Shmups

[spatular]

Who knows, some of the shottriggers games have been released digitally in America and some other countries but not the uk, and garegga was on limited run games. M2 says they hear fans want them in other countries but not sure if they'll do anything about it.

[geldra]

Esprade was the first ever Cave game I was introduced to (by @sir stiff_one and @breaksmith iirc). It’s still my favourite in terms of art style (though Progear is pretty close). 

 

Been playing through X-Multiply.  Kinda loving its style (big fan of the ship design) though it is fairly “one note” in that it’s levels all appear to be riffs on rtype’s (obviously) second and third levels.

 

Wonder if we’ll ever get any curios like Rtype Leo and Gallop on the Arcade Archive stuff? 

[Lovelyman]

29 minutes ago, geldra said:

Esprade was the first ever Cave game I was introduced to (by @sir stiff_one and @breaksmith iirc). It’s still my favourite in terms of art style (though Progear is pretty close). 

 

Been playing through X-Multiply.  Kinda loving its style (big fan of the ship design) though it is fairly “one note” in that it’s levels all appear to be riffs on rtype’s (obviously) second and third levels.

 

Wonder if we’ll ever get any curios like Rtype Leo and Gallop on the Arcade Archive stuff? 

I remember playing your ESP RADE while talking to Tony Mott about how I thought GT was dull, but I was concentrating so I said GTA. He was so confused. 

[geldra]

1 hour ago, Horribleman said:

I remember playing your ESP RADE while talking to Tony Mott about how I thought GT was dull, but I was concentrating so I said GTA. He was so confused. 

 

Fairly sure Tony Mott hasn’t been round my house.

 

Unless you guys broke in. 

[Lovelyman]

Didn't you bring a cab or PCB to a meet?

[geldra]

There was a meet at my house, yeah. Don’t think Tony Mott was a thing though. 

[Qazimod]

ESP Ra. De. trailer thing (apologies if it's an old post):

 

 

[Lovelyman]

13 hours ago, geldra said:

There was a meet at my house, yeah. Don’t think Tony Mott was a thing though. 

Hmm. Someone had an ESP RADE cab at a Bath meet. 

 

I remember the meet at your house I went to

[geldra]

2 hours ago, Horribleman said:

Hmm. Someone had an ESP RADE cab at a Bath meet. 

 

I remember the meet at your house I went to

 

Hmmmm, I don’t remember taking esprade to a meet (but maybe I did, can’t remember). I deffo had it at my house in Reading. 

[Marlew]

Since I played DaiOuJou again at Arcade Club a couple of weeks ago, I decided to get back into it on the 360 and start to learn to play for score. This basically involves dropping your chain again and again and again and again and again and again and pulling your hair out until the next little section clicks. Anyway, I chained all of stage one so I'm well pleased. I'd say this was quite a bit harder than getting a 1CC on Futari a couple of months ago so God only knows what stages 2-5 will have in store. Can't wait to get stuck in!

 

 

 

[spatular]

^ Awesome!

 

i haven't played in a while but i'm pretty sure that's higher than my best score from getting half way through stage 4 

[Marlew]

Thanks, man! And yeah, once you get that chain going, the score really takes off. My previous scores playing for survival are nowhere near. It's a funny old game, it really wants you to play one way. I thought Ikaruga was strict but this is way more demanding about timing your shots. 

[NickyDrinks]

I was trying to think what format to get ESP Ra.De on then remembered that the Switch can be turned into portrait mode...

[Sane]

Don't forget to add a Flipgrip for more portable shmup fun .

[strider]

Discovered Formation Armed F (or Armed Formation F) is on switch eshop. Used to play it at lunch times at Tesco, so it’s good to own it again.

Will get x multiply next as the saturn version i was eyeing up now goes for over £200. The switch is amazing for shmups. Only downside so far is raiden v is a little naff when played on the move.

[Marlew]

Without wanting to spam this thread with my shmup progress, I managed to get a full chain on DaiOuJou stage one while in replay mode (it doesn't automatically save every run) so pretty happy to now move onto learning stage two. I reckon this is the hardest thing I've ever done in a game but I've also learned that it's simply a question of whether you enjoy it enough to persist. I bloody love it! 

 

 

 

[Lovelyman]

Are you watching other players to work it out or working it out on your own?

[Marlew]

Predominantly working off superplay type vids to be honest, but adapting to my skill level and what I learn about the nuances from attempting it hundreds of times. I used Juju Kenobi's chaining guide to get me started and then adapted the route based on either what I could do consistently or what I saw from Jaimers or Prometheus et al which seemed a bit better. The very last section with the two big ships and three bees, I couldn't do what Juju was suggesting in his vid but I also found his route slightly unsatisfying in that he collected the last bee before destroying the enemies so I did a kind of mirror image to get the last two big ships and then get the last double score bee before the chain dropped.

 

I've been playing DOJ on and off for about two years since I first saw it at Arcade Club. First proper bullet hell I ever played and it immediately got me into the genre. I've tried intermittently to learn how to chain but to be honest, I barely managed to hold it past the rotating turrets near the start. Juju's vids showed me that I did have the right idea for that bit, I was just nowhere near fast or precise enough. It was also mad to see that the decent players were spawning hyper after hyper after hyper. I never even realised you could get more than one or two in the first stage. I'm totally standing on the shoulders of giants but it's as rewarding as anything I've managed in a game. 

