Shmup Related Questions That Don't Deserve a Thread

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Re: Shmup Related Questions That Don't Deserve a Thread

Post by Flycast »

BIL wrote:
Flycast wrote:Hope that can be useful...this is what i've found, any suggestions?
Should be way more than available from ACA, unless I'm horribly mistaken. Omega Fighter, XEXEX, and Thunder Dragon 2 are three missing greats that instantly jump out... tons and tons of other goodies too. Get those three for sure if you haven't; start with XEXEX if you want a good beginner-friendly STG that still packs a mean kick and tons of mechanical finesse (X-Multiply excels in this role too). :cool:

Here's the full catalogue with regional release dates, those three are definitely on EU PSN. Looks like it's just a handful of non-STGs that haven't made it to EU stores, including the rather nice Marvel Land (good times if you want an SMB3-esque platformer with arcade brevity and intensity).
Some of them are not available in EU, for example Omega Fighter (didn't found it). Xexex is available.
The others are stuff that appeals me in a way or another :roll:. But idk what to pick.
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Re: Shmup Related Questions That Don't Deserve a Thread

Post by BIL »

Ah fuck, you're right - NSW only in EU. That sucks... Omega Fighter isn't just a classic buzz STG, it's also one of the best ACA values alongside Salamander (you get three very different versions of the game in each).

Seems there's a ton of 2017-19 stuff like that, Switch-only in EU.

I see Thunder Dragon 2 is there, at least. Definitely consider that one if you want an archetypally easy to pick up, hard to put away vert STG. It gets wicked hard eventually, but the difficulty curve is pretty approachable. Lots of bombs, make sure to use 'em! I gather from your av that you're familiar with Sonic Wings/Aero Fighters - TD2's overall feel is kinda like those and earlier Psikyo, very approachable albeit not to be taken lightly.

On that note, I think you mentioned looking for introductory STGs? Besides XEXEX, as mentioned, I would definitely go with X-Multiply. Only caveat is what sorts of STG you prefer; these are both terrain-heavy horizontals, as pioneered by Konami and perfected by IREM. Both have generous ships - fast, powerful, with small hitboxes and fantastically tactile Option mechanics - balanced against some tricky stage designs.

If you want something more in line with Toaplan (fast aimed shots) or CAVE (the archetypal bullet hell), you're probably better off making a JP account and getting into ShotTriggers, which tend to have really nice Beginner modes.

Also, I think Eschatos got an EU release? That one includes beautiful ports of Judgement Silversword and Cardinal Sins. JSS is distilled excellence, you won't go wrong with that one. Generous with its shield, fiendishly compulsive with the scoring requiring you to aggressively battering-ram enemies and bullets with it, rather than reserving it for defense.

If PC is an option for you, get Siter Skain's Kamui. There isn't a better-balanced example of arcade intensity and console generosity, imo. Technically a doujin title, but easily on par with its professional inspirations from Taito and Raizing, packing a raucously destructive yet electrifyingly techno-ethereal style entirely its own. Shearing massive targets in half with the GodLazor before blasting them to burning shrapnel with the lockon HellRayzor never gets old. Image Should go for cheap on Steam, possibly bundled with its companion STGs RefleX and Alltynex 2nd, which are both cool, but Kamui's the one you want.
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Re: Shmup Related Questions That Don't Deserve a Thread

Post by Flycast »

BIL wrote:Ah fuck, you're right - NSW only in EU. That sucks... Omega Fighter isn't just a classic buzz STG, it's also one of the best ACA values alongside Salamander (you get three very different versions of the game in each).

Seems there's a ton of 2017-19 stuff like that, Switch-only in EU.

I see Thunder Dragon 2 is there, at least. Definitely consider that one if you want an archetypally easy to pick up, hard to put away vert STG. It gets wicked hard eventually, but the difficulty curve is pretty approachable. Lots of bombs, make sure to use 'em! I gather from your av that you're familiar with Sonic Wings/Aero Fighters - TD2's overall feel is kinda like those and earlier Psikyo, very approachable albeit not to be taken lightly.

On that note, I think you mentioned looking for introductory STGs? Besides XEXEX, as mentioned, I would definitely go with X-Multiply. Only caveat is what sorts of STG you prefer; these are both terrain-heavy horizontals, as pioneered by Konami and perfected by IREM. Both have generous ships - fast, powerful, with small hitboxes and fantastically tactile Option mechanics - balanced against some tricky stage designs.

