Mars Matrix (new thread)

[third_strike]

Go on guys, the stage 4 (mainly the boss) was one great trouble to me any time ago. But is possible beat this stage after a couple of training. One tip in boss 4: memorize all movements this bitch.

[Kollision]

I just checked a recording I made for this game, so here's my strategy for the 4th boss with Mosquito 1:

1. When he arrives and before he shoots, pierce-cannon him a few times.
2. On his 1st whip attack, absorb and explode over him.
3. Dodge the remaining of the whip attacks in the bottom of the screen from side to side, keeping close to the central bullet stream (where the spreads are slower).
4. As soon as reflect is available he'll start shooting the bullet cloud. Absorb and explode again.
5. Dodge the rest of the bullets, more or less across his centerline.
6. As soon as reflect is available again absorb and explode.
7. He should de dead or almost dead by now.

[CptRansom]

I just checked a recording I made for this game, so here's my strategy for the 4th boss with Mosquito 1:

1. When he arrives and before he shoots, pierce-cannon him a few times.
2. On his 1st whip attack, absorb and explode over him.
3. Dodge the remaining of the whip attacks in the bottom of the screen from side to side, keeping close to the central bullet stream (where the spreads are slower).
4. As soon as reflect is available he'll start shooting the bullet cloud. Absorb and explode again.
5. Dodge the rest of the bullets, more or less across his centerline.
6. As soon as reflect is available again absorb and explode.
7. He should de dead or almost dead by now.

This is exactly, word-for-word, how I fight it. I die by either A) slipping up in dodging the "whiplash" attack or B) fucking up the second phase with the seemingly-random bullet spam after I absorb/explode. If I make it to the last phase, it's over. Thanks for the words of encouragement. Hopefully I can post a Ransom - 2 - 5 sometime in the next few days!

Anyways...

111,621,793,980 - 1,160,191 - Ransom - 2 - 4

EDIT: Finally. Started stage 4 with only one extra life, got the 1up, died on the battleship, died against the boss, then killed it... then stupidly died on stage 5 because I let nerves get me. OH WELL FINALLY. (Exp is testament to how bad this run was)

118,614,623,530 - 957,644 - Ransom - 2 - 5

Stage 5 boss? Don't mind if I do!

163,489,380,200 - 1,206,256 - Ransom - 2 - 5

[infamas]

Excellent work CaptainRanson. This my last week of school, so I won't get much play time until this weekend. Good luck, and I'm sure you'll get to stage 6 in the next day or two.

[CptRansom]

For sure. I've almost got the stage 5 boss's attacks down solid. The stage itself is really simple as long as I don't get cocky (seriously, SO much bullet-cancelling). It's kinda funny - you're waiting until school gets OUT to play, and I'm trying to FINISH it before school gets out for me on June 10th. Got halfway through stage five with 134 billion on my first and only credit played at random today. I'm pretty stoked that I can now do this somewhat consistently. PRACTICE IS AWESOME.

[infamas]

I'm not at all consistently getting to stage 4 with enough lives consistently yet. Practice practice...

[CptRansom]

I'm not at all consistently getting to stage 4 with enough lives consistently yet. Practice practice...

Basically, my runs go like this now...

