TATE Astro mini with Batrider, Batsugun, Outzone and more!

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Jonpachi
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Re: TATE Astro mini with Batrider, Batsugun, Outzone and mor

Post by Jonpachi »

Holy hell, Batrider is a tough SOB. Is this Raizing's toughest game?

Even on Tutorial, I'm struggling to manage rank and reach the 3rd boss with much more than a single life left. My hit-box seems HUGE no matter which ship I pick, and I keep clipping bullets it feels like I should have been able to dodge.

Gonna keep at it, but this is HUMBLING coming in off an easy win in Bakraid.
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copy-paster
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Re: TATE Astro mini with Batrider, Batsugun, Outzone and mor

Post by copy-paster »

Try to set the initial rank to minimum at first, this is taken from Batrider Shmups Wiki:
Starting Rank Warning

When Batrider is booted up, it will start with an incredibly high rank value (normal @ 25%, advanced @ 34%, etc) so it is important that you set it to 0% using this method:

Enter Service Mode (either through a test menu on PCB or by dip-switch in emulator).
Leave the cursor over "GAME MODE" and ONLY press START button to initialize the game.
From then on, Normal should be at minimum rank, with the other modes starting at their designated minimum rank percents. Rank starts calculating on the character select screen only (the screen before it immediately starts stage 1).

Extra Credits Warning

Having extra credits/coins inserted means more rank during game play (rank = frame rank + # of credits). Make sure to do your attempts/practice with only a single credit.

Mode Rank Percentages

Normal starts at 25% (with rank reset it begins at 0%)
Advanced starts at 34% (12.5%)
Boss Rush starts at 39% (18.75%)
Extends Rank Increase

If you are at full extends, getting another extend increases rank by about 12.9%
At 2 extends, getting another adds 6%
Getting an extend on the last life raises rank a little over 3%
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Jonpachi
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Re: TATE Astro mini with Batrider, Batsugun, Outzone and mor

Post by Jonpachi »

Wow thanks! I’ll try that!

Follow-up: Looked into it, and there's a "Starting Rank" setting in the DIPs that can be set to "easy." I suppose this is the same thing? Also, is this sort of lowered-rank setting standard among high-level players? Feels weird to mess with defaults.
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Re: TATE Astro mini with Batrider, Batsugun, Outzone and mor

Post by it290 »

I haven't checked the DIPs between the two to see if they're different, but I've been playing a lot of Batrider on MiSTer and some on the Astro City and although I can pretty consistently reach the state 5 boss of Normal course on MiSTer, I'm usually dying in stage 3 or so on the Astro which I think speaks quite a bit to the latency differences between the two...
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Re: TATE Astro mini with Batrider, Batsugun, Outzone and mor

Post by copy-paster »

Jonpachi wrote:Follow-up: Looked into it, and there's a "Starting Rank" setting in the DIPs that can be set to "easy." I suppose this is the same thing? Also, is this sort of lowered-rank setting standard among high-level players? Feels weird to mess with defaults.
High-level plays tend to play with higher rank because they increase HP which usable for milking. I don't think you should be feel bad for doing this START rank mode (this kind secret is something YGW would implement by intent), even high level players from the community recommend to do this for 1CC attempt. But if you feel those are "cheating" then go with "default" rank and keep banging your head over your mindset. It's your call.
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Re: TATE Astro mini with Batrider, Batsugun, Outzone and mor

Post by trap15 »

Jonpachi wrote:Wow thanks! I’ll try that!

Follow-up: Looked into it, and there's a "Starting Rank" setting in the DIPs that can be set to "easy." I suppose this is the same thing? Also, is this sort of lowered-rank setting standard among high-level players? Feels weird to mess with defaults.
That is not the same, no.
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Re: TATE Astro mini with Batrider, Batsugun, Outzone and mor

Post by Jonpachi »

trap15 wrote:
Jonpachi wrote:Wow thanks! I’ll try that!

Follow-up: Looked into it, and there's a "Starting Rank" setting in the DIPs that can be set to "easy." I suppose this is the same thing? Also, is this sort of lowered-rank setting standard among high-level players? Feels weird to mess with defaults.
That is not the same, no.
Hmm... ok. Not sure if there's a way to get into Service Mode on the Mini V then. Any ideas anyone?
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Samildanach
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Re: TATE Astro mini with Batrider, Batsugun, Outzone and mor

Post by Samildanach »

For those looking for new Astro City Mini Control Pads, then try eBay item No: 255551503314 (just copy the number into eBay search engine)

I just bought two pads for £68.84 (for the pair AND p&] from France to Uk) and they appear to be the real deal.
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Re: TATE Astro mini with Batrider, Batsugun, Outzone and mor

Post by MintyTheCat »

Retro Tuna had a nice session last night:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w24EQeMFJfE

I cannot wait to get my controller - it's a bit difficult performing those frantic dodges on the small built-in controller :D

Edit: Lo' & behold: the lazy arsed postman delivered it to my neughbour, and I was at home all day. I have the pad in-hand now : let the serious Shmupping begin!
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Re: TATE Astro mini with Batrider, Batsugun, Outzone and mor

Post by Jonpachi »

Posted this in the random questions thread, so I apologize for the spam, but I really need help to understand what's going on here.