If you want something more in line with Toaplan (fast aimed shots) or CAVE (the archetypal bullet hell), you're probably better off making a JP account and getting into ShotTriggers, which tend to have really nice Beginner modes.

Also, I think Eschatos got an EU release? That one includes beautiful ports of Judgement Silversword and Cardinal Sins. JSS is distilled excellence, you won't go wrong with that one. Generous with its shield, fiendishly compulsive with the scoring requiring you to aggressively battering-ram enemies and bullets with it, rather than reserving it for defense.

If PC is an option for you, get Siter Skain's Kamui. There isn't a better-balanced example of arcade intensity and console generosity, imo. Technically a doujin title, but easily on par with its professional inspirations from Taito and Raizing, packing a raucously destructive yet electrifyingly techno-ethereal style entirely its own. Shearing massive targets in half with the GodLazor before blasting them to burning shrapnel with the lockon HellRayzor never gets old. Image Should go for cheap on Steam, possibly bundled with its companion STGs RefleX and Alltynex 2nd, which are both cool, but Kamui's the one you want.
EDITED:
I can't believe that in EU there are ONLY 4 games by M2 :roll: (G.Darius and RayStorm & RayCrysis, and the 2 Darius Cozmic Collections)
3 single game by CAVE (Progear, Deathsmile I & II).
ZERO by Toaplan!!!
(This on PS4, Switch got more games).

Oh Layers Section is available, i've read this name alot in this forum...
I can start with some of them before the US/JP releases...maybe...
Last edited by Flycast on Tue May 23, 2023 10:22 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Shmup Related Questions That Don't Deserve a Thread

Post by dojo_b »

Flycast, have you tried setting up accounts for the North America and/or JP regions?

https://whatsabyte.com/are-ps4-games-region-locked

I've done this successfully for JP to get, e.g., updates/DLC for my physical copies of M2 games (no physical-disc game is region-locked, BTW).

In terms of pathways to increase shmup skill, what has worked (-ish) for me is a two-pronged approach. The first prong is trying a lot of games, including just credit-feeding tourism, and identifying relatively easy challenges to take on (clears seemingly attainable within a week or less). A succession of small victories is good for morale, even if it's on childishly simplified modes (Super Easy on M2, Monkey on CC Psikyo, etc.). The Google Sheets document is a very good resource for this, although it centers on PC-available titles.

The second prong is, naturally, finding a game you like well enough to spend serious time and effort learning. Several of the CAVE games on Steam are quite good for this because they have well-pitched, well-crafted Novice modes that are meaningful sustained challenges at an earlier stage of learning, and can be followed up by Normal modes (or beyond) in due time. For me, the Mushi games strike a nice balance between speed and bullet density (and I like the bugs and environments). I've probably gained half my existing skill from Mushi and Futari, half from a free-roaming tour of everything else.
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Re: Shmup Related Questions That Don't Deserve a Thread

Post by Flycast »

dojo_b wrote:Flycast, have you tried setting up accounts for the North America and/or JP regions?

https://whatsabyte.com/are-ps4-games-region-locked

I've done this successfully for JP to get, e.g., updates/DLC for my physical copies of M2 games (no physical-disc game is region-locked, BTW).

In terms of pathways to increase shmup skill, what has worked (-ish) for me is a two-pronged approach. The first prong is trying a lot of games, including just credit-feeding tourism, and identifying relatively easy challenges to take on (clears seemingly attainable within a week or less). A succession of small victories is good for morale, even if it's on childishly simplified modes (Super Easy on M2, Monkey on CC Psikyo, etc.). The Google Sheets document is a very good resource for this, although it centers on PC-available titles.

The second prong is, naturally, finding a game you like well enough to spend serious time and effort learning. Several of the CAVE games on Steam are quite good for this because they have well-pitched, well-crafted Novice modes that are meaningful sustained challenges at an earlier stage of learning, and can be followed up by Normal modes (or beyond) in due time. For me, the Mushi games strike a nice balance between speed and bullet density (and I like the bugs and environments). I've probably gained half my existing skill from Mushi and Futari, half from a free-roaming tour of everything else.
I've found lots of games that i wish to complete at the max of my possibilities, but i don't know if are all good titles or not.
Spoiler
Marked for Priority

