Blue Revolver

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Shepardus
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Re: Blue Revolver

Post by Shepardus »

Iori Branford wrote:So, Steam-only from now on? I do know where pretty much all the players and money are, but can I at least close Steam and still run the game?
Danbo wrote:v1.1 is available free on Steam right now - DRM-free builds will be available on itch.io and Humble tomorrow (after ensuring there are no problems with the update). Huge apology to everyone who was waiting for this, the wait is inexcusable and the blame lies squarely with me.
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NTSC-J: You know STGs are in trouble when you have threads on how to introduce them to a wider audience and get more people playing followed by threads on how to get its hardcore fan base to play them, too.
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Iori Branford
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Re: Blue Revolver

Post by Iori Branford »

Shepardus wrote:
Iori Branford wrote:So, Steam-only from now on? I do know where pretty much all the players and money are, but can I at least close Steam and still run the game?
Danbo wrote:v1.1 is available free on Steam right now - DRM-free builds will be available on itch.io and Humble tomorrow (after ensuring there are no problems with the update). Huge apology to everyone who was waiting for this, the wait is inexcusable and the blame lies squarely with me.
Only read like three words then pounded F5 on itch.io all day :oops:
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KaizaCorp
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Re: Blue Revolver

Post by KaizaCorp »

Thanks for the update danbo! I like the addition of the break guide, especially when I haven't been playing recently. Do you plan to extend the replay/leaderboard functionality to other OS's in the future?

I have a feature request: In Cave's games the screen options allow you to shift play area around the screen. Since I play tate on a TN panel it helps to reduce the viewing angle by shifting the screen down!

Keep up the excellent work!
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Danbo
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Re: Blue Revolver

Post by Danbo »

Extending replays/leaderboards to Mac/Linux is something I'll take a look at - can't make any promises, I think it's possible but don't fully understand what's required yet.

Feature request noted! Thank you.

I'll be deploying a hotfix (v1.11) tonight that should fix replay desync issues, after that the DRM-free builds will be up on itch and Humble.
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M.Knight
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Re: Blue Revolver

Post by M.Knight »

Cool update! It may be later than what you initially expected and announced, but I don't mind at all. After all, the base game is very solid, not to mention bug-free (*cough* unlike the CAVE PC ports *cough*).
The new experimental weapons are fun to toy with, I like the idea! Defintely the highlight of the update for me, though the BREAK guide sounds super useful as well.

By the way, is it planned to have local leaderboards indicate the configuration used by the player? (Shot Type, Character, Weapon Type)
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clippa
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Re: Blue Revolver

Post by clippa »

Danbo, I nearly always play as val with the wide shot and since the patch, the unfocused movement feels really sluggish, it takes ages to get to the other side of the screen.

Is there any chance we could get a toggle in the options menu to choose between the speed before the patch and the new speed? I'm trying to get used to it and trying the other shot types.
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Danbo
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Re: Blue Revolver

Post by Danbo »

M.Knight wrote:Cool update! It may be later than what you initially expected and announced, but I don't mind at all. After all, the base game is very solid, not to mention bug-free (*cough* unlike the CAVE PC ports *cough*).
The new experimental weapons are fun to toy with, I like the idea! Defintely the highlight of the update for me, though the BREAK guide sounds super useful as well.

By the way, is it planned to have local leaderboards indicate the configuration used by the player? (Shot Type, Character, Weapon Type)
Not currently planned, but it's a good idea.
clippa wrote:Danbo, I nearly always play as val with the wide shot and since the patch, the unfocused movement feels really sluggish, it takes ages to get to the other side of the screen.

Is there any chance we could get a toggle in the options menu to choose between the speed before the patch and the new speed? I'm trying to get used to it and trying the other shot types.
It's not as simple as I would like to add something like that - it'd need special data in replays to prevent desync, as well as localization for the option, etc.

I should have made the ship speed a Feveron-style option in device select instead. I'll put this on my todo list, but I can't say the change will come super quick. I hope it doesn't make the game too hard for you to play right now.
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clippa
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Re: Blue Revolver

Post by clippa »

No, it's alright. I can always just use power shot i suppose, that's the same speed.

