Demonizer - inspired by Mahou & Garegga - now v1.1

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Iori Branford
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Demonizer - inspired by Mahou & Garegga - now v1.1

Post by Iori Branford »

itch.io DRM-free
https://ioribranford.itch.io/demonizer

Steam
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1091390/

Official site with bonus goodies
https://ioribranford.com/#demonizer

Electric Underground review and Normal 1CC
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_kMbAAn8X8

Stream/review keys
https://woovit.com/offer/demonizer
https://keymailer.co/g/games/81646 (You'll have to wait for me to accept your request)
Or link me your Steam Curator ID and I'll send through Curator Connect.

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Last edited by Iori Branford on Tue Mar 02, 2021 11:38 am, edited 4 times in total.
Bassa-Bassa
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Re: Demonizer - Mahou Daisakusen & Garegga inspired game out

Post by Bassa-Bassa »

Hi,

Congrats for the release. Does it have an option for borderless full-screen tate mode at the desktop resolution (for 15khz CRTs) or at 640x480 at least?
Iori Branford
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Re: Demonizer - Mahou Daisakusen & Garegga inspired game out

Post by Iori Branford »

Bassa-Bassa wrote:Hi,

Congrats for the release. Does it have an option for borderless full-screen tate mode at the desktop resolution (for 15khz CRTs) or at 640x480 at least?
Yes. In Screen options set Fullscreen ON and Rotation 90 or 270. The fullscreen mode is borderless desktop resolution.

Custom resolution selection will come later. For now, you can try other resolutions by temporarily changing your desktop resolution.
Gamer707b
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Re: Demonizer - Mahou Daisakusen & Garegga inspired game out

Post by Gamer707b »

Your game is looking beautiful. Congrats!
floralcateyes
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Re: Demonizer - Mahou Daisakusen & Garegga inspired game out

Post by floralcateyes »

For various reasons, I won't be able to pick this up for a week or so :( But even just the first-stage-only demo is wild. Love how aggressive and speedy the enemies are, how erratic their movement can get, how they won't hesitate to shoot you even from the bottom of the screen. And how that first boss can get real close and shoot you right in the face if you don't pay attention to her movement pattern. Feels like being a zako in one of those games where you quick kill and point-blank for score. Really can't wait to dig into the full game. Also, the Inebriator is hilarious.

Congrats on the release, and best of luck!
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scrilla4rella
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Re: Demonizer - Mahou Daisakusen & Garegga inspired game out

Post by scrilla4rella »

this looks bad ass! will def pick it up next time i need a new shmup. very happy to hear it has tate support
Iori Branford
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Re: Demonizer - Mahou Daisakusen & Garegga inspired game out

Post by Iori Branford »

Thanks all.
I'd like to try and commit to a regular development schedule, and deliver a patch every Friday for as long as there's something to add. Feel free to suggest additions or improvements you'd like to see.
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Re: Demonizer - Mahou Daisakusen & Garegga inspired game out

Post by Iori Branford »

Update 1.0.4 adds practice mode, achievement medals per stage/difficulty
https://ioribranford.itch.io/demonizer/ ... ent-awards

Also, Black Friday sale on itch.io only - $9.96 until Monday 11/30
- All digital - no workers harmed
- Today only, itch.io gives up all revenue share

https://itch.io/s/39136/black-friday-2020

Unfortunately, Steam will not allow a sale too soon after the game's launch. But I can try to jump on the Autumn Sale tomorrow 11/28.
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Bawa
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Re: Demonizer - Mahou Daisakusen & Garegga inspired game out

Post by Bawa »

Great to see your continued development and additions to the game!
Keep it up!
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WarpedByTheNHK
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Re: Demonizer - Mahou Daisakusen & Garegga inspired game out

Post by WarpedByTheNHK »

Is it possible to practice just the boss in practice mode? It is always a big help to be able to play the bosses over and over to master the patterns.
Iori Branford
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Re: Demonizer - Mahou Daisakusen & Garegga inspired game out

Post by Iori Branford »

WarpedByTheNHK wrote:Is it possible to practice just the boss in practice mode? It is always a big help to be able to play the bosses over and over to master the patterns.
Checkpoint selection is coming, including bosses, should be next patch or the one after.