Super Aleste
GG Aleste
DonPachi
DoDonPachi

Batsugun
Battle Garegga
Gleylancer
Cybattler

1942
1943 Kai
1944: The Loop Master
19XX: War Against the Destiny
Progear
Sagaia (Arcade i think? was a widescreen version)
Twin Cobra / Kyukyoku Tiger (for the music)
Twinkle Star Sprites
Strikers 1945 II
Blazing Star
Aero Fighters 2

Last Resort
G.Darius (for everything!)
Border Down
Radiant Silvergun
Sturmwind

and some other that i forget.
For the access to the store from another region..i've never tried. So i can't play games on my main account if they are purchased from the US or JP Store.. :?
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Re: Shmup Related Questions That Don't Deserve a Thread

Post by cfx »

Flycast wrote:I can't believe that in EU there are ONLY 2 games by M2 :roll: (G.Darius and RayStorm & RayCrysis)
ONE single game by CAVE (Progear).
(This on PS4, Switch got more games).
Not true.

Darius Cozmic Collection Arcade (M2), which includes Sagaia (also as Darius II) from your list:
https://store.playstation.com/en-gb/pro ... CCARCADE00
Darius Cozmic Collecition Console (M2):
https://store.playstation.com/en-gb/pro ... CCCONSOLE0

Deathsmiles I & II (Cave via City Connection):
https://store.playstation.com/en-gb/pro ... 0851862866

Your general list is missing a ton of things; ones I can think of without any effort whatsoever... All the Qute games:
https://store.playstation.com/en-gb/pro ... 6692315762
https://store.playstation.com/en-gb/pro ... NGAFORCEEU
https://store.playstation.com/en-gb/pro ... ICHRON00EU

Caladrius Blaze:
https://store.playstation.com/en-gb/pro ... DRIUSBLAZE

Sisters Royale:
https://store.playstation.com/en-gb/pro ... 000000003D

Crisis Wing:
https://store.playstation.com/en-gb/pro ... WING000000

It would take forever to list them all there are so many even just on the EU stores.
Flycast wrote:For the access to the store from another region..i've never tried. So i can't play games on my main account if they are purchased from the US or JP Store.. :?
Also untrue.
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Re: Shmup Related Questions That Don't Deserve a Thread

Post by Flycast »

cfx wrote:
Flycast wrote:I can't believe that in EU there are ONLY 2 games by M2 :roll: (G.Darius and RayStorm & RayCrysis)
ONE single game by CAVE (Progear).
(This on PS4, Switch got more games).
Not true.

Darius Cozmic Collection Arcade (M2), which includes Sagaia (also as Darius II) from your list:
https://store.playstation.com/en-gb/pro ... CCARCADE00
Darius Cozmic Collecition Console (M2):
https://store.playstation.com/en-gb/pro ... CCCONSOLE0

Deathsmiles I & II (Cave via City Connection):
https://store.playstation.com/en-gb/pro ... 0851862866

Your general list is missing a ton of things; ones I can think of without any effort whatsoever... All the Qute games:
https://store.playstation.com/en-gb/pro ... 6692315762
https://store.playstation.com/en-gb/pro ... NGAFORCEEU
https://store.playstation.com/en-gb/pro ... ICHRON00EU

Caladrius Blaze:
https://store.playstation.com/en-gb/pro ... DRIUSBLAZE

Sisters Royale:
https://store.playstation.com/en-gb/pro ... 000000003D

Crisis Wing:
https://store.playstation.com/en-gb/pro ... WING000000

It would take forever to list them all there are so many even just on the EU stores.
Flycast wrote:For the access to the store from another region..i've never tried. So i can't play games on my main account if they are purchased from the US or JP Store.. :?
Also untrue.
Oh, :oops: , some of those names are new to me.
Didn't know that all the Darius Collection were made by M2.

(from the message of Dojo_b) https://whatsabyte.com/are-ps4-games-region-locked)
""But, you have to remember that you will not at any point enjoy content from two different regions. This means that, in theory, you cannot enjoy EU-based content with a US-based PSN account.""

Doesn't this mean that i can't have all my trophies on the same account? :?:
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Re: Shmup Related Questions That Don't Deserve a Thread

Post by Rastan78 »

The word "enjoy" is kind of vague there. I think what they mean is you can't buy stuff from a foreign region without another account that also belongs to that same region, which is true. Once you have the game DLed to your console you ought to be able to fire it up using any account.
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Re: Shmup Related Questions That Don't Deserve a Thread

Post by cfx »

What Rastan78 said.

