What should one call a "slow down" button?

Xonatron · Post by **Xonatron** » Fri Sep 11, 2015 9:54 pm

In a shmup game where you can press a button to slow down your ship's speed, to navigate a bullet hell, what should the button be called?

In beta-test, we had an individual think that "slow down" meant to slow down the enemies bullets. This person thought it was a power ability of the ship. He suggested to use a different work, such as "precision". It got me wondering what is the most standard word for this button. I always thought it was "slow down", although I know some slow down buttons are mixed in with alternate fire buttons so they are called that instead.

What do you all think?

Post by **BulletMagnet** » Fri Sep 11, 2015 9:59 pm

The official-ish Glossary term is "Focus", which i believe the Touhou games also use.

Iori Branford · Post by **Iori Branford** » Fri Sep 11, 2015 10:00 pm

If it doesn't have to be 1 word "Precision move" sounds about right.

Shepardus · Post by **Shepardus** » Fri Sep 11, 2015 10:02 pm

"Focus" or "focused movement" sounds best to me.

Giest118 · Post by **Giest118** » Fri Sep 11, 2015 10:03 pm

"Focus" is typical, but it might be ambiguous since it can also refer to a "focus shot," that is, a more powerful, front-'focused'-shot. In a lot of games the two are the same button.

MathU · Post by **MathU** » Sat Sep 12, 2015 12:13 am

"Focus" only makes sense when it describes the player shot being reduced to a narrow beam to focus damage in a small area. I would hope that a native English game would choose a more descriptive term instead of slavish devotion to conventions set by people who don't exactly have a track record of using the English language well. I think "Slow" or "Precision Movement" are probably a little better.

pegboy · Post by **pegboy** » Sat Sep 12, 2015 12:20 am

Is a speed up/speed down button really a foreign concept these days? Lots of older games had adjustable speeds for the ship, usually many levels.

Weak Boson · Post by **Weak Boson** » Sat Sep 12, 2015 12:36 am

I think a focus button for focused movement works even if the shot doesn't change.

I would also like to suggest a "steady" button. Whenever I see a dense danmaku coming towards me I always think "steady now!" so I think it makes sense.

Bananamatic · Post by **Bananamatic** » Sat Sep 12, 2015 12:36 am

shot/laser

HydrogLox · Post by **HydrogLox** » Sat Sep 12, 2015 1:22 am

MathU wrote:"Focus" only makes sense when it describes the player shot being reduced to a narrow beam to focus damage in a small area.

That isn't the only type of "concentration" that "focus" can refer to.

"Resistance: Fall of Man" has the conceit of Focus Mode to "focus concentration. This can give the sensation of slowing down time." With that mechanic the perceived "slowdown" is a result of the application of "intense concentration" which can only be sustained for a short interval after which a much larger "rest interval" is required before "focus" can be applied again.

Squire Grooktook · Post by **Squire Grooktook** » Sat Sep 12, 2015 3:29 am

Focus Mode

SMC · Post by **SMC** » Sat Sep 12, 2015 5:08 am

Matthew Doucette wrote:we had an individual think that "slow down" meant to slow down the enemies bullets.

Maybe they had been playing the PS1 Dodonpachi.

KAI · Post by **KAI** » Sat Sep 12, 2015 7:06 am

In SDOJ, you get a "slow down" when you tap shot, not when you hold it...

Aleksei · Post by **Aleksei** » Sat Sep 12, 2015 8:28 am

Recently, Zangeki Warp "introduced" warping, which makes sense because you're warping/bending through time.

Cagar · Post by **Cagar** » Sat Sep 12, 2015 11:49 am

Stevens · Post by **Stevens** » Sat Sep 12, 2015 12:07 pm

Aleksei wrote:Recently, Zangeki Warp "introduced" warping, which makes sense because you're warping/bending through time.

If you like warping you should try Valkyrius.

emphatic · Post by **emphatic** » Sat Sep 12, 2015 12:24 pm

Defensive mode.

JBC · Post by **JBC** » Sat Sep 12, 2015 1:49 pm

Might I suggest 'abate'? I also like 'inhibit' & 'constrain', or simply brake.

trap15 · Post by **trap15** » Sat Sep 12, 2015 2:04 pm

It should be called the 'retard' button.

heehee

Eaglet · Post by **Eaglet** » Sat Sep 12, 2015 2:55 pm

trap15 wrote:It should be called the 'retard' button.

heehee

Jeneki · Post by **Jeneki** » Sat Sep 12, 2015 4:33 pm

trap15 wrote:It should be called the 'retard' button.

heehee

If we're going to go for the music tempo spin, go full-on music tempo artistic hipster with something like Ritueno.

juonryu2nd · Post by **juonryu2nd** » Sat Sep 12, 2015 7:36 pm

scared button

Eaglet · Post by **Eaglet** » Sat Sep 12, 2015 11:12 pm

Jeneki:

Physics, man.

a < 0

Lobinden · Post by **Lobinden** » Sun Sep 13, 2015 1:22 am

trap15 wrote:It should be called the 'retard' button.

heehee

:3

awry · Post by **awry** » Sun Sep 13, 2015 5:11 am

Xonatron · Post by **Xonatron** » Mon Sep 14, 2015 2:04 pm

Thank you all, as usual.

Giest118 has a good point about "focus" being typical but also typical is a focused shot. 8BA has a good idea about calling it a "brake"; It is unambiguous and hard to mistake.

I should note the beta-tester discovered the true meaning of the button quickly, so it was presented to us as a polish issue. It is a wish to respect shmup culture more than address a game design flaw. I may very well leave the button as "slow down" -- although I do like "brake". Thank you for all your input!

BareKnuckleRoo · Post by **BareKnuckleRoo** » Wed Sep 16, 2015 1:06 am

There's at least one game out there (XOP Ultra) clever enough to make the default move speed the slow movement, and the speed button actually increases movespeed. It's not tied to shot spread, and the options allow you to adjust it back to fast movement + slowdown button if you prefer the 'norm'. If you expect players to make slower, precise movements with only occasional bursts of quick dodges, maybe look at this route?

Also applies to Reco Abnormal in Futari as a weird challenge case, which also makes her very fun to play.

Doctor Butler · Post by **Doctor Butler** » Wed Sep 16, 2015 1:34 am

Just call it focus, so everyone knows what it is.

nekketsu · Post by **nekketsu** » Wed Sep 16, 2015 9:44 pm

Caution mode

Graze mode

Precision mode

Hyper Alert mode

Danmaku Feveron

shmups.system11.org

What should one call a "slow down" button?

What should one call a "slow down" button?

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