You really need to play Eschatos

[CWM]

So let's be clear on our terms here: DRM is an unnecessary background process that runs alongside another program whose sole purpose is to police the user's legitimate use of it. This is what I'm entirely fed up with dealing with and I'm keeping my money if a publisher can't respect my desire to run a game without this shit..

Pretty sure both the 360 and the PS3 have this. Whether it's a background process or a set of OS calls to check if the digital license checks out or the disc is present, the idea is basically the same. Only difference is, it's a closed system, so you have no idea what it actually does under the hood. In fact, digital games on these consoles pretty much follow the exact same DRM scheme as Steam does - you need to activate the physical machine on the account that owns the game, log into it, install, and afterwards you can play offline in peace. Don't see much of a difference, honestly.

Edit: Actually, one difference is that, as far as I know, Steam lets you activate an unlimited amount of machines, while PSN and XBL impose some pretty strict limitations on that.

[MathU]

Well I suppose it helps that I own neither of those systems then. But a console just in and of itself is not DRM.

[awry]

I'm curious about how a one-time check prevents you from enjoying the game or inconveniences you in any way.

It wastes resources and makes me fork over some level of control over my computer, something that as a PC enthusiast I value very much.

Now ask yourself this: why should any customer be treated this way in the first place? Do you think Steam is preventing any piracy here? Raiden IV Overkill was cracked in mere hours of release and I doubt the story will be any different with this game. So the paying customer gets punished while the pirate gets the better experience.

I'm not convinced a one time check's use of system resources ONE TIME impacts anyone's enjoyment of the game. As for control, I'm not sure what you mean... I chose to buy the game, install the game, and play the game. I was in full control the whole time. If I lost control of some aspect of my computer when I installed the game, it definitely did not impact my enjoyment of the game.

I don't think it's preventing any piracy, but I think it's keeping some corporate executives satisfied while have having no negative impact on customers. It's win-win. I hate shitty DRM, but that is not the case here.

If the DRM really bothers you, just pirate the game so you can enjoy it with the rest of us!

[gameoverDude]

The Steam DRM is fine, it's not Securom.

I enjoyed this on 360 and it's great to have on PC. The BGM is awesome- thanks to Yousuke Yasui for that.

Eschatos' chain system is a bit like Zanac Neo but more forgiving. Letting an enemy get away is not a total chain break, but drops the multipler by x1 (so does dying).

If Ginga Force makes it to PC, I'll be in on Day One. Hopefully Natsuki Chronicles could make it to PC someday- it's not the first 3rd party Xbox One "exclusive" to do so.

[To Far Away Times]

Bought it on Steam and played a few rounds today. Soundtrack of the forever.

[Heavy Viper]

;_;7

[mastermx]

How do you access practice, or access specific stages. Is it an unlockable?

[Legendary Hoamaru]

How do you access practice, or access specific stages. Is it an unlockable?

It's unlockable and will appear under the Game Setting options. It unlocks at level 10 I think.

I get to play now .

[AimeeSH]

Having never played Eschatos, I must say the game is qute good. Had just picked it up from steam and had a couple of goes.

Maybe I'm missing it but can you not rebind/change the keys? Namely the movement keys.
Also the game seems to be not picking up the correct refresh rate of the monitor despite setting it to 144hz the game still runs at 60fps.

[Bonus!]

Having never played Eschatos, I must say the game is qute good. Had just picked it up from steam and had a couple of goes.

Maybe I'm missing it but can you not rebind/change the keys? Namely the movement keys.
Also the game seems to be not picking up the correct refresh rate of the monitor despite setting it to 144hz the game still runs at 60fps.

That's not how this works. If a game is designed for 60Hz, then setting the refresh rate of your monitor at a higher level will not make such a game output graphics at a higher refresh rate.

[Bonus!]

Now ask yourself this: why should any customer be treated this way in the first place? Do you think Steam is preventing any piracy here? Raiden IV Overkill was cracked in mere hours of release and I doubt the story will be any different with this game. So the paying customer gets punished while the pirate gets the better experience.

Pirates are getting a worse experience. For instance, they aren't able to easily patch their games, nor can they participate in the online leaderboards at Steam.

[AimeeSH]

Having never played Eschatos, I must say the game is qute good. Had just picked it up from steam and had a couple of goes.

Maybe I'm missing it but can you not rebind/change the keys? Namely the movement keys.
Also the game seems to be not picking up the correct refresh rate of the monitor despite setting it to 144hz the game still runs at 60fps.

That's not how this works. If a game is designed for 60Hz, then setting the refresh rate of your monitor at a higher level will not make such a game output graphics at a higher refresh rate.

I am aware of that but most games can run at variable frames per second as it allows people with all sorts of system to play the game. IE some one with lower end system which cant hit that frame rate can enjoy the game too. Making the fps = the game speed isn't the best option due to that. A lot of games do put in 60 fps locks to stop things such as screen tearing, but you just need to change the settings if your using anything other than 60hz to unlock the fps in most cases.

[Despatche]

Maybe I'm missing it but can you not rebind/change the keys? Namely the movement keys.

You can rebind everything but the movement keys. I guess the 360 port is like this, and they didn't bother to change it.

Also the game seems to be not picking up the correct refresh rate of the monitor despite setting it to 144hz the game still runs at 60fps.

It's capped at 60fps. The game does have automatic frameskipping if it needs to maintain normal speed, vital for the leaderboards.

[awry]

Does anyone else have a permanent grin on their face while playing Eschatos? It's just too fun to let my facial muscles relax.

[MathU]

Maybe I'm missing it but can you not rebind/change the keys? Namely the movement keys.

Ouch, that's the typical lazy standard one might expect from doujin shooters, but that's really unacceptable for a big commercial release like this. Arrow keys are awful for playing games.