I might try and get used to the follow shot type actually, I tried that a few times and it's really powerful, I wasn't very good at using it though so I'll need to practise.
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EmperorIng
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Re: Blue Revolver

Post by EmperorIng »

I do just want to say that this was my favorite shmup release last year, and I am really excited to play with some of the new tweaks, especially dicking around with the canned weapons (some look a little OP!). Thanks for putting more work into the game!

Quick question for the curious: does the secret last boss only show up on Val's mode on Parallel difficulty? Or does Mae have one too?
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Danbo
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Re: Blue Revolver

Post by Danbo »

clippa wrote:No, it's alright. I can always just use power shot i suppose, that's the same speed.

I might try and get used to the follow shot type actually, I tried that a few times and it's really powerful, I wasn't very good at using it though so I'll need to practise.
Yes, power shot is unaffected. Follow shot has very high DPS in certain situations, but it is rather difficult to use.
EmperorIng wrote:I do just want to say that this was my favorite shmup release last year, and I am really excited to play with some of the new tweaks, especially dicking around with the canned weapons (some look a little OP!). Thanks for putting more work into the game!

Quick question for the curious: does the secret last boss only show up on Val's mode on Parallel difficulty? Or does Mae have one too?
Thank you! The True Last Boss appears for both characters on Parallel difficulty, and is the same regardless of character.
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Danbo
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Re: Blue Revolver

Post by Danbo »

I've pushed a v1.11 hotfix just now. This should fix some desync issues with replays.

The itch.io builds have also been updated. The Humble ones will be updated within the hour.
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gatsu25
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Re: Blue Revolver

Post by gatsu25 »

Is there any plans to bring this to a console? I think this game looks great, but I just don't ever sit down and play games on my PC unless it's a strategy or adventure game.

Rumor is, switch dev kits are cheap, and it sure would be cool to have a shmup in tate on handheld mode!

I would be happy with a port on any system though.
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DoomsDave
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Re: Blue Revolver

Post by DoomsDave »

Does this have 4:3 support?
gatsu25 wrote:Rumor is, switch dev kits are cheap, and it sure would be cool to have a shmup in tate on handheld mode!
They're cheap but getting them is the problem. Our publisher went through the process which included sending a fax in 2017. Blue Revolver has a good chance of getting approved by Nintendo though since it's not on any other console which is what they're prioritising atm.
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Danbo
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Re: Blue Revolver

Post by Danbo »

DoomsDave wrote:Does this have 4:3 support?
Yep!

The engine we're using puts a big question mark over the viability of a console port, but we would like to approach Nintendo once we're absolutely sure there are no more updates we want to do to the game.
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DoomsDave
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Re: Blue Revolver

Post by DoomsDave »

Nice! I'm going to pull the trigger. Been listening to bits of the OST on Soundcloud since before you released.
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Re: Blue Revolver

Post by Klatrymadon »

Danbo wrote:The engine we're using puts a big question mark over the viability of a console port, but we would like to approach Nintendo once we're absolutely sure there are no more updates we want to do to the game.
That's great to hear. Wishing you all the luck in the world with it. It's an incredible game with tons of heart that deserves that kind of exposure.
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marus
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Re: Blue Revolver

Post by marus »

The only gripe I have is that the replays & leaderboards don't distinguish a clear - the menu just shows ST5 irregardless of whether you die on stage 5 or clear the game. It'd be nice if there was a way to filter the leaderboards by character or shot type too.

Other than that I'm really liking the update! All of the experimental weapons are fun to mess around with, and I think the changes to Hyper mode really help make it stand out more from Parallel.