I'm playing on Normal Course and trying NOT to trigger the multiple bosses at the end of Stage 5.

Shmup wiki says:

To trigger more than one boss, these are the requirements:
• Bosses for stage 2/3 - Get a shot special level up.
• Bosses for stage2/4 - Get an option special level up.
• Bosses for stages 2/3/4 - Get both shot and option special level ups.
• Requires a surviving Batrider character for each boss.


I'm not sure I understand what this means. I don't know how to trigger these special level-ups. Also, this means to trigger the level-ups AT the boss for the given stages?

I did this on accident one game and got all three bosses at the end of Stage 5. I tried again and got only Yellow. Super confused here...
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Re: TATE Astro mini with Batrider, Batsugun, Outzone and mor

Post by it290 »

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Re: TATE Astro mini with Batrider, Batsugun, Outzone and mor

Post by MintyTheCat »

I had a good blast last night with the official pad. It is ok but the D-Pad starts to press into the thumb after a while. It would be fine for short to medium length gaming sessions but after that start to be an issue.

My goodness, tatsujin-ou doesn't get any easier :D It has been close to 10 years since I last played it, and what a challenge it can be. It has that 'you against the oncoming horde' feeling, and I had forgotten how many of the zako are programmed to collide with your ship; there's a section after the first boss where lots of zako harass your ship and attempt to ram you. Definitely hard-going, but the sound and graphics are still brilliant.

I remember dogyyuun being more forgiving, but I haven't tried that as yet.

I then gave raiden a good work out, and yes, still polished and a decent challenge.

Bakraid I played after that and got a lot further on one credit than previously using the built-in stick.

Out Zone is pretty decent and reminds me more of a Sci-Fi take on Elemental Master and Undead Line. One of the titles that I had not played before I got my hands on the ASM-V and it should be good fun two-player.

The official SEGA pad really makes it easier to play compared to using the built-in joystick, though, I felt that the built-in buttons felt nicer than the ones on the joypad.

As for slow-down: no, I am not really feeling the effects of it whilst playing to notice, though I haven't tried out some of the other, heavier titles with the pad yet.

Overall, I am quite enjoying this machine. The issue that I have is that the official pads are hard to find and expensive and it kind adds to the price weight in itself.
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Re: TATE Astro mini with Batrider, Batsugun, Outzone and mor

Post by Ghegs »

If you're in Europe you can buy the controllers via Just For Games, they've still got stock left. I just got an extra pad (actually bought via their eBay store) for dedicated Mini V use.
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Re: TATE Astro mini with Batrider, Batsugun, Outzone and mor

Post by it290 »

MintyTheCat wrote:Out Zone is pretty decent and reminds me more of a Sci-Fi take on Elemental Master and Undead Line. One of the titles that I had not played before I got my hands on the ASM-V and it should be good fun two-player.
Out Zone is flat-out brilliant. Genius game design, incredible pixel work, and some of the best music ever found in an arcade game. The only thing I can slightly fault it for is its uneven difficulty—it's consistently pretty easy for the first several stages and then hits a hard spike with the autoscroller section about 2/3 of the way through—but even that part isn't that hard, and the game is so damned fun I can't really complain.
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Re: TATE Astro mini with Batrider, Batsugun, Outzone and mor

Post by Jonpachi »

Checkpoints take a little steam out of Outzone for me. It would feel incredibly modern and snappy without them. Still love the game, but as noted it gets you into a great flow early on and then you hit a bit of a wall and it can feel rather jarring. If I could just carry on, it wouldn't break the momentum so badly.
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Re: TATE Astro mini with Batrider, Batsugun, Outzone and mor

Post by Nugs »

Nugs wrote:Is there anywhere still selling the official controllers at reasonable prices?

If not what pads work with it?

So far I've unsuccesfully tried
-xbox 360 wired
-PS3 Virtua Stick High Grade
-8bitdo arcade stick (wired and wireless)
-egret mini arcade stick
To follow up on this I bought a Mayflash Magic-S Pro 2.
https://www.mayflash.com/product/showproduct.php?id=46

It works with the 8bitdo stick over bluetooth.
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I assume any switch contoller will work the same.

