So I played Ikaruga for the first time...

[nosorrow]

necrobump, etc.

Anyone plays the Dreamcast version of Ikaruga using a Saturn pad (through the Total Control adapter)? I tried last night but had a hard time mapping the buttons in a convenient way... I'm starting to wonder whether I should be starting to use the DC stock controller for games like Ikaruga and Mars Matrix, which I intend to play seriously for the first time after all these years.

[LordHypnos]

necrobump, etc.

Anyone plays the Dreamcast version of Ikaruga using a Saturn pad (through the Total Control adapter)? I tried last night but had a hard time mapping the buttons in a convenient way... I'm starting to wonder whether I should be starting to use the DC stock controller for games like Ikaruga and Mars Matrix, which I intend to play seriously for the first time after all these years.

As far as Mars Matrix goes, the default mapping actually works quite nice. R trigger is auto piercing cannon and A is the main button. If you're using auto basic shot, you're playing Mars Matrix wrong. Hell, the arcade doesn't even have a auto for PC, and some of the time I just use A for everything. Ikaruga is a 3 button game, yes? This can be slightly difficult to deal with with the Total Control 3 & saturn pad. Most of the time you're using just shot and reverse polarity though (unless it's dot eater, but then you're still mostly using two buttons. I'd say use a for shot and b for switch polarity. You could also try X for polarity. the X button is less comfortable to push down on but not too bad. As for the 3rd button, I usually use R button or X. See if Ikaruga supports the SAT pad's R button (not all games do). You could try C also, which would be like the arcade, but I tend to find it awkward to use the C button when my main button is A. A final possibility is to map shot to B and then map C and A accordingly, because it's not too hard to go between C and A if the main button is B. This is sort of like what I use for Gunbird 2 (which doesn't support the R and L buttons), another 3 button game (4 with autofire). While GB2 seems to not cooperate fully with the adapter (seems like your sprite moves a lot slower, which is a problem), I found that B for autofire, A for shot / charge attack, C for bomb, and Y for close attack worked pretty excellent just as far as convenience goes. That's a lot more complicated of a weapons system than most on the DC as well (Maybe the Milestone games are more complicated)
Hope this helps.

[kilauea]

How hard is it to map 2 buttons?! Fire / Polarity - hit both for homing shot.
Works better on an arcade stick, or hold the pad like a fighter "overhand right" on buttons.

[nosorrow]

For some reason, B wouldn't change polarity; I mapped A for shot on the Saturn pad via Total Control. I tried with another Saturn controller and it was the same thing. Weird. I ended up playing with both triggers... felt kinda weird at first but it got manageable. Still, A and B would be better. (BTW, for instance, I have no problem playing Border Down with the Saturn pad.)

(I am guilty of playing Mars Matrix wrong: I activated the auto shot/auto piercing commands in the options menu. I'm someone who played shooters from the Saturn era and before, thus I am not familiar with the mechanics of today: I love playing for survival; is it possible to enjoy today's shooters playing for survival? Still, I was mesmerized somehow by Mars Matrix. I also borrowed Giga Wing 2 and haven't had time to sink a lot of time into it, but once again, I am a bit mystified by the mechanics, lol, but that's another topic.)

[LordHypnos]

Ah. must be that the adapter doesn't cooperate perfectly with Ika. That sucks Unfortunately it doesn't have 100% compatibility.

As for MM, I'd just say that the game is hard enough even with autofire, so it's not so much that, or a playing for score thing, for that matter. It's more that the BS has a pretty high rate of fire, so tapping it isn't terribly difficult while moving (for me anyway). The other issue is that you get added lag on the Absorption Barrier Mosquito, which will kick your ass.

There are a few spots where killing enemies slower is more beneficial to chaining, which is mostly where I don't use auto on the PC (That is a playing for score thing), but I find it incredibly difficult to play in MAME when I don't have auto on the PC, so I can understand that part.