EDIT: Actually one other gripe I have is I wish you could save and submit replays for the experimental weapons. They fun shot types so it's a shame that leaderboards aren't implemented for them.
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BurlyHeart
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Re: Blue Revolver

Post by BurlyHeart »

Danbo wrote:
v1.1 is available free on Steam right now - DRM-free builds will be available on itch.io and Humble tomorrow.
Sorry for noob question, but the version on itch.io mentions purchasing and receiving a steam key. Does this mean it is still DRM-free?
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Re: Blue Revolver

Post by BulletMagnet »

Leviathan wrote:Sorry for noob question, but the version on itch.io mentions purchasing and receiving a steam key. Does this mean it is still DRM-free?
Yeah, you get both a DRM-free version and a Steam key; on itch, if you look near the bottom of the page where it says "you will receive the following files" and it lists an .exe or .zip or something, that means you get a DRM-free download (and also a Steam key, if mentioned in the description, as here). If it just says "Steam serial" or something like that then you just get the Steam key.
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Re: Blue Revolver

Post by BurlyHeart »

Awesome, thanks very much!
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Re: Blue Revolver

Post by Danbo »

Web view on the leaderboards for convenience: http://leaderboards.bluerevolvergame.com/
Klatrymadon wrote:That's great to hear. Wishing you all the luck in the world with it. It's an incredible game with tons of heart that deserves that kind of exposure.
Thank you!
Leviathan wrote:Sorry for noob question, but the version on itch.io mentions purchasing and receiving a steam key. Does this mean it is still DRM-free?
Yes, like BulletMagnet said, itch.io version gives you a DRM-free version of the game as well as a Steam key. Use it yourself or give it to a friend if you're not interested in Steam.
marus wrote:The only gripe I have is that the replays & leaderboards don't distinguish a clear - the menu just shows ST5 irregardless of whether you die on stage 5 or clear the game. It'd be nice if there was a way to filter the leaderboards by character or shot type too.

Other than that I'm really liking the update! All of the experimental weapons are fun to mess around with, and I think the changes to Hyper mode really help make it stand out more from Parallel.

EDIT: Actually one other gripe I have is I wish you could save and submit replays for the experimental weapons. They fun shot types so it's a shame that leaderboards aren't implemented for them.
Leaderboards/replays not showing a clear is an oversight and I'll look at fixing it.

Leaderboards/replays for Experimental Weapon is definitely a possibility. If people like the weapons, I might refine it a little bit, add a few things and make it a fully-fledged Arrange mode.
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Shadolf
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Re: Blue Revolver

Post by Shadolf »

The version that is now available for download ist v1.11 right?
How can I get my "save" files from my old installation to the new version?
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Bananamatic
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Re: Blue Revolver

Post by Bananamatic »

unpopular opinion: break bonuses should auto fail if you die
would make the tlb less of an auto scoring snoozefest too
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Danbo
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Re: Blue Revolver

Post by Danbo »

Shadolf wrote:The version that is now available for download ist v1.11 right?
How can I get my "save" files from my old installation to the new version?
You shouldn't have to move any save files or anything, they're saved in your Appdata folder and read from the same spot regardless of the version.
Bananamatic wrote:unpopular opinion: break bonuses should auto fail if you die
would make the tlb less of an auto scoring snoozefest too
I would rather award something like a "perfect break" multiplier (no miss, no bomb, no special where appropriate?) than auto-fail for death. Makes it more interesting for higher-level players without making breaks any more fiddly for beginners.

I agree with the sentiment though. The fast-and-loose nature of the game is exactly what I wanted for, say, Normal and Hyper modes, but for the top players in Parallel mode, you're not rewarded very well for not playing in a sloppy manner.
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Danbo
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Re: Blue Revolver

Post by Danbo »

Pushed another hotfix to Steam just now.

Fixes a bug with replays where the TLB is cleared.
Also, replays/leaderboards now differentiate full clears from ST5 runs.

Once it's established that there's nothing else that urgently needs fixing, I'll push a v1.11_fix version to itch and Humble.
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Keade
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Re: Blue Revolver

Post by Keade »

Just played two games, had a blast (seen a few gameplay videos so I knew what to expect gameplay-wise but I overlooked the OST which is much better than I thought).
Let's hope it eventually gets released on console and reach even more people !
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Re: Blue Revolver

Post by tate »

Danbo wrote:
Keade wrote:Thank you !

