GD: Death Smiles

[riffbear]

Can you just go into this game with the attitude of SHOOT ANYTHING that moves?

Ive never gotten into the loops etc etc I just cannot grasp that stuff.
Only game i got into a bit more was Radirgy with the points system.
Every other game i just wanna get as far as possible.

Am i missing out on allot more fun in JUST doing this?

[SAM]

Can you just go into this game with the attitude of SHOOT ANYTHING that moves?

Ive never gotten into the loops etc etc I just cannot grasp that stuff.
Only game i got into a bit more was Radirgy with the points system.
Every other game i just wanna get as far as possible.

Am i missing out on allot more fun in JUST doing this?

Well, there is no problem for just getting as far as possible. But when you can get to the end i.e. clear it, in a single credit.

You either get onto the next game or try to score higher.

[riffbear]

Can you just go into this game with the attitude of SHOOT ANYTHING that moves?

Ive never gotten into the loops etc etc I just cannot grasp that stuff.
Only game i got into a bit more was Radirgy with the points system.
Every other game i just wanna get as far as possible.

Am i missing out on allot more fun in JUST doing this?

Well, there is no problem for just getting as far as possible. But when you can get to the end i.e. clear it, in a single credit.

You either get onto the next game or try to score higher.

Cool. I never use more than 1 credit.

[fuse]

Hopefully a nice straightforward one - does the base multiplier drop at all on a life lost (or any other event)?

Just to make sure I'm clear on this, if you sit with the item counter at 1000 you will get crowns but it's still dependant on using the right shot type, but if you fever enough to get your base up to 10,000 you will get gold crowns from everything independant of what type you use?

(thanks for the awesome guide btw <3)

[Doctor Fugue]

I can only manage 98 million while doing all rank 2 (no canyon and no recharge).

What will provide the largest increase in points: learning the EX map, doing all rank 3 and eating suicide bullets early, or trying to perfect the recharge?

[Chi_Ryu]

I can only manage 98 million while doing all rank 2 (no canyon and no recharge).

What will provide the largest increase in points: learning the EX map, doing all rank 3 and eating suicide bullets early, or trying to perfect the recharge?

Perfecting the recharge, then learning the EX map (since the recharge doesn't result in a massive ramping up of difficulty, whereas entering death mode or death mode 2 does ). Don't forget you can do 4 stages at rank level 3 without entering death mode - the volcano (as one example) gives shedloads more points on rank level 3.

One final note: when in power-up mode (but NOT in normal mode), it is beneficial to let items hit the floor and break to their smallest values once the points counter is above +500 (since the amount added to the points counter is not related to the item type, only your points counter). I still can't quite do this right :{

does the base multiplier drop at all on a life lost (or any other event)?

In vanilla DeathSmiles, the base multiplier drops when you exit power-up mode (the one whn you press both shot together at 1,000 item counter), or if you lose a life. Bombing has no effect, neither (IIRC correctly) does losing a half-block of life (though remember that losing a half-block of life when you only have half a block of your current life left counts as losing a full life).

Thus, if you are sitting with a item counter at 1,000, you'll very soon rack up and sit at a points counter of +10,000. Don't die and it'll stay that way.

Most of the superplays do this for the castle stage (since in vanilla DS cancelling suicide bullets adds the points multiplier to your score - something removed in MegaBlack, btw), and blowing one last fever at the end of Jitterbug or Tyrranosatan for many million in one go!

Using the right shot on enemies has two effects: the number of skulls dropped and the value of skulls dropped (medium sized [i.e. crown tiaras] for the right ones, small [i.e. skull rings] for the wrong, and using lock-shot on certain enemies (e.g. pig chefs) releases many more crowns). When you have an item counter of 1,000 the default skulls are the golden crowns - only the number of crowns generated matters.

Also: EOJ's awesome strat guide over at Cave-STG has lots of info.

[BulletMagnet]

In vanilla DeathSmiles, the base multiplier drops when you exit power-up mode (the one whn you press both shot together at 1,000 item counter), or if you lose a life. Bombing has no effect, neither (IIRC correctly) does losing a half-block of life (though remember that losing a half-block of life when you only have half a block of your current life left counts as losing a full life).

Thus, if you are sitting with a item counter at 1,000, you'll very soon rack up and sit at a points counter of +10,000. Don't die and it'll stay that way.

I think that this is the part of the scoring system that I still don't "get" - since the "plus" value resets every time "power up" mode ends, how exactly do you "save" it? I've been missing something, and I don't know what it is...

[Chi_Ryu]

I think that this is the part of the scoring system that I still don't "get" - since the "plus" value resets every time "power up" mode ends, how exactly do you "save" it? I've been missing something, and I don't know what it is...

The (only) answer: Don't ever go into power-up mode! There is no way to enter power-up mode and retain the points counter - it always resets to zero at the end of power-up mode.

[BulletMagnet]

...so for optimal scoring you want to play without using power-up mode? That can't be right...

[Chi_Ryu]

...so for optimal scoring you want to play without using power-up mode? That can't be right...

No. You would *only* do this when the number of suicide bullets outweighs the extra items you get from enemies killed in power-up mode (Remember, with a maxed out points counter, each suicide bullet absorbed is worth 10,000 points, and there can be a lot of 'em).

i.e. this is only a viable tactic on the Castle (and possibly the EX stage too - I don't know). It should be noted that, obviously, this *only* works if you have suicide bullets (and works best if you are in Death mode 2 - i.e. played all stages at level 3 and completed the extra stage).

Otherwise you have to live with having the counter reset after each power-up mode. Not a big problem since the counter maxes at 10,000 (in MBL it is 100,000 and so would be more of a big deal).