I'd recommend trying to use the Basic shot with just the A button though. You might be surprised at how much easier the game is when you can hold down shot button ,rather than having to move your thumb, to suck up bullets in a tight spot, and the rate of fire really does make a difference Not to mention the Saturn controller almost never wears out my thumb when tapping it (nice low action on the buttons). MM is a great game!

EDIT: Never played GW2, but I also favor tapping to fire in regular GW for mostly the same reasons. I tend to like fewer buttons when it isn't significantly harder.

[nosorrow]

I believe you are correct: the Total Control (yeah, right ) isn't totally compatible with Ikaruga. I'll try with the standard controller and see what I can manage.

I'd recommend trying to use the Basic shot with just the A button though. You might be surprised at how much easier the game is when you can hold down shot button ,rather than having to move your thumb, to suck up bullets in a tight spot, and the rate of fire really does make a difference Not to mention the Saturn controller almost never wears out my thumb when tapping it (nice low action on the buttons). MM is a great game!

Ok, I got it... I think. I started using that little whirlwind thingy to absorb bullets and it feels great! However, I don't know if you're supposed to hold it until the gauge is empty? Also, the basic shot is powerful enough and it feels almost like an intermittent auto fire (not unlike UN Squadron, but more powerful/"compact"). Anyhow, I haven't felt a rush like that playing a shooter since Radiant Silvergun. Can't wait to play some more.

[LordHypnos]

I believe you are correct: the Total Control (yeah, right ) isn't totally compatible with Ikaruga. I'll try with the standard controller and see what I can manage.

This is what I ended up doing with GB2. I feel much less in control with the DC d-pad, but it's not so bad, I guess

Ok, I got it... I think. I started using that little whirlwind thingy to absorb bullets and it feels great! However, I don't know if you're supposed to hold it until the gauge is empty? Also, the basic shot is powerful enough and it feels almost like an intermittent auto fire (not unlike UN Squadron, but more powerful/"compact").

Yeah, so the Absorption Barrier Mosquito (AKA whirlwind thing I kinda like that name) can be a bit tricky to figure out and master, however it's totally worth it. The way it works is that you start sucking up bullets starting from when you start holding down on the button, and you also start depleting the gauge. The gauge takes longer to recharge the more depleted it is. If you deplete the gauge all the way, you activate the Gravity Hole Bomb (GHB). If you don't go all the way to the GHB you can aim the bullets and release to fire them back, if you do activate the GHB, all the bullets get sucked up and you do quite a bit less damage (than you would by spitting their bullets back) to enemies within a radius around you.
It's not generally something you do on purpose, but there are a few parts where clearing the screen of bullets is helpful enough to justify the longer recharge time.
Note, also, that the mosquito functions as a fairly powerful melee attack while you're using it.
Essentially, it's a more flexible version of the Giga Wang Reflect Force

In general, playing for survival, you want to use as little of the gauge as possible, and abuse that invincibility plus the temporary split second of invincibility that you get afterward, though there are a good number of places where this is not true, I suppose. But that skill is essential to figure out.
Playing for score, I think there's only one spot where you want to use the GHB, and everywhere else you want to use the ABM to reflect bullets. A lot of the time, though, you want to use up a bit more of the gauge, because all of those bullets that you spit out that hit something get converted into gold cubes

Anyhow, I haven't felt a rush like that playing a shooter since Radiant Silvergun. Can't wait to play some more.

Yeah, the game is seriously intense and awesome

Also, just as a disclaimer: I can't make it past the stage 4 boss yet This game is hard, and I'm kinda a n00b (albeit one who is enthusiastic about playing Mars Matrix both for score and survival).
Also: sorry for the giant block of text

One final thing, just because I just thought of it: Make sure the Total Control is set for the controller mode rather than the twin stick mode, there's a switch with confusing icons on it.

[nosorrow]

Very informative post Lord Hypnos (check your PMs!).

I will have to check on the Total Control if I pressed the right nub; that could be the answer because I seem to recall it working with Ikaruga when I purchased the device last fall. (Didn't do it last night because I played some MM and GW 2 instead.