Stage 1: 3.2-3.8(!) billion and 240k-315k exp. Easy enough.
Stage 2: I chain the very beginning for a little over +300. Then I just survive until the big turret and the terrain cubes, where I usually end up with another +300-+400 chain. Then another +350-+400 chain with the big green ships before the boss. Not great for scoring, but oh well. I finish stage 2 now with 390k-430k exp.
Stage 3: I get a +200-ish chain at the very beginning of the stage. After that, I just survive. I do sweeps across the screen, focusing on the "laser" turrets and big green ships FIRST. Tap-reflecting goes a long way to consistent survival for me. After the first big turret on the right opens up with that three-way splatter shot, I typically just GHB for the second one (I've died too many times there in the past). PL the two green ships on the sides, PL the middle ship, and then immediately work on the waterfall (I absorb the spray from the last little red ship and reflect it for a +50 cube - I typically get +600-+1100 from the waterfall depending on how early I can get to it). I usually end the stage with 750k-900k exp (huge range, I know - depends on waterfall).
Stage 4: I wish there was an easy way to describe survival on this stage... I start off with regular shots and sweep the screen while I'm invulnerable for the first wave. I start on the right and sweep to the left with the second wave, tap reflecting if necessary. I quickly alternate between PLing the turrets that shoot the three-way shots and shooting the lone ships that fly down (I hope that makes sense). I repeat this strategy for the second gunship, with the addition of a GHB about halfway through. Stay on the right and shoot the lone ships that come down while you dodge the super-easy patterns from the gunship. After the second gunship is almost off-screen, start from the right and slowly sweep left to take out the four ships, then quickly get back to the right and shoot the last two before the midboss. I PL the boss while staying slightly to the right of its fire, then MS the entire second phase for a +300 chain and 1up. If I time it right, I can keep the chain going by quickly jumping to the bottom left and just hammering on the fire button for the green ships while I tap-dodge through the patterns. Once the ships start to come from the top-right, I stay at the bottom of the screen and just periodically tap-dodge to the right (tap-reflect if you need to - save the GHB) and then up the right side of the screen until the long streams of ships come through. At that point, MS until GHB, dodge the easy shit after that, and you're at the battleship. I PL the battleship for points as it goes up the screen, take out the left booster on the way down, move to right booster and turret, take out left turret, move to middle and MS that part of it for about +200, take out the far right turret, then the far left. PL the next left turret until it breaks (you'll have to dodge ONE quick wave of pink). Quickly move to the middle (I fucking HATE this part) and PL from the bottom-center of the turret. I almost ALWAYS die once here (Seriously, I hate this part). Once it shoots the first pink stream, MS and reflect at point-blank then haul ass to the bottom left corner of the screen and just VERY slowly tap-dodge until your MS recharges and do it again to finish it (or if you're like me, just die and then immediately MS the middle again to finish it off). Take out the far right turret ASAP from directly beneath it (if you're not under it, the streams it shoots are VERY difficult to dodge). Collect the +50 cube, and just enjoy getting a super-easy +500 or more stream from the middle fountain. For the boss, I do exactly what Kollision described earlier (just be careful with Mosquito 2 since the gaps in the whiplash attack are small, and it's really easy to just ram yourself into a bullet). I usually finish with 950k-1.1M exp now (I've beaten it four times just since last night).
Stage 5: Shoot shit. Bullet-cancelling robots are awesome. Don't die. I'll write up a fellow-newbie-friendly boss strategy when I'm comfortable enough to make one!

I'm scoring at LEAST 100-110bil with each run now. I played three credits during lunch and got 157, 111, and 142. I don't know wtf happened to me in the last 24 hours, but I'm not complaining.

Sorry for the huge wall-of-text. I've got FRAPS working on my computer, but every time I try to record, it drops the frame-rate to an unacceptable level of choppiness (on replays, I don't even BOTHER trying to record while playing), so I can't get a video up just yet. If anyone wants to share their FRAPS settings with me via PM (whatever works for you - I'll take any advice), I'll be happy to try and record a decent "Stages 1-4 for People Who Cannot Counter-Stop Mars Matrix" video guide.

Save state practice on the battleship made a HUGE difference for me. I seriously never die more than once anymore on that section. I'm looking forward to a stage 5 score from you soon, sir. Our scores aren't comparable (MAME vs DC), but the exp count says you're doing better than I am in that department!

[CptRansom]

Okay. Recorded a pretty average run and put it on YouTube. I apologize for the quality ahead of time. This is the first time I've ever actually recorded gameplay and put it online, so I really don't know what the fuck I'm doing. I fell apart HARD at the end of stage 4. Death in stage 2 was hilarious and I almost died a second time right after from laughing so hard.

Part 1 (st1-2): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiOo5dmXVB0

Part 2 (st3-4): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4B7gxry1t0

[infamas]

I haven't stopped yet! My work is pretty much done for a bit and I plan on playing a lot over the next week.

Played a few last night and have been practicing stage 4. The boss isn't too bad, I just need to get better at dodging that second phase. The third phase is pretty much inconsequential, as the only thing to do there is just a big absorb and then maybe piercing cannon a few times to finish the boss off.

I'm also getting better at the post-midboss part of the stage and the battleship. I find, for the post-midboss madness, that wandering all over the screen with tap-MS absorbing seems to be the most effective way for me. Staying in the corners where the green ships come out seems to be hard for me.