[Lovelyman]

Cool. I find I'm pretty bad at working out the optimum routes too. I wasn't able to emulate the pros in Espgaluda so I adapted what I saw to my skill level. 

 

Good to know I'm not alone!

[strider]

It looks like the Psikyo Collections are heading to the US (and most likely Europe), which is a little annoying as I've just ordered the Asian one.

Psikyo Collection Alpha features Strikers 1945 1-3, Sol Divide, Dragon Blaze and Zero Gunner -

Psikyo Collection Bravo has Samurai Aces 1-3, Gunbird 1-2 and Gunbarich

 

[Klatrymadon]

Just picked up the Vasara pack on Switch and Steam, since it was so cheap. The ports of the two original games seem really solid. There isn't too much in the way of display options (smooth filter or sharp pixels, left or right tate), but what's there works well. The new "Vasara Timeless" mode is predictably pretty boring, though, shoehorning the original mechanics into a 16:9 horizontal playfield and adding a 'dash' manoeuvre to alleviate the tedium of traversing it. It possibly wouldn't be so noticeable if the pace of the action itself wasn't so sedate - here's hoping it picks up in the later stages!

[Let us measure]

1 hour ago, Klatrymadon said:

Just picked up the Vasara pack on Switch and Steam, since it was so cheap. The ports of the two original games seem really solid. There isn't too much in the way of display options (smooth filter or sharp pixels, left or right tate), but what's there works well. The new "Vasara Timeless" mode is predictably pretty boring, though, shoehorning the original mechanics into a 16:9 horizontal playfield and adding a 'dash' manoeuvre to alleviate the tedium of traversing it. It possibly wouldn't be so noticeable if the pace of the action itself wasn't so sedate - here's hoping it picks up in the later stages!

 

Ooh, is it unlocked yet? I preloaded it last week to take advantage of the discount, looking forward to tucking into them.

[Klatrymadon]

Haven't checked my Switch yet, sorry! The Steam version has definitely unlocked, though. I'll have a look soon.

 

I think I've figured out how to have fun with Timeless mode, now. Choose a character from the sequel, then use your Vasara attack as often as possible, preferably on major targets so that you can immediately recharge your gauge on the blue crystals and use it again. The game is still messy as hell, but a bit of knockabout fun as opposed to a dull slog.

[Let us measure]

Vasara Switch is up! I like it. Something between a typical Psikyo and a GigaWing, there's a good pace to both games and the close-range sword mechanic is neat. I also like the way it gives you the name token of the random medieval Japanese officer you killed in that little spaceship you just blew up.

 

I agree that Timeless mode seems a cheap shoe-in so far, but I can imagine it being fun with four players on screen.

 

Again, thanks to @Stanshall, @Revival, @Klatrymadon and @MagicalDrop for even discussing these obscure-ass games. Secretly the best thread on rllmuk (after the All Things Yakuza one).

 

Is X-Multiply any good?

[MagicalDrop]

Such a shame that Vasara is yet another game with no Friends leaderboard. It appears only the worldwide top 10 is shown in online mode too, so bye bye to that.. if anyone is interested my best is 270,000 ish. 

 

One a wider note its its always been my approach never to use continues. My reasoning being that it's a sort of cheating to buy your way further into the games than your skill level gets you to ...but I reckon I'm missing out on a large proportion of the games I own due to this approach. What's the general etiquette here? In part it's because I've had some games ignore my score up to the continue point if I carry on, which is disappointing if I've just beaten my best.

[Klatrymadon]

X-Multiply is a masterpiece, @Let us measure! If you like either of the first two R-Type games you'll love it. It's a slightly more manic reimagining or companion piece, with defensive tentacles replacing the Force pod. It's also a brilliant horror game, set inside a human body.

 

You can watch me fumble my way through it here, if you like! 

 

 

[Marlew]

Wow. I love the way the tentacles are animated. I'll definitely pick that up.

 

And nice work with the 1CC! It looks tough. 

[Klatrymadon]

Cheers! Yeah it took some work. I wanted to go for a 2-ALL but the second loop is almost as hard as R-Type II's. The last stage can be a lot tougher than it looks, too - I mainly got through it by killing everything proactively. Until you've memorised where everything is, though, the screen always fills up with these indestructible balls that meander around unpredictably. They're really good at ending your run at the last hurdle.

[Let us measure]

9 hours ago, Klatrymadon said:

X-Multiply is a masterpiece, @Let us measure! If you like either of the first two R-Type games you'll love it. It's a slightly more manic reimagining or companion piece, with defensive tentacles replacing the Force pod. It's also a brilliant horror game, set inside a human body.

 

You can watch me fumble my way through it here, if you like! 

 

 

 

I like your interpretation of 'fumbling through it'.  Well done! It looks like a great game, but I do find the aesthetics a bit of a turn off - I feel a bit grossed out watching that.

 

Oddly enough, my only experience of the R-Types is through rinsing R-Type DX on the GBC, which was amazing at the time. Maybe it's time I invested in R-Type Dimensions.

[Klatrymadon]

Deffo! The EX version (the 2019 re-release) is really great. There are loads of small improvements over the older one - it even adds an arranged soundtrack to the 3D versions that's pretty good.