I was able to jump on the Steam Autumn Sale.
$9.95 until Tuesday 12/1 11AM PST (2 days only)
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1091390/Demonizer/
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Weak Boson
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Re: Demonizer - Mahou Daisakusen & Garegga inspired game out

Post by Weak Boson »

Great to see more QOL features.

Hard mode is indeed hard, maybe a bit too much for me (Normal was just right). I don't know if it would be too much to work on, but I feel like the higher difficulty options (particularly Demonic) could be really satisfying if there was something to balance the ultra hard enemies, eg, more powerful/lenient player abilities.

That actually reminds me of a question I had, and maybe a suggestion. You're demon friends can take bullets for you, but I'm not quite sure how it works. Is it just that after taking a certain number of hits you lose one? do they recover between stages? does it matter which one of them gets hit?

My suggestion is to give them a bit of invulnerability after they get hit. So they could only be hit at most (idk) once per second or something. I'm guessing they have this to some extent already, but as it stands they can really get chewed up in places, to the point where it feels like using them is just not an option.

Oh, one more thing I wanted to ask: have you considered implementing option formations other than search? Maybe that would change too much, but it could provide some good utility. For example, there are times when you want to use the fast speed but not really the homing attack.
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WarpedByTheNHK
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Re: Demonizer - Mahou Daisakusen & Garegga inspired game out

Post by WarpedByTheNHK »

Iori Branford wrote:1.0.6 added the checkpoint selection
https://ioribranford.itch.io/demonizer/ ... ing-points
Thanks a ton. A proper practice mode really makes arcade games so much more fun to learn.
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Re: Demonizer - Mahou Daisakusen & Garegga inspired game out

Post by Iori Branford »

Weak Boson wrote:Great to see more QOL features.

Hard mode is indeed hard, maybe a bit too much for me (Normal was just right). I don't know if it would be too much to work on, but I feel like the higher difficulty options (particularly Demonic) could be really satisfying if there was something to balance the ultra hard enemies, eg, more powerful/lenient player abilities.
I am thinking to reduce the power down penalty on death. -1 power level or 1/2 your power level.
Weak Boson wrote: That actually reminds me of a question I had, and maybe a suggestion. You're demon friends can take bullets for you, but I'm not quite sure how it works. Is it just that after taking a certain number of hits you lose one? do they recover between stages? does it matter which one of them gets hit?

My suggestion is to give them a bit of invulnerability after they get hit. So they could only be hit at most (idk) once per second or something. I'm guessing they have this to some extent already, but as it stands they can really get chewed up in places, to the point where it feels like using them is just not an option.
They can take 3 bullets each. They are healed by blue hearts and staying near you (nothing to grab or attack or you pull them back with focus fire).
I plan to teach these in a mission mode later.
Weak Boson wrote: Oh, one more thing I wanted to ask: have you considered implementing option formations other than search? Maybe that would change too much, but it could provide some good utility. For example, there are times when you want to use the fast speed but not really the homing attack.
Sure, maybe, when I figure out how best they could be managed and selected.
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guigui
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Re: Demonizer - Mahou Daisakusen & Garegga inspired game out

Post by guigui »

Your game looks very fine, congrats. I'm not even ashamed to be that guy again : Switch version ?
Bravo jolie Ln, tu as trouvé : l'armée de l'air c'est là où on peut te tenir par la main.
Iori Branford
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Re: Demonizer - Mahou Daisakusen & Garegga inspired game out

Post by Iori Branford »

I actually got the kit and started messing with it. I have high hopes, but a port is going to be tough as it requires actual software engineering.
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Re: Demonizer - Mahou Daisakusen & Garegga inspired game out

Post by Iori Branford »

Lunar New Year sale 2/11 - 2/15
https://itch.io/s/45651/lunar-new-year-2021
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1091390

In other news, next update in a couple days, and port progress...
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EmperorIng
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Re: Demonizer - Mahou Daisakusen & Garegga inspired game out

Post by EmperorIng »

I know it's late, but I just want to say that I've followed this game's progress for years now and I am happy that the game is out, it's in peoples' hands (harddrives?) and you've continued to fine-tune it. Best of luck with the port, if that works out! I'll have to give some fuller impressions a little later.
Iori Branford
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Re: Demonizer - Mahou Daisakusen & Garegga inspired game out