[Bonus!]

On a proper keyboard the arrow keys are perfectly fine. My Macbook is a different story, but I wouldn't use that keyboard for playing games anyway.

[NeoStrayCat]

TC says..."You really need to play Eschatos"

No, no I don't, do you think I'd have the time for it? Heh, I do, but not now, and not at that price, maybe later, because backlog, but yeah, I guess people are giving it very positive reviews on the steam release! X3

[Special World]

TC says..."You really need to play Eschatos"

No, no I don't, do you think I'd have the time for it? Heh, I do, but not now, and not at that price, maybe later, because backlog, but yeah, I guess people are giving it very positive reviews on the steam release! X3

What is even happening here

[NeoStrayCat]

^Nothing TC, just stating my opinion, its not like I would say anything bad to it. >_>

It just that I don't have the time yet to play it, but that might happen sometime soon in the future. I just have a hefty backlog to do.

[To Far Away Times]

How do you get extra stages in the stage practice option?

[nekketsu]

I would just like to say, Special World, that your posts here have been so passionate and thoughtful that I'm certain you've inspired a lot of people to give it a go, myself included. I skipped the 360 version after checking out some videos. I was so underwhelmed by the visuals that I just put it on the "some day" mental backburner. For every reply here there's probably multiple lurkers/guests who really dug this thread and are now digging Eschatos.

Thanks & kudos!

[ShamefurDispray]

I can't stop freaking playing Eschatos and JSS. I work night shift. Today is my day off and I usually go to bed around 7am. It's almost 10am right now and I just stopped playing

It's just...it's so goddamn fun

[z0mbie90]

JSS and CS are addictive as hell. This is my coming back to STGs game. And I belive I will play this for a while. Love it.

[Squire Grooktook]

Does anyone else have a permanent grin on their face while playing Eschatos? It's just too fun to let my facial muscles relax.

I can't stop freaking playing Eschatos and JSS. I work night shift. Today is my day off and I usually go to bed around 7am. It's almost 10am right now and I just stopped playing

It's just...it's so goddamn fun

JSS and CS are addictive as hell. This is my coming back to STGs game. And I belive I will play this for a while. Love it.

So glad the love is spreading Long live Qute!

[Special World]

I would just like to say, Special World, that your posts here have been so passionate and thoughtful that I'm certain you've inspired a lot of people to give it a go, myself included. I skipped the 360 version after checking out some videos. I was so underwhelmed by the visuals that I just put it on the "some day" mental backburner. For every reply here there's probably multiple lurkers/guests who really dug this thread and are now digging Eschatos.

Thanks & kudos!

Really happy to hear this! Eschatos is in that unenviable position of being niche amongst the niche—videos of the game do it so little justice that even the well-informed public of Shmups forum would give it a pass without a second thought. I myself would have passed it up if it hadn't been for the reputation of Judgement Silversword. I'm not much for this wave of "well we have to support shmups, we have to support this developer, what can we do so this company can sell more games?" To me that's a warped kind of ultra-consumer mentality. But what I *am* totally for is letting people know about games they'll really love, and trying to explain to them why that game's worth a look. We see this a lot with hardcore games like Bayonetta and Dark Souls and etc, but compared to those Eschatos is like an atom in the cosmic ocean. And that's a damned shame, because this really is hands-down one of the best games in the entire genre, and more than that it's a very approachable game that even genre newcomers (or people who are actually turned off by the genre) can play and enjoy.

A couple years back, I was going through a personal surge of interest in scrolling shooters, thanks to the TG-16 games on Wii Virtual Console. It was around that time that somebody on another forum told me hey, you should really check out this game called Dodonpachi. And I played it and it just blew me away, and I ended up buying a pirate disc to play Mushihimesama, Espgaluda, and Ibara. And now fast-forward to the present day, I have a J360, every single Cave release, Eschatos and Ginga Force, Raiden Fighters Aces and Raiden IV, Caladrius, and almost all of the rest. I really owe that user a huge debt; he completely derailed my videogame trajectory for a very long time, in the best possible way.

That's what I'm interested in—helping people find an enduring love of games. To me, making sure that the genre has a future isn't a matter of trying to sell these games to as many people as possible, or double-dipping, or guilt-tripping people into supporting dying developers. It's about loving a game, and showing people how and why you love that game, so that they might love it just as much.

[mastermx]

How big is the hit box in this game. I have feel for it and can about gauge where it is on the ship. But interested to know how many pixels they went for.

[Legendary Hoamaru]

It's like a 3 or 4 pixel square. You can unlock an option that lets you view hitboxes of everything in 360, pretty sure it's in this version too.

[mastermx]

Wow didn't know you can unlock that too. I love that there are so many unlockables. Feels so old school.

I'm loving this game, I watched it on stgweekly a long time ago and thought it was easy, how wrong I was, this game is very challenging. I just love the scoring system too, reminds me of the caravan games.

[nekketsu]

That's what I'm interested in—helping people find an enduring love of games. To me, making sure that the genre has a future isn't a matter of trying to sell these games to as many people as possible, or double-dipping, or guilt-tripping people into supporting dying developers. It's about loving a game, and showing people how and why you love that game, so that they might love it just as much.

I would say you're doing a great job of it. I'll absolutely agree that more people taking your approach would do a greater service to under-appreciated games than double-dipping or throwing money at ultra-niche stuff. Word of mouth in this internet age can spread like wildfire.

But with that said I am probably guilty of trying to keep companies from bowing out or becoming strictly mobile In normal circumstances I wouldn't "vote with my wallet," but I want more shmups, dammit.

[ShamefurDispray]

I think I found a hidden track from the OST
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGykwC0fdJ4