Fixeight

[jepjepjep]

I have both JPN and KOR original PCBs, and both have this same bug where intro is only shown when invulnerability is enabled. I think someone needs to make a patch for the rom and fix the bug.

Oh, and this game MAKES MY DAY!

Have you noticed any difference in difficulty or gameplay between the Japanese pcb and the Korean?

[Ed Oscuro]

I'm more interested to hear about the timer exploitables, which I missed the first time around reading this thread

[soupbones]

Outzone and Fixeight get rotated in my cab pretty regularly - and while I prefer Outzone mainly because of the music, graphics and challenge, Fixeight is a more "fun" game in my opinion. I think it has to do with the variety it has over Outzone: Level environments, character selection, flying speeder bikes, etc.

Both are awesome games, and compliment each other as a set.

Oh, and any game that tells you to GO TO HELL! is automatically great.

[Despatche]

fixeight's music and graphics hold their own against out zone, and the game is technically harder even in occidental difficulty

edit: god this thread just pisses me off

it's just average for Toaplan, maybe a bit below for the time period.

this is so painful; there is nothing "average" about fixeight

i really don't think anyone knows what the word "average" is supposed to mean anymore

[Op Intensify]

i really don't think anyone knows what the word "average" is supposed to mean anymore

This.

Look at all the accusations of V-V being a shitty game in the STGT thread.

I think some of us need a wakeup call. Time to play a few Facebook games, Wii shovelware, Angry Birds and Temple Run to relearn the definition of mediocrity.

STGT 2013 should be Kusoge Month. Divine Sealing, Bakuretsu Breaker, Legion (PCE-CD), Earth Joker, Raptor, Blood Money (Amiga). Do it.

[FIL]

We need Tournament of Macaw 2: Dooyong's Revenge.

[blackoak]

I've played Fixeight a bit more since making this post. Its the moving platforms, particularly on the last stage, that really piss me off. They're especially annoying to navigate with two players, and they go against the rushing-headlong-into-action feel I want from a shmup (especially at the end!). I kept thinking "who thought this was fun?" as I played that stage.

Otherwise I really like Fixeight, but those platforms are like the laser wheels of Toaplan.

[soupbones]

Its the moving platforms, particularly on the last stage, that really piss me off. They're especially annoying to navigate with two players, and they go against the rushing-headlong-into-action feel I want from a shmup (especially at the end!). I kept thinking "who thought this was fun?" as I played that stage.

I did! Turns co-op runs into poorly coordinated, yelling matches

Beer helps I suppose.

[trap15]

We need Tournament of Macaw 2: Dooyong's Revenge.

Actually considering doing this.

[Despatche]

<same bullshit, different flavor>

i hope you're joking

[Ed Oscuro]

ITT: People go apeshit over weak criticisms of FixEight from half a year ago, neglect actual FixEight discussion

I still want to hear about that timer damnit!

it's just average for Toaplan, maybe a bit below for the time period.

this is so painful; there is nothing "average" about fixeight

That's a dumb thing to get upset over and you should talk about the game itself if you don't like where the discussion went, anyway. But it's easier to try and egg me on, huh?

Actually, I felt that Gaiapolis [ninja edit] and VS have more contrast in their levels. There's also more variety in the graphics in those games, and the designs of objects are generally more interesting too. Which is not to say that Fixeight is bad; it's just average for Toaplan, maybe a bit below for the time period. Thankfully the use of high-resolution character profiles is limited (see also Knuckle Bash for many pants-shredding designs).

Look, I like Toaplan's style too. But it's not artistically impressive in this game (even making an allowance for the use of some slightly out of date hardware, I would say). They had some design cliches and Fixeight follows most of them.

1992 was not exactly a sedate year for arcade graphics: Last Resort, Nitro Ball, GI Joe (well okay lol 1992 was a year full of licensed titles from Konami, but also Lethal Enforcers),

Not sure what I was saying about the character profiles though; they're very well done, for any period. Almost as good as the animated characters from Nostradamus.

*Only* in terms of graphics, I would say that FixEight is about middle of the pack for a serious arcade release from 1992 - not generally outstanding. The intro is nice - but guess what, they fucked that up for you. The outtro is more lol we watched sum Akira nihilist feelbad nonsense that was stale before the '90s even started.

But yeah it's a great game. Funny thing, years ago when I first joined I thought I was about the only guy who had nice things to say about it, as everybody else was slagging it quite thoroughly. But I know Despatche wasn't around back then, just some guy called lgb. Where were ya huh?

Also, Earth Joker is not a bad game, except for the charge shot perhaps. Other than that it's actually a damn good game, possibly excepting that the first stage music sounds a hell of a lot like Gun & Frontier. The other games Op Intensify mentions are not evidence against the claim that Fixeight's graphics are perhaps slightly above average for the time period, because those are generally pretty shitty games. Odd to pick on Blood Money or even Raptor though - on the MS-DOS 6.22 era platform I think it's safe to say that any shmup was considered a gift, even Raptor or my favorite with Duke Nukem's cousin. Putting products from relatively uncompetitive platforms up against the competitive Japanese arcade development scene from 1992 makes no goddamn sense.