There might be some kind of limitations on a non-primary console, but that is only relevant if you have more than one PS4.
Flycast wrote:Doesn't this mean that i can't have all my trophies on the same account? :?:
I'm the wrong person to ask that specific question. I have less than zero interest in trophies, and wish there was a way to totally disable and opt out of them. I have everything turned off I can and I still see too much of the nonsense.
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Re: Shmup Related Questions That Don't Deserve a Thread

Post by Steven »

Flycast wrote: Twin Cobra / Kyukyoku Tiger (for the music)
Don't play Kyuukyoku Tiger just for the music, play it because it's fucking stupidly awesome. It's so damn good, but it's also a very difficult game, and I am not really sure if I would recommend it for absolute entry-level players because it will kick your ass really, REALLY damn hard and in a hurry. It's so badass that you should play it anyway, and you'll learn a lot about checkpoint recovery. Take it one stage at a time, with the goal of clearing each stage individually and separately, use M2's Arcade Challenge mode to practice recovery at difficult checkpoints and against bosses, and you'll do fine.

Twin Cobra... I don't like Twin Cobra. It undoes more or less everything that makes Kyuukyoku Tiger special except for the ridiculously good music, but it's definitely easier. I honestly think the 3-shot limit hurts the game more than the removal of checkpoints; the game clearly was not designed for in-place respawns or only having 3 shots on screen at once, but the shot limit hurts more than the loss of the checkpoints. Yeah, the bullets are slower, enemies are less aggressive, and your helicopter is faster, but it doesn't make up for the loss of firepower.

Hishouzame is a much easier (but still not easy), better designed, and better balanced game in the same style as Kyuukyoku Tiger and it was made by almost the exact same people, which is why I recommended it earlier. It's also not almost an hour long like Kyuukyoku Tiger. I love both games, and although I like actually playing Kyuukyoku Tiger more than Hishouzame, Hishouzame absolutely has better balance and design than Kyuukyoku Tiger, and I can unquestionably recommend it to you if you are even thinking about playing Kyuukyoku Tiger.

Oh yeah, might as well mention something important: don't bother with Layer Section. Get Ray'z instead.
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Re: Shmup Related Questions That Don't Deserve a Thread

Post by Flycast »

cfx wrote:What Rastan78 said.

There might be some kind of limitations on a non-primary console, but that is only relevant if you have more than one PS4.
Flycast wrote:Doesn't this mean that i can't have all my trophies on the same account? :?:
I'm the wrong person to ask that specific question. I have less than zero interest in trophies, and wish there was a way to totally disable and opt out of them. I have everything turned off I can and I still see too much of the nonsense.
I'm not a trophy hunter, but i don't want to have an account with 1 single game in it and switch between accounts every single time :?
Steven wrote:
Flycast wrote: Twin Cobra / Kyukyoku Tiger (for the music)
Don't play Kyuukyoku Tiger just for the music, play it because it's fucking stupidly awesome. It's so damn good, but it's also a very difficult game, and I am not really sure if I would recommend it for absolute entry-level players because it will kick your ass really, REALLY damn hard and in a hurry. It's so badass that you should play it anyway, and you'll learn a lot about checkpoint recovery. Take it one stage at a time, with the goal of clearing each stage individually and separately, use M2's Arcade Challenge mode to practice recovery at difficult checkpoints and against bosses, and you'll do fine.

Twin Cobra... I don't like Twin Cobra. It undoes more or less everything that makes Kyuukyoku Tiger special except for the ridiculously good music, but it's definitely easier. I honestly think the 3-shot limit hurts the game more than the removal of checkpoints; the game clearly was not designed for in-place respawns or only having 3 shots on screen at once, but the shot limit hurts more than the loss of the checkpoints. Yeah, the bullets are slower, enemies are less aggressive, and your helicopter is faster, but it doesn't make up for the loss of firepower.