Stage 5 seems like a hell of a lot of fun. I hope your aware of the second to last "car" on the boss: you dont have to move. Your hitbox is small enough to fit in the gap of the aimed shots.

Hopefully I'll be posting a stage 5 score soon, though it might be lower than the 250 bill one I posted already.

Am I crazy in thinking the 4th stage boss looks exactly like a Leatherman?

EDIT: I just watched your video. Wow, amazing how differently we handle certain parts of stages. I wish I could post a replay of how I do things...maybe I should just use MAME? The auto-piercing cannon is so nice though...

[CptRansom]

I improvised in that video a LOT. I died in some REALLY stupid places that forced me to switch up my normal strategy. I'm kind of irritated... I've barely been able to break 100 bil (let alone beat st4) this week since I put up that replay. Don't know what's wrong with me. I sincerely doubt I'm going to reach my goal of a 1CC by June 10th though. Oh well, just gotta keep going!

[infamas]

Honestly, I have some days where I just do horrendously bad and die a lot in early stages, and some days where I can cruise through the first 3 stages without so much as a hiccup. I guess that's how these games work...

[CptRansom]

Finally got a decent run in (for some reason stage 3 is suddenly giving me a ton of issues - I think I'm being too aggressive). FINALLY. Only a very slight improvement though. I'll take what I can get. Time to practice stage 5 boss for a few hours.

170,889,603,010 - 1,210,889 - Ransom - 2 - 5

[infamas]

I have been playing the 5th stage a bit, and there a couple of ways to make the boss quite simple:

First off, a MS absorb will kill any car but the last.

The first car is easy, don't bother MSing that one

The second car can be MSed

The third car has a blind spot: Bottom of the screen, just slightly left of center. Nothing will hit you there. try it a few times to check where it is

The fourth car: the first part is easily taken care of, and the second part has a blind spot. your hitbox fits right in between the two beams of the aimed shot

The fifth and final car is yet another you actually must fight. MS, dodge, MS, and maybe a bit PC and it will be destoryed.

Hope this helps.

[CptRansom]

Yeah, the only part of it that gives me any trouble now is the last car. Didn't know about the blind spot, thanks!

In other news, fuck stage 6. After about two hours of practice, I finally got there on a scoring run and made it halfway through. New score--pretty nice increase.

255,104,837,160 - 1,326,182 - Ransom - 2 - 6

I just might get that 1cc by Thursday night after all.

[infamas]

In the words of the Donpachi announcer:

"Keep it up!"

[CptRansom]

In the words of the Donpachi announcer:

"Keep it up!"

"Just a couple more shots!"

Final stage boss, first form. At least now I have a save state I can practice it from. This thing is a BITCH. If I can get to stage six with three extra lives and then only die once in stage six, I think I can 1cc it without a shitload of practice. Perhaps a 300bil score is incoming?

266,495,369,920 - 1,252,905 - Ransom - 2 - 6

Okay, got the first, second, and fourth forms down. The safe spot in the third form doesn't really seem to be working too well for me. Sometimes I can nail all the drones, and sometimes I can't.

[infamas]

I got to stage 5!! Holy crap I'm so happy.

My score was worse than the one I posted earlier, so I'm not bothering with that. Managed to squeeze by the 4th stage boss with only one extra life!

This is my first real manic shooting game and I hope for it to be my first 1cc. I should rest for a bit...I've been playing for at least 4 hours today...

[CptRansom]

Nice dude! Yeah, I usually play for about 2-6 hours a night (with some exceptions when I just can't play at all), but I have to take breaks every 30 minutes or so or I get totally burned out. Stage 5 is super-easy to survive, practice it a bit and you should be on 6 in no time!

The third form of the last boss is going to make me break something. I've watched Ruldra's safe spot video 50 times and I just CANNOT do it consistently. This is driving me completely up a wall. No-missed to stage 6(!), died three times in the stage, and twice against the third form of the boss. Fucking ridiculous. This is the last thing standing in my way. /backtopractice

Forgot to post my score:

284,505,780,410 - 1,364,159 - Ransom - 2 - 6

[infamas]

I was a little disapointed to find out my stage 5 score didn't get autosaved...so I played and got a new high score and made it to stage 5:

291,159,578,880 - infamas - 989,613 - 2 - 5

Also, I made it to the stage 4 boss with 3 extra lives and lost all of them. I almost managed to get to the stage 5 boss, but had a stupid death that ended it.

