Flying continents / islands in Shooters.

ST Dragon · Post by **ST Dragon** » Mon Dec 05, 2005 10:57 pm

Flying continents / islands in Shooters.

I noticed in some Shoot Em Ups, there are levels with whole flying continents or islands floating into the sky!

For instance in RayForce - Level 3 / The Phantasm of Silver, immediately after you descend into the earth’s atmosphere, you encounter huge pieces of rock linked together with steel wires, while levitating many miles in the sky.
Some of which have vegetation & even water, floating downwards to the main land bellow.
It’s not evident of how they actually levitate into the sky though.

A similar huge continent can be seen in the Capcom’s vertical shooter, Varth.
In this case however, the huge island is kept in flight using a gigantic propeller, which can be shot down during the Boss fight that follows.

Similar small pieces of flying rock can be seen in the 1st vertical stage of Axelay, but again it’s not very evident of how they’re actually kept into flight.

So what’s the deal with these flying pieces of rock in shooters?
I really don’t understand what they’re supposed to be or what purpose they serve in their story lines?
In what other shooters can you see similar flying islands?
Even in the technologically advanced worlds seen in shooters, I don’t see how you could keep continents into mid air!?

The only similar, huge flying objects that I’ve seen, but thought they were kind of cool, were the flying Cities / Citadels of the Hawk-Men in Flash Gordon animated series.
But at least in those, their means of levitation were evident.

Stormwatch · Post by **Stormwatch** » Mon Dec 05, 2005 11:04 pm

Simple: they do floating continents because parallax effects look cool.

AWJ · Post by **AWJ** » Mon Dec 05, 2005 11:39 pm

Castle in the Sky. The guys designing games in Japan in the 90s all watched it as kids in the 80s and it evidently left a big impression on them. You could write a book just listing all the Castle in the Sky (and Nausicaa) riffs in video games...

iatneH · Post by **iatneH** » Tue Dec 06, 2005 3:15 am

I LOVE flying islands! They're so charming and magical...

The ones in Progear are beautiful. I wish I lived on one with a beautiful maiden who would make me perfect mashed potatoes for me after a long day of flying and tending to my magical gardens...

Dylan1CC · Post by **Dylan1CC** » Tue Dec 06, 2005 3:54 am

Hiyao Miyazaki influence in shmups, recent thread and an enjoyable read I might add:

http://67.15.157.9/~forums/forum/viewto ... a3aea1c3bb

iatneH wrote:I LOVE flying islands! They're so charming and magical...

The ones in Progear are beautiful. I wish I lived on one with a beautiful maiden who would make me perfect mashed potatoes for me after a long day of flying and tending to my magical gardens...

If you read the newspapers in the background on Progear's title screen it says "A tale of adventure in Laputa" with a picture of the floating island which is the game's final stage.

iatneH · Post by **iatneH** » Tue Dec 06, 2005 4:34 am

Ah, now that you mention it, I do remember seeing that blurb in the Progear newspaper.

I think I'll retire there with Rivet....what a lady!

Plasmo · Post by **Plasmo** » Tue Dec 06, 2005 2:37 pm

In Giga Wing there are awesome flying islands with propellors!!

Randorama · Post by **Randorama** » Tue Dec 06, 2005 2:47 pm

Thanks to Dylan for posting the link to my thread

Post by **undamned** » Tue Dec 06, 2005 5:13 pm

Star Parodier!
-ud

Andi · Post by **Andi** » Tue Dec 06, 2005 5:50 pm

Stormwatch wrote:Simple: they do floating continents because parallax effects look cool.

Well said. And what other cool scenery can you show in the sky? Interestingly shaped clouds?