Hishouzame is a much easier (but still not easy), better designed, and better balanced game in the same style as Kyuukyoku Tiger and it was made by almost the exact same people, which is why I recommended it earlier. It's also not almost an hour long like Kyuukyoku Tiger. I love both games, and although I like actually playing Kyuukyoku Tiger more than Hishouzame, Hishouzame absolutely has better balance and design than Kyuukyoku Tiger, and I can unquestionably recommend it to you if you are even thinking about playing Kyuukyoku Tiger.
I see that you are a Toaplan fan :lol:
Well...is hard too :roll:
However , i'm not totally sure about it since aesthetically is not really suited for me , maybe is "too raw" (Twin Cobra/Kyuukyoku Tiger i mean... the cover art looks like something really furious and with an 80s vibe)
But the OST !!! :shock:
Spoiler
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QF_aduqKxkw

this is simply fantastic, it return in my head randomly during the day... :?

awesome to play on piano too.
Steven wrote: Oh yeah, might as well mention something important: don't bother with Layer Section. Get Ray'z instead.
You mean Raystorm x Raycrisis? Weird i've read a lot of good comments about Layer Section :shock: ... (TOP 25)
Meanwhile i got Progear for 1€ :mrgreen: (Capcom Arcade Stadium 1).
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Re: Shmup Related Questions That Don't Deserve a Thread

Post by Rastan78 »

Get the complete Ray'z collection (Rayforce, Raystorm and Raycrisis). Idk what's up with the Inin release that strips out Rayforce, which is an essential all time great shmup. Although it's quite difficult.

To clear up any confusion, there was a Japanese RPG game dev in the 90s called Rayforce. So for console release they changed the name to Layer Section and Galactic Attack depending on region due to the copyright issues. The recent City Connection produced Layer Section S-Tribute is more or less obsolete now that Ray'z exists. It has noticably sluggish control and is based off the Saturn console port instead of the arcade original. M2 Ray'z edition Rayforce has snappy controls, arcade accuracy, better features etc.
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Re: Shmup Related Questions That Don't Deserve a Thread

Post by BIL »

Flycast wrote:I see that you are a Toaplan fan :lol:
Well...is hard too :roll:
However , i'm not totally sure about it since aesthetically is not really suited for me , maybe is "too raw" (Twin Cobra/Kyuukyoku Tiger i mean... the cover art looks like something really furious and with an 80s vibe)
But the OST !!! :shock:
Toaplan are THE "Badass Rugged Old 80s Army STG" guys; other icons like like DECO and Konami tended towards the self-awaredly silly, or Top Gun MURICA FUCK YEAAAH, while Toaplan was just "Here's this plane, killing a shitload of other planes and tanks and gunboats across a range of urban and wilderness settings, any questions bitch?" :lol: Sometimes "Here's this spaceship..." but even then, it's kill or be killed out there homie! Image

(Well mostly. Even in the inferno of SameSame1P, you still get your ground crew doing cheer formations, and the occasional dolphin showing up to give props, just don't get distracted or your face will be on fire)

I don't wanna advise on PSN matters too rashly, as clearly I've a lot to learn about the state of the EU store (mostly because I ignore it when something's available in JP :mrgreen:), but you can most definitely have games from multiple regional marketplaces accessible via a single account. Go to the "Library" menu at the far right of the PS4's home screen, everything downloaded to that console will be in there. Whack up some folders and that's that. Again, this is just my experience, but it doesn't sound at all unusual.

Image

^^^ JP account with JP, EU, and US games, no switching necessary. I only switch accounts when I want to make dupe savestates for ACA stuff. Or watch BBC. That's Big British Castle, you dirty devils, not Big Black Cock! I can watch the latter via JP, US or EU no problem. :cool:
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Re: Shmup Related Questions That Don't Deserve a Thread

Post by Rastan78 »

Soon BIL's HD will be groaning under the weight of all those 100MB retro downloads. Death of a thousand paper cuts. :lol:
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Re: Shmup Related Questions That Don't Deserve a Thread

Post by Flycast »

BIL wrote: Toaplan are THE "Badass Rugged Old 80s Army STG" guys; other icons like like DECO and Konami tended towards the self-awaredly silly, or Top Gun MURICA FUCK YEAAAH, while Toaplan was just "Here's this plane, killing a shitload of other planes and tanks and gunboats across a range of urban and wilderness settings, any questions bitch?" :lol: Sometimes "Here's this spaceship..." but even then, it's kill or be killed out there homie! Image

I don't wanna advise on PSN matters too rashly, as clearly I've a lot to learn about the state of the EU store (mostly because I ignore it when something's available in JP :mrgreen:), but you can most definitely have games from multiple regional marketplaces accessible via a single account. Go to the "Library" menu at the far right of the PS4's home screen, everything downloaded to that console will be in there. Whack up some folders and that's that. Again, this is just my experience, but it doesn't sound at all unusual.