[CptRansom]

Nice progress, sir!

I've got everything down. I can typically no-miss up until the battleship on st4 or the st4 boss. Even then, I don't die half the time. Then I keep fucking up stage 5 or the boss and dying, then I fall apart in stage 6 despite practicing it for HOURS over the last few days and being able to get through it only losing one life. This is driving me nuts. I've got everything down-pat in practice, but every time I go for a full run, something gets messed up. All part of the learning experience, I suppose. It's still frustrating, though.

Update:

287,520,896,670 - 1,336,621 - Ransom - 2 - 6

SIGH.

[blotto]

Arcade (US): 10,696,754,530 - 168252 - blotto - 2 - 3

[infamas]

Made it to the stage 5 boss with no lives...stupid fucking missile from the green ships the first car shoots out got me right when I blew up the car...grrr.

357,771,546,340 - infamas - 1,049,908 - 2 - 5

[CptRansom]

WOOT.



315,278,040,110 - 1,415,776 - Ransom - 2 - ALL

Compressing and uploading videos of replay right now. Will post links when they're done. =)

Huge thanks to everyone who helped me out and encouraged me along the way!!

[third_strike]

You seek you get, this can't come of other way!
Congratulations man!

[CptRansom]

Thanks!

Replay:
Stages 1-2
Stages 3-4
Stages 5-6-Staff Roll

Oddly enough, this wasn't even close to my best playing on -ANY- stage, yet it somehow came together pretty well. I've got a ton of room for improvement: I don't bother chaining except in small bursts like the waterfall in 3; I don't use the PL enough; I GHB too often; I stay at the bottom of the screen too much sometimes. If you guys want to nit-pick it further, then by all means go for it: I could use the advice from people who are more experienced than I am.

This was the first shmup I actually worked at methodically instead of just blasting away in full runs and hoping for the best. I tried to apply the techniques from the "How to Practice" thread in Strategy as best I could, and as a learning experience... I learned how to learn; it's a great feeling.

[infamas]

Congratulations Ransom! You made your deadline. Excellent work. I probably won't see a clear for at least a week or so...I'm going home for a week and won't be bringing my dreamcast.

EDIT: I actually watched your replay. Quite awesome! I'm still amazed that you don't really use the MS at all in the part of stage 4 after the midboss. Oh, and there is definitely a better place to stay when the big central gun on the battle ship starts firing after the first MS. Its in the lower left-ish corner.

[CptRansom]

The way I do it works for me 90% of the time. I just happened to trap myself on that run like a moron! =D Thanks! I STRONGLY suggest you practice the hell out of stage 6 before you attempt a clear. It's VERY tricky.

[infamas]

Slight improvement, still haven't seen the 6th stage.

391,155,723,120 - infamas - 1,286,209 - 2 - 5

[infamas]

Oh man, I got to stage 6. I managed to enter stage 6 with 2 extra lives. I no missed stage 5 which was pretty awesome, and lost two lives in stage 4 (once after midboss, once on the boss). If I had practiced stage 6 a little more, I could have easily gotten to the boss.

548,863,905,800 - 1,119,421 - infamas - 2 - 6

Ransom - I don't think stage 6 is really that hard. It seems to be just somewhat carefully planned constant use of the tapping MS technique. The only tricky part are those turrets that spew tons of bullets, but even those don't seem too hard to handle. Though I guess if it is so easy, I should probably beat it soon then, huh? hehe.

1cc here I come.

EDIT: First 1cc ever here i come.

[CptRansom]

Ransom - I don't think stage 6 is really that hard. It seems to be just somewhat carefully planned constant use of the tapping MS technique. The only tricky part are those turrets that spew tons of bullets, but even those don't seem too hard to handle. Though I guess if it is so easy, I should probably beat it soon then, huh? hehe.

I think the only parts that really gave me trouble were those turrets. The rest of the stage with the looping blue enemies that look like they're spewing out tons of crap... super-easy. Tap left, tap left, tap left, quick reflect, tap right, tap right, tap right, quick reflect. The turrets are easily dealt with via MS and then quickly getting to the other one for a couple PLs. GHB is definitely NOT the way to go for those things, and that took me forever to figure out because I'm retarded. =D

Do you have any way of practicing the final boss? The first phase is kind of a bitch, and the third phase is VERY difficult until you figure out the safe spot. Good luck, sir!