ST: Armed Police Batrider (21.7.14 - correct rank info)

[Shepardus]

<snip>

You're right on all the points as far as I know. The number of small shot powerups required for each shot level is also copy-pasted from Garegga and is different in Batrider (I think it's 2, 3, 4 small shot powerups).

Based on my experience playing for score isn't as useful for survival in Batrider as it is in Garegga, since unless you commit suicide or otherwise die down to your last life, picking up extends adds far more to rank than dying decreases it. While I was getting my clear I was trying to no-miss as much as I could like a typical shmup, and just let extends drop unless I was on my last life (or sometimes my second-to-last life if I felt that the massive rank penalty was worth it). Compared to intentionally hovering on your last or second-to-last life, it's a little worse for rank, but it allows more room for error which I think is worth it for a beginner (not that there's much room for error in Batrider either way).

Deciding whether to grab an extend with two lives remaining is always a dilemma, though - do I need the extra life more, or low rank? There are two ways to get the best of both worlds - either don't die at all, or get the special extend (which I managed to do in my clear). Both are difficult but the special extend is more likely if you consciously make an effort for it, so it's worth remembering how to get it just in case you decide to go for it.

<rank stuff>

Huh, interesting. I thought I saw that number at FF before, but assumed I had just misremembered it. The difference is so minuscule unless you're constantly playing for a long time that one has to wonder why Yagawa even bothered, but then again it's not exactly unexpected coming from him. One more detail is that it doesn't matter if you use continues, the rank's affected the same way.

[CloudyMusic]

Just ignore that. It's a copy-paste placeholder and I haven't got round to editing it with the rank data from trap15 yet.
Not that anyone ever bothers to read it in the first place. :V

I READ IT

But sure, no problem.

[trap15]

Maybe you should just remove it, since it's so completely incorrect? Or at least add a big note saying how wrong it is.

[CloudyMusic]

Sorry if this is a bit of a basic question, but can anyone explain precisely what the ship subtypes do? I know the basics of what A/B/C/S mean from a high level, but does (for example) "stronger shot" just mean that you start at (say) Shot level 2 instead of 1 upon each respawn? Or that the maximum powerup level ceiling is higher? Or something else entirely?

[Shepardus]

Stronger shot means you start one power level higher and the maximum power level is also one level higher. Same goes for options.

And for the record, A is strong shot but weak option, B is weak shot but strong option, C is both strong but slow speed, S is both weak but fast speed.

[trap15]

Inspired by ProjectAKo's poking over in the Garegga thread (http://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.ph ... 3#p1130443), I took a look at Batrider's life formula. It's essentially the same, except it's 0x200/512 instead of 0x300/768, and the rank value is not multiplied. This is the same as Bakraid.

[Blinge]

I'm in need of a clarification here. I've had a look through the OP but I can't find it:

Does letting an extend drop off the screen decrease rank?

[Shepardus]

Nope, you just avoid the increase in rank associated with picking up an extend.

[Blinge]

Just had an interesting date with Sobut. (Advanced course)

Instead of the fixed cycle detailed in the guide, the opening attack was interrupted halfway through by the yellow spread, caught me off guard as I was dead centre. This was immediately followed by the dual flaming shot attack down the middle, with the blue shot off to the side.
Or by the guide's definition: The attacks went 1,3, 4A very quickly.

This has happened before but I thought my rank was low enough that she'd be gentle =[
I'd been on one life nearly the whole run after messing up in the early game.
I guess I might have driven rank up by triggering an extend by missing full bomb pickups. Either that or picking up low level medals.

Any idea what caused it? or just a lol Yagawa moment..

edit: also, when triggering an extend by missing full bombs, do they have to be in a row? or can you miss two, pick one up, then miss the next, for example.

[chum]

if I recall right that is not actually rank related, but damage related, like by dealing more damage Sobut skips ahead faster. I can't elaborate more on it but I do remember that this happened to me when I was using strong characters and not weak ones, so just be ready for it, as long as you're on your guard it's easy enough to react to.

special extend works the same as special formations, so you can't pick up bomb in between

[ciox]

It's definitely damage related, you can actually destroy the miniguns in that opening attack with enough firepower and force the attack to end, many don't know this is possible because you get very few chances to do it, either you apply enough firepower during the opening phase or you wait all the way until Sobut times out for another chance to destroy them.

[Blinge]

Cheers guys.
I had just died and recovered only 1 powerup each. Didn't have the charge shot ready when sobut appeared.
So maybe I didn't destroy the cannons as fast as usual.

[leadwing85]

have a question on something pretty minor, but has been bothering me nonetheless; what requirements or circumstances are there to make the blue chopper after the birds in stage 1 not appear? one credit I played it just wasn't there, I tried to recreate it and have had no luck. crazy bug or some crazy hidden dumb thing?

[Shepardus]

Never heard of such a thing before, my guess is it's just a bug, maybe something to do with sprite limitations.

[trap15]

Yeah probably just sprite saturation.

[leadwing85]

Ah yeah, I could understand that. Kinda like on stage 5 in garegga with the 3 large tanks (only 2 coming out if you let a bunch of the small tanks come out)

[max2016]

So I take it the information about the rank in the HG101 article is totally wrong?

[CloudyMusic]

So I take it the information about the rank in the HG101 article is totally wrong?

Yeah, it appears so.