Image

^^^ JP account with JP, EU, and US games, no switching necessary. I only switch accounts when I want to make dupe savestates for ACA stuff. Or watch BBC. That's Big British Castle, you dirty devils, not Big Black Cock! I can watch the latter via JP, US or EU no problem. :cool:
FINALLY !!! THXs for the news!!!
Why do you have 2 lines of games and not 1 ??? :shock:

Toaplan description fits :lol:

Funny how of the whole screenshot, i have only the last pack of games on the right :roll:

PS: never heard of DECO before.
PPS:I don't know what the last "BBC" means :| ...i think that is better to not investigate...
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Re: Shmup Related Questions That Don't Deserve a Thread

Post by Rastan78 »

Flycast wrote:PS: never heard of DECO before.
Data East co.
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Re: Shmup Related Questions That Don't Deserve a Thread

Post by BIL »

Rastan78 wrote:Soon BIL's HD will be groaning under the weight of all those 100MB retro downloads. Death of a thousand paper cuts. :lol:
Would be dead already if Hamster hadn't hit the treadmill :mrgreen: I dunno why Rygar is a heaving 920mb, a size of scandalous BBC² proportions for its time, while Sunset Riders is a relatively sane 88mb, but oh well, love hurts. :cool:
Flycast wrote:FINALLY !!! THXs for the news!!!
Why do you have 2 lines of games and not 1 ??? :shock:
Top line = folders (as many as you like), bottom = contents. :cool:

Image
PPS:I don't know what the last "BBC" means :| ...i think that is better to not investigate...
British Broadcasting Corporation, which you can watch via iplayer FO FREE, though you need to be in the UK and have a tv loicense! It's a funny old place! Very handy if your grandma is visiting and wants to watch Countdown, Bargain Hunt, and other hardcore favourites! Image
Rastan78 wrote:
Flycast wrote:PS: never heard of DECO before.
Data East co.
Indeed! A very serious bunch of dudes:

Image
Last edited by BIL on Tue May 23, 2023 6:34 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Shmup Related Questions That Don't Deserve a Thread

Post by cfx »

Flycast wrote: Why do you have 2 lines of games and not 1 ??? :shock:
Never used folders before?
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Re: Shmup Related Questions That Don't Deserve a Thread

Post by To Far Away Times »

What are your thoughts on randomized stage orders and ways to get around them?

I've done it both ways, I've used methods like going into the test menu on Batrider/Bakraid to get the same stage order every time and other games like Sengoku Ace I've just played each credit through unless I got an absolutely terrible stage order.

What about dropping a save state at the title screen to get a fixed stage order, would that be considered cheating?
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Re: Shmup Related Questions That Don't Deserve a Thread

Post by BareKnuckleRoo »

I don't like random stage order; it feels like a cheap way of making the early game harder to learn and more chaotic. What I'm okay with is character specific stage order variations. Giga Wing does this; each character deals with the first 3 stages in a different order, so depending on which character you play you have to learn a slightly different route, but if you stick to one character everything's static.

I don't usually do much to get around it though and just deal with it, annoying as it is.
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Re: Shmup Related Questions That Don't Deserve a Thread

Post by Creamy Goodness »

Not a fan of random stage orders. Beyond routing being a fundamental part of being good at shmups, part of the fun of shmups is developing those routes. Having to learn a ton of potentially different scenarios turns the process into such a slog.
BareKnuckleRoo wrote:I don't like random stage order; it feels like a cheap way of making the early game harder to learn and more chaotic. What I'm okay with is character specific stage order variations. Giga Wing does this; each character deals with the first 3 stages in a different order, so depending on which character you play you have to learn a slightly different route, but if you stick to one character everything's static.