[Gwyrgyn Blood]

Otherwise you have to live with having the counter reset after each power-up mode. Not a big problem since the counter maxes at 10,000 (in MBL it is 100,000 and so would be more of a big deal).

But your counter doesn't reset at all in MBL so it's not a deal at all. Also in MBL, Suicide bullets are only worth 1~1000 points each in Normal mode, and only 1/10 your counter in Powerup mode, so they are worth very little in comparison to regular DS.

[Chi_Ryu]

But your counter doesn't reset at all in MBL so it's not a deal at all. Also in MBL, Suicide bullets are only worth 1~1000 points each in Normal mode, and only 1/10 your counter in Powerup mode, so they are worth very little in comparison to regular DS.

True, but it still takes several stages (at least) to max out the counter in MBL! The point I was making is that it's comparatively easy to max out the points counter in a single power-up session in vanilla DS.

[spadgy]

Ah, cool. I'll give the stage select a try tonight after work.

Is it left and right? Because up and down select the Rank.

Yes, it's left and right.

Although you are allowed to pick level 1 or 2 as many times as you like in 360 mode, it is not advisable even if you just want to clear the game in a single credit.

As you would need the extra bonus lifes in 2-2 & 2-3, as well as the scores to earn two extends. Remember each extra life comes with three extra bombs.

Hey SAM - I'm literally right at the start of learning this game, so could you clarify the above? What effect does picking lvl 1 or lvl 2 have on the later game?

Thanks!

[msm]

^ i'm not sure on the exact details, but of the first 6 small stages where you choose the order, the 4th and 6th stages will have an item (bomb or health - depends on the stage and rank you choose) if played on rank 2 or 3 but nothing at rank 1. but you probably don't want to pick all rank 3 as that kicks off some sort of crazy mode later on or something good luck!

[spadgy]

^ i'm not sure on the exact details, but of the first 6 small stages where you choose the order, the 4th and 6th stages will have an item (bomb or health - depends on the stage and rank you choose) if played on rank 2 or 3 but nothing at rank 1. but you probably don't want to pick all rank 3 as that kicks off some sort of crazy mode later on or something good luck!

You're helping me everywhere msm (just spotted you advice about JPN XBL accounts!). thanks again. That makes some kind of sense. I'll have to explore the game later tonight.

So - in general it's best to avoid doing anything on lvl 1?

And (sorry - another question) obviously in the PCB version, you can only choose two of the first six stages on lvl's 1 or 2. Does applying this rule to the 360 Version dictate the bonus' as described in msm's explanation above?

Thanks!

[msm]

i think the only difference between 360 and arcade modes is the thing about being able to select rank 1/2 as much as you want (and the slowdown and graphics) but everything else is the same - which includes the bonus items you get.

just spotted you advice about JPN XBL accounts!). thanks again.

i don't even remember that, wow i am helpful!

[spadgy]

Sorry - what I actually meant is this; do you have to limit your use of lvl 1 or 2 to just two times in Xbox mode to get the power-up items as described?

Your initial description was very useful msm, but it seemed to suggest you just had to always use lvl 2 or 3, and not 1. Meanwhile, in the first post of this thread and elsewhere, it seems to suggest you can use 1 or 2 just twice, and lvl 3 the other four times on the PCB version, which I though might dictate what you got as power-up sin the 360 version...

[msm]

sorry yeah i wasn't that clear, i think it's only for the stages with items (4 and 6, or 2-2 and 3-2, whatever you want to call them) that it matters what rank you select (only for the bomb/health pick ups - not sure about any other stuff) and you can select whatever rank you want for the other stages, i'm not 100% sure about this though

[Taylor]

In Mega Black Label people are building up their counter to almost full during the boss. How do you do this? I hit the buttons funny and sometimes the counter increases, but I'm not sure what I'm supposed to be doing.

[nZero]

Overlap the boss with your option and counter increases

[Chi_Ryu]

In Mega Black Label people are building up their counter to almost full during the boss. How do you do this? I hit the buttons funny and sometimes the counter increases, but I'm not sure what I'm supposed to be doing.

When your option(s) overlap the boss, you get counter items. For each character, one shot type builds the counter fast (as in many items per second), and the other slow (as in 1 item per second). Which way round it is (i.e. whether it is hold-shot which is fast, or tap-shot) depends on the character you are using.

[Taylor]

Ah, that makes sense. Cheers.

[dmauro]

I've been trying EOJ's trick of getting recharged in the volcano, but it never works for me. The bomb just doesn't kill the green flying eyeballs. Any other tips?

[Taylor]

Are you definitely facing the right way?

[bcass]

Could someone please provide all the details relating to MBL?

[Ravid]

Could someone please provide all the details relating to MBL?

'All' the details? You can find some info here; I can probably answer any specific questions you might have.

[bcass]

Cheers, that should do me for now.

[laurie47]

Could anyone point me in the right direction for a general guide on this game.
The differences between xbox and 1.1 mode etc.
I think I get most of it but am a little unsure about other things.
Enjoying the game immensely non the less.

[bcass]

Maybe GaijinPunch could update the first post to include the MBL details from cave-stg.com and any other details that are relevant (like the differences in the 360 modes)? I think there are gonna be a lot more people interested in this stuff now the 360 version is out, and it would be nice to have everything in one place.

[Ravid]

I might be tempted to write some sort of mini ST for MBL if anyone's interested. My knowledge is far from complete, especially on character-specific stuff (except Windia) and technical details like the exact amount pickups are worth, but I know enough to give some coverage of the key facts and scoring techniques.