games usually having shadows until now. Maybe they didn't notice it either.

But started to think about why I may have missed that. Shadows like that are not common in fourth generation games. I'm guessing the reason is that the shadows are there to make up for the lack of parallax, and when parallax became feasible shadows stopped being used since they weren't needed anymore. Shovel Knight does indeed have parallax, so that probably has something to do with it.

[Derek]

That's not really the case. Parallax is used when the background is far off in the distance, but shadows under the platforms add depth when the background is near, like when the platform is attached to a brick wall or something. So even in SNES/Genesis games you'll see shadows under platforms. Of course, they're usually not totally black, because you have a much broader palette.



So in Shovel Knight shadows would really add some depth inside a cave or castle where there's no parallax.

[tieTYT]

One thing I noticed is that they didn't put black shadows under the platforms to give them depth. It's actually very flat-looking.

As someone with only programming skills, I appreciate it when someone points out these details (especially with examples).  Really helps me learn how to improve as an artist.  I'm capable of noticing when something is missing, but I don't have the ability to pinpoint what it is, yet. 

[DavidCaruso]

That use of shadows is a really good catch, thanks for that.

[vinheim3]

Yeah never noticed the usage of those shadows. Pretty genius

[s0]

so do i get this for pc or 3ds? any notable version differences aside from the obvious?

[Praying Mantis]

I'm going to buy the PC version over 3DS. The 3DS version has the 3D effect and lets you organise items on the fly with the touch screen, but I'd much rather play the game at a larger resolution with an xbox controller plugged in.

[Zaphos]

Unfortunately, there seems to be a correlation between really understanding and being talented with pixel art and having trouble finishing a game. Maybe it has to do with the anal and capricious qualities that go into being a good pixel artist or something, I don't know.

Maybe, but could also just be that most people have trouble finishing a game, and you notice it more when they have great pixel art to get you excited about it early on ...

[Derek]

Unfortunately, there seems to be a correlation between really understanding and being talented with pixel art and having trouble finishing a game. Maybe it has to do with the anal and capricious qualities that go into being a good pixel artist or something, I don't know.

Maybe, but could also just be that most people have trouble finishing a game, and you notice it more when they have great pixel art to get you excited about it early on ...

Yeah, you're totally right and I kinda regretted saying that right after I posted. I mentioned pixeltao earlier - he's already put out Ninja Senki, Wizorb, and Mercenary Kings (with Paul Robertson). And Arne has now done Cortex Command and finished a few small Ludum Dare games. I'm pretty confident that D-Pad Studios will finish Owlboy at some point, too. Etc., etc. Not to mention all the nice-looking doujin games out there...

Now if only Junkboy would take a break from Scrolls to do something arcadey, I'd never complain again!

Glad the shadows thing was interesting to you guys, though! Here are some links to more pixelly analysis:
This NES Batman analysis by Arne seems particularly relevant: http://wayofthepixel.net/index.php?topic=9173.msg100765#msg100765

A top left light source is common. Drop shadows come from the roof, but also from the floor in some cases (black floor fog effect), and corners (resulting in an ambient light effect). All this prevents the background from becoming a boring monotonous flat fill of some texture. The spacing using shadows also helps to isolate the collide-able tiles from the background ones.

Pixelation's Commercial Critique Forum: http://wayofthepixel.net/index.php?board=16.0

Awesome tumblr by ex-TIGForums member Kramlack: http://pixeldigest.tumblr.com/

[Schoq]

you forgot konjak too!

[Derek]

Dammit, I did!

[SundownKid]

PC Advantages: Larger screen, Steam achievements, etc.

3DS Advantages: Crisp graphics, 3D effect (don't really use it much though, I think my glasses mess up the effect), hot swap items from bottom screen, faster buttons.

[SirNiko]

More developers should just put the achievements in-game on Nintendo systems. I dunno about other people, but I play the achievements for the challenge, not the points.

[Razz]

I found this interesting thread on NeoGAF that breaks down the level design and teaching mechanics of the first level. It's some pretty basic stuff but I think it's fun to read nonetheless.