I don't usually do much to get around it though and just deal with it, annoying as it is.
Take this with a grain of salt, but from seeing the explanation from one of Psikyo's developers as to why they used random stage orders it made a bit of sense. Basically they knew their games were balls hard and most people would not see the whole game, so random stage orders were used to allow players to experience more of the game. This may just be a cop out for making their games so hard, but that was the explanation given.
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Flycast
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Re: Shmup Related Questions That Don't Deserve a Thread

Post by Flycast »

I took advantage of the sales, now i can start for real!!!! 8)
Spoiler
Capcom Arcade Stadium:
1943: The Battle of Midway (FREE)
Carrier Air Wing
Varth: Operation Thunderstorm
19XX: The War Against Destiny
1944: The Loop Master
Progear

Capcom Arcade Stadium:
1943 Kai
A.K.A Vampire Savior: The Lord of Vampire
Eco Fighters
Darkstalkers: The Night Warriors
Night Warriors: Darkstalkers' Revenge
SonSon (FREE)
Megaman: The Power Battle
Megaman: The Power Fighters
Street Fighter Alpha 3

And the Frames for both, at 0,75€ each.


DariusBurst: Chronicle Saviour
Strikers 1945 II (not on discount like others, purchased only for a sign of the destiny... when the sky match the frame , it's a signal!)

I love the fact that there are 10 difficulties in Strikers 1945 II , this is something that i will probably end with 1CC, starting from the first difficulty for learning the game.

PS: I wish to have Strider 2 (the 3D one) in the Capcom Arcade Stadium... and Street Fighter 3 New Generation...and Red Earth! :(
Spoiler
Image
There's also Raiden V: Director's Cut at 11,99€ instead of 29,99€. Is a good deal?

EDITED:
Spoiler
I forgot:
Pnickles
Battle Circuit
Last edited by Flycast on Thu May 25, 2023 11:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Shmup Related Questions That Don't Deserve a Thread

Post by cfx »

Flycast wrote:PS: I wish to have Strider 2 (the 3D one) in the Capcom Arcade Stadium... and Street Fighter 3 New Generation...and Red Earth! :(
Red Earth is in the Capcom Fighting Collection:
https://store.playstation.com/en-us/pro ... 0000000001

SF3 is in the Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection:
https://store.playstation.com/en-us/pro ... LLGAME0001

Who knows if there will be a Capcom Arcade Stadium 3.
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Re: Shmup Related Questions That Don't Deserve a Thread

Post by Steven »

Rastan78 wrote:Get the complete Ray'z collection (Rayforce, Raystorm and Raycrisis). Idk what's up with the Inin release that strips out Rayforce, which is an essential all time great shmup. Although it's quite difficult.
I honestly think RayForce is significantly more difficult than Kyuukyoku Tiger is. I have 3 1-ALLs on Kyuukyoku Tiger without autofire, but RayForce annihilates me no matter what.
Flycast wrote: I see that you are a Toaplan fan :lol:
That's... a way to put it lol.
Flycast wrote:I took advantage of the sales, now i can start for real!!!! 8)
Spoiler
Capcom Arcade Stadium:
1943: The Battle of Midway (FREE)
Carrier Air Wing
Varth: Operation Thunderstorm
19XX: The War Against Destiny
1944: The Loop Master
Progear
Get 1941 Counter Attack. I love that game. The sound balance sucks on the arcade version, with the sound effects being super loud and the music relatively quiet, which is too bad because the music in that game is incredible. SuperGrafx version has better sound balance, fortunately. They messed up the stage order in the international arcade version, so definitely play the Japanese version.
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Re: Shmup Related Questions That Don't Deserve a Thread

Post by hamfighterx »

Been playing some Progear lately and... well, let's just say that thanks to Cardi B, I look at co-pilot Rivet a lot differently these days when I take that big biplane out of its little garage.

Images from the lovely Super Sweep OST, which comes with a second DVD full of art. I own that because I'm a certified Cave freak, 7 days a week.

Image
Image
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Re: Shmup Related Questions That Don't Deserve a Thread

Post by Flycast »

BIL wrote:
Spoiler
Image
BIL, i intended this bottom line...i don't have it :?
Rastan78 wrote: Data East co.


Oh i've read that name during my research, thank you for the clarification.
cfx wrote:
Flycast wrote:PS: I wish to have Strider 2 (the 3D one) in the Capcom Arcade Stadium... and Street Fighter 3 New Generation...and Red Earth! :(
Red Earth is in the Capcom Fighting Collection:
https://store.playstation.com/en-us/pro ... 0000000001

SF3 is in the Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection:
https://store.playstation.com/en-us/pro ... LLGAME0001

Who knows if there will be a Capcom Arcade Stadium 3.
Can't believe that all the games in the Capcom Fighting Collection, are also in the Arcade Stadium 1/2nd ...and the ONLY ONE missing is Red Earth :|