Didn't work with the PS3 or Egret mini stick.
Haven't tested anything else yet.
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Re: TATE Astro mini with Batrider, Batsugun, Outzone and mor

Post by Steven »

I don't know exactly what Uemura-san programmed for Out Zone, but checkpoints and checkpoint recovery is his design philosophy. "No checkpoints = no pattern, and without the pattern you can play in a sloppy manner without learning the game and just stumble through it instead of doing it properly" or something like that. It's in one of his interviews somewhere.
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Re: TATE Astro mini with Batrider, Batsugun, Outzone and mor

Post by heli »

What is this for 1 april joke ?, having more amps to make lag dissapear ?
Does it reboot or not power up ?, no ?, then you dont need it.
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Re: TATE Astro mini with Batrider, Batsugun, Outzone and mor

Post by MintyTheCat »

Ghegs wrote:If you're in Europe you can buy the controllers via Just For Games, they've still got stock left. I just got an extra pad (actually bought via their eBay store) for dedicated Mini V use.
Cheers for that, Ghegs. I shall be away for a bit and hopefully they will still have pads and sticks in-stock when I return.
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Re: TATE Astro mini with Batrider, Batsugun, Outzone and mor

Post by MintyTheCat »

it290 wrote:
MintyTheCat wrote:Out Zone is pretty decent and reminds me more of a Sci-Fi take on Elemental Master and Undead Line. One of the titles that I had not played before I got my hands on the ASM-V and it should be good fun two-player.
Out Zone is flat-out brilliant. Genius game design, incredible pixel work, and some of the best music ever found in an arcade game. The only thing I can slightly fault it for is its uneven difficulty—it's consistently pretty easy for the first several stages and then hits a hard spike with the autoscroller section about 2/3 of the way through—but even that part isn't that hard, and the game is so damned fun I can't really complain.
It's good fun, and played a few similar games in style I am quite looking forward to putting some time into it. If I can just convince someone else to play it with me for some 2P action :)
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Re: TATE Astro mini with Batrider, Batsugun, Outzone and mor

Post by Steven »

Out Zone in multiplayer is

fucking

awesome

I got to play it recently with a friend who has the PCB and we had a lot of fun. We simultaneously game overed in an extremely embarrassing place very early in the game to the same exact thing, though...

Important: unlike lots of other games of this type, you can't walk through the other player, so you have to go around them instead, which can lead to some interesting moments in cramped locations... which is how we died lol
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Re: TATE Astro mini with Batrider, Batsugun, Outzone and mor

Post by lovecraft »

Somebody in Japan may help me to order an item related to the Astro City Mini ?
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Re: TATE Astro mini with Batrider, Batsugun, Outzone and mor

Post by Brian »

Is there a way to display this on the TV in TATE mode? I have my TV flipped, but it seems to only display in horizontal mode on the tv? Surely I must be doing something wrong. Thank you for any guidance!
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Re: TATE Astro mini with Batrider, Batsugun, Outzone and mor

Post by Jonpachi »

Brian wrote:Is there a way to display this on the TV in TATE mode? I have my TV flipped, but it seems to only display in horizontal mode on the tv? Surely I must be doing something wrong. Thank you for any guidance!
Just hit Start to enter Options on the main games list menu, go to Rotation, and BAM!
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Re: TATE Astro mini with Batrider, Batsugun, Outzone and mor

Post by SavagePencil »

can someone remind me how to go back from a game to the menu select :o
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Re: TATE Astro mini with Batrider, Batsugun, Outzone and mor

Post by BrianC »

SavagePencil wrote:can someone remind me how to go back from a game to the menu select :o
Have you tried pressing the two yellow buttons at the same time? That's how it works on the standard Astro City Mini.
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Re: TATE Astro mini with Batrider, Batsugun, Outzone and mor

Post by Brian »

Thanks, Jonpachi! I feel so dumb but much appreciated!
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Re: TATE Astro mini with Batrider, Batsugun, Outzone and mor

Post by SavagePencil »

BrianC wrote:
SavagePencil wrote:can someone remind me how to go back from a game to the menu select :o
Have you tried pressing the two yellow buttons at the same time? That's how it works on the standard Astro City Mini.
Yes and I haven’t been able to get that to work. I’ve been turning it off and on again and that’s wearing thin.
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Re: TATE Astro mini with Batrider, Batsugun, Outzone and mor

Post by Ghegs »

SavagePencil wrote:
BrianC wrote:
SavagePencil wrote:can someone remind me how to go back from a game to the menu select :o
Have you tried pressing the two yellow buttons at the same time? That's how it works on the standard Astro City Mini.
Yes and I haven’t been able to get that to work. I’ve been turning it off and on again and that’s wearing thin.
That is how it works. Credit + Start at the same time brings you to the Pause menu with Save/Load, as well as Reset Game, Return to Menu, and Return to Game.
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Re: TATE Astro mini with Batrider, Batsugun, Outzone and mor

Post by SavagePencil »

Boy was I overthinking it. I was holding start and then pressing credit, for fear of inadvertently entering a credit.
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