PS. the game is 7.49€ on Steam right now (summer sales), I think it is the lowest price so far.
Yes, 50% off, lowest price so far and more than likely for a long time.
It's worth noting that the price has also dropped on Humble Widgets and itch.io – both available from http://bluerevolvergame.com. I missed it before because the drops didn't happen the day the Steam Summer Sale started. I'm pretty sure the two haven't tracked previous Steam sales.
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marus
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Re: Blue Revolver

Post by marus »

Danbo wrote:
Bananamatic wrote:unpopular opinion: break bonuses should auto fail if you die
would make the tlb less of an auto scoring snoozefest too
I would rather award something like a "perfect break" multiplier (no miss, no bomb, no special where appropriate?) than auto-fail for death. Makes it more interesting for higher-level players without making breaks any more fiddly for beginners.

I agree with the sentiment though. The fast-and-loose nature of the game is exactly what I wanted for, say, Normal and Hyper modes, but for the top players in Parallel mode, you're not rewarded very well for not playing in a sloppy manner.
I think if you want to make deaths more punishing, making it so you lose your bomb stock when dying would help. Right now the scoring penalty for accidental deaths is small as long as you keep your bomb stock low. I'd be careful of adding more scoring opportunities, since at least in Parallel you can already get a lot of extends as is.

After playing a bit more, I have to say I like the changes you've made to the special weapons. It feels like all of the weapons are viable for scoring now which definitely wasn't the case before. I like that you buffed the variable shot types too but I think they might be too strong now. It's not too bad on the regular bosses since I think those kinda ran too long in the first place, but now you can finish all of the TLB phases before they even get to their hard parts so there isn't really any tension there anymore.

Personally I think the game is fun as is, aside from maybe the variable shot type strength as I mentioned. If you're thinking about making some kind of arrange mode though then I would be really excited to try that out, and it would be a good place to experiment with a more difficult system.
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Danbo
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Re: Blue Revolver

Post by Danbo »

Personal blog post about why replays took so long, presented without comment: http://danbo.vg/2017/06/27/br-update-delay.html
marus wrote: I think if you want to make deaths more punishing, making it so you lose your bomb stock when dying would help. Right now the scoring penalty for accidental deaths is small as long as you keep your bomb stock low. I'd be careful of adding more scoring opportunities, since at least in Parallel you can already get a lot of extends as is.

After playing a bit more, I have to say I like the changes you've made to the special weapons. It feels like all of the weapons are viable for scoring now which definitely wasn't the case before. I like that you buffed the variable shot types too but I think they might be too strong now. It's not too bad on the regular bosses since I think those kinda ran too long in the first place, but now you can finish all of the TLB phases before they even get to their hard parts so there isn't really any tension there anymore.

Personally I think the game is fun as is, aside from maybe the variable shot type strength as I mentioned. If you're thinking about making some kind of arrange mode though then I would be really excited to try that out, and it would be a good place to experiment with a more difficult system.
There's a lot of ways to approach the problem. Originally, the decision to suicide for more resources was very interesting to me, so I decided I wouldn't discourage that kind of thing with stage end bonuses etc. Now I'm not sure.

Variable damage is rather high, yes. I'm probably not going to change it for a while - like I say, nobody wants to play an STG that's constantly changing. Resetting leaderboards/replays/etc feels like undoing peoples' hard work.
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marus
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Re: Blue Revolver

Post by marus »

I'm biased since I really like games where you suicide for resources, but I don't think there's anything wrong with the concept. In these types of games there ideally should be a distinction between purposeful and non-purposeful deaths though. A death in the wrong spot could either take away resources or prevent you from using your resources in the most optimal manner. Like you said there's a lot of ways to approach it.

Also thank you for writing that blog post. I realize that must have been difficult to write, but as someone who was looking forward to replay support I really appreciate you opening up. For the record I do really like this game, and it's currently my favorite shmup on Steam (aside from maybe Jamestown but that's more for the co-op experience). There's small things here and there that I don't like but I think it strikes a good balance between being approachable for newer players while also having interesting stage patterns and varied shot types for anyone who wants to route for score. The scoring system isn't as deep or challenging as most of the well-liked arcade shmups, and I think we would see scores level out if more of the top players were to take it seriously, but it's also a lot more intuitive than most bullet-hell games. All of that is to say I think you've earned any success you get from this game, and I'm looking forward to Stellar Circle's future works.
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