Steven wrote: Get 1941 Counter Attack. I love that game. The sound balance sucks on the arcade version, with the sound effects being super loud and the music relatively quiet, which is too bad because the music in that game is incredible. SuperGrafx version has better sound balance, fortunately. They messed up the stage order in the international arcade version, so definitely play the Japanese version.
Oh...i thought that they were named in chronological order... instead are all mixed lol....so 1941 is not the first... :oops:
Since i've tried DariusBurst like suggested by another user, i will give you a chance and try 1941 also.
hamfighterx wrote:Been playing some Progear lately and... well, let's just say that thanks to Cardi B, I look at co-pilot Rivet a lot differently these days when I take that big biplane out of its little garage.

Images from the lovely Super Sweep OST, which comes with a second DVD full of art. I own that because I'm a certified Cave freak, 7 days a week.
Spoiler
Image
Image


I've started Progear too, maybe not the best to get into SHUMPS. For now i've reached the 2nd Boss with 1CC , using Ring+Gunner. I prefer more fire power and spread than auto-aim.
IDK if i can write reviews of what i played in this shmups journey!!! :roll:

PS: https://vgmdb.net/album/43874 is fantastic!
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Re: Shmup Related Questions That Don't Deserve a Thread

Post by BIL »

hamfighterx wrote:Been playing some Progear lately and... well, let's just say that thanks to Cardi B, I look at co-pilot Rivet a lot differently these days when I take that big biplane out of its little garage.
:lol:

A tale of war, and an even older human constant: man's endeavour to secure the WAP ImageImage
Flycast wrote:
BIL wrote:
Spoiler
Image
BIL, i intended this bottom line...i don't have it :?
It's very simple. ;3 I imagine the shaweet GNG Resurrection wallpaper might distract a bit! (GNGR is amazing) Top = Folders. Bottom = Folder contents. Press [down] to view the folder's contents in more detail, select a game to run, etc. (press [up] to access system menus etc)

As to creating those folders? You gotta use the [Options] button. :cool: It's the tiny annoying one to the immediate left of [triangle]. For the sake of illustration, let's use it to remove Teki Paki from its folder, so it's just sitting out in the open.

[1/3] Whoamfg! HOLY FUCK! :shock: It's TEKI PAKI!

Spoiler
Image


[2/3] That's an arcade puzzler, a dangerously addictive one too! I put those in AC+.

Spoiler
Image


[3/3] If AC+ did not exist, I would have to create it. Image

Spoiler
Image


And that's that, again. Dead easy! And useful!
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Re: Shmup Related Questions That Don't Deserve a Thread

Post by Steven »

I put Teki-Paki in my STG folder and renamed it STG + Teki-Paki because Teki-Paki is ultra badass and it deserves to be in there with the shooters.

Then I got a PS5 and the PS5's entire menu thing is just a mess of shit and now I don't have folders anymore lol

Fortunately, the PS5 lets you pin I think 5 games to the menu so those never cycle out, though, so I did that with Teki-Paki so it never goes away~
Flycast wrote:Oh...i thought that they were named in chronological order... instead are all mixed lol....so 1941 is not the first... :oops:
Since i've tried DariusBurst like suggested by another user, i will give you a chance and try 1941 also.
1942 was the first one, then 1943 (which got the subtitle Battle of Midway for some strange reason since the actual Battle of Midway was in 1942), then 1941 Counter Attack, then 19XX, then 1944, then 1942 Joint Strike. Yeah, they didn't really care about doing the years in order or anything.
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Re: Shmup Related Questions That Don't Deserve a Thread

Post by BIL »

Steven wrote:then 1943 (which got the subtitle Battle of Midway for some strange reason since the actual Battle of Midway was in 1942)
Resubtitled to "The Battle of Valhalla" for its (superb) Famicom version, I suspect for the same reason the director talked about the AC game's title not being the best-loved in Japan :mrgreen: (EGM interview: "I mean, imagine you guys making a game about the VietCong kicking America's ass" :lol:)
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Re: Shmup Related Questions That Don't Deserve a Thread

Post by jehu »

BIL wrote:tekipaki
If you were unable to complete BIL's instructions because you're lacking in Teki-Paki - I have a couple unused PS4 codes:

G433-X4N8-4BJL
76AA-Q2N7-GE6L

(Brothers, I don't care who gets these, but if you know you're not going to play - all I ask is that you keep 'em around for someone that will.)
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