I will accept any criticism of the wisdom of my bringing in anything but praise for a game that needs more attention, but I don't accept the charge of being unrealistic in comparing it to other offerings.

We need Tournament of Macaw 2: Dooyong's Revenge.

Actually considering doing this.

Go for the Gold, '88 Games!

I'd be there. Probably do better and have more fun than I have managed in this year's STGT so far, too!

[trap15]

We need Tournament of Macaw 2: Dooyong's Revenge.

Actually considering doing this.

Go for the Gold, '88 Games!

I'd be there. Probably do better and have more fun than I have managed in this year's STGT so far, too!

Sounds like I've got something fun to do for October then

[Ed Oscuro]

Macaw had better be there, we need somebody to provide classy prizes to the fortunate winner! Charlie Rose has been getting lonely lately.

[jepjepjep]

Not sure what I was saying about the character profiles though; they're very well done, for any period. Almost as good as the animated characters from Nostradamus.

I've picked out Mike Tyson and Sharon stone from the character profiles. Any ideas who the other pictures are based off of?

[Ed Oscuro]

None at all. I don't think they are photo traces (like in NAM 1975), though, are they? If so then lol

I suppose it's not impossible though. Was unfortunately standard practice for many devs at the time. Still wonder how Nostradamus' character profiles were done.

[jepjepjep]

I think they are photo traces. It would be hard to find the same picture but after a quick search, the resemblance is strong:

[Domino]

Cull Horn is the best person to pick in FixEight. Just use his eight-way weapon and it will do good damage. Also just spin him around to clean out some popcorn enemies.

[Ed Oscuro]

I think they are photo traces. It would be hard to find the same picture but after a quick search, the resemblance is strong:

Jesus tapdancing goblins, that's some good detective work.

"Everyone has a plan 'till they get punched in the mouth." Tyson has something Cull Horn doesn't, still!

Domino: I had trouble using him, actually...I'll give him another "whirl" though. (groan)

[Despatche]

ed, don't be stupid, you don't have to be stupid

you've got this half-right, just get rid of the rest and replace it with something better if you can

[Op Intensify]

<same bullshit, different flavor>

i hope you're joking

Yes, I was.

[sven666]

I think they are photo traces. It would be hard to find the same picture but after a quick search, the resemblance is strong:

is is obviously supposed to be george foreman, not mike tyson.


cant find a decent fight picture of his young self anymore tho since he's so famous for other things.

[FIL]

Maybe it's John Coffey.

[jepjepjep]

Check out the hair!

[spadgy]

That is pretty remarkable! Surely that's a trace.

And how do you fin 'em jepjepjep; just using the drag-and-drop image thing in Google?

[Ed Oscuro]

You might get better results using the flyer. Note how the lady's nose has flipped horizontally - in jepjepjep's comparison photo, the nose is pushed up slightly on the side because her mouth is pulled slightly upwards, but in the Fixeight flyer pic it just looks lopsided.

Also, Vistario is somebody's fucking pet lizard. LOL

At least I didn't link you to the front of the flyer.

"Average" would be a very kind description of this cluster fuck of puddin' cheeks and failed perspective.

Anyway, none of that really matters for the actual game - Toaplan definitely is hitting above their weight compared to the contemporary big boys in terms of pixel art and of course the actual game design.

[jepjepjep]

That is pretty remarkable! Surely that's a trace.

And how do you fin 'em jepjepjep; just using the drag-and-drop image thing in Google?

I just did a google image search with their name and the year 1990. I knew from the portraits that it was supposed to be Sharon Stone and Mike Tyson. I figured out who H. Young is copied from, it's Vanilla Ice .


Yeah, Ed, those flyer photos look pretty different (and worse than the in-game shots). Toaplan's pixel art is pretty impressive. Those guys knew what they were doing. Great game by the way. Outzone has a bit more of a coolness factor to it, but Fixeight is a technically better game.

[Despatche]

"Average" would be a very kind description of this cluster fuck of puddin' cheeks and failed perspective.

see this post is nice, this is how the word works, more people need to do this

[crazyrexz]

so its counted as shmup too , well google find this. have play it in kids at arcade near house, the characters selection makes me interested as a kid. my fav is ninja , cool. still play it when i got time.

unusual games like this is very rare nowadays...

[gameoverDude]

I've played Fixeight a bit more since making this post. Its the moving platforms, particularly on the last stage, that really piss me off. They're especially annoying to navigate with two players, and they go against the rushing-headlong-into-action feel I want from a shmup (especially at the end!). I kept thinking "who thought this was fun?" as I played that stage.

Otherwise I really like Fixeight, but those platforms are like the laser wheels of Toaplan.

Just this. These parts with the moving platforms are a bit of a pace-breaker & are really annoying if you have enemies around shooting at you while you're trying not to fall off.

[Despatche]

Considering that Out Zone and Fixeight are all about trying to resist the temptation to rush headlong into action, that's... not a negative...