Post by Iori Branford »

Version 1.1 is here! We have new playable character Snow and a new Boss Rush game mode.
If you are updating from a previous version, the unlock requirements for the new content are waived, and you'll be able to play them immediately.
https://ioribranford.itch.io/demonizer/ ... -boss-rush
EmperorIng wrote:I know it's late, but I just want to say that I've followed this game's progress for years now and I am happy that the game is out, it's in peoples' hands (harddrives?) and you've continued to fine-tune it. Best of luck with the port, if that works out! I'll have to give some fuller impressions a little later.
Thanks very much, hope you enjoy this update. If you have it on Steam a review is very helpful.
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Re: Demonizer - Mahou Daisakusen & Garegga inspired game out

Post by FRO »

Just a heads up, this is my Shmup Club game for March:

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=62452&start=90

Looking forward to digging into this game in a couple weeks!
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Weak Boson
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Re: Demonizer - Mahou Daisakusen & Garegga inspired game out

Post by Weak Boson »

Great to see more updates for this already amazing game! Snow seems fun and unique from what I've tied to far. The bullet reflection is really different.
Iori Branford
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Re: Demonizer - Mahou Daisakusen & Garegga inspired game out

Post by Iori Branford »

FRO wrote:Just a heads up, this is my Shmup Club game for March:

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=62452&start=90

Looking forward to digging into this game in a couple weeks!
Exciting if a bit nerve-wracking. Hope everyone enjoys it.
Weak Boson wrote:Great to see more updates for this already amazing game! Snow seems fun and unique from what I've tied to far. The bullet reflection is really different.
Good thing I held off releasing until the pushback effect came to me.
When she had everything I planned, something was missing to make her really worth choosing over the main character, and this turned out to be it.
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Re: Demonizer - inspired by Mahou & Garegga - now v1.1

Post by Iori Branford »

RFGeneration have selected Demonizer for their monthly Shmup Club! Visit their forum thread to discuss and participate.

March 2021 Shmup Club - Demonizer

A few words from RFGeneration on their selection:
When shooting games started out in the late 1970's, everything was done by small teams, engineering solutions, designing arcade hardware, and coming up with fun game concepts that were easy to pick up and play, but hard to master. As the 1980's shifted from arcades to home consoles and the market diverged, game design teams grew in size, and games became more complex. With the advent of more powerful arcade hardware and consoles in the 1990's, shooting games became even more complicated, with high production values, and involved scoring systems. Fast forward 25 or 30 years, and shooting games have shifted again, back to smaller design teams, and small indie studios, but often retain higher production values due to more readily available tools for small developers to see their visions come to life. That brings us to game developer Iori Branford, and the recently released, indie shoot-em-up, Demonizer, which takes cues from many 90's shooters, but has a decidedly old-school look and feel.

Join the RF Generation Shmup Club in March 2021, as we take on humanity in Demonizer!
Iori Branford
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Re: Demonizer - inspired by Mahou & Garegga - now v1.1

Post by Iori Branford »

Stopped to reflect on the project. A bunch of thoughts, memories, lessons learned, and future plans.

https://ioribranford.itch.io/demonizer/ ... reflection
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FRO
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Re: Demonizer - inspired by Mahou & Garegga - now v1.1

Post by FRO »

I know I already mentioned it on Twitter, but your blog post was a good read.
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Re: Demonizer - inspired by Mahou & Garegga - now v1.1

Post by soupbones »

Great read - looking forward to the console release.

And thanks for the Barrage Fantasia tip - going to check that out as well!
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Re: Demonizer - inspired by Mahou & Garegga - now v1.1

Post by KennyMan666 »

Demonizer is in the itch.io Bundle for Ukraine right now (along with a lot of other cool things like Zer0Ranger), something I was very glad to see, since I played and liked the demo back when and then never actually bought the full version. Now I'm still gonna wait with actually playing it until the new engine version is out, though.
My 1CCs so I can find the list easier myself
<Despatche> you've been a thorn in the shmups community since the beginning, you're largely responsible for the horrible face of modern speedrunning
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